Revelation 17–22 Introduction — The Tale of Two Cities

Session 40 | An introduction to the contrasting visions of Babylon (the harlot) and New Jerusalem (the bride). Revelation presents two cities and two women — each demanding the reader’s allegiance. Source: A2K Online Church Archive — Babylon & New Jerusalem - An Introduction to Revelation’s Two Cities

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The Structure of Revelation’s Final Section

From chapter 17 through chapter 22, Revelation presents two contrasting cities personified as women:

Babylon (Chs. 17–19)	New Jerusalem (Chs. 21–22)
A harlot / prostitute	The bride of Christ
Drunk on the blood of saints	Pure, prepared for her husband
Clothed in purple and scarlet	Clothed with the glory of God
Holds a golden cup of abominations	Holds the water of life
Rides a scarlet beast	Descends from heaven
Destined for destruction	Eternal and enduring

These are not merely literal cities — they represent two realities, two value systems, two ways of life:

1. Fallen Babylon = the world system organized in opposition to God; the culture of empire, self-glorification, and violence
2. New Jerusalem = the people of God living under his reign; the community of the faithful, pure and prepared for Christ

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Why This Introduction Is Necessary

The teacher devotes this session to orienting readers to the “two cities” framework because the details of both visions are dense and easily misunderstood. Before diving into the specifics:

• Babylon = Rome for the first readers, but Babylon is a recurring reality in every age
• New Jerusalem = the church as the bride of Christ, already descending from heaven as a present spiritual reality
• The reader must choose which city to be a citizen of

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How the Two Cities Function

Revelation does not present these two cities as mere information. They are rhetorical — designed to persuade and motivate:

Babylon

• Unmasks evil — shows Rome for what it truly is rather than its propaganda
• Discourages compromise — associating with Babylon brings judgment
• Shows the end of evil — Babylon’s destruction is certain

New Jerusalem

• Gives hope — God’s people have a glorious future
• Encourages faithfulness — the reward is worth the suffering
• Defines identity — believers are citizens of heaven, not of earthly empires

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The Practical Application

“This really challenged me into how I view the church today.”

The two cities call the reader to:

• Discern which “city” they are building their life in
• Reject the values of Babylon (greed, violence, self-glorification, idolatry)
• Embrace the values of New Jerusalem (faithfulness, purity, worship, love)
• Recognize that every generation has its own “Babylon” — and its own call to “come out of her”

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Summary

Babylon	New Jerusalem
Harlot	Bride
Drunk on blood	Clothed in righteousness
Worldly wealth	Divine glory
Destined for destruction	Eternal
Demands allegiance to Caesar	Calls for allegiance to the Lamb
Built by human empire	Built by God

“Revelation puts two cities in front of you and says: choose. You can be a citizen of Babylon or a citizen of New Jerusalem — but you cannot be both.”

Revelation 17 — Unveiling the Evil of Rome

Session 41 | The judgment of the great harlot, Babylon the Great, riding the scarlet beast. John exposes Rome’s true nature to Christians tempted to compromise. Source: A2K Online Church Archive — Revelation 17:1-18

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The Problem: Christians Who Didn’t Think Rome Was So Bad

Some first-century Christians believed they could ally with Rome for economic and social advantage. They thought: “If I don’t stick my neck out too much and I don’t talk about Jesus too much, nothing bad will happen to me.”

Revelation 17 unveils the evil of Rome — showing it for what it truly is: a murderous, idolatrous system drunk on the blood of God’s people. The chapter is designed to dissuade Christians from compromising with the Imperial system.

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The Vision of the Harlot (vv. 1–6)

“Come here, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters, with whom the kings of the earth committed acts of immorality.”

The Woman and the Beast

The harlot sits on a scarlet beast — the same beast from the sea (Rome). She:

• Is clothed in purple and scarlet — imperial colors, associated with wealth and royalty
• Is adorned with gold, precious stones, and pearls — excessive luxury
• Holds a gold cup full of abominations — the corruption of what is holy
• Has a name written on her forehead: “Babylon the Great, Mother of Harlots”
• Is drunk with the blood of the saints — she has murdered God’s people

“Mother of Harlots”

This title shows that Babylon is not just one sinful city — she is the origin and source of all spiritual unfaithfulness. Every manifestation of idolatry and rebellion traces back to this archetypal evil.

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The Angel Explains the Mystery (vv. 7–18)

“Why do you wonder? I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her.”

The Beast’s Seven Heads and Ten Horns

• Seven heads = seven mountains/hills (unmistakably Rome — the city on seven hills) AND seven kings
• Ten horns = ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom but will receive authority with the beast

The angel explains that the beast was, is not, and will come — a parody of God’s self-description (“who is and who was and who is to come”). The beast imitates divinity but is merely a counterfeit.

“The Beast That Was and Is Not”

This refers to the Nero redivivus myth — the belief that Nero (the first persecutor of Christians) did not truly die but would return. For John’s readers, Nero embodied the ultimate evil, and the beast represents that persecuting power concentrated in one figure.

The Seven Kings

The teacher explains that the seven kings represent a succession of Roman emperors. The exact identification is debated, but the point is clear: the beast embodies the cumulative evil of the Roman Imperial system, and its time is limited.

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Who Are the “Called, Chosen, and Faithful”? (v. 14)

“These will wage war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with Him are the called and chosen and faithful.”

In the midst of this dark vision, a promise shines: the Lamb wins. And those with him are described in three terms that describe Christian identity:

1. Called — summoned by God
2. Chosen — elected by God
3. Faithful — those who have persevered

These are the conquerors — not those who fight with swords, but those who follow the Lamb in faithful witness.

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The Harlot Destroyed by the Beast (vv. 16–17)

*“The ten horns and the beast will hate the harlot and will make her desolate and naked, and will eat her flesh and will burn her up with fire.””

In a striking twist, the beast and its allies turn on the harlot and destroy her. This shows:

• Evil is not unified — it eventually turns on itself
• Babylon’s fall comes from within as well as from God
• The corrupt system destroys its own supporters

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Summary

Element	Meaning
The harlot	Babylon/Rome — the corrupt world system
Sitting on many waters	Control over nations, peoples, and commerce
Scarlet beast	The Roman Empire that carries and supports Babylon
Seven heads	Seven hills of Rome / seven kings
Ten horns	Allied kings who serve the beast
Drunk on blood of saints	Guilty of persecuting and martyring believers
“Called, chosen, faithful”	The conquerors who follow the Lamb
Beast destroys harlot	Evil turns on itself

“Revelation unveils the evil of Rome because there were Christians who didn’t think Rome was evil at all. They thought compromise was harmless. Revelation shows them what they’re really dealing with.”

Rome — though a significant minority argue Jerusalem, the harlot who killed the prophets.

Papal Rome.

A rebuilt literal Babylon, a revived Roman empire, or a global economic order.

The seductive world-system in any era.