Revelation Chapter 17

Fourth Divine Punishment

Revelation 17:1-18. The Downfall of the World’s Religious System.

Chapters 17 and 18 deal with the Babylonian System which is on the earth in opposition to the Theocratic Kingdom of God, which will be established through the Reign and Rule of the Lord Jesus Christ.

It is in these two chapters that we see the Lamb of God destroy in chapter 17 the World’s Religious System and then in chapter 18 the World’s Political and Economic System.
Both are corrupt and evil, both are controlled by the Beast, one system may be known as the Babylonian Mother (Religious World Control) and the other as the Babylonian Monster (Political and Economic World Control). The second system grows out of the religious system but ultimately ends up controlling the first as the Anti-Christ destroys her and then we see evil reaching its zenith! The kingdoms of this world have become the Kingdom of our Lord. The final battle then between good and evil is seen in chapters 17 to 19. Jesus shall reign over the earth, and there will be equality and equity, peace, prosperity and provision for all. No more corrupt systems, no more banks, stock exchanges, pension and insurance companies. No more politicians ruling unwisely, the Lord will rule with ‘a rod of iron’. He will be King and Judge overall and the world will be a better place, renewed and restored.

Before this can happen Babylon is exposed – Mystery Babylon the Great, the Mother of Harlots and of the Abominations of the Earth – verse 5. John the Apostle is shown by one of the seven Angels the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters – verse 1.
(This being the Gentile nations as scripture interprets scripture – see verse 15)

The Scarlet Woman and The Scarlet Beast.

Her History is seen in verses 1 to 6. 5 things are stated about the Woman.

1) Her universal power – verses 1 and 2.
2) Her unique position as she rides the beast – verse 3.
3) Her unholy prosperity – verse 4a.
4) Her unholy passions – verses 4b to 5.
5) Her unholy persecutions – verse 6. (Drunk with the blood of the saints and martyrs)

The Meaning of the Woman and the Beast.

Her Future is revealed for us in verses 7 to 18.

Her Family is numbered in verses 8-13.

a) The Beast from Hell – verse 8. b) The False Prophet and the Anti-Christ – verses 9-11.
c) Ten false kings ruling with the Anti-Christ until the Lamb destroys them – verses 12- 14.

Her Fall is seen in verse 16.

Because she became drunk with the blood of the saints and was covered with the wealth of the world and with the filth of Hell as already seen in verses 4-6. The Woman is destroyed by the Beast as he seeks total world control – verse 16. God has purposed this – see verse17.
The Woman is seen as the Roman Catholic Church by most scholars – see verses 9, 18.
Verse 9 – ‘And here is the mind which hath wisdom, the seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.’ (Rome is built on seven mountainous hills and the catholic church has from here exercised power and much influence over the centuries and history attests to this).
Verse 18 – ‘And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.’ (The catholic church’s control and manipulation over kings past and present is well documented).
She has been responsible for much of the blood of the saints and the martyrs throughout the dark ages especially. Her doctrines are those of men and demons as they do not match with the authority and the inspired, infallible and inerrant Word of God. the Scriptures have been added to and taken away from, her guilt is not only evident to us but principally with the Lord and so she will be judged by the Lord in the days ahead as the Tribulation period begins. The 10 major doctrinal errors of this church system are laid out in the Church of Thyatira teaching in this series on the Book of Revelation. As with the reformers of old it must be for the reformers of today – Sola Scriptura (The Scriptures Alone). Amen.

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