Have you ever sat back and taken joy when you see how a plan just comes together? I remember when we put in our historical marker out front. We had a bunch of different people involved. My wife, Jennifer, researched the history to put it on the marker. Our 150th Anniversary Team approved the wording. Jennifer and Roberta McCard worked with a board to get it approved. Many people donated to help pay for it. I worked with the company in Ohio to get it shipped on time. Several men worked to install the pole with concrete at our church workday. Then, finally, my oldest son, Jeremiah, and I installed the sign on the pole and tightened it down. Then, my family and I just sat back and admired it. There’s something to admire when a plan comes together.
Well, here in Revelation 17, we learn of a woman and a beast who work together, then don’t, and they really have a complicated relationship. However, God uses all of this to bring His plan together.
In fact, let’s just jump ahead to verse 17. It says, “For God has put it into their hearts to carry out his plan . . . ”
You see, God has a plan that He will carry out, and He puts all those pieces together according to His great power and wisdom.
He can even work through “The Dysfunctional Relationship of the Woman and the Beast.”
Let’s pray together before we go any further and we admire how the plan of God comes together.
(prayer)
Ok, let’s read the passage, and then we’ll take away a few truths that we can learn together.
Look at Revelation 17:
1 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and spoke with me: “Come, I will show you the judgment of the notorious prostitute, who is seated on many waters. 2 The kings of the earth committed sexual immorality with her, and those who live on the earth became drunk on the wine of her sexual immorality.” 3 Then he carried me away in the Spirit, to a wilderness.
I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns. 4 The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, adorned with gold, jewels, and pearls. She had a golden cup in her hand filled with everything detestable and with the impurities of her prostitution. 5 On her forehead was written a name, a mystery: Babylon the Great, the Mother of Prostitutes and of the Detestable Things of the Earth. 6 Then I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the witnesses to Jesus. When I saw her, I was greatly astonished.
7 Then the angel said to me, “Why are you astonished? I will explain to you the mystery of the woman and of the beast, with the seven heads and the ten horns, that carries her. 8 The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to come up from the abyss and go to destruction. Those who live on the earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world will be astonished when they see the beast that was, and is not, and is to come. 9 This calls for a mind that has wisdom.
“The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman is seated. They are also seven kings: 10 Five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come, and when he comes, he must remain for only a little while. 11 The beast that was and is not, is itself an eighth king, but it belongs to the seven and is going to destruction. 12 The ten horns you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but they will receive authority as kings with the beast for one hour. 13 These have one purpose, and they give their power and authority to the beast. 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, chosen, and faithful.”
15 He also said to me, “The waters you saw, where the prostitute was seated, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and languages. 16 The ten horns you saw, and the beast, will hate the prostitute. They will make her desolate and naked, devour her flesh, and burn her up with fire. 17 For God has put it into their hearts to carry out his plan by having one purpose and to give their kingdom to the beast until the words of God are fulfilled. 18 And the woman you saw is the great city that has royal power over the kings of the earth.”
Ok, let’s learn a few truths together here:
First, . . .
I. The woman multiplied the sin of the beast.
We’ve heard of the beast before, haven’t we? The beast is the antichrist, the one who will lead people away from following Jesus.
The beast was very sinful, and we see that sin increased even more because of the influence of the woman.
First of all, this woman is referred to several times as a prostitute. She is also described as leading others to commit sexual immorality.
Now, it’s important to catch a few realities here about the woman:
First of all, this woman is not actually a woman. How do we know that?
Well, we’re told that the woman actually represents a city or an empire.
Verse 5 says, “On her forehead was written a name, a mystery: Babylon the Great . . . ”
Well, we know already from Revelation that Babylon the Great represents a great evil city, a great evil empire, or a representation of all evil in the world.
Further, verse 18 says, “ . . . the woman you saw is the great city that has royal power over the kings of the earth.”
So, the woman is not a woman. She represents a great stronghold of sin.
Also, the woman leads others to sin.
In the Bible, and in the Book of Revelation, sexual immorality is often used as a reference to all kinds of sin. The Bible says that we belong to the Lord and that when we are unfaithful to Him, it is like immorality.
So, the woman is leading others to sin. She is leading others to commit unfaithfulness to God.
She is in effect, doing the same thing as the beast: leading people away from Jesus.
The woman is multiplying the sin of the beast.
Next, . . .
II. The woman partnered with the beast.
Look again at verse 3. It says:
“Then he carried me away in the Spirit, to a wilderness.
I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns.”
Additionally, you may recall that those Christians who did not follow the beast were killed for their faithfulness to Jesus. Well, look at verse 6. It says:
“Then I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the witnesses to Jesus.”
The woman was closely associated with the beast.
She participated in leading others into sin, as the beast did.
She participated in the death of God’s people, as the beast did.
She partnered in the work of the beast.
Notice that the beast and the woman are doing the same type of work and are associated with each other.
However, that’s not how things end up.
We learn next that . . .
III. The woman was hated by the beast.
Well, what’s this all about?
How can two people who were partnered and working together all of a sudden not get along? This is “The Dysfunctional Relationship of the Woman and the Beast.”
Sin does not bring peace and harmony to anyone. Sin brings chaos and calamity.
We hear in this passage about the dysfunction that develops.
In verse 9, we learn that the seven heads of the beast represent seven mountains and seven kings.
We learn in verse 11 that the beast himself represents another king.
Verse 12 tells us that the ten horns of the beast represent ten other kings who will work with the beast for a short time.
Now, look at verse 16:
“The ten horns you saw, and the beast, will hate the prostitute. They will make her desolate and naked, devour her flesh, and burn her up with fire.”
The antichrist and those whom he has influence over will hate and harm the woman.
Why is that? It’s because sin does not end in peace and victory. Sin ends in trouble and heartache. Sin leads to more sin. Trouble leads to more trouble.
When sinners gather together for collaboration, the result is never good.
Such is the case here. Those who were once partners in sin will be destroyed by sin.
The worldwide empire of evil will gather together in celebration of the beast and his power, but the beast himself will bring destruction on them.
That which people hoped would bring them peace and prosperity will instead bring them destruction and despair.
That takes us to our bottom line:
Bottom Line: The kingdom of sin will soon begin to fall.
Notice that the beast, and these kings and kingdoms have one purpose. It’s said very clearly to us in verses 13 and 14. Look at it again:
“13 These have one purpose, and they give their power and authority to the beast. 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, chosen, and faithful.”
The purpose of these who are gathered is to make war on the Lamb, Jesus Christ. However, they will not succeed.
The empire of evil will begin to turn against itself, and it will begin to deteriorate.
In these later parts of Revelation, God is systematically working out His plan to judge sin and sinners, to eliminate evil, and to conquer the power of the beast forever.
In Revelation 17, we see the kingdom of sin beginning to fall.
Listen, brothers and sisters: We live in a world of suffering, sin, and sorrow. Things are hard sometimes.
When sin came into the world, everything was messed up; everything.
However, all that is evil will soon begin to fall. Don’t lose heart. Don’t lose faith. Soon and very soon, evil will fall. Soon and very soon, your hearts will be healed. Soon and very soon, we are going to see the king.
God has a plan, and it’s a great thing when a plan comes together.
Challenge yourself this week in this one way:
Weekly Challenge: Remind yourself that the Lamb will conquer.
Listen, church: Jesus wins.
Evil will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will conquer them because (as verse 14 says) He is Lord of lords and King of kings.
In Jesus, we are called, chosen, and faithful.
When you’re heartbroken, remind yourself that the Lamb will conquer.
When you’re confused, remind yourself that the Lamb will conquer.
When you’re attacked by evil forces, remind yourself that the Lamb will conquer.
When you’re weary and tired, remind yourself that the Lamb will conquer.
When you’re angry and tired, remind yourself that the Lamb will conquer.
When you’re needy and desperate, remind yourself that the Lamb will conquer.
(Gospel presentation)
(closing prayer)
(Benediction)
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