As the kingdom of the Beast arises to power and position,
the defining attribute of its movement through the peoples and nations of this world is the rampant immorality of this harlot—her apostate religion. John sees
the woman who is now sitting on a scarlet Beast with 7 heads and 10 horns. This is a warning about religious apostasy, a system which states that there is something
we can do and must do to honor God other than believing.
Her clothing and adornments are meant to attract and seduce, giving off the semblance of Godliness. But her vestments are symbols of blood, sacrifice, power, wealth, and royalty.
In her hand is a cup full of her immoralities, abominations,
all the stinky deeds done where-in-which a person exalts themselves by believing that they can be good for God and do something for God (their religious piety and the source of legalism).
