Who is the great prostitute in Revelation 17?

[XIII-Legion]

Is Revelation 17 literal or symbolic regarding the prostitute?

Is the prostitute a woman or symbolic description of something else?

 

[Sirona]

The text refers to the prostitute as "Babylon the Great". The text is to be considered metaphorically. Back in the Old Testament, the Jews had been oppressed by the people of Babylon, who followed a polytheistic religion. In the Bible, especially in the Old Testament, "adultery" also stands symbolically for polytheism, metaphorically describing Israel as an unfaithful wife committing "adultery" by running after her "lovers" (polytheistic gods of foreign nations), with God / JHWH as Israel's legitimate yet betrayed "Husband".

For early Christians, Babylon the Great was a code word for Rome, as the Romans were polytheistic too and violently persecuted Christians, who refused to worship the Roman Emperor as a living god. ("drunk with the blood of God’s holy people, the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus.") Rome is said to have been built on seven hills. ("seven heads"). The 10 horns refer to ten emperors.

For Christians unaware of the historical context, the Whore of Babylon can stand for various political phenomena.

Whore of Babylon - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Estro Felino]

The Pagan Rome. The Rome founded on money-hunger greed, slavery, selfishness and disorder.
The Rome that Christianity has successfully destroyed

 

[Ben Dhyan]

While it seems most Christian end time preachers of Revelation prophecy finger the Roman Church as the Whore of Babylon.....here is a very well scriptural researched video that points to Zionist Israel or the nation of Israel as the Whore... Now be warned...this video is poorly produced and you would be advised to just follow it as best you can and jot down the names, chapters, and verses so you can reference them again later to confirm that it is genuine...

 

[URAVIP2ME]

Is Revelation 17 literal or symbolic regarding the prostitute?
Is the prostitute a woman or symbolic description of something else?

Lets use the process of elimination in Revelation chapters 17 and 18

We know the kings (political ) are in bed with Babylon the Great - Revelation 17:2 - so she is Not a political power or powers.
We know the merchants ( business men ) mourn the loss of Babylon the Great - Revelation 18:11-15 - so she is Not commercial.
We know from Scripture that the people of ancient Babylon left Babylon. They migrated throughout the earth and took with them their religious myth ideas and practices and spread them world wide into a greater religious Babylon or Babylon the Great. That is why we see so many similar and overlapping religious ideas throughout the earth today. So, Babylon the Great is Satan's counterfeit religious groups throughout the earth. That even includes inside and outside of ' Christendom ' ( called Christian but in name only )

 

[URAVIP2ME]

The text refers to the prostitute as "Babylon the Great". The text is to be considered metaphorically. Back in the Old Testament, the Jews had been oppressed by the people of Babylon, who followed a polytheistic religion. In the Bible, especially in the Old Testament, "adultery" also stands symbolically for polytheism, metaphorically describing Israel as an unfaithful wife committing "adultery" by running after her "lovers" (polytheistic gods of foreign nations), with God / JHWH as Israel's legitimate yet betrayed "Husband".
For early Christians, Babylon the Great was a code word for Rome, as the Romans were polytheistic too and violently persecuted Christians, who refused to worship the Roman Emperor as a living god. ("drunk with the blood of God’s holy people, the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus.") Rome is said to have been built on seven hills. ("seven heads"). The 10 horns refer to ten emperors.
For Christians unaware of the historical context, the Whore of Babylon can stand for various political phenomena.

If you examine Revelation chapters 17 and 18 then we can see: Not various political phenomena but religious.
The political ( kings of earth ) are committing ' spiritual ' fornication with Babylon the Great - Rev. 17:2; Revelation 18:9
She thinks she sits as some sort of ' religious queen ' - Revelation 18:7 - who will never see mourning or sorrow.
So, she is Not a political entity.
Also, she is Not business phenomena because earth's merchants morn the loss of her - Revelation 18:11
That means out of those 3 BIG groups that Babylon the Great is the mother, so to speak, of earth's false religions.
Her daughters are the various false religious groups and denominations spread throughout the earth.

 

[lostwanderingsoul]

there is a great worldwide church that has a great deal of power over many of the nations of earth. this church prostitutes herself by selling its influence to effect governments and businesses

 

[URAVIP2ME]

there is a great worldwide church that has a great deal of power over many of the nations of earth. this church prostitutes herself by selling its influence to effect governments and businesses

A ' church ' or rather the composite of false religions? Besides being in bed with the political elements of earth - Revelation 17:1-2 - she often uses the influence of the pulpit so parents will sacrifice their young on the Altar of War.
False religion's major role is wanting a union of ' church and state ' to crown or dethrone kings ( political rulers/presidents ), so they bless the political wars. Not to kill but to send out those who will do the killing.
So-called religious holidays are BIG business, so when religious Babylon the Great is attacked by the political, then earth's merchants mourn her loss. Not loss of life, but mourn the loss of revenue - Revelation 18:11-15

Her power or influence will come to a final end. The United Nations already sees a hauntingly dangerous religious climate brewing in today's world. With backing the UN can be strengthened to become God's ' long arm of the law ' to carry out His justice against all false religious groups who have run afoul playing false to God and His Word.
Judgment, or spiritual house cleaning, will start with the ' House of God ' - 1st Peter 4:17- then the rest of Babylon the Great will go.

 

[lostwanderingsoul]

I do not think any army led by men will be enough to defeat this false power. It will take the return of Jesus and His army of angels

 

[URAVIP2ME]

I do not think any army led by men will be enough to defeat this false power. It will take the return of Jesus and His army of angels

We have at least two examples in the past when God used the political/military realm as His arm of the Law
* When the ancient Israelites became apostate God used the Babylonian forces and the Israelites ended up in captivity for 70 years.
* When first-century Jerusalem became apostate God used the Roman armies to go up against them in the year 70.

So, we see the pattern that God will use - Revelation 17:17 - to once again use the political/military to go up against those who have run afoul playing false to God as Christendom ( so-called Christian ) does today.

Any government which will Not follow Jesus - Psalms 2:2-4 - will find that they will be contending with Jesus and His army of angelic forces - Revelation 19:14-15

 

[David1967]

Is Revelation 17 literal or symbolic regarding the prostitute?

Is the prostitute a woman or symbolic description of something else?

Definitely a description of something else. The problem is that it has been interpreted as different things throughout the years depending on who the perceived bad guy of the day is. it has been interpreted to be Rome, the Catholic church and even as I see from one post on this thread Zionist Israel. Who knows who is next in line to be elected Whore of Babylon. I guess we will know when she gets here.

 

[URAVIP2ME]

Definitely a description of something else. The problem is that it has been interpreted as different things throughout the years depending on who the perceived bad guy of the day is. it has been interpreted to be Rome, the Catholic church and even as I see from one post on this thread Zionist Israel. Who knows who is next in line to be elected Whore of Babylon. I guess we will know when she gets here.

She is already here according to Revelation 17 and Revelation 18.
She is Not earth's kings ( earth's political rulers ) because she is spiritually sinning in bed with them - Revelation 17:1-2
She is Not earth's merchants ( earth's commercial business men ) because they mourn the loss of her - Revelation 18:11-15
Not because of loosing her, but because of their loss of revenue they have made off of her ( especially religious holidays )
She thinks she sits as some sort of ' religious queen ' - Revelation 18:7 - that will never see mourning or sorrow.
Yet, by surprise the political will topple his composite religious ' queen ' as Jezebel came to her surprising end.
Since ' house cleaning ' starts with the ' house of God ' - 1 Peter 4:17 - then the first part of Babylon the Great to go will be false Christians - Matthew 7:21-23

 

[David1967]

She is already here according to Revelation 17 and Revelation 18.
She is Not earth's kings ( earth's political rulers ) because she is spiritually sinning in bed with them - Revelation 17:1-2
She is Not earth's merchants ( earth's commercial business men ) because they mourn the loss of her - Revelation 18:11-15
Not because of loosing her, but because of their loss of revenue they have made off of her ( especially religious holidays )
She thinks she sits as some sort of ' religious queen ' - Revelation 18:7 - that will never see mourning or sorrow.
Yet, by surprise the political will topple his composite religious ' queen ' as Jezebel came to her surprising end.
Since ' house cleaning ' starts with the ' house of God ' - 1 Peter 4:17 - then the first part of Babylon the Great to go will be false Christians - Matthew 7:21-23

?

 

[Ben Dhyan]

She is already here according to Revelation 17 and Revelation 18.
She is Not earth's kings ( earth's political rulers ) because she is spiritually sinning in bed with them - Revelation 17:1-2
She is Not earth's merchants ( earth's commercial business men ) because they mourn the loss of her - Revelation 18:11-15
Not because of loosing her, but because of their loss of revenue they have made off of her ( especially religious holidays )
She thinks she sits as some sort of ' religious queen ' - Revelation 18:7 - that will never see mourning or sorrow.
Yet, by surprise the political will topple his composite religious ' queen ' as Jezebel came to her surprising end.
Since ' house cleaning ' starts with the ' house of God ' - 1 Peter 4:17 - then the first part of Babylon the Great to go will be false Christians - Matthew 7:21-23

Good work URAVIP2ME, but there is more.. The woman is a city which has killed many prophets,, and is the mother of all whores. Now Christianity had its beginning among Jews and Jerusalem....from Jewish Christianity came all the other Christian sects (daughters ) that exist today the Coptic,Armenian, Ethiopian, Syrian, Orthodox (Greek, Russian, Serbian), Latin, Protestant churches and while they may have national centers, they all look to Jerusalem as the source of their religion... and this is the city responsible for the killing of many prophets throughout the ages including even the messiah Jesus and his disciples...and sits on seven hills...

 

[URAVIP2ME]

Good work URAVIP2ME, but there is more.. The woman is a city which has killed many prophets,, and is the mother of all whores. Now Christianity had its beginning among Jews and Jerusalem....from Jewish Christianity came all the other Christian sects (daughters ) that exist today the Coptic,Armenian, Ethiopian, Syrian, Orthodox (Greek, Russian, Serbian), Latin, Protestant churches and while they may have national centers, they all look to Jerusalem as the source of their religion... and this is the city responsible for the killing of many prophets throughout the ages including even the messiah Jesus and his disciples...and sits on seven hills...

According to Revelation 17:1-2 Babylon the Great sits on many ' waters ' - Revelation 17:15 - the waters are: people.- Isaiah 57:20

Yes, Babylon the Great also as a city - Revelation 17:18. Recall the Babylon of Bleshzzer's time ?_____ She was weighed in the balance ( balancing scale ) and found wanting - Daniel 5:27 - so is the religious harlot. As the city of Babylon's execution was Not only hard and swift but it was also: final/ permanent. All of us desiring to be saved ( rescued / delivered ) when Babylon the Great is executed should heed the words of Revelation 18:4.

 

[URAVIP2ME]

I do not think any army led by men will be enough to defeat this false power. It will take the return of Jesus and His army of angels

.....and according to Revelation 19:11; Revelation 19:14-15 it will be Jesus with his angelic forces. - Isaiah 11:3-4

 

[URAVIP2ME]

there is a great worldwide church that has a great deal of power over many of the nations of earth. this church prostitutes herself by selling its influence to effect governments and businesses

A great worldwide church? or great worldwide religious groups.
The worldwide empire of false religious groups do meddle in the affairs of the world, and that places them on the ' radar ' so to speak of the United Nations. The world's religions want a major role in the union influence of church and state. Christendom's clergy too wants her share in crowning or dethroning ' kings ' ( political rulers ) by blessing their wars and sending ones out to kill while Not doing the killing themselves.

 

[URAVIP2ME]

For early Christians, Babylon the Great was a code word for Rome,

For Christians unaware of the historical context, the Whore of Babylon can stand for various political phenomena.

Please post the Bible verse or passage that Babylon was a code word for Rome for early Christians ?

How can the Whore of Babylon stand for the political ( earth's kings or rulers ) when she is in bed with the political - Revelation 17:1-2; Revelation 18:9

 

[Ben Dhyan]

According to Revelation 17:1-2 Babylon the Great sits on many ' waters ' - Revelation 17:15 - the waters are: people.- Isaiah 57:20

Yes, Babylon the Great also as a city - Revelation 17:18. Recall the Babylon of Bleshzzer's time ?_____ She was weighed in the balance ( balancing scale ) and found wanting - Daniel 5:27 - so is the religious harlot. As the city of Babylon's execution was Not only hard and swift but it was also: final/ permanent. All of us desiring to be saved ( rescued / delivered ) when Babylon the Great is executed should heed the words of Revelation 18:4.

Thank you...agreed.....

 

[URAVIP2ME]

ben d - according to Scripture ' the end of suffering ' happens on earth with the happy ending of Revelation 22:2 when earth's nations will be healed during Jesus' millennium-long day of governing over earth.
Jesus will fulfill God's promise to father Abraham - Genesis 12:3; Genesis 22:18