The angel tells John he will show him the condemnation of the harlot. Tyre was called a harlot by Isaiah (Isaiah 23:16-17), as was Ninevah by Nahum (Nahum 3:4 f) Also, Jerusalem was described as a harlot when the people turned from proper service to spiritual adultery. (Isaiah 1:21; Hosea 2:5; Hosea 2:12; Hosea 9:1; Jeremiah 2:20) The waters are identified in verse 15 as peoples, multitudes, nations and tongues. It seems possible to this writer that we first have a picture of Rome as the capital city of the empire and then as the head of the spiritually apostate church gone whoring after false religion.

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