‏ Revelation of John 17

Summary for Rev 17:1-18:24: 17:1–19:10  ^a The great drama in this section focuses on the powers that are hostile to God and responsible for the persecution and suffering of God’s people. Rome’s power was captivating to many (17:6  ^b); John purposely defines Rome’s sins and provides God’s assessment (17:3-18  ^c) before outlining its fall (18:1-24  ^d) and heaven’s response (19:1-10  ^e). 17:1  ^f One of the ... angels of judgment addresses John and summons him to a new scene in which he sees the coming judgment of the great prostitute, who rules over many waters. Rome, located on the Tiber River, controlled the seats of power and water trade routes throughout the Mediterranean, from the British Isles to the Euphrates River.
17:2  ^g Adultery with her is a biblical image for serving other gods (see, e.g., Exod 34:12-16  ^h; Judg 2:17  ⁱ; Hos 2  ^j).

• drunk by ... her immorality: Drunkenness in Scripture often depicts nations that indulge in wanton and immoral behavior (see Rev 18:3  ^k, 9  ^l; Jer 25:27  ^m; 51:7  ⁿ; Lam 4:21  ^o; Ezek 23:33  ^p).
Summary for Rev 17:3-4: 17:3-4  ^q John is carried in the Spirit into the wilderness, his way of describing a visionary experience (see 1:10  ^r; 4:2  ^s). He sees a depiction of Rome’s moral corruption and excessive luxury (see 18:12-13  ^t, 16  ^u) that illustrates how such wealth can become an abomination to God.

• The beast here is like the second figure in the evil trinity (see 13:1-4  ^v).

• blasphemies against God: See 13:5-6  ^w.

• purple and scarlet: Clothing in these two colors indicated royalty and carnality, respectively.

• a gold goblet: See Jer 51:7  ^x.
17:5  ^y Using code language, John was probably referring to Rome (see 17:9  ^z) 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  ^aa God’s holy people ... were witnesses for Jesus to the point of shedding their blood (see 16:6  ^ab; Heb 12:4  ^ac). In John’s time, Rome was responsible for this persecution.
17:7  ^ad In response to John’s amazement, the angel prepares him to understand the mystery (17:8-14  ^ae).
Summary for Rev 17:8-11: 17:8-11  ^af The destruction within this vision contrasts with the destiny of the people of God in the new heaven and earth (see 21:1-4  ^ag). 17:8  ^ah 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  ^ai; Matt 11:14  ^aj; Luke 1:17  ^ak; John 1:21  ^al).

• 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  ^am, 8  ^an).

• 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  ^ao). They will be amazed by the apparent resurrection of the beast (see study note on 17:10-11; see also 13:13-17  ^ap).
17:9  ^aq 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  ^ar.
Summary for Rev 17:10-11: 17:10-11  ^as Five kings have already fallen: If these kings represent Roman emperors, and the starting point for numbering them is the switch from a republic to an empire with Augustus (29 BC–AD 14), then the fifth in line would be Nero (AD 54–68), the sixth would be Vespasian, and the seventh would be Titus. The eighth king would then be Domitian.

• that was, but is no longer: Early commentators argued that Domitian was an embodiment of Nero’s spirit (see study note on 17:8).

• like the other seven: This apparently invincible ruler was also headed for destruction.
Summary for Rev 17:12-13: 17:12-13  ^at The ten horns, symbolic of the world kingdoms that follow the beast, rule simultaneously under his direction. While these verses have caused speculation concerning a ten-nation confederacy (from the client kingdoms of Rome, to the states opposed to the Holy Roman Empire, to the European Union), these conjectures are beside the point, which is that all nations opposed to God will be defeated (17:14  ^au).
17:14  ^av Whatever power they amass, the beast and ten kings (17:11-12  ^aw) have no hope of winning because Jesus is Lord of all lords (see 19:11-16  ^ax). Those God has called and chosen and who remain faithful to him will stand with him as victors.
Summary for Rev 17:15-16: 17:15-16  ^ay While the prostitute rules over the masses, it does not bring her victory. Instead, the beast hates and kills the great prostitute. Satan strikes even those he uses for his evil purposes.
17:17  ^az John provides another reminder that God is in control; God puts a plan into the minds of the enemy that will fulfill the Lord’s divine purposes (e.g., Exod 7:3  ^ba; 35:31-35  ^bb; Ezra 7:27  ^bc; Rom 9:18  ^bd, 21  ^be).

‏ Revelation of John 18

Summary for Rev 18:1-24: 18:1-24  ^bf This chapter contains seven poetic responses to the fall of Babylon (or Rome; see study note on 17:5).
Summary for Rev 18:1-3: 18:1-3  ^bg The angel’s powerful taunt song is the first poetic response. Ancient taunt songs derided a defeated enemy (see Isa 13:19-22  ^bh; 34:10-17  ^bi). In these taunts, the fall of Babylon (or Rome; see study note on Rev 14:8) is portrayed as a traumatic event for subservient kingdoms and especially for those who had profited from her luxury. The sacking of Rome by the Goths and Visigoths (AD 400s) brought the prosperous empire to an end. 18:1  ^bj This angel derived his splendor from heaven. The word splendor is normally used for the divine presence.
18:2  ^bk Babylon is fallen: See Isa 21:9  ^bl. Once a beautifully dressed woman (see Rev 17:4  ^bm), Babylon (Rome) became a desolate den for demons and unclean birds such as vultures (cp. Isa 13:20-22  ^bn; Jer 4:23-31  ^bo; 50:39  ^bp).
18:3  ^bq extravagant luxury: Rome plundered conquered nations of their wealth before God’s justice fell on her.
Summary for Rev 18:4-8: 18:4-8  ^br This second poetic response (see study note on 18:1-24) is a warning from heaven to flee the doomed city. 18:4  ^bs Do not take part in her sins: Association with the evil city could lead to being identified with it in punishment and even involved with it in its sins (see Gen 13:8-13  ^bt; 19:1-29  ^bu; cp. Jer 51:6  ^bv, 45  ^bw).
18:5  ^bx God remembers: His response may seem slow (Ps 103:8  ^by; 145:8  ^bz; Joel 2:13  ^ca; Jon 4:2  ^cb), but God is not weak, and he does not forget either good or evil (Rev 16:19  ^cc; Gen 19:29  ^cd; 1 Sam 1:19  ^ce).
18:6  ^cf Double her penalty: The severity of some sins required a double recompense (see Exod 22:4  ^cg, 7  ^ch, 9  ^ci; cp. Isa 40:2  ^cj; Jer 16:18  ^ck; 17:18  ^cl).
18:7  ^cm I am queen: Cp. Ezek 28:1-2  ^cn.
18:8  ^co The plagues (18:2-3  ^cp) are a reminder that destruction was not merely a human action; it is the Lord God who judges her. He is mighty, able to accomplish what he promises.
Summary for Rev 18:9-19: 18:9-19  ^cq These three laments highlight the grief of those who profited most from the wicked city’s rich lifestyle (cp. Ezek 27  ^cr).
Summary for Rev 18:9-10: 18:9-10  ^cs The kings of the world lament as they mourn the loss of the luxury they had obtained from alliance with the wicked city.
18:10  ^ct With a terrified sense of separation and abandonment (see 18:15  ^cu, 17  ^cv), the kings stand at a distance in a futile attempt to avoid punishment.
Summary for Rev 18:11-17: 18:11-17  ^cw The merchants of the world sing the second lament (18:14  ^cx; see study note on 18:9-19). They profited from the Roman economy (18:12-13  ^cy), but their trade ceased as the great city was swiftly destroyed.
Summary for Rev 18:12-13: 18:12-13  ^cz This cargo list suggests the extent of the wealth Rome pillaged from the rest of its empire (cp. Ezek 27:12-24  ^da). Some of the most expensive products in the ancient world are mentioned in this indictment of ostentatious materialism and pride.
18:13  ^db bodies: Rome developed a huge slave market, which some historians have estimated at nearly 20% of the population.
Summary for Rev 18:14-17: 18:14-17  ^dc The merchants would lament the fall of Rome (see study note on 18:1-3) because it would forever end their accustomed luxuries. Material goods can be swept aside in a single moment.
Summary for Rev 18:17-19: 18:17-19  ^dd all the captains: Seafarers sing the third lament (see study note on 18:9-19). Their mourning focuses on the breakdown of communication and transportation. During the reign of Julius Caesar, the Mediterranean was cleared of pirates and trade blossomed under the region’s Roman law enforcement. The swift loss of Roman authority would upset the system of trade.
18:20  ^de The laments (18:9-19  ^df) stimulate a call for heaven to rejoice. The people of God are not to grieve, because the judgment was for their sakes; they had suffered persecution from the evil forces represented by the great city.
Summary for Rev 18:21-24: 18:21-24  ^dg The songs responding to Babylon’s fall (18:1-24  ^dh) conclude with a portrayal of the city’s doom. 18:21  ^di a boulder the size of a huge millstone: Heavy millstones, shaped for grinding olives or grain, were used throughout the ancient world. Jesus also spoke of using such stones in judgment (see Matt 18:6  ^dj). The dramatically thrown boulder signified that the power of Rome was forever thrown down.
18:23  ^dk Cp. Jer 25:10-11  ^dl.

‏ Revelation of John 19:1-10

Summary for Rev 19:1-10: 19:1-10  ^dm This section expands the message of the sixth song of response (18:20  ^dn; see study note on 18:1-24), which called for rejoicing. Various groups direct praises to the Lord. The praises can be divided into two sections: thankfulness for the destruction of the evildoers (19:1-4  ^do) and thankfulness for the reward of God’s people (19:5-8  ^dp).
Summary for Rev 19:1-2: 19:1-2  ^dq This scene focuses on what John heard rather than on what he saw. The first three-part praise comes from a vast crowd (cp. 7:9-10  ^dr).
19:2  ^ds true and just (see 15:3  ^dt; 16:7  ^du): In his righteous justice, God kept his promise of judging the great prostitute, who represents moral and spiritual corruption and persecution of God’s people.
19:3  ^dv The smoke from that city: God’s people praise him once again as they see the evil city’s demise (cp. 14:11  ^dw).
19:4  ^dx In response to the first two praises (19:1-3  ^dy), the elders and the living beings (see ch 4  ^dz) again prostrate themselves before the enthroned God (see 4:10  ^ea; 5:8  ^eb, 14  ^ec; 7:11  ^ed).

• Amen! See study note on 5:14.
Summary for Rev 19:6-8: 19:6-8  ^ee The focus of the final thunderous Praise the Lord! is that God reigns as the Almighty in complete supremacy (see 1:8  ^ef; 4:8  ^eg; 11:17  ^eh; 15:3  ^ei; 16:7  ^ej, 14  ^ek; 19:15  ^el; 21:22  ^em).
19:7  ^en the wedding feast of the Lamb: This event—the wedding of the Messiah with his bride, the church (see Isa 54:5  ^eo; 61:10  ^ep; Jer 31:32  ^eq; Ezek 16:7-14  ^er; Hos 2:16-20  ^es; Mark 2:19-20  ^et; 2 Cor 11:2  ^eu)—symbolizes complete victory and eternal fellowship.
19:8  ^ev finest ... linen: See study note on 15:5-6.

• the good deeds of God’s holy people: See Eph 2:8-10  ^ew; 2 Tim 3:16-17  ^ex; Jas 2:18-22  ^ey.
19:9  ^ez Blessed are those: This fourth blessing in Revelation (see 1:3  ^fa; 14:13  ^fb; 16:15  ^fc) affirms the hope of the faithful.

• who are invited: God is in control and determines who will participate.

• wedding feast (cp. 19:17  ^fd): Jesus often used meals to explain the Kingdom (Matt 22:1-13  ^fe; Luke 14:7-24  ^ff), and he ordained a meal for the church (Mark 14:22-25  ^fg; 1 Cor 11:23-26  ^fh).

• These are true words: This oath asserts the reliability of the message.
19:10  ^fi The angel issues a stern warning against misdirected worship (cp. 22:8-9  ^fj).