Part 7/9
Series: Will the Church Be On the Right Side of History
Read: Revelation 17-19, Matthew 24
I have to admit that I am a major movie buff. I like a really well made film, especially one that can subvert my expectations and surprise me. Something essential in every good story is the climax. It is the point that everything is building up to. Whether it is a romantic comedy where the couple has a major clash of wills, a fantasy where the protagonist takes a final stand against the monster, a war movie and the final battle, or an epic that brings all of the divergent storylines together, the climax is the highest arc in the story.
As we get closer to the end of our study in Revelation, we are seeing the climax of this vision, the final battle, the ultimate victory. In fact, the story of this battle is a closer examination of the final bowl judgment, the battle of Armageddon. The angel invites us to go deeper into the story that was just glossed over when God poured out His wrath on the world. It lays out the major characters, explains why they matter, and brings them to an epic clash.
The Major Players
First we see this woman. She is described as a harlot in red, riding on the beast. Later on it is explained that this woman is actually the city of Babylon. Now, there is a lot of conjecture on what this means. Some think this is a literal resurrection of the ancient city, others think this is ancient Rome in John’s day. However, we can miss the point if we get lost in conjecture. Think of Babylon the same way we think of Hollywood. We are not talking about a city as much as we are talking about a structure or system. Babylon is a representation of man’s attempts to write God out of the picture.
This woman is described as being positioned on many waters, signifying how easy it is to access her. She is committing drunken immorality, meaning that she has seduced the world and offered them all of the sin their hearts desire. But she has gained her power through the blood of those who opposed her, namely Christians. This is a direct contrast to how Christ gained His power, by shedding His own blood for others.
Next, we see the beast. We’ve already seen this beast before, but it is described here once again with seven heads and ten horns. This is a direct reference back to the final beast in Daniel’s vision. It is somewhat confusing in how it is described, but again, this is apocalyptic literature. It is describing various powers with immense influence in the world. Most notably, however, is this counter description used, “the beast that was and is not.” This is a direct contrast to God, the one who was, who is, and who is to come. This beast has an end, and that end point is being described here.
Notice the hostile relationship between the beast and the woman. They are intertwined and depend on each other. Yet, they hate each other. They only use what they can get from the other and their lack of love erodes and destroys them. This is a direct contrast to the glory of the trinity, established by mutual love and respect. This beast and this woman cannot sustain themselves because they are codependent and self destructive.
What’s Really Behind the Story
In many ways, this woman has been the problem behind every major fall in society and the destruction of many throughout the history of the Bible. When Adam and Eve were tempted, they were seduced by the idea that they could have the knowledge of God and be self sufficient. After being promised that a son would be born who would restore the perfect order, Cain killed his brother Abel. The world could not sustain morality and it quickly devolved into a self indulgent culture that was destroyed by a worldwide flood. Then, the people attempted to build a city and a tower to unite everyone. The offense of the Tower of Babel was not that they were trying to build a stairway to heaven, but they were trying to build a society without God. Then, when the people of Israel tried to be like all of the other nations and asked for a king, Samuel berates them that a king would ask for a 10% tax. What’s most offensive here is not that they would be paying a tax, particularly a low tax that we would actually be happy to pay, but that the 10% was the tithe intended for God. By asking for a king, they were replacing the authority of God with the authority of a man.
A king would not solve the problems of Israel. David, the only king who had a whole heart for God, ended up being an adulterer and murderer. As the nation of Israel would continue to rebel against God, they would eventually be taken into captivity by the literal Babylonian kingdom. By the time of Christ, the Roman government had colluded with the religious system that put Jesus to death, and eventually led to the persecution of the early Church.
Yet, in all of the ways that governments have committed major atrocities, they are still viewed as the savior of society, honored as the dispenser of justice, and appealed to as the greatest power and authority. Since Revelation is telling us what was, what is, and what is to come, we should just see this as a problem in the past and a future culmination of a fight between good and evil. These are present day problems just as much for us as it was for the early Church that John was writing to. If we don’t get the desired outcome that we want from this presidential election, would our world fall apart?
A Major Warning
As the relationship between the woman and the beast continues to erode, we see a growing dissatisfaction within society. The resources are gone. Everyone has indulged and yet the hole in everyone’s soul has not been filled. The treasures of this world have fallen apart before they have been paid off. It is a pretty tragic analogy of people’s love/hate relationship with sin and this world. They are mourning for the fall of Babylon when it was Babylon and the beast that destroyed them.
An angel declares, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great!” The woman has been defeated. Victory has already been won. But the warning goes out, “Come out of her, my people, lest you take part in her sins, lest you share in her plagues.” Don’t go down with Babylon. As John has also said in his earlier letter, don’t love the world or the things in the world. They will lead to our inevitable destruction.
If you were drowning, would you want me to throw you all of your treasures or jump in and save you? That’s what this warning is saying to us. We cannot hold onto bricks of gold and still cry out to Jesus to save us. We must let go of the treasures of this world and cling to Christ.
The early Church was afflicted in three ways. The first was in denial. They were not ready for the coming of the Lord because they were not busy preparing themselves. The second had been seduced by the world, allowing the treasures of this world to become the treasures of their heart, pushing Christ out. They were vulnerable to being destroyed with Babylon. The third was being persecuted. They were fearful of the woman and the beast. But you have to look beyond the monsters and see the one riding on His white horse, with fire in His eyes and a sword coming out of His mouth. He slays the woman and the dragon and all who opposed Him.
The woman and the beast waged war against the Lamb, but the Lamb has been victorious. Evil has been defeated. And those who persevere to the end will be on the victor’s side. So don’t fear the powers of this world, who can kill our bodies, fear the one who can destroy body and soul. Don’t be seduced by the woman or the beast and be brought down by it. Overcome the world by seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. And don’t be indifferent. These things matter. Be ready, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil is a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour, and Christ is returning like a thief in the night. So don’t be caught naked and unprepared.
Adam Miller is the president and host of Songtime Radio and serves as the pastor of South Chatham Community Church. This article is a condensed version of one of his sermons.