The Great Prostitute - Revelation 17 : Book of Revelation

‘The Great Whore’ / ‘The Woman on the Beast’ :

“One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, ‘Come, I will show you the punishment of the great prostitute, who sits on many waters. With her the kings of the earth committed adultery and the inhabitants of the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her adulteries.’ ” – Revelation 17: 1-2

“Then I heard another voice from heaven say: ‘Come out of her, my people, so that you will not share in her sins, so that you will not receive any of her plagues, for her sins are piled up to heaven, and God has remembered her crimes.’ ” – Revelation 18:4-5

“ ‘Give back to her as she has given; pay her back double for what she has done. Mix her a double portion from her own cup. Give her as much torture and grief as the glory and luxury she gave herself. In her heart she boasts, “I sit as queen; I am not a widow, and I will never mourn”. Therefore in one day her plagues will overtake her: death, mourning and famine. She will be consumed by fire, for mighty is the Lord God who judges her.’ ” – Revelation 18:6-8

“Then the angel carried me away in the Spirit into a desert. There I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns.” – Revelation 17:3

“This title was written on her forehead: ‘Mystery Babylon the Great – The Mother of Prostitutes and of the Abominations of the Earth.’ ” – Revelation 17:5

“The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and was glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls. She held a golden cup in her hand, filled with abominable things and the filth of her adulteries.” – Revelation 17:4

“I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus. When I saw her, I was greatly astonished.” – Revelation 17:6

‘The Mystery explained’

“Then the angel said to me, ‘Why are you astonished? I will explain to you the mystery of the woman and of the beast she rides, which has the seven heads and ten horns.’ ” – Revelation 17:7

[here the angel reviews from the mid-point and carries on to the end of the Tribulation – one example – it reads: ‘now is not’ but the ‘woman’ is presently riding the beast as John looks on – so past, present, future]:

” ‘The beast, which you saw, once was, now is not, and will come up out of the Abyss and go to his destruction. The inhabitants of the earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the creation of the world will be astonished when they see the beast, because he once was, now is not, and yet will come.’ ” – Revelation 17:8

“ ‘This calls for a mind with wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits. They are also seven kings, five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come; but when he does come, he must remain for a little while. The beast who once was, and now is not, is an eighth king. He belongs to the seven and is going to his destruction.’ ” – Revelation 17:9-11

” ‘The ten horns you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but who for one hour will receive authority as kings along with the beast. They have one purpose and will give their power and authority to the beast.’ ” – Revelation 17:12-13

” ‘For God has put it into their hearts to accomplish His purpose by agreeing to give the beast their power to rule, until God’s words are fulfilled.’ ” – Revelation 17:17

“ ‘The woman you saw is the great city that rules over the kings of the earth.’ ” – Revelation 17:18

Great Prostitute

“Then the angel said to me, ‘The waters you saw, where the prostitute sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations and languages.’ ” – Revelation 17:15

” ‘The beast and the ten horns you saw will hate the prostitute. They will bring her to ruin and leave her naked; they will eat her flesh and burn her with fire [a sacrifice].’ ” – Revelation 17:16

‘Victory for the Lamb’

“ ‘They will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will overcome them because He is Lord of Lords and King of Kings – and with Him will be His called, chosen and faithful followers.’ ” – Revelation 17:14

“And in that hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city collapsed. Seven thousand were killed in the quake, and the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.” – Revelation 11:13

‘Rejoicing in heaven’ / The two-fold hallelujah:

“After this I heard what sounded like the roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting: ‘Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for true and just are his judgments. He has condemned the great prostitute who corrupted the earth by her adulteries. He has avenged on her the blood of his servants.’ And again they shouted: ‘Hallelujah! The smoke from her goes up for ever and ever.’ ” – Revelation 19:1-3