REVELATION

Chapter 17

"Mystery Babylon"

INTRODUCTION:

            1. The chapter is another interlude.

            2. It is not chronological in its order.

            3. The events take place during the first 3-1/2 years of the tribulation.

            4. It shows the course and future of world religion after the rapture.

5. The subject has to do with "Babylon the Great, the Mother of Harlots and of the Abominations of the Earth." (v.5)

I. THE DESCRIPTION OF THE SYSTEM (vs.1-6)

            A. A Religious System

                        1. Of false, anti-Christian principles (made up of false religions under one head)

                        2. Of spiritual adultery - "harlot"

                        3. Of world-wide import - "many waters"..."kings of the earth" (vs.1,2) cf. v.15

            B. A Ruling System (v.3)

                        1. She rides the back of the beast

                                    a. Because he is just coming into power

                                    b. Because he has not taken full control of world affairs

c. Because he finds it advantageous to court her favor to ultimately achieve his own ends

                        2. She controls the entire federation of states. (cf. v.3 and 13:1,17,18)

a. "For centuries not a nation in Europe stirred without a nod from the Vatican."

                                    b. Religion's desire to control the world has never waned.

1) "It is laid down that the Roman Pontiff is universal bishop, that his name is the only one of its kind in the world. To him alone it belongs to depose or reconcile bishops...He alone may use the ensigns of empire; all princes are bound to kiss his feet; he has the right to depose emperors, and to absolve subjects from their allegiance. He holds in his hands the supreme mediation in questions of war and peace, and he alone may judge contested successions to kindgoms--all kingdoms are held as fiefs under Peter...The Roman Church has never erred...The pope is above all judgment." (Pope Gregory VII)

                                                2) The stated purpose of

                                                            a) Islam

                                                            b) Unification

3) "In the minority, a lamb; in equality, a fox; in power, a tiger." (Lecky)

            C. A Rich System (v.4)

            D. A Ruthless System (v.6)

                        1. "Continually drunk" with blood

                                    a. A system of today because she sheds the blood of the saints of Jesus.

b. A system that has produced some 50 million martyrs. (Sir Robert Anderson)

                        2. "Marvelled with great amazement"

                                    a. John couldn't understand a church like this.

                                    b. The church John knew

                                                1) Was poor (cf. Rev. 2:9)

2) Was a suffering church but did not cause suffering (Rev. 2:9,10) cf. Jn. 15:18-21

3) Was not seeking a kingdom on earth but had its politics in heaven (cf. Phil.3:20; Jn. 18:36; Rom. 14:17; II Pet. 1:11)

II. THE DISCLOSURE OF THE SYSTEM (vs. 7-10)

            A. When It Started (Gen. 10)

                        1. It began with Nimrod.

                                    a. From the line of Ham ("darkened")

b. He was the son of Cush ("blackened one" - a name given for his spiritual characteristic)

                        2. It ran a prescribed course.

                                    a. Ham turned from the truth.

                                    b. Cush departed farther.

                                    c. Nimrod - called the "Arch Apostate"!

                        3. It dates back over 2000 years before Christ.

            B. What It Stated

1. The history --Nimrod married a girl by the name of Semiramis. Semiramis knew enough of the revelation of God to know that the seed of a woman would be the instrument through whom God would bring blessing to the world. According to extra-biblical records which have been preserved, she gave birth to a son who she claimed was conceived miraculously by a ray of the sun. This son, given the name of Tammuz, was considered the savior of his people and was, in effect, a false messiah, pur- ported to be the fulfillment of the promise given to Eve. When Tammuz was grown, he was killed by a wild boar; but after forty days of the mother's weeping, he was raised from the dead.

                        2. The heresy

a. Semiramis was worshipped as the queen of heaven by the offering of a round cake that was marked with an "X". (Jer. 44:16;18-19,25)

b. She taught that salvation was administered through her by the sprinkling of water and ceremonial cleansing.

                                    c. There was a purgatorial cleansing after death.

d. The feast of Ishtar (another name for Semiramis) was made an annual feast symbolizing the resurrection of Tammuz from the dead. They set aside the egg as sacred to Tammuz which was exchanged on the Feast of Ishtar as the symbol of life out of death. (Ezek. 8:14)

e. The evergreen tree, the symbol of life, was made the symbol of Tammuz; and it was prominently displayed in mid-winter at the birthday celebration of Tammuz. (Jer. 10:3-5)

            C. Where It Spread (Rev. 17:15)

1. Phoenicia - changed name to Asteroth and Tammuz. They also added the worship of the sun under the name of Baal. (cf. Ezek. 8:16)

2. From Phoenicia to Pergamos in Asia Minor. Pergamos became the center of this religion after the overthrow of Babylon as a nation. (cf. Rev. 2:12,13)

                        3. Egypt - Isis and Horus

                        4. Greece - Aphrodite and Eros

                        5. Rome - Venus and Cupid

                        6. Israel - spread right into the sanctuary of the temple (Ezek. 8:6-14)

7. Mexico - a recent archeological find showed an image of a mother with a child in her arms--a religious object of worship dated about 200 years before Christ.

III. THE DESTRUCTION OF THE SYSTEM (vs.11-18)

            A. Ruined by the political beast upon whose back she rode (vs.3,16)

            B. Rise of the beast to take his place as the world ruler

                        1. A miraculous rise (v.8)

                        2. Unites the world (v.12)

                        3. Gains world control (v.13)

                        4. Slated for destruction (v.8)

            C. Replaced by the worship of the beast (13:14,15) CONCLUSION: Jer. 51:6-10