Revelation 16:18- 17:18

16:18
God will shake the entire globe. This is not a local earthquake. This is the fulfillment of Haggai 2:6 Hebrew 12:26 relates this shaking to the second coming judgment This shaking may restore it to something more like the earth before Noah’s flood. Read and consider 16:20. 16:19 The great city is Jerusalem because: 11:8 clearly identifies it that way It is not Babylon the Great also mentioned in

16:19
The word “parts” is “meros” and means a division or a share and refers to an allotment. Here Jerusalem is divided, but does not fall. It is being prepared for the millennial reign. The cities of the nations collapse. The world wide shaking knocks down all the cities. Babylon the Great itself receives special mention.

16:20
Islands are mountains underwater. The islands and the mountains disappear. The original low rolling land of the preflood earth will be restored. Jerusalem will be the highest mountain and tower over the hills: Isaiah 2:2

16:21
The Greek term for “about one hundred pounds” is “talantaios” or “talent”. A talent was somewhere between 60 and 100 pounds and was considered to be the weight a man could carry. Some say that weight is 90-135 pounds. The record for hailstone weight is 2 pounds. Chapter 17 Genesis 11:1-9 Ziggurats and the Zodiac Nimrod was the fourth generation from Noah, his great-grandson. Ishtar and Tammuz Ezekiel 8:14 The initial element "sammur" when translated into Hebrew becomes "Shinar

17:1
The judgment of the great prostitute occurs during the bowl judgments since it is one of those angels who explains it. Prostitute represents false religion. And idolatry. “Sits on many waters” shows the authority the prostitute had over many nations This is seen also in 17:15, where the angel interprets the chapter.

17:2
The Kings of the earth are influenced by the prostitute Here we see a very strong religious tie into civil government. The governments of these nations rule and make decisions under the influence of the prostitute or this false religion. Here is a good reason for the separation of church and state. Besides the kings of the earth also the “inhabitants of the earth” or the unbelievers who live on the earth are influenced by her. Drunk refers to the fact that the kings and the people are completely under the influence of this false religion Jeremiah 51:7 says, “Babylon was a golden cup in the Lord’s hand; she made the whole earth drunk. The nations drank her wine; therefore they have now gone mad.”

17:3
After setting the stage the angel carried John away into a desert. The desert represents the spiritual world of the demonic realm Here John sees the powers behind all that occur on the earth. The scarlet beast is the beast out of the abyss from chapter 13 The seven heads are governments of Satan’s kosmos that controlled the world scene in history The ten horns are the 10 world kings at this time under the beast. This false religious system is seated on the world governments.

17:4
The prostitute’s clothes are the colors of royalty, prosperity, nobility and wealth. False religion will have these In cultic practices the worshipper was given a cup to drink that had a beverage in it that would dull their senses and make them more vulnerable to demonic influences or worship.

17:5
The mystery title on her forehead: “Babylon the Great the mother of prostitutes” The title on her forehead gave her away as a prostitute. It was the custom for Roman prostitutes to wear their names in the ribbon or band around their head. See Jeremiah 3:3 where it mentions the prostitute’s forehead The mystery of this vision is that the angel is showing John that this prostitute is the mother of all false religions So, she is not Babylon, or Jerusalem, or Rome because these would be her children.

17:6
Just like a drunk wants another drink, this woman through out history has an unquenchable thirst for the blood of believers. John wonders, but he does understand the prostitute and he understands the beast. What he does not understand is their connection. The whole world is to worship the Beast (13:4,8, 12). How is it that the prostitute, false religion, gets in on this and then is riding the beast that is worshipped?? So the angel then explains what was just seen. The Interpretation of the Desert Vision:

17:7-8,
The beast is described and Identified. . .he is a demon that is in the abyss

17:9-11,
The seven heads are discussed. . . they are kings and kingdoms past, pres, fut.

17:12-14,
The ten horns are discussed. . .they are kings/nations in tribulation

17:15,
The waters

17:18,
The woman

17:9
“The mind with wisdom” “Seven Hills” are where the woman sits.
This can not be Rome since she also is sitting:
a) “waters” 17:15, 1
b) “beast” 17:3
c) “seven hills” 17:9

17:10
The mountains are seven kings.