“… a woman sitting on a scarlet beast …”
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. 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. 5 This title was written on her forehead:
MYSTERY
BABYLON THE GREAT
THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES
AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
6 I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus.
(Revelation 17:3-6; NIV. Please read Revelation 17-18.)
You may not know “who” she is (though I think the hint at the end of the chapter gives a pretty good clue) … but you know that she is going to fall. You know that … because God said so, and that is enough … but you can also predict that of her and anyone who causes or celebrates in the “blood of the saints”.
God may permit His people to suffer – even die, but He will not allow the one who causes or celebrates that suffering and death to avoid meeting the consequences of such wicked and vile behavior.
ON SECOND THOUGHT: God regularly brings the “bad guys” to justice … but there is a day, when He will judge all the world in righteousness. He had confirmed that promise by raising Jesus from the dead. He requires that all men – ALL MEN EVERYWHERE – prepare for that day by repenting. I think I will start getting ready for that day (or should I say – continue getting ready for that day) by doing some repenting of my own.
November 14, 2008 at 9:50 am
As it described the ten kings that would have one hour, along with the beast, to try and destroy the Lamb … I started picturing a prize fight. In this corner you have the ten kings and the beast, in the other corner you have the Lamb and his chosen and faithful followers. Not only is our corner full of a lot more people … we have the Lord of lords doing all the fighting. God says they will have one hour to fight, but the outcome is already known. So why fight? Because we always fight even when the odds are against us, sin tells us we just might win.
The addict that takes one more hit knowing it could kill him, but hoping it might get them the high of all highs. The drunk that drives herself home, knowing she could kill herself or others, but hoping that one more time she will be okay. The liar that knows these lies are catching up with their heart, driving them farther and farther away from those around them, but hoping this will be the last one that is needed. The shopper that knows the bills need to be paid, but it’s Christmas and everyone goes into debt at Christmas.
Some of these things seem so trivial … but they can all lead to death. They are all sins that, in our minds, become more powerful than God. We see Him in His corner with all power already holding the victor’s belt, but satan warps our thinking.
Well God shows us in this picture that in that one hour … they were destroyed. Just one hour. I know it’s a picture, but it happens. One decision to disobey, one moment of thinking I know more than God this time … can set my life on a course of destruction that I might hope would end in one hour, because it will be so painful.
God give me a repentant heart. A heart that stands in the corner with the Lamb and the faithful … having confidence that the battle is already won and that I am forever safe.
November 14, 2008 at 6:51 pm
Many times knowing that God will bring the “bad guys” to justice…..in fact Jesus already has by sacrificing himself…..is the only thing that keeps me going. When corrupt, evil, worldly people seem to prosper and Godly people struggle in life it knowing that God is just and he will reward the righteous and punish the wicked brings me comfort.
I sure want to be on the righteous side of God’s judgment. Please God help me to strive to be like the noble woman(good and righteous) described in Proverbs and not like the mother of prostitutes described in this passage.
I always have thought of myself as “preparing ” for the day the Lord returns, but lately I have been focusing much time on preparing….on repenting for the past and the present sins…on being honest about the areas that I am more like the woman described in Revelation 17 so that I can be counted as one of the righteous. I cannot continue to look at the “mother of prostitutes” and feel righteous because I “don’t do that”. I have to focus my eyes on the righteous and good and strive to do “as good as that”. I have repented….am repenting….will continue to repent.
November 14, 2008 at 7:09 pm
I find it interesting…not surprising, but interesting…that the men who had gained wealth and had prospered in the city stood far off watching its destruction. Doesn’t seem like they are wanting to help save the city in any way, they just stand back and say “oh isn’t that a shame”.
God’s judgment is swift and righteous. The saints rejoice at this pouring out of God’s wrath. I am glad that we are on the side of the King of kings and the Lord of lords.
I want to remember how miserable my life was when I thought I knew more than God. I don’t ever want to forget. I pray it will keep me humble and my heart contrite. I am sorry for the things I have done and for the things that I just can’t seem to do right in my life now. Lord please forgive me, have mercy on me and give me strength to keep trying to be like You.
November 15, 2008 at 3:58 pm
I picture this woman being attractive, after all, she is adorned in such a way that lets us know she has wealth and power. That is the same with sin! Even though we see it accompanying things that are so obviously not from God (the beast with the blasphemous names), we are mesmerized and attracted to it all the same. We get comfortable in our sinfulness, and can even justify it, but if we don’t take hold of the truth, we will be just like Babylon.
We know the outcome of this woman, and those that follow in her ways. I want to be on the side that defeats evil once and for all. I want to be on the side that has victory over sin and the pain of so many that I love.