THE HARLOT OF REVELATION 17
Revelation 17:1-18
The great religious harlot is about to be destroyed, along with its political and economic counterparts. This and the next chapter show how God judges a system that had its beginnings way before the New Testament Church was even formed. This system is a wicked counterfeit system that is both economic and religious in nature. With it being a system that involves both the religious and the economic, it also merged with the political systems upon the earth. This system had its beginnings when Nimrod started building his empire at the Tower of Bab-El (which means Gate of God).As the people of Nimrod’s day attempted to reach heaven by building a tower, God came down and destroyed their efforts by confusing their languages. Nimrod’s grandfather was Ham and Ham, if you remember, was associated with the curse that involved Noah’s drunkenness. This curse came in response to Ham’s wicked behavior of uncovering his father’s nakedness. By this family association, you can recognize that Nimrod did not have a very honorable start.
The counterfeit attempt to establish a religious empire was the beginning of the spirit of Babylon. This same spirit showed up when Nebuchadnezzar built an image of himself, trying to forcefully bring together everyone to worship him (Daniel 3). Once again, God did not permit him to achieve his wicked goals. God had a trio of Hebrews, and another by the name of Daniel, who faithfully challenged the Babylonian system. It was at this time that the three Hebrew children were cast into the fiery furnace and because they would not bow, they also would not burn.
This wicked system has its own wicked enduring qualities that have permitted it to survive for several thousand years. This chapter shows how God will finally deal with this system that has long deceived worshipers upon the earth. This system has often looked very Christian while involving both apostate Catholic and apostate Protestant groups. This was only because of its counterfeit qualities. At the time of this judgment, all of the religions upon the earth will be connected and called the “great whore that sitteth upon many waters”. We now will consider the predicted fall of this religious harlot.
I. THE INTRODUCTION CHARACTERIZING THE RELIGIOUS HARLOT. (Vv. 1-6)
Before advancing this study any further we need to define some terms as they are being used in our Text. The first being the words great whore. When this system is described as a great whore, it is in respect to its unfaithfulness. The counterfeit religion that is to be destroyed has its very seductive elements at work and has had since Satan invaded the human race. He influenced the mind of Cain, making Cain think that he was doing well by offering his own offering of his own design. But God did not have respect for his offering. This was the first incident of satanic worship. Satan mimics that which is true by mixing Truth with error. He does it in a very attractive package.
Just as a woman can have seductiveness about her for the purpose of captivating a man, so does the counterfeit religious systems of the world. As we continue, as believers, to embrace the true fundamentals of the faith, we will receive criticism for being too “straight-laced” or “hellfire and brimstone” in our preaching. We may be criticized for not using a contemporary music program with the heavy beat and rock sound that is so characteristic of the world’s music. Satan bridges the world and the church as closely as he can. He uses music as one of the means of accomplishing this. Counterfeit translations of the Bible are other ways that he accomplishes this. By him using these and other similar devices, there is a wedding of the church to the world. To God this is Spiritual fornication, for the Lord wants a chaste bride, a glorious church, without spot or wrinkle. The subtleness of these counterfeit movements takes its ongoing toll on the true church.
This system is also called the MOTHER OF HARLOTS, which is another inference to unfaithfulness. The true Church is a called-out assembly that is to be separated from the world according to Scriptures such as Acts 15:14; Romans 12:2; 1 John 2:15; and James 4:4. This does not mean that the true Church should be isolated, but it should be separated.
A. The Religious Harlot Is Described. (Vv. 1-4a)
John had an invitation by one of the seven angels to witness the “judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters”. John was able to give a very graphic description of this religious system as he likened her to a whore whose unfaithfulness has affected many people groups across the world and across time. This may seem to be a very caustic way of describing the religious system of Satan in this manner, but we must remind ourselves of the wickedness and the hurt that she has caused under her very seductive religious pretense.
Much persecution has taken place in the name of religion. Think carefully with me, as I describe the way that the Roman Catholic Church involved itself in such persecution. This persecution was so intense and so widespread that today’s Catholics do not even enjoy being reminded of it. Consider this page from Church history:
“We should never forget that some of the most vicious persecution conducted against true Christians has been done in the name of the church; in the days when the Roman Catholic Queen Mary ruled England (known as "Bloody Mary" for good reason), some 288 Christians were burnt at the stake for their stand for Christian truth between 1555 and 1558. The first of these martyrs was a man named John Rogers, who, as he stood chained to a stake, and the fire rose around him, up to his legs and shoulders, he rubbed his hands in the flames as if he were washing his hands in cold water; then he lifted his hands to the heavens and held them high until he was completely consumed by fire. This barbarity was committed in the name of religion, in the name of the church. But Rogers went to the stake with such calm and dignity that the French Ambassador wrote that he went to his death "as if he was walking to his wedding." His courage was so evident that the huge crowd burst into applause when they saw him walking to the stake.” (Guzik).
1. Her relationship was described. (Vv. 1-4a)
The false Church had a relationship that involved the political leaders of the world. This is what is meant when our Text tells us that, “the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.” This is just a very graphic way of impressing upon the mind of the reader how wicked it is in God’s eyes for the so called Church to be yoked up with the world and its leadership. It shows that in this intoxicating relationship that the religious and the political have a common bed to sleep in. It is appropriate for the true Church to be respected by the politics and even influenced, but what is being described here is an unholy union that involves an apostate religious system uniting with a corrupt political system.
2. Her riches were described. (Vv. 3-4a)
Everything that is being said about this harlot shows her miserable greed while maintaining her relationship to the evil world. The allusion to the seven heads and the ten horns is a reference to the ten confederated kingdoms of the revived Roman Empire that will be governed under the leadership of the beast and Satan. The attire of the harlot is very suggestive of the way that a whore presents herself to accomplish her miserable intent. This religious harlot will do what it takes to court the kings and the leaders of the world.
B. The Religious Harlot Is Defiled. (Vv. 4b-5).
There is nothing in our Text that gives indication that this false Church has any Scriptural virtue. This is the reason the Lord chose to describe her in such an apparently identifiable way. Even today, when a Christian views the world in a very discerning way, it is more than easy to detect the counterfeit or the false Church. There are many distinguishing marks that identify the True Church. The Church Epistles give us a blueprint of what the true Church should be. The Word of God must be our only pattern for identifying ourselves. The Word of God serves to bring about purification rather than defilement. Defilement takes place when the Word of God is displaced with Philosophy, current events, and worldly wisdom, etc. The wisdom of this world is foolishness to the plans and purposes of God. Her defilement was apparent by both her fornications and her abominations.
C. The Religious Harlot is Drunken. (V.6)
For one to become drunk, that person must consume a large amount of intoxicating beverages. The parallel to this wretched harlot being drunk with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus, means that it was a large number of deaths to her account. To be drunk with blood means that there were many who died in the name of religion. What a terrible wicked tragedy and there will be even greater tragedy during the tribulation because of the awful bloodshed of those who trusted in the Lamb of God. As the harlot becomes intoxicated with the blood of the saints, she also will be absolutely held accountable by God.
II. THE INTERPRETATION CONCERNING THE RELIGIOUS HARLOT. (Vv 7-8).
Babylon is mentioned in the Scriptures 287 times, second to Jerusalem and has always symbolized an organized hatred against God. Notice what Tenney had to say about this name and place found in the Scriptures. “Babylon was a literal city on the Euphrates River; right after the flood, Babylon "was the seat of the civilization that expressed organized hostility to God. Babylon was later the capitol of the empire which cruelly conquered Judah: Babylon, to them (the Jews), was the essence of all evil, the embodiment of cruelty, the foe of God’s people, and the lasting type of sin, carnality, lust and greed." (Tenney) [Genesis 11:1-10].
Even in Christ’s day the Spirit of Babylon was apparent and seen in Rome. "In John’s day Rome epitomized all the antagonism and opposition to the Christian faith" (Mounce); in some ways, the city of Rome was the clearest fulfillment of the "Babylon" attitude. If we had to pick one city today that most exemplifies the world system, perhaps we would say that Los Angeles is the "Babylon" of today! (Guzik).
During the tribulation or the Seventh Week of Daniel the prevailing world Spirit will be that of Babylon.
A. The Residence of the Harlot is Given. (Vv. 7-9)
The harlot sits on many waters. This speaks of her having a worldwide influence. To better understand her religious government you need to remember that there were four major empires that this government was identified with. It was revealed by God to Daniel and to Nebuchadnezzar that these four empires would begin with Babylon followed by the Med0-Persian, the Grecian, and then the Roman Empire. The last of these four, the Roman Empire, came to power during the middle of the eighth century B.C. and was overthrown in A.D. 476.
The spirit of the Roman Empire has been kept alive for fifteen centuries due to the influence of pagan Rome. Babylon is clearly identified. “The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth” (17:9). “History knows of only one city which is so designated. It is Rome, called “the lofty city of seven peaks.” The first signification of the “seven heads” then is geographical, or territorial. They are identified with the woman, pointing her out clearly to be Rome. The names of the seven hills are Aventine, Caelian, Capitoline, Esquiline, Palatine, Quirinal, and Viminal. Students of ancient coins remind us that the coin of Vespasian represents Rome seated on seven hills. The Roman Catholic Church itself, in the Confraternity Edition of the New Testament (new edition, New York, 1963, page 337), claims that Rome is Babylon.” (Strauss).
It may be clearly recognized that pagan Rome is but a forerunner of papal Rome. The Lord permits the ecumenical church to develop to the point that the entire world will be under its influence. The Roman Catholic Church, several decades ago, had an isolated position and would not involve itself with other faiths as it now does. That is no longer so. I recall being told over thirty years ago that the Catholic church was going to reach out and become more involved in the community and also be more involved with other religious institutions and do this for the purpose of becoming more common and more accepted by other groups, both religious and social. This is a necessary movement by false religions to set the stage for both a one world government and for one world worship. The last religion will be a world religion. It will involve all false religions upon the earth after the true Church is removed.
During the lifetime of Pope John Paul II much headway was made for bringing about the ecumenical movement. Notice with me these quotes concerning this:
“In addressing a prayer gathering of Christians, Muslims, Jews, Buddhists and others, Pope John Paul II told participants that their efforts were "unleashing profound spiritual energies in the world and bringing about a new climate of peace"; the Pope pledged that "the Catholic Church intends to ’share in and promote’ such ecumenical and inter-religious cooperation. The Catholic Review commented on this and said, "The unity of religion promoted by the Holy Father Pope John Paul II and approved by His Holiness the Dalai Lama is not a goal to be achieved immediately, but a day may come when the love and compassion which both Buddha and Christ preached so eloquently will unite the world in a common effort to save humanity from senseless destruction, and leading to toward the light in which we all believe." (Guzik).
This illustrates how Christian some of their activities may appear on the surface, but when examined scripturally their efforts are still counterfeit.
B. The Realm of the Harlot Is Given. (Vv. 10-14)
The harlot was using the political system that was led by the beast (Antichrist), to further her design and purpose, She, the rider of the beast, had tremendous influence over the beast for a period of time. Therefore, his realm was her realm. This shows how powerful this system was during the Tribulation and it has had its satanic power for centuries, as well. The Revelation Prophecy clearly identifies this corrupt religious system with its Roman base.
The political system is also identified in the last days with the different kings being referred to, the seven kings are difficult to identify exactly, but the eighth is in reference to the Antichrist. Many theologians believe that when John received his vision, five of the kings had fallen. If that was indeed what he was referring to there would be first Julius Caesar, who was followed by Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius, and Nero. The angel then said to John, “and one is,” which probably refers to Domitian, the last of the Caesars who would have been alive when John wrote the Revelation Prophecy.
“And the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space” (17:10).
The next head that arises as head of the revived Roman Empire is the Antichrist who would qualify as being the one who was alive, is now dead, but who comes to life again (17:8, 11; cf. 13:3). As the rule of Antichrist concludes with the Lord bringing about total destruction, the final rule by the Antichrist will prove to be just for a short while. Thank God, the shorter the better!
C. The Rebellion Against the Harlot Is Given. (Vv. 15-18)
The ten horns or nations will turn against the whore and make war against her, because the Lord will put it into there hearts to do his will. This shows how confused and how much turmoil the world will be in towards the end of the tribulation. They will be fighting themselves. Even as I write this, it is being suggested that Iraq will likely go into civil war and further weaken their selves. This is very similar to what I see that will take place while everything is winding down; except the Lord will cause them to despise their own wicked program and help them bring about their own destruction.
Notice how appropriate the prophet Jeremiah was when he spoke the words of the Lord in Jeremiah 51:6-9 several thousand years ago:
Flee out of the midst of Babylon, and deliver every man his soul: be not cut off in her iniquity; for this [is] the time of the LORD’S vengeance; he will render unto her a recompence. Babylon [hath been] a golden cup in the LORD’S hand, that made all the earth drunken: the nations have drunken of her wine; therefore the nations are mad. Babylon is suddenly fallen and destroyed: howl for her; take balm for her pain, if so be she may be healed. We would have healed Babylon, but she is not healed: forsake her, and let us go every one into his own country: for her judgment reacheth unto heaven, and is lifted up [even] to the skies.
