MYSTERY BABYLON THE GREAT Revelation 17:5

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 seven angels who “poured out” their “vials” filled with the “wrath of God” upon the earth, sea, atmosphere and cities. He added, “And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come here; I will show unto you the judgment of the great whore that sits upon many waters: 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 he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet colored beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet color, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:”, and in chapter seventeen and verse five of Revelation John shared how the woman's name was“MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT” where we read:

And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

The verse reads, “And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, ...”. John began with the words, “and upon her forehead” or “and on the woman's front of her head and the space between her eyes” “a name” which refers to “the word by which a person was identified” “written” which means “delineated letters on a tablet, parchment, paper or other material”, “MYSTERY” or “hidden thing or secret”, “BABYLON” which means “confusion” and was “a very large and famous city, and the residence of the Babylonian kings. It was situated on both banks of the Euphrates and was allegorically meant to describe Rome as the most corrupt seat of idolatry and the enemy of Christianity” “THE GREAT” or “the large, spacious, and abundant one”. John noticed the “name” upon this “woman” which identified her as the “hidden secret” and even as historical “Babylon” and Rome.

The verse goes on to say, “... THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.” John added the words “THE MOTHER” which means “the source of something” “OF HARLOTS” or “a woman who sells her body for sexual uses, Rome and the chief seat of idolatry” “AND ABOMINATIONS” which means “the foul and detestable things which pertain to idolatry” “OF THE EARTH” or “of the arable land, territory, country and region”. John saw how the woman's name identified her “character” as “spiritual idolatry” and “foul detestable” things.

When we think through John's words in this verse, we see more of the identity of the “woman” whom he saw in the “spiritual realm”. She was called “THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS” because she seduced people into believing her religious system rather than worshiping the One True God, and because they did, they committed acts that were complicit with the her ways. God desires to have a relationship with every person, and when they submit to Him and His Son Jesus as “Savior and Lord” He not only “saves” them but promises them “everlasting life”. May all who read these words not only understand what this “woman” represents, but also turn to God and accept His Son Jesus.

Next time John shares how he, “saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.