“I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. And when I saw her, I marveled with great amazement” (Revelation 17:6).
It’s easy to understand our author’s astonishment at the scene presented to him in the opening verses of Revelation chapter seventeen. After all, if we were presented with the image of a finely-attired woman who proved to be a drunken, bloodthirsty, prostitute, we’d likely be amazed as well. However, our author’s angelic escort was quick to address that response…
“But the angel said to me, ‘Why did you marvel? I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and the ten horns.
The beast that you saw was, and is not, and will ascend out of the bottomless pit and go to perdition. And those who dwell on the earth will marvel, whose names are not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world, when they see the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.
Here is the mind which has wisdom: The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits. There are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, and the other has not yet come. And when he comes, he must continue a short time. The beast that was, and is not, is himself also the eighth, and is of the seven, and is going to perdition.
The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast. These are of one mind, and they will give their power and authority to the beast. These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful'” (Revelation 17:7-14).
The symbolic imagery behind this passage is difficult to unravel, and there is no single answer that is likely to satisfy every reader of these verses. Nevertheless, we should not find fault with this angelic explanation. The real issue is related to our understanding of that explanation. This should not deter us from a prayerful effort to understand these symbolic elements; instead, it should encourage us to seek the Author of these verses for additional insight.
With these things in mind, we can draw encouragement from a familiar portion of Scripture as we wrestle with this difficult passage…
“Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely” (1 Corinthians 13:12 NLT).