The Epistle of Jesus #14: The Fall of the Two Babylons
Introduction: In the Book of Revelation, we have seen Satan mounting his last gasp all out assault on God and the things of God. He has attacked the very hall of Heaven and is then cast to earth, where he attacks the God’s people. Along with this physical frontal assault there has also been an spiritual covert assault on the souls of mankind.
Through the world leader that Satan install, he creates a vast and all encompassing false belief system, a counterfeit of everything that is true. This belief system has an anti-God, who is himself, the great Dragon. It has an anti-Christ who is the beast. It has an anti-Spirit who is the false prophet. And now in chapter 17 we see the completed system with the woman who rides the beast, clad in purple and scarlet. She is the anti-religion.
Though we are introduced to the woman late in the book, actually she is the oldest and most useful of all the tools that Satan will use. She reaches her greatest power her, but her beginnings go all the way back to the book of Genesis. So lets begin in chapter 17 and see the woman in her full glory and then we will also trace her back to her beginnings.
The Fall of Babylon the Mother of Harlots - Revelation 17:1–2
1 And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great (harlot) whore that sitteth upon many waters: 2 With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.
Identification of The Harlot
The angel calls her the great harlot, I’m going with the NKJV on this word. The word used here in the KJV is translated 8 times as harlot and 4 times with this much harsher word used here. All the times it is translated with this word, it is in Revelation 3 times in this chapter and one time in chapter 19. The word in the Greek is πόρνη pórnē and yes that is the word we derive our word pornography from. Strong’s dictionary says this is, “a woman who sells her body for sexual uses, a prostitute, a harlot, one who yields herself to defilement for the sake of gain.
I think the KJV translators wanted to use the more derogatory and harsher English word here because they were trying to show the disgust God has against what this this particular harlot represents.
It is interesting that there are four women in the book of Revelation: (1) 2v20, Jezebel, symbolizing apostasy creeping into the church, (2) Israel, the wife of God, in 12:1; (3) here in 17:1, we see this harlot, the and (4) finally in 19:7 we see the bride of the Lamb, the church of Jesus Christ.
The prostitute of chapter 17 is described in the end of vs. 1 and then in 2, “that sitteth upon many waters: With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.
She sits on many waters.
This symbol is explained for us in Revelation 17: 15 And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.
The symbolism here is that the woman is worldwide, upheld and supported by all the people of the world.
The kings of the earth have committed fornication with her.
The kings and leaders of the world’s nation have through political and economic intercourse partnered with the harlot. They have used her to gain power and appease their people and she has used the kings and leaders to gain power through the state, the power of government.
The inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.
This woman, this harlot has seduced the inhabitants of the earth. Has put them under her control through the wine of fornication. She is the cause, the root, the reason for so many not turning to the Creator and instead turning to the basest, most reprobates elements of the Creators creation.
Romans 1:18-25 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, …
Description of the Harlot – Revelation 17:3–18
3 So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. 4 And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: 5 And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. 6 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration. 7 And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns. 8 The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is. 9 And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth. 10 And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space. 11 And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition. 12 And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. 13 These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.
Decadence and Death Are Her Dress
The Woman located. Revelation 17:18, tells us, “the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.”
The statement is very straightforward without any explanation, meaning that John would clearly understand what city this was. In John’s time the city that reigns over the kings of the earth, was Rome. Vs. 9 tells us the seven heads are seven hills. Rome is situated on seven hills and when Revelation was written, Rome was reigning over the kings of the earth. Will the revived Roman Empire’s one world religion have its headquarters at Rome? Possibly, the Roman Catholic popes since the 1970s have opened up dialogue and forged relationships with most of the world’s religions. It may be another city that is in view, where the final version of one-world religion will be situated but it will be like the Rome John knew. It will be corrupt; it will be immoral and it will be locked in intercourse with the powers of the world.
Her Appearance - Revelation 17:4 And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:
Her dress shows that she is rich and wrapped in this world’s luxury. If you ever wonder why so many Bible scholars of the past have identified the Great Harlot with The Roman Catholic Church all you have to do is look at the Vatican or any large Catholic church with gold crucifixes, gold covered altars and the vestments of the popes, bishops and priest made from the finest silks and fabrics the world can offer. If you wonder how churches of the future will so easily join in this adulterous religious system all you have to do is look at the houses, cars, clothes and property of todays health and wealth preachers. They are in it for the money and that will only be the case when the true church is taken in the rapture.
Her Title. Revelation 17:5 And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
Her Killings – Revelation 17:6 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration. (wonder and astonishment)
This Title is the most important element of identifying and understanding the Harlot and what she represents. And it takes us back all the way to the book of Genesis.
Her Heritage - Look at Genesis 10:6-14 And the sons of Ham; Cush, and Mizraim, and Phut, and Canaan. … And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth. He was a mighty hunter before the LORD: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the LORD. And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel…
Nimrod, the mighty hunter, the mighty champion, the mighty predator, establishes the first empire after the flood, the kingdom of Babel, later Babylon. He is more than just a king because he controls several cities in a region, cities that will still be in existence and antagonist of God’s people for centuries to come.
What happens at Babel, probably under the influence and power of Nimrod is in Genesis 11:1-4 And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech. And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there. And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them throughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for mortar. And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.
Pay attention to what they said, perhaps this is what Nimrod said as their king. “let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name.” Now this wasn’t just a high tower, no this was a tower that may reach to heaven. Not so much by its height but by what took place on that high tower. Throughout the ancient world we see examples of these towers sometime called ziggurats. They are step pyramids, and we see them in ancient Babylon, ancient Egypt and even ancient Mexico and central and south America. They built these towers to reach into the heavens by the practice of paganism and human sacrifice. They sought to get the attention of the gods that they had now turned to by doing acts of such devotion that their gods of sun, moon, rain and harvest would have to take notice and bless them. It seems likely that this systematic form of paganism may have arisen with Nimrod and the tower of Babel. It was the final culmination of Cain’s rebellion away from the one true God to many gods. Away from true worship to the most gruesome kinds of human sacrifice.
The Great Harlot Is Paganism, the Mystery Religion began in Babylon and has existed since that time and for most of our history has been the most dominate form of religion on the earth. It flourished under the Egyptians, Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, Romans, the Incas, the Aztecs. Today it still holds the great power in places like India under the Hindus, Tibet as Buddhism and Japan as Shintoism. Neo-Paganism is even today, growing in influence among the enlightened people of countries like the United State, and Europe. Those who have rejected God and true Christianity but still need to believe in something, just like the did in Nimrod’s day. It is opposed to God and to truth and it is always filled if not dominated by female deities. Names like Tammuz, Ishtar, Astarte, Hera, Juno and Mary fill the same role and find their ultimate personification in the purple and scarlet woman of Revelation.
What happens in Revelation 17 and 18 is the final chapter of the story that begin with Cain, was strengthened and codified by Nimrod and has claimed billions and billions of souls before the Lord’s truth could reach them.
One-eighth of the entire book of Revelation is devoted to the subject of judgment upon Babylon, around 50 verses. Chapter 17 and 18 aren’t just incidental events they are central to the judgment of God that is the core of the Book of Revelation. The merciless retribution against the woman arrayed in purple and scarlet is the just reward for those billions of lives and souls, destroyed, corrupted and lost for eternity by Mystery, Babylon, the Mother of Harlots and the abominations of the earth.
It also must be noted that John, in vs. 6 “saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus.” This Harlot has martyred God’s people throughout time, but it especially has delighted in killing the saints of Jesus Christ. The influence of the Harlot within the city of Rome both during its pagan Emperors and its Popes, has led to the deaths of million and millions of the Lord’s true church. Entire cities, entire regions of countries have been slaughtered like vermin while the Harlot of Rome urged the kings of the earth on to victory. It goes on still today and will become even more inescapable during the Tribulation for those who turn to Jesus Christ even after the church is gone.
Lets go back to her description. The Beast. John sees the woman sitting on a scarlet-colored beast, This is the same Beast, that was the rider on the white horse in Chapter 6 and is also described in chapter 13, this is the Antichrist. In verse 8 we read that the beast seemingly comes back to life. He arises from the bottomless pit, the abyss. The Beast is scarlet-colored, showing his relationship with the Great Dragon, Satan. He also has seven heads and ten horns like Satan.
The Heads and Kings Verse 10 tells us that the seven heads are seven kings and v. 12 explains that the ten horns are ten more kings. The “seven kings” of v. 10 could also be translated “seven kingdoms.”
The seven heads. Revelation 17:9-13 And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth. And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space. And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition. And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.
The five kingdoms that had fallen were Babylon, Persia, Greece and Rome and then the Revived Roman Empire of the 10 Kings, where the Anti-Christ arises to power.
Remember we read in Revelation 13:3 it says, “And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death…”
The Beast receives a wound unto death and during this time when he seemingly dies, the woman who once rode on the back of the beast, now takes his power and reigns.
Destruction of the Harlot - Revelation 17:16–17
And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the (harlot) whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire. For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.
So the Harlot is the 6th Kingdom, taking power after the anti-Christ is removed, killed or missing, then these 10 Kings, turn and kill the harlot. The Bible says they make her desolate and naked, eat her flesh and burn her. They will not accept her as a replacement for the Beast. They see her as a usurper and they determine to return to the world power balance they had at the beginning of the tribulation when they along with the beast rose to power. So they destroy her, stripping away her purple and scarlet, humiliating her, and taking her riches even to the point of consuming her, like a cannibal and then burning anything that remains, so there is nothing left.
Then after destroying the great harlot, they become the 7th Kingdom but “only for an hour” because the Beast, is resurrected, comes back from oblivion and they give their power to him. He then is the 8th kingdom, who comes from the 7th, the original 10 Kings of which he was when he first rose to power.
The Great Harlot, Mystery Babylon is gone but the Beast is back and now stronger than ever. He doesn’t share power with the Harlot and the 10 Kings give their power to him. At this point, probably right at the midpoint of the Tribulation, 3 ½ years into the seven years, The anti-Christ with the power of Satan behind him, moves against nation of Israel, the last vestiges of God’s promises on the earth.
Revelation of The Harlot
The Great Harlot, the woman in purple and scarlet, represents the anti-religion of the anti-Christ.
For a time, it will be the glue that holds together the Beast’s kingdom and gives him an air of morality. This world religion, this anti-religion will be intimately involved in all the political, social and economic systems of the world during the Tribulation. With the aid the fornication, so to speak of the Beast, she become a great power, riding to power on his back and when he is struck down, she assumes all power during his absence.
Then just before the beast ascend back to life and to power, the 10 kings kill the Harlot and then give their kingdom to the Beast, when he returns from the abyss. Now the Beast and the False-prophet turn all worship, all the power of the harlot to the Beast. He is now completely and fully their god and fully in control.
For us today, we as Christians, the people of God in this age, the warning we take from Revelation 17 is clear. There is no place for the mixture of this world’s religion and its paganism with the church of Jesus Christ.
God hates Jezebel, the Harlot among His people.
He harshly condemns Jezebel and those who were in bed with her in the church of Thyatira back in Revelation 2:20-23 Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols. And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not. Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds. And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: …
Jezebel, The Harlot, Paganism, Satan’s counterfeit religion has been with us since the days of Cain and Nimrod. It is still corrupting and polluting the Lord’s work today.
The so called Mother Church of Rome is more pagan than Christian. From its cannibalism of the Lord’s body, to praying to the dead saints, to purgatory, to infallible leaders and the veneration of the Queen of Heaven who replaces Jesus Christ. The mother church of Rom is indeed a mother but not of Christianity.
There are entire denominations today that practice, preach and proclaim the worst doctrines of the paganism of the Old Testament. Homosexuality, transsexuality, open marriages, fornication, abortion of innocent babies all mark them as part of that heritage of Nimrod.
These denominations and churches often are dominated by feminists who have been made pastors in Presbyterian, Methodist, Lutheran, Pentecostal, Charismatic and Episcopal churches. Even some with the name Baptist have accepted this mixture of the world’s religion as necessary and proclaim that it is God will.
I could go on, but this is supposed to be a sermon and not a rant. Besides I don’t need to go on. You know because you are the Lord’s church. You know that there is a line, clearly draw from us in scripture and when you cross that line, you weaken or even lose your connection to the God of Heaven, while the god of this world, the Great Dragon strengthens in these denominations and his power and influence rises. We as God’s people in this day and time are called to hold that line.
Illustration:
Goal line defense. The simplest because you just stopped everything from coming across. That is what we are called to do in this age, stop everything from the coming through into our church.
The Fall of Babylon The Mother of Commerce – Revelation 18
I’m just going to touch on chapter 18, the Fall of Babylon The Mother of Money and then conclude the sermon.
Revelation 18 tells us of the fall of another Babylon, related by history and again intercourse with the Babylon of chapter 17. That was the Babylon of Religion, this is the Babylon of Commerce. So we have two Babylons, the Mother of Harlots and the Mother of Money, the the great global economic system of the latter days. When the religious system collapses, it begins the domino effect of collapsing the Beast’s entire empire. He is despearate and motivated and empowered by Satan, he moves again Jerusalem, that once thought he was their Messiah.
Warren Wiersbe points out four voices in this chapter. I will give them to you and we will be finished. There is…
The Voice of Judgment Revelation 18:1–3
And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory. And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying,
Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.
The Voice of Separation Revelation 18:4
And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.
The Voice of Mourning Revelation 18:9-10
And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her,
shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning, Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come.
But the last voice we hear is the important one, for it returns us after all this darkness and destruction to rejoicing.
The Voice of Rejoicing Revelation 18:20
Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her.
Conclusion:
Two lessons we take with us from the Two Babylons
Number one, God hates Jezebel, God despises Babylon the Mother of Harlots that has claimed billions of souls and doomed them when their creator would have saved them.
God hates Jezebel and therefore we must not tolerate her in our churches, our live or our families. Yes we must be intolerate in this, not unloving, not unconcerned but not ever tolerate of the corruption and evil of the mother of Harlots drunk on the blood of the saints.
Just as the voice from heaven says in Revelation 18:4-6 Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities. Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled fill.
Number two, for God’s people there will always be a voice of rejoicing at the end of the darkest night and the most oppressive struggles. Listen for that voice at all times.
Remember what Paul wrote to the church at Philippi? Philippians 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.
This is what we are called to do until that last great voice from heaven calls out that final command to rejoice. You can’t ignore the difficulties, the darkness and the desolation but don’t ever forget we will always rejoice.
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