Revelation 17

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Revelation 17 ESV
1 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great prostitute who is seated on many waters, 2 with 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.” 3 And he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness, and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was full of blasphemous names, and it had seven heads and ten horns. 4 The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and jewels and pearls, holding in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her sexual immorality. 5 And on her forehead was written a name of mystery: “Babylon the great, mother of prostitutes and of earth’s abominations.” 6 And I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. When I saw her, I marveled greatly. 7 But the angel said to me, “Why do you marvel? I will tell you the mystery of the woman, and of the beast with seven heads and ten horns that carries her. 8 The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to rise from the bottomless pit and go to destruction. And the dwellers on earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world will marvel to see the beast, because it was and is not and is to come. 9 This calls for a mind with wisdom: the seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman is seated; 10 they are also 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. 11 As for the beast that was and is not, it is an eighth but it belongs to the seven, and it goes to destruction. 12 And the ten horns that you saw are ten kings who have not yet received royal power, but they are to receive authority as kings for one hour, together with the beast. 13 These are of one mind, and they hand over their power and authority to the beast. 14 They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful.” 15 And the angel said to me, “The waters that you saw, where the prostitute is seated, are peoples and multitudes and nations and languages. 16 And the ten horns that you saw, they and the beast will hate the prostitute. They will make her desolate and naked, and devour her flesh and burn her up with fire, 17 for God has put it into their hearts to carry out his purpose by being of one mind and handing over their royal power to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled. 18 And the woman that you saw is the great city that has dominion over the kings of the earth.”
Last week we saw the quick and efficient dispensation of the seven bowls of wrath.
painful sores
sea turning to blood
fresh water turning to blood
scorching sun
absolute darkness
Euphrates drying up
great earthquake and destruction
It is specifically mentioned that Babylon was given the cup filled with the wine of God’s fierce anger. In the next few chapters, we go a little deeper into the sins of “Babylon the Great”.

Great Judgment of Babylon

Revelation 17:1–5 ESV
1 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great prostitute who is seated on many waters, 2 with 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.” 3 And he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness, and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was full of blasphemous names, and it had seven heads and ten horns. 4 The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and jewels and pearls, holding in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her sexual immorality. 5 And on her forehead was written a name of mystery: “Babylon the great, mother of prostitutes and of earth’s abominations.”
In Chapter 17, we see God’s plan for judging the world and it’s sinful behavior.
One of the angels holding the seven bowls comes to John, inviting him to “Come” and watch the judgment that is about to take place. Who was to be judged? The great prostitute - we see in verse 5 the great prostitute is Babylon - a nation that had engaged in all sorts of sinful behavior just to get power. As we know from Isaiah, their reign of power did not last for long, but it had an impact on the nation of Israel and the whole world. We see an illustration of this destruction in Jeremiah 51, where Jeremiah speaks of God’s soon coming judgment against Babylon.
Jeremiah 51:1 ESV
1 Thus says the Lord: “Behold, I will stir up the spirit of a destroyer against Babylon, against the inhabitants of Leb-kamai,
The angel emphasizes the influence Babylon had on others - kings of the earth and dwellers on earth. The angel carried him away in the spirit to a wilderness and he sees “a woman” sitting on a scarlet beast. We know scarlet usually signifies royalty, but here the beast is described as being full of blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns - this beast is the same one identified as the first beast of chapter 13.
Revelation 13:1 ESV
1 And I saw a beast rising out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads, with ten diadems on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads.
The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet:
Purple - The most precious of ancient dyes made from a shellfish found in the Mediterranean Sea. A total of 250,000 mollusks was required to make one ounce of the dye, which partly accounts for its great price. It was highly valued within the nation of Israel. Used in several features of the tabernacle (Exodus 26:1, 27:16) and the temple (II Chronicles 2:14); the color of royal robes (Judges 8:26); the garments of the wealthy (Proverbs 31:22; Luke 16:19); the vesture of a harlot (Revelation 17:4); and the robe placed on Jesus (Mark 15:17, 20). This color symbolizes kingship and royalty.
Scarlet - Scarlet cord was tied around the wrist of Zerah (Genesis 38:28-30); used a great deal in the tabernacle (Exodus 25:4); the color of cord hung from Rahab's window (Joshua 2:18); a mark of prosperity (II Samuel 1:24; Proverbs 31:21); the color of the robe placed on Jesus (Matthew 27:28); though scarlet and purple were not always distinguished (Mark 15:17); color of the beast ridden by the harlot Babylon (Revelation 17:3) along with some of her garments (Revelation 17:4) and those of her followers (Revelation 18:16). Often refers to blood atonement and sacrifice.
While she was clothed in the colors of royalty and atonement, and wearing gold, precious stones, and pearls, she was holding in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her sexual immorality. She is not representing royalty, but a false religion that prostitutes (sells out) the truth. Everything you see about her is a sham. Even "a name of mystery” was on her forehead. But this shouldn’t surprise us today. We see many “prosperity” preachers telling us to “name it and claim it”, that God will bless us if we only ask. It is a false hope, a false security, a false religion. If we thing back to Babylon, the first place we see recorded is the building of the tower of Babel - meaning “confusion”. They wanted to get to God on their own terms and in their own ways. It didn’t work then, and it won’t work now. Babylon is the example of apostasy and blasphemy, and now they come to their final judgment.

Revealing of the Mystery

Revelation 17:6–8 ESV
6 And I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. When I saw her, I marveled greatly. 7 But the angel said to me, “Why do you marvel? I will tell you the mystery of the woman, and of the beast with seven heads and ten horns that carries her. 8 The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to rise from the bottomless pit and go to destruction. And the dwellers on earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world will marvel to see the beast, because it was and is not and is to come.
The religious power and adulteration of religion by Babylon in the end times will be massive. This false religion will be what leads the killing of believers for the antichrist. Literally millions upon millions of believers will be persecuted and killed because they refuse to worship the antichrist. John was amazed at what he was seeing, and the angel asked why he was enamored by this sight? We can tell by the response that it was the mystery surrounding this woman that had John mesmerized. He had just seen a picture of what false religion will be like in the last days of world history. And the picture was horrifying. The religion of the last days will join hands with the government of the antichrist and the false religion will sweep the world. John saw that most of the world will be seduced by the appeal of false religion, and most will worship the government as the great provider and protector of society. He also witnessed that religious Babylon or the false religion will slaughter millions upon millions of people because they refuse to put the state and secular society before their own religion. He saw that among these millions will be a great multitude of genuine believers. Seeing all this has left John in a state of bewilderment and amazement, wondering how such could ever take place. While he stood there somewhat shocked, the angel stepped forward and told John that he would now reveal the mystery and details of religious Babylon.
There is the great earthly power of the antichrist: seven heads and ten horns. The antichrist will have seven heads or seven governments who will willingly subject themselves to his rule. But he will also have the power of ten horns or governments that support him. How? When he himself first comes to power, he will probably march against three governments and conquer them and absorb them into his own rule or nation. Either this or else three governments will form some alliance or confederation with him as their head. These three plus the seven who willingly submit to his rule will give him the power of ten governments. Imagine the great earthly power the antichrist will have by ruling over all these nations and empires. The false religion of the end time will have a great power behind it.
There is the great supernatural power of the antichrist: he will be out of the bottomless pit, the very incarnation of evil itself or else be indwelt by some powerful evil spirit from the bottomless pit.
There is the end or doom of the antichrist: perdition (apoleian). The word means to be destroyed; to lose one’s well-being; to be wasted and ruined and given a worthless existence. It does not mean that a person will cease to exist. It means a person will be destroyed and devastated and condemned to a worthless existence. He will suffer waste and loss and ruin forever and ever. No matter how great a person may be, if he does not know Jesus Christ he will face perdition. The antichrist will be a great man in the eyes of the world. He will rule the whole world, but he will be doomed: all because he never gave his life and heart to Jesus Christ. No matter who the person is, if he stands as an enemy of the cross, he shall be destroyed. It does not matter who he is, either within or without the church, he shall suffer perdition, that is, utter destruction.

Seven Mountians

Revelation 17:9–11 ESV
9 This calls for a mind with wisdom: the seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman is seated; 10 they are also 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. 11 As for the beast that was and is not, it is an eighth but it belongs to the seven, and it goes to destruction.
The seven mountains or seven heads are said by many to refer to Rome. That is, in the end time religious Babylon or false religion will sit in Rome. This is because Rome was known in ancient times as the city on seven hills. But note: this is not what John says. He clearly says that the seven heads represent seven kings or governments (v.10). By seven mountains he means that false religion sits upon seven kingdoms or empires that have complete and full rule and power. Note that the seven mountains and seven heads mean seven kings of kingdoms and empires.

Ten Horns

Revelation 17:12–14 ESV
12 And the ten horns that you saw are ten kings who have not yet received royal power, but they are to receive authority as kings for one hour, together with the beast. 13 These are of one mind, and they hand over their power and authority to the beast. 14 They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful.”
Who are these kings or kingdoms or empires? There are numerous ideas, but Scripture does not identify these kings. The best way to discover who they might be is to look back through the Old Testament and note the kings or empires that opposed God’s people. When this is done, the following empires seem to be the most logical answer.
⇒ Five of the kings or empires are fallen. That is, they no longer exist. These seem to be Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, and Greece.
⇒ One of the kingdoms still remains. That is, it still exists and continues to exist down through the centuries. This would be Rome and the traits of Rome that have continued to exist down through the centuries: traits that exist in the ruling bodies and legislatures of governments, in the representative governments and laws of nations, and in the religion of Papal Rome.
⇒ One king or kingdom is not yet come. This would refer to a revival of the Roman empire or of many of the nations that were in the old Roman empire. The antichrist would embrace the traits of all the empires and rule over them all. He would be the eighth ruler mentioned in verse eleven.

False Religion

Revelation 17:15–18 ESV
15 And the angel said to me, “The waters that you saw, where the prostitute is seated, are peoples and multitudes and nations and languages. 16 And the ten horns that you saw, they and the beast will hate the prostitute. They will make her desolate and naked, and devour her flesh and burn her up with fire, 17 for God has put it into their hearts to carry out his purpose by being of one mind and handing over their royal power to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled. 18 And the woman that you saw is the great city that has dominion over the kings of the earth.”
The seven kings and ten kingdoms will ultimately turn against Babylon. The antichrist and his political alliance turn against the religious movement of Babylon. Remember: religion will be used by the antichrist to gain and hold the loyalty of the masses all over the world. A state religion will be established: every citizen will be forced to give his first loyalty to the state. It will be the state that will give people so much; therefore, the state will expect first loyalty. But note: the antichrist and the government will turn against religion and utterly destroy religion. Babylon (false religion) will gain power in the end time. It will be supported by multitudes of people, and nations, and languages. It should be pointed out that practically everyone will be worshipping the image of the beast or state in the end time. But it will come to an end because of power and money. Think of all the money it will take to keep a worldwide religion going - the personnel, offices, and resources. Think of the wealth that would be tied in with the property a worldwide religion would hold. And, think of the devastation that will be taking place after the seven seals, the seven trumpets, and the seven bowls are poured out.
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