If you perceive the pervasiveness of sin,
you will pour forth great gratitude for God’s grace
and the cross of Christ.
Revelation 18: For your merchants were the greatest in the world,
and you deceived the nations with your sorceries.
24 In your streets flowed the blood of the prophets and of God’s holy people
and the blood of people slaughtered all over the world.”
… all the nations were deceived by your sorcery.
So warns Christ’s Revelation to John of Babylon, a home for demons – the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit. Even Ezekiel had warned Jerusalem of these same evils (perhaps appropriate warning to a 21st c. church).
3 For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.
Disclaimer & Caution
Researching the Revelation of Jesus Christ to John reconfirms a need for a note of caution to the reader.
MUCH false teaching, speculative interpretation and agenda-driven preaching will easily mislead and confuse most believers, except believers well-versed scripturally in apologetics. Perhaps one of the greatest dangers is to accept an interpretation of just one man on the many important symbols John presents in Revelation – especially in the following chapters.
The following is a continuation in my series on Revelation, begun with the Letters to the Seven Churches and now continuing from much later in John’s apocalypse in Chapter 17.
May I suggest that you take my interpretation of scripture (or anyone’s interpretation) under consideration of:
- the Holy Spirit
- Scripture (including, possibly root meanings of the Greek or Hebrew)
- prayerful consideration of application to your life and those in your life
Roger Harned
Central
to the Judgment of Christ Jesus
in the Apocalypse of John.
Revelation is misunderstood and much misrepresented. Will the deception of these last days not increase with the pervasiveness of sin?
BABYLON, the Harlot Queen,
sits upon the scarlet beast –
Revelation 17:5 And upon her forehead was a name written, Mystery, Babylon The Great, The Mother Of Harlots And Abominations Of The Earth.
SIN is pervasive!
Revelation begins with warning to the churches. Should the churches of these last days not heed the warnings of a time so near?
The Apostle John describes Heavenly visions (none of which I will describe today):
- The Scroll and Seven Seals (ch. 4-7)
- Seven Angels with Seven Trumpets (ch. 8-11)
- Seven Symbolic Histories (ch. 12-14)
- Seven Bowls of God’s Wrath (ch. 15-16)
All of this leads up to the drama of punishment, with its great symbolism. All of Revelation leads to a drama:
CENTERED ON EVIL vs. GOOD
SATAN vs. CHRIST JESUS.
Though the FINAL BATTLE does not take place until Revelation 19, the familiar opponents of God confront the believer and unbeliever alike with the great symbolism of Revelation 17 and 18. What Jesus reveals is what our Lord has always revealed to those with ears to hear.
Matthew 24
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus Foretells Destruction of the Temple
Signs of the End of the Age
3 As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”
4 And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray. 5 For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray.
6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places.8 All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.
9 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. 10 And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another.
11 And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. 12 And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved.
14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come…
23 Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There he is!’ do not believe it.
24 For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.
25 See, I have told you beforehand. 26 So, if they say to you, ‘Look, he is in the wilderness,’ do not go out. If they say, ‘Look, he is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. 27 For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.
Do NOT be deceived:
1 Corinthians 6:9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality {note: The two Greek terms translated by this phrase refer to the passive and active partners in consensual homosexual acts.}
2 Timothy 2:12-13 Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.
1 John 2:26 I write these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you.
Do you with ears to hear understand how the world is being deceived?
Do you sip from the cup of the Harlot?
Hear and understand the wine of her cup.
… all the nations were deceived by her ‘pharmakeia’ sorcery.
Heed the warning of the punishment for those who partake of the sorcery of the Harlot:
Revelation 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, G5332 and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
Let us continue to proclaim Christ crucified; for He IS and He will return in victory over Satan, the Harlot, and all the armies of evil which surround the believer every day.
We have Great Grace in Christ Jesus and His Blood of the Cross, where by His death and resurrection we are victorious over sin and death.
Christ Jesus our Lord has defeated the enemy. These last days will end and the faithful will be most thankful for the grace of the Cross.
