Any chance Rev 17:6 could be literal?

Scann said:

If martyrs really are beheaded and not strangled or hung or burnt, then they would be the obvious blood supply for those who have a fetish for these things.

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Then that is literal.

My opinion > first, blood of a sober person won't get you drunk.

But if a person is already drunk with hatred, and is feeding that hatred by shedding the blood of saints, this could be how the person is drunk with the blood of the killed person . . . not drunk because of drinking it, but drunk with hatred while shedding it.

Evil people can just look at someone being killed by bloodshed, and get all excited and delighted about it; this could be what is meant by getting drunk . . . not being of a sober mind and sound conscience so someone can even delight in killing a child of God.

Scann said:

Any chance Rev 17:6 could be literal?

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Since blood cannot make one drunk (as @com7fy8 pointed out), I am inclined to believe it is figurative.

Ah, I just did some research on this. It turns out "blood" is often used as a metaphor for "wine" and vice-versa, in the scriptures. So the "drunken with the blood of the saints" is just a metaphor, I think See Ezekiel 39:19. See Deuteronomy 32:42.

Scann said:

So what does "wine of the saints" mean?

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It's clear, by Deuteronomy 32:42, that it must be talking about something else, other than "literally drinking the blood." Because look at Deuteronomy 32:42 - the arrows, it says, will be drunk with blood. 1. Arrows can't drink anything, and 2. Even if God gave arrows mouths and bellies, blood can't get you drunk.

Slightly unrelated, but.. It's interesting to note that "drinking wine" also often translates into God's wrath. Revelation 14:10. Psalms 75:8. Jeremiah 25:15. Revelation 16:19. Isaiah 51:17-23.

Also see Revelation 17:2 and Revelation 18:3. Similar metaphor, different meaning altogether. Very interesting stuff.

Scann said:

So according to you,I take it that "drunk" it means that the bodies of the arrows are stained and bathed in blood?So maybe the harlot or it's members are people applying blood on their bodies?

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Hello. I was getting frustrated - though not really angry - just frustrated, not with you though, but rather with my inability to use my language to express myself properly. So I walked outside, and read scripture. I came to the conclusion that, if you wish to perceive Revelation 17:6 in this manner, who am I to challenge that? Perhaps this is the correct interpretation - perhaps not, either way, this is, at best, a secondary issue. If i'm not mistaken, Paul talked about not bickering and being divisive over these "secondary issues." It's wisdom, I think. Paul was definitely inspired by the Holy Spirit.

Anyway, it's entirely possible they could be doing some weird blood rituals in the end of the days. I have no idea personally. I would seek counsel with God if this troubles your spirit.

I felt the need to share this with you. I hope you find no offense in my words. God be with you, always.

com7fy8 said:

My opinion > first, blood of a sober person won't get you drunk.

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Scann said:

I'll consider that.

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I am not speaking from experience on this one > I have not drunk blood so I could have proof from experience. But according to my biology and medical education, blood does not have a naturally high level of alcohol; or else, we all would be already drunk, because of our own blood! . . . no need to get the help of somebody else's. And even if we drank the blood of a drunk, that amount of alcohol in that drink of blood would be diluted by the six pints of blood already in our bodies; so the amount of the drunk's alcohol in a drink of that person's blood would not be enough to have much effect, I would say.

Scann said:

But can't people be drunk figuratively by the literal act of drinking blood? Revelation could be a mix of figurative and literal happenings.

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Well . . . what would be making them drunk would first be the spiritual hatred making them able to drink it. So, that level of drunkenness would be spiritual . . . not only figurative, also not only physical, but it would be the result of the spiritual reality of Satan's evil spirit > "the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience." (in Ephesians 2:2)

This is why our Apostle Peter says >

"Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour." (1 Peter 5:8)

So, we need to be "sober" the way God's love makes us spiritually sober. Worry, then, can get us drunk. So can bitterness and unforgiveness make us unclear about how love is, and have us disoriented from love.

So, blood is not the only thing people can get drunk about, spiritually and emotionally. Also, of course, humans can make a big deal out of competition, and be drunk emotionally, with no help from a substance. Workaholics are deeply intoxicated, too; but Jesus gives us "rest for your souls." (in Matthew 11:28-30)

So we need to not be preoccupied with and calling attention only to bloodshed, but have compassion on the people who can get drunk with delight about others being killed > because such people are missing out on love. So, God trusts us with this information so we will have compassion and prayer with hope for such evil people, and ones letting themselves be intoxicated and disorderly because of arguing and complaining and unforgiveness and lusts for immorality and love of money and trying to control people they want to use > all that has people deeply drunk, out of touch with God and His way of loving.

Scann said:

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.”

I know there are people who believe it already took place but I'm only asking the people who think it has yet to happen. I wonder "why not?". Isn't Vampirism a Satanic act? Or something people believe to be a Satanic act that can be practiced just for the sake of mocking God. If the "woman/harlot" is an apostate church rather than an individual, then it could mean the members taking part in it.

Revelation 20:4 - Then I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand;

If martyrs really are beheaded and not strangled or hung or burnt, then they would be the obvious blood supply for those who have a fetish for these things.

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woman in Revelation symbolizes a church system

It's symbolic .... it start's of with "the woman" (symbolic) ... there are two "women" in Revelation .... the "good/pure woman" represents the Lords true followers (His church) .... the other woman as describe in Rev 17:6 ... represents a apostate church system.

She is called “The Great harlot.” According to Ephesians 5, Jesus is the spiritual husband of the church; therefore if a church unites with or receives favors of one who is not her husband, she commits spiritual adultery. The “kings of the earth” represent civil powers. When churches lose the power of the gospel to transform hearts and lives they turn to the power of the state to support their doctrines and thus they commit spiritual fornication. The “many waters” are the countless people (vs. 15) she has deceived and “made drunk” with her doctrines (false teachings).

Scann said:

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.”

I know there are people who believe it already took place but I'm only asking the people who think it has yet to happen. I wonder "why not?". Isn't Vampirism a Satanic act? Or something people believe to be a Satanic act that can be practiced just for the sake of mocking God. If the "woman/harlot" is an apostate church rather than an individual, then it could mean the members taking part in it.

Revelation 20:4 - Then I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand;

If martyrs really are beheaded and not strangled or hung or burnt, then they would be the obvious blood supply for those who have a fetish for these things.

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I think "drunken with the blood" is similar in sense to "blood lust." It is a murderous desire that isn't "quenched." The spilling of blood signifies a loss of life (it is a loss of life). To be "drunken with the blood of the saints" is to have an insatiable desire to murder them. Even if they drank the blood, it wouldn't override the depravity of bringing the saints' lives to an end. In a way, that "literal" reading almost undercuts the truly evil nature of the act by diverting the focus.

Scann said:

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.”

I know there are people who believe it already took place but I'm only asking the people who think it has yet to happen. I wonder "why not?". Isn't Vampirism a Satanic act? Or something people believe to be a Satanic act that can be practiced just for the sake of mocking God. If the "woman/harlot" is an apostate church rather than an individual, then it could mean the members taking part in it.

Revelation 20:4 - Then I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand;

If martyrs really are beheaded and not strangled or hung or burnt, then they would be the obvious blood supply for those who have a fetish for these things.

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Until you brought this up it never even remotely crossed my mind that this could be meaning literal in the way you are meaning.


Revelation 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.

I think a verse like this one proves that one shouldn't take Revelation 17:6 in a literal sense like you are meaning. How would you apply verse 2 in the same manner you are trying to apply verse 6 in? 'drunk' in Revelation 17:2 and 'drunken' in Revelation 17:6 are the same Greek word 'methuo'. They at least have that part in common, they are both drunk with something.