Revelation 17 - A Study Guide by Mark A. Copeland (2024)

"THE BOOK OF REVELATION"

Chapter Seventeen

This is a key chapter, for the mystery of the great harlot and the beastis explained, and one's understanding of this chapter will affect theirinterpretation of the rest of the book.

John is carried away into the wilderness where he is shown the greatharlot "Babylon", with whom the kings of the earth have committedfornication and the inhabitants of the earth were drunk with the wine ofher fornication. She is seen sitting on a scarlet beast with seven headsand ten horns. She is dressed in purple and scarlet, adorned with gold,precious stones and pearls. In her hand is a gold cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication. On her forehead iswritten:

MYSTERY,BABYLON THE GREAT,THE MOTHER OF HARLOTSAND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH

Seeing the woman drunk with the blood of the saints (Old Testamentsaints?) and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus, John marvels withgreat amazement (1-6).

The angel then proceeds to tell John the mystery of the woman and thebeast that carries her. He begins with the beast first, described asone who "was, is not, and is to come" (ESV). This beast will ascend outof the bottomless pit (cf. Re 11:7) and go to perdition (cf. Re 19:20).The seven heads of the beast represent seven mountains upon which the woman sits. There are seven kings, five of whom have fallen, one is, andthe other has yet to come. The beast is then described as the eighth king, though of the seven. The ten horns represent ten kings who give their power and authority to the beast, make war against the Lamb, and eventually turn on the harlot herself. The harlot is finally describedas that "great city" (cf. Re 14:8; 16:19) which reigns over the kings ofthe earth (7-18).

As indicated in the introductory material, my understanding of this bookfocuses on the fact that John is given this revelation at a time when thebeast "is not" (Re 17:8,11). Whatever explanation one gives for the beast, it did not exist at the time of the Revelation! It had existed,and was to come, but at the time John was shown the vision, it "is not".

One plausible explanation is that the seven (actually eight) kingsrepresent Roman emperors, starting with Augustus. This would make Nerothe fifth king, whose death in 68 A.D. left the empire in an uproar andmay be the "deadly wound" referred to Re 13:3,12,14. Discounting Galba,Otho, and Vitellius whose insignificant reigns were short-lived during the turmoil, the sixth king ("one is") would be Vespasian who restored order to the empire. This would make Titus the seventh emperor and Domitian the eighth. The beast that "was, and is not, and will ascend"(NKJV) therefore depicts the persecuting Roman emperor, seen first in theperson of Nero (the beast who "was") and later in the person of Domitian(the beast who "will ascend"). The ten kings who gave their power and authority to the beast appear to be vassal kings that supported the emperor in times of persecution.

The identity of the harlot is still an open question in my own mind. Iused to lean toward the view that the harlot represents Jerusalem, oftensupported in her persecution of the church by the Roman empire but thendestroyed herself by Rome in A.D. 70. It is interesting to compare suchverses as Re 17:6; 18:20,24; 19:2 with Jesus' statements in Mt 23:31-39.As foretold by Jesus in both Matthew and Revelation, God was about to avenge His apostles and prophets on this city "who kills the prophets andstones those who are sent to her" (Re 18:20; Mt 23:37). I still believethat Jerusalem is the focus of chapters 6-11.

Many understand the harlot to represent the commercial and immoral spiritof Rome (not the literal city itself, for she was never destroyed as described in later chapters) which was instrumental in opposing the people of God. There is much to be said for this view. Re 17:2,18; 18:3,9,11 certainly seem to fit Rome. I now lean toward this view in keeping with the main idea of Rome as the focus of chapters 13-19.

While the identity of the beast, the kings, and the harlot might beunclear in the minds of some, the outcome of the conflict described inthis chapter is certain. In what may be described as the theme of thisbook, we are told that:

"These will make war with Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them,for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are withHim are called, chosen, and faithful." (Re 17:14)

Comforting words indeed to those early Christians who were persecutedby both the Roman emperor and unbelieving Jerusalem!

POINTS TO PONDER

• The importance of this chapter in interpreting the book of Revelation
• That the beast "is not" when the Revelation was given to John
• The identity of the great harlot and the scarlet beast

OUTLINE

1. THE SCARLET WOMAN AND THE SCARLET BEAST (1-6)
1. JOHN IS APPROACHED BY AN ANGEL (1-2)
1. One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls
2. Who offers to show him the judgment of the great harlot
1. Which sits on many waters
2. With whom kings of the earth have committed fornication
3. With whom inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with thewine of her fornication
2. JOHN IS SHOWN THE SCARLET WOMAN ON THE SCARLET BEAST (3-6)
1. He is carried away by the angel in the Spirit into thewilderness
2. There he sees a woman sitting on a scarlet beast
1. The scarlet beast
1. Full of names of blasphemy
2. Having seven heads and ten horns
2. The woman
1. Arrayed in purple and scarlet
2. Adorned with gold, precious stones, and pearls
3. In her hand a golden cup full of abominations and thefilthiness of her fornication
4. On her forehead the name written:
1. MYSTERY
2. BABYLON THE GREAT
3. THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THEEARTH
5. Drunk with:
1. The blood of the saints
2. The blood of the martyrs of Jesus
3. He marveled with great amazement when he saw her
2. THE MYSTERY OF THE WOMAN AND BEAST EXPLAINED (7-18)
1. THE ANGEL OFFERS TO EXPLAIN THE MYSTERY (7)
1. Asking John why he marveled
2. Saying that he will tell him the mystery
1. Of the woman
2. Of the beast with seven heads and ten horns that carries her
2. THE BEAST EXPLAINED (8-14)
1. The beast that John saw:
1. Was, is not, and will ascend out of the bottomless pit and goto perdition
2. Will be marveled by those by those whose names are notwritten in the Book of Life from the foundation of the worldwhen they see it
2. The mind which has wisdom:
1. The seven heads are seven mountains upon which the woman sits
2. There are also seven kings
1. Five have fallen, one is, the other has yet to come
2. When the seventh comes, he must continue a short time
3. The beast that was, and is not, is himself the eighth
1. He is of the seven
2. He is going to perdition (destruction)
4. The ten horns are ten kings
1. Who have received no kingdom as yet
2. But receive authority for one hour with the beast
3. Who are of one mind, and give their power and authority tothe beast
5. These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcomethem
1. For He is Lord of lords and King of kings
2. Those with Him are called, chosen, and faithful
3. THE WOMAN EXPLAINED (15-18)
1. The waters upon which she sits are peoples, multitudes, nationsand tongues
2. The ten horns (ten kings) on the beast
1. Will hate the harlot
1. Make her desolate
2. Eat her flesh and burn her with fire
2. For God has put it into their hearts to fulfill His purpose
1. For them to be of one mind
2. To give their kingdom to the beast
-- Until the words of God are fulfilled
3. The woman John saw is that great city which reigns over thekings of the earth

REVIEW QUESTIONS

Show / Hide Answers

1. What are the main points of this chapter?

• The scarlet woman and the scarlet beast (1-6)
• The mystery of the woman and the beast explained (7-18)

• The judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters

• With whom the kings of the earth committed fornication
• The inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of herfornication

• Sitting on a scarlet beast with seven heads and ten horns, full ofnames of blasphemy
• Arrayed in purple and scarlet, adorned with gold, precious stonesand pearls
• A golden cup in her hand, full of abominations the filthiness ofher fornication
• Written on her forehead: "Mystery, Babylon the Great, the Motherof Harlots and of the Abominations of the Earth"
• Drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrsof Jesus

• Marveled with great amazement

• The mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her

• He was, is not, and is to come
• He will ascend out of the bottomless pit and go to perdition
• Those whose names are not written in the Book of Life from thefoundation of the world will marvel

• Seven mountains on which the woman sits

• Five have fallen, one is, and the other has not yet come
• When the seventh king comes, he must continue a short time

• He will be the eighth king
• He is of the seven
• He is going to perdition

• Ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet
• Who receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast

• The kings of are of one mind and will give their power and authorityto the beast
• They will make war with the Lamb

• He is Lord of lords and King of kings
• Those with Him are called, chosen, and faithful

• Peoples, multitudes, nations, tongues

• Hate the harlot, make her desolate and naked, eat her flesh andburn her with fire

• For God has put it into their hearts to fulfill His purpose andfulfill His words

• That great city which reigns over the kings of the earth