Revelation 17–22
Introduction and Timeline for Revelation 17–22
The final chapters of Revelation gave hope to Christians facing persecution from outside the Church and from factions within the Church that were dissenting from accepted beliefs. Revelation 17–22 also describes the crescendo of final earthly events fulfilling Heavenly Father’s plan for the redemption of His children. John heard heavenly servants rejoice in praise for the salvation made possible through the Lamb’s triumph over evil. John saw the fall of wicked Babylon contrasted with the glories of the Second Coming and the blessings of exaltation for all those who follow God’s commands. John further saw that the righteous inhabitants of the earth and those who will come forth in the First Resurrection will enjoy a thousand years of millennial peace with Christ. The earth will then receive celestial glory and become the eternal home for all righteous Saints.
lesson 56 timeline
Commentary for Revelation 17–22
Revelation 17–18. The Fall of Babylon
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. These concluding events include the fall of Babylon, described in Revelation 17–18. Ancient Babylon had destroyed Jerusalem in 587 B.C., a traumatic and defining event in Israel’s history. 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.
“In Rev. 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”). It is likely that Babylon also represents all that is wicked in the world (see D&C 1:16; 133:14). 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). 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). 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).
Isaiah’s Vision of the Destruction of Babylon
Isaiah’s Vision of the Destruction of Babylon, by Paul Gustave Doré. Isaiah, John, and other biblical prophets foresaw the destruction of Babylon.
Revelation 17. The Woman and the Beast
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. Though these are possible meanings, a broader interpretation may be that Rome represented a seat of corruption in John’s day. As such, this worldly city may be likened to similar centers of corruption in all eras.
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. 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). John recorded that he was astonished at the greatness of the woman’s wickedness (see verse 6, footnote c). Nevertheless, in the end she will be overthrown by those she formerly ruled over (see verse 16; 1 Nephi 22:13).
Revelation 17:2–6. The Culture of Babylon Permeates the World
In Revelation 17:2–6, John described Babylon as a harlot clothed in fine, jeweled apparel and drunken with blood. 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). Institutions, governments, and people who embrace this lifestyle can be seen as part of Babylon. While serving in the Seventy, Elder David R. Stone spoke of this pervasive corruption:
“There is no particular city today which personifies Babylon. Babylon was, in the time of ancient Israel, a city which had become sensual, decadent, and corrupt. …
“… 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. 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). …
“What an insidious thing is this culture amidst which we live. It permeates our environment” (“Zion in the Midst of Babylon,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2006, 90–91).
Revelation 17:6. “Drunken with the Blood of the Saints”
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. The scriptural language suggests that the slaying of the righteous had an intoxicating effect on those who carried out the slaughter.
Revelation 17:8–11. Temporary Nature of the Beast
John saw that the beast “was, and is not” (Revelation 17:8). 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’s language suggests that the wickedness of the world will be temporary.
Revelation 17:12; 20:4; 22:5
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. “War with the Lamb, and the Lamb Shall Overcome”
Though the scenes John saw in Revelation 17 can seem frightening, he also saw that “the Lamb shall overcome” the wickedness of the world (Revelation 17:14). President Gordon B. Hinckley (1910–2008) affirmed that the Lord and His people will prevail in the war against evil:
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