Bible Commentaries
Revelation 17

Verses 1-18

The Temple Section-The Scarlet Woman

1 The following chapters (17- Revelation 19:5) are a detailed expansion of the announcement of Babylon's fall in both the first and second divisions of the Temple Section (Revelation 14:8, Revelation 16:19), We know the fact and the time; now we are told the reason and the circumstances which lead up to it.

3 The false woman is in contrast with faithful Jerusalem (Revelation 12:1). The true woman is arrayed with heavenly splendor, ready to take her place in the kingdom of God. The false is decked with earthly ornaments and is supported by the wild beast (Revelation 13:1), which is a composite of all the false religious powers of the world, organized and energized by Satan. The secret consists in the fact that the unfaithful woman-apostate Israel -attains to world supremacy and blessing altogether apart from Jehovah or His Christ. By their own efforts the nJews have amassed untold wealth. When their capital is combined they will be able to dictate to any government on earth, Covetousness is idolatry, They worship wealth, and all the world has bowed down at the same shrine. The love of money leads to every other form of evil. It has been a fruitful source of earth's ills.

5 Babylon is the only city which has been the capital of a world empire in the past. Here Nebuchadnezzar had his capital, Medo-Persia made it theirs, and Alexander of Greece made it his after conquering the world. No other city has ruled the whole earth. The decree of Caesar Augustus, that the whole inhabited earth should be registered (Luke 2:1) was a vain pretense. It could not be enforced in Babylon itself, for the Romans could not conquer it. The present ecclesia is nowhere called the "bride of Christ", so present apostasy is not presented under the figure of marital unfaithfulness.

7 Babylon is supported in her ascendancy by the united religions of the earth. No wonder John marvels that, while God's saints are being slaughtered, the unfaithful should attain to almost millennial bliss!

8 This is a note of time. After the wild beast is recalled from the abyss by the dragon (Revelation 13:1) it no longer supports the woman.

The Temple Section-The Wild, Beast

8 When the wild beast emerges from the sea one of its heads was as though it had been slain (Revelation 13:3). This, it would seem, is the eighth head, which is also one of the seven. These kings must be taken literally, for they explain to us what the heads represent.

12 In Daniel's vision (7) the western wild beast had ten horns, hence the ten horns probably stand for ten western military powers in Christendom. In a federation of many governments it is easily seen how they could temporarily delegate their powers to the head of the world league. When the call goes forth for an international force to destroy the rebellious Jews in Jerusalem the federation of the West as well as the kings of the East will mobilize at Armageddon. There they will be slain by the Rider on the White Horse (Revelation 19:19-21). This is their end. But before this they are used in the destruction of Babylon.

15 The Jews in Babylon will be supported principally by the toil of the great masses in the western nations. The enormous interest on the national debts will make the people comparative slaves of those to whom the interest is paid, When it becomes known that the greater part of this money is used by the Jews in Babylon for their luxurious magnificence, it will arouse the hatred of the peoples and the governments who are under a perpetual tribute, as there is no possibility of paying off the principal. This hatred will lead to the unanimous opinion that Babylon must be destroyed, The wild beast upon which Babylon rests, after being obsessed by the dragon, becomes her implacable enemy. This is God's means of destroying the apostates in Israel.

17 By a bold figure of speech God is said to have an "opinion". The ten horns pride themselves in forming their own opinion and in carrying it out, when, as a matter of fact, they are obliged, by the purpose of God, to think and act as they do. Man is moved by ulterior motives. God provides these and men, conscious only of their own selfish aims, accomplish His end. God wants Babylon destroyed: they gladly do it for their own sakes, not for Him.

The Temple Section-Babylon's Fall

18 The basic law which underlies all figures of speech pleads with us to make this city a literal fact. No one presumes to make the woman literal. She must be figurative. The city, however, explains to us what the woman represents, and must be taken as a literal city. If not, there is no end to the "explanations" which may be offered, each of which may, in turn, be further explained.

18 The city is Babylon, on the Euphrates, which will be rebuilt in due time. But, instead of being a gentile city, as in time past, it will become a Jewish city, composed of the apostates of Judaism. When the Jews return to Palestine, many will find that place unsuited to their genius for trade and commerce, or for the beautiful city which they plan for themselves, so they move over to the plains of Shinar and build Babylon, making it the commercial and financial center or the world. At this time the vision of the Ephah (Zechariah 5:5-11) will have its fulfillment. The ephah was a measure used in commerce. This is a symbol of the Jews throughout the earth. They are merchants. A woman was cast into the ephah and swiftly borne to the land of Shinar, as Babylonia was called. There she will be established and take her toll of the traffic of the West with the East.