The Proper Context of Revelation 17:4

 I usually do a pretty good job avoiding politcal social media posts. Well, overall "pretty good" is the key. Usually my fingers just keep scrolling up, even when my brain starts typing out a theoretical response to what I see as oftentimes just plain silliness. 

And then there are the times like today, where I just can't avoid it. So, instead of replying on someone's post and getting in a long drawn-out Facebook debate that will have no real impact and not make any real difference, I have chosen to use my own blog as a space to set my thoughts in line.

Here is the image that has gotten to me today:

Not so much the image has gotten to me, as this is our US Vice-President being sworn into ofice on Jan 20, 2021 on 2 Bibles (obviously cropped out of this picture), but rather the irresponsible use of Scripture taken out of context and set to do harm against others is what has really gotten to me. 

While I avoid the political debates, I will gladly engage in a hermeneutical excursus of Scripture. This isn't about Democrat or Republican, this is about the reverence and authority of God's Word that should be rightly handled in such a way as to edify the people of God and lead us into holy living through sanctification (i.e. what Kenneth Collins calls "holy love").

So, let's look at this verse, shall we?

The King James Version translates this as "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:"

The New International Version says, "The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and was glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls. She held a golden cup in her hand, filled with abominable things and the filth of her adulteries."

Since this is a New Testament verse, it's a good idea for those responsible teachers of Scripture to at least see this as well:

καὶ ἡ γυνὴ ἦν περιβεβλημένη πορφυροῦν καὶ κόκκινον, καὶ κεχρυσωμένη χρυσίῳ καὶ λίθῳ τιμίῳ καὶ μαργαρίταις, ἔχουσα ποτήριον χρυσοῦν ἐν τῇ χειρὶ αὐτῆς γέμον βδελυγμάτων καὶ τὰ ἀκάθαρτα τῆς πορνείας αὐτῆς,

In Revelation chapter 17 one of the seven angels comes to show John the "punishment of the great prostitute" (17:1b)

Who is this prostitute mentioned here?

As the angel explains to John the meaning of this vision we see that the beast upon which this woman rides is the Roman empire, called Babylon the Great (see chapter 13). And this woman is sitting upon this beast.

And then this verse ends chapter 17, 

"The woman you saw is the great city that rules over the kings of the earth". 

"καὶ ἡ γυνὴ ἣν εἶδες ἔστιν ἡ πόλις ἡ μεγάλη ἡ ἔχουσα βασιλείαν ἐπὶ τῶν βασιλέων τῆς γῆς.”

πόλις = city

The word πόλις (pronounced polis) is the Greek word translated as a city where one lives or the inhabitants of a city (Strongs Concordance).

The woman (i.e. "prostitute") is NOT Kamala Harris. It is a metaphorical image of Rome. 

And for my Democratic friends who have posted that former President Donald Trump is the anti Christ, that is not biblically accurate either. I will be happy to post on that as well. 

Let's do better, and let's love one another as we anticipate the primary goal of the book of Revelation, and the culmination of our human existence:

Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,”for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 

I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.  

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.  

He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” (Revelation 21:1-5)

Amen. Come Lord Jesus. (Revelation 21:20b)