The Woman Arrayed in Purple, Scarlet and Precious Stones Revelation 17:4

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 in chapter seventeen and verse four of Revelation John shared how he saw how, “the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet color, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls” where we read:

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:

The verse reads, “And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet color, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls ...”. John began, “and the woman” or “the female who was shown to John by the angel” “was arrayed” which refers to “the woman's clothing and outer garments” “in purple” which means “a fabric colored with purple or red-blue dye” “and scarlet color” or “and crimson color which was from the grain or berry of the ilex coccifera; these berries are the clusters of the eggs of a female insect, and the kermes which resembles the cochineal when collected and pulverized produces a red which was used in dyeing”; “and decked” which means “adorned or gilded” “with gold” or “with precious things made of gold such as articles and ornaments” “and precious stones” which refers to “small stones of great price, honor and esteem” “and pearls” or “and pearls as from oysters”. John looked upon the “woman” and found her to be “clothed” with beautiful colors such as “purple” and “crimson” as well as “adorned” with “golden articles”, precious “stones and pearls”.

The verse goes on to say, “...having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication.” John added the word “having” which means “holding, owning and possessing” “a golden cup” or “a drinking vessel made of gold” “in her hand” which means “within her hand” “full of” or “filled with” “abominations” which means “foul and detestable things” “and filthiness” or “and impurity” “of her fornication” which means “pertaining to the woman's illicit sexual intercourse, adultery, homosexuality, lesbianism, intercourse with animals, close relatives, divorced men and women and the worship of idols”. John saw the “illicit” attributes of this “woman” who was ultimately the representation of “false religion and spiritual harlotry”.

When we meditate upon John's words in this verse, we see the horrific attributes of this “woman” who was shown him. Though outwardly she was “adorned” with the most desirable garments and accessories, inwardly she represented “wicked and evil” activities which drew people to worship her. “Spiritual adultery or fornication” occurs when anything takes precedence over a relationship with God through His Son Jesus Christ. Though the manifestation of “false worship” may come in many forms, the idea is to abandon a relationship with God for these other things. God wants all people to come to Him through His Son Jesus, and those who live in the tribulation shall turn their “worship” to this “spiritual harlot” and refuse to worship the True and Living God.

Next time angel shows John how the woman had written upon her head, “MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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