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. And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns. Revelation 17:6,7
"A Cause of Wonder.--Why should John wonder with great astonishment when he saw the woman drunken with the blood of saints?
Was persecution of the people of God any strange thing in his day? Had he not seen Rome launch its most fiery anathemas against the church, being himself in banishment under its cruel power at the time he wrote?
Why, then, should he be astonished, as he looked forward, and saw Rome still persecuting the saints?
*The secret of his wonder was just this: all the persecution he had witnessed had been from pagan Rome, the open enemy of Christ. It was not strange that pagans should persecute Christ's followers; but when he looked forward, and saw a church professedly Christian persecuting the followers of the Lamb, and drunken with their blood, he could but wonder with great amazement."
Daniel & Revelation, Uriah Smith
"A Cause of Wonder.--Why should John wonder with great astonishment when he saw the woman drunken with the blood of saints?
Was persecution of the people of God any strange thing in his day? Had he not seen Rome launch its most fiery anathemas against the church, being himself in banishment under its cruel power at the time he wrote?
Why, then, should he be astonished, as he looked forward, and saw Rome still persecuting the saints?
*The secret of his wonder was just this: all the persecution he had witnessed had been from pagan Rome, the open enemy of Christ. It was not strange that pagans should persecute Christ's followers; but when he looked forward, and saw a church professedly Christian persecuting the followers of the Lamb, and drunken with their blood, he could but wonder with great amazement."
Daniel & Revelation, Uriah Smith