Revelation Chapter 17
Rev 16:17-21
1 One of the seven angels with the seven bowls came over to me,
“Come here; I’ll show you the condemnation of the great prostitute that sits on a vast expanse of water. 2 Kings committed immoral acts with her, and people got drunk on the wine of her immorality.”
3 He took me in spirit to a desert place, and I saw a woman on a red beast covered with blasphemous names and having seven heads and ten horns. 4 She wore purple and scarlet with precious stones and pearls, and held a gold cup full of detestable, unclean things related to her immorality. 5 On her headband was the mysterious name, “’Babylon’ the Great, Mother of Prostitutes and Detestable Things.”
Rev 17:1-5
6 She was drunk from the blood of saints, martyrs for Jesus. I was amazed. 7 The angel said,
“Why be amazed? I’ll explain to you the meaning of the woman and the beast she’s riding. 8 The beast was, is not, and will come up from the abyss to its eternal destruction. People will marvel when they see it—people whose names haven’t been in the Book of Life from the founding of the world. 9 Here’s the explanation. The seven heads represent seven hills the woman sits on. There are seven kings: 10 five fallen, one existing, and the other yet to come. When he comes, he has to stay a little while. 11 The beast that was and is not, is an eighth, is like the seven, and is destined for destruction. 12 The ten horns are ten kings that haven’t received a kingdom yet, but they’ll receive authority like kings for a short time with the beast. 13 They have a joint purpose and give their power and authority to the beast. 14 They’ll battle the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them because he’s Lord of lords and King of kings. The ones on his side are called, chosen, and faithful.
Rev 17:6-14
15 “The water where the woman is sitting represents masses of people, nations, and languages. 16 The ten horns and the beast will hate the harlot, strip her bare, eat her flesh, and burn her up. 17 That’s because God has put it in their minds to accomplish his purpose by making common cause and giving their kingdom to the beast till God’s words come to fulfillment. 18 The woman is the great city that rules the kings on earth.”
Rev 17:15-18