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REVELATION - Behold, I am Coming Soon
Studies in the Book of Revelation
BOOK 6 - BABYLON THE HARLOT AND THE WORSHIP OF GOD(REVELATION 17:1 - 19:10) -- The end of the great deceiver and preparation for the marriage of the Lamb
PART 6.1 - THE JUDGMENT OF GOD UPON THE HARLOT BABYLON (REVELATION 17:1 - 18:24)

1. The Angel of Judgment Bids John to Come (Revelation 17:1-2)


REVELATION 17:1-2
1 One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and spoke with me, saying, “Come here. I will show you the judgment of the great prostitute who sits on many waters, 2 with whom the kings of the earth committed sexual immorality, and those who dwell in the earth were made drunken with the wine of her sexual immorality.”

A Glance Back at the Glorified Woman in Heaven: In a heavenly vision following the long-awaited seventh trumpet (Revelation 11:15-19), John, the banned patriarch on the Island of Patmos, had seen a woman clad with the radiant sun. The moon had been laid under her feet. On her head rested a garland with twelve shimmering stars (Revelation 12:1).

The majestic appearance of a glorified woman in heaven can be understood as a sign of the faithful assembly of Old Covenant saints, as well as followers of Jesus Christ in the New Covenant. Together they appear, in the spiritual sense, as this majestic woman, sheltered in the glory of God.

The Almighty bound Himself to His church through His eternally valid covenants, and she remained faithful to Him, in good, as well as in evil days. The church, therefore, lives embedded in the holy trinity. She is the temple of God – existing from grace alone (1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19; 2 Corinthians 6:16-18; Ephesians 2:16; 4:4, 16; 5:30; 1 John 4:16).

Introductory Comments Regarding the End of the Great Harlot: Following the devastating judgment of the bowls of wrath (Revelation 16:1-21), one of the seven angels of judgment had come to John and shown him, in a vision, the antithesis of the faithful woman. He revealed to him the judgment of the Almighty over an unfaithful woman, whom he described as “the great harlot” (Revelation 17:1). More than 50 verses in the book of Revelation (Revelation 17:1-19, 10) speak of this harlot, of this religious-economic phenomenon in the power-sphere of the antichrist. The churches of Anatolia and all nations of the earth should understand that the description of the great harlot in the book of Revelation comprises one of the most important warnings to them.

The mighty angel of judgment spoke to the deported patriarch personally, and summoned him to come with him to see and bear witness to the final judgment over this cunning adulteress. In Revelation 14:8 the devastating fall of the great city of Babylon, which had been the source of all unfaithfulness toward God, had already been greeted with exultation and joy. For a long time the offence of this spiritual adulteress had filled the residents of heaven with bitter rage, since through her unfaithfulness all nations of the earth had been led astray. For this reason, the triumph involving the fall of Babylon had been proclaimed in advance of the outpouring of the seven bowls of wrath. John was now to see how God allowed the greatest of all deceivers be annihilated with a single blow.

The patriarch was not commanded to psychologically analyse the evil woman, but only to describe the judgment over her and its causes. Whoever has the gift of spiritual discernment should not just emphasize the present threat to the church and the nations, but also be able to evaluate wicked antichrists and ungodly forces in view of their fateful endings. The end of every pluralistic dreamer who proclaims the equality of all religions has already been assured by the judgment over Babylon, the greatest of all deceivers. An unrealistic humanism or the equal toleration of truth in all religions is incompatible with the atoning death of Jesus Christ. Apart from the crucified Savior there is no way to God. Whoever propagates multicultural compromises or envisions a deceptive syncretism has not been inspired by the Holy Spirit, but by the enemy of the cross of Christ, upon whom God has already passed judgment.

Caution: Mortal Danger! The church of Jesus Christ, like the Biblically faithful synagogue, should quickly recognize the attractive and deceitful power that desires to bring all people and religions under its influence. No follower of Christ should be taken in by this enchanting harlot, but recognize and understand from the beginning her and her methods. God's judgment of damnation upon this great harlot has already fallen. Whoever goes whoring with her will be condemned with her (Romans 2:1-3; 3:8; 1 Corinthians 11:29, 34; Galatians 1:8-9; 5:10; 1 Timothy 5:11-12; Revelation 14:8; 17:1).

The Spiritual Adulteress: Why is this woman said to be the greatest of all harlots (Revelation 17:1)? Perhaps she appears to the world as a significant personality, as wise, rich, cunning, influential and eager in her longing to bring the holy and pure under her spell. Probably the harlot was originally a spiritually-minded woman who had once bound herself to the holy God and pledged allegiance to Him (Acts 20:30; 1 John 2:18-19). But she had not loved Him alone. She made love to all the kings of the world, slept with all of them, had taken up contact with extra-terrestrial spirits, and allied herself with the economic bosses of her time. The harlot dances at many weddings!

This woman is lascivious in her intent to alienate faithful believers from their Lord. She seduces them so she can rule over them, bind them to herself, control and use them, destroy them, and finally, let them fall. She loves no one sincerely and serves no one without a reason, for with all the means at her disposal she will rule over people and unite them under her hand.

She Sits on Many Waters: The angel of judgment had emphasized to John that the great harlot “sits on many waters” (Revelation 17:1). In the Orient such a formulation causes one to think that all fertile gardens and fields, all oases and rivers, as well as all ports and coasts will be infiltrated and controlled by the harlot. She has a net full of agents working for her all over the world. She represents very influential economic power, rules the trade routes, knows all the tricks and has no qualms about smuggle. She knows how to make a fast gain and how to deceive and ultimately enslave naive people. She has bathed herself in all waters. She makes sure she gets her share of every profit, sometimes one-tenth or one-fifth, at other times half or even everything. The harlot is enormously rich; but her heart is as hard as steel.

The Residents of Earth are Intoxicated With Her Ideas: The adulteress tries to serve God and mammon at the same time. She wants to unite the Holy Spirit and earthly power in herself. All people, languages and nations (except the tribes of Israel) should be dependent on her (Revelation 17:15). All willingly listen to the great seductress. They greedily drink the wine of her enterprising religiosity (Revelation 17:2). They allow themselves to become fuddled by her ideas and enthused by her visions. Fanaticism seizes them in their drunkenness. Evil spirits drive them to bloody excesses.

Jesus, on the other hand, remained poor while on earth, and didn't even own a donkey. The King of the Jews levied no taxes and assembled no destroying army. He sought out no contact with the political and religious leaders of His time. He freely served all that came to Him, drove out demons from those possessed, and at the end of His life offered up His own life to save His hardened enemies.

The Spirit of Jesus is the antithesis of the power-hungry great harlot. Jesus remained meek and mild in spite of His holy omnipotence. He sought out and called all who were prepared to take His yoke upon them in order to plough, sow and harvest the world together with them.

The great adulteress allows kings to work for her. With lust and cunning she leads them by the hand. At times even the antichrist and his false prophet comply with her recommendations. She rules them with her deceitful charm.

Whoever underestimates or disregards this greatest of all deceptive powers is unwise, blind and naïve. The one who thinks he is able to judge this demon-begotten and inspired harlot is in error. It is only possible to recognize her through the gracious gift of the Holy Spirit. It is He, above all, who reveals the judgment and annihilation of this slave of Satan.

PRAYER: Holy Heavenly Father, we magnify You and thank You because You still consider those who believe in You from the old covenant together with the followers of Your Christ in the new covenant as Your spiritual woman, who is connected to You by an irrevocable covenant of marriage. You were patient with the believers of the old and new covenants, who did not stand faithful to You, but went down to cooperate with all political powers and earthly institutions, and became wealthy, experts and haughty. You became angry with them and You called them to repent and return at once, but they preferred to play with You and the authorities of the world and to commit spiritual and sometimes physical adultery; and so Your severe judgments fell upon them indeed. Amen.

QUESTION:

  1. What is the meaning of spiritual adultery?

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