Revelation 17 and Revelation 18 describe a coming one-world religious system and a one-world economic system respectively that is given the name "Babylon." As part of a one-world Babylonian religious system in Revelation 17, mention is made of a woman known as the Mother of Harlots. Who is the harlot mentioned in Revelation 17?
Revelation 17:1 - 6
MODERNHEBREW - 1 ויבא אחד מן שבעה המלאכים הנשאים שבע הקערות וידבר אלי לאמר בא ואראך את משפט הזונה הגדולה הישבת על מים רבים׃ 2 אשר זנו אתה מלכי האדמה וישכרו שכני תבל מיין תזנותה׃
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The Bible actually provides sufficient information to enable us determine the identity of the symbolic woman/harlot., (Rev 1:1-1). First, Revelation 17:1,15 let us know that the woman sits on, or controls or has influence on "peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues. The type of influence is explained in later verses. Second, Rev 17:2,3 explains that the woman has amorous relationship with and may even be controlling human political rulership, symbolized as kings of the earths the wild beasts, see Daniel 7:1-4, 15-17. The beast receives power, authority and throne from the Dragon, Revelation 13:1-4. Thirdly, we see a tripartite relationship between the Dragon (that is, Satan the Devil), Human pollitical rulership and the Woman. How so? THe woman is riding on a beast, which is empowered by the Dragon. And of course the devil is the master of deception, Rev 12:9. The woman is a tool in the hands of the Dragon for the deception of mankind. Fourth, Rev 17:6 and Rev 18:2,21-24 alert us to the fact the the woman has interest in religion, but negatively, as she is against God and Jesus! She attacks the saints. In other words her interest is in false religion. Fifth, and no wonder, her name is revealed to be BABYLON THE GREAT! It is a mystery in that we need discernment to really discover who or what she represents. We recall that ancient Babylon was an empire of false religion and a city full of idolatry. The woman is referred to as Babylon the great as her influence extends around the world and she controls more population than ancient Babylon. Sixth, an angel gives a strong warning asking people to " get out of her" When all the above details are taken into consideration, we are led to conclude that that woman, the great harlot, Babylon The Great, symbolises THE WORLD EMPIRE OF FALSE RELIGION!
After much consideration, I must conclude that the HARLOT is any religion that does not proclaim the truth of the Gospel. The Gospel is, "Moreover, Brethren, I declare unto you the Gospel which I preached unto you which also you received and wherein you stand. By which also you are saved, if you keep in memory what I have preached unto you, unless you have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures. And that He was buried, and that He rose again on the third day according to the scriptures." 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 Any other teaching from a religious organization is not acceptable. It is a perversion of the Truth.
There are tell-tale hints which identify the harlot of Revelation 17. It will be shown to be a present world religious entity. She is the great prostitute, Revelation 17:1. She is spiritually unfaithful to God and very immoral. By her sorcery she deceives all the nations, 18:23. She is seen with a golden chalice, full of abominations and filthiness of sexual immorality, 17:4. In Revelation 17:5, she is called the mother of harlots signifying she is the source of all spiritual prostitution by those rejecting Christ and dishonoring God. She is the dwelling place of demons and the foul spirits, 18:2. She is seated on many waters, Revelation 17:1, 15, which means her extensive influence is upon all national, ethnic, and linguistic groups of the world. She makes the people intoxicated with the wine of her fornication, that is, involving them in idolatry and unfaithfulness to God. She has power over the kings of the earth. She is a city that has been much involved with the politics of nations, Revelation 17:2, 18. She rides the scarlet beast which will be a reconstituted form of the Roman Empire, 17:3. She will be in the saddle controlling and reining in the beast. Her association with blasphemous names of the beast tells what kind of woman she is. She is arrayed in great splendor, 17:4. She is clothed with purple and scarlet robes, and adorns herself with gold, precious stones, pearls – all outward splendor of living in glittering luxury and glorifying herself, 18:3, 7. She is a very wealthy institution. Revelation 18:16 has the same description of the very wealthy city. She is “Babylon the Great,” 17:5. “Babylon” has long been the code word for Rome (as also I Peter 5:13 where Peter wrote his epistle), and also acknowledged by many theologians from different persuasions. The mother-child cult that began in Babylon, moved westward to Pergamos (Revelation 2:13) in Asia Minor, and then on to Rome in 133 BC. Also, the Babylon of Revelation must be Rome since the empires spoken of in prophecy (Daniel 2, 7) move westward: Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome. Revelation 18:17-19 seems to indicate the city was likely supplied from ships on the Mediterranean Sea rather than on the Euphrates River. The city sits on the famed seven mountains or hills (not the great plain of Babylon), 17:9. Both the beast and harlot have their headquarters in Rome. She is drunk with the blood of the saints and martyrs of Jesus, 17:6. She has always been bloodthirsty to destroy those who are the people of God and those who believe in the truth, 18:24. She will be destroyed, burned with fire by the beast she rides, Revelation 17:16-18. She who sits as a queen of fornication and luxury is destroyed so suddenly, 18:7-9, 19. There will be mourning and weeping, and then the city will be eerily quiet. But, in heaven shouts of praise and rejoicing will echo because vengeance is completed, Revelation 18:20, 19:1-5.
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