Rev 17:5-9 | TNotes | STEP | 17:5 Using code language, John was probably referring to Rome (see 17:9 ) as Babylon the Great, Mother of All Prostitutes . Babylon was a symbol of the idolatries and demonic obscenities of the world. As Mother , she had produced offspring who copied her character. Rome, like Babylon, prostituted herself to false gods and led other nations into adultery and idolatry.

17:5 ^a Using code language, John was probably referring to Rome (see 17:9 ^b) as Babylon the Great, Mother of All Prostitutes. Babylon was a symbol of the idolatries and demonic obscenities of the world. As Mother, she had produced offspring who copied her character. Rome, like Babylon, prostituted herself to false gods and led other nations into adultery and idolatry.
17:6 ^c God’s holy people ... were witnesses for Jesus to the point of shedding their blood (see 16:6 ^d; Heb 12:4 ^e). In John’s time, Rome was responsible for this persecution.
17:7 ^f In response to John’s amazement, the angel prepares him to understand the mystery (17:8-14 ^g).
Summary for Rev 17:8-11: 17:8-11 ^h The destruction within this vision contrasts with the destiny of the people of God in the new heaven and earth (see 21:1-4 ⁱ). 17:8 ^j The beast ... was once alive but isn’t now ... will soon come up: When Domitian became emperor (AD 81–96), he was as evil as Nero (both were fierce persecutors of the church), and many thought he was the embodiment of Nero’s spirit, if not Nero himself (perhaps similar to the way that John the Baptist was considered to embody Elijah’s spirit; see Mal 4:5 ^k; Matt 11:14 ^l; Luke 1:17 ^m; John 1:21 ⁿ).

• you saw: The past tense indicates that the angel’s interpretation took place after John’s vision.

• was once alive but isn’t now: This contrasts with God, “who is, who always was, and who is still to come” (Rev 1:4 ^o, 8 ^p).

• the bottomless pit: See study note on 9:1-12.

• In contrast to God’s people, the people of this world are not written in the Book of Life (see 20:11-15 ^q). They will be amazed by the apparent resurrection of the beast (see study note on 17:10-11; see also 13:13-17 ^r).
17:9 ^s The seven heads of the beast represent the seven hills on which Rome was built (see study note on 16:10-11).

• the woman: see 17:3-6 ^t.