AM Bible Study Group; October 21, 2009
Revelation 17:1-18
Theme: In this chapter, John is given a vision of the great ‘harlot’ Babylon, which the Antichrist will exploit and the Lord destroy at His coming .
Chapters 17-18 constitute another parenthesis in the flow of the book of Revelation. The judgment of "great Babylon" was mentioned in 16:19; and now, in these two chapters, the story of this mysterious city is told in greater detail. Chapter 17 describes its nature and history, and chapter 18 describes its judgment and destruction.
Many people assume that the end-times will be characterized by prevailing ‘irreligion’. But the opposite will prove to be true. It will be a time characterized by unprecedented ‘religiousness’—but the religion will be a ‘harlot’ religion of unfaithfulness to God.
I. AN INVIATION TO A DISCLOSURE (vv. 1-2).
A. This invitation was given to John by one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls (see 15:1; 16:1-21). Which of the seven angels this is isn’t told us; but because some of the bowls involved the judgment being described in chapters 17-18 (see also 16:10, 19), it’s clear that we’re to see the judgment being revealed in this disclosure as having a continuity with the bowl judgments (v. 1).
B. The angel tells John to come, and that he would show him the judgment that is depicted in the verses that follow. Note that what is shown is a "judgment"; which is more fully described in chapter 18.
1. It is the judgment of "the great harlot" (v. 1). Harlots are proverbial in Scripture for spiritual unfaithfulness (see Judges 2:17; 8:27, 37; Ezek. 16:28-43, Hosea 4:11-13). The harlot, though depicted as literal, is clearly meant to be understood as symbolic of "that great city which reigns over the kings of the earth" (v. 18). But more than that, it is a city in which will be centered the political, religious and material deceptions of the Antichrist.
2. She is depicted as sitting "on many waters" (v. 1). Some have suggested that the "many waters" described the Euphrates River, where the ancient city of Babylon rested. Others see "many waters" as descriptive of how the city will draw into its influence a wide spread of the inhabited earth. The angel himself is clear: "The waters which you saw, where the harlot sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues" (v. 15; see also 7:9). Thus, the city is being described as one in which the largest part of the Gentile world will become consolidated (just like Babylon of old; see Genesis 11:1-4).
3. Her allure as a harlot is described as being profound. The angel tells us that the kings of the earth "committed fornication" with her (v. 2)—suggesting that they left the truth of God in order to be related to her. And we’re told that the "inhabited earth" (that is, the people of it, who were under these kings) were "made drunk with the wine of her harlotries" (see Jeremiah 51:7).
II. THE DESCRIPTION OF THE VISION (vv. 3-6).
A. John says that he was carried away "in the Spirit" (see Revelation 1:10; 4:2; 21:10). The translations that capitalize "Spirit" interpret John to be saying that he was carried away through the Holy Spirit. Other translations that do not capitalize the word interpret John to be saying that he was in a state of being in which his own spirit was caught up with ecstasy in this vision (see 2 Corinthians 12:2-4). Either interpretation is possible.
B. The "carrying away" was into the wilderness" (v. 3). The wilderness here may be meant to symbolize a desolate place. In Revelation 12:6 and 14, it was to the wilderness that the woman (Israel) fled for protection from the dragon (Antichrist). But here, it may also refer to a literal place of the actual city Babylon.
C. John—in this wilderness place—saw a women sitting on "a scarlet beast which was full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns" (v. 3). Clearly, she is shown to be riding on the Antichrist who was so vividly described in 13:1. The fact that she is sitting on the beast—and even carried by him (v. 7)—means that he is parading her to the world’s view and is intending that the attention of the world be drawn to her.
1. Note that she is described as "arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls" (v. 4). These are symbols of this city’s great wealth and luxury (see 18:16).
2. But also note that she is presented as bearing a golden cup in her hand. The fact that it is gold doesn’t hide the fact that it is "full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornications" (v. 4). Great wickedness—presented in an attractive package—will characterize this city.
3. Just as harlots sometimes did in those days, the true nature of this city is presented as if written on her forehead (v. 5)—unashamedly and openly: "MYSTERY" (that is, a hidden truth), "BABYLON THE GREAT" (that wicked city from which the rebellion of humanity against God took collective shape; see Genesis 10:9-10; 11:1-9), "THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS" (from whom all forms of spiritual harlotry are born), "AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH" (that is, all forms of wickedness and idolatry which spring from false religion and human philosophy).
4. Most grotesque of all the aspects of this woman is that she was drunk—not with wine, but with "the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus" (cf. 13:7). This city will be characterized by the brutal murder of God’s people (see 6:9-11; 18:6, 20, 24). The result of all this was that John was left in a state of astonishment at what he saw; and he "marveled with great amazement" (v. 6).
III. THE EXPLANATION FROM THE ANGEL (vv. 7-18).
A. We’re not left to guess at the meaning of all this. The angel himself tells John what he saw (v. 7).
B. The explanation can be broken up as follows:
1. The Beast (vv. 8-11). He "was" (that is, he at one time existed on the earth—suggesting that he is the reappearance of an entity from the past; see Daniel 11:20-35), "is not" (meaning that he did not exist on the earth at the time of John), "and will ascend out of the bottomless pit" (see Rev. 13:1; also Daniel 11:36ff), "and goes to perdition" (that is, to destruction; see 2 Thess. 2:3, 8; Rev. 19:20; Daniel 11:45). The effect of his appearance (perhaps because of his seeming death and resurrection described in 13:3) will be that the unredeemed world will marvel at him (2 Thess. 2:9-12; Rev. 13:4, 8, 14). John is further told, "Here is the mind which has wisdom" (v. 9; suggesting a crucial element in the right interpretation of this beast): "The seven heads" are explained to be "seven mountains on which the woman sits". The woman is said to be related crucially—and even based upon—these seven mountains. "Mountains" are often presented in Scripture as figures of a kingdom rule of some kind (see Psalm 30:7; Isaiah 2:2; Jeremiah 51:25; Daniel 2:35); and so, we’re told next, "These are also seven kings". We’re told that "five have fallen" (which may represent the first five world empires of Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Media-Persia, and Greece), ". . . one is" (which may represent the Roman empire), "and the other has not yet come" (which may suggest a revived Roman empire that continues for a short time). Note that the beast is said to be "of the seven"; but "is himself also the eighth". This may be because he lives first as the seventh king, appears to die, and then lives again as the eight. But we’re told that his destiny—"to perdition"—is also revealed.
2. The Ten Horns (v. 12-17). These are presented as ten kings. It’s no value trying to speculate who they are, because they do not receive their authority until the beast gives it to them (v.12). They only have authority with him (that is, as his co-regents) "for an hour" (that is, for only a short time). These are said to be of one mind, and they give their total devotion to the beast (see Daniel 2:34, 42-43). They will make war with Christ at His return (see Rev. 19:19-21); but will be utterly defeated because "He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen and faithful" (v. 14). The relationship of the ten kings to the world is shown in the fact that the harlot—the culminating product of the world empires—sits, as it were, "upon the peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues" (v. 15). But note that the kings—and the beast—have no love for the "harlot" city with its religion, riches and system of politics. It’s only a tool; and when the time is right, they will "make her desolate and naked, eat her flesh and burn her with fire" (v. 16)—thus fulfilling God’s purpose against her through their own hands (v. 17).
3. The Woman (v. 18). She is said to be, clearly, "that great city which reigns over the kings of the earth." Her destruction is described in literal terms in 18:9-24.
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God has given us a picture of this future ungodly "harlot" city, so that we would not fall victim to its deceptiveness. Instead, we are to wait "for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God" (Hebrews 11:10). "For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come" (Hebrews 13:14).