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Revelation 17    

Revelation chapters 17 and 18 have been a source of speculation of sometimes almost bizarre reasoning over the centuries, and rightfully so for this has been God's  mystery held through the ages.  The Reformers assigned MYSTERY BABYLON THE GREAT to Catholicism, but this idea has been either dismissed or down-played by most Protestants.  Rome is thought by many to be the great city Babylon, and still others have written that Iraq's rebuilding constituted Babylon of prophecy, but history will prove this wrong as Saddam and Iraq falls in ruin as the West deals swiftly with terrorism at the beginning of the appointed time. 

The seven kings if Revelation 17, for the most part, are considered historical personalities.  Nonetheless, the chapter's true intent must be understood by first considering the Jewish authorship of Revelation in addition to the future and last-day context of which John was writing.

Revelation 17 exposes the condition of the woman--the great whore-- and of the political landscape around the globe during the final days of the Great Tribulation, as the conflict nears its closing moments.  Remember that chapter 16 has just described the terrible wrath of God through the work of the seven final bowls.  Therefore, the seven kings, five of which are fallen, represent end-time last-day world leaders who have been killed in the plague disasters poured out against the nations.  They are not, as as often been published in commentaries and books of prophecy, historical political personalities of ages past.  

In light of the clear "end-time context" of the chapter, why would commentators apply chapter 17 to long-dead political leaders?  The goal of the Insight In Prophecy study series is to lead us to the refreshing waters of interpretation, and away from the stagnant and lifeless explanations of by-gone days.  Prophetic explanations widely taught in theological training centers today are rehashed interpretations of scholars and teachers who lived hundreds of years ago.  They are dead and gone; but God's Spirit is alive and well!  Let Him speak, and let His Word bear witness to the final unsealing that can enlighten searching souls who must endure the final conflict.

The Great Cities of Bible Prophecy

Revelation provides a distinct contrast between the two great cities of Bible prophecy.  Revelation 17:1 communicates that "one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls" come to John inviting him to a desolate location to see the judgment ruin of the adulterous woman who has forsaken God.  The Angel said, "Come, I will show you the punishment of the great prostitute [Jerusalem]" who sits on many waters.  Consider this in contrast to the description of events later in Revelation 21:9 where no doubt the same Messenger speaks to the prophet: "one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls" came to John inviting him to a high mountain to see the righteous woman.  The Angel said, "Come, I will show you [the glory of] the bride, the wife of the Lamb [the New Jerusalem]."

1. The first woman is evil and has enticed the whole world into her sin of idolatry.  In symbolism she sits upon the massive oceans which signifies global love and acceptance of three religions of many "peoples, multitudes, nations and languages (v. 15), but what does God say and think of her (v. 2)?

There is great disappointment in Heaven with Jerusalem and God's supposed people.  Both Israel and the Church were to compose the bride of Messiah, but in the end she will turn to Antichrist and the political leaders around the world to support her and protect her, and in the process forget her Covenant with God.  

Long ago Israel honored God with her lips, but in heart departed from Him.  She and Almighty began their love affair with a Covenant relationship at Mt. Sinai, but as Moses discovered she soon and many times thereafter departed from the Living God to worship images of wood and stone.  

In similar fashion, the early church began her walk with Christ but she too soon departed from the way.  In the centuries to follow the Church's love for pagan idols and sun day worship was so deeply rooted that the Ten Commandments would need to be altered.  Church hierarchy erased the second commandment against idolatry from her creeds and split the tenth commandment on covetousness into two; otherwise, there would be the Nine Commandments.

Although revisions are strictly forbidden by God's Word (Matthew 5:17-19; Revelation 22:18-19), the commands of the Decalogue have been cunningly altered and shortened in published materials to downplay the true Law.  The fourth commandment demands that we "remember the seventh day" to keep it holy.  Now the command has been tainted to read, "Remember to keep holy the Lord's Day."  No priest, pope, theologian, church or religious group has the right to change the ten precepts of Almighty, written in stone by His own hand.  Nonetheless, it is man's obstinate nature to look at the plain statements of God's Word and attempt to skirt around His direct commands.  

2. Revelation 17:2 says, "the kings of the earth committed adultery and the inhabitants of the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her adulteries."  What does spiritual adultery imply according to Jeremiah 3:8-9?

In times past Israel and the Church turned from the living God to fall down before idols and icons made of wood and stone.  Soon Catholic and Protestant Christians, Jews , Muslims and then the whole world will be taken into idolatry through deceptive signs and miracles; even once conservative followers of Christ who know better will lose their good senses as though drunk with the wine of delusion.  The long history of God's people, once followers of His divine principles, of defecting to the other side, will be repeated at the appointed time of the end.

3. How does Jeremiah 7:17-20 parallel events at the end of time for Israel and the Church?

Long ago in Judah and in Jerusalem the prophet Jeremiah reprimanded the Israelites for worshiping the ancient goddess Ishtar, the Queen of Heaven--known as the merciful mother who intercedes for her worshipers.  During the appointed time of the end, the goddess, the Virgin Mary, the Queen of Heaven, will once again be worshiped in Jerusalem's streets.

4. Why does God's judgment come against Babylon/Jerusalem for her sins, according to Jeremiah 51:5-8?

Jerusalem will share her cup of delusion with the whole world in joyous celebration and the masses will be intoxicated to the point of losing their good judgment (Revelation 11:10).  Her end will come along with those who join in her licentious and deadly activities.  For a complete description of Jerusalem's adulteries, read Ezekiel 16.

The Angel moves John in vision to a desolate location.  There he sees a symbolic scarlet beast covered with blasphemous names.  Exodus 16:1 tells of Israel's travel in the "Desert of Sin" on their way to Mount Sinai.