The Harlot (Rev. 17:1-2)

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.