This portion of study is done with the implication that the Bible is true and also uses an understanding of common scripture metaphors.

The book of Isaiah is filled with spiritual metaphors and prophecy. In chapter 14, the "king of Babylon" is addressed with a "taunt", also translated a "proverb". Starting with verse 3, we read of the Lord of Israel telling Jacob what to declare to this king upon being "given rest from pain and turmoil and harsh service in which you have been enslaved". Keeping verse 1 and 2 in mind, this is a prophecy of Israel being “chosen” again in the future, as Gentiles will join the Jews and be released from the King of Babylon's rule. In verse 9, we read that Sheol (or "Hell") is anxious for the king of Babylon to come, and that when he does; the leaders of this world (present in Sheol) will rise and mock a fallen king that's as weak as they are. This implies that he was much more powerful than they were prior to this event. The king of Babylon is then given a name in verse 12 "star of the morning, son of the dawn". The following verses (13-15) show what the king wanted: to ascend as the Most High, but is nevertheless to be thrust down to Sheol. [1]

The Ancient Greeks called the morning star Φωσφόρος, Phosphoros (Latinized Phosphorus), the "Bringer of Light" or Εωσφόρος, Eosphoros (Latinized Eosphorus), the "Bringer of Dawn". By Hellenistic times, they realized the two were the same planet. Hesperos would be translated into Latin as Vesper and Phosphoros as Lucifer ("Light Bearer").

The Babylonians named the planet Ishtar, the personification of womanhood, and goddess of love. The Hebrew name for this goddess is “Ashteroth”, or “Astarte”, pronounced ‘Aštōret instead of the expected ‘Ašteret, probably because the two last syllables have here been pointed with the vowels belonging to bōshet ("abomination") to indicate that word should be substituted when reading.

The plural form is pointed ‘Aštārōt. For what seems to be the use of the Hebrew plural form ‘Aštārōt as the name of a demon.

The Romans would later name the planet in honor of their goddess of love, Venus, whereas the Greeks used the name of her Greek counterpart, Aphrodite. Today, we still use the name Venus for the star known as the “Morning Star”. Throughout history, this star has always been named after a pagan goddess of love. This same star is the one that’s named as the “King of Babylon” in the book of Isaiah.

In addition to these few names for the goddess represented by the planet Venus are dozens of other names and stories. For more information on that, see "Venus in human culture", under the article Venus.

The Bible again makes reference to this being through the book of Revelation. Understanding that the Babylonian king spoken of in Isaiah is interchangeable with the culturally popular “goddess of love” (Venus/Ishtar/Lucifer/Ashtarte), Revalation creates another symbollic picture of her:

"1 ...I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:
2 with whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.
3 So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.
4 And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:
5 And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.""[2]

Just as there are many names for the being represented by Venus, this picture of a “beast, full of names of blasphemy” carries the same “Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth” on its back. This name is given to the female figure to create a blunt perception of her in the eyes of the Lord of this Biblical text.

Her name also contains a reference to a “mystery”. If the Bible is accepted as a source of truth, then this “great whore” who has been around through history will still be a figure at the end of the age of this world, since that’s where in time Revelation is supposed to take place. In other words, it would seem that she exists in the modern day, but is secretive, deceptive, or the “Mystery” that the Bible names her.

The second of her three names is “Babylon the Great”, supporting the theory that the Babylonian king of Isaiah is linked to the star Venus, which represents the whore-goddess “of love” (fornication) spoken of here in Revelation.