What is the church? Is it a building, a professing people, a group of genuine Christians? Is it a place with a steeple, a social club, or a people related to Christ? Some may call the church building the church, The early church met in homes. Feelings may come and go, but the church continues.
The word church means called out assembly. The true church will be assembled in Heaven during this time. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17. The question answered in this chapter is: What “church” will actually assemble at this time on earth?
I. The Influence of this Religious System
1. Verses 1-4
2. The apostle John sees one of the seven angels who had the seven vial judgments. This angel tells him about the judgment of the Great Harlot. Verse 1
3. Why does God use the figure of a harlot to describe this system? During Old Testament times. Israel often worshipped idols, the gods of other nations. When she did this, she left the one true God. verses 1, 5, 15-16
4. She turned her back on the Lord. In other words, spiritual unfaithfulness is spiritual adultery. This is why the figure of a harlot is used. This is an apostate or false religious system. Verses 2-4
5. In several messages of the New Testament, we have prophecies about the professing church, or Christendom. We find that this system is characterized by progressive unbelief and apostasy.
a. 1 Timothy 4:1-2; 2 Timothy 3:1-5
b. 2 Peter 2:1-2; Revelation 2:20-23
6. How widespread is the influence of this apostate church? first, its influence reaches the people of the earth. Notice that the harlot sits upon many waters. John identifies the waters in verse 15, the whole world.
7. Second, the influence of the apostate church reaches the leaders of the earth. The kings of the earth are involved with this system. Verse 2
8. Third, the influence of the apostate church reaches to a confederacy of nations. Notice that the woman is sitting on a scarlet beast. Verse 3. This is the same beast seen earlier in Revelation 13:1
9. This is none other than the antichrist. Since the woman is sitting on the beast, several facts are evident. The woman and the beast have a relationship, but they are the same. She is not the antichrist.
10. Note also that the woman controls the beast, at least at first, since she is sitting on him. Also, the beast supports the woman. He is under her period perhaps this shows that Christ able to rise to power so quickly.
11. 4th, the influence of the apostate churches to the wealth of war period the woman is closed in all those things that show economic power: purple and scarlet clothing with gold, precious stones, and pearls. Verse 4
II. The Identity of this System
1. Verse 5
2. What is this religious system? It is called a mystery, Babylon the great. This is not the city of Babylon but rather a secret use of the word Babylon. It is the apostate church, a false religious system.
3. How did this begin? It can be traced back to Nimrod. Independent Nimrod wanted to establish his own religious system, so he built the tower of Babel. Genesis 11
4. he tried to construct another way to God, rather than using the sacrificial system God had commanded. Although the nation and city of Babylon were later destroyed, the religious system continued.
5. It is a mystery Babylon that will be united against God and his purposes, a counterfeit religious system.
6. The woman is also called the mother of harlots. Many groups joined together in this false religious system, for they have a common bond of counterfeit worship.
III. The Ingredients of this System
1. The apostle further sees that this woman’s purpose is to hinder, persecute, and destroy the purposes and people of God. She has martyred the saints and witnesses of Christ. She is admirable. Verse 6
2. The mystery is about to be explained. You see, this religious system has strong political implication, as seen in her relationship with the beast. Verse 7
3. Here God gives us a glimpse of history past and future. Verses 8-13
a. Seven mountains are seven kingdoms which seven king’s rules. Verse 9
b. Seven kings, five are already fallen, Assyria, Egypt, Babylon, Medo-Persia. Verse 10
c. The Roman Empire in existence at that time.
d. One is not yet come, a future kingdom, short lived.
e. The antichrist is the eighth world ruler in history. Verse 11
f. Seventh kingdom made up of 10 nations, give their power and strength to the antichrist. Verse 12-13
4. Though the political system makes war with the Lamb. The Lamb will be victorious. Also notice that the antichrist will eventually turn on this false religious system and destroy her. He even hates false religion He alone wants to be worshipped.
