Who are the women in Revelation 11, 17 & 18

[JBaldwin]

I am still in the process of working through my position on eschatology. Rather than reading a bunch of commentaries to start off, I decided to read straight through Revelation doing my best to not interpret it based on what I was taught by dispensationalists.

I have been puzzled by the woman mentioned in Revelation 11 and again with the prostitute in Revelation 17. Is the woman in Revelation 11 a reference to the seed of the women (Genesis 3) and the promise given to Eve?

And what is the prostitute in Revelation 17? It seems to me that this could be reference to the line of Cain from Genesis.

Can anyone offer me some help before I delve into a commentary?

 

[OPC'n]

When you do decide to read a commentary on Revelations may I point you to "Triumph of The Lamb" by Dennis E. Johnson. I've just started reading it, but my pastor vouches for it and he's amill....not sure what you are though.

 

[Anton Bruckner]

The prostitute is apostate judaism of the pharisees at Jerusalem. The other woman in the church of faithful believers. Paul mentions this in the letter that Jerusalem above is the mother of us all Gal 4:26.

The theme of the faithful bride/wife vs the unfaithful adulterous bride/wife runs throughout the Bible, even Jesus loved to use the imagery of the Bridegroom. John expertly uses this imagery in the Book of Revelation.

 

[Kim G]

I don't know the answer, but I would say that if you're studying eschatology, Revelation is probably not the best place to start.

Until you understand the clear passages in the gospels and major/minor prophets, Revelation will not be clear. At least that is my experience.

 

[JBaldwin]

I don't know the answer, but I would say that if you're studying eschatology, Revelation is probably not the best place to start.

Until you understand the clear passages in the gospels and major/minor prophets, Revelation will not be clear. At least that is my experience.

Revelation is the last thing I've studied on the subject since I've become reformed, Revelation is one of the last uncharted territories for me.

 

[Parsifal23]

The Woman in Revelation 11 is the Church Milltent throughout the interadvental age/the faithfull old testment rmenent where as The Whore of Babylon represents Apostate Jeruslum in A.D. 70 and all apostate and vainity found in the world that would try to seduce believers away from Christ.

 

[Casey]

Four lectures. Free download. Vern Poythress. Good stuff. He answers your questions.

 

[Turtle]

I am still in the process of working through my position on eschatology. Rather than reading a bunch of commentaries to start off, I decided to read straight through Revelation doing my best to not interpret it based on what I was taught by dispensationalists.

I have been puzzled by the woman mentioned in Revelation 11 and again with the prostitute in Revelation 17. Is the woman in Revelation 11 a reference to the seed of the women (Genesis 3) and the promise given to Eve?

And what is the prostitute in Revelation 17? It seems to me that this could be reference to the line of Cain from Genesis.

Can anyone offer me some help before I delve into a commentary?

In Chapter 17 the woman is explicitly explained as "the great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth." (v. 18). She sat upon many waters (v. 1). "The waters which though sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues." (v. 15).

Good for you that you are reading it on your own. You'll find you have a book that sheds a lot of light on commentaries.

 

[Peairtach]

According to my studying of Revelation, the woman in 12 is the Church, the prostitute is the Church gone bad - not only the Roman Catholic Church - and the bride in 19 is the Church restored and purified.

The prostitute is also a city called Babylon; the bride of Christ is also a city called the New Jerusalem.

The Old Testament church of Israel is compared to a prostitute e.g. in Ezekiel and elsewhere, and idolatry and moral compromise by the church are compared to adultery against God.

You'll find that Reformed scholars have different views on this and other aspects of Revelation.