Statesman63
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 | | Subject: Revelation Chapter 17 (Part 76) (Verses 3 – 8 ) Sat Sep 14, 2019 9:08 am | |
| Revelation Chapter 17 (Part 76) (Verses 3 – 8 )
Revelation 17:3 says, “Then the angel carried me away in the Spirit into a desert. There I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns.” Last time we saw this angel approach John and say, “Come, I will show you...” So John comes and he gets carried away in the Spirit into a desert. Although it was Saddam Hussein who destroyed the marshes and wetlands of Mesopotamia by redirecting its waterways, Babylon (about 130 miles away), both current day and ancient, is predominantly desert land, especially the western and southern regions. We identified this woman last time as Babylon, which is both a literal place and it represents an ungodly political system. We are told here that this harlot woman, Babylon, sits on a scarlet beast. Scarlet, of course, is the color red. Who is this beast? The description of this beast as being red with blasphemous names and having seven heads and ten horns resembles two characters that we studied earlier in our series.
Revelation 12:3 says, “Then another sign appeared in Heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on his heads.” The Bible identifies this red dragon in Revelation 12:9, which reads, “The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the Devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray...” But then were introduced to another similar character in Revelation 13:1b, which says, “...And I saw a beast coming out of the sea. He had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on his horns, and on each head a blasphemous name.” We are soon made privy to the fact that the beast and the dragon are not the same character because in Revelation 13:2b, it distinguishes the two, saying, “The dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority.” So although the dragon and the beast both have 7 heads and 10 horns, they are two separate characters. In fact, we noted that the beast wore his 10 crowns on his 10 horns, whereas the dragon wore his 10 crowns on his 7 heads. Dissecting those texts, we discovered that the red dragon represents Satan, and the beast that comes out of the sea is the Anti-Christ.
So let’s compare our character in Revelation 17 to what we know in Revelation 12 and 13 and see if we can identify this one in 17. Our beast is red in Revelation 17; and so too, is the Red Dragon, Satan. The Anti-Christ is never described as being red. But our red beast in Revelation 17 is covered with blasphemous names. Satan was not described as having blasphemous names, but the Anti-Christ was in Revelation 13:1b and again in 13:6. The seven heads and 10 horns is the same for all characters across all 3 chapters. The author did not think it was necessary to mention the crowns in chapter 17’s depiction of the beast. So far, we have a description of both Satan and the Anti-Christ. But we are hit with a curve ball in Revelation 17:8, which tells us that this beast comes up out of the Abyss. That describes neither Satan, nor the Anti-Christ, but rather, Abaddon, who we were first introduced to in Revelation chapter 9. Descriptions of the 3 together point to mainly one character: the Anti-Christ, who becomes possessed by Satan and the demon Abaddon. The Anti-Christ really acts as a puppet to the two demons that possess him. So Revelation 17:3 is saying that the woman (Babylon) sits on the Anti-Christ (including on everything that Satan and Abaddon represent). To “sit on” is to rest on something and trust in it just like we trust the chair we are sitting on to hold us up.
Verse 4 says, “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.” To be “dressed in purple and scarlet, glittering with gold and precious stones and pearls” represents wealth. Purple dye was expensive in biblical days. What is interesting that I see as I quoted that is that it leaves out none of the best monetary forms of currency. In Biblical days, a common peasant might trade items such as wheat or corn for what they want, but all of the best currency to have includes expensive dyes, gold, precious stones (includes silver) and pearls. The woman Babylon, during the Tribulation days, will hoard lots of the best currency—in this day and age that includes gasoline and oil. And again, remember that Babylon represents a political system not just a particular place.
This woman will have no moral scruples or compunctions. She will proudly boast of her abominations, sins and offenses against God. A golden cup is an expensive piece that people tend to want to show off. She puts her abominations and adulteries inside of her golden cup as if to attract attention to them. Most people, at least seek to hide their worst offenses in shame (even though God sees all)—not so of this woman Babylon. She wants to lure everyone to drink from her cup and consume the sins that she embodies. Last time we saw how successful she will be at luring everyone to drink from her cup because Revelation 17:2 says, “With her the kings of the Earth committed adultery and the inhabitants of the Earth were intoxicated with the wine of her adulteries.” Everyone wants what she has and advertises.
Verse 5 gives us the following inscription: “This title was written on her forehead: MYSTERY BABYLON THE GREAT; THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.” In every instance throughout the Bible where it uses the word “mystery” it is never a mystery that is not revealed, but rather one that has been revealed even if once hidden. Daniel 2:47 says, “The king said to Daniel, ‘Surely your God is the God of gods and the Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries, for you were able to reveal this mystery.” Colossians 1:25-26 says, “I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the Word of God in its fullness—the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the Saints.” And please refer to Colossians 2:2-3. With nearly every mention of a mystery in the Bible it is always a mystery that God has revealed, although one that He has once kept hidden. The word “mystery” here also connotes that “Babylon” stands for something other than the obvious place on the map. If Babylon just represents a city, then that wouldn’t be a mystery. We know that this city represents a political independency from God. To have something written on one’s forehead identifies the true nature of the being. Note that Babylon is depicted as “the mother of” prostitutes and abominations of the Earth. This means that all (political) abominations and prostitution to other gods (idolatry) is rooted and originated in the system of Babylon. Babylon birthed the ideology of systematic, political rebellion against the Creator.
Verse 6 says, “I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus.” This evil political system murders the saints of Jesus Christ. This is specifically referring to the Christian converts from the Tribulation period, but the truth is that this same system has been martyring God’s people throughout all generations, including the Day of Grace and Old Testament times. But during the Tribulation, Christian persecution will be at its greatest level that it has ever been throughout all of history. Christianity will not be tolerated at all in that day. This woman will murder so many of God’s people that she will become “drunk” with the blood of the Saints. It will give her a high to do this evil. It is Jesus that this system hates. Please note that in spite of the great danger, during this time, Christians will still be testifying of Jesus. It says that these people bore testimony to Jesus in spite of their surroundings and the times. They know the danger. Yet they still do it. That should shame us today, especially here in America. Such dangers here in America does not yet exist, yet we do not bear testimony to Jesus Monday through Saturday except behind the privacy of our closed doors of our homes, and even that, often, occasionally. Too often it takes persecution to incite true spiritual fervor in God’s people. Persecution is what creates disciples of Jesus. Unfortunately, God’s people rarely respond to God during the good and peaceful days. It is amazing that these people were not hiding their faith in Jesus like we so often do today—and they were slain for it and they knew they would be.
The rest of verse 6 says, “When I saw her, I was greatly astonished.” The woman is sitting on a red beast, yet John says that when he saw the woman he was greatly astonished. He was probably not as intrigued by the beast because he saw this same beast before in earlier chapters. But he was very intrigued by this adulterous, sinful woman who dares sit on the beast. Obviously, his intrigue in part is because he didn’t understand what this woman represents. Even the angel in the next verse questions John’s astonishment. Verse 7 says, “Then the angel said to me: ‘Why are you astonished? I will explain to you the mystery of the woman and of the beast she rides, which has the seven heads and ten horns.’” The angel knows that John doesn’t understand. Again, every “mystery” in the Bible is given an explanation from one of God’s agents, whether an angel, a prophet or God Himself explaining it.
The angel gives us the meaning in verse 8. It says, “The beast, which you saw once was, now is not, and will come up out of the Abyss and go to his destruction. The inhabitants of the Earth whose names have not been written in the Book of Life from the creation of the world will be astonished when they see the beast, because he once was, now is not, and yet will come.” I’m not so confident that John now understands even after initially hearing the angel’s interpretation. The angel is still using enigmatic language in his explanation to John. The angel explains this mystery using riddles. A beast that “once was, now is not, and yet will come”—Thanks angel...now what does that mean? Recall Daniel’s similar experience after the angel explained the meaning of the vision, Daniel 12:8 says, “I heard, but I did not understand.” But if we look closely at the details of the angel’s explanation, I believe that we can decipher it. Let’s first make a few more observations. In Revelation 17:6 we saw that John was greatly astonished when he saw the woman. This angel says in verse 8 that the inhabitants of the Earth will be astonished, but not when they see the woman; rather, when they see the beast. We have already defined this beast as the Anti-Christ. The inhabitants are not “astonished” by the woman whose message is wealth and prosperity; rather, they are enamored by her.
The angel says that this beast comes out of the Abyss—we know that that is the Abaddon part of the Anti-Christ. The Anti-Christ is possessed by both Satan and Abaddon. We are also told a strange statement that this beast once was, now is not, and is yet to come. Interestingly, this statement is stated twice with different nuances. The first time it refers to the beast from the Abyss. The second mention refers exclusively to the Anti-Christ. The beast from the Abyss is the demon Abaddon, as no human abides in the Abyss. The second mention says that the inhabitants of the Earth will be astonished when they see the beast who once was, now is not, and yet will come. Well people cannot see demons because they are invisible spirit beings. So that second part is referring exclusively to the human, the Anti-Christ, who the earthlings can see. We studied earlier that the Anti-Christ will undergo an apparent resurrection. He was: that is, he was alive. He is now not: that is, he is currently dead. He is yet to come: that is, the people will be astonished when they see him return or apparently resurrect from the dead.
Revelation 13:3 references this apparent resurrection of the Anti-Christ. It says, “One of the heads of the beast seems to have had a fatal wound, but the fatal wound had been healed. The whole world was astonished and followed the beast.” Both the people’s astonishment and the Anti-Christ’s apparent resurrection are referenced in this verse. No one will be able to explain how the Anti-Christ gets back up from whatever hits him. Demons have supernatural power and can counterfeit many things that God does. We saw their power when Pharaoh’s magicians were able to mimic some of Moses’ miracles. I personally don’t think that demons are able to resurrect a person, but I do believe that they have supernatural power to make it appear so. It seems that the Bible records the incident of the Anti-Christ’s apparent demise and resurrection. In Zechariah 11:17, referring to the Anti-Christ, it says, “Woe to the worthless shepherd, who deserts the flock! May the sword strike his arm and his right eye! May his arm be completely withered, his right eye totally blinded!” After the Anti-Christ apparently resurrects, he will be completely blinded in his right eye, and will have a withered arm by whatever tragic plight hits him.
We see here that chapter 17 does not fully follow chronologically like most of the other chapters. By referencing the Anti-Christ’s apparent resurrection that put us back to the time of chapter 13, where there were still Christians on the Earth. There are no Christians on Earth after Revelation chapter 14, but we see God’s people referenced again in Revelation 17:18, which says, “They [the 10 horns] 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.” There was also a chronological jump back in time in 17:8 where it mentions the beast coming out the Abyss. That occurred back in chapter 9. It makes sense that chronology is not important to the author here in chapter 17 because mentioning the beast’s attachment to Babylon helps set the scene to the Fall of Babylon in chapter 19. Note that not everyone will be astonished by this beast [the Anti-Christ]. Verse 8 qualifies that only the inhabitants of the Earth whose names have not been written in the Book of Life from the creation of the world will be the ones astonished by the beast. It appears that Christians will be guided by the Word of God in that day and will be expecting for the Anti-Christ to get back up because the Bible prophesied it.
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