A thorough study of the Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to show his servants things which must shortly come to pass. (Rev. 1:1)
Welcome to our study of the Revelation of Jesus Christ given unto Apostle John.
I am Phillip Smith, your host and fellow servant of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
As we continue our study in the Revelation of Jesus Christ, as given to John, we begin in chapter 17.
We begin this lesson with a rewind back during a time of these vials of wrath being allowed and we get a better description of one reason for the wrath of God becoming severe. In the evil spirit realm, Satan and his beast have created an evil influencer to tempt mankind to fornicate–sin–by turning from the will of God to doing the will of Satan. This influencer is described as a great whore.
Rev. 17:1-2. 17 And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; 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.
In the time of the wrath of God by the pouring of these vials, the vials of the last of the wrath of God, God is going to punish the great whore who was the cause of the people of earth turning from God and being consumed in her fornications. God is judging her ‘that sitteth upon many waters’.
‘Waters’ represents many nations and languages of peoples. Her fornications have influenced all peoples of the earth. There is no where she has not influenced.
‘The inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.’ The people have intoxicated themselves with her abominations–things detestable unto God. Her influence is so great, very few could keep themselves pure and clean from her inticings. Therefore, God is going to judge and punish her severely.
We remember Babylon from Revelation 14:8. 8 And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. This was written describing the presence and influence of angelic servants performing their allowed tasks for both Satan and God. During this time, God would punish Babylon for its evil influence upon mankind. God shall show His power over all things He has made. It will be during the last vials of the wrath of God upon mankind that this happens.
In chapter 16:19 we see God remembering Babylon and the things she did to turn mankind away from God. This was at the end when the seventh angel poured out his vial and a voice from the throne said, It is done. Let us reread Rev. 16:17-21. 17 And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done. 18 And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great. 19 And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath. 20 And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. 21 And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great.
The Great Whore Identified to John.
The angel is taking John to see this woman. Here he describes what he saw. Rev. 17:3-5. 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.
The appearance of this woman was allouring to the eyes of mankind. She attracted attention as a woman of ill repute might. She was inviting mankind to partake of her filthiness and abominations. She was given a name, Mystery, Babylon The Great.
The term Babylon refers to the source of all impurities or the origins of all iniquities. The city of old, the city of Babylon, of ancient times, was considered a place of great wealth and beauty. During the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, he ruled over all the known world. God had given him great wealth and power. However, Nebuchadnezzar took this to his head as if he had mastered and obtained all this himself. It has been identified as the time all the influence of evil began to be a part of earthly governments. These evil governments caused the turn of the hearts of man from God.
A power player desiring great power, wealth and expensive things, will be described here by this woman, Mystery, Babylon The Great. This power shall be the Mother Of Harlots And Abominations Of The Earth.
The beast she rides upon is described as having scarlet color representing evils. It has many names of blasphemy on it. These blasphemies are against God and His children, the church. It has ‘seven’ heads and ten horns. It is a hideous looking beast. We will see more about it a little later.
Rev. 17:6. 6 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.
The Great Whore is intoxicated with the blood of the saints. She has caused the saints to be killed. She gets a great rush from killing the saints. It is what she desires believing she is taking from God those who will not bow or partake of her filthiness.
However, John wondered with great admiration. He was attracted to her appearance and abilities. Just as sin is attractive, all men are confused by the attraction and the things found in the sinful realm. John was not falling for her filthiness but intrigued to know about her.
John’s curiosity is going to be explained to him about the woman, Mystery. As mentioned earlier, we shall now see about the beast the woman rode upon.
Rev. 17:7-13. 7 And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns. 8 The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is. 9 And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth. 10 And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space. 11 And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition. 12 And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. 13 These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.
Satan has set up his empire with leaders to do his bidding. A beast of the sea; a beast of earth; and, a false prophet. Each shall have their moment in time then meet with perdition. Their ascension from the bottomless pit is from whence Satan is found. God has bound him for a duration of events only God has determined.
Let us see the identifiers given for us to comprehend this spiritual influencer upon mankind.
This beast was, and is not, and yet is. Satan was on earth. God bound him for a period of time–he is not. Yet he shall be released for a short time–yet is. Rev. 20:2. 2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years. Could this be the reference of this beast? Perhaps it does not matter for they all shall be overcome and returned to the bottomless pit–’and go into perdition.’
We see the reference to the power of the beast and his realm. The seven heads are seven mountains where the woman sits. On earth, we consider seven mass bodies of land we call seven continents. This woman and her filthiness is everywhere mankind liveth. It appears each mountain has a king; a major player in the filthiness of the woman. Five have fallen–no longer a global player or ruler. One is and the next has yet to come. This makes a total of seven global evil rulers or empires.
We have had a few major world empires around the globe. We have some people currently vying for power over a global society and economy. Some of these characters are kings or rulers of large nations which hold power over large continents. Before the end of time for mankind upon the earth, these seven will rule because of the authority given by Satan and his beasts.
The beast itself is the eighth, one of the seven, but shall go into perdition when God commands.
Ten horns represent ten kings which have not received a kingdom as of the writing John penned. They shall receive power for one hour with the beast. As we try to understand the time description of one hour, remember it is an indication of a duration of time that their power shall be given. It is a very, very short time in the realm of eternity. God dwells in eternity where time has no significance. We live in time elements where we understand durations of events in minutes, hours, weeks, etc.
These ten kings shall give their reverence to the beast which gives them their power. They are of one mind–to perform for their master the beast. All their constituents will be given to the beast. (shall give their power and strength unto the beast; vs. 13)
Rev. 17:14a. 14 These shall make war with the Lamb[.]
The responsibility of these kings for their master is to make continuous war against the saints. War has been brought against the saints for millennia. There has never been a time Satan has not caused hardships, even unto physical death to God’s children.
But, God and His son shall overcome them. Rev. 17:14b. …the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.
God has called every man. Man has the choice to come to God and be faithful unto death or not. However, there is another indicator for the persons called; chosen. Of the called, God shall choose of which He desires. Peter tells us to make our calling sure. He uses the term ‘election’. 2 Peter 1:10a. 10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: Jesus tells in the parable of the wedding banquet, written in Matthew 22:14. 14 For many are called, but few are chosen.
Also, in Matthew 20:15-16. 15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good? 16 So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.
Just being called does not make us a guarantee to be in heaven. Notice this verse here in Rev. 17:14 …they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.
These with Jesus who overcome these evil kings and the beast are: called, chosen AND faithful (unto death; Rev. 2:10).
More physical indicators of this spiritual literature about the beast and the whore
Rev. 17:15-16. 15 And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues. 16 And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.
These ten kings shall hate the Whore of Babylon because she takes away from their prominence. The people of earth partake in her filthiness and abominations spreading the wealth all over the earth instead of for themselves (the kings) and their body of people. (More about this destruction of the great whore in chapter 18)
Rev. 17:17-18. 17 For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled. 18 And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.
God uses everything at His disposal, all His angelic servants to perform for Him His desires for the eternal purpose. NOTICE:
God puts something into the hearts of these kings of earth to hate the entity which is causing the men of the earth to partake of her filthiness and abominations of God.
These kings agree with the will of God to give their kingdoms to the beast away from the Whore of Babylon. They hate her for what she has done taking away their wealth and prominence.
The words of God SHALL BE fulfilled on earth and in heaven.
The woman IS the great city full of iniquities and all forms of debauchery which reigns over the kings of earth–rulers and leaders of nations and peoples.
