In the bible, the cities Jerusalem and Babylon are indicative of opposites, Jerusalem humanity as God intends and Babylon as a city that rejects God.

It is not the actual city that is important today but the people and interaction of the people that they represent.

To explain concepts, the bible often includes opposites, sometimes in extreme language. There rarely, if anywhere, are grey areas.

From the beginning of Genesis there are those who obey and follow God and those who rebel and want to destroy anything created by God and rule themselves. Therefore we have Christ and the anti-Christ. We have Jerusalem that represents the people following Christ and Babylon that represents humanity that rejects him. There is an example of the holy and another of the corrupt.

Jerusalem

Why was Jerusalem so important? It’s name probably means ‘City of peace’, the -salem being a translation of ‘shalom’. See ‘study Peace’.

Jerusalem is the example of the Kingdom of God as a city, people living and functioning together.

The history of Jerusalem in the bible starts with Melchizedek who is called its king. Melchizedek meets Abraham after a battle with other rulers. This was before the nation of Israel had started, before any covenant of God with Israel. Before Israel, in the midst of turmoil, battles between people, there is a place of peace, called Salem (or shalom).

Melchizedek is described as a ‘priest of God Most High’, has bread and wine with Abraham and blesses him. Therefore he is acting as king, priest and prophet, roles that are kept distinct throughout Israel’s history, only to be combined again in Jesus. Melchizedek is an expression of Jesus. When Jesus fulfils his mission, he is referred by the writer of the book of Hebrews to a High Priest after the order of Melchizedek who precedes all those under the Law and covenant with Israel. Therefore Jesus through his death and resurrection has pre-empted and therefore fulfilled the Law.

Further on in Israel’s history, Jerusalem becomes the capital city, taken by David. It becomes the centre for rule, the place of government.

It also becomes the place of God’s presence. This is represented by the Ark of the Covenant. It is brought into the city and placed in a tent whilst the priests and other regalia are left in the tabernacle outside. The tent of David in the city was the place of worship.

David’s son Solomon built the temple which replaced the tabernacle and represented God’s presence. Jerusalem became known as the ‘Holy City’.

When Jerusalem was overrun and destroyed there was weeping by the people taken into captivity and then rejoicing when they returned.

It was never Jerusalem the place that was important, but the people it represents. The prophets did not speak about the place but to the people who lived there. Jerusalem represents the people of Israel. When the people were taken from there into captivity, God was still with them. It did not alter His purposes for them. When Jesus gave the prophecy of the destruction of the city, it was the way of life that was condemned. He was establishing a new Jerusalem, people living a new way.

Jerusalem was the city on a hill where people from all nations were to see how a city should function, how people would live together in harmony.

It was therefore the place where Jesus’ story began with an angel appearing before Zacharias in the temple announcing the birth of John the Baptist who was his forerunner. It was the place of his death on the cross and his resurrection.

It was also the start of the new covenant with the Holy Spirit filling the disciples, known as Pentecost. New Jerusalem, demonstrated by the church began. Some people seem to think the existing city of Jerusalem has some ongoing significance but this is not borne out by the bible. The new Jerusalem refers to people living by the Holy Spirit expressing the new humanity.

The new city still has recognisable functions such as government and interactions between people.

Babylon

The meaning is probably linked to a ziggurat, ‘house of the foundation of heaven and earth’, the gate of God.

Babylon is first called ‘Babel’, the Hebrew ‘babal’ meaning confusion. Babel was the city of Nimrod a man who was a ‘mighty hunter’, therefore able to be self-reliant, the source of human pride. The next occasion we find the tower of Babel, is where humanity thinks it can storm heaven, humanity thinking and acting as though it can replace God and live as it pleases.

Babylon grows in importance and becomes the centre of Nebuchadnezzar’s power, the Babylonian empire being top nation in the known world. They captured and exiled the people of Israel from Jerusalem. Nebuchadnezzar is stilled called God’s servant by the prophet Jeremiah, as he brings judgment on Israel. Jerusalem was not exhibiting life as God intends.

Although Babylon does what God requires by bringing judgment on Israel, it does not mean that it’s life matches that of God and also itself comes within judgment. It’s people still have the heart of Babel, to ascend to replace heaven with their ideas. It is full of pride and cruelty. It allows evil to thrive.

Daniel challenges Nebuchadnezzar in his dream interpretations, regarding pride ultimately bringing destruction on his kingdom.

In the New Testament parallels are made between Babylon and Rome, the centre of the empire at the time. Rome was seen as the location that represented the anti-type of civilisation of the day.

The book of Revelation similarly uses symbolism that equates life summed up by people representing Rome to that of Babylon, in comparison to Jerusalem those who follow Jesus.

Government

Babylon represents everything wrong with society that ultimately is to be destroyed. Their government represents the immorality of leaders, who make decisions that are selfish and suit themselves to the detriment of others. They are drunk on power. It is described as giving power to the ‘beast’, (the anti-christ), animalistic not human, selfish and not having compassion.

It compares to Jerusalem led by Jesus (Christ), the lamb on the throne, the servant who died instead of, and to save his people, ushering in a new humanity.

Commerce

There is interaction between people in either city.

However, merchants who represent Babylon fail. Their aim was to create their wealth at the expense of others, leading to enslaving others, making others depend on themselves. Also those who represent the middlemen, the shipmasters, who exploit, deceive and look after their own interests.

There are similar Old Testament prophesies against corrupt commercial enterprises such as Tyre. God has always wanted good interaction for trade between people.

The judgment set out against Babylon includes a doubling reflecting proper reparation. They are being judged because they thought they were great; they were deceived by their perceived wealth and status; and their persecution of people.

The people representing Jerusalem are characterised as precious stones, with lives of purity and clarity. The interaction between the people results in the river of life flowing out from there, giving life, healing and fruitfulness.