34-Spiritual Babylon and Revelation 17 - RSV

1. God's Description of a Spiritual Apostate System That Compromises Truth.
Revelation 17:1-5 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, "Come, I will show you the _judgment_ of the great harlot who is seated upon many waters, [2] with whom the kings of the earth have _committed_ fornication, and with the wine of whose fornication the _dwellers_ on earth have become drunk." [3] And he carried me away in the Spirit into a _wilderness_, and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast which was full of _blasphemous_ names, and it had seven heads and ten horns. [4] The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and _bedecked_ with gold and jewels and pearls, holding in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the _impurities_ of her fornication; [5] and on her _forehead_ was written a name of mystery: "Babylon the great, mother of harlots and of _earth's_ abominations."

2. Truth Is Cast to the Ground.
Daniel 8:12 And the host was given over to it together with the continual burnt offering through _transgression_; and truth was cast down to the ground, and the horn acted and _prospered_.

3. The Bride of Jesus Represents the Church.
Ephesians 5:31-33 "For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh." [32] This mystery is a _profound_ one, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church; [33] however, let each one of you love his wife as _himself_, and let the wife see that she _respects_ her _husband_.

4. The Daughter of Zion Is Like a Beautiful Woman.
Jeremiah 6:2 The comely and _delicately_ bred I will destroy, the _daughter_ of Zion.

5. Zion, Thou Art My People.
Isaiah 51:16 And I have put my words in your mouth, and hid you in the shadow of my hand, _stretching_ out the heavens and laying the _foundations_ of the earth, and saying to Zion, 'You are my people.'"

6. A Beautiful Woman Appearing in Heaven Represents the New Testament Church.
Revelation 12:1-3 And a great portent appeared in heaven, a woman _clothed_ with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars; [2] she was with child and she cried out in her pangs of birth, in anguish for _delivery_. [3] And _another_ portent appeared in heaven; behold, a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and seven _diadems_ upon his heads.

7. The Harlot of Revelation 17 Represents the Fallen Church.
Revelation 17:1-2 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, "Come, I will show you the _judgment_ of the great harlot who is seated upon many waters, [2] with whom the kings of the earth have _committed_ fornication, and with the wine of whose fornication the _dwellers_ on earth have become drunk."

8. The Colors of This Fallen, Apostate Church System Are Purple and Scarlet, the Very Colors of the Roman Church.
Revelation 17:4 The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and bedecked with gold and jewels and pearls, holding in her hand a golden cup full of _abominations_ and the impurities of her _fornication_;

9. Her Headquarters Are Situated on the City of Seven Hills, Or Rome.
Revelation 17:9 This calls for a mind with wisdom: the seven heads are seven _mountains_ on which the woman is _seated_;

10. This Apostate System Is a Revival of Old Testament Babylon.
Revelation 17:5 And on her _forehead_ was written a name of mystery: "Babylon the great, mother of harlots and of _earth's_ abominations."

11. Babylon Represents Confusion Because God Confused the Languages. Spiritual Babylon Represents Religious Confusion.
Genesis 11:9 Therefore its name was called Ba'bel, because there the LORD confused the _language_ of all the earth; and from there the LORD _scattered_ them abroad over the face of all the earth.

12. Babylon Is a Man-Made System Based on Human Tradition and Achievement.
Daniel 4:30 And the king said, "Is not this great Babylon, which I have built by my mighty power as a royal _residence_ and for the glory of my _majesty_?"

Isaiah 45:22 "Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and _there_ is no _other_.

13. Ancient Babylon Filled Her Temple with Idols and So Will Spiritual Babylon.
Jeremiah 51:47 "Therefore, behold, the days are coming when I will punish the _images_ of _Babylon_; her whole land shall be put to shame, and all her slain shall fall in the midst of her.

14. Thou Shalt Not Make Any Graven Images.
Exodus 20:4-5 "You shall not make for yourself a graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; [5] you shall not bow down to them or serve them; for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, _visiting_ the _iniquity_ of the fathers upon the _children_ to the third and the fourth _generation_ of those who hate me,

15. Women Are Described As Weeping for Tammus, God of Vegetation. Ancestor Worship, Or Saint Worship Was Common in Babylon.
Ezekiel 8:14 Then he brought me to the _entrance_ of the north gate of the house of the LORD; and behold, there sat women _weeping_ for Tammuz.

16. The Dead Are Not Aware of Anything.
Ecclesiastes 9:5 For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing, and they have no more _reward_; but the _memory_ of them is lost.

17. The Dead Do Not Praise the Lord.
Psalms 115:17 The dead do not _praise_ the LORD, nor do any that go down into _silence_.

18. Sun Worship Took Place in God's Temple.
Ezekiel 8:16 And he _brought_ me into the inner court of the house of the LORD; and behold, at the door of the temple of the LORD, _between_ the porch and the altar, were about twenty-five men, with their backs to the temple of the LORD, and their faces toward the east, _worshiping_ the sun toward the east.

19. The Sabbath Is God's Sign.
Ezekiel 20:12 Moreover I gave them my _sabbaths_, as a sign between me and them, that they might know that I the LORD _sanctify_ them.

Ezekiel 20:20 And hallow my _sabbaths_ that they may be a sign _between_ me and you, that you may know that I the LORD am your God.

20. Spiritual Babylon Will Attempt to Unite Mankind by Setting up An Earthly Kingdom of God and Enforcing a Common Day of Worship.
Revelation 17:12-14 And the ten horns that you saw are ten kings who have not yet received royal power, but they are to receive authority as kings for one hour, together with the beast. [13] These are of one mind and give over their power and authority to the beast; [14] they will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will _conquer_ them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and _those_ with him are _called_ and _chosen_ and _faithful_."

21. The Earth Will Be Lightened with God's Glory in Times of Spiritual Crisis.
Revelation 18:1 After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great _authority_; and the earth was made bright with his _splendor_.

22. God Makes a Final Call for People to Come Out of Babylon.
Revelation 18:2-4 And he called out with a mighty voice, "Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! It has become a _dwelling_ place of demons, a haunt of every foul spirit, a haunt of every foul and hateful bird; [3] for all nations have drunk the wine of her impure passion, and the kings of the earth have _committed_ _fornication_ with her, and the _merchants_ of the earth have grown rich with the wealth of her _wantonness_." [4] Then I heard another voice from heaven saying, "Come out of her, my people, lest you take part in her sins, lest you share in her _plagues_;

23. Sin Is the Transgression of God's Law. God's Final Call Is for People to Come Out of Churches Breaking His Law. He Invites Them to Become Part of His Sabbath Keeping People.
1 John 3:4 Every one who _commits_ sin is _guilty_ of lawlessness; sin is lawlessness.

24. God's People Keep His Commandments and Have Faith in Jesus.
Revelation 14:12 Here is a call for the _endurance_ of the saints, those who keep the _commandments_ of God and the faith of Jesus.

Next Bible Study: 35-The Gift of Prophecy

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