CHAPTER 17
OBJECTIVES IN STUDYING THIS CHAPTER
SUMMARY
This is a key chapter, for the mystery of the great harlot and the beast is explained, and one's understanding of this chapter will affect their interpretation of the rest of the book. John is carried away into the wilderness where he is shown the great harlot "Babylon", with whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication and the inhabitants of the earth were drunk with the wine of her fornication. She is seen sitting on a scarlet beast with seven heads and ten horns. She is dressed in purple and scarlet, adorned with gold, precious stones and pearls. In her hand is a gold cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication. On her forehead is written: MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH Seeing the woman drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus, John marvels with great amazement (1-6).
The angel then proceeds to tell John the mystery of the woman and the beast that carries her. He begins with the beast first, described as one who "was, is not, and is about to come" (NASB). This beast will ascend out of the bottomless pit (cf. Re 11:7) and go to perdition (cf. Re 19:20). The seven heads of the beast represent seven mountains upon which the woman sits. There are seven kings, five of whom have fallen, one is, and the other has yet to come. The beast is then described as the eighth king, though of the seven. The ten horns represent ten kings who give their power and authority to the beast, make war against the Lamb, and eventually turn on the harlot herself. The harlot is finally described as that "great city" (cf. Re 11:8;14:8; 16:19) which reigns over the kings of the earth (7-18).
In what may be described as the theme of this book, we are told that: "These will make war with Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful." (Re 17:14).
OUTLINE
I. THE SCARLET WOMAN AND THE SCARLET BEAST (1-6)
A. JOHN IS APPROACHED BY AN ANGEL (1-2)
B. JOHN IS SHOWN THE SCARLET WOMAN ON THE SCARLET BEAST (3-6)
II. THE MYSTERY OF THE WOMAN AND BEAST EXPLAINED (7-18)
A. THE ANGEL OFFERS TO EXPLAIN THE MYSTERY (7)
B. THE BEAST EXPLAINED (8-14)
C. THE WOMAN EXPLAINED (15-18)
REVIEW QUESTIONS FOR THE CHAPTER
1) What are the main points of this chapter?
2) What did the angel tell John he would be shown? (1)
3) How does the angel describe this woman? (2)
4) List the description of the woman as seen by John (3-6)
5) What was John's reaction to seeing the woman? (6)
6) What does the angel offer to tell John? (7)
7) How is the beast described? (8)
8) What does the seven heads of the beast represent? (9-10)
9) What is said of the seven kings? (10)
10) What is said of the beast that was and is not? (11)
11) What do the ten horns represent? (12)
12) What else is said of the ten kings and the beast? (13-14)
13) Why will the Lamb overcome the beast and the ten kings? (14)
14) What do the waters upon which the harlot sits represent? (15)
15) What will the ten horns (kings) do to the harlot? (16)
16) Why will they do this? (17)
17) How is the woman finally described? (18)
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