Revelation 18:2 Clean & Unclean Animals Metaphorically

Revelation 18:2  He cried out in a powerful voice, “Fallen! Babylon the Great has fallen! She has become a home for demons. She is a prison for every unclean spirit, a prison for every unclean bird, and a prison for every unclean and hated beast.

Take notice to the fact that even John in Revelations knew what clean and unclean foods were.  His words were chosen wisely here to show that every unclean thing was being imprisoned in Babylon.  Notice that clean and unclean animals were separated in the beginning of the Bible (Torah) and still mentioned here at the very end of the Bible.   So from the beginning to the end, they still considered things clean and unclean to eat.  We would submit to you that nowhere in between was it done away with.  If it was then John wouldn’t still be talking about it in Revelations.

“Always Learning”
Biblical Truth

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20 thoughts on “Revelation 18:2 Clean & Unclean Animals Metaphorically

  1. LIO

    ok. But that doesn’t mean we can’t eat that food….cuz if that was so then why did Jesus say the following: Mathew 7:19 since it enters not his heart but his stomach, and is expelled?” and Acts 10:15 And the voice came to him again a second time, “What God has made clean, do not call common.

  2. Biblical Truth Post author

    We assume you meant Mark 7:18-19 Don’t you see that nothing that enters a man from the outside can make him ‘unclean’? 19 For it doesn’t go into his heart but into his stomach, and then out of his body. (In saying this, Yeshua declared all foods “clean.”)

    Before that verse the verses are talking about traditions (man-made) of the elders. Mark 7:2 and saw some of his disciples eating food with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed.

    So basically Yeshua is saying, “Don’t you see that dirt mixed in with food doesn’t make a man unclean”. Rather, it’s what comes out of his mouth.

    Here’s an answer to that in full. http://biblicaltruth.net/dietary-law-biblical/are-all-foods-clean-to-eat/

    About Peter’s Vision…. Keep in mind that SWINE was NEVER considered food; EVER.

    Acts 10 14 “Surely not, Lord!” Kepha replied. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.” 15 The voice spoke to him a second time, “Do not call anything impure that Yahweh has made clean.” 16 This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven.

    So we know that nowhere did Yahweh ever declare any unclean foods clean to eat up to this point. This Acts verse has to do with touching non-believers as Jews believed they weren’t supposed to touch them. Later in the Chapter the verses show that Peter was being taught a lesson about touching/visiting non-Jews.
    Peter’s Vision was a correction to man-made Laws taught to him as YHVH’s Law. He was being corrected by YHWH. What was being corrected was the false understanding that Gentiles are unclean (Talmud).

    In Schabbath, (145b) it says:
    “Why are the Goyim(s) (Gentiles) unclean? Because they eat abominable things and animals that crawl on their belly.”

    Likewise in Abhodah Zarah, 22b:
    “Why are the Goyim(s) unclean? Because they were not present at Mount Sinai. For when the serpent entered into Eve he infused her with uncleanness. But the Jews were cleansed from this when they stood on Mount Sinai; the Goyim(s) (Gentiles , however, who were not on Mount Sinaim were not cleansed.”

    Peter finally learns what his vision means in the verse below.

    Acts 10:28
    And he said to them, “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or to visit anyone of another nation, but God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean.

    We see this exact interpretation again in Acts 11

    Acts 11:18
    And they glorified God, saying, “Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life.”

    full answer here… http://biblicaltruth.net/dietary-law-biblical/does-dietary-law-still-apply-today/

  3. Erik M Richey

    Despite the context from Matthew 7:2 it does not negate Yeshua‘s words that “nothing” implying “anything” through the syntax of the sentence, that enters into a man’s body from the outside makes him unclean. Yeshua was making a broader statement that not only released them from the religious halakha of the elders, but also released them from the Torah of not eating unclean animals. We are under grace which still means being made righteous, holy and gives us salvation without any merit of keeping Torah.

  4. Hollie

    The elders had a tradition where they wouldn’t eat the clean animals if they had touched the unclean animals. They called that common. That’s all. Unclean is still unclean. Clean is clean.

  5. Stephen

    Biblical Truth – I view this somewhat differently. In Mark 7 section your refering too Jesus taught that nothing which goes into the man defiled him, only what comes out of a man’s heart defiled him. Jesus also told them their view of Lev 11 was due to lack of understanding. It is all shadows, just as the earth is a shadow of the heart and seeds as a shadow of God’s word. The animals are shadows as well. In acts Peter’s vision was a shadow of pigs being Gentiles. This vision was important because even in Mark 7 we see Jesus telling the Gentile woman that it wasn’t time for the Gentiles yet…as you said pigs were always unclean…until God gave Peter this revelation to help him see the bigger picture.

    All the animals represent different spiritual things which grow unclean things out of the heart when ‘eaten’. Similar to beware the yeast of the Pharasees because their teachings go into the heart and produce unclean ‘fruit’ out of the heart.

    It’s all shadows of spiritual realities.

  6. JohnnyB

    The unclean birds of revelation are a callback to Jeremiah 5:26-28.

    “26 For wicked men are found among my people;
    they lurk like fowlers lying in wait.[a]
    They set a trap;
    they catch men.
    27 Like a cage full of birds,
    their houses are full of deceit;
    therefore they have become great and rich;
    28 they have grown fat and sleek.
    They know no bounds in deeds of evil;
    they judge not with justice
    the cause of the fatherless, to make it prosper,
    and they do not defend the rights of the needy.”

    They represent wicked men. Jeremiah is key to interpreting the eschaton.

    Some things to compare (not exhaustive) The Cup of Wrath Jer 51:7-Rev 18:3, Babylons sins Jer 51:9-Rev18:5, Judgment as a harvest Jer 51:33-Rev 14:14, Destruction in fire Jer 51:25,26 Rev 18:8,9, Sea will dry Jer 51:48, Rev 21:1, Heaven and earth rejoice Jer 51:48-Rev 18:20, Scroll thrown into the Euphrates Jer 51:59-64 Rev 18:21.

  7. Suzanne Haslett

    The way I understand it, is that unbelievers, and those who worship pagan gods are the people who are still being condemned for eating unclean foods. Jews and unbelievers have not been cleanses by the blood of Christ.

  8. Biblical Truth Post author

    Well…WE were following you until you said pigs were clean. Not true at all. Peter’s vision was about touching gentiles but YHVH had to use pigs to help him figure it out.
    http://biblicaltruth.net/dietary-law-biblical/does-dietary-law-still-apply-today/

  9. Biblical Truth Post author

    STRONGLY DISAGREE. The Elders had traditions of their own called Talmud which sometimes were held higher than YHVH‘s Torah. That is what Yeshua is talking about.

  10. Biblical Truth Post author

    Romans 6:15 What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means!

  11. Biblical Truth Post author

    Hebrews 10:26-31 For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a fearful expectation of judgment, and ha fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. 28 Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. 29 How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge his people.” 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

  12. Biblical Truth Post author

    That is CJB but here’s a list of comparisons.
    KJ21
    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.
    ASV
    And he cried with a mighty voice, saying, Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, and is become a habitation of demons, and a hold of every unclean spirit, and a hold of every unclean and hateful bird.
    AMP
    And he shouted with a mighty voice, saying, “Fallen, fallen [certainly to be destroyed] is Babylon the great! She has become a dwelling place for demons, a dungeon haunted by every unclean spirit, and a prison for every unclean and loathsome bird.
    AMPC
    And he shouted with a mighty voice, She is fallen! Mighty Babylon is fallen! She has become a resort and dwelling place for demons, a dungeon haunted by every loathsome spirit, an abode for every filthy and detestable bird.
    BRG
    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.
    CSB
    He called out in a mighty voice: It has fallen, Babylon the Great has fallen! She has become a home for demons, a haunt for every unclean spirit, a haunt for every unclean bird, and a haunt for every unclean and despicable beast.
    CEB
    He called out with a loud voice, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a home for demons and a lair for every unclean spirit. She is a lair for every unclean bird, and a lair for every unclean and disgusting beast
    CJB
    He cried out in a strong voice, “She has fallen! She has fallen! Bavel the Great! She has become a home for demons, a prison for every unclean spirit, a prison for every unclean, hated bird.
    CEV
    The angel shouted, “Fallen! Powerful Babylon has fallen and is now the home of demons. It is the den of every filthy spirit and of all unclean birds, and every dirty and hated animal.
    DARBY
    And he cried with a strong voice, saying, Great Babylon has fallen, has fallen, and has become the habitation of demons, and a hold of every unclean spirit, and a hold of every unclean and hated bird;
    DLNT
    And he cried-out with a strong voice, saying “Babylon the great fell, it fell! And it became a dwelling-place of demons, and a prison of every unclean spirit, and a prison of every unclean bird, and a prison of every unclean and hated wild-beast.
    DRA
    And he cried out with a strong voice, saying: Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen; and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every unclean spirit, and the hold of every unclean and hateful bird:
    ERV
    The angel shouted with a powerful voice, “She is destroyed! The great city of Babylon is destroyed! She has become a home for demons. That city has become a place for every unclean spirit to live. She is a city filled with all kinds of unclean birds. She is a place where every unclean and hated animal lives.
    EHV
    He called out with a loud voice, saying: Fallen, fallen, is Babylon the Great. She has become a dwelling place for demons, and a prison for every unclean spirit, and a prison for every unclean bird, and a prison for every unclean and hated beast.
    ESV
    And he called out with a mighty voice, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a dwelling place for demons, a haunt for every unclean spirit, a haunt for every unclean bird, a haunt for every unclean and detestable beast.
    ESVUK
    And he called out with a mighty voice, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a dwelling place for demons, a haunt for every unclean spirit, a haunt for every unclean bird, a haunt for every unclean and detestable beast.
    EXB
    He ·shouted [cried out] in a ·powerful [mighty; strong] voice: “·Ruined, ruined [L Fallen, fallen] is ·the great city of Babylon [L Babylon the great]! She has become a ·home [haunt; dwelling place] for demons and a ·prison [or haunt] for every ·evil [L unclean] spirit, and a ·prison [or haunt] for every unclean bird and unclean beast.
    GNV
    And he cried out mightily with a loud voice, saying, It is fallen, it is fallen, Babylon that great city, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of all foul spirits, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.
    GW
    He cried out in a powerful voice, “Fallen! Babylon the Great has fallen! She has become a home for demons. She is a prison for every evil spirit, every unclean  bird, and every unclean and hated beast.
    GNT
    He cried out in a loud voice: “She has fallen! Great Babylon has fallen! She is now haunted by demons and unclean spirits; all kinds of filthy and hateful birds live in her.
    HCSB
    He cried in a mighty voice: It has fallen, Babylon the Great has fallen! She has become a dwelling for demons, a haunt for every unclean spirit, a haunt for every unclean bird, and a haunt for every unclean and despicable beast.
    ICB
    The angel shouted in a powerful voice: “The great city of Babylon is destroyed! She has become a home for demons. She has become a city for every evil spirit, a city for every unclean and hated bird.
    ISV
    He cried out in a powerful voice, “Fallen! Babylon the Great has fallen! She has become a home for demons. She is a prison for every unclean spirit, a prison for every unclean bird, and a prison for every unclean and hated beast.
    PHILLIPS
    Later I saw another angel coming down from Heaven, armed with great authority. The earth shone with the splendour of his presence, and he cried in a mighty voice, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a haunt of devils, a prison for every unclean spirit, and a cage for every foul and hateful bird. For all nations have drunk the wine of her passionate unfaithfulness and have fallen thereby. The kings of the earth have debauched themselves with her, and the merchants of the earth have grown rich from the extravagance of her dissipation!”
    JUB
    And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of demons, and the hold of every unclean spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.
    KJV
    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.
    AKJV
    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.
    LSB
    And he cried out with a mighty voice, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! And she has become a dwelling place of demons and a prison of every unclean spirit, and a prison of every unclean bird and a prison of every unclean and hateful beast.
    LEB
    And he cried out with a powerful voice, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, and it has become a dwelling place of demons and a haunt of every unclean spirit and a haunt of every unclean bird and a haunt of every unclean and detested animal.
    TLB
    He gave a mighty shout, “Babylon the Great is fallen, is fallen; she has become a den of demons, a haunt of devils and every kind of evil spirit.
    MSG
    Following this I saw another Angel descend from Heaven. His authority was immense, his glory flooded earth with brightness, his voice thunderous: Ruined, ruined, Great Babylon, ruined! A ghost town for demons is all that’s left! A garrison of carrion spirits, garrison of loathsome, carrion birds. All nations drank the wild wine of her whoring; kings of the earth went whoring with her; entrepreneurs made millions exploiting her. Just then I heard another shout out of Heaven: Get out, my people, as fast as you can, so you don’t get mixed up in her sins, so you don’t get caught in her doom. Her sins stink to high Heaven; God has remembered every evil she’s done. Give her back what she’s given, double what she’s doubled in her works, double the recipe in the cup she mixed; Bring her flaunting and wild ways to torment and tears. Because she gloated, “I’m queen over all, and no widow, never a tear on my face,” In one day, disasters will crush her— death, heartbreak, and famine— Then she’ll be burned by fire, because God, the Strong God who judges her, has had enough.
    MEV
    He cried out mightily with a loud voice, saying: “ ‘Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great!’ She has become a dwelling place of demons, a haunt for every unclean spirit, and a haunt for every unclean and hateful bird.
    MOUNCE
    And he called out with a powerful voice, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! · She has become a dwelling place for demons and a haunt for every unclean spirit, · a haunt for every unclean bird, · a haunt for every unclean and detestable beast.
    NOG
    He cried out in a powerful voice, “Fallen! Babylon the Great has fallen! She has become a home for demons. She is a prison for every evil spirit, every unclean bird, and every unclean and hated beast.
    NABRE
    He cried out in a mighty voice: “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great. She has become a haunt for demons. She is a cage for every unclean spirit, a cage for every unclean bird, [a cage for every unclean] and disgusting [beast].
    NASB
    And he cried out with a mighty voice, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a dwelling place of demons and a prison of every unclean spirit, and a prison of every unclean and hateful bird.
    NASB1995
    And he cried out with a mighty voice, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a dwelling place of demons and a prison of every unclean spirit, and a prison of every unclean and hateful bird.
    NCB
    He cried out in a mighty voice: “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the Great! She has become a dwelling place for demons, a haunt for every unclean spirit and for every filthy and loathsome bird.
    NCV
    He shouted in a powerful voice: “Ruined, ruined is the great city of Babylon! She has become a home for demons and a prison for every evil spirit, and a prison for every unclean bird and unclean beast.
    NET
    He shouted with a powerful voice: “Fallen, fallen, is Babylon the great! She has become a lair for demons, a haunt for every unclean spirit, a haunt for every unclean bird, a haunt for every unclean and detested beast.
    NIRV
    With a mighty voice he shouted, “ ‘Fallen! Babylon the Great has fallen!’ (Isaiah 21:9) She has become a place where demons live. She has become a den for every evil spirit. She has become a place where every ‘unclean’ bird is found. She has become a place where every ‘unclean’ and hated animal is found.
    NIV
    With a mighty voice he shouted: “‘Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great!’ She has become a dwelling for demons and a haunt for every impure spirit, a haunt for every unclean bird, a haunt for every unclean and detestable animal.
    NIVUK
    With a mighty voice he shouted: ‘“Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great!” She has become a dwelling for demons and a haunt for every impure spirit, a haunt for every unclean bird, a haunt for every unclean and detestable animal.
    NKJV
    And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, “Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird!
    NLV
    He cried out with a loud voice, “The big and powerful city of Babylon is destroyed. Demons and every kind of unclean spirit live there. Unclean birds that are hated are there.
    NLT
    He gave a mighty shout: “Babylon is fallen—that great city is fallen! She has become a home for demons. She is a hideout for every foul spirit, a hideout for every foul vulture and every foul and dreadful animal.
    NMB
    And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Great Babylon is fallen, is fallen, and has become the habitation of devils, and the hold of all foul spirits, and a cage of all unclean and hateful birds.
    NRSVA
    He called out with a mighty voice, ‘Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! It has become a dwelling-place of demons, a haunt of every foul spirit, a haunt of every foul bird, a haunt of every foul and hateful beast.
    NRSVACE
    He called out with a mighty voice, ‘Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! It has become a dwelling-place of demons, a haunt of every foul spirit, a haunt of every foul bird, a haunt of every foul and hateful beast.
    NRSVCE
    He called out with a mighty voice, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! It has become a dwelling place of demons, a haunt of every foul spirit, a haunt of every foul bird, a haunt of every foul and hateful beast.
    NRSVUE
    He called out with a mighty voice, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! It has become a dwelling place of demons, a haunt of every foul spirit, a haunt of every foul bird, a haunt of every foul and hateful beast.
    NTE
    He shouted out in a strong voice, and this is what he said: ‘Babylon the great has fallen! She has fallen! She has become a place for demons to live, a refuge for every unclean spirit, a refuge for every unclean bird, a refuge for every unclean, hateful monster.
    OJB
    And he cried in a kol gadol, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Bavel Hagedolah. It has become a habitation of shedim (demons) and a beit hasohar of every ruach temei’ah (unclean spirit) and beit hasohar of every unclean bird and a beit hasohar of every unclean beast. And has become detestable, [YESHAYAH 13:21, 22; 34:11,13-15; YIRMEYAH 50:39; 51:37; TZEFANYAH 2:14,15]
    RGT
    And he cried out mightily with a loud voice, saying, “It is fallen! It is fallen! Babylon, that great city, has become the habitation of demons, and the prison of all foul spirits, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird!
    RSV
    And he called out with a mighty voice, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! It has become a dwelling place of demons, a haunt of every foul spirit, a haunt of every foul and hateful bird;
    RSVCE
    And he called out with a mighty voice, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! It has become a dwelling place of demons, a haunt of every foul spirit, a haunt of every foul and hateful bird;
    TLV
    He cried out with a mighty voice, saying: “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a den for demons, a haunt for every unclean spirit and for every unclean bird and for every unclean and detestable beast.
    VOICE
    Heavenly Messenger (with a powerful voice): Fallen, fallen, is Babylon the great city! It has become a habitat for demons, A haunt for every kind of foul spirit, a prison for every sort of unclean and hateful bird.
    WEB
    He cried with a mighty voice, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, and she has become a habitation of demons, a prison of every unclean spirit, and a prison of every unclean and hateful bird!
    WE
    He called in a loud voice and said, `The big city of Babylon has fallen down! It has fallen down! Bad spirits live in it. All bad spirits hide there. And all kinds of dirty birds that people hate hide there.
    WYC
    And he cried with a strong voice, saying, Great Babylon felled down, felled down [Great Babylon fell down, fell down], and is made the habitation of devils, and the keeping of each unclean spirit, and the keeping of each unclean fowl, and hateful.
    YLT
    and he did cry in might — a great voice, saying, `Fall, fall did Babylon the great, and she became a habitation of demons, and a hold of every unclean spirit, and a hold of every unclean and hateful bird,

  13. Kurt Rice

    I find it saddening to see people refusing to change and transform per the HolySpirt. The book of Jonah shows a man who loved God but refused to obey out of old feelings for those the hurt him and his people for generations. And eve at the end Jonah obeys but is was our obedience to God, the fear of God, not that he lost the hate for the Ninavites. I ate unclean for a long time…. Up to only four years ago. And upon reading the Bible for my own studies and asking the HolySpirt to show me what God’s will is, not my own, I was shown Jesus’s sermon on the Mount. “I can to not abolish but to fulfill the Law and the Law of the Prophets”. This screamed at me…. What is the difference of these two words Jesus himself spoke.

    We have dietary restrictions in Genesis as to what to and what not to eat. Noah (still in Genesis!) mentioning both 2 unclean and 7 clean animals. Noah them does ceremonies and sacrifices pleasing to God. Simply put God gave Moah all the knowledge to begin with and it was lost and twisted by the time we get to Moses. God simply retaugjt through Moses what Noah already knew.
    Isaiah 66 talks of eating swine and then dying. And hitting Acts, when God engaged Simon Peter with the curtain, Jesus was already ascended and peters teaching by him were complete. If Jesus at anytime ever declared unclean food clean…. Why would Peter then argue about it and say No? Peter already learned from his denials and now had the HolySpirt in him. By Peter arguing and telling God no about eating unclean food – it’s a fact!

    Now my question for this forum. Afterwards the council declares is good by the HolySpirt to make a letter, a lighter yoke for the gentiles to wear. This letter say to not eat strangled animals, blood, sexual immorality and food offered to idols. How does this letter – which imho – still applies to us applies to the Torah food laws? Is it a supplement to them or a replacement? ESP when see unclean animals mentioned in Revelations

    Thank you

  14. Biblical Truth Post author

    Thanks for posting this info and question. Notice in verse 28 it says this “But if anyone says to you, “This was offered to idols,” do not eat it for the sake of the one who told you, and for conscience’ sake; for “the earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness.” So not only do we NOT have a lifting of Dietary Law as often taught, but we also see a command to abstain from any food sacrificed to another god. Paul writes that we SHOULD NEVER knowingly eat any food offered to an idol even if it’s clean according to Yahweh’s commands. Paul’s writings say to avoid any food sacrificed to another god/idol for the sake our of friend and our own conscience sake.

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