There are many mentions of cities in the Bible and quite a variety of those: Strong city, priest city, city of David, city of the Lord, tumultuous city, joyous city, rebellious city, golden city, royal city, etc., but the city this post is concerned with is....The Great City.

Genesis 10:8-12 And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth. He was a mighty hunter before the Lord: wherefore it is said, "Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the Lord." And the beginning of his kingdom was BABEL, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar. Out of that land went forth Asshur, and builded Nineveh ( and the city Rehoboth) and Calah, And Resen between Nineveh and Calah: the same is a GREAT CITY.

The first Biblical mention of a "great city" is Nineveh, associated with Babylon (Iraq of today)

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Joshua 10:2 That they feared greatly, because Gibeon was a GREAT CITY, as one of the royal cities, and because it was greater than Ai, and all the men thereof were mighty.

Mighty # 1368 gibbor ~ powerful, by impl. warrior, tyrant, champion, chief, excel, giant, man, mighty (man, one), strong (man), valiant man.

Mighty men often mean...giants, offspring of the fallen angels. Here, this great city, was feared because "all the men thereof were mighty" - all the men were giants! So, the "great city" is connected to Babylon and the fallen angels.

Jeremiah 22:6-9 For thus saith the Lord unto the king's house of Judah; Thou art Gilead unto Me, and the head of Lebanon: yet surely I will make thee a wilderness, and cities which are not inhabited. And I will prepare destroyers against thee, every one with his weapons: and they shall cut down thy choice cedars, and cast them into the fire. And many nations shall pass by this city, and they shall say every man to his neighbour, 'Wherefore hath the Lord done thus unto this GREAT CITY?' Then they shall answer, 'Because they have forsaken the covenant of the Lord their God, and worshipped other gods, and served them.'

God is speaking to the king of Judah but He is not speaking about the city of Jerusalem. It is instead the "house of Judah" and they are the two tribes of Judah and Benjamin. He is telling that house that if they worship other gods then He will send destroyers.

Some say this references the time Jerusalem was invaded by the Roman general Titus in 70AD but....God is not speaking to the city of Jerusalem here, it is instead the "house of Judah" He is addressing. So, what city does God mean when He says, "many nations shall pass by this city," for that city is the "great city?"

This prophesy will happen in the end of days for it is written that those that are in her, the "choice cedars" are to be "cast into the fire" and that is repeated in [Revelation 18:18 below] The cedars are symbolic of people while the choice cedars are those in high positions that helped this Great City. When are those "choice cedars" cast into the fire? In the "time of the harvest" which is the end of days.....

Matthew 13:30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, 'Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn."

Jonah 1:2 "Arise, go to Nineveh, that GREAT CITY, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before Me."

Jonah 3:2-3 "Arise, go unto Nineveh, that GREAT CITY, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee" So Jonah arose, and went unto Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceeding GREAT CITY of three days' journey.

Jonah 4:11 And should not I spare Nineveh, that GREAT CITY, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle?"

Here we have the great city shown as Nineveh, the capital of the ancient kingdom and empire of Assyria, situated about two hundred and fifty miles north of Babylon. This is part of the kingdom of Nimrod.

Nineveh was a literal city while the "great city" is not. Nineveh was a type of the great city and all she stands for. It is interesting to me to see God speaking of "sparing" some of those in the great city, in the future sense. Why? Because they are misled...don't know their left from their right. And that is because of their false teachers. The great city is full of false religion, idol worship, apostasy.

Revelation 11:8 And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the GREAT CITY, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.

This was shocking to me but I finally realized....THIS IS NOT JERUSALEM BEING SPOKEN OF. Yes, Christ was crucified in Jerusalem but this "great city" is not a literal location. For that reason it is referred to as "spiritually" being called "Sodom and Egypt." Which just means wickedness. Egypt is symbolic of the world, worldly lusts and desires and you know what Sodom is all about.....evil, wickedness. That wickedness is what crucified our Lord and is what will kill the witnesses. It is not a place, the great city is Satan's realm....evil.

17:5 And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. And the angel said unto me, "Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns. 17:15 And he saith unto me, "The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues. 17:18 And the woman which thou sawest is that GREAT CITY, which reigneth over the kings of the earth."

Those verses say it all. The great city is Babylon and she is an abomination. She "sitteth" on the waters which are the people of the world, people of all nations and languages. She is a wicked extension of Satan and the world loves her.

18:10 Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saing, 'Alas, alas, that GREAT CITY BABYLON, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come.' 16. And saying, 'Alas, alas, that GREAT CITY, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls! 18. And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, 'What city is like unto this GREAT CITY!' 21.And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, "thus with violence shall that GREAT CITY Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all. 23. And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by they sorceries were all nations deceived.

The "one hour" when her judgment comes is Satan's hour of temptation. Those that fall for his deception are part of her and share in her punishment. She shall be thrown down and her false religion will never be tolerated again. She will never again deceive.

14:8 And there followed another angel, saying, "Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that GREAT CITY, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.

16:19 And the GREAT CITY was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and GREAT BABYLON came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath.

I don't understand what this verse means. Why was she divided into three parts? Is this when some are saved, those that didn't know their right hand from their left?

Revelation 18:10 is the last Biblical reference to the Great City...she is gone forever. However, we do find.....

21:10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that (GREAT CITY), the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,

This is either a blatant attempt to confuse the Word of God by some of the scribes Christ warned us of or is a mistranslation but the fact remains....Great City is NOT in the text but is instead...the Holy City Jerusalem!

So, we see that the great city is not Jerusalem and that she is not really a city but is symbolic of all those gathered in her. She is evil, she is Satan's handmaiden, she is an abomination and the world drinks from her cup.

Answer: Why was she divided into three parts?






http://www.faithseeds.org/archdiv.html
Whirlwind here is the answer: . . . to question you ask ` I don't understand what this verse means. Why was she divided into three parts ' ?

What follows is every believer’s longing: the return of Jesus; ()a millennial kingdom reign; ()final judgment; and ()a new Jerusalem.

What caused this fracture of a great and mighty kingdom? It was the idolatry, disobedience and sin from Solomon. The divided kingdom continued on with predominantly disobedient kings whose hearts were not set on God. Ultimately, the northern kingdom of Israel was captured by the Assyrians and taken into captivity. This was subsequently followed by the defeat of the southern kingdom of Judah at the hands of the Babylonian empire. A second wave of captivity followed. The divided kingdom did not stand.


Let’s conclude by returning to Scripture, turning first to Revelation 16:19. It reads: “And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath.” Note that Babylon is divided. Now let’s move to Revelation 18:2: “And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying,’ Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.” Babylon falls. What follows is every believer’s longing: the return of Jesus; a millennial kingdom reign; final judgment; and a new Jerusalem. In the end, the divided Babylon falls and the united eternal Kingdom arrives.
Let us unite around the closing words in Revelation 22:20-21: “He which testifieth these things saith, ‘Surely I come quickly.’ Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.”

John 19:17 And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha: 18 Where they crucified him, and two other with him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst. 19 And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS.

Hebrews 13:11 For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp. 12 Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without (outside) the gate. 13 Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach.

Many will die proclaiming Jesus as the Christ, all over the world.

The picture of two old men in Jerusalem lying in the streets dead just never seemed to fit the world-wide party that would be fit by a world-wide slaughter of the witnesses.

When Jesus breaks through the clouds, however...Whew! Look out below! The people of God are about to rise to the sounds of a trumpet and a shout!

Maranatha! Come, Lord Jesus!

In Him,

Mike

Rev 11:8 And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.

JESUS WAS NOT CRUCIFIED .........IN JERUSALEM.........HE WAS CRUCIFIED ........OUTSIDE THE CITY (WITHOUT THE CAMP)


SO, JESUS WAS CRUCIFIED IN (SPIRITUAL) BABYLON,,,,,,,,,,THAT GREAT CITY (THE WHOLE WORLD, the a/c's world-wide kingdom)


Lev 9:11 And the flesh and the hide he burnt with fire without the camp.
Heb 13:11 For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp.
Heb 13:13 Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach.


jerusalem = bride of christ

babylon = whore of a/c

Hi Betty, The problem with what you are saying...."fracture of a great and mighty kingdom," is that it seems to be placing Israel as part of it but it isn't. The "great city" is Satan's realm, just as the Holy City is of God. Good/Evil, Christ/antichrist, Light/darkness...the same thing. One is of God and one is of Satan. Israel has and does come under the influence of the great city but she is not Jerusalem or Israel....she is Babylon and that is of Satan.





I agree with this but still don't understand....what three parts is she divided into? Something is being said here and is worth digging out. I am leaning toward the three parts being...The Dragon, The Beast and the False Prophet. [Rev. 16:13]. I'll keep thinking about it and appreciate any ideas you may have.

Whirlwind :

This author states, ' Jerusalem is divided into 3 parts, a reflection of its judgement in
the Old Testament, Ezekiel 5:5-12 ' ( Maybe this Ezekiel info hold the key to the ' 3 parts ' ? )

Also this link, has fantastic understanding of the bowls of wrath.

http://honolulubiblechurch.org/revelation54.htm

J) THE SEVENTH BOWL OF WRATH - Revelation 16:17-20 - We are again given two references to Jerusalem as it is called: the Great City and Babylon. Jerusalem is divided into three parts, a reflection of its judgment in the Old Testament (Ezekiel 5:5-12). It was again a symbol of the judgment of God. The angel cries "It is done!" and here we see the completeness of God's anger poured out. The covenantal curses are poured out to the full on Israel and the cataclysmic signs represent the fall of that nation as God turns against her in His wrath.

Good morning Betty


You wrote...."This author states, ' Jerusalem is divided into 3 parts," but the "Great City" is not Jerusalem. I always thought it was but it is not Jerusalem.

Revelation 17:18 And the woman which thou sawest IS THAT GREAT CITY, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.

And "the woman" who is the city isn't Jerusalem but is...Mystery, Babylon the Great, the Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth. And there is a "king of Babylon" who is none other than....Satan!

The great city isn't a literal city but encompasses the world and all those that drink from her cup of abominations.....idolatry!

I have to go shopping today (how I used to love that but now detest it) but when I get back I hope to have time to delve into what is meant by the division of three parts.

As always....thank you for your thoughts on this.

Revelation 17:18 And the woman which thou sawest IS THAT GREAT CITY, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.

And "the woman" who is the city - isn't Jerusalem but is...Mystery, Babylon the Great, the Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth. And there is a "king of Babylon" who is none other than....Satan!

When did this city have it's beginning?

Genesis 4:17 And Cain knew his wife; and she conceived, and bare Enoch: and HE BUILDED A CITY, and called the name of the city, after the name of his son, Enoch. (which means....dedicated)

The great city isn't a literal city, a geographical location but encompasses the world and all those that drink from her cup of abominations.....idolatry!
That was opened to my understading for before I always thought that scripture was speaking about Jerusalem...it is not. However, what wasn't shown to me was the following:

Revelation 16:19 And the GREAT CITY was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and GREAT BABYLON came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath.

I didn't understand what the verse meant by being divided into three parts? So, I went to the Strong's Concordance and pulled scriptures that used the word "third" that I thought might give me an answer. Some I eliminated because although they mentioned divisions in thirds there was a type of healing mentioned for all or part of the thirds. That will not apply to That Great City although it probably does apply to those souls that are presently living in that great city.

Revelation 18:21. And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, "Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all.

So, the city won't be found anymore but some of the people will.....after experiencing God's wrath:

Isaiah 19:4 And the Egyptians will I give over into the hand of a cruel lord; and a fierce king shall rule over them," said the Lord, the Lord of hosts.

This is when God allows Satan his "hour of temptation," his "great tribulation" over the world. How is he cruel and fierce? With deception and lies

19:20 And it shall be for a sign and for a witness unto the Lord of hosts in the land of Egypt; for they shall cry unto the Lord because of the oppressors, and He shall send them a Saviour, and a great One, and He shall deliver them.

19:21 And the Lord shall be known to Egypt and the Egyptians shall know the Lord in that day, and shall do sacrifice and oblation; yea, they shall vow a vow unto the Lord, and perform it.

19:22 And the Lord shall smite Egypt: He shall smite and heal it: and they shall return even to the Lord, and He shall be intreated of them, and shall heal them,

19:23 In that day shall there be a highway out of Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian shall come into Egypt, and the Egypian into Assyria, and the Egyptians shall serve with the Assyrians.

19:24 In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and with Assyria, even a blessing in the midst of the land:

19:25 Whom the Lord of hosts shall bless, saying, 'Blessed be Egypt My people, and Assyria the work of My hands, and Israel Mine inheritance.'

So here we see that not only Israel but Egypt and Assyria will be called His people. But, because they are now part of that Great City they will be refined:

Ezekiel 5:2 Thou shalt burn with fire a third part in the midst of the city, when the days of the siege are fulfilled: and thou shalt take a third part, and smite about it with a knife: and a third part thou shalt scatter in the wind; and I will draw out a sword after them.

5:5 Thus saith the Lord God; "This is Jerusalem: I have set it in the midst of the nations and countries that are round about her.

5:12 A third part of thee shall die with the pestilence, and with famine shall they be consumed in the midst of thee: and a third part shall fall by the sword round about thee; and I will scatter a third part into all the winds, and I will draw out a sword after them.

That is speaking of Jerusalem...not the "great city." A reference to the attack of the Roman General Titus in 70AD or perhaps a prophecy of the Holocaust? Are one or both types for the end of days and the battle of Armageddon?

Zechariah 13:1 In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness.

13:8 And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the Lord, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein.

13:9 And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on My name, and I will hear them: I will say, 'It is My People:' and they shall say, 'The Lord is my God.'

That too is speaking of Jerusalem, not the "great city." As it speaks of "in that day" it is referring to the Lord's Day. Notice it isn't saying that the two parts that die are the house of Judah as He also mentions..."inhabitants of Jerusalem." Who are the "inhabitants" today for I believe they are the two parts that shall be cut off?



Then finally we find what I believe is meant by the "great city" being divided into three parts:

Revelation 8:7 The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.

8:8 And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood;

Jeremiah 51:25 Behold, I am against thee, O destroying mountain, saith the Lord, which destroyest all the earth: and I will stretch out Mine hand upon thee, and roll thee down from the rocks, and will make thee a burnt mountain.

Mountains are symbolic of nations, cities, etc. This "great mountain" is "The Great City Babylon" which "destroyest all the earth" with her idolatry, her false religion. The "sea" is symbolic of multitudes of people so this great city is cast into the people of the world, not the people of God, and burned!

8:9 And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed.

One third part of mankind (creatures of the sea) die spiritually because they believe Satan's lies and one third of the ships (commerce, world trade) is destroyed...but something better will be in the future.

8:11 And the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter.

Because of Satan's lies the waters, the people, are poisoned with his deception.

8:12 And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so as the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise.

The two "great lights" [Gen.1:16] are the Sun and the moon - Christ and Satan. One rules the children of the day and one the children of the night. The good and the evil is divided by the two great lights. When it is the time of Satan, the false christ, to come to earth to deceive the world that is when the...."sun shall be turned into darkness," for the fake christ will be pretending to be the Light, the Sun. So does [Revelation 8:12] mean that when the fourth angel sounds the third part of Christ, or the children of Christ...Christians will be smitten (fall for deception) and a third part of moon too. Does that mean the evil part of those under the influence of Satan will fall....Islamic terrorists? The third of the stars I believe is a reference to the fallen angels that return at the end of days. There is still much to think about and sort out and leaves too many unanswered questions but.....

I believe the above scriptures are what is meant by the great city being divided into three parts.

Revelation 16:19 And the GREAT CITY was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and GREAT BABYLON came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath

There are two great cities [human concentrations] recorded in Revelation. One of them is Jerusalem recorded in chapter 12. The other is the great city of the Gentiles recorded in chapter 17 and 18.

The great city of the Gentiles will be destroyed by Satan's beast [Abaddon-Apollyon incarnated in in the little horn] and the 10 other kings who will rule with him. These will hate the "woman" and will destroy her great city part [her presence is actually a worldwide spread and she has many other cities including the great city] in one day. This great city will never rise again. This destruction will take place at the beginning of the tribulation period and the destruction is described in chapter 8 [first 4 trumpets]. One third of the land area will be totally destroyed by fire, mostly around the costal areas. One must understand that a "city" is a composit concentration of human civilization and is the core component of countries, nations, and empires. City building began in the early days after the flood and the objective was to congregate human society into a fabric of strength with the idea that humans could survive without any providence or direction from the Lord. This "woman" is a composite world today with connected "cities" all over the planet. She is an adultrous and unfaithful humanity set out against the Lord.

The geographical location of this great city, or nation, of the Gentiles will be visited twice by the Lord during the tribulation period. He will move the little horn and the 10 others to the first destruction early in the tribulation period and then He will visit the area again during the battle of Armageddon. He will divide the land of the great city into thirds and this will be brought on by the greatest earthquake since humnas have existed. This quake will break the physical land area [possibly a continent] of the Great city into three segments. It will also bring down all of the "womans" other cities [physical destruction] across the earth at the same time.

Jerusalem, the great city of Israel will be occupied by the little horn and his followers when he conquers the Middle East. He will invade and add Israel to his kingdom and will rule over the nation for 42 months [last half of the tribulation period .... second 1,260 days]. Jerusalem will experience a great deal of warfare during the little's horn's invasion, but it will never be totally destroyed like all of the cities of the Gentiles. In fact, it will become the central city of the Great King and Messiah of Israel, Jesus Christ. He will rule the world from Jerusalem for 1,000 years and will preside over an earthly kingdom of mortals. He will destroy the kingdom of Satan's beast, the 10 other kings, and followers at Armageddon and will then procede to restore the Kingdom to Israel and establish His millennial kingdom. Today's Body of Christ, and those who become believers and are killed during the tribulation period, will rule as immortals with Him during the 1,000 year period.