The Great Empire of Babylon (so the people can relate).  A symbol of civilized humanity outside of God.  There are three sections to this portion of the judgment:

 

• John sees the woman
• He gets an explanation of her significance
• He is informed of her punishment

 

17:1-6 - The woman is of great earthly splendor – and exceedingly evil

           

• She is opposed to the people of God
• She stands in contrast to the woman in Ch. 12 and the Bride –Ch. 21&22

 

1     - John is commanded by the Angel to come – see this judgment

--    The Great prostitute is enticing – Glittery and intriguing –

--    Her intent is to seduce people away from God to evil –

--    Will she cause people to break their rightful allegiance?

--    She is enticing believers to commit adultery against God!

--    To John, her glamour hides her true intent – she is evil!

--    We are the Bride of Christ – O.T. – The Bride of God!

--    Sin is adultery and a sin against love.

--    However, here – Fornication, Prostitution not adultery – not married – but secular - not talking about believers.

--    She sits over many waters!  Many nations – many people – all civilizations

- Streams or rivers to symbolize people (Is. 8:7-8, 23:10, Jer. 46:7, 47:2, Ez. 29:10)

- A world Empire exercising dominion over many subject nations.

 

2.   “The Kings of the Earth” – John sees as fornication/adultery with this prostitute – joined in sin against God!

--    “Sexual immortality/fornication” –joined themselves to – aligned with

--    “Intoxicating drink” – Drunk with the sin – sin is intoxicating

--    A spread of sin –not just the kings – but to “those on the earth”.

 

3.   A Switch in Focus – Perspective—John is carried “In the Spirit”

--          “Into the/a wilderness” – where the people of God are safe - wilderness is a good place of provision and protection.

- opposite (spiritually) from the Great City — (Evil)

--          John ‘sees’ the woman now! – On the ‘red’ beast/dragon (13:1)

--          Change – sitting on many waters – now sitting on a red beast

- Ok -- John changes often—he has another thought to relay.

--          This beast is full of Blasphemy against God—completely.

--          Seven Heads and Ten Horns – Ten = Power (of Sin & Evil)

            Seven Wholeness/Unity

-Very difficult to defeat this evil power – only God can

 

4.         The Woman arrayed in purple & scarlet – very affluent – splendor – and magnificence – difficult to get these dyes – only the rich can – and lavish use of precious metals as adornment –

--          She holds a golden cup (attractive & desirable – good things)

·         But it contains detestable abominations – the lure

is effective

·         The result is evil – she is seducing people away from God

·         Sex is alluring and a powerful delusion—enticing many - using sex as a symbol.

 

5.         “And on Her Forehead” – A common example of Alliance”

·         God’s people sealed on the forehead – Evil people bare the Mark on their Forehead

·         Here – The Woman exposed by a name on the forehead

·         “Mystery” – Her true Name (Character) will not be very obvious

o   It is a Cryptic Name – with secret meaning

·         It is only by Revelation from God that we know the story

·         “Babylon”—the Great City – “The Mother of Prostitutes”

o   She spawns further evil like herself – Prostitutes!

·         Not exaggerated – A picture of 1^st C. Rome & its practices

 

6. (Is. 34:5, 7) “Drunk with the wine of the blood of the saints”

--She had slain great numbers of saints – not only a few!

-- She enjoyed every moment of the process – saints

-- “Martyrs” – is emphasized – “witnesses” – guilt on the harlot

-- John reveals the true nature of the Roman Empire!

 

Rev. 17:7-14 – the Significance of the Woman & the Beast

7.         --          The meaning of this vision – John marveled!

--          The Beast is more important than the woman here!

--          Divine Revelation – “I will show you “– one mystery –

            --          Focus on the Beast – 7 heads & 10 horns – one mystery!

--          The angel asks John why he wonders – The mystery will be revealed – that’s what this is all about (revelation).

--          The woman and the beast – really one mystery

 

8.         --          The beast – first explained – most important of the two sometimes kingdom/sometimes ruler

--          Difficult section to understand – beast =

Sometimes ruler

--          Beast = the Primary Henchman of Satan (Dragon) – works in different ways

--          “Once was, now is not…” contrast – (1:14 &13:8) – wounded but recovered – a thought –

·                     Nero once was – died & is not – next, in Domician – Nero is again alive in action and worse than before

·                                             Suffered a mortal wound and then recovered – Nero all over again?

·                     Maybe he was and is no longer – but “ will come up out of the Abyss “

·                     He will join the fight against God – but will be defeated – destroyed

·                     Evil will be overthrown and destroyed by God!   A certainty

·                                             Will not seem this way to the “inhabitants of the Earth”- unbelievers

--Those “not written in the Book of Life”

·                     They will be astonished at the Beast’s come-back

·                                             The Beast will use this to play with the minds of the people.

 

9.         --          Only a “Mind with Wisdom “can figure this out – not obvious truth

--          Identifies the woman with Rome – the 7 Hills of Rome (well known).

--          Just as “The Great City” is Every City & no city, so the seven hills is Rome and beyond Rome – civilization (apart from God) – the world – all other than God’s people. (Connection to their understanding (eternal truth)  and out into the future)

--          Babylon – the center of the world of seduction.

- The harlot (Babylon) is always opposed to the

Bride (New Jerusalem)

--          1^st Century Babylon = Rome (for John’s readers) –

                        Center of Blasphemy, everything opposed to God Almighty

--          7 Hills and 7 Kings (Rulers) – Focus shifts to these next …

 

10.       --          5 Rulers have fallen (died) – out of the picture,

1 is currently reigning – 1 is yet to take office (future)

            --          3 views - - - - 1. Actual Emperors of Rome – Then:  Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius, Nero, Guava, Vestavia, and Titus (short Reign).

            2.  7 world Empires – Old Babylonian, Assyrian, New Babylonian, Mede-Persian, Graeco-Mecedonian – 1 is: current – Roman Empire – 1 Future: All Anti-Christian Governments from Roman Empire end to Future Reign of Antichrist Kingdom.  (The 8^th is of the 7)

            3.  Use of number 7 – symbolically – 7 = perfection – unity

            --          Historic Power of Roman Empire as a Whole

--          Look at 7 in Relation to the Whole as Perfected (complete)

--          5 Have passed – 1 is - John is writing during this time before

            the climax (6^th Trumpet & 6^th Bowl) – 1 Future – Final

 

11.       The Beast (one was/now is not) – Who is this – Many say

Domician. (If we reject Galba)

           

--          Domician – Brutal – very like Nero – Good connection-- Nero all over again

            --          Tough to fit all the pieces together smoothly

            --          Symbolic view – the 8^th is antichrist power

                        (Claims to be someone special, but really just

                        one of the seven)

--          7 are heads of “The Beast” – evil power and                                                      influence

--          Beast = source of evil manifested in the 7 heads

(Whether Kings, Empires, or Symbols) It all Makes Sense!

                        He is each of them, and He is the 8^th – the source - It's all ONE mystery and one beast - evil

 

--          John’s focus is not on a positive identification but on Destiny

--          The Beast – the 8^th – “is going to his destruction.” AMEN!

 

12.       --          10 Horns = 10 Kings (Dan.7:24) (Emperors? NG)

--          They have not yet received a Kingdom (Future Dominion)

            --          Different from the light (7 heads +1)

            --          Horns = Power         10=Completeness - could be symbolic

--          Not the “Kings of the Earth” – These 10 Hate the Harlot

--          They are Antichrist Helpers – Complete Evil Power to help

--          Reign for One Hour – Very Short Time in Power Authority (in God’s Time Perspective) may be long and terrible to us

--          They receive from the dragon, authority along with the beast – they don’t reign alone or in their own power – but together with the beast

 

13.       --          They have one purpose (same purpose as the Beast)

                        Not independent

·         They give their power/authority willingly to the beast

 

14.       --          They  (plural - minions) -  wage war against the Lamb – (Singular)

--          No contest – Jesus is All-Powerful – Lord of lords  & King of kings

--          He is victorious and easily overcomes them (all evil)

--          The people of God – chosen & faithful followers are with him

(they don’t fight – they just share his victory)

--          Jesus only fights (has fought and already won) by His death & resurrection - no battle takes place here - it's already done (It is finished.)

--          We are victorious because he is/was victorious

 

Rev. 17:15-18

 

15.    --         This section deals with the disunity of evil powers – never united

·         And the certainty of God’s words being fulfilled

--          “The waters” – on which the harlot sits = peoples/multitudes and nations.

·         She has a huge Empire - all evil of the world forever

 

16.       Evil is always self-destructive – no matter what it seems like.

·         They act in hatred and jealousy – doomed to fail

--          Hatred ensues between the 10 horns and the Prostitute –

--          They bring her to humiliation and ruin (naked & burned/fire)

--          She will be embarrassed and ultimately destroyed.

 

17.    Whatever agreement these evil forces have together – is put there by God to carried out his will & plan. 

--          The harlot’s doom is from God – so—they stay united in this task.

(God caused  them to agree and accomplish this)

--          Once complete—they give their power to the Beast.

--          This is all part of Gods master plan – His words will be fulfilled

--          The Beast may defeat his own supporters (Harlot) – but will never defeat God Almighty !

 

18.       The woman is now revealed --  “The Great City”

All of civilized humanity apart from God

--          She is a Great City – and – She rules  over  “Kings of the Earth”

--          In John’s Day – She is Rome – But …

--          End Times – It is humanity in organized community apart from God