How do my fellow Believers interpret Revalation Chapter 17?

Question

What is your opinion on Revaltion Chapter 17? Doesn't this appear to be speaking about Rome, and Roman Catholicism? A 'Woman' is always referred to as church in the Bible. A 'whore" is referred to, in my opinion, a false church, and it is common knowledge that Rome has seven hills. "Mystery, Babylon" is very intriguing, but Roman Catholicism was a mixture of Christianity and Paganism created by Constantine in the 4th Century A.D. Moreover, symbols of the dragon have been used on papal shields, images of the sun are used from pagan Babylon, Roman founders are decendent from Babylon, and the pope himself carries a bent cross. The words 'Vicarius filii dei", the title on the crown of the pope, when translated from ROMAN NUMERALS, is guess what number? nobody throughout history has killed more Christians than Rome, and Roman Catholicism is itself false. Peter was to run the church, yet he along with Paul and others were imprisoned by the Romans?? What is everyone's opinion of Revalation 17

Diane, your explaination is horrible. Please understand what prophesy's definition is before making a statement...

Answer 1

It is a small part of why many Protestants are anit-Catholicism, including myself. Yes, I believe that the Catholic church is the whore of Babylon and the false prophet may be a Pope.

Answer 2

Revelation 17 is the doom of "MYSTERY BABYLON."
While you rather pointedly identify it as the Roman Catholic Church, and Rome, you should be aware that there are other cities built upon seven hills.

What you should also consider is that true Christians are taken out of this world by the time chapter 17 rolls around.

IF Mystery Babylon is geographical Rome, and IF it is a church based there, you should understand that it is not the Roman Catholic Church, per se. It will be perhaps what is left of the RC Church once it has been gutted of true believers in the rapture. It will be a mere shadow of what it once was and it will have morphed into a world-wide religious system through which the beast and the false prophet make great in-roads into world-wide financial and political domination.

Noteworthy is that JP's promotion and advancement of the Ecumenical movement has been abandoned and condemned by Benedict.

Answer 3

Its pretty obvious that John was talking about Nero and present day Rome, while he was experiencing the revelation.

He thought that Jesus would return before his death, because Jesus claimed he would, so the revelation was about what was happening at that time.

You can see it in how the churches of the time were listed, non of which exist today.

You can call it metaphors for different denominations and doctrines, but it is much more likely that John was having an 'vision' that he believed was about the Christians of that time.

Read it that way, read about what was happening at that time in History, and it will all make sense.

Otherwise it becomes a big mysterious guess.

Answer 4

The Woman is the Roman Empire, not to the Holy Roman Empire. It's historical commentary. He was referring to the reign of Nero Caesar. Rome sits on seven hills indeed.

Answer 5

Yes but not onlt Catholic Church but all false religion cause that woman has influence in all around the world.

Answer 6

Revelation is a book of prophecy. Prophecy does not exist to foretell the future. If it did, then God would be violating His own character, as He expressly forbids attempts to do that. Revelation exists to let you know that God is in control, that things don't happen by accident, and (in hindsight only) to let you know there's a purpose in things. Any attempt to use Revelation to predict what's coming is foredoomed. Trying to associate any of the images in it with current-world people, organizations, or events is pretty much a lost cause from the start.

Edit: Forgive me, oh All-Knowing One. Wouldst thou deign to offer thy handmaid an acceptable definition? I'll be in the kitchen washing dishes.

Answer 7

It is speaking of ALL false religion, including "non-Christian" ones.

Answer 8

All I can say is a I agree with what Diane just wrote!