Competing views of her identity

1. Jerusalem below (as contrasted with Jerusalem above)
2. The papacy or Roman Catholic Church
3. Apostate Christianity, or a counterfeit church at the end of time, or an apostate ecumenical movement with or without Roman Catholicism
4. The city of Rome
5. Rome religiously considered
6. The world system
7. The literal city of Babylon on the Euphrates in the future (it is presently a heap of ruins)
8. All false religions flowing out of the tower of Babel
9. A new world religion at the end of times with a false prophet
10. A picture of all world cities (like London, Paris, New York, etc.) which become the centers for religion, philosophy, science, art, commerce and industry II.

The Mystery of the Scarlet Woman

A sampling of clues which progressively rule out all interpretations except the first one:

I. Identifying the Entity

The first clue is found in the final verse of the vision. According to Revelation 17:18 (and supported by 18:10, 16, 18, 19, 21), the woman is not a literal person, but a: [__________]

It is vital to see that the Whore and the Beast [____________] the same entity. According to Revelation 17:3, 7, and 16-17:

• She sits on the beast, she is distinguished from the beast, and she receives authority from the beast.
• Eventually, the beast and its "ten horns" (provinces) will turn on her and [____________] her.
• Therefore, she must exist at the same [____________] as the beast. This is a time when Rome is divided into ten provinces and has a specific line of emperors (17:10-12).

II. Location Clues: "The Great City"

The title "The Great City" is used for the Whore in Rev 14:8, 16:19, 17:18, and 18:21. To identify this city, we must look at the only other time John uses this title in Revelation:

• Revelation 11:8: Identifies "the Great City" as the place where [____________] Compare this with Luke 9:31, 13:33-34, 18:31, and 24:18-20.
• Old Testament Context: Jeremiah 22:8 and Lamentations 1:1 also use this title for: [____________]

III. The Evidence of Timing

The great whore has a totally different identity from the beast since she sits on the beast (17:3), is distinguished from the beast (17:7), receives authority from the beast (17:3,7) The Whore exists during a specific window of history defined by the Beast:

• The Kings: Revelation 17:10 says five kings have fallen, one exists now (while John is writing), and the seventh is yet to come.
• The Command to Flee: In Revelation 18:4, God commands His people to "Come out of her." This specific command to flee a city is only given elsewhere regarding the destruction of: [____________] (See Matt. 24:15-20; Mark 13:14-18; Luke 21:20-24).

**IV The Indictment: Why is she being punished? **

• Babylon's Crime: Rev 6:9-11; 18:20, 24; 16:5-6.
• Compare these sets of verses: Matt 23:31-36; Luke 11:49-50; The specific reason for her destruction is: [____________]

V. The Indictment: Guilt of Blood

The reason for her judgment is the "blood of the prophets" (Rev 16:5-6, 18:20, 18:24). Compare this indictment to the following:

• Matthew 23:31-36 & Luke 11:49-50: Jesus claims all the blood of the prophets will be required of [_______]

• Luke 13:33: Jesus declares, "it cannot be that a prophet should perish outside of __________."

The Whore "Babylon" is being punished for the exact same reason [____________] was ( Luke 23:28-31; 1 Thess 2:14-16; Acts 7:52.).

V. The Priestly Connection

The Whore’s appearance is a "dark mirror" of the Old Testament Tabernacle and Priesthood:

• Colors: She is decked in scarlet, purple, and gold (Rev 17:4-5). According to Exodus 25:2-4, 26:1-36, 27:16, and 28:1-23, these are the colors of the [____________]
• The Forehead: She wears a title on her forehead (Rev 17:5), providing a direct contrast to the [____________]'s tiara (Exodus 28:36-38).
• The Cup: She holds a cup in her hand (Rev 17:4), just as the [____________] did on the Day of Atonement.

VI. Comparison: The Great City vs. The Holy City

Fill in the parallels between The Great City (Rev 11) and the Whore (Rev 16-18):

The Second Trumpet (Revelation 8:8–9)

• The Burning Mountain: The "great burning mountain" thrown into the sea is an Old Testament symbol for Israel. This imagery is drawn directly from Jeremiah 51:25, and echoes other passages referencing Mount Zion/Israel such as 2 Samuel 5:7, Psalm 9:11, Isaiah 2:3, Micah 4:2, and Zechariah 9:9.

Conclusion: The Final Identity

Based on the lawsuit (κρίμα) presented in Revelation 17:1, John is showing the judgment of the Old Testament bride who became a whore (Isaiah 1:21; Jeremiah 2:20; Ezekiel 16:15).

According to the clues provided, the "Great Whore" is: [____________]