Commentary on Revelation Chapter 17

A number of Church fathers have written about the Revelation, and this book The Reign Of Antichrist composes many of such commentaries. However, time has past and there's also good material from the era of the reformation.

This commentary is a work in progress, as of today, Nov. the 6th, 2020. This line will be deleted once the work is done.

Introduction

In order to understand the Revelation Babylon, it's worthwhile to recall the Old Testament Babylon. Israelites we brought there due to their sins. This is equally true today. There are people like the Old Testament Judges, there are the ministers of the true faith. But those who believe not, and keep sinning, even when warned - beware: at the time you least expect, the king from the east, the invisible Nebuchadnezzar (as a type of the devil), will come and bring you into Babylon, or the Revelation Babylon, meaning the spiritual Babylon. Indeed, there's two Babylons: the ancient city and a spiritual one.

Cyrus freed the chosen people from the Babylonian captivity. Did you know that Cyrus means "lord"? (from Greel kyrios) The real lord, Jesus Christ can free anyone from the captivity of the New Babylon. But it can only happen via repentance with a human who has the Holy Spirit. Christ himself declared this task for the Apostles. There is no shortcuts. Anyone declaring that he's making deals directly with the God (without asking forgiveness of sins from a human) doesn't speak the truth because the Holy Spirit is one of the three forms of God. The Holy Spirit dwells in believers' hearts. Those deals made directly with God deny such existance of the Holy Spirit; that's no other than blasphemy. Of course you can pray like the Bible teaches us, but forgiving the sins and converting a soul from the kingdom of the devil don't happen with a prayer. Remember, there's two kingdoms: the spiritual Babylon and the spiritual Israel.

Commentary

Let's face the Revelation Chapter 17. This is how it begins:

And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters: (Rev. 17:1, KJV)

The great whore is often meant to be the Catholic Church itself. Originally the Catholic Church was the real and pious, righteous one. The early Christian were persecuted from the reign of Nero until the early 300's, but later, Christian emperors started ruling. Ambrose of Milan and emperor Theodosius, in the late 300's, were true Christians. So was the Catholic Church, which started to get corrupt and eventually turned in the form of a whore. Some claim Gregory the Great (d. 604 AD) was the last good pope. It's hard to say where exactly the Catholic Church turned from the truth, but sure it wasn't an overnight action, but rather, a gradual process.

Rome and its history plays an important role with the Revelation. We can read from Acts things playing in reverse direction: this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. (Acts. 1:11) This gives a hint perhaps the history goes similarly in reverse direction. Eventually, a cruel Nero-like ruler will be in office? Christian persecution will be present once again? Eventually, Jesus shall come in like manner as they saw him going into heaven?

The great whore sat upon many waters. Soon we'll read the whore being in the wilderness. This is a significant detail.

Hollywood is a source of evil

Moreover, Hollywood has been a primary source of wickedness from the early 1900's. Its examples have set forth the new era of paganism. It's mission has been clearly to promote sin in all its forms. I certainly consider Hollywood as an advocate of the Devil. Did you know that the devout Christians don't even own a television? Something to think about!

Babylon whore was visiting the wilderness, but in like manner Hollywood media is being played around the world. If the movie theathers were only located in the US, the whore would have no need to travel into the wilderness, but instead, it'd stay on upon the waters.

Ancient Rome had amphitheatres where Christians were beheaded and blood was present. Today's Hollywood creates horror movies that contain pretty much the same content! Indeed, there isn't much difference!

To summarize, two candidates are the Catholic Church and Hollywood. Most likely they both play a role in the Revelation. More of it later. Since the whore was visiting the wilderness with the beast, we understand it's a sort of spiritual domination.

2 With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.

So called Pseudo-Christians, or who pretend to be Christians but live like the wicked or ungodly, get their truths and manners of life from the whore's wine. My wild guess is that at least 99.9% of those who claim to be Christians, are actually a part of the whore.

Whore's wine definitely contains 'good TV shows' although you ought to be taking care of your numerous children. Well, today's ungodly families don't want to have children or want only a very few - and use the tools of the Devil such as birth control and contraception. That way they have more time to drink the Whore's wine! Meanwhile, pious families might have more than 10 children. Although it's true not all of them have big families, or may be even completely childless, they're exceptions among the righteous.

Add into the list also the fake news media. Most of the TV actors and so called movie stars belong to this group. This is modern religion of the Babylon: worshipping of movie stars, pop music singers and other idols.

Fertility rates low in Catholic countries

The more Roman Catholic a country is, the smaller the woman fertility rate appears to be. You can check the fact easily, although it's not a rule but something to be clearly seen. San Marino and Andorra are both very catcholic and the fertility rate is among the lowest in the world! In that sense, one source of wickedness is clearly the Catholic Church itself.

3 So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.

The woman sits upon the beast. The wilderness often means "among the gentiles". The woman is far from its native location: the waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues. (v. 15) and The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth. (v. 9) It may be conflicting to sit on top of the waters and the seven mountains. However, the mountains are the seven heads of the beast. The whole complex, the beast and the whore are traveling or rather, visiting in the wilderness, off from their original place upon the waters.

Blasphemy is something one may hear and read daily. People want to get their thinking out of God. Often times they reference to some violence from hundreds of years ago they think was caused by a religion.

The beast is a ruler, so the blasphemy is supported by the governments. They hide the blasphemy in agendas that may sound good, such as supporting the minorities (LGBT), gender equality and so on. For you see, this beast is already here! The western society as a whole is behind the idea of promoting all kinds of sins, yet making it legal one step at a time.

Adornments were popular in ancient Rome

4 And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:

In the ancient Rome, people were decked with earrings, makeup, rouge and similar things they thought were enhancements and pleasures. When the emperors later turned into Christianity, and in like manner much of the whole Roman empire, or at least its rulers, these pagan habits dissappeared for a very long time. For example, the Olympics couldn't be held anymore from the year 393 A.D, until 1896! That's quite a long period. During that period (393 - 1896), earrings were only held by pirates and very small minorities. Even in the 1950's some religious groups held views that earrings, rouge and makeup were to be avoided - only to change their mind later on. Today, these pagan habits are the norm among the average citizens.

5 And upon her forehead was a name written, Mystery, Babylon The Great, The Mother Of Harlots And Abominations Of The Earth.

Babylon The Great is a source of wickedness. It's a mystery because it's purely spiritual. It also consumes your time so that you'd have no chance to think about your salvation! Instead, you're in the spiritual ancient rome, watching the show on TV!

They drink other than communion wine

6 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.

Now John the Apostle is wondering! Hardly anybody drinks the blood of the saints. That's not to be taken literally. When the Christians were persecuted beginning from the reign of Nero, the public had a pleasure seeing the martyrs and saints being beheaded. Later, the Catholic Church performed similar execution of the followers of Jesus, such as Waldensians and people they thought were heretics; for example John Huss (Jan Huss).

Again, we see at least the government and Catholic Church persecuting people. They were built-in to some extent, state and the church.

7 And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns.

Soon, other than the true believers will wonder! Remember, John wondered about the harlot, but not the beast. Unbelievers will be paying attention to the beast.

People wondering in hell

8 The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.

Revelation Chapter 13 mentions two beasts: one out of the sea, and the second beast coming up out of the earth. The bottomless pit mentioned in the verse 8 above points to the second beast.

Why only those whose names are not written in the book of life, will wonder when they see the beast? What about those whose names are written in the book of life? In Is. 14, we may read of those, who end up being in hell. If your name is written in the book of life, you will not be in hell wondering who the beast really was:

15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.

16 They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms;

17 That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners? (Is. 14:15-17, KJV)

A few verses back, John was wondering about the whore. However, there's no mention him wondering over the beast. He certainly saw both. However, the unbelievers will eventually see the beast, but they don't wonder about the whore!

John is okay with the beast as it's somebody he knew, pointing to Nero. Church persecution was now managed by the whore, which is the reason for wondering.

All unbelievers and pseudo-christians are part of the whore, so they're okay with the whore. There's no need to wonder. They're not wondering the beast here in this world either:

37 As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; 39 and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. (Matt. 24:37-39, KJV)

For you see, they know nothing about what would happen. There's no beasts nor whores in their eyes here in this world.

Seven mountains - Hollywood or Rome?

9 And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.

Seven mountains point to the city of Rome. But the spiritual Rome today seems to be Hollywood! Papal power today seems to be controlled by the secular media and its agenda.

10 And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.

It may be tempting to count from Domitian until Nero. Nowhere it's said the kings are in order, eg. the first one may even be Nebuchadnezzar. For example, Victorinus wrote: Domitian, Titus his brother, and Vespasian, Otho, Vitellius, and Galba, and Nero.

11 And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition.

Beast is like Nero

12 And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.

We're coming back where we started from: Nero's like administration will be back!

13 These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.

This sounds much like the climate change agenda behind the curtains. However, if the climate gets cold, a famine is very likely; hear the words: there shall be famines (Matt. 24:7).

14 These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.

The climage change agenda is against what they call overpopulation. They promote contraception and birth control. They think they can save the planet, but the Bible declares: "the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up" (2.Pet. 3:10)

15 And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.

16 And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.

That's the end of the whore. It's said Nero burnt Rome, and here we see the analogy of Rome being burnt. That's a warning, will this be the end of all public religions? Or are the famines in Matt. 24 due to the climate turning suddenly very cold? If so, there's room to hate the whore and its fallacious agenda.

17 For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.

18 And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.

That's Rome, not now but back then. It's a great city. Yet, isn't Los Angeles (The Angels) a great city? California has many forest fires, some of them perhaps managed by their own people. Not far from the analogy of Rome being burnt?