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🕊️ Revelation 17 and the Purging of Willful Sin
Introduction: Revelation 17 is often read as a vision of worldly empires and political dominance. Yet the text unveils a deeply personal dimension: the life of one believer and how willful sin is judged, purged, and ultimately brought under Christ’s sovereignty. This page explores that symbolic reading, connecting Revelation 17 with Matthew 25, Hebrews 10, Joel 1, and Ezekiel 39.
These Chapters symbolically retell the story of the Day of the Lord, cleansing a willfully sinful believer of sin. As is concisely stated by Paul in 1 Corinthians 5:5.
Babylon as the Backslidden Believer
- The whore of Babylon represents the Christian who falls into spiritual adultery through willful sin (Hebrews 10:26–27).
- Her adornment with scarlet (Rev 17:3) recalls kokkinos, a dye derived from the seed‑like kermes insect, symbolizing corruption rooted in false “seed.”
- Babylon’s intoxication (Rev 17:6) illustrates how sin blinds and consumes the believer’s witness, as seen in Isaiah 28.
- She is carried by Demonic spirits controlled by God and the Lion of the tribe of Judah, Hosea 5:14, Rev 17:17.
- The unbelievers admire this wickedness Rev 11:10 and 13:8.
- These beast spirits hate the willfully sinful Christian who becomes the home of the evil spirits (Rev 18:2), but God uses them and calls His people out of their presence in Rev 18:4, similar to Jesus statement in Matthew 24:15-28.
- Some of God’s people do not come out of Babylon, and thus they partake of Her plagues Rev 18:4.
- But Jesus cleanses the Backslidden Christians of the evil demonic presence if the Christian maintains their faith, Matthew 5:26, John 2:15, and 2 Thessalonians 2:8.
The Beast and Its Heads
- Rev 17:5 The scarlet woman is known as Mystery Babylon and the Mother of earthly/elemental/carnal abominations.
- This is an adulterous, drunken believer—intoxicated with the blood/lives of saints
- This believer is seated on or carried by several blasphemous things, which are represented differently throughout the chapter as Mountains, waters, nations, beasts with heads and horns, all representing ruling elemental/carnal spirits.
- The things upon which the Whore/adulterous believer sits are controlled by God (Rev 17:17) because the Lord will not allow a believer to be tempted more than they are able (1 Cor 10:13 and 2 Peter 3:10).
- These carnal/elemental spirits make Her desolate – but they melt away as the Lord cleanses the believer if they maintain their faith 2 Thess 2:8.
- These elements will melt away on the Day of the Lord, a time of judgment.
- The Beast has seven heads (Kings or Mountains) and 10 Horns.
- They represent the spirits which hate the whore and are the abominations which make the whore delsoate, this is the demonic spirits – they represent the Day of the Lord coming as a thief.
- These are the elemental authorities or demonic powers ruling the believer’s life. It was a beast – then was not a beast and yet is still a beast (then went to perdition and is the eighth head), just as a person was carnal, then was not carnal (born from above), and still was carnal and went to perdition/ruin or loss 1 Cor 3:15.
- The person saved through fire goes to perdition and suffers loss.
- Unbelievers marvel as the person was carnal – became pious – yet remained in sin and continued to call themselves a believer.
- This is the Balsphemous head in Rev 13:3, one of the blasphemous heads was killed (became Pious), but their blasphemy was revived.
- Eighth head (Rev 17:11) = a blasphemous resurrection of the same nature, echoing Revelation 13’s wounded head that revives to blaspheme again.
- This cycle — was, is not, yet is —.
- The Believer was born in the Line of Adam (they were unsaved). This means “the Beast was.”
- They were born from above, meaning that “the beast is not.”
- They then backslide into sin again. This means that the beast spirit “Yet is.”
- The beast spirit either leads to perdition/ruin. Meaning that the beast spirit is either consumed (2 Thess 2:8) out of the Believer’s life, or causes the believer to no longer hear the voice of the Lord. This is the third woe, Matt 12:45, 2 Peter 2:20, and Rev 18:23.
The Horns and the Fire
- Ten horns = demonic authorities permitted to act as agents of judgment.
- They strip Babylon naked, eat her flesh, and burn her with fire (Rev 17:16).
- Fire here is not endless torment but the consuming presence of the demonic abode (Matt 25:41), where elemental things melt away on the Day of the Lord (Joel 1:15).
- This fire purges the carnal nature, preparing the believer for cleansing.
God’s Sovereign Purpose
- Revelation 17:17 uses the plural hearts (tas kardias), showing multiple blasphemous impulses or authorities acting together (Lk 8:30).
- Yet God directs even demonic forces: “For God has put it into their hearts to accomplish His purpose.”
- Christ, as the Lion of Judah, devours the elemental things (2 Peter 3:10), ensuring that judgment fulfills His word.
- Ezekiel 39:7 confirms this: God’s holy name is purified among His people through judgment.
The Unified Narrative
- Hebrews 10:26–27 – Willful sin leads to fiery judgment.
- Revelation 13 & 17 – The blasphemous head/beast dies, revives its blasphemy, and finally goes into perdition/judgment called the Day of the Lord.
- Joel 1:15 – The Day of the Lord brings destruction and cleansing.
- Matthew 25:41 – Eternal fire is the abode of demons.
- Matthew 5:25–26 – The believer remains in their presence until the “uttermost farthing” is paid (until they repent), Matt 17:11, John 14:23, and Acts 3:19-21, and they are then released.
Together, these passages retell the same story: a believer’s willful sin leads to desolation, but God’s sovereign fire purges and restores.
Conclusion
Revelation 17 is not about empires — it is a revelation of Jesus Christ in the believer’s life. Christ in you – the hope of Glory Col 1:27. The whore of Babylon symbolizes spiritual adultery, the beast represents demonic authority, and the fire is the consuming judgment that purges carnal nature out of the Believer 1 Cor 3:15 and 1 Cor 5:5.
The Man of Sin, seen in 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3, is taught not to sin.
Through it all, Christ reigns as the Lion of Judah, ensuring that even judgment serves His purpose until His word is fulfilled.