Revelation 17

CHAPTER 17THEME: The apostate church in the Great TribulationIn chapters 17-18 we see the judgment of the two Babylons. We will first see the apostate church in the Great Tribulation in chapter 17, and then we will see not only religious Babylon but also commercial Babylon in chapter 18. So many great issues are brought to a crisis in the Great Tribulation that it is difficult to keep them separated, and many fine expositors disagree on details. We have already noted this as we have gone through this Book of Revelation. Although we agree with the system of interpretation, we do disagree on details. This fact should not be disturbing to believers, as many details will not be clarified until the world enters the Great Tribulation period and actually faces the climax to each crisis. This is especially evident relative to the two Babylons in chapters 17-18. The questions are: “Are there two Babylons, and are they in two different geographical locations? Are they representative of two systems? Are they two literal cities, or are they the same?” The answers to these questions will become more apparent as our redemption draws near. It appears at the present time, in my judgment, that two distinct cities are in view. Here in chapter 17 it is mystery Babylon, the cosmic church, the apostate church. The church of Thyatira, described in chapter 2, verses Rev_2:18-29, which permitted Jezebel to teach, will become the apostate church of the Great Tribulation. It will attain the goal of the present-day apostates of all the great systems of the world: Romanism, Protestantism, pagan religions, cults and “isms.” Even in our so-called independent Bible churches there will be those who are not believers, and during the Tribulation they will join this great organization that may call itself a church but is not. The Bible calls it a harlot. There couldn’t be a worse label than that! This is ecumenical ecclesiasticism of the one-world church.

The location of this system could be in Rome. Rome, the city built on seven hills, is probably the city in mind here. However, Geneva, where the World Council of Churches has its headquarters, is also included, and other places, such as Los Angelesif I know Los Angeles, and I think I docan also make a healthy contribution to it! It is called mystery Babylon because of its origin. At the Tower of Babel man attempted to rally against God. Under Nimrod, Babylon became the origin of all false religion. Now the dream of Nimrod will be realized in the first half of the Great Tribulation period, for the cosmic church dominates the wild Beast. The church that should have been the bride of Christ is a harlot here. This church is guilty of spiritual fornication, selling herself to the world for hire. This is the church that says, “I am rich and increased with goods, and I have need of nothing.” Looking back at the study of the seven churches, in chapters 3-4 of the Book of Revelation, I pointed out that the church in Philadelphia represented the church that would be raptured before the time of the Tribulation period. He said to that church, “I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation” (Rev_3:10). That “hour” is the Great Tribulation, and we have been in that “hour” a long time in our study of this Book of Revelation. The true church will not go through the Great Tribulation; it will be raptured before the Tribulation begins. Let’s be specific: who will be raptured? Not certain denominations and not just individual churches, but His church, a collective term meaning all true believers, those who are in Christ. That is the group that will be taken out at the Rapture, and the rest of the church members will be left here on this earth to go through the Great Tribulation. As Dr. George Gill used to say, some churches will meet the Sunday after the Rapture and will not miss a member.

But let’s clearly understand that they are not true believers. They are not part of the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. He never calls them His church; He calls it a harlot! It is a pseudo-religious system, which controls the wild Beast during the first half of the Great Tribulation, yet it is hated by him. During the last half of the Tribulation, the Beast destroys the harlot in order to set up his own religion. J.

Dwight Pentecost in his book, Things To Come (p. 368), gives this comment concerning the harlot system: The Beast, who was dominated by the harlot system (Rev_17:3), rises against her and destroys her and her system completely. Without doubt the harlot system was in competition with the religious worship of the Beast, promoted by the False Prophet, and her destruction is brought about so that the Beast may be the sole object of false worship as he claims to be God. Babylon is to be rebuilt, as we have seen in Isaiah and Jeremiah, and here in chapters 17-18 we see it destroyed. Ecclesiastical Babylon will be destroyed by the wild Beast. Ecclesiastical Babylon is destroyed by the wild Beast. Commercial Babylon is destroyed by the return of Christ. Ecclesiastical Babylon is hated by the Beast. Commercial Babylon is loved by the world. Ecclesiastical Babylon is destroyed at the beginning of the last three and one-half years of the Great Tribulation. Commercial Babylon is destroyed at the end of the last three and one-half years of the Great Tribulationthat is, at the very end. Zec_5:5-11 also has something interesting to say in this connection.

Revelation 17:1

GREAT HARLOT RIDING THE WILD BEASTI do not have words to describe how frightful this picture is. The harlot is the false church, as we have said, And the wild Beast is the restored Roman Empire, which will be brought back together by Antichrist with the assistance, I believe, of the false church. As usual, I’ll give my own literal translation of the Greek text throughout the chapter. And there came one of the (7) seven angels that had the (7) seven bowls, and spake with me, saying, Come hither, I will show thee the judgment of the great harlot that sitteth upon many waters; 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. “The great harlot” is that part of the church that will remain after the true church has been raptured. It will be composed of those who have never trusted Christ as Savior; they have never been in the body of Christ. This is the group that enters the Great Tribulation. We are told certain things about her. She “sitteth upon many waters.” According to verse Rev_17:15, which we will see later, the “waters” refer to great masses of people and nations. The harlot will pretty much control the world. “The kings of the earth committed fornication” show that there is an unholy alliance between church and state during that period. My friend, the movement in our day of bringing all religions together certainly falls into the pattern of this false church which is to appearand Scripture doesn’t even dignify it by the name of church, although I am sure it will call itself that. I believe that this movement is more dangerous to our own country than is any foreign political system and that it is more dangerous than the so-called new morality. I believe that it is more dangerous than any other movement. It will become a power-bloc that will dazzle the unthinking mob. It will bring the world under the influence of the wild Beast out of the sea and the wild Beast out of the earth. They will use the apostate church to control the masses, and the church will yield to this arrangement for political preferment and power. You see, when you reject the genuine, you are wide open for the spurious. Paul wrote to the Thessalonians that when someone rejects the love of the truth that they might be saved, they will believe the big lie. “The judgment of the great harlot.” God’s cup of judgment will be pressed to the lips of the harlot. And who is going to destroy her? The Beast himself will destroy her. You see, the Antichrist and the False Prophet will not want her around after she has served their purpose. Antichrist wants to be worshiped, and he doesn’t want any competition from the church.

Revelation 17:3

And he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness; and I saw a woman sitting upon a scarlet-colored wild beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. “He carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness.” Remember that John was on the Isle of Patmos in the Spirit for the vision of the glorified Christ and His message to the churches. At that time John was caught up to heaven. From then on the scene shifts from heaven to earth. However, here we are told again that John was in the Spirit. Did he need a fresh anointing of the Spirit for this vision? I rather think so.

Is the wilderness literal? Remember that this chapter is a vision where symbols are used. Around both Babylon and Rome there is a literal wilderness. This is a matter of recorded history. Babylon was to become a wilderness, and in this connection read Isaiah 47-48 and Jeremiah 50-51. Outside of Rome the wilderness is called the campagna.

I believe that the wilderness mentioned in this verse is literal but also that it is a sign of the chaotic condition of the world brought about by the religious confusion of Babylon. John saw a woman “sitting upon a scarlet-colored wild beast.” This is a frightful and frightening scene. The wild Beast has previously been identified as the Antichrist ruling over the restored Roman Empire. The woman is identified for us in verse Rev_17:18: “And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.” The woman is a city, and the city is Rome, the religious capital of the world. She is religious Rome, which at that time will have inherited all the religions of the world. You see, all true believers will have left the world scene at the time of the Rapture. This includes all true believers, and I have discovered that there are many true believers in Romanism and in liberal churches and even in some very weird religious systems.

All genuine believers, regardless of where they have gone to church, will be raptured. This will leave a church on earth that is totally apostate. Rather than being “the bride of Christ,” God calls it a harlot. The city is further identified in verse Rev_17:9: “And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.” Rome was the city set on seven hills and was known as such to both pagan and Christian writers. Horace wrote, “The gods, who look with favour on the seven hills….” Ovid added, “But Rome looks around on the whole globe from her seven mountains, the seat of empire and abode of the gods.” Augustine wrote, “Babylon is a former Rome, and Rome is a later Babylon.” In these verses the city of Rome is assuredly in view. The woman, the harlot, represents a religious system that will be revealed during the first part of the Great Tribulation period after the true church has been removed from the earth. And this religious system, as the symbol given to us indicates, dominates and rides the Roman Empire at the beginning of the Great Tribulation period. “Full of names of blasphemy” reveals how far religion will have departed from the living Christ.

Revelation 17:4

And the woman was clothed in purple and scarlet, and gilded 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 upon her forehead a name written MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF THE HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. “Clothed in purple and scarlet.” Purple was the predominant color of Roman imperialism. Every senator and consul wore a purple stripe as a badge of his position, and the emperor’s robes were purple. Scarlet is the color adopted by Roman Catholicism. “Gilded with gold” shows the beauty of the outward display, but, like the Pharisees, it is within “full of dead men’s bones and of all uncleanness.” “Precious stones and pearls” are pretty cold, though they may be genuine, and are a sordid imitation of genuine heartfelt religion. The Lord Jesus said, “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess” (Mat_23:25). “A golden cup full of abominations” is the religious intoxication of the anti-church (not Antichrist) and a pseudoreligion, counterfeit Christianity, a fake and false gospel, and a sham and spurious system. This is the cup which makes the world drunk. “Babylon hath been a golden cup in the LORD’S hand, that made all the earth drunken: the nations have drunken of her wine; therefore the nations are mad” (Jer_51:7). “Upon her forehead a name written” is a startling revelation of the character of this woman. She does not wear a crown but rather the mark of her profession. It is of interest to see that Seneca, in addressing a wanton priestess, said, “Thy name hung from thy forehead.” “MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF THE HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH” is the disgraceful title for the “church” which should belong to Christ as a bride. Now I know that we live in a day of changing morality, but I am a little old-fashioned, and I still think that the Word of God is right in its values. I think that the finest thing in the world is a woman and that God has made her that way. When she marries, she is brought into a relationship in which she can give to a man that which puts him in orbit. It is my firm conviction that the thing our civilization has done for a woman has not been to liberate her but to enslave her so that she has become more of a sex symbol than ever before. Instead of taking her rightful place where she can lift a man to the heights, she is characterized as the one who pulls him down to the depths. And the lowest picture you can have is that of a harlot. You may not like it, but that is how the Word of God sees it. “MYSTERY BABYLON.” The true church is a mystery in that it was not revealed in the Old Testament (see Eph_3:1-9). The anti-church, designated here as a harlot, is a mystery in that it was not revealed until John wrote Revelation 17. Let me say again that when the true church left the earth at the time of the Rapture, the phonies, those who were only church members, entered the Great Tribulation period, and the system continuednot now a church, but a harlot. Paul had written of the mystery of iniquity: “For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now hinders will hinder until he be taken out of the way” (2Th_2:7). The anti-church is the antithesis of the true church, which is the virgin bride of Christ, and it is the consummation of the working of “the mystery of iniquity.” It is “MYSTERY BABYLON” because it is given this designation just as Jerusalem is called Sodom. Babylon is the fountainhead for all false religion; therefore she is “THE MOTHER OF THE HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.” This is, by far, Scripture’s more expressive and vivid picture of awful and abominable sin. Sex and false religions are related, you may be sure of that. I believe that many young people are really missing it in marriage when they do not stand at the marriage altar in the presence of God presenting themselves to each other, having kept their bodies for the marriage. That was God’s ideal and still is. Have you noticed that this “MYSTERY BABYLON” is called the “MOTHER OF THE HARLOTS”? The mother of harlotsnot singular but plural. In our day the ecumenical church has faced a lot of problems. It seems that they have recognized psychological differences in people and that it is impossible to water down theologies and practices to suit everyone. So each group will come into this great world ecumenical system but retain some of its pecularities. For example, those who want to immerse will immerse. Those who want to sprinkle will sprinkle. Those who want elaborate ritual will have it, and those who want no ritual will have that. You see, there is going to be more than the mother harlotthere will be a whole lot of harlots, a regular brothel.

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 the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou wonder? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the wild beast that is carrying her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns. “Drunken with the blood of the saints.” The harlot not only makes others drunk, but she is intoxicated by her acts of persecution. While it is true that the church will not go through the Great Tribulation, as we near the end of this age of grace, believers can expect some tribulation. It is my experience and that of other Christian leaders that today it is becoming increasingly difficult to stand for the Word of God and for the things of Christ. “The saints” probably refers to Old Testament saints, and “the martyrs of Jesus” refers to New Testament saints. This indicates that “BABYLON” is more than just Romanism. Rather, it is an amalgam of all religions. All true believers were caught up at the Rapture, and Babylon is the residue of what is left. Babylon is a composite religious system which includes Protestantism, Romanism, cultsthe whole lot which was not raptured, you see. It is confusion compounded and is the fountainhead of all religious error and idolatry. Babylon in the Old Testament persecuted God’s people and was the enemy of God. It was Babylon that put the three Hebrew boys in the fiery furnace because they would not worship an image. When John saw the vision of the woman, he says that he “wondered with a great wonder.” This is the first time that John has had his mind boggled. We have had our minds boggled before, but this really throws John. The angel asks why he should wonder when he (the angel) was present to explain the mystery of the woman. The emphasis here is on the Roman Empire aspect of the wild beast rather than on the Antichrist aspect. We should note that.

Revelation 17:8

The wild beast which thou sawest was and is not; and is about to come up out of the abyss, and to go (goeth) into perdition. And those dwelling on the earth shall wonder, whose names are not written upon the book of life from the foundation of the world (cosmos), when they behold the wild beast because it was, and is not, and shall come (be present). Here is the mind having wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sitteth. And there are seven kings; the five have fallen (fell), the one is, the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a little while. The wild beast “was” speaks of the past history of the Roman Empire. “Is not” refers to the present condition of the fragmented Empire.

The Roman Empire is not dead. It has fallen apart into the nations of Europe today. “Is about to come up out of the abyss” speaks of the reactivation of the Roman Empire by Satan. As I have indicated before, many have attempted to put the Roman Empire back together again but have never been successful. Charlemagne tried it, Napoleon tried it, Hitler tried it, Mussolini tried it, and at the time I am writing this, the United Nations is trying it, but they, too, are failing. The wild Beast, who is the Antichrist, will be the one who puts the Roman Empire back together again. “Shall …go into perdition” speaks of the destruction of the Roman Empire by the coming of Christ. The reappearance of the Roman Empire in its great power will win the admiration of the peoples of the world who are not redeemed. They will respect and worship the Antichrist for his brilliant coup d’etat. God’s saints will have the mind of the Spirit and will understand and not be spiritually stupid: “But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things…. But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him” (1Jn_2:20, 1Jn_2:27). “And there are seven kings” is taken by some (including Newell and Govett, who are excellent commentators on Revelation) to mean individual rulers. Govett gives the following list:

1. Julius Caesarassassinated
2. Tiberiuspoisoned or smothered
3. Caligulaassassinated
4. Claudiuspoisoned
5. Nerocommitted suicide “The one is” refers to Domitian who was living in John’s day, who was also assassinated. “The other is not yet come” refers to the Antichrist. Other expositors (as Scofield and Walter Scott) consider these seven as the different forms of government through which Rome passed. These are listed as kings, consuls, dictators, decemvirs, and military tribunes. “The one is” refers to the sixth or imperial form of government set up by Julius Caesar and under which John was banished by Domitian. The seventh and last, though it has not yet appeared, will be satanic in form. Regardless of the interpretation adopted, the end in view is the samethe Antichrist rules over the reactivated Roman Empire.

Revelation 17:11

And the beast that was, and is not, is himself also an eighth, and is of the seven, and is going into perdition. And the ten horns that thou sawest are ten kings, who (of the kind which) have received no kingdom as yet; but they receive authority as kings, with the wild beast, for one hour. These have one mind, and they give (over) their power and authority unto the beast. These shall war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them, for He is Lord of lords, and King of kings; and those with Him (shall overcome), called and chosen and faithful. At times the wild beast signifies, generally, the Roman Empire, but also it signifies the last or eighth head; that is, the individual emperor who is Antichrist. Now here the Antichrist is designated.

He is the “little horn” in the vision that God gave to the prophet Daniel. The “little horn” puts down three other hornsthat is, three kingswhen he comes to power. “I considered the horns, and, behold, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man and a mouth speaking great things…And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse form the first, and he shall subdue three kings” (Dan_7:8, Dan_7:24). In my book, Delving Through Daniel, I go into detail on the “little horn.” “The beast that was” refers to the past history of the Roman Empire under the emperors. “And is not” refers to the end of Imperial Rome with its global empire, which came to an end sometimes between the third and fifth centuries. “Is himself also an eighth, and is of the seven” identifies the Antichrist with the return to the imperial form of the restored Roman Empire. He is the “little horn” of Daniel, chapter 7. He is not one of the ten horns, but he is separate from them. He is an eighth head in this seven, yet he is one of the seven since he restores the last form of government to Rome. Now that will confuse you, I know, but that is exactly what is being said here in Revelation. “The ten horns” are the same as the ten horns of Dan_7:7. These ten kings will reign with the Antichrist but will be subservient to him. They willingly or unwillingly give over their authority to the Antichrist and become his puppets.

Revelation 17:15

And he saith to me, The waters which thou sawest where the harlot settith, are peoples, and multitudes (mobs), and nations, and tongues. And the ten horns which thou sawest, and the beast, these shall hate the harlot, and shall make her desolated and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and shall burn her (down) with fire. For God did put 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 shall be fulfilled. And the woman whom thou sawest is the great city, which hath a kingdom over the kings of the earth. “The waters” are explained to be the many ethnological groups as well as the nations of the world. This figure is in harmony with that used in the Old Testament. You can check that out with Isa_8:7 and Psalms 18. The position of the harlot reveals that she is ruling over them for only a brief time. “The ten horns” are ten kings (as told us in verse Rev_17:12) who rule over the different divisions of the Roman Empire. They in turn give over to the Beast their kingdoms. This solidifies the Roman Empire and enables the Beast to lift himself up as a world dictator. For a time the Beast (Antichrist) is willing to share his place of exaltation with the harlot, since she has also sought to advance his cause while dividing his glory. This he hates, and the ten kings are one with him in this. The Antichrist not only breaks his covenant with the apostate church. The hatred against the apostate church is so violent that the reaction is described as the cannibalistic picking of her bones, then burning them with fire! This great hatred destroys the false church. This is what happens to the false church. It has no victory. It never comes into the presence of Christ. It is not raptured. Finally it is destroyed by the Antichrist. In doing this the Antichrist and his ten allies are fulfilling the Word of God and carrying out His will as did the Assyrian (as predicted in Isa_10:5-19) and just as surely as Caesar Augustus did when he signed the tax bill that moved Mary and Joseph down to Bethlehem so Scripture could be fulfilled. By eliminating the apostate church, the way is cleared for the worship of Antichrist, as advocated by the False Prophet. “The woman” is a religious system, as we have seen. Also, I believe she is further identified as a city, the city of Rome. This is the frightful but just end of the apostate church. However, it does not improve the situation. Rather it introduces the darkest period for religion in the history of the world. The reign and religion of Antichrist is the darkest hour earth will know, and yet it is the inevitable end of the distrust which began in the Garden of Eden when man failed to believe God. It was given new impetus at the Tower of Babel, which was a rallying place for those against God. And finally it climaxed in the crucifixion of Jesus Christ when man rejected the One who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

Having rejected the truth, the only alternative left for man is to believe the big lie, the strong delusion. History will culminate in the catastrophic coming of Christ to this earth, as we shall see in chapter 19. This is the just retribution of error and evil. My friend, you as a Christian should have thankfulness in your heart, knowing you will be spared from the Great Tribulation, but also you should have a real concern for your loved ones who may be facing this frightful period that lies ahead.