Thru the Bible

Steve Shwetz: Welcome to Thru the Bible. We're in the 17th chapter of Revelation and, well, it's not pretty. We'll look at the Great Tribulation and meet a wicked figure that's described as being drunk with the blood of the saints. And there are no easy answers for why God allows the suffering of His children, both in the future and today.

But even when things look out of control, we can be confident that God is still in control. And hardship can push us to know God more deeply. Christians who have endured persecution for their faith know this all too well. And we know that it's true also, in part because of testimonies that we hear from persecuted believers all over the world who learn about Jesus Christ and then grow in their knowledge of Him, and even find spiritual community by hearing God's Word taught on Thru the Bible. Isn't that true, Gregg?

Gregg Harris: It’s sadly true, Steve. And this is a hugely significant part of our ministry, the ministry to those who are suffering for their faith. I was recently in India and met with a group of Bengali listeners, largely women, not all women. Many of them were talking about their husbands abusing them, not allowing them to go out and go to Christian meetings. And it gets a lot worse. We don't want to focus on the gory side of this, but it is a very serious thing. Over 380 million Christians experience a high level of persecution.

Steve Shwetz: Yeah, and that number, when you start talking about millions, my eyes glaze over. But when you get down to it, it says that's one in seven Christians in the world are facing persecution. And it doesn't mean my neighbor doesn't like me or makes fun of me. It means real persecution. But let's hear from our listeners.

First, we’ve got a listener of our Yoruba program in Nigeria. Those of you familiar with Nigeria know Christians have been experiencing incredible persecution in that country. It starts out, "I am a Muslim woman who has secretly given her life to Jesus Christ." And that's significant. That's a big deal for her. She would lose her family, her occupation, and oftentimes her life for doing that.

I continue, "Your program serves as my only means to worship and learn about God. My family, my neighbors, and others still believe I am a devout follower of Islam. I am afraid I will be killed if I am found out, but I have found such sweet fellowship with our Lord that I will not leave Him. Please pray for me."

Gregg Harris: I just want to encourage everyone that if you're part of supporting this ministry in any way, just think about that. This woman, we are her only lifeline. I don't think we, because in our comfortable Western culture, we can't fully appreciate what that means to her to receive the blessing and the encouragement. And I referred earlier to the women I met in West Bengal in India, and they were emotional. They were crying. They were talking about how it is Thru the Bible, it's the Word of God that is comforting them.

And this is just very powerful stuff. I think we have time to read one more from Mr. Muo in Laos, who tells us this, "To support my family, I recently moved provinces. Unfortunately, the government is strict with believers, and many families who believe in God are persecuted and kicked out of the village. Despite this, I am grateful to have discovered the Hmong program on the radio, which has been a source of encouragement for me and my family. The program has helped me understand the Bible better and has strengthened our faith. I thank God for this program, and I pray blessings upon you all."

If you're kicked out of the village, you've got nowhere to go. The social safety net of society is built largely around villages, and that's a difficult place to be. As we begin our study in Revelation, Gregg, would you pray for us?

Father, our hearts are broken for our brothers and sisters around the world, hundreds of millions of them who are suffering physically, emotionally, spiritually for their faith. And we know this is no strange incident in the history of the church. We know that there has been persecution from the beginning. And we pray that the Word of God would minister to the souls of these dear brothers and sisters. And now, Father, as we open our Bibles, would You strengthen our faith? In Jesus' name, Amen.

Dr. J. Vernon McGee: We return today to the 17th chapter and I want to read verses 3 and 5. I'm reading this section again in my translation. "And he carried me away in the spirit into a wilderness, and I saw a woman sitting upon a scarlet colored wild beast full of the names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. And the woman was clothed in purple and scarlet and gilded with gold and precious stone and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations, even the unclean things of her fornication. And upon her forehead a name written: Mystery, Babylon the Great, the mother of the harlots and of the abominations of the earth."

Now, as we come back here to this, there are several things that we would like to say here. John saw a woman sitting upon a scarlet colored wild beast. And this is a frightful and frightening picture. The wild beast has previously been identified as the Antichrist ruling over the restored Roman Empire. And the woman, we have already seen, is a city and a religious system. And that city, we believe, is Rome. Babylon, as later on we'll see, is the commercial center.

And this is the city that has the seven hills. Horace wrote, "The gods who look with favor on the seven hills." And Ovid added, "But Rome looks around on the whole globe from her seven mountains, the seat of empire and abode of the gods." And Augustine put it like this, "Babylon is a former Rome, and Rome is a later Babylon."

Now, in these verses, the city of Rome is assuredly in view. The woman, the harlot, representing a religious system that will be during the first part of the Great Tribulation when the true church is removed from the earth. And this religious system, as the symbol given to us here indicates, dominates and rides the Roman Empire at the beginning of the Great Tribulation period. And certainly Antichrist just doesn't like that. In fact, the matter is, he's going to do something about it as we shall see today.

Now, this is just about as frightening as anything could be. "Mystery, Babylon the Great, the mother of harlots and the abominations of the earth." Now, I know that we live in the day of new morality, and that a woman today has the same sexual freedom that a man has. That is, according to the new morality. But I'm a little old fashioned and I'm a square, and I still think the Word of God is right. I think the finest thing in this world is a woman, and that God has made her that way.

And when she marries, she is brought into a relationship where she gives a man, in fact, it's what puts a man into orbit. And it's my firm conviction today that the thing that's lacking in our civilization is that woman has not been liberated, but she's actually been enslaved and become more of a sex symbol than she's ever been before. And that instead of taking a place where she can lift a man to the height, she can pull him now down to the depths.

And the picture of that woman, and it's the lowest picture that you can have, is a picture of a harlot. And here is the picture. You may not like it, but this is the picture that's in the Word of God. Now, the true church is a mystery in that it was not revealed in the Old Testament. But the Anti-church, or the church of the Great Tribulation, although I hasten to say it is never once called a church in the New Testament. It is called a harlot. That's putting it plain enough.

And it's a mystery in that it was not revealed until John wrote Revelation 17. Because the true church left the earth, what happened to the false? What happened to the phonies? What happened to those that were just church members? Well, they entered the Great Tribulation period. And the system went on. The organizational church continued, but it's not called a church. It's a harlot and it's removed from Christ.

And we're told, Paul said, "For the mystery of iniquity doth already work; only he who now hinders will hinder until he be taken out of the way." Now, the Anti-church is the antithesis of the true church, which is the virgin bride of Christ. And it is the consummation of the working of the mystery of iniquity. It's Mystery Babylon because it's given this designation, as Jerusalem is called Sodom, by the way.

Babylon is the fountainhead of all false religion. Therefore, she's the mother of the harlots and of the abominations of the earth. I think this is by far scripture's most expressive and vivid picture of awful and abominable sin. Sex and false religions are related. You can be sure of that. And I believe that many a young person today is really missing it in marriage when a girl doesn't come as a virgin to the marriage the first time, and the man has not kept himself for the marriage.

Now we have here in verses 6 and 7, and I'm going to read them. And maybe before I move into that, I should also say this: Did you notice that this Mystery Babylon is called the mother of harlots? That's interesting. The mother of harlots, not singular. Now, that means that all of this ecumenical church today that is coming together has had a lot of problems. They've, I think, decided now that they can't just water it down and all of them come the same way.

That after all there are psychological differences which they recognize. So each group is going to come into this great world ecumenical movement but retain some of its peculiarities. Those that want to immerse, they'll immerse. Those that want to sprinkle, they'll sprinkle. And those that like elaborate ritual, they'll keep it. Those that don't want a ritual, they'll not have it. But this is the mother harlots. It's going to be a whole lot of harlots here, friends. This is going to be a regular brothel that's going to be established in that day.

Now will you note, verses 6 and 7: "And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with a great wonder." Now this is the first time that John had his mind boggled, by the way. Ours has been boggled before, but this really throws him. "And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou wonder? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the wild beast that's carrying her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns."

Now the harlot not only makes others drunk, but she's intoxicated by her acts of persecution. And I think that believers at the end of the history of the true church, I think that we're not going through the Great Tribulation, but I think that it's becoming increasingly difficult today to stand for the Word of God and the things of Christ. I'm finding it so, and I think other men are also. Now, the saints here refer, I think, to Old Testament saints, and the martyrs of Jesus, I think, refer to New Testament saints.

Now, this indicates that Babylon is more than just what most people have said is Rome. It's more than that. It's an amalgam of all religions. All the true believers were caught up at the rapture. Babylon is the residue of what is left. It is a composite church which includes Protestantism, cults, Romanism, the whole lot that were not raptured, you see. Now, it is confusion compounded and is the fountainhead of all religious error and idolatry.

Babylon in the Old Testament persecuted God's people, was the enemy of God. It was Babylon that put the Hebrew children in the fiery furnace before they would not worship the image. Now John marveled at the harlot because this was something that was new to him. The angel asked John why he should wonder when he was present to explain the mystery of the woman. And John is here emphasizing the Roman Empire aspect of the wild beast rather than the Antichrist aspect. And I think we should note that.

Now, notice verses 8 through 10. "The wild beast which thou sawest was, and is not, and is about to come up out of the abyss, and to go into perdition. And those dwelling on the earth shall wonder, whose names are not written upon the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the wild beast, because it was, is not, and shall come, that is, be present. Here is the mind having wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sitteth. And there are seven kings: the five are fallen, the one is, the other is not yet come, and when he cometh, he must continue a little while."

Now, the wild beast speaks of the past history of the Roman Empire. The "is not" here refers to the present condition of the fragmented empire. In other words, the Roman Empire is not dead. It's just fallen apart in the nations of Europe today. "Is about to come up out of the abyss" speaks of the reactivation of the Roman Empire by Satan. Now, as we've indicated before, many have attempted that, but have never been able to put it together again. Charlemagne tried it, Napoleon tried it, Hitler tried it, Mussolini tried it, and today the United Nations tried it. But so far it hasn't worked.

But the wild beast, the Antichrist, will put it back together again and you'll have the Roman Empire. Now, "it is not" refers to the present condition, you see, of the fragmented empire. "And is about to come up out of the abyss," that's the reactivation of it. Now, it's going into perdition speaks of the destruction of the Roman Empire by the coming of Christ. The reappearance of the Roman Empire in its great power will win the admiration of the peoples of the world who are not redeemed. They'll respect and worship the Antichrist for his brilliant coup d'etat.

God's saints will have the mind of the Spirit. They'll understand and not be spiritually stupid. John said, "But ye have the unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things. But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him."

Now there are seven kings. Now that's taken by some, including Dr. Newell and Govett, who are two excellent commentators on Revelation. They say five are fallen. Well, Govett gives the following list: Julius Caesar was assassinated, Tiberius was poisoned or smothered, Caligula was assassinated, Claudius poisoned, and Nero committed suicide. That's the five. "The one who is" refers to Domitian, who was living in John's day and he was assassinated.

Now the other that's yet to come refers to Antichrist. Now other expositors, including Dr. Scofield and Walter Scott, they consider these seven as the different forms of government through which Rome passed: kings, consuls, dictators, decemvirs, and military tribunes. And the one that is refers to the sixth, or the imperial form of government set up by Julius Caesar. And that which is to come would be the satanic form.

Now let's move on here to verses 11 and 14: "And the beast that was, and is not, is himself also an eighth, and is of the seven, and is going into perdition. And the ten horns that thou sawest are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority as kings with the wild beast for one hour. These have one mind and they give their power and authority unto the beast. These shall war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him, called and chosen."

Now, at times the wild beast signifies generally the Roman Empire, but it signifies also the last or eighth head, that is, the individual emperor who is Antichrist. Now here the Antichrist is designated. He's the little horn of Daniel who puts down three horns, that is, three kings when he comes to power. Now I'm not taking time, and I wish I could take time to go back to Daniel, but we had that in the seventh chapter of Daniel.

Now the beast that was refers to the past history of the Roman Empire under the emperors. And "is not" refers to the end of Imperial Rome with its global empire, which came to an end sometime between the third and fifth century. "And he is himself also the eighth but is of the seven." Now that identifies the Antichrist with the return to the imperial form of the restored Roman Empire. He's the little horn of Daniel 7. He's not only one of the ten horns but is separate from them and he is an eighth head in this seven, yet he's one of the seven since he restores the last form of government to Rome. Now, that will confuse you, I know, but that's exactly what is being said here. The ten horns are the same as the ten horns of Daniel, so we are talking about the same thing.

Now let me read verses 15 through 18. "And he saith to me, The waters which thou sawest where the harlot sitteth are peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues. And the ten horns which thou sawest and the beast, these shall hate the harlot, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and shall burn her down with fire. For God did put into their hearts to do his mind, and to come to one mind, and to give their kingdom unto the beast until the words of God shall be fulfilled. And the woman whom thou sawest is the great city which hath a kingdom over the kingdoms of the earth."

That is, a religious system that dominated it at first. But the thing is, the harlot is hated by Antichrist and the kings under him. And the waters here are explained to be the many, I think, ethnological groups, as well as the nations of the world. Now, this figure here is in harmony with that used in the Old Testament. You could check that out with Isaiah 8:7, Psalm 18:4. Now the position of the harlot reveals that she is ruling over them for but a brief time. The ten horns are ten kings, and that's told us here, who rule over the different divisions of the Roman Empire.

Now they in turn give over to the beast their kingdom, which solidifies the Roman Empire and enables the beast to lift himself up as a world dictator. Now for a time the beast, the Antichrist, is willing to share his place of exaltation with the harlot, since she has also sought to advance his cause while dividing his glory. This he hates. And the ten kings are one with him in this. The Antichrist not only breaks his covenant with Israel, but he also breaks his relationship with the apostate church. This hatred against the apostate church is so violent that the reaction here is described as the cannibalistic picking of her bones, then burning them with fire.

What hatred. And this destroys the false church. This is what happens to the false church. It has no victory. It never comes into the presence of Christ. It is not raptured. It's destroyed by Antichrist. Now in this, the Antichrist and his ten allies are fulfilling the Word of God and carrying out His will, as did the Assyrian as predicted in Isaiah 10. And just as surely as Caesar Augustus did when he signed a tax bill that moved Mary and Joseph down to Bethlehem, so scripture could be fulfilled.

Now by eliminating the apostate church, the way now is cleared for the worship of Antichrist as advocated by the false prophet. And the woman is further identified as a city, the city of Rome. We're told that in verse 9. Now, this is the frightful but just end of the apostate church. However, it does not improve the situation, but rather introduces the darkest period for religion in the history of the world. The reign and religion of Antichrist is the darkest hour earth has known.

Yet it is the inevitable end of the distrust which began in the garden of Eden when man didn't believe God. It was given a new impetus at the Tower of Babel, when man built a tower against God, a rallying place for those against God. And finally it culminated in the crucifixion of Jesus Christ when they rejected the One who is the way, the truth, and the life. The only alternative was now to believe the big lie, the strong delusion. And it culminates in the catastrophic coming of Christ to this earth. We're going to see that when we get to the 19th chapter. This is the just retribution of error and evil, but we are yet to see the destruction of commercial Babylon, and we're going to get that next time. And so friends, until then, may God richly bless you and enable you to see the seriousness of the days in which we live. The child of God should have joy in his heart, but he should be serious about these things.

Steve Shwetz: If we can help you find a resource by Dr. McGee that deepens your study of God's Word, go ahead and call us at 1-800-65-BIBLE, or head over to TTB.org. I'm Steve Shwetz, and I'll meet you back here next time as we make our way through the Bible.

Music: Jesus paid it all,

All to Him I owe;

Sin had left a crimson stain,

He washed it white as snow.

Steve Shwetz: Our story on the Bible bus today is just one step in a five-year journey through the entire Word of God. Come along for the ride and you'll study both the Old Testament and New Testament, discovering God's great redemption story. Is this your story too?