1. Waters: People under Satanic power and influence (See ver. 15).
3. Wilderness: Place of desolation and drought where no springs of God are.
Woman: The great imperial city in her corrupt religious character. Papal Rome.
Scarlet-Colored Beast: Imperial Rome in its blasphemous form.
4. Purple: Imperial raiment. [Combined with scarlet a mixture of heavenly and earthly.]
Scarlet: Human glory and splendor.
Gold, Precious Stones and Pearls: Affectation of divine righteousness, glory, and beauty.
Abominations and Filthiness: Idolatry and corruption; prostitution of Christianity.
Mystery: Pretension to truth.
9. Seven Mountains: Forms of government.
These, according to Livy and Tacitus, are
1. Kings }
2. Consuls }
3. Dictators } “Five are fallen.”
4. Decemvirs }
5. Military Tribunes }
6. Imperial: “One is” administered by Domitian in the time of John.
7. “And the other is not yet come.” [Foreshadowed perhaps by the first Napoleon.]