Revelation 17:6 (KJV)
And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.
“He wondered that one of her sex, generally timorous and fearful, should ride on such a monstrous creature; he was amazed at her dress and grand appearance ... that one bearing the name of a Christian church should rise to such grandeur ... and, above all, at her drunkenness with the blood of the saints ... and also at God's forbearance of her.” — John Gill
There are a number of things in this passage that caused John to marvel and that many in our age scarcely notice.
That the woman would ride the beast. Gill notes that in his day it would have seemed remarkable that a woman should exercise such authority over so fearsome a creature. In our culture, women commonly occupy positions of leadership and influence, so the image no longer surprises us as it once did.
That the woman would be dressed in such splendor. Modesty and humility are not prized as they once were, and drawing attention to oneself has become commonplace. The woman's grand appearance does not shock modern readers the way it may have shocked John.
That one bearing the name of a Christian church should attain such wealth, influence, and grandeur. Yet in our day, religious success is often measured by size, power, visibility, and influence.
What should still concern us is what concerned John most. She was “drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus.”
We know such things have happened before. The history of Rome's persecution of dissenters, the Inquisition, the work of the Jesuits during the Counter-Reformation, the sufferings of Baptists and other nonconformists, and the reign of Queen Mary—rightly remembered as Bloody Mary—remind us that a professing church can become intoxicated with power and persecution. Such drunkenness has happened before and may happen again.
Gill also notes God's forbearance toward her. That may be the greatest marvel of all. God, who loves His people and knows every injustice committed against them, nevertheless endures with long-suffering according to His perfect plan. His patience, His purpose, and His promise of redeeming grace are beyond our full comprehension. We may not fully understand them, but we can certainly rejoice that we have been among the blessed recipients of that grace.
#Revelation17 #BookOfTheRevelation #EndTimesStudy #ChurchHistory #MartyrsOfJesus
Drunken With the Blood of the Saints: The Woman, the Beast, and the Blind Spots of Religion
Have you ever considered why John was so astonished by the woman of Revelation 17? Which part of the vision stands out most to you—the woman riding the beast, her grandeur, her persecution of the saints, or God's patience toward her?
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