Revelation Chapter 17
This chapter contains a lot of imagery that at first glance seems difficult to understand, but when we think about what the angel explains to John and what we have already learned in the preceding chapters we can begin to understand its message. John is again taken in the spirit to a different place. One of the seven angels who had the bowls takes John to a place called the wilderness. John sees something that he doesn’t know what to make of it. He is confused by what he is seeing. And so, the angel explains the imagery to him.
We know that God has many times used the analogy of the adulterous wife to describe those who have betrayed Him and gone after their own gods. Humans have always tried to create their own religion and ironically their religions almost always involve sexual appetites being fulfilled. We also know that Babylon has been the religion and political regime of the world that wants to be self-indulgent. Lately in the news we have seen the boldness of the world’s rich and powerful coming together to promote a one-world government. Could this be the Babylon that Revelations refers to? Verse 2 tells us that the kings of the earth have become drunk with the wine of sexual immorality. That sure describes our world today. Drunk with sexual immorality!
Let's Reflect
1. John saw a woman sitting on a beast. This woman is named in verse 5. What is her name?
2. This woman while dressed to the nines is a horrible filthy woman. What did she drink that caused her to be drunk?
3. We know from previous chapters that the beast is the anti-christ. So, if this woman is Babylon or the humanity of the world that rejects Jesus and instead turns to worship the anti-christ, they are literally worshiping the devil because the anti-christ is empowered by whom?
4. According to verse 8 what will be the end result for the beast?
5. There have been several ideas brought forth regarding the meaning of the seven heads and ten horns of this beast. The angel explains to John that the seven heads represent seven mountains and also seven kings. The angel tells John that five of the seven kings have already come and gone in John’s current life and in times before John was born. But there would be two more that would rise up as world leaders in what would be a future time for John. The angel says the anti-christ is like an eighth king, but he really belongs to all seven kings, past and present. They all have the same mindset – pleasing man. Again, what does the angel say about the end result for this beast? See verse 11
6. And then we have that one government coming together to make war on the lamb (Jesus). We saw this in the last chapter – the gathering of the world’s superpowers for the battle of Armageddon. Who will win the war? See verse 14.
7. Remember that prostitute that was seated on the beast. The beast or the anti-christ does not really care about the people and he will turn on her and the people. He only wants power for himself. When all of the world realizes, that they have actually handed over their power to the anti-christ who is empowered by the devil, it will be too late. Who knew all of this would happen and it was all a part of His plan?
