Revelation 17:5

It was customary in John’s day for Roman prostitutes to wear their names on their headbands. [Note: Swete, p. 214.] However, it is not clear whether this woman’s name was on a headband or on her forehead (cf. Revelation 7:3; Revelation 9:4; Revelation 13:16-18; Revelation 14:1; Jeremiah 3:3). Her name was a "mystery," namely, something not previously revealed but now made clear. A name in Scripture represents everything about the person who bears it, often the person’s reputation. The content of the mystery about this Babylonian system is what John revealed here, especially the new revelation about its evil character and judgment (Revelation 17:17-18). [Note: Lenski, p. 496.] The harlot represents Babylon that is a "mother of harlots," not just one herself, but the fountainhead of many other evil religious systems and everything anti-Christian (cf. Genesis 10:9-10; Genesis 11:1-9). [Note: Alford, 4:707; Scott, p. 342.] God attributed all kinds of abominations to her.

"In our day the ecumenical church has faced a lot of problems. It seems that they have recognized psychological differences in people and that it is impossible to water down theologies and practices to suit everyone. So each group will come into this great world ecumenical system but retain some of its peculiarities. For example, those who want to immerse will immerse. Those who want to sprinkle will sprinkle. Those who want elaborate ritual will have it, and those who want no ritual will have that. You see, there is going to be more than the mother harlot-there will be a whole lot of harlots, a regular brothel." [Note: McGee, 5:1033.]

Many writers have traced the religiously apostate system of worship begun in Babylon and carried on through history through Roman Catholicism and the modern Christian ecumenical movement. [Note: See Alexander Hislop, The Two Babylons, for an extended treatment, or Walvoord, "Revelation," pp. 970-71, for a brief one. Ironside, pp. 287-95, is also helpful.] However, this description of Babylonianism encompasses all forms of paganism including perversions of Christianity and non-Christian religions.