Chapter 17
THE HARLOT
“How the faithful city has become a harlot! It was full of judgment! Righteousness lodged in her, but now murderers.” (Isa.1: 21)
“You trusted in your beauty and played the harlot.” (Ezek.16: 15)
ONE MOTHER MANY DAUGHTERS
The prime candidate for the harlot woman in most expositions (even the progressive ones) is the city of Rome and Roman Catholicism.
“It would be illogical to suppose that if the Old Testament employed the figures of bride and harlot to express two different aspects of Israel’s relationship with God, that the same figures in the New Testament could possibly indicate the faithful church on one hand, and yet still unfaithful Israel on the other.” 1
“If the Old Testament were to be our guide, Jewry would be the only candidate, since the harlot figure is constantly applied to its declension from its covenant with God. But since the New Testament describes the bringing into being of a new people of God (1 Pet.2: 9-10), whose apostasy is plainly prophesied, this new pervert could equally reasonably qualify for the title (1 Cor.6: 15; Acts 20: 29; 2 Thess.2: 3-11).” 2
The traditional orthodoxy also holds that the harlot woman is apostate Christianity, specifically the Roman Church:
“The Tridentine Council described the papacy in such terms, stating: ‘The Roman church is the mother and mistress of all churches.’ Her harlot daughters have been brought to the birth by her adulterous union with the ‘kings of the earth’. The establishing of the Church of England is a case in point. Originally, it was Roman Catholic, but because Rome refused the request of king Henry VIII for a divorce, he set up the Church of England as distinct from that of Rome and refused to acknowledge the authority of the Pope.” 3
It is indeed tempting to see the Roman Catholic Church as the “mother of harlots”, especially as she defines herself as the “mother church”. Further contemplation shows that this is an oversimplification. The “mother of the living” was Eve, because she had faith in the promised Messiah. The messianic promise passed through Abraham to his descendants the Jews, who as a nation were taken into covenant relationship with God at Sinai. The Jewish nation became the “mother of the living” or the “mother church”.
The apostasy of the Jewish nation caused the promise of salvation to be extended to the Gentiles who under the “new covenant” were grafted into the same hope (Rom.11: 23-24). The “new covenant” is therefore the fulfilment of the “old covenant” and the contrast between the “Jewish Church” and the “Christian Church” is artificial, for it is essence the same “mother church.” All those under the old covenant died in the same hope as we now possess (Heb. Chapter 11) because they belong to the same church:
“To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are enrolled in heaven.”(Heb.12: 23)
There is only one mother church.
All who commit apostasy fall away from this church, whether they are Jews in the wilderness, Christians in the first century or Christians in the 20th century. Modern Jews are still in a state of apostasy even if they are not Christians for they have fallen away from a faith that should have brought them naturally to their Messiah. They have replaced the “old covenant”, under which many of their brethren and our brethren died, with Judaism.
However, in the harlot-woman we look for something specific – a city. This city, in order to commit apostasy must in the first instance have been chosen by God. The only city chosen by God is Jerusalem.
“Son of man, cause Jerusalem to know her abominations…Now when I passed by thee, and looked upon thee, behold, thy time was the time of love; and I spread my skirt over thee, and covered thy nakedness: yea, I sware unto thee, and entered into a covenant with thee, saith the Lord GOD, and thou becamest mine. And I will judge thee, as women that break wedlock and shed blood are judged; and I will give thee blood in fury and jealousy.” (Ezek.16: 1,8,38)
We have then the unique historical and spiritual fact that God selected a nation and took them to the place where he chose to put his name and his habitation (Deut.12: 5). That place was Jerusalem and the habitation was the Temple. The “earthly Jerusalem” became therefore symbolic of a higher institution:
“The holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.” (Rev.21: 2)
The “New Jerusalem” is perfect and incorruptible; the “earthly Jerusalem” has twice before been destroyed for her apostasy. The author believes that there will be a faithful Jewish Christian remnant before the Lord’s return, and that there will also be apostasy in this new- born ecclesia, as there was in the first century.
God chose to associate a people and a city with his holy name. We will examine how this people and city apostatised and influenced all her daughters.
(1) JUDAISM AND THE OLD COVENANT
The author hardly needs to remind the reader of the apostasy of the Jewish people, which began shortly after the Exodus and culminated centuries later with the deportation to Babylon. While it is true that the Jews had been cured of their idolatry by the Babylonian captivity, a more subtle form of apostasy had arisen by the time of Christ. We need to go back to the 4th century BC in order to understand this phenomenon. The Jewish community at that time was in a state of flux and was thus prey to the waves of non-Jewish culture that was engulfing the Mediterranean world and beyond. The waters emanated from Greece, and Judaism emerged with a Hellenistic garment. In 332 BC the Greek general Alexander the Great took the Middle East in lightning – quick conquest and was welcomed by the Jews when he came to Jerusalem. Alexander’s successors continued his plan of Hellenization, imbuing all parts of the empire with Greek language, culture, and philosophy. As a result, the Greek and Jewish cultures went through a blending process that was to have surprising results.
Diaspora Jews began to speak Greek instead of Hebrew. So toward the beginning of the third century BC, the first translation of the Hebrew Scriptures, called the Septuagint, was made into Greek, and through it, many Gentiles came to have respect for and familiarity with the Jews’ religion, some even converting. Jews, on the other hand, were becoming conversant with Greek thought and some even became philosophers, something entirely new to the Jews. One example is Philo of Alexandria of the first century BC, who endeavoured to explain Judaism in terms of Greek philosophy, as if the two expressed the same truth. Summing up this period of give-and-take between Greek and Jewish cultures, Jewish author Max Dimont says: “Enriched with Platonic thought, Aristotelian logic, and Euclidean science, Jewish scholars approached the Torah with new tools…they proceeded to add Greek reason to Jewish revelation.” The events that would take place under Roman rule, which absorbed the Greek Empire and then Jerusalem in 63 BC, were to pave the way for even more significant changes.
The Judaism of the first century BC was at a unique stage. Max Dimont states that it was poised between “the mind of Greece and the sword of Rome.” Jewish expectations were high because of political oppression and interpretations of Messianic prophesies, especially those of Daniel. The Jews were divided into four factions. The Pharisees emphasised the oral law rather than temple sacrifice. The Sadducees stressed the importance of the temple and the priesthood. Then there were the Essenes, the Zealots, and the Herodians. All were at odds religiously and philosophically. Christ quoted the prophet Isaiah at this juncture:
“In vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.” (Mtt.15: 9)
The law had been changed into a means for legalistic self-righteous justification. Jewish leaders were called rabbis (masters, teachers) who, because of their knowledge of the law, grew in prestige and became a new type of spiritual leader. Internal and external divisions, however, continued in Judaism, especially in the land of Israel. Finally, outright rebellion broke out against Rome, and in 70 AD Roman troops besieged Jerusalem, laid waste the city, burned its temple to the ground, and scattered its inhabitants. Eventually Jerusalem was decreed totally off-limits to Jews. Without a temple, without a land, with its people dispersed throughout the Roman Empire, Judaism was in need of a new religious expression if it was to survive.
With the destruction of the temple, the Sadducees disappeared, and the oral law that the Pharisees had championed became the centrepiece of a new, Rabbinical Judaism. More intense study, prayer, and works of piety replaced temple sacrifices and pilgrimages. Thus, Judaism could be practised anywhere, at any time, in any cultural surroundings. The rabbis put this oral law into writing, in addition to composing commentaries on it, and then commentaries on the commentaries, all of which together became known as the Talmud. What was the result of these varied influences? Max Dimont says in his book Jews, God and History that though the Pharisees carried on the torch of Jewish ideology and religion, “the torch itself had been ignited by the Greek philosophers.” While much of the Talmud was highly legalistic, its illustrations and explanations reflected the clear influence of Greek philosophy. For example, Greek religious concepts, such as the immortal soul were expressed in Jewish terms. Later Jewish mystical literature, the Kabbala, even goes so far as to teach reincarnation (transmigration of souls), which is basically an ancient Hindu teaching. According to the Encyclopaedia Judaica, “In the rabbinical period the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead is considered one of the central doctrines of Judaism” and “is to be distinguished from the belief in the immortality of the soul.” In addition to Biblical authority it was taught as an article of faith in the Mishna (San.10: 1) and was included as the last of Maimonides’ 13 principles of faith. Until the 20th century, denial of the resurrection was viewed as heresy. Today, however, while all factions of Judaism accept the immortality of the soul, the resurrection of the dead is not. Truly, in that new rabbinical era, veneration of the Talmud – by then a blend of legalistic and Greek philosophy – grew among Jews until, by the middle ages, the Talmud came to be revered by the Jews more than the Bible itself.
During the middle ages (from 500-1500 AD), two distinct Jewish communities emerged – the Sephardic Jews, who flourished under Muslim rule in Spain, and the Ashkenazi Jews in Central and Eastern Europe. Both communities produced rabbinical scholars whose writings and thoughts form the basis for Jewish religious interpretation until this day. Interestingly, many of the customs and religious practices current today in Judaism really got their start during the middle ages. In the 12th century, there began a wave of expulsions of Jews from various countries. By the end of the 15th century, Jews had been expelled from nearly all Western Europe, fleeing to Eastern Europe and countries around the Mediterranean. Through the centuries of oppression and persecution, many self-proclaimed Messiahs rose up among the Jews in different parts of the world, all receiving acceptance to one degree or another, but ending in disillusionment. By the 17th century, new initiatives were needed to reinvigorate the Jews and pull them out of this dark period. In the mid-18th century, there appeared an answer to the despair the Jewish people felt. It was Hasidism, a mixture of mysticism and religious ecstasy expressed in daily devotion and activity. In contrast, about the same time, philosopher Moses Mendelssohn, a German Jew, offered another solution, the way of Haskala, or enlightenment, which was to lead into what is historically considered to be “Modern Judaism.”
According to Moses Mendelssohn (1729-86), Jews would be accepted if they would come out from under the restraints of the Talmud and conform to Western culture. In his day, he became one of the Jews most respected by the Gentile world. However, renewed outbursts of violent anti-Semitism in the 19th century, especially in “Christian” Russia, disillusioned the movement’s followers, and many then focused on finding a political refuge for the Jews. They rejected the idea of a personal Messiah who would lead the Jews back to Israel and began to work on establishing a Jewish State by other means. This then became the concept of Zionism: “the secularisation of Jewish messianism”, as one authority puts it. The murder of some six million European Jews in the Nazi-inspired Holocaust (1935-45) gave Zionism its final impetus and gained much sympathy for it worldwide. The Zionist dream came true in 1948 with the establishment of the state of Israel, but this has still not solved their problems.
(2) JUDAISM AND CHRISTIANITY
The corrupting influence of Judaism on Christianity, especially in the early years is undeniable. A deliberate attempt was made by the Jews to wreck the Christian movement from within. False brethren were deliberately planted in order to create dissension (Gal.2: 4,5). The apostle Paul suffered personal attacks (2 Cor.10: 9,10; 11: 6), forged letters in his name (2 Thess.2: 2) and the deliberate twisting of his gospel of grace (2 Pet.3: 15,16; Rom.3: 8). He was forced to go to Jerusalem to counter these accusations and clarify matters (Acts 15: 1-29). Finally he was manipulated into a situation were he was arrested (Acts 21: 21-33).1
We have already observed that the Nero persecution was probably influenced by the Jewish hatred of Christians. Nero’s mistress Poppea was a Jewish proselyte, who spent a lot of her time in the company of Ismael, the Jewish high priest and Helcias, the temple treasurer, who were retained in Rome as hostages.2
There is also evidence that one of the most fundamental doctrinal errors of Christendom – belief in the Trinity, was a deliberate Jewish ploy to make Christianity unpalatable to the Jews. The belief in a triune God is abhorrent to the Jewish faith that bases one of its most important prayers – the shema on Deut.6: 4 ;
“Hear (shema), O Israel: The Lord thy God is one Lord.”
The council of Nicaea accepted the Nicene creed with its heavy trinitarian bias in 325 AD, but debate continued until the doctrine was adopted at Chalcedon by the Western churches in 451 AD. Despite the fact that the debate raged for many centuries, it was already a problem in the first century.
“Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.” (1 John 4:1-3)
“For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.” (2 John 7)
Trinitarians suggest that these passages do not refer to the Trinity (no surprise there), but rather to gnostic influences or certain mystery religions. This has in fact been rejected by scholars in the field of biblical studies. The reason for such rejection are mainly due to the historical character of Christianity and the early date of the New Testament documents that would not have allowed enough time for the development of “mythological” (pagan) ideas on the one hand, and on the other hand, the complete lack of any historical evidence in support of the mystery religions or gnosticism.
How (or more pertinently-why?) did trinitarian ideas originate so early in the first century? The suggestion is that this was a deliberate Jewish spoiling tactic, in order to make Christianity unpalatable to their fellow countrymen. The Jews believed that there was only one God – by over-emphasising the divine origin of Jesus it would be possible to persuade orthodox Jewry that Christians actually believed that Jesus was God. This explains John’s emphasis on Jesus Christ came in the flesh (human nature). The apostle Paul also warns against those who preach “another Jesus” and a “different gospel” (2 Cor.11: 4). He calls these brethren “false apostles” and their leader “Satan.”
“For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.” (2 Cor. 11:13-14)
The Apocalypse also warns against the “blasphemy of them that say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.” (Rev.2: 9) The author admits that the evidence is circumstantial, but in the light of first century history it is very likely that the Jews deliberately introduced this false doctrine into the early ecclesias.
(3) JUDAISM AND ISLAM
A.D. Norris has the following to say:
“It hardly seems that Islam can qualify for the Harlot’s office in view of the fact that as a religious faith it has apostatised neither from Judaism nor from Christianity.” 1
While it is certainly true that the harlot is not Islamic – it is incorrect to say that she is not an apostate religion. Islam is an of-shoot from Judaism which itself has apostatised from the “old covenant.”
The influence of Judaism on Islam has been admirably proven in Rabbi Abraham Geiger’s book Judaism and Islam written in 1824. W.St. Clair-Tisdall, in his classic The Sources of Islam, also demonstrates the direct dependence of certain Qur’anic stories of the Old Testament on the Jewish Talmud. The influence of the Jewish apocrypha can be seen on the Qur’anic stories of Cain and Abel, Abraham and the idols, and the Queen of Sheba. The author refers the reader to both books, that make the case for a Jewish origin of the Islamic religion.2 Most recently a work by two young scholars who might be described as post-Christian has presented the historical relationship between Judaism and Islam in an entirely new light, in which the share of Judaism in Islam is depicted as something vastly greater than a “contribution” or an “influence.” This work, which depicts Islam as a kind of offshoot or aberration from Judaism, has aroused violent controversy.3
ONE MOTHER MANY DAUGHTERS
CORRUPTION OF OLD COVENANT
MOTHER OF HARLOTS
AD 30 Bride –CHRISTIANITY
new covenant
C
A
T
H
O
L
I
C
C
H
U
RCH
BRIDE
ISRAEL AT
SINAI
BC 586 Fall of Jerusalem
Babylonian captivity
JEWISH
INFLUENCE
AD 70 Fall of Jerusalem
START OF CHRISTIAN APOSTASY
COPTIC JACOBITE
4 th century Constantine
5 th century
610
AD
6 th century
EASTERN
ORTHODOX
J
U
D
A
I
M
Russian
1054 AD Greek
Romanian
and others
I
L
A
M
16 th century reformation
18thCent.
HASIDIM
ANGLICAN
EPISCOPAL
LUTHERAN
German Swedish American and others Methodist
CALVINISM
Salvation army
19 th cent. Reform and Conservative Judaism
Baptist
Pentecostal Congregational
Presbyterian Reformed churches
2000 AD
CONCLUSION
The apostasy of the Jewish nation had consequences for the whole world. One of the positive consequences was the inclusion of the Gentiles into covenant relationship. On the negative side it resulted directly or contributed indirectly to three apostate religions:
1. Judaism.
2. False Christianity.
3. Islam.
JERUSALEM THE HARLOT CITY
1. The woman of Rev.chapter 17 is first encountered in the wilderness in Rev.chapter 12 (see page 25 of chpt.12) this is the same woman of Zech.chpt.5. Even though God had prepared a place for her (Jerusalem – Deut.12: 5 ; Rev.12: 14) she preferred to build her own place in Babylon. (Zech.5: 11) the place where she originated.
2. After the fall of Jerusalem in AD 70 Babylon became the place were a renaissance of Jewish religion occurred. See Digression 12.4.
3. The witnesses are killed in Jerusalem. ( see chapter 11 page 21,22)
4. The reference to the seven mountains and seven kings in 17: 9,10 is a reference to Rome and to the first seven Emperors. 1. Julius Caesar 2. Augustus 3. Tiberius 4. Gaius 5. Claudius (five fallen) 6. Nero (one is –placing the writing of Revelation firmly in his reign) and one future protagonist – 7. The man of sin (not yet come). These verses are interpolated and clearly belong in chapter 12. (see digression 12.1) Chapter 17 only has reference to ten kings these have no crowns (17: 3) until after they destroy the Harlot and receive authority with the beast for one hour (17: 3). The beast power is then seen to have ten crowns upon his ten horns (13: 1). When the seven heads wore seven crowns the beast represented imperial Rome under it’s first seven Emperors during the time of Christ and his apostles. When the ten horns wear crowns, the beast represents ten rulers at the time of Christ’s return.
5. The term harlot and related expressions such as “play the harlot”, harlotry etc. occur approximately 70 times with reference to Israel. Of the remaining five occurrences one refers to Tyre (Isa.23: 15) and one to Nineveh (Nah.3: 4) both condemned for their violence and materialism and political aggrandisement. It is used 16 times in Ezekiel chapter 16 – a chapter that likens the nation and specifically Jerusalem to a harlot.
6. The fate of the harlot-city is to be burnt. (Rev.17: 16; 18: 8); “If thou shalt hear say in one of thy cities, which the LORD thy God hath given thee to dwell there, saying, Certain men, the children of Belial, are gone out from among you, and have withdrawn the inhabitants of their city, saying, Let us go and serve other gods, which ye have not known; Then shalt thou enquire, and make search, and ask diligently; and, behold, if it be truth, and the thing certain, that such abomination is wrought among you; Thou shalt surely smite the inhabitants of that city with the edge of the sword, destroying it utterly, and all that is therein, and the cattle thereof, with the edge of the sword. And thou shalt gather all the spoil of it into the midst of the street thereof, and shalt burn with fire the city, and all the spoil thereof every whit, for the LORD thy God: and it shall be an heap forever; it shall not be built again. And there shall cleave nought of the cursed thing to thine hand: that the LORD may turn from the fierceness of his anger, and shew thee mercy, and have compassion upon thee, and multiply thee, as he hath sworn unto thy fathers; When thou shalt hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep all his commandments which I command thee this day, to do that which is right in the eyes of the LORD thy God.” (Deut.13: 12-18)
7. The term abomination (mother…of abominations of the earth) is only used of the city of Jerusalem in scripture (not for Tyre or Babylon).
CONCLUSION
Jerusalem is the mother of Harlots the “great city” - where men from “all tribes tongues and nations” look at the dead bodies of the witnesses. All who commit apostasy belong to her – the faithful belong to the “New Jerusalem.” Any city that treats the witnesses of Jesus as he himself was treated models herself on Jerusalem, who killed the prophets and stoned them that were sent to her (Mtt.22: 37). The great city is first of all Jerusalem, then any city that identifies with her deeds, such as Rome. That is why the cities of the nations will fall alongside the “great city” (16: 19).
THE HARLOT ENTHRONED ON THE BEAST
“And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters: With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication. So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.” (Rev.17: 1-5)
We have already observed that the vision of the harlot in chapter 17 is an expansion of the vials (see chapter 16). The harlot represents a city (18: 18) the O.T. prototype is the city of Babylon.
The river Euphrates flowed through the midst1 (17: 1– sitteth on many waters) of Babylon, and the city was dissected by many irrigation channels. It was the first of the city-states built by Nimrod (Gen.10: 10) 2 and the site of mans first organised rebellion against God (Gen.11: 3). It was a city of vast material wealth and political control. Perhaps more importantly, it was the place where God’s people were held captive for 70 years before they returned to Jerusalem. It was therefore the place where the “faithful” (like Daniel) and the “wicked” (like Zedekiah –Jer.52: 11) dwelt temporarily before becoming citizens of the “New Jerusalem” (or dying in Babylon).
The city of Babylon fell the same night1 (Dan.5: 30) that it committed the sacrilege of drinking from the temple vessels and praising false gods (v. 23). 2 In a Similar fashion the harlot drinks from a cup (temple vessel?) filled with filthy fornication and worships the “image of the beast.”
Babylon was the archetype for all her daughters. In the first century the cities of Jerusalem and Rome conspired to crucify Christ and persecute the saints. It is however, not Rome but Jerusalem that is censured by Christ. In order for it to apostatise, the harlot-city required in the first instance to be chosen by God.
The only city chosen by God is Jerusalem, this is made abundantly clear in Ezekiel chapter 16 which forms the template of the harlot vision in Revelation chapter 17.
EZEKIEL 16
REVELATION 17
Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man, cause Jerusalem to know her abominations, (16:1,2 )
And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. (17:5)
I clothed thee also with embroidered work, and shod thee with badgers' skin, and I girded thee about with fine linen, and I covered thee with silk. I decked thee also with ornaments, and I put bracelets upon thy hands, and a chain on thy neck. And I put a jewel on thy forehead, and earrings in thine ears, and a beautiful crown upon thine head. Thus wast thou decked with gold and silver; and thy raiment was of fine linen, and silk, and embroidered work; thou didst eat fine flour, and honey, and oil: and thou wast exceeding beautiful, and thou didst prosper into a kingdom. And thy renown went forth among the heathen for thy beauty: for it was perfect through my comeliness, which I had put upon thee, saith the Lord GOD. (16:10-14)
And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. (17:4-5)
And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration. (17:6)
And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls! (18:16)
EZEKIEL 16
REVELATION 17
But thou didst trust in thine own beauty, and playest the harlot because of thy renown, and pourest out thy fornications on every one that passed by; his it was. (16:15)
How weak is thine heart, saith the Lord GOD, seeing thou doest all these things, the work of an imperious whorish woman; (16:30)
Wherefore, O harlot, hear the word of the LORD: (16:35)
MOTHER OF HARLOTS
And I will judge thee, as women that break wedlock and shed blood are judged; and I will give thee blood in fury and jealousy. And I will also give thee into their hand, and they shall throw down thine eminent place, and shall break down thy high places: they shall strip thee also of thy clothes, and shall take thy fair jewels, and leave thee naked and bare. They shall also bring up a company against thee, and they shall stone thee with stones, and thrust thee through with their swords. And they shall burn thine houses with fire, and execute judgments upon thee in the sight of many women: and I will cause thee to cease from playing the harlot, and thou also shalt give no hire any more. (16:38-41)
And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire. (17:16)
The description of the woman in Ezekiel 16 is based on the tabernacle in the wilderness. God clothed the nation with badger skins (Ezek.16: 10; Ex.25: 5) a beautiful crown was put upon the forehead (Ezek.28: 36-38; Ezek.16: 12). 1 The linen curtains of the tabernacle were embroidered with blue, purple and scarlet (Ex.26: 1), the linen priestly garments, “for glory and beauty” were also embroidered with gold, blue, purple and scarlet (Ex.28: 2-5; Ezek.16: 13). The priests were “decked with ornaments” (the breastplate Ex.28: 15-29; Ezek.16: 11). In turn the tabernacle formed the template for the sanctuary built by Solomon at Jerusalem.
Jerusalem became therefore a priestly city, the dwelling place of God.
“And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls!” (Rev.18: 16)
The temple treasury was renowned for its riches – the Jews regularly “tithed” even amongst the Diaspora. But now the “holy city” has become a parody of itself, the holy garments are used for the purpose of prostitution. Just as Aaron “bore the iniquity of the holy things” on his forehead (Ex.28: 38), so the whore now bears her iniquity on the forehead (17: 5). In the past the ancient city of Jerusalem slew God’s children and passed them through the fire (Ezek.16: 21) – here she is depicted as intoxicated with the blood of the saints (17: 6). In the past she was burnt with fire (Ezek.16: 41) in the future she will again be burnt by her lovers (17: 16). This is appropriate, for burning (not the common punishment of stoning) was the fate of a priest’s daughter who committed harlotry (Lev.21: 9).
Ezekiel chapter 16, the basis of John’s vision has the greatest concentration of the word “harlot” than any other chapter in the Old Testament. In the same chapter the word “covenant” occurs 6 times, appropriate to the marriage metaphor here being employed by Ezekiel, and the literal event at Sinai. In other passages besides, the concept of harlotry is associated with the transgressing of the covenant (Jud.2: 17-20, Hos.6: 7-10 cp. Prov.2: 17). Thus when applied to God’s covenant people “harlotry” denotes apostasy.
In very few places in the OT, however, there are instances in which the commercial trade of a city is described with the metaphor of prostitution, doubtless because economic relationships frequently led to the exchange of religious practices. Of the 75 times that the term is used, it is applied only twice to cities other than Jerusalem. Tyre (Isa.23: 15) and Nineveh (Nah.3: 4) – and this no doubt because these two prostitutes encouraged their sister city to prostitute herself. Tyre deserves the title “harlot” on account of its materialistic outlook and accumulation of wealth, 1 Tyre being one of the most successful trading centres of its day. Nineveh, the capital of the Assyrian Empire, warrants this description – seemingly through its unabated desire for territorial gain and particularly for its oppresiveness and violence. 2
Three senses exist, therefore, in which the designation “harlot” may be understood – religious infidelity, accumulation of material wealth and political aggrandisement, but its background clearly places the stress on the first of these.
In what sense did Jerusalem commit fornication with the kings of the earth? Ezekiel makes it apparent that in his time Egypt (16: 26) and Assyria (16: 28) were the main candidates. The kings of Jerusalem exchanged treaties and made political alliances with them, even adopting their religious practices (Ezek.20: 7-8; 23: 19-21; 2Kgs.16: 7-8).
In the first century Jerusalem was a city with special authority over the various tetrachies adjoining Judea, but also the temple had an amazing degree of authority over Jewish communities in all parts of the Roman Empire.
After some controversies, the principle was adopted in the Islamic world that Jerusalem was indeed a holy city of Islam. The loss and recapture of the city during the Crusades and the obvious enormous importance attached to it by Christians no doubt had some impact, too, as did the great controversies among the European powers over the holy places in Jerusalem during the late Ottoman period. By now the Islamic sanctity of Jerusalem, whatever its origin, is firmly established. The city of Jerusalem is therefore a “holy city” for three monotheistic religions. She has indeed become a prostitute over the centuries, lending legitimacy to false religions and offering her cup of filth to all nations.
“Behold I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all peoples round about.” (Zech.12: 2)
Like its predecessor Babylon, Jerusalem controls nations, but it does so in a different way. It is famous, or rather infamous, for its compromising relationship with political powers. It both depends upon them, and directs them as a rider depends upon and directs the movements of his beast. Yet the scene in Revelation is not the dignified relationship of a wise and intelligent rider and his strong obedient horse. The scene here is bizarre and offensive. Babylon (Jerusalem) is depicted as a wicked, gaudily attired woman, enthroned on a vicious, hideous monster. Supported, elevated and borne along by this hybrid creature, she manages in a precarious way, to direct its movements. She plays a dubious, dishonourable role that involves selling herself for political advantage.
In her hand she holds a golden cup, filled with abominations and the impurities of her fornication. This is in part an illusion to LXX Jer.28: 7 (MT 51: 7), though there the golden cup is a metaphor for Babylon itself: “Babylon was a golden cup in the Lord’s hand, making all the nations drunken; the nations drank of her wine; therefore the nations went mad.” In the Targum of Jer.51: 7, however, the cup is turned into a metaphor for the sin of Babylon, which is precisely the symbolism of the cup in 17: 4, “Behold the cup of gold which was precious amongst all the vessels, so is the sin of Babylon exalted !!” The golden cup held by the woman is described as filled with two ingredients: “what is detestable (abomination)” and “the impurities of her fornication.” This is a reference to idolatry (image of the beast) and the associated pagan sexual rites (the “sons of God” joining themselves to “the daughters of men” see Num.25: 1-3). In the context of Revelation this is symbolic for political alliances and the (import?) setting up of false religion. She is the mother of whores, the term “mother,” is a figurative extension that means something like “archetype,” i.e., “anticipating a later reality and suggesting a derivative relationship,” or that indicates the source or origin of some activity or quality. In Hos.2: 2-5 (cp. Isa.50: 1), Israel is personified as a “mother” who has played the whore and has bastard children. The word “abomination” again is a detail which, when researched, is found to relate solely to Jerusalem of the three cities mentioned. Surprisingly, in spite of the length of the oracles uttered by Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel against Babylon and Tyre, not once is the word used. In sharp contrast to this there exists some 60 occurrences of “abomination” with reference to the deeds of the Israelites, with Ezekiel 16 once more having more than any other chapter. It is true to say, therefore, that, when speaking of cities, Jerusalem is the only one to which “abomination” may be scripturally applied.1
It appears mainly with reference to idolatry and false sacrifice (Deut.7: 25, Isa.1: 13, Jer.44: 22, Ezek.7: 20). In Ezek.20: 30 the ideas of idolatry and harlotry are found side by side.
The “mother of harlots” is obviously a contrast with the “New Jerusalem.”
REV. 17
REV.21
And there came one of the seven angels who had the vials, and talked with me (v.1)
And there came one of the seven angels who had the vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me. (v. 9)
Come, I will show you the judgment of
Come, I will show you the bride, the
The great harlot (v. 1)
wife of the Lamb (v. 9)
He carried me away in the Spirit into the wilderness (v. 3)
he carried me away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain (v. 10)
the great city (v. 18)
the holy city (v. 10)
I WONDERED WITH GREAT ADMIRATION
“And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.” (Rev. 17:6)
Why did John wonder with great wonder (RV – same word thaumazo)? The language is reflective of the reaction of the people at the appearance of the beast in 13: 3, “all the world wondered (thaumazo) after the beast.” The same formula is applied in verse 8 of chapter 17:
“They that dwell on the earth shall wonder (thaumazo) whose names were not written in the book of life.” (17: 8)
It is implied therefore that wonder or amazement is tantamount to worship. Christ warned that if it were possible the very elect would be deceived (Mtt.24: 24), John however, was not deceived but perplexed (cp. Dan.8: 15). How was it possible that the harlot could once again exercise power over the saints and even murder them?
THE INTERPRETATION
7 And the angel said unto me, ‘Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns.’
8 The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.
11 And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition.
(Rev.17: 7-8, 11)
We have already proposed that verses 9 and 10 are an interpolation from chapter 12, and that they refer to first century Rome. Once this is realised, and verses 9 and 10 are inserted in their proper place, the remaining text (verses 7,8 and 11) flows without encountering any problems.
In chapter 13 John has represented the monster as a travesty of Christ: like the Lamb “bearing marks of slaughter”, the beast bore on one of its heads “the deadly marks of slaughter” (v.6 ; 13: 3). Like him who “was dead” and is “alive for ever” (1: 18), the monster “had received the sword-wound and had come to life”(13: 4).
The explanation of the symbolism of the woman and the monster begins with more in the same vein. The monster bears a title which is a parody of the divine title: God “is and was and is coming” (1: 4); the monster was and is not and is yet to be. The last of these three verbs (parestai) is the one from which is derived the noun parousia, commonly used throughout the New Testament to denote the future advent of Christ. The monster is to have its sinister Parousia, when it is to rise from the abyss. In an earlier reference to the monster the angel used this same phrase in the present tense –“the monster that rises from the abyss” (11: 7). This gives the impression that rising from the abyss was a permanent attribute of the monster’s character rather than a single episode in it’s career. The angel confirms this impression by immediately reverting to the present tense: and it goes into perdition. It is a second permanent attribute of the monster that it is constantly heading for perdition Whenever in human history the monster has appeared, it has come trailing clouds of smoke from the abyss which is its home and labelled with its destination. If the angel here speaks of it’s rising from the abyss as future, it is because he is indicating that Parousia which will coincide with the outbreak of persecution. The fact that he can say is not is a clear indication that the monster – empire did not exist at the time of writing (approx. AD 65). This means that it could not be the Roman Empire. The angel clearly intends John to understand that although the first century incarnation of the monster was the seven headed Roman beast of 12: 3 this did not represent its last manifestation, indeed it could not, for it had transferred its authority and power to the last monster (13: 2).
We have already considered the seven-headed monster in chapter 13. It is the composite of all Daniel’s beasts1 – they all possessed the “harlot-city” amongst their dominions and both Babylon and Rome “burned her utterly with fire” (17: 16).
The attention is however focused on the “wounded head,” the first head (13: 3) [see chapter 13 ]. The first of the seven heads is Babylon. In the past Babylon was, at the time of writing is not, and in the future will rise from the abyss.
The eighth (head), is therefore the reincarnated Babylon, it belongs to the seven other empires (heads) that possessed Jerusalem and will suffer the same fate as them. The city of Jerusalem identifies itself completely with this Middle Eastern phenomenon and appropriates its characteristics which is why she also becomes “Babylon the Great.”
The eighth head which is closely related to the other seven, goes into perdition (or destruction). This refers specifically to the casting of the beast into the lake of fire (19: 20). The term “destruction” appears to be a word play, since in 9: 11 the angel of the abyss is called apollyon or abaddon (destroyer) in the Hebrew.
THE BEAST’S BIOGRAPHY
The figure of the beast is mentioned in four narrative passages in Revelation (longest to shortest: 13: 1-18; 17: 3-17; 20: 7-10; 19: 17-21; 11:7). Elsewhere, the monster is mentioned in discrete sayings on the mark of the beast and the worship of his image (14: 9; 15: 2; 16: 2), and two more times in a variety of brief miscellaneous notices (16: 10,13). On the following page there follows a synoptic comparison of the main narratives about the beast.
REV 11:7
REV 13:1-18
REV 16:10-16
REV 17:3-17
REV 19:17-21
REV 20:7-10
Beast was (8a)
Beast was
(8c)
Beast was
(11a)
Beast is not(8a)
Beast is not (8c)
Beast is not (11a)
Ascends from the abyss (7a)
Beast ascends from sea (1a)
Beast ascends from abyss (8a)
Beast is to come (8c)
Beast is the eighth (11b)
Color
Scarlet(3b)
Has 10 horns
(1b)
Has 10 horns (3d,7c,12,16)
Has 10 horns
(7c)
10 horns=
10 kings (12a)
Has 7 heads
(1c)
Has 7 heads
(3c)
Has 7 heads (7c)
7 heads =7hills
(9c)
7 heads=7kings
(9d)
Has blasphemous name on its heads (1b)
Beast full of blasphemous names (3b)
Looks like leopard,feet like bear, mouth like lion (2a)
Dragon gives beast his power, his throne, great authority (2b)
[Fifth vial poured on beast’s throne (10a)]
One of his heads appeared fatally wounded (3a)
The first beast, whose mortal wound (12b)
The beast who was wounded by the sword
(14b)
Fatal wound healed (3b)
Was healed (12b)
But lived
(14b)
Whole earth amazed and followed beast (3c)
Inhabitants of the earth amazed
(8b)
People worshipped dragon (4a)
People also worshipped beast (4b)
Beast permitted to say proud and blasphemous things (5a)
Blasphemed
God and those who dwell in heaven (6a)
Given power to be active 42 months (5b)
Beast in power one day, with 10 kings (12b)
The beast will fight, conquer and kill 2 witnesses (7b)
Fights against saints conquers them (7a)
Given authority over every tribe, people, language, and nation (7b)
Waters were whore seated are peoples, crowds, nations and languages (15)
All inhabitants of the earth will worship him (8a)
Second beast makes people worship first beast (12b)
All inhabitants of the earth will be amazed at beast (8b)
Those whose names not written in book of life (8b)
Those whose names not written in book of life (8b)
Kings of world assembled for battle (14), at Armageddon (16)
10 kings give their power and authority to the beast (13)
10 kings give royal power to the beast (17a)
Beast and kings of earth gather to fight the rider and his army (19)
[Satan deceives nations and gathers them to battle (8)]
10 kings and beast fight against the Lamb (14a)
Army surrounds the camp of the saints and the beloved city (9b)
Lamb will conquer them
(14b)
Beast and false prophet captured (20)
Fire from heaven consumes them (9b)
10 horns will hate and destroy the whore (16)
Beast headed for destruction (8a)
Beast headed for destruction (11b)
Beast thrown into lake of fire (20b)
[Devil thrown into lake of fire with beast and false prophet (10)]
THE TEN KINGS
“And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast. ” (Rev.17: 12-13)
The eighth head supports the ten horns, for the eighth head is the latter day incarnation of the seven-headed monster. The harlot-cities relationship with the kings of the earth is interesting. She rules over kings (17: 18); her relationship with kings is one of wanton wickedness (18: 3); she is destroyed by kings (17: 16); and other kings lament her destruction (18: 9).
These ten kings cede power to the monster – they do not act individually but are united in purpose. These have one mind, this is a reflection of Gen.11:1: “the whole earth was of one language and one speech”, when mankind united to build the tower of Babel. This is a parody of the attitude of the saints who are encouraged to be of [1] the same mind (1 Cor.1: 10) [2] the same judgment (1 Cor.1: 10) [3] one heart (Acts 4: 23) [4] one mind (Acts 4:23; Phil 1:27) [5] one spirit (2 Cor.12: 18) [6] having the same attitude (Phil.2: 20) [7] harmonious, one mind (Phil.2: 2)
When the heads wore seven crowns, the beast represented imperial Rome under its first seven emperors during the time of Christ and his apostles (12: 3). When the ten horns wore crowns, the beast represented ten individual rulers shortly before the return of Christ (13: 1). Now, when it is shown without any crowns, it is because the ten kings have destroyed the harlot-city that exercised control over them and pooled their sovereignty. The sum of the parts has become larger than the individual rulers – it is the beast-empire.
These ten kings “have received no kingdom as yet.” In other words, in John’s day they were not identifiable. Nor are they identifiable, so the prophecy implies, until the exciting events of the Last Days are already in train, for “they receive power as kings one hour with the beast.” To attempt to turn this “one hour” into a significant time period is to manufacture difficulties.1 The fairly obvious intention behind the expression is to emphasise that this build up of hostility to “Babylon” is the divinely decreed counterpart to the hour of shame and suffering which Jesus suffered there. John’s gospel uses the term frequently in order to express the shame and tribulation of Christ. Its fourfold use about the downfall of Babylon adds one more to the long list of correspondences between Christ and anti-Christ.
Although not identifiable the “ten kings” reflect the extent of the land promised to Abraham, from the river Nile to the Euphrates and possessed by ten nations (Gen.15: 18-21).
WAR WITH THE LAMB
“These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.” (Rev.17: 14 )
One way in which earthly kings can wage war on the Lamb is through his followers. The war is therefore yet another reference to the great persecution. Earlier John has described the victory of the Lamb from the point of view of the martyrs, whose conquest is already implicit in his representative triumph: “they have conquered him (Satan) by the life-blood of the Lamb and by the testimony they bore; no love of life caused them to shrink from death” (12: 11). Here he describes the victory of the conquerors from the point of view of the Lamb, who is still the agent of victory: he will conquer them, not only because he is Lord of lords and King of kings, but also because his companions are called and chosen and faithful. He is Lord of lords and King of kings in virtue of the victory secured once for all on Calvary. But that is not enough to make the final victory complete. It must be re-enacted again and again in his companions, the picked and faithful soldiers of the cross. Whichever way we look at it, final victory depends on the inaugural victory of the Lamb together with the victory that he makes possible for the whole vast throng of martyrs.
The initial victory achieved by martyrdom (the 144,000 who followed him withersoever he goeth) is reinforced by a military victory. The vision is expanded in 19: 14-16 where the martyrs are represented by armies mounted on white horses who follow the King of kings and Lord of lords into battle.
THE HARLOT DESTROYED
“And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues. And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire. For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled. And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.” (Rev.17: 15-18)
The “ten kings” have “one mind” but despite their free choice they are actually fulfilling the purpose of God, who has put it in their hearts to do his mind (RV). God’s purpose is the destruction of the harlot, no doubt retributive justice for the mal- treatment of his martyr-witnesses. Every power that sets itself up against God shall in the end break itself on the cross of his Son and the martyr-witness of his saints.
Jerusalem will be made naked and desolate they will eat her flesh and burn her with fire. This is an allusion to Ezek.23: 26-29, where Jerusalem is compared to a woman
stripped naked, and to Ezek.23: 25, where survivors of Jerusalem will be burned with fire. Several OT prophets also threaten the harlot Judah with being stripped naked (Jer.13: 26-27; Ezek.16: 37-38; 23: 10, 29; Hos.2: 5,12).
The phrase “they shall devour her flesh” is clearly a metaphor. In the ancient world one would expect dogs to devour unburied corpses in cities and birds in the country (1 Kgs.14: 11; 16: 4). This phrase is probably an allusion to the fate of Jezebel, who was reportedly thrown from a window and eaten by wild dogs in the street (1 Kgs.21: 23-24; 2Kgs.9: 10,36-37). One might expect “dogs” to be the subject of “devour”, implying the figurative use of dog, in a manner similar to 22: 15 compare the figurative use of “dog” to describe people opposed to the gospel (Mtt.7: 6), Paul’s Judaizing opponents (Phil.3: 2), and heretics (2 Pet.2: 22).
THE HARLOT AND JEZEBEL
(1) Jezebel was accused of “harlotry” (2 Kgs.9: 22) she was the “mother of harlots” for her daughter Athaliah was of a similar character.
(2) She incited the king and all Israel to act “abominably” in worshipping idols (1 Kgs.21: 25)
(3) Jezebel (1 Kgs.18: 4), Athaliah (2 Kgs.11: 1) and the harlot of Revelation (17: 6, 18: 20, 19: 2) all attempted to destroy the godly seed.
(4) Athaliah reigned for “six years” (2 Kgs.11: 3), then was slain, and the righteous king Jehoash took the throne in the “seventh year” (11: 4) being seven years old.
(5) Following the death of Athaliah, the new king was able to restore the temple in Jerusalem for pure worship (2 Kgs.12: 4). Similarly, in the Apocalypse, once the harlot is destroyed, the New Jerusalem is established.
It is perhaps due to such correspondences that the perverse individual at Thyatira could be dubbed “Jezebel” (Rev.2: 20), which can hardly have been her true name.
CONCLUSION
While Babylon and subsequently Rome are types of the “harlot” we have encountered sound scriptural and historical evidence that demonstrate that only Jerusalem fulfils all the qualifications. Any extrapolation of these prophecies to the EEC and the Catholic Church goes against the grain of history and sound exegesis.
To quote H. Whittaker:
“One is left guessing as to how the Babylonian harlot riding the Beast and then ravaged by the ten kings can represent the Papacy controlling the Roman church and then destroyed by those who are themselves subject to it. Indeed, how harlot and beast can both be identified with the apostasy of Rome deserves the name Mystery nearly as much as the woman in the vision.”1
These words were written in 1973 and Christadelphians still confuse the identity of the harlot!!
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NOTES
1 Alpha and Omega – Nick Lunn page 195.
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2 Apocalypse for Everyman- A.D. Norris page 285.
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3 The Apocalypse epitomised- H.P. Mansfield page 210.
NOTES
1 The author believes that James was unwittingly used by “false brethren” to manipulate Paul into a situation where he could be arrested.
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2 Josephus Antiq. book 20.9.11
NOTES
1 Apocalypse for Everyman – A.D. Norris page 286.
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2 Both books are available on the internet and the author urges the reader to conduct further research. http://answering-islam.org/Books/Geiger/Judaism/intro.htm and for W.St. Clair-Tisdall see http://www.muhammadanism.com/Books/default.htm
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3 Patricia Crone and Michael Cook, Hagarism: The Making of the Islamic World (Cambridge,Eng.,1977) see also – The Jews of Islam by Bernard Lewis.
NOTES
1 Contrast the “New Jerusalem” (22: 1-2)
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2 The mighty hunter before (against) the Lord.
NOTES
1 “In one hour is thy judgment come.” (18: 10)
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2 Daniel 5:23 But hast lifted up thyself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of his house before thee, and thou, and thy lords, thy wives, and thy concubines, have drunk wine in them; and thou hast praised the gods of silver, and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know: and the God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified:
Revelation 9:20 And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk:
NOTES
1 This “beautiful crown” bore the words HOLINESS TO THE LORD, and “it shall be always upon his (Aaron’s) forehead.”
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NOTES
1 The city of Jerusalem was condemned for the same sin by Christ – even religious observance was seen as a money making opportunity, for they had turned the sanctuary (at Jerusalem) into a “den of thieves” (Mtt.21: 13). In the eschaton “there will no more be the merchant (RV) in the house of the Lord of hosts.”
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2 Nineveh is depicted as “the bloody city! It is full of lies and robbery” (Nah.3: 1). This is also the sin of Jerusalem, not against other nations but for the violence towards the prophets and the Son of God. It is depicted as the “bloody city” by the prophet Ezekiel (24: 6, 9). Nineveh gave rise to the ‘man of sin’ (Nah.1: 11) so will Jerusalem. Nineveh repented at the preaching of Jonah, Jerusalem did not repent even though she was also shown the sign of the prophet Jonah.
NOTES
1 The expression “abominations of the heathen” occurs a number of times (eg, 2Kgs.21: 2), but only in the context of Israelites practising these things. That is to say it is declared to be an abomination for God’s chosen people to act this way not for the ignorant heathen. While the latter must still be offensive to God, it is not this that constitutes an “abomination” before God, but the fact that his people, called out idolatry to pure worship, have been specifically commanded not to do such things.
NOTES
1 The seven heads do not exist at the same time, nor do the seven kings of 17:9,10 – they are successive. The seven heads are of course 1.Babylon –lion head 2. Medo-Persia –bear head 3. Greece- four headed leopard 5. Rome – one head. TOTAL SEVEN HEADS.
NOTES
1 The equivalent in Rev.18: 18 is: “In one day” it is likely that these phrases denote the three and a half years but by no means certain.
NOTES
1 Revelation : A Biblical Approach – page 206
