Revelation 17: Babylon described

• v.1-2 Invitation to watch
• v.3-7 The Woman Babylon
• v.8-13 Explanation
• v.14-18 Her End decreed

v.1-2 Invitation to watch

v.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.

v.2 With her the kings of the earth committed adultery, and the inhabitants of the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her adulteries.”

[Note: The punishment of a spiritual(?) adulterer, this being who has led the earth astray.]

v.3-7 The Woman Babylon

v.3 Then the angel carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness. There I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns.

v.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.

v.5 The name written on her forehead was a mystery: Babylon the great the mother of prostitutes and of the abominations of the earth.

v.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.

v.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.

[Note: A woman on a beast is the focus, she is ‘dressed up’ and she is named as Babylon. She has killed many believers and the angel offers an explanation.]

v.8-13 Explanation

v.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.

v.9 “This calls for a mind with wisdom. The seven heads are seven hills on which the woman sits.

v.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.

v.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.

v.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.

v.13 They have one purpose and will give their power and authority to the beast.

[Note: This ‘died & resurrected’ beast comes from the Pit and is clearly demonic and leads astray unbelievers. The woman resides in a seven-hilled city ?Rome? The ‘died & resurrected’ element is to do with its heads – ?world leaders or nations. This beast is a ruler and it will be helped temporarily by ten other kings and they entirely support the beast.]

v.14-18 Her End decreed

v.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.”

v.15 Then the angel said to me, “The waters you saw, where the prostitute sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations and languages.

v.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.

v.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.

v.18 The woman you saw is the great city that rules over the kings of the earth.”

[Note: They will be defeated by the Son of God for she impacts all people of the earth, yet the beast & the leaders hate her dominance, but God has decreed the kings will prevail over the beast on whom she sits. The ‘woman’ is a mighty metropolis.]

[Additional Note/Summary: This chapter is all about powers, demonic & human. The ‘woman’ described as a prostitute sells herself and her false anti-God beliefs and sways the world population to agree to her thinking and ways. She is carried by the ‘demonic power’ known as the (first) Beast, initially manifest in seven kings but eventually in one ‘supremo’. She exalts herself and kills God’s people. Although finally described as a great city, the seven hills may well be symbolic of human administration that initially submits to her but eventually turns on her to destroy her.]     

Additional Note: The Beasts of Revelation: As this word occurs again in the chapter, we remind ourselves of their wider usage as we suggested previously, ‘entities’ (it seems it is more than a single being and may be more a philosophy or demonic way of looking at things).

• “The Beast from the Abyss will emerge and fight them, conquer, and kill them.” (Rev 7:11)
• “I saw a Beast rising from the sea.” (Rev 13:1)
• “I saw another Beast rising out of the ground.” (Rev 13:11)
• “I saw a woman mounted on a Scarlet Beast.” (Rev 17:3)

For those who may wish to make a study of this chapter, to perhaps think some more about what you have been reading, use the link below: