Revelation - Chapters 17-19

The host discusses chapters 17-19 of Revelation, presenting different interpretations. Chapter 17 is about a great prostitute, chapter 18 is about the fall of Babylon, and chapter 19 includes visions of a throng in heaven, the wedding of the Lamb, Christ's appearance, and the great battle. The host emphasizes the importance of seeking guidance from the Holy Spirit and not blindly trusting interpretations. The passages highlight the power and victory of Jesus, the need to separate from sin, and the assurance that God fights for His children. The host encourages worshiping God, understanding our identity as the bride of Christ, and being prepared for Christ's return. I'm Julie Callio, your host, and thanks so much for taking time out of your busy schedules to tune in with me today. If by chance you want to contact me, you can do that at vab.bc.pc at gmail.com. Today we are looking at chapters 17-19 of Revelation. According to Peter J Gentry in his book, How to Read and Understand the Biblical Prophets, in his appendix of Revelation, Seven Sequences of Seven, he sees this section as seven visions of victory. Chapter 17 is the great prostitute. Chapter 18 is the fall of Babylon. Chapter 19 verses 1-5 is the vast throng in heaven. Praise God for judgments and they shout hallelujah. Chapter 19 verses 6-10 is a vast throng in heaven announcing the wedding of the Lamb. Chapter 19 verses 11-16, Christ appears with army dressed in white. Chapter 19 verses 17-18 is the announcement of battle. And then chapter 19 verses 19-21 is the great battle and the beast and the false prophet are thrown into the lake of fire. I have shared that there are many views of how to interpret this prophetic and apocalyptic letter. One professor named James L. Blevin sees it as a drama for the Ephesian theater. I say that to say that if you are a believer in Jesus Christ, his spirit is within you and ask him to guide you into the truth of this book. I have also said before that when someone teaches and says this is the way it is, I do not trust that person as much as I do the one who says this is the way I see it or this is how I interpret it. There is a huge difference in those types of teachings. One other thing that I have shared many times that I heard is, it is not the things in scripture that I do not understand that is the problem, but the things I do understand. Today we will cover things that we may not understand, but my prayer is that there will be bits of truth that we can understand. And as Revelation chapter 1 verse 3 says, blessed is he who reads and hears the words of the prophecy, and heeds the things which are written in it, for the time is near. What are we to heed today? Some people believe that these chapters are a continuation of the seven golden bowls of wrath, but chapter 17 starts with then, which seems to separate from the bowls of wrath. But as I have shared before, some people believe that all of these sevens are the same, but just repeat for emphasis, some see them as separate but overlapping, and some see them as individual events that are in a linear fashion. Verse 1 does say that it was the angel that had the seven bowls, which came and spoke to John and said, Come, I will show you the judgment of the notorious prostitute who sits on many waters. In verse 3 we see she is sitting on a scarlet beast of blasphemy. She has been with the kings of the earth. She gets drunk. Her cryptic name is Babylon the Great, the mother of prostitutes and of vile things of the earth. Verse 5, she was drunk on the blood of the saints and the blood of the witnesses to Jesus. Starting with verse 8, the angel explains the vision, and some believe the beast she sits on may be Rome, because Rome was known as the city on seven hills, and they had at this time five main Roman emperors, Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius, and Nero, but others think it is empires, such as Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Meadow, Persian, and Greece, which would make Rome the sixth. I don't know, but when I think of the Old Testament prophets, I think it definitely had meaning for the readers then, but it may have dual meaning for the readers of our day. One thing that is extremely clear in verse 14, these will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will conquer them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings. Those with him are called and elect and faithful. Some people see this as the key verse of the whole book of Revelation. This brings me comfort as our election process here in the U.S. begins full force. It does not matter who is elected president next time. Jesus is still Lord of lords, King of kings, and President of presidents. We see that those who had been with the prostitute now turn on her, and in verse 17b it says, until God's words are accomplished. God is in control. Leon Morris believes, as we have seen, the great city is every city and no city. It is civilized man, organized apart from God. It has its embodiment in every age. Chapter 18 is the fall of Babylon, the mega, or the great. Keep in mind that it was the nation of Babylon that destroyed Jerusalem and tore down the temple, so it makes sense that this is the image used for the enemy. She is the epitome of excessive luxury and glory. Verse 4 reads, I heard another voice from heaven saying, Come out of her, my people, so that you will not participate in her sins and receive of her plagues. Patterson said the vivid picture is that God's people are not to have fellowship with Babylon and her iniquities. She declared in verse 7, I sit as queen and I am not a widow and will never see mourning. Verse 8, therefore her plagues will come in one day, death and grief and famine. She will be burned up with fire because the Lord God who judges her is mighty. If you have time, please check out the similarities with this passage to Isaiah chapter 47 verses 8 and 9. Even here in chapter 18 verses 9 through 24, there is a lament for Babylon. At her destruction, those who used her say, whoa, whoa, in verses 10, 16 and 19. Yet there is a group that is to rejoice in verse 20. Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you saints and apostles and prophets, because God has pronounced judgment for you against her. God has pronounced judgment not just for himself and his glory, but for his children. He is fighting for us. Also if you have time, it is interesting to compare Ezekiel chapter 27 verses 30 to 34 and Jeremiah chapter 51. Chapter 19 begins with a loud voice of a vast multitude crying out hallelujah. There were three woes and now there are three hallelujahs in verses 1, 3 and 4. Then there was a fourth hallelujah, which by the way, the first half of the word halal is Hebrew for praise and the second half, Yah is the first syllable of Yahweh or God. So it means praise the Lord. This is sometimes called the fourfold hallelujah. Another passage to compare is Isaiah chapter 34 verse 10. Here verses 6 through 8 speak of the marriage of the lamb has come and his wife has prepared herself or made herself ready for him and her fine linen, which is bright and pure represents the righteous acts of the saints. In verse 9, we have the fourth beatitude. Then he said to me, right, blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the lamb. And he said to me, these are true words of God. Then John fell down and worshiped the angel, but he said, don't do that. I am a fellow servant of yours and your brethren who hold the testimony of Jesus. Worship God for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. Ladies, there's only one to worship and that's God. Then the passage says that the testimony of Jesus, the story of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. This book revelation above all else reveals Jesus. The thing is all of the Old Testament prophecy, this whole Bible is all about Jesus. It tells one story. A man named Walvoord said, this means that prophecy at its very heart is designed to unfold the beauty and loveliness of our Lord and savior, Jesus Christ. Now just as in the beginning of revelation in chapter five, one of the elders said the lion from the tribe of Judah, the root of David has overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals. And when John turned and looked, he saw a lamb who had been slain. Here in chapter 19, the angel spoke of the marriage of the lamb. But when John turned and looked in verse 11, he saw a rider on a white horse called faithful and true and in righteousness, he judges and wages war instead of a groom coming down the aisle. This is a mighty warrior. It makes me think of a Disney movie. In verse 12, we find he had a name written that no one knows except himself. Brother Jerry said that it is possibly the hidden depths of God, also known as the otherness of God. Both Martin Luther and Aquinas speak of the hiddenness or the unknowability of God. It may also reference those who practice magic in the first century believe that to know or to speak a name gave power over him whose name it was, like in Harry Potter with Voldemort. John may be saying that no one has power over Christ. He is supreme. His name is known only to himself. He came with his robe sprinkled with blood. The heavenly armies followed. He struck the nations and trampled the winepress of the fierce anger of God. The victory is won by the Lord himself. He is marked as king of kings and lord of lords. Then there is a reference to Ezekiel chapter 39 verse 4 and then verses 17 through 20 about the birds coming and eating the flesh. The beast and the false prophet were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. The rest were killed with the sword that came from the mouth of the rider on the horse and all the birds were filled with their flesh. So ladies what things can we heed in this passage? How is your worship of God today? As a Christian do you realize that God fights for you? Do you understand that as a believer in Jesus we are called by him, elected or chosen by him and through the Holy Spirit we are faithful to him? As believers in Jesus we are the bride of Christ and even better than any Disney movie Our prince is the king of kings and the lord of all lords and he is coming on a white horse for us some day. The question is are you ready or is there something that you need to do in order to be ready? Until next time and thanks so much for listening.