Reading for May 10th

Read Revelation 17.1-18 In 17.1-18: The vision of the woman in purple. Once again the story moves from summary in detailed narrative, as the destruction of Babylon is acted out. The mention of the seven angels consciously connects this scene with the previous one (chs. 15-16). The great whore is a new character, but strongly reminiscent of the prophetic charge against God's people: Isa 1.21; Jer 3.1-9; Ezek 16; and throughout Hosea. At the end of the scene John will explicity identify her with the great city (Jerusalem at 11.8) that rules over the kings of the earth, which can only mean Rome. This is also the power of the name Babylon-the city that, like Rome, destroyed Jerusalem. Nevertheless, the violence of thebeast against the whore (v.16) is strongly suggestive of the destruction of Jerusalem in the Jewish-Roman war (with imagery drawn from Ezek 16.36-42). All who sleep with the beast will be devoured. In verse 3: In the spirit is John's way of signaling the spiritual nature of the vision, see 1.10, 4.2, and 20.10. The beast was introduced in ch. 13.4: The purple, scarlet, and goldmark the woman as senatorial class, for only they could wear those colors. In verse 5: Jeremiah saw Babylon as a golden cup in God's hand, making the nations drunk (51.7-8). Forehead (see 13.6). In verse 6: Being drunk with blood echoes the third bowl, 16.6. In verse 8: The beast who was, and is not and is to come is often understood with reference to the ancient myth of the return of Nero, but that myth did not involve Nero's death. Another possibility is that while the present Roman government might not seem so bad, both its past (the death of Jesus) and its future (the final battle) show its beastly or demonic underpinnings. The description satirizes the description of jesus at 1.17-18. In Verse 9: The seven kings are symbolic: There are to be seven emperors (a complete series), but the present emperor is always a sixth (see 666 at 13.11-18). None of the many attempts to count actual rulers has proven convincing. Comments or Questions..