The Great Harlot as Mystery Babylon
Should people today be concerned about false doctrine or false teachers and false prophets as both the Old and New Testament so clearly warn? Are we growing toward a grand and glorious understanding of faith that will unite the world in devotion to God? Or is there something much more sinister and deceptive at work in our world? Unfortunately, the book of Revelation puts forth something quite different than a “universal opening of our eyes” to God.
We are given a description of “The Great Harlot” in Revelation 17. In the O.T. both Jerusalem and Israel were spoken of as becoming harlots before God in their disobedience and unbelief. This woman of Rev. 17 can be compared to the woman of Rev. 12 in that both are women and are symbols of faith. The reality is that Rev. 12 speaks of the woman who is the true people of God and Rev. 17 speaks of the woman that is the false people of God.
But notice something – the harlot has a name, a mystery, written on her forehead - Babylon the Great, The Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth. The text doesn’t tell us who put the name there upon her forehead. This is the revelation of God as to her true nature even though her claim might be different. And the revelation is that her actual religion is that of “Babylon the Great”. And what is the nature of that religion of ancient Babylon? Although Babylon had various outward religions and had woven science, technology, and religion together in their society the Scriptures give us one main thought about her essential nature. It is seen in the judgments pronounced against it by God. This essential character is self-exaltation through self-worship. Notice this from the following Scripture texts:
“How you have fallen from heaven, O star of the morning, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the earth, You who have weakened the nations! But you said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God, And I will sit on the mount of the assembly In the recesses of the north. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.” Isaiah 14:12-14 NASB {Please note that theologically many view this as the fall of Lucifer – which is probably true – but the actual pronouncement of this passage is against the King of Babylon as seen in Isaiah 14:4}
"Now, then, hear this, you sensual one, Who dwells securely, Who says in your heart, I am, and there is no one besides me….You felt secure in your wickedness and said, ‘No one sees me,’ Your wisdom and your knowledge, they have deluded you; For you have said in your heart, ‘I am, and there is no one besides me.’ Isaiah 47:8a,10 NASB
This self-exaltation can be seen in the roots of Babylon’s civilization in the story of the Tower of Babel – Gen. 11:1-9 – where there is an attempt to become one and build a tower to reach to heaven. It might be understood that they sought comfort and justification in their deception by being united in it and it was outwardly manifested in what they did together. Unfortunately, there is great appeal in being a part of the masses of people. It looked like one great civilization but it was really one large corporate fist raised up against the true God. Its’ internal dynamic actually reaches back to man’s fall in the Garden of Eden in Genesis 3. Satan’s nature can be seen in the subtle progression of the temptation:
So they sought (were tempted) to divinity and wisdom and knowledge apart from God. Do you see the progression of self-deification in the text? As such, this mystery we call Babylon is the false and idolatrous identification of the fallen human image of God in each of us with God Himself. All false religion, the occult, new age, mind sciences, philosophies, and apostate Christianity have this worship of self at their core. God’s answer is not that man can now through knowledge or wisdom understand his own divinity but rather:
“The righteousness based on faith speaks thus, ‘Do not say in your heart; ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ (that is, to bring Christ down), or “Who will descend into the abyss?’ (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).” But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” – that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved; for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.” Romans 10:6-10
That which we can not possibly do – God has done for us. Our need was to be brought back to the true and living God Himself. Provision had to be made for this self-idolatrous creature and all of his sins. Man put up a wall between himself and the true God and every thought, word and deed can not bring this wall down nor even understand it exists except that God does a work. He convinces us the wall is there and then He takes it down. That was done at the cross of Calvary where He who was without sin became our substitute for sin by shedding His blood as atonement. Do you believe this? Has He convinced you that the wall exists? Turn to Jesus and trust Him as your Lord and Savior! If not you will fall for this coming unified expression of false religion that will actually and most incredibly be under the banner of Christianity and called The Great Harlot, Mystery Babylon. And God will judge her in her rebellion.
Copyright 2004, David Sheldon, all rights reserved. Can be photocopied and distributed for free or price of duplication only but only in its entirety with copyright information included.
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