Revelation Chapter Seventeen
(Chapter 17 from Dr. Hyle's excellent book, Let's Study The Revelation)
INTRODUCTION: We have read several times thus far about the coming destruction of Babylon. Chapter 17 is that destruction. We will find that the Babylon mentioned in chapter 17 represents all forms of false religion.
Verse 1:
A bad woman in the Bible is invariably a symbol of false religion. This woman is the anti-bride of Christ. Those who claim salvation in a man-made religion compose this harlot, the anti-bride. She is called a whore because she is guilty of spiritual adultery.The word "WHORE" in this verse means harlot or prostitute. It is associated with the selling of one’s purity. Two things could be implied-first, those who teach salvation by works, and second, those who charge for spiritual service.
You will notice she is sitting on many waters. Verse 15 explains that these waters are nations and peoples and tongues. In other words, she is universal. Whoever she is, she covers the earth.
There is nothing better than a good woman, and nothing worse than a bad woman. Applied spiritually, there is nothing better than being a part of the bride of Christ, but there is nothing worse than being of a false religion.
Verse 2:
She is guilty of fornication with the kings of the earth. This religion, hence, is a state of religion, not believing in separation of church and state. Do you know of any religion today who would love for their school children to ride on state school buses, and who has an ambassador to their headquarters, and who, when in power in a country, has always tried to control the government?You will notice that this religion is a religion of loose morals. Need I say more?
Verse 3:
This woman is sitting on a Beast. You will find the explanation of this Beast in Revelation 13:1. It is the Antichrist and the revived Roman Empire. You will remember that there was to come one following the Antichrist and pointing to him called the false prophet. Could it be that the false prophet is the leader of this religion which rides on the Beast?Verse 4:
This woman is wealthy. This religion can afford purple and scarlet, gold, precious stones, and pearls. Hence, she can have the prettiest building, more elaborate furnishings, etc. She reminds us of the church at Laodicea. Dear friends, you can search the Bible and find invariably that God’s people are simple, humble people who do not have, usually, much of this world’s goods.There is a cup in her hand. Even though outwardly she is beautiful, this cup is full of abomination and filthiness. This religion is an abomination in the sight of the Lord.
Verse 5:
Let us see her name. First, it was called "BABYLON THE GREAT." Babylon has, since Genesis 11, been a symbol of the world’s false religions. "BABYLON" means "confusion." In Genesis 10 and 11 Nimrod led in the building of a tower and a city in order to unify a false religion. It was called the Tower of Babel. From that day until this God has associated false religion with the terms Babylon or Babel. Even today the National Council of Churches, the Federal Council of Churches, and the World Council of Churches are trying to build a Tower of Babel. Four things about the Tower of Babel.It was a man-made religion. It was made of a false unity. It had an earthly city as its center. It had an earthly representative from Heaven. In other words, one man was over it.
The MOTHER OF HARLOTS-The Roman Catholic Church is the mother of most great denominations. A child is one who comes from the body of its mother. Most of the great denominations came out of the body of Roman Catholicism. A child usually favors its mother; hence, the children of Catholicism, even thought they are the lady herself...such as sprinkling, having centralized denominational leaders, baptizing babies, etc. These all came from Roman Catholicism.
There was a day when the two great bodies were Catholics and the true believers. many children have come out from their mother, making other groups, and are now in the process, it seems, of returning to their mother. Hence, someday there will simply be, once again, the federation all in one body (Babylon) and Bible believers.
Verse 6:
You will notice that this religion is also guilty of murder-cold-blooded murder. She kills the saints. Through the centuries Roman Catholicism has been killing true believers when she could get by with it. First, she takes over a state or government. Then she forces herself as the state religion and persecutes others.Verse 8:
The "BEAST" in this verse is the "Antichrist" mentioned in Revelation 13. You will notice that he was and is not, and yet shall be. Consequently, the Antichrist must be one who has lived, but was dead at John’s time, but would be resurrected later on.You will notice that some were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world. This would indicate that some have been in the book of life before the foundation of the world. What a blessing to think that before the world’s foundation was laid, our names were written in God’s book.
Verse 9:
Some would say that ecclesiastical Babylon in this chapter has nothing to do with the religion of Rome. You will notice, however, that the seven heads represent seven mountains on which the woman sits. Bear in mind that a bad woman is a sign of false religion. Hence, this false religion sits on a city of seven mountains. The City of Rome has long been known as the City of Seven Hills. Some say these represent the seven kingdoms which the seven kings in verse 10 rule.Verse 10:
There are seven kings. Five are already fallen. One was living in John’s time. Another was to come after John’s time.Verse 11:
The Beast in verse 11 is the same Antichrist mentioned in verse 8. You will notice that he WAS, meaning that he had lived. You will notice that he IS NOT, meaning that he did not live in John’s time. He is the eighth king. He is OF THE SEVEN, meaning that he is one of the previous seven kings, leading us to believe that the Antichrist is one of the historical kings resurrected again.Verse 12:
The ten horns on the beast represent ten kingdoms. These kingdoms are composing the revived Roman Empire and parallel the teachings of Daniel, chapters 2 and 7.Verse 14:
These kings will make war with the Lamb-the Lamb being Jesus. The Lamb will win the war because He is the King of kings. Thank God, we are on the winning side.You will notice that some are with Him, that is, with the Lamb. Those are the believers. When Jesus returns to the earth, He will conquer the Antichrist and his armies and set up a Kingdom of Righteousness, and we will be with Him as He comes.
Verse 16:
An interesting thing happens here. You will remember that the false religion was riding on the Antichrist in verse 3. In this verse the Antichrist and his ten kings turn upon the Mother of Harlots, hate her, and destroy her. Here is the destruction of false religion.Verse 17:
Hence, the Antichrist will run his course only until God’s words be fulfilled. In other words, the kingdoms of this world today are only fitting into God’s master plan. Rulers, nations, congresses and peace pacts do not change the course of human history. They only fit into God’s plan for the world.
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