Question to Biblical scholars only please!!!!?

Question

In Revelatuion , it mentions the great prostitute that sits on many waters.Revelation17:1.. Where do you believe this is and can you explain how you came to this conclusion.. I am studying Revelations and am very perplexed with this book..Thanks for all your help in advance..

or is this a symbolic meaning to something else and not an actual city..

if you answered this question , could you please answer or reply to the other question I posted ...

Answer 1

The whole book refers to things that have already happened. The Roman Empire 'fell' or rather 'transformed' into The Roman Catholic Church, which is why many had much fun in the Middle ages claiming it referred to the Pope.

Of course, with any 'Symbolic Work', it keeps on getting reworked as history keeps grinding on, to have new meanings.

Try looking up Wikipedia, that will point you to some real scholarship into the historical relevance.

BTW, the Battle of Armageddon has been fought several times - near the town of Megadon - the most recent one with tanks. Its location is on an important place where much travel to important places passes through.

Answer 2

THE ' HARLOT' that 'sits' on many waters is false religion.
False religion 'sits on' or 'controls' millions of people.
(Revelation 17:1-2) And one of the seven angels that had the seven bowls came and spoke with me, saying: “Come, I will show you the judgment upon the great harlot who sits on many waters, 2 with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, whereas those who inhabit the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication.”

The 'kings of the Earth' are the world's governments.
So false religion is involved with governments.
False religion is also called "Babylon the Great".
(Revelation 17:5) And upon her forehead was written a name, a mystery: “Babylon the Great, the mother of the harlots and of the disgusting things of the earth.”
Revelation tells us that false religion is done away with.
(Revelation 18:2) And he cried out with a strong voice, saying: “She has fallen! Babylon the Great has fallen, and she has become a dwelling place of demons and a lurking place of every unclean exhalation and a lurking place of every unclean and hated bird!

(Revelation 18:3) For because of the wine of the anger of her fornication all the nations have fallen [victim], and the kings of the earth committed fornication with her, and the traveling merchants of the earth became rich due to the power of her shameless luxury.”

Rev. 18;8 states 'she' will be burned with fire....destroyed.
Verse 9 says that governments will say they are sorry for 'her'.
Verses 16 & 17 describe 'her'.
(Revelation 18:16-17) saying, ‘Too bad, too bad—the great city, clothed with fine linen and purple and scarlet, and richly adorned with gold ornament and precious stone and pearl, 17 because in one hour such great riches have been devastated!’
You might ask...which religious group has 'great riches' and dresses in purple and scarlet.?

Answer 3

The great harlot! Who is she? Some have identified this symbolic harlot with ancient Rome. But Rome was a Political Power. This harlot commits fornication with the kings of Rome. Besides, after her destruction, the kings of the earth are said to mourn her passing. Therefore she cannot be a Political power.(Revelation18:9,10) Aditionaly, since she is mourned also by the worlds merchants,she could not picture big business,.(Revelation18:15,16) We read, however, that'by her spiritistic practices all the nations were misled'(Revelation18:23) This makes it clear that the great harlot must be a religious entity.Which religious entity?Is she the Roman Catholic Church as some maintained? Or is she all of Christendom? No!, she must be even larger than these if she is to mislead all the nations. She is in fact, the entire world empire of false religion. /her origin in the mysteries of Babylon is shown in that many Babylonish doctrines and practices are common in religions around the earth. For example, belief in the inherent immortality of the human soul, in a hell of torment, and in a trinity of gods is to be found in most Oriental religions as well as in the sects of Christendom. False religion, spawned more than 4000 years ago in the ancient city of Babylon, has developed into modern day monstrocity, that is called, appropriatelly, Babylon the Great. Why?, though, is she described in the repugnant term the great harlot?
Babylon( or Babel, meaning confusion)came to its peak of greatness in Nebuchadnezzar's time. It was a religio-political state with more than a thousand temples and chapels. Its priesthood exercised great power. Though Babylon has long since ceased to exist as a world power, religious Babylon the Great lives on, and after the ancient patern, she still seeks to influence and mold political affairs. But does God aprove of religion in politics? In the Hebrew Scriptures, Israel was said to prostitute herself when she got involved with false worship and when instead of trusting in God, she made aliances with the nations.(Jeremiah3:6,8,9 ; Ezekiel16:28-30) Babylon the Great also commits fornication. Outstandingly, she has done whatever she deems expedient in order to gain influence and power over the ruling kings of the earth(1Timothy4:1).

Answer 4

Answering... The whore refers to the Roman Empire, As you will note in Revelation 17:4 "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"
Purple was considered a royal color and this I clearly a desciption mocking the emporer nero and the roman empire. The number of the beast is commonly known as the mark of nero. In Revelations 17:1 it states that "The prositute sits on many waters" this refers to the Roman empires strong navy and world wide trade ability. You have to remember that the Jews and the romans hated each other. The book of revelations was almost like a slander peice of propaganda to motivate early judeo christians. They had to speak in an Symbolic tone because the romans were much stronger and were murdering the jews, so they used symbollism to describe their enemy. The Judeo Christians believed that the end of days was upon them at that time. It was never ment to refer to anything happening today.

NOTE: Birdflies answer is totally incorrect. The "Saints" Were a refernce to the blood of the early Jewish saints killed by the empire. Think about it!

Answer 5

It is the armies against the Lord's armies. Revelation is complex beacuse if it was written in plain english people would be freaking out.
My favourite scripture at the moment is "God willl destroy those who destroy the earth". So the greenies have not got it wrong.It is also from Revelation. I love the old testament. So many great stories. I always loved the story of Joseph who was his father's favourite.

Answer 6

Hi Joanna

You got one correct answer above (at the time I started to type).

Please follow the attached links, they will guide you to an understanding of Revelations better than any other source I have found. This is going to be a pretty big, broad study in order to help you understand this vitally important book.

http://www.livingcog.org/cgi-bin/lcg/studytopics/lcg-st.cgi?category=EndTime1&item=1116549907

http://philologos.org/__eb-ttb/default.htm

http://www.cog21.org/whobeast.html

http://www.cbcg.org/letter_november_2005.htm#charts

http://www.livingcog.org/cgi-bin/lcg/studytopics/lcg-st.cgi?category=Prophecy1&item=1116548355

http://thetrumpet.com/

http://angelmessage.org/judahs_sceptre/index.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Hills_of_Rome

http://www.teachingthelaw.org/

http://www.pcog.org/Default.asp?siteMapId=LiteratureLibrary

http://www.cog21.org/abip.html

http://www.biblestudy.org/prophecy/mark-beast.html

http://www.biblestudy.org/



Edit: Loretta b, you were a bit off subject, but if you like the story of Joseph you might like this link:

http://angelmessage.org/judahs_sceptre/index.html

Answer 7

Some say it's Rome however, Rome was a political power This whore commits fornication with the kings of the earth, and this evidently includes the kings of Rome. After her destruction, "the kings of the earth" are said to mourn her passing. Therefore, she cannot be a political power.

Answer 8

The *whore* is the Catholic Church (like it or not)
The church is considered the "bride'' of Christ. The harlot is a woman who is considered the opposite of that. She represents herself as the ''bride'' of Christ but is a false bride.
The Catholic Church has a history rich with murder and torture of those who opposed it and those who refused to convert

Answer 9

This great whore is none other then the Catholic Church system, She is the mother of harlots, & the harlots are these denomiantinal churches that became an off branch from that catholic system, That is why also in Revelations it says to come out of them my people & be not partakers of her sins, If you read Rev. 17:6 also it says this woman or whore was drunken with the blood of the saints, friend in the dark ages that catholic church system spirit had many true Christian killed.

Answer 10

Most scholars believe that the "Great Prostitute" is referring to the "Anti-Christ".

The Anti-Christ is anything that works against God's plan. Cults, pornography, crime...... If it is not working for Christianity, then it is against it.

Sitting on " Many Waters" refers to being spread over the face of the earth. I am sure you would agree that these evils are now spread world-wide.