![]() How long will the followers of the beast exercise power, compared to those who follow Christ? What do these verses teach about the duration of worldly and heavenly rewards? How should this guide your choices? Revelation 17:14. John’s language suggests that the wickedness of the world will be temporary. He also saw a vision of “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” ( Revelation 17:10). John saw that the beast “was, and is not” ( Revelation 17:8). The scriptural language suggests that the slaying of the righteous had an intoxicating effect on those who carried out the slaughter. Revelation 17:6 describes the woman being “drunken with the blood of the saints,” which suggests that throughout the ages, many righteous people have been slain by the wicked. It permeates our environment” ( “Zion in the Midst of Babylon,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2006, 90–91). “What an insidious thing is this culture amidst which we live. As the Lord has said: ‘They seek not the Lord to establish his righteousness, but every man walketh in his own way, and after the image of his own god, whose image is in the likeness of the world’ ( D&C 1:16). … ![]() “… That sensuality, corruption, and decadence, and the worshipping of false gods are to be seen in many cities, great and small, scattered across the globe. Babylon was, in the time of ancient Israel, a city which had become sensual, decadent, and corrupt. … “There is no particular city today which personifies Babylon. Stone spoke of this pervasive corruption: While serving in the Seventy, Elder David R. Institutions, governments, and people who embrace this lifestyle can be seen as part of Babylon. One possible meaning of John’s description in these verses is that in the last days, a lifestyle of sexual immorality, wealth, and violence would permeate the world (see also 1 Nephi 13:5–9). In Revelation 17:2–6, John described Babylon as a harlot clothed in fine, jeweled apparel and drunken with blood. The Culture of Babylon Permeates the World Nevertheless, in the end she will be overthrown by those she formerly ruled over (see verse 16 1 Nephi 22:13). John recorded that he was astonished at the greatness of the woman’s wickedness (see verse 6, footnote c). John described the woman as “the great whore that sitteth upon many waters” ( Revelation 17:1 see also 1 Nephi 14:10–13) she commits fornication with kings and inhabitants of the earth (see verse 2) her clothing depicts power and wealth (see verse 4) she is the “mother of harlots,” which indicates that she gives birth to other prostitutions-organizations, governments, and ideologies that spew forth wickedness ( verse 5). The terms used to describe the woman who rode upon the beast attest to the great political and destructive power she will have over nations and kingdoms and people. As such, this worldly city may be likened to similar centers of corruption in all eras. Though these are possible meanings, a broader interpretation may be that Rome represented a seat of corruption in John’s day. Scholars have historically interpreted the beast with seven heads as an allusion to the city of Rome because Rome was founded upon seven hills, as well as a reference to a number of Roman emperors in the first century A.D. Isaiah, John, and other biblical prophets foresaw the destruction of Babylon. Isaiah’s Vision of the Destruction of Babylon, by Paul Gustave Doré. Isaiah's vision of the destruction of Babylon John’s vision of Babylon parallels much of Nephi’s vision of the great and abominable church (see 1 Nephi 13:4–9, 26–29 14:3–17 22:13–16, 18). In this sense, Babylon is the antitype of the righteous bride that represents the Church (see Revelation 19:7–8) and the antithesis of Zion as “the pure in heart” ( D&C 97:21). Chapters 17–18 depict Babylon as a “whore” holding a cup “full of abominations and filthiness” and as the “mother of harlots” ( Revelation 17:1, 4, 5). It is likely that Babylon also represents all that is wicked in the world (see D&C 1:16 133:14). 14:8 16:19 17:5 18:2, 10, 21, Babylon probably denotes Rome, the great antagonist of Messiah’s kingdom” (Bible Dictionary, “Babylon or Babel”). Israelite prophets in turn wrote about the eventual destruction of Babylon (see Isaiah 13:19–22 21:9 Jeremiah 50:35–36, 40 51:6–8), and John drew upon their language as he described the ultimate destruction of the spiritual enemies of God’s people. Ancient Babylon had destroyed Jerusalem in 587 B.C., a traumatic and defining event in Israel’s history. These concluding events include the fall of Babylon, described in Revelation 17–18. In Revelation 16:17, the seventh angel poured out his vial, signaling the final destructive events that will precede the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. New Testament Student Manual : Religion 211-212 Commentary for Revelation 17–22 Revelation 17–18.
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