Revelation 17 - The Harlot

Revelation 17 - The Harlot

(v1-6)  Vision of the Harlot

(v1-2) One of the angels who had the seven bowls came to John and ask him to follow him to see the judgement of the "great harlot" who sits on "many waters", with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication and the people on earth was made drunk with the wine of her fornication.   

"Seated on many waters" mean to have presence and relationships with other nations, either economically, politically, and perhaps religiously. 

(v3-4) John was carried in the Spirit into the wilderness, and he saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast which has full of names of blasphemy. The beast has seven heads and ten horns. The woman was wearing purple and scarlet, and adorn with gold and precious stones. Her hand was carrying a golden cup full of abomination and filthiness of her fornications.  

aminoapps.com

As we know, the beast with seven heads and ten horns, is the anti-Christ. (Rev 13:1)  The woman's dress showed that she is very rich. Purple color during that time has to be produced by sea snails. The process of extracting the dye was laborious and required a large number of snails, which made the color purple extremely expensive and thus associated with royalty and nobility.

(v5-6) On her forehead, a name was written:  

"MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH"  

The woman was drunk with the blood of God's holy people, those who bore testimony to Jesus. John was greatly astonished. 

The "Mother" of Harlots indicates that she gave "birth" to all other "harlots" around world, causing people to be enticed and tempted with the pleasure, money, and idol worship of material things. It could also mean that this nation is the worst compared to all other "harlots."   

Some say that the Harlot is Rome, as during John's time, Rome was also referred to Babylon. It had this nick name after the Roman empire destroyed Jerusalem and the temple. (See 1 Peter 5:13). Rome was also known as Edom, Kittim, and Egypt. At that time, Rome (i.e. the Roman empire) was killing Jews and Christians. Also the Romans destroyed the 2nd temple, mirroring what Babylon did to the first temple. (See Appendix for another theory)

However, John's prophecies is about the future; hence we cannot assume it is Rome. Rome is only symbolic of the harlot in the future. At the present, Rome does not have the power that they used to have. We don't know which city or nation has replaced Rome. It cannot be America as well, for it has not killed any Jews or Christians, and it is not "drunk with the blood of God's holy people".  Perhaps this phrase is in the future during the tribulation period, where many Jews and Christians will be matyred. 

Another likely alternative is that the "harlot" is not a specific city or nation,  but the our current world system that are corrupt and based on materialism. Since the system "sits on many waters", means that every nation is affected with this abomination. 

(v7-14)  Angel explained the Vision

In NIV, it said that John was "astonished" - perhaps this more accurate than the word "marveled."  The angel said to him, why are you astonished? Then he proceed to explain the mystery. 

(v7-11) Regrading the beast, it has seven heads and ten horns.  Here's the clarification:

a) It was "once was, now is not, and yet will come up out of the Abyss and go to its destruction". (v8a) This could be referring to the the Roman empire, who existed during John's day, but had disappeared. However a "new" Roman empire will come out again to support the anti-christ. The “abyss” is typically seen as a symbol of chaos or evil. It will come out again with the same spirit of evil. However, it's final fate will end up in destruction.

b) The "dwellers on earth whose names have not been written in the book of life" (v8b), will marvel when they see the miracle from the beast, and will end up following and worship him. As a non-Christian, they do not know what the Bible say about the antichrist. Christians who has studied the word will know that he is a deceiver. 

c) The seven heads represents seven mountains on which the woman is seated. It also represents seven kings, five of whom have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come, and when he does come he must remain only a little while. The beast is an eight but it belongs to the seven, and it goes to destruction.  

Most theologians associate the seven mountains to Rome, as Rome was built on seven hills. However the Greek word for "mountains" are really mountains, not hills.  Mountains usually represents strength and majesty, and may be referring to various empire or kingdoms. 

David Guzik explained that the seven mountains are the seven great kings:

• Five have fallen refers to the five world empires before John’s day: Egypt, Assyria, Babylonia, Medo-Persia, and Greece
• One is refers to the world empire of John’s day: Rome
• The other has not yet come refers to the one world empire to come: a revival of the Roman Empire, run by the "eight" king, i.e. the anti-Christ empire, whom will remain for a while and heads to destruction. 

(v12-13) The ten horns have no kingdoms yet, but they received authority for one hour as kings with the beast. 

That is, they do not exist during the time of John, but they could exist now. The anti-Christ will give them the authority to rule the world with him. 

In the past, scholars believe that the ten horns represent the ten Europeans powers. This was predicted in 1866 by Henry Alford, even when there were no European Union yet. In 1957, the six founding members of the EEC (Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands) signed the Treaty of Rome. This treaty established both the EEC and the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom). Overtime, the ECC expanded their scope and form the European Union in 1993. Today there are 27 countries in the EU.  Either 10 of those countries will support the antichrist in the war, or perhaps they are from other nations. 

(v14) These 10 nations and the anti-Christ will make war with the Lamb.  They are of the "same mind" and will give their power to the beast. (In other words, they will let the anti-Christ to lead the battle against Christ.) The Lamb will overcome them, for He is the Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful.  

This battle was describe in bowl 6 and 7 in Revelation 16. In Rev 16:14, the kings were influenced by  spirits of demons to gather together in Armageddon for the war. Nevertheless they will still loose the war against Christ.  

(v15-18) Anti-Christ Attacks The Harlot

(v15-16) The angel continue to say that the "waters" where the harlot sits, represent peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues. She was a great city that has dominion over the kings of the earth. However the ten kings and the anti-Christ hates the harlot, and made her desolate and naked, and eat her flesh and burn her with fire. 

Why would the ten nations and the beast war against the harlot, when the harlot was on their side at the beginning, serving the anti-Christ?  

To understand this, we need to know that the harlot of is part of the Babylon, as v5 said that the name of the harlot is "Babylon the great, mother of harlots and of the abomination of the earth" (NKJ). The harlot comes from Babylon. The harlot represents the religious/spiritual side and the rest of Babylon represent the economic/political side.  The clues in chapter 7, such as the harlot "committed sexual immorality" (v2), which often symbolizes idolatry or spiritual unfaithfulness. "A golden cup in her hand, will with abominable things..." (v4), representing idolatrous practices. "Drunk with the blood of God's Holy People", representing murdering believers. (We will discuss the rest of Babylon in Chapter 18.) 

Why did the 10 nations attack the "religious and spiritual" system? While the earthly religions are false, they all worship their own gods. However, the anti-Christ wants to be worshipped (see 2 Thess 2:4 and Rev 13:8.) At first, the anti-Christ used the religious systems (when the harlot was sitting on the beast) to get popularity. But in the middle of the seven year tribulation, he will "kill the harlot" and force everyone to worship him.  

Rev 13:19 said that the second beast (i.e. the false prophet) made an image of the anti-Christ that could speak, and those that refuse to worship will be killed. That's why the harlot, i.e. all religions, must be banned, and everyone is forced to worship the image of the anti-Christ. This mirrored what Rev 17:16 says that they hate the religious people, they take all the assets of the temples and churches, and they burn the buildings down. Many innocent Jews and  Christians (those who missed the rapture) will be killed at that time. 

Interestingly, the next verses in Chapter 13:16-18 speaks about the anti-Christ changing the financial/political policies - the other part of Babylon. (This will be discuss in Chapter 18.) In order to achieve his dominion, the anti-Christ need to control the religion and the financial system of the world. One Currency, One Religion, One god - which is himself. 

(v17)  v17 says "for God has put it into their (the 10 nations) hearts to carry out his purpose by being of one mind and handing over their royal power to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled."  

This shows that  God is always in control. The anti-Christ betrayal to the religious order is used as part of His plan to destroy the entire system - religious, economic, and political system - under His wrath in Chapter 18. 

(v18) Finally, John reminded us that the woman we read about is the great city that rules over the kings of the earth.

The word "city" may not mean a physical city. In the bible, cities often represents organized systems, such as political, economic, or religious systems. For example, Zion is the name the physical place in Jerusalem, but often used poetically in the Psalms and prophets to represent God's dwelling place of the faithful remnant. Galatians 4:26 says “But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother”, to compare it to the earthly "Jerusalem" that is bound by the old covenant.