REVELATION 17 – THE
SCARLET BEAST AND THE WOMAN
12-1-2018
Revelation 17:1-3 NET Then
one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and spoke to me.
"Come," he said, "I will show you the condemnation and punishment
of the great prostitute who sits on many waters, (2) with whom the kings of the
earth committed sexual immorality and the earth's inhabitants got drunk with
the wine of her immorality."
(3) So he carried me away in
the Spirit to a wilderness, and there I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast
that was full of blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns.
The
prostitute woman envisioned later as sitting (or riding) on the scarlet beast
is said to “sit on many waters” meaning that her influence covers a large area –
possibly the entire earth. V2 “the kings
of the earth committed sexual immorality and the earth's inhabitants got drunk
with the wine of her immorality”.
When John received this vision, the “kings of the earth” would include
those of Europe, Asia, Near East, and North Africa but considering that Mystery
Babylon is presently being taken down, it can safely be said that it includes
the government leaders of the entire earth.
The
leaders of the world and many individuals have committed sexual immorality
through the influence of the woman (prostitute or Babylon). Scripturally speaking idolatry (the worship
of some type of false god) is considered the same sin as sexual immorality.
The
reader is next introduced to the scarlet beast.
It had seven heads and ten horns, filled with blasphemous names. The beast coming from the sea in Rev 13:1
also had ten horns and
seven heads, and on its horns were ten diadem crowns, and on its heads a
blasphemous name. Other than the crowns listed in Rev 13:1
and the scarlet color, the descriptions are basically the same. It also was composed of several animals: the
beast that I saw was like a leopard, but its feet were like a bear's, and its
mouth was like a lion's mouth.
In Daniel 7:3 he
envisioned: “Then four large beasts came up from the sea; they were different from
one another”. The first three beasts
had the appearance of: 1) Lion with
wings of an eagle 2) a bear 3) a leopard.
The beast in Rev 13:1 is a composite of the first three beasts of Daniel
7. Daniel’s non-descriptive fourth beast
had ten horns but among them came a “little horn” which uprooted three of the
original ten horns.
One
of the signs given in Rev 12:3 is a dragon:
Then another sign appeared in
heaven: a huge red dragon that had seven heads and ten horns, and on its heads
were seven diadem crowns. This
dragon is red or scarlet with seven heads, ten horns, and seven crowns, which
is the same description as the beast in Rev 13:1
Other
than a few occasional omissions, the scarlet beast of Rev 17 is the same as the
beast (or dragon) in Rev 12 and Rev 13.
It is also a composite of the four beasts found in Daniel 7.
The
wilderness location for the scarlet beast and the woman can create a certain
amount of confusion: Is this the same
woman of chapter 12 that fled to the wilderness? Has this woman been seen
before but was called by another name?
The word translated as “wilderness” can mean a desert area but it can
also mean, desolate, deserted, and lonely. Most likely the Rev 12 woman and the Rev 17
are not exactly the same but they may have common characteristics (i.e. the Rev
17 woman as representative of Mystery Babylon does contain certain religious or
church related issues.
Revelation
17:4-7 NET Now the woman was dressed in purple and scarlet
clothing, and adorned with gold, precious stones, and pearls. She held in her
hand a golden cup filled with detestable things (abominations) and unclean
things from her sexual immorality. (5) On her forehead was written a name, a
mystery: "Babylon the Great, the Mother of prostitutes and of the
detestable things of the earth." (6) I saw that the woman was drunk with
the blood of the saints and the blood of those who testified to Jesus. I was
greatly astounded when I saw her. (7) But the angel said to me, "Why are
you astounded? I will interpret for you the mystery of the woman and of the
beast with the seven heads and ten horns that carries her.
The
woman is dressed in purple and scarlet clothing, adorned with gold, precious
stones, and pearls, and holds a golden cup.
This symbolizes wealth and luxury.
It could also describe the clothing of the Pope or a Vatican
official. The woman is emblazoned with a
specific name which is called a “mystery”:
"Babylon
the Great, the Mother of prostitutes and of the detestable things (abominations) of the earth." Thus, the woman is (symbolically) Babylon the
Great and since her name was said to be a “mystery” she can also be known as
Mystery Babylon.
The reference to golden cup in the woman’s hand is
taken from Jer. 51: 7. Mystery Babylon
is considered to have the basic characteristics of the original Babylonian
Empire.
Jeremiah
51:7 NET Babylonia had been a gold cup in the LORD's hand. She
had made the whole world drunk. The nations had drunk from the wine of her
wrath. So they have all gone mad.
In
Rev 17:4 the woman’s golden cup was filled with detestable things or
abominations. An abomination is a Hebrew
euphemism for an idol.
John was astounded and was chided by the angel for
his astonishment.
Revelation
17:8-11 NET The beast you saw was, and is not, but is about to
come up from the abyss and then go to destruction. The inhabitants of the earth
-- all those whose names have not been written in the book of life since the
foundation of the world -- will be astounded when they see that the beast was,
and is not, but is to come. (9) (This requires a mind that has wisdom.) The
seven heads are seven mountains the woman sits on. They are also seven kings:
(10) five have fallen; one is, and the other has not yet come, but whenever he
does come, he must remain for only a brief time. (11) The beast that was, and
is not, is himself an eighth king and yet is one of the seven, and is going to
destruction.
In Rev 13:1 one of the heads of the beast rising
from the sea is itself a religious beast and has been previously identified as
the Pope/Vatican/Roman Church. The
Vatican and its Roman Church is also part of the composite Mystery Babylon or
the woman on the scarlet beast. The
daughters may be the Protestant denominations that have arisen since the
printing of the Bible. The great harlot
is more than the church, but it certainly includes it.
Rev 17:8
The beast you saw was, and is not, but is about to come up from the abyss and
then go to destruction. The inhabitants of the earth -- all those whose names
have not been written in the book of life since the foundation of the world --
will be astounded when they see that the beast was, and is not, but is to come.
The concept of “the beast you saw was, and is not,
but will exit the abyss” has already been explained in Rev 13:3 - One of the beast's heads appeared to have
been killed, but the lethal wound had been healed.
The pope was actually taken captive by Napoleon and
placed in prison where he died in 1798.
Later Napoleon considered a Pope necessary to conduct his emperor
coronation, so he reinstated a person as pope in 1800.
This
seems to indicate that the beast of Rev 13:1 is the dragon beast of Rev 12 or a
composite of all the beast empires with one of the heads being the Holy Roman
Empire which was an empire until the head (Pope) died in prison and was
reinstated by Napoleon.
In
Rev 17: 8, John describes the same beast, saying, “he was and is not and will come.”
It is plain that we are to interpret this in terms of the event described
earlier in Rev. 13: 3 One of the beast's heads appeared to have been
killed, but the lethal wound had been healed.
Rev 17:8c then go to destruction
When
the angel in Rev. 17: 11 says that the scarlet beast “goes to destruction”
(apoleia), he was giving us a major clue as to the identity of the beast. The angel is telling us that the beast from
the sea (i.e. the religious beast) is the disciple and “friend” of Jesus who
ends up betraying Him at the end of the age. This religious beast
(Vatican/Papacy), then, is supposedly a Christian beast, even as Judas had been
a Christian.
This
“friend” could also include the group of Zionist Christians who blindly claim
that modern Israel is the fulfillment of various Old Testament prophecies
concerning the northern nation of Israel that consisted of ten of the original
twelve (13 counting the Levites) tribes.
Most
Bible teachers tend to get lost in these details, because they do not know
history, and even if they did, many of them are Futurists. Thus, they can only
speculate about future things, not knowing that much of the prophecy has
already been fulfilled. This only adds to the confusion and usually makes it
virtually impossible to understand the prophecy about this scarlet beast.
(9) (This
requires a mind that has wisdom.) The seven heads are seven mountains the woman
sits on.
Much
debate has been spent identifying the seven mountains mentioned in verse
9. Rome is identified with 7 mountains
and the papacy is located inside Rome, however Rome is not the headquarters of
the mythical “antichrist” of future dispensational fame.
According
to Dr. Stephen Jones, these seven hills or mountains spiritually represent
seven forms of government in the history of the Roman Empire: 1. Kings 2.
Consuls 3. Dictators 4. Decemvirs (One of a body of ten Roman
magistrates, especially a member of one of two
such bodies appointed
in 451 and 450) 5. Military Tribunes 6. Military Emperors 7. Christian
Emperors.
“Five have fallen.” Remember this was written in the first century.
In that context, the first five forms of Roman government had already fallen
and had been replaced by the sixth i.e. the military emperors after the death
of Nero in 68 A.D. After Nero committed
suicide there was a flurry of short term emperors until Vespasian returned from
the Judah revolt and became a long term military emperor. This was the type of government that existed
when the angel interpreted the seven mountains to John around 96 A.D.
In summary: “Rev 17:9 The seven hears are seven mountains and
they are also seven kings”. The kings are types of kingdom
government. “Rev 17:10 Five have fallen”
– 1) Kings 2) Consuls 3) Dictators 4) Decemvirs 5) Miltary Tribunes. “Rev 17:10b one is” – At the time of John
the kingdom government was 6) Military Emperors. “Rev 17:10 the other has not yet come”. The 7) Christian Emperors. “Rev 17:11 The beast that was” – The Pope. “Rev 17:11b And is not” – The Pope died in
prison. “Rev 17:11c Is himself an eight king”
– A restored new type of Pope with no land empire. Scripturally, a resurrected (in this case restored)
person is a new person. “Rev 17:11d
yet is one of the seven” - the new restored Pope was originally a
part of the Papacy linage.
The
Ten Horns
Revelation
17:12-13 NET (12) The ten horns that you saw are ten kings who
have not yet received a kingdom, but will receive ruling authority as kings
with the beast for one hour. (13) These kings have a single intent, and they
will give their power and authority to the beast.
In
verse 13, according to Dr. Stephen Jones, the ten horns were ten nations or
ethnic groups in Europe that did not as yet have kingdoms of their own, because
they were under the control of the Roman Empire. They are:
Bavarians; Franks; Bergundians; Alemanni; Suevi: Visigoths; Alans:
Vandals; Ostrogoths; and Heruli or Lombards.
These ten regions could also be considered as the ten toes of the image
of Daniel 2:41-42. The “little horn”
(i.e. soon to be Holy Roman Empire) paid mercenaries to conquer three or these areas.
Jumping
ahead to make this section more sensible, the ten horns (or nations) give their
power to the “little horn” (Vatican) although three of them did not do so
willingly. “One hour” is not literal and
most likely means a short span of time as compared to other occurrences.
Revelation
17:17 NET For
God has put into their minds to carry out his purpose by making a decision to
give their royal power to the beast until the words of God are fulfilled.
Revelation
17:14 NET They will make war with the Lamb, but the Lamb will
conquer them, because he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those
accompanying the Lamb are the called, chosen, and faithful."
During
the era of the Holy Roman Empire, prior to the Pope dying in French prison,
many Church members were tortured and slaughtered by the Church. This was the time of the Inquisitions and
other destructive programs. This stopped
after the Pope was imprisoned. It could
be said that God anointed Napoleon to unknowingly place a halt to the “war with
the Lamb” concerning the slaughter of church people who had a different view of
God and scripture than the Vatican.
Revelation
17:15 NET Then the angel said to me, "The waters you saw
(where the prostitute is seated) are peoples, multitudes, nations, and
languages.
Rev
17:15 verifies that Mystery Babylon (i.e. the woman and the scarlet beast) is
currently a world-wide system. Even the
Amazon Indians are infected with loggers and miners. The scarlet beast that the woman sits on is
the equivalent of the waters.
Revelation
17:16-18 NET (16) The ten horns that you saw, and the beast --
these will hate the prostitute and make her desolate and naked. They will
consume her flesh and burn her up with fire. (17) For God has put into their
minds to carry out his purpose by making a decision to give their royal power
to the beast until the words of God are fulfilled. (18) As for the woman you
saw, she is the great city that has sovereignty over the kings of the
earth."
The remnants of the ten horns that were ruled by the
beast will be anointed by God to destroy the woman (Babylon) because God has put into their minds to carry out his
purpose.
Rev 17:16 c “They will consume her flesh”. An interesting Old Testament prophetic type of
the prostitute woman being eaten is the execution of Jezebel. She was thrown into the street and dogs
consumed her flesh leaving only bones.
2
Kings 9:36 NET When they went back and told him, he said, "The
LORD's word through his servant, Elijah the Tishbite, has come to pass. He
warned, 'In the plot of land at Jezreel, dogs
will devour Jezebel's flesh.
This
Jezebel story applied to the harlot woman is purely symbolic when it comes to
the actual fulfillment of prophecy in our time. The point is that the harlot
system will be destroyed by the nations and the people who have been oppressed
by her domination. God will use blind
unbelievers to execute justice on the persecutor.
The
ten horns are united as a single beast on which the harlot sits/rides (or
rules), but in the end God causes the horn beasts to turn on the harlot. It is also important to note that the saints
(the elect or the chosen) are not the ones who eat the flesh of the harlot, but
the beasts that she has ruled. God uses the nations to bring about His purpose
and to execute the judgment decreed by the saints of the Most High (Daniel).
Hence, when we observe international events today, we ought not to condemn the
nations for overthrowing the harlot. The nations may be beastly, but in the
end, they are agents of divine judgment.
Babylon is Fallen, Fallen,
Fallen
The
final wrath of God’s destruction of Mystery Babylon (the scarlet beast and the
woman) is narrated in Revelation 16:17-21 presented as the seventh bowl
judgment. This final section of the
Revelation concerning the fall of Mystery Babylon is a current (i.e. right now)
prophecy that is being fulfilled in real-time announced in various news
reports.
The
“great city” is not literal, it is not the futurist dispensational idea of
Jerusalem or a physical city at all. So
this great city (Mystery Babylon metaphorically) is symbolically split into
three parts. The gigantic hailstones may
be Mr. Trump’s (and others) actions and presidential edicts to bring down the
illegal immigration, the Federal Reserve, and the coming indictments but they
are not literal. His actions are causing
the Democrats, the MSM, and the Hollywood scoundrels to blaspheme God, insult
Mr. Trump, his staff, and the red-state deplorables.
Revelation
16:17-21 NET
(17) Finally the seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air and a loud
voice came out of the temple from the throne, saying: "It is done!"
(18) Then there were flashes of lightning, roaring, and crashes of thunder, and
there was a tremendous earthquake -- an earthquake unequaled since humanity has
been on the earth, so tremendous was that earthquake. (19) The great city was
split into three parts and the cities of the nations collapsed. So Babylon the
great was remembered before God, and was given the cup filled with the wine
made of God's furious wrath. (20) Every island fled away and no mountains could
be found. (21) And gigantic hailstones, weighing about a hundred pounds each,
fell from heaven on people, but they blasphemed God because of the plague of
hail, since it was so horrendous.
The
above mentioned earthquakes, if literal, would completely destroy the earth and
every living thing. They are merely
symbolic of religious, political and governmental destruction and annihilation
as they have been throughout the Revelation narration.
