The Great Controversy The Great Controversy | Page 382
In Revelation 14 the first angel is followed by a second proclaiming:
“Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations
drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.” Revelation 14:8. The
term “Babylon” is derived from “Babel,” and signifies confusion. It is
employed in Scripture to designate the various forms of false or apostate
religion. In Revelation 17 Babylon is represented as a woman—a figure
which is used in the Bible as the symbol of a church, a virtuous woman
representing a pure church, a vile woman an apostate church.
In the Bible the sacred and enduring character of the relation that
exists between Christ and His church is represented by the union of
marriage. The Lord has joined His people to Himself by a solemn
covenant, He promising to be their God, and they pledging themselves to
be His and His alone. He declares: “I will betroth thee unto Me forever;
yea, I will betroth thee unto Me in righteousness, and in judgment, and
in loving-kindness, and in mercies.” Hosea 2:19. And, again: “I am
married unto you.” Jeremiah 3:14. And Paul employs the same figure in
the New Testament when he says: “I have espoused you to one husband,
that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.” 2 Corinthians 11:2.
The unfaithfulness of the church to Christ in permitting her
confidence and affection to be turned from Him, and allowing the love
of worldly things to occupy the soul, is likened to the violation of the
marriage vow. The sin of Israel in departing from the Lord is presented
under this figure; and the wonderful love of God which they thus
despised is touchingly portrayed: “I sware unto thee, and entered into a
covenant with thee, saith the Lord God, and thou becamest Mine.” “And
thou wast exceeding beautiful and thou didst prosper into a kingdom.
And thy renown went forth among the heathen for thy beauty: for it was
perfect through My comeliness, which I had put upon thee.... But thou
didst trust in thine own beauty, and playedst the harlot because of thy
renown.” “As a wife treacherously departeth from her
381