Revelation Study/11-4-13/Chapter 17/Babylon, the Prostitute on the Beast

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Betty B

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Nov 4, 2013, 8:12:15 AM11/4/13

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Revelation Study/11-4-13/Chapter 17/Babylon, the Prostitute on the Beast

I do not claim to have written this on my own, through prayer and bible notes and some Internet helps. Love Bettyb.

The great prostitute called Babylon Represents the early Rome empire.

The "great prostitute" sitting on the waters symbolizes Satan's Cosmic System that rules over the earth.

"Many waters" refer to the people of the world (Political Babylon), who are of many ethnic groups, nations, and languages (Revelation 17:15). The "great prostitute" sitting on the waters symbolizes Satan's Cosmic System that rules over the earth.

The Prostitute of Babylon symbolizes the city of Babylon, which represents the kingdom of Satan.

And upon her forehead the name had been written, "MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH." (Revelation 17:5)

This woman had been behind the martyrdom of the saints throughout history, and she would continue in the Tribulation (Revelation 16:6). "Martyrs" is the Greek mavrtu" (martus), which means a witness unto death. John stood in amazement as he tried to understand the symbolic meaning of all this.

The Beast represents the Revived Roman Empire (Dan 7:7; Rev 13:1; 17:11). The Abyss refers to Tartarus (2 Peter 2:4; Jude 6), which is the dungeon below Hell (Romans 10:7) where criminal demons (Luke 8:31), the beast (Antichrist) (Revelation 11:7; 17:8), Abaddon (Revelation 9:11), and the devil (Revelation 20:3) are locked up (Revelation 9:1; 20:1, 3). The demons that will support and empower the Beast will come from the Abyss where they have been incarcerated since the Noahic Flood (2 Peter 2:4-5).

The Beast himself also represented the Evil King (Emperor) of the Revived Roman Empire

The "ten horns" refer to the ten nation confederation of the Revived Roman Empire, which will be a united Europe. The number, 10, refers to the Laws of Establishment.

The "waters" represent all the people of the world in every culture, nation, and ethnic group.

And the Beast "will burn her up with fire" (Revelation 17:16). This refers to the condemnation of Satan and his demon sponsors of the Prostitute of Babylon in the Lake of Fire.

Revelation 17

New International Version (NIV)

Babylon, the Prostitute on the Beast

17 One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the punishment of the great prostitute, who sits by many waters. ²With her the kings of the earth committed adultery, and the inhabitants of the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her adulteries.”

³Then the angel carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness. There I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns. ⁴The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and was glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls. She held a golden cup in her hand, filled with abominable things and the filth of her adulteries. ⁵The name written on her forehead was a mystery:

Babylon the great

The mother of prostitutes

And of the abominations of the earth.

⁶I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of God’s holy people, the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus.

When I saw her, I was greatly astonished. ⁷Then the angel said to me: “Why are you astonished? I will explain to you the mystery of the woman and of the beast she rides, which has the seven heads and ten horns. ⁸The beast, which you saw, once was, now is not, and yet will come up out of the Abyss and go to its destruction. The inhabitants of the earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the creation of the world will be astonished when they see the beast, because it once was, now is not, and yet will come.

⁹“This calls for a mind with wisdom. The seven heads are seven hills on which the woman sits. ¹⁰They are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come; but when he does come, he must remain for only a little while. ¹¹The beast who once was, and now is not, is an eighth king. He belongs to the seven and is going to his destruction.

¹²“The ten horns you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but who for one hour will receive authority as kings along with the beast. ¹³They have one purpose and will give their power and authority to the beast. ¹⁴They will wage war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will triumph over them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings—and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers.”

¹⁵Then the angel said to me, “The waters you saw, where the prostitute sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations and languages. ¹⁶The beast and the ten horns you saw will hate the prostitute. They will bring her to ruin and leave her naked; they will eat her flesh and burn her with fire. ¹⁷For God has put it into their hearts to accomplish his purpose by agreeing to hand over to the beast their royal authority, until God’s words are fulfilled. ¹⁸The woman you saw is the great city that rules over the kings of the earth.”

2 Chronicles 7:14

(NKJV)

¹⁴if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.