Fall of World Religion

Revelation 17:1-18

Introduction

In chapters 17 & 18, we see two Babylons:

A. Religious Babylon, in chapter 17, that will be overthrown by the Beast.

B. Economic Babylon, in chapter 18, that will be overthrown/destroyed by God.

This is not the ancient city of Babylon in modern Iraq. We know this because verse 9 says, “The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.” While there are many cities in the world surrounded by seven hills/mountains, the only one the first century Christian knew was Rome. But why use the name “Babylon”? This is primarily the difference between Hebrew and Greek, as illustrated by the Septuagint translation of Isaiah 13. The Hebrew text uses the word “Babel,” which means confusion. The Septuagint used the word “Babylon” to translate the Hebrew word.

This insight gives us a better understanding when we substitute the word “Confusion” that is caused by the overthrow of the atheistic world-system. When the Beast/Satan overthrows the Apostate Church, it will cause world-wide confusion. The Beast uses this confusion to attain more power. Nazi Germany is a perfect example of this concept. Whenever there was a perceived attack on Germany, Hitler used the confusion that it cause to get more power. The people were willing to surrender their freedom for security. Americans also were willing to forfeit many of their liberties for security after 9/11.

The Invitation, vv. 1-2

The angel in charge of the Vials of Wrath transported John into the post-Flood wilderness to see the Apostate Church, the Whore, the Religious Witch (Genesis 10:8-10). Here the first city after the Flood was erected by Nimrod, with its arrogant attempt to invade heaven at the Tower of Babel. When God confused their language, they further rebelled by formulate a system of pagan gods and festivals to rival the worship of God. The Roman Catholic Church later incorporated many Babylonian festivals into the Christian religion: the observance of Lent and festival of Easter originated with the worship of Ishtar. The sign of the cross originally was the sign of “T” for Tammuz, the Queen of Heaven, etc.

The Explanation, vv. 3-18

A. The Woman

1. The woman is a city-state. The only surviving city-state in the Mediterranean area is the Vatican.
2. The seven heads are seven mountains, v. 9, referring to Rome.
3. The city is Rome that rules over the kings of the earth. In the Middle Ages, the heirs to thrones had to be approved by the Pope.
4. This religious witch is drunk with the blood of martyred Tribulation saints.

B. The Beast, vv. 7-8

1. The Beast is scarlet colored.
2. The Beast ascends from the bottomless pit, the Beast once dead, now raised to life.
3. The Beast carries the Woman, the Apostate Church.
4. The seven heads and 10 horns identifies the Beast as the Satan Incarnate. See Revelation 12:3 and 13:1.

C. The Seven Heads, v. 10

These seven mountains surrounding Rome are seven kings or kingdoms.

1. Five are fallen: Egyptian, Assyrian, Babylonian, Medo-Persian, and the Greek Empires.
2. One is–>Roman Empire. Most democracies are patterned after the Roman Empire.
3. One yet to come–>the Kingdom of the Beast, the King of the Revived Roman Empire.

D. The Ten Horns, v. 12, Ten More Kings

1. This confederation of 10 kingdoms parallels the 10 toes of Daniel’s vision in Daniel 2:36-45.
2. These 10 kings support the Beast in the battle against the Tribulation saints and Christ.
3. These 10 kings help the Beast destroy the Great Harlot, v. 16, so the Beast only can be worshiped.

Bible scholars and commentators offer many theories about who these 10 kingdoms are. My opinion (which does not carry the authority of Scripture) is that these 10 kingdoms represent ethnic groups: Germanic, Greco-Roman, Slavs, French-Spanish, Russian, Mongols/Asians, Persians, Arabs, Egyptian, Ethiopian/African people groups. That’s just my opinion.

E. The Waters, v. 15–>the peoples of the world, swirling in confusion, going with the flow of the times.

The Application

A. The Great Harlot is the Apostate Church of the latter days, that sells itself out to any wind of doctrine other than the Word of God.

B. Babylon reminds us of the Tower of Babel rebellion, Genesis 10:1-11 & 11:1-9. The resulting confusion developed every imaginable religious idea that demands to be tolerated and incorporated into a one-world religion to unify the world.

C. A one-world religion will be involved in the political and economic affairs of the world.

1. She will “ride into power” on the back of the Beast.
2. The Beast, wanting all worship to himself, will eliminate the Apostate Church after it has served its purpose.

D. The Contrast between the Apostate Church and the Bride of Christ

1. The Apostate Church is a harlot selling herself to any wind of doctrine, while the Church is the Bride of Christ.
2. The Apostate Church is in the wilderness of confusion; the Bride is in heaven.
3. The Apostate Church is adorned by Satan (17:4); the Bride is adorned by Christ.
4. The Apostate Church is judged forever; the Bride reigns forever.
5. The Apostate Church is stained with the blood of martyrs; the Bride is Redeemed by the Blood of the Lamb.

The Apostate Church may appear to be successful for a season, but when her usefulness is ended, her doom is sure!