Tag: Revelation 17:1-6
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.
The drunken prostitute
Scripture reading for December 22nd: Revelation 17, Psalm 105, Ecclesiastes 7
Revelation 17:1-6 “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 the impurities of her sexual immorality. And on her forehead was written a name of 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.”
John encountered one of the seven angels who had poured out the bowls of wrath on the earth. This angel invited John to see the judgment of the great prostitute who was seated on many waters. Earlier, we found that the waters were the peoples of earth. This prostitute had committed ‘sexual immorality’ with the kings of the earth and the inhabitants of the earth. The immorality represents acts of rebellion against God, His Word and His people. She held in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and impurity. In fact, John saw that this prostitute was drunk on the blood of God’s saints and martyrs! (Remember the night of the fall of the Babylonian empire described in Daniel chapter five.) This ‘woman’ is the world system of humanism and self-gratification, named “Babylon the great” . She defiles everything, offering intoxicating and defiling pleasures that kill and destroy. She has lived in luxury, but now suddenly falls under God’s wrath.
Psalm 105:7-8 “He is the Lord our God; His judgments are in all the earth. He remembers His covenant forever, the Word that He commanded, for a thousand generations, . . .”
Holy Father, I thank You that You are Lord of Heaven and Earth and my Lord. I thank You that all vengeance and justice belong to You Alone and You will judge justly those who have rebelled against You and mistreated Your people and murdered them. Use me to warn those still under the sway of the seductive prostitute. May none perish in Your wrath, but may they come to repentance and life.
Ecclesiastes 7:26 “And I find something more bitter than death: the woman whose heart is snares and nets, and whose hands are fetters. He who pleases God escapes her, but the sinner is taken by her.”
The judgment of Babylon
Scripture reading for December 24th: Revelation 17
Key Scriptures: Revelation 17:1-6 “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 pears, holding in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her sexual immorality. And on her forehead was written a name of mystery: “Babylon the great, mother of prostitutes and of the earth’s abominations.” And I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of the martyrs of Jesus.”
John was shown a vision of a strange beast with seven heads and ten horns. On this beast, sat a woman who was dressed as a prostitute. John, lead by the Holy Spirit, saw this woman holding a cup in her hand, full of abominations and sexual immorality. On her forehead was written a mysterious name: “Babylon the great, mother of prostitutes and of earth’s abominations.” This woman was drunk on the blood of the saints. This vision reveals the woman as the corrupt and false system of world religions, depicted by Babylon, that specialized in leading people into idolatry and immorality, violating God commandments. The beast she rides upon are the corrupt political systems culminating in the one world government of the antichrist. The cup represents the true spiritual condition of those involved in the false religion of the end times and the wicked and rebellious government of antichrist. God’s purposes will not be thwarted. His judgment will bring down this woman and the beast she rides!
Revelation 17:16-18 “And the ten horns that you saw, they and the beast will hate the prostitute. They will make her desolate and naked, and devour her flesh and burn her up with fire, for God has put it into their hearts to carry out His purpose by being of one mind and handing over their royal power to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled.” And the woman that you saw is the great city that has dominion over the kings of the earth.”
Faith confession and prayer: Father God, I trust You to reveal all that I need to know about the time that I live in these last days. Thank You for Your divine control of all events of history past and the present and the future. May Your kingdom come and Your will be done on earth as in heaven! Use me to accomplish Your purposes and fulfill Your Word in my time on earth.
Revelation 17:14 “They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with Him are called and chosen and faithful.”