Revelation 17
An angel shows John the judgment of the great prostitute, Babylon, sitting on a scarlet beast with seven heads and ten horns. She is drunk with the blood of the saints. The angel explains the mystery: the heads represent seven hills and seven kings, the horns are kings who give power to the beast.
RevelationChapter 17 of 2218 versesBerean Standard Bible
In this passage: Babylon
If God speaks to you through Revelation 17, record what He said in Doxa and come back to it.
Then one of the seven angels with the seven bowls came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the punishment of the great prostitute, who sits on many waters.
The kings of the earth were immoral with her, and those who dwell on the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her immorality.”
And the angel carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness, where I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns.
The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls. She held in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her sexual immorality.
And on her forehead a mysterious name was written: BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
I could see that the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints and witnesses for Jesus. And I was utterly amazed at the sight of her.
“Why are you so amazed?” said the angel. “I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and ten horns.
The beast that you saw—it was, and now is no more, but is about to come up out of the Abyss and go to its destruction. And those who dwell on the earth whose names were not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world will marvel when they see the beast that was, and is not, and yet will be.
This calls for a mind with wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits.
There are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, and the other has not yet come. But when he does come, he must remain for only a little while.
The beast that was, and now is not, is an eighth king, who belongs to the other seven and is going into destruction.
The ten horns you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but will receive one hour of authority as kings along with the beast.
These kings have one purpose: to yield their power and authority to the beast.
They will make war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will triumph over them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and He will be accompanied by His called and chosen and faithful ones.”
Lord of lords and King of kings — Daniel's vision realized
“The king said to Daniel, “Your God is truly the God of gods and Lord of kings, the Revealer of Mysteries, since you were able to reveal this mystery.””
Read Daniel 2:47›Then the angel said to me, “The waters you saw, where the prostitute was seated, are peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues.
And the ten horns and the beast that you saw will hate the prostitute. They will leave her desolate and naked, and they will eat her flesh and burn her with fire.
For God has put it into their hearts to carry out His purpose by uniting to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled.
And the woman you saw is the great city that rules over the kings of the earth.”
Read next
How to Hear God’s Voice: A Practical Guide for BelieversScripture is the record of a God who speaks. This guide covers how to hear Him today and keep what He says.Cross-references for Revelation 17
Revelation 17:1Revelation 19:2
“For His judgments are true and just. He has judged the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her immorality. He has avenged the blood of His servants that was poured out by her hand.””
Revelation 17:3Revelation 12:3
“Then another sign appeared in heaven: a huge red dragon with seven heads, ten horns, and seven royal crowns on his heads.”
Revelation 17:8Revelation 11:7
“When the two witnesses have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will wage war with them, and will overpower and kill them.”
“And those He predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified.”
Revelation 17:141 Timothy 6:15
“which the blessed and only Sovereign One—the King of kings and Lord of lords—will bring about in His own time.”
Cross-references from OpenBible.info, licensed CC BY.
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