17:13 {29} These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.(29) That is, by consent and agreement, that they may conspire with the beast, and depend on his call. Their story is divided into three parts, counsels, acts, and events. The counsellors some of them consist in communicating of judgments and affections: and some in communicating of power, which they are said to have given to this beast, in this verse. read more
Great Babylon Exposed in View of Judgment The next two chapters (17 and 18) deal with great Babylon, her character, her self-exaltation and her judgment. This emphasizes the solemnity of God's view of the corruption of Christianity. One of the seven angels of Revelation 16:1-21 bids John to come and see the judgment of this great harlot who sits on many waters-who has strong influence over many nations (v. 1). This is the final form of Roman Catholicism, yet then including many others who had... read more
THE SEVEN DOOMS The seven dooms are those of Babylon, the beast, the false prophet, the kings, the dragon, gog, and the dead. This lesson will be limited to chapters 17-18, both of which speak of Babylon but in different ways, and to understand which, it is necessary to keep in mind that every city may be conceived of from two points of view, material and moral. The streets and parks, the buildings, the docks and market places, these are Chicago; but her politics and government, her commerce... read more
(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. (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. (9) And... read more
These have one design, to make themselves as happy as they can in this world: and their power they shall give to the beast, being always slaves of the devil. (Witham) read more
7-14 The beast on which the woman sat was, and is not, and yet is. It was a seat of idolatry and persecution, and is not; not in the ancient form, which was pagan: yet it is; it is truly the seat of idolatry and tyranny, though of another sort and form. It would deceive into stupid and blind submission all the inhabitants of the earth within its influence, except the remnant of the elect. This beast was seven heads, seven mountains, the seven hills on which Rome stands; and seven kings, seven... read more
Revelation 17 CHAPTERS 17 AND 18 give us with full details the judgment of Babylon. We shall find it helpful to read Rev_21:9 Rev_22:5 , by way of contrast. Having done this, we shall note that in both cases, the vision is introduced by one of the angels who had the vials, and that what is seen is figured as a woman and as a city. The similarity ceases with this: all else is in sharpest contrast. There we view “the bride, the Lamb’s wife;” here, “the great whore.” There we have the true... read more
The explanation of the heads, the beasts, and the horns: v. 9. And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sitteth. v. 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. v. 11. And the beast that was and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition. v. 12. And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which... read more
SPECIAL DOCTRINO-ETHICAL AND HOMILETICAL NOTES (ADDENDUM)Section FourteenthFirst Special End-Judgment: The Judgment upon Babylon, as a Heaven-picture. (Ch. 17)General.—Babylon, in the wider sense of the term, is the entire anti-Godly world, conceived of in its concentration; Babylon, in the narrower sense of the term, is the secularized, ungodly and anti-Godly, external Church; a birth-place of Antichristianity, in which the Antichristian essence often appears very undisguisedly, though the... read more
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Arno Gaebelein's Annotated Bible - Revelation 17:1-18
CHAPTERS 17-18 Babylon, the Harlot, and Her judgment 1. The description of the woman (Revelation 17:1-6 ) 2. The angel’s interpretation (Revelation 17:7-15 ) 3. The desolation of the whore (Revelation 17:16-18 ) 4. The angelic announcement (Revelation 18:1-3 ) 5. The call to separation (Revelation 18:4-5 ) 6. Her pride and destruction (Revelation 18:6-8 ) 7. Lamentation and jubilation (Revelation 18:9-20 ) 8. Her utter and eternal destruction (Revelation 18:21-24 ) Revelation 17:1-6... read more