Bible Studies
We will continue the verse-by-verse study of Rev. 14:6-19:21 here in Part 5, starting with Rev. 17:3.
(3) and he carried me away in the Spirit [cf. Rev. 1:10; 4:2; and 21:10] into a wilderness; and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast, full of blasphemous names, having seven heads and ten horns. [[The "beast" is the "world kingdom," with the seven heads referring to the seven "world kingdoms" of the Bible (Egyptian, Assyrian, Babylonian, Medo-Persian, Greek, Roman, and revived Roman). On the seven heads, see Rev. 12:3; 13:1; and 17:7, 9-11. Daniel chapters 2 and 7 (which are discussed in detail in my book, "The Mid-Week Rapture") set the stage to understand the seven "world kingdoms." Revelation 12:3 is a very important cross-reference; for one thing, it shows that the devil is behind the kingdom of the world throughout its history. The "red" of Rev. 12:3 apparently equals the "scarlet (red)" of Rev. 17:3. This color apparently relates to the blood shed by this beast throughout its history, especially the innocent blood of God's faithful servants.
The "woman" is Babylon, the great harlot. The fact that the woman is sitting on the beast (and is carried by it [Rev. 17:7; cf. 17:2, 18; and 18:3, 9]) shows that she, at least in some ways, and to some extent, influences and controls the beast (through such things as false religions, occult powers, and the influence and power of her riches, commerce, etc.). She sits on the beast, however, only until the time when, in the plan of God, the last ruler of the "world kingdom," Antichrist (with the ten horns), totally destroys the woman. (See Rev. 17:16, 17.)
The ten horns refer to the rulers of the ten nations of the revived Roman Empire (see Dan. 7:7, 8, 20, 24; Rev. 12:3; 13:1; and 17:7, 12-17). On the "blasphemous names," cf. Rev. 13:1. This blasphemy has continued throughout the history of the beast - Rev. 12:3 is sufficient to explain this fact (the devil is fully behind this beast) - but the blasphemy during the reign of Antichrist (starting to some extent with the abomination of desolation, but receiving a gigantic boost when he begins his super-evil reign in the middle of Daniel's 70th week [cf., e.g., Rev. 13:2, 5-8]), will rise to unprecedented levels.]] (4) And the woman was clothed in purple and scarlet [Compare Jer. 4:30. On "scarlet," cf. Rev. 17:3. The purple and scarlet dyes used in the ancient world were quite expensive and reserved for those with money and influence.], and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a gold cup [This deceptive woman and cup look good on the outside, but....] full of abominations and of the unclean things of her immorality [[Compare Rev. 18:6. Satan makes the woman as appealing as possible to draw mankind to her (and through her, and through the beast that carries her, to himself). One thing this harlot clearly uses to seduce mankind is riches and the things of this world that money can buy. (If mankind wasn't fallen, deceived, and seduced, it would be obvious that such things can never serve as an adequate substitute for God.) We can see this in the clothes and jewelry of the harlot and in the teaching of Revelation chapter 18. Compare, for example, 1 Tim. 6:5-11 (I'll quote 6:9-11, "But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction. (10) For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith, and pierced themselves with many a pang. (11) But flee from these things, you man of God; and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness."); 1 John 2:15-17 ("Do not love the world, nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. [Such a person doesn't love God the Father, but the meaning of these words here probably is that he is not motivated by the love of God, by the love that comes from God (cf. 1 John 4:12). Christians are enabled to walk in the love of God by the indwelling Spirit, by the fruit of the Spirit of love (Gal. 5:22). The next verse (1 John 2:16) goes on to speak of the motivation that is of (comes from) the world.] (16) For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. (17) And the world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God abides forever."). The "abominations and...unclean things of her immorality" include all sin, not just sexual sins, as demonstrated by this entire discussion regarding Babylon, the great harlot.]] (5) and upon her forehead a name was written, a mystery [As it typically happens in the New Testament, the "mystery" of Rev. 17:5 and 7 doesn't remain a mystery in that it is explained/interpreted for the saints (cf., e.g., Rev. 1:16, 20).], 'BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.' [[Taking Babylon the great in the fullest sense, she is the "mother" (origin/source) of all the spiritual harlotry and abominations that have ever taken place on the earth, as men looked to, and followed, her instead of God. It isn't hard to understand Babylon when we understand that Satan is behind this woman/city.]] (6) And I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the saints, and the blood of the witnesses of Jesus. [[Compare Rev. 18:24; 19:2. One of the most grievous sins traceable to Babylon is the slaughtering of God's people. The judgment and removal of Babylon will be part of the answer to the cry of the martyrs for God to make things right (Rev. 6:9-11). The "saints" here in 17:6 probably refer to the faithful people of God who lived in the days before the new covenant was initiated. The new covenant saints are referred to here as "the witness of Jesus." The Greek noun translated "witnesses" by the NASB here is "martus, marturos," which can also be translated "martyr." The KJV and NKJV translate "martyrs of Jesus" here. The English word martyr traces back to this Greek word. Martyrdom was viewed by the early Christians as the ultimate "witness" to Christ (cf., e.g., Rev. 2:13). The NASB and NIV translate "witness" in 2:13; the KJV and NKJV translate "martyr."]] And when I saw her, I wondered greatly. [The NIV has, "I was greatly astonished." The NKJV has, "I marveled with great amazement."] (7) And the angel said to me, 'Why do you wonder? I shall tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and the ten horns. (8) The beast that you saw was and is not, and is about to [is going to] come up out of the abyss [[On the beast coming up out of the abyss, see Rev. 11:7. The beast is Antichrist. The statement that the beast "was and is not" refers to the fact that Antichrist will be killed, after which he "is not," not until he comes up out of the abyss (comes back from the dead). On Antichrist's being killed and coming back from the dead, including the probable timing of these events, see on Rev. 13:3 in my book, "The Mid-Week Rapture" (pages 328-331). I assume Antichrist will come back from the dead some few days before he kills the two witnesses/prophets (Rev. 11:7) and then begins his super-evil reign right in the middle of Daniel's 70th week after the devil gives him "his power and throne and great authority" (Rev. 13:2). The devil will not give him this power etc. until after he and his angels are cast down to the earth in the middle of the seven years (Rev. 12:4, 7-9).]] and to go to destruction. [The Bible frequently mentions the judgment and destruction of Antichrist, which will take place at the end of Daniel's 70th week (see Dan. 7:11, 26; 8:25; 9:27; 11:45; 2 Thess. 2:3 [This verse, which refers to Antichrist, speaks of him as "the man doomed to destruction" (NIV).], 8; and Rev. 17:11; 19:20; and 20:10).] And those who dwell on the earth will wonder [I would translate "will be amazed" (or the equivalent). The same Greek verb was translated that way by the NASB in Rev. 13:3. Here in 17:8 the NIV has "will be astonished
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