Judgment On The Babylonian-Like Economic And Religious World System (Rev. 17:1-18:24)

You know you are dealing with a difficult passage when you have a title as full as the one I have ascribed to this post. However, if we read this passage in light of the 3^rd and 4^th cycles in Revelation (12:1-16:21), this passage becomes much easier to understand.

We have already seen the judgment of the Babylonian world system in chapters 14 and 16, there learning that part of the reason the terminology of Babylon is used has to do with the fact that the New Covenant Church is seen in Revelation as the end-times Israel, the true people of God. And just like the evil nation of Babylon that set itself forth in the 6^th and 7^th centuries, B.C. as a false god and was used to purify Israel, but also faced judgment for their sin, so also in these last days there is an evil kingdom, a Babylon-like world-system, that represents a false god (more specifically a substitute Trinity of the Dragon/Satan, the Beast, and the Beast/False Prophet) that is used to sanctify the church, but because of its evil, also must face judgment.

There seems to be two main reasons that the judgment of this Babylon-like world system is revisited. To begin, it leads the reader into a sweet picture of the rejoicing in heaven over the ultimate defeat and judgment of evil (19:1-10), as well as a more specific view of the ultimate judgment (19:11-21). Second, in chapters 17-18 we see more specifically both the economic and religious nature of this God-opposing world system.  If I am reading Revelation correctly in general and these two chapters in particular, then what is being unveiled here is a tendency throughout this current age between the two comings of Christ for most kingdoms or governmental entities (which form an overall world system because of their similar worldviews to each other) to do the following:

1. Consolidate and centralize power to the point they control most, if not all, aspects of life and commerce.

2. Reward and penalize citizens economically based upon their allegiance or lack of allegiance to the powers-that-be.

3. Flowing out of the first two truths, persecute the Church because their allegiance is not first and foremost to the human leaders, worldview, and systems, but to Jesus Christ.

Because of these tendencies the Church lives like and is treated like it is in exile, just as Israel was in Babylon in the 6^th and 7^th centuries.

Of course, there are differences between what Revelation 17-18 is addressing from what happened to Israel centuries before Christ. To begin, the people are God are no longer primarily in one nation but are throughout the world. So, it is world-wide and lasts for the duration of this age. Additionally, the evil entity that persecutes and is used as a sanctifying agent is not only a nation but is a world-wide system that also lasts for the duration of this period.

If we understand these underlying themes, then we can grasp what is being communicated here. In the same way that Israel under the Old Covenant went into exile at the hands of an evil kingdom to be purified for the first coming of Christ, so the new and true Israel under the New Covenant is being sanctified and prepared at the hands of an evil world-system for the second coming of Christ. And, just like God fulfilled his promises to his Old Testament people, so also he will to us.

Here is an outline of Revelation 17:1-18:24. Refer to this as you read through this passage in preparation for Sunday’s sermon. Keep in mind that what you are reading is the fifth cycle that gives an overall view of this current age in Revelation. We are saving the last two parts of cycle five (19:1-10; 11-21) for the following two weeks.

I. The Introduction To The Vision: The Angel Announces To John That He is To Witness A Vision About The Judgment Of The World’s Idolatrous Economic Religious System. 17:1-3a

II. The Vision And The Seer’s Response: John Is Frightened And Perplexed By The Magnificent Appearance of The Babylonian-Like Hostile Economic-Religious System In Its Alliance With The State. 17:3b-7

A. The woman is on the beast (3b-c).

B. The woman is royally and wickedly arrayed, as aligned with the state economic system and as an idolatrous persecutor of the church (4).

C. The woman Is The Babylonian world system, mother of idolatry and evil (the contrast to the church) (5).

D. The woman is a voracious, evil persecutor of the church (6).

E. The angel speaks to John, telling him he will explain the mystery of the woman (7).

III. The Interpretation Of The Vision Of The Woman. 17:8-18

A. The interpretation of the beast: the deceptive career of the satanic state and its allies will be revealed as a sham when they are judged by Christ at the end of time. 17:8-14

1. The beast, a Christ-substitute, is described in a manner that shows he sets himself forward as a substitute, but is truly defeated (8a).

2. The response of the unregenerate earth-dwellers to the beast (8b-c).

3. A further explanation of the beast, its heads, and horns, and its ultimate defeat: another picture of the defeat of the Babylon-like God-opposing world system. 9-14

a. Understanding this calls for wisdom (9a).

b. First explanation of the seven heads: they depict a fullness of oppressive power and authority (9b).

c. Second explanation of the seven heads: they depict government, religious, and gate-keeper authorities who exercise great power, but have already been defeated in Christ (10).

d. Explanation of the beast: affirmation that the previously-mentioned entities comprise the beast throughout the church age who is defeated and will someday face eternal perdition (11).

e. Explanation of the ten horns: Leaders who have power at the end of this age, which they give in alliance with the beast (12-13).

f. The anti-God beastly governmental and religious leaders of the Babylon-like world system will war against Christ and he will defeat them (14).

B. The interpretation of the woman in relation to the waters and to the beast: At the end of history God will inspire the state and its allies to turn against the economic-religious system in order to remove its security and destroy it. 17:15-18

1. The explanation of the waters (15).

2. A revelation that the kings and beast (the government and gatekeeper entities) will turn on the woman, Babylon (economic and religious system) (16).

3. The reason God has sovereignly ordained this turning on Babylon: Destruction (17).

4. Another explanation of the woman, Babylon: Her universal influence (18).

IV. Unlike the Rest Of The World Who Will Be Judged With Babylon, Saints Who Do Not Compromise With The Idolatrous World Are To Rejoice over God’s Judgment Of It Because This Demonstrates The Integrity of Their Faith And of God’s Justice And Glory And Leads To God’s Consummate Reign And Union With His People. 18:1-19:10

A. An angel announces Babylon’s judgment (its fall) and its severe effects, which will come because of her idolatrous economic and religious seduction of people. 18:1-3 

B. God’s people are exhorted by an angel to separate from cooperating with the Babylonian religious and economic system before her judgment, lest they suffer punishment with this arrogant world system that believes it is invincible. 18:4-8

C. Those cooperating with the Babylonian religious and economic system (e.g. kings, merchants, shipmasters and their crews) will lament after her swift judgment because it means their own demise. 18:9-19

D. The faithful (those who separated from Babylon) should rejoice over her judgment once it is accomplished because it vindicates their faith and God's just character. 18:20-24

Joyfully Trusting God In Babylon With You,

Tom