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SERIES: THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST, WEEK 65

TITLE: THE GREAT RELIGIOUS PROSTITUTE

TEXT: REVELATION 17:1-6

INTRODUCTION: (1) PEOPLE IN OUR WORLD TODAY ON THE WHOLE ARE VERY RELIGIOUS.

* IN FACT, EVERYONE WORSHIPS SOMETHING OR SOMEONE, IF NOT THE TRUE GOD THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, THEN FALSE GODS AND MAN MADE IDOLS.

** THE REASON BEING, SINCE SIN ENTERED OUR WORLD MANKIND TRIES TO FILL THE VOID OF GOD WITH SOMETHING OR SOMEONE.

*** YET, MANKIND DOES NOT SEEK THE GOD OF TRUTH, THE GOD OF THE BIBLE, BUT SEEKS THE BENEFITS OF GOD, THE GOOD VIBES, THE WARM FUZZIES, THE RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE THAT SOMEWHAT SOOTHES THE CONSCIENCE.

**** SO, THE RISE OF FALSE RELIGION. AND THE MAGNET, THE GRAVITATIONAL PULL OF FALSE RELIGION COMES FROM IT’S PROMISE TO SATISFY PEOPLE’S LONGING FOR THE SPIRITUAL REALM WITHOUT BRINGING THEM UNDER GOD’S AUTHORITY-THE BIBLE.

(2) THUS, IN REBELLION AGAINST THE GOD OF THE WORD, THE GOD OF THE BIBLE, AND BECAUSE OF THEIR LOVE FOR SIN, FALLEN PEOPLE TURN TO CHEAP SUBSTITUTES, KNOCK-OFF RELIGIONS, FALSE RELIGIONS, COTTON CANDY RELIGIONS THAT DECEIVE THEM INTO THINKING THEY ARE OK WITH AND RIGHT AND READY TO MEET GOD, WHICH REMINDS ME OF PROVERBS 14:12 WHICH SAYS: (READ IT).

* AND CERTAINLY PEOPLE IN THE MULTITUDES OF FALSE RELIGIONS IN OUR WORLD HAVE A PRIDE ABOUT HOW THEY WORSHIP THEIR GOD. SO FALSE RELIGION HAS A PROFOUND EFFECT ON OUR FALLEN WORLD.

** BECAUSE OF THAT REALITY, JOHN MACARTHUR IN HIS COMMENTARY ON REVELATION 12-22 HAS THIS INSIGHTFUL PROGNOSIS, AND I QUOTE:

*** “BECAUSE FALSE RELIGION IS SO MUCH A PART OF THIS FALLEN WORLD, IT IS NO SURPRISE THAT IT WILL PLAY A MAJOR ROLE IN THE END TIMES. DURING THE TRIBULATION, ALL THE WORLD’S DIVERSE FALSE RELIGIONS WILL BE REUNITED INTO ONE GREAT WORLD RELIGION. THAT ULTIMATE EXPRESSION OF FALSE RELIGION WILL BE AN ESSENTIAL ELEMENT OF ANTICHRIST’S FINAL WORLD EMPIRE, IN HOLDING TOGETHER HIS MILITARY, ECONOMIC, AND POLITICAL STRUCTURE.

**** ONLY RELIGION CAN UNITE THE WORLD IN THE MOST COMPELLING WAY. POLITICS, ECONOMICS, EVEN MILITARY FORCE ARE UNABLE TO OVERCOME THE WORLD’S CULTURAL DIVERSITY. ONLY RELIGION, WITH ITS APPEAL TO THE SUPERNATURAL, CAN TRANSCEND THE PHYSICAL, GEOGRAPHICAL, HISTORICAL, ECONOMIC, AND CULTURAL BARRIERS TO WORLD UNITY.”

(3) NOW THOSE THOUGHTS ABOUT FALSE RELIGION LEAD US TO OUR TEXT TODAY AND REVELATION 17.

* FOR REVELATION 17 FOCUSES ON THE FALSE RELIGION THAT DOMINATES AND IS IN CONTROL WORLDWIDE DURING THE TRIBULATION.

** AND THIS FINAL WORLD RELIGION IS DEPICTED AS A PROSTITUTE-A HARLOT IN REVELATION 17 THAT WILL BE JUDGED.

*** FOR THE WORD PROSTITUTE OR HARLOT IS A METAPHOR FOR FALSE RELIGION, RELIGIOUS APOSTASY, IDOLATRY AND SPIRITUAL DECEPTION, UNDER THE DIRECTION OF ANTICHRIST AND HIS FALSE PROPHET.

**** AND DURING THE TRIBULATION PEOPLE WILL SEEK RELIGION BECAUSE OF WHAT IS GOING ON IN THE WORLD.

(4) FOR AS THE HAMMER OF GOD’S JUDGMENT COMES DOWN IN SEAL, TRUMPET AND BOWL JUDGMENTS, PEOPLE WILL TURN IN DESPERATION TO ANTICHRIST AS THEIR SAVIOR.

* AND ANTICHRIST WILL ESTABLISH A FALSE WORLDWIDE RELIGION CALLED BY JOHN IN THIS VISION OF REVELATION 17: “BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATION OF THE EARTH” – REVELATION 17:5.

** AND THINK OF IT THIS WAY, REVELATION CHAPTER 17 DEALS WITH GOD’S JUDGMENT ON RELIGIOUS OR ECCLESIASTICAL BABYLON, AND REVELATION 18 DEALS WITH FALL OF THE POLITICAL, ECONOMIC OR COMMERCIAL BABYLON, ALL UNDER ANTICHRIST’S KINGDOM AND DIRECTION.

*** AND THROUGHOUT THE HISTORY OF MANKIND, BABYLON HAS BEEN AN IMPORTANT CENTER OF FALSE RELIGION AND ECONOMIC POWER.

**** AND IN THE END TIMES, FALSE RELIGION WILL COME BACK TO WHERE IT ALL STARTED IN BABYLON IN GENESIS 11:1-4, THE FIRST FALSE ORGANIZED SYSTEM OF IDOLATROUS FALSE RELIGION.

(5) SO BEGINNING IN REVELATION 17, JOHN DESCRIBES CHRIST’S STEP BY STEP VICTORY OVER THE BEAST-ANTICHRIST AND HIS KINGDOM.

* IN REVELATION 17, THE RELIGIOUS SYSTEM IS JUDGED AND IN REVELATION 18 THE POLITICAL ECONOMIC SYSTEM FALLS, SETTING UP THE CIRCUMSTANCES FOR CHRIST TO RETURN TO THE EARTH TO SET UP HIS KINGDOM IN REVELATION 19.

** AND IN ESSENCE WHAT WE SEE IN REVELATION 17&18 TAKES PLACE UNDER THE BOWL JUDGMENTS OF REVELATION 16.

*** IN OTHER WORDS, REVELATION 17&18 IS A PARENTHESIS, IT IS RETROSPECTIVE, LOOKING BACK TO WHAT GOD HAS ALREADY DONE DURING THE FINAL JUDGMENTS OF THE TRIBULATION.

**** FOR AS EARLY AS REVELATION 14:8 WE SAW THE PREDICTION OF THE FALL OF BABYLON – AND ANOTHER ANGEL, A SECOND ONE, FOLLOWED, SAYING, “FALLEN, FALLEN IS BABYLON THE GREAT, SHE WHO HAS MADE ALL THE NATIONS DRINK OF THE WINE OF THE PASSION OF HER IMMORALITY.”

(6) AND THEN UNDER THE SEVENTH BOWL WE SAW THIS IN REVELATION 16:19 – “THE GREAT CITY WAS SPLIT INTO THREE PARTS, AND THE CITIES OF THE NATIONS FELL. BABYLON THE GREAT WAS REMEMBERED BEFORE GOD, TO GIVE HER THE CUP OF THE WINE OF HIS FIERCE WRATH.”

* NOW WHAT WE HAVE IN REVELATION 17&18 IS A PARENTHESIS, A PAUSE TO LOOK BACK AND SEE THE SPECIFIC JUDGMENT OR RELIGIOUS AND POLITICAL BABYLON, THE SEAT OR KINGDOM OF ANTICHRIST.

** THE JUDGMENTS HAVE ALREADY TAKEN PLACE FOR CHRONOLOGICALLY THE NEXT EVENT AFTER THE 7TH BOWL JUDGMENT IN REVELATION 16:17-21 IS THE COMING OF CHRIST TO THE EARTH IN REVELATION 19:11.

*** CHAPTER 17-19:10 ARE RETROSPECTIVE.

**** AND IN MY DESIRE TO NOT CONFUSE YOU, THAT THIS IS CLEAR, ONE LAST QUICK QUOTE AND WE WILL GO TO REVELATION 17:1-6.

(7) JOHN RITCHIE IN HIS COMMENTARY ON THE BOOK OF REVELATION HAD THIS TO SAY AND I QUOTE:

* “IT FITS THE PICTURE BETTER TO SEE THE BOWLS AS ALREADY EMPTIED WHEN THE ANGEL GIVES JOHN THIS RETROSPECTIVE ILLUMINATION-WHAT JUDGMENT HAS MEANT FOR BABYLON. READERS ARE NOW SEEING WHAT HAS ALREADY TAKEN PLACE.” (END QUOTE)

** NOW WITH ALL THAT BACKGROUND IN MIND, I’VE TITLED OUR STUDY TODAY: “THE GREAT RELIGIOUS PROSTITUTE” AS WE EXAMINE REVELATION 17:1-6.

*** AND UNDER THAT THEME WE’LL LOOK AT 4 POINTS, NO. 1 THE CALL OF JOHN BY THIS ANGEL TO OBSERVE THE JUDGMENT OF THE PROSTITUTE, V. 1.

**** NO. 2 THE COMMUNITY OF THE WORLD THAT HAS BEEN SPIRITUALLY IMMORAL WITH THE PROSTITUTE, VV. 2&3.

- NO. 3 THE CLOTHING OF THIS PROSTITUTE, VV. 4&5; NO. 4 THE CONQUERED, THE MARTYRS OF THIS RELIGIOUS PROSTITUTE, THE SAINTS, V. 6.

(8) AND WITH THAT OUTLINE AS OUR COMPASS, LOOK AT V. 1 PLEASE WHERE WE’LL BEGIN BY LOOKING AT THE CALL OF JOHN BY THIS ANGEL.

I. THE CALL, (READ V. 1)

A. NOW ONE OF THE BOWL JUDGMENT ANGELS, ONE OF THE SEVEN THAT POURED OUT THE BOWLS OF JUDGMENT IN REVELATION 16, CALLS JOHN, LIT. COMMANDS JOHN TO COME WITH HIM TO VIEW THE JUDGMENTS OF THE GREAT PROSTITUTE OR HARLOT.

* FOR THE VERB “COME HERE” IS IN THE IMPERATIVE MOOD IN THE GREEK SO THIS CALL IS A COMMAND.

** AND NOTICE THE CONNECTION HERE, JOHN CONNECTS THE JUDGMENT OF THE HARLOT WITH THE 7 BOWL JUDGMENTS.

*** FOR WHAT SPECIFIC ANGEL COMES TO JOHN AND TELLS HIM TO COME WITH HIM?

**** THE ANSWER IS ONE OF THE SEVEN BOWL JUDGMENT ANGELS. THERE IS A DEFINITE CONNECTION BETWEEN THEIR JUDGMENT AND THE JUDGMENT OF THE GREAT HARLOT.

1. SO THIS JUDGMENT ANGEL CALLS JOHN TO COME WITH HIM TO VIEW THE JUDGMENT OF THE GREAT HARLOT OR PROSTITUTE WHICH I BELIEVE HAS ALREADY TAKEN PLACE.

* NOW NOTICE THAT THIS ANGEL TALKS ABOUT THE “JUDGMENT OF THE GREAT HARLOT WHO SITS ON MANY WATERS.”

** AND THE JUDGMENT WILL BE EXPLAINED LATER ON IN THE CHAPTER AND IS AN EXECUTION OF A SENTENCE ALREADY PASSED ON THIS SPIRITUALLY IMMORAL WOMAN.

*** FOR NOTICE THIS WOMAN IS CALLED A HARLOT IN THE NAS AND NKJV, A WHORE IN THE KJV AND A PROSTITUTE IN THE NIV AND ESV.

**** AND THE GREEK WORD USED HERE IS POR-NAY FROM WHICH WE GET OUR ENGLISH WORD PORNOGRAPHY.

2. AND THE WORD POR-NAY IS DERIVED FROM A VERB MEANING “TO SELL.”

* AND IN THE PHYSICAL IT DESCRIBES ONE WHO SELLS THEIR BODY FOR GAIN, BUT IN GENERAL USAGE IT CAME TO DESCRIBE ANYONE WHO BETRAYED PERSONAL PURITY FOR SELFISH PLEASURE OR PROFIT.

** AND CONTEXTUALLY IN ITS USE HERE IN REVELATION 17 IS TALKING ABOUT SPIRITUAL PROSTITUTION, A METAPHOR FOR FALSE RELIGION, SPIRITUAL UNFAITHFULNESS.

*** DR. ROBERT THOMAS IN HIS COMMENTARY ON REVELATION 8-22 SAYS AT THIS POINT AND I QUOTE:

**** “IT IS INDICATIVE OF HER SPIRITUAL HARLOTRY AND REPRESENTATIVE OF AN ECCLESIASTICAL OR RELIGIOUS FACET THAT IS A COUNTERFEIT OF THE REAL.

3. IN PROPHETIC LANGUAGE, PROSTITUTION, FORNICATION OR ADULTERY IS EQUIVALENT TO IDOLATRY OR RELIGIOUS APOSTASY (ISAIAH 23:15-17; JEREMIAH 2:20-31, 13:27; EZEKIEL 16:17-19; HOSEA 2:5; NAHUM 3:4).

* THE O.T. PROPHETS CHARGED NINEVAH (NAHUM 3:14), TYRE (ISAIAH 23:15-17) AND BABYLON (JEREMIAH 23:17) WITH HARLOTRY. EVEN JERUSALEM ACTED THE PART OF A HARLOT THROUGH HER SPIRITUAL WHOREDOM AND RELIGIOUS APOSTASY (ISAIAH 1:21, JEREMIAH 3:8&9).

** WITH THIS BACKGROUND, IT IS BEYOND DISPUTE THAT THIS WOMAN OF REVELATION 17:1 IS THE EPITOME OF SPIRITUAL FORNICATION OR IDOLATRY. SHE LEADS THE WORLD IN THE PURSUIT OF FALSE RELIGION WHETHER IT BE PAGANISM OR PERVERTED REVEALED RELIGION. SHE IS THE SYMBOL FOR A SYSTEM THAT REACHES BACK TO THE TOWER OF BABEL (GENESIS 10:9-10; 11:1-9) AND EXTENDS INTO THE FUTURE WHEN IT WILL PEAK UNDER THE REGIME OF THE BEAST.” (END QUOTE)

*** NOW AGAIN THE POINT IS, THIS WOMAN IS THE EPITOME OF FALSE RELIGION THAT IS SPIRITUALLY UNFAITHFUL TO THE WORD OF GOD. THIS HARLOT IS A METAPHOR FOR FALSE RELIGION.

**** AND ONE LAST THING, THIS GREAT PROSTITUTE, THE ADJECTIVE GREAT USED TO EXPRESS THE DEGREE OF HER INFLUENCE IS PICTURED SITTING ON MANY WATERS.

4. AND THE MEANING OF THIS PICTURE IS EXPLAINED TO US BY THIS ANGEL IN V. 15 WHERE HE SAYS: AND HE SAID TO ME, “THE WATERS WHICH YOU SAW WHERE THE HARLOT SITS, ARE PEOPLES AND MULTITUDES AND NATIONS AND TONGUES.”

* AND BELOVED THIS GREAT HARLOT’S INFLUENCE IS OVER THE WHOLE WORLD IN THE TRIBULATION HOUR. BASICALLY THE ENTIRE WORLD MINUS THE ELECT, WILL BE COMMITTED AND UNDER THE FALSE RELIGION OF THIS BABYLONIAN SYSTEM.

** AND HER DOMINATION AND INFLUENCE OVER THE WORLD IS SEEN IN VV. 2&3 AS SHE HAS DECEIVED THE COMMUNITY OF THE WORLD BY HER SPIRITUAL IMMORALITY.

*** LOOK AT V. 2 PLEASE WHERE WE’LL START TO SEE OUR 2’D POINT TODAY, THE COMMUNITY.

II. THE COMMUNITY, (READ V. 2)

A. NOW THE KINGS OF THE EARTH HAVE GONE TO BED WITH THIS SPIRITUAL HARLOT. IT SAYS THE KINGS OF THE EARTH, LIT. THE WORLD LEADERS COMMITTED ACTS OF IMMORALITY WITH HER.

* MEANING: THE WORLD LEADERS HAD BECOME A PART OF THE RELIGIOUS SYSTEM WHICH SHE SYMBOLIZED.

** BELOVED, POLITICS AND RELIGION WILL FINALLY COME TOGETHER IN AN UNHOLY UNION TO ACCOMPLISH THEIR POLITICAL PURPOSES.

*** IN OTHER WORDS, THESE POLITICIANS WILL SEE THIS FALSE RELIGION AS A MEANS TO ACCOMPLISH THEIR END OF POWER.

**** THIS PROSTITUTE’S RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCES ARE PLEASURABLE AND NOT ONLY DO NOT OFFER A THREAT TO THEIR AUTHORITY BUT ENHANCE IT. FALSE RELIGION WILL BE USED BY ANTICHRIST TO BRING ABOUT HIS ENDS.

1. AND THIS IDEA IS EXPANDED UPON IN THE REST OF V. 2 WHICH SAYS: “AND THOSE WHO DWELL ON THE EARTH WERE MADE DRUNK WITH THE WINE OF HER IMMORALITY.”

* AND THOSE WHO DWELL ON THE EARTH IS ANOTHER REFERENCE IN REVELATION TO THE UNSAVED, THE EARTH DWELLERS, A TECHNICAL TERM FOR UNBELIEVERS.

** AND THE RANK AND FILE PEOPLE BEYOND THE KINGS WILL BE INTOXICATED WITH HER FALSE RELIGION. HER FALSE RELIGION WILL GIVE THEM THE HIGH, THE FIX THEY NEED TO TAKE THEM AWAY FROM ALL OF GOD’S JUDGMENTS BEING POURED OUT AT THIS TIME.

*** WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THOSE WHO ARE PASSIONATELY DRUNK WITH ANTICHRIST’S ILLICIT FALSE WORLD RELIGION.

**** FOR YOU SEE PEOPLE HAVE NO COMPLAINT OR OBJECTION TO RELIGION AS LONG AS IT DOES NOT INTERFERE WITH THEIR PLEASURE AND THEIR SIN!

2. BE RELIGIOUS AND LIVE THE WAY YOU WANT. GO TO CONFESSION ON SATURDAY AND LIVE LIKE THE DEVIL THE NEXT SIX DAYS. SEPARATE RELIGION FROM RIGHT LIVING AND USE RELIGION AS A WAY TO EASE YOUR CONSCIENCE FOR YOUR SIN.

* AND THIS WOMAN OF REVELATION 17 CATERS TO THAT, AND MORE ABOUT THIS PROSTITUTE IS COMMUNICATED IN V. 3. LOOK AT V. 3 PLEASE.

B. READ V. 3. NOW AT THIS POINT, THE BOWL JUDGMENT ANGEL WITH WHOM JOHN HAD BEEN SPEAKING CARRIES HIM AWAY IN THE SPIRIT INTO THE WILDERNESS.

* AND JOHN UNDER THE INFLUENCE MOST LIKELY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IS TRANSPORTED IN THIS VISION INTO A WILDERNESS, LIT. A DESERT OR A DESERTED WASTELAND, AN UNINHABITED PLACE WHICH IS NOT IDENTIFIED.

** NOW IN THAT PLACE JOHN SEES THIS WOMAN, THE SPIRITUAL RELIGIOUS PROSTITUTE SITTING ON A SCARLET BEAST HAVING BLASPHEMOUS NAMES, HAVING SEVEN HEADS AND TEN HORNS.

*** AND THIS BEAST IS THE ANTICHRIST.

**** FOR IN REVELATION 13:1 IT SAYS: “AND THE DRAGON STOOD ON THE SAND OF THE SEASHORE. THEN I SAW A BEAST COMING UP OUT OF THE SEA, HAVING TEN HORNS AND SEVEN HEADS, AND ON HIS HORNS WERE TEN DIADEMS, AND ON HIS HEADS WERE BLASPHEMOUS NAMES.”

1. NOW IN OUR STUDY IN REVELATION 13, I IDENTIFIED THIS BEAST OUT OF THE SEA AS THE ANTICHRIST, THE MAN OF SIN, THE POLITICAL RULER OF THE WORLD THAT RISES UP OUT OF THE SEA OF HUMANITY, ENERGIZED BY SATAN TO RULE THE WORLD.

* AND THIS WOMAN, FALSE RELIGION, IS LINKED WITH THIS BEAST FOR THE INITIAL UNIFYING AND CONTROLLING FACTOR OF ANTICHRIST’S RULE IS RELIGION. AGAIN POLITICS AND POWER ARE CORRUPTED WITH RELIGION.

** SHE SITS ON THE BEAST FOR SHE-RELIGION IS THE FORCE THAT DRIVES HIS POWER. SHE IS SITTING ON ANTICHRIST FOR ANTICHRIST SUPPORTS HER, HE UNDERGIRDS HER, HE IS THE POWER THAT MOVES HER, SHE RIDES HIS FORCE.

*** AND THE 7 HEADS AND 10 HORNS SHOW THE EXTENT OF ANTICHRIST’S ALLIANCES. IN V. 12 OF THIS CHAPTER THE 10 HORNS AND 10 KINGS WHO HAD NOT AT THE BEGINNING OF ANTICHRIST’S REIGN COME INTO POWER AND IN 9 THE SEVEN HEADS ARE 7 MOUNTAINS THAT ARE SEVEN MORE KINGS WHICH LORD WILLING I WILL DEVELOP MORE AS WE COME TO THESE VERSES.

**** AND ONE LAST THING, THIS BEAST IS A SCARLET BEAST, BY THE WAY NOT SCARLET AND GRAY, BUT IN THE GREEK MAIZE AND BLUE, I’M JUST KIDDING.

2. BUT SCARLET MIGHT REPRESENT SIN WHICH THE BEAST IS THE MAN OF SIN, THE EPITOME OF SIN, FOR IN ISAIAH 1:18 SCARLET IS PICTURED AS SIN (READ IT).

* WELL, THE MAN OF SIN AGAIN USES RELIGION FOR HIS OWN ENDS AND IMPACTS THE COMMUNITY OF THE WORLD BY IT.

** WHICH LEADS US TO THE CLOTHING OF THIS WOMAN, THIS GREAT RELIGIOUS PROSTITUTE AND HOW SHE DRESSES AND HOW SHE LIVES. LOOK AT V. 4 WHERE WE’LL START TO SEE OUR THIRD POINT TODAY, THE CLOTHING.

III. THE CLOTHING, (READ V. 4)

A. NOW NORMALLY PROSTITUTES DRESS IN A WAY THAT IDENTIFIES THEM AS PROSTITUTES.

* IN FACT IT SAYS IN PROVERBS 7:10: (READ IT).

** SO THERE IS THE CLOTHING OF A HARLOT. AND THIS SPIRITUAL RELIGIOUS HARLOT IS NOT DIFFERENT, SHE DRESSES, LIVES IN A CERTAIN WAY THAT ATTRACTS ATTENTION AND HERE SHOWS HER POWER.

*** AND NO. 1 SHE IS CLOTHED IN PURPLE AND SCARLET WHICH MOST LIKELY REPRESENT HER ROYALTY, PROSPERITY, WEALTH AND NOBILITY, CLOTHING OF A QUEEN, ONE WHO HAS POWER AND WEALTH.

**** NO. 2 SHE IS ADORNED WITH GOLD, PRECIOUS STONES AND PEARLS.

(1) AND THE WORD ADORNED LIT. MEANS DECKED, TRANSLATED THAT WAY IN THE KJV. SHE IS DECKED OUT WITH THIS KIND OF EXPENSIVE JEWELRY.

* AND AGAIN THIS SHOWS HER WEALTH AS SHE FLASHES IT TO SHOW HER POWER.

** AND THEN NO. 3 IN HER HAND IS A GOLD CUP FULL OF ABOMINATIONS AND HER FILTH OF SPIRITUAL IMMORALITY.

*** AND AGAIN SHE IS LIVING HIGH DRINKING OUT OF A GOLD CUP AS ROYALTY, BUT IN IT IS THE FILTH OF HER RELIGIOUS SIN AND APOSTASY AND HER SPIRITUAL IMMORALITY THAT MAKES PEOPLE DRUNK AS THEY DRINK OUT OF THE CUP.

**** AND BELOVED, HER CUP IS BEAUTIFUL, BUT IT IS CONTAMINATED.

(2) AND THAT’S THE WAY SIN LOOKS, IT LOOKS GOOD, BUT TASTES TERRIBLE, THE APPLE LOOKS GOOD BUT IT IS FILLED WITH WORMS, IT’S FOOLS GOLD.

* AND WAGES OF DRINKING OUT OF HER CUP IS DRINKING MORE AND WANTING MORE, FOR YOUR THIRST WILL NOT BE SATISFIED, WHEREAS IN CONTRAST CHRIST SATISFIES, READ JOHN 7:37&38, JOHN 6:35 AND PSALM 107:9.

** AND THE POINT I WANT TO MAKE IS THIS WOMAN LOOKS GOOD, BUT COMMITTING ADULTERY WITH HER LEADS TO DAMNATION, READ PROVERBS 6:32&33, PROVERBS 13:15.

*** FOLKS, FALSE RELIGION LEADS TO DEBAUCHERY AND IMMORALITY AND ULTIMATELY TO HELL.

**** BUT MOVING ON, LOOK AT V. 5 PLEASE, AND WE’LL SEE HER IDENTIFICATION MARKED ON HER HEAD.

B. READ V. 5. NOW SOME OF THE COMMENTATORS I STUDIED POINTED OUT AT THE ROMAN PROSTITUTES IN THAT DAY WORE HEAD BANDS OR LABELS WITH THEIR NAMES ACROSS THEIR FOREHEADS TO FURTHER IDENTIFY THEMSELVES.

* WELL, THIS PROSTITUTE HAS WRITTEN ACROSS HER FOREHEAD AN IDENTIFICATION, HER NAME.

** AND HER NAME IS “BABYLON THE GREAT.”

*** AND THE WORD MYSTERY IS A DESCRIPTION REFERENCE TO HER NAME, NOT A PART OF HER NAME. THE SENSE IS, A NAME WRITTEN WHICH IS A MYSTERY.

**** AND THE IMPLICATION IS THAT THOSE WITH SPIRITUAL DISCERNMENT, WITH SCRIPTURE, CAN PUT A NAME ON THIS HARLOT.

1. IN OTHER WORDS, THIS WOMAN IS A MYSTERY TO THE NATURAL UNSAVED PERSON, BUT NOT TO JOHN, AND NOT TO TRUE BELIEVERS, WE CAN SEE RIGHT THROUGH HER FAÇADE.

* IN FACT, HER MYSTERY WILL BE EXPLAINED BEGINNING IN V. 8 AS THE ANGEL REVEALS THE MYSTERY.

** SO AGAIN HER NAME IS “BABYLON THE GREAT” AND SHE IS THE MOTHER OF SPIRITUAL HARLOTS AND IS THE MOTHER OF SPIRITUAL ABOMINATIONS ON THE EARTH.

*** AND TO HELP US IN OUR UNDERSTANDING OF HER NAME, JOHN MACARTHUR IN HIS COMMENTARY ON REVELATION 12-22 HAD THIS TO SAY AND I QUOTE:

**** “THIS BABYLON IS THE SYMBOL OF ALL WORLDLY RESISTANCE TO GOD; IT IS DESCRIBED AS THE GREAT BECAUSE OF ITS FAR REACHING INFLUENCE. IN FACT SO GREAT WILL BE ITS INFLUENCE THAT IT IS CALLED THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

2. BABYLON WILL BE THE SOURCE OF ALL THE FALSE, IDOLATROUS, BLASPHEMOUS WORSHIP IN THE END TIMES, HER DESIGNATION AS THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS IS APPROPRIATE, SINCE HARLOTRY IN SCRIPTURE OFTEN SYMBOLIZES IDOLATRY…SO BABYLON, THE CITY THAT SPAWNED THE SYSTEM THAT CORRUPTED THE WORLD WITH FALSE RELIGION, WILL DO SO AGAIN.” (END QUOTE)

* NOW THE WORD BABYLON LIT. MEANS CONFUSION, AND GOD IS NOT THE AUTHOR OF CONFUSION IN I CORINTHIANS 14:33, BUT SATAN IS, AND HERE IN REVELATION 17 IN SATAN’S INCARNATION, ANTICHRIST THE CONFUSER OF FALSE RELIGION, RELIGIOUS CONFUSION WILL BE PROPAGATED.

** WHICH LEADS TO ONE LAST QUICK THOUGHT FOUND IN V. 6, OUR FINAL POINT TODAY, THE CONQUERED. LOOK AT V. 6 PLEASE.

IV. THE CONQUERED, (READ V. 6)

A. NOW JOHN WALVOORD IN HIS COMMENTARY ON REVELATION HAD THIS TO SAY ABOUT V. 6 AND I QUOTE:

* “THE WOMAN IS PICTURED NOT ONLY AS THE SOURCE OF ALL EVIL IN APOSTATE CHRISTIANITY (FALSE RELIGION) BUT ALSO AS THE ONE WHO IS ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN THE PERSECUTION OF TRUE SAINTS.

** HER WICKEDNESS IN THIS REGARD IS DEMONSTRATED BY THE DESCRIPTION THAT SHE IS DRUNKEN WITH THE BLOOD OF THE SAINTS AND WITH THE BLOOD OF THE MARTYRS OF JESUS.

*** HERE THE PRIMARY REFERENCE IS NOT TO ANCIENT BABYLON BUT TO BABYLON PERPETUATED IN APOSTATE CHRISTIANITY (AGAIN FALSE RELIGION) ESPECIALLY IN ITS FUTURE FORM. THE HISTORY OF THE CHURCH HAS DEMONSTRATED THAT APOSTATE CHRISTENDOM IS UNSPARING IN ITS PERSECUTION OF THOSE WHO ATTEMPT TO MAINTAIN A TRUE FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST.” (END QUOTE)

**** AND BELOVED, PERSECUTION FROM FALSE RELIGION IN THE WORLD HAS PRODUCED HUGE NUMBERS OF CHRISTIAN MARTYRS IN THE HISTORY OF THE CHURCH.

1. AND HERE IN THE TRIBULATION IT WILL REACH ITS APEX OR CLIMAX AS THIS MOTHER OF HARLOTS KILLS AND TRIES TO WIPE OUT THE TRUE SONS OF GOD.

* FALSE RELIGION, REPRESENTED HERE BY THE HARLOT, IS A MURDERER. IT PRODUCES A MURDEROUS LUST AND CRAVING TO WIPE OUT ITS ENEMIES.

** AND AT THE END OF V. 6, WHEN JOHN SAW ALL OF THIS, HE WAS AMAZED, HE MARVELED, HE WAS COMPLETELY ASTONISHED. THIS BEAUTIFUL WOMAN ON THE OUTSIDE WAS A TERRIBLE MURDERER AND CRAVED THE BLOOD OF SAINTS. WHAT A GHASTLY VISION!

IN WRAP UP: (1) FALSE RELIGION CAN BE DEADLY TO THOSE WHO DON’T AGREE WITH HER AND REPROVE HER, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY DEADLY, BRINGING SPIRITUAL DEATH TO ITS PARTICIPANTS.

* AND THAT’S WHY WE HAVE ONE WARNING AFTER ANOTHER IN SCRIPTURE ABOUT FALSE RELIGION, APOSTATES, FALSE TEACHERS AND RELIGIONISTS.

** AND SOMETIMES PREACHERS OF THE WORLD SOUND LIKE BROKEN RECORDS AND HARSH IN THEIR DESIRE TO PROTECT THE FLOCK OF CHRIST.

*** BUT BE WARNED AGAIN AND FOREWARNED, FALSE RELIGION IS DEADLY, SO WATCH WHAT YOU READ, WHO YOU LISTEN TO, WHAT YOU WATCH ON RELIGIOUS TV AND WHAT YOU STUDY.

**** BE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE WORD, FOR IT IS OUR MANUAL, OUR HANDBOOK, OUR SUFFICIENCY AND SHIELD TO PROTECT US FROM FALSE RELIGION WHICH PERMEATES OUR QUOTE CHRISTIAN NATION WHICH HAS BEEN PAGANIZED BY RELIGION. READ II CORINTHIANS 11:13-15, I JOHN 4:1 AND I TIMOTHY 4:1&2.

(2) BUT LASTLY WITH THAT WARNING IN MIND NOT TO BE DECEIVED, UNDERSTAND THAT PEOPLE CAN COMMIT SPIRITUAL ADULTERY TODAY BY BEING FRIENDS OF THE WORLD, FOR JAMES 4:4 SAYS: (READ IT).

* NOW UNDERSTAND THIS AND I’LL PRAY, A TRUE BELIEVER CANNOT BE AN ENEMY OF GOD. SO PEOPLE WHO ARE FRIENDS OF THE WORLD ARE ENEMIES OF GOD MEANING THEY ARE LOST.

** AND FRIENDSHIP WITH THE WORLD AND FRIENDSHIP WITH GOD ARE MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE. AND IF YOUR LIFE IS CONTROLLED WITH THE WORLD’S DRIVES, THE WORLD’S IMPULSES AND THE WORLD’S FAVOUR AND ACCEPTANCE, YOU SHOULD THOROUGHLY EXAMINE YOURSELF WHETHER YOU ARE IN THE FAITH.

*** A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE DECEIVED BY RELIGION AND THINK THEY ARE CHRISTIANS AND ARE NOT. FOLKS, PLEASE ASK YOURSELF ARE THERE HOLY AFFECTIONS, A DESIRE FOR THE WORD, A DESIRE TO BE OBEDIENT, A DESIRE TO BE SEPARATED FROM OUR FALLEN WORLD, IN IT BUT NOT OF IT.

*** I CLOSE WITH I JOHN 2:15-17.

**** WHAT IS THE LOVE OF YOUR LIFE TODAY? CHRIST OR THE WORLD SYSTEM? IF IT’S THE WORLD SYSTEM, REPENT AND TURN TO CHRIST AND SUBMIT TO HIM AS YOUR LORD.