Revelation 17

John T. Hinds Commentary On Revelation 17SECTION FOUR BABYLON AND HER FALL MORE FULLY Rev17: 1 to 19: 21THE CHURCH THE “ MOTHER OF THE HARLOTS”Revelation 17:1-6 Revelation 17:1 —supported the apostate church, and the papacy ruled the nations. 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.”

Revelation 17:1 —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 engaged in wanton rebellion against God. 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.—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 3:6-10; 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.

Revelation 17:3 —And he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness: —In a vision the great city’ s fall (Revelation 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.

Revelation 17:3 —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 Rev 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.

Revelation 17:4 —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.

Revelation 17:4 —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.

Revelation 17:5 —and upon her forehead a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF THE HARLOTS AND OF THE 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 hath 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 to 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.

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.— John next sees the symbolic woman plainly drunk, not with wine, but with the blood of the saints. The word “ saints” here must be 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. THE MYSTERY OF THE BEAST Rev_17:7-14 Revelation 17:7 —And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou won­der? I will tell thee of the mystery of the woman, and of the beast 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.

Revelation 17:7 —which hath the seven heads and the ten horns.— See notes on verses 10-12. 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.— 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 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. Revelation 17:8 —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.

Revelation 17:9 —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 6even 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 (Revelation 13:1-10) 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 Revelation 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. Ill, p. 131) quotes the following from Flavio Blondus, a papal writer of the fifteenth century:

“ The prince 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 Latern 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 he 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.

Revelation 17:10 —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.

Revelation 17:10 —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 to the 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. Revelation 17:10 —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 Revelation 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. 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.—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. Ill, 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. Revelation 17:12 —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. Revelation 17:12 —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. Revelation 17:13 —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.

Revelation 17:14 —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.)

Revelation 17:14 —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.

Revelation 17:14—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.)THE MYSTERY OF THE HARLOTRev_17:15-18 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.—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.)

Revelation 17:16 —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.

Revelation 17:17 —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.

Revelation 17:18 —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 proto­type, ancient Babylon, must finally be destroyed. Verse 1 SECTION V(Revelation 17-19) Revelation Chapter Seventeen 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.
7. 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.
8. 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.”
9. 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.
10. 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.
11. 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.
12. “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. OF IN THE 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:
13. 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!
14. 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.
15. 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.
16. 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. Verse 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. Verse 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. Verse 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? Verse 5 and upon her forehead a name written, MYSTERY; BABYLON THE GREAT; THE MOTHER OF THE HARLOTS AND OF THE 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 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. Verse 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. Verse 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, inJeremiah 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] ? Verse 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); andRevelation 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. Verse 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. Verse 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. Verse 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 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 (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. Verse 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. Verse 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. Verse 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! Verse 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.

Revelation Chapter XVII by B.W. Johnson The Judgment and the Great Harlot Summary—The Woman Clothed in Purple and Scarlet. Her Name, Mystery, Babylon the Great. The Beast on Which She Sat. The Meaning of the Seven Heads and Ten Horns. The Victory of the Lamb.The sixteenth chapter presents the series of historical events that lead to the overthrow of spiritual Babylon. The interpretation of these has been for the most part determined by the facts of history which have already transpired.

The sixth vial brings to the present date. Concerning what follows the seventh vial I speak with diffidence, as it is yet future, but of this we can be certain, that it foreshadows the final overthrow of the anti-Christian powers. In chapters 17., 18., and 19., the downfall of these powers, the overthrow of the Apostate Church, the triumph of the Word of God, and the victory of Armageddon, are described with greater detail. Chap 17:1-6 describes spiritual Anti-christ under the figure of a great harlot. The true Church is described throughout Revelation as a pure woman, the Bride of Christ; the false church as a harlot. That this harlot refers to the same wicked power already described as Babylon is evident from the words on her forehead. Revelation 17:1-3. There came one of the seven angels. These angels had symbolized the overthrow of Babylon by their vials. This one will now show John the events of her overthrow in greater detail. The next three chapters relate to her fate. Sitteth upon many waters. Is supported by many nations. See verse 15, which explains the meaning of “ waters” when used as a symbol. Revelation 17:2. With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication. There has been an unholy relationship between this false church and the rulers and kingdoms of the earth. Were drunken with the wine of her fornication. The nations have received her spirit and partaken of her sins. Revelation 17:3. He carried me away in the spirit into a wilderness. It is not explained why she is seen in a wilderness. Perhaps the thought is that her development was in obscurity and almost unnoticed until she had reached supreme power. Sitting upon a scarlet colored beast. Supported by this beast. In chap. 13 I have discussed at length the meaning of this beast and of its seven heads. See that chapter. And ten horns. The significance of these will be considered under verse 12. Revelation 17:4-5. And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet color. The color of royalty. Decked with gold, etc. Her jewels and gold indicate enormous wealth. Having a golden cup in her hand. A golden censer in the hands of an angel represents by its incense the prayers of those who belong to the true church. This symbol of the false church has a cup full of abominations instead. See Jeremiah 51:7. Revelation 17:5. Upon her forehead was a name written. A title which told who she was and explained her character. Mystery. Making pretensions that the world cannot understand. (See 2 Thessalonians 2:7.) Babylon the Great. Another name is given.

She is the wicked city that carried the true Israel into bondage and persecuted them. See notes on Revelation 14:8. The Mother of Harlots. Not only a harlot, but the mother of harlots. In connection with Babylon, the two horned beast, and the scarlet woman, Revelation points out fornication, or harlotry, as one of their most prominent characteristics. In order that there may be no mistake about what is meant, it is well to determine the use of these terms in the Bible. “ Harlotry symbolizes uniformly the apostasy of God’s church.”—Auberlen. “ The word harlot is used at least fifty times to describe spiritual fornication; that is, the corrupt doctrine and practices of the churches of Israel and Judah.”—Bishop Wordsworth. “ In eighteen out of twenty places where the figure occurs its import is that God’s church and people had forsaken him.”—Alford. “ There are only three places in the whole Bible where the figure is applied to heathen cities or nations; twice to Tyre, and once to Nineveh.”—Williams.

The fact that uniform use (with the rarest exceptions) is to describe a falling away from God shows that the Scarlet Harlot is the symbol of a faithless, apostate church. One is signified, too, that is the mother of other false churches which have followed her ways. Revelation 17:6. I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints. This implies that she had been a great persecutor and had slain multitudes of the people of God. There is only one body claiming to be the Christian Church to whom this will apply. There have been some harlot daughters of the harlot mother who have also engaged in persecution, but there is only one self-styled Christian body on the earth of whom it can be said she “ was drunk with the blood of the saints.” Revelation 17:7-11. I will tell thee the mystery of the woman. This is told in the latter portion of this chapter and in the next. And of the beast that carrieth her. For a full discussion of this seven-headed beast, see notes on chap. Revelation 13:1-10. Revelation 17:8. The beast that thou sawest was, and is not. See notes just referred to. The beast that existed then, when John wrote, was to receive a deadly wound, and to appear again in a new form. They whose name hath not been written. Are not of God’s spiritual children. From the foundation of the world. The meaning of this expression is to be sought in Revelation 13:8. Their names were written in the book of life which had existed from the time referred to in Revelation 13:8, when the plan of redemption was prepared in the counsels of God. Revelation 17:9. Here is the mind which hath wisdom. The mind that hath wisdom can interpret what follows. The seven heads are seven mountains. Since just one city in the world was called the city of seven mountains (septem montes) in John’s time there must be a reference to that city. Revelation 17:10. And there are seven kings. We have found that a mountain is a symbol of an exalted man, or power. In Revelation 13:1-8 I have explained the kingdoms or powers, symbolized by these heads. Revelation 17:11. The beast that was, and is not, is the eighth. I have explained in chapter 13 this eighth power, which was a revivification of the beast, and which had the characteristics and strength of all the seven. Revelation 17:12-15. And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings. In Revelation 12:3 there are seven diadems on the heads, but none on the horns; in Revelation 13:1 there are no diadems on the heads, but there are on the horns. The diadem signifies royal power. The first reference points to a period when the powers existed of which the heads were a symbol; the second reference points forward to a time when these had mostly passed away, and when the ten royal powers signified by the horns had existed. The horn is a symbol of power, and often is used for a kingdom in prophetic language.

See Daniel 7:24. This, then, implies ten powers which sprang out of Rome and supported the false church. These are given by Sir Isaac Newton as follows: 1. Kingdom of the Vandals in Spain and Africa. 2. Kingdom of the Visigoths. 3. Kingdom of the Suevi in Spain. 4.

Kingdom of the Alans in France. 5. Kingdoms of the Burgundians. 6. Kingdom of the Franks. 7. Kingdom of the Britons. 8. Kingdom of the Huns. 9. Kingdom of the Lombards. 10.

Kingdom of Ravenna. The Roman empire was broken up into these kingdoms, and they were all supporters of the Papacy. These ten kings or kingdoms did not exist in the time of John, but should afterwards receive authority and do the will of the beast. For one hour. For a short time. A part of these kingdoms soon passed away. Revelation 17:14. These shall war against the Lamb. They aid the false church in its war on the saints. The Lamb shall overcome them. They shall finally turn away from the false church. Revelation 17:15. The waters which thou sawest. These are symbolical of the many nations and races which support the scarlet woman. Revelation 17:16-18. The ten horns… shall hate the harlot. At a later period still, the ten horns shall hate and desolate the harlot. We have seen this fulfilled in the fact that the kingdoms that have been developed from these have in the last three centuries either become Protestant, or have broken with Roman rule. The historical facts given under the seven vials show how they have waged war on Rome. Revelation 17:17. For God did put in their hearts to do his mind. He used these as agents to carry out his own will. First they gave their support to the false woman, until his words were accomplished, and then turned from her and assailed her. Revelation 17:18. The woman… is the great city. The city named in Revelation 16:19. See notes there. Note.—In Revelation 16:19 it is declared that when the seventh vial is poured out the great city Babylon shall be divided into three parts It is there suggested in the notes that this may refer to the separation of the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet from each other. In the present chapter (Revelation 17:16) it is stated that the ten horns, which become the strength of the beast, shall be turned upon the woman who is Mystery, Babylon, the Great. This implies a separation between the beast and the woman, between the secular power that had supported the Papacy and the Papacy itself. This seems to have been already fulfilled. The temporal dominion of the popes, “ the states of the church,” has been taken from them, the powers of Europe have ceased to obey the popes, even the Catholic powers, such as France and Italy, have shut up monasteries and appropriated the overgrown possessions of the church to the uses of the state. The passages referred to imply that the Papacy will continue to exist after it has ceased to receive the support of the secular power, since the woman still lives after the support of the beast is withdrawn

“THE BOOK OF "

Chapter Seventeen This is a key chapter, for the mystery of the great harlot and the beast is explained, and one’s understanding of this chapter will affect their interpretation of the rest of the book.

John is carried away into the wilderness where he is shown the great harlot “Babylon”, with whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication and the inhabitants of the earth were drunk with the wine of her fornication. She is seen sitting on a scarlet beast with seven heads and ten horns. She is dressed in purple and scarlet, adorned with gold, precious stones and pearls. In her hand is a gold cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication. On her forehead is written:

MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE OF THE EARTH Seeing the woman drunk with the blood of the saints (Old Testament saints?) and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus, John marvels with great amazement (Revelation 17:1-6).

The angel then proceeds to tell John the mystery of the woman and the beast that carries her. He begins with the beast first, described as one who “was, is not, and is to come” (ESV). This beast will ascend out of the bottomless pit (cf. Revelation 11:7) and go to perdition (cf. Revelation 19:20). The seven heads of the beast represent seven mountains upon which the woman sits. There are seven kings, five of whom have fallen, one is, and the other has yet to come. The beast is then described as the eighth king, though of the seven. The ten horns represent ten kings who give their power and authority to the beast, make war against the Lamb, and eventually turn on the harlot herself. The harlot is finally described as that “great city” (cf. Revelation 14:8 Revelation 16:19) which reigns over the kings of the earth (Revelation 17:7-18).

As indicated in the introductory material, my understanding of this book focuses on the fact that John is given this revelation at a time when the beast “is not” (Revelation 17:8 Revelation 17:11). Whatever explanation one gives for the beast, it did not exist at the time of the Revelation! It had existed, and was to come, but at the time John was shown the vision, it “is not”.

One plausible explanation is that the seven (actually eight) kings represent Roman emperors, starting with Augustus. This would make Nero the fifth king, whose death in 68 A.D. left the empire in an uproar and may be the “deadly wound” referred to Revelation 13:3 Revelation 13:12 Revelation 13:14. Discounting Galba, Otho, and Vitellius whose insignificant reigns were short-lived during the turmoil, the sixth king (“one is”) would be Vespasian who restored order to the empire. This would make Titus the seventh emperor and Domitian the eighth. The beast that “was, and is not, and will ascend”(NKJV) therefore depicts the persecuting Roman emperor, seen first in the person of Nero (the beast who “was”) and later in the person of Domitian (the beast who “will ascend”). The ten kings who gave their power and authority to the beast appear to be vassal kings that supported the emperor in times of persecution.

The identity of the harlot is still an open question in my own mind. I used to lean toward the view that the harlot represents Jerusalem, often supported in her persecution of the church by the Roman empire but then destroyed herself by Rome in A.D. 70. It is interesting to compare such verses as Revelation 17:6 Revelation 18:20 Revelation 18:24 Revelation 19:2 with Jesus’ statements in Matthew 23:31-39. As foretold by Jesus in both Matthew and Revelation, God was about to avenge His apostles and prophets on this city “who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her” (Revelation 18:20; Matthew 23:37). I still believe that Jerusalem is the focus of chapters 6-11.

Many understand the harlot to represent the commercial and immoral spirit of Rome (not the literal city itself, for she was never destroyed as described in later chapters) which was instrumental in opposing the people of God. There is much to be said for this view. Revelation 17:2 Revelation 17:18; 18:3,9,11 certainly seem to fit Rome. I now lean toward this view in keeping with the main idea of Rome as the focus of chapters 13-19.

While the identity of the beast, the kings, and the harlot might be unclear in the minds of some, the outcome of the conflict described in this chapter is certain. In what may be described as the theme of this book, we are told that:

“These will make war with 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.” (Revelation 17:14) Comforting words indeed to those early Christians who were persecuted by both the Roman emperor and unbelieving Jerusalem!

POINTS TO PONDER

• The importance of this chapter in interpreting the book of Revelation

• That the beast “is not” when the Revelation was given to John

• The identity of the great harlot and the scarlet beast

OUTLINE I. THE SCARLET WOMAN AND THE SCARLET BEAST (Revelation 17:1-6) A. JOHN IS BY AN ANGEL (Revelation 17:1-2)1. One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls 2. Who offers to show him the judgment of the great harlot a. Which sits on many waters b. With whom kings of the earth have committed fornication c. With whom inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication

B. JOHN IS SHOWN THE SCARLET WOMAN ON THE SCARLET BEAST (Revelation 17:3-6)1. He is carried away by the angel in the Spirit into the wilderness 2. There he sees a woman sitting on a scarlet beast a. The scarlet beast

1. Full of names of blasphemy
2. Having seven heads and ten horns b. The woman
3. Arrayed in purple and scarlet
4. Adorned with gold, precious stones, and pearls
5. In her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication
6. On her forehead the name written: a) MYSTERY b) BABYLON THE GREAT c) THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE OF THE EARTH
7. Drunk with: a) The blood of the saints b) The blood of the martyrs of Jesus

3. He marveled with great amazement when he saw her

II. THE MYSTERY OF THE WOMAN AND BEAST (Revelation 17:7-18) A. THE ANGEL OFFERS TO EXPLAIN THE MYSTERY (Revelation 17:7)1. Asking John why he marveled 2. Saying that he will tell him the mystery a. Of the woman b. Of the beast with seven heads and ten horns that carries her

B. THE BEAST (Revelation 17:8-14)1. The beast that John saw: a. Was, is not, and will ascend out of the bottomless pit and go to perdition b. Will be marveled by those by those whose names are not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world when they see it 2. The mind which has wisdom: a. The seven heads are seven mountains upon which the woman sits b. There are also seven kings

1. Five have fallen, one is, the other has yet to come
2. When the seventh comes, he must continue a short time c. The beast that was, and is not, is himself the eighth
3. He is of the seven
4. He is going to perdition (destruction) d. The ten horns are ten kings
5. Who have received no kingdom as yet
6. But receive authority for one hour with the beast
7. Who are of one mind, and give their power and authority to the beast e. These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them
8. For He is Lord of lords and King of kings
9. Those with Him are called, chosen, and faithful

C. THE WOMAN (Revelation 17:15-18)1. The waters upon which she sits are peoples, multitudes, nations and tongues 2. The ten horns (ten kings) on the beast a. Will hate the harlot

1. Make her desolate
2. Eat her flesh and burn her with fire b. For God has put it into their hearts to fulfill His purpose
3. For them to be of one mind
4. To give their kingdom to the beast – Until the words of God are fulfilled

3. The woman John saw is that great city which reigns over the kings of the earth

REVIEW

1. What are the main points of this chapter?- The scarlet woman and the scarlet beast (Revelation 17:1-6)

• The mystery of the woman and the beast explained (Revelation 17:7-18)

2. What did the angel tell John he would be shown? (1)- The judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters

3. How does the angel describe this woman? (Revelation 17:2)- With whom the kings of the earth committed fornication

• The inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication

4. List the description of the woman as seen by John (Revelation 17:3-6)- Sitting on a scarlet beast with seven heads and ten horns, full of names of blasphemy

• Arrayed in purple and scarlet, adorned with gold, precious stones and pearls
• A golden cup in her hand, full of abominations the filthiness of her fornication
• Written on her forehead: “Mystery, Babylon the Great, the Mother of Harlots and of the Abominations of the Earth”
• Drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus

5. What was John’s reaction to seeing the woman? (Revelation 17:6)- Marveled with great amazement

6. What does the angel offer to tell John? (Revelation 17:7)- The mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her

7. How is the beast described? (Revelation 17:8)- He was, is not, and is to come

• He will ascend out of the bottomless pit and go to perdition
• Those whose names are not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world will marvel

8. What does the seven heads of the beast represent? (Revelation 17:9-10)- Seven mountains on which the woman sits

9. What is said of the seven kings? (Revelation 17:10)- Five have fallen, one is, and the other has not yet come

• When the seventh king comes, he must continue a short time

10. What is said of the beast that was and is not? (Revelation 17:11)- He will be the eighth king

• He is of the seven
• He is going to perdition

11. What do the ten horns represent? (Revelation 17:12)- Ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet

• Who receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast

12. What else is said of the ten kings and the beast? (Revelation 17:13-14)- The kings of are of one mind and will give their power and authority to the beast

• They will make war with the Lamb

13. Why will the Lamb overcome the beast and the ten kings? (Revelation 17:14)- He is Lord of lords and King of kings

• Those with Him are called, chosen, and faithful

14. What do the waters upon which the harlot sits represent? (Revelation 17:15)- Peoples, multitudes, nations, tongues

15. What will the ten horns (kings) do to the harlot? (Revelation 17:16)- Hate the harlot, make her desolate and naked, eat her flesh and burn her with fire

16. Why will they do this? (Revelation 17:17)- For God has put it into their hearts to fulfill His purpose and fulfill His words

17. How is the woman finally described? (Revelation 17:18)- That great city which reigns over the kings of the earth

Questions by E.M. Zerr On Revelation 17

1. Who came to John?
2. What did he do?
3. What was he going to sho,?
4. Where was she sitting?
5. Who had committed fornication with her?
6. How had inhabitants of the earth been affected? “\

Revelation 17:1

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.

Comments by Foy E. WallaceRev_17:1 Introduction. XTHE HARLOT WOMAN ON THE SCARLET BEAST(Chapter 17)The contents of this chapter comprised the announcement of the angel to reveal to John the judgment to have been passed upon the harlot city. Before performing the announcement, however, the angel carried John away into a wilderness for a visional description of this harlot. These remaining chapters of the apocalypse surrounded only two opposite figures–the old apostate Jerusalem in contrast with the New Jerusalem, the Victorious Church of Christ. The old Judaistic Jerusalem with all of her apostasies must have been removed in order for the New Jerusalem, the church–or kingdom of Christ–to have come into world-wide sway. Hence, symbolic Babylon the Harlot and figurative New Jerusalem, the Bride (the church), were the center of the remaining apocalypses. Later, John was transported in vision to a mountain where he was allowed to view the Bride, the wife of the Lamb (the church of Christ)–but before doing so, the first angel summoned the Seer in spirit to appropriate surroundings to reveal the identity and character of Babylon, the great, the mother of the harlots, and abominations of the earth, and to visualize the judgment that was to come upon her–for the destruction of the Harlot must precede the victory of the Bride. The seventeenth and eighteenth chapters must be considered as one–for the announced judgment upon the Harlot by the angel at the beginning of chapter seventeen was suspended by the vision of the Harlot; and another angel descended in chapter eighteen to explain the mystery of Babylon the great, and to reveal the judgment against her in the overthrow and destruction of the city which the Harlot represented. There are numerous reasons why the Harlot could not have been the city of Rome. It is stated in this chapter that the beast hated the Harlot. But the beast admittedly was the Roman Empire, and if Rome was the Harlot, the Roman Empire hated the city of Rome. The beast being the empire, the Harlot was of necessity some other than Rome. First: The hatred of the beast for the Harlot harmonized with the animosity of both the Roman Empire and of Rome, its capitol city, toward Jerusalem. Third: There was no basis for a symbol or an analogy in which Rome could have been depicted as having Second: The latter half of Revelation beginning with chapter twelve was recapitulatory of the first half ending with chapter eleven, under another and different set of symbols. In Revelation 11:8 the names Sodom and Egypt were symbolically applied to apostate Jerusalem, and thus identified by the descriptive clause where also our Lord was crucified. It was because of these apostasies and abominations that the symbolic name Babylon in Revelation 14:8 was applied to the fallen city of Jerusalem. become a harlot, for Rome never stood in the spiritual relation to God as a faithful city, turned to harlotry. The Harlot was a city once faithful to God, and only Jerusalem can fulfill the symbolic descriptions. Fourth: The apocalypse was not directly concerned with Rome, or the Roman Empire; rather, they were envisioned only as the instrument in the execution of judgment on Jerusalem, which in her multiplied apostasies had come to be symbolized as the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth, i. e. Judea and Palestine. All of this was in direct fulfillment of the things Jesus foretold in the twenty-third and twenty-fourth chapters of Matthew and the twenty-first chapter of Luke concerning the apostasies and abominations which would bring doom to the city of Jerusalem. For example read Matthew 23:34-37 : “Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city: that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar. Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation. 0 Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not !“The words of Stephen in denunciation of Jerusalem’s abominations in Acts 7:52-53 were predictive of this doom: “Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which showed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers: Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it.“The culmination of the Lord’s upbraidings and Stephen’s denunciation of Jerusalem were reached in John’s visions of Jerusalem as Sodom, Egypt and Babylon, with her abominations and harlotry. There are other such portents of the downfall and doom of Jerusalem in the discourses of Christ and in the apostolic epistles, all of which come within the scope of John’s visions. In chapter seventeen two chief figures were introduced: First, the old Jerusalem as the Harlot; and the persecuting power of Rome as the beast upon which the Harlot sat. Corollary to these two symbolic characters were the two judgments, one against the woman, the other against the beast in the form of the announced destruction of both. However, as the beast symbolized the Roman Empire, it was only as the persecuting instrument; hence, the destruction of the beast which should be accomplished was not the empire itself but the persecuting power which the beast embodied and personified. Seeing that chapters seventeen and eighteen deal with Jerusalem as the Harlot, and the persecuting power of the beast as the Roman Empire, the verses of the two chapters fall into an orderly sequence. (1) The harlot sitting upon the waters–Revelation 17:1-2.(2) The woman on the scarlet coloured beast–Revelation 17:3-8.(3) The great wonder comprehended–Revelation 17:9-11.(4) The coordination of the ten kings–Revelation 17:12-18.Verse 1.(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 14:8 Revelation 17 :l-6; 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.

Revelation 17:2

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 John saw.

Comments by Foy E. WallaceVerse 2.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.

Revelation 17:3

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.

Comments by Foy E. WallaceVerse 3. (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 sit upon 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.

Revelation 17:4

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.

Comments by Foy E. WallaceVerse 4.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.

Revelation 17:5

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.

Comments by Foy E. WallaceVerse 5.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 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.

Revelation 17:6

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.

Comments by Foy E. WallaceVerse 6.The woman was envisioned as drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus, in verse six. 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.

Revelation 17:7

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.

Comments by Foy E. WallaceVerse 7. 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.

Revelation 17:8

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.

Comments by Foy E. WallaceVerse 8.An element of the mystery in the code description of the beast, in verse eight, 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 Rev 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 among the 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.

Revelation 17:9

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.

Comments by Foy E. WallacVerse 9.(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.

Revelation 17:10

Revelation 17:10. In some previous verses and in verse 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.

Comments by Foy E. WallaceVerse 10.The seven kings of verse ten 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 full of misconcepts. 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.

Revelation 17:11

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.

Comments by Foy E. WallaceVerse 11.It is stated in verse eleven 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 verse eight, to which the reader may refer, concerning was, is not, and yet is.But verse eleven affirms the affinity and continuity of the imperial beasts. From the sixth to the seventh the vision was extended, in verse ten; and verse eleven 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.

Revelation 17:12

Revelation 17:12. These ten kings (or small kingdoms) are named at chapter 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.

Comments by Foy E. WallaceVerse 12.(4) The coordination of the ten kings–Revelation 17:12-18 :The ten kings of the beast in verse twelve 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.

Revelation 17:13

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).

Comments by Foy E. WallaceVerse 13.It is stated in verse thirteen 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.

Revelation 17:14

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.

Comments by Foy E. WallaceVerse 14.The vision in the preceding chapters of the great red dragon’s war against the Christ is continued in verse fourteen; 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

Revelation 17:15

Revelation 17:15. The angel now begins to give John the interpretation of the vision as was mentioned at verse 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.

Verse 15.It is repeated in verse fifteen 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.

Revelation 17:16

Revelation 17:16. The ten horns are the kings or kingdoms which are named in the comments at chapter 13:1. 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.”

Comments by Foy E. WallaceVerse 16.It is declared in verse sixteen 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.

Revelation 17:17

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.

Comments by Foy E. WallaceVerse 17.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,

Revelation 17:18

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.

Comments by Foy E. WallaceVerse 18. With verse eighteen 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 verse eighteen “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 Act 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 verse eighteen, “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.