REVELATION CHAPTERS 17 and 18
The “Woman” on the “Beast”
The Great
Prostitute
The Great
City
INTRODUCTION
Christians are raptured – (At the last Trumpet)
God’s Wrath is being poured out on the world – (Bowls)
But here in Chapter 17 (and 18 &19) John is given a detailed
look at one aspect of this “Wrath” of God, upon a particular
entity.
READ CHAPTER 17
The Prostitute, The Great City, Babylon the Great
It is both a “city” and a “religious system” that sits on
“seven hills” - and will be intimately connected to the
antichrist in the last days.
This religious system “rules” over many kings of the
earth and is connected to government systems and world
politics. This religious system is represented by the colors
purple and scarlet, adorned in silver and gold.
It is responsible for the persecution and martyrdom of
many true Christians, worldwide and down through the
ages.
There is ONLY ONE – religious system that is this huge and is
located within a city that sits on 7 hills. Only one in ALL the
WORLD and in ALL of HISTORY.
The City on 7 Hills - Rome
The City (Nation) within the City – Vatican City
The Religious System – The Roman Catholic Church
The Official Colors – Purple and Scarlet
Connection to World Governments - All of South America, most of Europe, (Spain,
Italy, France, Germany, etc.) The E.U. and the United States (huge influence).
IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS
* Not the PEOPLE but the SYSTEM
* The RCC - fails the 3 fold “Fundamental Doctrine Test” – Jesus, Bible, Salvation by
Grace ALONE.
* Revelation Chapters 17-18 written 95AD. The RCC – not official until 306AD!
Over 200 years AFTER the prophecy given!
VARIOUS FAMOUS COMMENTATOR VIEWS
Revelation 17
“it is expressly said that "this woman is that great city which reigneth over the kings of the earth"-- that is,
as I suppose, papal Rome; and the design here is to represent it as resembling an abandoned female-- fit
representative of an apostate, corrupt, unfaithful church.
(Barnes' Commentary)
“That Rome and the Roman Catholic system are involved, readily be admitted …”(Seiss' Apocalypse
Commentary)
“This beast, The Papacy, makes an eighth governor, and sets up idolatry again.”
(Matthew Henry's Commentary)
The Woman Who Rides the Beast - By Dave Hunt (The Seduction of Christianity)
This is a representation of the Latin Church in her highest state of antichristian
prosperity, for she sits upon the scarlet colored beast, a striking emblem of her
complete domination over the secular Latin empire. The state of the Latin Church
from the commencement of the fourteenth century to the time of the Reformation
may be considered that which corresponds to this prophetic description in the most
literal and extensive sense of the words; Adam Clarke’s Commentary
Under the harlot’s superintendence, the world power puts forth
blasphemous pretensions worse than in pagan days. So the Pope is
placed by the cardinals in God’s temple on the altar to sit there, and
the cardinals kiss the feet of the Pope. This ceremony is called by
Roman church writers “the adoration.” Jamieson, Fausset and Brown
Commentary
“the beast is the same with that in Rev_13:1 as the description shows, and is no
other than the Roman empire as Papal … the apostate church of Rome, represented
by a woman, John Gill’s Commentary
“This is the general idea first given, a character plain enough to mark the Roman or
Papal system.” John Darby’s Synopsis of the Bible Commentary
“The harlot is the corrupted Church of Rome; the seven
heads are the seven hills on which the city is built.”
Vincent’s Word Studies Commentary
Dark Dealings in the Vatican?
WILLIAM F. JASPER,
The New American Magazine, March 3,
1997.
“Windswept House” by Dr. (Father) Malachi Martin - is a gripping account that
whirls from Rome to London, New York, Washington DC, Brussels, Strasbourg,
Jerusalem, Moscow, and other centers of worldly power, graphically drawing the
organizational tentacles of a conspiracy against God and man - deep within the
Roman Catholic Church which is perilously close to enthroning its malefic new
world order. That unholy alliance has targeted for infiltration and destruction not
just the Catholic Church, (Rev 17:16-18) but other religions, institutions, and
governments.
“Father Martin is not surprised that his latest book has not met the critical acclaim
of his past writings. He is not surprised that it has been almost totally ignored,
even though it is published by a mainstream publisher (Doubleday). The reviewers
for the major media, he says, are "steering away from it. They don't know what to
think about it; they don't know what to say." But that hasn't stopped Father
Martin's message. He has been interviewed on 117 radio stations thus far and
continues to speak out.”
"Some memories are especially painful,
and some events of the distant past have
left deep wounds in the minds and
hearts of people to this day. I am
thinking of the disastrous sack of the
imperial city of Constantinople, which
was for so long the bastion of
Christianity in the East. It is tragic that
the assailants, who had set out to secure
free access for Christians to the Holy
Land, turned against their own
brothers in the faith. The fact that they
were Latin Christians fills Catholics
with deep regret. How can we fail to see
here the 'mysterium iniquitatis' at work
in the human heart?”
Consider this event in
May 2001
The woman – “held a golden cup
in her hands filled with
abominable things and the filth of
her adulteries.” V.4
Pope John Paul II, May 4th, 2001 –
Address to His Beatitude
Christodoulos - Archbiship of
Athens and Primate of Greece.
II Thessalonians 2:1-8
1
Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ,
and by our gathering together unto him,
2
That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor
by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.
3
Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except
there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of
perdition;
4
Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is
worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that
he is God.
5
Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?
6
And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.
7
For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth
will let, until he be taken out of the way.
8
And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume
with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
(KJV)
THE CONCLUSION of this scripture – REGARDLESS of
your interpretation of the possible R.C.C. element is this:
Out of Rome – the City on 7 Hills – in the last days will
come a “prostitute” system of religion and government that
will influence and mesmerize the world. It will be
responsible for the death of many true Christians and will
be intimately connected with the “beast” – antichrist.
THE LESSON – Stay pure from ANY “prostitute” belief,
doctrine, system, religious system, denomination, church,
preacher or religious belief system that would take the focus
off of JESUS CHRIST as God in the Flesh and THE
BIBLE as the final and authoritative Word of God!
PERSONAL CONSIDERATIONS
I.
V. 17 For God has put it into their hearts to accomplish his purpose
by agreeing to give the beast their power to rule, until God's words
are fulfilled.
Moses/Pharaoh -
God’s People WILL be “brought out”!
The Godless WILL pay!
God WILL triumph!
Our God IS in control!
II.
Verse 14 – “They will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb
will overcome them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings -and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers.”
John 10:28 – “My sheep hear my voice and I know them and they
follow me.”