Clothed In Scarlet

Q. I have a friend who has begun the study of Revelation with her husband and she asked if I had any material to help them understand it better.  I printed out your complete study on the book.  It’s the best that I have read.

As a result of my friends interest it has prompted me to “re-study” it and I do have a question concerning Chapter 17 where the woman on the beast is revealed, it says the beast was scarlet.  What is the implication of it being this color?

A. Along with purple and blue, scarlet is often associated with royalty, whether legitimate as in Exodus 25:4; 28:15; 36:37; etc or mockingly as in Rev. 17. It can also be symbolic of sin as in Isaiah 1:18.  I think the latter 2 apply to both the scarlet beast, and to the woman clothed in scarlet.