The Second Angel's Message

In Revelation 14 a second angel follows the first, proclaiming, “Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication” (Revelation 14:8). The term Babylon comes from “Babel,” and it indicates confusion. In Scripture it designates various forms of false or apostate religion. Revelation 17 portrays Babylon as a woman—a figure that the Bible uses as the symbol of a church, a good woman representing a pure church, and an immoral woman, an apostate church.LF 159.3

The Bible describes the relation between Christ and His church as a marriage. The Lord declares: “I will betroth you to Me forever; yes, I will betroth you to Me in righteousness.” “I am married to you.” And Paul says: “I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.” (Hosea 2:19; Jeremiah 3:14; 2 Corinthians 11:2.)LF 159.4