Read Revelation 17:1-18:24.

Note: In verse two of chapter eighteen, the phrase translated, “every evil spirit,” literally reads, “every unclean spirit.”

Introduction⤒🔗

The popular singer, Tony Bennett, was made famous by his song, “I Left My Heart in San Francisco.” Tony Bennett may have left his heart in San Francisco; but let us not leave our hearts in “Babylon!”

The seventeenth and eighteenth chapters of Revelation focus our attention upon the great city symbolically called “Babylon.” “Babylon” represents the hedonistic, materialistic, decadent society of the world, wherever and whenever it appears, but especially its last great appearance in history.

“Babylon” is symbolic of first century Rome; a contemporary manifestation of “Babylon” can be seen in the societies of America and the Western world.

In the middle of these chapters that focus on “Babylon,” comes the commandment of God to His people: “Come out of her, my people!” (Rev. 18:4) The commandment cannot be obeyed in a physical sense, because “Babylon” is all around us; note what the Apostle Paul writes to the Corinthians, “I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with fornicators. ¹⁰I was not referring to the people of this world who are fornicators, or who are greedy, or swindlers, or idolaters. If that were the case, you would have to leave the world” (1 Cor. 5:9-10).

The commandment must be obeyed in a spiritual sense: Don’t leave your heart in “Babylon.” Don’t think and live like “the Babylonians.” We must not be like those of whom Paul regretfully informs the Philippians: “As I have often told you, and even now tell you with tears, many walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. ¹⁹Their destiny is perdition, their god is their own appetites, and they glory in their shameful conduct. They set their minds on earthly things” (Phil. 3:18-19). Don’t pursue the lifestyle of “Babylon.” Again, we must not be like those of whom Paul refers when he writes, “Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity with the lust for more” (Eph. 4:19). Then, too, we must take to heart the warning he issues in 1 Timothy 6:9, “those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.”

As Christians, we must obey the exhortation of Scripture:

¹⁷Therefore, come out from them and be separate, says the LORD. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you. ¹⁸I will be a father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty. ^7:1Since we have these promises, beloved, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. 2 Cor. 6:17-7:1

Come Out of “Babylon,” to Avoid Having Fellowship with Her Sins←⤒🔗

Those “who dwell on the earth,” i.e. those who belong to this world and are separated from the kingdom of God, are described as becoming “intoxicated with the wine of [Babylon’s] immorality” (Rev. 17:2). Here is a graphic description of hedonism: drunkenness and sexual immorality are brought together in this striking image. This is the lifestyle that “Babylon” offers and that the peoples of the world desire. Consider the following comments concerning American society at the end of the twentieth century:

...as an outgrowth of this nation’s devotion to material well-being, America has become the world’s foremost champion of hedonism. This is a mindset in which the acquisition of pleasure and enjoyment is the highest priority in life. Responsibilities such as worship of a holy God, fulfillment of obligations, and personal improvement are deemed of secondary importance. Having fun is all that counts. The affluence of American society has elevated pleasure-intended activities from the realm of the 'desirable' to that of the 'essential.'

“Babylon” is described as a woman dressed in “purple and scarlet...glittering with gold and precious gem stones and pearls,” as she holds out a golden cup (vs. 4). “Babylon” presents herself and her lifestyle as glamorous, exciting, and sophisticated. She is “the queen of the good life;” she offers “a heaven on earth” apart from God and without accountability to His moral law. In terms of contemporary advertising, here are beautiful people enjoying unlimited quantities of alcoholic beverages, engaging in exciting sexual encounters, and preaching, “It doesn’t get any better than this!”

But verse three informs us that “Babylon” dwells in “a wilderness;” the biblical imagery for emptiness, lifelessness, and desolation. As one “jet setter” once described the wealthy people who frequent the exclusive resorts of Southern California: “They go to Palm Beach to try to have a good time. Few succeed.” Verse four reveals the contents of the golden cup “Babylon” holds out to the world: ”She held a golden cup in her hand, full of abominable things, the filthy things of her immorality.” The contents of “Babylon’s” golden cup are nothing but putrid, abominable filth. We may contrast the promises of the commercials advertising alcoholic beverages with the real consequences of drunkenness. We may contrast the glamorous portrayal of immorality with the consequences of broken homes, broken trust, broken lives, and life-ending diseases.

“Babylon” is identified as “The Mother of the Prostitutes and of the Detestable Things of the Earth” (vs. 5). The hedonistic, self-centered lifestyle of “Babylon” knows no limits: it is the source of every form of moral perversion; it gives birth to ever more decadent forms of immorality. In Romans 6:19b-21, the Apostle Paul describes the former lifestyle of these Romans who have now been converted to Christ, these Roman Christians who have come out of “Babylon:”

^19bJust as you used to offer the parts of your body in service to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer them in service to righteousness leading to holiness. ²⁰When you were servants to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. ²¹What benefit did you reap at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? Those things result in death! Rom. 6:19b-21

When you forsake God’s commandments, philosophically there are no limits; as the song writer, Cole Porter, phrased it, “Anything goes!” Once you transgress God’s commandments, personally you have broken through spiritual barriers and moral safeguards to the detriment of your soul.

“Babylon” is further described as being drunk “with the blood of the saints, the blood of those who have been martyred for Jesus” (vs. 6). “Babylon” hates godly people. She hates people who are devoted to the Lord Jesus Christ and His lifestyle of devotion to God; and she will do anything to get rid of such people, if possible, she will even kill them.

Why is this the case? It is so because “Babylon” cannot stand the torment of the conviction of her sins; referring to the “defeat” of the two witnesses/prophets who symbolize the life and witness of the church of Jesus Christ, Revelation 11:10 declares, “Those who dwell on the earth rejoice over them and celebrate by sending gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth.” “Babylon” cannot stand the righteous restraints of God that such people represent and by which they abide. Psalm 2:2-3 presents a revelation of the natural man’s view of the sovereign lordship of God, “The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the LORD and against his Anointed One. ³Let us break their chains, they say, and throw off their fetters.”

Revelation 18:3 informs us that the merchants of the world grew rich “by means of the power of her wantonness [or, sensuality].” What is described in Revelation eighteen is an incredibly materialistic society that offers its citizens every form of luxury:

...merchandise [consisting] of gold and silver, precious gems and pearls; fine linen, purple, silk, and scarlet [cloth]; every kind of citron wood; and articles of every kind made of ivory, costly stone, bronze, iron, and marble; ¹³[merchandise consisting of] cinnamon and spice; incense, myrrh and frankincense; wine and [olive] oil; fine flour and wheat; cattle and sheep; horses and chariots; slaves and the souls of men. vs. 12-13

This incredibly materialistic society exerts a powerful, even demonic, grip upon peoples’ lives: “By your sorcery all the nations were deceived” (vs. 23b). Luxuries become “necessities,” they become addictive, their accumulation becomes the chief occupation and meaning of life.

“Babylon” “has glorified herself and cast off restraint” (18:7). “Babylon” declares, “I sit as a queen;” she haughtily exalts herself above all other people, here is pride and boastful arrogance. “I am not a widow;” here is the claim and belief that she is self-sufficient and self-reliant, she is neither needy nor vulnerable. “I will never experience sorrow;” here is the incredible presumption that her decadent society is permanent, she will never suffer loss. “Babylon” has an incredible arrogance and an insane self-confidence, derived from her superabundance of wealth. Consider how the LORD describes an earlier version of “Babylon,” the ancient seaport city of Tyre:

²Son of man, say to the ruler of Tyre, This is what the LORD GOD says: In the pride of your heart you say, I am a god; I sit on the throne of a god in the heart of the seas. But you are a man and not a god, though you think you are as wise as a god... ⁵By your great skill in trading you have increased your wealth, and because of your wealth your heart has grown proud. Ezek. 28:2,5

Let us examine our hearts, let us make sure that we do not leave our hearts in “Babylon.” On the contrary, let us come out of “Babylon” in order to avoid having fellowship with her sins.

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. ²Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things, ³for you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. ⁴When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Col. 3:1-4

Don’t make room for God in your life, give Him your heart.

Come Out of “Babylon,” to Avoid Receiving Her Plagues←⤒🔗

It is reported that “Babylon’s” sins are piled up to heaven, “and God has remembered her iniquities” (18:5). We must not suppose for a moment that God is tolerant of sin. That is the terribly mistaken notion under which the wicked operate:

^16aBut to the wicked, God says... ¹⁸When you see a thief, you join with him; you throw in your lot with adulterers. ¹⁹You use your mouth for evil and harness your tongue to deceit. ²⁰You speak continually against your brother and slander your own mother’s son. ²¹These things you have done and I kept silent; you thought I was altogether like you. But I will rebuke you and accuse you to your face. Psl. 50:16a, 18-21

Many times, the LORD disciplines His children early, while allowing the deeds of the unconverted to fully ripen for a final day of judgment. Consider the teaching of the Psalmist: “though the wicked spring up like grass and all evildoers flourish, they will be forever destroyed” (Psl. 92:7).

Contrary to her arrogant self-confidence, “Babylon’s” destruction shall come “in one day” (vs. 8). That is to say, her destruction will come with incredible swiftness. Note the shock of the kings (18:9-10), the merchants (18:15-17a), and the mariners (18:17b-19):

When the kings of the earth, who committed acts of immorality [with her] and lived wantonly with her, see the smoke of her burning, they will weep and wail over her. ¹⁰Standing at a great distance, being terrified at her torment, they will cry, Woe! Woe, O great city, O Babylon, the strong city! In [just] one hour your judgment has come! Rev. 18:9-10

The merchants who sold these things and gained their wealth from her, will stand at a great distance, terrified at her torment. Weeping and mourning, ¹⁶they will cry out, Woe! Woe, O great city, [once] dressed in fine linen, purple and scarlet, and decked with gold, precious gems and pearls! ^17aIn [just] one hour such great wealth has been brought to ruin! Rev. 18:15-17a

^17bEvery sea captain, and all who sail, and the mariners, all who earn their living from the sea, stood at a great distance ¹⁸and cried out as they watched the smoke of her burning. They said, Was there ever a city like this great city? ¹⁹They threw dust on their heads, and with weeping and mourning, they cried out, Woe! Woe, O great city, by which all who had ships on the sea became rich through her wealth! In [just] one hour she has been brought to ruin! Rev. 18:17b­-19

Such judgment can and shall be inflicted upon “Babylon” because “the Lord God who judges her is strong.” We must not suppose for a moment that we or anyone else is beyond the reach of God or is able to fend off God’s powerful judgment when it comes. The LORD declares to the Old Testament nation of Edom, the epitome of hostility against the LORD and His covenant people: “The terror you inspire and the pride of your heart have deceived you, you who live in the clefts of the rocks, who occupy the heights of the hill. Though you build your nest as high as the eagle’s, from there I will bring you down, declares the LORD” (Jer. 49:16).

God will take vengeance on “Babylon” for what she has done to His saints, (i.e. those who are committed to Christ and reflect His holiness in their lives): “Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you saints and apostles and prophets, for God has judged her for the way she treated you!” (vs. 20) We must not suppose for a moment that God has forgotten to execute His justice, as the Apostle Peter explains:

The Lord is not negligent with regard to the promise, as some consider negligence; on the contrary, he is exhibiting great patience toward you. He does not desire anyone to perish, but all to come to repentance. ¹⁰But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. On that day, the heavens will disappear with a loud noise, and the elements will be destroyed by being burned up, and the earth together with the works that are in it will be burned up.2 Pet. 3:9-10

Far from being negligent, as the Apostle Paul informed the Athenians, “[God] has appointed a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has ordained. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead” (Acts 17:31). The resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ is the proof that God is committed to justice and that He will finally execute His divine justice.

The angel proclaims that “Babylon’s” destruction, when it comes in its final form, shall be forever:

Then a mighty angel picked up a boulder the size of a large millstone, and hurled it into the sea, saying, 'With such violence shall Babylon, the great city, be thrown down, never to be found again!' ²²The music of harpists and minstrels, flute players and trumpeters, will never be heard in you again. No craftsman of any trade will ever be found in you again. The sound of the millstone [grinding] will never be heard in you again. ²³The light of a lamp will never shine in you again. The voice of the bridegroom and the bride will never be heard in you again. Rev. 18:21-23a

We must not suppose for a moment that this present world is eternal or that our present society shall go on indefinitely. The Apostle John issues the warning:

¹⁵Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. ¹⁶Everything in the world: the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does, comes not from the Father but from the world. ¹⁷The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever. 1 Jn. 2:15-17

According to Revelation 17:16-17, God will carry out His judgment upon “Babylon” by means of “the Beast,”

The ten horns that you saw, and the beast, will hate the prostitute. They will bring her to ruin and strip her naked; they will eat her flesh and totally consume her with fire. ¹⁷God has put it into their hearts to accomplish his purpose by agreeing to surrender their kingdom to the beast, until God’s words are fulfilled.

“The Beast” is symbolic of a militaristic, totalitarian empire. The point being made by the picture of the “Beast” and his allies “devouring the prostitute” is that often times, as a temporal judgment, the LORD employs a fierce, militaristic empire to destroy a hedonistic, decadent society. One such example from ancient history is the conquest of the original decadent Babylon by the military might of Media-Persia, as recorded in the Book of Daniel:

¹Belshazzar the king gave a great banquet for a thousand of his nobles and drank wine with them... ⁴They drank wine and praised the gods of gold and silver, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone... ³⁰That [very] night, Belshazzar the Chaldean king was killed. ³¹And Darius the Mede took over the kingdom. Dan. 5:1,4,30-31

Note: See the accompanying Appendix, which contains a verse-by-verse exposition of Revelation 17:7-14, with a consideration of the relationship between “the beast” and “the woman” seated upon the beast.

Conclusion←⤒🔗

Do not leave your heart in “Babylon.” Remember Lot: he built his life in the “Babylon” of his day, (the city of Sodom). When the judgment of God came, he lost all that he had, and he himself was barely saved.

Do not leave your heart in “Babylon.” Remember Lot’s wife. She left her heart in “Babylon,” and when the judgment of God came, she lost even more than Lot, she turned back and, consequently, lost her soul for eternity.

Discussion Questions←⤒🔗

1. What does one of the seven angels show John? See Rev. 17:1. What kind of influence did this “woman” exercises over the nations of the world? What is this “woman’s” name? See Rev. 17:2; Rev. 17:5. “Babylon” depicts a great hedonistic, materialistic society; upon what does John see her sitting? See Rev. 17:3b. In the 21st century, what nations and societies presently fit the description of “Babylon” and “The Beast” respectively?

One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, 'Come here, I will show you the judgment of the great prostitute, who sits upon many waters.' Rev. 17:1

To “sit upon many waters” means to exercise world-wide influence. (cf. Rev. 17:15)

Then [the angel] said to me, 'The waters you saw, where the prostitute sits, represent peoples and multitudes and nations and languages.' Rev. 17:15

With her the kings of the earth committed sexual immorality, and those who dwell on the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her immorality. Rev. 17:2

A mysterious title was written on her forehead: Babylon the Great, The Mother of the Prostitutes and of the Detestable Things of the Earth. Rev. 17:5

There I saw a woman sitting upon a scarlet-colored beast that was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns. Rev. 17:3b

The fact that the woman/Babylon is seen seated upon a beast (the image that represents a totalitarian power) indicates that in the ^1st century, these two entities, namely, a great hedonistic society and a totalitarian empire, were combined in one entity: The Roman Empire.

2. How is this woman Babylon described by John? See Rev. 17:4. But where did the angel transport John to see her; where is she living? See Rev. 17:3a. What is being conveyed by the juxtaposition of opulent decadence and the desolation of a wilderness? Note Rom. 6:20-21. Does the pursuit of the pleasures of the world, whether it be pleasures that are legitimate or those that are immoral, ever result in true satisfaction and fulfillment? Why not?

The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and was glittering with gold and precious [gem] stones and pearls. She held a golden cup in her hand, full of abominable things, [namely], the filthy things of her immorality. Rev. 17:4

Then [the angel] carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness. There I saw a woman sitting upon a scarlet-colored beast that was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns. Rev. 17:3

...when you were slaves of sin, you were free with regard to righteousness. ²¹What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death.Rom. 6:20-21

3. In contrast to those who devote themselves to hedonistic “pleasures;” what does the LORD promise to those who commit themselves to Him? See Prov. 10:22. What promise does the LORD make, and to whom does He make this promise? See Psl. 84:11b-12. To whom will the LORD finally give the treasures of “Babylon”? See Isa. 23:18,

The blessing of the LORD, it makes one rich, and he adds no sorrow with it. Prov. 10:22

...the LORD God is a sun and shield. The LORD will give grace and glory; no good thing will he withhold from those who walk uprightly. ¹²O LORD of hosts, blessed is the man who trusts in you! Psl. 84:11-12

But her earnings and her profits will be dedicated to the LORD. They will not be stored up or hoarded [for herself; on the contrary], her earnings will purchase abundant food and fine clothing for those who dwell in the presence of the LORD. Isa. 23:18

In Isa. 23, the hedonistic empire (s) of the world are represented under the image of Tyre, (the wealthy empire of Isaiah’s day).

4. As John is enabled to look into the future, what does the Beast and his allies (i.e. “the ten horns”) do to the woman who formerly was seated upon his back? See Rev. 17:16. What would cause the Beast to be hostile to a great “Babylonian” society?

The ten horns that you saw, and the beast, will hate the prostitute. They will bring her to ruin and strip her naked; they will eat her flesh and totally consume her with fire. Rev. 17:16

In the ^1st century, the hedonistic society and the totalitarian empire were combined in one entity, The Roman Empire. But in the future, from John’s perspective, they are found in two separate entities, the one being hostile towards the other.

5. Who has ordained that “the ten horns” should align themselves with the Beast for the purpose of carrying out the divine judgment against the utterly debauched society of “Babylon”? See Rev. 17:17. What commandment does Christ give to His people? See Rev. 18:4-5. In practical terms, what does Christ’s call mean for us, how do we comply with it? See 2 Cor. 6:17-7:1. Upon whom must we rely in this process called “sanctification”? See 2 Cor. 3:18,

God has put it into their hearts to accomplish his purpose by agreeing to surrender their kingdom to the beast, until God’s words are fulfilled. (Rev. 17:17)

Then I heard another voice from heaven, saying, 'Come out of her, my people, so that you have no fellowship with her sins and that you do not receive the plagues that will come upon her. ⁵Her sins are piled up to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities.' (Rev. 18:4-5)

^6:17'Come out from among them, and be separate,' says the LORD, 'and touch no unclean thing; and I will receive you,¹⁸and will be to you a Father, and you shall be to me sons and daughters,' says the LORD Almighty. ^7:1Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. 2 Cor. 6:17-7:1

...we all...beholding...the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory...by the Spirit of the Lord. 2 Cor. 3:18

Appendix: An In-depth Look at Revelation 17:7-14←⤒🔗

Introductory Comments←⤒🔗

In Revelation seventeen “the beast” is described as both a present entity (Rev. 17:3,7) and a non-present entity (Rev. 17:8,11). Furthermore, in its non-present form, (at the time of John’s writing the Book of Revelation), “the beast” has made previous appearance(s) and will make future appearance(s) (cp. Rev. 17:8,11).

We would suggest that “the beast” represents mankind’s ungodly lust for conquest and dominion, his desire to build the kingdom of man upon the earth; the first historical instance of which was mankind’s attempt to build the Tower of Babel (Gen. 11:1-9). In the days of the Apostle John, “the beast” manifested itself in the form of the Roman Empire. Ever-present within “the beast” is a demonically-inspired antipathy toward the kingdom of God, which antipathy at times is restrained and at other times is expressed in open hostility against the people of God. However, at the time of writing, the Apostle John was a prisoner for Christ on the Isle of Patmos, which shows that the demonically-inspired hostility of "the beast" is always expressing itself to some degree.

In Revelation 17, “the beast” is described in both the state when its antipathy toward the kingdom of God is restrained (Rev. 17:3,7), which was the case at the time John was writing the Revelation, and also in the state when that antipathy is exhibited with intense hostility against the people of God. According to Revelation 17:8,11, in its hostile form “the beast” has made previous appearance(s), (a notable instance occurring in the days of Antiochus Epiphanes, as described in Dan. 8:9-14), it was soon to manifest that hostility again (note Rev. 3:10), and it will exhibit that hostility at the end of history. With this as introduction, let us now proceed to consider this passage of Revelation in more detail.

A Verse-by-Verse Study of Revelation 17:7-14←⤒🔗

The beast, which you saw, [once] was, [presently] is not, but will come up out of the abyss and will go into perdition. Those who dwell on the earth, those whose names have not been written in the book of life from the creation of the world, will be amazed when they see the beast, how he [once] was, [presently] is not, but yet shall come.17:8

In verse eight, “the beast” is identified as being about to come out of “the abyss,” the habitation of demons (cp. Rev. 9:11). Thus, in verse eight “the beast” is especially considered as the inspired tool of the devil: here is the empire of man at those times in history when it especially exerts its demonic antipathy against the kingdom and the people of God. When the angel declares, “the beast once was,” he is referring to those past times in history when the devil especially employed the empire of man in his efforts to destroy the covenant people. One such attempt was made by the Syrian king Antiochus Epiphanes when he sought to wipe out biblical religion, (the subject of Dan. 8:9-14 and 11:30b-32). The Pharaoh at the time of the Exodus is another example of a time when the devil especially employed the empire of man against the people of God; whereas the empire of man in the form of the Egyptian Empire in the days of Joseph showed tolerance and even hospitality toward the people of God (cp. Gen. 47:5-6). But in the days of the Pharaoh of the Exodus, it manifested its demonic hostility against the covenant community, seeking to annihilate its male children and assimilate the females (Ex. 1:15-16). This is the specific, demonic dimension of the empire of man that is being described in Revelation 17:8.

The angel goes on to inform John that at present “the beast” is not, but he will come up out of the abyss. The meaning appears to be that, although at present the demonically-inspired hostility against the Church is restrained, the devil was about to launch an intense display of that hostility against the people of God in the form of an empire-wide persecution, instigated by the Roman emperor. This would be what the Lord Jesus is referring to when He promises the church in Philadelphia that He will spare her “from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world” (Rev. 3:10). That soon to come hour of trial would also serve as a type of the final exhibition of demonic fury against the Church to be encountered at the very end of the age (cp. Rev. 17:12-14, esp. vs. 14; note, also, Rev. 20:7-9).

“Those who dwell on the earth,” i.e. the unconverted peoples of the world, “will be amazed when they see the beast, how he [once] was, [presently] is not, but yet shall come.” That is to say, they will stand in terrified awe when they behold the “resurrection” of a demonically-inspired, worldwide totalitarian empire as it vents its demonic fury against all that is identified with God (Rev. 13:6-7; 2 Thess. 2:3b­4).

This calls for a mind of wisdom. The seven heads represent seven hills upon which the woman sits. ¹⁰They also represent seven kings.17:9-10a

We learn that “the seven heads” of the beast first represent the geographical location of the empire of man as it manifested itself in the days of the Apostle John: the seven hills are a reference to “the seven hills of Rome.” Furthermore, “the seven heads” also represent seven kings. Seven kings should be understood in the sense of “seven kingdoms,” as in the Book of Daniel. (Daniel 7:17 speaks of four kings; but from Daniel 7:23, we discover that they actually prove to be “four kingdoms.”) Thus, the seven heads of the beast either represent seven successive manifestations of the great desire of man to establish a worldwide totalitarian empire, seven historical manifestations of the outworking of that ungodly principle that resides in the heart of man; or more likely, the seven heads represent all the manifestations of the empire of man as they appear throughout history, the number “seven” being the number of completeness.

Five have fallen, one is [presently reigning], the other has not yet come; but when he does come, he must reign for a little while.17:10b

In reporting that five heads have fallen, the angel is apparently grouping all of the ancient empires prior to Rome together under the number “five.” Thus, the five represent all the ancient empires prior to Rome. The one that is presently reigning represents the Roman Empire as it existed in the first century, and the other that has not yet come represents the final historical manifestation of the empire of man, what we may call “the New Rome.” In referring to this final empire of man, the angel not only emphasizes the necessity of its appearance, (“he must reign”), but also the certainty of its judgment: unlike the kingdom of God that remains forever, (cp. Rev. 11:15), this last empire of man shall last “for a little while.”

The beast that once was, but at present is not, is also an eighth [king]. He belongs to the seven, and he will go into perdition.17:11

The beast with the seven heads will appear one final time as “an eighth [king].” In other words, this demonically-inspired desire to establish the kingdom of man in exclusion of God, which dwells within the heart of man, especially as it exhibits its antipathy to the kingdom of God, will make its final appearance in the form of one last great empire of man. When it does, that final empire will either be a “resurrection” of one of the previous empires of man, (for example, a Neo-Roman Empire), or it will be a final manifestation of all the previous empires of history summed up in one indescribably horrible world empire. This latter explanation seems to be the more likely meaning of the angel’s words. The fact that this “eighth [king]” “belongs to the seven” shows that he shares the same nature and ambition as them; the fact that he is the “eighth” seems to indicate that he will surpass the “seven” in the extent of his reign and the intensity of his opposition to the kingdom of God. The angel also assures us as to the final judgment of “the beast:” after it has made its final appearance, he will go into perdition. This final kingdom of man shall be once and forever subjected to the righteous judgment of God.

The ten horns you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but they will receive authority as kings with the beast for one hour.17:12

The angel now explains that the ten horns are ten kings. What is described here is a confederation of ten kings, or ten nations, aligned with “the beast” (cp. Rev. 17:13). The number “ten” maybe intended to be taken literally; but, more likely, it is intended to represent the idea of completeness. Hence, the angel is reporting that a confederation of nations, or possibly all the nations of the world, will give their allegiance to this last great empire known as “the beast.”

The angel goes on to declare that these ten have not yet received a kingdom. That is to say, these kings, or nations, have not yet come upon the scene of history at the time John received the Revelation in the first century. From the perspective of John’s day, their confederation with the world empire known as “the beast” was an event yet to occur in the future.

Finally, the angel informs us that these ten kings will receive authority as kings with the beast for “one hour.” Their rise to power and their confederation with the world empire of “the beast” shall take place at the close of history and shall last for only a short time: one hour.

They will be of one mind and will submit their power and authority to the beast.17:13

Here are ten kings, or ten nations, (bear in mind that the number “ten” most likely is intended to designate a complete contingent of nations), who by common consent align themselves together in submission to the mighty totalitarian empire of “the beast.” According to verse seventeen, their decision to come to one mind and submit their sovereign authority to “the beast” is ultimately the fulfillment of the sovereign will of God.

They will wage war against the Lamb, but the Lamb shall overcome them, because he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with him [shall also overcome], those who are called, indeed, chosen and faithful.17:14

The ten kings in consolidation with “the beast” will wage war against the Lamb. They shall be united in their opposition to the Lord Jesus Christ and His church. This may well be the climax to the period envisioned in Revelation 11:7-10, where the church of Christ suffers severe persecution.

Though the nations rage, and the kings of the earth set themselves against the LORD, nevertheless, the Lamb shall overcome, or conquer, them. At this point, the angel immediately projects us forward to the last day, the day of final judgment, the day when the Lamb carries out the triumph He has won by means of the cross of Calvary. Note: the things described in verses 15-18 take place prior to that great day when the Lamb carries out His triumph. Finally, the angel reports whom it is that shares with the Lamb in His victory; namely, those who are called, who are further defined as those who are chosen and faithful. The redeemed of the Lord, purchased by the blood of the Lamb, shall share with the Lamb in His conquest and victory.

The Relationship Between the Woman (a.k.a. Babylon) and the Beast←⤒🔗

In Revelation 17:3, John reports that he saw a woman sitting upon a scarlet-colored beast. The woman is later identified as “Babylon” (Rev. 17:5). The “beast” must be identified with “the beast” first introduced in Revelation thirteen. As employed in the Book of Revelation, “the beast” represents the ungodly spirit that lusts for conquest, control, and worldwide dominion, as well as the actual manifestations of that spirit in the form of the tyrannical/militaristic/totalitarian empires of history. “Babylon” represents the ungodly spirit of hedonism and materialism, as well as the actual manifestations of that spirit in the form of the hedonistic/materialistic societies of history.

When “the woman” of Revelation seventeen is first introduced, she is seen seated upon a scarlet-colored beast. The fact that the beast is scarlet in color is perhaps representative of the bloodshed, violence and martial law that are characteristic of a militaristic/totalitarian empire as it seeks to assert its control over its realm and expand its dominion over an ever-greater portion of the world. The fact that “the woman” is found to be seated upon “the beast” is indicative of the fact that at the time of the writing of Revelation in the first century, those two unholy principles, namely, the lust for dominion and control and the lust for unfettered hedonism, were both coalesced in one great empire and society: the Roman Empire of the first century. The Roman Empire was a totalitarian world power; at the same time, the society of Rome was the center of sumptuous materialism and unfettered hedonism.

But when we come to the end of the chapter, we discover that “the beast,” together with his allies that are identified as the ten horns, will hate the prostitute: “They will bring her to ruin and strip her naked; they will eat her flesh and totally consume her with fire” (Rev. 17:16). It is important to recognize that whereas verse three is describing the state of affairs as it existed at the time of the writing of Revelation in the first century, verse sixteen is describing a future state of affairs. The point is this: Those two unholy principles, namely, the lust for dominion and control and the lust for unfettered hedonism, coalesced in one and the same place in the first century, the Roman Empire. But Revelation 17:16 is envisioning a later date in history when those two unholy principles shall manifest themselves in two distinct societies, one being a totalitarian/militaristic empire, the other being a hedonistic/materialistic society.

Throughout history we find examples of how the LORD God has employed the various militaristic empires of man as His instrument to bring judgment upon hedonistic/materialistic societies when they have reached the nadir of sinful degeneration and depravity. One biblical example of this phenomenon, as noted in the accompanying study, is the conquest and destruction of historic ancient Babylon by the military might of the Median-Persian empire, when the former had degenerated into decadence. The account of that judgment is given in Daniel chapter five. In Revelation 17:16, under the imagery of “the beast” devouring “the harlot,” this same phenomenon is being described. Indeed, Revelation 17:16, looking into the future, appears to be revealing the judgment and destruction of the last great hedonistic society of man by the last great militaristic empire of man, which in turn shall finally be judged by God for its own sins. Note that Revelation 17:11 informs us that “the beast” shall go into perdition; and, according to Revelation 20:10, the final fate of “the beast” is the lake of fire.