THE SCARLET BEAST AND THE MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH
There are lots of ideas about who the beast is, mystery Babylon, the great harlot and more. But what is the real truth and how does it correctly fit into Christian eschatology? Let's take the Bible verses involved and see for ourselves. Most of the verses come from Revelation 17 and 18.
First, what did John record that he saw?
In the previous chapter, Revelation 16, John had just recorded what he saw with the 7 angels who had the bowls of God's wrath. It seems that he was in heaven, watching it all from there. That alone is really amazing. After the 7 angels finished the bowls, one of them was compelled to come over to John. What he said sounded like: “you saw the 7 bowls of judgment go forth, let me show you some more.” So, from wherever they were, the angel took John in the Spirit, and showed him what was recorded as shown in the verses 3-6 listed above.
Rather than trying to expound upon these verses so far, let's see what the angel had to say to John.
Notice the angel said, “I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her.” It seems that many just consider the woman “mystery Babylon” but there is mystery involved with both the woman and the beast.
The two key participants of what John was shown so far by one of the angels of the 7 bowls are:
1. A scarlet and blasphemous beast with 7 heads and 10 horns.
2. A prostitute that is dressed in purple and scarlet, with lots of bling, with a cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication; with a tattoo or inscription on her forehead saying that she is the queen of evil: MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. And she was drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus.
Also before we go further, we need to consider something. There is a matter of punctuation. This version says it one way but it might be that the original was not overly clear because the scholars seem to have had a hard time with it. This New King James Version says:
Here are some of the others:
Over time, this “Babylon the great” has been called “Mystery Babylon” while I personally believe that “whatever” was on her forehead was saying that there is “a mystery” about “Babylon, this mother of all prostitutes and abominations” who has been a prostitute from the beginning. There is only one place in the book of Revelation where “Babylon” is preceded by “mystery” and that is here in verse 5. In chapter 18, she is called Babylon the great, Babylon, the great city, Babylon, etc., but never “mystery Babylon.”
In modern language, it might have read: “... and on her forehead a name was written: “A mystery: Babylon the great, the mother of harlots and of the abominations of the earth.”” Was it written on a symbol or as a tattoo? The answer to that is not overly clear but the point is sure: the woman represents “human wickedness” and as the mother of it, to me she could even be called “Mother Babylon” or “Mother of Spiritual Prostitution and Human Iniquity.”
Historically, “Babylon” represents “the ultimate rebellion” of “man telling God “no” under the leadership of one of the devil’s pawns, Nimrod (Genesis 11:1-8). Babylon is the “mother” of “spiritual prostitution and wicked abominations” of humanity.
It is very interesting that the angel says, “I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her.” Notice it does not say she rides it or directs it. John recorded that “the beast” - “carries her.” When a vehicle gets swept away by a river (as in someone driving into a flashflood), it “carries” the vehicle downstream. A cat or a dog may be “a carrier” of ticks and fleas. It makes a huge difference whether the beast “carries her” or if she “directs” the beast. What is written is that the beast carries the prostitute and not that she directs it.
Additionally, it is interesting to note that when first heard of this whore (17:1), the angel said that she sits on many waters. So, she sits on many waters but is carried by the beast. This brings to mind two possibilities, one, the waters in her case are demonic or since she is human, the waters are humanity. Personally, I believe that it is humanity.
And there is more of the description to consider about the scarlet beast, “which has the seven heads and the ten horns.” We have shown much about the beast with the 7 heads and 10 horns. At this time in chapter 17, we see no crowns on the horns (or heads), where in other cases the crowns are seen, such as in Revelation 12:3 before the dragon gives his hierarchy to the beast/Antichrist and Revelation 13:1 when the dragon actually gives it to the beast/Antichrist. The beast represents the “evil hierarchy” of Satan. The beast, this scarlet beast, is being run by a powerful demon that fell with Satan when he was cast out of heaven and the devil made him a high ranking head or king in the hierarchy or operating network in his kingdom of darkness.
The evil group of fallen angels, that were kicked out of heaven with the devil, were formed by the evil one into his “hierarchy” or “operating system.” We never see it (unless God gives special insight to someone) but we all certainly know they exist.
What the angel said in Revelation 17:8a is part of the mystery too:
This part of the mystery is explained in great measure in the articles, The Antichrist, His Identity And Name and The Antichrist Uniquely Revealed In Three Prophetic Sections Of Scripture. To say it simply “the beast that you saw was, and is not” is referring to the “Antichrist.” When the angel said he “was but is not” he was saying that the beast has been there before, but was not present at that time. What the angel said next, really proves it. He said that he “will ascend out of the bottomless pit and go to perdition.” In Revelation 11:7 we see that “the beast that will ascend out of the bottomless pit” is the Antichrist and his name is Abaddon or Apollyon as we can see in Revelation 9:11.
Notice the beast ascends out of the pit and goes to destruction (or perdition in some versions). That is what the devil does every day and that is exactly what the king of the bottomless pit will do when he gets out.
Consider Revelation 17:8b next.
Notice two points. One, the lost will marvel at him, not believers. True Christians will be persecuted by him and recognize who he is. Secondly, he is reaffirmed to be “the beast that was, is not and yet is.”
The term “beast” is used interchangeably within “the evil hierarchy” as sometimes it is “the whole entity” or sometimes “one of” its “heads or horns” depending on the circumstances. It is like saying “the bull gored the man” or “the horn gored the man” whether “his horn or the bull” did it, both are correct.
The 7 mountains are kingdoms within the devil's empire which is confirmed when he says there are 7 kings. These represent the 7 heads of the beast. Five ruled before, there is one now (in John's lifetime) and one yet to come. The one that is to come will only be for a “short time.” Once again, this was timely according to John's lifetime when he received this. “And the beast that was, and is not, is himself also the eighth, and is of the seven, and is going to perdition.” This is saying that there is an 8th king but he is not merely the 8th because he was already a king before and will be a king again. This is Abaddon.
One other consideration. As stated before, if you have a 7-headed animal, only one head can lead at a time or it will not be able to move. In some fashion, it is the same with the devil’s hierarchy, his 7-headed beast. I cannot fathom what goes on there, but it is not “rocket science” to know that only one head can lead at a time.
This is why there are not 10 crowns (sometimes called diadems) anywhere on the scarlet beast when John saw it. How this is, I am not sure. No matter what, it is important for them to be in unity, yielding over whatever “power and authority” they will have at the right time, to the beast.
Does this mean rulers within “one kingdom” or “ten kingdoms”? The term “ruler” is often translated as “king.” Whoever they are and whatever they “rule” over, they will unite and aid the beast to war against Jesus Christ. This most likely is referring to Armageddon where the Lord returns for His Second Coming, riding a white horse with the armies of heaven who will also be riding white horses. Many wonder who the “armies of heaven” are, that will be riding with Jesus and we can see them referred to here in verse 14, as “called, chosen and faithful.” They sure sound like Christians to me!
The same 10 kings that join together against the Lord at Armageddon will first be the 10 kings who will destroy “Babylon, the harlot.”
So now we see that these 10 horns (of the beast) will “turn on Babylon, the harlot.” When the beast/Antichrist sets himself up like God in the temple, complete with a living image that demands worship of the beast and that no one can buy or sell without his mark, he will no longer need or want “the system” of man that he used to get there. He will replace it with “his own system.” In his mind, he thinks that he is God and he will replace the old way of doing business with his own. It will be demanded that people either yield to his way or else, and his system will then even include his worship.
The beast will use the harlot, “mankind's wicked rulers, merchants and their elect,” to rise to power. Once there, he will have what he desired and worked for.
The enemy has always specialized in using leaders, rulers, merchants and their people of influence for its purposes. The demonic system is the beast with Abaddon as the head and the dragon as himself. The “human system of evil,” is “the woman, Babylon, the prostitute.” She is also called “a city” because it is made up of people. Sadly, Israel is included in it too. As God's chosen people, she will have committed spiritual adultery in the worst kind of way, by rejecting His Son, Jesus Christ, and then accepting and even embracing the Antichrist, the fraudulent Messiah and his lies.
Financial prosperity is a tremendous blessing, but it always has the potential to become a curse at the same time. America was founded on godly principals and the desire to be free which included the freedom to worship the Christian God, in whatever way one would desire. And God blessed America. But over time, many people in America have come more and more to regard the blessing, rather than the Blesser. And this “Blesser” is Jesus Christ, who owns the whole world and all the people in it. I personally see that the desire for financial prosperity can easily lead to sin. It is not wrong to want a comfortable life and nice things but when that desire overtakes a person and they lose their desire to please God, then it becomes greed which is a spiritual downfall to the person and an abomination to the Lord. This is nothing new since the beginning of time and it is a strong tool of the one world government and it will eventually cause it to fall right into the beast's hands. In this last section of verses above, we see “Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird!” What man thought was going to be his, will have only been a dream. And it will be that “all the nations (will) have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, the kings of the earth (will) have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth (will) have become rich through the abundance of her luxury."
It is important to notice “the nations (people) will have drunk the wine of the wrath of her fornication” but it will be “the kings and merchants who will become rich through the abundance of her luxury.”
When the devil is holding the glitter, you can be sure that it is not gold. What is now and will continue to be offered from the beast and the prostitute is deception. Choosing against God is the most expensive mistake anyone can ever make.
There is always a tipping point with sin. It has been said that “when the stink of it reaches to heaven, somebody better look out.” God will use the devil's hierarchy itself to bring judgment upon this prostitute. Not only will she have been driven by greed, power and lust but she will have persecuted and killed Christians acquiring much blood on her hands. I have heard some say, that is why the beast is scarlet... from the blood of saints and martyrs of the Lord.
There is an old saying that says, “turn out the lights, the party's over.” There will come a day when it will be: Goodbye prosperous system of Babylon. Then it will become the way of the dragon and his beast. Take his mark, pay him his tribute, but soon their old ways of prosperity will be gone, completely gone.
It is more of the “party's over” but the last part in this section is the best, “Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you holy apostles and prophets, for God has avenged you on her!”
This is the end for all who prospered in their global system in which “was found the blood of prophets and saints and of all who were slain on the earth.” Not only will Christians have suffered and died in it, but non-Christian victims of the beast and Babylon’s evil wars will have too. All throughout history, evil merchants have made money from “war” and these will too while people suffer and die (many nobly) for the beast and prostitute’s greed and evil agendas. Much money has been made by the greedy all throughout history, in war after war. Many, many lives will perish for the sake of Babylon's greed.
Throughout history and even currently, we can see through the lies of communism and socialism. “Equality and freedom for all” is promised but when enacted, “all are equally oppressed.” The ones in “power” from the top to the bottom, are the prosperous ones. The merchants who “cooperate” flourish. Notice, in all of chapter 18, "who it is" that cries over the burning of Babylon the great. It is the rulers, the merchants, the owners of the ships on the sea (carriers of the cargo), the ship masters, sailors and those that profited from the trading on the sea, that cry. Not once does it show “the inhabitants of earth” crying over her loss.
Heaven will rejoice over the destruction of Babylon. In verse 2 above, we read “For true and righteous are His judgments, because He has judged the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her fornication; and He has avenged on her the blood of His servants shed by her.” This is the voice (unified voices) of “the body of Christ” after the rapture and the prostitute’s destruction!
In my opinion, for some reason, the enemy will be given 3 ½ years. He will do his best to thwart God and destroy as many people as possible and even much of the earth. He will have his chance. But all his plotting and planning will come to nothing for him, for the victory belongs to God.
*** There is a short message available for anyone who would like a deeper understanding of the fornication and the harlot and what spiritual fornication really is. To see, click here: Understanding Fornication And The Harlot Of The Book Of Revelation.
First, what did John record that he saw?
- Revelation 17:1-2 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and talked with me, saying to me, "Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters, 2 with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication.
- Revelation 17:3-4 So he carried me away in the Spirit into the wilderness.” And I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast which was full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. 4 The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication.”
- Revelation 17:5 And on her forehead a name was written: MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
- Revelation 17:6 I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. And when I saw her, I marveled with great amazement.
In the previous chapter, Revelation 16, John had just recorded what he saw with the 7 angels who had the bowls of God's wrath. It seems that he was in heaven, watching it all from there. That alone is really amazing. After the 7 angels finished the bowls, one of them was compelled to come over to John. What he said sounded like: “you saw the 7 bowls of judgment go forth, let me show you some more.” So, from wherever they were, the angel took John in the Spirit, and showed him what was recorded as shown in the verses 3-6 listed above.
Rather than trying to expound upon these verses so far, let's see what the angel had to say to John.
- Revelation 17:7-8 But the angel said to me, "Why did you marvel? I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and the ten horns. 8 The beast that you saw was, and is not, and will ascend out of the bottomless pit and go to perdition. And those who dwell on the earth will marvel, whose names are not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world, when they see the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.”
Notice the angel said, “I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her.” It seems that many just consider the woman “mystery Babylon” but there is mystery involved with both the woman and the beast.
The two key participants of what John was shown so far by one of the angels of the 7 bowls are:
1. A scarlet and blasphemous beast with 7 heads and 10 horns.
2. A prostitute that is dressed in purple and scarlet, with lots of bling, with a cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication; with a tattoo or inscription on her forehead saying that she is the queen of evil: MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. And she was drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus.
Also before we go further, we need to consider something. There is a matter of punctuation. This version says it one way but it might be that the original was not overly clear because the scholars seem to have had a hard time with it. This New King James Version says:
- ... on her forehead was written: “MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.”
Here are some of the others:
- ... was a name written: "Secret, Babylon the Great, the Mother of the Whores, and the Abominations of the earth." (YLT)
- ... a name was written by way of a symbol, "Babylon the great, the mother of harlots and of all abominations on earth.” (Moffats)
- ... was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. (KJV)
- ... a name was written, a mystery, "BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS, AND ABOMINABLE THINGS OF THE EARTH.” (Montgomery)
- ... a name written, A mystery, that great Babylon that mother of whoredoms, and abominations of the earth. (1599 Geneva)
- ... a name was written, a mystery: “BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES (false religions, heresies) AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.” (AMP)
- ... was written a name of mystery: “Babylon the great, mother of harlots and of earth’s abominations.” (RSCB)
- ... was a mystery: Babylon the great, the mother of prostitutes and of the abominations of the earth. (NIV)
Over time, this “Babylon the great” has been called “Mystery Babylon” while I personally believe that “whatever” was on her forehead was saying that there is “a mystery” about “Babylon, this mother of all prostitutes and abominations” who has been a prostitute from the beginning. There is only one place in the book of Revelation where “Babylon” is preceded by “mystery” and that is here in verse 5. In chapter 18, she is called Babylon the great, Babylon, the great city, Babylon, etc., but never “mystery Babylon.”
In modern language, it might have read: “... and on her forehead a name was written: “A mystery: Babylon the great, the mother of harlots and of the abominations of the earth.”” Was it written on a symbol or as a tattoo? The answer to that is not overly clear but the point is sure: the woman represents “human wickedness” and as the mother of it, to me she could even be called “Mother Babylon” or “Mother of Spiritual Prostitution and Human Iniquity.”
Historically, “Babylon” represents “the ultimate rebellion” of “man telling God “no” under the leadership of one of the devil’s pawns, Nimrod (Genesis 11:1-8). Babylon is the “mother” of “spiritual prostitution and wicked abominations” of humanity.
It is very interesting that the angel says, “I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her.” Notice it does not say she rides it or directs it. John recorded that “the beast” - “carries her.” When a vehicle gets swept away by a river (as in someone driving into a flashflood), it “carries” the vehicle downstream. A cat or a dog may be “a carrier” of ticks and fleas. It makes a huge difference whether the beast “carries her” or if she “directs” the beast. What is written is that the beast carries the prostitute and not that she directs it.
Additionally, it is interesting to note that when first heard of this whore (17:1), the angel said that she sits on many waters. So, she sits on many waters but is carried by the beast. This brings to mind two possibilities, one, the waters in her case are demonic or since she is human, the waters are humanity. Personally, I believe that it is humanity.
And there is more of the description to consider about the scarlet beast, “which has the seven heads and the ten horns.” We have shown much about the beast with the 7 heads and 10 horns. At this time in chapter 17, we see no crowns on the horns (or heads), where in other cases the crowns are seen, such as in Revelation 12:3 before the dragon gives his hierarchy to the beast/Antichrist and Revelation 13:1 when the dragon actually gives it to the beast/Antichrist. The beast represents the “evil hierarchy” of Satan. The beast, this scarlet beast, is being run by a powerful demon that fell with Satan when he was cast out of heaven and the devil made him a high ranking head or king in the hierarchy or operating network in his kingdom of darkness.
- Ephesians 6:12b … but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
The evil group of fallen angels, that were kicked out of heaven with the devil, were formed by the evil one into his “hierarchy” or “operating system.” We never see it (unless God gives special insight to someone) but we all certainly know they exist.
What the angel said in Revelation 17:8a is part of the mystery too:
- “The beast that you saw was, and is not, and will ascend out of the bottomless pit and go to perdition.”
This part of the mystery is explained in great measure in the articles, The Antichrist, His Identity And Name and The Antichrist Uniquely Revealed In Three Prophetic Sections Of Scripture. To say it simply “the beast that you saw was, and is not” is referring to the “Antichrist.” When the angel said he “was but is not” he was saying that the beast has been there before, but was not present at that time. What the angel said next, really proves it. He said that he “will ascend out of the bottomless pit and go to perdition.” In Revelation 11:7 we see that “the beast that will ascend out of the bottomless pit” is the Antichrist and his name is Abaddon or Apollyon as we can see in Revelation 9:11.
Notice the beast ascends out of the pit and goes to destruction (or perdition in some versions). That is what the devil does every day and that is exactly what the king of the bottomless pit will do when he gets out.
Consider Revelation 17:8b next.
- “And those who dwell on the earth will marvel, whose names are not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world, when they see the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.”
Notice two points. One, the lost will marvel at him, not believers. True Christians will be persecuted by him and recognize who he is. Secondly, he is reaffirmed to be “the beast that was, is not and yet is.”
The term “beast” is used interchangeably within “the evil hierarchy” as sometimes it is “the whole entity” or sometimes “one of” its “heads or horns” depending on the circumstances. It is like saying “the bull gored the man” or “the horn gored the man” whether “his horn or the bull” did it, both are correct.
- Revelation 17:9-11 “Here is the mind which has wisdom: The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits. 10 There are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, and the other has not yet come. And when he comes, he must continue a short time. 11 And the beast that was, and is not, is himself also the eighth, and is of the seven, and is going to perdition.”
The 7 mountains are kingdoms within the devil's empire which is confirmed when he says there are 7 kings. These represent the 7 heads of the beast. Five ruled before, there is one now (in John's lifetime) and one yet to come. The one that is to come will only be for a “short time.” Once again, this was timely according to John's lifetime when he received this. “And the beast that was, and is not, is himself also the eighth, and is of the seven, and is going to perdition.” This is saying that there is an 8th king but he is not merely the 8th because he was already a king before and will be a king again. This is Abaddon.
One other consideration. As stated before, if you have a 7-headed animal, only one head can lead at a time or it will not be able to move. In some fashion, it is the same with the devil’s hierarchy, his 7-headed beast. I cannot fathom what goes on there, but it is not “rocket science” to know that only one head can lead at a time.
- Revelation 17:12-14 “The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast. 13 These are of one mind, and they will give their power and authority to the beast. 14 These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful."
This is why there are not 10 crowns (sometimes called diadems) anywhere on the scarlet beast when John saw it. How this is, I am not sure. No matter what, it is important for them to be in unity, yielding over whatever “power and authority” they will have at the right time, to the beast.
Does this mean rulers within “one kingdom” or “ten kingdoms”? The term “ruler” is often translated as “king.” Whoever they are and whatever they “rule” over, they will unite and aid the beast to war against Jesus Christ. This most likely is referring to Armageddon where the Lord returns for His Second Coming, riding a white horse with the armies of heaven who will also be riding white horses. Many wonder who the “armies of heaven” are, that will be riding with Jesus and we can see them referred to here in verse 14, as “called, chosen and faithful.” They sure sound like Christians to me!
The same 10 kings that join together against the Lord at Armageddon will first be the 10 kings who will destroy “Babylon, the harlot.”
- Revelation 17:15-18 Then he said to me, "The waters which you saw, where the harlot sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues. 16 And the ten horns which you saw on the beast, these will hate the harlot, make her desolate and naked, eat her flesh and burn her with fire. 17 For God has put it into their hearts to fulfill His purpose, to be of one mind, and to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled. 18 And the woman whom you saw is that great city which reigns over the kings of the earth."
So now we see that these 10 horns (of the beast) will “turn on Babylon, the harlot.” When the beast/Antichrist sets himself up like God in the temple, complete with a living image that demands worship of the beast and that no one can buy or sell without his mark, he will no longer need or want “the system” of man that he used to get there. He will replace it with “his own system.” In his mind, he thinks that he is God and he will replace the old way of doing business with his own. It will be demanded that people either yield to his way or else, and his system will then even include his worship.
The beast will use the harlot, “mankind's wicked rulers, merchants and their elect,” to rise to power. Once there, he will have what he desired and worked for.
The enemy has always specialized in using leaders, rulers, merchants and their people of influence for its purposes. The demonic system is the beast with Abaddon as the head and the dragon as himself. The “human system of evil,” is “the woman, Babylon, the prostitute.” She is also called “a city” because it is made up of people. Sadly, Israel is included in it too. As God's chosen people, she will have committed spiritual adultery in the worst kind of way, by rejecting His Son, Jesus Christ, and then accepting and even embracing the Antichrist, the fraudulent Messiah and his lies.
- Revelation 18:1-3 After these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illuminated with his glory. 2 And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, "Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird! 3 For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury."
Financial prosperity is a tremendous blessing, but it always has the potential to become a curse at the same time. America was founded on godly principals and the desire to be free which included the freedom to worship the Christian God, in whatever way one would desire. And God blessed America. But over time, many people in America have come more and more to regard the blessing, rather than the Blesser. And this “Blesser” is Jesus Christ, who owns the whole world and all the people in it. I personally see that the desire for financial prosperity can easily lead to sin. It is not wrong to want a comfortable life and nice things but when that desire overtakes a person and they lose their desire to please God, then it becomes greed which is a spiritual downfall to the person and an abomination to the Lord. This is nothing new since the beginning of time and it is a strong tool of the one world government and it will eventually cause it to fall right into the beast's hands. In this last section of verses above, we see “Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird!” What man thought was going to be his, will have only been a dream. And it will be that “all the nations (will) have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, the kings of the earth (will) have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth (will) have become rich through the abundance of her luxury."
It is important to notice “the nations (people) will have drunk the wine of the wrath of her fornication” but it will be “the kings and merchants who will become rich through the abundance of her luxury.”
When the devil is holding the glitter, you can be sure that it is not gold. What is now and will continue to be offered from the beast and the prostitute is deception. Choosing against God is the most expensive mistake anyone can ever make.
- Revelation 18:4-8 And I heard another voice from heaven saying, "Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues. 5 For her sins have reached to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities. 6 Render to her just as she rendered to you, and repay her double according to her works; in the cup which she has mixed, mix double for her. 7 In the measure that she glorified herself and lived luxuriously, in the same measure give her torment and sorrow; for she says in her heart, 'I sit as queen, and am no widow, and will not see sorrow.' 8 Therefore her plagues will come in one day--death and mourning and famine. And she will be utterly burned with fire, for strong is the Lord God who judges her.'”
There is always a tipping point with sin. It has been said that “when the stink of it reaches to heaven, somebody better look out.” God will use the devil's hierarchy itself to bring judgment upon this prostitute. Not only will she have been driven by greed, power and lust but she will have persecuted and killed Christians acquiring much blood on her hands. I have heard some say, that is why the beast is scarlet... from the blood of saints and martyrs of the Lord.
- Revelation 18:9-14 "The kings of the earth who committed fornication and lived luxuriously with her will weep and lament for her, when they see the smoke of her burning, 10 standing at a distance for fear of her torment, saying, 'Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! For in one hour your judgment has come.' 11 And the merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her, for no one buys their merchandise anymore: 12 merchandise of gold and silver, precious stones and pearls, fine linen and purple, silk and scarlet, every kind of citron wood, every kind of object of ivory, every kind of object of most precious wood, bronze, iron, and marble; 13 and cinnamon and incense, fragrant oil and frankincense, wine and oil, fine flour and wheat, cattle and sheep, horses and chariots, and bodies and souls of men. 14 The fruit that your soul longed for has gone from you, and all the things which are rich and splendid have gone from you, and you shall find them no more at all.”
There is an old saying that says, “turn out the lights, the party's over.” There will come a day when it will be: Goodbye prosperous system of Babylon. Then it will become the way of the dragon and his beast. Take his mark, pay him his tribute, but soon their old ways of prosperity will be gone, completely gone.
- Revelation 18:15-20 “The merchants of these things, who became rich by her, will stand at a distance for fear of her torment, weeping and wailing, 16 and saying, 'Alas, alas, that great city that was clothed in fine linen, purple, and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls! 17 For in one hour such great riches came to nothing.' Every shipmaster, all who travel by ship, sailors, and as many as trade on the sea, stood at a distance 18 and cried out when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, 'What is like this great city?' 19 They threw dust on their heads and cried out, weeping and wailing, and saying, 'Alas, alas, that great city, in which all who had ships on the sea became rich by her wealth! For in one hour she is made desolate.' 20 Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you holy apostles and prophets, for God has avenged you on her!"'
It is more of the “party's over” but the last part in this section is the best, “Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you holy apostles and prophets, for God has avenged you on her!”
- Revelation 18:21-24 Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, "Thus with violence the great city Babylon shall be thrown down, and shall not be found anymore. 22 The sound of harpists, musicians, flutists, and trumpeters shall not be heard in you anymore. No craftsman of any craft shall be found in you anymore, and the sound of a millstone shall not be heard in you anymore. 23 The light of a lamp shall not shine in you anymore, and the voice of bridegroom and bride shall not be heard in you anymore. For your merchants were the great men of the earth, for by your sorcery all the nations were deceived. 24 And in her was found the blood of prophets and saints, and of all who were slain on the earth."
This is the end for all who prospered in their global system in which “was found the blood of prophets and saints and of all who were slain on the earth.” Not only will Christians have suffered and died in it, but non-Christian victims of the beast and Babylon’s evil wars will have too. All throughout history, evil merchants have made money from “war” and these will too while people suffer and die (many nobly) for the beast and prostitute’s greed and evil agendas. Much money has been made by the greedy all throughout history, in war after war. Many, many lives will perish for the sake of Babylon's greed.
Throughout history and even currently, we can see through the lies of communism and socialism. “Equality and freedom for all” is promised but when enacted, “all are equally oppressed.” The ones in “power” from the top to the bottom, are the prosperous ones. The merchants who “cooperate” flourish. Notice, in all of chapter 18, "who it is" that cries over the burning of Babylon the great. It is the rulers, the merchants, the owners of the ships on the sea (carriers of the cargo), the ship masters, sailors and those that profited from the trading on the sea, that cry. Not once does it show “the inhabitants of earth” crying over her loss.
- Revelation 19:1-7 After these things I heard a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, "Alleluia! Salvation and glory and honor and power belong to the Lord our God! 2 For true and righteous are His judgments, because He has judged the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her fornication; and He has avenged on her the blood of His servants shed by her." 3 Again they said, "Alleluia! Her smoke rises up forever and ever!" 4 And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sat on the throne, saying, "Amen! Alleluia!" 5 Then a voice came from the throne, saying, "Praise our God, all you His servants and those who fear Him, both small and great!" 6 And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, "Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns! 7 Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready."
Heaven will rejoice over the destruction of Babylon. In verse 2 above, we read “For true and righteous are His judgments, because He has judged the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her fornication; and He has avenged on her the blood of His servants shed by her.” This is the voice (unified voices) of “the body of Christ” after the rapture and the prostitute’s destruction!
In my opinion, for some reason, the enemy will be given 3 ½ years. He will do his best to thwart God and destroy as many people as possible and even much of the earth. He will have his chance. But all his plotting and planning will come to nothing for him, for the victory belongs to God.
*** There is a short message available for anyone who would like a deeper understanding of the fornication and the harlot and what spiritual fornication really is. To see, click here: Understanding Fornication And The Harlot Of The Book Of Revelation.
Copyright © 2018 E. Cockrell May be used for personal study or instruction but shall not be copied and/or distributed in whole or part without permission or for financial profit.
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