THE WOMAN OF REVELATION 17

THE WOMAN OF REVELATION 17

OUTLINE OF CONTENTS

Following is a rough draft outline of the projected contents of this work. Some sections remain 'under construction' and will be completed in the future. Thank you in advance for your patience.

Foreword by Donna
Foreword by Lance

SECTION ONE SETTING THE FOUNDATION
Who is the Woman of Revelation 17?
Harlot '101' the fundamentals
Scripture says….
The harlot's sphere of influence
The harlot: Power without dominion
The nature of the harlot's power/influence
The source of the harlot's power/influence
Who/What is the harlot?
The identity of the harlot today

SECTION TWO A CLOSER LOOK
Harlot '201': A closer look
The Mother of Harlots
Adulteress vs Harlot
Of harlots and abominations
The Image of the Beast
So many questions
Life unto the image
Thou shalt have no gods before Me
Babylon The Great
Before Babylon
Mystery
The beautiful side of evil
Meanwhile, back in Babel
The Yoke of Babylon
The Yoke Unbroken
Breaking The Yoke
Bearing The Yoke Today
The Yoke of Tomorrow
A golden cup……………………..Under Construction

SECTION THREE INTO THE DEPTHS (This entire section is yet to be written)
Chronology of the harlot
Prophets and Beasts and Horns, OH MY!!
The Singularity Solution
Managing the Mark
Peace in the Tribulation??



Foreword by Lance

The following work stems from a burden the Lord placed upon my wife, Donna, in approximately 2007. Historically she had little interest in the events of end-time prophecy, but for reasons only He comprehends the Lord began to move her with a hunger to explore several aspects of end-times. Ultimately, her focus settled upon 'the woman/harlot' of Rev 17, and as the Lord began to unfold to her the tapestry of truth regarding Revelation's 'woman of mystery' it became apparent that the journey toward understanding 'the harlot' would lead to many unexpected places and even more unexpected truths!!

NO ONE will struggle with accepting some of these things more than I have!!! Much of what you will encounter stands in direct opposition to traditional teaching, some is counter-intuitive and one or two things will simply leave a logically patterned thinker such as myself in what might best be described as, "a state of shock"!!

But as I have struggled, studied and prayerfully meditated upon these things, my eyes have gradually opened and I have been blessed to discover the truth hidden within. I say "truth" NOT because I wish to support the things my wife has shared with me; I'm not that petty!! I say "truth" because these things are revealed and supported by scripture AND confirmed by the Spirit through prayerful meditation. Ultimately, each reader will have to determine what does and does not represent 'truth' in these matters. I only ask you to consider what follows with an open heart and mind.

As for me, it is with the deepest of humility that I have accepted the burden of putting these things into words. It is my prayer that the Lord will grant me the ability to share with you in a clear and concise way the fruit of that labor He began in my wife. It is also my prayer that He will inhabit these words and illuminate all that is true so that nothing will be missed by the eyes of His people.

Finally, you should know that the journey continues!! The Lord is even now revealing new chapters of this amazing story to both my wife and myself. We do not claim to have all the answers, that privilege rests solely in the purview of God. In fact, we do not even know all of the questions!! Still, we are grateful for what has been revealed and for what is continuing to be revealed at this present hour. Finally, we are grateful for the opportunity to share the few things that have already been placed into our care in the hope they will bring blessing to our brethren.

Yours in Christ……. Lance

SECTION ONE SETTING THE FOUNDATION

WHO IS THE WOMAN OF REVELATION 17?

Who is 'the Woman'? Finding an answer to this seemingly simple question is the purpose of this paper. However, before we begin our search I should first issue a cautionary note that will hopefully help some readers consider possibilities beyond the venerable and respected teachings of yesterday with not only a 'clear conscience' but also with 'clear understanding'.

One of the first things the Lord shared was that the identity of 'the Woman/Harlot' changes over time. To better understand this proposition, consider the following thoughts.

• Every generation holds the hope and prospect that prophecy COULD be fulfilled in their own time. This was true of the very first generation following the cross, and it has continued to hold true through each successive generation until this very day.

• To permit such 'hope', it should be apparent that each generation is able to find a form/shadow of prophetic fulfillment that reasonably conforms to the understood requirements of prophecy.

For example, early generations of the Church rightly understood the prophecies regarding 'the Woman' could find fulfillment in the Roman Empire. Later generations found the Catholic Church to fit almost perfectly into the prophetic mold of 'the Woman' and in our own generation multiple entities compete for the dubious right to hold the title of 'the Woman'.

As we move through this study, we will look to scripture for understanding as to who might rightly be called 'the Woman’ of Revelation 17 today. Yet we should understand even from the beginning that should our Lord choose to delay His coming for another season, then any identity we might settle upon now, could very well change with the passage of time.

Finally, we understand that 'the Woman' is a multifaceted entity who's nature and character are revealed through her description and the various titles scripture applies to her. As we explore each facet, (Mystery, Babylon, Mother of Harlots and Abominations, etc...), we will gain a clearer picture of who 'the Woman' of The Revelation really is. The first facet of this 'Woman of mystery' I would like to explore is that of the 'Mother of Harlots'.


HARLOT '101': THE FUNDAMENTALS

Understanding the facts surrounding scripture's teachings on 'the Woman' is frequently not a straight-forward venture. Scripture itself uses the term 'Mystery' to describe her and she is tightly intertwined with other 'mysterious' end-times entities such as 'the beast'. So…. We should hardly expect her secrets to be surrendered easily.

As such, it is my intention to initially reveal features of 'the Woman' using broad brush strokes. Later I will try to revisit some of our areas of study and touch on them in finer detail for those who possess 'inquiring minds'.


SCRIPTURE SAYS >>>

Scripture has much to say about who/what 'the Woman/Harlot' is in both the Old and New Testaments. However, nowhere is there more information on the nature and character of this entity brought together in one location than we find in chapters 17 & 18 of The Revelation. I would like to strongly encourage the reader to examine these chapters carefully before continuing. Now, let's press forward to see what amazing things scripture might reveal about 'the Mother of Harlots'.

THE HARLOT'S SPHERE OF INFLUENCE

A good question to ask might be, "how far does the harlot's influence reach?" Is her hand confined to a single city, a country or is she perhaps larger still? Scripture quickly gives us an answer to these questions when it says:

Rev 17:1 And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:

Rev 17:15 And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.

Rev 18:3 For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her….

Scripture plainly reveals the harlot to 'sit upon many waters' and with equal clarity indicates we should understand 'the waters' to be 'peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues'. Scripture goes on to explicitly declare that 'all nations' and 'the kings of the earth' have fallen under the harlot's thrall. Without doubt, the influence of the harlot extends across many nations and embraces the entire world!

As if to underscore the truth that the harlot's influence is global in scope we find the following confirmation in the prophetic vision of John.

Rev 17:7 & 9 And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman…. And here [is] the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.

While it is not possible to definitively prove the identity of the 'mountains' the woman/harlot is sitting upon, allow me to suggest the 'seven heads/mountains' are the 'seven continents' which hold all the kingdoms of this world. This understanding is strongly supported by the following explicit declarations from the prophecy.

• The prophecy explicitly declares the woman/harlot 'sits upon seven mountains'.

• The prophecy also states she 'sits upon many waters/nations'.

• We therefore conclude the 'many nations and seven mountains' must be closely related to one another such that the 'seven mountains' are comprised of the 'many nations'.

Thus, the 'mountains' would appear to be the 'seven continents' which contain the kingdoms of the world and the prophetic picture conveyed then confirms for us the understanding that the woman/harlot casts the net of her adulteries across the entire world!

Yet scripture has still more to reveal concerning the scope of the harlot's influence as it states:

Rev 17:3 So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.

Rev 17:7 And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns.

Here we can see the harlot sits not only upon the peoples of many nations, but also upon the scarlet beast itself and by extension, the governments, organizations and/or leaders which comprise that beast! From this fact, we can begin to grasp that her sphere of influence is not only broad but also VERY powerful since it compels even 'the beast' to 'carry her' about!

Some other tidbits we should glean from the passage above for later use might be:

• The harlot is under God's judgment. That is to say, she is no friend of our Lord or His children and will be harshly judged/punished.

• 'The harlot' and 'the beast' are separate entities, with different goals and different agendas.

• The term 'sitteth upon' [Kathemai epi = to sit on, upon or against; in essence, the force/power of the harlot is resting 'on, upon or against' the 'waters'] lends its primary meaning toward understanding HOW the harlot is sitting rather than WHERE she is sitting. That is to say, when scripture states the harlot 'sitteth upon many waters' it first intends to indicate that she is exerting GREAT force/power/influence 'on, upon or against' the peoples of many nations.

THE HARLOT: POWER WITHOUT DOMINION

The above passages paint a brilliantly clear picture of the power/influence the harlot wields on a global scale. Yet with all this power/influence she is never spoken of as having 'dominion/authority' over the peoples, nations, etc. In fact, scripture is very clear in specifying who holds the place of 'authority' over the Earth when it states:

Rev 13:7-8 It was also given to him [the beast and/or its 'mouth'] to make war with the saints and to overcome them, and authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation was given to him. All who dwell on the earth will worship him….

So, we can readily understand it is 'the beast' who possesses power, authority and dominion over 'every tribe, people, tongue and nation' of the Earth. Yet scripture is equally clear in teaching that 'the beast' is itself compelled by the harlot's own power to 'carry her' about. This is nothing short of astonishing and immediately begs the questions; what is the nature of the harlot's power/influence and what is the source of that power?


THE NATURE OF THE HARLOT'S POWER/INFLUENCE

What is the nature of the incredible power/influence that allows the harlot to hold sway over not only the peoples of the Earth, but even over the beast itself to whom scripture clearly grants the seat of dominion?

Scripture begins to address this question when it shares with us the seemingly simple truth that 'the woman' described in chapters 17 & 18 is not only a harlot, but indeed 'the mother of harlots'!

Rev 17:2 With [the harlot] the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.

Rev 17:4 And the woman…. having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:

Rev 17:5 And upon her forehead [was] a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

Rev 18:3 For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her….

Now, ask yourself this question, "What power/influence does a harlot/whore/prostitute wield?" Is it not the seductive power of lust? Does she not hold her 'lover' enthralled by the honey of her lips and the wine of her sweet promises even as she drains him of life, wealth and hope? The book of Proverbs tells us the following concerning the ways of 'the harlot':

Pro 5:3-5 For the lips of a strange woman drop [as] an honeycomb, and her mouth [is] smoother than oil: But her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a twoedged sword. Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on hell.

Pro 6:23-26 For the commandment [is] a lamp; and the law [is] light; and reproofs of instruction [are] the way of life: To keep thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman. Lust not after her beauty in thine heart; neither let her take thee with her eyelids. For by means of a whorish woman [a man is brought] to a piece of bread: and the adulteress will hunt for the precious life.

The harlot wields the power of LUST! She holds out the promise of fulfilling all your secret desires and meeting all your pressing needs. It does not matter whether you lust for fame, fortune, power, the aura of godliness or some darker yearning of the flesh…. 'The mother of harlots' is both ready and willing to take you to her chambers.

Just as 'lust' is multifaceted and extends into every corner of our world, so too does the harlot's web of destruction extend into every corner of the human experience. Regardless of whether we inspect the inner workings of the church, government, schools or even the fabric of society itself, we will find ourselves gazing into the face of the harlot. In some form, she exists quite literally 'everywhere'. And yet, as we will see momentarily, scripture reveals that the 'root' form of the harlot springs from one central source.

Every individual of every generation has heard the call of the harlot, yet none will hear it as loud or as clearly as that generation, perhaps our own, who will contend with 'the mother of harlots' herself. If you listen carefully, even now you can hear her seductive whisper, "Follow me and I will fulfill your every desire!" This then is the 'nature' of the harlot's power; the seductive power of our own lusts… May God have mercy on us all!!

THE SOURCE OF THE HARLOT'S POWER/INFLUENCE

So, now that we understand the nature of the harlot's power, let's turn our attention toward determining the source of that power. What instrument does she possess that could allow her to make such a broad and open-ended promise to 'fulfill the desires of every person' on the planet? Fortunately, scripture is not silent regarding this question and as you can see from the following passages, the source of the harlot's power/influence is centered in the instruments of trade, finance, wealth and the 'process of acquisition' in general.

Rev 17:4 And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls….

• Purple – indicative of royalty, nobility, wealth and/or priesthood.
• Scarlet – indicative of wanton living or sinfulness, blood (ie.. the blood of Christ) and/or war.
• In the case of 'the harlot' 'purple and scarlet' would seem to suggest vast wealth coupled with zero moral integrity.

Rev 18:3 …. the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.

• Delicacies – Gr. 'Strenos' = luxuries (ie.. Things we don't truly need but 'desire' nonetheless.)

Rev 18:7 How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously…. I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.

• Deliciously – Gr. 'Streniao' = To be wanton, to live luxuriously.
• "I sit a queen…" – The harlot places her trust in 'material things'.

Rev 18:9 And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her….

• The kings are drawn to the harlot's 'delicious' lifestyle with its wanton excess and luxury.

Rev 18:14 And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed from thee, and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from thee, and thou shalt find them no more at all.

Rev 18:15 The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing,

Rev 18:19 And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness!....

The harlot controls the wheels of commerce on a global scale!!! She sits as the controlling force in the global system designed to facilitate trade through instruments such as; availability of credit, electronic transfer of funds (extending from small debit/credit card transactions to large scale banking, corporate, and/or state sponsored exchanges) and other financial instruments. In short, the harlot controls all things commercial!

Now, I understand this is quite a claim to make. I also understand that while it is immediately obvious from the above passages that the harlot has financial connections, it is not nearly so readily apparent that she actually 'controls global finances', especially to the degree suggested.

To grasp this truth more clearly consider very carefully Rev 18:11-13 which states:

Rev 18:11-13 And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more: The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble, And cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men.

• NO MAN BUYETH their merchandise any more – Carefully note the following facts regarding the economic environment after the harlot's destruction.
• The merchants still possess merchandise they want to sell. There is no shortage of 'stuff' available for purchase.
• No one is able to buy the available merchandise!!!

The only possible conclusion to be drawn from these facts is that it was 'the harlot' who made 'buying/trading/commerce' possible across the globe! For all practical purposes, nothing that is bought or sold, from gold and silver to simple flour and the very souls of men (drugs, sex and human trafficking), moves through the world of finance without 'the harlot' holding some place in the required transactions. Therefore, when she is destroyed the global economic system grinds to an immediate and indefinite halt!

Scripture makes yet another statement that adds more substance to the conclusion reached above. Consider the following passage.

Rev 17:18 And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.

The passage clearly states the woman/harlot 'reigneth' over the kings of the earth. However, the word used here IS NOT the word we might expect or that is typically associated with the act of 'reigning' in a political sense which is:

Basileuo – 1) To be king, to exercise kingly power, to reign. 2) To exercise the highest influence, to control.

Instead, the word translated 'reigneth' in the passage is the Greek, 'echo'.

Echo – To hold, own or possess as in external things such as property or riches. Used of those joined in a bond through blood, marriage, friendship, duty or law.

Do you have a credit card, a mortgage or other loan from a financial institution? Then you can surely identify with the type of relationship described by the word 'echo'. In this relationship the financial institution 'holds' you, through your debt, as a possession that is linked to their riches. We become joined to them in a bond through both duty and law to repay all that was borrowed to buy the 'things' we wanted… those 'delicacies' we crave and desire! Until that debt is resolved our creditors (shadows of the harlot) 'reign' [echo] over some portion of our lives and we have no choice but 'to serve' the one who 'sits' upon us, whom we both love and hate!

In a very similar way 'the harlot' will 'reign' over the kings of the earth and the peoples of the earth will be drunk with the wine of fornicating with her!!!

WHO/WHAT IS THE HARLOT?

In speaking of 'the harlot', scripture frequently calls her a 'great city' and without doubt this is true. However, let us recognize that the harlot is far more than 'a city'. In fact, we should quickly recognize she wears at least two different faces and quite probably three.

First and foremost, the harlot is a global economic system! As already stated, she controls the flow of commerce on a global scale and very little that is bought or sold falls outside of her purview.

Second, the harlot is a great city. This fact is abundantly clear from scripture's many explicit declarations. It is also a reasonable and fairly obvious proposition that if the purposes of the harlot are fulfilled by means of a global economic system, then that system must be administered from some central point…. A great city that sits as the financial hub of the whole earth!

Third, the harlot 'seems' to be a nation. Scripture loosely speaks of the harlot as a national entity of some type. The latitude of scripture's words allow for the possibility that the harlot might exist as an actual 'nation' or she might take the form of a 'dedicated area' such as Washington DC, or Vatican City. Regardless of her 'larger' form, it is intuitively easy to grasp the concept that just as 'the system' rests within 'a city', that city must also exist within some larger entity such as 'a nation'.

Thus we come to understand that in the simplest possible terms; the harlot of The Revelation is an economic system, administered from a city, harbored within a 'nation' and she exerts tremendous influence throughout the entire world!

THE IDENTITY OF THE HARLOT TODAY

The precise identity of the harlot seems to be a question many people are fascinated with in the world today. I have spent considerable time pondering this question myself and have come to the following conclusions.

• Knowing who the harlot is and where she lives is not nearly so beneficial as knowing what the harlot is and how she works.

• While a 'form' of the harlot is at work in the world at this very moment; I think the final version of the harlot does not exist at this present time. I believe the global economic upheavals we are currently experiencing will serve as the catalyst and crucible that will ultimately give birth to 'the mother of harlots' seen in The Revelation.

I say this because, in my estimation, no entity currently exists that fully meets either the explicit or implicit requirements scripture establishes for the one called 'the mother of harlots'. I will explain my thoughts on this more completely later and I hope you will allow me to table this matter until then.

That being said, I will readily confess that a shadow of the harlot has always been at work throughout the history of man and is most certainly hard at work today. I would also suggest that IF the final fulfillment of the harlot is already at work in the world as many insist, THEN the city of New York most nearly matches the mold established in scripture for 'the harlot'. Other possibilities might include Jerusalem, Rome or even Brussels.

The true answer to this question will become clear as we draw nearer to the time of her full arrival on the world scene. Lord willing, we will never see her day, but I fear such will not be the case and before many years pass we may well look upon her hideously beautiful face.

SECTION TWO: A CLOSER LOOK

HARLOT '201': A CLOSER LOOK

I hope the things we have covered thus far have proven useful and thought provoking. From this point it is my hope that we can move forward and take a closer look at the harlot and what it means for her to be called the 'mother of harlots', 'Babylon' and why scripture declares her to be a 'mystery'.

THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS

Rev 17:5 And upon her forehead [was] a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

What does it mean to be 'the mother of harlots'? Many have found in this 'title/description' a reason to conclude that the woman of Revelation 17 MUST be either the Church or some other 'people of God' who have strayed from their 'husband' and are bound in an adulterous relationship with a 'strange god'.

At first blush this seems reasonable due to the similarities between the concepts of 'adultery & harlotry'. However, once a more careful examination has been conducted I believe the evidence will support the conclusion that the title, "mother of harlots", is not a reference toward any religious group but toward something else entirely!

To consider the evidence, it would seem reasonable to begin by exploring what it means to be a 'mother'. From the passage above we discover the following regarding the Greek word used for "mother".

MOTHER – GR. mētēr
1) a mother
2) metaph. the source of something, the motherland

So then, in the most simplistic terms possible, we discover that to be a "mother" is to be the source of something. And in this specific case we can reasonably conclude that the 'woman' is the source of harlots. That seems fairly straightforward….. but what exactly does THAT mean??

ADULTERESS vs HARLOT

I may regret it, but let's attempt to do two things at once in this section. Let's not only seek an understanding of what a 'harlot' is but also consider how a 'harlot' is different from an 'adulteress' and therefore why the one called the 'mother of harlots' should NOT be viewed as an 'adulterous' Church, group of people, etc... To begin, let's first consider the Greek word for 'adultery/adulteress'

ADULTERY – Gr. moichao
1) to have unlawful intercourse with another's wife, to commit adultery with

ADULTERESS – Gr. moichalis
1) an adulteress
2) as the intimate alliance of God with the people of Israel was likened to a marriage, those who relapse into idolatry are said to commit adultery or play the harlot
a) fig. equiv. to faithless to God, unclean, apostate

Example of usage in scripture:
Rom 7:3 So then if, while [her] husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man.

Allow me to point out a couple of important points regarding the concepts of 'adultery' and/or being an 'adulteress'.

• The Greek language possesses a specific term (moichao, moichalis) to describe adultery and/or being an adulteress.

• In Rev 17:5, 'Mother of harlots', DOES NOT use either of these terms!!

● The critical characteristic of the terms for 'adultery' (moichao, moichalis) is that they demand the existence of a binding relationship/marriage before any form of 'adultery' is possible!!

• When the definition of 'adulteress' uses the phrase 'play the harlot'. It is not indicating that an 'adulteress' is the same thing as a harlot, but merely observing that an 'adulteress' acts in a manner that is in some ways similar to a harlot. To stretch these limited similarities into a teaching that attempts to not only 'connect with', but indeed to 'fully capture' the title of 'Mother of Harlots' is AT BEST irresponsible!!

Now, let's take a look at the Greek word for 'harlot' and see how it compares to the concepts surrounding 'adultery/adulteress'.

HARLOT – Gr. pornē
1) a woman who sells her body for sexual uses
a) a prostitute, a harlot, one who yields herself to defilement for the sake of gain
b) any woman indulging in unlawful sexual intercourse, whether for gain or for lust
2) metaph. an idolatress
a) of "Babylon" i.e. Rome, the chief seat of idolatry

In considering the nature of a 'harlot' we can once more note the limited similarities she shares with an 'adulteress'. Of greater significance however, are the distinct differences between the two.

• Rev 17:5 DOES use this term [pornē] to describe the 'Mother of Harlots'.

● The critical characteristic of the term 'harlot' (pornē) is that it is bound up in an individual's LUST, regardless of whether that lust be directed toward material gain or personal satisfaction!!!

● Also, unlike 'adultery', the concept of 'harlotry' has nothing to do with 'relationship status', and can apply equally well to everyone.

● The term 'harlot' carries a very strong 'economic element' resident within it. We see this 'economic element' expressed in that a harlot is one who: SELLS her body and/or defiles herself FOR GAIN!! Exactly 'what is gained' will of course depend on the nature of the 'transaction' taking place. Perhaps the harlot will 'sell/defile' herself for money, food, material goods or even personal satisfaction. Either way, a transaction takes place that more often than not may be classified as 'economic' in nature.

● All adulteresses are harlots, but NOT all harlots are adulteresses!! What I am saying here is that the term 'harlot' INCLUDES the definition of 'adultery' when it speaks of, "unlawful sexual intercourse". However, the term 'harlot' extends to a MUCH broader group of people than the rather narrow, specific term of 'adulteress'.

● VERY IMPORTANT!! The application of this final observation leads us to the important realization that while the apostate Church will absolutely makeup A PORTION of the 'harlot'; the 'harlot' is in no way limited to just the apostate Church!! The 'harlot' will extend to everyone who will 'embrace her'!!! (Pun intended….)

In honestly considering how the definitions of 'adulteress and harlot' might apply to the phrase 'Mother of harlots'; it is difficult if not impossible to find any firm footing to justify concluding that the 'Mother of harlots' should be viewed as 'the Church' or indeed any other specific and/or narrow grouping of people.

Yet if this is true, then what exactly does scripture intend to indicated when it speaks of the 'Mother of harlots'??

OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS

Before we move forward, allow me to revisit the passage of scripture we are considering.

Rev 17:5 And upon her forehead [was] a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

To this point we have focused only on the fact that the 'woman' is the 'mother of harlots'. However, scripture is crystal clear that she is also the 'mother of abominations'. In effect, scripture is charging the 'woman' with being the source of virtually every abominable thing in the earth!!

This is astonishing!! To fully comprehend this truth we must focus for just a bit longer on what it means to be the 'Mother of harlots'. In doing so, let's first recall the understanding we have captured regarding the terms 'mother' and 'harlot'.

• Mother = The source of something
• Harlot = One who yields herself to defilement for the sake of gain

If we integrate these into a single entity the disturbing truth about the woman of Rev 17, the 'Mother of harlots and abominations', is revealed. That truth is simply this; the 'Mother of harlots and abominations' is the embodiment of our continual demand for instant gratification. She is the source/creator and sustainer of our many and varied lusts. She is the physical manifestation of that spirit which personifies, encourages and empowers mankind's willingness to defile ourselves in the eyes of God for the sake of personal gain and/or satisfaction!! SHE IS MAMMON, AND SHE IS THE ROOT OF ALL EVIL!!

1 Tim 6:10 For the love of money is the ROOT OF ALL EVIL: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

Mat 6:21-24 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also…. No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

As such, she is the antithesis of all that God has implored us to be!!

Mat 6:25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?

1 Tim 6:7-11 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith CONTENT. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.

Like God, the 'woman' casts the seeds of her message into the world for mankind to encounter. While the message of God seeks to produce eternal fruit in our spirit, the message of the 'woman' seeks to produce temporary fruit in our flesh. While the fruit of God is satisfying to the soul, the fruit of the 'woman' is addictive to the senses. And whereas the fruit of God results in many and various gifts to the earth, the fruit of the 'woman' results in all of 'the abominations of the earth', for her fruit springs from the root of ALL evil, which is our LOVE/LUST for money/mammon!!

In conclusion allow me to reiterate our earlier conclusion that the 'woman' to whom is given the title/description of 'the Mother of harlots and abominations of the earth' will be physically realized in the form of an economic system that touches every corner and facet of our lives. At some point we must realize that it is 'the woman' with whom we are dealing and coming into agreement with as we continue our endless pursuit of the 'MAMMON' of this world!

In some very real ways we can recognize the 'shadow' of the woman/harlot already at work in our society and throughout the world today. Even so, we must also recognize that at this point in time she is incomplete and has yet to reach the pinnacle of her power.

That pinnacle will be achieved only when the economic system associated with the 'mark of the beast' is implemented. In that day the woman/harlot will hold the power of life and death as she literally bargains for the souls of men. She will stand in the place of sole 'provider' and the people of the earth will be at her mercy as we stand in a position of desperate need.

At that time, each of us will face the choice of Esau and all the masks will be stripped away!! Until then we must seek to set our hearts upon the only one who can help us stand firm and see us safely through that terrible storm. Journey well my brothers and walk always in the peace and contentment only our Lord can provide.

THE IMAGE OF THE BEAST

We all know the words of scripture that describe the incredible and terrifying image of the beast.

REV 13: 15 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.

Scripture's words of warning are very clear, yet the question remains unanswered as to exactly what this 'image' might be or how it will find expression in our world. As such, please allow me an opportunity to share what I have come to understand regarding 'the image of the beast.'

What I hope to share with you is the understanding that there will most likely be some sort of physical realization of the 'image of the beast'. This could take the form of a statue, memorial or perhaps a monument or building of some type.

Yet even while I believe something of this sort will exist, I do not think that is ALL the 'image' will be, nor do I think the physical 'image' will represent the most dangerous form of the 'image of the beast'!

I believe the most dangerous form of that 'image' will be 'ideological/conceptual' and will be 'given life' in the hearts, minds and souls of men and women throughout the earth!!

I suppose the best way for me to present these things for your consideration is to share with you some of the same questions that lead me to this place where I now stand. If there is truth in these things, I pray our Father will open your eyes to it. If I am guilty of standing in confusion please pray for me, that my own eyes will learn to truly see.

SO MANY QUESTIONS

The first question to consider is what exactly is an 'image'? To answer this question let's begin by considering the definition of the Greek word used in the passage above.

Eikon – Image
1) An image, figure or likeness
a. An image of the things (the heavenly things)
b. Used of the moral likeness of renewed men to God
c. The image of one in whom the likeness of another is seen [due to similarity of appearance, personality, etc… brackets mine]
d. Used of Christ on account of his divine nature and absolute moral excellence

From the word's definition it is readily apparent that the word 'Eikon/Image' is used to describe the concept of 'image' in two connected but fundamentally distinct ways.

First, the word conveys the concept of a 'figure'. This use readily extends to the world of 'things' and is used primarily of inanimate objects such as statues, monuments and pictures.

Second, the word 'Eikon/Image' is also shown to encompasses less substantial subjects existing largely in the realm of the 'conceptual' like a person's 'moral likeness', their similarity of 'personality' and even a similarity of 'essence or nature'.

Which mode of usage was intended by the passage of scripture we are considering is not immediately clear and therefore we need to explore additional questions. Some questions we might consider should be:

• What type of 'image' would people more readily worship; a 'figure' made of stone or a 'conceptual' image given birth/life within their hearts and minds?

• What does it mean when scripture says 'he had the power to give life to the image?"

Let's take a look at the last question first.

LIFE UNTO THE IMAGE

To begin, let us consider the definition of the Greek word translated as 'life' in this passage.

Pneuma (Life/Spirit) – The definition of 'pneuma' is quite long and covers several different ways the word can be used. Following is a short summary.
• The Holy Spirit
• The spirit/vital principal by which the body is animated
• A human soul that has left the body

Finally, and I would suggest more significantly, we come to this meaning of 'pneuma':

4) the disposition or influence which fills and governs the soul of any one
a) the efficient source of any power, affection, emotion, desire, etc.

From the above, we come to understand that 'pneuma' has the latitude to not only speak of the 'life and/or spirit', but also of the 'influence which fills and governs' that spirit!!!

With this in mind, let us return to our earlier question.

• What type of 'image' would people more readily worship; a 'figure' made of stone or a 'conceptual' image given birth/life within their hearts and minds?

THOU SHALT HAVE NO GODS BEFORE ME

Gen 6: 5 And God saw that the wickedness of man [was] great in the earth,
and [that] every imagination of the thoughts of his heart [was] only evil
continually.

Evil begins in the imaginations and thoughts of a man's heart. That is where we create 'other gods' that we begin to bow down and worship, and I believe it will be just so when mankind begins to bow down and worship the 'image of the beast'.

We have already seen that an 'image/eikon' can be 'physical' as well as 'conceptual or ideological' in nature. We have also seen that 'life/pneuma' can speak of the 'influence that fills and governs the soul' and serves as the 'source of power, affection, emotion and desire'.

If we consider these concepts together, then we can begin to understand that when scripture states that he [the prophet] gave 'life unto the image', it does not have to mean that he 'brought an inanimate figure to life'.

Instead, these words may be pointing toward the birth of an ideal in the mind of 'the prophet'!! An ideal that he shares with others who come into agreement with him and begin to devote themselves to 'the ideal', to the man behind that ideal and to the very dragon himself who is the author of that ideal!

A reasonably good example of just such an 'image' might be 'Lady Liberty'. While she is a physical 'symbol/image' that has no 'life' of her own. It could be argued that she 'lives' in the hearts and minds of all of her 'children' who bear the image/ideals of 'freedom, liberty and justice for all' deep within their hearts. In this same way, 'the prophet' may very well create an 'image' to the wounded head (Rev 13:3).

Consider these facts for just a moment:

• The seven 'heads' of the beast are most likely the seven continents (See: The Harlot's Sphere of influence).
• One of the 'heads' was wounded as if unto death
• This would seem to equate to enormous damage that would likely cause the infrastructure of the entire world to be stressed to the breaking point.

We will consider the chronology of relevant end-time events later in this work. For now I do not wish to get sidetracked by analyzing such things. Instead, I would ask the reader to indulge me just a bit by considering the possibilities and implications that exist if the 'wound' to the beast's head were to be inflicted during, or even shortly before, the events described by the first four seals of The Revelation (Rev 6:1-8). Though these seals represent the early stages of the overall destruction that is coming, the scope of devastation seen in them is almost unimaginable.

• War, famine, plague, economic collapse and Death!!

Rev 6:8 And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.

I strongly suspect that these things directly reflect, and/or will lead to, the 'wounding' of the beast's head. I also suspect the 'wounded head' will be healed through the miraculous power of the 'prophet/little horn', and the people will be astonished!!

Rev 13:3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.

Following these things, the prophet will establish an 'image' to the wounded head. While it may indeed be a physical 'image' for people to rally behind; I suspect the greater purpose and danger will rest in the 'image' he will present in the form of a vision/plan that will result in the creation of a global governmental and economic system!

Rev 13:14-15 And [the Prophet/Little Horn] deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by [the means of those miracles]…. saying to them…. that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live. And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not WORSHIP THE IMAGE of the beast should be killed.

The purpose of these systems will be to unite the people in a common bond, through a common vision for a common goal! That goal will be to overcome all the challenges facing mankind and to build a 'better world' that will never again be shaken by ANY hand!!

Gen 11:4, 6 They said, "Come, let us build for ourselves a city, and a tower whose top will reach into heaven, and let us make for ourselves a name, otherwise we will be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth."….. The LORD said, "Behold, they are one people, and they all have the same language. And this is what they began to do, and now nothing which they purpose to do will be impossible for them.

The 'image' created by the prophet will appear to offer hope and the opportunity to not only restore all that had been lost, but to move mankind to new heights of power, ability and self sufficiency. The promise of these things will have a broad and powerful appeal. They will also stand in complete opposition to the will and ways of our Lord!

Yet, do you suppose a world full of people in the depths of darkness and despair would embrace the false ‘light of hope’ extended to them by the prophet? I rather imagine they would. In fact, I can imagine them embracing that ‘light’ to the very point of ‘worship’…. Especially if it showed any indications of actually bearing fruit! It seems we are quick to forget the words of scripture.

Jeremiah 10:14-15 Every man is brutish in [his] knowledge: every founder is confounded by the graven image: for his molten image [is] falsehood, and [there is] no breath in them. They [are] vanity, [and] the work of errors: in the time of their visitation they shall perish.

When ‘we the people’ begin to trust in ‘the system’, ANY SYSTEM, to provide for our ‘daily bread’ rather than looking to the one who created us…. Then we have put ‘another god’ before Him and have slipped into idolatry and false worship! These things may sound like stories of a far-away time, but the wise reader knows they are already partially in effect and their full/final fulfillment could be just around the corner!

Rev 13:4-5 And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who [is] like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty [and] two months.

Rev 13:7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.

Thank you for allowing me to share these things. I hope something in all these words might be counted as a blessing.

BABYLON THE GREAT

Previously we considered how 'the Woman', working through the vehicle of mankind's many lusts, is understood to be the source of every abomination found in the earth. As such, we should not be surprised that the wellspring of what it means for her to be called 'Babylon the great' might also be found flowing from that same 'source'. However, the specifics surrounding that facet of her manifestation we call 'Babylon the great' is sufficiently unique and powerful that it merits separate consideration.

As we examine what it means for the 'Woman' to be called "Babylon the great", we will add new elements to our understanding of her 'personality'. As 'the Harlot' we discovered 'how' the 'Woman' will propagate her wickedness throughout the earth. In her guise of 'Babylon the great' we will come to understand 'why' she does these things.

While each reader must ultimately decide what represents 'truth', allow me to suggest that just as the 'harlot' might be summed up by the single word 'lust', so too might the critical new personality elements we are going to encounter in 'Babylon' be summed up in the single word PRIDE!!

BEFORE BABYLON

If we wish to understand the spirit motivating 'Babylon the great' we need to go back in time to at least the point where the city of Babel was founded. It is in that place and at that time where we can truly begin to distinguish the features that typify she who is called 'Babylon'.

Gen 11:4-6 They said, "Come, let us build for ourselves a city, and a tower whose top will reach into heaven, and let us make for ourselves a name, otherwise we will be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth."…. The LORD said, "Behold, they are one people, and they all have the same language. And this is what they began to do, and now nothing which they purpose to do will be impossible for them.

The emphasized lines of this passage may seem like a strange place to begin our exploration of 'Babylon', but like any 'maze', this puzzle is easiest understood by solving it in reverse order. Therefore, let's take a short detour as we first consider why the 'Woman' is called a 'Mystery'.

MYSTERY

Rev 17:1-5 And there came one of the seven angels…. and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:…. So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness…. And upon her forehead [was] a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

I think it is significant that the angel who came to John took him, "into the wilderness" to reveal the secrets of the 'Woman'. While this turn-of-phrase could mean many things, allow me to offer the very simple understanding that the angel was merely demonstrating the reality of the fact that 'the Woman is HIDDEN'. Yeah, I know…. A little underwhelming what with her already being called a 'Mystery' and all, but stick with me a bit longer because this small fact is going to take us places.

There are many ways in which something might be 'hidden'. It could be stashed in a secret place that no one knows about, or tucked away where no one can see. But sometimes the very best place for a thing to be hidden is in plain sight!! I believe that is where scripture shows us the 'Woman' will be hidden in the last days.

THE BEAUTIFUL SIDE OF EVIL

Consider again what scripture shares with us regarding the original 'Babylon'.

Gen 11:5-6 …. The LORD said, "Behold, they are one people, and they all have the same language. And this is what they began to do, and now nothing which they purpose to do will be impossible for them.

The Lord is very specific in pointing out the fact that the people of Babel where 'one people' and that they spoke with 'one language'. In short, these people were UNIFIED in thought, purpose and action!!! So then, that’s gotta be a bad thing right???

WRONG! Isn't 'unity' what we expect to find within the kingdom of God? Isn't 'unity' one of the Lord's core instructions to his people here on earth? Wasn’t 'unity' a central theme of Jesus' teachings given in John 14:15-21?

Jhn 14:20 At that day ye shall know that I [am] in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.

And the perfection of unity is assuredly the major portion of that which we most long for in our relationship with Christ!

Eph 5:31-32 “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” This is a profound mystery – but I am talking about Christ and the church.”

There is nothing wrong with people coming together in 'unity'. In fact, unity is a beautiful thing in the eyes of God and should have been a beautiful thing in the city of Babel. So what went wrong?

When God looked down on the city of Babel he noted they were a unified people who shared a common vision, with common goals for a common purpose. Their bond of 'unity' placed the potential for great power and accomplishment within their reach such that God himself was moved to say, "now NOTHING which they purpose to do will be IMPOSSIBLE for them."

In our own future, when the 'Beast' and the 'Harlot' are fully realized in the earth, they too will move the people toward absolute unity. Again, that 'unity' could be a beautiful thing. Without doubt the words used to persuade mankind will paint glorious pictures of all that 'could be'.

Recall, if you will, our earlier exploration of 'the image of the beast'. We observed that scripture indicates a time will come when calamity will be suffered by one of the seven 'heads' of the Beast. From the ashes of that calamity an 'image' and/or global 'ideal' will be born to provide the people of all the earth with unity of purpose, direction and hope. With visions of utopia before us and the swelling pride of globalism within us men and women will gladly commit themselves to 'the cause/worship of the image' in an effort to play their part in mankind's next great 'golden age', which will likely be heralded as the coming of the very kingdom of God!

Leading mankind into the brilliant horizon of that future tomorrow will be the charismatic 'little horn' and his unwanted yet much needed companion, the 'Whore of Babylon'. Together they will hold out the hope for a beautiful future and all that is required will be a binding covenential commitment [via 'the mark'] to the 'unification of mankind' toward a common vision, with common goals for a common purpose! With such a commitment in place the 'possibilities' will be unlimited and the opportunity for great peace and incredible beauty will stand on the threshold of humanities hope!! So then, once more the question must be asked; WHAT GOES WRONG??

What goes wrong is really quite simple. Along with the 'beauty' that is resident in 'unity' comes great power as God himself pointed out when He stated, "now nothing will be impossible for them". That power is like a drug which not many can handle well and very, very few can handle in great measure.

It is a true proverb which states, "Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely"!

This is why God is typically careful not to give too much authority, too many gifts or too much power to any one person. No matter how noble and beautiful your intentions might be; there is a seed of evil hidden before your very eyes, in the one place you might never think to look. That seed of evil, like the 'Mystery' of the Woman's nature is hidden inside of me and inside of you!!

In fact, the 'Mystery' is that each of us, in some measure, bear within us the personality traits exploited by the spirit of the 'Harlot' and 'Babylon'!! Therefore we are attracted to her like a moth to a flame. Nothing will seem so beautiful and desirable to us as she who is destined to be the destroyer of many of our brothers and sisters!!

For us, she is the beautiful side of evil and she is a 'Mystery' because while her grotesque evil stands naked before our eyes, we can see nothing but the beauty of our murderous lover. It is only through the eyes of faith and by the light of the Word of God that this 'Woman of Mystery' will be exposed for what she really is; a treacherous whore who cares for nothing but herself!!

MEANWHILE, BACK IN BABEL

We already know how the 'harlot' operates, and now it is time for us to explore the dangers of 'Babylon'. To begin, let's revisit an earlier passage of scripture.

Gen 11:4-6 They said, "Come, let us build for ourselves a city, and a tower whose top will reach into heaven, and let us make for ourselves a name, otherwise we will be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth."…. The LORD said, "Behold, they are one people, and they all have the same language. And this is what they began to do, and now nothing which they purpose to do will be impossible for them.

Allow me to suggest that God was not moved to oppose Babel because of the people's sense of 'unity', nor was His anger kindled against that city because of concern over the 'power' resting within their grasp. I believe the thing that moved God to act against Babel was that they chose to follow the path of pride which lead them directly toward rebellion and SELF determination rather than relationship!

The attitude of their prideful, rebellious and self centered hearts is clearly displayed in their words.

● Self direction – "Let us build for ourselves a city"
● Self worship – "Let us…. reach into heaven"
● Self provison – "Let us make for ourselves a name"

I can hardly imagine the disappointment our Father must have felt as He surveyed the great potential and the advantages available to the people of Babel.

BEHOLD
● "They are one people", [Unified in vision, purpose and desire]
● "They all have the same language", [Unified in understanding and intent]
● "Nothing…. will be impossible for them", [Possessed of vast power/potential]

Only to find they had chosen to invest this opportunity for greatness in the wicked pursuit of ‘self’!! Once again, man’s desire to chart his own course, establish his own standards and elevate himself toward a position of equality with God prove to be little more than thinly veiled rebellion born of a prideful heart.

PRIDE >>> That age old sin of Lucifer who stated, “I will be like the most high God”, is seen running rampant among the denizens of ancient Babel. It was pride that served as the engine of rebellion so long ago, and I would suggest that pride will again be the driving force that moves those under the thrall of ‘Babylon the Great’ to rebel against almighty God in the future.

One final thing we might note is that while the prideful rebellion of Babel encompassed a single city, and that of Babylon a nation. The rebellion of ‘Babylon the Great’ will extend to the farthest corners of the entire earth!!

THE YOKE OF BABYLON

What is ‘the yoke of Babylon’? Simply stated this peculiar and unassuming concept points toward the state of affairs wherein God’s people are placed, at the direction of God himself, under the authority of someone other than God! Further, it is only by submitting to that external authority and metaphorically ‘living in Babylon’, that the children of God will exist in ‘peace and safety’ and be afforded the opportunity to provide for the material/economic needs of their families/lives.

Many will find the notion of such a ‘yoke’ at odds with their perception of ‘the kingdom of God’ and the understanding of how we should live our lives in that kingdom. In a very real sense, these people are correct. However, we must remember that we do not yet live in the ‘physical’ realization of the kingdom of God. That kingdom yet rests in our future. Today, the kingdom of God is manifested in each of us ‘spiritually’ even as we await its coming physical reality to be reflected on the earth.

As such, let’s explore what scripture declares regarding the ‘yoke of Babylon’ to see what it means to the people of God, yesterday, today and tomorrow.

Jer 27:2-11 (NASB) thus says the LORD to me—"Make for yourself bonds and yokes and put them on your neck,…. 'Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel,…. "I have made the earth…. and I will give it to the one who is pleasing in My sight…. Now I have given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, My servant,… All the nations shall serve him and his son and his grandson until the time of his own land comes; then many nations and great kings will make him their servant… It will be, that the nation or the kingdom which will not serve him… and which will not put its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, I will punish… until I have destroyed it by his hand… AS FOR YOU, do not listen to your prophets… saying, 'You will not serve the king of Babylon.' For they prophesy a lie to you in order to remove you far from your land; and I will drive you out and you will perish. But the nation which will bring its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon and serve him, I will let remain on its land," declares the LORD, "and they will till it and dwell in it.

With this passage the story of the ‘yoke of Babylon’ is FAR from complete, but this is where ‘the yoke’ began, and this is where we too must begin our exploration. For now, let’s consider the following things from this passage.

● This is a ‘near-far’ prophecy which finds its ‘near term fulfillment’ in the Middle East during the time of historical Babylon.

● The prophecy is extended forward to an ambiguously defined future application when it states, “All the nations shall serve him and his son and his grandson until the time of his own land comes; then many nations and great kings will make him their servant”.

● The LORD commands His people to submit to ‘the yoke of Babylon’. Only by doing this will the people of God be afforded an opportunity to live in relative peace and safety such that they can earn a living and go about their day-to-day activities with minimal interruption.

Allow me to reemphasize that last point because it is very significant toward our ongoing exploration of the ‘Harlot’. The above passage of scripture reflects, in essence, God's command to, "Go INTO HER my people"! At a later time He will reverse that command and will say to His people, "Come OUT of her" (Rev 18:4). However, until the day of that command, the people of God are to live among the Babylonians of the world and submit to the yoke our own Lord has placed upon us! Note very carefully that “tilling the land” in this passage, points directly toward the concept that the opportunity for economic/material provision is afforded by living IN HER, under Babylonian authority!

By living ‘in Babylon’ anyone that would obey God was afforded the following:

● Access to the economic system
● Opportunity to earn a living
● Relative peace and safety

We readily recognize this as an historical fact/event. What is not typically understood is that the command to ‘submit to Babylon’s yoke’ is still in effect even to this very day!!

Most who read this paper will likely reject that notion at this juncture, so let’s turn once again to scripture and seek that counsel to discern truth.

THE YOKE UNBROKEN

Jer 28:1-11 And it came to pass the same year… [that] Hananiah the son of Azur the prophet… spake unto me in the house of the LORD… saying, Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, saying, I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon.

Then Hananiah the prophet took the yoke from off the prophet Jeremiah's neck, and brake it. And Hananiah spake… saying, Thus saith the LORD; Even so will I break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon from the neck of all nations within the space of two full years. And the prophet Jeremiah went his way.

Just like Hananiah, most people today refuse to believe the people of God might be required to submit to ANY authority other than God himself. More to the point, many would think it ridiculous that God would require His people to interact in any way whatsoever, much less in a capacity of willing submission, with the corruption and wickedness that Babylon represents. And yet we must somehow account for scripture’s testimony on the matter.

Jer 28:12-14 (NASB) The word of the LORD came to Jeremiah after Hananiah the prophet had broken the yoke from off the neck of the prophet Jeremiah, saying, "Go and speak to Hananiah, saying, 'Thus says the LORD, "You have broken the yokes of wood, but you have made instead of them yokes of iron."

'For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, "I have put a yoke of iron on the neck of all these nations, that they may serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; and they will serve him…

So then, scripture testifies that ‘the yoke of Babylon’ would indeed go into effect. The children of God would be required to submit to that yoke in order to gain access to the opportunity to work, earn a living and live peaceably upon the earth.

BUT FOR HOW LONG??

BREAKING THE YOKE

How long would the people of God be required to endure ‘the yoke of Babylon’ and when would God see fit to remove it? Many arguments might be offered in response to this question. Perhaps the yoke would be removed:

● When Babylon was defeated by Cyrus?
● When the people returned to their own land?
● When Jesus died to release us from the ‘old ways’?

Good arguments can be raised to support each of these positions and many others, but scripture is exceedingly clear regarding WHEN ‘the yoke of Babylon’ will be broken.

Jer 30:4-9 (NASB) Now these are the words which the LORD spoke concerning Israel and concerning Judah: "For thus says the LORD, 'I have heard a sound of terror, Of dread, and there is no peace… 'Alas! for that day is great, There is none like it; And it is the time of Jacob's distress, But he will be saved from it.

'It shall come about on that day,' declares the LORD of hosts, that I will break his yoke from off their neck and will tear off their bonds; and strangers will no longer make them their slaves. But they shall serve the LORD their God and David their king, whom I will raise up for them.

Clearly, ‘the yoke of Babylon’ will remain in effect until the time of Jacob’s trouble, which is also known as ‘the day of the Lord’. It is during that phase of the end-time drama, which rests in our future, when our Lord will finally remove the yoke he placed upon His people so long ago.

So then, we can see ‘the yoke of Babylon’ was placed upon the people of God nearly 2600 years ago, and that it continues even unto this present day! But what does this mean for the people of God at this time?

BEARING THE YOKE TODAY

Today the people of God continue to bear the yoke of Babylon as we wait for His long anticipated command to “come out of her”. However, ‘the yoke’ has become so organic to our existence that it is barely perceived and even less understood.

We will not attempt to probe the nature of ‘the yoke’ in depth, but there are two important and obvious ways ‘the yoke’ touches each of our lives. Let’s take a moment to explore them in order to take hold of the ‘low hanging’ fruit of this understanding.

THE POLITICAL COMPONENT:

First, we should note that the yoke of Babylon carries a political component. In the passages above our Lord clearly tells His people that in order to “dwell in their land”, they would be required to ‘serve the king of Babylon’ and that refusal to ‘serve him’ would place the nation and/or individual in rebellion to God himself.

This understanding is reinforced when we consider what is gained at the time when ‘the yoke’ will be broken.

Jer 30:8-9 (NASB) on that day,'…. I will break his yoke from off their neck and will tear off their bonds; and strangers will no longer make them their slaves. But they shall serve the LORD their God

This passage gives us the understanding that prior to the time of the yoke being broken, the people of God will be in servitude/slavery to ‘strangers’. Only AFTER the yoke is broken will they be COMPLETELY free to serve the Lord alone. Until that time, we may give service to the Lord, but we also must serve another. This begs the question, “who are we in servitude to today?”

Clearly, none of us live in a Theocracy (governed by God) which, in its perfected form, was the original intent and was reflected both in the Garden of Eden and less perfectly in the governmental structures that followed. Instead, secular (worldly) governmental authorities are in place above us that we must typically obey. In doing so, we discover that by ‘rendering unto Caesar what is Caesar’s’, we are afforded the opportunity to live peacefully in the land and may (in most cases) live our lives and worship our God as we see fit.

These secular authorities we submit ourselves to form the ‘political’ component of ‘the yoke’ that the children of God continue to bear in this present day.

We will not always live in such a state. Once ‘the yoke’ is broken, we will have the opportunity to live under the direct rule of our Lord! Him alone shall we serve, and Him alone will we be required to obey. He will be our God, and we shall be His people…. What a glorious day that will be!!

THE ECONOMIC COMPONENT:

Second, as already discussed, ‘the yoke’ contains an economic element. This element is brought into focus when scripture states that by ‘living in Babylon’ the people of God would be allowed to ‘till the land’, which clearly speaks toward the opportunity for access to the economic system for the purpose of material provision.

Each of us interacts daily with the economic system of the present manifestation of Babylon. We do so each time we go to the grocery store, hold a mortgage or see a doctor. Even our jobs are organically linked to the economic system as taxes are deducted and earnings reported to the appropriate authority.

It doesn’t matter where you live or what job you perform. From housewife to Pastor to farmer, to unemployed… everyone on the planet touches the face of an apathetic Harlot every single day. In her present manifestation she is relatively benign and is typically neither friend nor foe. She simply exists as a way to conduct the business of life and in that form she has become so familiar to each of us that she is practically invisible.

The goal of the Harlot at this point in time is to get us ‘addicted’ to all she offers; to make us ‘dependent’ upon her for the next ‘fix’ of her wares and to ‘enslave’ us either through debt or our own lust!

Into the wasteland of this Babylonian system of corruption march the children of God. Here we are tempted, tested and purified as the storms of this windy wasteland blow the ‘self’ away, leaving behind the pure spiritual treasure of God!

While there are MANY ways in which we might become corrupted and fall prey to the various temptations of the world system we, as children of the Most High, MUST find the balance that allows us to live IN Babylon without becoming enslaved TO Babylon! Jesus touched on this concept when he said to the Father;

Jhn 17: 15-16 (NASB) I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one. "They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

Jesus recognized the dangers of living IN the world system. He also knew it was necessary!

THE YOKE OF TOMORROW

The yoke of tomorrow will also be comprised of both political and economic components. The political component will be implemented through the ‘Beast Kingdom’ that is coming upon the earth (Dan 7, Rev 13 & 17). Meanwhile, the economic component will be administered by the Whore/Harlot of Babylon (Rev 17-18). As the primary focus of this paper is to explore the Harlot, it is to that component of the yoke that we will devote our attention.

In her present manifestation, the Harlot is relatively benign and often pretends to be our friend. However, in her future manifestation as the true and final ‘Whore of Babylon’ she will be anything BUT a friend. At some point she will turn to the addicted, dependent and enslaved masses who hang on her every whim and DEMAND payment in exchange for the next ‘fix’ of your favorite lust.

WHAT WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO PAY?

All she will ask is that you make a covenant of loyalty with her and bear the Mark of that promise upon your hand or forehead. Now, that’s not so much to ask in exchange for ‘all these things’….. Is it?

Mat 4:1-9 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil…. And [the devil] saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.

What would you be willing to pay…. When you or a loved one is starving and food is only a promise away?

What would you be willing to pay…. When your child/mate needs a physician and YOU deny that care because you won’t make a simple commitment?

The temptation and pressure of that day will be tremendous. And I am focusing on the negative side of that temptation in order to drive home the reality of its danger. However, we would be remiss to not also remind the reader that HOPE exists even in the darkest hour.

In that day, we will stand in the position of Peter. It will be essentially impossible for the child of God to physically survive the coming storm of Satan’s fury; just as it was impossible for Peter to walk upon the surface of the storm tossed water. But, if we walk by faith and keep our focus on Jesus, all things are possible with God!

Mat 24:22 (NIV) If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened.

Friends…. The ‘Whore of Babylon’ is coming. Her goal is to enslave you and destroy you. She will use your family, your friends and your own lusts to compel you to obedience. We must be prepared to confront her unholy demands through the focus of our faith.

We must live lives that are separated unto God; lives that are not weighed down by or with the weight of this world; lives that are prepared to abandon the mammon we have collected in the huts of our homes.

One day, perhaps soon, the call to “Come OUT of her my people” will resound throughout the body of Christ…. And we must be ready if we are going to survive.


To be continued

2 comments:

  1. I have been working on this for YEARS. My dad is a retired minister who taught dispensationalism and something always bothered be about the popular interpretations. I knew there was something I was not seeing. It just goes to show us that this is all going to happen in God's good time. We have all been blinded to it.
    I recently realized that the woman has the name ON HER FOREHEAD. We know that biblically, a name on the forehead indicates that one is a SERVANT of that person...God's servants are marked in their foreheads. Those who take the mark of the beast are marked in their foreheads or right hands. This woman is a SERVANT of Mystery Babylon, the great. Mystery Babylon, the great, is her MASTER. This is not her name.

    Also, the woman is destroyed (violently) by the kings in revelation 17 because they hate her, but in the next chapter, the kings are weeping of "her" destruction because God has destroyed her. These are different "entities" or "systems".
    I am going to propose that the woman is the world economic system. She serves the beast. Much evil has been done in this world for the love of money (remember...its the root of all evil).
    The economy in many places of this world is teetering on the edge right now. Very few countries in this world own their own wealth. The country we see in peril right now...Syria, has a central bank that is owned by its government. So does Iran...and North Korea. The countries in most of the rest of the world have central banks that are privately owned...by a group of international bankers. This is all about gaining control of the entire economy...world wide...so they can crash it and no person or country can stand on their own.

    I believe this is completely biblical. There is more to the story, but this is a starting point. The beast is "REVIVED BABYLON"..."MYSTERY BABYLON". It is not REVIVED ROME as many believe. The statue in Daniel 2 is NOT the same as the beasts in Daniel 7. Daniel 2 says...34 Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces.

    35 Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and BECAME LIKE THE CHAFF OF THE SUMMER THRESHINGFLOORS; AND THE WIND CARRIED THEM AWAY, THAT NO PLACE WAS FOUND FOR THEM: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.

    The pieces of the statue are not destroyed. They are carried away by the wind and unable to organize due to the spread of Christianity. The beasts are different from the metals in the statue. The 4th is a conglomeration of the 3 beasts before it identified by the characteristics of each animal that represents it. I am definitely not 100% sure of the identities, but here are my guesses...Winged lion=Roman Catholicism...Bear=Islam...4 headed Lion=Zionist governments through a stealth attack. It seems to me that these are the threats to christians around the world...and they are all joining into one beast...think Arab spring. Please study hegelian dialectic if you do not believe me.

    I hope this is helpful to someone.

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  2. thank you for your comment.

    I have never considered the pieces of the statue that were blown away, very interesting indeed.

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