Catholic Commentary on Revelation 17

"They will wage war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will triumph over them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings." (Revelation 17:14)

Babylon the Great

One of the seven bowl angels shows John the punishment of the great prostitute who sits by many waters, with whom the kings of the earth committed adultery. She is seated on a scarlet beast and dressed in purple and scarlet, glittering with gold and precious stones and pearls, holding a golden cup full of abominations and the filth of her adulteries. The name on her forehead is a mystery: Babylon the Great, the mother of prostitutes and the abominations of the earth. She is drunk with the blood of God's holy people and the blood of the witnesses of Jesus.

The angel explains the mystery. The seven heads are seven hills and also seven kings. The ten horns are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom but who will receive authority for one hour together with the beast. They will give their power and authority to the beast and wage war against the Lamb. They will wage war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will triumph over them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers. Babylon is the city seated on seven hills, almost certainly Rome as the contemporary embodiment of imperial power drunk with the blood of martyrs, but also every city and every system in every age that organises itself around the seduction of power and pleasure at the cost of the blood of the innocent.

Living the Word

Brothers and sisters, the Lamb will triumph over them. Not because the Church is more powerful. Not because Christians are smarter or better organised. Because he is Lord of lords and King of kings. The outcome of the cosmic battle is not in doubt. The called, chosen, and faithful followers are on the winning side not because of their own qualities but because of whose side they are on. Stay on that side.

Prayer

Lord of lords and King of kings, you will triumph over every power that wages war against you. Let us be among your called, chosen, and faithful followers. Do not let the golden cup of Babylon seduce us from the cup of the new covenant. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

17
The Woman on the Beast
1 Then one of the seven angels with the seven bowls came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the punishment of the great prostitute, who sits on many waters. 2 The kings of the earth were immoral with her, and those who dwell on the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her immorality.”
 
3 And the angel carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness, where I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns. 4 The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls. She held in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her sexual immorality. 5 And on her forehead a mysterious name was written:
 
BABYLON THE GREAT,
THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES
AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
The Mystery Explained
 
6 I could see that the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints and witnesses for Jesus. And I was utterly amazed at the sight of her.
 
7 “Why are you so amazed?” said the angel. “I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and ten horns.
 
8 The beast that you saw—it was, and now is no more, but is about to come up out of the Abyss and go to its destruction. And those who dwell on the earth whose names were not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world will marvel when they see the beast that was, and is not, and yet will be.
 
9 This calls for a mind with wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits. 10 There are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, and the other has not yet come; but when he does come, he must remain for only a little while.
 
11 The beast that was, and now is not, is an eighth king, who belongs to the other seven and is going into destruction. 12 The ten horns you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but will receive one hour of authority as kings, along with the beast. 13 These kings have one purpose: to yield their power and authority to the beast.
The Victory of the Lamb
 
14 They will make war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will triumph over them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and He will be accompanied by His called and chosen and faithful ones.”
 
15 Then the angel said to me, “The waters you saw, where the prostitute was seated, are peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues. 16 And the ten horns and the beast that you saw will hate the prostitute. They will leave her desolate and naked, and will eat her flesh and burn her with fire. 17 For God has put it into their hearts to carry out His purpose by uniting to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled. 18 And the woman you saw is the great city that rules over the kings of the earth.”

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