Revelation 17
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 on many waters.
Revelation contrasts two cities, Jerusalem and Babylon, as a bride and prostitute respectively (17:5; 21:2). In two Old Testament instances, the “prostitute” is not Israel, Judah, or Jerusalem, but an evil world empire: Ninevah or Tyre. Ninevah will seduce the nations with her prostitution and witchcraft (Nah. 3:4); Tyre will play the prostitute “with all the kingdoms on the face of the earth” (Isa. 23:17), yet her wealth will ultimately be laid up for the righteous (23:18).
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.”
v.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.
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
This title was written on her forehead: MYSTERY BABYLON THE GREAT THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
The first part of the name, Babylon the great, comes directly from Dan. 4:30, where it expresses the extent of Nebuchadnezzar’s power, about which he boasts. His proud independence from God led to his downfall. The mystery of the name refers to the “mystery” (Dan. 4:9) of the dream Nebuchadnezzar had which warned him of the disaster ahead should he continue in his pride. Revelation connects this mystery with the mystery of the last-days fall of spiritual Babylon (cf. Rev. 1:20; 10:7), which will fall because of pride and evil (“mystery” in the OT occurs with an eschatological sense only in Dan. 2:28-29, which is partly in the background here).
The woman is given the additional titles, Mother of harlots and of the abominations of the earth, thus indicating her central role in directing idolatrous practices and false religion. Babylon is portrayed as a woman in the desert and also as a city (18:10), thus bringing her into contrast both with the mother of 12:1, who also lives in the desert, and with the bride of 19:7-8; 21:2, 10, who is also described as a city (21:2). That such a contrast is intended is evident from the strikingly identical introductory vision formulas for the harlot and the church in 17:1 and 21:9-10. Such contrasts with the church throughout the ages, both on earth and glorified, make clear that Babylon is not a geographical locality but a demonically-directed economic and spiritual reality present throughout the church age. The woman in ch. 12 gave birth to the church, while the harlot of ch. 17 attempts to destroy the church.
v.6
I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints, 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.
v.8
The beast, which you saw, once was, now is not, and will come up out of the Abyss and go to his 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 he once was, now is not, and yet will come.
This is also a parody of Christ’s death and resurrection (1:18; 2:8). That the beast is not refers to the continuing effects of his defeat by Christ at the cross and resurrection (see on 13:3, where “death” is equivalent to “is not”). The conclusion of the third member of the formula (he goes to destruction) is an ironic contrast with the altered form of the third part of the divine formula in 11:17 (“Thou hast taken thy great power and hast begun to reign”). The application of the threefold formula for divine eternity to the beast is intended to ridicule the beast’s vain efforts to defeat the true eternal Being and His forces. The application also suggests that the beast’s existence extends from the beginning of history to its end, but the close of the formula shows a clear contrast with God’s existence: the beast’s former, apparently sovereign form of existence throughout history will cease (though on his everlasting destruction see on 19:19-20; 20:10).
This is also how the beast deceives the multitudes in 13:3, where the world is amazed at his recovery from the apparently fatal wound inflicted by the cross and resurrection. The beast’s apparent health will lead many to follow him. This situation will continue until Christ’s return, when He will demonstrate the reality of His spiritual victory at the cross by achieving physical victory over Satan’s forces.
v.9
“This calls for a mind with wisdom. The seven heads are seven hills on which the woman sits.
This verse develops further Daniel’s prophecy that in the end-time tribulation true saints will need spiritual “understanding” and “insight” to avoid being deceived by an evil king who exalts his sovereignty over God and persecutes God’s people who do not acknowledge him (so Dan. 11:33; 12:10; see further on 13:18). Those with wisdom and understanding will also be able to understand the angel’s explanation of the vision outlined in vv. 9b-18, which develops Daniel’s prophecy in order to underscore it in the minds of the “called and chosen and faithful” (v. 14). Part of God’s plan is to save His chosen ones through exhortations to have wisdom, to which they respond positively on the basis of divine protective grace.
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 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.
v.14
They will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will overcome 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.
Strikingly, the phrase (they) will eat her flesh is reminiscent of Jezebel’s destiny: “the dogs shall eat the flesh of Jezebel” (2 Kgs. 9:36). Jezebel’s destruction, according to the same verse, likewise happened according to the word of the Lord, just as is the case here.
Thus the false teacher Jezebel in Rev. 2:20-22 is in fact part of “Babylon the great,” which is raising its head within the church itself through the figure of a purported Christian teacher, who is really a false teacher. The content of her false teachings within the church of Thyatira was probably an expression of the Babylonian system’s worldly ideas communicated with a veneer of Christian-sounding language. The overlap between the apostate segment of the church and the wider, antagonistic pagan system is presupposed in 18:4ff., where those on the verge of compromise are exhorted to “come out of her.” This is an allusion to Isa. 48:20; 52:11; Jer. 50:8; 51:6, where Israel is exhorted to come out of impure Babylon when the time for restoration to Jerusalem comes. #GKBeale
v.17
For God has put it into their hearts to accomplish his purpose by agreeing to give the beast their power to rule, until God’s words are fulfilled.
v.18
The woman you saw is the great city that rules over the kings of the earth.”
One is a pure bride (21:9) and the other an impure harlot (17:1). The language introducing each is almost identical (17:1 and 21:9-10). Both are adorned with costly jewels and linen; the harlot’s outward attire hides her inner corruption (17:4; 18:16), but the bride’s reveals the glory of God (21:2, 9-23). One woman relies on heaven (12:1), the other on the kings of the earth (17:15). Each is seen in a desert and referred to as a city (12:14 and 21:2; 17:3 and 17:18).