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DESTRUCTION OF THE HARLOT I. COMPLIMENTARY TEXTS 1. Ezekiel 16:1-2, 15-21, 33-41 - Kingdoms are pictured as harlots to be judged. 2. Daniel 7:3-8, 16-24 - Nations opposed to God's people are pictured as beasts, with horns 3. Jeremiah 25:15-28 - The "cup" of judgment pictured as the cup of God's wrath. 4. Ezekiel 27:26-36 - People sorrow over lost profit due to judgment of a powerful nation, Tyre. II. MAIN THEME Revelation
17-18 - shows God's judgment of the great harlot, tells the mystery of her,
the beast, and shows the sadness of all who can no longer profit from their trade with her. 1. TEXTUAL DISCUSSION OF REVELATION 17-18, and related passages from Revelation. A. The great harlot is described - 17:1-6, 18 1). The great harlot, Babylon the great, 17:1, :5 = the great city - :18, which at the time of the writing of Revelation was Rome. 2). The 7 heads of the scarlet beast, :3, :8, pictured 2 different items: a. 7 mountains/hills - :9, Rome sat on 7 hills. b. 7 kings - :10, 5 who had died, the 6th ruling, the 7th to come 3). The beast is also an 8th king, destined for destruction - :11. 4). The 10 horns of the scarlet beast,:3 = 10 other kings who haven’t received a kingdom yet, who will serve the beast for a short time, waging war with the Lamb - :12-14. 5). The many waters, :1 that the great harlot sat on = peoples..., :15. B. The great harlot deserves judgment: 1). She led kings into immorality - 17:2; 18:3. 2). She committed abominations - 17:4. 3). She led merchants into excessive luxury and waste - 18:3. 4). She drank the blood of the saints she killed - 17:6; 18:24; 19:2. 5). She deceived with sorcery - 18:23. C. The beast also goes alive to destruction - 17:8, 11; 19:19-20; 20:10. D. The defeat and judgment of the harlot will be swift and sure because: 1). It is carried out by the Lamb and the hand of God - 17:14; 19:11-16. 2). God will stir up her own allies to betray her - 17:16-17. 3). The Lord God who judges her is strong - 18:8; 11:17-18. 4). God has pronounced judgment on the harlot for His faithful - 18:20, 24; 6:9-11; 19:1-2. 5). God said so - :10, 17, 19, 21. E. The kings and merchants benefited from her harlotry will weep and lament -18:9-11, 15. F. The saints should respond to this in 2 ways: 1). Come out from the midst of her corruption; don't participate - 18:4; 2:14-16; 20:20-24. 2). Rejoice - 18:20; 19:7; 12:10-12. 2. Related topics with texts from other books of the Bible A. Kingdoms were often referred to as harlots in the scriptures because of their pursuit and worship of power and wealth - Ezekiel 16:1-2, 15-21, 33-41; Isaiah 1:18-26; Rev 3:16-18 B. The beast with seven heads and ten horns seen in Daniel - Dan 7:3-8, 16-24; 1). It belongs to the fourth kingdom, the Roman kingdom - Dan 2:37-44 2). The ten horns are ten kings who shall arise from this Roman kingdom - Dan 7:24 C. God’s judgment is certain and powerful against the wicked - Jeremiah 25:15-28; Rev 18:8; Heb 12:25-29; Luke 23:28-30. D. People who love the material possessions of this life are grieved by the destruction of those powers who trade in material wealth; we need to be careful to separate ourselves from materialism - Ezekiel 27:26-36; Rev 18:4, 9-19; 2 Cor 6:15-18; 1 John 2:15-17. IV. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS 1. Remember that immoral, greedy, unjust unbelievers will be judged by God - 17:1,7; 19:2. 2. Avoid participating in the sins of immorality and the entrapping power of wanton greed. 3. It is okay to rejoice at God's judgment of evil - 18:20; 19:7. 4. Remember that this section is extremely figurative, and that one picture can have several meanings, such as the 7 heads are 7 hills and 7 kings, so don't be too dogmatic about interpreting them unless the text provides good clues, as chapter 17 does. 5. Endless, inconclusive discussion has tried to identify the 7 or 8, and the 10 kings, remember the main point - these kings will wage war with the Lamb and be overcome! Who they are ultimately makes little difference. V. MEMORY VERSES - Revelation 17:1-2 |