Revelation 17 Footnotes

17:14 The battle here takes place at the second coming (note the reversed wording from “KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS,” 19:16). This verse clarifies that the armies following the Lamb in 19:14 are believers, since the terms “called, chosen, and faithful” are not used for angels.

17:18–18:3 The description of Babylon’s destruction now returns to her being pictured as “the great city” (v. 18; see 16:19). While Babylon could include an actual city in the last times, it is more likely the lament in chap. 18 is modeled after Jr 51, which speaks of the wider Babylonian Empire, represented by the city of Babylon, of which it says that it will “never rise again” (Jr 51:64). It is now revealed that Babylon is not only the woman who has caroused with the nations, kings, and merchants of the earth (Rv 18:3), but she is, at core, demonic: the dwelling place of demons and unclean spirits (18:2).