SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR
09/22/2005
My Worship Time Focus: The “Harlot”
Bible Reading &
Meditation Reference: Revelation 17:1-2
Message of the verse: “1
Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and spoke with
me, saying, ‘Come here, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who
sits on many waters, 2 with whom the
kings of the earth committed acts of immorality, and those who dwell on the
earth were made drunk with the wine of her immorality.’”
I want to
begin writing about this chapter by saying that as of the end of the sixteenth
chapter God’s wrath is complete as far as sending judgments upon the
earth.
As I read
through some of the commentaries on Revelation, especially Dr. Wiersbe’s, I
begin to see this book in a somewhat different light, which I should have seen
before. There seems to be different
systems which God is judging in this book, for instance in chapter seventeen He
is judging the system of false religion which is called a harlot as compared to
the chase virgin that describes the bride of Christ, the Church, however there
has always been these false “religions” upon the earth especially in the Church
age, so that makes this book relevant for the entire Church age. There have always been governments that have persecuted
believers and men in power who act like antichrist, for in John’s first letter
he spoke of Antichrist and antichrists who are here now. The book of Revelation’s judgments are a
culmination of these false systems that God will judge in the future once and
for all and then usher in a perfect system with Jesus Christ’s reign for 1000
years.
In verse
one of chapter seventeen John is spoken to by one of the angels who had one of
the vial judgments and told to come and see the judgment of this “harlot” who
sits on many waters and who the kings of the earth have committed acts of
immorality with and also the earth dwellers have been drunk with the wine of
her immorality.
John is
beginning to describe this false religious system which has been among the
people, (sits on many waters) since the Church age began. Jesus gave a parable of the wheat and the
tears which spoke about this false religious system. The Greek word for tare is darnel and this
word means that these false wheat plants look just like the real wheat plants
and so it is hard to identify the true wheat, just as at times it is hard to
identify the false religious systems on the world. The servant in the parable asked his master
if he wanted him to pull up these darnel, but was told that if he did this that
he might pull up some of the real plants too, and then his master told him to
wait until the maturity of the plants so they would be able to tell for sure
which was darnel because there would be no fruit for it and then they could
burn it in the fire. I think that this
chapter could be the fulfillment of that parable.
Spiritual meaning for my life today: I am very thankful that the Lord has opened
up my eyes to some of these hidden truths in the book of Revelation. Hebrews 4:12 comes to mind here: “For the word of God
is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far
as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to
judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”
The Word of God was challenging to my heart as I read and
studied it this morning.
My Steps of Faith
Today: Continue to trust the Lord to
give me the words He would want me to speak this Saturday morning and also this
Sunday morning, and to trust Him to give me the strength to do it without the
problem with my bowels.
Memory verses for the week: Psalm
27:1-2
The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be
afraid?
When evildoers assail me to eat my flesh;
my adversaries and foes, it is they who will stumble and
fall
Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear;
though war arise against me, yet I will be confident.
One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after;
That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my
life;
To gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in His
Temple.
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