The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Revelation 17:1-6,
"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. With her the kings of the earth committed adultery, and the inhabitants of the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her adulteries.' Then the angel carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness. There I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns. The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and was glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls. She held a golden cup in her hand, filled with abominable things and the filth of her adulteries. The name written on her forehead was a mystery: Babylon the great the mother of prostitutes and of the abominations of the earth. I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of God's holy people, the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus."
There is no question in my mind as to exactly who this "great prostitute" is. She is here among us today, fulfilling every description provided by John's revelation. Here are the descriptions of her:
She sits by "many waters". Those who study prophecy know that "waters", "sea", etc. often represent the teeming masses of mankind. The "many waters" refer to the prostitute as being near to the various groups of mankind throughout the world.
"With her the kings of the earth committed adultery". This represents an unseemly and inappropriate trade in political power for the services of what this prostitute can provide. "Adulteries" refer to unfaithfulness toward God. As an example, Israel (Israel is not in view here as this prostitute) was often condemned for her "adulteries" by turning from God to false religion (idol worship, etc.). This is exactly what this prostitute can provide, but she can only do it if she is in a position to "barter" in the things of God - in other words, she can only trade in these adulteries if people are deluded into thinking she represents God. This is how "the inhabitants of earth were intoxicated with the wine of her adulteries."
This prostitute became fabulously wealthy, "The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and was glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls."
"I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of God's holy people, the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus." Verse 6. As a religious institution, this prostitute was in a position to destroy all who might point out her "adulteries" or anyone who might make her feel threatened.
If history is not your strong suit, a bit of time in history books will make this prostitute identifiable. If you haven't figured it out yet, verse 9 provides a strong clue: "This calls for a mind with wisdom. The seven heads are seven hills on which the woman sits." Which of the great cities of the world sits on seven hills?
A blog with my ruminations over the years can be found here: http://worshipfortoday.blogspot.com/
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
"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. With her the kings of the earth committed adultery, and the inhabitants of the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her adulteries.' Then the angel carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness. There I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns. The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and was glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls. She held a golden cup in her hand, filled with abominable things and the filth of her adulteries. The name written on her forehead was a mystery: Babylon the great the mother of prostitutes and of the abominations of the earth. I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of God's holy people, the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus."
There is no question in my mind as to exactly who this "great prostitute" is. She is here among us today, fulfilling every description provided by John's revelation. Here are the descriptions of her:
She sits by "many waters". Those who study prophecy know that "waters", "sea", etc. often represent the teeming masses of mankind. The "many waters" refer to the prostitute as being near to the various groups of mankind throughout the world.
"With her the kings of the earth committed adultery". This represents an unseemly and inappropriate trade in political power for the services of what this prostitute can provide. "Adulteries" refer to unfaithfulness toward God. As an example, Israel (Israel is not in view here as this prostitute) was often condemned for her "adulteries" by turning from God to false religion (idol worship, etc.). This is exactly what this prostitute can provide, but she can only do it if she is in a position to "barter" in the things of God - in other words, she can only trade in these adulteries if people are deluded into thinking she represents God. This is how "the inhabitants of earth were intoxicated with the wine of her adulteries."
This prostitute became fabulously wealthy, "The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and was glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls."
"I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of God's holy people, the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus." Verse 6. As a religious institution, this prostitute was in a position to destroy all who might point out her "adulteries" or anyone who might make her feel threatened.
If history is not your strong suit, a bit of time in history books will make this prostitute identifiable. If you haven't figured it out yet, verse 9 provides a strong clue: "This calls for a mind with wisdom. The seven heads are seven hills on which the woman sits." Which of the great cities of the world sits on seven hills?
A blog with my ruminations over the years can be found here: http://worshipfortoday.blogspot.com/
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
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