“Judgment of the Great Whore”
REVELATION 17:1-18
THEME:
In highly metaphorical language the filthy religious prostitute and her
judgment by the Lord Jesus are described. Be assured that God hears the prayers
of his persecuted, justice is a divine priority, and martyrs will eventually be
vindicated.
INTRODUCTION:
1. John
describes the Lamb’s phased and progressive victory over "the beast"
and his kingdom. Here the religious system is destroyed; then later the
political and economic systems fall also (Rev 18). Afterwards, the Lord Jesus returns to earth; condemns
Satan, "the beast" and the false prophet (Rev
19:19-20); and then establishes His kingdom.
2. John
has a vision of a “great whore” which is a “great city” seated on “seven mountains,” who rides “sit upon a scarlet
colored beast”—the Antichrist to power
and then she is destroyed by him. John first symbolically describes “the great whore” (Rev. 17:1–6) and goes on to
interpret the vision (Rev. 17:7–18), identifying the beast, his drive toward power, and his
subsequent turning on the “whore” when absolute power is his. (W. W. Wiersbe)
John revisits that destruction and deals in detail with the fall of Babylon.
MESSAGE:
I.
The Great Whore Exposed (Rev. 17:1-6).
The
scene begins with an invitation (Rev 17:1-2).
A. AN EXPOSING
SUMMONS (Rev. 17:1-3a).
1.
From an Angel.
One of
the angels asks john to come and see what God will do with "the
beast's" worldwide religious system.
2.
To the Apostle.
John was invited to witness the punishment of the great
prostitute, symbolizing the religious system of Babylon. Religious Babylon
likely includes apostate Christendom, both Protestant and Catholic. It may well
represent the ecumenical church. (W. W. Wiersbe)
3.
About a Judgment.
A. Upon a System of Spiritual Impurity. Her
corruption (Rev. 17:1-2, 4). The prostitute rules over "peoples and
multitudes and nations and languages," indicating the global influence of
this system.
B. Upon a System of Political Fraternity.
Her compromise (Rev. 17:3): she has aligned herself with the godless political
systems of this world. John learned that the kings of the earth had
committed fornication with the woman; which means they had become a part of the
religious system, which she symbolized (Rev.14:8). Prostitution often
symbolizes idolatry or religious apostasy (Jer. 3:6–9; Ezek. 16:30ff.; 20:30;
Hos. 4:15; 5:3; 6:10; 9:1). She has seduced political leaders with her
compromise and intrigue. The world rulers will be absorbed into the empire of
Satan’s false Christ.
C. Upon a System of Global Religion.
The harlot’s influence will extend beyond the world’s rulers
to the rest of mankind (v. 15; 13:8,14). The many waters symbolize “peoples,
multitudes, and nations, and tongues” (v. 15).
Vast numbers of inhabitants of the earth have come under her evil
influence and have been reduced to staggering misery. The imagery does not
describe actual wine and sexual sin, but pictures the world’s people being
swept up into the intoxication and sin of a false system of religion. (W. W. Wiersbe)
4.
Through the Spirit.
Following
the invitation, John was carried away "in the spirit" into the
wilderness. There he saw "the harlot" and wrote down the description
of what he saw (Rev 17:3-6). Gen 2 speaks of a pure bride in a lovely garden;
but by the Bible’s end, civilization has degenerated to an impure harlot in a
wilderness! That is what sin does to the world.
B. AN EXPOSING SYMBOL (Rev. 17:3-6).
This
description is critical and bursting at the seams with information and insight.
1. The Symbol of the Woman
She represents
a seductive, corrupt religious and political system that opposes God, leading
people into idolatry or ‘spiritual adultery’.
QUOTE: “Let's begin
with the woman. Rev 17:18 makes clear that she is identified with a city that
existed in John's day ("reigns" is present tense). This city is
prosperous and powerful, but also idolatrous ("blasphemy") and
dangerous. For one thing, it pollutes the nations with its filth and
abomination (pictured by the golden wine cup); for another, it persecutes those
who belong to the Lord (Rev 17:6). Power, wealth, pollution, persecution: these
words summarize the "great harlot's" involvement on a worldwide
scale.” — W.W. Wiersbe
A.
Her Place (Rev.
17:3)
According to Revelation 17:15, the prostitute rules over “peoples, and multitudes, and
nations, and tongues”
(languages), indicating the global influence of this system.
Her posture is important as she is seated upon “many waters” (Rev 17:1), and upon a “scarlet coloured beast” with seven heads and ten horns.
John was greatly amazed and wondered with admiration when he saw the woman and “the beast.” But what did it all mean?
Thankfully, the angel gave John (and all believers) the explanation of these
symbols (Rev 17:7-18).
B.
Her Portrait (Rev. 17:4)
She is clothed in luxury, symbolizing wealth, arrogance,
and allure. The “golden
cup” holds “abominations and filthiness”—the idolatrous and sinful,
immoral behaviors of her “fornication”. So clad in luxury (purple and scarlet), she
holds a golden cup filled with spiritual adultery, idolatry, and corrupt
practices that entice the world, ultimately representing corrupt
religious-political power.
1.
She is utterly materialistic (Rev. 17:4a). The woman is dressed in
expensive garments, decorated with gold and precious stones. She is holding a
golden cup in her hand and is drunk with the blood of the saints. On her
forehead (see rev 13:16; 14:1) she wears a special name.
2.
She is corrupt, “abominations” (Rev. 17:4a)
(Greek: bdelugma—detestable/accursed
things) and "filthiness of her fornication" signify a mixture of
idolatrous worship, moral corruption, and deception offered to the kings of the
earth.
3.
She says blasphemous things about God (Rev. 17:4b). All of this signify a mixture of idolatrous
worship, moral corruption, and deception offered to the kings of the earth. Generally, she is a false
religious system or a corrupt world power that lures inhabitants away from
divine truth, leading to spiritual corruption (“fornication”). This imagery contrasts with the
pure bride of Christ, symbolizing deep spiritual impurity disguised as
attractive, divine favor.
C.
Her Prostitution (Rev. 17:5)
On her forehead the caption, “Mystery Babylon the great, mother
of harlots and abominations of the earth” appears. This seems to indicate she has daughters who are
also “harlots.” A harlot is a woman who fornicates or uses her body for
financial, political, or profitable gain. It’s
a system that is, at the same time, opulent and morally filthy.
QUOTE:
“The woman's name also involves
"mystery" (Rev 17:5). In the New Testament, a "mystery" is
a hidden truth that only the spiritually initiated can understand. To grasp one
of God's mysteries requires spiritual intelligence and discernment. In this
case, the mystery has to do with Babylon.
The city of Babylon was founded by Nimrod
(Gen 10:8-11). The name Bab-el means "the gate of God." Ironically,
the famous tower of Babel (Gen 11:1-9) was an idolatrous attempt by man to defy
God. When the Lord sent judgment on the builders by making mankind's one
language into many, the word bab-el came to mean "confusion." Later
in history, Babylon became a great empire before finally falling to
Media-Persia. But from the beginning of Nimrod's city in Gen 10, an insidious
anti-God "Babylonian influence" has been felt throughout
history.” —W.W. Wiersbe
QUOTE:
“The Bible is full of information about
Babylon as the source of false religion, the record beginning with the building
of the tower of Babel (Gen. 10-11). The name “Babel” suggests “confusion” (Gen.
11:9). Later the name was applied to the city of Babylon which itself has a
long history dating back to as early as 3,000 years before Christ. One of its
famous rulers was Hammurabi (1728-1686 b.c.).
After a period of decline Babylon again rose to great heights under
Nebuchadnezzar about 600 years before Christ. Nebuchadnezzar’s reign (605-562 b.c.) and the subsequent history of
Babylon is the background of the Book of Daniel.
Babylon was important not only politically
but also religiously. Nimrod, who founded Babylon (Gen. 10:8-12), had a wife
known as Semiramis who founded the secret religious rites of the Babylonian
mysteries, according to accounts outside the Bible. Semiramis had a son with an
alleged miraculous conception who was given the name Tammuz and in effect was a
false fulfillment of the promise of the seed of the woman given to Eve (Gen.
3:15).
Various religious practices were observed in
connection with this false Babylonian religion, including recognition of the
mother and child as God and of creating an order of virgins who became
religious prostitutes. Tammuz, according to the tradition, was killed by a wild
animal and then restored to life, a satanic anticipation and counterfeit of
Christ’s resurrection. Scripture condemns this false religion repeatedly (Jer.
7:18; 44:17-19, 25; Ezek. 8:14). The worship of Baal is related to the worship
of Tammuz.” —John
MacArthur
D. Her Practices (Rev. 17:6)
She
commits adultery with both potentates and people of this earth (Rev. 17:2).
Four times in this chapter, the woman is called a 'harlot" (Rev
17:1,5,15-16); and her sin is called "fornication" (Rev 17:2,4). Her
evil influence has extended to the whole world, reaching even into high places
("the kings of the earth"). She
is idolatrous (Rev. 17:2; 18:3, 9), cruel (Rev. 17:6), and has murdered the
martyrs of Christ.
QUOTE:
“The woman is "the great
harlot," but she is also "the mother of harlots." The Babylonian
system has, in one way or another, given birth to all false religions. She has
also seduced men into opposing God and persecuting His servants. ” W. W.
Wiersbe
2.
The Symbol of the Beast (Rev. 17:3b)
This “scarlet” beast with “seven heads and ten horns” is
a symbol of a satanic political system (like the Roman Empire or the antichrist
kingdom) that supports this corrupted system of the ‘harlot’.
A. His Appearance (Rev. 17:3b)
1. Note What He is. “Beast”
2. Note What His Color Is. “Scarlet”
3. Note What His Communication
Is.
QUOTE:
“As noted earlier, scarlet is the color
of Satan (Rev 12:3) and of sin (Isa 1:18). Scarlet was a popular color in Rome,
and both scarlet and purple were associated with rank and riches.
But the woman must not be separated from
"the beast" that carries her.”
—W. W. Wiersbe
B.
His Associations (Rev. 17:3b)
1. He Has Seven Heads
2. He Has Ten Horns
QUOTE:
“The beast' has seven heads and ten
horns. The seven heads symbolize seven mountains (Rev 17:9) and also seven
kings or kingdoms (Rev 17:10), in keeping with Old Testament imagery (Ps 30:7;
Dan 2:35). 1 have already suggested that the seven mountains can be interpreted
geographically as the seven hills of Rome, but they may also be interpreted
historically as seven kingdoms.” —W. W. Wiersbe
Finally,
this passage portrays John’s vision of a “great
whore” seated on a bloodred monster—the Antichrist,
representing a corrupt, seductive global system—often called “Mystery, Babylon the Great”.
It blends false religion, secular humanism, and political power to rebel
against Almighty God, the Lord Jesus, and harass and oppress the real people of
God.
This
religious system is drunk with the “blood of the
saints,” since they refuse to adopt the
seductive immoral values that rival God, they are brutally persecuted and killed
as true followers of Jesus. While it is incumbent upon us to exercise
patience now, God will deal with the unfair, murderous, corrupt, decadent,
unfaithful conditions of mere earthly religion led by Satan. Not merely because
the righteous long for this so greatly, but because God is just in all His ways
and His timing is always perfect. God will expose, confront, and obliterate
global alliances of political and religious systems opposed to Him. Though
such a system seems dominant and attractive, its inevitable destruction by Jesus
Christ is clearly promised. Rest assured, saint of God, he will deal with the
fakes in due time no matter how universal they may be.
The
Cry for Judgment & Vindication will be answered. “Judge and avenge
our blood”
Revelation
6:9-10, And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the
souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony
which they held: 10 And they cried with a loud voice,
saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge
and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?
The
great question was not whether their enemies would be judged, but when. "How
long, O Lord?" has been the cry
of God's suffering people throughout the ages (see Ps 74:9-10; 79:5; 94:3-4;
also Hab 1:2). The saints in heaven along with us know that God will eventually
judge sin and establish righteousness in the earth, but we do not know God's
exact schedule.
Psalm
74:9-10, We see not our signs: there is no more any prophet: neither is there
among us any that knoweth how long. [10] O God, how long shall the
adversary reproach? shall the enemy blaspheme thy name for ever?
Psalm
94:3-4, Lord, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the
wicked triumph? [4] How long shall they utter and speak hard things? and
all the workers of iniquity boast themselves?
Careful, this is Not a Cry for Revenge.
It is
not personal revenge that we must seek, but vindication of God's holiness and
the establishment of God's justice. Every believer today who sincerely prays, "Thy kingdom come!"
is echoing their petition.
Remember,
Romans 12:19-21, Dearly beloved, avenge not
yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance
is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. [20] Therefore if thine enemy
hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap
coals of fire on his head. [21] Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil
with good. The Lord Jesus is fulfilling
His kingdom role as the Administrator of justice in the earth!
QUOTE:
“The greatest proof of Christianity for
others is not how far a man can logically analyze his reasons for believing,
but how far in practice he will stake his life on his belief.” -- T. S. Eliot
God
hears the prayers of his persecuted, justice is a divine priority, and martyrs
will eventually be vindicated.
