The Prostitute in Revelation 17 and 19 Identified
In Revelation 17 and 19, the "prostitute" or "great whore" is a symbolic figure representing a powerful entity that engages in spiritual and moral corruption and persecutes God's people [9]. The angel tells John, "Come here. I will show you the judgment of the great prostitute who sits on many waters" [4]. This figure is explicitly identified with "BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF THE PROSTITUTES AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH" [2, 3].
The imagery of a prostitute in biblical literature often signifies unfaithfulness, particularly in a spiritual context. For instance, the city of Tyre is metaphorically called a prostitute in Isaiah 23:17 because of its willingness to trade with anyone, symbolizing a lack of moral discernment [6]. Similarly, in Revelation, the prostitute is described as one who has been "false to her husband's bed, has forsaken the guide of her youth, and broken the covenant of God" [7]. This suggests a departure from true faith and a pursuit of worldly alliances and idolatry [8, 11].
The "many waters" on which the prostitute sits are explained as "peoples, multitudes, nations, and languages" [1, 5]. This indicates the widespread influence and dominion of this corrupt entity over the world's populations [10]. The prostitute is depicted riding on a scarlet beast with seven heads and ten horns, which is an instrument of judgment against her [11, 12].
While the text uses symbolic language, many scholars interpret "Babylon the Great" as a coded reference to Rome [8]. Rome, like ancient Babylon, was seen as a center of idolatry and moral obscenity, leading other nations into spiritual adultery [8]. The description of "Mother of All Prostitutes" implies that this entity not only engages in corruption herself but also propagates it, producing "offspring who copied her character" [8].
The judgment against this great prostitute is a significant theme in Revelation. God's judgment is described as "true and just" [9]. Although the prostitute rules over the masses, her power is ultimately temporary. The beast, which she rides, eventually turns against her, hating and destroying her [10]. This illustrates that even those used for evil purposes by Satan will ultimately face destruction [10]. The narrative in Revelation 19 celebrates the judgment of the great prostitute, emphasizing God's righteous justice in punishing the moral and spiritual corruption and persecution she represents [9].
Sources
- Revelation “He said to me, “The waters which you saw, where the prostitute sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and languages. -- Revelation 17:15”
- Revelation “And on her forehead a name was written, “MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF THE PROSTITUTES AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.” -- Revelation 17:5”
- Revelation of John “Revelation of John 17:5 (BSB) — And on her forehead a mysterious name was written: BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.”
- Revelation “One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and spoke with me, saying, “Come here. I will show you the judgment of the great prostitute who sits on many waters, -- Revelation 17:1”
- Revelation of John “Revelation of John 17:15 (LEB) — And he said to me, “The waters that you saw, where the prostitute is seated, are peoples and crowds and nations and languages.”
- Isaiah (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Isaiah 23:17: 23:17 Metaphorically, Tyre was a prostitute because of its indifferent willingness to sell anything to anyone (cp. Rev 17:2; 18:3, 12-13).”
- Revelation (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Revelation 17:1: Here we have a new vision, not as to the matter of it, for that is contemporary with what came under the three last vials; but as to the manner of description, etc. Observe, 1. The invitation given to the apostle to take a view of what was here to be represented: Come hither, and I will show thee the judgment of the great whore, etc., Rev 17:1. This is a name of great infamy. A whore [in this passage] is one that is married, and has been false to her husband's bed, has forsaken the guide of her youth, and broken the covenant of God. She had been a prostitute t”
- Revelation (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Revelation 17:5: 17:5 Using code language, John was probably referring to Rome (see 17:9) as Babylon the Great, Mother of All Prostitutes. Babylon was a symbol of the idolatries and demonic obscenities of the world. As Mother, she had produced offspring who copied her character. Rome, like Babylon, prostituted herself to false gods and led other nations into adultery and idolatry.”
- Revelation (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Revelation 19:2: 19:2 true and just (see 15:3; 16:7): In his righteous justice, God kept his promise of judging the great prostitute, who represents moral and spiritual corruption and persecution of God’s people.”
- Revelation (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Revelation 17:15: 17:15-16 While the prostitute rules over the masses, it does not bring her victory. Instead, the beast hates and kills the great prostitute. Satan strikes even those he uses for his evil purposes.”
- Revelation (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Revelation 17 (introduction): THE HARLOT BABYLON'S GAUD: THE BEAST ON WHICH SHE RIDES, HAVING SEVEN HEADS AND TEN HORNS, SHALL BE THE INSTRUMENT OF JUDGMENT ON HER. (Rev. 17:1-18) unto me--A, B, Vulgate, Syriac, and Coptic omit. many--So A. But B, "the many waters" (Jer 51:13); Rev 17:15, below, explains the sense. The whore is the apostate Church, just as "the woman" (Rev 12:1-6) is the Church while faithful. Satan having failed by violence, tries too successfully to seduce her by the allurements of the world; unlike her Lord, she was overcome by this temptatio”
- Revelation (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Revelation 17 (introduction): INTRODUCTION TO REVELATION 17 This chapter contains a vision of a beast, and a woman on it, and the interpretation of it; one of the seven angels that had the seven vials proposes to John to show him the whore of Babylon, the Jezabel before spoken of, who sits on many waters, with whom the kings and inhabitants of the earth have committed fornication, being intoxicated by her, Rev 17:1 in order to which he carries him into the wilderness, and there he sees a woman, who is described by the beast she sat on, of a scarlet colour, full of blasphemous na”