God Describes the
Harlot
– Revelation Seventeen
–
In Revelation 14:8 we see
Babylon introduced as having fallen. "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." In this text
Babylon is named but not identified. Again in
Revelation
16:19
Babylon is named but not identified. "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."
Revelation Seventeen identifies
Babylon. The struggle between God and Satan
continues, and over and over we see that God and His people win the battle. The
identity of the Harlot is set forth in Revelation Seventeen. Later we learn
more about God's judgment against this wicked Harlot. The literal city of
Babylon was located on the
Euphrates
River.
Babylon was the capitol of the empire that
conquered
Judah.
Babylon was associated with idolatry and the
persecution of God's people.
Babylon was present in John's day as typified by
Rome's persecuting power against Christians and
will be present throughout history as the Devil works his evils by those that
oppose God's people!
Babylon and the great Harlot – Revelation 17:1-6: The Harlot sits upon many waters or
controls many people. The judgment of God against the Harlot or the spiritually
corrupt
Rome was certain. She was guilty of spiritual
fornication. The Devil started his work long before the Messiah came. Now the
Devil had a tremendous influence through the nation of
Rome.
Rome was that nation, "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." Those that had not
become children of God had been affected by the false worship and persecuting
power of
Rome.
Many people try to identify the great Harlot
with the Roman Catholic Church, but false religion is not limited to one
church. We are not to believe, even for a moment that even though
Rome and its devilish system fell
that Satan was finished. This is not the end of evil by any means.
The Harlot is dressed like a queen. The
picture is that of a queen, but it is not a picture of beauty. "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." (Revelation 17:4) This
evil Harlot was drunk with the blood of saints. "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." (Revelation
17:6) Now we know that the purpose of the Harlot was to draw saints away from
God and destroy them spiritually. The entire figure of
Babylon and the Harlot is that of worldliness.
Worldliness is the greatest power that the Devil has over the children of God.
In John's day the great Harlot was
Rome. But remember that the book of Revelation
gives principles that fit all through history. The great Harlot also pictures
any anti-Christian seduction at any time in history. The Devil is always busy
trying to allure saints from the fold of God.
Babylon's evil kings come and go – Revelation
17:7-10: John is
amazed at what he sees. "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." (Revelation 17:6) John was amazed when he
saw so much of God's servants' blood shed by the Harlot. He was likewise amazed
when he saw the judgment of God against the great whore.
The Harlot is the same as the land beast of
Revelation Thirteen. This beast represented false worship. The sea beast also
had civil persecuting power. The seven heads and ten horns remind us again of
Satan's destructive, persecuting power and of his intellect. The beast appears
again and again in history. He was, he is not, but he comes again. The Devil's evils
will all end at the righteous, revealing judgment of God.
John again sees that the beast is
Rome. The five persecutors of God’s people that
had fallen were
Egypt,
Assyria,
Babylon,
Persia, and
Greece. The present persecutor was
Rome. The “one to come” included all future
persecutors of God's people.
Babylon's kings and allies have one mind –
Revelation 17:11-13:
The ten kings are
Rome's allies that had been given power for a short time. They sided
with Rome and were part of her evil so that
Rome would not destroy them, but now far worse
God destroys them. "Perdition" was the place awaiting them.
"Perdition" was a term applied to Judas so it had to be bad. (John
17:12) Perdition had to do with destruction. So Judas was a child of
destruction. The beast that opposed God "goes into perdition."
These kings have one mind. People can have
"one mind" for good or "one mind" for evil. Sadly these
kings have "one mind," but it is the mind of Satan. They joined with
him in committing great evils against the children of God. They made the fatal
mistake of committing themselves to the Devil and his evil schemes. The result
of such a choice is tragic. Those that chose Satan's side reject all hope!
Babylon makes war with the Lamb – Revelation
17:14-18: These help
make war with the Lamb. Aging we see that God and his people win. "...And
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." (Revelation
17:14) Even those that opposed God's cause were used by the Sovereign God to
destroy
Rome. God's word shall be fulfilled in spite of
Satan, and all his instruments.
This chapter closes with the pointed words of
Revelation 17:18. "And the woman which thou sawest is that great city,
which reigneth over the kings of the earth." This is clearly a description
of Rome.
Rome is that
Babylon that has shed the blood of saints and
martyrs without number. She will be destroyed for so doing. In Revelation 17:18 the harlot is presented before us as ready
for judgment. Nothing can save her from God's indignation. Revelation eighteen
will provide some of the details of that judgment.
The Devil is powerful and what he offers has
appealed to man. However, God is more powerful and what He offers has eternal
appeal. That is why it makes sense to obey God rather than to follow Satan. To
obey the gospel one must hear God's truth (Romans 10:17), believe in Jesus (John 8:24), repent of sins (Acts 17:30), confess Jesus as Lord (Acts 8:37), and be baptized to be saved. (I Peter
3:21) After baptism one must serve God faithfully regardless of circumstances.
Under any condition, we are always better off to serve God faithful because
God's people always win.