Revelation 17

Revelation 17:1

A few days ago, during one of my rare stops at McDonalds, I engaged in a delightful conversation with a couple in the next booth. We talked for twenty minutes about prophecy and world events before the lady asked me the question I dread hearing: “What do you do for a living?” “I’m a teacher,” I said. “Oh?” she said. “What do you teach?” “I’m a Bible teacher,” I said, somewhat reluctantly. Driving back from McDonalds®, I wondered why, although I love to share the gospel, I am so hesitant to admit I’m a pastor. Then it hit me: I’m just not a “religious” guy. Jesus came on the scene, saying, “The truth shall set you free” (see Joh_8:32). But the very word “religion” means “to bind.” Here in our text, we see the subject of religion addressed very clearly… At this point in the Book of Revelation, although the church is in heaven, the structures, systems, and stuff of religionreferred to here as the great harlotremain intact on earth. Note the universal power of the false religious system as the harlot consorts with the political leaders of “many waters,” or many nations.

Revelation 17:3

Note the unique position of the false religious system as the harlot is seen riding the Beast, or Antichrist. At this point, all true believersbe they Baptists or Catholics, Episcopalians or Pentecostalsare in heaven. This leaves only the trappings of religion atop the Beast.

Revelation 17:4

Note the unlimited prosperity of the false religious system as seen in the purple robes and precious jewels with which the harlot is attired. Note the unholy passion of the false religious system as seen in the golden cup in the hand of the harlot, full of the fruits of her fornication.

Revelation 17:5

The Bible could rightly be called The Tale of Two Cities, for from cover to cover, two cities pop up over and over again: One is Jerusalem, the city of God. The other is Babylon, the city of rebellion. Mentioned more than three hundred times in Scripture, Babylon was founded on the plain of Shinar near the Euphrates River by Nimrod, a man whose name literally means “we will rebel.” Babylon was centered around the tower of Babela ziggurat used for the practice of astrology.

Revelation 17:6

Note the unsettling persecution perpetrated by the false religious system. Bear in mind that John wrote the Book of Revelation in the midst of ten waves of persecution that would ultimately claim the lives of six million believers. Initially, we saw the woman riding the Beast (verse Rev_17:3). Here, we see the Beast carrying the womana small, but I believe, important change of terminology as Antichrist employs the false religious system to serve his own agenda.

Revelation 17:8

John gives a seemingly enigmatic description of the beast carrying the woman when he writes of the “beast that was seen and is not, and yet is.” But then he goes on to give further illumination…

Revelation 17:9

Only one city in history is known as “The City of Seven Mountains”: Rome.

Revelation 17:10

At the time John wrote this, there had been seven Roman emperors: Julius Caesar, Caesar Augustus, Tiberias, Caligula, Claudius, Nero, and Domitian. Of the original emperors, the lives of five were cut short. Julius Caesar was assassinated. Tiberias was poisoned. Caligula was stabbed. Claudius was smothered. And Nero committed suicide. When John penned this book, Domitian was on the throne. This is a reference to Antichrist.

Revelation 17:11

The Beast yet to come is “of the seven.” In other words, Antichrist is one of the original seven emperors. Consider with me Caesar Nerothe sixth of the original Roman emperors… It was to Caesar Nero that Paul appealed (Act_25:11). History verifies that it was after meeting with Paul that Caesar Nero went on a rampage that resulted in the martyrdom of tens of thousands of believers. This coupled with the fact that the Hebrew numeric value of the letters of his name equal 666, I personally believe Caesar Nero will one day reappear as Antichrist. Oh, he’ll not come wearing a toga, playing a fiddle, saying, “I’m back.” Rather, the perverted spirit of Caesar Nero that caused massive bloodshed under his reign will reappear in Antichrist.

Revelation 17:12

Daniel 7 tells us that the ten horns of the beast signify the ten nations of the revived Roman Empire. Since the Rapture has happened at this point, Antichrist and this ten-nation federation will be of one mind.

Revelation 17:14

The bottom line, the only goal, the one objective of Antichrist is to destroy Jesus. Because Jesus is the Lord of lords and the King of kings, Antichrist will be unsuccessful in his attempted coup.

Revelation 17:15

Once the Beast has used the false religious system to gain power, he will then turn against her. So, too, we will be disgraced, denuded, and devoured by any sin we attempt to control rather than confess. Oh, perhaps, like the harlot, we can ride the sin for a season, arrayed in the pearls, precious stones, and purple robes of confidencebut eventually, like the harlot, we will be burned and eaten up by the very sin we thought we controlled. I believe the language in this verse is purposely horrific because, truly, the wages of sin is death (Rom_3:23).

Revelation 17:17

According to His own will, God will use the Beast to destroy the false religious system.

Revelation 17:18

This chapter has dealt with all of so-called Christendom being united by the power and potency of Rome. But one must not equate Rome with Catholicism. There are wonderful brothers and sisters in the Catholic Church, just as there are wonderful brothers and sisters in the Baptist, Lutheran, Episcopalian, Methodist, and Orthodox church. But after these brothers and sisters are raptured, the remaining power and prestige of the church in Rome will be manipulated by Antichrist. And although the Roman Church will think she’s in control, she’ll inevitably suffer the same fate as that of her own Pope Pius… In 1804, Napoleon summoned Pope Pius VII to leave Rome and to come to Paris in order to crown him emperor of France. Knowing the one who crowns the emperor will always have a voice of power with the emperor, Pius showed up with crown in hand. But just as he was about to place the crown on Napoleon’s brow, Napoleon grabbed it from Pope Pius and crowned himself. Horrified, Pius immediately understood the implication: Napoleon had wrested all power from Rome. And the day is coming when Antichrist will do the same.