Revelation Chapter 17
VERSE 15 “Then he said to me, “The waters which you saw, where the harlot sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues.”
THEN HE SAID TO ME: From here to the end of the chapter we again have evidence of the angel’s commission toward us. He is saying,
“Here are the symbolic tools for interpretation. I can’t give you the answers directly, but I’ve given you all you need.”
THE WATERS WHICH YOU SAW WHERE THE HARLOT SITS: (Verse 1) Here is the first ingredient for the final revolution. The harlot controlled the people and the people (consciously or unconsciously) didn’t like it. These people (waters) will be the multitudes who form and constitute (as they did in France) the beast which comes up out of the abyss.
ARE PEOPLES AND MULTITUDES AND NATIONS AND TONGUES: -- the sea-class of humanity.
Note: It will not be “those who dwell on the earth” which form the ascending beast.
They (“those who dwell on the earth”) will be with the “kings” and will cooperate with the beast (“the sea-class”), but only for expediency.
VERSE 16 “And the ten horns which you saw on the beast, these will hate the harlot, make her desolate and naked, eat her flesh and burn her with fire.”
AND THE TEN HORNS WHICH YOU SAW: In Verse 12 they were re-named “kings;” But now, they have something new to support and can once again be called “horns” on the “beast” which they support.
AND THE BEAST: This is the correct reading. Remember that the ten horns and the beast cooperate but do not amalgamate. (See notes on Verse 13)
This is the beast (a people’s revolutionary republic) which has ascended out of the abyss of inactivity (out of a condition in which power is not exercised to one in which it is).
THESE: The nations and this the odd new “republic” with which they are in league,
WILL HATE THE HARLOT: -- even as the (partial) beast of Rev 11:7, 8 hated her (along with all religion!).
Why? Isaiah 23:15- 17 may answer this.
“Now it shall come to pass in that day that Tyre will be forgotten seventy years, according to the days of one king. At the end of seventy years, it will happen to Tyre as in the song of the harlot: “Take a harp, go about the city, you forgotten harlot; Make sweet melody, sing many songs, that you may be remembered.” And it shall be, at the end of seventy years, that the Lord will deal with Tyre. She will return to her hire, and commit fornication with all the kingdoms of the world on the face of the earth.”
The woman will TRY to MOUNT THIS BEAST as she did mount (control) the beast with seven heads. But, apparently, this beast won’t want to be ridden (controlled)!
AN IMPORTANT ASIDE: Having studied Chapter 13 and having studied the 6th Plague (Rev 16:13 in particular), we are all aware that RELIGION will have some sort of part in the persecutions on the final members of the Church and Great Company. Chapter 17 seems NOT to be focusing on this factor. We must read between the lines to see the connection between the confederacy of Rev 16:13 and the confederacy shown in Chapter 17 which seem NOT to include the beast and false prophet of 16:13.
But reading between the lines IS ENCOURAGED by the context of Rev 17:16. It does NOT SAY why the horns and beast HATE THE HARLOT. The fact is, however, that we KNOW why they hate her because we have the prototype of this hatred in the French Revolution when the first tenth of the city fell.
We can justly reckon thus: When the ten horns and people’s revolutionary republic form their cooperation (confederacy), the apostate church will “volunteer” to assist. She will go too far and wear out her welcome by showing her old schemes, characteristics, and intrigues (As alluded to in the last verse of Isaiah 23 mentioned above).
But the people’s revolution will be tired to the bone of political and ecclesiastical lies. When the harlot tries to mount, ride, or “sit on” (control) THIS beast, she will get the surprise of her life! She will be trampled to death! Thus, Chapter 17 only “suggests by way of memory” the inclusion of apostate religion in the confederacy which will oppose the saints. It is more interested in focusing on how the people and rulers will turn on religion and destroy it even as the French did.
AND WILL MAKE HER DESOLATE: -- empty, without form for expression (even as the house of Israel was in A.D. 33 -- See Matt 23:38, 39.)
AND NAKED: -- exposed for what she truly is. An apostate, a counterfeit attempting to take that which belongs to the Lord.
AND WILL EAT HER FLESH: -- consume her polity; take away any power or influence she might have.
AND WILL BURN HER UP WITH FIRE: -- cause events (Fire, trouble), which totally destroy her.
We conclude with Verses 17 and 18 in our next post.
