Rev 17:1-6
The Devil’s Religion
We are into the last half of the tribulation. Chapter 16 gave us a
description of the last seven judgments God will pour out on the
earth. My belief is that while they are all given at one time in a
very rapid sequence, they probably occur throughout the last 3 1/2
years.
Chapter 17 picks up showing us some other things that are happening
during the last 3 1/2 years.
Two thoughts:
1. \\#1\\ We are seeing the judgment of the great whore.
a. This is not the origin, the life, or the sins of the great
whore, but its judgment or end at the hand of God.
b. Since this is the end of something, it is probably
occurring toward the end of the tribulation too.
2. There are actually two identities here, the great whore and
the beast.
Let’s study the beast first.
I. \\#3, 7-13\\ The Beast
A. \\#3\\ The first mention in this chapter is verse 3.
1. The beast is described by its color, scarlet or red.
a. This color means one of two things.
(1) If it is speaking of the saved, it speaks of the
blood of Christ and redemption.
(2) If it is speaking of the unsaved, it speaks of
death.
b. The beast is not speaking of salvation, Christ, or
redemption but of death.
c. The beast will slay many.
2. "full of names of blasphemy" - That means if it is
blasphemous, it is associated with this beast.
3. It has "seven heads and ten horns" - We have seen this
description before except this time, we will be given
the interpreation of them \\#10,12\\.
a. \\#Rev 12:3\\ It was used to describe the dragon who
is the devil.
b. \\#Rev 13:1\\ It was used to describe a "beast" who
we understand is the anti-Christ.
c. So this beast is of the devil and the anti-Christ.
(1) It is evil incarnate, wickedness, demonic.
(2) This woman is riding in on the anti-Christ’s
back.
B. \\#7-13\\ More description.
1. \\#8\\ We are reminded of where the beast god its
AUTHORITY.
a. The beast "was and is not" - This is a reminder that
the anti-Christ as a "death-like" experience but
either does not die or comes back to life.
\\#Rev 13:3-4\\
b. It comes out of "the bottomless pit and" goes "into
perdition" - It comes from hell and will go back
there.
c. "they that dwell on the earth will wonder" after the
beast" - They will stand in awe of him and even
worship him \\#Rev 13:4\\.
d. Isn’t it amazing how something so offensive to God can
be totally acceptable to mankind? Just because man
likes it and sees nothing wrong with it, does not
mean that God doesn’t!
2. \\#10-12\\ Ascension - This is a summary of its political
rise.
a. Two sets of kings are mentioned.
(1) \\#10-11\\ Five that have fallen, one that is,
and one that is to come.
(2) \\#12\\ Ten who have not come to power yet but
will rule with the anti-Christ (beast) for one
hour.
b. I believe the first speaks of kingdoms and the second
speaks of rulers.
(1) As of John’s time, there had been six world
kingdoms and John was living in the sixth.
a. Egypt
b. Assyria
c. Babylon
d. Medes/Persians
e. Greeks
f. Romans
(2) There has been only one since then, Britain.
At its height, it was the largest empire in
history and, for over a century, was the foremost
global power. By 1922 the British Empire held
sway over about 458 million people, one-fifth of
the world’s population at the time. The empire
covered more than 13,012,000 sq mi, almost a
quarter of the Earth’s total land area.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Empire
(3) \\#11\\ tells us that the beast (the anti-Christ)
will be the eight world power and will come out
of the seventh.
(4) I believe that means that the anti-Christ will
rise out of what was the British Empire.
(5) I have told you before that I also believe it
will rise out of what was the Roman Empire as
well.
c. I believe the second set speaks of ten rulers.
(1) We do not know who they are yet, but I believe
that they were alluded to in Daniel’s statue
which had ten toes \\#Dan 2:41-42\\ and the ten
horns on the beast of \\#Daniel 7:7, 20, 24\\.
(2) Their names are not important yet, but when you
see a unified world government that has ten key
leaders, watch out.
(3) These ten leaders will rule with the anti-Christ
for "one hour," an extremely short period of
time.
(4) Why only one hour? Because the anti-Christ will
control them.
II. \\#1-6\\ The Great Whore
A. The very name implies unfaithfulness and selling of self for
profit.
B. Three phrases indicate this whore has been accepted by the
whole earth.
1. \\#1, 15\\ Se sits upon the waters means that she is
spread across the nations of people, she is everywhere.
2. \\#2\\ She has committed fornication with the kings of the
earth means that kings have had dealing with her.
3. The inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with her
fornication means that many people have had dealings
with her.
C. The word "fornication" keeps popping up.
1. Fornication means sexual sins, adultery, prostitution,
homosexuality, and others.
2. In a spiritual sense, it means unfaithful to God. It is
used of Israel in the Old Testament to describe her
worship of idolatry, idols.
3. I believe that is how it is used here.
4. The Great Whore is some kind of false religion, likely an
idolatrous religion, that kings of the world and people
from across the planet have accepted.
5. \\#5\\ This is further born out by verse 5.
a. Which false religion is a MYSTERY.
b. However it is "Babylon the Great."
(1) We have already mentioned how Babylon (Babel) was
the place where false religion was born and how
either the name of the place will be an
important place to the devil in the last times.
(2) To be called "Babylon the Great" would imply that
this is the biggest false religion of all times.
c. To be called the "mother of harlots" would mean that
many other false religion have come out of this one.
6. So the Great Whore is greatest of all false religions.
D. Which religion will it be? We can’t know for certain but some
clues are given.
1. \\#1-2\\ Its popularity and acceptance. It will be a
world-wide religion.
2. \\#4\\ It was arrayed in the colors purple and scarlet.
a. These are the colors of royalty.
b. Rulers of the world will be involved in this religion.
3. It will be "decked with gold and precious stones and
pearls" - It will be a very wealthy religion.
4. \\#6\\ It will be "drunk with the blood of the saints." It
will be a very violent religion.
5. \\#18\\ It will be a city that has reigned over kings.
6. Of course it will be false religion steeped in idolatry.
E. I do not know of a better candidate for the Great Whore than
the Catholic Church.
1. When I say that, I am not trying to be anti-Catholic but
pro-truth.
a. The Catholic church is a false religion.
(1) They teach a works salvation believing that one
must be a member of their church, must receive
the last rites, must confess their sins to their
intercessors, and the list goes on.
(2) They pray to idols and dead saints.
(3) They believe their Pope is infallible, above the
Word of God itself.
(4) They conform their version of the truth to the
times and their own benefits.
b. They are a world-wide religion which has ruled over
kings and has been accepted throughout the globe.
c. They are an incredibly wealthy religion, having
collected, horded, and even stolen treasures from
throughout the world for centuries.
d. They are guilty of slaying the saints and their
opposition. (Read the Crusades, the Inquisitions,
the Holy Wars.)
e. By the way, their church colors are white, scarlet,
and purple.
2. \\#9\\ They are the only religion that I can find
associated with seven mountains.
a. The Great Whore sits upon seven mountains.
b. So does the Vatican. In fact, portions of the seven
mountains are inside the walls of the Vatican, that
great city which has ruled over kings.
F. I have said before and I still believe that somehow, at least
for a time, the Catholic church will have to make a way to
get along with the Muslims. In an article on the
www.catholic.com dated March 25, 2013, entitled "Christians,
Muslims, and the ‘one God’…"
Last week, Pope Francis received a collection
of world religious leaders in his first ecumenical
and interreligious event. His address to them
contained diplomatic niceties and specific
expressions of good will aimed at Orthodox,
Protestants, Jews, and Muslims.
His remarks to the latter recognized that Muslims
“worship the one living and merciful God, and call
upon him in prayer.” In this he echoed the 1964
dogmatic constitution Lumen Gentium….
which basically states anyone who worships the monotheistic
God of Abraham worships the same God.
III. \\#14-18\\ The Judgment
A. \\#14\\ The beast and the Great Whore will make war with the
Lamb.
1. Again, I take it that this will take place during the last
half of the tribulation, called "the great tribulation."
2. The devil and his religion will kill many, but in the end,
the Lamb will overcome.
B. \\16\\ The ten horns (rulers) will hate the whore and will
turn against her, destroying her.
1. The anti-Christ may use religion but he works for the
devil who wants to be God so it will not last for long.
2. Remember, no sooner does the anti-Christ put his kingdom
together than the Lord starts to take it apart!
a. \\#Rev 13:8\\ One of the angels proclaimed that
Babylon was fallen, was fallen!
b. His entire kingdom will be a confederation of opposing
powers.
c. If you back the devil you damn your soul and back a
loser!
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