Charles Dickens’ famous novel, A Tale of Two Cities, begins with these words: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness...” He concludes by sayng, “in other words, it was a time just like today.”
We aren’t going to present anything about that novel: but the Book of Revelation is, in many respects a tale of two cities. One is the bride of Christ, but is shown as a city; and the other is a lewd woman, Mystery Babylon – but she also is a city. These two cities are very different. Both are queens – one a true queen and one a false queen. One is going to be rewarded in glory and endure, and the other will be judged and destroyed.
A crucial aspect of the mission of this body of churches is to produce the bride of Christ; the 144,000 in Revelation 14:1 who stand on the Mount Zion with the Father’s name written in their foreheads. These are the “overcomers” who will rule the nations with a rod of iron. See Revelation 2:26-27; 12:5.
The beauty of the bride of Christ is seen in Psalms 45:9-15. In verse 9, she is called “the queen.” But she is different from other queens and concubines. “There are threescore queens, and fourscore concubines, and virgins without number. My dove, my undefiled is but one; she is the only one of her mother, she is the choice one of her that bare her. The daughters saw her, and blessed her; yea, the queens and the concubines, and they praised her.” Song of Solomon 6:89. In other places she is called the “fairest among women.” Song of Solomon 1:8; 5:9; 6:1.
Although the scriptures call her a bride, and a queen, in other places she is referred to as a city. “ And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.” Revelation 21:2.
The Bible not only tells us of this beautiful and stately woman; but there is also a foolish, clamorous, dangerous woman. See Proverbs 9:13-18. In Revelation 17:3, this wicked woman rides a scarlet colored beast. And she has a name: “MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.” Verse 5. It is written in all capital letters for emphasis. The image in Revelation is a metaphor for false religion. The beast she rides is emblematic of fallen, depraved human governments. The seven heads are seven great world powers that, through history, dominated the land of Israel and held the fate of the Jewish people in their power.
This false and wicked woman says “in her heart, I sit a queen.” Revelation 18:7. Like a queen, Babylon has reigned: “And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.” Revelation 17:18. But she is a false queen. The true queen is the bride of Christ – see again Psalms 45:9. The foolish woman has brought nothing but pain, despair, etc. But the bride of Christ will bring liberty, security, freedom from pain and death, and so much more.
Mystery Babylon is not only depicted as a lewd or virtuous woman, but also a city.
Revelation 14:8 calls Babylon a “great city” which has “made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.” She is again called a “city” in Revelation 16:19, 17:18, 18:10 and 18:21.
In four chapters, the Book of Revelation compares and contrasts the two cities; the false and the true queens. In biblical times, the difference between a city and a village or suburbs were the presence of city walls, towers, gates, a vibrant economy and most importantly, a king-priest and government. Both Mystery Babylon and the bride of Christ have all the elements that make them “cities.”
Chapters 17 and 18 show the devastating effects of the whore (lewd woman,) and chapters 21 and 22 show what the bride (fairest woman) will restore. The contrast between the two queens or two cities is unmistakable. Truly, it is “a tale of two cities.” To demonstrate this, we will briefly summarize Revelation 17-22.
Revelation 17 and 18 show that the whore has corrupted the whole world. Mystery Babylon has brought so much wrong, trouble, ignorance, etc. – going all the way back to Nimrod and the Tower of Babel. But we do not wish here to recount success of the whorish woman; but rather to praise the bride.
Revelation 19 - 21:8 foretell the judgment of Mystery Babylon and the establishment of Christ’s millennial kingdom. These few verses show the greatest events of all time. The entire creation has been groaning and waiting for the manifestation of the sons of God. Romans 8:19-22. The 1000-year reign of Christ will lift the curse from creation.
But the last two chapters of the Bible, Revelation 21 and 22 relate how the bride will be a blessing for the earth. In Revelation 21:2, John said the bride comes down from heaven – she was only there during the last half of the last prophetic hour. Her true home is this earth. She comes with her husband, Jesus Christ, to rule 1000 years.
Christ, and the members of this bridal company, will be the government of the whole world. Just as Jesus is King of kings, and High Priest after the order of Melchizedek, the members of the bride will be kings and priests. See Revelation 1:6.
Revelation 21:11 says the bride has the glory of God. What a contrast with Mystery Babylon. In Revelation 18:7, the whore glorified herself. The true queen gives the Lord the glory for what has been done; the false queen claims the glory for herself.
Three times in Revelation 21 (verses 11, 18 and 19) the beauty of the bride is depicted as a jasper stone. A jasper’s brilliance signifies God’s glory. It is a glory not inherently hers; but given to her. In antiquity, what we call a diamond was then called a jasper. A diamond has no brilliance until a light is shined on it. Since God is light, His glory can be seen as He shines through the redeemed members of the bride.
In ancient times, a proper city had both walls and gates, and was built higher than the surrounding hills. Nebuchadnezzar’s Babylon had walls 83 feet thick (6 chariots could ride abreast on them) and maybe 350 feet high. The bride is depicted in Revelation as a walled city. “And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates.” Revelation 21:12. In type, a wall represents strength and protection. No one can enter who doesn’t belong in it. The bride of Christ has limited access – only 144,000. See Revelation 14:1.
But this city has not only walls, but gates – three on each side. Revelation 21:12-13. Gates provide for access, communion, contact and communication - for all the redeemed. Psalms 122:1-2 says, “was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD. Our feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem.” Throughout the Millennium, the righteous will have access, through the bride, to the Lord. The 144,000 kings and priests will function in a priestly manner, to connect the people with their Messiah.
Revelation 21:14 says New Jerusalem will have 12 foundations, each with the names of one of the twelve apostles. This means the city will be based upon the true apostolic teachings. See Ephesians 2:22. Just as the early church continued in the apostle’s doctrine, Acts 2:42, so the truth of God’s Word will be the law of the new world.
Ancient cities had a self-contained economic operation. The holy city will have the economy of God - justice, fairness, no hunger, and no unmet need. The contrast between the two cities is unmistakable.
“But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy. And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people: and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying. There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old; but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed. And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them. They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands. They shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; for they are the seed of the blessed of the LORD, and their offspring with them. And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear. The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent’s meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the LORD.” Isaiah 65:18-25.