Revelation 17-18 The Whore of Babylon

Revelation 17 Revelation 17:1-5 “And one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and spoke with me, saying, ‘Come here, I shall show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters, with whom the kings of the earth committed acts of immorality, and those who dwell on the earth were made drunk with the wine of her immorality.’ . . .

Revelation 17 Revelation 17:1-5 “. . . And he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness; and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast, full of blasphemous names, having seven heads and ten horns. And the woman was clothed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a gold cup full of abominations and of the unclean things of her immorality . . .

Revelation 17 Mystery- now being exposed by God. Revelation 17:1-5 “. . . and upon her forehead a name was written a mystery: ‘BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.’” Mystery- now being exposed by God.

Revelation 17 Mother of Harlots Isaiah 16:22 Ezekiel 16:25 Old Testament uses this to describe Israel's idolatry as spiritual adultery. Isaiah 16:22 “. . . And besides all your abominations and harlotries you did not remember the days of your youth (when you worshiped me alone) ...” Ezekiel 16:25 “. . . You built yourself a high place at the top of every street, and made your beauty abominable; and you spread your legs to every passer-by to multiply your harlotry.”

Revelation 17 Apostate Church Mother of Harlots 1 Timothy 4:1,2 The Old Testament uses the term “harlot” to describe Israel's idolatry as spiritual adultery. Revelation describes the mother of all harlots – spiritual adultery in the church. 1 Timothy 4:1,2 “But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron . . .” 2 Timothy 3:1,5 “But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come . . . holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power...” Matthew 24:5,10,11 “See to it that no one misleads you, for many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will mislead many . . . And at that time many will fall away and will deliver up one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise, and will mislead many.” 2 Thessalonians 2:3 “Let no one in any way deceive you, for it [the end] will not come unless the apostasy comes first . . .”

Revelation 17 Mother of Harlots Global influence – seducing people from all walks of life. Revelation 17:1b,2 “. . . the great harlot who sits on many waters, with whom the kings of the earth committed acts of immorality, and those who dwell on the earth were made drunk with the wine of her immorality.”

Revelation 17 Mother of Harlots Revelation 17:6 Global influence – seducing people from all walks of life. Persecutes true followers of Christ. Revelation 17:6 “. . . And I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus.”

Revelation 17-18 “Mother of Harlots” is also called “Babylon the Great” Mother of Harlots = spiritual face Babylon = secular face Revelation 17:18 “And the woman whom you saw is the great city, which reigns over the kings of the earth.”

Revelation 18 Revelation 18:1-2 “After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven. He had great authority, and the earth was illuminated by his splendor. With a mighty voice he shouted: ‘Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great! She has become a home for demons and a haunt for every evil spirit, a haunt for every unclean and detestable bird.’”

Revelation 18 Ancient Babylon Neo Babylon Babylon represents fallen man’s drive to EXCLUDE God’s leadership Genesis 10:8-10 “Now Cush became the father of Nimrod; he became a mighty one on the earth. He was a mighty hunter before [in defiance of] the Lord . . . And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel” Genesis 11:4 Then they said, "Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves and not be scattered over the face of the whole earth." Daniel 4:30 'Is this not Babylon the great, which I myself have built as a royal residence by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?'

Revelation 18 Allure of material wealth Governments and business unite under “Babylon the Great” Revelation 18:3 “All the nations have drunk the maddening wine of her adulteries. The kings of the earth committed adultery with her, and the merchants of the earth grew rich from her excessive luxuries.” Allure of material wealth

Revelation 18 Governments and business are seduced by “Babylon the Great” Revelation 18:12-13  cargoes of gold, silver, precious stones and pearls; fine linen, purple, silk and scarlet cloth; every sort of citron wood, and articles of every kind made of ivory, costly wood, bronze, iron and marble; cargoes of cinnamon and spice, of incense, myrrh and frankincense, of wine and olive oil, of fine flour and wheat; cattle and sheep; horses and carriages; and bodies and souls of men. Babylon’s wealth comes at a cost.

Revelation 18 Governments and business are seduced by “Babylon the Great” Individuals are seduced with otherwise good things that become idols. Revelation 18:22-23 “And the sound of harpists and musicians and flute-players and trumpeters will not be heard in you any longer; and no craftsman of any craft will be found in you any longer; and the sound of a mill will not be heard in you any longer and the light of a lamp will not shine in you any longer . . .

Revelation 18 Governments and business are seduced by “Babylon the Great” Individuals are seduced with otherwise good things that become idols. Revelation 18:22-23 “. . . and the voice of the bridegroom and bride will not be heard in you any longer; for your merchants were the great men of the earth, because all the nations were deceived by your sorcery.” Pharmakeia

Revelation 18 World System - values antagonistic to God THE ARTS Governments and business are seduced by “Babylon the Great” Individuals are seduced with otherwise good things that become idols. THE ARTS INDUSTRY & TECHNOLOGY HUMAN RELATIONSHIPS COMMERCE & ECONOMICS EDUCATION & ACADEMIA SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT 1 John 2:15-17 “Do not love the world, nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. And the world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God abides forever.” John 17:15  My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.

Revelation 18 We thirst. From where will you drink? John 4:10,14 Whore of Babylon? Or, from the life of Jesus Christ? John 4:10,14 “If you knew the gift of God . . . you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water . . . whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.” Revelation 18:3 For all the nations have drunk the maddening wine of her adulteries. The kings of the earth committed adultery with her, and the merchants of the earth grew rich from her excessive luxuries."

Revelation 17-18: The Whore of Babylon Questions? Comments? Experiences?