REVELATION 17-18 – BABYLON AND THE BEAST

Matt Willmington 

RECAP: 

• Chap. 1 –        John’s vision of Jesus, Jesus’ message for the churches, and His plans for eternity 
• Chap. 2-3 –     Jesus delivers a message to each of the 7 churches 
• Chap. 4-7 –     Jesus pulls back the curtain and unveils what things must happen and will happen 
• Chap. 8-10 –   We walked through the 7 trumpets, then the Little Scroll that God had them seal up what the seven thunders said and not write them down 
• Chap. 11-12 – We were introduced to 2 witnesses who were killed by the antichrist and continues the campaign of persecuting Israel as an attack on God and His promises to Israel with the ultimate goal of destroying Jesus Christ
• Chap. 13 –      The beast of the sea and the beast of the earth
• Chap. 14 –      Jesus lines up the winning team to fulfill His plan
• Chap. 15-16 – The final bowls of judgment are poured out on the earth
• Chap. 17-18 – Babylon & The Beast

Revelation 17:1

“1Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and talked with me,
saying to me, “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters,
2 with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth
were made drunk with the wine of her fornication.” 3 So he carried me away in the Spirit into the wilderness. And I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast which was full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. 4 The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication. 5 And on her forehead a name
was written: MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.” 

When Does this Happen? 

Mid-Tribulation (futurists)

Who is the Harlot?

It is RELIGIOUS BABYLON

It is a City (v.18)

??? BC – Nimrod builds the city (Genesis)

1800s BC – Amorites

1700s BC – Hammurabi built into major city

1500s BC – Hittites, Kassites

1200s BC – Assyrians, Chaldeans (North captivity 700s)

600s BC – Neo-Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar (South captivity, Jeremiah, Daniel)

500s BC – Persians, Cyrus, Darius (Jewish return, Ezra, Nehemiah)

300s BC – Macedonians, Alexander the Great 

It is a System – World Religion

– Garden (Eve)

– Tower (Babel)

– City, SAME place! “You will be like god”. No atheism! All religions. WE are gods.

– Harlot = biblical picture of God’s people adulterous 

The TRUE Church:

1. God is Trinity, creator of all: Father, Son, Spirit.

2. Jesus is fully God and man.

3. The Bible is the true and trustworthy Word of God.

4. Humans are fallen and judged.

5. Jesus died to atone for our sin and resurrected bodily.

6. Salvation is by grace alone through faith in Jesus.

7. Jesus will physically return to rule on earth. 

Who is the Beast?

– Antichrist killed and raised (13:1-3, 12-14).

– He conquers “Babylon” and turns worship to him
(Daniel 9:27; 11:26-38; Matthew 24:15; 2 Thessalonians 2:4; Revelation 13:8, 15)

Revelation 17:9-10

9 “Here is the mind which has wisdom: The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits. 10 There are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, and the other has not yet come. And when he comes, he must continue a short time.

Revelation 17:12-14

12 “The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast. 13 These are of one mind, and they will give their power and authority to the beast. 14 These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful.”

Revelation 17:17-18

17 For God has put it into their hearts to fulfill His purpose, to be of one mind, and to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled. 18 And the woman whom you saw is that great city which reigns over the kings of the earth.”

Who are the 7 heads? 

Mountains / kings. (Empires, Emperors?) 

Who are the 10 horns? 

Leaders in antichrist’s coalition (Daniel 2, 7:24, 12:3, 13:1) 

Why do they attack? 

“GOD has put in their hearts to fulfill His purpose.”

Revelation 18:1-3

1 After these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illuminated with his glory. 2 And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, “Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird! 3 For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury.” 

When does this Happen?

At the End of the Tribulation

ECONOMIC BABYLON 

It is a City (v.10, 16, 18, 19, 21] 

It is a System

– Prison for demons (Isa. 13:21-22; 34:11-17; Jer. 51:37)

– Immoral Luxury

Revelation 18:4-6

4 And I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues. 5 For her sins have reached to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities. 6 Render to her just as she rendered to you, and repay her double according to her works; in the cup which she has mixed, mix double for her. 

God calls his people out!

(Gen. 12:1; 19:12; Exod. 8:1; Num. 16:26; Isa. 48:20; 52:11; Jer. 50:8; 51:6-9, 45)

– Faithful tribulation saints. Picture of Sodom / Lot

– Judgement prayer, not vengeance

Revelation 18:11-14

11 “And the merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her, for no one buys their merchandise anymore: 12 merchandise of gold and silver, precious stones and pearls, fine linen and purple, silk and scarlet, every kind of citron wood, every kind of object of ivory, every kind of object of most precious wood, bronze, iron, and marble; 13 and cinnamon and incense, fragrant oil and frankincense, wine and oil, fine flour and wheat, cattle and sheep, horses and chariots, and bodies and souls of men. 14 The fruit that your soul longed for has gone from you, and all the things which are rich and splendid have gone from you, and you shall find them no more at all. 

Kings, Merchants, Captains

– All commodities (metals / stones, clothing, spices, livestock, humans) 

Revelation 18:20-21

20 “Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you holy apostles and prophets, for God has avenged you on her!” 21 Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, “Thus with violence the great city Babylon shall be thrown down, and shall not be found anymore.

“Babylon is Destroyed”

– Prophesied- Isaiah 14, 21, 47:11, Jeremiah 50-51

– Announced- 14:8, earthquake, split in thirds 16:18-20 

Two Cities

– Genesis 11, Revelation 22

Hebrews 11:10

For he was looking forward to the city with firm foundations,
whose architect and builder is God.

Hebrews 12:22

But you have come to Mount Zion, the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem,
and to myriads of angels, to the assembly.

Hebrews 13:14

For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come.