Chapter 17
The Great Prostitute and the Scarlet Beast
This and the following chapter are considered by many to be the most difficult to interpret in Revelation. They will likely force us to reexamine previously respected entities that exist today, it may require readers to rethink their presuppositions, or at minimum, be willing to “follow the evidence.”
1 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great prostitute who is seated on many waters, 2 with whom the kings of the earth have committed sexual immorality, and with the wine of whose sexual immorality the dwellers on earth have become drunk.”
In this chapter we are introduced to a woman who is called “the great prostitute.” In verse three we will see that this woman is riding a beast, and she seems to be in control of the beast. Who is this woman who possesses the power and has the audacity to ride this beast? As one might anticipate, there have been numerous interpretations as to the potential identity of this woman. In Scripture we find one of the leading textual applications of being a prostitute, and harlotry in general, is in regard to being unfaithful to God which then often leads to idolatry. The context of the ‘great prostitute’ described in this chapter we see is that she represents a significantly large worldwide ‘religious system’ that is in opposition to God and potentially has been around for a long period of time, perhaps even being an organization or belief system that exists today. Sadly, that does not narrow the list of potential ‘players’ as there are many international religious systems that exist today that are in opposition to God and the gospel message, including some that call themselves ‘Christian’.
John is approached by one of the seven angels that participated in the pouring out of the seven bowls and invites him to witness the judgment of the great prostitute who is seated on many waters (this is the first clue that she is globally involved, see verse fifteen). The angel then identifies her accomplices, those being the kings of the earth, and exposes their crime, the committing of sexual immorality. Which is further described as causing the people who dwell on earth to be drunk of the wine of their sexual immortality (lustfully seeking sexual pleasures above serving others or God).
3 And he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness, and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was full of blasphemous names, and it had seven heads and ten horns.
The angel carried John away in the Spirit to a place in the wilderness (see Revelation 1:10; 4:2; 21:10). There he sees a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was full of blasphemous names, had seven heads, and ten horns. In chapter twelve we were introduced to a red dragon with seven heads and ten horns, later identified as Satan (see Revelation 12:3, 9) and in chapter thirteen we saw a beast with seven heads and ten horns with blasphemous names on each of its heads (see Revelation 13:1). While the beast here in this chapter is often interpreted as being the later, the one known as the Antichrist, we know that both beasts possess Satan’s power and authority and therefore both are able to influence the world, leaving us with more questions than answers. Plus, there is another possibility of the true identity of this beast, based on the clues given in verses 8-14 that the beast in this chapter may be a different beast, perhaps not even a member of the “unholy trinity.” John sees a woman sitting on this beast, which leads us to yet another question, how can an earthly institution who has partnered with kings and other national leaders control the beast? We need more clues! But first a description of the women is given.
4 The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and jewels and pearls, holding in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her sexual immorality.
John describes the woman as being clothed in purple and scarlet, many scholars point out that these colors are reminiscent of someone in royalty. Next, she is adorned with gold, jewels, and pearls, which may also be interpreted as being a rich ruler of some nature. However, since this woman seemingly represents a global entity and has kings as accomplices, the idea of her representing a worldwide king or queen, is not likely, at least not politically. But what about spiritually? Are there any ‘spiritual’ organizations that have worldwide authority that have leaders in purple and scarlet clothing and are richly adorned that have political influence?
In her hand is a golden cup full of abominations (Greek ‘bdelygmatōn’,[1] a foul or detestable thing, in context, idolatry) and the impurities of her sexual immorality (Greek ‘porneias’,[2] sexual sins, adultery, being unfaithful, symbolically standing for idolatry, see Revelation 2:21; 14:8; 18:3; 19:2). This entity has done, and continues to do, something that God considers detestable, and they are reveling in their accomplishments. What could qualify as a modern-day idol? The answer to that is easy, anything that draws someone away from the gospel message would not only be evil, but it could also eventually be considered more important than the truth and therefore become an idol. The gospel message is clear, Jesus did all the work for our salvation, there is nothing we can add (see Ephesians 2:8-9). If this woman represents an entity that preaches an alternate message of salvation, it would indeed be an abomination to God.
5 And on her forehead was written a name of mystery: “Babylon the great, mother of prostitutes and of earth’s abominations.”
John then reveals that on the woman’s forehead was a name of mystery (as discussed in chapter one, the Greek word refers to something that has not been revealed before). The name is reported as being, “Babylon the great, mother of prostitutes and of earth’s abominations.” Back in chapter fourteen the second angel warned that Babylon the great would fall (see Revelation 14:8), here we see that the woman riding the beast represents ‘mystery’ Babylon. As discussed in the commentary for Revelation 14:8 and the Considerations under verse 13, Babylon was founded by rebels who were against God. For most of humanity’s history the concept of the separation between church (religion) and state (government) was unheard of. Nearly every ancient kingdom or empire had a strong religious component that was integral to the leadership. For example, Pharaoh had his magicians and Nebuchadnezzar had his many necromancers and the Magi, each being able to influence the decisions of the top leadership. This name on the forehead of the woman notes that Babylon is the mother of prostitutes and of earth’s abominations. In other words, she is identified as being the progenitor of all things contrary to God (see Babylon Revisited below).
6 And I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. When I saw her, I marveled greatly.
John watched how the woman behaved, she was drunk with the blood of the saints, which is further identified as being the blood of the martyrs of Jesus (can also be translated as “the witnesses of Jesus”). John was astounded, he could not believe his eyes. This woman represented God to the world but was actually at war against Him. She took great pleasure in drinking the blood of those that testified for Jesus. John recognized what was going on and couldn’t believe the level of corruption.
7 But the angel said to me, “Why do you marvel? I will tell you the mystery of the woman, and of the beast with seven heads and ten horns that carries her. 8 The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to rise from the bottomless pit and go to destruction. And the dwellers on earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world will marvel to see the beast, because it was and is not and is to come.
The angel inquires why John is marveling at what he is seeing. To ease John’s anxiety the angel tells him that he will reveal the identity of the ‘players’ and the explain what he is watching. He next describes the beast, saying that it ‘was’ (existed in the past), ‘is not’ (then disappeared), rises from the bottomless pit (back again) and then shortly afterwards it will be destroyed (gone for good). This statement of the beast existing, followed by not existing and then rising from the bottomless pit to exist again does not give us many clues, and just like the woman, the identity of this beast is widely speculated. As mentioned before[3] some believe that it refers to the revival of the Roman Empire, while others consider it a reference to a wicked person from the past such as Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar, Nero, or even Judas Iscariot (both are called the “son of destruction,”[4] see John 17:12; 2 Thessalonians 2:3). But for the same reasons, since only God can bring a person to life again, would He do that so that the resurrection be attributed to Satan and not Him? The last part of verse eight may not be referring to the counterfeit resurrection of the Antichrist, but instead, the first ‘beast’ Satan.
There is a confusing similarity between the descriptions afforded Satan who was apparently described as the king over the demons in the abyss (9:11), “the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit” (11:7), the beast whose “deadly wound was healed” (13:3), and the beast of 17:8. The solution to this intricate problem is that there is an identification to some extent of Satan with the future world ruler and identification of the world ruler with his world government. Each of the three entities is described as a beast. Only Satan himself actually comes from the abyss. The world government which he promotes is entirely satanic in its power and to this extent is identified with Satan. It is the beast as the world government which is revived. The man who is the world ruler, however, has power and great authority given to him by Satan. The fact that Satan and the world ruler are referred to in such similar terms indicates their close relationship one to the other.
While many have attempted to demonstrate from this verse that the final world ruler is some resurrected being such as Judas Iscariot, Nero, or one of the more recent world rulers, it would seem preferable to regard the “eighth” beast as the political power of the world government rather than its human ruler. What is revived is imperial government, not an imperial ruler (cf. Rev. 13:3). That which seemingly went out of existence in history never to be revived is thus miraculously resuscitated at the end of the age.[5]
Those that are not in God’s book of life (unbelievers, those who have rejected Jesus), will all admire and be pleasantly astonished to see the beast because it once existed, was gone for a while, but then returns (see Revelation 13:3). They are deceived and accept a lie about a resurrection, willing and eager to embrace a counterfeit, but failed to see the truth about Jesus’ resurrection.
9 This calls for a mind with wisdom: the seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman is seated; 10 they are also seven kings, five of whom have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come, and when he does come he must remain only a little while.
The angel tells John that the final clue to the identity of the beast will require some thinking, like that of a riddle, giving readers a ‘heads up’ that this may be difficult to follow. He notes that the seven heads are seven mountains, where the woman is seated. He further identifies them as also being seven kings, five of the kings are no longer, one stays, and the seventh is to come later. And then when the seventh king arrives, he will only be there for a short time.
When we read about a riddle like this one, it seems peculiar to say something like what we just read, where a head is a mountain and a king. Why not just simply jump to the end and state the head represents “a king,” or “seven kings?” We need to understand that each word here carries meaning. The beast is seen with seven heads, every ‘beast’ that we can relate to has a head, this one has seven. We hear that each head represents a mountain, and whenever the meaning of a symbol is not explained in context, it should be found elsewhere in related Scripture. Even though the symbolic use of the word ‘mountain’ is rare in the Bible, it always refers to a king, kingdom, or a throne (see Jeremiah 51:25; Daniel 2:35, 44-45). This may sound redundant to the fact that they are then called ‘kings’, but in this reference, it could be different kingdoms/empires/nations with a number of various kings. The question is which ones? Perhaps the image from Daniel chapter two can provide clarity. Remember Nebuchadnezzar had a disturbing image in his dream, it was an unusual statue of a man. The head made of gold represented his kingdom, the mighty empire of Babylon (see Daniel 2:37-38). The silver breast and arms of the statue represented the Medo-Persian empire which conquered Babylon (see Daniel 2:39; 5:28; 8:20). The belly and thighs made of bronze represented the Grecian empire which overthrew the Persian empire (see Daniel 2:39; 8:21). The legs of iron would then represent the Roman empire which defeated Greece and conquered most of the known western world (see Daniel 2:40). Why are these nations unique or significant? Dr. Henry Morris in his book “The Revelation Record,” provides a reasonable explanation and walks us through a potential scenario.
Though none of these empires ever actually ruled the whole world, each was the greatest kingdom of its own time, particularly in reference to the land and people of Israel and these kingdoms’ opposition to the proclamation of God’s Word and the accomplishment of His purposes in the world. And before these four (Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome), there had been two other great kingdoms, Egypt and Assyria, both of which also had been perpetual enemies of God, His Word, and His people.
These, of course, have not been the only kingdoms that have been at enmity with God and His purposes. In this category could also be placed such kingdoms as Syria, Edom, Moab, Midian, and many others, but none of these were empires of great size and influence. On the other hand, there were other great and powerful empires in the ancient world—China, India, and the Incas, for example—but these had only peripheral contact with the Word of God and the chosen people. There were only six kingdoms that met both criteria up to the time of Christ and the apostles. Furthermore, all six of these were not only legitimate heirs of political Babel but also of religious Babel as well. Babylonia, Egypt, Assyria, Persia, Greece, and Rome were all strongholds of the world religion of evolutionary pantheism and idolatrous polytheism. Thus, they appropriately are represented as six heads on the great beast that supports the harlot.
But what kingdom, arising after John’s day, is represented by the seventh head? There have been a goodly number of strong kingdoms that have opposed both Jews and Christians since the days of the Romans (the Mongol, Moslem, Fascist, and Communist nations, for example). However, the particular kingdom prophesied here will exist for only “a short space,” in contrast to the first six, each of which continued over many centuries. Further, like the other six, it must continue to support the great false religious system symbolized by the woman riding the beast.
The reason why it is difficult to identify this seventh kingdom is probably because it is still future. The various relevant prophecies in Daniel, especially the image prophecy of Daniel 2, indicate that the Roman empire continues for a long time. The two “legs” of the image, the eastern and western divisions of the empire, were eventually perpetuated mainly in the two politico/religious cultures coming out of the originally monolithic empire. Thus in a sublimated sense, the old Roman empire still exists, though in a different form, surviving in what today we call “east,” the Communist nations dominated by Russia, and “west,” the capitalist nations led by the United States and, to a lesser degree, by England, France, and Germany. The two feet of Daniel’s image, partly iron and partly clay (Daniel 2:33, 41–43) quite possibly correspond to this particular stage of history.
In this sense, therefore, the mighty empire of Rome existed as the key world kingdom both in the days of John’s lifetime and in the days to which John was translated in his vision. It is the kingdom that “is.”
The one which “is not yet come” must, therefore, correspond to the toes of Daniel’s image, the ten kingdoms which, in the last days, arise out of the “foot” stage of the image. These are also the “ten horns” mentioned in this passage. Since these have not yet arisen, it is probably premature to speculate as to their identity, although many current teachers are assuming the nations of Europe’s Common Market will be involved.[6]
11 As for the beast that was and is not, it is an eighth but it belongs to the seven, and it goes to destruction.
We hear that the beast that came and then was gone for a while is an eighth king. At first this sounds like an error, the beast that has seven heads which are kings is also a king, and that king belongs to the seven. This illogical statement makes sense only if the beast represents both a kingdom and a king (which would mean that both it and its kingdom would have been ‘resurrected’) although like the other seven, the beast will also be destroyed. But which beast is verse eight and eleven referring to?
Earlier in Revelation 13:3 we read that the beast (the Antichrist), received a wound that appeared to be fatal (remember the text didn’t say anything about him actually dying). Which could be described as coming, gone for a while, and then back again. Later in Revelation 17:8 we read about the beast that "was, and is not, and is about to rise from the bottomless pit." If the Antichrist did not die, he would not have been in the bottomless pit (Hades) as that is the abode of the dead. We know that Satan is the only one who will temporarily rise from the bottomless pit (see Revelation 20:1-3), that evidence seems to point to Satan. We know that Satan will be bound in the bottomless pit during most of the millennial period and will be released near the end of the thousand years, making him as one that who was, is not, and then rises from the pit, but ultimately sent to the lake of fire for eternity (see Revelation 20:7-10).
Here in this verse, there is no mention of the bottomless pit, only that it is an eighth king. Which is likely the Antichrist, but since the beast draws its power and authority from Satan, and both can be viewed in like manner (each having a similar story of being, not being, and being again), tells us that this could be either one, although this deception likely pertains to the Antichrist, in his role of the unholy ’son’ who was resurrected.
12 And the ten horns that you saw are ten kings who have not yet received royal power, but they are to receive authority as kings for one hour, together with the beast. 13 These are of one mind, and they hand over their power and authority to the beast.
The ten horns are called kings as well, but they have not been given authority yet, perhaps still only princes. At some point when they do receive authority they will only serve as kings for one hour along with the beast, as they all are of “one mind” being in alignment with the beast. They all hand over their power and authority to him. These ten kingdoms are believed to be some form of future confederation that will rise out of the remnant if the sixth kingdom, the Roman Empire, creating the seventh kingdom under the power and authority of the beast. These ten horns appear to be the same ten horns described in Daniel chapter seven. There have been a considerable number of speculations as to the identity of these ten kings (see below).
14 They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful.”
The angel tells John that the Antichrist’s confederate army will wage war against Jesus and Jesus will be victorious as He is “Lord of lords” (see also Deuteronomy 10:17; Psalm 136:3; Matthew 28:18; Acts 10:36; 1 Timothy 6:15; Revelation 19:16) and “King of kings” (see also Deuteronomy 10:17; Psalm 136:3; Daniel 2:47; 1 Timothy 6:15; Revelation 19:16). The battle is recorded in Revelation chapter 19 which states that Jesus is accompanied by the “armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure,” here the angel identifies those with Him as being called, chosen, and faithful, in other words, most if not all believers (with the addition of ‘faithful’ might indicate those who believe and follow Him, obeying His commandments), each riding a white horse (see Revelation 19:14).
15 And the angel said to me, “The waters that you saw, where the prostitute is seated, are peoples and multitudes and nations and languages.
The angel next explains what the location of the waters where the prostitute was seated (see verse one). The waters were to be understood as being all the people and nations around the world. Which confirms the fact that this woman is seen as a global entity. This entity has established herself as something that influences both the populous and the leadership of various governments.
16 And the ten horns that you saw, they and the beast will hate the prostitute. They will make her desolate and naked, and devour her flesh and burn her up with fire, 17 for God has put it into their hearts to carry out his purpose by being of one mind and handing over their royal power to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled.
The ten horns will hate the prostitute and will make her desolate (Greek ‘erēmóō’,[7] to lay waste), naked, and devour her flesh as she is burned with fire. This graphic depiction of hate and destruction may be the result of the woman demanding control, effectively taking the lead over their ‘government’ counterpart. The kings come to a breaking point and turn on the prostitute in a vicious way, taking away her adornments, leaving her naked, and thoroughly destroying her to prevent any chance of her revival. The angel adds that they were doing all these things in accordance with God’s will, including being of one mind in giving their royal power and influence to the beast. For some the concept of someone fulfilling God’s will while they oppose God’s will is difficult to understand, but that has been God’s way throughout Scripture. For example, the hardening of Pharaoh’s heart during the exodus (see Exodus 4:21) and using enemy nations to punish the Israelites, such as when Babylon was used by God to discipline them for not obeying His Law regarding the Sabbath Year (see Exodus 23:10-11; Leviticus 25:1-7; 26:34-35). His ways are beyond our comprehension (see Isaiah 55:8-9). It is interesting to note that the angel adds “until the words of God are fulfilled,” seeing the word ‘until’ reminds us that “God’s will,” will indeed be accomplished. In this scenario, the kings get slaughtered, and their remains eaten by birds (see Revelation 19:21).
It is probable that the entity represented by the woman offered the beast and these kings some form of an advantage. Perhaps the use of a global structure for logistics, or something more invasive like a structured spiritual way of life (a strong belief in something or someone other than the Biblical Jesus) that could be highjacked and utilized by the beast. Once the beast had what he needed for world domination and his ambitions accomplished, the entity was eliminated. The hatred of the kings may have culminated over a long period of the entity’s persistent aggravation and unwanted oversight and influence.
18 And the woman that you saw is the great city that has dominion over the kings of the earth.”
The angel concludes the viewing and analysis of the judgment of the great prostitute who was sitting on many waters with the final clue to her identity, she is a “great city” that had power over the kings of the earth. These are two important facts to consider, one, that she is a city, a literal city is implied, not an allegorical ‘city’ referring to someone or something else. Second, the angel clearly states that she rules over the kings of the earth, not just one region, another clue that she has global influence. There will be additional clues to her identity in the next chapter.
Considerations
The Bible mentions the city of Jerusalem more than any city or location, but the second most mentioned city is Babylon. For that reason alone, as diligent students of Scripture, we need to understand Babylon’s role. First, we see that here are some stark contrasts between these two cities. The name ‘Jerusalem’ literally means “city of peace,” while Babylon essentially means “city of confusion.” Jerusalem is God’s city and Babylon is a dwelling place for demons (see Revelation 18:2). God’s temple was built in Jerusalem and a tower was built in Babylon with the attempt to make a name for themselves in opposition to God (see Genesis 11:1-9). It is clear that Babylon represents everything that is contrary to God. Author Dr. David Jeremiah summarized this concept when he wrote:
The Bible could also be termed a tale of two cities: Jerusalem and Babylon. Jerusalem, of course, is the historical capital of God’s chosen nation, Israel, and the future capital of His eternal Kingdom. Babylon, on the other hand, is the city the Bible uses as a recurring symbol for the world’s evils —decadence, cruelty, abuse of power, and especially rebellion against God.[8]
Even though Babylon was built by Nimrod shortly after the worldwide flood in Noah's day in order to create the first worldwide government in opposition to God (see Genesis 11:1-9), we see many years later God used Babylon to conquer Jerusalem who then held the Jews captive for seventy years (see 2 Chronicles 36:21; Jeremiah 25:8-14), a city destroyed due to the Jews own disobedience to God. This should not surprise any student of the Bible as God often used Israel's enemies to punish them. It is important to understand that by using an enemy of Israel to administer punishment is in no way to be interpreted as being an endorsement of their pagan ways by God.
The city of Babylon fell from power several centuries before Jesus appeared on earth and remains insignificant and unremarkable, but their pagan rituals and practices were embraced and absorbed by each subsequent conquering empire, and sadly, many of those pagan concepts born in Babylon back then are still alive and practiced today.
But that is not how the story ends for the city of Babylon. The Bible is also clear that Babylon plays an important role during the end times. The question that most readers of prophecy, especially here in Revelation, ask is, “Will Babylon return as a prominent literal city, or does the name refer to something else?” Since the text “calls for wisdom” (see Revelation 13:18) and “calls for a mind with wisdom” (see Revelation 17:9), many take those words as a personal challenge and begin an intellectual quest to solve these end-time riddles. As a result, there are many interpretations, each with their own ‘logic’ and lure. We will explore some of the more popular ideas in the next section, “Mystery Babylon.”
Before reviewing how mystery Babylon has been interpreted, we need to review the meaning of the Greek word ‘mystērion’ again (see commentary under Revelation 1:20). The word does not convey the same meaning as the English word ‘mystery’, which typically implies that there is a puzzle to solve, nor does it infer that it will be difficult or impossible to understand. It is a term that informs the reader that whatever it is referring to has not yet been revealed. With the call for a “mind of wisdom,” we should note that the call is for wisdom, not knowledge, wisdom is obtained through practical application that is typically the result of experience and maturity. As pointed out in the Introduction to the Book of Revelation, the Bible is its best commentary, no concordances or extrabiblical resources are needed. The information needed to understand the Bible will come from the Bible.
Rome - Perhaps the most popular viewpoint is that mystery Babylon is Rome. Some believe that since John was a prisoner of Rome that he could not outright write anything negative or otherwise contrary regarding Rome, so he used the ‘nickname’ Babylon. However, there is nothing in the Bible that supports the necessity to shroud the truth, nor is there any verifiable historic connection that readers would understand the use of the nickname.
Historicists believe it refers to first-century Rome which then later fell as described in Revelation chapter 18 in 476 A.D. However, we will find that much of the description of the fall in chapter 18 would need to be either ignored or allegorized.
Recognizing that Rome could certainly be described as being a prostitute in God’s eyes, being a city of multiple sins, rampant pagan idolatry, disturbing persecution of Christians, unrestrained sexual immorality, and other insatiable lustful appetites, proponents further justify their claim through geography. That when Revelation 17:9 states “the seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman is seated,” that it is talking about Rome. But that is a description of the beast not the Mystery Babylon woman, the text states that the woman rides the beast, how can Rome ride Rome? Besides the Greek refers to seven mountains, not hills. It is true that Rome is situated on several hills, and many name the seven most prominent hills as being the seven referred to (typically Aventine, Caelian, Capitoline, Esquiline, Palatine, Quirinal, and Viminal) but that does not include all of Rome’s hills, including the hill the Vatican rests on. Plus, there are a number of cities that are situated on seven hills (over fifty cities claim to be built on seven hills, including: Amman, Jordan; Athens, Greece; Barcelona, Spain; Bristol, England; Brussels, Belgium; Istanbul, Turkey; Jerusalem, Israel; Liverpool, UK; Mecca, Saudi Arabia; Moscow, Russia; Tehran, Iran; and Washington D.C., United States). The connection to Rome as being the Mystery Babylon is weak.
The Roman Catholic Church - This is another highly regarded and popular view. There has been much written and widely published promoting this idea. Perhaps the greatest catalyst was Alexander Hislop’s book titled, “The Two Babylons: The Papal Worship Proved to Be the Worship of Nimrod and His Wife.” First published in 1916, this book made some interesting observations, sadly many of the conclusions are unsupported as the author makes several erroneous connections to rituals, objects, and symbols of other religions and Christian churches. Leaving the reader suspicious of numerous current practices of churches today. There are many Christians that hold this view today.
This view has been recently repopularized by Dave Hunt’s well-researched book, “A Woman Rides the Beast: The Roman Catholic Church and the Last Days,” this view is primarily based on the Biblical use of prostitution representing corruption and idolatry. Where being a prostitute is sexually unfaithful, in this supposition the Roman Catholic Church is believed to have become unfaithful and has moved away from the truth of God’s Word. A few of the points used to support this view include: 1) The clothing and jewelry are similar to the colors and adornments the Pope, Cardinals, and other church leaders wear; 2) The Roman Catholic Church’s involvement in past conflicts that resulted in many people being killed, including Protestants; 3) The church is very wealthy and has a global presence; and 4) The Roman Catholic church teaches and embraces an alternate view of the gospel message that require multiple sacraments, procedures, and other ‘works’ to be accomplished in order to be saved. Both Hislop and Hunt claim that these and several other parallels are irrefutable.
The Apostate Church - The word ‘apostate’ is typically defined as a person or entity that renounces a religious or political belief or principle. The Bible warns that during the end times many will turn away from God. This apostate movement is probably best summarized and defined by the apostle Paul when he prophesied in his last epistle to his protégé Timothy: “But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.” (2 Timothy 3:1-5) Truly a description of a society turning away from God. As churches attempt to comply with the world’s perspective, in this view many will reject God’s truth and embrace compromise, believing that the Bible is no longer relevant.
A popular word used today is ‘deconstruction’, typically used when one describes their falling away from faith, namely Christianity. While the term is used in a variety of ways, the primary premise focuses on denying Jesus, that the Bible is wrong, and there is no God. Just as Paul prophesied (see 2 Timothy 3:1-9), people are not satisfied with their own reversal of beliefs but feel the need to promote others to ‘deconstruct’ their faith and beliefs as well.
Consider what Jesus has to say about the foundation of our faith in the parable about a sower who sows seeds on four different types of soil. Some seeds fall along a path, others on rocky soil, still others among thorns, and some in good soil. Jesus’ parables are sometimes hard to understand. Fortunately, in this case, Jesus interprets the parable for us. He says the sower represents someone who is “sowing the word,” and the soils represent the four types of people who hear the Word.
Jesus describes the soils this way: “Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and immediately it sprang up, since it had no depth of soil. And when the sun rose, it was scorched, and since it had no root, it withered away” (Mark 4:5-6). When he interprets the meaning of the seeds that fell on the rocky soil, he says, “These are the ones sown on rocky ground: the ones who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy. And they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away” (Mark 4:16-17). So according to Jesus, there will be some who receive the Word and flourish temporarily, then “fall away.” And Jesus tells us why: They don’t have deep roots. Shallow faith can last for a season. But when confronted by a crisis of faith, there’s no foundation to hold it up.[9]
So, we see that this apostate movement has already begun and will continue to get stronger as the end approaches. In the wake of the removal of all believers before the Tribulation period begins, there will be likely many religions striving to replace Christianity. One undoubtedly will emerge prominent, possibly even touting being the ’true Christian’ belief, that will influence many further away from Jesus. But we also know that the Mystery Babylon is described as an actual city in the wilderness with a seaport, a worldwide trade center, one that has enormous political power, etc. Perhaps an alliance with a city will come about after the rapture.
New York City - Many believe that there are several parallels that are described regarding Mystery Babylon that relate to the city of New York. As it is a great city, that has political clout, economic influence, a seaport, some of the people are very wealthy, known for its sins and immorality, etc. But it is not situated in the wilderness, nor does it represent a global religion. To make New York fit as the new Babylon, these and several other details described in chapters 17 and 18 would need to be ignored.
Jerusalem - Many believe that Mystery Babylon refers to the city of Jerusalem. With a long history of being unfaithful to God, killing of prophets sent by God, followed by their rejection of Jesus as their Messiah, preterists believe that this prophecy was fulfilled when the city of Jerusalem and the temple were destroyed. They also point out that Jerusalem is called a “great city” in Revelation 11:8 and 16:19, and therefore is the great city in this chapter (see Revelation 17:18) is Jerusalem. As discussed earlier, knowing the date this book was written could resolve the battle between Futurists and Preterists,[10] Futurists believe that Revelation was written between 81-96 A.D., long after the city was destroyed in 70 A.D. Preterists place the date the book to have been written in the sixties.
There are a number of other problems that would need to be resolved to make Jerusalem fit the criteria mentioned in chapters 17 and 18. For example, the Mystery Babylon is said to rule over many nations (see Revelation 17:1), but the prophecy spoken by Jesus tells us that Jerusalem will be overrun by Gentiles during this time (see Luke 21:24). Though Jerusalem has been unfaithful to God, it does not fit the ‘evil’ counter-to-God city the text depicts. Just like not finding any covert connection to Rome, there is no indication that the name Babylon was ever used as a nickname or codeword for Jerusalem.
Dubai - Located in the United Arab Emirates, Dubai in recent years has become a major trade center known for its luxury. Being on the coast of the Persian Gulf it is a major hub for both cargo and travelers (by air, rail, and water). Funded primarily by petroleum profits, revenue from trade and tourism follow closely behind. It touts the highest number of five-star hotels and the tallest building in the world. Believed to be unparalleled in its rich culture, and offerings of incredible cuisine, nightlife, hospitality, entertainment, and sports. Their financial center rivals those in New York and Zurich. This lavish city seems to have only one negative, it has been criticized for various human rights violations, which aligns with the last item of the merchandise listed as examples of Mystery Babylon’s trade in Revelation 18:13, “human souls.” Besides this blemish, there is no known connection or relationship between this city and the name Babylon.
Islamic Rule - A relatively recent point of view is that Mystery Babylon is the city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia. Proponents state that Mecca is a real city that is located in the wilderness, and it is a great city as it is the spiritual center of the Islamic world. This view is expounded in Joel Richardson’s book, “Mystery Babylon: Unlocking the Bible’s Greatest Prophetic Mystery.” The author believes that the Antichrist will be a Muslim and Saudi Arabia has an abundance of wealth and its kingdom equally luxurious. He notes that, “The religion of Islam, more than any other religion, philosophy, or belief system, fulfills the description of the antichrist spirit.”[11] But as Ron Rhodes points out in his book, “New Babylon Rising: The Emerging End Times World Order,” that as a result of God intervening for Israel during the Islamic-led invasion recorded in Ezekiel, He will render the invasion force powerless before the Tribulation begins. Mecca is not a seaport, plus we see that Mystery Babylon refers to a city, not to a large geographic region such as a nation.
Babylon the City in the Land of Shinar - Can Mystery Babylon be the historic city of Babylon? Yes, but as it sits today there will need to be some significant changes and improvements before it could qualify as what is described here in Revelation chapters 17 and 18. Since the Greek ‘mystērion’ refers to something that hasn’t been revealed yet, and not to be interpreted as being a mystery to solve, or where mysticism, allegorization, or symbolism need to be employed to ascertain its true meaning, Babylon is likely Babylon. The calling for a mind of wisdom is telling us that something is going to happen that changes how Babylon is viewed. Due to the many attempts to show that the city of Babylon has signs of growth and is being rebuilt but never to completion (such as Saddam Hussein’s attempt to rebuild the city, as he fashioned himself as a modern-day Nebuchadnezzar), many quickly reject this premise.
When Jesus was first introduced in chapter one, He made the comment, “Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.” (Revelation 1:7b-8) As a result of His victory on the cross He was given all authority of heaven and earth (see Daniel 7:13-14; Matthew 11:27; 28:18; John 3:35; 5:27; 13:3; 17:2; Acts 2:36; Romans 14:9; 1 Corinthians 15:27; Ephesians 1:10, 20-22; Philippians 2:9-10; Colossians 2:10; Hebrews 1:10; 2:8; 1 Peter 3:22), including the keys of Death and Hades. What does that mean? Before Jesus’ victory when people died, they all went to Hades. Jesus describes the location as having two sides, one side for those that believed and trusted God would keep His promises (called Abraham’s side or bosom), and the other side for those that didn’t (see Luke 16:19-31). When Jesus conquered death on the cross, those that were on Abraham’s side went to heaven to be with Jesus. Since then, those that repent of their sins and believe that Jesus is their Savior, they are saved from the second death (see Revelation 20:6, 14). There are two potential routes one can take after death, one leading to Hades (ultimately to hell after judgment day), and the other to heaven with Jesus. A believer in Jesus is saved from the second death and Hades, so we see that the keys are truly in Jesus’ hands. Even though Satan may have temporary possession of the key to the bottomless pit (also known as Hades, see Revelation 9:1), to be released from there requires Jesus’ approval. Since the Bible teaches that life and the return to life (a true resurrection) is from God alone, it is not likely He is going to share that authority with Satan or any of the other beasts. The appearance of a fatal wound healed was just that, an appearance.
The fourth kingdom in Daniel’s vision recorded in Daniel 7:7-8, 19-27 is represented by a beast that is “terrifying and dreadful and exceedingly strong,” and having ten horns. Based on both the Daniel passages and the Revelation passages (see Revelation 12:3-6; 13:1-10; 17:12-17), this kingdom is yet future, possibly representing the rebirth of the Roman Empire. The little horn (see Daniel 7:8, 20, 21, 24, see also Daniel 8:9) is believed to represent the beast that comes out of the sea (the Antichrist) who will eventually rise in power and become a world conqueror, the first world dictator.
Undoubtedly common among Christian denominations and those that are non-denominational is the belief they understand and have interpreted the Bible correctly. Everyone likes to believe that they are right. Which is one reason ‘religion’ often falls into the “do not discuss” category for many people. There are hundreds, possibly thousands, of varied viewpoints just in the classification of being Christ followers. Some like to separate those things that are essential, being doctrine that are absolutely essential for salvation, from things that are non-essential (often protocols, rituals, etc.) But few can even agree to those! Sadly, the doctrines of many of these denominations are contrary to each other, and since there can only be one truth, some must be in error.
Many denominations were ‘built’ around the teachings of dead theologians, and since those teachings are considered just as sacred as the Bible, very few consider revision. Those tenets of belief soon become presuppositions and are defended with great passion. The epistle writer Jude warned that corruption entered the church long ago (see Jude 4). This means that some churches are teaching a form of a salvation-free (not from God) Christianity instead of a freely offered salvation belief.
Now let’s fast forward to the future to a time the real church (believers in the true Christian doctrine), have been raptured and are no longer on earth. What changes will those ‘Christian’ churches that were not raptured make to their doctrine? Will they be able to recognize the truth? Some believe this will be the key issue after Christians are gone. Many denominations and religions will remain and will be forced to either reform and revise, or devise an elaborate explanation to excuse why they were not raptured. Some believe the group left behind with the greatest resources and people will rise to power and be affiliated with the Mystery Babylon, which brings us back to an apostate church (see above).
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[1] Strong’s Greek 169.
[2] Strong’s Greek 4202.
[3] See commentary under Revelation 13:3-4.
[4] Greek ‘apōleias’, Strong’s Greek 684, often translated as ‘perdition’.
[5] Walvoord, J. F. (2008). The Revelation of Jesus Christ (pp. 249–250). Galaxie Software.
[6] Morris, H. M. (1983). The Revelation Record: A Scientific and Devotional Commentary on the Prophetic Book of the End Times (pp. 337–338). Tyndale.
[7] Strong’s Greek 2049.
[8] Jeremiah, D. (2016). The Agents Collection: Agents of the Apocalypse / Agents of Babylon. Tyndale House Publishers.
[9] Childers, A. & Barnett, T. (2023). The Deconstruction of Christianity (p. 80). Tyndale House Publishers.
[10] See Controversy in the Introduction to the Book of Revelation.
[11] Richardson, J (2006). Antichrist Islam’s Awaited Messiah (p. 122). Pleasant Word.