Oct. 23, 2024

“REVELATION”

REVELATION 17:1-18

*Religion Gone Wrong:

With all the events that are taking place around the world and right here in America has reminded me of two timeless truths: 

The first is the uncertainty of life, things can happen without a moments notice, but I am reminded of James admonition:

James 4:13-14 “Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; 14 whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.”

The second thing, is I am reminded of how fragile the world is.

*The Religious System Is Judged: Desolation

Babylon is an important reference in the Book of Revelation. According to one scholar, nearly 50 verses out of a total of 404 in Revelation are devoted to God’s judgment on that city.

In the book of Revelation, Babylon refers not to a city but to a world system.

*The Judgement Of The Harlot:

In chapter 17, John was invited to witness the judgment of the false religious system over which the Antichrist will preside, described as a harlot.

Revelation 17:1-2 “Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and talked with me, saying to me, “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters, 2with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication.”

The angel says this harlot “…sits on many waters” vs.1. This doesn’t refer to a specific location. Rather, the angel explains in verse 15 that the many waters represent “peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues.” It is the false religious system of Babylon.

2 Thessalonians 2:11 “And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie.”

*A Vision Of The Scarlet Harlot:

Revelation 17:3-6 “So he carried me away in the Spirit into the wilderness. And I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast which was full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. 4 The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication. 5 And on her forehead a name was written: MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. 6 I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. And when I saw her, I marveled with great amazement.”

*The Image of the Harlot:

The angel “… carried me away in the Spirit into the wilderness.” vs.3.

Revelation 13:1 “Then I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name.” 

The “scarlet” in color, perhaps symbolizing royal authority. 

*The Name of the Harlot:

John saw a name on the harlot; “MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH” vs.5.

Genesis 11:4 “And they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.”

This spirit of “Babylonianism” has infected the world ever since. Satan doesn’t care what you believe, as long as you don’t believe in the Jesus Christ of the Bible, this is the spirit of “Babylonianism.”

*The Judgment of the Beast:

Revelation 17:7-14 “But the angel said to me, “Why did you marvel? I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and the ten horns. 8 The beast that you saw was, and is not, and will ascend out of the bottomless pit and go to perdition. And those who dwell on the earth will marvel, whose names are not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world, when they see the beast that was, and is not, and yet is. 9 “Here is the mind which has wisdom: The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits. 10 There are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, and the other has not yet come. And when he comes, he must continue a short time. 11 The beast that was, and is not, is himself also the eighth, and is of the seven, and is going to perdition. 12 “The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast. 13 These are of one mind, and they will give their power and authority to the beast. 14 These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful.”

*The Seven Heads of the Beast:

In Revelation 12-13, John describes the three beasts in the satanic trinity. The beast out of the abyss is Satan, the power behind it all. The beast out of the sea is the Antichrist, the final world dictator, a human leader. The beast out of the earth is the false prophet who assist the Antichrist.

The angel explained, “… The beast that you saw was, and is not, and will ascend out of the bottomless pit (abyss) and go to perdition (destruction).” vs.8.

To understand the vision of the seven heads requires “wisdom” vs.9. The angel explained “… The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits.” vs.9

The prominent kingdom in John’s day, the one that “is” vs.10, was the Romans empire. The five empires that had already occurred and were in the dustpan of history, the one that has “fallen” were Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Med-Persia, and Greece. The last one, the kingdom that “… and the other has not yet come.” vs.10 When it comes it will only remain “a little while” “a short time.” vs.10.

*The Ten Horns of the Beast:

In Revelation 17:12, the angel said the “ten horns” are “ten kings.”

People often ask, “Where is the United States in all of this? Do we even still exist at that time?

*The Defeat of the Beast:

In Revelation 17:14, the angel finally told John how the Antichrist will be destroyed. All the godless kingdoms of the world, allied with the Antichrist, will “make war with the Lamb” vs.14, Jesus, as He returns to earth to assert His rightful authority over creation. 

The Lamb will defeat them because, “..He is Lord of lords and King of kings..” vs.14, in this verse, John was fast forwarding to the movement in Revelation 19 when Jesus Christ returns with His heavenly army of believers who have been called and chosen by Him.

*The Judgment of the Harlot:

Now the angel finally explains what will happen to the harlot:

Revelation 17:15-18 “Then he said to me, “The waters which you saw, where the harlot sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues. 16 And the ten horns which you saw on the beast, these will hate the harlot, make her desolate and naked, eat her flesh and burn her with fire. 17 For God has put it into their hearts to fulfill His purpose, to be of one mind, and to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled. 18 And the woman whom you saw is that great city which reigns over the kings of the earth.”

Once the harlot has been removed, the Antichrist and his allies join in a “common purpose” to establish him as the world dictator and object of worship vs.17.

So, we as believers need to watch our beliefs carefully, John warns us:

1 John 4:1 “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.”

A foolproof test to whether a religious doctrine is true or false is to measure it against the Bible’s yardstick. Specifically here are three questions to help you evaluate any religion.

*What does it teach about Jesus?

*What does it believe about salvation?

*What results does it produce?

True faith in Christ will result in a transformed life through the power of the Holy Spirit.