‘Day 299

The woman whom you saw is the great city, which reigns over the kings of the earth.” (NASB)

There is only one city that has ever done that. 

The image of the “great city” clearly has universal application. It is called Sodom, Egypt, and Babylon (Rev 11:8; 14:8). It is still a factor in the world at the end of history (Revelation 17). So, it is likely that early readers of Revelation would have identified this image with Rome. The great city “has rulership” (present tense) over the kings of the earth. The beast the woman rides is also seven mountains, which would probably remind first-century readers of the Seven Hills of Rome. First-century Jews and Christians often referred to Rome as Babylon, etc. There may be a lesson for us in this identification. Around the time Revelation was written, the legal standing of Christians in the Empire was coming under threat. Jews were taking action to isolate Christians from the synagogue. Judaism was the only religion that exempted people from Roman religious’ law. To be seen as separate from Jews, therefore, put Christians in real peril. 

A second problem that Christians began to face was accusations from their Gentile neighbours. As Gentiles came to see a distinction between Christian faith and Judaism, they often examined Christianity with hostile contempt. Public events in Asia Minor were saturated with pagan rituals and rhetoric. Christians, therefore, usually avoided them so as not to compromise their faith. Not a good look!

The general population, on the other hand, took a smorgasbord approach to religion. They felt free to pick and choose among a variety of ideas. Much like today, they did not appreciate people who thought they were right and everybody else was wrong. They accused Christians of “atheism” because they would not worship any god but their own. Christians would not accept the state gods as objects of worship. Christians were also accused of “cannibalism.” Because of the Lord’s supper and child sacrifice. The combined effect of all these accusations was an insecure world for Christians to live in. 

Lord keep my faith strong when times are good!