The Prostitute City (Revelation 17:1-18:24)

There are very real dark forces at work in our world, all working together to destroy us. When Jesus returns, He will ultimately triumph over them all, but in the meantime, we're still living in the battle zone. Sometimes the battle is obvious, but other times it's very subtle and seductive.

1 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and spoke with me: “Come, I will show you the judgment of the notorious prostitute who is seated on many waters. 2 The kings of the earth committed sexual immorality with her, and those who live on the earth became drunk on the wine of her sexual immorality.” 3 Then he carried me away in the Spirit[fn] to a wilderness.

I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns. 4 The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, adorned with gold, jewels, and pearls. She had a golden cup in her hand filled with everything detestable and with the impurities of her prostitution. 5 On her forehead was written a name, a mystery: Babylon the Great, the Mother of Prostitutes and of the Detestable Things of the Earth. 6 Then I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the witnesses to Jesus. When I saw her, I was greatly astonished.

7 Then the angel said to me, “Why are you astonished? I will explain to you the mystery of the woman and of the beast, with the seven heads and the ten horns, that carries her. 8 The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to come up from the abyss and go to destruction. Those who live on the earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world will be astonished when they see the beast that was, and is not, and is to come. 9 This calls for a mind that has wisdom.

“The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman is seated. They are also seven kings: 10 Five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come, and when he comes, he must remain for only a little while. 11 The beast that was and is not, is itself an eighth king, but it belongs to the seven and is going to destruction. 12 The ten horns you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but they will receive authority as kings with the beast for one hour. 13 These have one purpose, and they give their power and authority to the beast. 14 These will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will conquer them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings. Those with him are called, chosen, and faithful.”

15 He also said to me, “The waters you saw, where the prostitute was seated, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and languages. 16 The ten horns you saw, and the beast, will hate the prostitute. They will make her desolate and naked, devour her flesh, and burn her up with fire. 17 For God has put it into their hearts to carry out his plan by having one purpose and to give their kingdom[fn] to the beast until the words of God are fulfilled. 18 And the woman you saw is the great city that has royal power over the kings of the earth.”

1 After this I saw another angel with great authority coming down from heaven, and the earth was illuminated by his splendor. 2 He called out in a mighty voice:

It has fallen,

Babylon the Great has fallen!

She has become a home for demons,

a haunt for every unclean spirit,

a haunt for every unclean bird,

and a haunt[fn] for every unclean and despicable beast.

3 For all the nations have drunk

the wine of her sexual immorality,

which brings wrath.

The kings of the earth

have committed sexual immorality with her,

and the merchants of the earth

have grown wealthy from her sensuality and excess.

4 Then I heard another voice from heaven:

Come out of her, my people,

so that you will not share in her sins

or receive any of her plagues.

5 For her sins are piled up[fn] to heaven,

and God has remembered her crimes.

6 Pay her back the way she also paid,

and double it according to her works.

In the cup in which she mixed,

mix a double portion for her.

7 As much as she glorified herself and indulged her sensual and excessive ways,

give her that much torment and grief.

For she says in her heart,

“I sit as a queen;

I am not a widow,

and I will never see grief.”

8 For this reason her plagues will come in just one day —

death and grief and famine.

She will be burned up with fire,

because the Lord God who judges her is mighty.

9 The kings of the earth who have committed sexual immorality and shared her sensual and excessive ways will weep and mourn over her when they see the smoke from her burning. 10 They will stand far off in fear of her torment, saying,

Woe, woe, the great city,

Babylon, the mighty city!

For in a single hour

your judgment has come.

11 The merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her, because no one buys their cargo any longer ​— ​ 12 cargo of gold, silver, jewels, and pearls; fine linen, purple, silk, and scarlet; all kinds of fragrant wood products; objects of ivory; objects of expensive wood, brass,[fn] iron, and marble; 13 cinnamon, spice, incense, myrrh, and frankincense; wine, olive oil, fine flour, and grain; cattle and sheep; horses and carriages; and slaves ​— ​human lives.

14 The fruit you craved has left you.

All your splendid and glamorous things are gone;

they will never find them again.

15 The merchants of these things, who became rich from her, will stand far off in fear of her torment, weeping and mourning, 16 saying,

Woe, woe, the great city,

dressed in fine linen, purple, and scarlet,

adorned with gold, jewels, and pearls;

17 for in a single hour

such fabulous wealth was destroyed!

And every shipmaster, seafarer, the sailors, and all who do business by sea, stood far off 18 as they watched the smoke from her burning and kept crying out, “Who was like the great city? ” 19 They threw dust on their heads and kept crying out, weeping, and mourning,

Woe, woe, the great city,

where all those who have ships on the sea

became rich from her wealth;

for in a single hour she was destroyed.

20 Rejoice over her, heaven,

and you saints, apostles, and prophets,

because God has pronounced on her the judgment she passed on you!

21 Then a mighty angel picked up a stone like a large millstone and threw it into the sea, saying,

In this way, Babylon the great city

will be thrown down violently

and never be found again.

22 The sound of harpists, musicians,

flutists, and trumpeters

will never be heard in you again;

no craftsman of any trade

will ever be found in you again;

the sound of a mill

will never be heard in you again;

23 the light of a lamp

will never shine in you again;

and the voice of a groom and bride

will never be heard in you again.

All this will happen

because your merchants

were the nobility of the earth,

because all the nations were deceived

by your sorcery.

24 In her was found the blood of prophets and saints,

and of all those slaughtered on the earth.