Burunche’s Blog

Revelation 19:11- 16 “Then I saw heaven standing open, and there before me was a white horse. And its rider is called Faithful and True. With righteousness He judges and wages war. He has eyes like blazing fire, and many royal crowns on His head. He has a name written on Him that only He Himself knows. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and His name is The Word of God.

The Gospel of John begins “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…. In Him was life, and that life was the light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” The Lord Jesus, Christ, the only Son of His Heavenly Father, is the living Word of God. For thousands of years, people have read these words, but how many people have actually expected Jesus to return as the Living Word with infinite power? Now the time has come for Jesus to show Himself in all of His Majesty and His Glory.

Jesus is the Rider on the white horse, the One called Faithful and True. The Greek term for “faithful” means ”absolutely to be trusted.” Jesus brings truth, His nature is true, and He brings complete reality. Jesus is the One who is capable of judging and waging war righteously. Even though men have attempted to justify their wars throughout the ages, Jesus is the only One who truly wages just war.

Barclay explains: His eyes are a flame of fire…. It stands for the consuming power of the victorious Christ. On his head he has many crowns. The word used here for crown is diadema, which is the royal crown, as opposed to stephanos which is the crown of victory. To be crowned with more than one crown may seem strange, but in the time of John it was quite natural. It was not uncommon for a monarch to wear more than one crown in order to show that he was the king of more than one country. For instance, when Ptolemy entered Antioch he wore two crowns or diadems–one to show that he was lord of Asia and one to show that he was lord of Egypt. On the head of the victor Christ there are many crowns to show that he is lord of all the kingdoms of the earth.

He has a name known to no one but himself….What is this name?…. In Philippians 2:9-11 we read of the name above every name which God has given to Jesus Christ because of his complete obedience; and there the name is almost certainly Lord.

(ii) It is suggested that the name is Y-H-W-H. That was the Jewish name for God.

(iii) It may be that the name is one which can be revealed only at the final union of Christ and the Church.

(iv) It may be… the old idea that to know the name of a divine being was to have a certain power over him.

(v) It may be that we shall never know the symbolism of the unknown name… Only the Son of God can understand the mystery of his own being.” Should a Supreme God be totally knowable, or is it part of that supremacy that mystery should remain? If your god is totally knowable, is it really God or merely something on which you have decided to focus your attention?

v. 13 “He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and His name is The Word of God.” In the past, Jesus was the Lamb of God, slain for the sins of the world. But now the blood on the robe is the blood of Jesus’s enemies. The tables have turned; the Victim has become the Victor. The Gospel of John refers to Jesus as the Living Word. Barclay concludes: Here is the idea in Hebrews 4:12 : “The word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword.” When John here called the warrior Christ “The Word of God”, he means that here in action is all the power of God’s word; everything that God has said, and threatened, and promised is embodied in Christ.”

When I was a child, we had a saying “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me!” But that saying is a lie! In fact, words can kill or heal. Just ask the grieving parents of any teen who has been cyber – bullied until he or she commits suicide. How many adults have struggled to overcome hateful pronouncements made by parents or others. “You are stupid! You will never amount to anything! Why try? No matter what you do, you are bound to fail!”

Perhaps you are one of those people who has struggled to overcome horrible curses placed on you when you were young. Take heart, for Jesus, the Living Word of God, has come in His Strength and His Power to remove those curses. If you will only choose to accept the fact that Jesus died on that cross at Calvary to take away the sins of the world, if you will only believe that Jesus can deliver you from the bondage of those curses, you can be free now and forever!

PRAYER: Father God, thank you for sending Jesus, your Living Word! Thank you that Jesus has been, is now, and always will be victorious. Thank you that the Name of Jesus has power to free us from the curses of our sins and the curses spoken over us by others. Lord Jesus, we confess that we are sinners and that we cannot free ourselves. Please deliver us from our sins and free us from the curses placed on us. Thank you that you have promised to give us life and to give it abundantly. In your Name we pray. Amen.

Revelation 19:9 – 10 “Then the angel told me to write, “Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.” So I fell at his feet to worship him. But he told me, “Do not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who rely on the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”

Of this feast, Barclay writes: The Jews had the idea that, when the Messiah came, God’s people would, as it were, be entertained by God to a great Messianic Banquet. Isaiah speaks of God preparing for his people “a feast of fat things, a feast of wine on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wine on the lees well refined” (Isaiah 25:6). Jesus speaks of many coming from the east and the west and sitting down with the patriarchs in the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 8:11). The word used for sitting down is the word for reclining at a meal. The picture is of all men sitting down at the Messianic Banquet of God. Jesus at the Last Supper said that he would not again drink of the cup until he drank it new in his Father’s kingdom (Matthew 26:29). That was Jesus looking forward to the great Messianic Banquet.

In Jewish culture, marriage suppers were among the biggest and most elaborate celebrations possible. Remember that Jesus’ first miracle when he turned water into wine was performed at a marriage feast in Cana when the wine ran out. Is the heavenly banquet likely to look exactly like this description? Probably not! But as Saint Paul said in 1 Corinthians 13 “Our knowledge is imperfect and our prophecy is imperfect….now we see as in a glass darkly…” Remember, John was still human when he was having this vision and so God had to give John pictures with which he could identify so that he would be able to describe the vision accurately.

“So I fell at his feet to worship him. But he told me, “Do not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who rely on the testimony of Jesus.” Throughout history, men have been tempted to worship angels. When angels of the Lord have appeared, they have always warned the men to whom they have appeared NOT to worship them. But it is important to remember that one third of the angels fell from heaven when Satan fell. There are many spiritualist churches that have some angel as their guiding spirit; these angels evidently have no problems with receiving worship and therefore are NOT angels of the Lord.

9b”Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” The Word of God is rich in layers upon layers of meaning and this statement is a perfect example. 1. The testimony of Jesus may refer to the testimony of believers who have followed Jesus and have found Him to be completely true.

2. The testimony of Jesus may refer to those who have listened to Jesus and who have then brought His messages to men. With such men, their words and works all bear evidence of Jesus and point people toward Jesus.

Recently, one of our friends lost her older brother, a fascinating and multi – talented man. Although this man first thought he was called to be a preacher, he became an entrepeneur, conducting all kinds of businesses. But wherever this man went, he bore witness to Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior and pointed the way to God for many of those who first encountered him through their business connections. The compassion, the faith, the joy, and the peace this man demonstrated drew many to Jesus Christ. This man was truly a prophet, albeit an unconventional one. But then, most prophets defy conventions.

Generally, when people send out wedding invitations, they only invite family and friends or close business associates. But Jesus is coming back for His Bride, the Church, and the invitation is open to anyone who will respond. Your invitation is waiting; what are you going to do with it?

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, thank you for loving us so much that you came as a man to live and to die for our sins. Thank you that you have invited us to be with you forever. Help everyone who reads this to say “yes” to that invitation. In your mighty and precious Name, Jesus. Amen.

Revelation 19:3 – 8 “And a second time they called out: “Hallelujah! Her smoke rises forever and ever.” And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sits on the throne, saying: “Amen, Hallelujah!”

Then a voice came from the throne, saying: “Praise our God, all you who serve Him, and those who fear Him, small and great alike!” And I heard a sound like the roar of a great multitude, like the rushing of many waters, and like a mighty rumbling of thunder, crying out: “Hallelujah! For our Lord God, the Almighty, reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give Him the glory. For the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His bride has made herself ready. She was given clothing of fine linen, bright and pure.” For the fine linen she wears is the righteous acts of the saints.

“The smoke rises forever and ever…” This statement indicates that the corrupt city that has spelled doom for so many has been completely destroyed and shall never rise again. Remember that here “Babylon” or Rome represents every entity that has seduced mankind from the beginning of time. That ancient enemy of all believers has been crushed into the dirt!

Now the twenty – four elders and the four living creatures, those closest to the throne, are worshiping God. Joining them are the prophets and martyrs and all believers. When these voices cry out, the sound is like that of an enormous waterfall – greater than Niagara or Victoria Falls or Iguazu Falls in Brazil as pictured above. And what is the song that they are singing?

“Hallelujah! For our Lord God, the Almighty, reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give Him the glory…”

Ages upon ages, believers have trusted, have continued to act in faith, and have frequently have faced persecution or death as their immediate reward. But now at long last, that faith has been justified! God’s promises are coming true! Now the final union of God and His Church is about to take place.

It is the Lord God Almighty who is being worshiped. The term here in the Greek translates to “He who controls all things.” God is the ultimate Authority and worthy of all praise and worship. Here God is described as the ultimate Bridegroom with the Church as His Bride.

For the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His bride has made herself ready. She was given clothing of fine linen, bright and pure.” For the fine linen she wears is the righteous acts of the saints.” When have brides NOT concentrated on preparing for their weddings? Even in the days of the early church, brides spent time preparing their costumes, the linens they would use in their homes, and preparing their bodies so that they would be as attractive to their bridegrooms as possible. In modern times, an entire industry has grown up around weddings and the celebrations surrounding them.

Throughout the Old Testament, God repeatedly referred to Israel as the chosen bride of God. That theme comes out even more clearly in the New Testament.

Barclay explains: “The marriage symbolism runs all through the Gospels. We read of the marriage feast (Matthew 22:2); of the bride chamber and the wedding garment (Matthew 22:10-11); of the sons of the bride chamber (Mark 2:19); of the bridegroom (Mark 2:19; Matthew 25:1); of the friends of the bridegroom (John 3:29). And Paul speaks of himself as betrothing the Church like a pure virgin to Christ (2 Corinthians 11:2), and for him the relationship of Christ to his Church is the great model of the relationship of husband and wife (Ephesians 5:21-33). This may seem to us a strange metaphor. But it conserves certain great truths. In any real marriage there must be four things which must also be in the relationship between the Christian and Christ.

(i) There is love. A loveless marriage is a contradiction in terms.

(ii) There is intimate communion, so intimate that man and wife become one flesh. The relationship of the Christian and Christ must be the closest in all life.

(iii) There is joy. There is nothing like the joy of loving and of being loved. If Christianity does not bring joy, it does not bring anything.

(iv) There is fidelity. No marriage can last without fidelity, and the Christian must be as faithful to Jesus Christ as Jesus Christ is to him.

…The Church, the Bride of Christ, is clothed in fine linen, pure and shining. There is a contrast with the scarlet and gold of the great harlot. The white linen represents the good deeds of God’s dedicated people; that is to say, it is character which forms the robe which arrays the Bride of Christ.”

If the marriage metaphor fails to speak to us, it is because our modern world has cheapened marriage into a matter of ceremony for the sake of convenience. But such a tawdry concept was never God’s intent. And this marriage is a union that will last forever.

“But,” you say, “I know that I am a rotten sinner. I know that I can never be good enough to be part of such a ceremony!” Congratulations! Welcome to the human race! NONE of us are good enough. By ourselves, not a single one of us can possibly earn his or her way into heaven. That is the message of Christmas: Jesus was born as a baby to become a man, the only perfect and innocent man ever created, so that He could die for our sins and conquer death and the grave. If we accept what Jesus has done for us, that is the only invitation we will ever need… if we will accept it. But don’t let that invitation just sit there. Now is the time to follow Jesus!

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, thank you for everything you have done for me. I confess that I am a sinner. And I confess that I cannot earn my way into heaven. But thank you that because you have died for my sins, if I follow you, one day I will join you in heaven. Amen.

A PREVIEW OF REVELATION 19, 20, 21, 22 (Source: William Barclay)

Before we begin to study the last four chapters of the Revelation in detail, it will be well to set out their general program of events.

1. They begin with a universal rejoicing at the destruction of Babylon, the power of Rome.

2. There follows a description of the emergence of a white horse and on it him who is Faithful and True.

3. Next comes the assembling of hostile powers against the conquering Christ; then the defeat of the opposing forces, the casting of the beast and of the false prophet into the lake of fire, and the slaughter of the rest.

4. Revelation 20:1-15 opens with the binding of the devil in the abyss for a period of a thousand years.

5. There follows the resurrection of the martyrs to reign with Christ for a thousand years, although the rest of the dead are not yet resurrected.

6. At the end of the thousand years Satan is again loosed for a brief space; there is

final conflict with the enemies of Christ who are destroyed with fire from heaven while Satan is cast for ever into the lake of fire and brimstone.

7. Then comes the general resurrection and the general judgment

8. and finally the description of the new heaven and the new earth to take the place of the things which have passed away.

Revelation 19:19:1-2 “After these things I heard what sounded like a great voice of a vast multitude in heaven. “Hallelujah!” they were saying. “Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, because his judgments are true and just, for he judged the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her fornication, and has avenged upon her the blood of his servants.”

“Hallelujah” literally means “praise God!” Salvation and glory and power belong to God! Salvation – only God can save fallen mankind. We are saved by the blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ and His blood has paid the price for our sins. All glory belongs to God. There is nobody else so worthy of praise. Only God truly has glory. The Romans had a phrase “Sic transit gloria mundi,” “so passes the glory of the world.” 1 John 2:15 – 17 says that “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not from the Father but from the world. The world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God remains forever.”

God’s judgments are true and righteous. We live in an age in which leaders in all spheres are failing, having sold themselves to the highest bidder. There are those who attempt to argue that there are no moral absolutes and that each situation must be judged on its own merits; however, if there are no moral absolutes, what parameters will you use to assess a given situation? You are left with nothing more than shifting moral sand.

God has judged the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her fornication. For eons, God has withheld judgment but now the time has come to make an end to all corruption. Although those who murdered believers have rejoiced in their foul deeds, God has been watching. Now God is avenging every drop of blood that has been spilled. The same God who has every hair of each person’s head numbered certainly knows the names of the martyrs, the manner in which they have suffered, and those who have made them suffer and who have failed to repent. Judgment is the inescapable consequence of sin.

The Creator of the Universe has called all the stars by name; how much more will He treasure those who have loved Him so much that they have laid down their lives rather than compromise? Make no mistake! God is NOT Santa Claus; neither is He some distant figure on Mount Olympus as the Greeks imagined. Barclay comments, “There is one other reason for the rejoicing. The judgment on Rome is the guarantee that God never in the end abandons his own.”

PRAYER: Father God, thank you that you are TRULY the Lord of the Universe! Thank you that you are true, just, perfect, and glorious! Lord, help us to praise you and to value you as we should. In the mighty and precious Name of Jesus. Amen.

Revelation 18:21- 24 “Then a mighty angel picked up a stone the size of a great millstone and cast it into the sea, saying: “With such violence the great city of Babylon will be cast down, never to be seen again. And the sound of harpists and musicians, of flute players and trumpeters, will never ring out in you again. Nor will any craftsmen of any trade be found in you again, nor the sound of a millstone be heard in you again. The light of a lamp will never shine in you again, and the voices of a bride and bridegroom will never call out in you again. For your merchants were the great ones of the earth, because all the nations were deceived by your sorcery.” And there was found in her the blood of prophets and saints, and of all who had been slain on the earth.”

Barclay comments: The picture is of the final desolation of Rome. It begins with a symbolic action. A strong angel takes a great millstone and hurls it into the sea which closes over it as if it had never been. So will Rome be obliterated. John was taking his picture from the destruction of ancient Babylon. The word of God came to Jeremiah: “When you finish reading this book, bind a stone to it, and cast it into the midst of the Euphrates: and say, Thus shall Babylon sink, to rise no more, because of the evil that I am bringing upon her” (Jeremiah 51:63-64). AND THIS REALLY HAPPENED TO ANCIENT BABYLON! In later days Strabo, the Greek geographer, was to say that ancient Babylon was so completely obliterated that no one would ever have dared to say that the desert where she stood was once a great city.

1. Never again will there be any sound of rejoicing. The doom of Ezekiel against Tyre reads: “And I will stop the music of your songs, and the sound of your lyres shall be heard no more” (Ezekiel 26:13). The harpers and the minstrels played and sang on joyous occasions; the flute was used at festivals and at funerals; the trumpet sounded at the games and at the concerts; but now all music was to be silenced.

2. Never again will there be the sound of a craftsman plying his trade.

3. Never again will the sound of domestic activity be heard. Grinding was done by the women at home with two great circular stones one on the top of the other. The corn was put into a hole in the uppermost stone; it was ground between the two stones and emerged through the lower stone. The creak of stone on stone, which could be heard any day at any house door, will never again be heard.

3. Never again will there be light on the streets or in the houses.

4. Never again will there be any sound of wedding rejoicing for even love will die.

Rome is to become a terrible silent desolation. And this punishment will come for certain definite reasons.

**It will come because she worshiped wealth and luxury and lived wantonly, and found no pleasure except in material things.

**It will come because she led men astray with her sorceries. Nahum called Nineveh “graceful and of deadly charms”(Nahum 3:14). Rome flirted with the evil powers to make an evil world.

**It will come because she was blood guilty. “Woe to the bloody city!” said Ezekiel of Tyre (Ezekiel 24:6). Within Rome the martyrs perished and persecution went out from her all over the earth.

Everything that could possibly make any city attractive is to be stripped away from the cities of the world in an instant. All signs of life are to be obliterated. In the process, all those people involved in these activities will also vanish. On that fateful day, God will bring all normal human activities to an end. How is all of this supposed to happen? We have no idea. But the same God who spoke the universe into existence can easily stop all activities with a single word.

This last year, many people have lost things they thought were necessary, only to find that other more eternal values mattered the most. As we come to the end of 2020, what is important to you? What do you worship? On what do you spend your time?

PRAYER: Father God, thank you for loving us. Thank you that we do not have to fear whatever the future holds, because you are already there and you have already made provision for us, if we will only trust you and serve you. Let your light shine in our hearts and let us truly know you and follow you all the days of our lives. In the matchless Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Revelation 18:9 – 19 “Then the kings of the earth who committed sexual immorality and lived in luxury with her will weep and wail at the sight of the smoke rising from the fire that consumes her. In fear of her torment, they will stand at a distance and cry out:

“Woe, woe to the great city, the mighty city of Babylon! For in a single hour your judgment has come.” And the merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her, because there is no one left to buy their cargo— cargo of gold, silver, precious stones, and pearls; of fine linen, purple, silk, and scarlet; of all kinds of citron wood and every article of ivory, precious wood, bronze, iron, and marble; of cinnamon, spice, incense, myrrh, and frankincense; of wine, olive oil, fine flour, and wheat; of cattle, sheep, horses, and chariots; of slaves and souls of men: “The fruit of your soul’s desire has departed from you; all your luxury and splendor have vanished, never to be seen again.” The merchants who sold these things and grew their wealth from her will stand at a distance, in fear of her torment. They will weep and mourn, saying: “Woe, woe to the great city, clothed in fine linen and purple and scarlet, adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls! For in a single hour such fabulous wealth has been destroyed!” Every shipmaster, passenger, and sailor, and all who make their living from the sea, will stand at a distance and cry out at the sight of the smoke rising from the fire that consumes her. ‘What city was ever like this great city?’ they will exclaim. Then they will throw dust on their heads as they weep and mourn and cry out: “Woe, woe to the great city, where all who had ships on the sea were enriched by her wealth! For in a single hour she has been destroyed.”

“WHAT GOES AROUND, COMES AROUND!” “YOU REAP WHAT YOU SOW!” The mighty city of Babylon/Rome that represents all the cities of the world, is being destroyed. God is punishing the pride. The Greeks had a term hubris, that is, overweening pride and arrogance that feels it has no need of God. Now God’s punishment has come, judgment for the immorality and the corruption of centuries. Kings, merchants, shipmasters, and sailors are all lamenting the fall of this great city that has made them all rich.

The detailed description of all the wealth that is being destroyed in an instant seems almost unbelievable; however, historians of the time have born out the fact that there was immense wealth in Rome, just as there is immense wealth in any of the big sites of the world today. We have just passed through Christmas, and many families have posted photos of their Christmas trees surrounded by mounds of presents. While most of these families would describe themselves as middle – class, the variety of gifts described in their Face Book posts is staggering. And these are only middle class people, not the very wealthy. Given that level of modern – day wealth, it is not difficult to understand why all these different groups involved in trading are grieving the loss of Babylon, their market and their supplier. Barclay comments: “There is something almost pathetic in these laments. In every case the lament is not for Rome but for themselves. It is one of the laws of life that, if a man places all his happiness in material things, he misses the greatest things of all–love and friendship with his fellowmen.”

v. 20 “Rejoice over her, O heaven, O saints and apostles and prophets, because for you God has pronounced His judgment against her.”

These are the cities that have persecuted the saints and apostles and prophets. Jesus himself grieved over the prophets who had been murdered in Jerusalem. The Apostle Paul was beheaded in Rome, and Peter was crucified there. Innumerable believers were torn apart by wild beasts or used as human torches in Nero’s gardens, or tortured to death in other ways by later rulers.

2 Peter 3:9-10 “The Lord is not slow to fulfill His promise as some understand slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance. But the Day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar, the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and its works will be laid bare.” God is patient; however, for thousands of years, His prophets have warned men that a day of judgment would eventually arrive. Peter continues: Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to conduct yourselves in holiness and godliness as you anticipate and hasten the coming of the day of God, when the heavens will be destroyed by fire and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with God’s promise, we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.”

2 Peter 3:11-13

God has given John this vision for many reasons, not the least of which is to warn mankind of His provision and eventual punishment should they refuse that provision. Truly, God is patient, and He does not SEND anyone to hell; people choose to go there.

None of us knows the day or the hour of our death. The only time we have is now. The question before us remains: will we worship the One True Living God, or will we turn away from Him?

PRAYER: Father God, thank you for loving us. Thank you for sending Jesus to die for our sins. Lord, help each of us to realize that riches and power can be gone in an instant and that only YOUR salvation is sufficient. Let all who read this turn to you. In the matchless Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Revelation 18:1-3 “After this I saw another angel descending from heaven with great authority, and the earth was illuminated by his glory. And he cried out in a mighty voice: “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a lair for demons and a haunt for every unclean spirit, every unclean bird, and every detestable beast. All the nations have drunk the wine of the passion of her immorality. The kings of the earth were immoral with her, and the merchants of the earth have grown wealthy from the extravagance of her luxury.”

The date was August 24, A.D. 79. The place was Pompeii, a seaport of 20,000 on the banks of the Sarno River and on the slopes of Mount Vesuvius. Around noon, a huge eruption from Mount Vesuvius showered volcanic debris over the city of Pompeii, followed the next day by clouds of blisteringly hot gases. Buildings were destroyed, the population was crushed or asphyxiated, and the city was buried beneath a blanket of ash and pumice. (Encyclopedia Britannica) All the inhabitants of Pompeii and several surrounding communities died where they were, smothered in ash or asphyxiated by the hot gases. Although Pompeii was later forgotten for centuries, at the time this tragedy was well known throughout the Roman world. As God was giving John this part of the vision, God might have quickened the story of Pompeii to John’s mind as an illustration of what was to happen to Babylon the Great.

Many times, God’s prophets had predicted destruction for great cities full of corruption. In Isaiah 13:19-22 we have the doom song of ancient Babylon:

And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the splendor and pride of the Chaldeans, will be like Sodom and Gomorrah when God overthrew them. It will never be inhabited or dwelt in for all generations; no Arab will pitch his tent there, no shepherds will make their flocks lie down there. But wild beasts will lie down there, and its houses will be full of howling creatures; there ostriches will dwell, and there satyrs will dance. Hyenas will cry in its towers, and jackals in the pleasant palaces; its time is close at hand and its days will not be prolonged. Jeremiah predicted very similar things for Babylon (Jeremiah 50:39 and 51:37) Other prophets decreed similar things for Nineveh and for Edom.

 The angel making this pronouncement is descending from heaven with great authority, accompanied by so much glory that it illuminates the whole earth. This angel is coming from the Lord God Almighty with His Authority. God has given Babylon and all represented by the Babylon figure time to repent. Now judgment has come.

17:4-8 “Then I heard another voice from heaven say: “Come out of her, My people, so that you will not share in her sins or contract any of her plagues. For her sins are piled up to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities. Give back to her as she has done to others; pay her back double for what she has done; mix her a double portion in her own cup. As much as she has glorified herself and lived in luxury, give her the same measure of torment and grief. In her heart she says, ‘I sit as queen; I am not a widow and will never see grief.’ Therefore her plagues will come in one day— death and misery and famine— and she will be consumed by fire, for mighty is the Lord God who judges her.”

Somehow, there is still a believing remnant left within this horrible place. Now God is repeating His Command that He has echoed throughout generations for believers to flee, to separate themselves before they wind up sharing in the sins and spiritual plagues. When Abraham and Lot had to choose where they would live because their herds were too large for the land, Lot chose the whole plain of the Jordan for himself because it looked so good. But Lot failed to realize that he was about to settle in the hideously immoral city of Sodom. The land that Abraham chose was not as well watered; however, spiritually it was far safer. Herein lies a warning for believers: many times we fail to pray before taking major decisions, relying instead of the advice of friends or family members. But in the end, Lot lost everything apart from his two daughters – the herds and home for which he was so concerned were consumed in the Lord’s wrath.

Romans 12:1-2 says, “Therefore I urge you, brothers, on account of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.” Today the news is full of reports of politicians and judges who may have compromised themselves by accepting money from various sources, including foreign governments. At the same time, people of faith are finding themselves under attack for hewing to their beliefs. Throughout the ages, from time immemorial, those who serve the One True Living God have never found it easy. But God has promised and is promising that their faith will be rewarded. To compromise or not? Each of us has a choice, but choose well! You are choosing for eternity!

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, help each one who reads this devotional to feel your calling to righteousness. Empower each of us so that we will follow hard after you, no matter how hard things become. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Revelation 17:14 – 18 “They will make war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will triumph over them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and He will be accompanied by His called and chosen and faithful ones.” Then the angel said to me, “The waters you saw, where the prostitute was seated, are peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues. And the ten horns and the beast that you saw will hate the prostitute. They will leave her desolate and naked, and will eat her flesh and burn her with fire. For God has put it into their hearts to carry out His purpose by uniting to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled. And the woman you saw is the great city that rules over the kings of the earth.”

“They will make war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will triumph over them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and He will be accompanied by His called and chosen and faithful ones.” The Crucified, Risen, Victorious Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, leads his armies into battle. With the Lamb are the saints and martyrs, those who have been tried and have been found faithful despite their sufferings. Barclay states, “One of the great conceptions of Jewish thought was that the saints and the martyrs would share in God’s final triumph.”

C.S. Lewis in his great classic The Screwtape Letters quotes a senior tempter advising his nephew, a novice”At any rate, you will soon find that the justice of Hell is purely realistic, and concerned only with results. Bring us back food , or be food yourself.”

As this victorious army of righteousness advances, meanwhile, the very beings whom the prostitute has corrupted turn against her. These rulers hate the prostitute so much that they tear at her flesh and burn her with fire. Hell is demanding results, and the Enemies of the Lamb are turning around and destroying the very system that has given them power and riches. The mention of burning the body of the prostitute with fire refers back to Leviticus 20:14 and 21:9, both passages indicating that the complete destruction of a body by fire was the most severe punishment that could be meted out.

17;17 “For God has put it into their hearts to carry out His purpose by uniting to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled.” Amazing! These kings think that they are uniting with the beast to try to conquer the Lamb; meanwhile, God is the One who has given them this idea! Barclay concludes his comments on this section by saying the following: “The truth behind this is that God never loses control of human affairs. In the last analysis God is always working things together for good.”

This last part of Revelation 17 should give all those who seek to serve God incredible hope. No matter how difficult things are, no matter what you might suffer, IN THE END, GOD WILL TRIUMPH! One faithful believer used to tell me, “I’ve read the last chapter in the Book, and we win!”

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, thank you so much for coming to us as an infant, for living as a man, for dying for our sins, and for conquering hell, death, and the grave. Lord, help us to see you as you truly are, the Risen Spotless Lamb and Victorious King of Kings and Lord of Lords! And help us to truly follow you and truly serve you all the days of our lives. In the matchless Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Revelation 17:6 – 13 “I could see that the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints and of the witnesses for Jesus. And I was utterly amazed at the sight of her. “Why are you so amazed?” said the angel. “I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and ten horns. The beast that you saw—it was, and now is no more, but is about to come up out of the Abyss and go to its destruction. And those who dwell on the earth whose names were not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world will marvel when they see the beast that was, and is not, and yet will be. This calls for a mind that has wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits. There are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, and the other has not yet come; but when he does come, he must remain for only a little while. The beast that was, and now is not, is an eighth king, who belongs to the other seven and is going into destruction. The ten horns you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but will receive one hour of authority as kings, along with the beast. These kings have one purpose: to yield their power and authority to the beast. “

The Book of Revelation has confounded Bible teachers for years. There are all kinds of charts, time lines, and diagrams that have been used in attempts to explain these parts of the vision. Rather than get too bogged down in specifics, let’s look at the overall picture.

1. The woman spoken of is an arch – demon representing every city and every economy in the world in which Christians have been persecuted in any fashion. As mentioned yesterday, this figure is a satanic counterfeit of the Virgin Mary but is Mary’s exact opposite in every detail. Where Mary is pure, this figure is called “BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.” According to this name, this figure represents the source of corruption, fornication, and perversion throughout the earth.

2. This figure is referred to as being carried by the beast, that is being supported and transported by thebeast. At the same time, references are made to the woman sitting on seven mountains. Ancient Rome was built on seven different hills; this reference obviously indicates Rome as a center of corruption. As Roman society deteriorated, the city became incredibly corrupt and perverted. Does this mean that ONLY Rome can be represented here? Remember that God was giving John a vision using images that John would recognize. It’s likely that Rome is being used as a symbol for all the cities of the world.

3. The mystery of the seven heads: This reference was made to the first five emperors of Rome, who were already dead at the time of this vision. The one emperor who was ruling at the time of the vision was Vespasian, who was succeeded by Titus, who only reigned for two years. Barclay comments: The beast which was, and is not, is itself the eighth. It proceeds from the series of the seven, and is on its way to destruction. This can only mean that the emperor who followed Titus is being identified with Nero redivivus(re-born) and Antichrist; and the emperor who followed Titus was Domitian. Domitian was an incredibly evil ruler, described by a writer of the time as “an object of terror and hatred to all.”

“But,” you might ask, “all this refers to ancient Rome. What does that have to do with us?” Visions operate on several different levels, particularly when they are giving information about the end times. While on one level this vision appears to be speaking about the Roman Empire, please remember that Satan repeats patterns. If Satan was able to inspire one man to be as evil as Domitian, why can’t he inspire another man, or other men? Who are the ten horns? There have been all kinds of explanations for those figures, but what is important is that they are political leaders who will appear at the same time as the beast and who will have brief terms of power. 7:13 says, “These kings have one purpose: to yield their power and authority to the beast. “

Today we live in an age in which governments of various countries are attempting to undermine governments elsewhere. The events of Revelation 17 are becoming more believable. Today more than ever before, Christians are being persecuted. Pastors in China are going into hiding. In 2020 alone more than 2200 Christians in Northern Nigeria have been killed for their faith.

Hundreds of years before John received this vision, God also gave the prophet Daniel a vision of the end times. Speaking of the persecution of believers, the angel giving the interpretation to Daniel told Daniel that an evil ruler would arise and, “With flattery he will corrupt those who violate the covenant, but the people who know their God will firmly resist him. Those with insight will instruct many, though for a time they will fall by sword or flame, or be captured or plundered. Now when they fall, they will be granted a little help, but many will join them insincerely. Some of the wise will fall, so that they may be refined, purified, and made spotless until the time of the end, for it will still come at the appointed time.” Daniel 11:32-35

We have no choice over the time in which we have been born. The major choice each of us must make is this: Will we serve the One True Living God, or will we reject Him? The choice is not necessarily an easy one: choose to follow God and possibly suffer here on earth or reject God and suffer for eternity?

PRAYER: Father God, we are afraid! It has already been a difficult year, full of pain, suffering, loss, and sometimes death. Help us to realize that You are our only Hope and to choose to follow you, no matter what. In the mighty and precious Name of Jesus. Amen.

Revelation 17:1- 5 “Then one of the seven angels with the seven bowls came and told me, “Come, I will show you the punishment of the great prostitute, who sits on many waters. The kings of the earth were sexually immoral with her, and those who dwell on the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her immorality.” And the angel carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness, where I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns. And the woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls. She held in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her sexual immorality. On her forehead a mysterious name was written: BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.”

One thing about Satan is that he is not original; he copies the things of God, twisting them and perverting them if possible. At Christmas time we celebrate Mary for her faith, her obedience to God, her purity, and her perseverance in believing what God had told her. So if there were to be a satanic counterpart to the Virgin Mary, that female would have to be the worst whore ever imagined, someone without a shred of decency. For two thousand years, Mary has given us an example to follow. It only makes sense that Satan would attempt to create something that would be the exact opposite, and he did. In these last few chapters of Revelation, the imagery can become confused and confusing. For the purposes of this study, it is not necessary to attempt to go into excruciating details.

One of the angels shows John “the punishment of the great prostitute, who sits on many waters.” Although parts of the description would certainly fit the city of Rome, please remember that there are major cities throughout the world that sit on major rivers or next to major seaports. So this “great prostitute” might be the spirit of all the world cities that intoxicate rulers and ordinary people with the wine of immorality. Perhaps each of these world class cities might have its own “great prostitute demon,” with the woman shown to John being the chief. Even the name on her forehead suggests this: “BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.”

This arch – demoness is dressed as the most important courtesans in every age have dressed – with fine clothing, jewels, etc. On her forehead she bears her name. The prostitutes in ancient Rome wore signs on their foreheads with their names inscribed. 1. She encourages gross immorality wherever she operates. 2. She holds a golden cup of abominations of all kinds – anything that can be used to entice, seduce, undermine, pervert, or corrupt is in that cup! The outward appearance of gold is only to deceive.

Today is Christmas. Many people only think of Mary, the mother of Jesus, as one of the figures in the Nativity scene. But Mary is worth far more than that! Consider Mary: Isaiah 9 foretells the coming of the Messiah: “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death, a light has dawned…. For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish and sustain it with justice and righteousness from that time and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of Hosts will accomplish this.” The great prostitute exists only to corrupt, but Jesus, Son of God and Son of the Virgin Mary, has come to set people free, to purify their hearts.

We make a terrible mistake if we fail to value Mary as we should! Luke 1:26 – 39 “In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin pledged in marriage to a man named Joseph, who was of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. The angel appeared to her and said, “Greetings,b you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. So the angel told her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever. His kingdom will never end!” “How can this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the Holy One to be born will be called the Son of God. Look, even Elizabeth your relative has conceived a son in her old age, and she who was called barren is in her sixth month. For no word from God will ever fail.” “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it happen to me according to your word.” Then the angel left her”.

Mary had a choice: she could have refused to bear the Messiah, but she said yes. In agreeing, Mary opened herself to public ridicule and gossip. As events developed, Mary was denied the opportunity to deliver at home with her mother and friends around her; instead, she had to endure a donkey ride of 70 miles and deliver in a dark cave that smelled like manure.

From the very beginning, Mary knew that one day she would face unimaginable suffering. Simeon warned her of that when he took the Baby Jesus in his arms in the temple. Luke 2:34-35 “Behold, this Child is appointed to cause the rise and fall of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed— and a sword will pierce your soul as well.”

Today as we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, let us thank God for Mary, the pure – hearted, faithful, and holy woman who gave us our Savior. O come, let us adore Jesus! And let us thank God for Mary!

PRAYER Father God, thank you! Please let the peace of Christmas rule and reign in our hearts and let us follow hard after you all the days of our lives. Amen.