The Fall of Religious Babylon – Revelation 17
“Come, I will show you the judgment of the great prostitute who is seated on many waters…” (Revelation 17:1)
In Revelation 17, John is carried “into a wilderness” where he sees a powerful vision:
A woman dressed in purple and scarlet, holding a golden cup, seated on a scarlet beast with seven heads and ten horns. Her name is:
“Babylon the Great, Mother of Prostitutes and of Earth’s Abominations.” (v5)
She is “drunk with the blood of the saints…” (v6), representing a system that seduces and slaughters.
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Who is the Woman?
She is not a literal woman, but the symbolic embodiment of false religion and apostate teaching, tied to political power and global deception.
•“With her the kings of the earth have committed sexual immorality…” (v2)
•She “rides the Beast” (v3), meaning she collaborates with the Antichrist’s empire.
•She “sits on many waters” (v1), symbolizing influence over nations and peoples (v15).
•She is adorned like a queen, but she is a harlot of idolatry, a counterfeit bride.
•False teaching always multiplies destruction—this is the spiritual Babylon of the last days.
Paul warned of this kind of system:
“Having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power…” (2 Timothy 3:5)
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Symbolism Decoded
•The woman = false religious system
•The Beast = Antichrist’s kingdom (“was, and is not, and is to come”) (v8)
•Seven heads = seven mountains or kings (v9–10)
•Ten horns = ten kings who reign with the Beast and give him authority (v12–13)
•Waters = peoples, nations, and languages (v15)
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A Divine Twist
“They will hate the prostitute… make her desolate… devour her flesh… burn her up with fire. For God has put it into their hearts to carry out His purpose…” (v16–17)
The Antichrist and his allies will turn on the false religious system when it has served its purpose—this is divine irony and justice.
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Babylon vs the Bride
•The Harlot rides the Beast and is clothed in splendor.
•The Bride follows the Lamb and is clothed in “fine linen, bright and pure.” (Revelation 19:8)
False religion will be judged. The true Church will be exalted. There is no middle ground.
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Charles H. Spurgeon:
“False teaching is always described as a woman, because it gives birth to so much evil.”
Dr. J. Dwight Pentecost:
“Religious Babylon is destroyed by the very political powers she rides. False religion is always a temporary tool of tyrants—but truth belongs to Christ, who reigns forever.”
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THE JUDGMENT OF THE GREAT HARLOT
Babylon the Great is a spiritual system—a counterfeit religion that merges faith with control, deception, and persecution.
It rides the Beast but will be judged by the very kings it empowered.
False teaching always ends in ruin.
But the Lamb prevails.
“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.” (Revelation 17:14)
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