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From the Rapture to the Second Coming
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Revelation 17: "One-World Religious System"
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Link to Printer Ready PDF Version of this document. |
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Chapter Highlights
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Chapter Aids
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Topical Index
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Get ready. Chapter 17 is one of the toughest chapters to understand in the Bible.
At the close of Chapter 16 we read, God remembered Babylon the Great and gave her the cup filled with the wine of the fury of his wrath. He will give Babylon this cup during the Tribulation Period, and the next two chapters will provide some idea of why God seeks to destroy this city.
Chapter 17 tells us about a Babylonian woman who has a double identity: she is a mother, and a city. This is one of the keys to understanding Chapters 17 and 18, recognizing that Babylon the Great is both a woman and a city at the same time.
As a mother, Babylon the Great is a failure. She is a prostitute and the Mother of Prostitutes. The Bible tells us that a prostitute is more than just a woman who physically commits sexual sins. A prostitute (Exodus 34:15, 16; 2 Chronicles 21:11-13) is also a person who spiritually has stopped following the true God and has turned to idol worship. Babylon the Great abandoned the true God and has raised her daughters (false religions) to do the same. She is the mother of false religions who wants all her daughters to grow up in her one-world prostitute religion. The names of some of her daughters are New Age, Satan Worship, Mother Earth Worship, Globalism, Hinduism, and Islamism. Her daughters talk about love and peace, but none of them love Jesus, and none of them talk about peace with God through Jesus. Her daughters' followers are a collection of religious people who will be left behind when the true Church is raptured.
As a city, Babylon the Great is also a failure. She is the birthplace of the Mother of Prostitutes and many of her daughters. During the Tribulation Period, Babylon (the city) will be filled with adulterous kings. She will open her doors to one-world government, one-world religion, and global trade. People intoxicated with big government, big money, global commerce, and a lust for pleasure will flock to her. She will even entice these adulterous leaders to marry her daughters which will represent a merger of one-world prostitute religions with one-world government.
Shortly after the Tribulation Period mid-point, the prostitute's sons-in-law (the kings of the earth) will become "wife abusers." They will kill the prostitute (one-world religious system) and her daughters (the individual false religions). Near the end of the Tribulation Period, God will pour out his wrath on Babylon where many of the sons-in-law live. Jesus will return and destroy Babylon the mother and Babylon the city.
Key Point
- The key to understanding Chapter 17 and 18 is recognizing that Babylon the Great is both a mother and a city.
Key Symbols:
- Babylon
- Mother of Prostitutes
- her daughters are false religions
- a city of sin
- center of one-world prostitute religions
- center of one-world government
- her daughters will marry adulterous kings
Something to Ponder
- Obviously, kings cannot marry a religion. Think of it spiritually. Just as you and I are the Bride of Christ (Revelation 19:7), and Israel is the wife of God (Jeremiah 31:32), these adulterous kings will marry false religions in the sense that they will espouse the doctrines of the false religions. They will co-operate with the False Prophet and the Antichrist in pushing a false religion on the world. Think about what is going on in Washington. President Clinton wants to pass "Fast Track" so he can sign trade agreements without Congress being able to make changes. Some members of the House will not vote for it because of things in it like teaching abortion to other countries. House members want these things changed, but President Clinton is determined to use trade to force a moral issue on other nations, and to bind this nation to his view. In a sense, those who support him are married to him on this issue.
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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 on many waters.
John will be invited to look at the punishment of Babylon the mother, the great religious prostitute who sits on many waters. This is a revelation of what God plans to do with this harlot religious system.
In the Bible, seas and waters represent great masses (Revelation 17:15) of people. They represent people, nations, and tongues. The fact that this wicked woman is pictured as sitting upon these great masses is an indication that she will be supported by them, and she will exercise control over them during the Tribulation Period.
Key Symbols:
- Babylon
- Mother
- sits on the masses and has control over them
What Others are Saying:
- Arno Froese: The political roots of ecumenism, the united world church, are in Rome; the spiritual roots go back to Babylon. 17-1
- Ed Hindson: This will be the final phase of the New World Order. The idea of a new world religion of peace and cooperation is already being proposed. Religious unity has been endorsed by Pope John Paul II, the Dali Lama, and leaders of the World Council of Churches. 17-2
- Hal Lindsey: I expect to see more and more mergers between Christian denominations and more emphasis on ecumenism. 17-3
- Jack Van Impe: In a further bid to bring the world to one point of view, there is now a movement afoot to establish a permanent "United Religions" (UR) organization. A charter setting up the UN-style group is currently being drafted, and a facility to promote this point of view may well be open in the near future. 17-4
Related Current Events
- The Declaration (Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions, Declaration on a Global Ethic) states, "We affirm that there is an irrevocable, unconditional norm for all areas of life: for families and communities; for races, nations, and religions; there already exists ancient guidelines for human behavior which are found in the teachings of the religions of the world and which are the condition for a sustainable world order." 17-5
- Pope John Paul II has prophesied that there will be unity of faith and all religions will be worshipping together by the year 2000 A.D. 17-6
- There is an unspoken alliance today between powers inside the Vatican and leaders of major international humanist organizations who would change the Roman Catholic Church from a sacred institution to one whose primary function is to act as a stabilizing social force in the world. They see the church as the only global structure able to do this. The one obstacle is John Paul II. He is seen as a defender of medieval traditions. They want a pope who shares their more liberal, globalist view. 17-7
Something to Ponder
- Understand that Pope John Paul II is a proponent of religious unity. However, he fears the form of unity that is taking shape around him. He sees unity coming and would like for it to be more Christian than it appears it will be. He opposes the falling away that he sees taking place. Unfortunately, powers inside the Vatican are trying to transform the Roman Catholic Church from a sacred institution to a secular institution, from an institution that promotes Christ and Christian values to an institution that promotes the world approved social values. In other words, they want to transform it into a prostitute system. Instead of taking the Christian view on abortion, gay marriages, women in the priesthood, etc., it will promote the secular view.
Remember This…
- The Church in heaven looked like a sea of glass (Revelation 4:6).
- The Tribulation Saints in heaven looked like a sea of glass mixed with fire (Revelation 15:2).
- Babylon the Great (the mother) will sit on the masses of the world (Revelation 17:1).
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Revelation 17:2 With her the kings of the earth committed adultery and the inhabitants of the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her adulteries."
The harlot religious system will commit adultery with the kings of the earth. She will conspire with world leaders to produce a merger of religion and government. Here it finally is! A religious system united with a political system to manipulate the people of the earth into a false government-approved religion.
The wine of her adulteries is a reference to demon possession (Luke 8:26-36). This wicked woman will cause people to be led astray by deceiving spirits (1 Timothy 4:1).
Key Point
- The saved, regardless of religion or denomination, will be raptured, and the lost, regardless of their beliefs, will be left behind.
What Others are Saying:
- Grant R. Jeffrey: Pope John Paul II (see Something to Ponder) is constantly calling for the nations to abandon their opposition to world government. 17-8
- Jack Van Impe: Teachings of non-monotheistic Eastern religions have infected even the Church itself, driving it increasingly toward apostasy and a laissez-faire interpretation of God's Word. With widespread religious deception so out of control, it is easy to understand how worldwide ecclesiastical trends are leading to the dawn of a one-world church controlled by the spirits of Satan. 17-9
- Ed Hindson: A false prophet of international fame will suddenly emerge to gain control of the world religious system and use it to reinforce the worship of Antichrist. 17-10
Related Current Events:
- Delegates from more than 170 sovereign nations will attend the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, China (held in September 1995). It will represent the most radical, atheistic, and anti-family crusade in the history of the world… It is a mystery, in fact, how such enormous threats to our spiritual and cultural heritage could have slithered into our midst without due notice or alarm… Make no mistake about it: Most of what Christianity stands for will be challenged during this conference. 17-11 (Even our ex-President's wife, Hillary Rodham Clinton, attended this conference.)
Something to Ponder:
- Pope John Paul II is in favor of a one-world religion, but he wants it to come about under his terms. He wants to be the one who decides what this one-world religion will stand for, and what it will reject. For example, he does not want Catholics to become Protestants. He wants Protestants to become Catholics. He is for unity, but under his leadership and his terms. He believes whoever replaces him as the next pope will not be as committed as he is. He believes he will be replaced by someone who will relinquish church beliefs for a secular world view. And he believes he will be the last faithful pope. The next pope could be the False Prophet.
Something to Ponder
- Some experts take a very anti-Catholic stance on Revelation. I have tried to avoid that. The one-world religion will have a lot of Catholics in it, but it will also have a lot of Protestants and other religions too. The saved, regardless of religion or denomination, will be Raptured, and the lost, regardless of their religious beliefs, will be left behind.
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Revelation 17:3 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.
John was taken in the Spirit to a desert where he saw something strange, a woman sitting on a scarlet beast. We already know the beast with seven heads and ten horns is the Antichrist (Revelation 13:1). Since the woman will be sitting on the beast, we must assume that her prostitute religion and the Antichrist will exist on earth at the same time.
At first the Antichrist will support her one-world religion and be under her authority, but things will eventually turn sour between the two. Their relationship will be hindered by the woman's double identity. Remember she is both the mother, the false religious system, and the great city (Revelation 17:18), Babylon. We see from this that all three, the false religious system, the city of Babylon, and the Antichrist, will exist during the first half of the Tribulation Period.
Key Symbols:
- Scarlet Beast
- Woman
- Babylon, the Mother and the City, over the Antichrist
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Revelation 17:4 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 purple and scarlet clothing with glittering jewels indicates she will be a prostitute of royal stature. She will be adorned in the trappings of her rich lovers, and appear enticing and appealing to the world.
Look at the golden cup she will be holding. Will it be the Holy Grail? Will she take communion with it? She may want the world to think that, but she will really be holding a cup filled with abominable things and the filth of her adulteries. When the false religions drink from this cup, they will drink the wine (Jeremiah 51:7, 8) of adultery, symbolic of deceiving spirits and demons.
Today, many people think our modern society is too enlightened to believe in the existence of demons. More conservative Christians disagree. Those who accept the authority of the Scriptures accept the existence of demons. They are no less dangerous than Satan, for they are his cohorts doing his will. All who have not accepted Christ are subject to their evil influence. It is unfortunate, but this includes many of the world's religious and political leaders.
Key Symbols:
- Babylon, The Woman
- dressed in purple and scarlet
- prostitutes of royal stature
- gold, precious stones, and pearls
- a golden cup
What Others are Saying:
- Ed Hindson: Materialism and selfism will replace spiritual values. Mankind will be left in the mindless pursuit of material prosperity as the basis for meaning and value in life. 17-12
- Hal Lindsey: I have found this about religion. The more false a religion is, usually the more wealth it has. And the more true a religion is, usually the less material things it has. And it doesn't seem to care about it. And I've seen the Christian church become poverty stricken spiritually as they have become wealthy materially. 17-13
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Revelation 17:5 This title was written on her forehead: MYSTERY BABYLON THE GREAT THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
The prostitute's title reveals where she will come from and what she will do. She will come from Babylon and be associated with Babylon again during the Tribulation Period. She will be known as the Mother of Prostitutes and the Mother of Abominations. Many evil and adulterous practices will flow from her.
Key Symbols:
- Babylon
- Mother of Prostitutes
- Mother of Abominations
- evil and adulterous practices
What Others are Saying:
- David Jeremiah with C. C. Carlson: A false religious system was born on the plains of Shinar in ancient Babylon, where the first world dictator, Nimrod, defying God, built a tower (Genesis 11:1-9) that would reach to heaven. This tower was used for studying the stars and established the basis for astrology. From the very beginning, Babylon was associated with sorcery and astrology. 17-14
- Arno Froese: In order to have fellowship with them, she (the prostitute) drinks the wisdom of many religions. Whether this is Buddhism, Hinduism, or Islam, all are welcomed by the "harlot Babylon." It makes no difference that the Lord Jesus is merely one of a thousand gods for the Hindus, nor does it mean anything that for Buddhists only works and nihilism count in Nirvana. It is said that they all (many waters) lead to the one God… What difference does it make? We can still have fellowship with one another, can't we? 17-15
Remember This…
- The prostitute, which is the one-world religious system, originated at the Tower of Babel (Genesis 11:1-9), which is located at Old Testament Babylon. Babylon was destroyed, but it is being rebuilt along with the Tower of Babel in Iraq. The prostitute is going full circle. She was born in Babylon and she will go back there before she dies.
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Revelation 17:6 I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus. When I saw her, I was greatly astonished.
The prostitute will not only make others drunk (Revelation 17:2), but she, too, will be drunk on the blood of the Tribulation Saints. This great ecumenical religious system will be actively involved in the persecution and death of God's people. She will be so determined to establish her one-world religion that she will actually be filled with the blood of the saints.
What Others are Saying:
- Grant R. Jeffrey: Obviously, Mystery Babylon, the apostate pagan church of the last days, will not develop overnight. Such an ecumenical organization, involving many diverse religious groups, will be created by negotiation and conferences over a number of years leading up to the beginning of the seven-year tribulation period. It is therefore quite probable that we will witness the initial steps toward this one-world church of the last days before the Rapture takes the Christians home to heaven. 17-16
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Revelation 17:7 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.
God's angel perceived that John was astonished and maybe even confused, so he told John he would explain two things
- the mystery of the woman
- the mystery of the beast with the seven heads and ten horns
The remaining verses of Chapter 17 are about this, the meaning of the beast and identity of the woman.
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Revelation 17:8 The beast, which you saw, once was, now is not, and will come up out of the Abyss (Revelation 9:1-11) 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.
The beast existed prior to John's lifetime, once was, did not exist when John received this revelation, now is not, but will reappear at some unspecified time in the future, will come. The beast will have Satanic ties to the subterranean abode of demonic spirits since he will | |
