The empire behind every Christian martyr
I’ve mentioned before that my daily Bible-reading routine is extremely sophisticated: I start in the New Testament book of Matthew, read straight through to Revelation, then flip back to Matthew and begin again. And yes, I’ll do some Old Testament too.
I use a MacArthur Study Bible in the NASB. Why? 1. MacArthur usually doesn’t shy away from the hard passages — his commentary is there where other study Bibles fall silent — and 2. I prefer a literal, formal-equivalence translation philosophy, which the NASB and similar translations like the ESV consistently follow.
The other day, I found myself in Revelation 17 and 18. Those chapters deal with a subject that has always fascinated me: the fall of “Babylon the Great” (17:5), described as “the mother of prostitutes and of the earth’s abominations.”
Chapter 17 sketches the great spiritual conflict that has existed not only in John’s day but from the Fall onward, continuing until Christ returns. Chapter 18 then portrays the collapse of Babylon’s commercial empire and, by extension, the world system that depends on it.
Together, these chapters announce the final defeat of the entire anti-Christian order. And it’s no coincidence that this vision leads directly into Christ’s return in Revelation 19.
On this read-through, two verses in particular caught my attention. First, “Mystery Babylon” is pictured as “drunk with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus” (17:6). That’s then matched up in chapter 18 with this disturbing line: “And in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints and of all who have been slain on the earth” (18:24).
That should send a chill down your spine. Scripture is portraying the spiritual empire that stands behind every Christian martyr, all who have faced the ultimate persecution.
The unseen power pulling the triggers of AK-47s that kill believers in Nigeria, and swinging the blades and weapons that take the lives of Christians across remote parts of the world, is the same ancient spiritual rebellion that was born at Babel (hence “Babylon”).
It is a staggering claim — and Scripture makes it without hesitation.
The source of all rebellion
The Bible says that Babylon is far more than a future city or a past regime — she is the spiritual power behind all Christian torment. That says something profound about the nature of spiritual tyranny, the shape of human history, and the spiritual conflict at the heart of the Gospel. It also says something piercingly relevant to the cultural battles of our own age.
Throughout Scripture, Babylon is never merely a point on a map. She is a symbol — the symbol — of organized humanity in rebellion against God; a trans-historical spiritual force of evil. Her story begins conceptually at Babel, where human pride sought to build a world without divine limits. It rises again in Nebuchadnezzar’s empire, which exalts political power above God’s sovereignty. And in Revelation, Babylon stands in for the final world system that intoxicates the nations and opposes Christ.
Its spiritual allegiance is a satanic one and is not seen as just one godless nation among many; she is the archetype behind them all.
When any society weaponizes its power against the people of God, it is Babylon taking on a new face. Whenever the righteous suffer at the hands of the wicked, Babylon is operating. When the faithful are killed, silenced, exiled, or mocked for their allegiance to God, Babylon is there.
John is telling us in Revelation that martyrdom throughout Scripture and up until today forms a single story. He insists that all those individual tragedies are not disconnected.
They are all chapters in a unified tale of conflict between the City of God and the City of the enemy and sinful human beings. To speak of Babylon as the killer of the saints is to say persecution is never random, never merely political, never merely cultural.
It has a spiritual architect.
It surfaces in regimes where state power seeks to erase Christian witness. It thrives in cultures that celebrate what God condemns and condemn what God celebrates.
It is alive in artistic, academic, and technological spheres when they exalt human autonomy above the Creator. It creeps in as societal scorn, moral inversion, and cultural pressure to abandon biblical morality. It overtly states that Christian belief is intolerant and regressive, then builds toward violence.
Revelation’s imagery in chapters 17 and 18 remains unnervingly relevant, not because Christians everywhere face physical death, but because the spiritual power behind all godly harassment remains unchanged. The empire behind every martyr is always awake, adapting itself to each new period of time.
This means that you and I should recognize that all persecution is part of a cosmic story and understand that cultural hostility is spiritually rooted. We’re called to remain faithful even when Babylon appears irresistible and hold fast to a Kingdom that cannot be shaken.
“Come out of her, my people” (Rev. 18:4) says God to everyone who will listen.
Revelation exposes Babylon not to frighten the Church but to fortify it. Persecution — whether through violence, marginalization, or seduction — has a face and a name. And it has a destiny.
The call to us is to do everything in our power to save as many people from it as we can.
Robin Schumacher is an accomplished software executive and Christian apologist who has written many articles, authored and contributed to several Christian books, appeared on nationally syndicated radio programs, and presented at apologetic events. He holds a BS in Business, Master's in Christian apologetics and a Ph.D. in New Testament. His latest book is, A Confident Faith: Winning people to Christ with the apologetics of the Apostle Paul.
