New Life Zion Assembly – Online Bible Study

introducing

The Beast and the Harlot - Revelation 17

Teacher: Bishop John Lewis Davis

“The visions of Revelation 17-19 constitute a cohesive unit which further amplifies the seventh plague (Rev 16:17-21).” . . . The seventh plague contains the summary statement: ‘God remembered Babylon the Great and gave her the cup filled with the wine of the fury of His wrath.”

Lesson Introduction -

The Great Whore of RevelationsCharter 17

Babylon The History

• Founded by Nimrod (Gen 10:10; 11:1-9)• Bab-ilu (Babylonian = ‘gate of gods’)• Hebrews derogatorily associated it with Balal = ‘confuse’• Babylon is a symbol of EVIL• Jerusalem is a symbol of GOOD• Time of John = Imperial Rome – 1 Pet 5:13

Archaeologists tell us that Babylon is the cradle of civilization. Located on the shores of the Euphrates River, the ruins of this city have revealed some of the most ancient documents of past generations.

This city begun by Nimrod, who was a rebel before the Lord, authored some of the greatest evils ever to fall on humankind. Two of these evils will be destroyed during the Tribulation period. Revelation 17 is the destruction of the religious Babylon that takes place about the center of the seven years after the Antichrist declares himself to be God and no longer news the One World Religion.

The whore of Babylon has a few different names : • Mystery Babylon the Great, • Mother of Harlots,• woman on a scarlet beast.

What reasons does God give for telling His people to come out of Babylon?

Revelation 18: 2 – 5

• Babylon is become the habitation of DEVILS• Babylon is become the hold of every foul SPIRIT• All nations have drunk of her WINE• Kings of earth have committed FORNICATION with her• That you be not PARTAKERS of her SINS• That you receive not her PLAGUES• Her sins have reached unto HEAVEN• God has remembered her INIQUITIES

The Whore of Babylon

But who is this woman?

A woman (bride) in the Bible is a symbol for God's church, and the husband is a symbol of Christ Jesus.

Take a look at the following verses.• 2 Corinthians 11:2 ...'For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I

have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.'

• Isaiah 62:5 ...'For as a young man marrieth a virgin, so shall thy sons marry thee: and as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee.‘

• Christ is our Husband who will come to redeem His bride at the second coming.

The Whore of Babylon

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Revelation 17 clearly says that Babylon the Great is guilty of committing "fornication". Now what is fornication in God's eyes? Fornication is the act of "committing adultery" against God and going after other "gods" and mixing with other Pagan nations and practices

Rev 17:1 “. . . Come hither; I will show unto you the judgment (sentence) of the great harlot that sits upon many waters (multitudes) with whom the kings of the earth have committed adultery and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her adulteries.”

When the harlot (the “Christian” world) commits “adultery” with the kings of the earth (the political power), this passage symbolizes the intimate relationship between “church” and “state.” When church and state combine, those who believe doctrines different from the ones the church and state agree on, will be severely persecuted.

The following Biblical information is PROOF that Babylon the Great CANNOT be Islam, or any false religion, or any city like New York. The following information proves that Babylon MUST be a professing Christian Church ...

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Now think about this. The ONLY people that can be guilty of committing fornication against God are HIS PROFESSED PEOPLE (The Real Church) . Let me give you an example of a husband and wife. Can the wife be guilty of committing fornication against her husband by committing adultery with another man? Yes, because she is married to her husband. Now can any other woman be guilty of committing fornication against the husband? No, because he is not married to any other woman. Do you see? Christ Jesus is the husband, and we (Christians) are His bride. We are the only one's who can commit fornication against Him. People of other religions who do not accept Him as their Saviour CANNOT commit adultery against Him because they are not "married" or joined to Him in the first place. Therefore, Babylon HAS to be a professing Christian church.

“See how the faithful city has become a harlot! She once was full of justice; righteousness used to dwell in her-- but now murderers!”Isaiah 1:21

What is it that causes the confusion of spiritual Babylon?

Revelation 17:2,4; 18:3“The inhabitants of the EARTH have been made DRUNK with the WINE of her fornication.”

How Did this Happen?

‘made drunk’A harlot LURES one astray. The people turned away from God’s word to commit adultery with Satan.‘drunk’ = powers of reasoning ‘numbed’

Therefore led astray (Matt 24:24,25)

What is the Cause - Apostasy2 Thessalonians 2:1-3 - New King James Version (NKJV)The Great Apostasy2 Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, 2 not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ[had come. 3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin[is revealed, the son of perdition….

2 Timothy 4:3 - King James Version (KJV)3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;

Galatians 4 - King James Version (KJV)9 But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?

Apostasy (/əˈpɒstəsi/; Greek: ἀποστασία (apostasia), 'a defection or revolt') is the formal disaffiliation from or abandonment or renunciation of a religion by a person. One who commits apostasy (or who apostatises) is known as an apostate. The term apostasy is used by sociologists to mean renunciation and criticism of, or opposition to, a person's former religion, in a technical sense and without pejorative connotation.

FOCUS ON TODAYHow does this information help us?

1 Peter 1:14 Translations - King James Version (KJV)As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: ?

Not fashioning yourselves - Not forming or modeling your life. Compare the notes at Romans 12:2. The idea is, that they were to have some model or example, in accordance with which they were to frame their lives, but that they were not to make their own former principles and conduct the model. The Christian is to be as different from what he was himself before conversion as he is from his fellow-men.

FOCUS ON TODAYPage 2He is to be governed by new laws, to aim at new objects, and to model his life in accordance with new principles. Before conversion, he was:

(a) supremely selfish;

(b) he lived for personal gratification;

(c) he gave free indulgence to his appetites and passions, restrained only by a respect for the decencies of life, and by a reference to his own health, property, or reputation, without regard to the will of God;

(d) he conformed himself to the customs and opinions around him, rather than to the requirements of his Maker;

(e) he lived for worldly grandizements, his supreme object being wealth or fame; or,in many cases, those who are now Christians, gave indulgence to every passion which they wished to gratify, regardless of reputation, health, property, or salvation.

To Be Continued..

As obedient children – We should, conduct yourselves as becomes the children of God, by obeying his commands; by submitting to His will; and by manifesting unwavering confidence in him as your Father at all times.

Thank you for attending the New Life Online Bible Study. I pray that you were enlighten by the Word of God. See you next week.

Exciting new transitions

Bishop John Lewis Davis – Sr. Pastor

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