Let's Study Revelation (Chapter 17) by E. G. Cook

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN     When we come to chapter 17 we have left the three woes behind us, the seal judgments, the trumpet judgments and the bowl judgments. In 16:17 we hear "It is done," so we have finished with our study of these great woes as such. But we must not get the idea that what we see in chapter 17 and 18 takes place after all these woes are past. As we have al ready said, the things we see in this book are not always in chronological order. So what we see in these two chapters takes place before the end of the terrible tribulation is over. In fact, I believe that we see some of the judgment of this old whore in chapters 6, 8 and 9 where we see the stars falling. And in 6:15-16 where we see people fleeing to the dens and the rocks of the mountains. And I believe this judgment of this old whore is one of the causes of their awful predicament.
    In verse 1 we see one of the seven angels which had the seven bowls of wrath coming to John. This angel gives John a revelation concerning the judgment of the great whore. This vile character is seen sitting on many waters.
    In verse 2 we are told that the rulers of the earth have committed fornication with her. Physical fornication is an awful sin, and God hates it, as He does all sin. But this fornication we have before us is spiritual fornication, that is, running after false gods and false teaching. This is what really provokes God to jealousy and brings on His devouring wrath. Not only do the kings, or rulers, run after her false gods and false teaching but here we see the inhabitants of the earth, the common people along with all the others, are drunk on the wine of her fornication. That is, they are all worshipping her gods and feeding on her false doctrines.
    In verse 3 the angel carries John in the spirit into the wilderness, and there he sees a woman sitting upon a scarlet coloured beast. There are so many places in the New Testament where the choice of a word is left to the discretion of the translator. For instance, the little Creek word EN is found 2,258 times in the New Testament. It is translated "among" 114 times, "by" 142 times, "with" 139 times, and "in" 1,863 times. In a case like this the translator should be guided by the context of the Scripture under consideration as to which word to use. And this they, no doubt, did except in cases like Matthew 3:11 and John 1:31 where their false teaching and false practices were at stake. Anyone should know that since baptism is set forth in the Scriptures, as a burial the word "in" should have been used in these two references rather than the word "with." But they had to use the word "with" here in these Scriptures in order to protect their false practice of sprinkling. So here in Revelation 17:3 a peculiar situation arises. If you consult a good Greek dictionary you will find that the Greeks have two words for wilderness. They are EREMIA and EREMOS. Then you will find that they also have two words for desert. They are the same identical words EREMIA and EREMOS. So again, the translator must use his own discretion in choosing whether to say wilderness or desert. Out of ten translations that I have checked on concerning this word five of them say desert, three of them say wilderness, one says "into the wilds," and the other one says "into an uninhabited place." Now either of these Greek words can mean an uninhabited place, but neither of them means only that. Since the woman here is, or rather represents the Catholic Church which today comprises more than half a billion people, and since she is riding, that is, controlling the actions of this ruler over the revived Roman Empire, I must say this particular translator is not just way out in left field, he is altogether out of the ball park. And, furthermore, since these Greek words can mean a barren, desolate place, I contend that whether you use the word "wilderness" or whether you use the word "desert" it is speaking about a time rather than a place. Can you conceive of this world after the saints have been raptured, when there is not even one church in all the world that contends for God's Word, but churches in great profusion who are ripping, tearing and denying that precious Word? If you are able to picture to yourself just how barren and desolate this old world will be, spiritually speaking, during that awful tribulation period when this scene before us will take place, you should have no trouble seeing what this word "wilderness" here in this verse speaks of.
    Then we notice that this beast (the ruler of the revived Roman Empire) is seen by John to be a scarlet color. This may very well speak of the bloody wars he will bring upon the world. Then, too, he is said to be full of names of blasphemy, or covered with names of blasphemy. In 13:6 we see this beast blaspheming the name of God, His tabernacle, that is, His dwelling place, and even His saints who are at that time al ready inheaven. We are also told that he has seven heads and ten horns. These we will, our Lord willing, deal with when we come to verses 9 and 10.
    In verse 4 we see this woman arrayed, or clothed, in purple and scarlet colour. These are the official colors worn by the pope and his cardinals. As we have already said, the Catholic Church, technically speaking, consists of the pope and his hierarchy while the others are the children of the Church. How can Catholics keep from seeing that the old whore in this chapter is none other than their church?
    We see this woman has a golden cup in her hand. It is a golden cup, and since gold speaks of God's glory, this cup pretends to be showing forth His glory. But we see that in stead of its being the cup of salvation (Psalms 116:18) this cup is full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication, that is, it is full of her false teaching and false practices which are an abomination in our Lord's sight. The Psalmist says in Psalms 16:5, "The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup." David says the Lord is in his cup, but in this cup in the hand of this woman (the Catholic Church) there is nothing but the filthiness of her spiritual fornication. In Jeremiah 16:7 we see a cup of consolation, but in the hand of this woman we see a cup of condemnation. In Jeremiah 51:7 God says Babylon (the Catholic Church) has been a golden cup in His hand, and that this cup had made all the earth drunk. So in Revelation 18:6 God says, "in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double." "Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." And here the reaping is to be double what the sowing has been. What a terrible time awaits this awful religious system here in this world as well as in the next.
    In verse 5 we are told the name of this woman. She is "Mystery, Babylon the great, the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth." We see a name made up of a combination of three names. We might liken the first two names to a man's given names and the third one to a man's surname. The first name is mystery, and how mysterious are the rites and rituals performed by this awful religious system. I once attended a Catholic funeral. The mother of a close friend of mine had died. And out of respect for him I went to the funeral. The father (of nothing but illegitimate children) spoke in a language that none of the people knew anything about. And though I had taught this language myself in years gone by, I still did not know what he was doing. And I came away from that funeral doubting very much that the priest himself knew what he was doing. So this woman's first name is "Mystery" and it fits her like a glove.
    The second name given to this woman is "Babylon the Great." And how well this name fits the Catholic Church. She is nothing in the world but the old Babylonian mysticism which was started by Nimrod and his followers in the early days of the city of Babylon. Of course she has assumed an alias in this church age. She now calls herself a church rather than by her real name "Babylonian Mysticism." The word "Great" in her name may speak of the some half a billion people who are in her clutches today.
    Then her surname is "Mother of harlots and abominations of the earth." This too, fits the Catholic Church like a glove. We know that a bear can only give birth to little bears, that an ape can only bring forth more apes. By the same law an old whore with her cup full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication can only bring forth little harlots. "Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one," Job 14:4. So, all these protestant churches that have come out of this unclean thing, according to this Scripture, are harlots. And please remember, it was God who called them by that name. The great majority of semi decent christendom believes that our Lord's true churches came out of the Catholic Church. Several years ago, just before I came out of the Southern Baptist Convention, I was taught that we Baptists came out of the Church of England (Episcopalian Church). I said that if we came out of something that was started by the cut throat king Henry VIII who came out of the Catholic Church solely because the pope would not grant him a divorce from his old ugly wife in order that he might marry a beautiful young woman by the name of Anne Boleyn, and who, during the first fourteen years of his Church's history, lived with six different wives, two of whom he had beheaded, and another who died from some cause or other, we had no better heritage than a poor child whose mother was a drunken prostitute and whose father was an underworld hoodlum. The next day I was called on the carpet by the program loving pastor. But my statement still stands, and is still as true as the truth can possibly be.
    And not only is this old whore the mother of her harlot daughters, the protestant churches, and I might add, her foster daughter, the self styled protestant Baptists she is also the mother of abominations. These abominations are too numerous to be dealt with at length in a book of this nature. In fact, a good sized book could be written dealing only with the abominations of which the Catholic Church is the mother of. To mention a few of them, there are her penance, her purgatory, her indulgences, her mariolatry or worship of Mary, her infallible pope, her many ways of salvation none of which even mentions the atoning work of Christ, His sacrificial death, or His shed blood, her perverted translation of all important Greek words such as BAPTIZO and EKKLESIA. I want to stop here and say that if someone dared to give us a translation of the New Testament in which he correctly translated those two words, he would not be able to give away very many of them. He certainly would not be able to sell enough of them to pay for the printing. I have just recently bought a copy of a translation by the late Kenneth S. Wuest, probably the greatest Greek teacher since A. T. Robinson. It is a beautifully bound, hard back book which I appreciate very much. it is well worth the intended retail price of $5.95, but I was only asked to pay $2.00 for my copy. At first I was puzzled as to why such a beautifully bound volume by such a famous Greek teacher was selling at such a low price. But when I read, "And they were being immersed in the Jordan river while making a public confession of their sins," Matthew 3:6, and in Matthew 3:13 "Then comes Jesus from Galilee up to the Jordan to John for the purpose of being immersed by him," I did not have to read any further to find out why this beautiful book was selling for only $2.00. Even the great majority of Baptists would not think of buying a translation that was so uncompromising and intolerant. However, when Wuest came to the word EKKLESIA in Matthew 16:18 and thereafter he too went along with the perverted translation. Had he translated this word correctly, he would not have been able to give away very many copies of it. Then too, had he done that he would have been forced to give up his church affiliation, and probably he would have been fired as professor of Greek at Moody Bible Institute. How the religious world does love the abominations found in the gold cup in the hand of this old whore.
    Along with the abominations already mentioned we see in her cup her glorious Christmas, Easter, Lent, Good Friday, Ash Wednesday and many many more. So I repeat one could easily write a book on these abominations. But lo her judgment looms up in her face, and comes with the speed of the wind. In Revelation 18:6 God says, "Double unto her double according to her works." May He speed that day.
    In verse 6 John saw this "woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus." The latter part of this statement is somewhat confusing to me in this translation. It sounds as if this woman (the Catholic Church) is drunk on the blood of those who martyred, or killed Jesus. The Catholic Church had too much in common with those who crucified our Lord for her to be drunk on their blood. The Charles B. Williams version says "the blood of the martyred witnesses to Jesus." The New English version says "the blood of these who had borne their testimony to Jesus." So this wo man is not drunk on the blood of the enemies of Jesus, but on the blood of those who have faced death rather than to deny their Lord.
    Then we see that John wondered about all this. He was familiar with what we know as the Catholic Church, but he knew her as Babylonian Mysticism. It was long after John's day that the apostate churches represented by the church at Pergamos merged with this Babylonian Mysticism to form the Catholic Church represented by the church at Thyatira. I am persuaded that the thing that puzzled John so much was the fact that in this vision he saw something that claimed to be a church, something that claimed to be worshipping the Lord Jesus Christ actually drunk on the blood of the saints. He was very familiar with the persecution of the saints at the hands of Judaism and of political Rome, but now he was permitted to look down through the centuries and see this monstrosity who calls herself a church of the Lord Jesus Christ as she beheads, burns at the stake, feeds to hungry lions and buries alive untold thousands, yea millions of our Lord's precious saints. Is it any wonder that John wondered and was puzzled?
    In verse 7 the angel asks John why he was so puzzled. Then he volunteers to explain this great mystery to John. And in verse 8 he tells him that the beast he saw was, that is, at one time this beast which here represents the Roman Empire itself was in existence, then at another time it was not in existence, but still later it is to come on the scene again and then go into perdition. That is, it will be completely destroyed at the battle of Armageddon and her ruler cast into hell alive, Revelation 19:20. We are told that our Lord's saints who have been saved during the time of the great tribulation and who are still living on this earth will be puzzled no little when they see this Roman Empire which has not been in existence now for nigh onto fifteen hundred years coming back on the scene. I want to call your attention to the fact that the names of these saints and, I might add, the names of all the saints were written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world (earth). Our Lord knew even before the world was who would be saved because He was the One who was going to do the saving.
    In verse 9 we read, "And here is the mind that hath wisdom," but this expression really does not make much sense. The Greek is really saying "And this calls for a mind which hath wisdom." But let us remember, it is not the wisdom of the world that is under consideration here, but rather the wisdom that only God can give us. So this before us in this verse is for those whom God has given wisdom. Then we are told that "the seven heads (v. 7) are seven mountains on which the woman sitteth." Rome, the city in which this woman (the Catholic Church) has her headquarters, is known as the city of seven hills, or mountains. In verse 18 this woman is called "That great city which reigneth over the kings (rulers) of the earth." Certainly it is Rome that rules over the rulers of the earth today.
    In verse 10 we have a confusing statement. Our translation says "And there are seven kings," but in the original it is "And they are also seven kings" (or rather seven forms of government). Not only do the seven heads represent the seven hills on which the city of Rome sits, they also represent the seven forms of government under which the Roman Empire was and will be under. The five that had fallen were kings, consuls, dictators, decemvirs, and a military tribune. The one in John's day was the rule of the emperors. And the end time, during the tribulation the revived Roman Empire will consist of ten kingdoms federated under the rule of the beast. We are told that this one will continue for a short space, or short time. The length of time this one exists will be cut short by the battle of Armageddon and the return of our Lord.
    In verse 11 we see that this beast, or ruler is called the eighth, but he is of the seven. It would seem that the beast of Revelation 13:1-10 and Revelation 17:3 is elected by the ten kingdoms to rule over them. And as such a ruler he is the seventh. But in the light of Daniel 11:20-21 it appears that he fails to obtain a vote of confidence. And in Revelation 13:3 John says, "And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death." Here John tells us that it really looked as if this ruler was dead (politically), but he goes on to say, "And his deadly wound was healed." Daniel says, "And in his estate shall stand up a vile person, to whom they shall not give the honour of the kingdom: but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries." So it would appear that when this wicked ruler fails to receive a vote of confidence, he flatters the armed forces into backing him up and he declares himself to be the ruler. So, as a dictator he rules the empire even though he had been voted out. In this way he is the eighth, but since he is the same fellow who ruled as an elected ruler at first he is said to be of the seven, or seventh. Then we are told that he goeth into perdition. This word "perdition" comes from APOLEIA and it means the loss of well being. This same word is used in Matthew 26:8 and Mark 14:4 where it is translated "waste." In Acts 8:20 it is translated "perish." In Romans 9:22 it is translated "fitted to destruction." In II Peter 2:1 this same word is rendered "damnable heresies." There are those who hold that this beast who goeth into perdition will be Judas Iscariot since Judas is called the son of perdition in John 17:12. But maybe we should not put too much weight on this word perdition because in Matthew 7:13 this same Greek word APOLEIA is rendered destruction, and there it is speaking of the destiny of all the wicked. So the wide range of the use of this word makes it very poor evidence that this beast will be Judas Iscariot. Here in this verse 11 the word "perdition" simply means that this beast is going into everlasting destruction along with all the wicked. In verse 12 we are told that the ten horns of this beast are the ten kings which have received no kingdom as yet. That is, they will not be ruling until the tribulation time. The word "hour" here does not mean sixty seconds but rather a period of time. This word in John 5:25speaks of this entire church age. And here in this verse it means, probably, the seven years tribulation time. Their having power (or rather authority) with the beast speaks of the fact that these ten rulers will have jurisdiction over their respective countries somewhat like our state government, but they will all be under the head ship of the beast.
    In verse 13 these (the ten kings) will all be in agreement concerning the matter that is now coming before us. And they will lend their full support to the beast in this matter. And in verse 14 we see that what they are in full agreement about is making war with the Lamb, the Lord Jesus Christ. In chapter 13 and verse 7 this beast is permitted to make war with the saints and to overcome them. But here in this verse the beast and his ten kings make war with the Lord of glory, and of course, He wins because "He is Lord of Lords and King of Kings." Here we see the saints connected with this war. The New English version says, "And His victory will be shared by His followers, called and chosen and faithful."
    In verse 15 we revert back to the main subject of the chapter. Here we are told what the many waters of verse 1 are. The New English version says, "The Ocean you saw, where the great whore sat, is an ocean of peoples and populations, nations and languages." So the many waters in verse 1 is not speaking of actual water, but of people of every nationality and language. And certainly the Catholic Church encircles the globe.
    In verse 16 we again have a confusing statement. If you put "and" in the place of the word "upon" and put the word "kings" where we have "horns" you will be able to see the true meaning of this verse. The ten kings and the beast hate the whore and completely destroy her. When this time comes, the Catholic Church and all other false churches who will have become affiliated with her, will be destroyed from off the face of the earth. This, I believe, will be the time when the people will flee to "the dens and rocks of the mountains," Revelation 6:15. They have been clinging to their false churches for dear life in this time of awful trouble. Now their precious refuge is completely wiped away. And since they have no thought of fleeing to Christ who is "our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble" (Psalms 46:1), they have no place to go except to the dens and the rocks of the mountains.
    In verse 17 we see why the beast and the ten kings do this. God will put it in their hearts to do this in order that His words shall be fulfilled. Almost nineteen hundred years ago He told us in verse 16 that these rulers would hate the old whore and completely destroy her. Now it is His responsibility to see that they do what He has said they would do. In Proverbs 21:1 we are told that "The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord" and that "He turneth it whithersoever He will." And since the hearts of these God hating rulers are in the hand of the Lord, He just has them do what He said long ago they would do.
    There are those who contend that the entire book of Revelation is in chronological order, but I would like to ask them how they explain verse 13-17 in the light of their teaching.
    Surely they will agree that verse 14 is speaking of, and describing the great battle of Armageddon. And when this battle is over these rulers will have no power to do anything. I am persuaded that the ten kings will be included in the remnant in Revelation 19:21, and I know the beast is to be cast into the lake of fire, verse 20. So that which we see in verse 16-17 must of necessity take place before that which we see in verse 14. In 16-17 our Lord uses the beast and the ten kings to destroy the old whore, but in verse 14 He destroys these rulers Himself. So verses 13-14 is a parenthetical passage in chapter 17.
    In verse 18 the woman, the old whore is affiliated with the city where her headquarters are. And who can deny that Rome is the city that holds sway over the rulers of the world? She is able to do this because she has so many of her members in all these countries. She tells these rulers, you do as we say or you won't be elected next time. But, praise our dear Lord, the time is coming, and I believe soon, when she will be completely destroyed from off the face of the earth.