The Harlot Queen

Did you know that Roman emperors were fashion-forward? In fact, in the ancient empire, there was a law that forbade anyone but the emperor from wearing the color purple. Even today, we see the pope often robed in both “purple and scarlet” and bejeweled regalia during Roman Catholic feasts, rituals, and other public events.

Interestingly, the last king of Babylon, Belshazzar, promoted Daniel to “third ruler in the kingdom” by “[clothing him] with purple and [putting] a chain of gold around his neck” (Daniel 5:29), in similar fashion to the harlot. As is still common today, purple symbolizes royalty and prestige.

We know scarlet to be associated with the dragon (Revelation 12:3), a persecutor and shedder of much blood, as well as the originator of sin. “Your sins are like scarlet, … red like crimson” (Isaiah 1:18).

Fascinatingly, the harlot’s attire appears to resemble that of the Jewish high priest, who was likewise decked in an “ephod [sacred garment] of gold, blue, purple, and scarlet thread” (Exodus 28:6). But notice that there is one color missing from the harlot’s dress: blue. In Scripture, the color blue represents the law of God (Numbers 15:38–40).

From this, we can deduce that the harlot, this unfaithful church, is a rich and ruthless ruler who utterly rejects God’s law. Additionally, notice the contrast to the garb of the virgin woman, the faithful church, who is clothed in the creations of God (Revelation 12:1).

The harlot also holds “in her hand” the evidence of her crime, the “golden cup” with which she forces the world to drink her wine (14:8; 17:2). Fascinatingly, on the very night that the Medo-Persians snuck in via the dry riverbed and took Babylon by surprise, King Belshazzar had brazenly used “the gold vessels” (Daniel 5:3) from the Jewish sanctuary to toast his pagan gods (v. 4), in a mirror image of the harlot in today’s verse. What had once been reserved for worship of God was corrupted in adulterous idolatry. The sacred was made common, just as in this harlot’s cup.

Heavenly King, help me not to fall for the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.

For Further Study: Isaiah 64:6; Jeremiah 4:30; Matthew 27:28

Key Bible Texts

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: (Revelation 17:4 KJV)