[Revelation 17]
We hear a great deal about women in our society today. Rightly so. I look back in history and understand the obsession with equality. Since the earliest times and over many centuries women have been treated appallingly – oppressed and abused. Although Eve was made for Adam as a wife and the other half of mankind, things quickly deteriorated into the pattern of the pagans, including polygamy.
So God created man in His own image, in the image and likeness of God He created him; male and female He created them. (Genesis 1:27)
The promise of a great nation and many descendants came to Abraham and his wife Sarah. When they acted to “help” God’s plan along, the slave woman Hagar was humiliated and driven out of the household. God blessed Ishmael. He became a great nation and lived in hostility with his brother just as the prophecy over his life stated in Genesis 16:9-12.
The son of the promise still came to Sarah, the recognized wife of Abraham, as God promised.
God always honoured his institution of marriage. In the genealogy of Jesus Solomon is called the son of David by the wife of Uriah (Bathsheba). Throughout the Old Testament, women were treated as inferior to men, having no rights at all.
In spite of this, Biblical history is full of strong women, in political as well as spiritual leadership. It is a thrilling study to research the strong women of the ancient nations, like Deborah in the time of the Judges and Hulda, the prophetess in the time of Josiah. Take a closer look at Proverbs 31 and see an accomplished career woman with a husband and children who support and encourage her.
Jesus came to change all this. He acted liberally regarding women in society around the first century. The mere fact that he talked to a woman at Jacob’s well in Samaria must have been quite a story and enough for condemnation by the religious leaders. Many Pharisees were called the bleeding Pharisees. They were not allowed to even look at a woman passing by in the street. They would then, very piously, close their eyes and bump into walls and pillars, picking up scratches and bruises in the process.
Women played an important role in the life of Jesus and the early church. Priscilla was one of the leading theologians in the church as seen in Acts 19. Many scholars are of the opinion that she might have been the author of Hebrews and withheld her name for fear of discrimination about the fact that she was a female in leadership.
Many women followed Jesus. (Matthew 27:55) and cared for him. (Mark 15:41) The most important news of all time was told by women to the disciples – the news of the Resurrection of Jesus. At the time a woman was not even regarded as a trustworthy witness in a court of law. The Resurrection was the most dramatic news in all of history. God chose a woman to reveal himself to after she found the tomb empty.
Today we have the feminist movement active in the Western world. They rant and rave about every possible inequality. It is obvious that they work towards a society where women would take the lead as the stronger sex, refuting centuries of opinion to the opposite. In so many dramas and TV series, the women are the judges, advocates, doctors, government ministers and presidents, leading pathetic men who cannot make decisions without them.
Why can’t the strong women become the humble, wise male heroes of whom history and society are full? They act like the men we all hate – rigid and loud, shouting down opposition and violently dealing with it.
Here in Revelation is the ultimate woman of our nightmares. She is sitting on a scarlet beast, the colour of brothels, suggesting she is a harlot herself, deceiving with her female wiles.
The Scarlet Woman and the Scarlet Beast
17 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and talked with me, saying to me, “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters, 2 with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication.”
3 So he carried me away in the Spirit into the wilderness. And I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast which was full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. 4 The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication. 5 And on her forehead a name was written:
MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT,
THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS
AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS
OF THE EARTH.
6 I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. And when I saw her, I marveled with great amazement.
The Meaning of the Woman and the Beast
7 But the angel said to me, “Why did you marvel? I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and the ten horns.
Revelation 17:1-19:10 is a large interpretive snapshot of the sixth and seventh bowls which foretold the judgment of Babylon. This is followed by the last battle in which Christ ultimately triumphs.
The angel who interprets is the angel holding the seven bowls.
The phrase: She sits upon many waters denotes the confusion and chaos of the nations of the earth (17:15). It refers to Jeremiah 51:13 where the end is coming to the one who sits on many waters. Sitting speaks of sovereignty and a comfortable position of power. (3:21;4:2;5:1;14:14;18:7)
Acts of immorality are symbolic of religious and idolatrous acts within the demands of the ungodly earthly order. Such idolatry blinds people to the consequences of their acts, numbs them to the fear of judgment and deafens them to the voice of God calling them out for salvation. This verse is often interpreted as the economic and financial allure of the “harlot” – the worldly system. (Isaiah 23:17)
Babylon is the prevailing economic-religious system in alliance with the state and its related authorities as it exists in various forms throughout the ages.
John is in the Spirit in the wilderness – a prophetic commissioning. Compare the experiences and writings of Ezekiel (3:12,14,24; 11:1; 43:5). Also Isaiah (21:1) describes the wilderness as a terrifying land. John has visionary experiences in various places: earth (1:9-10); sea and earth (10:8ff); heaven (4:1); on the seashore (13:1); a mountain-top (21:9-10).
Isaiah 21:1 combines the desert and the sea – it is symbolic geography. Water is sometimes a metaphor for evil and deception. (In other scriptures water is symbolic of God’s provision and abundance. )The desert is not only an appropriate setting for the judgment of Babylon but also a place of spiritual security and detachment from the world’s dangers. John sees more clearly in the desert setting than in the confusion of an idolatrous city.
Seven heads – completeness and ten horns – worldwide authority. The wording alludes to Daniel 7:3-7,20,24.
Blasphemous names are the beast’s false claims of universal sovereignty of this ungodly world as it works with the state socially, culturally and economically to persecute Christians.
The harlot is clothed in royal colours, attractive and authoritative. She is bedecked in jewels, gold and pearls, suggesting money and luxury, symbolic of the allure of riches. She looked very attractive – even John was stricken with wonder (17:6). She is clothed in all the products of trade – a prosperous commercial system.
Babylon was built on the Euphrates river and is the symbol of all evil and sin. The nations are drunk with her wine, suggesting they want more and more. (Jeremiah 51:7) Money, sex and power rule the world in its many manifestations on many levels of life. (1 Corinthians 10:19-20)
She rules in the desert with no possibility of a harvest or fruit, just hunger and thirst. Her name is a secret. She is worshipped by so many who do not even know they are bowing down to her rule. Sin can be a variety of things and even very unique and secretive – known to only those involved.
The people are bedazzled by evil (17:8). Evil should be identified and rejected. It is a beast that is not always easy to see clearly. (Isaiah 1:15-23; Jeremiah 3:34) We need the wisdom of Jesus and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit to discern and resist. The angel had to tell John the secret meaning of the woman. Sin does not look like sin! You need insight and warning.
The golden cup is mentioned in Jeremiah 51:7 as a symbol of power.
Babylon was a golden cup in the Lord’s hand, that made all the earth drunk. The nations drank her wine; therefore the nations are deranged.
She had a name on her forehead (17:5)
MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
Rome’s prostitutes had a frontlet with their names. Today the pimps have their sign tattooed on sex slaves. Even the wife of Claudius, an emperor of Rome, Messalina, served in the brothels of Rome for money.
In revelation a person’s name reveals character and relationship to God (7:3; 14:1) or to the beast (13:16; 14:9).
Babylon the great – Daniel 4:30 – an expression of Nebuchadnezzar’s power.
Into this horror, Christianity was born and men converted to chastity as opposed to instant and always available sexual pleasure. Disciplined moral behaviour is a miracle of the Cross. Secular society has not changed much. Our community is permissive and evil and the church can only stay standing in the power of the Cross.
The word “mystery” is part of the name. It serves as a prefix which tells us that the name is not literal, but symbolical. It refers to the hidden counsel of God now revealed to his servants to recognize the evil and temptation.
For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. (2 Thessalonians 2:7)
Additional titles – mother of harlots and the abomination of the earth indicate a central role in sin. She is in the desert as well as the city (18:10) to contrast and compare to the Bride in the desert and who is called a city. (19:7-8; 21:2,10) even the description compares (the Bride and the harlot) in 17:1 and 21:9-11.
And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, having the glory of God. Her light was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal.
She is drunk with the blood of the saints – the cruel spirit of hounding and harassment marked pagan Rome. She is always set on destroying the church with merciless persecution throughout the centuries. The persecution is not always killing the saints physically, but also to tempt them to compromise and deliver them to the biased judges and the failures of sin in this world. The blood of the saints is symbolic of all suffering of the saints in a cursed earth.
John’s wonder is shocked to see the guise of religion and faithful figures almost identical to the Bride that deceives and appeal to tempt and mislead the saints. He is fearful and perplexed. (Daniel 4:19) The angel rebukes John for admiring (he is briefly captivated by) the woman – she is very attractive. The angel is direct in his warnings – 19:10 and 22:9. The harlot is described in the terms of Jezebel and John needs divine insight to pierce through the ambiguous appearance of the woman.
The woman sits on the beast of blasphemy and idolatry and it happens when her power and her allure are called salvation. So many seek redemption in the idols of money, power, sex and even sacrifice children to it.
8 The beast that you saw was, and is not, and will ascend out of the bottomless pit and go to perdition. And those who dwell on the earth will marvel, whose names are not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world, when they see the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.
9 “Here is the mind which has wisdom: The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits. 10 There are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, and the other has not yet come. And when he comes, he must continue a short time. 11 The beast that was, and is not, is himself also the eighth, and is of the seven, and is going to perdition.
12 “The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast. 13 These are of one mind, and they will give their power and authority to the beast. 14 These will make war with the 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.”
15 Then he said to me, “The waters which you saw, where the harlot sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues. 16 And the ten horns which you saw on the beast, these will hate the harlot, make her desolate and naked, eat her flesh and burn her with fire. 17 For God has put it into their hearts to fulfill His purpose, to be of one mind, and to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled. 18 And the woman whom you saw is that great city which reigns over the kings of the earth.”
The angel describes the beast as the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.
In the victory of Christ the beast that was, in other words that had in successive ages been seen in the great world-powers, is slain, or, as the angel expresses it, is not. He is not refers to the defeat delivered to him by Christ on the Cross. But though he is not, he will show signs of vitality. He will rise into temporary power. Daniel 7 talks about the beasts that rise from the sea and the earth but then go on to destruction. His aim is to stamp out the entire Church.
He shall come up out of the abyss. The march of his power, however, is only a march to perdition. He will be utterly destroyed (17:8)
Names written in the book of life – secured of salvation, filled with the Holy Spirit and insight into the strategy of the beast. A mind of wisdom – gift of the Holy Spirit. (1 Corinthians 12: 8)
The seven mountains mentioned in 17:9 are the “mountains” of society as a whole and has been identified by some scholars as Religion, Family, Education, Government, the Media, the Arts and Business. It suggests complete control of the beast over society. Mountains can refer to kingdoms – the various forms in which the beast reigns over society. (Isaiah 2:2; Jermiah 51:25; Ezekiel 35:3; Daniel 2:35,45; Zechariah 4:7)
Seven or seventh occurs 45 times outside this chapter in Revelation. It is symbolic of the fullness of power.
For us, the mountains will dance – rejoice, Church of the living Christ!
“For you shall go out with joy, and be led out with peace;
The mountains and the hills shall break forth into singing before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. (Isaiah 55: 12)
Kings that have fallen could be Rome and subsequent empires – kings throughout history. Seven kings depict a complete number of persecuting forces.
The other is yet to come – Kingdoms have come and gone as human governments – all the agents of the beast in any generation. There will be a full sequence of oppressive rulers.
Remain a little while – refers to the end of time to be decided by God. The beast will not be able to establish an enduring kingdom. He is limited by time in contrast to God Who is eternal and outside time.
Sin was often symbolized by cities like Nineveh in Nahum 3:4, Tyre in Isaiah 23:16-17 and even Jerusalem in Isaiah 1:21 and Ezekiel 16:15. Hosea’s life is a metaphor for the fornication of God’s people with a harlot and God’s unfailing love to win them back.
The desert is a place of visions for so many faith heroes like Moses, Elijah, John the Baptist and Jesus. It suggests distance from the city of confusion, with silence, focus and protection. When we find ourselves in the desert of the rule of the harlot, our God is there to make rivers and pathways in the wilderness. Our provision is at the table set before us and in the face of our enemies, in the valley of the shadow of death (Psalms 23).
The beast is on the way to destruction (17:11). He is on the losing side. We have hope for deliverance from the Creator and His creation.
For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. (Romans 8:19)
He is the eighth – symbolic of new beginning – Christ has risen on the “eighth” day as depicted by the early Church. Again a mimicry of the resurrection and John’s warning not to be deceived by false teaching and a fuller embodiment of satanic power.
The Lamb will conquer and those loyal to the Lamb with Him. The church will share His victory (17:14) Victory comes by the Cross and the Crown of Jesus.
The beast is no match for the Church – he is defeated and the only people who know this are the redeemed. We are the decisive opposition for the beast in the earth.
The one hour mentioned in 17:12 denotes, according to some scholars, the time of the bloody struggle within Rome during the civil war of June 68AD – December 69AD. Hour (Daniel 8-12) refers to the final eschatological hour of history when the saints are persecuted, the forces of evil destroyed and the saints are rewarded. (Daniel 8:17,19; 11:35, 40, 45; 12:1)
Will eat her flesh – like Jezebel. (2 Kings 9:36) The false prophetess is linked to the harlot.
The content of the false teachings to the church in Thyatira was an expression of the Babylonian system’s worldly ideas with a veneer of Christian sounding language. This is the core of compromise – when things sound right. The call is to come out of her – Isaiah 48:20; 52:11; Jeremiah 50:8; 51:6.
This image is built on Jeremiah 2:20-4:31. Judah is a harlot with the name on the forehead and causes sin in others, on whose skirts are found the lifeblood of the innocent. Dressed in scarlet, adorned with jewellery, her lovers despise her and will try to kill her.
Apostate Israel of the first and following centuries also composes Babylon. Nevertheless, unbelieving Israel’s partial inclusion in Babylon also accounts for some allusions from the OT about Israel as a harlot and her impending judgement. Furthermore, apostate Israel performed her share of persecution together with past and present pagan oppressors of the faithful remnant. (Matthew 21:33-42; 23:29-35; Acts 7:51-52; 13:45; 14:21; 1 Thessalonians 2:14-16)
That said, it is logical to infer that Babylon refers to the apostate Israel, the pagan worldly system and the apostate church which co-operates with it to live according to the corrupt economic-religious system.
The beast and the kings overthrow Babylon – enemies of the true Church become enemies of each other to fulfill God’s Plan. An evil kingdom battling itself and destroying its infrastructure, like a civil war. (17:16)
The harlot will be devoured by fire. It is the same punishment prescribed for the daughter of the priest who has been found guilty of sexual immorality (Leviticus 21:9). Her own lovers will turn against her. There is no loyalty in evil; no honour amongst thieves.
The purposes of God are active and victorious even if it looks like the purposes of earthly kings and evil. God is always working for the good of mankind. (Romans 28:8 and Nehemiah 13:2.) These scriptures are pillars of encouragement to be remembered in all trials and tribulation.
The last verses of this chapter (17:14-18) are a summary of the message of Revelation.
For God has put it into their hearts to fulfill His purpose, to be of one mind, and to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled. (17:17)
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