Revelation Study Series 22 - God’s Mysterious Plan Fulfilled (Chapter 17)
05.01.22
Message…
I told you last week we were going to talk about prostitutes this week…so, let’s go! This is no “Pretty Woman” movie tale! This is prophetic truth, revealed to us…to understand what is to come! And, therefore be prepared!
Seven seals…seven trumpet judgments…seven bowl judgements. These seven bowl judgments will be poured out during the second half of the seven year Great Tribulation…
Revelation 17:1-2; 18
1 One of the seven angels who had poured out the seven bowls came over and spoke to me. “Come with me,” he said, “and I will show you the judgment that is going to come on the great prostitute, who rules over many waters.
2 The kings of the world have committed adultery with her, and the people who belong to this world have been made drunk by the wine of her immorality.”
…
18 And this woman you saw in your vision represents the great city that rules over the kings of the world.”
“Prostitute (Whore)” - “Word: pronh - Pronounce: por'-nay
1a) a prostitute, a harlot, one who yields herself to defilement for the sake of gain
1b) any woman indulging in unlawful sexual intercourse, whether for gain or for lust”
http://www.godrules.net/library/kjvstrongs/kjvstrongsrev17.htm
“Adultery (Fornication)”...
“Word: proneuw - Pronounce: porn-yoo'-o
2a) to commit sexual immorality
3) metaph. to be given to idolatry, to worship idols
3a) to permit one's self to be drawn away by another into idolatry” http://www.godrules.net/library/kjvstrongs/kjvstrongsrev17.htm
“Waters” - figurative of nations/people
So, we have nations of people being drawn away into spiritual adultery, by giving themselves to anyone/anything that is not God or of God. In this case it is giving themselves to this symbolic woman/prostitute.
So, then the question becomes, Who is this woman/prostitute/great prostitute (harlot/whore)? Who is John seeing in this vision?
Revelation 17:18
18 And this woman you saw in your vision represents the great city that rules over the kings of the world.”
“great city” - What city would this be? What does this mean? How can you commit spiritual adultery with a city?
This city is a little complicated. But, figuratively it is Babylon, ?(it may represent a literal Babylon as well). And, more specifically religious Babylon (I said religious, that does not mean Godly. You can be religious about something…and be religiously wrong)...
OT Babylon in Gen. 11 tells us there was one people and one language and those people built a brick tower to the sky.
Genesis 11:4-9
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.”
5 But the Lord came down to look at the city and the tower the people were building. 6 “Look!” He said. “The people are united, and they all speak the same language. After this, nothing they set out to do will be impossible for them! 7 Come, let’s go down and confuse the people with different languages. Then they won’t be able to understand each other.”
8 In that way, the Lord scattered them all over the world, and they stopped building the city. 9 That is why the city was called Babel, because that is where the Lord confused the people with different languages. In this way He scattered them all over the world.
The whole tower building thing was their attempt to exalt themselves above God, or even in place of God. It was a defiance against God! People were creating their own religion refusing to worship God as God!
This “Babylon” is a figurative/symbolic picture.
“...every age has featured a “Babylon,” a political and economic system that has sought to control people’s minds and destinies.” -Warren Wiersbe
So, this is not an actual city per se but a false religious and political system that draws mankind into committing spiritual adultery, sleeping with the enemy (ultimately satan).
Unfortunately, mankind doesn't realize when they have tied themselves to their enemy until it’s too late. They choose to buy and believe the lie, only to realize that it is to their destruction!
Revelation 17:3
3 So the angel took me in the Spirit into the wilderness. There I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that had seven heads and ten horns, and blasphemies against God were written all over it.
This “scarlet beast” has been mentioned before…
Revelation 12:3
And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven diadems.
Revelation 13:1
1 Then I saw a beast rising up out of the sea. It had seven heads and ten horns, with ten crowns on its horns. And written on each head were names that blasphemed God.
This beast is the antichrist and the prostitute (religious Babylon) is riding the beast…
“She is symbolic of Babylon (see v. 5, 18), which in turn is symbolic of human society organized independently of God.
In different eras and cultures Babylon shows itself in different ways. In John’s day it stood for Rome, but its fullest expression will be at the end of the age as it heads for inevitable judgment. The picture is of the human race’s pursuit of prosperity and power through collective effort. Rulers make decisions based on self-interest, and their people support them. Nations seek selfish gain through political and economic treaties, but such unions are likened to sexual relations with a prostitute. They are unions of shame and dishonour, for they ignore God’s standards and oppose His authority (17:1-2).”
Bridgeway Bible Commentary, https://www.studylight.org/commentary/revelation/17-3.html
Revelation 17:4-7
4 The woman wore purple and scarlet clothing and beautiful jewelry made of gold and precious gems and pearls. In her hand she held a gold goblet full of obscenities and the impurities of her immorality.
5 A mysterious name was written on her forehead: “Babylon the Great, Mother of All Prostitutes and Obscenities in the World.”
6 I could see that she was drunk—drunk with the blood of God’s holy people who were witnesses for Jesus. I stared at her in complete amazement.
7 “Why are you so amazed?” the angel asked. “I will tell you the mystery of this woman and of the beast with seven heads and ten horns on which she sits.
John was “amazed”...staring in wonderment! But, neither the prostitute nor the beast hold glory…and therefore should not capture our amazement!
Revelation 17:8
8 The beast you saw was once alive but isn’t now. And yet he will soon come up out of the bottomless pit and go to eternal destruction. And the people who belong to this world, whose names were not written in the Book of Life before the world was made, will be amazed at the reappearance of this beast who had died.
*Interesting side note. It has been theorized that the antichrist is Judas Iscariot.
John 17:12
12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name. Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. (Judas)
2 Thessalonians 2:3-4
3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition,
4 who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.
(antichrist)
Paraphrased from AW Pink Commentary
Luke 22:3-5
Then satan entered Judas, surnamed Iscariot, who was numbered among the twelve.
*(Judas betrayal of Jesus; only time scripture says this of an individual)
Vs. 8a…The beast you saw was once alive but isn’t now. And yet he will soon come up out of the bottomless pit and go to eternal destruction.
So, it might be. It might not be. Interesting thought.
Revelation 17:9
9 “This calls for a mind with understanding: The seven heads of the beast represent the seven hills where the woman rules. They also represent seven kings.
*pic(Seven Hills of Rome)
“The seven mountains (Rev 17:9) probably symbolize the city of Rome, built on seven hills. Certainly in John’s day, the Roman Empire was living in luxury, spreading false religion, polluting the nations with its idolatry and sin, and persecuting the church.” -Warren Wiersbe
You may have heard other Bible teachers talk about a revived Roman empire. This is from where this comes from as well as passages of prophecy in Daniel
Revelation 17:10-16
10 Five kings have already fallen, the sixth now reigns, and the seventh is yet to come, but his reign will be brief.
11 “The scarlet beast that was, but is no longer, is the eighth king. He is like the other seven, and he, too, is headed for destruction.
12 The ten horns of the beast are ten kings who have not yet risen to power. They will be appointed to their kingdoms for one brief moment to reign with the beast.
13 They will all agree to give him their power and authority.
14 Together they will go to war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will defeat them because He is Lord of all lords and King of all kings. And His called and chosen and faithful ones will be with Him.”
15 Then the angel said to me, “The waters where the prostitute is ruling represent masses of people of every nation and language.
16 The scarlet beast and his ten horns all hate the prostitute. They will strip her naked, eat her flesh, and burn her remains with fire.
“What is being taught by the attack on the prostitute is that in the final judgment the kingdom of satan will be divided against itself.” -Expositor’s Bible Study, NT Abridged
satan uses and abuses her, (one world religion)...but, then abandons the prostitute when he sits himself up to be solely worshipped.
“Ultimately, the Antichrist will not tolerate any worship except of himself: The son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God (2Th 2:3-4).” -David Guzik Commentary
Revelation 17:17-18
17 For God has put a plan into their minds, a plan that will carry out His purposes. They will agree to give their authority to the scarlet beast, and so the words of God will be fulfilled.
18 And this woman you saw in your vision represents the great city that rules over the kings of the world.”
Life Application…
So, this is a complicated passage of scripture. Understand, John was shown a vision/imagery to help reveal what is to come! And, while John was momentarily amazed by what he was seeing, until the angel checked his gaze and told him that it would be explained…
Don’t be amazed with anything satan, or the world offers! And, don’t miss the Message of this passage of scripture…
-God is going to send judgment. (Rev. 17:1)
-“...the Lamb will defeat them because He is Lord of all lords and King of all kings.” (Rev. 17:14)
-“For God has put a plan into their minds, a plan that will carry out His purposes. …” (Rev. 17:17)
The Bible says…
Proverbs 21:2
He who commits adultery lacks sense; he who does it destroys himself.
Proverbs 23:26-28
26 O my son, give me your heart. May your eyes take delight in following my ways.
27 A prostitute is a dangerous trap; a promiscuous woman is as dangerous as falling into a narrow well.
28 She hides and waits like a robber, eager to make more men unfaithful.
How do you keep yourself, protect yourself from committing spiritual adultery?
May your eyes take delight in following God’s ways (vs. 26)…
Jeremiah 7:23
But this is what I commanded them, saying, ‘Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be My people. And walk in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well with you.’
No one goes to a prostitute, nor pays a prostitute, nor lies with a prostitute without choosing to be there, lying there, nor choosing to stay there.
Psalm 119:37
Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things,
And revive me in Your way.
Colossians 3:5
So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world.
Keep your eyes on God, and the things of God!
Don’t let your eyes fix, nor gaze on things of the world!
Psalm 119:105
Your word is a lamp to my feet
And a light to my path.
Whenever you find yourself off the path…come back to the path by coming back to God’s Word!
Give God your heart (vs 26)…
None of you want to be in a relationship where you’ve been cheated on. Neither does God!
(If you have been cheated on, or are the one who has been the cheater…there is hope because of God’s grace/mercy! But, that’s a different Message for a different day!)
God doesn’t want you sleeping with satan, nor anyone satan uses to thwart your relationship/fellowship with Him!
God wants your devotion/heart (demands it)! And you should want Him to have it! It is to your benefit, your reward, your very life/eternity that you do so!
Matthew 22:37
37 Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’
1 Timothy 1:5 The purpose of my instruction is that all believers would be filled with love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and genuine faith.
How do you give God your heart?
Jeremiah 29:13
And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.
Proverbs 21:2
People may be right in their own eyes,
but the Lord examines their heart.
Your way will never be right, if it is not God’s way! (repeat)
Psalm 51:10
Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
