Bible Commentaries
Revelation 17

Verses 1-6

Rev 17:1-6

SECTION FOUR

BABYLON AND HER FALL

MORE FULLY DESCRIBED

Revelation 17:1 to Revelation 19:21

1. THE APOSTATE CHURCH THE

"MOTHER OF THE HARLOTS"

Revelation 17:1-6

1 And there came one of the seven angels that had the seven bowls, and spake with me,--The angel here being one of the seven whose work is described in the preceding chapter identifies this further revelation as directly connected with that in some way.. As the three chapters of this section describe the fall and desolation of Babylon in detail, the only conclusion that seems appropriate is that they explain what was said to have occurred when the seventh angel poured out the seventh plague. (Revelation 16:17-21.) It may, therefore, be considered an extended symbolic view of what will take place when the last plague falls upon men. The language is in the past tense, but the incidents were then future--will not happen till Jesus comes again. Another example of the "prophetic past."

saying, Come hither, I will show thee the judgment of the great harlot that sitteth upon many waters; --The words "Come hither" represent one Greek word--an adverb; the meaning is that John was to give attention while he was shown the judgment that was to be inflicted upon the apostate church, here represented as a great harlot. In verse 15 the "many waters" are explained to be "peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues." Since the apostate church is also called "Babylon the great," the image may have been drawn from the fact that the ancient city was situated upon the Euphrates and encompassed with many canals. (Jeremiah 51:13.) These waters sustained the city; the city controlled the waters. In like manner the nations supported the apostate church, and the papacy ruled the nations.

2 with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and they that dwell in the earth were made drunken with the wine of her fornication.--A pure woman is a symbol of the true church--God’s faithful people--as the following texts will show: Galatians 4:22-26; Ephesians 5:22-24;Ephesians 5:31-33. An obedient wife to a loving husband is Paul’s figurative description of the church as being true to Christ her head. An unfaithful wife typically represents an apostate church--those once God’s people, but who have corrupted themselves with idolatry and human doctrines. The kingdoms of Israel and Judah were both called a backsliding people, and charged with having "committed adultery with stones and with stocks." (Jeremiah 36-10; Ezekiel 23:37.) Because of their idolatry God allowed both kingdoms to be carried into bondage. The reason for the final rejection of the corrupt church is its idolatry and perversion of the truth. It is appropriately described, like the same sin among ancient Israel, as harlotry. This horrid sin is the disgusting symbol by which unfaithfulness to God is presented. Expositors generally agree that the word in the Bible refers to doctrinal corruption in most of its occurrences.

Kings here, doubtless, are to be taken literally, meaning that the rulers, representing the nations, were influenced and made the mediums through whom the perpetuation of these false doctrines could be made effective. To "commit fornication" means to practice the false teachings, and such people were affected by these practices as a drunk man is by wine. Intoxication by false doctrines is more deadly than that by wine. It not only dulls the senses, but closes one’s eyes to the truth.

3 And he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness --In a vision the great city’s fall (16:19) is now to be explained, and a change of scene is necessary. By the Spirit John’s mind was transported to other symbols which give a detailed description of that fall. The event, of course, was future when John wrote, and is still future. Why these visions appeared in a wilderness is not stated. That the word wilderness, if any symbolic significance is intended, indicates the desolation that was to come upon the city seems the most probable view.

and I saw a woman sitting upon a scarlet-colored beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. --Unquestionably this woman is to be contrasted with the woman of 12:1. The true and false churches are described by a variety of symbols. The former is called a temple, a city (Jerusalem), a household, a kingdom, and a true and pure wife. (1 Corinthians 3:16; Hebrews 12:22; Galatians 6:10; Matthew 16:18 ; Ephesians 5:22-32.) The latter John pictures as a beast, a city (Babylon), and an impure and faithless wife. (Revelation 13:11; Revelation 18:2; Revelation 17:5). A drunken harlot with all the abominable wickedness that goes with such crimes is the disgusting view here given of the apostate church. John sees the woman sitting "upon many waters" (verse 1), and "upon a scarlet-colored beast" (verse 3). These are two views of the same woman. See next paragraph for an explanation of the beast.

4 And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and decked with gold and precious stone and pearls,--Scarlet color is a significant characteristic of royal apparel; rich jewels of gold, pearls, and precious stones are the natural adornment of earthly rulers. When enemies wished to ridicule the claim of Jesus that he was a king, they placed a scarlet robe upon him. (Matthew 27:28.) Some think the red color in this symbol finds fulfillment in the Catholic Church’s use of it in such things as the cardinal’s red hats. Perhaps the harlot being so gorgeously decked and robed was only intended to indicate her claim of royal authority--the divine right to rule the world. No picture could more appropriately portray her false claim, for the dignitaries of no other church have been so gorgeously arrayed and richly decked.

having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations, even the unclean things of her fornication,--John sees the symbolic woman with a golden cup in her hand, which means she was appealing to all to drink of its contents. This is a figurative expression that means the apostate church was using every device possible to get all men to practice her false doctrines. The cup contained corrupt and false teaching, fittingly represented by harlotry, and was therefore an abomination to God. The text calls them "unclean things," comparable to the unfaithfulness of a wife to her husband. There could be no stronger condemnation of a corrupt and perverted worship than such pretended honor to God.

5 and upon her forehead a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF THE HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.--The name written upon the forehead could be distinctly seen, and it enabled John to understand the character of the woman instantly. Doubtless the reason for its appearing in the symbol was to prevent anyone’s misunderstanding the corrupt institution represented. Expositors are not agreed about the import of the word "Mystery." Some consider it a part of the name; others think it an introductory word by John himself, meaning that a mysterious name was written. This would imply that the name was to be taken figuratively --literal Babylon being taken symbolically to represent spiritual Babylon, the apostate Roman Church. In either view the true meaning would have to be found by learning the import of the symbol.

Concerning ancient Babylon Jeremiah said: "Babylon bath been a golden cup in Jehovah’s hand, that made all the earth drunken: the nations have drunk of her wine; therefore the nations are mad." (Jeremiah 51:7.) God permitted Babylon t o punish Israel because of their sins, but promised that Babylon would be destroyed for her own sins. See verses 8, 9. This shows she was typical of the false church as our next verse indicates.

6 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. And when I saw her, I wondered with a great wonder.--John next sees the symbolic woman plainly drunk, not with wine, but with the blood of the saints. The word "saints" here must he taken literally. The general statement "blood of the saints" is more particularly described as "blood of the martyrs"--that is, those who were slain because of their witnessing for the truth. The word "martyr" literally means a witness. The picture is that of victorious warriors inflaming their minds by drinking the blood of their victims. The meaning is, that the church that had become apostate through perverting Christianity with the commandments of men was so gloating over her persecutions of faithful saints that she was positively drunk mentally. John sees this abominable institution as the "Mother of the Harlots"--that is, the source from which would arise all churches that mingle the divine truth with human speculations.

Commentators have suggested many reasons why John wondered, but the simplest, and one that accords best with the angel’s explanation in the next paragraph, seems to be this: he wondered what was signified by a drunken woman sitting upon a vicious wild beast.

Commentary on Revelation 17:1-6 by Foy E. Wallace

(1) The harlot sitting upon the waters—Revelation 17:1-2.

“And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will show unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters.” The term harlot has been used always in a figurative sense to denote wicked cities, as of Nineveh in Nahum 3:4; and of Jerusalem in Isaiah 1:21; and of Israel, when the nation became a harlot by the practice of idolatry in Revelation.

So here apostate Jerusalem, in broken relation with God, was given the mystic name Babylon, the mother of harlots. From generations past the execration of Israel had increased from the time of prophet’s reprobations in Isaiah 1:21 to the Lord’s lamentations in Matthew 23:29-39. By the elders of Israel the official responsibility for crucifying the Christ was placed upon Jerusalem in Matthew 27:25. The martyr Stephen laid upon Jerusalem with the criminal charges of “betrayers and murders” in Acts 7:52. The descriptions in Revelation, Revelation 14:8; Revelation 17:1-6; Revelation 18:1-2 were but extensions of the same exposures in the continuing apostasies of Jerusalem.

The vision of the harlot that sitteth upon many waters was based upon the fact and the history that Jerusalem depended on her affiliations with the Roman Empire and its tributaries for commerce, revenue and support.

This statement has been considered an indication that the Harlot was Rome, sitting on the waters. But the same figure of speech was applied to Babylon in Jeremiah 51:13 : “0 thou that dwellest upon many waters.” It was not a reference to a literal geographical location, but to commercial sources of revenue and support; and it was a very impressive imagery of Jerusalem’s dependence on affiliations with the heathen tributaries of Rome.

The reference in Revelation 17:2 to the harlot’s fornication with the kings, and the wine of her fornication making drunk the inhabitants of the land were symbols of the extensions of Jerusalem’s affiliations with foreign people, and the passion to be like the nations around them, as Israel demanded in 1 Samuel 8:5. These affiliations so enamored the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem as to be characterized in the symbolism of being drunk with. the wine of her fornication.

The apocalypse was consistently that of apostate Jerusalem. It described the iniquities of Israel from their national sin of demanding a king to be as other nations under Samuel, the course that carried them into exile; and that in the visions of Revelation brought their city and their national existence to destruction.

(2) The woman on the scarlet coloured beast—Revelation 17:3-8.

“So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman situpon a scarlet-colored beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.”

The color of the beast was derived from the Red Dragon of the preceding chapters that instigated the persecutions. The crimson color was also the symbol of sin: “Though your sins be as scarlet . . . though they be red like crimson” Isaiah 1:18. The adaptation of the color red was significant in this symbol of a beast full of the sins of blasphemy. The word blasphemy originally denoted every kind of railing, reviling, irreverence, and insulting reproaches against God, or any other detraction; hence, this beast was full of names of blasphemy--any or all blasphemy against the church that could be named in connection with or reference to every known form of heathen idolatry.

The comments on the seven heads and ten horns which characterized the beast have been made in preceding chapters, this being the same beast, the Roman Empire and its tributaries, extended remarks here are unnecessary.

The description in Revelation 17:4, of the woman arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and bedecked with all adornments of gold, jewels and pearls, were highly extended symbols of the harlots sources of seduction; and the golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication were all descriptive of the lewd character of the harlot woman, and symbolic of the unfaithfulness of Jerusalem, “the faithful city become an harlot.” It was a lurid picture of the spiritual condition of Jerusalem and all Judea.

The name written on the woman’s head, in verse five, was the inscription: Mystery, Babylon the Great, the Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth. The spiritual evils of the land of Judea with all the national apostasies of Judaism were her offspring.

The prophet Hosea employed the same figure of whoredom, or harlotry, in his descriptions of Israel in Hosea 1:2 and Hosea 2:1-5 of his book of prophecy. Stronger terms defining spiritual adulteries, fornications and harlotry, could not have been employed to set forth the spiritual luridness of Israel which brought on her exile--and the same extreme analogies apply to the spiritual decadence of Jerusalem which culminated in destruction, devastation downfall and termination.

The woman was envisioned as drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus, in Revelation 17:6. This not only referred to the fact that Jerusalem had slain the prophets as in Matthew 23:29-39; and been “betrayers and murderers,” as charged by Stephen in Acts 7:52; and was the city “where also our Lord was crucified, as in Revelation 11:8; but it was her apostasies that had caused the persecutions which had overwhelmed the land, and Jerusalem was therefore responsible for the blood of the saints and the martyrs symbolized throughout the apocalypse.

When John saw this adorned harlot sitting on the beast, he wondered with great admiration. The word wonder here means that the meaning had not yet been revealed, as it was done in the visions that followed. The word admiration has the meaning of astonishment--that is, John wondered with great amazement as he viewed the decked and jeweled Harlot seated on the beast whose power would bring her to destruction.

Commentary on Revelation 17:1-6 by Walter Scott

THE GREAT HARLOT DESCRIBED

(Revelation 17:1-6).

THE WOMAN AND THE BEAST.

Revelation 17:1. — The Seer first beholds the great harlot sitting “upon the (The insertion of the article is a questioned reading. Its place, however, in the text is supported by many competent authorities. The definite article in introducing subjects of interest is a characteristic feature of the Apocalypse. It marks the definiteness and importance of the subject so spoken of. See “the Heaven,” “the rainbow,” “the seven thunders” (Revelation 10:1-11), “the beast” (Revelation 11:7), “the two wings of the great eagle” (Revelation 12:14), etc. The use of the article brings into prominence subjects which might otherwise be regarded as of trivial moment.) many waters” (see Jeremiah 51:13).

In the explanation of the vision (Revelation 17:7-18) we are informed who these waters signify: “The waters which thou sawest, where the harlot sits, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.” The introduction of “multitudes” into the usual formula expressing universality marks the heterogeneous character of those subject to her sway. “The great harlot sits upon the many waters.” She rules and dominates the nations religiously, as the Beast does politically. Her following is an almost universal one. She herself is a vast religious system. The woman and the Beast represent distinct ideas. The former is the religious system; the latter the civil power. Corruption of the truth is characteristic of Babylon. Daring self-will and open opposition to God are marked features of the Beast. Corruption and self-will have been at work from earliest ages, and in fact were the two great evils let loose amongst the race in the period preceding the flood (Genesis 6:11). Here we witness the full-blown development of the same crimes. Corruption is Godward; violence man-ward. The former is embodied and concentrated in the woman, who is a licentious one, for she is termed a harlot and the mother of harlots; the Beast is openly bad and exercises brute force, trampling down ruthlessly all that opposes, and at the end daringly comes out in military force and array against Christ and His heavenly army (Revelation 19:19).

The Beast first destroys the woman, then flushed with victory and intoxicated with power madly and impiously leads on his armies against the Lamb and His militant host. The principles of Babylon have been at work from earliest times, but its highest development is yet future. It is not the papal system alone, (“It cannot be doubted that our most eminent divines have commonly held and taught that the apocalyptic prophecies concerning Babylon were designed by the Holy Spirit to describe the Church of Rome. Not only they who flourished at the period of the Reformation, such as Archbishop Cranmer, Bishops Ridley and Jewel, and the Authors of the Homilies, but they also who followed them in the next, the most learned age of our theology — I mean the end of the sixteenth and beginning of the seventeenth century — proclaimed openly the same doctrine. And it was maintained by those in that learned age who were most eminent for sober moderation and christian charity as well as profound erudition. It may suffice to mention the illustrious names of the two brightest luminaries of the English Church: Richard Hooker and Bishop Andrewes.” — Wordsworth on the Apocalypse. Does pagan Rome or papal Rome inherit the character and features of the apocalyptic Babylon? The latter surely. In so far as popery has corrupted the truth, persecuted the saints of God, advanced arrogant and blasphemous claims, assumed universal dominion, and otherwise drunk into the spirit and adopted the principles and practices of the “Great Harlot” — she is in character the Babylon of the Apocalypse, but as we have already remarked, the Babylon of prophecy is worse — infinitely more than ever the papal system has been. We look for a fuller development of evil. Babylon is future.) but the fusion of parties bearing the Christian name into one vast system of evil. The characteristics of the papacy in the Middle Ages are evidently witnessed in the whore of the Apocalypse. “The great whore” is not only Satan’s counterfeit of the true Church, but is the concentrated expression of every antichristian movement and sect then in existence, consolidated and controlled by Satan. The pretensions of the whore, or harlot, are supported by the military forces and prestige of the apostate empire, whilst her influence extends throughout the known world. This gigantic system of spiritual whoredom is, without doubt, Satan’s masterpiece, and the vilest thing beneath the sun.

THE GREAT HARLOT.

Revelation 17:2. — This, then, is Babylon the great: “With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and they that dwell on the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.” This is future, although a past resemblance may be sought for in the character and doings of the papacy in the dark times of the Middle Ages. The harlot first forms a guilty alliance with the kings of the earth, i.e., the great political leaders of Christendom, and then makes drunk with the wine of her fornication “they that dwell on the earth,” that is, the mass of Christian apostates(*See remarks on Revelation 2:13; on Revelation 3:10; on Revelation 8:13; and on Revelation 11:8-10.). The wickedness of these once Christian professors is then filled up. Christ, the heavenly calling, and Christianity abandoned, they give themselves up to the short-lived joys of the harlot’s cup of wine. It is truly awful to contemplate the career, the character, and the doom of those dwellers on the earth, thus morally distinguished and singled out as the worst on the face of the globe.

SPIRITUAL FORNICATION.

Adultery, or idolatry — “with their idols have they committed adultery” (Ezekiel 23:37) — is the special sin charged upon Israel of old as being the married wife of Jehovah (The royal consort of the King is Jerusalem (Psalms 45:9). The bride and wife of the Lamb is the Church (Revelation 19:7; Revelation 21:9). The wife of Jehovah is Israel (Jeremiah 3:14). The mother of the Man-Child is Israel, strictly speaking, Judah (Revelation 12:1; Romans 9:5).) (Jeremiah 3:14; Isaiah 54:1). For this she was divorced. (A wife divorced can never again be a virgin; hence not Israel, but the Church is the bride of the Lamb (see 2 Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 5:32).) But in the purpose and grace of Jehovah Israel will be reinstated in her former blessed relation, one never again to be forfeited so long as sun and moon endure. Fornication, or illicit intercourse and connection with the guilty and apostate world, is the solemn indictment against Babylon — the corrupt and licentious woman who ensnares and captivates with her short-lived pleasures all within her influence — kings and people, high and low. The seductive glitter and meretricious display of this abandoned woman affect all classes, and morally ruin those over whom she casts her golden chains and who drink of her cup. Every right and true thought of Christ perishes where the woman’s blandishments are received and her smile courted.

THE BEAST ON WHICH THE WOMAN SITS.

Revelation 17:3. — “I saw a woman sitting upon a scarlet beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.” The Beast, if not the most prominent figure in the vision, is yet an integral part of the prophecy. The subserviency of the Beast to the harlot is expressed by the Seer, “I saw a woman sitting upon a scarlet beast.” The action intimates the thorough and complete subjection of the civil power. The rule and supremacy of the woman over the vast imperial and apostate power is a singular sight. The woman not only sits upon, or beside, the nations and peoples comprised within the prophetic area (v. 1), but also rules the Beast, the then dominating civil and political power on earth (v. 3).

The scene in vision where this strange sight is beheld is a desert, a place of loneliness and utter desolation. What a striking contrast to the display both of the woman and the Beast! The surpassing splendor of both captivates the heart and intoxicates the senses of all, save a suffering remnant to whom this pageant is as a wilderness, for God is not there. It is but a grand flash, a magnificent spectacle before the final crash and overthrow.

But who is the scarlet Beast on whom the woman sits, from whom she derives her material strength, and through whom she enforces her commands? The political government of the world, its glory and greatness are indicated by the scarlet color. (The three colors in the gate of the Court of the Tabernacle, in the door of the Tabernacle, and in the veil dividing the holy from the most holy were blue, purple, and scarlet. The first points to Christ in His heavenly character; the second to His sufferings on earth; and the third to His assumption of the government and glory of the earth in a coming day.) Without doubt it is the world power of Rome that is here referred to, revived in grandeur and greatness, and controlled by Satan. The Beast is first named in the Apocalypse in Revelation 11:1-19, and is abruptly introduced into the history as a subject well known and understood.

Revelation 17:3. — “Full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.” In Revelation 13:1 the seven heads, or complete governing authority of the empire, have upon them “names of blasphemy” (see margin of the Authorized Version). Here the Beast itself is said to be “full of names of blasphemy” (Revelation 17:3). It is not simply that the executive of the empire is given over to many and varied expressions of a blasphemous character, but the empire itself, in all its parts, is wholly corrupt; while open, blatant blasphemy characterizes it throughout. “Names of blasphemy” intimate many and varied forms of rebellion and self-will against God.

Revelation 17:3 — “Having seven heads and ten horns.” In the earlier notice of the “seven heads” upon the Beast there is indicated the completeness of administrative power (Revelation 13:1), but here, as is shown in the explanation (Revelation 17:10), the heads represent successive forms of government. The horns represent royal personages (Revelation 17:12). In Revelation 12:3 the dragon has seven heads and ten horns; the former being crowned, (In these passages the word should read diadems, not “crowns.” The former refers to the exercise of despotic, arbitrary power; the latter to limited monarchies — constitutional kingdoms.) not the latter. In Revelation 13:1 the Beast has ten horns and seven heads, the horns in this case being crowned. In our chapter, however, neither heads nor horns are crowned. The royal personages seen in the vision were not in full possession of their royal dignity; thus, in the angel’s explanation of the ten-horned Beast, we read, “And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have not yet received a kingdom, but receive authority as kings one hour with the Beast” (Revelation 17:12); that is, they reign in royal authority in conjunction with the Beast, the little horn of Daniel 7:8; Daniel 7:20 being their master. As the actual reign of these ten kings is regarded as subsequent to the vision the horns are not crowned.

THE WOMAN IN HER GLORY.

Revelation 17:4. — “And the woman was clothed in purple and scarlet, and had ornaments of gold and precious stones and pearls.” Having had the state in the Beast, we again turn to witness the Church in the woman, and her ascendancy for a time over the civil power. She rides the Beast, and controls it for her own selfish ends and purposes. But she is by far the more dangerous of the two. The Beast openly blasphemes and persecutes the saints then standing for the rights of God. The woman is seductive and attractive, and having gathered to herself the weight and splendour of courts, palaces, and, in short, the tinsel glory of the world, she sits as a queen, and wins by her arts and seductive flatteries the heart of Christendom. God is displaced in the thoughts of men.

Her vesture, purple and scarlet, is that which particularly distinguishes pope and cardinal. Her ornaments of gold, precious stones, and pearls are amongst the chief symbols of papal pride and glory. Silver is not here named. In the services of the papal Church silver is being discarded for gold. But whatever resemblance there may be between Babylon and the Roman Catholic Church, the great point is that the woman is arrayed and decked out in the world’s tinsel and finery. She surrounds herself with what the world regards as its highest and most valued possessions and material wealth; that, too, which it lives and labours to amass and accumulate.

Revelation 17:4. — “Having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations, and the unclean things of her fornication.” Babylon as a system is covered with an external grandeur and glory that attracts the natural heart and imagination of man, dazzling and bewildering him. But, worse still, she holds in her hand a golden cup. How tempting! The cup is of gold, but its contents reveal the depths of iniquity to which she has sunk. The scarlet Beast, the color of the dragon (Revelation 12:3), was full of names, or expressions, of blasphemy, so here the woman’s cup was “full of abominations, and the unclean things of her fornication.” These two evils, idolatry and corruption, characterise the last phase of the professing Church on earth. “Abominations” refer to idolatry (2 Kings 23:13; Isaiah 44:19; Ezekiel 16:36), and “fornication” to gross corruption (Revelation 2:21 : Revelation 9:21). Idolatry and the worst forms of wickedness characterize the woman. Her cup is full of horrible evils. The climax has been reached. These things might have been looked for in the midst of the heathen, but for Christendom, now the scene of light, of grace, and truth, to become the very hotbed and cesspool of all that is religiously filthy and vile is indeed a marvel. Yet this chapter sketches in plain word and symbol the future of these lands. Now the Holy Ghost dwells in the professing Church, then Satan will fill it, both with his presence and awful deeds. We thank God for the sure testimony of Jesus that the Church which He builds is invulnerable (Matthew 16:18), and its ultimate triumph secured (Ephesians 5:27).

BABYLON A MOTHER.

Revelation 17:5. — “Upon her forehead a name written, Mystery, Babylon the Great, the mother of the harlots, and of the abominations of the earth.” The shameless character of Babylon is next shown. Her name is publicly borne, indelibly stamped upon her forehead, so that all may read and understand the true character of this awful system — a travesty of the true Church. Her name is a compound one. First, “Mystery.” (See remarks on Revelation 1:20; and on Revelation 10:7.) The general usage of the word in the New Testament signifies what is now revealed, but had hitherto been a secret (Matthew 13:1-58; Ephesians 5:32, etc.). The Church is subject to Christ; the woman is subject to none. She usurps Christ’s place of supremacy over the nations. She is indeed a mystery. She should have stood for God and truth, but now she is witnessed as the embodiment of error, and of all that is morally vile and wicked. Second, “Babylon the Great.” It is a huge system of spiritual evil. Great and bad as Babylon was, the enslaver of God’s people of old, so bad that its doom is irrevocable (Jeremiah 51:64), yet it is exceeded by far in its spiritual counterpart, the great Babylon of the Apocalypse. The former was guilty, but the latter much more so. In Babylon the Great we witness the gathering up in one vast system all the evils which in past times have gone to wreck the Church. This is the culmination. The evils which have ever afflicted Christendom are here focused. The last days of the Church on earth are her worst. Christianity is the combined production of the Godhead, but Christendom is here viewed as the vilest thing on earth. Truly, the woman is entitled to the appellation “Babylon the Great.” That which should be her shame and sin she publicly glories in. Third, “The mother of the harlots, and of the abominations of the earth.” Her offspring are numerous. She is the parent, the source of each and every religious system which courts the world. Religious idolatry of every shape and form, every ensnaring thing and object; in short, systems, things, doctrines, and objects used by Satan to turn men from God are here traced to their source — Great Babylon. The moral features of Babylon are ever the same — unchanged through all the ages. Here she is seen in her worst, because in her last and closing hours, the parent of all that is morally loathsome. This, then, is the character publicly borne by the woman, just as in ancient times it was the practice in certain places for harlots to bear their name and evil reputation on their foreheads. If the admirers of the woman fail to see her true character because intoxicated with her finery and grandeur the spiritual do not.

THE WOMAN DRUNK WITH BLOOD,

AND THE WONDER OF THE SEER.

Revelation 17:6. — “And I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus. And I wondered seeing her, with great wonder.” One could readily understand the hatred of the pagan powers to the followers and witnesses of Jesus, but that the woman, the Church of these days and times, should herself shed the blood of God’s saints is indeed a cause of wonder to the Seer. She it was who devised the hellish cruelties of the Middle Ages. The secular power is an instrument in the hands of the woman. The real instigator, the power behind the civil authority, is the whore. In her skirts is found the blood so wantonly shed in all ages. Babylon inherits the guilt of every previous persecuting religious power (Matthew 23:35). She has never judged the past. Her history is black enough, and stained in every page with blood, the blood of those dear to God and Christ. The Seer marvels at the awful sight. The Church is here witnessed as the most wicked thing on earth. This, then, is what the professing Church is coming to. Nothing can exceed her in grandeur, in greatness, in idolatry, in filthiness, and in cruelty. “I wondered seeing her, with great wonder.” The earth dwellers are drunk with her wine (Revelation 17:2), and the woman herself is drunk with blood. These two, i.e., the apostates and the woman, are the worst then on the face of the earth, and on both the full fury of God’s indignation bursts forth in flames of inextinguishable wrath.

Commentary on Revelation 17:1-6 by E.M. Zerr

Revelation 17:1. This chapter (like some others) goes back to the time just before the Reformation, and will make symbolic predictions of that revolution. It should be stated that while the institution of church and state (which has not yet been dissolved as to the start of this chapter), is regarded as Babylon the Great and an enemy of God, the church part of the combination will seem to receive the more attention from the Lord in his condemnations. That is because it deals with the affairs of the soul which are more important than those of the secular government. Yet because the apostate church was supported by the political power of Rome and her Empire, much of the language in the symbols will be based upon the geographical and political features of that city. Show unto thee the judgment or give John a prediction of God’s judgments in a vision. The great whore is said of the apostate church because false religions of all kinds are likened to immorality in figurative language. Sitteth upon many waters. Waters in symbolic language means people upon whom the corrupt institution pressed down with her desolating weight of intolerance and persecution.

Revelation 17:2. The kings of the earth means the rulers over the various divisions of the political empire, such as the ones named at Revelation 13:1. In their devotion to the spiritual harlot they were guilty of fornication. The inhabitants of the earth refers to the subjects under these kings who submitted to their adulterous ruling. Wine of her fornication. In literal practice we find "wine and women" often associated, hence they are so considered in the symbolic vision that Johnsaw.

Revelation 17:3. Carried me away in the spirit is significant, and reminds us again of the truth that John never did leave the isle of Patmos literally while in the vision of this book. It was a part of the symbolical vision to be taken away into the wilderness and see the things that shall be described. The woman is the apostate church of Rome symbolized by the city of Rome because the church rested on the government of that city for support. The literal reason for using a beast in the symbol that was scarlet, was the fact that scarlet was one of the royal colors of the Empire. Seven heads and ten horns is explained at chapter 13:1, and it will appear in this chapter with a slight variation in the application.

Revelation 17:4. Since the state color of the beast (Rome) was scarlet and purple, it was appropriate that the rider of the beast should be robed to match. It is literally true that the clergy of the church of Rome wear these colors in their church ceremonies. It is also appropriate that such colors be used in the symbols of that church, in view of the faithful people of God who had their blood taken from them in the persecution at the hands of that wicked institution. Being decked with precious stones and pearls also was appropriate because the church of Rome possesses and uses great wealth in her ceremonies. The symbolic cup represents the corrupt practices that the church of Rome forced upon her subjects. It is symbolized in the form of a person filling a cup with vile and abominable materials then forcing some helpless person to drink it.

Revelation 17:5. The name that John saw written on the forehead of this woman was put there by the Lord to designate to the apostate her true character, not that she had taken to herself such an inscription. In truth the leaders of the church of Rome of today deny that this applies to their "holy mother church." Mystery is a part of her characteristics; Thayer’s definition of the word at this place is, "The mystic or hidden sense." The apostate church has always thrived most when she could keep her people in ignorance of what was going on. Babylon the great. There are many ways in which anything can be great both good and bad. Babylon was great in a bad sense and that is because she was the most extensive and powerful influence for evil that Satan ever devised. Mother of harlots. A bad woman can be the mother of pure daughters and they would not need to participate in the wickedness of their mother; but this woman’s daughters also are harlots. Of course as we have previously learned, harlotry in figurative Ianguage means any false religion or unscriptural organization. The conclusion is that the religious denominations in the world are the harlot daughters of Rome, because they obtained the principal tenets that make up their creeds from the doctrines put out by that apostate church. Abominations of the earth is a general summing up of the evil doctrines and practices of the church of Rome throughout the world.

Revelation 17:6. Saints and martyrs refer to the same people although the words have a different (but not conflicting) meaning. Saint means a holy or righteous person which applies to all Christians. Martyr means witness and all Christians are martyrs because they are faithful to the testimony of the Gospel regardless of what may be the result. The fact that both saints and martyrs had shed their blood in defence of the testimony of Jesus, shows the latter word is not applied to some on the simple ground that they died for Christ. Saw the woman drunken. To be drunk literally requires that a person be under the influence of alcohol. The term has come to be used figuratively, as when it is said that a man is "drunk with a craze for money; or for pleasure." Rome had shed so much blood of righteous people she is said to be drunk with the desire to slay the Christians. Wondered with great admiration. The last word usually has the sense of approval, but it is not restricted to that meaning. The phrase means the vision John saw was so unusual and vast that he could only gaze at it.

Commentary on Revelation 17:1-6 by Burton Coffman

Revelation 17:1

This mighty chapter, more than any other in the word of God, kindled the courage and fired the zeal of the great martyrs and reformers who led the rebellion against the tyranny of the Medieval church, re-opened the New Testament for all the peoples of the earth from whom it had been stolen for centuries, and dealt the great whore of this chapter a wound from which she has never fully recovered. This writer has no desire whatever to accommodate with that vast school of modern exegetes who, like Southey’s owl:

Sailing with obscene wings athwart the noon; He drops his blue-fringed lids and holds them close, And hooting at the sun in heaven, Asks, Where is it? Where is it?

Christian commentators who withhold from view the obvious, historically accepted interpretation of this chapter must give an account to God for their reticence. If one is blind (spiritually), he may be pardoned for not revealing what he cannot discern; but, for those who reveal their true knowledge of what this chapter really means by the crooked arguments designed to contradict it, are nothing but an enigma. Do they not know that they themselves are under the eternal curse of this tyranny, proscribed and consigned to hell, and under the perpetual interdiction of that religious hierarchy which arrogates to itself alone the right to forgive the sins of people? Why, then, this amazing tenderness which so generally tempers their evasive comments?

The mainline interpretation of this chapter was thus stated by Albertus Pieters:

The Great Harlot symbolizes the apostate Christian Church, manifested historically in many forms, conspicuously and chiefly in the Roman Catholic Church, but also in other forms of nominal Christianity, especially when in combination with political power. We shall call this the Apostate Church interpretation.^[1]

Although Pieters "reluctantly" voted against this view, for reasons which he cited, and which in no sense justify his decision, he nevertheless admitted that, "This view is held by many of the very best expositors, among whom we may mention William Milligan, Auberlen and Alford."^[2] Criswell, Plummer, Carpenter and many others could be added. Before considering some objections to it, we shall list some of the reasons for accepting this main-line interpretation of it:

1. The figure of adultery, harlotry, or fornication is the standard Old Testament description of apostasy. A very few instances in which the figure was applied to heathen cities, not apostate, cannot nullify the general usage. It is in the sense of the apostasy of God’s people that the figure is used "in the great majority of the Scriptures where it is used."^[3] There would therefore need to be some compelling reason for setting aside the normal and general meaning of the figure here; and no such reason exists. Pieters also admitted that, "It is correct that the figure of the harlot is a standard symbol of the Old Testament, and it usually means apostasy from Jehovah on the part of his people."^[4] "This argument has great force."^[5] It practically proves that the Great Harlot is some form of Apostate Christianity.

2. This Great Harlot was viewed by John "in the wilderness," invariably associated with the church’s sojourn on earth, answering to the type of the first Israel’s forty years of wilderness wanderings, a symbolism that forces the conclusion that the Great Harlot is the true church gone astray, an apostate church. If such an apostasy had never occurred, this analogy might be ignored; "But this is exactly what happened to the Catholic Church, and not only to her but to many Protestant churches."^[6] This is a very strong argument.

3. The astonishment of the apostle (Revelation 17:6) would be impossible to understand if it merely meant that a pagan city was in league with the devil. On the other hand, it would indeed be grounds for astonishment if Apostate Christianity itself was so revealed.

4. The glorified Bride of Christ, the church, is called "a city" in Revelation 21:2; Revelation 21:9-10; and it should therefore be expected that an Apostate Church should also be referred to as a city, in this case, Babylon; and this cannot nullify the positive spiritual overtones in this prophetic description of the Great Harlot.

5. The Great Harlot, represented here as committing fornication with the kings of the earth, is not an appropriate metaphor of Rome’s relation to the vassal kings of her great dominion when John wrote; but it is a valid metaphor of the Papal hierarchy’s traffic with human governments going on throughout history up to and including the present time. The literal Rome indeed raped many kingdoms; but this is not the metaphor of Revelation 17.

6. The compound vision of the Great Harlot riding the scarlet colored beast (Revelation 17:3) requires that the harlot be identified with the second beast, the land-beast, of Revelation 13:11. Wilcock was correct in his affirmation that this chapter "has established her (the great whore’s) identity with the second beast, false religion; while the scarlet beast in Revelation 13:1 corresponds to the scarlet beast in Revelation 17:3."^[7] Plummer also agreed that, "The second beast there (Revelation 13:11) is identical with the Harlot and represents the apostate portion of the church."^[8] A study of our notes on Revelation 13 will reveal just how conclusive this argument is. "There can be no doubt that the Harlot describes the degenerate portion of the Church."^[9]

7. "The Mother of Harlots ..." (Revelation 17:5). This makes no sense at all unless understood as a reference to the apostate sects of Protestantism, historically the children of the Harlot, and many of them walking in her devious ways. In no sense whatever can this be understood of the literal city of Rome, nor of the emperor cult, nor of anything else ever suggested.

8. This Harlot reigns over the kings of the earth (Revelation 17:18), her dominion including authority over "every tribe, tongue, people, and nation" (Revelation 13:7); and she exercised "All the authority of the first beast" (Revelation 13:12). Furthermore, this authority of the second beast (the Harlot) continues throughout the dispensation until the second Advent of Christ. There is not anything else in the history of the world that fulfills this except the worldwide Papal hierarchy and its spiritual children, the daughters of the Harlot. It is pure fantasy to interpret this as the promoters of "the emperor cult."

There can be no marvel, then, that Luther, Tyndale, Huss, Knox, Wesley, Alexander Campbell, and other great ones of the Reformation accepted the interpretation presented here. For additional discussion of this see our "Excursus on the Man of Sin," my Commentary on 2Thessalonians, pp. 106-117.

OBJECTIONS

1. Revelation would have had no relevance for John’s day if this interpretation is allowed. This is wrong. The great apostasy was specifically prophesied by Paul who stated that it was ’"working already" (2 Thessalonians 2:7). The church already had the disease that was to develop in time into the apostasy. Furthermore, the idolatry, blasphemous arrogance, perversions of the true worship, and other characteristics of the later apostasy were the "stock in trade" of the pagan religions prevalent everywhere when Revelation was written; but the thing that astounded John himself was the visions of these same things in the church at a time which we recognize as being far later. See article below on "’Resurgence of Paganism in the Apostasy."

2. John’s vision deals with the emperor cult. There is an element of truth in this; for the pure paganism of that condition was just as sinful in its original setting as it was later in the apostasy. The error is in making that original paganism the only thing in this prophecy. Such a view is just as myopic and unreasonable as limiting it to the Papacy alone; neither extreme is correct. See statement of the main-line interpretation at the head of this discussion.

3. As Pieters said, "It is difficult to see how original readers of Revelation could interpret this any other way than as a reference to the Imperial City."^[10] We agree that that is exactly what they would have done, but this is not a valid objection, because the prophecy is vast enough to include a relevance for all generations. The acceptance of the New Testament as a guide, not for one age only, but for all ages, it seems to us is the only tenable view of it as the word of God, an inspired book. This is precisely the point where so many go astray.

4. Viewing the Harlot as the city of Rome harmonizes better with Revelation 18 and the facts of history. This must be denominated as a monstrous misstatement of fact. See our interpretation of Revelation 18. Also, the city of Rome (in its pagan character) has not continued throughout history to rule over all nations, a dominant prediction in the prophecy, except in the very sense of our interpretation. See more on this in the notes below.

5. "It is not without precedent to apply the figure of the Harlot to a heathen city, without any religious reference."^[11] This of course is true; but where is the compelling reason for so doing? when the vast majority of instances employing this figure in the Old Testament refer absolutely to the apostasy of God’s people from the true worship of Jehovah. Besides that, in the New Testament, there is no example whatever of its being used of a heathen city. This objection has no weight at all.

Over and beyond all arguments and objections is the startling, dramatic contrast between the Bride of Christ and the Harlot which dominates this and the succeeding chapter, and which, on its face, positively has to mean the True Church and the False Church.

RESURGENCE OF PAGANISM IN THE APOSTASY

The relevance of Revelation to John’s day is seen in the condemnation of paganism which was rampant in apostolic times. The same relevance, of course, pertains to that resurgence of paganism which undeniably marked the character of the Apostate Church. If Revelation was relevant to either period, it was relevant to both. Here is a list of a few elements of paganism found in the apostate Christianity:

1. The consecration of sacred images for use in Christian worship was borrowed, in its totality, from paganism. Indeed, the "image" of St. Peter in Rome, the bronze foot of which has been kissed away by adoring multitudes, is reliably reputed to be the pagan statue of the god Pluto, transferred from the Pantheon!

2. Mariolatry has elevated a vulgar female statue above the high altar, where it stands higher than the image of Christ, the whole system being nothing but an adaptation from the old Babylonian myth of the queen of heaven, the Assyrian Ishtar and her Tammuz. "She was worshipped by the offering of a wafer (a little cake), along with forty days of Lent, of weeping over the destruction of Tammuz ... and after forty days, the people celebrated Ishtar, exchanging Ishtar Eggs!"^[12] Of course, the holy communion itself was adjusted so that the bread was formed after the pattern of those pagan wafers.

3. The use of holy water in the church came over in its entirety from paganism. "The holy water was used by the heathens to sprinkle themselves at the entrance to their temples; and this is admitted by Montfancion and the Jesuit La Cerda."^[13]

4. The burial of dead bodies in church houses came from Athens, as related by Plutarch in his Life of Theseus; and, as they did of old with their pagan heroes, the church began to deposit relics of so-called saints, supplemented by processions and sacrifices."^[14]

5. Celibacy is another relic of paganism. "It was most esteemed among the heathen philosophers."^[15]

6. Praying for the dead began in 380 A.D., and was at first vigorously opposed and condemned. It is another relic of paganism and the forerunner of the doctrine of purgatory.^[16]

7. The Papal keys are exactly the same as those of the pagan gods Janus and Cybele, worshipped by pagan Rome long before Christianity.

8. The lighting of blessed candles was practiced in paganism in Siberia where they were placed before the statues of pagan gods.^[17]

9. The tonsure, the shaving of the heads of priests, was practiced by the pagan priests of Osisis, the Egyptian Bacchus, as was also true in India and China.^[18]

10. The forgiving of sins, "absolutions," one of the most monstrous of un-Christian doctrines, appears to have been an outright invention.

These are only a few of a hundred similar things that might be cited, such as: the assumption of blasphemous titles, the consecration of sacred priestly vestments, the baptizing of bells, "The Feast of All Souls," first celebrated by pagans in the lifetime of Romulus, monasticism, the elevation of the host, and many other devices and practices of paganism at the time Revelation was written. It is clear enough for anyone looking into the matter that Apostate Christianity was indeed the old paganism with a Christian veneer.

Therefore, the interpretation received here by no means violates the relevance of the sacred prophecy for the first generation that received it. Paganism, whether in its original setting, or as revived and continued by the Apostate Church itself, is the essence of what the apostolic writers condemned. We shall now examine the text of this marvelous chapter.

^[1] Albertus Pieters, Studies in the Revelation of St. John (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1954), p. 250.

^[2] Ibid.

^[3] A. Plummer, The Pulpit Commentary, Vol. 22, Revelation (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1950), p. 413.

^[4] Albertus Pieters, op. cit., p. 251.

^[5] Ibid.

^[6] Ibid., p. 252.

^[7] Michael Wilcock, I Saw Heaven Opened (Downers Grove, Illinois: Inter-Varsity Press, 1975), p. 165.

^[8] A. Plummer, op. cit., p. 413.

^[9] Ibid.

^[10] Albertus Pieters, op. cit., p. 256.

^[11] Ibid.

^[12] W. A. Criswell, Expository Sermons on Revelation (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1962), III, p. 185.

^[13] John F. Rowe, History of Reformatory Movements (Cincinnati, Ohio: John F. Rowe, 1894), p. 259.

^[14] Ibid.

^[15] Ibid.

^[16] Ibid.

^[17] Ibid.

^[18] Ibid.

And there came one of the seven angels that had the seven bowls, and spake with me, saying, Come hither, I will show thee the judgment of the great harlot that sitteth upon many waters; (Revelation 17:1)

There came one of the seven angels ... This angelic interpretation of the vision is here identified with the series of the seven bowls just concluded, leading to the conclusion that what is about to be revealed in Revelation 17 and Revelation 18, is actually a "playback" of the great judgment scene just seen, but with an elaboration and specific attention to what was included in the fall of "Babylon the great" (Revelation 16:19).

I will show thee the judgment of the great harlot that sitteth upon many waters ... But was she not seated upon a beast? Yes, but both she and the beast rise from the teeming populations of the earth.

Harlot ... "In Isaiah 1:21; Jeremiah 2:20; Jeremiah 2:31, etc., these terms are used to describe God’s apostate people, those once joined to him in covenant relationship, but who had broken their marriage vow of faithfulness."^[19] "In the Old Testament, this imagery is commonly used to denote religious apostasy."^[20] "Is this harlot, then, Papal Rome? The answer is: Insofar as Papal Rome has wielded tyrannical power, turned persecutor, stood between the spirits of people and Christ, depraved the consciences of people, withheld the truth, sought aggrandizement and demonstrated the power of a political engine rather than that of a witness of Christ, she has inherited the features of Babylon."^[21]

Note that there are three Babylons: (1) the original city of that name situated upon the Euphrates river, and the historical persecutor of the first Israel; (2) the pagan city of Rome, symbolized by the sea-beast (Revelation 13:1), and also its counterpart ridden by the harlot; and (3) the "Mystery Babylon" symbolized both by the land-beast and by the harlot herself. In this and the following chapters it is the third meaning which predominates.

^[19] Ibid.

^[20] Robert H. Mounce, Commentary on the New Testament, Revelation (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1977), p. 307.

^[21] W. Boyd Carpenter, Ellicott’s Bible Commentary, Vol. VIII (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1959), p. 611.

Revelation 17:2

with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and they that dwell in the earth were made drunken with the wine of her fornication.

With whom the kings of the earth committed fornication ... This speaks of an illegitimate and sinful melding of Church and State as one of the principal sins of the harlot. This woman, and the radiant woman "arrayed with the sun" (Revelation 12:1) are starkly "contrasted in every particular that is mentioned about them."^[22]

One is pure, the other corrupt.

One belongs to the Lamb, the other to the devil.

One is clothed with the sun, the other in scarlet and gold.

One is a chaste virgin, the other a brazen harlot.

One is persecuted, the other is a persecutor.

One sojourns in the wilderness, the other reigns there.

One enters into the marriage supper of the Lamb; the other is hated and consumed.

One enters heaven, the other departs into darkness.

ENDNOTE:

^[22] Frank L. Cox, Revelation in 26 Lessons (Nashville: Gospel Advocate Company, 1956), p. 101.

Revelation 17:3

And he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness: and I saw a woman sitting upon a scarlet-colored beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.

And he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness ... "A wilderness" is here significant. Plummer, Alford, and others have pointed out that our version (ASV) is incorrect in changing this from "the wilderness" as in KJV.^[23] It is not merely "a wilderness," but "the wilderness" of the church’s probation that is meant. This strongly supports the view of the harlot as the apostate church. This wilderness scene is that of a violated probation.

A woman upon a scarlet-colored beast ... "We should identify this beast with that in Revelation 13:1. The woman’s position indicates a close connection and identifies her as one of the forces of evil supported by the beast."^[24] "It would be foolish to underestimate her. Even John finds himself marveling (Revelation 17:7)."^[25]

^[23] A. Plummer, op. cit., p. 414.

^[24] Leon Morris, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries, Vol. 20, Revelation (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1969), p. 205.

^[25] Michael A. Wilcock, op. cit., p. 160.

Revelation 17:4

And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and decked with gold and precious stone and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations, even the unclean things of her fornication,

And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet ... The color strongly stresses her identity with the beast and her accommodation to his principles.

And decked with gold and precious stone and pearls ... These indicate vulgar wealth lavished upon herself. Extreme riches is an outstanding mark of the apostate church this very day, which is richer by far than any human government, even including that of the U.S.A. One little Boy’s Ranch in Nebraska has recently been exposed in the public press as having a cash endowment in stocks, bonds and securities of over $300,000,000, and that at a time when their full-fledged fund-raising activities are going full blast. All of this vast horde of wealth was solicited and raised from the public for the ostensible purpose of taking care of a few run-away boys at "Boy’s Town."

And a golden cup full of abominations, even the unclean things of her fornication ... This "’golden cup" may be seen at every communion service in the apostate church, not in the hands of the Bride to whom it belongs, but in the hands of the hierarchical priesthood who withhold it from the Bride and drink it all themselves! And what is that, if it is not the unclean things of her fornication? That which belongs to the Bride has been taken away from her. Is not this spiritual fornication?

Revelation 17:5

and upon her forehead a name written, MYSTERY; BABYLON THE GREAT; THE MOTHER OF THE HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

And upon her head a name written ... In the culture of those times, harlots customarily "wore on their brows labels inscribed with their names; this whore is thus in character."^[26]; MYSTERY; BABYLON THE GREAT ... See under Revelation 17:1 for identification of the three Babylons. The comma after MYSTERY should be omitted, as her name is not BABYLON, but MYSTERY BABYLON. Just as the pagan empire was Babylon, answering to the Old Testament type, this woman is also Babylon in a different and extended sense. She is MYSTERY BABYLON, the essential quality of the mystery is that "the worldly portion of the church, though nominally Christian, is in reality identical with the world and is openly antagonistic to God."^[27] "Mystery is part of the name; it is not literal; something lies behind which will be made manifest in due time."^[28]

THE MOTHER OF THE HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH ... This harlot sets a religious style that will be copied throughout the ages. Many have interpreted this as a reference to apostate Protestant churches; and, while true enough, this by no means exhausts the interpretation.

^[26] Leon Morris, op. cit., p. 206.

^[27] A. Plummer, op. cit., p. 415.

^[28] W. Boyd Carpenter, op. cit., p. 611.

Revelation 17:6

And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. And when I saw her, I wondered with a great wonder.

And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints ... with the blood of the martyrs ...

Who invented the Inquisition? Who invented the torture chamber and the rack? Who burned at the stake the uncounted thousands and millions of God’s servants? Who? This scarlet whore, dressed in purple, decked in gold, riding in control of the governments of the world. It has been estimated that she has slain fifty millions of the servants of Jesus Christ.^[29]

I wondered with a great wonder ... In some versions, this is wondered "with a great admiration." "This does not mean admiration in our modern sense."^[30] Despite Carpenter’s opinion, however, we are inclined to think that it does mean "admiration" in our modern sense; it was a startled, astonished kind of admiration, mingled with wonder. Now there is no way that John could have wondered if the woman had symbolized pagan Rome. Prophetic descriptions from the Old Testament were plentiful and well known to John which portrayed ancient Babylon, a pagan city, in exactly this same graphic terminology, even complete with the "golden cup" (Jeremiah 51:7). This verse therefore proves that literal Babylon, or literal Rome, cannot be meant. John could never have "wondered" at a description already thoroughly familiar to him. No! The wonder here is in the application of this description to this whore which was once the true church of God! See "Admiration of the Harlot," introduction, chapter 18.

^[29] W. A. Criswell, op. cit., p. 186.

^[30] W. Boyd Carpenter, op. cit., p. 612.

Commentary on Revelation 17:1-6 by Manly Luscombe

1 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and talked with me, saying to me, “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters,…One of the angels who poured out the plagues engages in conversation with John. He invites John to see what happens next. After the plagues, next in God’s timetable is the judgment. We are not seeing the general judgment of the world. This is a special judgment of the great harlot.

2 with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication.” The view that the harlot represents those who have apostatized the faith fails here. This verse states that the kings of the earth commit fornication “with” the harlot. John sees that there is some interaction between the kings (civil governments) and the harlot. On some occasions, governments allow, approve and even condone immorality. In our nation there are states passing laws to accept homosexual marriages, courts allowing abortion, states creating lotteries, cities allowing liquor by the drink. I can tell about cities that forbid weekly Bible studies in private homes, but allow weekly poker parties. I can add to the list of government and immorality working together to allow and support: pornography, prostitution, alcohol, gambling, divorce, homosexuality, massage parlors, distribution of condoms, abortion and many others. On the other hand the joint forces of these two will have a negative impact on: Bible reading, prayer at a football game, mention of God in any school paper, home Bible studies, and many other ways. When governments and immorality join forces, the danger for Christians increases. The list given above is real. And this is in America. Imagine what Christians deal with in Russia, China, Cuba, Laos, and in Arab nations under strict Muslim laws.

3 So he carried me away in the Spirit into the wilderness. And I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast which was full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. Now John is carried away into the wilderness. John sees a woman sitting on a beast. The scarlet color would suggest royalty and power. This is the union discussed in the preceding verse. The beast is full of blasphemy. The point here is the two forces have been joined together to seek to destroy the church. There has always been a close relationship between governments, at all levels, and immorality. Many of the laws passed deal with issues of morality. Some seek to impose a moral standard; other laws are based on amoral values. Seven heads and ten horns are on this beast. Seven is the number of divine completeness. Ten is the number of human completeness. Some believe that the heads represent various emperors. Others believe that these heads characterize the major world empires in world history. It is my view, seeking to be consistent, that the heads and horns signify all power of all civil rulers. Some good (7) and some evil (10).

4 The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication. The woman, immorality personified, is in purple and scarlet. She is in an alliance with governmental power. She is described as being arrayed with precious stones, pearls. She is pretty, attractive, and gets attention. She is covered with glitter and glitz. Christians are attracted to the shiny. It is the glitz that gets the attention. While she needed the support of the government to approve and condone her actions, she is the one who gets the attention and is the one to entice Christians to leave their faith.

5 And on her forehead a name was written: MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. She is clearly identified. She is Babylon. She is the “mother of harlots” and known for her “abominations.” Again, Babylon, symbolizes immorality and those things that are abomination in the sight of our God.

6 I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. And when I saw her, I marveled with great amazement. She is drunk, not with wine, but with the blood of the saints. She is guilty of the death of martyrs. She is also guilty of leading many to spiritual death. She has lead many away from Christ and into fornication (physical and spiritual). When John saw her - there was amazement. He marveled in wonder.

Verses 7-14

Rev 17:7-14

2. THE MYSTERY OF THE BEAST EXPLAINED

Revelation 17:7-14

7 And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou wonder? I will tell thee of the mystery of the woman, and of thebeast that carrieth her,--The angel’s question shows he knew what was in John’s mind, and his promise to explain is assurance that we are to receive a correct application of the symbol, as it applies to both the woman and the beast.

which hath the seven heads and the ten horns.--See notes on verses 10-12.

8 The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and is about to come up out of the abyss, and to go into perdition.--The language here means that the wicked power represented by the .beast John saw had existed, did not exist, but would come into existence again. This thought is repeated at the close of this verse and is referred to in verse 11. See notes on verse 10 for full explanation. The word "abyss" refers to the abode of Satan (see Revelation 9:1-2), and here the thought is that, when the beast returned in a new form, its power and presence should be attributed to Satan--that is, he would be the cause of its existence and the source of its power. The encouraging fact is here stated that this beast power would be destroyed, but when is not mentioned. On that point 2 Thessalonians 2:8 shows it will be at the Lord’s coming.

And they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, they whose name hath not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast, how that he was, and is not, and shall come.--The events described would be so remarkable as to create surprise, challenge admiration. and lead to belief in the beast’s power, except by those written in the book of life. Those who were faithful servants of Christ and worthy of everlasting life would not be deceived. See notes on Revelation 13:8. The text indicates that the thing which would cause men to wonder was the fact that a power once formidable had become practically extinct, and yet was revived with terrific strength

9 Here is the mind that hath wisdom.--This may mean either of the following: here is a symbol that will require wisdom to explain, or the explanation here given is a matter of divine wisdom. "Here is a meaning which compriseth wisdom," is the way Moses Stuart renders the expression. This implies that the explanation given by the angel might be understood some time.

The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth:--This language continues the description of the beast mentioned in verse 3. The similarity of the description here with that of the first beast in chapter thirteen (verses 1-10) seems to render it certain that the same power is meant in both passages. The difference in the visions of the two chapters is this: the second beast (Revelation 13:11-18) represents papal Rome or the apostate church; in chapter 17 this church is represented by the drunken woman. In the former case two beasts appear in the vision; in the latter, one beast and a woman. The beast shows the rapacious nature of the church ; the woman indicates the wiles with which the ignorant would be deceived. The visions vary; the facts are the same. The appearance of a drunken harlot sitting on the beast was to show the close relationship of the religious and political powers, and indicates that the apostate church was controlling the state, and operating through the means it supplied. This fact is evident from 13:12 where it is stated that the second beast "exerciseth all the authority of the first beast," and required men to worship an image of the first beast. That the papacy claims the right to exercise or direct both religious and secular power, and did so during the time indicated by this symbol, is a matter of common knowledge that will hardly be denied. Elliott’s commentary (Vol. III, p. 131) quotes the following from Flavio Blondus, a papal writer of the fifteenth century

"The princes of the world now adore and worship as perpetual dictator the successor, no: of Caesar, but of the fisherman, Peter ; that is, the supreme Pontiff, the substitute of the afore-mentioned Emperor."

The Encyclopedia Britannica says the fourth Lateral council (A.D. 1215), presided over by Pope Innocent III, passed the following law against heretics

"It was there decreed that all rulers should promise to tolerate no heretics within their dominions, and that any prince who should refuse to comply with an injunction of the church to purge his dominions of heresy was to be punished with excommunication, and in case of contumacy to be deposed, if necessary by force by arms." (Vol. 13, p. 84, ninth edition.)

In November, 1302, Boniface VIII enunciated the doctrine of "papal supremacy," affirming "that the temporal sword wielded by the monarch was borne only at the will and by the permission of the Pontiff." (Ibid., Vol. 19, p. 501.) This is enough to show that the apostate church claims the divine right to control and direct state rulers. Hence, it fits this phase of the symbol.

Since the beast here refers to imperial or political Rome, it is not improbable that the seven hills upon which the city was built may have suggested the idea of representing the seven heads as seven mountains. The mountains could hardly Ise taken literally for the reason that the next verse says five have fallen and one was yet to come. This could not be true of literal mountains. Isaiah (Isaiah 2:2) described the kingdom Christ would establish as the "mountain of Jehovah’s house" ; Jeremiah (Jeremiah 51:25) represented Babylon as a "destroying mountain." Kingdoms or governments, then, are called mountains, but the Lord’s mountain (kingdom) is superior to all earthly governments. The language, therefore, means seven different forms of government. On the surface the words seem to say that the woman was sitting upon all seven heads at one time, but verse 10 precludes this idea by saying that five had fallen when John saw the vision. The only sense in which she could have sat on all the heads at once was that following consecutively the last one included elements of all the preceding. In this sense, of course, it was a fact.

10 and they are seven kings; --This means that the seven heads also represent seven kings--that is, they are symbolical of kings as well as mountains. But Daniel 7:17; Daniel 7:23 shows that prophetically king and kingdom mean the same. The king as supreme ruler represents the kingdom. This would be another way of saying the heads are emblems of seven kinds of royal governments.

the five are fallen, the one is, the other is not yet come;--Expositors present the widest variation of views on this verse; we have not space even to state them all. We mention three that appear to have received the most endorsements. (1) The beast is considered as the Satanic spirit of opposition as manifested in wicked kingdoms, beginning with Egypt, which was the first nation to persecute God’s people. With some variation of opinion the others are thought to be Assyria, Babylonia, Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome, and Rome reconstituted after its fall. (2) Others take it literally and apply to the emperors individually. The same persons are not put in the list by all expositors who accept this theory. (3) Others think the heads mean different forms of the Roman government. Regardless of which theory may be accepted, those represented by the seven heads persecuted God’s people and were instigated to do so by Satan. If the "woman" represents the papal apostate church, the position here taken, then it seems that the imagery applies to Rome in its various forms. This will eliminate the second theory, for this theory applies the seven heads tothe imperial form exclusively. On the whole the third position seems most likely to be the correct view. There are two reasons that may be assigned for this: one is, that the imagery presents the struggle of the church against opposing powers, and Rome was in existence when the church was established; the other is that the picture of a beast with seven heads naturally signifies the same nation under different forms rather than different nations.

The different forms of the Roman government from its beginning till the establishment of the church are these: Kings, Consuls, Dictators, Decemvirs, Military Tribunes, and Emperors. The first five had passed away when John wrote; the imperial form, the sixth, was then in existence. This harmonizes perfectly with the language of the text; and, being the facts concerning the Roman nation, would easily be so understood by John’s contemporaries.

The seventh head to rise in the future from John’s day is not so easily located. If the woman (papacy) is to be distinguished from the beast upon which she sat (and the imagery seems to require it), then the seventh and eighth heads should both be forms of political Rome.

and when he cometh, he must continue a little while.--The sixth head being the imperial form of Rome, the seventh could not arise till that fell. This occurred when pagan Rome ended in A.D. 476. The eighth head would necessarily have to be so-called Christianized Rome dominated by the apostate church. We have already seen that the papacy became a fully established institution in the sixth century. See notes on 11:4. Whatever form of government controlled the Roman nations between A.D. 476 and the time the papal church began to dominate the political rulers was the time of the seventh head. Barnes’ commentary (p. 430) applies the seventh head to the Dukedom under the Exarchate of Ravenna, and quotes Gibbon as saying that during this period "eighteen successive exarchs were invested in the decline of the empire with the full remains of civil, of military, and even of ecclesiastical power." Whether this be true or not, whatever form of government existed at that time would fit the demands of the symbol. Such a form continued only a little while as compared with the preceding forms or that represented by the eighth head. Here is agreement again.

11 And the beast that was, and is not, is himself also an eighth, and is of the seven; and he goeth into perdition.--The thought here seems to be that the eighth head represents another form of government which prolonged the Roman world. Being "of the seven" means a head of the same beast of which the seven had been heads. Under the first six heads the beast had been different forms of paganism. In that form the beast ended in A.D. 476. After the "little while" of the seventh form of government, the Roman Empire was restored, being dominated by the papacy--hence, a politico-ecclesiastical power. On this point Elliott (Vol. III, p. 131) quotes Augustin Steucus, a Catholic writer, as follows

"The empire having been overthrown, unless God has raised up the Pontificate, Rome, resuscitated and restored by none, would have become uninhabitable, and been a most foul habitation thenceforward of cattle. But in the Pontificate it revived as with a second birth, its empire being in magnitude indeed not equal to the old one, but in kind not very dissimilar; because all nations, from the east to west, venerate the Pope not otherwise than they before obeyed the emperor."

Surely a true picture of the woman directing the beast. The "mystery of lawlessness" that led to the "man of sin" in the sixth century began in Paul’s day; the religious power that was finally so perverted as to create that apostasy began its open influence on the Roman Empire in the time of Constantine in the fourth century.

The promise that the eighth head form would go to perdition may mean either that it would be finally destroyed or that it would lose much of its power when nations supporting it turned from it. The latter has already occurred through the Reformation work; the former will happen when the Lord comes.

12 And the ten horns that thou sawest are ten kings, who have received no kingdom as yet; --As the text defines "horns" to mean kings, this explanation must be accepted. The word king, as shown in Daniel 7:17; Daniel 7:23, sometimes is used in the sense of kingdom--the ruler standing for the whole institution. Doubtless that is the sense of the word here, and means that minor kingdoms would come under subjection to the Roman power. These kingdoms had not come into that subjection when John wrote, for the reason that the papacy and the eighth head form of Rome had neither come into existence.

As usual expositors disagree on what kingdoms are meant here. Several accept the list made out by Sir Isaac Newton as follows: The Vandals, the Visigoths, the Suevi, the Allans, the Burgundians, the Franks, the Britons, the Huns, the Lombards, and the kingdom of Ravenna. Others accept the idea that "ten" is here a symbolic number--definite for an indefinite--meaning completeness and signifies the extensive and full sway which Rome would exercise over subordinate nations. This is probably the meaning. If so, it is unnecessary to find just ten kingdoms. Those mentioned, however, might be in the list; others also might be; or there might be more

but they receive authority as kings, with the beast, for one hour.--This means that in their operation as kingdoms they were subject to the papal Roman Empire, received their authority from it. "One hour," of course, cannot be taken literally in such connection. As a symbol it indicates a short time and is similar to the "little while" in verse 10. This is a common use of the Greek word for hour. See 2 Corinthians 7:8; Galatians 2:5; 1 Thessalonians 2:17. It is a short time in comparison with the whole existence of the Roman kingdom, and indicates further that the beast power over these nations must end.

13 These have one mind, and they give their power and authority unto the beast.--Having one mind shows that whatever differences may have existed among these ten-horn nations, however they may have warred against each other, they were all Roman Catholics, and recognized her spiritual authority as the supreme power of government. The papacy received their endorsement and support.

14 These shall war against the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them,--This shows that when these nations combined their power with Rome they would be fighting against the Lamb--that is, Christ. This, of course, was done in opposing Christ’s true teaching, and persecuting his followers. The "Lamb shall overcome them" means that he will ultimately win a victory over them. This, in a measure was accomplished when these nations turned away from Rome through the Protestant Reformation; it will be fully completed when the Lord comes, at which time the "man of sin" will be destroyed. (2 Thessalonians 2:8.)

for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings; --That Christ is now, in his present position of head of the church, both Lamb and Lord is admitted without question; the Scriptures are too plain to be denied. That he is supreme above all earthly lords is also conceded by all. His present kingship is just as plainly stated and should be admitted. The church figuratively described is the kingdom. If Christ is the head of the body (church), then it must be true to facts to say that he is now a reigning king.

and they also shall overcome that are with him, called and chosen and faithful.--Naturally those who overcome will be those with Christ--those willing to suffer and endure as he did. Their success in overcoming will be proof that they have been called by him. Their faithfulness in meeting bitter sorrows and intense persecutions is unquestioned evidence that they were chosen. Jesus said: "If a man love me, he will keep my word." (John 14:23.)

Commentary on Revelation 17:7-14 by Foy E. Wallace

An angel cryptologist in verse seven appeared to decode the symbols which concealed in a mystery the vision of the beast upon which the woman sat. The enigmatic significance of the mystic symbolism which surrounded both the woman and the beast involved their respective destinies --the destruction of the woman (Jerusalem), and the perdition of the beast (the persecutor). The angel interpreter, proposing an explanation of the cryptic vision, repeated the wonder of the woman sitting on the seven heads and ten horns of the beast. It was a continued repetition in description of the Roman Empire, as previously shown, and of Jerusalem the apostate metropolis of Judaism.

An element of the mystery in the code description of the beast, in Revelation 17:8, was in the unusual saying: the beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition. Prevailing in those days was “the Neronic myth” that Nero was dead, but was incarnated in Belial the idolatrous prince and head of the heathen world; and hence, the belief that he lived.

The myth could have been the basis of the symbol, which undoubtedly means the persecutor had apparently granted surcease of the persecutions, but it was only a lull--the beast that was, and is not, should again appear without warnings, ascending as it were from the unfathomable depths of diabolical abode. This was the same beast described in previous chapters as appearing in heaven-defined as the realm of political authorities and government, hence in visible personification. After his disappearance, or lull in persecution, he was returning from his invisible demonic habitat, as from nowhere, to revive the persecutions-- hence, the beast was, and is not, and yet is. This verse is comparable to the code six hundred and sixty-six of Revelation 13:18 and referred to the same composite beast --the Roman Empire, personified in the persecuting emperor.

The reappearance of the beast in the display of power again caused wonderment amongthe dwellers of the earth whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world--that is, all of the people of the heathen and Roman world who were not the people of God, and had never been so reckoned, held the worldly pomp and power of the Roman emperor in great admiration. But this inhibition of the presence and power of the persecuting beast was not for long. His reappearance as a persecutor was also characterized as a final disappearance when his defeat and destiny should be accomplished--he would eventually go into perdition. It should be remembered that the destiny of the beast did not refer to the destruction of the empire itself but to the destruction of the persecuting power which the beast represented.

The symbols have the same force and application as Isaiah’s description of the decease of the wicked lords of Babylon--referring not to the literal demise of the Babylonian empire, but to the wicked dominion over the people of God.

There is a continuous reinforcement of the parallels between the apocalypses of the fortunes of Old Testament Israel through exile to their return and the destruction of Babylonian lordship, represented by Isaiah, in Isaiah 66:22, as their “new heavens and the new earth”; and the apocalypses of Revelation dealing with the persecutions of the New Testament church, the destruction of the old Jerusalem, and the symbolic “new heaven and new earth” of Revelation 21:1 --a delineation of the grandeurs and glories of the New Jerusalem.

(3) The great wonder comprehended—Revelation 17:9-11.

“And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth. And there are seven kings: fire are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space. And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition.”

The mind which hath wisdom referred to the deep mystical import of these symbols which were here merely projected but not fully explained or interpreted--the full meaning is reserved for the following chapter.

Everything in the visions revolves around the Jerusalem of the Jews, Rome being only collateral to the accomplishment of the visions. The reference to the seven mountains was not subject to a literal application any more than the literalizing of the woman. Mountains were ordinarily the symbols of the seats and positions of political and governmental authority, where power was concentrated. And while that was true of Rome, surrounded literally by seven hills; it was true also that Jerusalem was the city where apostasy in the realm of religious power was concentrated; and Jerusalem was also surrounded by seven literal mountains: Zion, Acra, Moriah, Bezetha, Millo, Ophel and Antonio; all of which are mentioned in the history of Josephus in connection with the war against Jerusalem (Book 5, Section 5, 8). The application of these symbols to Jerusalem finds consistency in the context.

The seven kings of Revelation 17:10 were the imperial Caesars, of which Nero was sixth in succession from Julius. The seven mountains cannot be representative of the seven kings, since the text does not read they are seven kings, but “there are seven kings.” The text further states that five are fallen, and one is and the other is not yet come. Though Julius Caesar was the head of the Roman Republic, it merged into the empire; and the Roman emperors derived the official title Caesar from Julius.

There can be no reason in fact or history to justify omitting Julius from the count of the Caesars of Rome, and only the demands of a theory to provide a later date for Revelation has caused it to be done.

The seven kings, five of which had fallen, followed the count from Julius Caesar, the first-then, Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius, the five which had fallen-- and Nero, the sixth. He was referred to in the phrase and one is--that is, the reigning emperor. It is further stated that the other, or the seventh, is not yet.

The five Caesars had passed before John wrote this apocalypse; and Nero, the sixth Caesar, was reigning at the time Revelation was written. The apocalypse belonged to the Neronic period. Omitting quite properly the subordinates, or mock rulers, Domitian was the seventh Caesar; and the text specifically stated that he had not come. It is difficult to account for a theory that fixes the chronology of Revelation in the latter part of the Domitian reign when he, the seventh, had not come. The rectification of the traditional chronological error attached to the Book of Revelation will automatically correct the “future prophecy” theories so fullof mis-concepts.

The text stated that the seventh king, or emperor, must continue a short space--that is, the persecutions would not end with Nero, but would continue to be prosecuted in reigns of short duration of the successive emperors.

It is stated in Revelation 17:11 that the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seventh, and goeth into perdition. There is a repetition here of Revelation 17:8, to which the reader may refer, concerning was, is not, and yet is.

But Revelation 17:11 affirms the affinity and continuity of the imperial beasts. From the sixth to the seventh the vision was extended, in Revelation 17:10; and Revelation 17:11 presents the eighth as having the same genus, the spirit of the persecuting beast appearing in one emperor after another until their course was run.

To the church at Smyrna the Lord said: And ye shall have tribulation ten days. This undoubtedly referred to the period of the ten persecuting emperors from Nero to Diocletian, who vowed to obliterate the name Christian from the Roman Empire; and it fixes the time period of these apocalyptic disclosures from Nero to Diocletian, the tenth emperor from Nero--thus assigning the date of Revelation to the early part of Nero’s reign, before the siege and destruction of Jerusalem; and its symbols to the Nero-Diocletian period of persecution.

(4) The coordination of the ten kings—Revelation 17:12-18 :

The ten kings of the beast in Revelation 17:12 had received no kingdom as yet; but receive power one hour with the beast. These mock rulers of the Roman tributaries had no independent rule; they were the contemporary subordinate rulers with the beast for one hour--that is, a temporary exercise of a delegated power in conjunction with Rome, but of short duration as persecutors; their power would continue no longer than the accomplishment of God’s will in the destruction of Jerusalem and the end of Judaism.

It is stated in Revelation 17:13 that these ten kings had one mind. The overshadowing personage of Nero was pictured as standing behind; but the single aim and common purpose was the destruction of Jerusalem, the devastation of Judea to rid the empire of Judaism, and the subsequent war against Christianity in the full power and strength of the coalition of the kings with the emperor against the church. Jerusalem was destroyed, Judaism perished, but the church survived.

The vision in the preceding chapters of the great red dragon’s war against the Christ is continued in Revelation 17:14; but the Lamb would overcome all assailants and assaults against his church, for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings--over all kings and emperors of the earth --and because his followers are called, and chosen and faithful. Such fidelity cannot be extinguished by the trials of persecution.

Commentary on Revelation 17:7-14 by Walter Scott

THE MYSTERY OF THE WOMAN AND THE BEAST EXPLAINED (Revelation 17:7-18).

Revelation 17:7. — “And the angel said to me, Why hast thou wondered? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the Beast which carries her, which has the seven heads and the ten horns.” We have had the mystery of Christ and the Church (Ephesians 5:1-33), now the angel is going to explain to the Seer, and through him to us, the mystery of the woman and the Beast.

THE BEAST: FOUR PHASES OF ITS HISTORY.

Revelation 17:8. — “The Beast which thou sawest was, and is not, and is about to come up out of the abyss, and go into destruction: and they who dwell on the earth, whose names are not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, shall wonder, seeing the Beast, that it was, and is not, and shall be present.” Here we have the history of the greatest empire the world has ever beheld compressed into four crisp sentences, as remarkable for their brevity as for their truth. Two of them are yet future. The woman and the Beast are distinct. The former is the ecclesiastical power: the latter the civil authority. Both are viewed as wicked and apostate. The woman is viewed in the vision as in the zenith of her prosperity, proud, seductive, and murderous. She is on the highest pinnacle of pride and power just previous to her downfall. The Beast is viewed as about to enter on the third phase of its history — coming out of the abyss. This most awful feature is to be added to its human rise and history — Satan brings it out of the prison-house of demons, out of the darkness and wickedness of that domain where his authority reigns supreme.

The angel turns from the woman to the Beast when the vision is explained. John would cease to wonder at the appalling picture.

(1) The ancient empire beheld in vision was; that is, it existed in its imperial form in John’s day, and on till its destruction in A.D. 476.

(2) “And is not.” It has no present political existence. The kingdoms which composed it of course remain, but the empire as such no longer exists. Modern Europe, with its many conflicting interests, jealousies, and separate kingdoms, is the result of the complete break-up of the once undivided empire of the Caesars. The western part of the empire, which fell last, is by far the guiltiest, as being the scene of Christian light and grace. These two phases of the empire are simple matters of history, but the remaining features are prophetic, and are only written in the pages of the Sacred Volume. God lifts the veil, and we see, after the lapse of many centuries, the empire once more filling the gaze of men — an astonishment to an apostate Christendom.

(3) “Is about to come up out of the abyss.” Satan will revive the empire, and then stamp his own character upon it. The human rise of the Beast must be carefully distinguished from its satanic revival in the midst of the seventieth prophetic week at the epoch of Satan’s expulsion from Heaven (Revelation 12:1-17). The Seer beholds it in vision on the eve of its revival. “Is about to come up.” The abyss produces this monster of iniquity — the Beast. Heaven opens and gives forth the Church — the bride of the Lamb.

(4) “Go into destruction.” This is the final phase of Gentile power. Rome came into existence 753 B.C. It passed through many trials, weathered many political storms, till it reached the zenith of its glory in the time of Christ. Its connection with Christ and Judah is the great crisis in the history of the empire. The Beast in its representative crucified the Lord after thrice declaring His innocence. Subsequently the blood of the people was shed in such multitudes that millions were involved in the most awful slaughter recorded in history, while the miserable remnants were either sold in such numbers that the slave markets were glutted with the human merchandise, and purchasers could not be found, or dispersed throughout the world. God remembers these deeds. The hour of vengeance has arrived. The Beast is consigned to the lake of fire. Final destruction overtakes the once mighty empire of the Caesars.

SATANIC REAPPEARANCE OF THE EMPIRE

When the empire reappears in its last and satanic form it will be an object of universal wonder, save to the redeemed. What a state of things we have arrived at! Satan brings out of the darkness of the pit a power which he fashions and controls, outwardly like the empire, yet diabolically featured. Men then will wonder and worship both Satan and his human instruments (Revelation 13:4; Revelation 13:12). The elect had their names written in the book of life from the foundation of the world. Ah! these future times were all thought of and provided for in the foresight of God. This book is the same as that of Revelation 13:8, only there we are told that the book belongs to the slain Lamb. We read of another book of life in Revelation 3:5; there, however, it is the book of Christian profession, true and false, hence some names will be erased and others stand. But in our chapter the book, or register of life, is that of reality, hence no name can be blotted out. All within the wide domain of Christendom shall be carried away in wonder at the reappearance of this marvellous phenomena — all save the elect. To such the true character of the Beast will be apparent.

MYSTERY OF THE BEAST.

Revelation 17:9-13. — “Here is the mind that has wisdom: the seven heads are seven mountains, whereon the woman sits. And there are seven kings: five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come; and when he comes he must remain (only) a little while. And the Beast that was, and is not, he also is an eighth, and is of the seven, and goes into destruction. And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have not yet received a kingdom, but receive authority as kings one hour with the Beast. These have one mind, and give their power and authority to the Beast.” Of all the subjects embraced within the circle of Biblical revelation we know of none which has so occupied unintelligent minds, and produced such a wild crop of the merest conjecture as that of prophecy. Surely in all that concerns the future sobriety of thought is needful. In the domain of prophecy human learning is nigh useless. Human wisdom which would deduce facts and principles from the past or present is of no avail here. The future is alone unfolded in the Holy Scriptures. The gravest mistakes in the interpretation of the prophecies have been made, not by the ignorant multitude, but by learned men. We are absolutely dependent on the teaching of the Holy Scriptures for any knowledge we possess of coming events. God alone can unfold the future (Isaiah 41:21-23). Hence the force of the prefatory words, “Here is the mind that has wisdom.” True wisdom takes its stand at the threshold of prophetic inquiry, and reverently asks, “What is written?” (“Of the dark parts of Revelation,” says Warburton, “there are two sorts: one which may be cleared up by the studious application of well-employed talents; the other, which will always reside within the shadow of God’s throne, where it would be impiety to intrude.” History is open to the natural man. Prophecy can alone be understood by the spiritually wise.) and to that, and that only, yields implicit subjection. To the further explanation of the vision the wise are now directed. The two prominent features of the Beast which carried the woman are its seven heads and ten horns (Revelation 17:3; Revelation 17:7), which occupy the chief place in the explanation. The heads are first named. There is a double application of the symbol “seven heads.”

ROME AND THE PAPACY.

(1) “The seven heads are seven mountains, whereon the woman sits.” The seven-hilled city of Rome (“The seven-hilled city” is a term common enough in the history of Rome, especially in its earliest ages. It was one familiar in the social intercourse of the people, as also in its literature. Roman historians and poets seemed proud in so designating their city. Says Wordsworth, “The unanimous voice of Roman poetry during more than five hundred years, beginning with the age of John, proclaimed Rome as the seven-hilled city.” He also adds, “On the imperial medals of that age, which are still preserved, we see Rome figured as a woman on seven hills, precisely as she is represented in the Apocalypse.”) is here indicated as the seat and center of the woman’s almost universal authority and influence. It is where the papacy has been located and has flourished, more or less, for 1500 years. The papacy is now slowly recovering from the wounds inflicted upon it; first in the sixteenth century, and then in our own times stripped of its temporal power. Its vitality is wonderful. Its energies are now concentrated in winning back to its fold the nations of Europe. The conversion of England is a dazzling project, and an event to be expected within a measurable time — so thinks and says the papacy. That the peoples of modern enlightened Europe will ultimately be gathered under the sway of the woman seems an evident truth from our chapter, if a sad and sorrowful one. The mighty work of the Reformation in its general and outward results is disappearing, while the acceptance of Romish principles and practices is steadily gaining ground. The persistent and insidious advance of popery in every department of life — political, social, and religious — is an alarming factor in the present situation. Protestantism as a whole is supremely indifferent. The old war cry, “No popery,” cannot now rouse the nation. It is asleep. The higher critics with their infidel and destructive criticism have undermined faith in the Holy Scriptures; while the efforts of true Christians to stem the torrent of popish error are paralyzed owing, in the first place, to the multiplicity of sects, in which combined action is rendered impossible, and, further, because of the growing indifference to what is of God.

POLITICAL HISTORY OF THE BEAST.

(2) “And there are seven kings,” i.e., heads, or forms of civil and political government. The local reference to Rome in verse 9 is undoubted. But a further and additional explanation is offered. The seven heads on the Beast represent seven successive forms of government from the rise of the fourth universal empire on through its history till its end.

Revelation 17:10. — “Five have fallen.” (“Fallen,” or “fell,” intimates the ruin or destruction of a system or kingdom (Revelation 14:8; Revelation 16:19). The death of an individual ruler would not be so spoken of. Hence the term “kings” in our passage signifies the ruling authority for the time being. The four beasts of Daniel 7:1-28 are said to be four kings (v. 17). Thus the term kings must not be confined in its application to royal personages. The context in each case must determine.) These are Kings, Consuls, Dictators, Decemvirs, and Military Tribunes.

Revelation 17:10 — “One is.” This is the sixth, or imperial form of government set up by Julius Caesar, and under which John was banished to Patmos under Domitian. The previous forms of authority had ceased. The first emperor, Julius, absorbed the power covered by the old names under which Rome had been governed, and commenced the long and imperial line which became extinct in the year A.D. 476.

Revelation 17:10 — “The other has not yet come.” Thus between the dissolution of the empire and its future diabolic reappearance many centuries have elapsed. “When he comes he must remain (only) a little while.” This is the seventh head. It is the rise of the fallen empire under new conditions as presented in chapter 13: 1. When the Beast next comes upon the scene it will be characterised by the completeness of administrative authority of a blasphemous kind, and will be formed of ten kingdoms, each having its separate monarch, yet all in subordination to the great Gentile chief who will control the empire and hold all with a firm grasp. The brief continuance of this special form of government is plainly stated. “A little while” marks the duration of the anomalous condition of things under the revived empire, yet worse is to follow.

Revelation 17:11. — “And the beast that was, and is not, he also is an eighth, and is of the seven.” The gigantic confederation of Rome is here regarded in its essential features as ever the same. He is an “eighth.” We have here an advance upon the historical revival of the Beast (Revelation 13:1). For the three years and a half preceding the Advent of the Lord in power and glory the Beast is dominated and controlled by Satan. He had revived it out of the abyss. The Beast in its last and worst state comes out of the abyss, as distinct from its rise at the first (Daniel 7:1-28. l), or its future human revival (Revelation 13:1). It thus presents a complete picture by itself, and is thereby entitled to the appellation an “eighth.” Its diabolical character as revived by Satan accounts for the use of the ordinal. We have the human reappearance of the empire in Revelation 13:1-18, and its hellish revival in Revelation 17:1-18.

Revelation 17:11 — “Is of the seven.” There will be certain features peculiar to the Beast in the last two stages of its history. Probably the form of power under the seventh head will be continued, and in some other respects the last holder of Gentile power will tread in the steps of his predecessor. Thus he will be of the seven, yet an eighth as a distinctive person. We may here remark that the Beast and its personal ruler are so vitally connected that the two are spoken of in interchangeable terms; thus the Beast perishes and is thrown, in the person of its last great chief, into the lake of fire. The last sovereign ruler stamps his own character upon the empire. They can be regarded separately as in Daniel 7:1-28, or identical as in our chapter.

Revelation 17:11. — “Goes into destruction,” or perdition. This is accomplished at the commencement of the millennial reign, and is graphically described in Revelation 19:17-21. The fowls of Heaven are summoned to the “supper of the great God.” They are called to feed and feast upon the great and mighty of the earth. The two great chiefs, heads respectively of the secular and religious powers, are consigned alive to the lake of fire; their subordinates and armies everlastingly perish. The first five heads fell in succession. Then the sixth came to a violent end; the seventh is merged in the eighth, which suffers a judgment more awful than history records. This head is identified with the Beast itself, and hence if it is destroyed the Beast must go into utter ruin (compare with Daniel 7:11).

Having had the “seven heads” explained, we are now informed as to “the ten horns” (Revelation 17:12). These horns refer to royal persons. The term “horn” denotes power in the abstract (v. 6; Lamentations 2:3); but as used here it refers to kings. The ten horns therefore represent as many distinct royal personages or their kingdoms. Another has tersely said: “The ten kingdoms shall be contemporaneous in contradistinction to the seven heads which were successive.” But the ten kingdoms which existed as to actual territory are here viewed as coming into power with the Beast. See also verse 16, not the ten horns “upon the beast,” but the ten horns “and the beast” (R.V.). They do not exist as separate kingdoms or nationalities. There are ten, but they are coexistent with the reign of the Beast. They “received authority as kings one hour with the Beast.” When the Beast reappears on the arena of history it will do so in a ten-kingdom form. It disappeared in A.D. 476, but will next come up in a form hitherto unknown in history. The revived empire will consist of ten kingdoms with their respective chiefs. The duration of the reign of these kings is measured by the reign of the Beast. But not only are these kingdoms in existence during the time that the Beast plays his terrible role, but they are subordinate to him. Willingly they place themselves in absolute subjection to the Beast. “These have one mind, and give their power and authority to the Beast.” The Beast and the horns are contemporary, but the latter bow implicitly to the will of the former. When the empire was broken up, separate kingdoms were constituted — historical fact — but our prophecy demands the existence of the Beast and the ten kingdoms, the latter subservient to the former.

WAR WITH THE LAMB.

Revelation 17:14. — “These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them; for He is Lord of lords and King of kings: and they that are with Him called, and chosen, and faithful.” Here is recorded the final public act of the Beast and his allies. The conflict itself is fully described in Revelation 19:19-21. The angel here simply notes the fact, passing over many intervening events. The war has not been actually entered upon, but it is anticipated. Its issue is in no wise doubtful. “The Lamb shall overcome them.” Victory is assured ere the conflict is entered upon, for the mighty Conqueror is King of all who reign, and Lord of all who exercise authority. He is supreme. All power in Heaven and on earth is His (Matthew 28:18). Oh, what madness and folly for men and governments to enter the lists with God’s Lamb Who will publicly wield the authority of Jehovah’s throne! How touching the blessed association of the Lamb with the mighty King — tenderness and power combined (Revelation 5:5-6).

Revelation 17:14 — “They that are with Him.” The militant hosts, the heavenly armies, consist of all the redeemed then in Heaven. There will be other companies of saved persons in Heaven besides the Church (Hebrews 12:23). The whole body of heavenly saints accompany their Lord through the opened Heaven, and down to crush the confederated opposition to the rights of the Lamb. For this universal gathering of heavenly saints see Judges 1:14; Zechariah 14:5; Revelation 19:14. In the morning of the Lord’s triumphal return “all the holy angels” shall swell His triumph (Matthew 25:31; Hebrews 1:6). But “they that are with Him” must be confined to saints only. Angels have their part in the war in Heaven (Revelation 12:7). Saints alone form the conquering army of the Lamb.

Those who take part in this conflict and who serve under such a renowned Leader are each and all spoken of as “called, and chosen, and faithful.” Called in time (2 Timothy 1:9); chosen in eternity (Ephesians 1:4); and proved faithful in all and every relation of life, and that even unto death (Matthew 25:21-23; Revelation 2:10). These epithets, called, chosen, and faithful can only strictly apply to saints.

Commentary on Revelation 17:7-14 by E.M. Zerr

Revelation 17:7. Wherefore didst thou marvel? This question indicates that the amazed expression on the face of John was mixed with that of being puzzled over the whole phenomenon. The angel promises to explain to him all about the mystery involving the woman, the beast and the seven heads and ten horns that the beast had. The passage deviates from the usual manner of the book. When the symbols are described we are generally left to figure out (by the help of history) what the interpretation is. This time the angel will tell to what institutions and persons the symbols refer. Not that he will specify the personal items of application, but he will describe it so that a student of the Bible and history should have no uncertainty about it.

Revelation 17:8, Was and is not refers to Pagan Rome which ceased to be such an institution (on the surface) after the time of Constantine. Ascend out of the bottomless pit. The last two words mean that part of the intermediate state where evil men and angels are kept until the judgment day. It is the place where the wicked rich man went as recorded in Luke 16:23 where the word is "hell" but comes from a different Greek term. Since the members of Pagan Rome were wicked it was necessary to show them as ascending from this pit. But we should take notice that the vision leaps across all the intervening years for the moment to predict the final destiny of those members of the beast that had been in the bottomless pit. After the intermediate state is no longer needed, these wicked persons will ascend out of that pit and go into perdition, which means they will be cast into the lake of fire. Having shown a brief picture of the fate of this beast, the vision at once resumes the events and appearances that are to take place before the final day of perdition. The vision is so unusual that the uninformed shall wonder at it. That is the same word used in verse 6 which was seen to mean that one is puzzled with amazement, and it would have that meaning especially with the uninformed. By that word I mean the ones described by John as those whose names are not written in the book of life. Chapter 13:8 shows this italicized statement means those who are not faithful servants of Christ. Their names (of the faithful) are said to have been written in the book from the foundation of the world or before the human family had become an orderly group of human beings. The beast that was and is not and yet is was that which caused the astonishment spoken of above. The beast was Pagan Rome outwardly until the time of Constantine, who caused the union of church and state to take place. That put an end to Pagan Rome as far as outward profession was concerned, and it is in that sense that John says the beast is ’not. But In reality Papal Rome retained so much of the doctrines and wicked practices of the original empire, that it could truly be said of Papal Rome that it was Pagan Rome in disguise or in another form. It is in that sense that John says the institution yet is, which caused the uninformed of the world to be amazed and puzzled. But the righteous did not have to be in such a state of mind because they had always been respectful hearers of what inspired men had said. For instance, if they had only-read and considered what Paul wrote in 2 Thessalonians 2, they would have expected such revolutions to take place as these affairs of Rome.

Revelation 17:9. The seven mountains have no special significance except as an item of geography and history by which to identify the city of Rome. On whieh the woman sitteth means that the apostate church rested upon the government of Rome for support.

Revelation 17:10. In some previous verses and in Revelation 17:12 below the text plainly says the ten horns represent ten kings or kingdoms that were inferior• units of the Roman Empire. Hence the seven kings of this verse must have another meaning, and I believe they refer to important men who were leaders in the affairs of state right in the capital city. It is merely a coincidence that the Lord had seven of those prominent men in mind which is also the number of the geographical hills or "mountains" that comprised the city of Rome. It is clearly shown in Roman history that leading men in the Empire often vied with each other for power and the vision shows such a conflict.

Revelation 17:11. The beast that was has been already shown to be Pagan Rome. The apostle says this beast is the eighth; not merely one more beast that would count up to eight, but it was the eighth and of the seven. This denotes that it was in the same line, or bore some fact in common with the others. And the phrase goeth into perdition strengthens that conclusion, for we learned in verse 8 that it was Pagan Rome that was to go into perdition. (Not that Papal Rome will escape perdition, but that is not under consideration at present.) The vision means that Pagan Rome as a whole must take her place in the count with all those individual "kings" or chief men in the corrupt institution, and all go down as a unit into the lake of perdition.

Revelation 17:12. These ten kings (or small kingdoms) are named at Revelation 13:1. It says they had received no kingdom as yet. The meaning is they were not in rightful control of their kingdoms although they were acting as kings. But the phrase also indicates that they will finally be kings in their own right after Papal Rome has been put down even as Pagan Rome was, then each nation will have its own chosen form of government. But for the time being they may only act as kings. One hour with the beast is a figure of speech meaning that the time for continued oppression of Rome was to be comparatively short. The reader should bear in mind that the vision goes from the days of Pagan Rome in verse 11 to those of Papal Rome in the present verse. On that basis the beast now is Papal Rome in conjunction with the state.

Revelation 17:13. These means the ten kings of the preceding verse and until they have had their eyes opened by receiving the Bible back again, they will not know any better than to give their power and strength unto the beast (church and state).

Revelation 17:14. These again means the ten kings just mentioned. While they were still under the control of Papal Rome and blinded by the false doctrines of that corrupt beast, they were opposed to the Lamb of God and made (religious) war with Him. The Lamb shall overcome them. This will be accomplished by the Reformation, for that movement will give the Bible back to the people in their native tongue. When that is done the Lamb shall overcome them which means He will subdue their opposition to the word of God and to the true church that is regulated by that word. Lord of lords puts Christ above all other rulers, and King of kings means He is greater than the ten kings who fought against Him. Christ does not conduct the conflict directly but does it by His great army. The army is composed of those who are called (by the Gospel), and they are chosen because they have qualified themselves by being faithful.

Commentary on Revelation 17:7-14 by Burton Coffman

Revelation 17:7

And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou wonder? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and the ten horns.

Wherefore didst thou wonder ... The terrible thing that astounded John was "that a portion of the church is one with the hostile world."^[31] The angel seems to have wondered at John’s wonderment, because "there were sufficient marks to identify the harlot,"^[32] Very similar descriptions of Judah, a type of the church, in Jeremiah 2 and Jeremiah 3 should have made it plain to John. He should have been able to read in the vision the truth that just as the old Israel had apostatized and crucified the Christ, the church of Christ also, in the lapse of years, would fall from her high calling and become an ally of Satan. "The hint of this slumbered in the vision."^[33]

I will tell thee the mystery of the woman ... and of the beast ... In revealing this, the angel would unveil the woman’s true identity with the land-beast and the sea-beast both! Particularly, however, she must be tied more conspicuously to the land-beast. She rides the sea-beast; she is the land-beast!

^[31] A. Plummer, op. cit., p. 416.

^[32] Ibid.

^[33] ?

Revelation 17:8

The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and is about to come up out of the abyss, and to go into perdition. And they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, they whose name hath not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast, how that he was, and is not, and shall come.

The beast that thou sawest was, and is not, and is about to come up out of the abyss ... As Beckwith said:

It seems unquestionable that the idea expressed in these words (Revelation 17:8) is the same as that denoted in the symbolical vision by the head smitten unto death and healed (Revelation 13:3). They are described in closely parallel terms.^[34]

This is an exceedingly important point, having the meaning that this woman herself is that "healed head" once smitten to death. Pagan Rome, the sixth of the seven heads (Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome) was the one smitten to death, even as the previous "heads" had run their course and fallen; but the death of this sixth head (Rome) would be different; its "death" would not be the end of the persecuting state. The woman herself was to be the healing of the sixth head, its replacement; and the Great Harlot would succeed the persecuting empire of pagan Rome in the form of the persecuting power of "Christian" Rome. Did it happen? Who can deny that it did? Who needs any answer except the history of the past two millenniums?

In this, it is also clear what is meant by the land-beast making an image of the first (Revelation 13:15). When the harlot, certainly the same as the land-beast, made an image of the beast, or to the beast, what is meant? Exactly the same thing that is meant when it is said that Tommy grew up and made an engineer! He became an engineer. The woman made an image of the beast which was persecuting pagan Rome, becoming herself persecuting "Christian" Rome. She herself was the image of the beast, the healed head, the replacement and successor to pagan Rome. Historically, this places her after 476 A.D., when the pagan empire fell, long after emperor worship had perished from the earth. Note that there is absolutely no reference whatever in Revelation to making an image "to Caesar," or to "the emperor," or "to one of the kings." No! The image was "of the beast," not of one of his heads, even if "heads" is misinterpreted to mean "emperors."

And go into perdition ... The ultimate destiny of all evil is never denied or thwarted by the riches and glory displayed in the present existence. These words are to keep that truth in focus.

And they that dwell on the earth shall wonder ... This refers to the unregenerated, non-Christian world.

They whose name hath not been written in the book of life ... See comment on this under Revelation 13:8.

From the foundation of the world ... Unlike the passage earlier (Revelation 13:8), this phrase is here applied to the inscription of the names of the saints in the book of life. The eternal purpose of God is known by him from the beginning, regarding all things and all people. Of course, there are unfathomable mysteries about such things which we cannot understand; but the meaning of the words is clear enough as they regard the purpose in view, encouraging the redeemed. In whatever manner the entire world may be captured and enthralled by the charms of the satanic beast, the true Christian will not be deceived.

How that he was, and is not, and shall come ... Note that in the Greek (ASV margin), the last words are "shall be present," recalling Revelation 13:3. See comment quoted above from Beckwith. As Hendriksen said, "The book of Daniel proves that these seven heads do not symbolize seven individual kings or emperors, but seven anti-Christian world powers."^[35] See under Revelation 17:8 for a list of these, Rome being the head "that now is." The use of the past tense "he that was" is a reference to the vision that John had seen (past tense) in Revelation 13:3; but the head John had seen as existing there, is the same as the one that will be designated "one is" in Revelation 17:10. Revelation 17:8 refers to what John saw (past tense); and Revelation 17:10 indicates the meaning (present tense) for John, explained by the angel.

^[34] Isbon T. Beckwith, The Apocalypse of John Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1919), p. 696.

^[35] William Hendriksen, More Than Conquerors (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1956), p. 204.

Revelation 17:9

Here is the mind that hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sitteth:

Here is the mind that hath wisdom ... These words seem to be addressed to any temptation of taking an easy, literal view of the prophecy. As Plummer warned, any literal application as to the seven hills of Rome must not be considered to be the full significance of these words, despite the fact that, "They may indeed be a partial fulfillment, but not the whole signification."^[36]

The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sitteth ... In this there is a subtle extension of the harlot’s stature, for she is represented as gathering up in herself all the authority and power of the first beast (Revelation 13:1), even as did the second beast (Revelation 13:12). "The seven heads" are here called seven mountains, just as they will be called seven kings in the next verse. Heads, mountains, kings ... they all mean the same thing. Oh yes, to be sure, Rome sat on seven hills, and it was quite natural to think of Rome in this context, for that was correct, in that Rome was indeed the sixth of the mountains, and the sixth of the kings, and the sixth of the heads. No mere "hills" are in view here.

"Rome dwells on her seven hills, but the Great Harlot in the vision sits among the great empires that have arisen, like mountains, in the history of the world."^[37] This understanding completely clears up the perplexity mentioned by Ladd: "John immediately goes on to say in the next verse that they are also seven kings. It is difficult to see any connection between the seven hills of Rome and seven of its emperors."^[38] Of course, there is not any connection, for the seven "hills" are not in it at all. There are no "mountains" in Rome. The seven mountains mean exactly the same thing as the seven heads and seven kings.

The seven mountains, kings, or kingdoms mentioned in this paragraph are seven manifestations of the beast in the successive eras of persecution suffered by God’s people: Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome, the latter being the "one is" when John wrote; and the seventh appeared after Rome fell.^[39]

Roberson fully agreed with this: "The seven mountains, or seven kings, are manifestations of the beast in successive eras of oppression suffered by the people of God."^[40]

^[36] A. Plummer, op. cit., p. 417.

^[37] W. Boyd Carpenter, op. cit., p. 612.

^[38] George Eldon Ladd, A Commentary on the Revelation of John (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1972), p. 227.

^[39] Frank L. Cox, op. cit.. p. 102.

^[40] Charles H. Roberson, Studies in Revelation (Tyler, Texas; P. D. Wilmeth, P.O. Box 3305,1957), p. 130.

Revelation 17:10

and they are seven kings; the five are fallen, the one the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a little while.

And they are seven kings ... See under preceding verse for identification of these as seven successive world powers which persecuted God’s people.

Five are fallen ... Please note that if the death of five successive emperors had been meant, the word would have been that "five are dead." "Fallen" is a ridiculous word for describing the death of Augustus Caesar; he did not "fall"; he died. This has no reference at all to the death of certain emperors, whether by suicide or other means. What is meant is that Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia, and Greece, the first five successive heads of the beast, have passed from history as persecuting powers, or world empires.

The one is ... This, of course, is Rome, the great worldwide power when John wrote.

The other is yet to come ... Alas, there is to be another; and it will come just like all the others came, that is, after its predecessor has fallen, in this case, after the fall of Rome. The significance of this is that the seventh head (the Great Harlot) will not fully appear until after Rome has fallen. This makes it impossible to identify this seventh head as the emperor cult, Nero Redivivus, or any other such thing.

And when he cometh, he must continue a little while ... The entire Christian dispensation is meant by this. The word continue means remain; and Hendriksen declared that the emphasis is on remain."^[41] "In the language of the Apocalypse, this entire gospel age is but a little while (Revelation 11:2-3; Revelation 12:6; Revelation 12:14; Revelation 13:5)."^[42] This dispensation is indeed only "a little while" as it relates to eternity and to all the things of God. Plummer also agreed that, "This short space (as in KJV) describes the remainder of the time of the world’s existence."^[43]

One thing that must commend this interpretation is the fact of its being in full and complete harmony with what is known, historically, to have happened since it was written. See more on this under Revelation 17:11.

^[41] William Hendriksen, op. cit., p. 204.

^[42] Ibid.

^[43] A. Plummer, op. cit., p. 417.

Revelation 17:11

And the beast that was, and is not, is himself also an eighth, and is of the seven; and he goeth into perdition.

As we see it, the Apostate Church, together with many harlot daughters and countless spiritual developments flowing out of it and accompanying it, is the seventh head that succeeded the pagan empire. This head will continue throughout the dispensation, but itself also will be succeeded by an eighth, which we believe to be the era of the "ten horns" (Revelation 17:12). The Harlot will finally lose her power to persecute, a development which, in the principal part, has already occurred; but she will nevertheless continue to the very end. See under Revelation 17:12. The eighth beast will be far more wicked than any of the seven preceding ones; and it may be that he should be identified with Paul’s "Lawless One" (2 Thessalonians 2:8), who is apparently to be slain by the personal Advent of Christ himself.

This eighth beast will not even be able to endure Apostate Christianity, but will totally deny God, enthrone himself, demand the worship of the whole world, and will spiritually enslave all people except the elect. As this deals with events yet future, we do not dare to propose any explanation of just how all this may come about, or of how long such a condition may prevail. One thing does seem clear enough: the Apostate Christianity itself shall be hated, persecuted, and consumed by this eighth beast. Some construe the meaning of the words "of the seven" as being "of the seventh," indicating that, if this meaning is allowed, the rise of the eighth beast shall be a development from within the Apostasy itself. We believe the true meaning to be "of the seven," as in ASV, because the ten horns next mentioned are connected with the whole beast, not merely with the seventh head; and, as already noted above, the ten horns are here interpreted as that eighth beast, or eighth head of the beast.

NERO REDIVIVUS

The interpretation of these verses which relies for their explanation upon the myth of Nero Redivivus is as scandalous an interpretation of sacred Scripture as was ever offered. It is unreasonable, illogical, incorrect, unbelievable, and also absolutely contradictory of the New Testament. First, we shall try to explain what the interpretation is:

The heads of the beast mentioned in these verses are held to be the emperors in succession who ruled over the pagan empire. The mention of "one is, is not, and is to come" refers to Nero who was reigning when John wrote, who died, and came alive again (redivivus) and became the eighth emperor after the death of the seventh emperor who had succeeded to the throne after Nero’s death!

See our introduction to Revelation 13, above, under "The Mortal Wound that did not Heal," for a very perceptive quotation from Albertus Pieters who declared that the acceptance of this interpretation (of Nero redivivus) denies the book of Revelation as "a genuine prophecy." If this is what John prophesied, he prophesied a lie, for it never happened. This interpretation is almost totally worthless, but some particular attention is demanded by it, because, as Pieters said, "At present it is the popular theory among those whom we may call the "Left Wing’ Preterists."

An alleged myth is cited as proof that John’s prophecy refers to Nero and that his resurrection was generally expected! "The beast that is" is Nero ... "and is not" refers to his suicide ... "and is te come" means he reappeared reincarnated (!) as Domitian. "John saw in Domitian the reincarnation of Nero!"^[44] It is contrary, of course, to the Scriptures and to all reason, to suppose for an instant that one of the holy apostles of Jesus believed in reincarnation. In the first place, current research denies that Domitian was in any sense even similar to Nero. "His reputation (Domitian’s, as being a persecutor) rests on a very modest historical foundation."^[45]

This theory would make Domitian the eighth Roman emperor, an outright falsehood, no matter how the emperors are counted. Look at the "lists of emperors" various Left Wing scholars have posted in their vain efforts to support this; not a single one of them is accurate. As even Moffatt admitted, "There is certainly some awkwardness in this!"^[46] Awkwardness indeed! A Jersey cow sitting in the top of a sycamore tree singing Richard Wagner’s "Song to the Evening Star" from Tannhauser is pure grace compared to this Nero Redivivus hypothesis of interpretation. Here is a list of the Roman emperors during the first century and beginning from the death of Julius Caesar in 44 B.C., as compiled by Caird:^[47]

JULIUS CAESAR

AUGUSTUS

TIBERIUS

GAIUS (CALIGULA)

CLAUDIUS

NERO

GALBA

OTHO

VITELLIUS

VESPASIAN

TITUS

DOMITIAN (81-96 A.D.)

Well, how does one make Nero the eighth emperor in that list? Many devices have been tried: (1) Identify Nero redivivus with Domitian; that won’t do it. (2) Skip Galba and Otho; that won’t work. (3) Skip Galba, Otho and Vitellius; that doesn’t work either. (4) Start counting with Augustus; that doesn’t get it. (5) Count only the deified emperors; this cannot be accurately determined, etc. As Ladd said, "This is a rather violent way of treating history and does not really solve the problem."^[48]

The thing that amazes us the most is that the scholars adopting this view reject its most obvious corollary, that if Nero "now is" when John wrote Revelation, then it had to be written between the years 54-68 A.D., the dates usually assigned to Nero, and also that if John wrote while Nero was still reigning, then no myth regarding Nero’s resurrection (an essential part of this interpretation) could possibly have appeared before he died! What kind of a contortion is needed to solve that? Here it is: John, writing forty years after Nero’s death, "sets himself back in time to the period of Vespasian and gives in the form of prophecy events of history that had already happened!"^[49] This, of course, is equivalent to making the whole book of Revelation a fraud, and fully justifies Pieters’ comment, above, that this theory of interpretation is wholly incompatible with any believing acceptance of Revelation as genuine prophecy.^[50]

This interpretation makes Domitian the sixth emperor, because (in this interpretation) five are fallen and "one is"; and it is impossible to do this. There has never been a list of emperors that would make Domitian the sixth. They have tried omitting Julius Caesar, Galba, Otho, Vitellius, either singly or in pairs, or collectively; but failure cannot be hidden. It is time that the Left Wing gave up this nonsense about Nero Redivivus. "No method of calculation satisfactorily leads to Domitian as the reigning emperor when John wrote."^[51] It is also true that absolutely nothing in history identifies Domitian as "another Nero." Even if he was a vicious persecutor and tyrant, how does that make him another Nero; why not another Caligula? another Herod? The false allegation that the sacred New Testament prophesied either the resurrection or the reincarnation of Nero is as pagan an idea as was ever imported into the New Testament.

The above brief summary of some of the intricacies and inconsistencies of this mythical interpretation is only the tip of the iceberg; but enough has been given to show the prodigious labors that have been expended for one purpose alone, it seems to us. The very persistence and cleverness of those who have pushed this bastard interpretation betray their knowledge of what this chapter really teaches and their determination to have it otherwise. A wild animal carefully extricates the bait from the trap, but his clever methods show his accurate knowledge of what he wishes to avoid.

^[44] William Barclay, The Revelation of John (Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1976), p. 141.

^[45] F. F. Bruce, A New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing Company, 1969), p. 658.

^[46] James Moffatt, Expositor’s Greek New Testament, Vol. V (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1967), p. 453.

^[47] G. B. Caird, The Revelation of St. John the Divine (New York: Harper and Row, 1966), p. 217.

^[48] George Eldon Ladd, op. cit., p. 229.

^[49] Isbon T. Beckwith. op. cit., p. 705.

^[50] Albertus Pieters. op. cit., p. 222.

^[51] George Eldon Ladd, op. cit., p. 229.

Revelation 17:12

And the ten horns that thou sawest are ten kings, who have received no kingdom as yet; but they receive authority as kings, with the beast, for one hour.

These ten kings are the eighth "head" of the beast, and their being presented here as "ten kings" instead of a single king, as in the previous seven heads, is due to the fact of worldwide government not any longer having the monolithic structure which marked the great dominions of Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia, Greece, Rome, and the Man of Sin.

The ten horns ... These are ten kingdoms to arise historically at a time long after John wrote, who "had received no kingdom as yet" and whose duration would be comparatively brief, "one hour" as compared with the much longer endurance of the successive world kingdoms symbolized by the "seven heads." "Ten" here is a symbolical number for an indefinite multiplicity, and it would be pointless to attempt any exhaustive definition of these. However, we may hazard the guess that this is the period of history in which the world at this time finds itself; and Russia, China, and other godless states would appear to be typical of what is meant here by the ten horns. The divine foresight of the mighty prophet who wrote Revelation is proved by this verse. Rome indeed fell (476 A.D.); and she was succeeded by "an image" of herself in the form of the Apostate Christianity exercising a worldwide dominion implemented by spiritual controls; but the secular state itself broke up into many kingdoms, "ten kings," among which the great modern nations of Europe are surely included. Remember how long ago Revelation was written.

Receive authority with the beast ... Yes, the beast in the form of its seventh head still continued; but, at this time, there were to be multiple kingdoms, not a monolith; and the Great Harlot, for a time, would be in league with all of them.

Revelation 17:13

These have one mind, and they give their power and authority unto the beast.

And these give their power and authority to the beast ... This would appear to be an accurate picture of Medieval times, long after the fall of Rome, and during the ascendancy of the seventh head (The Man of Sin, etc.), during which the great nations that arose upon the ruins of the ancient pagan empire cooperated fully with the Apostate Power still ruling from Rome; the religious beast was actually the ruler during this period. There are many historical fulfillments of this prophecy, but the Spanish Inquisition is the classical example, and no other need be cited; but this "honeymoon" between the religious head of the beast and the "ten horn" kingdoms was prophesied not to last. It would end in a far different state of affairs (see Revelation 17:16); but this condition would continue for a long time, during which war would be waged against God and his truth.

Revelation 17:14

These shall war against the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them, for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings; and they also shall overcome that are with him, called and chosen and faithful.

These shall war against the Lamb ... The widespread persecutions of this era referred to earlier are indicated by this. The arrogance, pride, ambition, and greed of the harlot-beast would make the world itself a hostile environment for any who received the authority of the New Testament and attempted to follow it. It might have seemed a hopeless struggle for those caught up in it.

And the Lamb shall overcome them ... Did it happen? Who can deny that it did? There came the time when one housewife with a New Testament in her hand was more than a match for all the clerical army of the harlot-beast. The New Testament once more appeared in the hands of earth’s populations. The strong angel of chapter 10 held it open!

Commentary on Revelation 17:7-14 by Manly Luscombe

7 But the angel said to me, “Why did you marvel? I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and the ten horns. The angel with John noticed his reaction. “Why did you marvel?” Then the angel assures John it will all become clear. All of this is now a “mystery” but it will be revealed and explained. What will happen to the woman? What will happen to the beast that carries her? What will happen to the (individual leaders) heads and horns?

8 The beast that you saw was, and is not, and will ascend out of the bottomless pit and go to perdition. And those who dwell on the earth will marvel, whose names are not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world, when they see the beast that was, and is not, and yet is. The immoral Babylon is riding on a beast. This best was, and is not. This is similar to the beast in Revelation 13:3. The beast is seen as suffering a deadly wound, but is later healed. Verse 10 also must be considered here. Let me give you some explanations offered by some commentaries. Burton Coffman claims that the seven heads represent the seven major world empires, including Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia, Greece and Rome. He says there will be a seventh. This seventh will be the Holy Roman Empire, which includes one of the above, which died and was raised to life again. Lonnie Woodruff says that the number seven represents divine completeness. There have been seven worldwide kingdoms. Paul Rogers believes that this verse is in reference to Nero. There is a belief that Nero promised to return from the dead. The Romans saw Domitian as the “reincarnation” of Nero. Ray Summers states the view of “Nero redivivus myth” which claimed that Domitian is Nero reincarnation. The common view of the futurists is that the literal city of Babylon will be restored in the last days. The typical view of the continuous-historical group believes that this is the Roman Catholic Church.

In trying to be consistent, I believe the following makes sense.

1. We know the beast represents persecuting governments. At some point this beast seems to lose its power, and is later revived.

2. We have the advantage of being able to look back, study history, and see what actually happened. The Roman Empire fell in 476. On Christmas Day, 800, Pope Leo III crowned Charlemagne as emperor. This new, revived government is known as the Holy Roman Empire. It was an empire of both religious and civil powers working together. This is what is seen in chapter 13.

3. Here the angel explains that there will come a time when it seems that the persecuting government is dead - 476. Don’t plan a party to celebrate yet. There will be a new, revived government, combined with false religion, which will renew the persecution of faithful Christians.

4. Now, you add to that partnership immorality. You have a “three-pronged” attack on the people of God. God’s people are suffering - a) Persecution from the civil authorities; b) Persecution from false religions; and c) Being led astray by immorality.

9 “Here is the mind which has wisdom: The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits. Wisdom is needed here. Seek to understand these things. The seven heads are mountains. Some see this as a clear reference to Rome, a city that sits on seven hills. These seek to make the mountains literal. This view does not consider that one of the heads died and was revived. None of the hills on which Rome was built has died and been revived. Others see this as the Coffman view above. The mountains represent major world kingdoms, like Egypt, Greece and Rome. Still others see the seven heads as seven individual rulers. If this were true, then one of the rulers would have to die and be reincarnated. It is unmistakable to me that the mountains are emblematic of kingdoms. My view, expressed in the previous verse is consistent with the rest of the book, especially the parallel statements in chapter 13.

10 There are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, and the other has not yet come. And when he comes, he must continue a short time. Some seek to translate this, “And they are seven kings.” This is an attempt to make the seven heads represent individual rulers. The NKJV says, “There are ALSO seven kings.” That is, in addition to the seven heads / mountains, there are also seven kings. The kings are not the heads / mountains. They are in addition to them. Five have fallen - Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia, and Greece. One is - Rome. The other - the Holy Roman Empire - has not yet come. He, the last one, will last a short time.

11 The beast that was, and is not, is himself also the eighth, and is of the seven, and is going to perdition. The civil government that was, then was not, is the eighth. But his eighth is not a new one. It is one of the original seven. Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia, Greece, Rome and Holy Roman Empire are the seven. This verse refers to a power that was at one time a great power. It lost that power, then returned to power. Woodruff says, “This is the same kingdom as the “one is” in verse 10. The kingdom in power during the time of John’s recording of Revelation was the Roman Empire. Therefore, the one that “was, and is not” is the Roman Empire. (1, 303). The only credible explanation is that this “eighth” is the Roman Catholic Church. It has worldwide power, even today. It is headquartered in Rome. This is the eighth beast.

12 “The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast. Remember the number “ten” represents human completeness. There are ten kings, but they do not have a kingdom. They seem to have power delegated from the beast. These ten kings represent all governmental power, which came out of the world situation when there was not one major power in control. Many nations developed. The term “one hour” indicates that all of these kings are in power at the same time. This is not a succession of kings. There will be simultaneous kingdoms over the earth. These many nations, (governments) will co-exist with the beast (false religions). It is implied that these governments will not persecute. They will seek to cooperate with others who do persecute Christians. Today this situation remains. Do we cooperate with China while they imprison anyone who has a Bible? Do we send economic aid to Laos while Christians are sent to prison for having a home Bible study? Many Islamic nations outlaw any preaching of the gospel or any attempt to convert people to Christianity; but we buy their oil! In some nations, failure to convert to Islam is ground for punishment.

13 These are of one mind, and they will give their power and authority to the beast. They all share power with the beast. False religions seek the support and backing of the governments. While living in Russia, the government, at the request and direction of the Russian Orthodox Church, passed a law that restricted mission work. They rescinded all legal church’s registration and rights. While some parts of this law have been overturned, other restrictions remain. This is a classic case of a false religion riding on the back of the civil government to persecute Christians. In effect these governments are recognizing their dependence on the religious leaders to remain in power.

14 These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful.” It is this dangerous alliance of government and false religions that will become the frontline of the war against God’s people. There is a relentless battle being waged. While those who suffer are Christians, the real enemy is the Lamb. The Lamb will win. He is King over all kings. He is Lord over all lords. His army is comprised of the called, chosen and faithful. These terms simply mean faithful Christians.

Verses 15-18

Rev 17:15-18

3. THE MYSTERY OF THE HARLOT

Revelation 17:15-18

15 And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the harlot sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues--In verse 3 the woman was represented as sitting on the scarlet-colored beast. That was explained in the preceding paragraph. Verse 1 says she was sitting upon the sea. This paragraph explains that. The waters refer to a multitude of peoples of various nations who supported the papacy.

For clearness we again mention the fact that the apostate church is represented by the beast in Revelation 13:11-18, but by the drunken harlot in Revelation 17:1-7. This distinction should be remembered. It is common in scriptural figures for the same thing to be represented by several different symbols. Christ is called both Lamb and Lion to describe different characteristics. Both are appropriate, but must not be confused. So of beast and harlot. The former is an emblem of the persecuting spirit of the apostasy; the latter, the seductive wiles by which people would be led into false religious practices, called a "golden cup full of abominations" and "unclean things of her fornication." (Verse 4.)

16 And the ten horns which thou sawest, and the beast, these shall hate the harlot, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and shall burn her utterly with fire.--This language indicates that political Rome (the beast) and the nations subject to it would hate the harlot (apostate church). This refers to a later period, for verses 3 and 14 show that their combined powers were engaged in war against the Lamb; at the time of this verse they were against the papacy, determined to make it desolate. This has been at least partly fulfilled in the fact that nations once subject to papal rule have become Protestant or rejected church rule in matters of state. Being despoiled of such glory and power is appropriately described as being made desolate and naked.

Eating her flesh and burning her with fire imply complete destruction, but are not to be taken literally. They probably indicate that when nations refused to be governed by papal authority the end of such rule over them was as complete as if a body had been eaten or a city burned.

17 For God did put in their hearts to do his mind, and to come to one mind, and to give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God should be accomplished.--This verse shows that in some way God was the moving cause (permitted or allowed) of these nations unitedly supporting the beast until the divine purpose was carried out in certain particulars. Then they became enemies of the harlot in accomplishing other purposes God had in view.

18 And the woman whom thou sawest is the great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.--In verse 5 the great city is described as Babylon. But this must be understood figuratively as meaning the papal church, which, like its proto-type, ancient Babylon, must finally be destroyed.

Commentary on Revelation 17:15-18 by Foy E. Wallace

It is repeated in Revelation 17:15 that the waters upon which the Harlot sat were the peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues, which represented, as previously explained, Jerusalem’s affiliations with the heathen world, and the intermingling with nations and people of all parts of the empire. This became a source of corruption and apostasy.

It is declared in Revelation 17:16 that the kings of the empire, represented by the ten horns, hated the Harlot. This is solid proof that the harlot city was not Rome--assuredly the Roman kings did not hate the capital city of the Roman Empire. But they did hate Jerusalem and coordinated their efforts with the emperor to reduce it to the condition here described: make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh and burn her with fire. The Lord’s account of the siege of Jerusalem together with the history of Josephus were a graphic fulfillment of these apocalyptic pronouncements on apostate Jerusalem, the faithful city become an harlot.

The accord of these kings with the emperor was described in Revelation 17:17 as being in God’s plan to fulfill his words, spoken by his prophets, and by the Lord Jesus Christ himself, concerning the destruction of the once faithful but then harlot city of Jerusalem,

With Revelation 17:18 the chapter closes with a significant declaration: And the woman which thou sawest is that great city which reigneth over the kings of the earth. It is this passage that has been the basis of the interpretation and theory that Rome was the city that reigned over the kings of the earth, and was therefore the harlot city. But the conclusion does not follow. In Revelation 11:8 Jerusalem is called the great city under the symbols of Sodom and Egypt, hence the term “great city” has been a mystic designation for Jerusalem. In the history of Josephus, Volume 7 of Wars, Section 8, 7, the historical term “that great city” was applied to Jerusalem. This was both the historical and symbolic designation for Jerusalem.

There are no such terms and titles employed to designate Rome. The appellation for Jerusalem comports further with the reference to the city as Babylon, the Great in Revelation 11:8, symbolically called Sodom and Egypt, but identified as being Jerusalem by the statement where also our Lord was crucified.

The last statement of Revelation 17:18 “which reigneth over the kings of the earth” did not refer to the empire of the Caesars, nor the city of the emperors. The word reign here denoted a dominion. The earth, as defined at the beginning of the visions and later repeated, referred to the land of Judea, inclusive of Palestine. The city of Jerusalem was the royal city where the kings of Judah reigned. The phrase the kings of the earth was used in the sense of Acts 4:26-27 : “The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ. For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast annointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together.”

These “kings of the earth” were of Judah, and Jerusalem was the capital city of the land, standing in the same relation to these “kings of the earth” as Rome sustained to the emperors.

The second psalm represents Jerusalem as ruling with a rod of iron over “the kings of the earth” who had set themselves against the Lord’s annointed One. In the Wars, Book 3, Section 3, 5, Josephus adds that “the royal city Jerusalem was supreme, and presided over all neighboring country as the head does over the body.”

There is every contextual reason to apply the language of Revelation 17:18, “that great city which reigneth over the kings of the earth,” to Jerusalem in relation to the kings of Judah, as figuratively set forth in the second psalm, and quoted in fulfillment in the gospel of Matthew.

Beside these scriptural applications, it must be true in ordinary logic and common consistency that the beast being the Roman empire, the harlot city which the beast hated could not have been the city of Rome.

The entire vision is centered on the siege and destruction of Jerusalem, the demolition of the Jewish temple and the end of theocratic Judaism and of the Jewish state; and the devastation of the land of Judea, the homeland of the Jews. The persecution of the church was a consequence of such catastrophe, being considered by the Romans as a sect of the Jews. But the Roman empire and Rome, the city, were only collateral to the visions of Revelation as the instrument of the power of destruction and of persecution.

Commentary on Revelation 17:15-18 by Walter Scott

INTERPRETATION OF THE WATERS.

Revelation 17:15. — “The waters which thou sawest, where the harlot sits, are peoples, and multitudes, (“Usually translated ‘crowds.’” — “New Translation.”) and nations, and tongues.” The woman sits upon the Beast (Revelation 17:3). The harlot sits upon or beside many waters (Revelation 17:1). Having the explanation of these “many waters” before us we can the more readily understand the immense and universal influence which the apostate Church then exercises. The peoples and nations, organized and unformed, specially outside the limits of the existing Roman world, are ensnared and captivated by the allurements of the harlot. She sits enthroned in greatness, and richly adorned with the glories of the world, but without the affections of her deluded followers. There is display, but no reality; no heart for Christ, whose bride she impiously professes to be. Her own exaltation, and that to the spiritual ruin of the deluded millions who received her favors and court her smile, is her sole aim. Her supreme regard is for gold (Revelation 18:12); her least concern is for the souls of men (Revelation 17:13). The four divisions of the human family are employed to set forth the far-reaching influence of the woman (Revelation 7:9 : Revelation 11:9).

DESTRUCTION OF THE HARLOT.

Revelation 17:16-17. — “And the ten horns which thou sawest, and the Beast, these shall hate the harlot, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and shall burn her with fire. For God has given to their hearts to do His mind, and to act with one mind, and to give their kingdom to the Beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.” “The ten horns and the Beast” (see R.V. for this important emendation). The ten kingdoms combine with the Beast in hatred to the whore. What a change! It is evident that the Beast and confederate kings exist after the destruction of Babylon, as they, i.e., the Beast and the horns, are the human instruments in inflicting the Lord’s vengeance on that guilty and apostate system. The secular power is reserved for destruction at the hands of the Lord in Person and at His Coming in power (Revelation 19:1-21). The ten horns act in conjunction with the Beast in hatred to the whore. All were united in supporting the claims and pretensions of the woman, and now they are equally agreed in effecting her ruin.

The world’s glory and might is but a passing dream. All not founded on God withers, fades, and perishes. Babylon, when on the highest pinnacle of pride and greatness, in the zenith of her glory, is cut down. Her ruin is complete and final. In righteous retribution her partners in crime become the active instruments in her political overthrow and displacement from power over the nations.

There seems a gradation in the punishment meted out to the harlot. First, hated; this refers to the loathing and disgust with which her late confederates and supporters regard her. Second, made desolate; despoiled of her wealth, and utterly wasted (Revelation 18:19). Third, naked; stripped of her purple and scarlet robes, she appears before all in her true character as a shameless and abandoned woman (Ezekiel 23:29; Revelation 3:18), her moral nakedness and shame apparent to all. Fourth, “eat her flesh;” there is significance in the fact that flesh is in the plural; the abundance of her wealth and all she gloried in is devoured by her late admirers, now her bitterest enemies (compare with James 5:3; Psalms 27:2; Micah 3:2-3). Fifth “burn her with fire;” utter social and political ruin is here indicated. The main element in the destruction of the literal Babylon was water (Jeremiah 51:1-64). The mystical city of that name “shall be utterly burned with fire” (Revelation 18:8). Both Babylons are doomed to everlasting desolation. The one has fallen; the other is sure to follow. There is “no healing of the bruise.”

UNION OF THE POWERS IN MIND AND ACTION.

The powers who destroy Babylon glut their vengeance on the guilty system which had so long enslaved them. But here the veil is drawn aside, and we find that whatever they thought they were simply carrying out the divine will. God had decreed the destruction of the worst system on the face of the earth, and the Beast and his vassal kings are His instruments in doing so. “God has given to their hearts to do His mind.” Note the distinction, “their hearts” and “His mind.” Heartily they enter on the work of destruction, but, after all, they unknowingly accomplish the set purpose of God. The heart and mind of the destroying powers are united. They love the service to which, while they know it not, they have been divinely set apart, and they execute it with fixed determination. Such seems to be the thought conveyed in our text.

Revelation 17:17. — Further, the ten kings “give their kingdom to the Beast until the words of God shall be fulfilled.” There is absolute subjection to the Beast. Unable to maintain separate and independent kingdoms the ten kings voluntarily place themselves and their kingdoms under the rule of the Beast, and from henceforth he becomes their master, allowing them but the shadow of royalty. The real power is in the hands of the Beast (Revelation 13:2-7). What is attributed to the kings in verse 13 of our chapter is traced to God as the source in verse 17. All the movements amongst the powers of Europe are in the coming crisis an accomplishment of the prophetic “words of God.” We would further add that the complete subjection of the ten kings to the Beast, as indicated in verse 13, is a condition subsequent to the destruction of Babylon. They had previously given their power to the woman, now it is transferred to the Beast. The duration of the reign of the Beast in the last great crisis defines the length of time when the ten horns, or kings, exercise sovereignty (“Receive power (authority) as kings one hour with the beast” signifies at one and the same time; that is, the horns and Beast exist together, whether the time is limited or prolonged.) (v. 12). But that describes a state both previous and subsequent to the downfall of Babylon, whereas the abject slavery of the powers to the Beast is consequent upon and subsequent to the utter ruin of the Romish system.

God works unseen, but not the less truly, in all the political changes of the day. The astute statesman, the clever diplomatist, is simply an agent in the Lord’s hands. He knows it not. Self-will and motives of policy may influence in action, but God is steadily working towards one end, i.e., to exhibit the heavenly and earthly glories of His Son. Thus, instead of kings and statesmen thwarting God’s purpose they unconsciously forward it. God is not indifferent, but is behind the scenes of human action. The doings of the future ten kings in relation to Babylon and the Beast — the ecclesiastical and secular powers — are not only under the direct control of God, but all is done in fulfilment of His words.

ROME, THE SEAT AND CENTRE

OF THE WOMAN’S AUTHORITY.

Revelation 17:18. — “And the woman which thou sawest is the great city, which has kingship over the kings of the earth.” The papacy and Rome cannot be dissociated. Babylon in the future is the full-blown development of the papal system, and finds her home naturally enough in Rome, where she has ever found it. There the most blasphemous doctrines have been taught, and there, too, claims more than human have been advanced. There will be a fuller development of papal error in the coming apostasy. Rome, therefore, is the city here referred to. The woman is the city, not Rome actually, but the system which has its seat in Rome, the Romish Church or system, the delegate of Satan in religious corruption (Revelation 16:19), and from thence till her destruction she exercises her baneful influence over the peoples of Christendom. The last verse of this deeply interesting chapter states a truth simple, yet important withal.

An outline of the truths and subjects unfolded in the chapter may prove useful to some.

THE CHAPTER REVIEWED.

The immediate design of this and the next chapter is to supplement fully the two previous, but scant, notices of Babylon (Revelation 14:8; Revelation 16:19). Here a full and detailed description of her character and doom is given. But there is another subject of judgment besides that of Babylon. The Beast, the apostate secular power, occupies no unimportant place in this prophecy. The two main subjects then are Babylon, the religious system; and the Beast, the civil apostate power; the former occupying the chief place. The Beast, more prominent elsewhere (Revelation 13:1-18), is here regarded as secondary in interest to Babylon, the harlot.

The chapter is divided into two parts: first, a vision beheld by the Seer (Revelation 17:1-6); second, the interpretation of the vision by one of the Vial angels (Revelation 17:7-18). We may here remark that the interpretation goes considerably beyond what was seen in the vision. The same principle obtains in Daniel 2:1-49 and in Matthew 13:1-58. The interpretation adds instruction to that found in dream, vision, or parable. The Seer first beheld the great whore ripe for judgment (v. 1). She is termed “great Babylon” because of the awful and widespread confusion of which she is the embodiment. She is also “the great whore” because of a frightful system of hypocrisy and lust over the souls and bodies of men. Her licentious character, moral of course, is indicated in the term “whore.” She is called a woman because thereby is implied subjection (1 Corinthians 11:3). She assumes to be subject to Christ, as the Church is and delights to be (Ephesians 5:23-25). But in the case of the woman, her pretensions are hollow and unreal. She really cares nothing for Christ, nor will she bow to His headship or own His authority.

She sits upon or beside “many waters” (Revelation 17:1). These waters signify vast multitudes of the human race (Revelation 17:15) over whom the woman has cast her spell, alluring them to everlasting ruin.

Then the kings and inhabitants of the earth are introduced in their respective relations to the whore (Revelation 17:2). This seems a more intimate connection than is indicated in Revelation 17:1. There the influence was universal; here is intimated direct intercourse with the whore. We gather, too, that the world at large is in view in the first verse of the chapter; in the second Christendom only. “The kings of the earth” are not the same as the “ten kings” of Revelation 17:12; these latter are kings of the Roman empire, the former signify the chiefs and leaders of Christendom generally.

Next, the woman is seen sitting upon a “scarlet Beast.” This is the same Beast and the same power as that presented in chapter 13. The ancient empire of Rome, defunct for many centuries, is here witnessed on the scene of prophecy covered with the glory and government of the world, as indicated by the scarlet color. The woman, too, is arrayed in scarlet, and the dragon bears the same colour (Revelation 12:3). How eagerly the pomp and glory of this world are sought after! The imperial power is subservient to the woman. The Beast, to whom the dragon commits universal authority, is the mere servant and tool of the woman. The secular power supports her arrogant pretensions.

But the Beast is further described as “full of names of blasphemy.” Bad as the woman is she is never guilty of this daring and open character of impiety. Deceit, corruption, violence, pride, and shameless evils of every kind are charged home upon ecclesiastical Babylon — the whore. Blasphemy and the public denial of God and of Christ are acts of which the Beast is guilty. The names of blasphemy on the heads of the Beast (Revelation 13:1) stamp the executive, or governing authority, with this awful character of guilt, but evidently we have here the whole body politic — chiefs and people — characterized by it. Fear of God is gone. The empire in all its parts is wholly given up to this most horrible iniquity.

Then the Beast is said to have “seven heads and ten horns,” several times repeated. The mention of the Beast in Revelation 13:1 is in similar terms to that of the dragon in Revelation 12:3. In the case of the dragon the heads, not the horns, are crowned; in the notice of the Beast the horns are crowned, while the heads bear the names or public expressions of blasphemy; in chapter 17 neither heads nor horns are crowned (Revelation 17:3). Such then is the general character and description of the Beast, the main supporter of the false and corrupt religious system dominating the empire, and extending her influence throughout Christendom. It does seem, at first sight, strange that the Beast — on which such a liberal grant of power is conferred by Satan (Revelation 13:4-7) — should be found a willing slave at the feet of the woman, but her dazzling splendor and seductive influence are like silken cords binding even the potent chief of the empire to the footstool of her throne.

Having had the Beast before us, we are turned again to view the woman, clothed and adorned with all that the world esteems of highest value (Revelation 17:4). She holds a golden cup in her hand; she should have been that in the Lord’s hand. The cup is “full of abominations (idolatry) and the unclean things of her fornication.” (Tyre, not Babylon, of old is charged with fornication; this at once shows what the character of the evil is, viewed morally.) All who drink of her cup, and millions do, are morally ruined. Then upon her forehead is stamped her name and character. She bears on her sacerdotal brow the name “Mystery,” of iniquity, surely! The second part of the title, “Babylon the Great,” speaks of the havoc the woman has wrought. She has filled Christendom with innumerable evils, and brought in hopeless confusion. The third part of the name, or title, of the woman is perhaps the worst of all: “The mother of the harlots, and of the abominations of the earth.” Every system which copies the ways and imitates the actions of the woman, imbibing her doctrines and adopting her liturgy, and generally borrowing from or conforming to the Romish Church, now or then, must be regarded as her offspring. She is the mother, or source, of every evil religious system.

But she is a bloody system, as well as a morally licentious one. “I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus” (Revelation 17:6). Papal Rome far exceeded pagan Rome in cruelty and bloodshed; and, besides, she is far more guilty as knowing better. She professed to be the spouse of Christ, and yet murdered at will those redeemed by the blood of the Lamb; no doubt the Romish Church believed that in killing the saints she was doing God service (John 16:2), but it just shows the awful delusion which had judicially overtaken her. The wonder of the Seer was not caused by the Beast’s persecution (Revelation 13:7), but by that of the woman, the professed spouse of Christ, although not she, but the Beast, actually puts the saints to death. But the woman is the power behind.

Then in the second part of the chapter the “mystery of the woman and of the Beast which carries her” is explained. It is a double mystery — the woman and the Beast; a travesty of the New Testament mystery “concerning Christ and the Church.” In the mystery of our chapter the woman is first named; in that of Ephesians Christ, and rightly so.

The mystery of the Beast is first explained and shown under four conditions (Revelation 17:8). It “was.” The Beast existed as one vast consolidated empire under a long succession of imperial rulers. “Is not.” It has now no political existence; of course the countries and territories once within the empire remain, but the empire as such came to an inglorious end, A.D. 476. The ancient empire of world-wide fame and extent has for many centuries ceased to exist. “Is about to come up out of the abyss.” Its historical and yet future rise out of the sea (Revelation 13:1) is not the point here; comes out of the abyss intimates the epoch at which we have arrived and of which the chapter treats. The Apocalypse gives the history of the last prophetic half week only. “And go into destruction,” or perdition. This is the final and everlasting doom of the Beast (Revelation 19:20) — cast into the lake of fire alive with his fellow in crime the False Prophet; their master the devil will join them in the same awful place of misery a thousand years afterwards (Revelation 20:10). The resurrection of the Beast is a cause of wonder to all save the elect (Revelation 17:8). Twice the guilty and deluded world wonders, and both times in connection with the reappearance of the Beast on the platform of history (Revelation 13:3; Revelation 17:8).

“The seven heads are seven mountains;” these refer to the hills on which Rome reposes. (Palestine, Nierinal, Aventine, Caelian, Viminal, Esquiline, Janiculan.) The woman sits on the Beast, and on the seven mountains, i.e., the seven-hilled city of Rome. Rome is so closely interwoven with the life and growth of the papacy that to separate them would be to deal the Romish system a blow from which she could not well recover.

But, further, the seven heads also signify the various and successive forms of government beheld in the “eternal city.” The heads are “seven kings,” of which five are fallen. The five fallen heads have been applied to the successive kingdoms of Egypt, Assyria, Babylonia, Greece, and Persia; others consider the reference is to the first five emperors of Rome, as Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius, and Nero. The first hypothesis cannot be right, for it is the Beast, i.e., the Roman empire — whose condemnation of Christ and dispersion of Judah makes her pre-eminently guilty — which is before us in the prophecy. Nor can the second theory be right, for the heads are different forms of government. There might have been some ground for terming these emperors “horns,” but “heads” they cannot be. They each and all represent one head or form of government, viz., the imperial. After the mention of the five fallen phases of civil and political government the Seer proceeds, “one is.” That is the imperial form of rule which existed in John’s day — the sixth head. But another has yet “to come” — the seventh. Its continuance is but for a brief season, as the eighth, or last, phase of the empire is the point of interest. Satan’s man and king is an eighth, having his rise out of the abyss. He is thus a distinctive object, and fully entitled to the appellation “an eighth,” yet he is “of the seven” (Revelation 17:11), as the same character of rule under the seventh head will be continued. The outward forms of government will undergo but little change under the last two phases of the empire respectively arising from the sea and from the abyss. But the sure judgment of God overtakes the guilty and apostate power. It “goes into destruction,” twice repeated (Revelation 17:8; Revelation 17:11).

Next, the ten horns of the Beast are explained (v. 12). These horns are kings, who come within the scope of action only at the same time and along with the Beast; the duration of his existence and reign determines theirs. The whole mind and purpose of these ten sovereigns is to yield themselves entirely to the will and service of the Beast (v. 13).

Then follows the war with the Lamb. The Beast and his confederate kings and armies on the one side, as against the Lamb in His might as Lord and King (In Revelation 19:16 the order in the titles is reversed. There it is King of kings and Lord of lords; here it is Lord of lords and King of kings.) of all, and His armies on the other side (Revelation 17:14). It is the same war, the same conflict, that is grandly described in Revelation 19:11-21. In our chapter (Revelation 17) the last act of the Beast and his vassal kings is anticipated, not actually come. Other events transpire between the account of the closing struggle (Revelation 17:1-18) and its actual place in the history (Revelation 19:1-21).

The waters beheld by the Seer (Revelation 17:1) signify “peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues” (Revelation 17:15). An immense moral influence extending far beyond the limits of the prophetic earth. The masses of mankind, organized and unformed, are brought under the influence of the harlot. “The many waters” (Revelation 17:1) draws the attention to the large and multitudinous following of the whore.

The ten horns, or kings, are now seen roused into a state of unusual activity. They, with the Beast, turn round upon the woman, whom they had hitherto upheld, and destroy her. They reduce her to a state of desolation, and grasp at her wealth. Europe, or at least the western part of it, is carried away for a time by the dazzling and meretricious display of the woman, but ultimately snaps the fetters and makes an end of her. They act in vengeful feeling, but, after all, it is God’s will which they carry out (Revelation 17:17). The ten kings are now free to give their united authority to the Beast, so that he alone occupies the scene and sphere of prophecy till destroyed by the Lord. This goes on till “the words of God shall be fulfilled.” In all this the ten kings are the prominent actors.

Then the Romish system, numbering more than 200,000,000 souls in her unholy communion, is identified with Rome itself, the city (Revelation 17:18). The verse is a simple statement of a well-known and generally acknowledged fact.

In bringing this review to a close we would draw attention to the contrast between the harlot of Satan and the bride of the Lamb. The former occupies chapters 17 and 18; the latter is the main subject of the chapters which follow. The woman and a city in both portions, but set in sharp contrast.

The worldly, or purely secular side of the woman, is specially treated of in the next chapter. The system represented by Babylon is a combination of worldly pride and religious pretension. Union with the world, which is enmity with God, is the whoredom of the woman.

One in commenting on this chapter has well written: “In the chapter he (the Seer) is awed by the contemplation of her splendor and her guilt, while in chapter 18 he describes the lamentation of the world over her fate in language of almost unparalleled sublimity and pathos.”

Commentary on Revelation 17:15-18 by E.M. Zerr

Revelation 17:15. The angel now begins to give John the interpretation of the vision as was mentioned at Revelation 17:7. The first verse says the corrupt woman sits upon many waters, and this verse explains it to mean peoples and nations, etc. That is because the Roman Empire was one of the "four world empires" which contained all the so-called civilized people of the earth.

Revelation 17:16. The ten horns are the kings or kingdoms which are named in the comments at Revelation 17:16. Shall hate the whore is literal, for when the kings and people of the smaller units of the Empire come to realize how deeply they have been deceived by her they can have no other feeling toward her. The rest of the verse is a symbolical vision of the resistance that will be put up by these ten kings and their people when they "get their eyes open."

Revelation 17:17. God bath put in their hearts. God never directly causes any person to do wrong who wants to do right. But when a man or group of men shows a persistence toward wrong, then He gives them up to carry out their own ways until they have learned their lesson. (See the comments at 2 Thessalonians 2:11.) It had been predicted (in such passages as that just cited) that such conduct would be practiced by these kings, hence in doing so they were carrying out the divine prediction. But they will be suffered to operate in that way only until the words of God shall be fulfilled. This means until the time for them to be enlightend by the work of the Reformation.

Revelation 17:18. Since the Reformation has not occurred yet, at the point of the great drama applying to this verse, the woman and great city refers to Babylon as the union of church and state.

Commentary on Revelation 17:15-18 by Burton Coffman

Revelation 17:15

And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the harlot sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.

The waters which thou sawest, where the harlot sitteth ... We must not lose sight of who this beast is; she is that gorgeously dressed whore riding the scarlet beast!

Peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues ... The domain of the harlot-beast is the whole earth. The commentators who reject the Apostate Church interpretation of this, on the basis that it is too local and restricted, applying merely to a few countries in Europe, have simply failed to understand the universal dominion of the harlot-beast. Today, some nineteen centuries after John wrote, her domain includes practically every village and township on the face of the earth; and the number of her adherents is a larger percentage of earth’s total population than may be claimed by any other authority in the entire history of the human race! What is local and restricted about that? There is nothing little, narrow, local, restricted, or limited in any way whatever with the interpretation received here. This harlot-beast is now, and for centuries has continued to be, the biggest thing on the planet earth! If its peoples are indeed "the servants of God," the golden age has already arrived!

Verse 16

And the ten horns which thou sawest, and the beast, these shall hate the harlot, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and shall burn her utterly with fire.

And the horns ... Ah yes, the horns! For ages, the whore would use these only for goring the saints, but another age is coming, when the horns shall be turned upon the wanton whore herself. The horns had always been on the beast, an essential element of his character; but the whore accommodated to these as long as they could be used in her selfish interests; but this verse prophesies a radical change.

They shall hate the harlot ... Even Apostate Christianity has far too much truth and righteousness in it for the devil ever to love it. The beast hated the harlot even while they were using each other. The godless state can never willingly accept a rival.

And shall make her desolate and naked ... Intermittently, here and there, since the Reformation, evil states have exhibited samplings of that phenomenon which is here prophesied to become general, as, for example, when all of the monasteries and religious institutions of France were plundered, confiscated, and liquidated during the French Revolution. The same thing took place during the current decade in China, and in Russia before that. However, the fulfillment of this will be on a far grander scale than these isolated occurrences.

And shall utterly burn her with fire ... The ten final (understood as a symbolical indefinite number) kingdoms will at the time of fulfillment of this prophecy be finished with all religion, apostate or not, and they shall burn and eat their former paramour.

And they shall eat her flesh ... The ultimate and final destruction of Apostate Christianity is prophesied here, an event that must be assigned to a time yet future. This coming destruction should not be the cause of any rejoicing on the part of the true Christian; because, in all probability, all of them will also perish (except perhaps a few) in the ensuing holocaust. One cannot help pondering the thought that if the harlot herself would repent, clean up her act, purge out the idols, give up the arrogance, and re-enthrone Christ instead of a man, and turn to the Lord, the ultimate disaster might be postponed; but it appears to be a vain thought.

Our interpretation of this happens to coincide with that of W. A. Criswell:

The prophecy is that the kingdoms of the world, some day, are going to get weary of the idolatrous church. They will get tired of being told by a Nuncio or a legate what they shall, or shall not, do. They will hate the whore, make her desolate, rob her of all her riches, make her naked and strip her of her scarlet robes, purple gowns, and of the pearls and precious stones; and they shall appropriate all of her riches."^[52]

Thus we see, as Plummer observed, that, "The fulfillment of this chapter lies in all time."^[53]

Moffatt actually wrote that what John prophesies here is that, "Rome perishes at the hands of Nero and his ruthless allies, a belief loudly echoed in the Talmud."^[54] This, of course, was to take place after Nero rises from the dead! This ridiculous conclusion is exactly what the Nero Redivivus theory means; and what does that say? It says that John here prophesied a lie. Satan has surely blinded the mind of any Christian who could swallow such a theory.

^[52] W. A. Criswell, op. cit., III, p. 188.

^[53] A. Plummer, op. cit., p. 418.

^[54] James Moffatt, op. cit., p. 454.

Verse 17

For God did put it into their hearts to do his mind, and to come to one mind, and to give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God should be accomplished.

For God did put it into their hearts ... The God of heaven will direct evil men to do his will, as often exemplified in the Old Testament. It should be noted in connection with this that it is the will of God for the harlot-beast to continue on the earth until all of God’s words are accomplished. She does not exist a single day without God’s permission.

And to come to one mind ... Here the prophecy is more specific. The hatred and plundering of the worldwide Apostate Church foretold in this passage is not limited to isolated instances in France, Russia, China, or anywhere else. All the kingdoms came to "one mind," not merely in the period of their aiding and supporting the harlot-beast, but also at the time of their turning their fury and hatred against her. One may prayerfully hope that Catholic scholars themselves will believe this prophecy and accommodate to the eventualities revealed in it. She, along with many daughters, still rides the beast, but all are headed inevitably for an unbelievable disaster. Her true interests still lie within the area of the sacred truth which she has forgotten, perverted, and denied.

And to give their kingdoms to the beast ... This is the eighth and final beast, the throne of the "Lawless One"; and, if there is any such thing in the New Testament as "THE Antichrist," this eighth beast is he. He is the incarnation of lawlessness, the ruthless hater of God and of everything supernatural. He is MAN worshipping himself, having no more regard for Apostate Religion than for the True, the self-glorified impresario of that final orchestration and acceleration of all the evil on earth culminating in his sudden overthrow and destruction by the personal appearance of the Son of God in his Second Advent. See our "Excursus on The Man of Sin," my Commentary on 2Thessalonians, pp. 106-117. In the light of the truth of this chapter, it would appear that he does not arise from within the apostasy, but independently of it, and as an enemy of the apostate form of Christianity, no less than of true Christianity.

Verse 18

And the woman whom thou sawest is the great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.

The great city ... This is Mystery Babylon, not literal Babylon, but still actually Rome. How so? The city of Rome is the capital of the pagan empire, and of the harlot-beast that succeeded her as the seventh head, the headquarters of her entire operation. She is still careful to preserve the name "Roman" in every particular of her worldwide operations. The view that makes this the literal city of Rome falls woefully short, requiring that the scope of the prophecy cannot extend beyond literal Rome’s rule as a world empire, an epoch that ended in 476 A.D. It also requires that the radical alteration of the symbol "Babylon" through changing it to "Mystery Babylon" must be ignored. Therefore, we cannot accept the view that only the literal city of Rome is meant.

Which reigneth over the kings of the earth ... This was literally true in John’s day; but it is equally true historically, today, and ever since the words ceased to have any application at all to the literal city.

This verse takes us right up to the judgment day; but another view of final events will be given in Revelation 18, culminating in the final judgment recorded at the end of that chapter.

Commentary on Revelation 17:15-18 by Manly Luscombe

15 Then he said to me, “The waters which you saw, where the harlot sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues. This verse helps with some of the interpretation of this chapter. The “waters” represents people, nations and tongues. All the multitudes of people of all nations and cultures are included. She, immorality is not of any one nation, tribe, language, or group of people. Immorality is everywhere, in all nations, among all people.

16 And the ten horns which you saw on the beast, these will hate the harlot, make her desolate and naked, eat her flesh and burn her with fire. The ten horns are kings. See verse 12. Chapter 18 seems to be a commentary on this verse. The basic message is that the Roman Empire will collapse of its own weight. It will become so immoral and corrupt that it will collapse because of its weakness. The alliance will fall apart. The “friendship” between the beast and the harlot will end. They will hate each other and accuse each other. The beast will strip her of power, devour her and destroy her influence.

17 For God has put it into their hearts to fulfill His purpose, to be of one mind, and to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled. Woodruff makes this comment, “Since we cannot foresee the future, it is impossible to completely understand why God deals with the people of this world as he does in matters of civil governments.” (1, 309) God has a purpose. He has a plan. We may not understand His plan. We do not understand why things are allowed to continue. Why doesn’t God step in and intervene?

18 And the woman whom you saw is that great city which reigns over the kings of the earth.” The woman is described as “that great city.” Many assume that she represents Rome. However, remember, she was also called “Babylon the great.” (Revelation 18:2) There are several different terms used to describe this immoral world. Harlot, whore, Babylon, fornication and other terms show that she is a symbol of immorality. She rides on the back of the beast. She is the “real” power behind the persecution. She has the persecuting governments and false religions under her control and power.

Sermon on Revelation 17:1-18

The Great Prostitute

Brent Kercheville

Revelation 16 described the fall of Babylon the great. We noticed in chapter 13 that the beast called Babylon the great refers to the Roman Empire that ruled from approximately 27 BC to 476 AD. Chapters 17 and 18 of Revelation reveal the details of the collapse of the Roman Empire. The details concerning the pouring out of the seven bowls of wrath are now given and explained in chapters 17-18. This is the point of the first two verses of Revelation 17. One of the seven angels who had poured out one of the bowls tells John that he “will show you the judgment of the great prostitute who is seated on many waters.”

The image of the great prostitute sitting on many waters immediately indicates for us what the great prostitute represents. The harlot/prostitute image is used of wicked cities by the Old Testament prophets. Ninevah (Nahum 3:4), Tyre (Isaiah 23:16-17), and Jerusalem (Ezekiel 16:15) are a few cities that are called harlots because of their great immoralities. This great harlot in Revelation 17:1 is described as “sitting on many waters.” Revelation 17:15 tells us what this image means. “The waters that you saw, where the prostitute is seated, are peoples and multitudes and nations and languages.” The great harlot is the city that is ruling over the peoples, multitudes, nations, and languages of the earth. Therefore, the wicked city in view is Rome. This fits our context well. Remember that the angel is explaining the details of the judgment in the seven bowls of wrath. The seven bowls of wrath were judgments against the Roman Empire, the beast. It would not make sense to see the great prostitute as another worldly city. Rather, the city of Rome is the heart of the problem and the center of the immorality and idolatry. This is the image of Revelation 17:2 concerning the great prostitute. She is the one whom “the kings of the earth have committed sexual immorality and with the wine of whose sexual immorality the dwellers on earth have become drunk.” We have noted throughout this study that sexual immorality is a symbol for the idolatry that is being committed (Hosea 4:11-12; Ezekiel 6:9; Ezekiel 16:15-17; Revelation 2:14; Revelation 2:20). Notice that Revelation 17:2 is the same description that was given in Revelation 14:8. “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, she who made all nations drink the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality” (Revelation 14:8 ESV). This is Rome that has been causing the world to worship the emperor and be involved in idolatry. Therefore, we know the great prostitute is the city of Rome and the beast is the empire that Rome ruled. The rest of this chapter is going to give us the details about these two entities and their coming judgment.

Describing The Prostitute and The Beast (Revelation 17:3-6)

John is carried away in the Spirit. We noted this image back in Revelation 1:10. Being in the Spirit means that John is seeing a vision, an inspired message from God (cf. Ezekiel 2:2). The scarlet beast has the same description as the first beast in Revelation 13. The beast is full of blasphemous names (Revelation 13:1) and has seven heads and ten horns (Revelation 13:1). The woman in Revelation 17:4 is dressed like a prostitute.

parAnd you, O desolate one, what do you mean that you dress in scarlet, that you adorn yourself with ornaments of gold, that you enlarge your eyes with paint? In vain you beautify yourself. Your lovers despise you; they seek your life. (Jeremiah 4:30 ESV)

The same language used of Babylon of ancient times is applied to Rome. Notice the language that Jeremiah used of Babylon back in his day. Babylon was a golden cup in the LORD’s hand, making all the earth drunken; the nations drank of her wine; therefore the nations went mad. Suddenly Babylon has fallen and been broken; wail for her! (Jeremiah 51:7-8 ESV) The descriptions emphasize the great immorality generated from this city. It is appropriate to describe Rome with similar language because of its great immoralities and idolatries. The name of the great prostitute is, “Babylon the great, mother of prostitutes and of earth’s abominations.” The word “mystery” in front of this description shows that this name is a symbol for a worldly, wicked city. The great prostitute is drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. This is the same description given in Revelation 16:6 and this is the reason for the judgment against Babylon the great, that is, Rome and her empire.

The Explanation (Revelation 17:7-18)

The angel tells John in verse 7 that he will explain the mystery of the woman and the beast. We are not left to wonder what these things mean. It is important to keep in mind again that what we are told is not intended to conceal information but reveal information about the woman and the beast. Clarity is being given to the readers and to John.

The first explanation about the beast is given in Revelation 17:8. The beast “was, and is not, and is about to rise from the bottomless pit and go to destruction.” This sounds like the description we first noted with the beast in Revelation 13. Remember that we saw this terrifying beast that has a fatal wound to one of its heads. But then the fatal wound heals and the earth marvels at the strength and power of the beast. I believe this fatal wound imagery is the same meaning as “was, and is not, and is about to rise from the bottomless pit.” Both events result in the people of the earth marveling over the beast (Revelation 13:4).

The focus of the last few chapters has been the persecution of the people of God by the beast. Judgment is coming upon the beast because it is killing the people of God. The people of God would be prevented from buying and selling and would suffer death for remaining faithful to the Lamb. The beast seems that it will collapse. But it only rises up with greater strength and continues the persecution of God’s people. It continues to be destined for destruction as it persecutes and its emperors call themselves divine, blaspheming the true and living God.

In Revelation 17:9-11 John is receiving some details about this. The angel calls for wisdom. The last time we saw this call was in Revelation 13:18. The meaning was for the people to have spiritual perception and insight about the deceptive nature of the beast. The angel begins with the seven heads. Remember that the beast has seven heads and ten horns. The angel is giving us an explanation about these images. When we first read the description of the beast in chapter 13 we noted that the heads, horns, and crowns represented the beast’s great authority, strength, and power. The angel tells us much more about the seven heads and the ten horns now. The seven heads represent the seven mountains on which the woman is seated.

The Expositor’s Bible Commentary states, “Most scholars have no doubt that the seven hills refer to the seven hills of Rome and the seven kings to seven successive emperors of that nation. Mounce states, ‘There is little doubt that a first-century reader would understand this reference in any way other than as a reference to Rome, the city built upon seven hills’ (Revelation, pp. 313-14).” History and literature refers to Rome repeatedly as the city on seven mountains. In fact, a Roman coin depicted the goddess Roma sitting on seven mountains. To know that we are right, notice that the end of Revelation 17:9 tells us that the woman is seated on the seven mountains. Go back to Revelation 17:1 and recall that the woman is the great prostitute, representing the city of Rome. Rome and its empire is in view. The seven heads represent Rome.

However, there is more meaning to the seven heads. The seven heads, we are told, are also seven kings. Throughout our study I have been adamant about the fact that these numbers and images are to be understood as symbols. Revelation 1:1 told us that these things were put into signs. Revelation 17:3 reminds us that John is seeing a vision as he is carried away by the Spirit. Everything we read in Revelation is a symbol for a historical reality unless the text demands otherwise. We have understood all the sevens in the book (seven seals, seven trumpets, seven bowls) as symbolically representing a complete judgment against a nation. However, there is one seven that we took literally. Back in chapter 1 we read about the seven churches of Asia. We understood these churches to be actual churches and not symbolic of all churches for all time because each church was named. The naming of each of the churches is the text demanding to understand the seven churches to refer to seven literal churches.

In the same way, we are told about the seven heads representing seven kings. If the angel had left the image at this we would be forced to understand the seven kings as a symbol representing all the kings of the Roman Empire and what they would do. However, the angel goes on and numbers the seven kings and gives details about them. The angel says of the seven kings, “Five of whom have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come, and when he does come he must remain only a little while.” Verse 11 tells us more that the eighth king belongs to the seven and goes to destruction. These details do not make any sense in a generic, symbolic way. If seven king represents all the kings of the Roman Empire, then what does it mean that five have fallen, one is, and one is yet to come that must rule for a little while? These is no way to symbolically apply these images. We are forced to understand these kings as literal emperors of the Roman Empire and something about their rule is being told to the people of God. Since something is being told to us about the actual kings that ruled over the Roman Empire, it is important that we learn about the timeframe of the emperors of Rome. Below is a list of relevant rulers for our study.

Time of Reign

Julius (48-44 BC) as dictator

Augustus (27 BC-14 AD) as emperor

Tiberius (14-37 AD)

Caligula (37-41 AD)

Claudius (41-54 AD)

Nero (54-68 AD)

Galba (68-69 AD)

Otho (69 AD)

Vitellius (69 AD)

Vespasian (69-79 AD)

Titus (79-81 AD)

Domitian (81-96 AD)

There are a number of reasons to exclude Julius from the count. Julius was appointed as dictator over the Roman Republic, not emperor over the empire. There was a 17 year gap of time before Augustus was established as emperor. Also, if Julius is counted, then why wouldn’t Sulla and Marius who also seized power to themselves to rule the republic also be counted? Roman historians Tacitus and Suetonius state that Augustus was the first emperor. As we will see the counting of seven emperors only works properly if Julius is excluded. If we leave the list as is but with Julius removed, the five fallen kings would be from Augustus to Nero. The one king who is would be Galba and the one yet to come would be Otho. This would put the writing of the book of Revelation at 68-69 AD.

However, there are a couple of reasons to consider removing Galba, Otho, and Vitellius. While these three emperors were approved by the senate, their reigns would have been hardly known throughout the empire. Remember that the year 69 AD is the year of four emperors. It was a time of civil war as these emperors all laid claim to being emperor, yet were murdered or committed suicide. Each of their reigns is of no consequences. Further, it is possible that the prophet Daniel was speaking about these three emperors being uprooted quickly.

“Then I desired to know the truth about the fourth beast, which was different from all the rest, exceedingly terrifying, with its teeth of iron and claws of bronze, and which devoured and broke in pieces and stamped what was left with its feet, and about the ten horns that were on its head, and the other horn that came up and before which three of them fell, the horn that had eyes and a mouth that spoke great things, and that seemed greater than its companions. (Daniel 7:19-20 ESV)

Daniel says that one horn uproots the other three horns because he is greater than them. Daniel may be speaking about the rise of emperor Vespasian who established his reign during the year of the four emperors. During this civil war it is his armies that are victorious as he successfully claims the title of emperor. If this is correct, then the counting of the seven emperors works well. Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius, and Nero are the five who have fallen. The one who is reigning now is Vespasian because Daniel told us not to count those three emperors Galba, Otho, and Vitellius, who were of no consequence. Then the one to come who will “remain only a little while” is Titus who ruled only from 79-81 AD. After Titus is Domitian. He is the eighth emperor who is like the beast, belongs to the seven, and goes to destruction. Domitian will begin to carry out these prophecies that we have read about in the previous chapters. He will claim to be God and demand divine honors and sacrifices to be made toward him.

The ten horns in Revelation 17:12-14 sound like the description to the second beast, also called the false prophet. These ten horns represent the localities and provinces that ruled within the Roman empire. Johnson rightly notes, “The multiplicity of sovereignties in confederacy that enhance the power of the beast” (Johnson, 560). Rome had given power to various regents and procurators, like the Herods, to rule over the regions and provinces. Yet their power was only from the Roman empire itself and was not their own. These rulers gave their allegiance to the Roman Empire (the beast) and would make war against God and his people who did not worship the beast.

Revelation 17:16-17 show that the world is going to turn against Rome. The imagery is similar to Ezekiel’s prophecy against Jerusalem.

“Therefore, O prostitute, hear the word of the LORD: Thus says the Lord GOD, Because your lust was poured out and your nakedness uncovered in your whorings with your lovers, and with all your abominable idols, and because of the blood of your children that you gave to them, therefore, behold, I will gather all your lovers with whom you took pleasure, all those you loved and all those you hated. I will gather them against you from every side and will uncover your nakedness to them, that they may see all your nakedness. (Ezekiel 16:35-37 ESV)

The description given is one of the primary reasons for Rome’s fall. The inner decadence and inner strife are a couple reasons why Rome fell. Daniel prophesied that this was the nature of Rome and would lead to its collapse. We read of the fourth kingdom (the Roman Empire) made of iron and clay so that is was partly strong and partly brittle. Notice verse 43, “As you saw the iron mixed with clay, so will they mix with one another in marriage, but they will not hold together, just as iron does not mix with clay.”

The Roman Empire would not hold together but fall apart because of the way it was built. One of the greatest strengths of Rome was that it incorporated all the languages and nations of the world under it. However, this also was its weakness, leading to perpetual internal problems until it finally fell. Provinces and nations under the power of Rome will turn and fight against Rome. Revelation 17:17 points out that this is God’s doing. God is the one who brought about the fall of Rome and its empire.

The chapter concludes definitely stating who the woman, the great prostitute, is. She is the great city that has dominion over the kings of the earth. It is the great city that rules over the kings of the earth (NRSV), reigns over the kings of the earth (NASB), and has an empire over the kings of the earth (HCSB). The only city that has an empire over the kings of the earth at the time of the writing of Revelation is the city of Rome. Rome is the great prostitute. Her demise will come when those nations and peoples under the empire turn against her and make her desolate.

Life Lesson

It is interesting to note that God declares his involvement in the affairs of the world. Too often we can think that God is not active in the rise and fall of nations or the affairs and events that occur on the earth. Revelation 17:17 reminds us that God would put it in the hearts of the leaders of the earth to turn against Rome for its destruction. Our Lord is alive and active. He is involved in the affairs of this world and we should pray that God act for his glory and purpose. Consider that there was nothing miraculous about the fall of Rome, yet it was God’s purpose and God’s doing.

LESSON 21.

THE WOMAN ON THE SCARLET-COLORED BEAST

Read Revelation 17

1. What did one of the seven angels promise to show John? Ans. Revelation 17:1.

2. Whom had this woman caused to sin? Ans. Revelation 17:2.

3. Where did the angel take John? Ans. Revelation 17:3.

4. Describe the beast on which the woman sat. Ans. Revelation 17:3.

5. How was the woman dressed? Ans. Revelation 17:4.

6. What name was written on her forehead? Ans. Revelation 17:5.

7. On what was the woman drunken? Ans. Revelation 17:6.

8. What mystery did the angel say he would reveal to John? Ans. Revelation 17:7.

9. What was there peculiar about this beast’s existence? Ans. Revelation 17:8.

10. Who would wonder at the peculiarity of this beast? Ans. Revelation 17:8.

11. What do the seven heads of the beast represent? Ans. Revelation 17:9.

12. What is said of the seven kings? Ans. Revelation 17:10-11.

13. What do the ten horns represent? Ans. Revelation 17:12-13.

14. Against whom would they wage war? Ans. Revelation 17:14.

15. What will be the result of this war? Ans. Revelation 17:14.

16. What do the waters "where the woman sitteth" represent? Ans. Revelation 17:15.

17. How and by whom will the woman be destroyed? Ans. Revelation 17:16.

18. Who put it in their hearts to do this? Ans. Revelation 17:17.

19. Who is this woman? Ans. Revelation 16:19; Revelation 17:5; Revelation 17:18; Revelation 18:2; Revelation 18:10.

E.M. Zerr

Questions on Revelation

Revelation Chapter Seventeen

1. Who came to John?

2. What did he do?

3. What was he going to shoot him?

4. Where was she sitting?

5. Who had committed fornication with her?

6. How had inhabitants of the earth been affected?

7. To where was John carried?

8. Whom did he see?

9. On what was she sitting?

10. Of what was it full?

11. What other parts did it have?

12. How was she arrayed?

13. In what way was she decked?

14. What was in her hand?

15. What did it contain?

16. Of whom was she the mother?

17. State her name.

18. Where was that name written?

19. On what was the woman drnnk?

20. State the impression made on John.

21. Who then spoke to him?

22. Tell what he promised to do.

23. What times of existence did the beast have?

24. From where will it ascend?

25. Into what will it go?

26. What will this cause earth dwellers to do?

27. What portion of them will be thus affected?

28. Tell what they will behold.

29. What do the seven heads represent?

30. How many kings are represented?

31. What had happened to them?

32. Which one is to be short lived?

33. Tell whieh beast is the eighth.

34. What will become of it?

35. Tell what the ten horns stood for.

36. What had not yet come to them?

37. What had come to them?

38. Were they in agreement with each other?

39. What do they give to the beast?

40. With whom shall they make war?

41. Which will be victor?

42. State the titles of the Lamb?

43. What are his associates called?

44. Tell what the waters represent.

45. What will the ten horns hate?

46. How will they make her to be?

47. What will be done with her flesh?

48. Then what will be done with her?

49. In so doing whose will is accomplished?

50. How long will they have this power?

51. What does the woman represent?

Revelation Chapter Seventeen

Ralph Starling

One of the 7 angels now says "more is in store"

With a government ruling like that of a whore.

A world empire, a beast with 7 heads and 10 horns.

Ruling the world & the saints with evil and scorn.

This "woman" wearing the name "Babylon the Great",

For the blood of the saints she could hardly wait.

John was moved with great admiration

But the angel replied "it will be no celebration!"

The Empire was Rome on 7 mountainous terrain.

The 10 horns were 10 kings that would reign.

But they had no kingdom as yet to exhibit,

For they were under the power of the beast to prohibit.

The 10 kings of the beast came to hate the whore.

They made her desolate, powerless and more.

So, that great city that ruled the earth

The "woman", the "whore," "BIT THE DIRT!"