17:1 And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:
17:2 With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.
The "Whore of Babylon" symbolizes the lust for riches and self-gratification. This is true whether we are talking about within the individual or the human race as a whole.
17:3 So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet colored beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.
The beast on which this “woman” rides is man made ideas stemming from self- gratification. These forces have taken control of the seven chakras of the human body, which are symbolized by the beast’s seven heads. The ten basic urges of the human body are symbolized by the ten horns.
17:4 And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet color, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:
17:5 And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
This is the symbol for human lust for riches and self-aggrandizement.
17:6 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Yeshua: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.
The woman being “drunk with the blood of the saints and martyrs of Yeshua” means that the forces of Spirit have been affecting her, making her purer, and thereby less dangerous.
17:7 And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns.
The spiritual forces of the consciousness now enlighten the individual as to the nature of the beast being ridden by the “Whore of Babylon.” This description is given in the next passage.
17:8 The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.
The ideas stemming from self gratification, which are the support system for human lust for riches and self-aggrandizement, are born from the subconscious mind’s area of repression or inner desires. It is to this place that the forces will be returned when they are no longer energized.
17:9 And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.
The seven mountains symbolize the high regard with which most humans hold their lust for riches and self aggrandizement.
17:10 And there are 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.
The seven kings symbolize the seven forces of corruption within the chakras. When they manifest, they must be recognized for a short time, acknowledged as being inappropriate, and overthrown.
17:11 And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition.
The ideas stemming from self gratification will be repressed.
17:12 And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.
The ten kings symbolize the corrupting forces in the psyche, born of selfishness and materialism.
17:13 These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.
The one mind that all these things have is the human intellect.
17:14 These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.
This is the conflict between the material and spiritual impulses that occurs within the psyche. The spiritual forces will eventually dominate the psyche.
17:15 And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.
This means that this conflict exists within every person, regardless of their cultural background, location or language they speak.
17:16 And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.
The ten human urges will be reduced or eliminated, thereby purifying the psyche of lust for riches and self-gratification.
17:17 For the gods hath put in their hearts to fulfill their will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of the gods shall be fulfilled.
These ten urges only empower greed until the purification process is concluded. Then they work against it.
17:18 And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.
The kings of the earth are the ideas within the individual that are based on greed.