The Revelation Of Jesus Christ – Chapter 17
I. Things Which Thou Hast Seen – Rev 1
II. Things Which Are – The Church Age – Rev 2-3
III. Things Which Are To Come – Rev 4-22
A. The Throne Of God – Rev 4
B. The Seven Seals Book – Rev 5
C. The First Six Seals Are Opened – Rev 6
D. The Sealing Of The Saved – Rev 7
E. The Lamb Opens The Seventh Seal – The First Four Trumpets Sound – Rev 8
F. Sounding of the Fifth and Sixth Trumpets – Rev 9
G. The Little Book – Rev 10
H. The Measuring Rod – The Two Witnesses – The Seventh Trumpet Sounds – Rev 11
I. The Woman and the Dragon – Rev 12
J. The Beasts – The Unholy Trinity – Rev 13
K. The Lamb on Mount Zion – Rev 14
L. The 7 Vials Of God’s Wrath – Rev 15-16
M. God’s Judgment On The Great Harlot – Rev 17
Rev 17:1-3 (NASB) “Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and spoke with me, saying, "Come here, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters, with whom the kings of the earth committed acts of immorality, and those who dwell on the earth were made drunk with the wine of her immorality." And he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness; and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast, full of blasphemous names, having seven heads and ten horns.
a. One of the seven angels – v. 1
(1) who had the seven bowls
(2) came and spoke to John saying:
- come here
- I will show you the judgment of the great harlot
Who sits on my waters
With whom the kings of earth committed acts of immorality – v. 3
Those who dwell on the earth were made drunk with the wine of her immorality
(3) carried John away – v. 3
- in the spirit
- into the wilderness
Rev 17:3-5 (NASB) “And he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness; and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast, full of blasphemous names, having seven heads and ten horns. The woman was clothed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a gold cup full of abominations and of the unclean things of her immorality, and on her forehead a name was written, a mystery, "BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH."
b. John sees – v. 3
(1) a woman
- sitting on a scarlet beast
- full of blasphemous names
- having seven heads
- having ten horns
- clothed in purple and scarlet – v. 4
- adorned with gold
- adorned with precious stones
- adorned with pearls
- having a gold cup in her hand
Full of abominations
Full of unclean things of her immorality
- with a name – v. 5
Written on her forehead
A mystery
"BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH."
The daughter’s of the Harlot are many. Most denominational churches have their roots in the Catholic church.
Like their mother they taught salvation is something they bestow upon a person through baptism or a salvation of works. But this is not what the Bible teaches. Babylon will be the source of all the false, idolatrous, blasphemous worship in the end times.
Rev 17:6 (NASB) “And I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus. When I saw her, I wondered greatly.”
c. John sees – v. 6
(1) the woman
- drunk
With the blood of the saints
With the blood of the witnesses of Jesus
*when John saw her – he wondered greatly
Rev 17:7 (NASB) “And the angel said to me, "Why do you wonder? 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.”
d. The angel says to John – v. 7
(1) why do you wonder
(2) I will tell you the mystery
- of the woman
- of the beast that carries her
Who has seven heads
Who has ten horns
John’s wondering is a wondering of a mystery. John is puzzled by the relation of the beast to this beautiful yet bloody woman in the vision. Much about her and her connection with the anti-Christ has been revealed – but John has not put all the pieces together in his head yet. In these next several verses the angel is going to use some plain words so John gets the big picture.
Rev 17:8 (NASB) "The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to come up out of the abyss and go to destruction. And those who dwell on the earth, whose name has not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, will wonder when they see the beast, that he was and is not and will come.”
e. The angel explains the beast – v. 8
(1) who was
(2) who is not
(3) who is about to come up out of the abyss
(4) who is about to go to destruction
- and those who dwell on the earth
Whose names are not written the book of life
From the foundation of the world
Will wonder when they see the beast
That he was
That he is not
That he will come
Rev 17:9-10 (NASB) "Here is the mind which has wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits, and they are seven kings; five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come; and when he comes, he must remain a little while.”
f. The mind of wisdom – v. 9-10
(1) Seven heads = seven mountains
- on which the woman sits
(2) Seven heads = seven kings
- five have fallen
- one is
- one has not yet come
When he comes he must remain a little while
The seven mountains could be a reference to the seven hills upon which Rome was built. The seven heads are the seven mountains.
The word translated “Kings” can also be translated “Kingdoms.” We are told here of the mystery of the history of the one world government. This verse tells us that 5 dynasties or world government have fallen. Folks who know their world history point out the five world powers that have fallen as:
1. Egypt
2. Assyria
3. Babylon
4. Medo-Persia
5. Greece
6. Rome
7. Revived Roman Empire
The 6th world power was the “is” of John’s day. That would have been the Roman Empire. The seventh world power is “the other” that has not come yet.
This 7th world power is the confederation that is often referred to as the Revived Roman Empire. The Anti-Christ shall head up this revived empire – headquartered in Rome. This will come but only for a little while.
Rev 17:11 (NASB) "The beast which was and is not, is himself also an eighth and is one of the seven, and he goes to destruction.”
(3) The beast – v. 11
- which was
- which is not
Is an eighth (king) and is one of the seven
- he goes to destruction
This eight world power is the BEAST, the final world power that goes into destruction or is the one that Jesus destroys with his return.
Rev 17:12-14 (NASB) "The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but they receive authority as kings with the beast for one hour. These have one purpose, and they give their power and authority to the beast. These will wage war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with Him are the called and chosen and faithful."
(4) The ten horns = ten kings – v. 12
- who have not yet received a kingdom
- they will receive authority as kings
From the beast
For one hour
There the idea of one hour was not a literal hour but rather a designated period of time.
- these have one purpose – v. 13
They give their power
They give their authority
To the beast
- these will wage war against the Lamb – v. 14
The Lamb will overcome them
Because
He is Lord of lords
He is King of kings
*Those who are with the Lamb are called
*chosen
*faithful
Rev 17:15-17 (NASB) “And he *said to me, "The waters which you saw where the harlot sits, are peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues. And the ten horns which you saw, and the beast, these will hate the harlot and will make her desolate and naked, and will eat her flesh and will burn her up with fire. For God has put it in their hearts to execute His purpose by having a common purpose, and by giving their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God will be fulfilled.”
g. The angel says to John – v. 15
(
1) The waters
- which you saw
- where the harlot sits
The waters = people
The waters = multitudes
The waters = nations
The waters = tongues
(2) The ten horns and the beast – v. 16
- which you saw
- will hate the harlot
- will make her desolate
- will make her naked
- will eat her flesh
- will burn her up with fire
*For God – v. 17
- has put it in hearts
- to execute His purpose
- by having a common purpose
- by giving their kingdom to the beast
- until the words of God will be fulfilled
(3) The woman
- whom you saw
The woman = the great city
Which reigns over the kings of the earth
Symbolism Made Plain
Revelation Chapter 1:
Seven stars = seven angels of the churches
Seven lamp-stands = seven churches
Revelation Chapter 17:
Seven heads = seven mountains
Seven heads = seven kings
Ten horns = ten kings
The waters = people
The waters = multitudes
The waters = nations
The waters = tongues
The woman = the great city
