Revelation 17
***Time line Check- This is what is going on in the bowl judgments***
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.”
the great harlot-The Pagan system of worship, Baylon. The religious system set up by the antichrist. 14:8 (look at rev 12, the woman, Israel, god prepared a place for her to hid, here the opposite is true)
many waters- The World 14:8
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.
in the Spirit– this is not in person. Not like the other times.
Beast- 13:1 see verse 12!
was arrayed in-all the trappings that we like and are drawn to
golden cup full– verse 2
MYSTERY– This is not part of the title but describes the title.
539bc the Persians ruled Babylon and tried to eliminate the Samiramis ( Started by nimrods wife) the cult moved from Babylon to Pergamos, and unto Rome.
— Fish head crowns were part of the attire of the Babylonian cult that mirrored Christianity, on the crown was written “Keeper of the Bridge,” referring to man and Satan. This was then adopted by the Roman emperors, Pontifex Maximus, which means “Major Keeper of the Bridge.” From here it was used by the bishop of Rome. pontiff, which comes from pontifex. When the cult moved to Rome were they influenced the church with secret rites. Babylon then is the symbol of apostasy and blasphemous substitution of idol-worship for the worship of God in Christ. In this passage Babylon comes to its final judgment.
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.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. 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.
bottomless pit- 11:7, 9:1-2,11
perdition– Hell
\was, and is not, and yet is- 13:3
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.
Here is the mind which has wisdom- to understand what is being shown one needs spiritual insight.
are seven mountains- rules who support/validate/promote the false religion. NOT ROME (9 hills) Look at verse 12!
seven kings- World rulers, (5 major roman rules have come when this was written, the 6th would have been Domitian, the 7th could be a world system set up by the antichrist and the eight is final world leader who will be destroyed at the 2nd coming.
A brief explanation, the first half of the tribulation, there will be a peace treaty with Israel and the world and its false religion. But halfway through the world will be ruled but one political/religious order, the 7th and 8th king.
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.”
are ten kings- these are the leaders the frogs go to to get support from chapter 16
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.”
ten horns– the rulers and the antichrist will hate the false religion, not because they are godly but they want to be worshiped not anything or one else. As we saw in previous chapters the Anti Christ will make one world religion and make all take the mark of the beast.
woman whom you saw is that great city- This is referring to Babylon and is introducing the next chapter.
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