THE LORD WINS Preaching Series Through Revelation

Revelation 17:1 ESV

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,

Revelation 17:2 ESV

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.”

Revelation 17:3 ESV

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.

Revelation 17:4 ESV

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.

Revelation 17:5 ESV

And on her forehead was written a name of mystery: “Babylon the great, mother of prostitutes and of earth’s abominations.”

Revelation 17:6 ESV

And I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. When I saw her, I marveled greatly.

Revelation 17:7 ESV

But the angel said to me, “Why do you marvel? I will tell you the mystery of the woman, and of the beast with seven heads and ten horns that carries her.

Revelation 17:8 ESV

The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to rise from the bottomless pit and go to destruction. And the dwellers on earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world will marvel to see the beast, because it was and is not and is to come.

Revelation 17:9 ESV

This calls for a mind with wisdom: the seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman is seated;

Revelation 17:10 ESV

they are also seven kings, five of whom have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come, and when he does come he must remain only a little while.

Revelation 17:11 ESV

As for the beast that was and is not, it is an eighth but it belongs to the seven, and it goes to destruction.

Revelation 17:12 ESV

And the ten horns that you saw are ten kings who have not yet received royal power, but they are to receive authority as kings for one hour, together with the beast.

Revelation 17:13 ESV

These are of one mind, and they hand over their power and authority to the beast.

Revelation 17:14 ESV

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.”

Revelation 17:15 ESV

And the angel said to me, “The waters that you saw, where the prostitute is seated, are peoples and multitudes and nations and languages.

Revelation 17:16 ESV

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,

Revelation 17:17 ESV

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.

Revelation 17:18 ESV

And the woman that you saw is the great city that has dominion over the kings of the earth.”

7TH BOWL JUDGMENT ELABORATED

- Gen Babel

- Rev - The judgment is on the world

- Judgment is on those who oppose the Lord

- Begins with the household of faith

- The Prostitute

TOWER OF BABEL

Genesis 11:4 ESV

Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth.”

TODAY’S SERMON

THE MAKING AND MARKS OF THE WHORE CHURCH

IT IS DIFFICULT TO LIVE BETWEEN THE TIMES AS A CHRISTIAN

ON ONE END WE OUR BEGINNING BELIEF IN JESUS

ON THE OTHER END WE KNOW HOW THIS ENDS: THE LORD WINS

IN THE MIDDLE: SUFFERING

IT IS NOT SO MUCH THE SUFFERING THAT PLAGUES US (THOUGH IT CAN BE INTENSE). WHAT TRULY PLAGUES US IS THAT THE ENEMY KEEPS SHOWING US AN EASIER WAY; A SAFER WAY

HE DOES THIS BY SHOWING US WAYS THAT WE CAN HOLD ON TO OUR PROFESSION OF AITH IN CHRIST AND, AT THE SAME TIME, DO THE THINGS THAT WE WANT TO AND, THEREFORE, ELIMINATE OUR SUFFERING

PLEASE GET THIS: THE ENEMY IS NOT ASKING US TO DENY JESUS - ONLY TO DETHRONE HIM

HE IS SEDUCING US INTO BELIEVING THAT OUR PROFESSION OF CHRIST IS ALL THAT IS NECESSARY AND NOT OUR DEVOTION TO THE STANDARDS OF CHRIST

IN OTHER WORDS, THE DEVIL IS TEACHING US HOW TO BE ACCEPTABLE CHRISTIAN WHORES!

IF WE ARE SO SEDUCED BY THE DEVIL IN THIS WAY IT IS CERTAIN THAT OUR SUFFERING FOR CHRIST WOULD BE ELIMINATED BUT NEVER TELLS US ABOUT THE CONSEQUENCES OF HIS SEDUCTION: JAMES PUT IT LIKE THIS:

James 4:4 ESV

You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

THIS WHORE CHURCH IS IN CONTRAST TO THE TRUE CHURCH (REP OF THE WOMAN CH 12

Revelation 12:1 ESV

And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars.

THE DEVELOPMENT OF REVELATION HAS BEEN TO SHOW THE INCREASING INTENSITY AND IMPLICATIONS OF SIN AND THE JUDGMENT OF GOD

THE INCREASING IMPLICATION OF SIN IS THAT IN THE CHURCH - FROM SOME WHO PROFESS THE NAME OF JESUS - WILL EMERGE AND KIND OF CHRISTIANITY THAT IS SO PERVERTED THAT JOHN DESCRIBES IT AS WHOREDOM - PROSTITUTION

ALL OF THIS WILL COME BY WAY OF THE DECEPTION WE SPOKE OF LAST WEEK FROM THE ENEMY. HIS AIM IS TO INFILTRATE THE CHURCH WITH HIS OWN AND THEN, WITH THEIR INDIFFERENCE TO THE LORD, CAUSE MANY TO SPEAK OUT AGAINST CHRIST AND TO LIVE OPPOSED TO CHRIST

I. THE MARKS OF A WHORE CHURCH AND CHRISTIAN

I. THE WHORE CHURCH AND CHRISTIAN LIVE AND THINK LIKE THE WHORE

EXPLAIN THE TEXT BY EXPLAINING THE BEAST

HER INFLUENCE IS VAST (WATERS OF VERSE 1 REPRESENT THE NATIONS OF THE WORLD (V15)

Revelation 17:15 ESV

And the angel said to me, “The waters that you saw, where the prostitute is seated, are peoples and multitudes and nations and languages.

THE WHORE - PROSTITUTE - IS SITTING ON THE BEAST

THEY REFLECT THE THINKING AND MORALITY OF THE PROSTITUTE

THE WHORE CHURCH AND CHRISTIAN LIVE LIKE THE WHORE

o SHE PROSTITUTES HERSELF TO THE BEAST (THE ANTI-CHRIST)

THE PROBLEM IS THAT WE SPEND TO MUCH TIME WITH WHORE LIKE ACTIVITIES AND THINKING AND THAT IS HOW AND WHY SOME PEOPLE BEGIN TO DEFECT FROM THE FAITH

o Representatives of the whole host of humanity who reject Jesus as the Lord of glory whom she has made (v5 – called the Mother of prostitutes – speaking of the origin from whence they came

A. Spiritual Prostitutes: Giving ours SOULS to the worship of the beast by self focus

· Giving worship to the beast by living our lives as we choose to, in our own way and for our own purposes and satisfaction

o He is tricky

o Poses as an angel of righteousness (seems to convey this but actually speaks destructions)

· False religions

B. SEXUAL Prostitutes: Giving our BODIES to the worship of the beast: Sexual pleasures

· The sexual immorality of the unbeliever speaks to the root of all sin: idolatry

· POINT:

o OUR THINKING ABOUT GOD INTIMATELY RELATED TO OUR WORSHIP OF GOD

o OUR WORSHIP OF GOD IS DISPLAYED IN OUR RIGHTEOUS LIVING FOR THE LORD

HERE IS THE PROBLEM: WE MAKE DEALS WITH EVIL

WITH THE HARLOT THERE IS A MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING: A QUID PRO QUO IF YOU WILL – IN HOW THEY RELATE: SEDUCED AND SEDUCTION

- THEY AGREE TO WORK TOGETHER FOR THEIR OWN WILL WITH EACHA GREEING TO TRADE POSITIONS OF SEDUCING AND BEING SEDUCED

o YOU SCRATCH MY BACK I WILL SCRATCH YOURS

- A MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING THAT I AGREE TO BE SEDUCED UNDER THE AGREEMENT THAT YOU AGREE TO BE SEDUCED BY ME WHEN ITS BEST FOR YOU

- IN A WORD THIS CAN BE DESCRIBED AS “CORRUPTION”

o DO WE NOT SEE THIS IN OUR DAY

§ POLITICAL CORRUPTION WHERE POLITICIANS ARE ALLOWING THEMSELVES TO BE SEDUCED NOW BECAUSE THEY DESURE TO BE THE ONE’S SEDUCING LATER?

§ DO WE NOT SEE IT IN BUSINESS WORLD AND HOLLYWOOD: I WILL ALLOW YOU TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ME NOW SO THAT WHEN THE TIMES COME I CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF YOU

o IN A POPLUARL PHRASE: “FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS”: WE AGREE TO

- YET THE SHEER TRUTH OF IT ALL IS THIS: PEOPLE DRIVEN BY THEIR OWN PASSIONS AND PEOPLE WHO AGREE TO THE NOTION OF SEDUCCING AND BEING SEDUCED WILL EVENTUALLY TURN ON THOSE WITH WHOM THEY HAVE AN AGREEMENT

o YOU CANNOT TRUST PEOPLE WHO AGREE AND CONSPIRE WITH YOU IN EVIL

o YOU CANNOT BELIEVE THAT A PERSON WHOL WILL DESTROY ANOTHER’S REPUTATION TO YOU – YOU CANNOT TRUST THAT THEY WILL NOT DO THE SAME

o THE FOLLY IN EVIL IS JUST THAT: THINBKING THAT OTHER EVIL PEOPLE WHO CONSPIRE TO DECEIVE WITH YOU WILL NOT TURN AND DECEIVE YOU

o DON’T LET BABYLON – THE NATION, THE SYSTEM, THE SISTA, OR THE BROTHER MAKE YOU TO THINK THAT THEY WILL BE TRUE TO YOU WHEN THEY ONLY SHOW THAT THEY ARE TRUE TO THEMSELVES AND, BY THAT, COMMITTED, EXCLUSIVELY, TO THE WORSHIP OF THE BEAST

II. THE WHORE CHURCH AND CHRISTIAN DON’T WANT TO LOOK BEYOND THE SURFACE

EXPLAIN THE TEXT

VERSE 7

1. THE SEVEN HEADS=

2. TEN HORNS

VERSE 8

JESUS THE BEAST

was was

is is not

is to come is about to rise from the bottomless pit

and go to destruction

THIS SPEAKS NOT TO A LITERAL RESURRECTION (LIKE CHROST’S) THE THE REAPPEARANCE OF A WORLD WIDE - COOPERATING ALLIANCE - AGAINST THE CHURCH - JUST LIKE IN THE DAYS OF ROME WITH EMPEROR NERO

ROME IS REPRESENTED BY THE SEVEN HILLS (V9)

Revelation 17:6 ESV

And I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. When I saw her, I marveled greatly.

JOHN MARVELLED AT THE EXTRAORDINARY LIKENESS OF THE ANTI-CHRIST TO CHRIST

THERE WERE OBVIOUS ISSUES THAT SHOWED EVIL AND ERROR BUT, WHEN YOU ONLY LIVE ON THE SURFACE

THEY DON’T LOOK BEYOND THE SURFACE BECAUSE THEY ARE AFRAID THAT WHAT THEY FIND WILL FORCE THEM TO MAE A DIFFERENT CHOICE

AS A CHURCH AND CHRISTIAN WHO REFUSES TO LOOK BEYOND THE SURFACE. WHAT WE END UP WITH IS WHAT I CALL

¨Democratized Christianity: MAKING CHRISTIANITY more democratic, WITHOUT THEOLOGICAL OR MORAL BOUNDARIES SO THAT IT APPEALS TO THE MASSES

IN OTHER WORDS, WE BRING OUR AMERICAN UNDERSTANDING OF DEMOCRACY TO THE BIBLE SUCH THAT WHAT MATTERS IS NOT WHAT IS TAUGHT OR WHAT SHOULD BE BELIEVED- NO, WHAT MATTERS IS WEALTH, POWER, INFLUENCE, AND -----

WE ARE DEMOCRATIZED MEANING WE ARE TOO EASILY ACCEPTING OF THINGS

MY POINT HERE IS THAT WE CANNOT - CARE NOT TO - LOOK BEYOND THE SURFACE AND, WHEN WE DO, WE ARE DECEIVED. WHY?

WHAT’S BEYOND THE SURFACE IS WHERE THE REAL LAY IT IS HERE WHERE WISDOM IS CALLED FOR

Revelation 17:9 ESV

This calls for a mind with wisdom: the seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman is seated;

WHITE WASH TOMBS

Matthew 23:27 ESV

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness.

DEVIL ANGEL OF RIGHTEOUSNESS (2 COR 11:14-15 - - )

2 Corinthians 11:14 ESV

And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.

2 Corinthians 11:15 ESV

So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.

THIS IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE THE ENEMY CAN COME AT US IN BEAUTIFUL. ALMOST GOD HONORING WAYS - TEMPTATION OF JESUS

III. THE SOVEREIGN END AND JUDGEMENT OF THE WHORE CHURCH AND CHRISTIAN

A. WE WILL PARTICIPATE IN THE BEAST’S DESTRUCTION

Revelation 17:14 ESV

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.”

B. THE COALITION OF EVIL WILL TURN ON ITSELF

Revelation 17:16 ESV

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,

C. GOD IS SOVEREIGN IN IT ALL

Revelation 17:17 ESV

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.

IV. HOW TO FIGHT WHOREDOM AS A CHURCH OR CHRISTIAN

HOW TO WE WITHSTAND?

A. WORSHIP CHRIST BY TRUSTING AND LIVING BY THE TRUTH OF THE GOSPEL.

On the cross Jesus took everything that I am tempted to whore after so that I can always be reminded of the true nature of sin

ILLUSTRATION: Dad who took daughter to Burban Street

1. TRUST WHAT CHRIST HAS ACCOMPLISHED FOR YOU

a. HE HAS FORGIVEN OUR MANY SEDUCTIONS

b. HE WILL NEVER DECEIVE YOU

THE ENEMY ALWAYS HAS AND THE ENEMY ALWAYS WILL

YOUR FLESH HAS DECEIVED YOU AND YOUR FLESH WILL SEEK TO DECEIVE YOU

c. HE WILL NOT TURN ON YOU

d. HE GAVE HIMSELF FOR YOU

paul SAYS THAT JESUS IS THE ONE ...

Galatians 1:4 ESV

who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father,

2. REMEMBER YOUR IDENTITY IN CHRIST

a. YOU ARE CALLED

CALLED TO BE HIS DISCIPLES: HIS EYES AND AGENTS OF TRANSFORMATION IN THE WORLD

YOU HAVE BEEN INVITED TO JOIN THE LORD’S WORK OF SUBDUING THE ANTICHRIST

b. YOU ARE CHOSEN

They were chosen before they were born when the Lamb had written their names in his Book of Life

Ephesians 1:4 ESV

even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love

c. YOU ARE FAITHFUL

THEY ARE DEMONSTRATING A FIGHT FOR THE FAITH AND FOR THE LORD IN THEIR LIVES.

OUR FAITHFULNESS PLAYS A KEY ROLE IN THESE LAST DAYS:

UNDERSTAND THAT BY OUR OBEDIENCE WE HASTEN THE COMING OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD (2 PETER 3:??)

2 Peter 3:11 ESV

Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness,

2 Peter 3:12 ESV

waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn!

B. READ TO BE INSPIRED AND INFORMED

Part of what keeps believers succeptible to the schemes of the devil is that we are not certain - theologically - about what we believe.

WE BELIEVE THAT JESUS IS LORD BUT ARE NOT AS STRONG AS WE COULD BE IN EXPLAINING OR DEFENDING THIS TRUTH

WE BELIEVE THAT JESUS IS THE ONLY WAY TO HEAVEN BUT ARE NOT COMFORTABLE WITH EXPLAINING THIS

WITH THIS BEING THE CASE, WE ARE NOT SURE WHEN WE ARE HEARING OR BELIEVING THINGS THAT ARE FALSE

MY CHALLENGE AND MY TEACHING AND TRAINING OF THIS CHURCH IS THAT YOU WOULD NOT ONLY LOVE JESUS, THE BIBLE, THE GOSPEL - BUT THAT YOU WOULD BE EQUIPPED TO GIVE YOURSELF TO

LEARNING ABOUT JESUS, THE BIBLE, THE GOSPEL

DONT BELIEVE OR BE DECEIVED INTO THINKING THAT THEOLOGY IS SIMPLY FOR SCHOLARS

THE BRIDGE ACADEMY: - HOW TO STUDY THE BIBLE

Read to learn about God and Jesus

mention Bridge Academy Discipleship Training: How to Study the Bible

THE DEVIL’S WORKS WILL BE SHORT LIVED BY THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD AND - AT THE SAME TIME - BY OUR DEVOTION TO HOLINESS AND OBEDIENCE