Some Theories on Revelation 17:16

Update: I recently published an article questioning the assumption that both the ten kings and the beast hate Babylon the Great and destroy Babylon the Great with fire. Instead, I mention the possibility that the ten kings alone hate Babylon the Great and destroy her with fire. This article is available at the following: link

I’ve spent a lot of time these past 48 hours looking for potential reasons why the Antichrist and the ten kings grow to hate Babylon the Great and decide to destroy the harlot with fire, which is a detail mentioned in Revelation 17:16:

• Rev 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.

Today I list a general summary of the ideas I’ve encountered or devised in the past 48 hours of search and study.

• My intention in this article is to not evaluate the plausibility of each idea, but to just list them.

1. Destroy Out of Spite: The Antichrist and the ten kings may destroy Babylon the Great out of spite.

• The Antichrist’s empire (and the ten kings’ respective kingdoms) may be crumbling when they decide to destroy the harlot. Perhaps the Antichrist and the ten kings decide that the people of Earth should suffer if they cannot maintain their respective kingdoms/empire. To maximize suffering, the Antichrist and the ten kings destroy the chief city that the world depends upon to function.

2. Destroyed in a Power Struggle: The Antichrist and the ten kings may destroy Babylon the Great to "win" a competition over power/control.

• A theory I’ve seen posited in several prophecy commentaries is that the Antichrist may destroy Babylon the Great to establish his religious dominance over the planet.
• A related theory a reader posited is that the Antichrist and the harlot may work together to gain world domination and once dominance is established both the Antichrist and the harlot compete over control of the world. The Antichrist may destroy the harlot to gain complete control over the world.
• Another related theory I’ve read is that Babylon the Great’s economic dominance over the entire planet may restrain the Antichrist and the ten kings’ power. The Antichrist and the ten kings may decide to destroy the harlot in an attempt to seize complete power or to eliminate the constraints to their power.

3. Extreme Jealousy: The Antichrist and the ten kings may choose to destroy Babylon the Great because they may grow extremely jealous of how relatively unharmed the harlot is by the chaos taking place on Earth.

One of Babylon the Great’s most striking characteristics is its arrogance. The harlot/city’s arrogance may arise from being relatively unharmed by the chaos taking place around the world. Isaiah 47:8, 47:10, and Revelation 18:7 all suggest that the city may be relatively unharmed by the chaos since the city boasts that it is not a widow, shall never see the loss of children, nor shall never experience sorrow:

Isa 47:8 Therefore hear now this, thou that art given to pleasures, that dwellest carelessly, that sayest in thine heart, I am, and none else beside me; I shall not sit as a widow, neither shall I know the loss of children: … Isa 47:10 For thou hast trusted in thy wickedness: thou hast said, None seeth me. Thy wisdom and thy knowledge, it hath perverted thee; and thou hast said in thine heart, I am, and none else beside me.

Rev 18:7 How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.

Sometimes people grow to dislike a person they are jealous of. This dislike can sometimes turn into hatred when that person is arrogant and flaunts their superiority in the face of those who have less or those who are experiencing difficult times.

• Babylon the Great is a harlot that is so arrogant that its arrogance is cited in the call to destroy it in Revelation 18:7-8:

• Rev 18:7 How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.
• Rev 18:8 Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.

The Antichrist and the ten kings may grow to hate Babylon the Great for the arrogant way that the harlot flaunts its wealthy status and its attitude that it will never experience any problems at a time when there is chaos on Earth.

4. Destroyed After No Longer Being Useful: A reader mentioned the possibility that the Antichrist and the ten kings could decide to destroy the harlot because they are finished using/exploiting the harlot.

• The Antichrist and the ten kings may benefit/gain a lot from using/exploiting the harlot, but once the harlot is no longer useful to them they discard it like it is used napkin.
• The Antichrist and the ten kings are likely going to be very cruel individuals, so I would not underestimate the cruel nature they may treat those who they no longer find useful.

If anyone has other ideas relating to why the Antichrist and the ten kings grow to hate the harlot and decide to destroy it please feel free to share. I plan to spend more time studying this topic when I have time.