Revelation 17 - How to See the World

Last week, at the end of Rev. 16, we looked at the plagues of the sixth and seventh bowls. These symbolize events in these last days before the return of Jesus Christ. The sixth plague spoke about Armageddon, and the seventh told of the fall of Babylon. But not much detail was given. Chapters 17 and 18 give us more details.

As I said before, Armageddon seems to be related to an OT battlefield known as Megiddo. Coming from the Hebrew language, “Ar-mageddon” would mean “city of” or “mount of Megiddo.” Many ancient battles were fought there. Judges 5 in the OT describes a battle there in which the Israelites were severely outnumbered. They didn’t stand a chance. Yet Scripture says “from heaven the stars fought.” In other words, Heaven fought for them; God won the battle for the Israelites at the place called Megiddo.

And for that reason, along with the fact that the book of Revelation contains so many symbolic pictures about actual events, it seems best to interpret Armageddon symbolically. So, what then would it symbolize?

Well, spiritual battles are ongoing for the church. This is why in Ephesians 6 the apostle Paul writes that God’s people must “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”

The church faces many enemies and troubles in the physical realm, but there are evil spiritual forces behind them that we cannot see. There is a spiritual war against us and we need Heaven to fight for us.

Part of that war is a Christian’s struggle with what the Bible calls “Babylon.” I’ll explain this more here shortly, but for now, understand that Babylon as a city and empire symbolizes the things of the world that aim to seduce us and entice us to turn away from God.

Revelation 17 pictures Babylon as an adorned and attractive prostitute riding on the back of a hideous beast. We’ve already seen the beast in previous chapters. It symbolized the anti-Christ movement in government and religions and systems of belief. God’s people face these throughout the last days, enduring persecution and worldly seduction intended to make us fall. Babylon and the beast want to bring you down.

The very end of Revelation 16 confirmed that Babylon will be defeated in the end. But until the end, we need to understand Babylon so we can resist it. We need to resist the world.

In James 4, James the brother of Jesus writes, “Do you not know that friendship with the world is [hostility toward] God?...whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” Should we be friends with the world?

It’s good to have non-believing friends and minister to them, but that’s not what James means. He means, “Don’t get comfortable with worldliness. Don’t love sin.”

We easily get comfortable with the world. We become infatuated with things that are contrary to God’s character and His moral law. That’s our natural trend. Even as believers, if Jesus Christ and His finished work are not shaping how we think and desire and live – and if we aren’t putting sin to death in our lives, a worldly trend always results.

But Christ and His gospel reverses that trend. As we see and understand Jesus more, He changes how we see and understand the world. That’s one purpose of Revelation 17 – that we would see and understand the world.

The outline printed for you states how God sees the world, and how we should see it. At first, the world will dazzle you. But then, the world will deceive you. And in the end, the world will disgust you.

Every form of worldliness works this way. It’s exciting at the start, but empty in the end. It’s initially hopeful, but eventually horrible. So let’s look at this chapter together.

Notice verse 1. This vision shows “the judgment of the great prostitute,” Babylon’s defeat. The angel also says this is “the great prostitute who is seated on many waters.” Verse 15 says the waters symbolize the “peoples and multitudes and nations and languages 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.” So both the worldly leaders of the nations and the wicked people of those nations are in view. They’ve all defiled themselves with this great harlot.

And verse [3], John sees in “a wilderness…a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was full of blasphemous names, and it had seven heads and ten horns.” Some of this is explained in the next verses. It’s unique to receive an interpretation. Verses 4 through 6 describe Babylon similar to a glorious ancient queen riding an elephant. “Arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and jewels and pearls.” She appears to be a beautiful woman.

Like any queen might possess, she has a golden cup. But this is “a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her sexual immorality.” So, she’s enjoying these things; she savors them.

Verse [5] “And on her forehead was written a name of mystery: “Babylon the great, mother of prostitutes and of earth’s abominations.” The term “Babylon” has a long biblical history. It goes all the way back to Babel in Genesis 10 and 11. Genesis 11 says that at the place eventually called “Babel,” “they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves.” It was an attempt to rival God.

The name Babylon comes up again under King Nebuchadnezzar, and in John’s day, Rome was nicknamed “Babylon.” Babylon is always against God. Verse [6], John says, “And I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of the martyrs of Jesus.” She’s not only enjoying general immorality. She loves the brutal mistreatment and death of God’s people.

And yet, John says, “When I saw her, I marveled greatly.” What could this mean? He was astonished, taken back. He wondered at what he saw. This same terminology is used in Luke 21 when the disciples see the risen Jesus. They were shocked. They were seeing something out of the ordinary.

We shouldn’t read this to mean that John was attracted to what he saw in a sinful way. There’s no doubt that he was “in the Spirit” and not “in the flesh.” But – if a person was “in the flesh” and lacked discernment to understand what this is, how would they respond? They would be drawn to what they see. They would be dazzled by the world.

What dazzles you? Is it outward beauty or handsomeness? Is it some material thing? Worldliness takes many, many forms. In fact, the sinful nature will take anything and twist it to make it worldly – to make you go against the moral law of God and to make that thing rival God in your life.

To be a friend of the world means to align yourself with a way of being and living that opposes God’s law. To be selfish, to be unloving, to be harsh, demanding, materialistic, lustful, dishonest, critical, unkind – this is worldliness. To be puffed-up, prideful, vengeful, gluttonous, jealous, lazy, vain, conceited. To walk by sight and not by faith. To act when you should wait on God. These are all ways that oppose Christ and His gospel. But at various times, they appeal to us, because at first, the world will dazzle you.

To be “dazzled” means to be blinded temporarily with a brightness that is confusing. Almost disorienting. People are tempted by different things, but the experience is the same. You lose your sense of direction. You don’t think straight. You’re consumed. That’s what the world does to you. It throws you off, mixes you up. You can’t see clearly; you’re blinded. It has an effect, and if you aren’t on your guard – if you aren’t ready – the effect could be detrimental.

In 2 Corinthians 4, the apostle Paul writes, “the god of this world [Satan] has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ.” Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved today. Jesus will give you sight. He will rescue you from the effects of worldliness. And if you do believe in Christ, you still must take this seriously. Satan wants to destroy you.

Now, look at this next part. There are many details here! Verse [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.” As a preacher, I’m thinking, “Yes, tell us, please!”

We’ve seen many 7s and 10s in Revelation already. They are Biblical symbols of completeness. Verse [8] “The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to rise from the bottomless pit and go to destruction.” There have been many incarnations (if you will) of Babylon in history. Babylon “was” in the form of Babel, Assyria, Babylon under Nebuchadnezzar, and many others. Babylon “is not” means that all of those worldly empires have now ceased to exist.

Look at the rest of the verse. “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 people of earth who are without Christ – who are dead in sins –  marvel anytime the next Babylon comes along. They are fascinated by it and they hope in it. The beast and its rider appear over and over in history, persecuting the church and attempting to seduce God’s people.

The elect of God will recognize and resist (though we will fall at times), but the unregenerate don’t recognize the danger. And so they don’t just like the beast and its rider. They love them. They love them in every age.

Now, verse [9], the angel says, “This calls for a mind with wisdom: the seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman is seated.” This is a reference to Babylon in John’s day – the Roman Empire. The city of Rome was the center. It had seven hills.

Verse [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.”  Who are these kings? These are anti-Christian kingdoms or empires. This is related to the OT book of Daniel. Five past empires that were alluded to in Daniel had fallen.

“One is” would refer to the Roman empire that stood strong at the time John wrote these words. “And one has not yet come” but “must remain only a little while” refers to a future empire, but it could refer to all empires or world powers up until the end. Each one lasts, relatively speaking, “only a little while.” Then, the eighth that really “belongs to the seven” would be the final one, existing just before the coming of Christ. It’s “like” or “of” all the others, only more severe.

There's repetition throughout history, isn’t there? The players change, but the game is the same. Empires rise, they reign, and then they fall. And a study of history since Christ ascended to heaven only confirms this. There is no need for God to reveal every single one. The apostle John and the early church could reflect on the past and the present to understand. And so can we. This is the pattern until Jesus returns to judge sin and make all things new.

Now notice verse 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. More kings! The number 10 is again significant here. It indicates completeness. But one hour? This is a short time. It’s obviously a symbol. It’s figurative.

Scholars think these ten kings or “leaders of the people” most likely symbolize anti-Christian influence on various areas of life that fuel opposition to Christ. See verse [13], “These are of one mind, and they hand over their power and authority to the beast. They will make war on the Lamb.” They vehemently stand against Christ and His gospel. What are they?

Well, in the ways that they may oppose Jesus, William Hendriksen suggests “art, education, commerce, industry, and government” would be among these “kings.” Simon Kistemaker adds “politics, law enforcement, communication, business, legal and medical service, labor, sports, and entertainment.” That’s more than 10. But you have to remember that 10 means “completeness.” It stands for every sector in which anti-Christ influence can be exerted – Anti-Christ propaganda can be promoted in any segment of human life.

These are the “kings” who rule the peoples. But – for each one, their rule is short. See the rest of verse 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.” Babylon and all the minions who do her bidding will be finally defeated when Jesus returns.

At first, the world will dazzle you, but then, the world will deceive you. The world draws you in and tells you that false is true, wrong is right, and evil is good. Did you notice how, in this vision, the prostitute on the beast is popular and appears powerful and unstoppable. This is a picture of the sinful world undergirded and carried by Satan. One Bible scholar said, “Beneath the world is a scheming devil.” The father of lies! And worldliness is one great big lie.

How has the world deceived you? Is there some lie – something contrary to the truth of God –  that you’ve been buying into? You can turn from it today. You can turn to Jesus.

Look with me at these final verses. I mentioned verse 15 already, “The waters…where the prostitute is seated, are peoples and multitudes and nations and languages.” Worldliness is worldwide. There is equal opportunity for worldliness. You could move to the uttermost remote regions of the planet, and worldliness would be waiting on you when you arrive!  

But there is an eventual fallout that accompanies worldliness. What the angel says in these final verses is fascinating. Verse [16] “And the ten horns that you saw, they and the beast will hate the prostitute.” The world is carried by the devil, but the devil will turn on the world. This is because Satan is simply using the world. He will use the world and then discard it. And he will essentially turn the world on itself.

Have you ever noticed how in popular culture people can so deeply love some phenomenon, and then, only a short time later, they turn on it and even hate it, embracing the next thing? And when something reveals our own foolishness, we hate it even more. Look at the rest of verse 16, “They will make her desolate and naked, and devour her flesh and burn her up with fire.” The Roman Empire fell, although the city of Rome was never destroyed. That’s one reason why ancient Rome doesn’t seem to be the focus here. Rather, this is the future of the world and of worldliness. At first, it dazzles, then it deceives, and in the end, the world will disgust you.

When it leaves you ruined and empty, when you realize what it took from you, when you come to see that you were fooled – you will be disgusted with your worldliness. You will realize that you were sold a lie, and you gave your life to what was nothing. What you worshiped let you down. Where you put your trust betrayed you.

People react this way in every generation, verse [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.” God is absolutely sovereign. He’s in control over all things. And he turns over the worldly to their worldliness. What does this mean?

Hendriksen says this is “a lesson for every day. It reveals the course of worldly individuals: first, they become infatuated with the pleasures and treasures of the world, and harden themselves against God; then they are hardened; finally when it is too late, they experience a revulsion of feeling. They are punished by the results of their own foolishness.” He then adds, “Hence the world, in a sense, destroys itself.”

How could the trend of worldliness ever be reversed in our lives? In and through Christ. This actually teaches us about who Jesus is and what He has done for us. How we come to faith in Christ and growth in His grace is actually the inverse of these.

For example, at first, Jesus disgusts. No one naturally wants Christ and what He offers. Isaiah 53 says, “he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men.” But His glory is disguised – we’re deceived by sin, and His glory is veiled. But looks can be deceiving. And when you see His glory, the person and truth that once disgusted you now dazzles you. When your eyes are opened to the majesty of Christ, to His graciousness and His goodness – to His love – you’re amazed. You’re at a loss for words.

What should your response to this message be today? Well, in John 6, when they said to Jesus “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”

We look to Jesus. The apostle Peter told the churches, “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity.” See Jesus. Believe in Jesus. Trust in Jesus. And let’s join Him now at His table.

Please bow in prayer with me.