Babylon; The Fornicator

Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and talked with me, saying to me, “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters,

And I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast

The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication.

Then he said to me, “The waters which you saw, where the harlot sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues. 

“And the woman whom you saw is that great city which reigns over the kings of the earth.” 17:1+3-4+15+18

The Great Harlot

One of the angels has occasion to say to John, Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters.  We might remind ourselves here that the great whore is Babylon and the waters she is sitting on are peoples and nations.  The fornication that the kings and commoners, (for where there are kings there are also commoners), are guilty of is not only physical sexual, abhorrent behaviour, but on a much deeper level, spiritual fornication; modern Babylon's whole philosophy is "if it feels good - do it".  This woman holds sway over the kings of the earth. She is the queen (ruler) above all the kings because they indulge in her wanton pleasures. 18:9.

I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast.  This first beast (the Antichrist - a man) is described for us also in 13:1-2, except that his colour is not given there. It seems the beast is scarlet to indicate his oneness with the red dragon from whom he gets his power. 12:3+13:2.

The woman, Babylon, is dressed in purple, the colour of royalty, but she is also wearing scarlet,17:4, which shows her kinship with the beast.  Furthermore, she is bedecked with gold, jewellery and pearls like a spoiled woman of the world; this picture includes the modern Churches, of most any denomination, of the twentieth and twenty-first century!

   In her hand was a cup, a cup full of idolatry, obscenity, pagan idolatry with doctrines of, and professed adherence to the Christian faith. 17:4 Vine+++. The modern infatuation with materialism, in the church, fulfils this description. Subtly, she is saying, forsake all you hold important, don't be so straight-laced in your doctrines, blend into society at large, for the sake of unity.  That is what the woman teaches and Christ hates.  Christ’s Church must take a stand against "watered down" theology, even though it means persecution or martyrdom, and for many, it will.

   The woman also has a name on her forehead; this means in her mind. Compare this with the notes on 7:3. http://ikefehr1939.blogspot.com/2013/03/the-opening-of-fifth-and-sixth-seal.html

She has learned all this wickedness, and in her mind is written:

a) “Mystery – This is the spirit (attitude) of disobedience to God.

b) Babylon the Great – This is pride at its apex.  Reminiscent of the words of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon; Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for a royal dwelling by my mighty power and for the honour of my majesty? Dan. 4:30.
c)  Mother of harlots - (claimed, by some, to be the Roman Catholic church), instigator of all physical, moral and spiritual fornication and her offspring, the Protestant churches.
   d) Abominations of the earth - idolatry from every pagan religion, past or present, adopted by Christianity, she is taking credit for them all." The Signs, Oct. 1998^^

   A study of history makes it clear that not all these evil traits can be limited to only the Roman Catholic Church, as many Bible teachers have done.  Other churches are just as guilty of at least some of the sins mentioned.  She, Babylon, is the zenith of evil.  She is drunk with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. 17:6

   no religion in the world...has on its conscience so many millions of people who thought differently, believed differently – Christianity is the most murderous religion there has ever been. Babylon - anti-Christian Empire; The Signs, Oct. 1998, P.26^^.

   I can't help but wonder if the author made that statement just to be dramatic or if he had any statistics.  It seems that a study of religious history would show that Christianity has not, and is not, killing any more people than some other world religions have and are.  

   It also needs to be pointed out that there is a big contingent of "Babylonians" who parade around as Christians.  If it appears as if Christians are doing the killing, it must be adamantly insisted that it is not the Christians but it is those wolves in sheep's clothing among the Christians who are hiding inside the walls of churches that are doing the killing.

  In 17:1 the writer saw the great whore sitting upon many waters; since then he has seen her sit on the beast and on the seven mountains.   The picture portrayed is that the wicked woman, Babylon, feels at home everywhere; everywhere, that is, except with the called, the chosen and faithful,17:14 and that is why she, Babylon, the affluent, materialistic society and this includes the modern, casual, materialistic church, must get the saints out of her way by waging war on them.

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+++ An Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, W.E. Vine,

^^ Signs of the Times Magazines: What the Revelation says about.  David C. James