NT Text: Revelation 17:4
OT Source(s):
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Reference Type: Allusion
Connection Method(s): Analogy + Longitudinal Theme
Significance: Jeremiah 4:30 addresses apostate Jerusalem/Judah: "And you, O desolate one, what do you mean that you dress in scarlet, that you adorn yourself with ornaments of gold?" The woman desperately beautifies herself to attract lovers who will ultimately despise her. Revelation 17:4 describes the harlot "dressed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls" holding a golden cup. The verbal correspondence — scarlet garments, gold adornment, and the harlotry context — links the eschatological Babylon with Jeremiah's faithless Israel. Both texts portray the futility of external splendor when the relationship with God is broken. The allusion suggests that eschatological Babylon embodies the same spiritual adultery that characterized apostate Israel, and will meet the same judgment.