The Mystery of the Harlot Explained

The Mystery of the Harlot

Revelation 17:1-6

1] One of the seven angels which had the seven vials came and talked with me, and said to me, Come here; I will show to you the judgment of the great whore that sits on many waters.

2] 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.

3] So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet colored beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.

4] And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet color, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication.

5] And on her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

6] And I saw the woman drunk on the blood of the saints, and the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration (amazement NKJV, wonder NIV).

The Mystery of the Harlot Explained

Revelation 17:7-18

7] The angel said to me, Why did you marvel? I will tell you the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and ten horns.

8] The beast that you saw was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition (go to destruction ESV, HCSB): 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 see the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.

9] And here is the mind which has wisdom.

The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sits.

10] And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he comes, he must continue a short space.

11] And the beast that was, and is not, he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goes into perdition (destruction – vs 8).

12] The ten horns which you saw are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings for one hour with the beast.

13] These ten kings have one mind, and shall give their power and strength to the beast.

14] 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.

15] The waters which you saw, where the whore sits, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.

16] And the ten horns (the ten kings – vs 12) which you saw on the beast, shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.

17] For God has put in their hearts to fulfill his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.

18] And the woman which you saw is that great city, which reigns over the kings of the earth. (Babylon – vs 5)

QUESTIONS

190. Who is talking to John in Revelation 17? (17:1)

191. What is in the woman’s cup? (17:4,6)

192. What is written on the harlot’s forehead? (17:5)

193. Who is the harlot? (17:18)

194. What are we told about the beast that the harlot is riding? (17:3,8) 195. What do the seven heads represent? (17:9)

196. What do the ten horns represent? (17:12)

197. What is the relationship between the beast and the ten horns? (17:12-14)

198. What do the waters represent? (17:1,15)

199. And he (another angel) cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is ____________, is ___________, and is become the __________ of devils, and the __________ of every foul spirit, and a ___________ of every unclean and hateful bird. (19:2)

200. And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, _____________, that ye be not ___________ of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. (19:4)

201. What will be the fate of Babylon? (19:8)

202. Who will mourn the fall of Babylon? (19:9,11,17) ___________, ___________ and ___________

203. For in one hour…. (19:10,17,19) ____________ , ___________ and ___________

ANSWERS

190. One of the seven angels which had the seven vials

191. Abominations and filthiness of her fornication, drunk on the blood of the saints, and the blood of the martyrs of Jesus

192. Mystery, Babylon the Great, the Mother of harlots and abominations of the earth

193. That great city, which reigns over the kings of the earth. Babylon

194. A scarlet colored beast

– full of names of blasphemy

– having seven heads and ten horns…

– was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition (destruction):

– 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 see the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.

195. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sits.

196. Ten kings

197. The ten kings have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings for one hour with the beast. These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast. These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them:

198. The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.

199. Fallen, fallen, habitation, hold, cage

200. My people, partakers

201. Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire:

202. The kings of the earth, the merchants of the earth, and every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea

203. Is your judgment come, so great riches is come to nought, and is she made desolate.