REVELATION 17 (2)

INTRODUCTION

We have been in a break from our series in Revelation

We took a look at the Mystery of the First Advent.

As a courtesy to you

All of our messages can be found on Youtube, or on iTunes.

They can also be found on our website at vclb.org.

If you missed last week

I would highly encourage you to watch or listen to last weeks study.

We set some things in place for this year.

Things that I am so excited about

Things that will grow our faith

Things that will confirm who God is

I am very excited about the future of this church.

THIS WEEK

We will be looking at

Just a little recap

If you are present during this time, you are a are a World Class Survivor

You’ve survived the 7 Seals, 7 Trumpets, and 7 Bowl Judgements

By now, you are either really comfortable with pain, death, and judgement, that you are probably ready for Hell.

Or you may be faking it really well, and actually listening to the Holy Spirit who is testifying of the Son.

In , We will be introduced to a couple of new characters

One, which is a woman who is intoxicated and intoxicating.

Two, the kings of this world who have been made drunk by this woman.

Two sets of Kings

And some undeniable truth.

LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT

Revelation 17 NKJV

1 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and talked with me, saying to me, “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters, 2 with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication.” 3 So he carried me away in the Spirit into the wilderness. And I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast which was full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. 4 The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication. 5 And on her forehead a name was written: MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH 6 I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. And when I saw her, I marveled with great amazement. 7 But the angel said to me, “Why did you marvel? I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and the ten horns. 8 The beast that you saw was, and is not, and will ascend out of the bottomless pit and go to perdition. And those who dwell on the earth will marvel, whose names are not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world, when they see the beast that was, and is not, and yet is. 9 “Here is the mind which has wisdom: The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits. 10 There are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, and the other has not yet come. And when he comes, he must continue a short time. 11 The beast that was, and is not, is himself also the eighth, and is of the seven, and is going to perdition. 12 “The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast. 13 These are of one mind, and they will give their power and authority to the beast. 14 These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful.” 15 Then he said to me, “The waters which you saw, where the harlot sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues. 16 And the ten horns which you saw on the beast, these will hate the harlot, make her desolate and naked, eat her flesh and burn her with fire. 17 For God has put it into their hearts to fulfill His purpose, to be of one mind, and to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled. 18 And the woman whom you saw is that great city which reigns over the kings of the earth.”

Revelatiomn 17

PRAY

Revelation 17:1–2 NKJV

1 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and talked with me, saying to me, “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters, 2 with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication.”

Rev 17:1-

THIS ANGEL IS ONE OF THE 7 FROM

HE APPROACHES JOHN AND ASKS HIM TO COME SEE

SEE WHAT?

THE JUDGEMENT OF THE GREAT HARLOT WHO SITS ON MANY WATERS.

Is this one person?

Is this a leader?

Is this a Nation?

Is this Satan’s Wife?

More like Satan’s Harlot

More like a city or country.

The prophets of old often depicted cities using female imagery

& are two examples of this

From what we can tell

This Harlot could very well be Present Time Rome, or it could be speaking of a Nation which will fit into this description.

The Imagery and description used by John and this Angel would have unequivocally pointed to Rome during the time this was written

But this text does not specifically define this Harlot as Rome

Which gives it the ability to be any Nation which fits this bill

What we do know is this:

This Nation will be judged

This picture is depicting how this Nation will control many people

For it will sit on many waters

This nations influence will cause many leaders to commit fornication

This truth, will cause many people to follow suit

This Nation will be judged

THE OVERALL PICTURE THAT JOHN SEES HERE IS A NATION WHO IS PRESUMMABLY POPULAR

A NATION THAT IS POWERFUL

A NATION THAT IS HOMOGENOUS IN THEIR SINFUL NATURE

ALL PARTICIPATING IN SEXUAL IMMORALITY

And the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her adultery

What is this telling us?

That the world

The Inhabitants of the World will be intoxicated with the sexually promiscuous lifestyle of this culture

They will be cheering on the prostituting of other humans

They will be ok with Human Trafficking

How many of us believe that this is already happening?

Just in the US

1 in 10 men have been involved in commercial sex transactions

It is a 186 Billion dollar Industry

China: $73 Billion

China: $73 BillionSpain:  $26.5 BillionJapan:  $24 BillionGermany:  $18 Billion (Legal Industry)United States:  $14.6 BillionSouth Korea:  $12 BillionIndia:  $8.4 BillionThailand:  $6.4 BillionPhilippines:  $6 BillionTurkey:  $4 Billion

Spain:  $26.5 Billion

Japan:  $24 Billion

Germany:  $18 Billion (Legal Industry)

United States:  $14.6 Billion (It is only legal in some rural counties in Nevada)

Now think about this as a worldwide epidemic?

Think about this as an acceptable practice

Think about it as a legitimate business

Think about the “inhabitants of the earth” being drunk with the wine of her fornication.

This means that whatever this woman had to offer was consumed in plenty.

BUT, WAIT A SECOND, THIS IS STILL PART OF THE INVITATION FOR JOHN TO COME AND SEE

THIS IS JUST THE DESCRIPTION OF WHAT JOHN IS GOING TO SEE

CHECK OUT WHAT HE ACTUALLY SEES

Revelation 17:3–6 NKJV

3 So he carried me away in the Spirit into the wilderness. And I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast which was full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. 4 The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication. 5 And on her forehead a name was written: MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH 6 I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. And when I saw her, I marveled with great amazement.

REV 17:3-

JOHN IS CARRIED AWAY IN THE SPIRIT INTO THE WILDERNESS

This is Johns 3rd time being led by the Spirit while in Patmos

THERE HE SAW A WOMAN SITTING ON A SCARLET BEAST

This beast is very similar and often equated to the 2nd Figure of the Evil Trinity.

THE BEAST WAS COVERED WITH BLASPHEMOUS NAMES

This Anti Christ was covered with Blasphemous Names.

Names that were Anti-Holiness

Names that were completely Anti God

Slanderous names

THIS BEAST HAD 7 HEADS AND 7 HORNS

THE WOMAN WAS ARRAYED IN PURPLE AND SCARLET

Interestingly enough

Purple garments often depicted what?

Royalty

Scarlet Garments often depicted Carnality.

Luxury and Wealth

SHE WAS ADORNED WITH GOLD, PRECIOUS STONES, AND PEARLS

IN HER HAND WAS A GOLDEN CUP FULL OF ABOMINATIONS AND THE FILTHINESS OF HER FORNICATION

ON HER FOREHEAD WAS WRITTEN:

“MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS, AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH

One of the reasons that many believe that this woman is a clear depiction of Rome is because of her description

Roman Prostitutes commonly wore headbands bearing their name

She was the Mother of all Harlots

Where Babylon was a symbol of Idolatry and Demonic Obscenities

John sees this woman as the Mother of all Harlotry

The one who brings forth the offspring of Evil.

THIS WOMAN WAS DRUNK WITH THE BLOOD OF THE SAINTS, AND THE BLOOD OF THE MARTYRS OF JESUS

It is almost like it brought her pleasure to drink of the blood of the martyrs

It brought her pleasure to not just sip on the martyrdom of God’s People

But to be made drunk

To keep killing those who believed in the Gospel of Jesus Christ

Not just to prove a point, but to maintain her drunkeness.

JOHN SAW HER, AND MARVELED WITH GREAT AMAZEMENT.

JOHN WAS ASTONISHED

HE WONDERED WHAT WAS REALLY GOING ON

THE ANGEL KNEW THIS, SO HE PROVIDES AN EXPLANATION

Revelation 17:7–8 NKJV

7 But the angel said to me, “Why did you marvel? I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and the ten horns. 8 The beast that you saw was, and is not, and will ascend out of the bottomless pit and go to perdition. And those who dwell on the earth will marvel, whose names are not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world, when they see the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.

REV 17:

THE ANGEL THEN BEGINS TO REVEAL TO HIM THE MYSTERY OF THE WOMAN AND THE BEAST THAT CARRIES HER

FIRST LETS LOOK AT THE BEAST

HE WAS

AND IS NOT

AND WILL COME UP OUT OF THE BOTTOMLESS PIT AND GO TO PERDITION

This is explaining the legacy of the Anti Christ

How it has lived on through

Augustus

Tiberius

Caligula

Claudius

Nero

Who was Vespasian

Who is Not yet, Titus

But who will come up out of the Abyss

The Next ruler

The Anti Christ

THOSE WHO DWELL ON THE EARTH WILL MARVEL

THOSE WHOSE NAME IS NOT WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF LIFE FROM THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD

This world will continue to marvel at the evil it has entertained.

Kids will always get a kick out of the most obscene things they find on the internet.

The World will marvel at the work of Evil, but not the Believer

From prostitution, to all the evils the world has seen, the world will look on in amazement.

That is fine and dandy for the unbelieving world

But I believe their is a very strong contrast between the believer and the unbeliever

One is easily entertained by evil

The other cringes at evil.

Yet sees evil as the fuel to keep sharing the Gospel

We can sit here all day and complain about all of the evils of the world

But what about using the energy exerted in our complaining, using it to spark a fire within that effects the people within the 2 degrees of separation?

If our eyes are on Jesus, nothing else will satisfy our need to be entertained.

YOU WILL NEVER BE BORED FOLLOWING JESUS.

BUT I’M CURIOUS, WHAT HAD THESE DUDES SO FIXATED ON THE HARLOT AND THE BEAST?

Nothing else will hold our attention.

CHECK IT OUT

Revelation 17:9–14 NKJV

9 “Here is the mind which has wisdom: The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits. 10 There are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, and the other has not yet come. And when he comes, he must continue a short time. 11 The beast that was, and is not, is himself also the eighth, and is of the seven, and is going to perdition. 12 “The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast. 13 These are of one mind, and they will give their power and authority to the beast. 14 These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful.”

REV 17:9-

WHO RE THE SEVEN HEADS?

They are the 7 Mountains on which the woman sits

Interestingly enough, Rome is known as the City built on 7 Hills.

THERE ARE ALSO 7 KINGS OR KINGDOMS

5 of which have fallen

One who is

And the other has not yet come

I believe that this could either be speaking to the Roman Rulers we talked about earlier

Or 7 Kingdoms, 5 of which have been, one who is, and one who is yet to be.

THE BEAST THAT WAS, AND IS NOT, IS THE EIGHT KING

WHO IS JUST LIKE THE 7 KINGS AND IS ALSO GOING TO PERDITION.

Perdition is an interesting word to me

My mom used it a ton when I was growing up

She would use it to describe me as I headed out for the night

There you go, out to where perdition reigns

Be careful

In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit

THE TEN HORNS ARE A SET OF 10 KINGS

Many have believed this to be Romes Alies

The United Nations

Or the EU

THESE KINGS HAVE NOT RECEIVED A KINGDOM YET

BUT THEY HAVE BEEN GIVEN AUTHORITY FOR ONE HOUR AS KINGS OF THE BEAST

These 10 kings are of one mind

They will together give power to the beast

They will make war with the Lamb, but the Lamb will overcome them.

For He is the Lord of Lords and King of Kings

And those who are with Him are called, chosen, and Faithful.

WHAT ABOUT THE WATERS?

Revelation 17:15–18 NKJV

15 Then he said to me, “The waters which you saw, where the harlot sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues. 16 And the ten horns which you saw on the beast, these will hate the harlot, make her desolate and naked, eat her flesh and burn her with fire. 17 For God has put it into their hearts to fulfill His purpose, to be of one mind, and to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled. 18 And the woman whom you saw is that great city which reigns over the kings of the earth.”

THE WATERS THAT JOHN SAW ARE PEOPLES, MULTITUDES, NATIONS, AND TONGUES

This is a lot of people

Remember, the sea is often seen in the bible as a symbol of evil.

These peoples have all been effected by the Great Harlot

THE 10 HORNS, WHICH ARE IN LINE WITH THE BEAST

Will actually hate the harlot

Make her desolate and naked

East her flesh

Burn her with fire

GOD WILL PUT THIS INTO THE HEART OF THE 10 HORNS

IN ORDER TO FULFILL HIS PURPOSE

THAT THEY WOULD BE OF ONE MIND

TO COLLECTIVELY GIVE THEIR KINGDOM OVER TO THE BEAST

UNTIL GOD FULFILLS THE ENTIRETY OF HIS WORD

THIS WOMAN IS THE GREAT CITY WHICH REIGNS OVER THE KINGS OF THE EARTH.

Their will be God ordained conflict in the midst of evil

It will be just like Saul

Hard to kick against the goads.

It will be like the Drama of Old

Power struggles

Evil

All until God brings His word to pass.