The Abomination of Desolation - St. Marys Coptic Orthodox Church

BABYLON THE GREAT WHORE
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fornication.” (Rev 17:2) “For all nations have drunk of the wine of the
wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed
fornication with her.” (Rev 18:3)
But how can a nation or a country commit fornication with the
“kings of the earth” or seduce “all nations” and “the inhabitants of the
earth” with her fornication, making them intoxicated as if drunk and
following her example and committing fornication?
It is obvious that fornication is used here symbolically (as is the case
with everything else in the Book of Revelation!) So, let us examine the
meaning of “fornication” in the prophetic and apocalyptic language.
In the Old Testament, the words whore, harlot, fornication and
adultery were used figuratively to describe polytheism or idolatry.
When Israel, God’s own people, the bride of Yahweh worshipped other
gods, God sent the prophets to rebuke them for their whoredom. For
God considered Israel His bride and if Israel would love someone else
other than her Husband Yahweh, then she has become no more than
a whore or a harlot. There are many examples of this, the earliest of
which is in the Book of Judges, when we are told, “And yet they would
not hearken unto their judges, but they went a whoring after other gods,
and bowed themselves unto them.” (Judg 2:17) The same expression
is used by God in rebuking Israel through His prophet Hosea, “Rejoice
not, O Israel, for joy, as other people: for thou hast gone a whoring
from thy God.” (Hos 9:1) In the same book, the Lord is inviting Israel
to repentance by telling them, “Plead with your mother, plead: for she
is not my wife, neither am I her husband: let her therefore put away her
whoredoms out of her sight, and her adulteries from between her
breasts.” (Hos 2:2) By worshipping other gods, Israel lost her privileges
as the bride of Yahweh, but she can always return to her heavenly
spouse if she repents. The faithlessness of Israel (the Northern
Kingdom) was soon followed by the harlotry of Judah (the Southern
Kingdom). “And I saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding
Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of
divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but went and
played the harlot also.” (Jer 3:8) In the same book, the Lord rebukes
His bride saying, “thou hast polluted the land with thy whoredoms and
with thy wickedness.” (Jer 3:2) The same sentiment appears in the
words of the Lord through the mouth of Ezekiel, “Wherefore say unto
the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Are ye polluted after the