Exposing the Great Prostitute
July 26-27, 2008
Series: The Book of Revelation
Speaker: Brian T. Anderson
- Introduction
- Rev. 17:1-7, 9, 15-18 (NLT) 1One of the seven angels who had poured out the seven bowls came over and spoke to me. “Come with me,” he said, “and I will show you the judgment that is going to come on the great prostitute, who rules over many waters. 2The kings of the world have committed adultery with her, and the people who belong to this world have been made drunk by the wine of her immorality.”3So the angel took me in the Spirit into the wilderness. There I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that had seven heads and ten horns, and blasphemies against God were written all over it.4The woman wore purple and scarlet clothing and beautiful jewelry made of gold and precious gems and pearls. In her hand she held a gold goblet full of obscenities and the impurities of her immorality. 5A mysterious name was written on her forehead: “Babylon the Great, Mother of All Prostitutes and Obscenities in the World.” 6I could see that she was drunk—drunk with the blood of God’s holy people who were witnesses for Jesus. I stared at her in complete amazement.7“Why are you so amazed?” the angel asked. “I will tell you the mystery of this woman and of the beast with seven heads and ten horns on which she sits. 9“This calls for a mind with understanding: The seven heads of the beast represent the seven hills where the woman rules. They also represent seven kings. 15Then the angel said to me, “The waters where the prostitute is ruling represent masses of people of every nation and language. 16The scarlet beast and his ten horns all hate the prostitute. They will strip her naked, eat her flesh, and burn her remains with fire.17For God has put a plan into their minds, a plan that will carry out his purposes. They will agree to give their authority to the scarlet beast, and so the words of God will be fulfilled.18And this woman you saw in your vision represents the great city that rules over the kings of the world.”
- “What did the author intend for his original readers to understand this passage to mean?”
- Rev. 17:18 (NLT) “And this woman you saw in your vision represents the great city that rules over the kings of the world.”
- Rev. 17:2a (NLT) The kings of the world have committed adultery with her.
- Rev. 17:4 (NLT) The woman wore purple and scarlet clothing and beautiful jewelry made of gold and precious gems and pearls. In her hand she held a gold goblet full of obscenities and the impurities of her immorality.
- Rev. 17:5 (NLT) A mysterious name was written on her forehead: “Babylon the Great, Mother of All Prostitutes and Obscenities in the World.”
- Rev. 17:6a (NLT) I could see that she was drunk—drunk with the blood of God’s holy people who were witnesses for Jesus.
- Rev. 17:9a (NLT) This calls for a mind with understanding: The seven heads of the beast represent the seven hills where the woman rules.
- Rev. 17:16-17 (NLT) 16The scarlet beast and his ten horns all hate the prostitute. They will strip her naked, eat her flesh, and burn her remains with fire.17For God has put a plan into their minds, a plan that will carry out his purposes. They will agree to give their authority to the scarlet beast, and so the words of God will be fulfilled.
- Conclusion