In scripture, Babylon is often associated with idolatry and blasphemy. Why? Isaiah 47 may give us a clue.
Even though Babylon is under the Lord's dominion (along with everything else), it appears that she has developed an overly high view of herself. Yes, it was God's will to use Babylon as His divine instrument to punish Judah. But Babylon took it upon herself to glory in this task and thoroughly crush the Lord's people. Speaking to Babylon through the prophet Isaiah, God says, "I was angry with my people, I profaned my heritage; I gave them into your hand, you showed them no mercy; on the aged you made your yoke exceedingly heavy" (vs. 6).
Not only did Babylon take it upon herself to make the punishment greater than what God intended (and to also enjoy her cruelty), but being used in this way by the Almighty led to confusion on Babylon's part and gave her a misguided sense of her own importance. Can you catch the undertones of her making herself equal with God when the prophet writes, "Now therefore hear this, you lover of pleasures, who sit securely, who say in your heart, 'I am, and there is no one besides me; I shall not sit as a widow or know the loss of children'" (vs. 8)?
There is a reason that Babylon is often a code-word for an unholy, anti-god state of mind and an idolatrous and blasphemous human government. This attitude flourished in ancient Babylon, but it also flowered in Rome during the days of the persecution of Christians, and, we are told, it will sprout up again in the end-times.
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