Hello, I’m Daniel Westfall on the channel “Pray With Me”.
In recent episodes we’ve looked at 16 chapters of the Book of Revelation. In a tangled and violent history, the world suffered through seven seals, seven trumpet blasts, and seven bowls of wrath.
A trinity of seven disasters, three cycles of seven, what could be more fitting at the end of time? But the story doesn’t end there. Revelation 17 opens with still another beast appearing on the world stage.
This new beast shows up in a desert. Riding this beast is a woman called “The Great Prostitute”, who arrives drunk with the blood of Christian martyrs. On her forehead is written, “Babylon the Great, Mother of Prostitutes and Abominations” (Rev 17:5). This woman won’t feature in many Mothers’ Day sermons!
The angel says to John, “Let me explain the mystery of the woman and the beast.”
He tells John the woman is “the great city that rules over the kings of the earth” (v. 17). She is named for Babylon, the ancient city of Babel, where men built a tower to reach heaven, where God confused their languages and terminated their construction project, dispersing them throughout the world. The kingdom of Babylon reappears in the Old Testament, when it conquered Israel, destroyed God’s temple, and took God’s people into exile.
Today, modern Babylons repeat the evils of old, building rockets to conquer space, cruise missiles to conquer enemies, and taking captives to consumerism, militarism, religion, and sex.
But back to John’s vision. The beast that Babylon rides “once was, now is not, and will be again” (v. 8). The beast will come from the Abyss to rule the earth.
Where does Jesus fit in all this? He was alive on earth for 33 years, then he was executed, and he came back to life. The Book of Revelation promises he will descend on the clouds to rule earth.
The beast in John’s vision is anti-Jesus, an anti-Christ who appears on earth, then appears to die, then appears again as if resurrected from the Abyss, coming again to conquer the world, not to save it.
The angel tells John the seven heads on this beast represent seven hills the woman sits on. They also represent seven kings–five past, one present, and one future (v. 10). The beast itself is king number 8.
But eight kings aren’t enough for this story. The beast’s 10 horns represent ten more kings who hate the prostitute, Babylon, who rides them. They help the beast wage war against her, and against the lamb and his followers.
Confusing? Mystery and intrigue and ambiguity are everywhere in this story. Why does the beast war against Babylon? Can’t they be friends in a common hatred of Christ? Stay tuned for the next episode!
Let’s pray.
O father, John’s vision paints history as a confusing parade of beasts and kings and kingdoms and an evil queen.
Thank you that John also paints a picture of heaven where the lamb reigns in peace. A lamb with power over the kingdoms of this world, and over the beasts who rule them, and over Babylon who rides the beast, and over the rulers who war with each other and you.
Look on us from heaven. We are your servants who live in the kingdom of beasts, but we serve the kingdom of heaven. Protect us and give us wisdom to walk through these confusing times.
O Lord, do your work quickly, we pray. Prepare the world for judgment and salvation.
Amen.
I’m Daniel, on the channel “Pray with Me”.
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