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Adult Class

March-June 2006

Revelation 17

Lesson 10

            As we look forward into Revelation 17, it is important for us to remember that when the Bible books were written, they had no chapter or verse divisions. These things were added by printers to help us find quickly the passages we want. Often, in reading the Bible, we are misled into thinking that a major shift has occurred when a chapter break is inserted. Here, the chapter break can be misleading. Chapter 17 logically continues the action we saw at the end of chapter 16.

            When the last lesson closed, we had seen judgment pronounced upon the Roman Empire for its persecution of the Christians. When this chapter opens, John is given a more detailed look at the judgment levied against the enemy of God and His gospel. That this is a continuation of the previous vision is noted by the continued involvement of an angel who had earlier poured out one of the golden bowls of God's wrath. The angel describes the target of God's wrath as a "great prostitute." In addition, she is characterized as one who sits on many waters, and with whom the kings of the earth committed adultery. Often, adultery is associated with idolatry, but here there may be another meaning as well. In this case, "adultery" could refer to various treaties concluded without any real commitment to fulfillment. If a different deal were offered, the kings would happily abandon their earlier treaty. Regardless, the inhabitants of the earth just loved the result of this interaction.

            The angel carried John away and showed him another sign:

• A woman sitting on a scarlet beast. The beast was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns. Clearly, this is another look at the figure for the Roman Empire.
• She is arrayed in dazzling luxury.
• She drinks from a golden cup filled with abominable things.
• She is named: Babylon the Great, Mother of Prostitutes and Abominations.
• She is drunk on the blood of the saints (the grammar suggests she is "drunk all the time").

            In the past, this prostitute has been identified by certain interpreters as being the actual city of Babylon, which was to be amazingly restored before the "great tribulation" that they imagine is to occur, or it has been identified as representing the Roman Catholic Church. Neither of these is possible. The best identification we can get comes from God Himself as John gets an explanation of this vision.

            The angel goes on to explain to John what he is seeing:

• The beast "once was, now is not, and will come up out of the Abyss and go to his destruction." Not surprisingly, people who are not committed to Christ will be astonished by this.
              The understanding of this passage is difficult, but it seems best understood as a definite contrast to Revelation 1:4-this beast is not God. However, there is also a deep spiritual truth here. From time to time evil may seem overthrown here on the earth, but it keeps coming back. Only when it is completely banished to the lake of fire will we really be free of it.
• This calls for wisdom: the seven heads are seven hills on which the woman sits and they are seven kings. The list of kings shows that five are fallen, one is, one is coming for a little while-and then the beast is an eighth, like the first seven-and will be destroyed.
              The list of Caesars begins with Augustus (27 BC-AD 14), Tiberius (14-37), Gaius (37-41), Claudius (41-54), and Nero (54-68). After Nero's suicide, three pretenders rose and fell before Vespasian (69-79) secured the throne. His son, Titus, lasted only a short time (79-81), and then Domitian (81-96) arose and was one of the most corrupt emperors.
• The ten horns represent ten minor kings who reign a very short time with the beast (the Roman Empire). Their purpose is only to make war against the Lamb, but they are overcome because the Lamb is Lord of Lords and King of Kings. In His service will be found His called, chosen and faithful followers.
• The waters upon which the prostitute sits are people of all nations and languages.
• The beast and its horns actually hate the prostitute and they will destroy her. This will occur because God has determined to use them to destroy her. Again, there is an important spiritual principle here: God will accomplish His will, even using ungodly people to bring about His ordained purposes. We have seen this occur often in Old Testament narratives-especially in taking the Jews into Exile in order to crush the practice of idolatry.
• Finally, the woman is clearly labeled: the great city that rules over the kings of the earth.

            In the minds of the early Christians, there was only one entity that could possibly fit this description. The city could only be Rome. It famously sits on seven hills (Quirinal, Viminal, Esquiline, Caelian, Palatine, Capitoline and Aventine), it had authority over what seemed to be the whole world, it was notoriously rich and decadent, it was the source of the persecution of the saints, and even its loyal citizens considered it a cesspool of iniquity.

            When we grasp this understanding, the book of Revelation makes perfect sense as a word of consolation to the persecuted early Christians. They would have no interest in visions that related to far distant centuries, but they would be vitally interested in God's judgment on the city and government that was ruthlessly slaughtering the followers of Jesus Christ. They were powerless to resist the armies of Caesar-but God has power even to destroy the destroyer. Revelation is about the persecution of Christians under the Roman Empire, and the subsequent destruction of the Roman Empire as a just judgment from God.