Chapter 17
Verses 1-7 Read the Bible verses.
An angel called to John to come see the fallen Babylon. The city is called a harlot (prostitute).
In the Old Testament, when the Hebrew people worshipped idols and were not true to God–God said they were acting like a prostitute.
Israel, (the Jews, the Hebrews), left their true love of the true God. They loved other gods and idols. God compared that to a harlot.
In other places in the Old Testament, God compares his relationship to the Hebrews as one of husband and wife. The Jewish people were the wife. God was always true and faithful to the Hebrew people. But they were not true to him. They were like a wife who went to other “lovers”.
This city is called a harlot because of her spiritual behavior. This is a city who pretends to be holy and true to God, but has not be true to God at all. This city has done many things that are sinful. This city has killed many of the true believers in God.
This city is rich and has traded with nations around the world. The world loves this city. It is famous. It is an important city in the world.
This city has loved power and in loving power has done many evil things while still pretending to be a holy religious city.
This city “Babylon” has fallen (Rev. 14:8). In this chapter we see the details of that fall.
The city is described as a woman sitting on a scarlet(red) animal.
The scarlet animal had many curses against God in the names on it. The scarlet animal had 7 heads and 10 horns.
The woman had a purple and red robe with gold on it. It also had pearls and gems of different kinds. She held a gold cup. The cup was full of the terrible sins against God.
Her name was a mystery but the words were, “Babylon the Great, Mother of Harlots”.
The woman was drunk with the blood of many true believers in God that were killed.
John wondered when he saw her and her name. The angel said to John, “Why do you wonder. I’ll tell you who she is.”
The name “Babylon” comes from the Hebrew word “balal” which means “to confuse”. Babylon refers to the tower of babel in the Old Testament. That is where God confused the languages of the people.
The name Babylon used in the book of Revelation seems to refer to a world system.
This “Babylon” could be a religious system. This religious system has great power and has much control over the kingdoms.
Verses 8-11 Read the Bible verses.
The angel continues to explain:
The beast was alive. But is not alive now. But he will soon come up out of the bottomless pit and he will go to eternal destruction.
There is no clear meaning for this. People who study the Bible have different explanations for this verse.
There are 7 kings, 5 are fallen and 1 now is, and 1 is yet to come.
There have been 5 great empires in history: Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medes-Persia, Greek. At the time of John it was Rome. There is one yet to come.
In the book of Daniel, he saw a statue that stood for the empires of the world. All of those empires have ruled and have fallen.
The beast is the 8th king, he is one of the 7. This verse also does not have a clear meaning. Again, many Bible students have their ideas about it.
No doubt, when the time of the end arrives, people who read these verses will understand exactly what they mean.
The 7 heads are the 7 mountains on which the woman sits. Many Bible teachers have thought this will be the city of Rome. Rome is a city of 7 mountains.
Verses 12-14 Read the Bible verses.
The 10 horns refer to 10 kings or kingdoms. These kings have not been given their kingdoms yet. They will have great power for “one hour”–for a short time.
Daniel tells of 10 horns that come out of the 4th beast that he saw in a vision.
Three of the horns are torn out–they are forced to give up their power. Seven of the horns willingly give their power to the Anti-Christ. (Daniel 7:7-8)
Three of the kings will be forced to give up their kingdoms. Seven of the kings will willingly give up to the Anti-Christ.
They will have one mind and shall give their power to the beast.
They shall make war with the Lamb (Jesus) and the Lamb will win.
Verse 15 Read the Bible verse.
The “waters” are people, and nations”.
Verses 16-18 Read the Bible verses.
At some point during the reign of the Anti-Christ, the 10 kingdoms that follow him will come to hate the “harlot” –the religious system that has power during the days of the Anti-Christ.
It seems this religious system has great power over the kings and kingdoms. The kingdoms decide to stop her rule over them.
When these 10 kingdoms decide to put a stop to the world religious system, they are really carrying out God’s plan to punish this “harlot”.
This could happen at the time that the Anti-Christ, and the false prophet, decide to set up an image of the Anti-Christ in the temple in Jerusalem. He forces everyone to worship it.