Rev. David Holwick
Study Notes
February 16, 1992
Revelation 17
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I. Literary Analysis.
A. 17:1 - 19:10 is a unit. BM
1) Describes destruction of Babylon. BM
2) Ch 17 emphasizes hate in love/hate relationship of Beast and empire. BM
3) Ch 17 describes Babylon as spiritual/ecclesiastical entity, ch 18 as a political entity W
B. Relation to Seventh Bowl
1) Comes before any of the bowls/vials. W
Probably at beginning of Tribulation.
(Visions are not in chronological order)
2) Comes after it, or...
3) Explains effects of seventh bowl itself. BM
C. Sources used? BM
1) No sources used. No change in symbolism.
2) Two distinct Jewish apocalyptic sources.
3) One Jewish, one an interpolation by later writer.
4) John molded contemporary traditions into one vision. Differences due to shifts in symbolism. BM
Other examples of shifts in prophetic symbolism:
a) Dan 2:36 - head of gold = Nebuchadnezzar, but other
parts are kingdoms which succeed his.
b) Dan 7:17 - four beasts = four kings, but in 7:23 the
fourth beast is defined as "a fourth kingdom."
II. Great Harlot (17:1).
A. Identity:
1) Antichristian city BM
Beast is empire.
a) Ancient Rome.
Rome was Babylon of her age. BM
b) In more general sense also applies to Babylon, which is
the world opposed to God down through the ages. M
2) Beyond this, system of world's godlessness. BM,M,W
(Walv - emphasis is on ecclesiastical nature of Babylon)
a) Morally permissive society.
b) More - embodies anti-God nature. BM(254)
1> OT imagery of religious apostasy (check) M
2> Mythological background:
A> Babylonian myth of Tiamat. BM
B> Reflected in OT prophets
B. Character:
1) Contrasted with community and people of God (Bride) BM
a) Babylon has seat in the desert, home of demons; Zion belongs to heaven,12:1,is on mount of God,21:10
b) Babylon reposes on the beast; Zion is the throne of God and the Lamb.
c) Babylon has pomp and luxury; Zion wears the adornment of heaven. (12:1; 19:8)
d) Babylon has a cup of abominations which brings death; Zion invites all to water of life. (22:17)
e) Babylon is the mother of harlots; Zion is the mother of the Messiah and the faithful.
f) Babylon is drunk with the blood of the saints; Zion brings to the world life and salvation.
g) Babylon ends in eternal destruction (19:3); Zion belongs to the new creation.
2) Called a "Harlot" (17:1)
a) Applied by OT prophets to apostate cities: BM
1> Tyre (Isa 23:16)
2> Nineveh (Nah 3)
3> Northern Israel (Hosea) W
4> Jerusalem (Isa 1:21; Jer 3, Ezek 16, 23)
(Antichristian city of 11:8 is identified with Sodom, Egypt, and Jerusalem)
A> Normally applied to Israel itself, not pagans. W
b) Name of mystery (17:5) BM
1> Roman harlots wore names on headbands.
2> Mystery = secret, in apocalyptic tradition.
3) Full of abominations (17:4)
a) Horrible immoral practices.
b) Horrible idolatrous practices. BM
Characteristic Jewish term for idol. (vss, BM)
C. Situation
1) Sits on Waters (17:1)
a) Echoes Jer 51:13.
1> In Jer 51 relates to actual geography of Babylon.
b) Universal humanity - all nations.
2) Wilderness (17:3)
a) City of waters is actually in a desert. BM
b) Inspired by Isa 21, "The oracle of the wilderness of the sea."
1> Above unlikely. BM
c) Ambiguous symbol BM
1> Figures in several of John's visions.
A> Rev 12 - Mother of Messiah is protected in desert.
B> Luke 11:24 - Desert is home of demons and Satan.
3) Golden cup (17:4)
a) Jer 51:7 - Babylon is cup in God's hand.
b) Rev 17:4 - Twist in that Babylon hands cup to others.
Little difference between A and B. BM
III. John's perspective.
A. John astonished at woman:
1) 1:17 - John swooned at sight of risen Lord.
2) No hidden motives here, normal reaction for
apocalypticists. BM
B. He is transported by Spirit:
1) New state of exaltation.
2) New vantage point to view Babylon (BM)
3) Better - continuing visionary experience. M
a) Prophetic insight translated into apocalyptic literature?
b) Better - actual visions. M
1> He now sees Babylon's true situation BM
IV. Christians (18:4)
A. Attitude of Christians - "come out of Babylon"
B. Blood of saints and martyrs make Babylon drunk, 17:6.
1) Church of Jesus alone.
2) Church and saints of Old Covenant.
a) Feasible interpretation. Cf. Heb 12:1 ff. BM
C. False church always has persecuted True Church. W
V. Inhabitants of the earth (17:8)
A. Kings.
1) Apostate nations generally.
B. Wicked people. Names not in the book.
1) But not rigid determinism. Names can be erased from book.
VI. Scarlet Beast (17:3)
A. Identification in Rev 17:
1) Represents empire.
a) Focus is on political entity. W
2) Transition is made to king, because in 17:11 is
identified with eighth king. (most exegetes- BM)
3) Dual nature - king and empire simultaneously. BM(255)
Fits in with chaos-monster/Nero redivivus fusion.
B. Progressive development of figure: BM
1) Development in Rev:
a) 9:11 - King over demons, from the abyss W
b) 11:7 - Appears as individual ruler of world. BM
c) 12:9 - Is the Devil. BM
d) 13:1 - Called from sea by dragon. BM
Individual ruler.
The incarnation of spirit of Evil.
e) 17:4 - Seems to represent the antichristian empire. BM
2) Confusion between description of Satan and Beast/Antichrist is due to Satan's identification with both beast/leader and beast/empire. W
a) All three are described as beasts.
b) All three are satanic in character.
C. Appearance.
1) Riding on Beast W
a) Babylon is supported by political beast.
b) Babylon is in dominant control.
2) Scarlet
a) Magnificence. C
b) Blood of martyrs. ..
c) Merely descriptive. M
d) Shares the likeness of the Dragon. BM
e) Refers to royal color of Rome. BM
f) Parallels pomp of Roman Catholics and Greek Orthodox. Contrasts with simple
adornment of godly (1 Tim 2:9-10) W,(Alford)
3) Blasphemous names BM
a) In 13:1 refers to emperors' claims to deity
b) Here refers to multiple forms of idolatry (Beast is "full of them")
1> Reflected in Roman Catholicism, which has been infected by Babylonian rites. W
4) Name of Mystery
a) Mystery is not in title, but describes it. W
5) Seven heads, ten horns.
a) Same as dragon in Rev 12.
1> Seven heads are successive kings. W
2> Ten horns are simultaneous kings. W
D. Mythological background.
1) Babylonian myths of Tiamat and Marduk. BM
a) Also Nimrod + Semiramis = Tammuz. W
1> Catholicism combines this Babylonian mystery religion with Christianity. W
b) Canaanite version is Baalism. W
2) Old Testament usage of myths (ie, Rahab).
a) Eschatological usage. BM
1> Daniel used monster to portray world empires.
2> Egypt often described by it: (Isa 30:7; 51:9-10; Ezek 29:3 ff; 32:2 ff)
3> Isa 27:1 has vivid, but enigmatic, example.
A> Specific political powers may be in view.
B> Generic rebel powers may be in view.
4> Extra-biblical sources used myth non-politically.
5> John's use is primitive, for consistent depiction of 7 heads does not occur in OT references.
b) Fate of monster in myths varied. BM
1> Monster slain and body used in creation. Isa 51:9
2> Monster simply subdued. Isa 30:7
A> This idea can be expressed by saying monster "was, and is not."
3) Nero Redivivus myth.
a) Nero comes alive, rallies armies in east, invades Rome
b) John combines it with chaos-monster myth to "make presentation of an antichrist-ruler
of an antichrist-kingdom. Both of them participated in the nature of the evil spiritual
power which had inspired the evil political powers through the ages, and the fear of them was
sharpened through the dread of a demonic adversary from hell." BM
E. Comparison of Scarlet Beast with other eschatological figures.
1) Parody of God: M
a) Obvious parody of Lamb:
1> "Was, is not, is about to come." (17:8)
2> Beast is equivalent to slain leader in Rev 13:3.
A> Comparison made to slain Lamb in Rev 5:6.
b) Obvious parody of Ancient of Days.
1> Compare 17:8 with 1:4 and 11:17.
2) Ties with other eschatological leaders/empires: M
a) Little horn of Dan 7
1> or fourth kingdom of Dan 7:19
b) Slain leader of Rev 13
3) Applies to evil power which has appeared down through
history.
F. Reaction of World.
1) "Inhabitants ... will be astonished when they see beast."
2) Admiration is in two dimensions:
a) They will admire king for his astonishing powers
(13:3).
b) They will admire empire for its splendor and might.
G. Requirements for proper interpretation.
1) "This calls for a mind with wisdom."
2) Reader needs guidance to understand the mystery. BM
VII. Application to historical context.
A. Seven Heads (17:9)
1) = Seven Hills:
a) First interpretation is important because it identifies
the location of the beast. BM
b) Shows essentially corporate identity of beast. BM
c) Historical identification:
1> Rome. BM,Victorinus(W)
A> Identification of woman with a city in 17:18
confirms this. BM,261
2> Ancient Babylon. (W)
A> Seven hills are also seven kings, so meaning
seems to be symbolic and not historical (Rome)
3> 7 successive kingdoms. Seiss(W),Ladd
A> Word "mountain" often refers to kingdoms in the
Bible: Ps 30:7; Jer 51:25; Dan 2:35 W
B> Greece, Persia, Babylon, Assyria, Egypt, Rome. Seiss(W)
Eighth empire is Revived Rome.
2) = Seven Kings (17:9)
a) Succession of Roman emperors (BM)
1> Full list of emperors:
Julius Caesar, Augustus, Tiberias, Gaius, Claudius,
Nero, Galba, Otho, Vitellius, Vespasian, Titus,
Domitian.
2> Julius Caesar -- Nero. (BM)
A> Gives early date for writing of Rev.
B> Nero's death ushered in chaos.
C> Problems: BM
1: Nero-redivivus teaching does not fit.
2: More traditional dating is Domitian.
3> Augustus (following Tacitus) -- Vespasian. (BM)
A> Three short-term emperors omitted.
B> John wrote during Vespasian, seventh emperor Titus
ruled only two years, then Domitian.
C> Or, John wrote prophecy "after the fact," and
during time of Domitian.
1: #2 most plausible, but whole scheme is mistaken.
4> Scheme is eschatological, not historical. BM
A> Derived from ancient teachings; correlation with is happy coincidence only.
B> "Seven" is Revelation's number of completeness.
C> Of complete line of emperors, last one is not here, but is near.
b) succession of secular empires Ladd?
c) primarily symbolic.
1> declares nearness of God
2> typifies entire period of Roman domination
B. Eighth King (17:11)
1) Applies to Beast
a) Is still one of seven
b) Is distinct from seven
1> Must be Antichrist
2) Identifications:
a) Nero Redivivus BM,Rowley(W)
1> Myth that dreaded Nero would return with armies from the east.
A> problems M
b) Judas Iscariot Wuest(W)
c) 2 heads are Antiochus and future Antichrist. Zahn, Ladd
1> Too sophisticated for Gentile church in Roman world? M
Nero more thought of as Antichrist.
d) Not an individual, but a revived empire. W
(Walvoord gives same interp in 13:3, slain head) [See VII.A.1.3.c.b.]
C. Ten Horns (17:12)
1) Derived from Dan 7:7, vision of Fourth Beast. BM
a) Denotes a line of kings who precede Antichrist.
b) Some are overthrown by Antichrist. Dan 7:24
c) John, however, makes them confederate with Antichrist. BM
2) = Ten kings
a) Ten successive emperors of Rome (BM)
1> But do not have a kingdom yet
b) Ten simultaneous emperors of Rome W
1> Form of Roman Empire immediately preceding world empire of Beast.
c) Kings from the East, leading Armageddon armies. BM
1> Rev 17 explains concluding vision of Rev 16.
2> Sixth bowl - Euphrates dries up, kings from east come.
3> 10 horns are therefore beyond the empire's borders.
A> They are on head of emperor-beast, not empire-beast.
B> Perhaps Parthian satraps in view. BM
1: They numbered 14, but close enough.
d) Purely eschatological figures. Mounce.
1> Symbolic number of completeness.
3) Nature and mission.
a) "Authority for one hour"
1> Their time is short, because Antichrist himself speedily goes to perdition, 17:11. BM
b) "They have one purpose" BM
1> Given to them by God, 17:17.
2> Even at height of their power and impiety, attacking both Lamb and antichrist-city, they are under will
of God. See 13:5 ff. BM
VIII. Conflict between Beast, Woman and Lamb.
A. War on the Lamb (17:14)
1) Parallel with 13:7 suggests war on saints. BM
2) In Rev 11,12,13 saints fight with Lamb, not behind him. BM (esp. Rev 12:11)
3) War is ended by appearance of Lamb (19:11 ff.) BM
a) When he wields sword of mouth, all resistance ends.
b) His saints are with him in hour of triumph.
4) Lamb is named "Lord of lords and King of kings" (17:14)
a) John aware this was title of Babylonian god Marduk, who conquers monster Tiamat? BM
b) Title only used elsewhere in Egypt.
c) If he did know, he claims Jesus alone has right to title.
B. Beast turns on Woman, 17:16
1) Language repeats events of sixth bowl (Armageddon) in a fresh way. BM
2) Also reflects fears of Nero-redivivus. BM
3) Woman has worldwide influence: "Waters..." (17:15)
a) 17:1 - waters are literal waters of Babylon.
b) 17:15- identified with multitudes who invade land.
1> Perfectly follows Isa 8:7, where image of Euphrates flooding Palestine is used to describe invasion by
Assyrians. BM
4) Parallels prophecy of destruction of Jerusalem by Babylonians in Ezek 23:25 ff:
a) Language is very close:
hate...naked...devour...burn up with fire BM
b) In Ezek, destruction of Jerusalem follows her depiction as a (apostate) prostitute. BM
c) If Jerusalem is so judged, how much more Babylon. BM
5) "Revolutionary power contains within itself the seed of its own destruction." M
6) God inspires it. (See XIV.B.5)
a) No ultimate dualism in Revelation. BM
7) OT parallels. BM
IX. Assessment of Rev 17. BM
A. John was a false prophet:
1) Nero-redivivus did not appear.
2) Rome became Christian instead of Satanic.
B. John stands in line of OT prophets:
1) Related his own generation to the Day of the Lord. BM
2) Used prophecy to address age-old questions. M
a) Alludes to current situation but goes beyond.
C. Distinction must be made between prophecy and presentation: BM
1) John transposes OT prophecies in light of new covenant.
2) John sees that judgment and redemption have to do with history.
3) He applies this insight to history of his day.
4) Like all prophets he believes "time is short" -1 Cor 7:29
a) Redemption has been completed - Rev 5.
b) Mystery of lawlessness is plainly at work - 2 Th 2:7
1> John's exile on Patmos was proof of this.
5) His prophecy sets forth nature and outcome of conflict between God's redemption and Satan's lawlessness.
Comment by Adolf Schlatter (BM,262):
"God's ways with Rome and the nations ruled by it were other than the
prophecy described them. But this did not weaken the Church's
conviction that the word spoken to it by John is a precious gift of
God, and that it performs a great service for the knowledge of his
ways. For so long as the prophetic word was a living force in the
churches it remained apparent to all that the prophet sees God's
work as it is capable of perception by human sight, and that he
receives God's word as it corresponds to the place in which he is
set in human history. Therefore along with attention to the
prophecy there was always conjoined a readiness to be shown further
by God's sovereign rule how he fulfills his promise. And gratitude
for the visions given to the prophet was based on the fact that they
inspire Christian people to observe God's work in their own
situation and to understand his ways."
[Holwick - i.e., John was wrong yet inspirational]
D. John saw beyond contemporary political/religious scene to view a revived Roman Empire of Last Days. W
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