REVELATION 17:6b-18

When I saw her, I marveled greatly. 7 But the angel said to me, “Why do you marvel? I will tell you the mystery of the woman, and of the beast with seven heads and ten horns that carries her. 8 The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to rise from the bottomless pit and go to destruction. And the dwellers on earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world will marvel to see the beast, because it was and is not and is to come. 9 This calls for a mind with wisdom: the seven heads are seven moun- tains on which the woman is seated; 10 they are also seven kings, five of whom have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come, and when he does come he must remain only a little while. 11 As for the beast that was and is not, it is an eighth but it belongs to the seven, and it goes to destruction. 12 And the ten horns that you saw are ten kings who have not yet received royal power, but they are to receive authority as kings for one hour, together with the beast. 13 These are of one mind, and they hand over their power and authority to the beast. 14 They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful.”

15 And the angel said to me, “The waters that you saw, where the prostitute is seated, are peoples and multitudes and nations and languages. 16 And the ten horns that you saw, they and the beast will hate the prostitute. They will make her desolate and naked, and devour her flesh and burn her up with fire, 17 for God has put it into their hearts to carry out his purpose by being of one mind and handing over their royal power to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled. 18 And the woman that you saw is the great city that has dominion over the kings of the earth.”

The angel is here explaining the vision to John, so that he understands clearly that the woman is Roman culture and commerce, riding on the back of Roman military power. The references to mountains and heads and horns are all images relating to Roman political history.

The point is that the woman is evil and persecutes the Church of Jesus, but that Jesus will win in the end, and evil will turn against itself.

Once again: don’t be afraid. Keep going.

P.S. Is this chapter about the historical city of Rome at the time of John’s vision, or is “Rome” a symbol for all governments and empires who are opposed to the Kingdom of God, both at the time John was writing and in the future?

Yes.

P.P.S. Note that the city is never called “Rome” in Revelation, but rather is referred to as “Babylon.” In other words, although John is speaking to Christians under the Roman Empire in the 1st century, he is using the image of an ancient enemy of Israel to explain what Rome is like. All the more reason to understand Revelation to be both speaking to John’s 1st century audience and to God’s people of all times and places.