Revelation 17 - The Harlot

 Revelation 17 - The Harlot

v1-6  Vision of the Harlot

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. (v1-2)  "Seated on many waters" mean to have presence and relationships with other nations, either economically, politically, and perhaps religiously. 

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. She was drunk with the blood of the saints. John was "marveled" with great amazement. (v3-4)

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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.

On her forehead, a name was written:  

"MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH" (v5)

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."   

Note that 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. Perhaps Rome came to John's mind, as they (the Roman empire) were killing Jews and Christian. However, today we consider "Babylon" as the world system that are corrupt and based on materialism, and that the harlot is possible Rome itself. 

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. 

Regrading the beast, it has seven heads and ten horns. (v7) 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. (v9-11)

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 the seven 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. 

d) 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 yet for John, but the anti-Christ will give them the authority to rule the world with him. (v12)

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. 

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. (v13-14)

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: Who is the Harlot? 

Some say the harlot is Rome, for at that time, Rome was the capital of the Roman empire and had been nick-named "Babylon" after they destroyed the second temple in 70AD. (As they mimic the Babylon that destroyed the first temple.) 

According to the commentary preceptaustin.org, it note the following:

"In addition, the notion that John’s audience would have understood the imagery of Revelation 17+ as referring to the topography of Rome seems strengthened by the discovery of the Dea Roma Coin minted in A.D. 71 in Asia Minor. One side of the coin contains the portrait of the emperor. The reverse side of the coin depicts Rome, a Roman pagan goddess, sitting on seven hills seated by the waters of the Tiber River. There are obvious similarities between the Dea Roma Coin and the imagery of Revelation 17+. In both cases, the goddess and the harlot are seated on seven hills and are seated either on or by the waters (Rev. 17:1+). In addition, the name of the goddess was thought by many Romans to be Amor, which is Roma spelled backwards. Amor was the goddess of love and sexuality. Thus, both the woman on the coin and the woman in Revelation 17+ represent harlotry (Rev. 17:5+). Furthermore, the coin equates Roma with the power of the Roman Empire, which was active in persecuting Christians of John’s day. The placement of Vespasian on one side of the coin and Roma on the other makes this connection. . . . The goddess is also pictured as holding a sword, which may depict Rome’s imperial power. This imagery parallels with the woman in Revelation 17+ who is said to be drunk with the blood of the saints [Rev. 17:6+]."

However, the author himself believe that the Harlot or Babylon is literally Babylon in it's original location, near Euphrates river, 85KM south of current day Baghdad, Iraq.  I find that difficult to believe as there is nothing there for more than a millennia, and it's difficult - or almost impossible - for that region to become one of the world leader again. 

In verse 6 it says that "the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of the martyrs of Jesus"  is probably prophecy about what will happen in the future tribulation period. However, the Roman Empire had a long history of killing Christians from first century to fourth century, from Nero to Valerian and others.  When the Rome emperor, Constantine, made Christianity their national religion in 380AD, the Roman Catholic Church viewed Judaism as a rival religion, and they force conversion, expulsion, or massacres of the Jews. 

The angel continued 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. (v15, 16, 18)

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

Personally, I think the Harlot represent the Catholic Church of the Vatican City. Vatican City is an independent state under Papal authority, located within Rome. The history of the Catholic Church met the description of v4-6, being rich and drunk with blood of the saints during the past history. They may have objected to what the anti-Christ have decided, perhaps to combine all religion into one global one, and to be led under that false prophet. They may also be against the anti-Christ's war against Israel. 

It also explains verse 17: "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."    They were willing to destroy Rome for its rebellion against the anti-Christ, to remove a barrier to his power in politics and religion. 

 

Q&A

1. Note

Revelation 16:17-21 has a summarized description Babylon’s fall. However, in Revelation 17 and 18, the fall of Babylon is carefully detailed.