Revelation 17

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Welcome

BSF Spring Break

March 26

only complete lesson 25

Seminar- Anna

Exile and Return

We hope that you are planning on joining us next year for BSF’s brand new study: Exile and Return.

If you are currently registered in our class- then you are automatically registered for next year and there is nothing that you need to do.

Your registration is complete.

If you bring children to either our preschool or student program- their registration is NOT complete UNTIL a new permission form has been signed.

To do this- just go to mybsf.org

look for the Exile and Return study

and click: sign the permission.

You must do this for each child.

Also- If you would like to invite friends, they can register at bsfinternational.org and search for our class here at Kenwood or they can register for any of the other local Cincinnati classes.

If you have ANY questions about registration feel free to reach out to our admin. team- they are always around in the back after class.

Or email our CA-Cindi Nugent at [e-mail] with any questions!

Let’s Pray

Introduction

“Mirror, Mirror on the wall, who’s the fairest of them all?”

The mirror, which never lies, responds: “You, O Queen, are the fairest in the land!”

another day goes by…the same question as before…

“Mirror, Mirror on the wall, who’s the fairest of them all?”

“My Queen, you are the fairest here, so true. But Snow White is a thousand times more beautiful than you.”

and with that…the beautiful exterior of the queen fades as her evil is unveiled.. you know the rest of the story…

she begins her quest to destroy the one who represents true beauty on both the inside and the out….Snow White…

Mirror, mirror…on the wall…

When you look in the mirror…who do you see?

Do you see yourself..high and lifted up…surrounded by the things of this world? Do you see someone else- a person you long to be…living the life you wish you had?

Or when you look in the mirror- do you see yourself with the lamb? Standing in Victory…

Our chapter this week shows us that the their is a queen with a beautiful exterior and an evil interior…but vs 14 this week reminds us that the Lamb Wins- and when he does…with him will be his called, chosen, and faithful followers.

This week we are reminded that for God’s people….Following the Lamb brings direct opposition but ultimate victory.

So let’s look in the mirror…..and first see

Beauty Unveiled- Revelation 17:1-6

Beast Revealed - Revelation 17:7-18

Beauty and the Beast.. Get out Bibles/Apps

———————-

BEAUTY UNVEILED- REVELATION 1-6

We are going to dive into our scripture in a moment, but chp 17 begins the 3rd of 4 visions John receives in the book of Revelation..so let’s just take a quick second to review so we know where we are.

If you go all the way back to lesson 2- we did an outline of the book of Revelation.

John is exiled on the Island of Patmos because of his relationship to the lamb…because of this testimony of Jesus.

and while there he is given a series of visions.

In the first vision in chps’s 1-3 Jesus was revealed to John followed by 7 letters to 7 churches.

Then, in chp’s 4-16 John was given another vision where we saw Jesus on the Throne followed by 3 sets of judgements.

7 seals

7 trumpets

7 bowls.

and then here, we have the 3rd vision-which will go from chp. 17-21:8 where we will see Jesus’ victory over evil.

We’ve been talking about it…anticipating…and now it’s finally happening..

we will end our year and the book of Revelation with the 4th vision- Jesus’ coming kingdom…

but we aren’t quite there yet- so hang with us a couple more weeks.

as we move into this 3rd vision-both this week and next week go together as we look at Babylon and it’s destruction.

Transition: as we move into chp. 17 today vs’s 1-6 introduce us to the great prostitute- the central figure of chp’s 17 and 18…here we will see her beauty unveiled as we first see her enticing exterior in vs’s 1-4 but then her evil interior in vs’s 5 and 6.

vs 1: One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the punishment of the great prostitute, who sits by many waters. 2 With her the kings of the earth committed adultery, and the inhabitants of the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her adulteries.”

ENTICING EXTERIOR 17:1-4

So who is this great prostitute…

well..vs 5 and vs 18 gives us further information about WHO or better said WHAT she represents.

in vs 5 we learn that the woman is not a person…but a representation of Babylon. We are going to unpack Babylon more next week- but this week your lesson took you to the OT where you saw some of her wickedness…

Babylon represents everything opposed to God. It was a city of wealth and power and luxury and the quest for more…

17:18 gives us another layer of understanding of the prostitute when it says that the woman is the great city who rules over the kings of the earth…

But the empire of Babylon had long since been conquered…and while most scholars agree that the Jews John was writing to would have immediately thought of Rome as the great city being described here- it is most likely that Rome is a representation of worldly powers that oppose God and draw people away from Him.

So who is the prostitute?

She is a representation of the world that opposes God and seeks to glorify self instead of glorifying God.

and while Babylon and Rome may no longer be reigning empires- today we live in a world where those same ideals reign strong…

———

So the angel describes this worldly opposition as a prostitute?

But why the sexual imagery here..this is strong language…not every sin she draws you to is sexual- this isn’t just about literal prostitution or adultery-

the description of a prostitute trying to seduce and draw people away from their groom is meant to get your attention…

a prostitute has entered the picture which immediately should tell you that whatever she is offering..isn’t good!

God’s people are described in scripture as his bride…and here a prostitute is trying to draw them away.

and God can and will do something about it…nobody takes his bride from him..those who oppose God will be punished. Because a good husband always protects his bride.

the picture of the woman here is not one of someone who has been forced into prostitution against her will and she isn’t in a back alley hiding either…

in vs 1- she is front and center…This is a woman of power… she SITS- indicating a position of authority….and her location by many waters means that she has influence over the peoples, multitudes, nations and languages- her seduction is global as she grabs hold of the kings of the earth…no one is totally immune from it.

as you look in the mirror she says..come…I will give you power…is it material possessions you want?…I have that too…sex..pleasure…entertainment…it’s all right here…

and as the appeal of all she offers takes over- people become intoxicated..reason and logic go out the window…senses are altered…and all desire to resist her destructive influence is removed as people become drunk on all she offers.

in vs 1- the angel told John that the PURPOSE of this was to show him the punishment of the prostitute- of those who reject God.

Are you tired of reading and hearing about judgement?

I am…

but this is a warning to not become numbed by the intoxicating influences of the world and forget that it leads to destruction.

Do you spend more time trying to get more and more- rather then worrying about caring for your soul or the soul of others?

God knows it is hard for us to see beyond her seduction.

so in vs 3…the angel carries John into the wilderness.…

so that…he can see the woman for what she really is…

suddenly the image in the mirror become more clear…because in vs 3 John sees ...a woman sitting on a scarlet BEAST that was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns. 

woah..all of a sudden…that beautiful enticing prostitute is sitting on a beast.

and while separate from the beast- she is working with him to oppose God’s people.

We’ve seen this description of the beast before in chapter 13- this is the anti-Christ…but this time he is a scarlet beast- showing his connection to the red dragon who we know is satan…

and as the woman is driven by the beast- she represents a world that opposes God and harasses those who follow Him…

But remember that for the pregnant woman in chapter 12, the wilderness was a place of safety from the dragon….safety from satan..

Do not forget the position of God’s people in relation to satan and the enticements of the world around us.…God always protects his own…through his word and the voice of the Holy Spirit inside his people- he allows them to look in the mirror and see clearly so that they are not by fooled or consumed by the false promises of this world or by Satan.

He allows his people to see beyond the enticing exterior of purple and scarlet clothes, glittering with gold and her precious stones and pearls…

and instead see that her cup is filled with abominable things and the filth of her adulteries.

Her goal: is self…a prostitute cares NOTHING about those she seduces…she will sell herself to whomever will have her…

This picture of a cup comes from the OT book where Jeremiah likens Babylons influence as a cup that pours out world-wide idolatry

When you fill your cup with idol after idol- the picture you see in the mirror becomes clouded…

But God- through the work of the Holy Spirit takes windex to your glittering idols…and reveals them as the abominable and filthy adulteries that they are….

EVIL INTERIOR

finally in vs 5…the identity of the prostitute is revealed for who she is:

The enticing exterior is lifted…as the evil interior is unveiled…

Babylon the great

the mother of prostitutes

and of the abominations of the earth.

………

Babylon- the great- driven by self-interest..a lust for more…will go to any lengths to promote her own good and her own prosperity.

so who does it go after?

Those who stand in it’s way…who call out her lies and deception….

and so- she goes after God’s people…she enjoys opposing them and she becomes drunk on the blood of those who follow the lamb.

Followers of Christ should not be surprised by opposition…

Here we are reminded that following Christ comes with a cost…or..better said…comes with a cross..

in Luke 9, Jesus tells his disciples to pick up their cross and follow him…

but at first glance… this probably feels like something you might want to avoid.

because while as believers we cling to the hope that Christ has won the victory- we realize that the path in following Christ is not always easy..

in fact, most of the time life doesn’t feel like one triumph after another.

Life is hard.

and there is a part of the struggle that comes from simply living in a broken, and fallen world

But the cross for a believer is not about faithfully facing the brokenness of this life..it’s about answering Christ’s call to deny ourselves and live by an entirely different value system than the world- with Christ and His cross in full view.

The truth is the Life God’s people live for Jesus looks a lot like the life He lived for us - one of self-sacrifice, that seeks first the glory of God and the good of others.

This is how we take up our cross. It requires surrendering our plans, opinions, actions, and our lives in obedience to Christ

The prostitute would tell you to put down the cross…she says come here….let me give you a taste of what I offer…but as believers refuse to give in to her seductive ways- she becomes more and more drunk on their blood as she continues to reject God and his people.…

Principle: Followers of the Lamb will face opposition from those who reject God.

Yes- following Christ means that opposition should be expected.

This is not a new concept..it’s something we have been talking about all year.

And we know that opposition to Christianity exists all over the world.

70 Christians were recently beheaded in the Democratic Republic of the Congo because of their faith….daily Christians around the world are disowned by their families because of their relationship with Christ. the stories of persecution of Christians could go on and on..

but I dont know about you- no one has ever ever threatened my life because of my relationship with Jesus.

and it can be easy to think that this doesn’t apply to us.

But that is exactly what the prostitute wants you to look in the mirror and see..that this doesnt apply to you..

Often the opposition from the world can feel less like a death threat and more like a prostitute- pressuring you to give in to the ways of the world.

Maybe you have been told to “lighten up,” or “don’t be so restrictive”

So, we put down the cross…and instead pick up a leaky bag of temporary pleasure that oozes quickly away and fails to bring lasting joy, peace, and purpose.

Where have you set the cross down…and instead picked up the passing comforts of this world?

Jesus picked up the cross because you were worth it…so you can pick up yours knowing He is worthy.

BEAST REVEALED- Revelation 7-18- Transition: The prostitutes true identity has been unveiled and her connection with the beast has been revealed. As we move into verses 7-18 it’s like God takes his windex and wipes off another layer of the mirror..giving us a deeper understanding of the prostitute -

1st we will see the beast’s deception exposed in vs7-13 and then we will see his Defeat declared in vs’s 14-18.

Deception Exposed 7-13

What is John’s response to seeing the woman for who she really is?

He’s Astonished..

John looks at the prostitute..at Babylon and all she offers…and he says..WOW…I mean- how could something that looks that great, be so bad..

Here is John- staring into the mirror- thinking- whose the fairest of them all…she is…

jaw dropped

and then the angel steps in…snaps him out of it.

vs 7- Why are you astonished? He says…let me show you the TRUTH about her…she isn’t what you think she is…

she rides a beast…who we said early was the anti-christ.

and if you remember- he is the ANTI…because he is trying to imitate Christ…he is purposely attempting to be deceptive.

with 7 heads and 10 horns.this is from Revelation 13. This is not new imagery.

vs 8..the beast once was, now is not, and yet will come up out of the Abyss and go to it’s destruction.

All year we have been going back to Revelation 1…to reset our gaze on Jesus- the one who is and who was and who is to come…

we should read vs 8 and immediately go…wait…stop…

that isn’t my God..my Jesus..my King is the one who IS and who WAS and WHO is to come…

this beast..this false Christ…this anti-Christ…cnce was…

and now is not….because he was defeated by Christ on the cross...

but he is coming..not to reign forever and ever like my Jesus..but he is going to come and when he does- he is headed straight for destruction.

vs 8 tells us that Those whose names have not been written in the book….will be astonished when they see the beast…

For those who are astonished…or essentially worship the beast…they will see the beauty, but not the beast…and they will be fooled by her deception….

but for those that follow the lamb…you can be assured that you will not follow the beast to destruction…

you will look in the mirror and instead of seeing the dazzling sparkling glittery world..you will instead see the beast lurking beneath it all…

Your notes say it perfectly: No deception. no persecution, not even death can separate God’s people from His love for us in Christ Jesus.

And how will you be able to recognize the beast for who he is?

through wisdom.

wisdom that comes not from ourselves but from God.

Proverbs 9:10 "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”

we don’t need to understand all the things…Revelation is confusing..trying to figure out all the symbols and imagery and relate them to our lives is hard…but this book is not about symbols and timeline….its about Jesus…the Holy One.

Follow Him…look for Him..Know Him…and that is where you will find knowledge and understanding..

Wisdom comes as the Holy Spirit reveals himself to you through scripture…in prayer…and in time spent with other believers…

Where are you looking for wisdom?

All that you need is right here.

now- you might be thinking to yourself…well I have the Holy Spirit but then I read verses 9-13…

so where is this wisdom and knowledge and understanding..cuz I’m more confused than ever????

and the truth is- there are hundreds of pages written by godly men and women trying to decipher these verses.

Who are these kings?…your notes give you a little detail but the truth is- no one knows exactly who these kings represent…

so instead of focusing our time there…

Let’s focus on what we do know:

there is a beast…he wants to deceive God’s people…so he acts like an anti-christ..

he rules over nations and empires…KINGS and KINGDOMS…

but..he is going to destruction..

In other words- the beast will try to use the worldly system…to seduce and then destroy.

It will be powerful…intimidating and prosperous…

like a prostitute it will entice and even be persuasive.

and It will promise victory…as these kings unite together- telling you to come…to do things their way…or be defeated…

but in vs 14..God has a different message and instead of defeat..God’s people declare victory.

DEFEAT DECLARED

14 They will wage war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will triumph over them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings—and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers.”

In v14, we see how Jesus’ followers, who have struggled and suffered in so many ways, will have the privilege of standing with Him in the final battle. 

But a war has occured…This is the battle of Armageddon we saw in chp 16..

 In a battle, soldiers get wounded and fatigued and hungry and sleep-deprived and even traumatized and killed. 

Jesus’ faithful followers carry the cross and fully expect to suffer in a world that rejects God’s rule.

But in the end- they are standing with the victorious One and will declare victory. 

It seems like vs 14 should be the end of the chapter..

but instead, God reveals another layer of his plan in vs’s 15-18.

This is like the plot twist at the end of the movie that you thought was over…

in a turn of events we see that the beast, who at once walked in unity with Babylon- now turns on her.

Satan’s ultimate goal is to destroy God’s creation.

no man takes a prostitute home to his wife.

and the same is true here.

when the beast is done using her- he turns on her…

the charm of Babylon has lost its appeal..

and there love turns to hate…

she is stripped of her wealth..left naked and exposed..

evil attacks evil and self destructs as they turn on each other.

But vs 17 tells us that this is not some random turn of events…it was all a part of God’s plan…he put it into their hearts to accomplish his purpose….

The evil was already there…God allowed them to continue in their rebellion against him, ultimately demonstrating his power as he gave them over to what they wanted…and he directed their wickedness, causing them to self-destruct.

and while they are self-destructing…God’s people are standing in victory…as wickedness is destroyed and the lamb stands in triumph.

Principle: Followers of the Lamb live with certainty of ultimate victory!

Mirror, Mirror on the wall..

Where the world see’s beauty…God reveals the beast lurking underneath..

where we see defeat…God shows us victory.

God shows his people their true self…next to him……called…chosen..and faithful...standing in victory…as evil is destroyed…

Mirror, Mirror on the wall..whose the fairest of them all…

the lamb..looking as though he had been slain..

Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead..the one who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.

What do you see when you look in the mirror?

do you see him…follow him..stand with the lamb…

Let’s pray..