I think Babylon is a mystery(deep secret to be fathomed). IMO it is a spiritual system seeking to restrain the reign of Christ- that includes the fallen church. Babylonia is the head of gold is seen in Daniels prophecy, (Nebuchanezzar being at that time the king of Babylon). It roots are in the tower of Babel.
Babylon(etymology) means “Confusion” or “Mixture” or “Confusion by mixture”.
In Rev 11:8
“Their(the two witnesses) bodies will lie in the public square of the great city–which is figuratively called Sodom and Egypt–where also their Lord was crucified.”
So how does Babylon become Egypt Sodom and Jerusalem(wherein our Lord was crucified)?
Rev 17:4-6
And the woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls. She held in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her sexual immorality. On her forehead a mysterious name was written: Babylon the Great, the mother of prostitutes and of the abominations of the earth. I could see that the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints and of the witnesses for Jesus.
Well, for one thing, she does everything for money. She hates God and His family of believers/sharers/lovers. All the kings of the earth get drunk upon the passion of her immorality. She has intercourse with them all. She is the opposite of the Bride. She hates the City of God(coming down out of heaven) and the gates of righteousness. She is clothed in scarlet and gold and drinks blood. The Bride is clothed in wwhite linen and drinks the water of life.
In her initial incarnation(Babel, imo) she sought to establish domimion over the whole earth in opposition to God.
She serves the one who seeks to rule rather than to serve.
One might say she is his lover, the “queen of heaven”.
I know many “ID’s” for Babylon have been posited- like the U.S. or the Roman Catholic Church, but I do not see that any single entity fulfills all the prophecies concerning her.
What I like about Daniels prophecy, is that it shows a historical process, moving from the singular monarchy of Babylon(head) down to the feet of iron and clay.
"While you were watching, a rock was cut out, but not by human hands. It struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay and smashed them. Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver and the gold were crushed all at the same time and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away so that not a trace of them was found. But the stone that struck the statue became a great mountain and filled the whole earth."
This rock is the kingdom of God in Christ which will obliderate unrighteousness dominion until it can no longer be found.
“You are Petra(rock) and upon this rock I will build my ecclesia.” We are living stones, and ambassador for Christ, the forerunners of the new(renewed) heavens and the new(renewed) earth."
Our blood in the earth is the power of God, changing the very foundations of the world and all who are in it, as the further shedding of the blood of Jesus.
But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements(stoicheion- elementary principles) will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. 11 Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat?
13 Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
Peter spoke of the flood, in the verses previous to those I quoted, and how “the Lord destroyed the world that was”- but we know he did not actually destroy the earth, he “dissolved” the foundations and “elementary principles”(systems of dominion where “might made right” and violence reigned).
So also the kingdom of God, which “is like a measure of leaven hidden in 3 bushels of flour until the whole was leavened” Mt 13:3 will “disarm the principalities and powers”, and the world will be freed into the reign of love, equity, justice and light.
We do not kno the day or the hour but…
IMO, We are definitely in the feet of clay and iron in this process of the degradation of world kingdoms.
When the seventh trumpet sounds the cry goes out, “The kingdoms of this world hav become the kingdoms of our God and His Christ”…
When the seventh bowl is poured out the cry goes out “It is finished!”.
“When you see these things rejoice, for your redemption is at hand”.
We are the first fruits (James 1:18)of the new heavens and the new earth(Rev 21:1-5) setting the whole creation(Rev 5:13) free from futility into the “glorious freedom of the children of God”(Ro 8:21)
sorry fellas (fellows) I should have said “chickens” 