1AndG2532 there cameG2064 oneG1520 ofG1537 the sevenG2033 angelsG32 whoG3588 hadG2192 the sevenG2033 vialsG5357, andG2532 talkedG2980 withG3326 meG1700, sayingG3004 to meG3427, ComeG1204; I will showG1166 to theeG4671 the judgmentG2917 of the greatG3173 harlotG4204 that sittethG2521 uponG1909 manyG4183 watersG5204: 2WithG3326 whomG3739 the kingsG935 of the earthG1093 have committed acts of immoralityG4203, andG2532 the inhabitantsG2730 of the earthG1093 have been made drunkG3184 withG1537 the wineG3631 of herG846 immoralityG4202. 3SoG2532 he carriedG667 meG3165 awayG667 inG1722 the spiritG4151 intoG1519 the wildernessG2048: andG2532 I sawG1492 a womanG1135 sitG2521 uponG1909 a scarlet colouredG2847 beastG2342, full ofG1073 namesG3686 of blasphemyG988, havingG2192 sevenG2033 headsG2776 andG2532 tenG1176 hornsG2768. 4AndG2532 the womanG1135 wasG2258 arrayedG4016 in purpleG4209 andG2532 scarlet colourG2847, andG2532 deckedG5558 with goldG5557 andG2532 preciousG5093 stonesG3037 andG2532 pearlsG3135, havingG2192 a goldenG5552 cupG4221 inG1722 herG846 handG5495 full ofG1073 abominationsG946 andG2532 filthinessG168 of herG846 immoralityG4202: 5AndG2532 uponG1909 herG846 foreheadG3359 was a nameG3686 writtenG1125, MYSTERYG3466, BABYLONG897 THE GREATG3173, THE MOTHERG3384 OF HARLOTSG4204 ANDG2532 ABOMINATIONSG946 OF THE EARTHG1093. 6AndG2532 I sawG1492 the womanG1135 drunkG3184 withG1537 the bloodG129 of the saintsG40, andG2532 withG1537 the bloodG129 of the martyrsG3144 of JesusG2424: andG2532 when I sawG1492 herG846, I wonderedG2296 with greatG3173 wonderG2295. 7AndG2532 the angelG32 saidG2036 to meG3427, WhyG1302 didst thou wonderG2296? IG1473 will tellG2046 theeG4671 the mysteryG3466 of the womanG1135, andG2532 of the beastG2342 that carriethG941 herG846, whichG3588 hathG2192 the sevenG2033 headsG2776 andG2532 tenG1176 hornsG2768. 8The beastG2342 thatG3739 thou sawestG1492 wasG2258, andG2532 isG2076 notG3756; andG2532 shallG3195 ascendG305 out ofG1537 the bottomless pitG12, andG2532 goG5217 intoG1519 perditionG684: andG2532 they that dwellG2730 onG1909 the earthG1093 shall wonderG2296, whoseG3739 namesG3686 wereG1125 notG3756 writtenG1125 inG1909 the bookG975 of lifeG2222 fromG575 the foundationG2602 of the worldG2889, when they beholdG991 the beastG2342 that wasG3748 G2258, andG2532 isG2076 notG3756, and yetG2539 isG2076. 9And hereG5602 is the mindG3563 whichG3588 hathG2192 wisdomG4678. The sevenG2033 headsG2776 areG1526 sevenG2033 mountainsG3735, onG1909 whichG846 the womanG1135 sittethG2521 G3699. 10AndG2532 there areG1526 sevenG2033 kingsG935: fiveG4002 are fallenG4098, andG2532 oneG1520 isG2076, and the otherG243 isG2064 not yetG3768 comeG2064; andG2532 whenG3752 he comethG2064, heG846 mustG1163 continueG3306 a short timeG3641. 11AndG2532 the beastG2342 thatG3739 wasG2258, andG2532 isG2076 notG3756, evenG2532 heG846 isG2076 the eighthG3590, andG2532 isG2076 ofG1537 the sevenG2033, andG2532 goethG5217 intoG1519 perditionG684. 12AndG2532 the tenG1176 hornsG2768 whichG3739 thou sawestG1492 areG1526 tenG1176 kingsG935, whoG3748 have receivedG2983 noG3768 kingdomG932 as yetG3768; butG235 receiveG2983 powerG1849 asG5613 kingsG935 oneG3391 hourG5610 withG3326 the beastG2342. 13TheseG3778 haveG2192 oneG3391 mindG1106, andG2532 shall giveG1239 theirG1438 powerG1411 andG2532 strengthG1849 to the beastG2342. 14TheseG3778 shall make warG4170 withG3326 the LambG721, andG2532 the LambG721 shall overcomeG3528 themG846: forG3754 he isG2076 LordG2962 of lordsG2962, andG2532 KingG935 of kingsG935: andG2532 they that are withG3326 himG846 are calledG2822, andG2532 chosenG1588, andG2532 faithfulG4103. 15AndG2532 he saithG3004 to meG3427, The watersG5204 whichG3739 thou sawestG1492, whereG3757 the harlotG4204 sittethG2521, areG1526 peoplesG2992, andG2532 multitudesG3793, andG2532 nationsG1484, andG2532 tonguesG1100. 16AndG2532 the tenG1176 hornsG2768 whichG3739 thou sawestG1492 uponG1909 the beastG2342, theseG3778 shall hateG3404 the harlotG4204, andG2532 shall makeG4160 herG846 desolateG2049 andG2532 nakedG1131, andG2532 shall eatG5315 herG846 fleshG4561, andG2532 burnG2618 herG846 withG1722 fireG4442. 17ForG1063 GodG2316 hath putG1325 inG1519 theirG846 heartsG2588 to fulfilG4160 hisG846 willG1106, andG2532 to agreeG4160 G3391 G1106, andG2532 giveG1325 theirG846 kingdomG932 to the beastG2342, untilG891 the wordsG4487 of GodG2316 shall be fulfilledG5055. 18AndG2532 the womanG1135 whomG3739 thou sawestG1492 isG2076 that greatG3173 cityG4172, whichG3588 reignethG2192 G932 overG1909 the kingsG935 of the earthG1093.
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary 1 Here we have a new vision, not as to the matter of it, for that is contemporary with what came under the three last vials; but as to the manner of description, etc. Observe, 1. The invitation given to the apostle to take a view of what was here to be represented:
Come hither, and I will show thee the judgment of the great whore, etc.,
Revel 17:1. This is a name of great infamy. A whore [in this passage] is one that is married, and has been false to her husband's bed, has forsaken the guide of her youth, and broken the covenant of God. She had been a prostitute to the kings of the earth, whom she had intoxicated
with the wine of her fornication. 2. The appearance she made: it was gay and gaudy, like such sort of creatures:
She was arrayed in purple, and scarlet colour, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls, Revel 17:4. Here were all the allurements of worldly honour and riches, pomp and pride, suited to sensual and worldly minds. 3. Her principal seat and residence -
upon the beast that had seven heads and ten horns; that is to say, Rome, the city on seven hills, infamous for idolatry, tyranny, and blasphemy. 4. Her name, which
was written on her forehead. It was the custom of impudent harlots to hang out signs, with their names, that all might know what they were. Now in this observe, (1.) She is named from her place of residence -
Babylon the great. But, that we might not take it for the old Babylon literally so called, we are told there is a mystery in the name; it is some other great city resembling the old Babylon. (2.) She is named from her infamous way and practice; not only a harlot, but a mother of harlots, breeding up harlots, and nursing and training them up to idolatry, and all sorts of lewdness and wickedness - the parent and nurse of all false religion and filthy conversation. 5. Her diet: she satiated herself with
the blood of the saints and martyrs of Jesus. She drank their blood with such greediness that she intoxicated herself with it; it was so pleasant to her that she could not tell when she had had enough of it: she was satiated, but never satisfied.
7 Here we have the mystery of this vision explained. The apostle wonders at the sight of this woman: the angel undertakes to open this vision to him, it being the key of the former visions; and he tells the apostle what was meant by the beast on which the woman sat; but it is so explained as still to need further explanation. 1. This beast
was, and is not, and yet is; that is, it
was a seat of idolatry and persecution;
and is not, that is, not in the ancient form, which was pagan;
and yet it is, it is truly the seat of idolatry and tyranny, though of another sort and form.
It ascends out of the bottomless pit (idolatry and cruelty are the issue and product of hell), and it shall return thither and go into perdition. 2.
This beast has seven heads, which have a double signification. (1.)
Seven mountains - the seven hills on which Rome stands; and (2.)
Seven kings - seven sorts of government. Rome was governed by kings, consuls, tribunes, decemviri, dictators, emperors who were pagan, and emperors who were Christian. Five of these were extinct when this prophecy was written; one was then in being, that is, the pagan emperor; and the other, that is, the Christian emperor, was yet to come,
Revel 17:10. This beast, the papacy, makes an eighth governor, and sets up idolatry again. 3. This beast had ten horns; which are said to be
ten kings which have as yet received no kingdoms; as yet, that is, as some, shall not rise up till the Roman empire be broken in pieces; or, as others, shall not rise up till near the end of antichrist's reign, and so shall reign but as it were
one hour with her, but shall for that time be very unanimous and very zealous in that interest, and entirely devoted to it, divesting themselves of their prerogatives and revenues (things so dear to princes), out of an unaccountable fondness for the papacy.
14 Here we have some account of the downfall of Babylon, to be more fully described in the following chapter.
I. Here is a war begun between the beast and his followers, and the Lamb and his followers. The beast and his army, to an eye of sense, appear much stronger than the Lamb and his army: one would think an army with a lamb at the head of them could not stand before
the great red dragon. But,
II. Here is a victory gained by the Lamb:
The Lamb shall overcome. Christ must reign till all enemies
be put under his feet; he will be sure to meet with many enemies, and much opposition, but he will also be sure to gain the victory.
III. Here is the ground or reason of the victory assigned; and this is taken, 1. From the character of the Lamb:
He is King of kings and Lord of lords. He has, both by nature and by office, supreme dominion and power over all things; all the powers of earth and hell are subject to his check and control. 2. From the character of his followers:
They are called, and chosen, and faithful. They are called out by commission to this warfare; they are chosen and fitted for it, and they will be faithful in it. Such an army, under such a commander, will at length carry all the world before them.
IV. The victory is justly aggrandized. 1. By the vast multitude who paid obedience and subjection to the beast and to the whore. She sat upon (that is, presided over) many waters; and these waters were so many multitudes of people, and nations, of all languages; yea, she reigned not only over kingdoms, but over the kings, and they were her tributaries and vassals,
Revel 17:15,
Revel 17:18. 2. By the powerful influence which God hereby showed he had over the minds of great men. Their hearts were in his hand, and he turned them as he pleased; for, (1.) It was of God, and to fulfil his will, that these kings
agreed to give their kingdom unto the beast; they were judicially blinded and hardened to do so. And, (2.) It was of God that afterwards their hearts were turned against the whore, to hate her, and to
make her desolate and naked, and to eat her flesh, and burn her with fire; they shall at length see their folly, and how they have been bewitched and enslaved by the papacy, and, out of a just resentment, shall not only fall off from Rome, but shall be made the instruments of God's providence in her destruction.
