In Revelation 17, John personifies Rome as a harlot living a life of decadence and debauchery.  She rides atop a ferocious beast with seven heads and ten horns.  The beast and the harlot join forces to wage war against the Lamb, but the Lamb is victorious.  In this very vivid depiction of judgment, John again reminds us that the forces of evil are no match for the Lamb of God, who overcomes all his foes and provides redemption for those who place their faith in him.
In this passage, John continues his discussion of the seven bowls of the wrath of God. With the sixth and seventh bowls of wrath, we see the Lord's righteous judgment poured out on his enemies at the "Mountain of Megiddo" (Armageddon). While some commentators view this text as a prediction of a literal end-time battle, we will see that an alternative reading understands this passage as a symbolic presentation of God's full and final victory over the forces of evil and the glorious vindication of his saints.