Scripture: Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great prostitute who is seated on many waters, with whom the kings of the earth have committed sexual immorality, and with the wine of whose sexual immorality the dwellers on earth have become drunk.” And he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness, and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was full of blasphemous names, and it had seven heads and ten horns. The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and jewels and pearls, holding in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her sexual immorality. And on her forehead was written a name of mystery: “Babylon the great, mother of prostitutes and of earth’s abominations.” And I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of the martyrs of Jesus.
When I saw her, I marveled greatly. But the angel said to me, “Why do you marvel? I will tell you the mystery of the woman, and of the beast with seven heads and ten horns that carries her. The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to rise from the bottomless pit and go to destruction. And the dwellers on earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world will marvel to see the beast, because it was and is not and is to come. This calls for a mind with wisdom: the seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman is seated; they are also seven kings, five of whom have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come, and when he does come he must remain only a little while. As for the beast that was and is not, it is an eighth but it belongs to the seven, and it goes to destruction. And the ten horns that you saw are ten kings who have not yet received royal power, but they are to receive authority as kings for one hour, together with the beast. These are of one mind, and they hand over their power and authority to the beast. They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful.”
And the angel said to me, “The waters that you saw, where the prostitute is seated, are peoples and multitudes and nations and languages. And the ten horns that you saw, they and the beast will hate the prostitute. They will make her desolate and naked, and devour her flesh and burn her up with fire, for God has put it into their hearts to carry out his purpose by being of one mind and handing over their royal power to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled. And the woman that you saw is the great city that has dominion over the kings of the earth.”
Revelation 17:1-18 ESV [Click here to read the entire chapter.]
Observation: Recapping Friday’s Daily Focus, John describes the seven bowls of wrath the angels pour onto creation, marking God’s judgment against unrepentant, rebellious humans. God commands seven angels to direct the plagues onto various natural elements of our world and the sun, resulting in judgment on those who bear the mark of the beast and worship its image. Yet, throughout these agonizing supernatural disasters and a looming bloodbath, these recalcitrant people refuse to repent and curse God. Thus, Christ announces he is coming unexpectedly like a thief and urges his elect to stay alert and dressed (i.e., ready) for action.
Today’s reading continues the divine revelation of our Triune God with scene one of Babyon’s fall. One of the seven angels invites John to come and see the unfolding judgment against the forces of evil and their human underlings. As the angel carries him away in the Spirit, John sees a woman sitting on a scarlet beast with seven heads, ten horns, and blasphemous names tattooing its body. The woman, intoxicated with the blood of Christ’s martyred saints, dons exquisite apparel and jewelry and holds a golden chalice filled with her evil acts. And proudly displayed on her forehead are the words: “Babylon the great, mother of prostitutes and of earth’s abominations” (v.5).
John is perplexed by what he sees, so the angel explains the symbolism of the beast with seven heads and ten horns:
- The beast will rise from Hades and impress its human followers. It belongs to the seven kings (as the eighth ruler). It will, however, face destruction.
- The seven heads represent seven mountains where the harlot encamps and seven kings (five who have fallen, one who presently rules, and one who will come and reign for a short time).
- The ten horns are ten kings who will briefly receive power and join forces with the beast, delegating their authority to the beast to wage war together against the Lamb (Christ) and his chosen faithful.
The angel adds that the waters underneath the prostitute symbolize the many nations, while the prostitute represents the great city that carries authority over all kings of the earth. Lastly, the king and the beast loathe the prostitute and will devour her with fire as God will permit them to fulfill his will.
Takeaway: As mentioned in prior devotions, Babylon is not a geographic location but symbolic of the elements comprising the forces of evil (i.e., demonic spirits and humans who submit to these spirits). Indeed, theologian Alan Johnson contends that Babylon is a transhistorical reality that includes idolatrous kingdoms as diverse as Sodom, Gomorrah, Egypt, Babylon, Tyre, Nineveh, and Rome. As such, Babylon is an eschatological symbol of satanic deception and power that encompasses the total culture of our world apart from God. In contrast, the divine system is the New Jerusalem, and Rome is merely one manifestation of the breadth of our fallen world (The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Revelation, p.554).
That said, chapters 17 and 18 form one continuous panel addressing the judgment of Babylon (all elements of evil). John identifies the woman as the great city (v.18), and chapter 18 covers its fall. Overall, these two chapters form an extended appendix to the seventh bowl, where John records judgment on Babylon (16:19). They also expand on John’s earlier references to this city (11:8; 14:8) and point us forward by way of contrast to the eternal Holy City (chapters 21–22).
Out takeaway? Verse 17 summarizes how we should view these mystifying end times: God is sovereign over cleansing creation from evil and sin. He will permit evil to advance, but only to serve his ultimate will: to renew our world and intimately dwell with us as he intended in the Garden of Eden. Our part? As mentioned throughout this study of John’s Revelation, we must resist worrying about what awaits us until Christ returns. Instead, we must engage in the kingdom work before us, confidently knowing that any present suffering is incomparable to the glory that will be revealed in us (Romans 8:18). Moreover, the Spirit will help us when we feel inadequate (Romans 8:26), interceding for us when words escape us (Romans 8:27). And most importantly, our gracious and loving God will work all things for our good (Romans 8:28) so that we might conquer what trials and tribulations lie ahead (Romans 8:37) fueled by his and his Son’s inseparable love for us (Romans 8:38-39).
Prayer: Father God, we thank you for your Son, who resisted evil and engaged with kingdom work amid the trials and tribulations of his mission, culminating in his sacrificial death. And we thank you that he will return and conquer the remnants of evil that have persisted since his victory on his cross. Still, we sometimes lose sight of the big picture amid our struggles with fear, sin, and persecution from others. So please help us resist worrying about the future and engage with present opportunities to grow you and your Son’s kingdom and glorify your names. Amen.
Rev. Gordon Green, M.Div., M.A. Counseling
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