TEACHER: Ken Hicks
SCRIPTURES: Revelation 17:1-18
BOTTOM LINE: The Beast carries the Harlot along for the Purpose of seducing Men & Women to follow them rather than following Jesus. However … JESUS Conquered the Beast!
QUESTION: How Can We Be IN the World but not OF the World?
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Have You Ever Been a Victim of a Scam?
- Someone sold you something that ultimately didn’t work?
- I once paid for some tickets online and learned the hard way that the site was not a real and legitimate site, and the tickets were no good, but my $$ was gone!
- Someone talked you into investing in either a product or serving on a Board or Team and completely under-sold the commitment and expectations … and it was just a scam to get you to say YES?
- … you name it …
I think it’s probably where we get that phrase, If it looks too good to be true … it probably is! Right?
As humans, we have this tendency to be gullible, and what we discover in this 17th chapter of John’s Letter here is that the entire world is taken in and conned by the woman who rides the beast!
John is now taken by the angel who poured out the 7th Bowl, and shown a close-up review of the 6th and 7th bowls… which have foretold the Judgment of Babylon.
We get this In-Depth account of the destruction of Babylon and the Beast. It’s a zoomed-in picture of what took place at the end of the Bowl Judgments.
The SEDUCTIVE City of Babylon:
Isn’t it interesting how the Angelshows Johnthe City of Babylon? The great city is pictured as an alluring Prostitute. Babylon seeks to seduce people to herself and to The Beast … and ultimately … away from CHRIST!
The Lust for Power & Fame has its grip on the Kings and Nations of the earth, and this was especially evident when John was receiving this vision, starting with the Roman Empire. Any other span of Kings in Kingdoms reveals this dynamic holds true. Fame & Power are like this unquenchable thirst, that even led many times to the Kings claiming to be a God themselves!
Many have tried to pinpoint who Babylon is … but I think the truth is that that Babylon refers to every system of Government … and Economics … and Religion … that sets itself against Christ!
Babylon the great, the mother of prostitutes, and of the abominations of the earth.
She literally births other Prostitutes just like herself … she is the Mother of all earthly Abominations!
The ANGELS EXPLANATION of the Vision:
John is said to be astonished… or marvel at the Vision of the Harlot and the Beast. The word that’s translated here really means amazement, Fear and Speechlessness.
In other words … we might say that John was awestruck … the Angel intervenes and asks him why are you astonished?
The Angel declares to John in the midst of this amazing vision that the Church must be on Guard.
APPLICATION:
Jesus did everything to secure His Victory … and potential for our Salvation!
When we are In-Christ … we are absolutely secure!
The warning here is so Clear: Guard your heart & mind … the Great Harlot Babylon and the Beast are powered by the Dragon, and they are seeking to Seduce you!
They are at work, 24/7, doing everything possible to entangle our hearts by trying to get us to think the blessings and security of God can be found in other places.
God desires for us to be FREE from the seduction of Idols in our lives … so that if it’s taken or lost … we’re ok … we can recognize that we’re not Inhabitants of this World… and so we take the next step of Faith.