The Judgment of the Great Whore Revelation 17:1

As John continued to share concerning the events during the tribulation, He wrote about the antichrist, the false prophet and the angels who were involved in the reaping of the harvest of believers who received the Lord Jesus during that time. John wrote about the first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth angel pouring out their “vials filled with the wrath of God”, and he continued by writing, “And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done. And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great. And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath. And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great.”. In chapter seventeen and verse one of Revelation John shared about “the judgment of the great whore that sits upon many waters” where we read:

And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will show unto you the judgment of the great whore that sits upon many waters:

The verse reads, “And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come here;” John began with the words, “and there came” which means “and there appeared and arose” “one of the seven angels” or “one of the seven messengers, envoys and ones sent” “which had the seven vials” which refers to “one certain angel who held, owned and possessed the seven shallow bowls filled with God's wrath”, “and talked with me” which means “and spoke, articulated sound and uttered words”, “saying unto me” or “affirming, advising and exhorting John to”, “Come here” which means “advance to this place now”. John was told by one of the “seven angels” who distributed God's “seven vials” to “come” to where he was.

The verse continues, “I will show unto you the judgment of the great whore that sits upon many waters:” John added the words “I will show unto you” which refers to “the angel was to expose, give evidence for and prove” “the judgment” or “the decree upon, condemnation of wrong and punishment” “of the great whore” which refers to “pertaining to the powerful, violent, mighty and strong idolatress which is Babylon or Rome the chief seat of idolatry” “that sits” or “who is seated, situated, fixed and dwells” “upon many waters” which means “on large bodies of waters such as the seas”. John was to be “shown” the “punishment” God would inflict upon “idolatrous” Rome which symbolically is Babylon.

When we meditate upon John's words in this verse, we realize that “Rome” was the focal city of the world when he wrote these words. Idolatry was rampant throughout “Rome”, and blasphemy against the “true God” was demonstrated not only in their statues and idols, but also their ideology. Mythical gods were abundant, and rather than seeking after the “One and only” true God, they worshiped their idols. This is the “judgment” of “spiritual adultery or idolatry” or “Spiritual Babylon”, and as we study these things let us be reminded that anything that takes precedence over a relationship to the One True God through His Son Jesus Christ is an “idol” in one's life. Those who are wise will pay particular attention to God's “judgment” upon this “great whore”.

Next time the angel tells John more about this “great whore”, “With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication ”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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