This chapter, along with chapter 18, is a teaching interlude that shows John (and us) why the judgments in chapter 16 are righteous and just. We see, in symbolic form, the depths of the evil world and we understand why God’s wrath is so strong against it. We also see the source of Babylon’s destruction – not God, but Babylon’s own wicked lovers.

As chapter 17 begins, John is invited to see the judgment of “the whore,” but first he sees her arrayed in her power. The angel bears witness that the whore has power over all the earth (“many waters”) and that she has influence over the kings and people of the world. Through the power of the Spirit, John actually sees the whore, though he is seeing a symbol surrounded by other symbolic layers of meaning. He sees her excesses in her lust for wealth and pleasure, as shown by her clothing and jewelry. He sees her pride, as shown by the name on her forehead. He sees her wickedness by that name and by her murder of the righteous.

Centuries earlier, Nephi saw a similar vision. “Many generations” after the time of peace that followed the coming of Christ to the Americas, Nephi saw the “whore of all the earth.” This part of his vision clearly concerns the time of the Great Apostasy and the last days. What he saw helps us understand what John saw and recorded, particularly chapters 13, 17, and 18 of John’s revelation.

As 1 Nephi 13 opens, Nephi sees “the nations and kingdoms of the Gentiles” (verse 3). Among those nations, he sees “the formation of a church which is most abominable above all other churches, which slayeth the saints of God, yea, and tortureth them and bindeth them down, and yoketh them with a yoke of iron, and bringeth them down into captivity” (verse 5). The founder of “this great and abominable church” is the devil himself (verse 6). “And I also saw gold, and silver, and silks, and scarlets, and fine-twined linen, and all manner of precious clothing; and I saw many harlots,” which, the scripture explains, “are the desires of this great and abominable church” (verses 7-8).

Next, Nephi sees Columbus discovering America (verse 12), followed by the Revolutionary War (verses 17-19), which further helps to place the prophecies in the time of the Great Apostasy. Nephi learns that the “great and abominable church, which is most abominable above all other churches” was formed after the Bible went forth “from the Jews unto the Gentiles” (verse 26). Further, he sees that the great and abominable church takes “away from the gospel of the Lamb many parts which are plain and most precious; and also many covenants of the Lord” (verse 26). Their motive is malicious: “And all this have they done that they might pervert the right ways of the Lord, that they might blind the eyes and harden the hearts of the children of men” (verse 27). “Because of these things which are taken away out of the gospel of the Lamb, an exceedingly great many do stumble, yea, insomuch that Satan hath great power over them” (verse 29).

In the verses that follow, Nephi learns that the “abominable church . . . is the mother of harlots” (verse 34); that that church had dug a “great pit . . . for the destruction of men” (1

Nephi 14:3); and that “that great and abominable church . . . is the mother of abominations” (verse 9). Nephi learned that there are finally only two churches on the earth, “the one is the church of the Lamb of God, and the other is the church of the devil; wherefore, whoso belongeth not to the church of the Lamb of God belongeth to that great church, which is the mother of abominations; and she is the whore of all the earth” (verse 10). “The whore of all the earth . . . sat upon many waters; and she had dominion over all the earth, among all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people” (verse 11). Because of that dominion, and “because of the wickedness and abominations of the whore,” the numbers of the church of the Lamb of God “were few” (verse 12).

“And it came to pass,” Nephi wrote, “that I beheld that the great mother of abominations did gather together multitudes upon the face of all the earth, among all the nations of the Gentiles, to fight against the Lamb of God. . . And it came to pass that I beheld that the wrath of God was poured out upon that great and abominable church, insomuch that there were wars and rumors of wars among all the nations and kindreds of the earth. . . And when the day cometh that the wrath of God is poured out upon the mother of harlots, which is the great and abominable church of all the earth, whose founder is the devil, then, at that day, the work of the Father shall commence, in preparing the way for the fulfilling of his covenants, which he hath made to his people who are of the house of Israel” (verses 13, 15, 17).

This great and abominable church is the church of the devil. It is the “mother of abominations.” It is the “whore of all the earth.” It is Babylon.

Elder Bruce R. McConkie gave a powerful description of that church: “What is the church of the devil in our day, and where is the seat of her power? If we accept the angelic word, if we believe as Nephi believed, and if, the Lord willing, we see what Nephi saw, then we shall accept without question the reality around us. The church of the devil is every evil and worldly organization on earth. It is all of the systems, both Christian and non-Christian, that have perverted the pure and perfect gospel; it is all of the governments and powers that run counter to the divine will; it is the societies and political parties and labor unions that sow strife and reap contention. It is communism; it is Islam; it is Buddhism; it is modern Christianity in all its parts. It is Germany under Hitler, Russia under Stalin, and Italy under Mussolini. It is the man of sin speaking in churches, orating in legislative halls, and commanding the armies of men. And its headquarters are everywhere – in Rome and Moscow, in Paris and London, in Teheran and Washington – everywhere that evil forces, either of church or state or society, can be influenced. The immanent and all-pervading presence of evil in high places is one of the signs of the times” (McConkie, Millennial Messiah, 54-55).

verses 1-18 The nature of Babylon and the cause of her fall.

1 And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:

verse 1 “one of the seven angels” One of the angels with one of the bowls of the wrath of God (Revelation 15:7) approaches John and invites him to see the judgment of “the great whore.”

“talked with me” John is not merely observing things in his vision, for the angel is interacting with him, apparently speaking with him as one man does with another. The angel offers to show John the whore that represents the fountain of evil in the world; in Revelation 21:9 an angel (possibly the same one) takes John to see the “bride of the Lamb.” In both cases, John sees the woman as a city: the first as the wicked city of Babylon, the second as the holy city of New Jerusalem.

“the judgment of the great whore” The image of prostitution was commonly used in the Old Testament to depict extreme apostasy not only from religion but from all that is godly and good (Isaiah 1:21; 23:16; Jeremiah 2:20-31; 13:27; Ezekiel 16:15, 28-29; Hosea 2:5; Nahum 3:4).

Nephi gives us a definition of who the great whore is: “He that fighteth against Zion, both Jew and Gentile, both bond and free, both male and female, shall perish; for they are they who are the whore of all the earth; for they who are not for me are against me, saith our God” (2 Nephi 10:16). The “judgment of the great whore” means, simply, the punishment of the world of wickedness. The judgment is described in detail in Revelation 17 and 18.

Nephi also saw that great judgment:

The blood of that great and abominable church, which is the whore of all the earth, shall turn upon their own heads; for they shall war among themselves, and the sword of their own hands shall fall upon their own heads, and they shall be drunken with their own blood.

And every nation which shall war against thee, O house of Israel, shall be turned one against another, and they shall fall into the pit which they digged to ensnare the people of the Lord. And all that fight against Zion shall be destroyed, and that great whore, who hath perverted the right ways of the Lord, yea, that great and abominable church, shall tumble to the dust and great shall be the fall of it.

For behold, saith the prophet, the time cometh speedily that Satan shall have no more power over the hearts of the children of men; for the day soon cometh that all the proud and they who do wickedly shall be as stubble; and the day cometh that they must be burned.

For the time soon cometh that the fulness of the wrath of God shall be poured out upon all the children of men; for he will not suffer that the wicked shall destroy the righteous. . .

Behold, my brethren, I say unto you, that these things must shortly come; yea, even blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke must come; and it must needs be upon the face of this earth; and it cometh unto men according to the flesh if it so be that they will harden their hearts against the Holy One of Israel (1 Nephi 22:13-16, 18; see also D&C 88:94).

“sitteth upon many waters” The interpretation of the expression “many waters” is given in Revelation 17:15: “The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.” As Nephi saw, “[the whore] had dominion over all the earth, among all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people” (1 Nephi 14:11). The imagery rests on Jeremiah 51:13, where the prophet describes ancient Babylon as the city that “dwellest upon many waters, abundant in treasure.” The waters the woman sits upon represent “peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues” whom the harlot rules (verse 15). Little wonder that the angel calls her “great,” an adjective denoting quantity not quality.

And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven bowls, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will show unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:

2 With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.

verse 2 “With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication” The rulers of the earth, who ought to lead in righteousness, instead lead the people into sin. They “commit fornication” with the whore by selling that which is good and right and true, even their very souls, for the pleasure and power the whore will give them. They commit fornication by turning from their true husband, or at least him to whom they are betrothed – God himself – to Babylon.

“the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication” Drunkenness here is a symbol of apostasy, in which the people lose the power of good judgment because of their unwise choices. “They are drunken, but not with wine,” Isaiah prophesied, “they stagger, but not with strong drink” (Isaiah 29:9; see Jeremiah 51:6-9). The wine that makes them drunk is not the fornication of sexuality but that of unfaithfulness to God (see commentary on Revelation 14:8).

3 So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.

verse 3 “So he carried me away in the spirit” Nephi (son of Lehi) received the same blessing when he experienced his vision of the last days (1 Nephi 14:30; 15:1; 2 Nephi 4:25), as did Jesus in the days of his temptation (JST Matthew 4:8). It appears that in these instances the Spirit, or the Holy Ghost, may carry a person to another location, while at the same time enabling him to transcend his physical limitations to rend the veil. In the years before the coming of Christ to the Americas, the prophet Nephi (son of Helaman) was cast into prison – but by “the power of God . . . he was taken by the Spirit and conveyed away out of the midst of them. And it came to pass that thus he did go forth in the Spirit, from multitude to multitude, declaring the word of God” (Helaman 10:16-17). Others in the scriptures who received this blessing include Adam (Moses 6:64), Lehi (1 Nephi 1:8), Ezekiel (Ezekiel 37:1), and Mary, the mother of Jesus (1 Nephi 11:19).

“into the wilderness” In Revelation 12 we saw the woman who represented the church of God, the bride of Christ, go into the wilderness for safety. Now we see her counterfeit, the woman who represents the church of the devil, dwelling in the wilderness. In the first instance, the wilderness symbolized a place of refuge; here it symbolizes the dryness and desolation of sin.

“I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast” This beast is most likely the same as that found in Revelation 13:1 – both have seven heads and ten horns (see commentary there). The woman is the whore spoken of in Revelation 17:1.

The beast that supports the woman appears to be the monster that came up from the sea. Its color, horns, and heads are the same as the dragon’s, but it is more closely associated with blasphemy. In chapter thirteen John states that the monster wore “upon his heads the name of blasphemy” (verse 1) and that he “opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name” (verse 6). The beast in the wilderness is “full of the names of blasphemy” (Revelation 17:3, alternate translation). Clearly the beast that supports the mistress has become the embodiment of sacrilege.

This does not mean that it merely defiles and reviles the name of God. It goes even further by claiming the very attributes of deity; indeed, of being deity itself. Second Thessalonians 2:3-4 tells us that the “son of perdition . . . opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.” The special form this blasphemy takes is the claim of savior. But the salvation the dragon offers is the momentary thrill – the cheap pleasure of the prostitute that is fleeting, empty, and immoral. The beast’s seductive promises are anchored solely in the illusion that one can find happiness and security in iniquity.

The scarlet color of the beast is the same color as the ribbon that was tied around the neck of the scapegoat on the Day of Atonement; the ribbon represented the sins of Israel. In the same way, the scarlet of the beast seems to represent sin (Isaiah 1:18).

“full of names of blasphemy” This phrase repeats the description of the beast in Revelation 13:1. But in the earlier reference, the beast had the name of blasphemy on his seven heads; here the beast is full of those names.

“having seven heads and ten horns” As we learn in Revelation 17:9-10, the seven heads represent seven mountains and seven kings. The ten horns represent ten kings that are yet to come. These numbers may well be symbolic rather than literal. See commentary on Revelation 13:1; 17:9-12.

4 And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:

verse 4 “And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour” Purple clothing symbolizes royalty (Judges 8:26), and scarlet clothing symbolizes wealth and nobility (2 Samuel 1:24; Proverbs 31:21; Lamentations 4:5; Daniel 5:7; Matthew 27:28-29). The woman’s clothing indicates her position of wealth and power in the world.

But there is a deeper significance. In the Old Testament, purple and scarlet appear together only in Exodus (occurring twenty-six times), and in every instance the colors are used, together with blue and white linen, to describe the tabernacle of the Lord and the clothing of the high priest (see, for example, Exodus 26:1, 31, 36). Purple and scarlet were used in the curtains of the tabernacle, the hanging for the door, the hanging for the gate of the court, and the veil itself. They were used for the ephod (linen apron) of the high priest, as well as for his girdle, the hems of his robe, the breastplate, and the cloths used in the temple rituals. Thus, the woman is standing as counterfeit for the most sacred elements of the true religion – the high priest who presided over all the people, and the temple. She is trying to supplant the religion of God with a false religion, one that points the people to sin and excess and ultimately to a worship of Satan himself (Revelation 13:4).

The woman who is Babylon is not only wickedness but also political power, and moreover, not only political power but religious systems that entice all men to turn their hearts to Satan. She seems to combine elements of the first and second beasts and the false prophet.

Even with all her worldly trappings, the glory of this woman pales when compared to the “woman clothed with the sun” in Revelation 12:1 and the simple beauty of the bride of the Lamb in Revelation 19:7-8.

“decked with gold and precious stones and pearls” These are symbols of wealth. The word decked indicates that the woman wears an excessive amount of this jewelry. In fact, everything about the woman speaks of pride, worldliness, and excess.

“having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication” A golden cup indicates wealth – and one seeing such a cup would expect to find in it something pleasurable to drink. Instead, the woman’s cup is filled with “abominations and filthiness,” which stem from the woman’s “fornication” in turning her heart from God to Satan (Jeremiah 7-8; D&C 10:20-22). Abominations are offenses against God that are particularly vile and disgusting.

5 And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

verse 5 “And upon her forehead was a name written” The book of Revelation mentions a mark on the forehead seven times. We read in Revelation 13:16, 14:9, and 20:4 of the mark of the beast on the forehead or in the hands of those who follow him. In Revelation 7:3, 9:4, 14:1, and 22:4 we read of the righteous receiving the name or seal of God on their foreheads. But here the woman has her own name written on her forehead. Some authorities believe it was common in ancient Rome for prostitutes to write their names on their foreheads, probably on a headband (Mounce, Book of Revelation, 311).

John paints the picture of a priestess-harlot standing as a counterfeit high priest. The woman, therefore, represents more than rulers or nations with their attendant power (the beast’s heads and its horns do that). The woman epitomizes a religious-philosophical or theological system through which men are seduced to worship the dragon. For this reason, she combines elements of both the first and second beast but more especially those of the false prophet.

“Mystery” The righteous know the hidden things of God, called the “mysteries.” The greatest mysteries are reserved for those who receive the keys to such mysteries in the temple, who keep their temple covenants, and who hunger and thirst after the things of godliness. The woman here is the embodiment of the mysteries of Satan, the counterfeit of the mysteries of God. These mysteries are found in false religious creeds, in “the secret works of darkness” (2 Nephi 10:15; 9:9; 26:22; 28:9), and in secret combinations, “which . . . is most abominable and wicked above all, in the sight of God” (Ether 8:18; Helaman 6:22- 23; Moses 5:51).

“Babylon the Great” “Babylon the great is the church of the devil; it is the world with all its evil and carnality; it is every organization of every kind, sort and form – whether religious, civic, political, fraternal, or otherwise – which espouses a philosophy or promotes a cause which leads men away from salvation and toward the kingdoms of lesser glory in the eternal world” (McConkie, Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, 3:558). As the Lord says in latterday revelation, Babylon is “the midst of wickedness” (D&C 133:14).

“mother of harlots and abominations” Babylon not only is a prostitute herself but is the mother of other prostitutions, other harlots on the earth. Not only does the woman embody one form of great wickedness on the earth, but she fosters organizations, religions, governments, philosophies, and attitudes that embrace the devil and his world.

In the Bible, the term abomination describes those things so vile that they rouse the instant wrath of God. In their worse form, they are called “the abomination of desolation” and are associated with the corruption of the temple (cf. Daniel 11:31; Matthew 24:15). Their presence in the temple causes God’s spirit to withdraw, leaving the sanctuary fully exposed to destruction. In particular, the Greek form of the word bdelugma denotes idolatry and harlotry, especially when combined to create a maleficent worship (see Deuteronomy 29:26; 2 Chronicles 28:3).

The abominations here include those spoken of in Daniel, where the temple and other sacred things are desecrated and corrupted (Daniel 11:31; Matthew 24:15). And they include the evil practice of combining harlotry with idolatry (Hosea 4:12-14). In the scriptures, the Lord calls all of the following an abomination; all are engendered by Babylon, the mother of such things:

incest (Leviticus 18:6-16, 26-27)

homosexuality (Leviticus 18:22)

bestiality (Leviticus 18:23, 26-27)

idolatry (Deuteronomy 7:25; 12:29; Malachi 2:11)

offering an impure sacrifice to God (Deuteronomy 17:1)

offering human sacrifice (Deuteronomy 18:10, 12)

using those who practice divination, enchantments, witchcraft (Deuteronomy 18:10, 12) using wizards, necromancers (Deuteronomy 18:11-12)

using those who cast spells or consult the dead (Deuteronomy 18:11-12)

transvestism (Deuteronomy 22:5)

taking money earned as a prostitute into the temple to pay a vow (Deuteronomy 23:18) being dishonest in financial dealings (Deuteronomy 25:13-16; Proverbs 11:1)

making idols (Deuteronomy 27:15)

sodomy (1 Kings 14:24)

being prideful (Proverbs 6:17; 16:5; Jacob 2:13, 16; Helaman 4:11-12)

lying (Proverbs 6:17, 19; 12:22)

murder (Proverbs 6:17)

contentiousness (Proverbs 6:19)

justifying the wicked and condemning the just (Proverbs 17:15)

offering sacrifice in wickedness (Proverbs 21:27)

adultery (Ezekiel 18:11; 22:11)

oppressing the poor and needy (Ezekiel 18:12; Helaman 4:11-12)

wilfully failing to pay debts (Ezekiel 18:12)

whoredoms (Jacob 2:28)

fornication (Alma 39:3-5)

secret combinations (Helaman 7:25)

cannibalism (Moroni 9:10)

rape (Moroni 9:9)

the creeds of apostate churches (JS-H 1:18-19)

6 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.

verse 6 “drunken with the blood of the saints / martyrs” Babylon is the name of the spirit that comes over those who kill the prophets. That spirit has infected much of the world. (See commentary on Revelation 16:6; also, see Revelation 18:24; Matthew 23:34-35; 2 Corinthians 4:8-11; Hebrews 9:16.) The word drunken suggests that through the ages the righteous have been victims of a great slaughter – a slaughter that was intoxicating to the perpetrators.

“when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration” John does not “admire” this embodiment of great wickedness. A better translation of the Greek word here would be “astonishment” (See note c to Revelation 17:6 in the LDS edition of the KJV.), John is amazed or astonished at the extreme level of Babylon’s wickedness.

verses 7-18 The angel interprets some of the symbols John has seen in his vision, particularly in chapters 13 and 17: the woman, the beast, the seven heads of the beast, and the ten horns on those heads. Although the horns of the beast, which symbolize kings, make war with the Lamb, they also, in the end, turn on the woman and destroy her. In turn, the horns of the beast are “overcome” in their war with the Lamb.

7 And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns.

verse 7 “And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery” The angel serves as a guide and interpreter for John (and for us) through John’s vision, offering to explain the mystery of the woman, the beast on which she sits, and the seven heads and ten horns of the beast (For other examples of angels filling this role, see Daniel 7:15-16; 8:15; 1 Nephi 11-14.).

8 The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.

verse 8 “The beast that thou sawest was, and is not / shall ascend out of the bottomless pit” The beast that John saw in Revelation 13 received what seemed to be a mortal wound; but he was healed and given life again, to the astonishment of the world. That beast was, meaning at one time it existed, but it is not, meaning that at the time of John’s vision it no longer existed on the earth. So, where was it? Perhaps in the bottomless pit, which is a symbol of the prison in which Satan will be kept. Yet, sometime after John’s vision, the beast will come forth from the bottomless pit to continue to work his evil work on the earth. For instance, after the two witnesses have completed their work on earth, the beast who ascended from the bottomless pit will “make war against them . . . and kill them” (Revelation 11:7). See commentary on Revelation 9:1-2; 13:1-8.

“go into perdition” Perdition is the eternal dwelling place of Satan and those who consciously choose him instead of the light. One of Satan’s names is Perdition (D&C 76:26; Moses 5:24) these followers are called the sons of perdition (D&C 76:31-48). Perdition is used to translate the Greek apoleia, which means “destruction” and which likely stems from apollumi, which means ruin or loss (Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, “Greek Dictionary of the New Testament,” numbers 622, 684). In the end, the beast (meaning all those people who embrace and support that which the beast does) will be cast into perdition with Satan, his master.

“they that dwell on the earth shall wonder” In Revelation 13:3 we read that “all the world wondered after the beast” when he was healed of his fatal wound. This seems to be a repetition of that same incident.

“whose names were not written in the book of life” This phrase helps us to identify those who will wonder at the beast: all those who have not truly come unto Christ and been claimed as his. We have the same qualifier in Revelation 13:8, which says that all people on earth will worship the beast except those whose names are written in “the book of life of the Lamb.” See commentary on Revelation 3:5.

“from the foundation of the world” The foundation of the world is the Creation – those whose names have been written in the book of life from the Creation will not “wonder” at the beast. Perhaps this passage refers to the Lord’s foreknowledge of those who will come unto exaltation (1 Peter 1:2; Alma 13:3, 7). Or it may refer to the collective group of the righteous, whose names were written in the book of life beginning with Adam and Eve.

“when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is” We read at the beginning of the verse that the beast “was, and is not.” Here we read that the beast “yet is.” He lived, he died, and now he lives again. See commentary on Revelation 3:3.

“This is an obvious parody of the Lamb, who was put to death yet came back to life and now is alive forevermore (Revelation 1:18; 2:8). The description is also an intentional antithesis to the One ‘who is, and who was, and who is to come’ (Revelation 1:4, 8; 4:8). In the broadest sense the beast is that satanically inspired power which, although having received the stroke of death, returns to hurl himself with renewed fury against the forces of God. It is this incredible power of resuscitation that causes the inhabitants of the earth to stand in awe. He is the beast of chapter 13 who had received a death-stroke in one of his heads and yet survived (Revelation 13:3, 12, 14). Down through history he repeatedly ‘comes up out of the Abyss’ to harass and, if it were possible, to destroy the people of God. He is the little horn of Daniel 7 (Antiochus Epiphanes) who rises out of the fourth kingdom (the ‘most terrifying’ fourth beast, Daniel 7:19) to make war against the saints (Daniel 7:21). He is Nero, who instigates a persecution of the Christians to avert suspicion that he is responsible for the burning of Rome. The beast was; at the moment he is not. John wrote under the shadow of an impending persecution. The beast is about to come again. This coming will be his last, for now the King of kings and Lord of lords will throw him (along with the false prophet) alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur (19:20)” (Mounce, Book of Revelation, 314).

9 And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.

verse 9 “And here is the mind which hath wisdom” This expression is similar to that found in a comparable setting in Revelation 13:9: “If any man have an ear, let him hear.” In other words, wisdom and thoughtful searching will bring the understandings in this chapter.

“The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth” The beast (or political / philosophical / economic / religious power) that gives the woman her headquarters or base of operations has seven heads, which the angel tells us represent seven mountains. Rome is the traditional “city on seven hills” (Virgil, Aeneid, 6:782; Martial, Epigrams, 4:64; Cicero, Letters to Atticus, 6:5). Yet John may be referring not to literal Rome but to Rome as a symbol of all that is powerful and corrupt in the world. The number seven indicates perfection or completion – in this case, complete corruption or perfectly evil power. In other words, the woman’s headquarters in any age is an evil power, as Rome was in John’s day.

10 And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.

11 And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition.

verses 10-11 Some have felt that these verses spell out clearly the identity of the archenemy of the Christians in John’s day as Domitian. See the background commentary at the beginning of this commentary on Revelation, especially the historical background material.

Note that John seems to have confused the time frame to throw everyone but the Christians off: “and there are seven kings: five are fallen [the emperors Augustus through Nero have died], and one is [Vespasian], and the other is not yet come, and when he cometh he must continue a short space [Titus – who ruled only two years] and the beast that was [Nero], and is not [Nero is dead], even he is the eighth [thus, by the principle of Nero redivivus, John boldly identifies the beast as the eighth emperor Domitian], “and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition.”

Again, if John had Domitian in mind then he intended a dual meaning.

The precise identity of the kings, however, is not as important as their function in the vision. The seven kings may represent many kings of the earth, and the number seven, which indicates perfection or completeness, may tell us that all the kings of the earth, as a whole, are part of the beast and supportive of the evil woman.

“And the beast that was, and is not” This beast is the same one identified and discussed in Revelation 13:1-8 (see commentary on Revelation 17:8).

“even he is the eighth, and is of the seven” The beast has seven heads that represent seven kings. But the beast himself is also a king, the eighth in the series – yet at the same time “of the seven.” This is obviously a paradox, one without an easy answer. Some argue that Nero was one of the seven and that, according to a myth, he returned. Apparently, many in the first century (presumably including some of the saints) believed in this myth. Some believed that Nero had not died at all but had gone into hiding. Others argued that the evil, bloodthirsty Domitian was a reincarnation of the evil, bloodthirsty Nero (Mounce, Book of Revelation, 316; Dummelow, One-Volume Bible Commentary, 1087). But by now both Nero and Domitian have long since perished, yet the beast continues into the latter days as part of the seventh seal, and he will be present at the destruction of Babylon at the last day. Perhaps the beast transcends all the other kings; perhaps he, as anti-Christ, is “of the seven” in the sense that his evil purpose is fulfilled in them – and, as the eighth, he may fulfill all that the others set in motion and sought to accomplish.

“and goeth into perdition” This expression reiterates that the beast will be defeated and banished from the earth.

12 And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.

verse 12 “the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings” These ten kings all seem to reign during the same general period; they are united in their support of the beast and his principles and goals. The number ten here seems to signify “the whole of a part” (Draper, Opening the Seven Seals, 193) – the kings symbolized here might be representative of all the kings and kingdoms of the world (except God’s), particularly those when the world is ripe in wickedness (see also Daniel 7).

“which have received no kingdom as yet” The kings represented by the ten horns are all in John’s future, and the prophecy seems to suggest that they will hold power during the seventh seal, when they will unite against the whore (Revelation 17:16).

“receive power as kings one hour with the beast” These kings will receive their power from the beast, but they will hold it only a short time (“one hour”).

13 These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.

verse 13 “These have one mind” The ten kings have one united purpose, which is to support the beast. That mind and purpose are inspired by the master of the beast, Satan himself.

“Satan has control now. No matter where you look, he is in control, even in our own land. He is guiding the governments as far as the Lord will permit him. That is why there is so much strife, turmoil, and confusion all over the earth. One master mind is governing the nations. It is not the President of the United States; it is not Hitler; it is not Mussolini; it is not the king or government of England or any other land; it is Satan himself” (Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, 3:315).

“and shall give their power and strength unto the beast” The ten kings will lend their support to the principles and philosophies and goals of the evil king and evil kingdom that is called the beast.

14 These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.

verse 14 “These shall make war with the Lamb” The Lamb, of course, is Jesus Christ (see commentary on Revelation 5:6). The war is part of the war that began in heaven (Revelation 12:7) and continues as the beast tries to destroy the true believers in Christ (Revelation 13:7). This war will come to a bloody conclusion at Armageddon (Revelation 16:13-16; 19:17-21).

“the Lamb shall overcome them” Christ will be victorious over all his enemies, “retaining all power, even to the destroying of Satan and his works at the end of the world, and the last great day of judgment” (D&C 19:3). This event, when Christ will conquer all at his second coming, is discussed in much greater detail in Revelation 19:11- 21.

“for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings” One reason why the Lamb is successful in his battle against his enemies is that he commands the hosts (or armies) of heaven, as the “Lord of lords, and King of kings.” Not only do both the Father and the Son reign as sovereigns over all the earth and over every earthly ruler of any kind but they also rule over heavenly lords and kings (Revelation 1:6; 5:10; 15:3; Deuteronomy 10:17; Daniel 2:47; 1 Timothy 6:15).

“they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful” Those who attend the Lamb in overcoming his enemies are those who have overcome the world. This seems to be the same group that is described in Revelation 14:4: “These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth.” And they continue with him at the Second Coming, as seen in Revelation 19:14: “And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.” Some of the called and chosen, of course, will still be alive as mortals at the Second Coming.

In one sense, to be called and chosen is to come to priesthood blessings and powers, in which one must be faithful (D&C 121:34-46). This phrase may also refer to those who have had their calling and election made sure. (TPJS, 42, 331.)

15 And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.

verse 15 “The waters which thou sawest . . . are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues” Here the angel gives a clear interpretation of where the whore is located – among all peoples of the world.

16 And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.

verse 16 “And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast” See commentary on Revelation 17:12.

“these shall hate the whore” Though they once sustained and assisted the whore in her evil work on the earth, as allies of the beast that supported her, in the end the ten kings will turn on her and destroy her – which will also bring their own destruction. Nephi saw the same event: “And the blood of that great and abominable church, which is the whore of all the earth, shall turn upon their own heads; for they shall war among themselves, and the sword of their own hands shall fall upon their own heads, and they shall be drunken with their own blood” (1 Nephi 22:13; Ezekiel 38:18-23).

“shall make her desolate and naked / eat her flesh / burn her with fire” Here is a paradox: Though the ten horns (ten kings) grow from the beast (a kingdom and ideology, as well as a specific king), and although the horns support and sustain the beast, and although the beast supports and sustains the whore (the church of the devil, the wicked world), yet the horns shall turn on the whore and help to destroy her. An old proverb says that there is no honor among thieves, meaning that though thieves may be allies for a time, in the end they will steal from each other. The Book of Mormon says that by the wicked will the wicked be punished (Mormon 4:5). Elsewhere it says that Satan will abandon his followers at the last day (Alma 30:60). In the same way, those who do the work of the devil often turn on each other.

These kings will not suddenly become righteous but will seek their own selfish ends in destroying the whore, not realizing that by their actions they will also destroy themselves. Perhaps the crazed self-destruction of the Nephites and Jaredites illustrates the mindless killing described here (Mormon 6:7-15; Ether 15:15-32).

The fate of the whore is striking. Instead of the finery that she once wore, the kings will strip her naked. Instead of drinking from a golden cup, she herself will be consumed – by those who turn on her like wild animals. Instead of being “drunken with the blood of the . . . martyrs” (Revelation 17:6), she herself will be killed. The particular method by which she is killed is important to note. Under the law of Moses, any daughter of a priest who chooses to “profane herself by playing the whore” is to be “burnt with fire” (Leviticus 21:9). Revelation 18:8 gives further details about the burning of Babylon. Ultimately, of course, Babylon, or the wicked world, will be destroyed by the fire of the coming of the Lord.

The description and fate of Babylon in the last days seems to mirror an allegory told by Ezekiel:

Revelation 17:2 Babylon the whore committed fornication with the kings of the earth. Ezekiel 23:17 Aholibah (representing Jerusalem, verse 4) allowed others to “[come] to her into the bed of love, and they defiled her with their whoredom.”

Ezekiel 23:19 “Yet she multiplied her whoredoms.”

Revelation 17:16 The ten kings will come to “hate the whore.”

Ezekiel 23:29 “And they shall deal with thee hatefully.”

Revelation 17:16 The ten kings “shall make her desolate and naked.”

Ezekiel 23:26, 29 “They shall also strip thee out of thy clothes, and take away thy fair

jewels, . . . and shall leave thee naked and bare.”

Revelation 17:16 The ten kings “shall eat her flesh.”

Ezekiel 23:25 “They shall take away thy nose and thine ears.”

Revelation 17:16 The ten kings “shall . . . burn her with fire.”

Ezekiel 23:25 “Thy residue shall be devoured by the fire.”

Revelation 17:18 The woman is a symbol for “that great city, which reigneth over the

kings of the earth.”

Ezekiel 23:4 The woman is a symbol for the city Jerusalem.

17 For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.

verse 17 “For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast” Though the kings likely do not know it, they serve God’s greater purpose in supporting the beast for a time (Isaiah 7:18; 45:1). It has not been revealed why this is part of the Lord’s plan.

“until the words of God [are] fulfilled” God has a plan which has been prophesied through his servants. All will proceed according to the divine will until all is accomplished (D&C 1:37). In particular, in this instance God has decreed that the kingdom of the wicked must be destroyed (Revelation 14:8; 16:19; 18:8).

For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled.

18 And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.

verse 18 “And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth” Who is the whore? She is the church of the devil, as we have seen. She is the source and instigator of great sin on the earth. She is mysterious and secretive. And she is a political entity – a city – as well as a great gathering of people. For a time, she had control of the other kingdoms of the earth, but eventually they will betray her and contribute to her destruction.

In the time of John, Rome was the great city and the very essence of evil. But Rome is only one manifestation of Babylon, which can be found in one form or another until the end. The seat and embodiment of evil is found in governments, societies, churches, and other associations of humans on the earth in all ages.