Revelation 17:1-20:3, 7-10
Act
6: Vision of Babylon’s Overthrow
The
drama of Judgment 17:1-20:3, 7-10
Stage
Setting: One of the angels of the Seven Plagues issuing form the sanctuary17:1-2
One of the seven angels who had the
seven bowls came and said to me, "Come, I will
show you the punishment of the great prostitute, who sits on many waters. With
her the kings of the earth committed adultery and the inhabitants of the earth
were intoxicated with the wine of her adulteries."
The
unfolding of the seven plagues
Scene 1 The Woman on the Scarlet Beast (17:3-5)
Then the angel carried me away in the
Spirit into a desert. There I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was
covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns. (Back in Act 4 there was a woman
“Mary” and a red dragon with 7 heads and 10 horns) The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and was glittering with
gold, precious stones and pearls. She held a golden cup in her hand, filled with abominable things and the
filth of her adulteries. This title was written on her forehead:
MYSTERY
BABYLON THE GREAT
THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES
AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
Who is Babylon? The Roman
Empire! Tacitus, describes Rome as the place "where all the horrible and shameful
things in the world congregate and find a home" Rome is called Babylon because her forces,
like those of Babylon at an earlier time, destroyed the temple and Jerusalem. The Babylonians had destroyed Jerusalem and
the temple in the 580s B.C. and sent its people into captivity (2 Kings 25; Jeremiah 52). The Roman Empire did essentially the same thing in
A.D. 66-70. Thus, Rome was Babylon all over again. It is goes beyond John’s
day” Babylon the Great, stands for a world system more universal than the old
Roman Empire. Robert W. Wall says, she is: "The ‘global village’ of
godless power, which determines daily life for every person at any time in
human history" Leon Morris said of Babylon the Great, "It is civilized man, mankind organized apart
from God. It has its embodiment in every age" It is a symbol that
stands for all the ungodly religious-political-social-economic systems that
humans have created. As John might put it in his letters, Babylon is simply
"the world". The world system depicted under this symbol would be
that one that does not reflect God’s nature of love, and which in turn enslaves
mankind.
I saw that the woman was drunk with
the blood of the saints, the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus.
When I saw her, I was greatly
astonished. Then the angel said to me: "Why
are you astonished? I will explain to you the mystery of the woman and of the
beast she rides, which has the seven heads and ten horns. The beast, which you
saw, once was, now is not, and will come up out of the Abyss and go to his
destruction. The inhabitants of the earth whose names have not been written in
the book of life from the creation of the world will be astonished when they
see the beast, because he once was, now is not, and yet will come.”
"This
calls for a mind with wisdom. The seven heads are seven hills on which the
woman sits. They are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, the other has
not yet come; but when he does come, he must remain for a little while. The
beast who once was, and now is not, is an eighth king. He belongs to the seven
and is going to his destruction.”
"The
ten horns you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but who
for one hour will receive authority as kings along with the beast. They have
one purpose and will give their power and authority to the beast. They will
make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will overcome them because he is Lord
of lords and King of kings — and with him will be his called, chosen and
faithful followers."
Then the angel said to me, "The waters you saw, where the prostitute sits, are
peoples, multitudes, nations and languages. The beast and the ten horns you saw
will hate the prostitute. They will bring her to ruin and leave her naked; they
will eat her flesh and burn her with fire. For God has put it into their hearts
to accomplish his purpose by agreeing to give the beast their power to rule,
until God's words are fulfilled. The woman you saw is the great city that rules
over the kings of the earth."
This is the same beast as in Act 4 –
the symbol of every earthly power that sets itself against God’s rule. Jesus
came to earth – went to heaven and will come again. The imitator has his beast
come out of the sea – goes into the abyss and comes back again. Rome was built on seven hills – the seven
kings would limit Satan’s power – the geography is symbolic of all world powers
against God and all Kings and authorities of every time who are against God.
Coming to scene 3 we
see the importance of God’s overthrow by the sheer length of the scene – the
final four scenes after this one move quickly.
Scene 3 is the grand Oratorio in the play – God’s wrath set to music. It
shows the opposite of what took place in the same scene in Act 4. Sit up as I
blow quickly through this musical part of the drama of the book of
Revelation which ends
with a Hallelujah chorus – not the one you are familiar with but a hallelujah
chorus nonetheless:
Scene 3 The Final Cosmic Oratorio
(18:1-19:10)
After this I saw another angel coming
down from heaven. He had great authority, and the earth was illuminated by his
splendor. With a mighty voice he shouted: "Fallen!
Fallen is Babylon the Great! She has become a home for demons and a haunt for
every evil spirit, a haunt for every unclean and detestable bird. 3 For all the
nations have drunk the maddening wine of her adulteries. The kings of the earth
committed adultery with her, and the merchants of the earth grew rich from her
excessive luxuries."
Then I heard another voice from
heaven say: "Come out of her, my people, so
that you will not share in her sins, so that you will not receive any of her
plagues; for her sins are piled up to heaven, and God has remembered her
crimes. Give back to her as she has given; pay her back double for what she has
done. Mix her a double portion from her own cup. Give her as much torture and
grief as the glory and luxury she gave herself. In her heart she boasts, 'I sit
as queen; I am not a widow, and I will never mourn.' Therefore in one day her
plagues will overtake her: death, mourning and famine. She will be consumed by
fire, for mighty is the Lord God who judges her. When the kings of the earth
who committed adultery with her and shared her luxury see the smoke of her
burning, they will weep and mourn over her. Terrified at her torment, they will
stand far off and cry: "'Woe! Woe, O
great city, O Babylon, city of power! In one hour your doom has come!'
"The merchants of the earth will weep and
mourn over her because no one buys their cargoes any more—cargoes of gold,
silver, precious stones and pearls; fine linen, purple, silk and scarlet cloth;
every sort of citron wood, and articles of every kind made of ivory, costly
wood, bronze, iron and marble; cargoes of cinnamon and spice, of incense, myrrh
and frankincense, of wine and olive oil, of fine flour and wheat; cattle and
sheep; horses and carriages; and bodies and souls of men. "They
will say, 'The fruit you longed for is gone from
you. All your riches and splendor have vanished, never to be recovered.'
The merchants who sold these things and gained their wealth from her will stand
far off, terrified at her torment. They will weep and mourn and cry out: "'Woe! Woe, O great city, dressed in fine linen, purple
and scarlet, and glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls! In one hour
such great wealth has been brought to ruin!' "Every sea
captain, and all who travel by ship, the sailors, and all who earn their living
from the sea, will stand far off. 18 When they see the smoke of her burning,
they will exclaim, 'Was there ever a city
like this great city?' They will throw dust
on their heads, and with weeping and mourning cry out: 'Woe! Woe, O great city, where all who had ships on the
sea became rich through her wealth! In one hour she has been brought to ruin!
Rejoice over her, O heaven! Rejoice, saints and apostles and prophets! God has
judged her for the way she treated you.'"
18:21 Then a mighty angel picked up a boulder
the size of a large millstone and threw it into the sea, and said: "With such violence the great city of Babylon will be
thrown down, never to be found again. The music of harpists and musicians,
flute players and trumpeters, will never be heard in you again. No workman of
any trade will ever be found in you again. The sound of a millstone will never
be heard in you again. The light of a lamp will never shine in you again. The
voice of bridegroom and bride will never be heard in you again. Your merchants
were the world's great men. By your magic spell all the nations were led
astray. In her was found the blood of prophets and of the saints, and of all
who have been killed on the earth."
19:1 After this I heard what sounded like the
roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting: "Hallelujah!
Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, 2 for true and just are his
judgments. He has condemned the great prostitute who corrupted the earth by her
adulteries. He has avenged on her the blood of his servants." And
again they shouted: "Hallelujah! The smoke
from her goes up for ever and ever." The twenty-four elders and the
four living creatures fell down and worshiped God, who was seated on the
throne. And they cried: "Amen, Hallelujah!"
Then a voice came from the throne,
saying: "Praise our God, all you his servants,
you who fear him, both small and great!"
Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the
roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: "Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. 7 Let us
rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come,
and his bride has made herself ready. 8 Fine linen, bright and clean, was given
her to wear." (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of
the saints.)
Then the angel said to me, "Write: 'Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding
supper of the Lamb!'" And he added, "These
are the true words of God."
At this I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me,
"Do not do it! I am a fellow servant with you
and with your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the
testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy."
Now 4 scenes which move quickly
without my help: Remember the white horse from the four horseman – this is
rider is filed with greater grandeur as he assembles the church for Armageddon.
Scene 4 The Word of God on the White Horse (19:11-16)
I saw heaven standing open and there
before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With
justice he judges and makes war. His
eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name
written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped
in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following
him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Out of
his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. "He
will rule them with an iron scepter." He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On
his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF
LORDS.
The birds are invited to a feast as
they watch the battle of Armageddon.
Scene 5 The Angel Standing in the Sun (19:17-18)
And I saw an angel standing in the
sun, who cried in a loud voice to all the birds flying in midair, "Come, gather together for the great supper of God, so
that you may eat the flesh of kings, generals, and mighty men, of horses and
their riders, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, small and great."
It seems that throughout this drama –
this Revelation that John is seeing and reveals to us that there is a
connection between the earlier portions and the latter – The great tribulation
being connected to Armageddon being connected to the overall picture of the
badspel against the gospel (goodspell) It shows the struggle since the cross –
worldly powers against the body of Christ – the church will one day come to a
final battle to the finish.
Scene 6 The Battle of Armageddon
(19:19-21)
Then I saw the beast and the kings of
the earth and their armies gathered together to make war against the rider on
the horse and his army. But the beast was captured, and with him the false
prophet who had performed the miraculous signs on his behalf. With these signs
he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped his
image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. The rest of them were killed with the sword
that came out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged
themselves on their flesh.
Down went the beast – now God turns
to the Dragon himself.
Scene 7 Satan cast into the Abyss
(20:1-3)
And I saw an angel coming down out of
heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. He
seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound
him for a thousand years. He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it
over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand
years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time.
Parenthetic Prophecy on Satan’s limited authority
(20:7-10)
7 When the thousand years are over, Satan
will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations in the
four corners of the earth — Gog and Magog — to gather them for battle. In
number they are like the sand on the seashore. They marched across the breadth
of the earth and surrounded the camp of God's people, the city he loves. But
fire came down from heaven and devoured them. And the devil, who deceived them,
was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false
prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and
ever.
No comments:
Post a Comment