The woman in Revelation 17 represents a worldwide religious system, not a literal woman.
Les Feldick teaches that just as the beast in Revelation 17 represents the political system, the woman represents the religious system. The shocking language of the 'great whore' is symbolic, not physical adultery or immorality. Her wealth, her golden cup, and her sitting on seven mountains all point to a false religious power that will dominate the end-times world.
Revelation 17:1 — This verse introduces the woman as 'the great whore that sitteth upon many waters,' identifying her as a symbolic figure rather than a literal individual.
Revelation 17:3-5 — These verses describe the woman's appearance, her name, and the beast she rides, giving the textual basis for seeing her as a system.
Revelation 17:6 — This verse shows the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, linking the religious system to persecution of true believers.
Revelation 17:1 calls this woman 'the great whore that sitteth upon many waters.' In verse 3, John sees 'a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.' Verse 4 describes her as 'arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication.' Her forehead bears the name 'MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH' (verse 5). Verse 6 says John 'saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus.' In verse 9, the angel tells John, 'The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.' The biblical text presents the woman as a symbolic figure in a vision, not as a literal woman.
Les Feldick teaches that the woman in Revelation 17 is a religious system, not a literal woman. He says, 'just like the beast refers to the political system, this woman here is referring to the religious system again' (Clip 2). He clarifies that the language of the 'great whore' and 'fornication' is not physical adultery or immorality (Clip 3). The female gender is simply the way Scripture describes this religious system, just as people commonly say 'she' or 'her' about a religious system (Clip 1). Les points out that the woman's purple and scarlet clothing, gold, precious stones, and pearls all speak of 'tremendous wealth.' He notes that in large religions, the subjects are often poor while the hierarchy holds the wealth (Clip 7). He also teaches that all the religions of the world—Shintos, Hindus, Mohammedans, Catholics, Protestants, 'you name it'—will come under one great religious system (Clip 7). The woman's drunkenness with the blood of the saints shows how religion of one sort or another has persecuted true believers (Clip 2). Les interprets the seven heads in Revelation 17:9 as seven mountains or nations, with the religious system sitting on them (Clips 4, 6). He also traces the roots of every false religion back to the Tower of Babel (Clip 0), connecting this end-times religious system to that same Babel root.
No. Les says the language of 'the great whore' shocks us, but it should be understood as a religious system, not physical adultery or immorality (Clip 3). He points out that the woman is referred to in the female gender, just as people say 'she' or 'her' about a religious system (Clip 1). He also notes that the Bible frequently uses a woman in a bad light in prophetic imagery (Clip 5).
The woman is 'arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls' (Revelation 17:4). Les says all of this speaks of 'tremendous wealth.' He draws attention to the large religious organizations of the world, where the subjects are poor while the hierarchy holds the wealth, and he says this same picture will be true of the end-times religious system (Clip 7).
Revelation 17:9 says, 'The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.' Les interprets the seven mountains as seven nations, and the woman—the religious system—sits on them (Clips 4, 6). This positions the world religious system over the political structure of the end times.
The name on the woman's forehead is 'MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH' (Revelation 17:5). Les traces the roots of every false religion—past, present, and future—back to the Tower of Babel (Clip 0). Since the woman is a religious system (Clip 2), she pictures the final false religious system emerging from that same Babel root.
Babel Roots of False Religion
Les teaches that every false religion that has ever been, is now, or will come has its roots in the Tower of Babel, showing why the end-times religious system pictured by the woman is false religion with ancient roots.
The Woman Is a Religious System
Les identifies the woman in Revelation 17 as a religious system referred to in the female gender, just as people refer to a religious system as 'she' or 'her.'
Religious System vs. Political Beast
Les says the woman is the religious system and the beast is the political system, and he ties the woman's drunkenness with the blood of saints to religious persecution of true believers.
Not Physical Adultery
Les explains that the shocking language of the 'great whore' is not about physical adultery or immorality; it is a description of a false religious system.
Seven Heads Are Seven Nations
Les reads Revelation 17:9 as seven mountains or nations, and the woman—the religious system—sits on them, indicating her place over political power.
Scripture's Use of a Woman in a Bad Light
Les notes that the Bible often uses a woman to picture something negative, and Revelation 17's woman fits that prophetic pattern.
Woman Sits on Seven Nations
In a separate session, Les repeats the same interpretation: the seven heads are seven nations, and the woman is the religious system seated on them.
Wealth and the Worldwide Religious Umbrella
Les teaches that the woman's purple, scarlet, gold, precious stones, and pearls signify tremendous wealth, and that all the world's religions will come under this one system.
Revelation 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:
This verse first introduces the woman as 'the great whore,' framing her as a symbolic figure to be explained.
Revelation 17:3: So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.
The woman is seen riding the beast, showing her close connection to political power.
Revelation 17:4: And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:
This verse provides the key details of the woman's wealth and the cup that points to spiritual corruption.
Revelation 17:5: And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
The name ties the woman to Babylon and identifies her as the source of religious harlotry and abominations.
Revelation 17:6: 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.
This verse reveals the woman's persecution of true believers, a central aspect of her identity.
Revelation 17:9: And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.
This verse explains that the seven heads are mountains, and the woman sits on them, showing her position over the world's political structures.
The woman represents a worldwide religious system, not a literal woman. Les Feldick teaches that just as the beast represents the political system, the woman represents the religious system. This is why the scripture speaks of her as a 'great whore' sitting on many waters.
No. Les says the language is symbolic, and the fornication mentioned is not physical adultery or immorality. The woman is a religious system referred to in the female gender, just as people often call a religious system 'she' or 'her.'
The cup is full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication (Revelation 17:4). Les explains that this is not physical immorality but refers to the corrupt nature of the false religious system. The cup pictures the religious system's spiritual corruption.
Les says this speaks of tremendous wealth. He points out that in large religions, the subjects are often poor while the hierarchy holds the wealth, and this end-times religious system will be the same. The clothing and jewels show the riches that will be gathered into this system.
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