09.33 Revelation 17:1-18 THE FALL OF RELIGIOUS BABYLON
Revelation 17:1-18 THE FALL OF RELIGIOUS BABYLON
Intro: Ill. This chapter and the one to follow explain all the things talked about in Revelation 16:1-21. This is where we see the fulfillment of those prophecies. In this chapter, we will witness the fall of the great worldwide church that will flourish after the rapture of the church. Thsi system is already at work even today. All around the world, there is a great move underway to bring all religious groups under one central umbrella. We are witnessing the great falling away which the Bible says will come about in the last days. (2 Thessalonians 2:3; 1 Timothy 4:1-3; 2 Timothy 3:1-3; 2 Timothy 4:3-4). It has already reached the place where Bible believing Christians, people who take the Bible literally and who try to live a holy life for the Lord, are under increasing attack. The only way to succeed, in the eyes of the world, is to conform and be tolerant of other’s beliefs and opinions. I believe that all Christians can worship together. But, when people go off on a tangent and begin to worship and dabble in areas that are forbidden, then that is where we must draw the line! Let’s look at this awesome chapter and see if we can identify what is happening here.
I. Revelation 17:1-6 THE BABYLONIAN MOTHER
A. Revelation 17:1, Revelation 17:15 Her Popularity - World-wide influence. This religious system will have the ear of the world! (Ill. Power and wealth.) When you reject the truth, you will be sucked into by a lie. (Ill. Seeker churches.)
B. Revelation 17:2 Her Perversion - (Ill. Whore - No woman wants to be called that term.) (Ill. She will use her charms to deceive the world into thinking she is the right way.)
C. Revelation 17:3, Revelation 17:9 Her Prediction - This church is upheld by the power of the beast. It will be headquartered in Rome, Revelation 17:9. She will be defended by the ten nation confederacy of the revived Roman Empire. (Ill. The church will once again wed the state - Ill. Constantine 325 AD. (Ill. Christianity began to change - Christmas, Lent, Baptism, Relic Worship, Saint Worship, Popery, etc.) (Ill. Is it the Catholic Church? NO!! Catholicism will surely be involved, but so will Methodism, Lutheranism, Presbyterianism, the Islamic faith, Buddhism and even the Baptists.) (That said, the connection between the history and practice of Roman Catholicism and the description of this religious system cannot be lightly passed by!)
D. Revelation 17:4 Her Prosperity - (Ill. Garments, Wealth and Ritual! The trappings of religion!) (Ill. The wealth of religion - Catholic - 100 Billion, Mormons, Baptists!)
E. Revelation 17:5 Her Personality - (Ill. Roman practice of identifying prostitutes) (Ill. Mother - Origin) (Ill. The origin of the Babylonian Mother - Genesis 10:8-11; Genesis 11:1-4) (Ill.Cush, Semiramis, Nimrod, Zoroaster. (Ill. Sunbeam, Ishtar Eggs, Unicorns, Circle of Life, Yin Yang, etc.) This system is as old as time, and as new as it has to be. (Ill. Revelation 17:18 - She is a city, and a system!)
F. Revelation 17:6 Her Persecutions - Ill. his system is responsible for the deaths of the saints of the Lord. From Cain and Abel to the Tribulation saints, this religious system has been responsible for the martyrdom of 10’s of millions on Christians. (Ill. It is not tonight, nor has it ever been the denomination that determines a person’s, it is the Blood of Jesus that makes the difference!
II. Revelation 17:7-13 THE BABYLONIAN MONSTER
A. Revelation 17:8, Revelation 17:10-11 The Identity Of The Beast - (Ill. It is the Anti-Christ) Ill. His rise to power, his death and his resurrection, Revelation 13:3. His entire ministry is a mockery of that of the Lord Jesus Christ. (Ill. The Emporeors of Revelation 17:10, and the Antichrist is both the seventh and the eighth.
B. Revelation 17:12-13 The Identification Of The Horns - The 10 nation confederancy of the revived Roman Empire. (Ill. The EEC!) III. Revelation 17:14-18 THE BABYLONIAN MASSACRE
A. Revelation 17:14 They Battle The Lamb - Ill. These nations will come against the Lamb Himself. (Ill. Refers to Revelation 19:1-21). When they attack Jesus, they are sure to lose! (Ill. King of Kings!) (Ill. Those with Him - Called, chosen and faithful - That my friends is you and me!)
B. Revelation 17:16 They Burn The Whore - Ill. Organized religion will be utterly destroyed! When their religion has served it’s purpose and offers them nothing else, then they will turn on the church will utterly destroy her! (Ill. Sounds like a lot of people in our day - God is a great big sparetire!)They will strip her of her wealth, destroy and disfigure her places of worship and organized religion shall cease to exist on the earth! (Ill. Organized religion is a disgrace anyway!)
C. Revelation 17:17 They Bend Before God - As they carry out their deeds, they are unaware that God Himself is using them for His glory and to carry out His plans and purposes! In the midst of chaos, it is good to know that God is still in control!
Conc: Have you got Jesus tonight? Are you a member of the church or a part of the body? That is one question you had better get right. If you miss that one, you have missed everything! If you need the Lord this evening, please come to Him and allow Him to do a work in your heart and life.