Revelation 17:3

So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. THE WILDERNESS. Contrast her in Revelation 12:6; Revelation 12:14, having a place in the wilderness-world, not a home; a sojourner, looking for the city to come. Now, on the contrary, she is contented to have her portion in this moral wilderness. UPON A SCARLET-COLOURED BEAST. The same as Revelation 13:1: there described as here, 'having seven heads and ten horns (betraying that he is representative of the dragon,...

1-6 Rome clearly appears to be meant in this chapter. Pagan Rome subdued and ruled with military power, not by art and flatteries. She left the nations in general to their ancient usages and worship. But it is well known that by crafty and politic management, with all kinds of deceit of unrighteousness, papal Rome has obtained and kept her rule over kings and nations. Here were allurements of worldly honour and riches, pomp and pride, suited to sensual and worldly minds. Prosperity, pomp, and splendour, feed the pride and lusts of the human heart, but are no security against the Divine vengeance. The golden cup represents the allurements, and delusions, by which this mystical Babylon has obtained and kept her influence, and seduced others to join her abominations. She is named, from her infamous practices, a mother of harlots; training them up to idolatry and all sorts of wickedness. Sh...

Verse Revelation 17:3. _SO HE CARRIED ME AWAY IN THE SPIRIT INTO THE_ _WILDERNESS_] This wilderness into which the apostle was carried is the desolate state of the true Church of Christ, in one of the wings of the once mighty Roman empire. It was a truly awful sight, a terrible desert, a waste howling wilderness; for when he came hither he:- _SAW A WOMAN SIT UPON A SCARLET-COLOURED BEAST, FULL OF NAMES OF_ _BLASPHEMY, HAVING SEVEN HEADS AND TEN HORNS__._] No doubt can now be entertained that this woman is the Latin Church, for she sits upon the beast with seven heads and ten horns, which has been already proved to be the Latin empire, because this empire alone contains the number 666. Revelation 13:18. This is a repre

SO HE CARRIED ME AWAY IN THE SPIRIT - In vision. He seemed to himself to be thus carried away; or the scene which he is about to describe was made to pass before him as if he were present. INTO THE WILDERNESS - Into a desert. Compare the notes on Revelation 12:6. Why this scene is laid in a wilderness or desert is not mentioned. Prof. Stuart supposes that it is because it is “appropriate to symbolize the future condition of the beast.” So DeWette and Rosenmuller. The imagery is changed somewhat from the first appearance of the harlot in Revelation 17:1. There she is represented as “sitting upon many waters.” Now she is represented as “riding on a beast,” and of course the imagery is adapted to that. Possibly there may have b

EXPOSITION REVELATION 17:1 AND THERE CAME ONE OF THE SEVEN ANGELS WHICH HAD THE SEVEN VIALS, AND TALKED WITH ME, SAYING UNTO ME; _and spake with me, saying. _Omit "unto me." This and the following chapters (to Revelation 19:21) consist of visions which are really included under the seventh vial, but which, on account of their length and elaboration, may be considered apart from the other judgments of that vial. In the preceding chapters we have had placed before us a conspectus of three classes of ungodly people, and the three principles of evil in their abstract form, as represented by the world (the first beast), the flesh (the second beast), and the devil (the dragon). The personal final overthrow of the devil is described in...

SO HE CARRIED ME AWAY IN THE SPIRIT,.... Not in body, as if he was removed from the isle of Patmos to some other place; but in a visionary way, just as Ezekiel was carried between earth and heaven, in the visions of God, to Jerusalem, Ezekiel 8:3. It was represented to the mind of John, to his spirit, or soul, as if he had been taken up by the angel and carried through the air: INTO THE WILDERNESS; by which may be meant either the wilderness of the people, the world, the church hereafter described, being a worldly one, and consisting of worldly men; or Gentilism, the Gentile world is often in the prophecies of the Old Testament called a wilderness; the Romish church having much of Heathen worship, and Heathen customs and practices in it, hence its votaries are called Gentiles, Revelation 11

CHAPTER S 17-18 Babylon, the Harlot, and Her judgment _ 1. The description of the woman (Revelation 17:1)_ 2. The angel's interpretation (Revelation 17:7) 3. The desolation of the whore (Revelation 17:16) 4. The angelic announcement (Revelation 18:1) 5. The call to separation (Revelation 18:4) 6. Her pride and destruction (Revelation 18:6) 7. Lamentation and jubilation ...

REVELATION 17:1. HARLOT. WATERS: the description of Babylon in Jeremiah 51:13, thou that dwellest upon many waters, is here transferred to Rome. [Ultimately it goes back probably still further. The many waters refer to the watery chaos, the chaos monster, so that the beast on which the woman sits is really identical with the many waters on which she is said to sit in this verse. A. S. P.] Revelation 17:2. kings. fornication: the imagery is that of OT (_cf._ Isaiah 23:17). The sin of which these kings were guilty consisted in purchasing the favour of Rome by accepting her suzerainty and with it her vices and

THE GREAT HARLOT. The sixteenth chapter presents the series of historical events that lead to the overthrow of spiritual Babylon. Our interpretation of these has been for the most part determined by the facts of history which have already transpired. The sixth vial brings to the present date. Concerning what follows the seventh vial. speak with diffidence, as it is yet future, but of this we can be certain, that it foreshadows the final overthrow of the anti-Christian powers. In Chapter s XVII., XVIII. and XIX., the downfall of these powers, the overthrow of Rome, the triumph of the Word of God, and the victory of Armageddon, are described with greater detail. The limits to which. am confined will only permit me to outline these Chapter s. Chap. 17:1-6 describes spiritual Rome under the figure of. great harlot. The true Church is described throughout Revelation as. pure woman, the Bride...

THE FALL OF ROME (Revelation 17:1-18) One of the seven angels, who had the seven bowls, came and spoke with me. "Come here," he said, "and I will show you the judgment of the great harlot, who sits upon many waters, 2 with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication and with the wine of whose adultery those who inhabit the earth have become drunken." 3 He carried me away in the Spirit to a desert place, and I saw a woman, seated upon a scarlet beast, which was full of names which were insults to God, and which had seven heads and ten horns. 4 The woman was clothed in purple and scarlet and bedizened with gold and jewellery and pearls. She had in her hand a golden cup, full of abominations and the unclean things of her fornication. 5 And on her forehead there was written a name with a meaning which was secret except to those who knew its meaning: "Babylon, the great, the m