LADY IN BLOOD RED (REVELATION 17)
It’s been said:
“The most unpopular of Christian teachings: judgment.”
“The subject of death is unpopular enough, but judgement after death—we hate that.”
“The judgment of God is like a merry-go-round. They start slowly but get very fast, and where you are seated makes a VERY big difference in the ride.”
“The judgment of God is like the refiner's fire, used to remove impurities, and prepare us for the fullness of God's presence.”
“God’s judgment is like a double-edged sword! It blesses and it condemns!”
“The most tremendous judgment of God in this world is the hardening of the hearts of men.” (John Owen)
“Better to confess Christ 1,000 times now and be despised by men, than be disowned by Christ before God on the day of judgment.” (J. C. Ryle)
The previous chapter, Revelation 16, was the scene of the outpouring of God’s wrath. The noun “man” occurs six times in chapter 16 (vv 2, 8, 9, 18, 21 twice) and none in chapter 17. Chapter 17 now is the straight punishment of the beast, followed by the great prostitute. Some see the Babylon’s description as “the great harlot” (v 5) is a reference to the spiritual prostitution and fornication of the apostate church of the Tribulation which is unfaithful and rejects the Lord Jesus Christ as her husband (2 Pet. 2:1-2).
What are the strengths, the setbacks and the struggles of the church and the saints in the last days? How are we victors and not victims in God’s triumph over evil and His enemies?
Be Sober Not Snared
1 One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the punishment of the great prostitute, who sits by many waters. 2 With her the kings of the earth committed adultery, and the inhabitants of the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her adulteries.” 3 Then the angel carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness. There I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns. 4 The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and was glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls. She held a golden cup in her hand, filled with abominable things and the filth of her adulteries. 5 The name written on her forehead was a mystery: Babylon the great the mother of prostitutes and of the abominations of the earth. 6 I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of God’s holy people, the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus.
Dwight L. Moody once visited a man in Dundee, Scotland, who had fallen and broken his back when a boy of fifteen. He had lain on his bed for forty years and could not be moved without a good deal of pain. Probably not a day had passed in all those years without acute suffering.
When Mr. Moody saw him, he asked the man, “Doesn’t Satan ever tempt you to doubt God and to think that He is a hard master?” “Oh, yes,” he said, “he does try to tempt me. I lie here and see my old schoolmates driving along, and Satan says, ‘If God is so good, why has He kept you here all these years? You might have been a rich man, riding in your carriage.’ Then I see a man, who was young when I was, walk by in perfect health, and Satan whispers, ‘If God loved you, couldn’t He have kept you from breaking your back?’ “
“And what do you do when Satan tempts you?” “Ah, I just take him to Calvary, and I show him Christ, and I point out those wounds in His hands and feet and side, and say, ‘Doesn’t He love me?’ The fact is Satan got such a scare there nineteen hundred years ago that he cannot stand it; he leaves me every time.”
John had more talk with the angel with the seventh bowl (v 1, 10:9, 21:9) than other angels. Surprisingly, this is the first official “judgment” (krima) word to appear in the book (17:1), which is also translated as damnation (Mark 12:40), condemnation (Luke 23:40) and avenge (Rev 18:20). The first official, ominous and overdue judgment in Revelation is on the great prostitute or whore who sits on many waters. (v 1) While sitting on many waters might look cool, the only thing that counts is to “sit on the throne,” the phrase occurring nine times in the book, to change, conclude and climax with “sitting on the great white throne.” (Rev 20:11)
Who is Babylon, the mother of prostitutes (v 1)? She is otherwise known as the great whore (KJV), the great harlot (NASU, RSV), or the great city (v 18). Not only did
the kings of the earth commit adultery with her and the inhabitants of the earth intoxicated with the wine of her adulteries, the waters the whore sat on are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues (v 15). The mother of prostitutes (v 5) is great (vv 1, 5, 18) for her decadence, doctrine, damage, downfall and damnation.
Her judgment is divided into three sections:
Companions/clients Color Cup
The kings of the earth, and the inhabitants of the earth (v 2), peoples, multitudes, nations and languages (v 15) Scarlet beast (v 3), dressed in purple and scarlet (v 4), and glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls.
intoxicated with the wine of her adulteries (v 2), golden cup in her hand, filled with abominable things and the filth of her adulteries.
Allies
Armies
Addiction Attire
Attraction
Adoration Apostasy
Abominations
Adultery
Companions: the kings of the earth, and the inhabitants of the earth (v 2), plus the waters (v 1) she sat on, in reference to peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues (v 15). Babylon the great the mother of prostitutes and of the abominations of the earth (v 5)
Color: scarlet beast (v 2), dressed in purple and scarlet (v 4), and glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls.
Cup: intoxicated with the wine of her adulteries (v 2), golden cup in her hand, filled with abominable things and the filth of her adulteries. 5 The name written on her forehead was a mystery: Babylon the great the mother of prostitutes and of the abominations of the earth.
Crime:
Her crime was the blood of God’s holy people (saints), the blood of those who bore testimony (martyrs) to Jesus, including the “blood of saints and prophets” (Rev 16:6), to “the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus” (Rev 17:6), “the blood of prophets and of saints” (Rev 18:24), and the “blood of his servants” (Rev 19:2) – for all the righteous blood that was shed, all the innocent lives sacrificed, all the needless heads severed, and all the faithful people who were shackled, strangled and shot.
Be Separate Not Scarred
7 When I saw her, I was greatly astonished. 7 Then the angel said to me: “Why are you astonished? I will explain to you the mystery of the woman and of the beast she rides, which has the seven heads and ten horns. 8 The beast, which you saw, once was, now is not, and yet will come up out of the Abyss and go to its destruction. The inhabitants of the earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the creation of the world will be astonished when they see the beast, because it once was, now is not, and yet will come. 9 “This calls for a mind with wisdom. The seven heads are seven hills on which the woman sits. 10 They are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come; but when he does come, he must remain for only a little while. 11 The beast who once was, and now is not, is an eighth king. He belongs to the seven and is going to his destruction. 12 “The ten horns you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but who for one hour will receive authority as kings along with the beast. 13 They have one purpose and will give their power and authority to the beast. 14 They will wage war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will triumph over them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings—and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers.”
During the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln was purportedly asked if God was on his side. “Sir, my concern is not whether God is on our side,” said the President, “my greatest concern is to be on God’s side, for God is always right.”
There is no worse demise, destruction and downfall than that of the defeat of the beast. The beast is mentioned 38 times in Revelation, in contrast the dragon’s 13 times. The dragon is Satan (Rev 12:9, 20:2) and gave power (Rev 13:2-4). The beast would not be released after a thousand years; only the devil would be released for “a little season” (Rev 20:3).
Destruction (v 8, 11) means waste (Matt 26:8), perdition (John 17:12) and damnation (2 Peter 2:3). The beast’s destruction/perdition occurs twice in Revelation, all in this chapter referring to the beast’s downfall, disgrace and damnation. The beast, unlike God, “was and is not” (vv 8, 11) but not “was, is and is to come.” His power is borrowed, blank and blind.
Alongside the beast’s judgment would the kings be judged. The beast has no more fanatical following and backing than that from the ten kings. They will give the power and authority to the beast (v 13). Unfortunately, they will be deceived to war with the Lamb, and their forces will be conquered, crippled and captured. The beast is contrasted with the Lamb, and the kings are contrasted with the Lord of lords and King of Kings (v 14). The kings of the earth, the inhabitants of the earth (v 2), the peoples, multitudes, nations and languages (v 15) are all plural, but the Lamb, the Lord of lords and King of kings who overcome them is singular. The beast and the kings and their forces will be obstructed and obliterated, outfought and outdone, overpowered and overthrown.
One possible explanation of the difference between the seventh and eighth beast is that the seventh beast itself is the Roman Empire marvelously revived in the end time, and the eighth beast is its final ruler. These verses show that in the end time, particularly during the first half of the last seven years, there will be an alliance between the Middle East ruler (the Antichrist) and the apostate world church of that time. This will come to a head, however, at the midpoint of the seven years, when that political power becomes worldwide. (from Bible Knowledge Commentary)
Be Steadfast, Not Shaken
15 Then the angel said to me, “The waters you saw, where the prostitute sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations and languages. 16 The beast and the ten horns you saw will hate the prostitute. They will bring her to ruin and leave her naked; they will eat her flesh and burn her with fire. 17 For God has put it into their hearts to accomplish his purpose by agreeing to hand over to the beast their royal authority, until God’s words are fulfilled. 18 The woman you saw is the great city that rules over the kings of the earth.”
A 2023 survey found that more than half of all Americans (57%) believe in the existence of the devil. “Born-again” Christians are the most likely to both believe in the devil (86%), compared to 17% among the Jews and 25% among the Muslims. Women are more likely than men to believe in the devil (61% to 53%), while
45-64 year olds having the highest percentage of believers (62%) and the 30-44 range having the highest percentage of skeptics (30%). Republicans are more likely to believe in the devil than are Democrats (65% to 55%), just as 72% of blacks and 54% of white folks believe in the existence of the devil.
https://cdn.yougov.com/cumulus_uploads/document/vhyn6fdnkp/tabs_exorcism_0912132013%20%281%29.pdf
It’s been said:
Never trust a person that has let you down more than two times. Once was a warning, twice was a lesson and anything more than that is simply taking advantage!
Two people you should never trust: A religious teacher who tells you how to vote, and a politician who tells you how to pray!
Never trust a skinny chef!
Never trust a fox. Looks like a dog, behaves like a cat!
Be careful who you trust, the devil was once an angel.
I trust everyone. It’s the devil inside them I don’t trust.
Satan has no power over us except what we allow.
Chapter 17 is the aptly titled, The Judgment of the Great Whore (KJV, v 1) or the Mother of Harlots in KJV (v 5). The prostitute – as the whore (vv 1, 5, 15, 16), the woman (vv 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 18) and the mother of harlots (v 5) is the main character, followed right behind by the beast (vv 3, 7, 8 twice, 11, 12, 13, 16, 17). The whore appears for the first time in in Revelation in this chapter (17:1). Twice, she is identified by her fornication (vv 2, 4) and twice for her abominations (vv 4,5). The noun “abomination” occurs six times in the Bible, all in the singular but except the harlots’ abominations are always in the plural, which is the first time abomination is in the plural in the Bible. The prostitute/harlot is supposedly the apostate church and the Antichrist is political government. There is no loyalty, liberty or love with the devil. The prostitute is never worshipped, she’s the seducer. Five times, however, Revelation stated that the beast is to be “worshipped” (Rev 13:4, 15, 14:9, 11, 20:4).
The two verses the woman and the beast are together quickly tells you of the attachment and detachment:
Rev 17:7-8
- the mystery of the woman and of the beast she rides (v 7)
- the beast and the ten horns you saw will hate the prostitute (v 16).
You might be surprised that the beast will “hate” the prostitute (v 16), when previously they were on the same side against God. How did this happen? The ten horns on the prostitute (v 3) will join with the beast to bring the prostitute to her ruin and leave her naked; they will eat her flesh and burn her with fire. The beast and the prostitute were never enemies previously, but the beast and the ten horns hate the prostitute (v 16).
The ten horns were kings previously allied with the harlot (vv 3, 7), but one hour with the beast who granted them authority as kings for one hour would convince the kings to switch sides and attack the harlot instead. (vv 12-13) The beats and the ten horns or king will turn against the harlot. The ten horns will despised and disdain the harlot, disrobe and disgrace her, devour and destroy her. She would be deceived, defenseless and distraught. This is a prime example of disloyalty, deception and decoupling. Ruin (v 16) means come to nought (v 17) and desolate (v 19, KJV). Burn (v 16, katakaio) means burn up, not just burn.
That’s why it’s been said:
“There are no permanent enemies or friends.”
“In politics, there are no principles, only opportunities.”
“In politics, there is no right answer or final answer.”
“In politics, there is no sensible middle.”
“In politics there is no honor.” (Benjamin Disraeli)
“In politics, there is no gratitude.”
Conclusion: Satan, the beast and the prostitute are our enemies. The consequences of sleeping with the enemy and surrender to the devil are eternal fire (Matt 18:8), eternal punishment (Matt 25:46) and everlasting destruction (2 Thess 1:9). God’s judgment on His enemies is unsympathetic, unstoppable and unbearable. It is inevitable, implemented and irreversible, so let us renounce the devil, refuse, resist or rebuff Him.
