seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Revelation 17:1 One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the punishment of the great prostitute, who sits by many waters. 2 With her the kings of the earth committed adultery, and the inhabitants of the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her adulteries.”
Once again... I'm starting with amazingdiscoveries.org.
The Judgment of the Harlot of Babylon: Chapters 17, 18 and part of 19 deal with the judgment of Babylon the Great. In Revelation 17:1-6 The crimes for which God executes judgment upon the harlot, the Roman Papal system, are enumerated; in 17:7-18 her punishment and the means by which it will come to pass is pronounced.
She is called “The Great Whore.” According to Ephesians 5, Jesus is the spiritual husband of the church; therefore if a church unites with or receives favors of one who is not her husband, she commits spiritual adultery. The “kings of the earth” represent civil powers. When churches lose the power of the gospel to transform hearts and lives they turn to the power of the state to support their doctrines and thus they commit spiritual fornication. The “many waters” are the countless people she has deceived and “made drunk” with her doctrines.
She is called “The Great Whore.” According to Ephesians 5, Jesus is the spiritual husband of the church; therefore if a church unites with or receives favors of one who is not her husband, she commits spiritual adultery. The “kings of the earth” represent civil powers. When churches lose the power of the gospel to transform hearts and lives they turn to the power of the state to support their doctrines and thus they commit spiritual fornication. The “many waters” are the countless people she has deceived and “made drunk” with her doctrines.
This is from the easy English site.
One of the angels invited John to see how God would punish Babylon. Here he describes that great city as an evil woman. She is like a woman who sells her body for sex.
Babylon has two meanings in this passage. Babylon means the power that has always been against God. This power has ruled the kingdoms of the earth through the whole of history. But Babylon also means the city that will be the most important city in the kingdom of Antichrist.
This woman sells her body for sex. By this, she makes what is good to be wicked. God gave sex for a good purpose. But such women use it for wrong purposes. John writes this to describe the character of Babylon. The important city had used everything that was good for bad purposes. All the wicked things that the city did were for power and luxury.
The city controlled many rivers. The rivers meant the nations. Babylon had control over the nations of the world. It led the false religions of the world. From the start, it fought against God’s people.
Babylon showed other nations how to behave in the same evil ways. The kings of the earth shared trade and culture with Babylon. With Babylon, they desired wealth, luxury and false gods. So, the importance of Babylon increased. And Babylon caused the nations to worship the beast.
The wicked ways of Babylon spread through the whole earth. It was as if the people had drunk too much wine. They became unable to turn from their evil deeds. Babylon’s false religion had become their religion too. They had joined in the sins of Babylon. And these sins were against God. So, the nations of the world could not avoid Babylon’s control.
Babylon has two meanings in this passage. Babylon means the power that has always been against God. This power has ruled the kingdoms of the earth through the whole of history. But Babylon also means the city that will be the most important city in the kingdom of Antichrist.
This woman sells her body for sex. By this, she makes what is good to be wicked. God gave sex for a good purpose. But such women use it for wrong purposes. John writes this to describe the character of Babylon. The important city had used everything that was good for bad purposes. All the wicked things that the city did were for power and luxury.
The city controlled many rivers. The rivers meant the nations. Babylon had control over the nations of the world. It led the false religions of the world. From the start, it fought against God’s people.
Babylon showed other nations how to behave in the same evil ways. The kings of the earth shared trade and culture with Babylon. With Babylon, they desired wealth, luxury and false gods. So, the importance of Babylon increased. And Babylon caused the nations to worship the beast.
The wicked ways of Babylon spread through the whole earth. It was as if the people had drunk too much wine. They became unable to turn from their evil deeds. Babylon’s false religion had become their religion too. They had joined in the sins of Babylon. And these sins were against God. So, the nations of the world could not avoid Babylon’s control.
There are so many preachy things running through my head right now.
This chapter begins with one of those seven angels offering John a peek at something in the future. This is one of the Seven Angels who were holding one of the bowls. So... anyone on earth is the stubbornest... the meanest.... has the biggest hardest head.... most stiff necked humans who ever walked the earth. Jesus made sure of that before the last bowls were poured out....
Think about it this way....there was just an earthquake so violent that mountains flattened.... and islands sank. Who could survive all that and still doubt God is in control? "Joy to the World" is being sung on Charles Stanley's show this morning. People are angry this year.... there isn't as much joy.... but when the events John saw happen... there won't be a single droplet of joy left on earth.
Has anyone else noticed that new "Christmas" commercial that sings "There is beauty in the world... beauty in the world". Oh...my.... aren't I supposed to be wary of "beauty in the world"? Is this the toddler steps of a great whore?
