Revelation 17 Studies

For those who may wish to ‘study’ this chapter, the following simple resources are provided for you. Each chapter is divided into a number of studies and each study or passage has a simple four-Part, verse-by-verse approach, to help you take in and think further about what you have read.

Passage: Rev 17:1-6

1 One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, ‘Come, I will show you the punishment of the great prostitute, who sits by many waters. 2 With her the kings of the earth committed adultery, and the inhabitants of the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her adulteries.’

3 Then the angel carried me away in the Spirit into a desert. There I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns. 4 The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and was glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls. She held a golden cup in her hand, filled with abominable things and the filth of her adulteries. 5 The name written on her forehead was a mystery:

babylon the great

the mother of prostitutes

and of the abominations of the earth.

6 I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of God’s holy people, the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus. When I saw her, I was greatly astonished.

A. Find Out:    

1. What is to be shown? v.1
2. What have kings and people done with her? v.2
3. Where did the Spirit carry John? v.3a
4. Who was there and how is she described? v.3-5
5. What has she in her hand and what has she done? v.4b,6
6. On what does she sit? v.3b

B. Think:

1. What do prostitutes and adulterers do?
2. What is the inference therefore about Babylon?
3. How would you describe this “being”?

C. Comment:

     From its earliest days the city of Babylon was known as a centre of idol worship and man-centred activity (see Nebuchadnezzar for example in “Daniel’s Story” in this series). In verse 5 “Babylon the Great”, must be a city or, more likely, a godless and humanistic system of thinking, commerce or rule in the world. “She” sits on many waters (v.1c), is across the nations of the world, but is seen in reality to be in a dry, arid and lifeless place (v.3a).

     First “she” is referred to as a prostitute and an adulterer. Now both these sorts of people sell or give themselves to other people for illicit purposes, purposes contrary to the will of God. This great system or ideology has mingled with all the godless aspects of the world and has encouraged all the inhabitants of the world to do the same. “She” is dressed up and gaudy, she has made herself look good in the eyes of the world but all she has been involved in has been evil, unclean and against the work of God, and has even killed many Christians. It sits on, or is supported by a beast that has the same number of heads and horns as Satan (12:3) and his beast from the sea (13:1), so it is supported by a demonically inspired confederation.

D. Application:

1. Godlessness has its origin with Satan and the powers of darkness.
2. Their aim is to destroy the people of God and rebel against God Himself,  yet they will be defeated by Him!

Passage: Rev 17:7-18

7 Then the angel said to me: ‘Why are you astonished? I will explain to you the mystery of the woman and of the beast she rides, which has the seven heads and ten horns. 8 The beast, which you saw, once was, now is not, and yet will come up out of the Abyss and go to its destruction. The inhabitants of the earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the creation of the world will be astonished when they see the beast, because it once was, now is not, and yet will come.

9 ‘This calls for a mind with wisdom. The seven heads are seven hills on which the woman sits. 10 They are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come; but when he does come, he must remain for only a little while. 11 The beast who once was, and now is not, is an eighth king. He belongs to the seven and is going to his destruction.

12 ‘The ten horns you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but who for one hour will receive authority as kings along with the beast. 13 They have one purpose and will give their power and authority to the beast. 14 They will wage war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will triumph over them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings – and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers.’

15 Then the angel said to me, ‘The waters you saw, where the prostitute sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations and languages. 16 The beast and the ten horns you saw will hate the prostitute. They will bring her to ruin and leave her naked; they will eat her flesh and burn her with fire. 17 For God has put it into their hearts to accomplish his purpose by agreeing to hand over to the beast their royal authority, until God’s words are fulfilled. 18 The woman you saw is the great city that rules over the kings of the earth.’

A. Find Out:

1. How is the beast described? v.8,11
2. What are the seven heads? v.9,10
3. Who are the horns and what is their aim? v.12,13
4. What will they do and with what result? v.14
5. What will be the relationship of beast to woman? v.16
6. Why? v.17

B. Think:

1. What is the clear aim of beast shown here?
2. Which appears more significant, beast or woman in this passage?

C. Comment:

     A difficult and complex passage! Let’s pick out essentials. Most space is given to the beast which appears to make use of the woman for its own purposes, to war against Jesus and His people. It appears that the beast is a confederation or alliance of groups or leaders that has been seen in the past and will be seen again in the future, indicating more about their nature than specific personages. “Hills” may simply be raised-up-places of rule, not necessarily in one geographical location in the world, but spread around the world. The “city” which is the woman (v.18) is more likely to be a world-wide grouping of people (we now live in a global communication village and individual cities have lost their individual importance).

     Reference to a “king” is more likely to refer to a rulership, meaning a body or group rather than a single individual. Increasingly the symbolic pictures seem to indicate corporate world-wide activity where groups operate together and we would do well to watch more at this level for these things to be fulfilled (yet time and the Lord alone know the truth of these things).

D. Application:

1. Men grouping together seem more prone to the foolish belief that they are greater than God!
2. Such men are prone to being deceived and led by Satan and work for what they believe are their own ends, but in reality are Satan’s own ends. As such they will be destroyed.