Revelation describes two women that are cities. New Jerusalem is the righteous bride of Jesus Christ (
Revelation 21:1-2) and Mystery Babylon is the wicked mother of harlots (
Revelation 17:5). Scholars list possible cities that may fulfill this prophecy.
1. Babylon, Iraq - During the Tower of Babel, the people rebelled against God (
Genesis 11:4, 8-9). Babylon was destroyed later and never inhabited again. Islam is the green
horse of the Apocalypse.
Therefore the wild beasts of the desert with the wild beasts of the islands shall dwell there [Babylon], and the owls shall dwell therein: and it shall be no more inhabited forever; neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation (
Jeremiah 50:39).
2. Jerusalem, Israel - God chose
Jerusalem to be the capital of
Israel but the Jews went into idolatry, killed many prophets and Jesus Christ. Still, God will restore the Jewish people and Jerusalem will be the world's capital during the
millennial reign of Jesus Christ.
The Lord will go out and fight against those nations, as he fights on a day of battle. On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south (
Zechariah 14:3-4).
3. New York City, United States - New York is the economic capital of the world but the United States eagle is not a superpower during the Tribulation. Capitalism is the black
horse of the Apocalypse. The German leopard, Russian bear and United Kingdom lion merge together into this European
beast lead by Antichrist. See
World Government.
I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. And the beast which I saw was like a leopard [Germany], and his feet were as the feet of a bear [Russia], and his mouth as the mouth of a lion [United Kingdom]: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority (
Revelation 13:1-2).
4. Rome, Italy - Rome is headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church. Apostasy in the Catholic and Protestant churches is the white
horse of the Apocalypse. During the Tribulation, the
False Prophet seizes organized religion to worship the
Antichrist. Revelation 17-18 gives a description of Mystery Babylon.