REVELATION

The Demise of the One World Market System Pt. 1

Revelation 17

Jerry A Collins

4/9/06

SCC

What Babylon is being described?

Who is the great harlot the kings commit immorality with?

Why is the harlot hated by the beast?

In Matthew 24, in response to the disciples question, “…what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age 24:3”, Jesus used a metaphor from farmers field—a fig tree vs 32-33. Though cannot know exact hours and days you can observe seasons. Just as greening of fig tree harbinger of summer so alignment of key nations and events may be the herald of age’s final stage. What are some of these? (1) the nation of Israel existing since she is center stage of God’s end-time agenda. (2) Revived Roman empire where a world power reemerges from within boundaries of ancient roman empire—dan 7 & rev 13 indicates will be form of 10-nation confederacy exerting political and military control over world. (3) Rebuilding of Babylon the city of rebellion where mankind first united against God Gen 3 & 11 and will again be scene of that crime at end of age. So God allows evil to come full circle and end in very spot where it began. We will learn that it serves as capitol of an economic empire with stranglehold on world exerting her economic control over revived Roman empire and over all vs 15—worldwide influence. So thorough stranglehold that merchants, kings and maritime powers will mourn over her demise because her incredible wealth is destroyed and ruined in one day 18:10-11; 15-19! John did not identify the source of this power, influence and grief but we possibly can now—oil, black gold! This one-man cartel vs 10 will control economic destiny of the West and will lavish much of his wealth on rebuilding capital city of Babylon. This city will stand again for civilized man apart from God. Babylon, the ancient archetypal head of all entrenched worldly resistance to God. Babylon, an eschatological symbol of satanic deception, power, and greed.

1. BABYLON CONTROLS WORLD BY ITS WEALTH & DECADENCE

This city is the city whose end-time existence and subsequent annihilation were predicted by Isa 13-14 Jer 50-51 & Zech 12-13.

A Great Harlot 1-2 Again, one of the angels of judgment serves as a guide for John as the vision of the end continues to unfold. The great harlot is Babylon vs 5, 18. The point of this immediate vision is the judgment this city is going to receive vs 16-17 & chp 18. God remembered this Babylon in 16:19 and this pronouncement serves as theme of next 2 chapters before taking us back to the final end in chp 19. Both kings and earth-dwellers will be deluded by the influence of this city--an influence described as immorality and abominations vs 2, 4-5, 18:3. She is a city that controls the world 1, 15. Her influence is worldwide.

Full of abominations 3-7 The angel sweeps John away to the wilderness and there he sees this woman sitting on a scarlet beast. The same one described with 7 heads and ten horns—the antichrist 13:-2; 16:13. Note again the ‘blasphemous names’ associated with this beast and harlot. So we have immorality, blasphemy and abominations characterized by these players in the end. The beast is described with these 7 & 10 throughout the book and chapter vs 3, 7, 11-12, 16. This beast is given power by the dragon—Satan 13:2—by means of these nations, kings and armies of the earth dwellers. Now this woman, the harlot of vs 1, the city of Babylon, is extremely wealthy and powerful and intriguing. All of her finery vs 4 attests to this. But the clue to her wealth is her decadence—she has a gold cup full of abominations of unclean things of her immorality. Her wealth attained by intrigue, blatant and even ruthless means vs 6. Attractive outside she was only a counterfeit beauty building her wealth on murder, greed, persecution, torture, blackmail—especially spilling blood of Jesus people. All of this true of this city of rebellious mankind since the very beginning. Revived now for one final, terrible, judgment as retribution by God against that spiteful, sinful, godless & rebellious human heart. The nations and this city have fallen into a drunken stupor over their fornications. With no regard for God like the rest who curse his name instead of repenting 16:21. Her judgment will mirror her excessive pride 18:7. Here John does not weep greatly as he did in 5:4 when noone found worthy to open the seals and deliver God’s retribution—here he only stares with great wonder vs 6. This is an intensely personal vision for John. The angel then says he will explain this baffling mystery—something not revealed before--to John vs 7 about the woman and the beast.

2. ANTIXST DESTROYS BAB ON WAY TO WAR AGAINST LAMB Two world powers arise in the end. Babylon predominantly economic power and revived Roman empire predominately military power.

The beast arises 8-13 The power behind this ruler is satanic vs 8 out of the abyss 9:1-2, 11; 20:1. He was—the 5 ancient empires in history Dan 2; He is not—because during church age this timetable not running; He will come—it’s about to come again thru a revived ancient empire. The resuscitation of this empire will greatly impress people but he will not be a savior but rather a slaughterer 13:4. He will deceive everyone but the elect 13:8; Mt 24:24; Mk 13:23. In 9-10 John says 7 kings (mts) with 5 fallen before John’s time, one is in his day (Rome) and another yet to come—revived empire and then an eighth—the ruler of this empire vs 11. Twice it is mentioned that this beast is to go to destruction 8 & 11. Either his own or the destruction he will bring to Babylon. Babylon rides these empires vs 3 influencing generations vs 2, 15 to rebel, indulge, intrigue, devise and sin. The nations willingly indulge in greedy and perverse revelry and it will be no different in the end. Nations vying for power, position, wealth will also do so with the last great Babylon. The source of so much injustice, war, crime, genocide, poverty. Antichrist’s European/Med empire vs 12-13 will unite with his 10 allies (Dan 2&7 10 toes) to march against Babylon. All of their power and authority united for a very short time and specific purpose. Dependent on oil of Bab, has waited until now to assert dominance since no longer in need of Bab.The whole purpose of this empire is to give all ower and authority to antichrist 13.

Antichrist wars 14-18 We learn vs 14 that ultimately this coalitions purpose is to war against the Lamb but will be defeated. This introduces the final war in chp 19. As 7 yr trib nears end this antichrist alliance motivated by hate possibly tires of oil blackmail and intrigue, enters from the nw attacks from north shatters Babylon and Iraq. The destruction will annihilate the city vs 16 plundering, exposing, consuming, desecrating and burning it all. Even antichrist empire will divide against itself—sure sign that it is about to end. Ultimate cause of this destruction is God’s sovereign plan 17. God uses evil nations to accomplish his purpose. After crushing Bab this world ruler travels to Israel to finish off the country he has persecuted for past 3 ½ ys. His armies bivouac in Jezreel valley—Megiddo—Armageddon where the last great battle of this age is. Jesus returns and finishes them off 14. (1) Mankind will never be reformed out of their sin. Rebellious and godless they will remain to the end. While we need to be a witness to all we must realize that some people are predestined not to be saved 8. (2) God’s purpose is to reveal His glory by using Satan, demons, evil people to bring about His purpose. Whether you are good or evil will not affect the plan of God—He will get glory either way. You only hurt yourself not God’s plan. Jesus said it was inevitable that evil come but woe to hi thru whom it comes. Don’t be impressed that God uses you—God uses god and evil people. So Satan is doing God’s will & plan. (3) Since flood man building his ‘towers of babel’ trying some way to reach heaven. We are I a never-ending search for way to be fulfilled, happy, significant, complete but this search ends only in black abyss of despair—God has provided a solution.