Reading: Revelation 17:1-18

You’ll recall that previously we were standing outside of God’s temple in Heaven. Seven angels were given 7 bowls of God’s wrath and no one was allowed in to the temple. It’s my belief that we are getting a picture of judgement at the end of time. God is going to judge the world, specifically the beast, and those who worship Him. You’ll also do well to remember that God’s wrath is not a result of God being angry, petty, or spiteful. All that He’s doing is out of love.

However. There’s about to be a pause in the narrative. We’re about to get a special sneak peek behind the curtain. John is carried away (by the Spirit) into a spiritual place, for the purpose of an angel explaining the judgments he’s previously witnessed. In other words, John is going back in time in this chapter.

Now. The reason this is such a confusing text is because of how many metaphors are bring presented. The woman is a great city. Verse 18. She’s seated on the beast, verse 3, but she’s also seated on many waters verse 2 and verse 15. Notice that she’s called a prostitute four times. How about the beast? He was, and is not, and is about to rise. The seven heads are seven mountains, but they’re also seven kings. Then we’ve got water which is multitudes and nations. So. It’s a lot.

But. Here’s what I think is going on: God’s judgement is a result of idolatry. We can infer that from the fact that, in the Bible, prostitution is a standing symbol for idolatry. So. Whenever God’s people turned away from Him it was seen (in Scripture) under the heading of: unfaithfulness. Or Adultery. Sometimes even Harlotry. Which. There are numerous Scriptures about this. Jeremiah chapter 3. Ezekiel 16. Ezekiel 23. The entire book of Hosea. I mean. Over and over and over God is calling His Bride (His people) back to Himself.

So. When John is standing outside the temple, observing God’s final judgment, and this angel walks up, carrying a bowl goes, “You want to see why all this is happening?” John is presented a picture of idolatry. And it’s offered first as a great prostitute. Meaning, you can’t have an affair with this world. You can’t, as the bride of Jesus Christ, go around His back and say, “Oh, here’s what’s actually going to make me happy.” We can also infer that God will judge governments for their idolatry. You see in verse 5 when it refers to Babylon the Great? That’s important because Babylon isn’t great. Matter of fact, it doesn’t even exist. Babylon was defeated hundreds of years before. So John is offering that as an example for the beast who was. However, John must also be talking about Rome, the city on 7 mountains—and how they would have 7 kings, that is: emperors, before their destruction. That would be the beast that is. But there’s also a beast who is yet to come. Which means there’s always going to be nations and authorities who blaspheme God.

So. The important takeaway for us is: don’t be seduced by the world into worshipping anyone (or anything) but God—because idolatry leads to judgement and death.

With Gratitude,

pLJ