Revelation 17

Illus--Wedding---purity, white

The corruption of Babylon contrasts with the purity of the bride of the Lamb. Babylon is a summation of the worship of a godless world.

Counterfeit Trinity....counterfeit church = Babylon.

EVERYONE WORSHIPS

7 messages of judgement on Babylon

17:1-6 symbolic actors

Babylon

17:7-18 First angelic message

Satan attacks in 2 ways:

A.) Persecuting Power

B.) Seductive luxury

Babylon = Rome ---> Daniel’s 4 beast. Babylon is attractive because she promises the pleasures of sensuality and prosperity. Both the clothing of Babylon in 17:4 and the laments in 18:9-20 indicate that much of the attraction of Babylon lies in her wealth and luxury.

The Babylon prostitute is Jezebel 17:2—2:21-22

Rev 2:

Revelation 2:21–22 CSB

I gave her time to repent, but she does not want to repent of her sexual immorality. Look, I will throw her into a sickbed and those who commit adultery with her into great affliction. Unless they repent of her works,

This idolatry is not limited to the first century world. It is still pervasive today. Commercial after commercial presents their argument for what it means to live the “good life.”

un- endless pleasure//possessions//power//security//

Babylon is capable of many embodiments, including a final climatic embodiment just before the Second Coming.

Fear and lust are the strategies of the beast and the prostitute.

Just think about how much you fear sharing your faith! Just think how much you want something other than the glory of God to be magnified.

Illus: Joke-lies Oakley's in Washington DC

Compare the lust and persecution of the present age with the New Jerusalem to come. Everything of the world will come to nothing. God is the true object of proper fear and proper desire. In the New Jerusalem there is the marriage supper of the Lamb, the wealth of the streets paved with gold, the glory of being known and in the presence of the living God.

The objects of our lust are only counterfeits of what God has created our of his own bounty.

The Prostitute rides a hideous beast (from ). Ironically this beast will turn on the prostitute and will destroy her.

Much like the fall of Rome that Augustine records in City of God. Idolatrous states end up destroying the very powers, riches, privileges, and people that they start out supporting. Why?

FALSE WORSHIP IS SELF DESTRUCTIVE.

When the false worship is destroyed in . the true worshippers of the Lamb stand out in their splendor and joy.

17:1-6

The prostitute has impacted the nations (which are the many waters), note symbolic.

John moves to a new position through the Spirit for the vision (This happens elsewhere in 1:10; 4:1-2; and 21:9-10) which underlines the significance of the revelation about to be given.

The prostitutes symbolizes the worldly city (v18) but ironically is in the desert. The promise of luxury and pleasure prove in the end to be vain. The beast cooperates with the prostitute. The state (of Rome) makes possible the amassing of wealth and undergird pleasure.

One major idol we all have is a Utopia. Where there is peace and prosperity. If that is the promise…people will flock to it.

Netherlands—no more down syndrome. Euthanasia rising, suicidal rates rising. (illus—ISIS vs NAZIS)

Communism will go to great lengths to eliminate those who prevent a utopian community.

The prostitute “looks” appealing but she represents death.

Illus: Medusa or Singing Sirens of Greek methodology.

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Babylon (); Rome. The City of Man vs the city of God.

17:7-18

Angel describes the vision (which again represents symbolic nature of Revelation).

Counterfeit god is how the beast is described. (, ; )

The beast captures allegiance of all except the elect who names have been written in the book of life. God is sovereign and man is responsible.

Rome was known as the city built on the seven hills. The five kings are the indefinite amount of previous emperors. The presence of the sixth indicates symbolism, that Christians live the the already-but not yet time. The beast is the 8th king, not eighth head. The final manifestation of the city of Babylon.

10 horns connects us back to Daniel’s visions but shows typological nature of 4th beast.

Worldwide scope…Ironically God uses evil powers to destroy one another. The beast and his cohorts turn against the prostitute.

Idolatry crumbles.

Through all of this mess, God is in control.