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The Great Prostitute

Scripture reading for December 23: Revelation 17

“Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great prostitute who is seated on many waters, with whom the kings of the earth have committed sexual immorality, and with the wine of whose sexual immorality the dwellers on earth have become drunk.” And he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness, and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was full of blasphemous names, and it had seven heads and ten horns. The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and jewels and pearls, holding in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and impurities of her sexual immorality. And on her forehead was written a mystery: “Babylon the great, mother of prostitutes and of earth’s abominations.” And I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of the martyrs of Jesus.” Revelation 17:1-6

Following the seven bowls of God’s wrath and the declaration “It is done!”, one of the seven angels called to John to witness the judgment of the ‘great prostitute.’ This ‘woman’ is described by the angel as seated on many waters. These waters are the nations of the earth and she is described as committing sexual immorality with the kings of the earth and offering the wine of sexual immorality to the dwellers of earth to make them drunk. This ‘woman’ was an enticing deception leading to drunkenness and death.

In this vision and description, God is using what is common on the earth among the unsaved ‘earth dwellers’ and their rulers: beautiful women to entice them into sexual immorality. Gold and jewels entice people to false worship and idolatry. The wine of alcohol and intoxicants frees inhibitions and creates a false sense of pleasure and reality in a state of ‘drunkenness’. This is the essence of sin and rebellion, for in reality, the woman is a prostitute. Her rich clothing and jewels are a covering for her nakedness and rottenness. The cup of wine in her hand is really a cup of abominations. The mystery of her identity is revealed by the angel: “Babylon the great, mother of prostitutes and of earth’s abominations.” She was drunk on the blood of Jesus’ martyrs.

Have you ever been enticed by the ‘great prostitute’? How does this description help you to understand the current world system and its rulers? Why does this world system persecute and kill those who choose to follow Jesus?

Prayer: Father God, thank You for delivering me from the enticement of this ‘great prostitute.’ Help me to see those in need of deliverance from her wine and immorality and to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with them. I want them to be in the bridal company of pure virgins awaiting Jesus’ return. Amen.