Rev 17:5 | PNT | STEP | Upon her forehead [was] a name written . A title which told who she was and explained her character. MYSTERY . Making pretensions that the world cannot understand. See . BABYLON THE GREAT . Another name is given. She is the wicked city that carried the true Israel into bondage and persecuted them. See PNT . THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS . Not only a harlot, but the mother of harlots. In connection with Babylon, the two-horned beast, and the scarlet woman, Revelation points out fornication, or harlotry, as one of their most prominent characteristics. In order that there may be no mistake about what is meant, it is well to determine the use of these terms in the Bible. ``Harlotry symbolizes uniformly the apostasy of God's church.''--Auberlen. ``The word harlot is used at least fifty times to describe spiritual fornication; that is, the corrupt doctrine and practices of the churches of Israel and Judah.''--Bishop Wordsworth. ``In eighteen out of twenty places where the figure occurs its import is that God's church and people had forsaken him.'' --Alford. ``There are only three places in the whole Bible where the figure is applied to heathen cities or nations; twice to Tyre, and once to Nineveh.''--Williams. The fact that uniform use (with the rarest exceptions) is to describe a falling away from God shows that the Scarlet Harlot is the symbol of a faithless, apostate church. One is signified, too, that is the mother of other false churches which have followed her ways.

Revelation of John 17:5

Upon her forehead [was] a name written. A title which told who she was and explained her character.

MYSTERY. Making pretensions that the world cannot understand. See 2Th 2:7.

BABYLON THE GREAT. Another name is given. She is the wicked city that carried the true Israel into bondage and persecuted them.

See PNT Re 14:8.

THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS. Not only a harlot, but the mother of harlots. In connection with Babylon, the two-horned beast, and the scarlet woman, Revelation points out fornication, or harlotry, as one of their most prominent characteristics. In order that there may be no mistake about what is meant, it is well to determine the use of these terms in the Bible. ``Harlotry symbolizes uniformly the apostasy of God's church.''--Auberlen. ``The word harlot is used at least fifty times to describe spiritual fornication; that is, the corrupt doctrine and practices of the churches of Israel and Judah.''--Bishop Wordsworth. ``In eighteen out of twenty places where the figure occurs its import is that God's church and people had forsaken him.'' --Alford. ``There are only three places in the whole Bible where the figure is applied to heathen cities or nations; twice to Tyre, and once to Nineveh.''--Williams. The fact that uniform use (with the rarest exceptions) is to describe a falling away from God shows that the Scarlet Harlot is the symbol of a faithless, apostate church. One is signified, too, that is the mother of other false churches which have followed her ways.