Three powerful images of nakedness, of being devoured and fire combine to spell her doom. Revelation 17 now picks up this metaphor, describing the apostate church of New Testament times as a harlot. She has been interpreted as the entire evil economic-religious system that operates in the world throughout the last days. She is the exact opposite of the pure bride that is the church. Whereas the woman in chapter 12, giving birth to a son, is delivered from the dragon, the harlot of Revelation is destroyed.
False worship is as tawdry and cheap as prostitution.
It deserves the same ignominy and ejection. This is a road that leads to destruction. The powers of evil are inherently self-destructive. Evil has no peace. There is no resolution of the angst that is at the heart of rebellion.