The Great Whore's Betrayal

“The Great Whore's Betrayal” 

REVELATION 17:7-13

THEME: In highly metaphorical language the filthy religious prostitute and her judgment by the Lord Jesus are described. We are assured that God hears our prayers as his persecuted, justice is indeed a divine priority, and our Lord's martyrs will eventually be vindicated. 

INTRODUCTION: 

One reason John used symbolism was so that his message would encourage believers in any period of Christian history.  The true churches are like pure virgins (Rev 19:7-8; see also 2 Cor 11:2), but the false religious system is a "whore" who has abandoned the truth and prostituted herself for personal gain. In every age, there has been a "whore" who has used, abused, and persecuted God’s people; and this will culminate in the last days in a worldwide apostate religious system.

MESSAGE:

II. The Great Whore Explained (Rev. 17:7-13)

What follows is an angelic explanation of the judgment of ‘Mystery Babylon the Great,’ showing an anti-Christian political and religious system that is finally crushed by King Jesus. (Bible Gateway) 

A.  EXPLAINING THE BEAST (Rev. 17:7-9)

An angel explains to John “the mystery of the woman” (whore, prostitute, idolater) and the beast, as a power that is historical, presently absent, but is indeed future coming out of the Abyss before its final destruction. It points to a deceptive, blasphemous power that astonishes earth-bound unbelievers. 

   1. Notice What is Perceived (Rev. 17:7)

1. A Description.

1.     He sees a “woman” (Worldwide Religious System of Idolatry) riding a “beast” (the Empire of Antichrist) with “seven heads” (Seven historical political kingdoms) and “ten horns.” (Future Ten Kingdom Confederation in Europe).

2.     The woman represents a corrupt religious system depicted by the city of Babylon (Rev. 17:7).  This “one world” religion in the Western Europe will accompany political unification under the Antichrist and will support his drive toward power.

2. A Downfall. But when the Antichrist has achieved power, he will overthrow the religious organizational federation and insist that the entire world adore and worship him (Rev. 17:16).

   2. Notice What is Professed (Rev. 17:8-9)

       A.  Regarding the Beast. (Rev. 17:8)

The beast represents the Antichrist and his empire.  “The beast” both a king and kingdom are referred to in this term.

             1. Beast Considered as an Individual.   (Rev. 17:8)

                  A.  He Was— was alive

                  B.  He Is Not—dead, was killed

“Was, and is not, and shall ascend.” A reference to the Antichrist’s false resurrection (Rev. 13:3,4,12–14; see Rev. 13:3).

                  C.  He Shall Ascend—raised up from the Abyss

“Out of the bottomless pit.” After his “resurrection,” the Antichrist will become possessed by a great demon, most likely Satan himself, from the abyss (see Rev. 13:1,3).  This indicates that the power behind the ruler is satanic (cf. 13:4) and that Satan and the man he controls are closely identified. Their power is one.

                  D.  He Shall Go In— go into eternal punishment

“Perdition.” Eternal destruction (Rev. 17:11; Matt. 7:13; John 17:12; Phil. 1:28; 3:19; 2 Thess. 2:3; Heb. 10:39; 2 Pet. 2:3; 3:7,16). This is the lake of fire, the place of Antichrist’s destruction (Rev. 19:20).

                  E.  He Will Inspire Wonder (Rev. 17:8)

                        1. Among the Lost of the Earth

                             a. “Book of Life.” The roll of the Redeemed, written in eternity past by God (see Rev. 3:5).                  

                             b. Only the Tribulation Saints will escape the Antichrist’s deception (Matt. 24:24).

                             c. “From the foundation of the world.” See 1 Tim. 1:9; Titus 1:2 (“before time began”). A frequent phrase (Matt. 13:35; 25:34; Luke 11:50; John 17:24; Eph. 1:4; Heb. 4:3; 9:26; 1 Pet. 1:20) referring to God’s pre-creation plan.

                        2. About His Resurrection

The fact that the beast “was, and is not, and shall ascend” in the future is another indication of what was introduced in Rev. 13:3. 

             2. The Beast Considered as an Empire.    (Rev. 17:8)

                 A.  It Was— The Empire Existed Before

                 B.  It is Not —The Empire Ended

                 C.  It Shall Ascend— The Empire was Revived through Satanic Power

                 D.  It Shall Go— The Empire Will be Condemned

                 E.  The Empire Will Cause Wonder

                       1.  Among its Loyalists

                       2.  About Its Revival

The supernatural survival and revival of both the world ruler and his empire will impress the world as being supernatural and will lead to the worship of the beast and Satan.      

       B.  Regarding the Whore. (Rev. 17:9)          

             1. The Wisdom (Rev. 17:9)

                  A.  QUOTE: “The truth that is being presented here symbolically requires spiritual insight to be understood, and the difficulty of correct interpretation is illustrated by the various ways it has been interpreted in the history of the church.”  — Walvoord, J. F.

             2. Remember What the Whore Is (Rev. 17:9)

                  A.  The Seven Mountains Stated.

                         1. Seven Heads Equal Seven Mountains.

                         2. The Seven Mountains Equal Seven Kings and Kingdoms. (Rev. 12:3; 13:1,3)

The 7 mountains in context likely symbolize the 7 kingdoms and their kings of Rev. 17:10.

Daniel 2:35, Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.

                  B.  The Seven Mountains Explained.

                       1.  They Likely Are Not Literal Mountains–City of Rome

QUOTE:  “While Rome is often referred to as having seven hills or mountains, different writers do not necessarily name the same seven mountains.”  — Walvoord, J. F.

                       2. They Most Likely Represent Seven Kings & Kingdoms (Rev. 17:9-11)

QUOTE: “A close study of the passage does not support the conclusion that this refers to the city of Rome. Seiss, for instance, offers extensive evidence that the reference is to rulers rather than to physical mountains (The Apocalypse, pp. 391-94). This is supported by the text which explains, They are also seven kings (lit., “the seven heads are seven kings”). If the mountains represent kings, then obviously they are not literal mountains and refer not to a literal Rome but to persons.”  — Walvoord, J. F.

             3.  Remember Where the Whore Resides (Rev. 17:9) “On which the woman sitteth”

                  A.  The Religious System is Headquartered in Rome (Geographically) (Rev. 17:18).

                  B.  The Religious System Influences the Empire of Rome (Spiritually) (Rev. 17:2, 3).

                        1. It Influenced the Seven Kings and their Seven Kingdoms (Historically) (Rev. 17:9, 10).

                        2. It will Influence the Ten Kings and Their Kingdoms (Futuristically) (Rev. 17:15, 18).

While this religious system is headquartered in the city of Rome, it will grow to worldwide influence after it flourishes in Europe.

B.  EXPLAINING THE KINGS (Rev. 17:10-13)

   1. The Seven Kings Explained.  (Rev. 17:10-11)

These “seven kings” are representatives of the 7 great world empires (Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome, and that of the Antichrist). See Daniel’s image in Dan. 2:37–45.

      A.  Considered as Kingdoms

I favor this view because it fits the total picture of the text better than the view which regards these as Roman kings.

           1.  Five are Past–World Empires—"Five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come”.

a.      When John wrote, the Egyptian, Assyrian, Babylonian, Medo-Persian and Greek empires had gone out of existence.

b.     According to Rev 17:10, five of these kings (or kingdoms) had passed off the scene, one was present in John's day, and one was yet to come. If so, then the five past kingdoms would be Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia, and Greece.  All these world empires where influenced by this religious system of idolatry and false worship. While the religious systems may have had a different name and outward appearance during the time of each empire, its essential elements, nature, character, motives, and beliefs were the same.

c.      Remember this is “THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.”  The system of the future will not be anything new!                

           2.  One was Present–Roman Empire

The present kingdom would be Rome, and the future kingdom would be that of "the beast." To understand Rev 17:10-11, we must consider Rev 17:12. Rome still existed; and the Antichrist’s empire had not yet come.

           3.  One Was Future—Revived Roman Empire of Antichrist

               A.  The Roman Empire is the Seventh Kingdom

               B.  The Roman Empire is the Eighth Kingdom (consisting of a 10 kings confederation)

                     1. When it comes, it will be brief (Rev. 12:12; 13:5) and

                     2. He will end in perdition (Also Rev. 17:11; Rev. 17:8).

      B.  Considered as Kings (Rev. 17:10-11)

This is a popular view also, but probably unlikely the meaning of the text. 

   2. The Ten Kings Explained. (Rev. 17:12-13)

Verse 12 informs us that the 10 horns of the beast represent 10 kings.

      A.  Ten Kings Are Yet to Rule (Rev. 17:12). See Rev. 12:3; 13:1

Daniel 2:41-42, And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters' clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay. [42] And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken.

These are not 10 successive kings of the past, they are contemporaneous kings who are leaders of the kingdoms which will form the original alliance in the Middle East that will unite their power to support the beast (v. 13).

           1.  These kings are sub-rulers under the Antichrist, whose empire will apparently be divided into 10 administrative districts. The ten kings unanimously yield their power and authority to the beast. In other words, ten countries (or governments) surrender their national sovereignty to him.

           2.  They possessed “no kingdom as yet.” Thus, the kings cannot be identified with any historical figures.

           3.  They are Empowered after “one hour with the beast.” Symbolic of the brief 3½ year period of time (Rev. 11:2,3; 12:6,12,14; 13:5; 18:10,17,19).

Again the 10 horns are contemporaneous with each other, and as the text indicates they will receive political power for a brief time.

      B.  One King Will Be the Most Powerful (Rev. 17:13).

          1. The ten horns in Revelation 17:12, 13 are said to represent the ten-nation federation which will give its power and strength to the beast (compare Dan. 7:23, 24 with Rev. 13:1).

Daniel 7:23-24, Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces. [24] And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.

          2. “The beast" not only has seven heads, but also ten horns, which represent ten kings.

The Middle East ruler who will emerge in the end time and will make a covenant with Israel seven years before the second coming of Christ. This ten-kingdom empire goes to war against the Lord Jesus when He returns to earth at the end of the Tribulation.

QUOTE: “But these are very special kings: they enable "the beast" to rise to power and are even willing to yield their authority to him. Recall that at the opening of the first seal (Rev 6:1-2), Antichrist began his "peaceful" conquest of the nations. He organized a "United States of Europe," brought peace to the Middle East, and appeared to be the great leader the troubled world was seeking.”   —W. W. Wiersbe

          3.  But during the seven-year period, this ruler broke his covenant with Israel (Dan 9:27) and began to persecute the people of God as well as the nation Israel. Energized by Satan and assisted by the false prophet, "the beast" became the world’s dictator and its god. In this way, "the beast" was both "one of the seven [kings, kingdoms]" but also "the eighth." His kingdom was nothing but a revival of the Roman Empire ("one of the seven"), but it was a new kingdom ("the eighth').

           4.  The Babylonian system in is a seductive religious power that minimizes doctrinal truth, rejects the authority of the Word, and tries to unite the world’s political powers based on faith in the Antichrist.

APPLICATION: As we ponder the identity of the seven kings and the emergence of the ten kings, we must see John's theme of worldly power and its ultimate ineffectiveness against God and his people. Their authority only lasts for "one hour," symbolizing its brevity and ultimate destruction. As Christians, have we become infatuated with the worldly power of movie stars and sports celebrities, political coalitions, and world economic forces? Are you craving the power and prestige that position, wealth, and connections offer? If so, you are an easy target for Satan’s great deception. Worldly power is Satan’s trap; the desire for it can turn us away from God. Worship only God and make it your strongest desire to serve him. (W. W. Wiersbe)

 

CRY ALOUD AND SPARE NOT!

  

Cry aloud, spare not,

Lift up thy voice like a trumpet,

And shew my people their transgression,

And the house of Jacob their sins. (Isaiah 58:1)

Our modern brand of pretentious Christianity needs honest voices revealing our hypocrisy, faithlessness, sin, traditionalism, fruitlessness and materialism. Occasionally God commissions His faithful preachers to sound the alarm to awaken His people to their intimacy with sin. He is not moved by hatred, but loving concern for the welfare of His people. Let each of us be extremely honest with ourselves, we desperately need a heavenly Father who will correct us! One way the God of the Scriptures evidences real love for us is by correcting and chastening His genuine children (Heb. 12). He desires that we partake of the "peaceable fruit of righteousness" (Heb. 12:11). His grand love moves Him to pursue what is best for us, and sin is never something He is willing to tolerate. 

Transgressions…sins…and iniquities pervade, though many people are 'religious' and appear interested in the Lord. Actually the modern brand of Christianity is weak and shallow. I am not certain the Spirit of God even recognizes it as Christian. Carnality predominates and sin is unchallenged... routinely overlooked... dismissed...and even justified! Our selfishness is extreme and our narcissism is consuming! So many believe God is their servant instead of vice versa. People believe themselves to be the center of the universe while God simply orbits around them to reflect their glory! God exists to make them happy seems to be the prevailing sentiment.... 

We are guilty of trying to use God to get what we want out of life, and we cling to this world as if it is all we have and want. The Lord God does not have our hearts; there is little or no real passion for Him. Instead we seem crazy for more and yet more stuff, things...more money, more material possessions. A second home, a new car, another big screen TV for the theater room, and on the list goes.... The pervasive form of idolatry in our country is MONEY! Too many bow down at this altar and worship at the 'temples of commerce' with radical faithfulness! People will easily miss church with a small case of the sniffles, but they will be at work the day after a serious surgical procedure! Few Christians are concerned about hundreds of churches closing each year, but EVERYBODY is nervously interested in a failing and fragile economy! If you say "No one was saved all year in the average church." a few souls would register slight disappointment. In contrast, if I say, "The stock market crashed!" you would be hard pressed to find anyone who is not intensely interested. Everybody wants to be happy and satisfied, but there is precious little interest in being holy and sanctified! While there is incredible zeal pursuant of what we want from God, there is precious little desire for Him. Why isn't God more central to our deepest longings and desires? Why isn't there a powerful hunger and thirst for God and righteousness? Beloved, we have transgressed; our churches have crossed the line…we have gone too far…and have forgotten why we exist. By our own iniquities we have been lead astray! We desperately need a prophet of God….   

We need fearless prophets throughout this land confronting us with the imperative of REVIVAL. This should not be regarded as a luxury or nice extra...revival is extremely vital to our time. Without a modern "Awakening," Christianity will continue to die in our country. Actually this 'death' seems to have accelerated in alarming ways in recent years.... We need courageous lionhearted prophet-like preachers now! Prophets in the Scriptures are God's spokesmen...Jehovah's mouthpieces. They faithfully delivered God's messages without alteration or dilution. Whether the message was popular great news or ominous announcements of judgment because of sin, they delivered God's messages to His people and the nations. When the message was grievous to the people the prophets were sometimes mocked, attached, imprisoned and even killed. Some of them suffered greatly for sounding the truth...proclaiming "thus saith the Lord." Never-the-less, they consistently sounded the alarm to alert the people of God to God's displeasure with their sinfulness and disregard for His Law. They did not merely mention specific sins occasionally; they righteously thundered against it repeatedly like the Lord Jesus did (Matt. 23). They had to be men of courageous faith and dynamic holy power! Bold, audacious, indomitable, and fearless describes them quite accurately.... Such preachers burned white-hot with passion for God and spiritual concerns. They understood deeply that righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a terrible reproach to people. Resultantly, they lifted their voices like trumpets to painstakingly reveal the sins of God's people... to unveil the flawed justification for their high tolerance for sin, and to unmask gross transgressions (Isa. 58:1). They called people to repentance, godly renewal, and yes...REVIVAL!

Our wretched times require Soldiers of the Cross who love God supremely and trust the Word of God entirely. We must have Preachers with a white-hot passion for God and His glory above all else. The present spiritual climate demands blazing prophets like Elijah, men zealous for God's worship like Elisha, and Holy Spirit embolden servants like John the Baptist. Our times require men who understand the power of the pen like Isaiah, and servants propelled by holy vision as Ezekiel and Daniel were! Nothing less than flaming evangelists craving the salvation of the lost will suffice! Certainly our prayer is that God in great mercy and grace would raise up among us men of God passionate for the glory and honor of the Lord Jesus Christ. Such men should not be considered a luxury that would be nice to have, but essential to our spiritual revival and invigoration. While there are many faithful pastors, missionaries, evangelists, and preachers, our nation needs an army of fearless prophets lifting their voices and wielding their pens to show God's people their transgressions and sins. Revival is the aim! Deep spiritual cleansing is the goal! Glorifying God again is the chief point of interest! O' dear God give us men who love you supremely and love their neighbors as them self! We need such servants of the Most High more than we need food and water.

Countless modern preachers are far too soft on sin...they are distracted by concerns for themselves instead of the things that are of Christ. I am afraid...yes, I know deep inside that those modern spineless placebos will never lead our nation to experience real revival. They are NOT willing to get right with God and such points of interest seem irrelevant to them. They refuse to humble themselves acknowledging their failures to God. They even believe REVIVAL is impossible and unnecessary for this generation of Christians! Actually those modern day Pharisees and Sadducees could not care less about what is on the heart of Christ Jesus. They care about themselves and not the things of Christ.

Dear Father, please raise up real men of God with the courage of thunder and voices like lightening! Men of tenacious faith and abiding love. May they storm all over this land until the rains of revival fall with redeeming, purging, transforming, and correcting power! O’ Lord send a torrential downpour of righteousness! Graciously cascade your spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus upon us that we may be mobilized to battle and to build. A deluge of chastening grace is needed my Father…a deluge! Father God, I pray the mountains of sin and iniquity will melt like wax before your brilliant glory. I plead for wickedness, injustice, and idolatry to flee before Thy exalted presence. I cry out to You against apathy, indulgence, theological poison, and gross avarice. I beg for all fortifications and strongholds of sin to fall like dominoes before Thy awesome Spirit of revival all across this country. Turn hearts to Your holy Word again as the foundation and rule of all reality and truth. Turn Believers to seek your face again…. Almighty God, move among us like wildfires across the prairies of the Mid-West. Not to our destruction, but to the end that every Bible-preaching church may be spiritually renewed. Breathe holy life into all Bible-Believing churches. May Your churches become living centers of worship, ministry, preaching, teaching, evangelism, and missions to the world. Thank You for our high regard for sound teaching, but inundate us with holy power from on high! Start a royal mighty heaven-sent fire in our souls! The hour is late.... We need You more than we know…. 

Erect, O' God, a palpable fear of the LORD in each heart. Forgive us, dear Father, for our unfaithfulness, worldliness, fruitlessness, and tolerance of wickedness. Forgive us for entertaining ourselves with the most violent and brazen forms of transgression. Forgive us for embracing worldly godless values and ambitions while abandoning Your truth and plan for our lives. We have permitted the wrong people and wrong ideas to influence us far too deeply. We have been careless with spiritual advancement, growth, and holy service. Forgive us... forgive us...O' dear God, forgive us. Please establish an adamant hatred for sin in our hearts; erect such a standard throughout this country also. Afford us precise discernment to discriminate between truth and lies. May we, O’ Father, not only recognize the best, but faithfully choose it seeking your honor as our highest priority. Restore every facet of this land unto yourself, and seize new territories for Thy kingdom's sake. We claim homes, neighborhoods, schools, governments, and civil authorities for Thy glory sake. May You always and forever be greatly honored in this land! Revive us O' God! Pour out your power upon us anew! Revive us again…in mercy O’ God, revive us again. May we always treasure You supremely, and humbly walk with Thee in the beauty of holiness. This is my revival prayer in the Awesome Name of our Mighty Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

I Am Confused About God...What Can I Do?

Text: Genesis 1:1; Exodus 34:4-9, 14; Deuteronomy 6:4; 10:12, 17-18; Psalm 95:1-11; Heb. 11:6

Theme: God is important because He is the Source, Meaning, and Purpose of all life.

Relevance:

Who is God?

Today, there is no common understanding of who God is. Many people make up their own definition of who God is. We must be sure we are talking about the same God when we address the question, “Who is God?”

Why do we need to know teaching about God and His existence?

1. To avoid falling into ancient false belief systems already identified and discredited in Christian history.

2. To avoid being deceived by a present-day cult or false religion.

3. To strengthen my own faith and walk with God.

4. To be able to speak intelligently about God with others.

Introduction:

The greatest and most profound idea the human mind can ever conceivably entertain concerns the possibility of the existence of a personal God. The sheer importance of man’s response to this idea cannot be exaggerated, for it will not only govern his life down here but also determine his ultimate destiny. Unless one satisfactorily answers the who question, he cannot possibly solve the how, why, when and where problems of his own existence. –H. L. Willmington 

Unfortunately, we can become confused about God. In some instances it is the fact that we were taught wrong in the first place, and others simply created in their minds an idea of God from select verses in the Bible while ignoring others. Yet some individuals have blended several religious traditions together to develop their unique idea of God. Because of these contradictions, misinformation, and general confusion some have rejected the notion of a God altogether. They have wrongly concluded there is no reality to the God claims. Still there is hope of understanding the truth in this all important matter. Yes, the truth about God can be known and experienced deeply when we turn to the reliable message of the Word of God. This will require separating our personal concept of God from the reality the Bible portrays, but this is a worthwhile adventure! Let us begin....

Lesson:

I.                   Exploring Misconceptions About God—What are Some False Concepts of God?

Belief in the reality of God is one thing, but mankind’s conceptions of God are quite different, conflicting, and often erroneous.

A.     There is No God—Atheism.

1.Atheism is a denial of the existence of God. It is unnatural and an abnormal assertion on the part of people (Rom. 1:22; Ps. 14:1).

2.Some atheists have admitted they reject the concept of God because a belief in God spoils their idea of pleasure. They generally do not want to be accountable to God because they do not want the constraints, morality, and ethic that are hardwired to Him. They claim to be free thinkers, but the reality is they are slaves to their own appetites worshipping themselves.   

3.Have you ever tried to imagine what life would be like without God? There would be no absolute standard of right and wrong, no hope of heaven, no supernatural help or enablement, no higher purpose for life, and no reason to expect good, justice, or mercy. We would be subject to the random blows of fate, chance, and chaos. Order, predictability, and design would be lost or greatly diminished. There would be no reason for faith and worship and our unique character as human beings would not be true. We would be simple animals, who die and all existence is over in death. Much or what we take for granted in life would be gone if there were no God.

B.     There is No Knowledge of God—Agnosticism.

1.Agnosticism asserts the impossibility of knowing the certainty of God. It is a form of skepticism. They deny God is knowable.

2.Someone has observed the agnostic cannot find God for the same reason a thief cannot find a policeman—he running away!  

C.     God has Abandoned Us—Deism.

1.A philosophy that contends God exists and is the Creator of all things, but He is not a personal God. It holds that God is present in creation only in His power, but not His being and nature.

2.Deism rejects the need for special revelation—the Bible—holding that man is intellectually sharp enough to know there is a Higher Being or a Divine Architect.

3.This philosophy portrays God as the invisible Clockmaker, who wound up the universe, then left it for man to run.

D.    There are numerous gods—Polytheism.

1.This is the concept and belief in many gods as in ancient Greek mythology and Hinduism. The theory assumes the existence of many gods. This is a concept of growing acceptance in the Western world because of movies portrying 'superheroes' and special individuals as gods and demigods. 

2.In the environment of the Bible most societies were polytheistic: there were ‘many gods and many lords’ (1 Cor. 8:5). Different deities had different functions, associations, characters, and mythologies. –Harper's Bible Dictionary

3.In the Bible the gods of the heathen are declared to be "vanity," and "nothing," mere imaginary beings, without power either to hurt or to save. (Jer. 2:28; Isa. 41: 29; Isa. 42:17; Ps. 106:28.) –Hodge, Charles: Systematic Theology

E.     Matter is the only reality—Materialism.

1.Materialism is a theory that physical matter is the only or fundamental reality and that all being and processes and phenomena can be explained as manifestations or results of matter. –Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary

2.This theory holds that the universe has always existed and will always endure forever.  Thus no God or Creator. It ignores the distinctions between matter and mind and militates against the concept of “innate knowledge” of God. The theory states that knowledge and sensation are produced by external stimulation—experience. It holds that matter is the only reality and that everything in the world, including thought, ideas of God and truth, will, conscience, soul, and emotions can be explained in terms of matter.

3.Materialism essentially ignores the spiritual realm altogether, choosing instead to live self-indulgently for this temporal world.

F.      God is all and all is God—Pantheism.

1.Pantheism denies the personality of God—God and the universe are one and the same. It holds that all finite things are divine. In other words God is nature—a mountain, rock, tree, an animal. All of nature is God.

2.New Age environmentalism is a present day example of pantheism. It’s “mother earth” concept is nothing more than the worship of created things. Hinduism is likewise pantheistic holding all life to be sacred (Rom. 1:25).

II.                Examining Our Concept of God—How Can We Test Ourselves to Detect False Ideas About God?

Explore these passages of Scripture to identify modern forms of idolatry and misconceptions about God (Exodus 20:1-6; Deut. 5:6-11; 2 Kings 17:1-41; 1 Kings 18:17-46; 1 Samuel 7:1-17). This is an Idolatry Detection Examination. Think about how you spend your time, treasure, and energy.

A.     What or who have I put “before” God? Entertainment, internet, sports, job, education, plans, spouse, body, possessions, wealth, or fame (Ex. 20:3)

B.     What or who is most important to me? (Ex. 20:3)

C.     What “images” of God have I erected literally or conceptually? Divine Santa Claus, Cosmic Killjoy, A Force, Loving passive Grandfather, The Man Upstairs, or an unreasonable Tyrant (Ex. 20:4). Beware of the person who ignores the Bible revelation of God and says, “To me, God is like….”

D.    What or who do I “bow down” to with total allegiance and loyalty? (Ex. 20:5)

E.     Does my love for a person, place, thing, or idea provoke God to jealousy? (Ex. 20:5)

F.      What or whom do I respect and fear most or as much as I fear God? (2 Kings 17:7)

G.    What ‘secret devotion’ would I be embarrassed for others to know about? (2 Kings 17:9)

H.    What ‘religious’ practices do I rationalize to justify my participation in them? (2 Kings 17:13, 14)

I.       What commands of God’s Word do I explain away to accommodate my beliefs or behavior? (2 Kings 17:15, 16)

J.      Who do I admire greatly and find it difficult to evaluate them objectively or who do I defend tenaciously? (2 Kings 17:21, 22)

K.    What beliefs or superstitions do I mix with my Christian faith? Fate, luck, karma, fatalism ect. (2 Kings 17:16, 17)

III.             Correcting Our Misconceptions of God—What Can We Do To Refuse The Lies and Embrace More Truth About God? 

God forgives and restores His people to fellowship with Himself even after extended periods in deep dark sin and/or idolatry. He graciously protects and gives us victory over our spiritual enemies. One key is immersion in the Word of God! 

A.     Text: 1 Samuel 7:1-17, read and study this chapter in God’s Word carefully. It will serve as the point of instruction to help us regain our spiritual equilibrium and make things right with the Lord.     

B.     Chapter Outline:

I.                    The Ark of the Lord is situated in Kirjathjearim for twenty years (v. 1, 2)

A.     A place was prepared for the Ark of the Lord (1)

B.     A person was prepared to keep the Ark (1)

C.     A period of twenty years the Ark remained there (2)

II.                 Israel repents of idolatry and devotes themselves to serve God exclusively (v. 3-6)

A.     Israel mourns after the Lord (2)

B.     Israel repents of idol worship (v. 3, 4)

C.     Israel gathers in Mizpeh for rededication (v. 5, 6)

D.     Israel confesses her sins against the Lord (v. 6)

III.               The Lord defended Israel and delivered her from Philistine attack (v. 7-12)

A.     The Philistines plan to attack Israel (v. 7)

B.     Israel pleads with Samuel to cry out to God for them (v. 8)

C.     Samuel offers a burnt offering and prays to God for his nation (v. 9)

D.     God responds in great power to deliver and help His people (v. 10-12)

IV.              The Lord subdued Israel’s enemies continually under Samuel’s judgeship (v. 13-17)

A.     The Philistines were subdued during Samuel’s judgeship (v. 13)

B.     Israel’s lands were restored to them from the Philistines (v. 14)

C.     The Ammorites were at peace with Israel (v. 14)

D.     Samuel was a faithful and effective judge throughout his life (v. 15-17)

C.     Chapter Summary: Our God is a Restorer, Reviver, Protector, and Helper and He gives His people victory over all their enemies. Even after extended periods in deep dark sin, He remains our help and hope for revival and revitalization. He will even revitalize us after periods of deadness, unfruitfulness, and barrenness. When we humble ourselves in repentance and rededication, He will graciously receive us, even after periods in idolatry. He will give His people victory again in spite of our many defeats when we trust His great power and strength.

D.    Applications:

1. Does the passages expose any SIN I need to confess and forsake?  1Sam. 7:5. Perhaps prayerlessness or a weak and inconsistent prayer life is a problem. Irregular prayer habits, no family prayer time. Perhaps prayer is not a passionate experience; it has become dull and routine.

2. Is there and ERROR in belief or behavior to avoid or correct? 1Sam. 7:2, 3. The people “lamented” after Jehovah, but they had not repented of their idolatry. They were practicing some form of syncretism—a blend of idolatry with the worship of Yahweh. God wanted them exclusively to Himself and true worship.

3. Is there a WARNING for me to recognize and heed? 1 Sam. 7:1-3. Israel was living under harsh Philistine dominance and oppression. They were a depressed and defeated people suffering under the cruelty of the Philistines. Sin may be pleasurable for a season, but we will live with the awful consequences and painful memories of our shameful decisions. We must constantly remind ourselves that sinful living has grave consequences.

4. Are there any COMMANDS for me to obey? 1Sam. 7:3, “If ye do return unto the LORD with all your heart, then put away the strange gods…” Returning to the Lord requires a complete rededication; He wants a total commitment to Him as we forsake all forms of idolatry. Many times traditions, pride, power, money, prestige, property and false concepts of God are not forsaken hindering our full devotion to the Lord.

5. Are there any INSTRUCTIONS for me to follow? 1Sam7. How to Have Victory in the Lord

                                                                     i.            Desire and pursue genuine fellowship with the Lord (v. 2)

                                                                   ii.            Return to the Lord through self-examination, confession, repentance, and obedience (v. 3, 6)

                                                                  iii.            Remove all idols from your heart and mind to serve The True and Living God exclusively (v. 3)

                                                                 iv.            Restore prayer as a spiritual discipline both individually and cooperatively (v. 5, 6)

                                                                   v.            Submit to the authority of God’s Word, His judgments, and His genuine leaders (v. 6)

                                                                 vi.            Expect the enemy to discourage and frustrate your rededication, but decidedly resist him (v. 7)

                                                                vii.            Cling to the Lord by faith during trials and testings—fight your battles in prayer (v. 8)

                                                              viii.            Keep the Cross of Christ central to experience victory over your enemies (v. 9)

                                                                 ix.            Trust God for victory over your spiritual enemies; rely on Him to protect you through the battles (v. 10)

                                                                   x.            Understand that your spiritual enemies are no match for Almighty God (v. 10)

                                                                 xi.            Enter each battle with confidence in the Lord, that He will give another victory (v. 11-13)

                                                                xii.            Trust God to enable you to restore and regain loses in relationships and opportunities in His timing (v. 14)

                                                              xiii.            Commit yourself to a life of devotion to the Lord and victorious living (v. 13-17)

Our worship, service, relationships, and devotional lives should all be positively impacted by the realities of God as revealed in the Bible. A great exercise we could engage in is to take one truth about God and think on it, memorize it, and commit it to heart. Also commit to memory a related verse reference to strengthen your knowledge of that truth about Him. This will not only help our personal perception of God, but it should influence our faith interactions with Him also. Likewise this information provides us with insights to intelligently communicate what the Bible says and what we believe about God to others. These timeless truths also protect us from false ideas about God and enable us to recognize false forms of worship or error-ridden systems of theology. Yes, even if we have made the mistake of embracing a wrong idea about God, we can repent before the Lord. He will forgive us and cleanse us. He will help us know Him according to the truth as stated in the Bible.