New Testament Reading: Revelation 20:1-10

“Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain. And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he might not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were ended. After that he must be released for a little while. Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years. And when the thousand years are ended, Satan will be released from his prison and will come out to deceive the nations that are at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them for battle; their number is like the sand of the sea. And they marched up over the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, but fire came down from heaven and consumed them, and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.” (Revelation 20:1–10, ESV)

Introduction 

In the previous sermon I presented you with a very brief overview of the pre-millennial, post- millennial, and a-millennial positions that are held by Christians today. The pressing question is, when will the things that are described here in Revelation 20 verses 1-10 happen in relation to the second coming of Christ? In other words, when will the period of time signified by the number 1,000 come into existence in relation to Christ’s bodily return. 

Remember that the pre-millennialists believe that the millennium (Latin for 1,000 years) will come after Christ returns. Now is the present evil age, then the bodily return of Christ, after that the earthly 1,000 year reign of Christ, which will eventually give way to the new heavens and new earth. This is the popular view today.

And remember that the post-millennialists and the a-millennialists have a different view. They agree with one another that the period of time represented by the number 1,000 here in Revelation 20 will be present before the bodily return of Christ. So, first the millennium, and then after that, the return of Christ, followed by the new heavens and new earth.

But the a-millennialists and post-millennialists basically disagree over two things: One, the starting point of this millennium. And two, the nature or character of this millennium.

The post-millennialist believes that the millennium is yet in our future. First, this present evil age as we know it, and then an earthly millennium – a golden or idyllic age; a kind of Christianized utopia.

I misspoke a bit last week, and I’d like to set it straight. Last week I said that post-millennialists believe that Satan will be bound in the future, implying that, in their view, the binding of Satan would coincide with the start of their millennium. In fact, there are some, maybe many, post-millennialists who would agree with us that Satan was bound at Christ’s first coming. But, as far as I know, all post-millennialists believe in a millennium that is yet to come. In other words, though some may admit that Satan was bound at Christ’s first coming, the millennium – and by that I mean, a golden and idyllic age marked by the “worldwide spread of the gospel among nations” combined with the “overwhelming fruitfulness of this evangelistic advance in the salvation of individuals and in the transformation of cultures, countries, and world civilization as a whole (Johnson, Triumph of the Lamb, 280) – is in their opinion, yet in our future. Perhaps some would say that the millennium is actually present now, but it is progressing, not being here in fulness. However they put it the point is this: when the post-millennialist thinks about the future they imagine a utopia or golden age prior to the bodily return of Christ – an age that is not quite the new heavens and new earth, but one that is far better than what now have.

We a-millennialists say, “no, the millennium is here now.” It began at Christ’s first coming. Satan was bound then from deceiving the nations any longer. Christ is ruling and reigning now in heaven. Those who have died in Christ are also with him, not in body yet, but in soul. They have been vindicated and they too do rule and reign with him.

And so it is obvious that, if we who are a-millennialists say they the millennium is here now, we must disagree rather significantly with the post-millennialists and the pre-millennialists over the nature or character of this millennium, for when we look around us it is abundantly clear that we do not live in a utopia. Far from it!

Both the pre- and post-millennialists view the millennium as producing a kind of utopia or golden age on earth. It will be, in their view, a state of existence that comes short to the new heavens and new earth, but is far better than what we experience this present evil age.

When we who are a-millennialists read Revelation 20:1-6 we do no see an earthly millennium. The a-millennialist does not expect to see a radical transformation of the cultures and civilizations of this world. We expect the kingdom of God to advance in the world – the gates of hell will not prevail against it! We expect the gospel to go forth to all nations. And we do believe that God will save many from theses nations. Indeed the four living creatures and 24 elders of Revelation 5 were right when they sang to Christ, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth” (Revelation 5:9–10, ESV). Indeed, Christ did ransom individuals from every tribe and language and people and nation by his shed blood. And indeed these will, in due time, be brought to salvation by the proclamation of the gospel and by the Holy Spirit. Indeed, all of this is true! And also I do believe that, from time to time, the success of the gospel in a particular culture may have a positive impact upon that culture. But nowhere do the scriptures teach that the cultures and civilizations of this world will be radically transformed and Christianized, being turned into a kind of utopia – “a semi-curse-free, semi-suffering-free era within the context of the ‘first heaven and earth,’ prior to the consummation of the new creation with the new heaven and new earth, the home of righteousness” (Johnson, Triumph of the Lamb, 282). No friends, Babylon will be Babylon until the Lord returns. She will always be as she is now – a harlot – a constant source of temptation and opposition to the people of God. Her character will not change. She was a harlot in the days of Rome and she will be a harlot when the Lord returns. Her seductiveness will not decrease, but, if anything, will increase to the time of the end. The same can be said of the beast and the false prophet who symbolize world powers and their cultures – they will always assault the people of God. And when Christ returns he will slay them with the word of his mouth. So while the post-millennialist and a-millennialist agree upon the placement of the 1,000 year period of time mentioned here in Revelation 20, we disagree as to the start of it and the nature of it.

The prefix “a-“ means “no” or “not”. So technically a-millennialism means the belief in “no millennium”. The name can be misleading, for we do believe in a millennial reign of Christ. But we believe that it is here now, that he is ruling and reigning in heaven, that the number 1,000 is to be taken as symbolic for a long and complete period of time, and that what is described to us in this passage (and book) is not a utopia, but is what we have and will experience throughout this age between Christ’s first and second comings. In other words the 1,000 year reign of Christ runs concurrent with this present evil age. Indeed, Satan has been bound and is held back from deceiving the nations any longer. Indeed, Christ’s church has been preserved by God. Indeed, the church has served as “witnesses [to Christ] in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth’” (Acts 1:8, ESV). And so we do believe in the so-called millennium. What we reject – what we are saying “no” to – is the future and earthly millennium of the post- and pre-millennialists. That is what we are saying cannot be found in the pages of Holy Scripture.

Friends, please know that I am painting with very broad brush strokes here. I’m providing you with very brief and general overviews of each of these positions. It’s not my intention to misrepresent any of these positions or to fail to present the strongest case for each. I simply don’t have the time to do it in this sermon.

I do hope to convince you that the a-millennial interpretation of Revelation 20:1-10 is the right one. I hope that I was successful last Sunday in my attempt to convince you that it is best to see the binding of Satan as described in Revelation 20:1-3 as having happened at Christ’s first coming. It was then that he was bound from deceiving the nations any longer. This interpretation agrees with what has been said in the rest of the book of Revelation concerning God’s restraint of the evil one. This interpretation agrees with what it said in the rest of the New Testament concerning the binding or casting out of the evil one a Christ’s first coming.

But the a-millennial position must also square with what is said in verses 4 through 6 of Revelation 20 if it is to be accepted. For these verses do provided us with yet another perspective on what will happen during the period of time signified by the number1,000.

So the question is the same as before. When will the things described here in Revelation 20:4-6 happen in relation to the second coming of Christ?

Let us simply read the text and then we will make two observations.

In verse 4 John writes, “Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.” (Revelation 20:4–6, ESV)

All agree that this passage describes the rule and reign of Christ with his people. The vision is of thrones. Christ is described as reigning and his people are seen with him also ruling a reigning. They are seated upon the thrones. We are told that they are martyrs – “those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God”. They are also those who had been faithful to Christ to the end – these “had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands.” “They will be priests of God and of Christ”, we are told. There is no reason at all to limit this group to only a particular kind or class of Christian. Indeed, all who were faithful to Christ until death, be it a natural death or martyrdom, are here seen ruling and reigning with Christ.

The question is, when will this be so? When will Christ and his people rule and reign as described here in Revelation 20:4-6?

Will it be in the future after the return of Christ, as the pre-millennialist say?

Will it be in an future golden age, as the post-millennialists say (though some might believe that these things are true now, but will progress and culminate in a future and earthly millennium)?

Or do Christ and his people rule and reign now in heaven, as the a-millennialists say?

Two crucial observations about this text well help us get to the bottom of it.

First of all, notice where this vision is situated? 

Does this vision describe something that will happen on earth, or in heaven? We have grown accustom to the book of Revelation shifting in focus from earth to heaven and back again. Sometimes the book describes how things will be on earth for the people of God. Sometimes the book describes how things are in heaven, even now, while the people of God live upon the earth in this present evil age. We are on earth now. But where is Christ seated? He is in heaven. We are on earth now. But where are those Christ-followers who have died physically? Their souls are in heaven. The book of Revelation has, time and again, shifted it’s focus from earth to heaven and back again.

You remember, no doubt, what John saw when the fifth seal was opened way back in Revelation 6. “When [Christ] opened the fifth seal, [John] saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne. They cried out with a loud voice, ‘O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?’” (Revelation 6:9–10, ESV). Where were these who cried out for justice? They were in heaven, situated under the heavenly alter. And they were heard crying out to God for justice on earth. “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” And so the scene does shift over and over again in the book of Revelation from heaven to earth and back again. Where is the scene of Revelation 20:4-6 situated? Is the scene heavenly or is it earthly?

The answer is that the vision is situated in heaven. The reign that is described here is heavenly and spiritual, and not earthly and physical. To put it another way, John did not see believers in their resurrection bodies sitting on physical thrones situated on planet earth. Instead, he saw the souls of those who had died physically who were now in the presence of Christ spiritually, who do rule and reign with him in heaven even now.

At the beginning of verse 4 we read, “Then I saw thrones.” It should be noted that the word “throne” (θρόνος) appears 47 times in the book of Revelation. In almost every instance the throne, or thrones, are situated in heaven, and not upon the earth. Read again Revelation chapters 4 and 5 to see this, for those chapters focus in upon the throne of God that is in heaven now. Also the book of Revelation makes frequent mention of the 24 thrones upon which the 24 elders sit. Where are these thrones except in heaven and before the throne of God?

I could only find four exception to the rule where a throne is said to be on earth in the book of Revelation. Three of these references to and earthly throne refer, not to the throne of God or to the thrones of his people, but to the throne of Satan. For example, to the church in Pergamum Christ said,  “I know where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. Yet you hold fast my name, and you did not deny my faith even in the days of Antipas my faithful witness, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells” (Revelation 2:13, ESV). See also Revelation 13:2 and 16:10 for the other instances.

The fourth exception to the rule comes at the very end of the book of Revelation with the ushering in of the new heavens and the new earth, for it will be then that God’s throne is in the midst of us when heaven and earth become one. Revelation 22:3 speaks of the new heavens and new earth when it says, “No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him” (Revelation 22:3, ESV).

I’m not claiming that this observation about the first four words of verse 4, “then I saw thrones”, proves the a-millennial position, but it does set us out in that direction, for the book of Revelation often speaks of the thrones that are in heaven now, and looks forward to the day when the throne of God will be on earth, not in some half-baked millennium, but in the new heavens and new earth, that is, in the final state. It is likely, therefore, that John is here being provided with yet another perspective on what is going on in heaven even now in the heavenly throne room of God.

Furthermore, notice that later in verse 4 John says, “Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years” (Revelation 20:4, ESV). The point here is that John saw the “souls” of believers, and not believers in their resurrection bodies.

The scene here in Revelation 20 verses 4-6 is heavenly, and not earthly. The reign that is described here is spiritual, and not physical. The scene corresponds perfectly to the one that that we encountered Revelation 6:9-10 where John “saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne. They cried out with a loud voice, ‘O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?’” (Revelation 6:9–10, ESV).

Already then we see that a-millennial interpretation of this passages fits better than post-millennial one, and much much better than the pre-millennial one, which understands this reign to be earthly and physical.

Secondly, notice that it is the first death, which coincides with the first resurrection, that marks the beginning of the Christians reign with Christ as described in this passage. 

At the end of verse 4 we read that those who had died in Christ “came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years” (Revelation 20:4, ESV). Verse 5 says, “The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection” (Revelation 20:5, ESV). In verse 6 we read, “Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years” (Revelation 20:6, ESV).

A careful consideration of this passage reveals that there is a first death and there is a second death. Also there is a first resurrection and there is a second resurrection. Two of these things will be experienced by all humans (unless you are Enoch, Elijah, or a Christian alive when Christ returns). One will be experienced only by those who are in Christ. The other will be experienced only by those not in Christ.

The first death is physical death. All who are human experience this (unless you are Enoch, Elijah, or a Christian alive when Christ returns). Those in Christ and those not in Christ experience physical death.

The first resurrection is a spiritual resurrection. What is taught here in this passage is that when the one who has faith in Christ dies physically, really he lives. He, as the text says, “[comes] to life and [reigns] with Christ for a thousand years.” This is called the “first resurrection”. “Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power.” So the first death is physical death (experienced by all), and the first resurrection is a spiritual resurrection (experienced by those with faith in Christ). To die in Christ is really to live with him. When the body dies, the soul of the Christian goes to be with the Lord to rule and reign with him in the heavenly places.

The second death is the spiritual death that will be experienced only by those not in Christ at the judgement. They, by then, will have experienced the first death – that is, physical death (see the end of Revelation 19), but at the judgement those not in Christ – that is, those who are still in their sins – will experience a second death, – that is, a spiritual death also.

Look ahead to Revelation 20:11 and following where John writes, “Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:11–14, ESV). So here is the sobering thought: Those not in Christ will die, not once, but twice, and the second death will be far more severe than the first.

The second resurrection, though not called by that name in this passage, is implied. And it is a physical resurrection that both the one in Christ and the one not in Christ will experience. Paul speaks of the bodily resurrection of the Christian in 1 Thessalonians 4:13 and following where he says “For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first” (1 Thessalonians 4:16, ESV). Here in Revelation 20:4-6 is the physical resurrection of he wicked that is in view when we read, “The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended” (Revelation 20:5, ESV). This too is the focus in the Revelation 20:11 and following where John says, “And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done” (Revelation 20:13, ESV).

The passage here in Revelation 20:5-6 is complex, but what we have is a first death and a first resurrection, and both belong to this present evil age. Both happen this side of Christ’s return. People die physically now. And those with faith in Christ, having died the first death, are also raised with him in now, their souls being present with him.

The second resurrection and the second death belong to the world to come. The will happen after Christ returns. When Christ returns the dead will be raised. Those in Christ will go to glory. Those not in Christ to eternal damnation. This is the second death.

Notice that this is how the designation “first” is used in this section of the book of Revelation. It is used to refer to that which belongs to current order of things, this present evil age, which is before the return of Christ. Revelation 21:1 says, “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more” (Revelation 21:1, ESV). In this passage is the things that are designated as “first” belong to this world. The things designated as “second” belong to the world to come.

So when do Christians experience the first resurrection and begin to reign with Christ as this passage describes? Is it off in the future sometime? Is it after the return of Christ only? No, it is when they die the first death. It is when they pass from this world. It is when their bodies are laid in the grave and their souls do raise to the Savior to rule and reign with him.

Remember that this is what was promised to the Christians at Laodicea back in Revelation 3:21. Christ said to them, “The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne” (Revelation 3:21, ESV).

This is also what was promised to the Christians in Smyrna. To them Christ said, “Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death” (Revelation 2:10–11, ESV).

What was promised to these Christians at the beginning is now shown to them at end. What then should they do? They should persevere. They should live without fear. They should overcome and conquer just as Christ has commanded them. For to die is to live, and to live in Christ is to live forevermore.

Conclusion

If you are in Christ, do not fear death, neither the first nor the second.

“When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: ‘Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.’” (1 Corinthians 15:54–57, ESV)

If you are not in Christ, then fear death, the first, but especially the second.

“And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment…” (Hebrews 9:27, ESV)

Are you in Christ Jesus?

Posted in Sermons Joe Anady
Comments Off on Sermon: Revelation 20:4-6: This Is The First Resurrection Posted by Joe

New Testament Reading: Revelation 20:1-10

“Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain. And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he might not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were ended. After that he must be released for a little while. Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years. And when the thousand years are ended, Satan will be released from his prison and will come out to deceive the nations that are at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them for battle; their number is like the sand of the sea. And they marched up over the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, but fire came down from heaven and consumed them, and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.” (Revelation 20:1–10, ESV)

Sermon

I am well aware of the fact that Revelation 20 verses 1 through 6 is perhaps the most hotly debated text in the book of Revelation.

The question before us today is, when will the things that are described in this passage happen in relation to the second coming of Christ? More specifically, when will the “the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, [be] bound?” 

The post-millennialists and the a-millennialists both agree that this binding of Satan as described here in Revelation 20 comes before the second coming of Christ. In other words the so-called millennium, or the 1,000 year reign of Christ as described here in Revelation 20, precedes Christ’s return, according to the post and a-millennial positions. Put yet another way, when asked the question, when will Christ return in relation to the so-called millennium, both post-millennialists and a-millennialists respond saying, “after! Christ will return after the millennium”. First the 1,000 reign of Christ, and then his second coming. This has been the majority position held throughout the history of the church.

Now, while these two positions (post- and a-) agree on the chronology of things, they disagree as to the starting point of the millennium and also the nature of it.

Stated simply, the post-millennialists believe that millennium is still in our future. According to their view, the kingdom of God will continue to advance on earth so much so that an idealistic millennial age will be ushered in, where Christ reigns in a pronounced way, where Satan is bound and the cultures of this world will be so Christianized that the church will enjoy great peace and prosperity. Some postmillennialists take the number1,000 literally, whereas others take it as symbolic for a long period of time. But all post-millennialists agree (as far as I know) that the millennium is yet in our future, and then after that, the return of Christ, the final judgement, and the new heavens and new earth.

Though many good and godly men have held to this view, it is problematic for a number of reasons. My simple and very brief critique of the position is this: the scriptures say plainly that the whole time between Christ’s first and second coming will be marked by tribulation for the people of God. The kingdom of Satan will always be hostile to the kingdom of God. This is what Christ plainly taught, and this is what the book of Revelation has plainly described – a church ever under attack in this age. And if there is progression communicated in the book of Revelation concerning the relationship between the kingdoms of this world and the kingdom of Christ, it is not in the direction of ever increasing peace between the two, but in the direction of ever increasing hostilely, so that when Christ returns, he will return, not to a Christianized and saved planet, but to save his people who are under assault like never before.

Now please hear me. I agree with our post-millennial brothers and sisters that the kingdom of God will indeed advance in this world. Indeed, “the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18, ESV). But I do not believe that the advancement of the kingdom of God will lead to a time of peace on earth for the church in some ideal earthly millennial age. In fact, the opposite seems to be true – as the kingdom of God advances in this world the church will find herself under ever increasing pressure.

And so we who are a-millennialists agree with our post-millennial friends that the 1,000 year reign of Christ and the binding of Satan described here in Revelation 20 will come before the second coming of Christ, But we disagree about the starting point and also the nature or character of this so-called millennium.

So when did this reign of Christ begin? When was Satan bound as Revelation 20 describes? The a-millennialist answers the question saying, “at Christ’s first coming! It was when Christ first came, and particularly at his death, burial, resurrection and ascension that Satan was bound!” 

And what is the nature of this millennium? What is it like? Well, it is not an idyllic age; one that is free from all hostility; one where all conflict between the kingdom of Satan and the kingdom of God has ceased. It is not that. But it is one where Christ does indeed rule and reign, for he has taken his seat at the Father’s right hand, has he not? And it is an age where Satan has indeed been bound, not entirely as if he were rendered completely powerless and inactive, but bound, as the text so clearly says, “so that he might not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were ended.”

I will present the a-millennial interpretation of this passage more thoroughly in a moment. For now recognize that while the post-millennialists and a-millennialists agree that Christ will come again after the millennium, we disagree rather significantly over the nature or character of that millennium and also the starting point of it.

As you probably know the popular view today is that of pre-millennialists. The pre-millennialists say, “the things described in Revelation 20 will happen after Christ returns.” Stated differently, the pre-millennialists say, “first Christ will return, and then he will reign for a thousand years as this text describes.” That is why they are called “pre-millennialists”, for in their view Christ will return before (pre) the millennium.

This is the popular view today. If you read popular books or watch movies about the end times it is probably the pre-millennial scheme that is being presented. This view has not always been the popular view, but it has taken root in modern times.

I used to be a pre-millennialist, being raised in a pre-millennial church and attending pre-millennial schools for ministry preparation. But now I am, as you know, an a-millennialist, believing that the things described in this text are present realities, having begun at Christ first coming.

It was probably 7 or 8 years ago now that I started to really question the pre-millennial system. I will not spend to much time here explaining the process that eventually lead to my abandonment of it, but I did begin to question the complexity of that system of doctrine.

I began to wonder why the New Testament never mentions a millennium following the return of Christ but instead always speaks with utter simplicity concerning the last days. In the time between Christ’s first and second coming there will tribulation. Christ will return suddenly. On that day he will rescue those who belong to him and pour out wrath upon his enemies. There will be a bodily resurrection on that day. The righteous (those in Christ) will go to eternal life, the unrighteous (those who remain in their sins) to judgement and to everlasting destruction. And then the final state – the new heavens and earth. This is the way the New Testament consistently speaks concerning the last days. Nowhere in the Gospels nor in the writings of Paul or Peter or the other Apostles is a future, earthly millennium mentioned.

Of course the pre-millennialists will say, “but you have forgotten Revelation 20:1-6! That text teaches that Christ will reign on earth for a thousand years after he returns, and that at the end of that time Satan will be released again to deceived the nations. And then Satan will be judged fully and finally!” I’ve heard pre-millennialists say, “even if Revelation 20:1-6 be the only place in the whole Bible that tells us about this future, earthly reign of Christ, then we must believe it!” And hear me now: with that premiss I whole heartedly agree! If the word of God says something, even if it only says it once, then we are bound to believe it, for it is God’s word, and God cannot lie.

But wouldn’t you agree that it is valid to at least ask the question, if indeed there will be a millennium following the return of Christ – one where the physical temple in Jerusalem is rebuilt, and animal sacrifices resumed – why is the New Testament so silent about this? Why didn’t Christ ever mention it? Why didn’t the Apostles ever say anything about it? Certainly Christ and his Apostles had a lot to say concerning the end of time, and yet they never mention a millennium like this, with the exception, perhaps, of this one text in Revelation 20, according to the pre-millennial interpretation of it.

But does Revelation 20:1-6 teach that there will be a literal, earthly reign of Christ that lasts for a 1,000 years following Christ’s returns for his bride? Not at all. In fact, a careful consideration of this text reveals that the period of time signified by the number 1,000 is not future to us, but it is here now.  This I will demonstrate today and on the next two Lord’s Days.

Friends, it is far better to see that Revelation 20:1-3 describes, not something future, but the time between Christ’s first and second comings.

The book of Revelation recapitulates. It repeats. It provides for us different camera angles, as it were, upon the same period of time, and it does do over and over again. You experience something like this when you watch football on TV. One play will be shown again and again from different angles, and at different speeds. And with each view you gain a better and more complete perspective on what happened. How many times when watching football have you yelled at the TV saying, “that wasn’t a fumble!”, only to sit back in your chair in shame after watching the reply over and over again. That is what Revelation does for us. It provides us with different perspectives on the same periods of time so that we might see things clearly, as the title of the book implies.

Beginning in Revelation 12 the enemies of God and of the people of God were introduced to us one at a time – the dragon, then the beast from the sea, then the beast from the land, who is called the false prophet, and then the harlot, who’s name is Babylon.

Beginning in chapter 18 we were shown the judgement of the harlot, and then the judgement of the two beasts. So which of the four enemies of God is left to be judged? Only the dragon remains! He is the one who has motivated and empowered all of the opposition to God and the people of God. Now in chapter 20 everything finally comes to focus upon him, his binding, and his judgement.

In verses 1 through 3 we read, “Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain. And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he might not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were ended. After that he must be released for a little while” (Revelation 20:1–3, ESV).

The pre-millennialist assumes that the word “then” in verse 1 indicates chronological sequence in relation to historical events. They read the text as if it said, first the events of chapter 19 will happen, then (or after that) the events chapter 20 will happen in human history. But the text does not say that. Instead the word then pertains the sequence of the visions that John received. What John actually says is, first I saw the visions as described in chapter 19, and then (or after that) I saw this vision, which I am about to describe to you.

In other words, the vision that John describes in chapter 20 came to him after the visions that he described in chapter 19. First he saw the one and then the other. But when we consider the order of things historically, they are reversed, for Revelation 19:17-21 describes the second coming of Christ, whereas Revelation 20:1 describes things that happened at Christ’s first coming, upon his death, burial, resurrection, and ascension to the Fathers right hand.

If you are surprised at this, then you haven’t been paying attention in this sermon series, for the same thing has happened over and over again in the book of Revelation. If you need another example I would say go and read the end of chapter 11 and then the beginning of chapter 12 again. For chapter 11 clearly takes us to the last day when “the kingdom of the world [will] become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever” (Revelation 11:15, ESV), and then chapter 12 clearly takes us back to the time of Christ’s birth. So there in the transition between Revelation 11 and 12 we move forward in the book of Revelation, but backwards in human history to consider the church age from yet another perspective. This is what we call recapitulation, and the book of Revelation does it often.

So when was Satan bound?

Will it be after Christ returns, as the pre-millennialists say? No.

Will it be before Christ’s return, but in our future as the post-millennialists say? No.

The answer is that Satan was bound at Christ’s first coming, particularly when he rose from the dead and ascended to the Fathers right hand.

Notice that the text does not describe Satan as bound completely, but as bound “so that he might not deceive the nations any longer” (Revelation 20:3, ESV). This is a crucial observation that is often overlooked. This passage does not describe Satan as bound completely so that he be utterly inactive, but bound specifically “so that he might not deceive the nations any longer” (Revelation 20:3, ESV).

The words “any longer” at the end of verse 3 indicate that before this moment (whenever it was) Satan did have the power to deceive the nations, but after this moment, that power he once had was taken from him. He was at this moment bound or restrained from doing what he one freely did, namely, keep the nations in darkness and in deception.

When, in the history of redemption did this (or in fairness to the other views, will this) take place? The answer is that it took place at Christ’s first coming. Before Christ came the nations were in darkness, the gentiles, with very rare exceptions, did not have access to the promises of God. But after Christ came the gospel of the kingdom was preached to the Jews first but then to the Gentiles.

Listen to the way that Paul speaks concerning this transition. When writing to the predominantly Gentile church in Ephesus he said, “Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called ‘the uncircumcision’ by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ” (Ephesians 2:11–13, ESV).

What marked the change that Paul speaks of here? What was the event that prompted Paul to utter the words, “but now”? Was it not the arrival of the Christ, and the proclamation of the Gospel to the nations?

Friends, the binding of Satan corresponds to this. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16, ESV). The Gospel is for the world. Christ is the Savior, not of the Jew only, but of the world. He is the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Satan was bound at Christ first coming so that kingdom of God might spread amongst the all the nations of the world. And indeed this is what has happened. Under the Old Testament the gospel of the Christ was confined to Israel, under the New it has spread throughout the whole world. Why? In part because Satan was bound when Christ first came at his death, burial resurrection and ascension to his throne on high.

This is what Jesus himself taught.

Do you remember how in the book of Matthew the unbelieving Jews began to say that Jesus was casting out demons in the name of Satan, or by the power of Beelzebul. That he was casting out demons and hearing the sick the could not deny. They came to a crossroads, therefore. That had to either admit that he did so by the power of God, or by another power, and the chose the wrong road. How did Jesus answer them? “Knowing their thoughts, he said to them, ‘Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand. And if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. Or how can someone enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? Then indeed he may plunder his house” (Matthew 12:25–29, ESV).

What did Christ mean by this? He was saying to the non-believing Jews, Satan’s kingdom is not divided against itself, but instead you are witnessing before your very eyes the in-breaking of the kingdom of God up on the kingdom of Satan. Jesus was saying, when you see me cast out demons, and when you see your sons do it (those Jews who were disciples of Christ), it is a demonstration of the fact that the kingdom of God has come with power. Jesus said, in other words, I have come to plunder Satan’s house (this world of which he is prince), and what you are witnessing is a demonstration of the fact that he is being bound so that I might plunder it. Just as a robber would bind a homeowner before proceeding to steal the homeowners possessions, so too Christ bound Satan at his first coming so that he might steal what once belonged to him.

The binding of Satan at Christ’s first coming corresponds to the Great Commission given by Christ to his disciples. Listen it to it carefully with this topic in mind:“And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:18–20, ESV). The disciples of Christ obey the Great Commission confidently, in part, because they knew that authority had been taken from Satan, and given to Christ. “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me”, he said. Satan was bound at Christ’s first coming.

And do you remember Jesus’ words from our study of the Gospel of John, when he said to his disciples, “Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself” (John 12:31–32, ESV). He again we have reference to some binding of Satan that did happen when Christ first came. And do you notice the connection between this casting out of Satan and the world missions? Again, “now will the ruler of this world be cast out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”

And this concept, that Satan was bound at Christ’s first coming, also matches what has been communicated already in the book of Revelation concerning the restraint of the Satan during the time between Christ’s first and second coming. I have in mind Revelation 12, the barring of Satan from heaven as the accuser of the brethren and the preservation of the women and her offspring in the wilderness.

And so when was Satan cast down from heaven, restrained, and bound? The answer is at Christ’s first coming – not prior to the second coming but in our future, and certainly not after Christ’s second coming – but at Christ’s first coming.

So what are we to make of the fact that the text says he will be bound for 1,000 years, given that is now 2018?

Put simply and briefly, the number 1,000, like every other number in the book of Revelation, is symbolic.

The burden of proof is upon the literalist to prove that it is to be taken literally when every other number in this book has symbolic force.

Notice the obvious symbolism surrounding the mention of 1,000 years. Satan is said to be a dragon and a serpent. This is symbolic, for Satan is not a dragon or snake, but is a spiritual being, a fallen angel. And when he is bound he said to be bound with a chain and shut up in a pit which is locked with a key. Is this to be taken literally? Clearly not.

Brothers and sisters, it is far better to see that the number 1,000 is symbolic for a long and complete period of time.

Do you remember how Christ told the Christians at Smyrna that they would “be tested, and for ten days [would] have tribulation” (Revelation 2:10, ESV)? Did that mean their tribulation would last ten days, literally? No, it meant that they would suffer persecution for a relatively brief and limited time. God had set the beginning and end of it. They were to be faithful, therefore, to the end.

And the same is true of the time between Christ’s first and second comings. God knows the beginning and end of it. Though it may seem open ended to us, not to him! The difference here is that the time is long. It is a long but complete period of time during which Satan is restrained by God, and his people preserved.

If the 1,000 year period begins at Christ’s first coming and ends at his return (which it does) then it cannot be literal, for Christ made it plain that no one knows the hour of his return.

Application

Two points of application come immediately to mind.

First of all, these truths should produce boldness in world missions.

Secondly, these truths should drive out all fear.

Fear is not becoming of a child of the King.

Posted in Sermons Joe Anady Revelation 20:1-3
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Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 63:1–6

The Lord’s Day of Vengeance: “Who is this who comes from Edom, in crimsoned garments from Bozrah, he who is splendid in his apparel, marching in the greatness of his strength? ‘It is I, speaking in righteousness, mighty to save.’ Why is your apparel red, and your garments like his who treads in the winepress? ‘I have trodden the winepress alone, and from the peoples no one was with me; I trod them in my anger and trampled them in my wrath; their lifeblood spattered on my garments, and stained all my apparel. For the day of vengeance was in my heart, and my year of redemption had come. I looked, but there was no one to help; I was appalled, but there was no one to uphold; so my own arm brought me salvation, and my wrath upheld me. I trampled down the peoples in my anger; I made them drunk in my wrath, and I poured out their lifeblood on the earth.’” (Isaiah 63:1–6, ESV)

Sermon Text: Revelation 19:11-21

“Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords. Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and with a loud voice he called to all the birds that fly directly overhead, “Come, gather for the great supper of God, to eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all men, both free and slave, both small and great.” And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to make war against him who was sitting on the horse and against his army. And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. And the rest were slain by the sword that came from the mouth of him who was sitting on the horse, and all the birds were gorged with their flesh.” (Revelation 19:11–21, ESV)

Sermon

Brothers and sisters, you notice that we are rapidly approaching the end of our study of the book of Revelation. I have mixed emotions about this. I do look forward to what’s next (a carefully study of the book of Genesis), but I’ve grown to love this book that, at one time, seemed intimidating and impractical to me. Now when I think of the book of Revelation I think of a book that is relatively clear, and immensely helpful to the people of God. The thought of the book of Revelation warms my heart and encourages my soul. That is something that I could not say five years ago.

I hope to finish our study of the book of Revelation strong. These last two and a half chapters are most glorious, in my opinion. But they are also often misinterpreted (this is especially true of chapter 20, I think). And so we should not let off the throttle as we come into the homestretch of this prolonged study, but we should finish strong – concentrating; handling the book with great care; and laboring to apply the text to our own lives through to the very end.

I wonder if you would allow me to remind you of the 7 principles that have helped to guide us in our interpretation of this book over the past year. These principles were introduced to you in sermons 2 and 3 of this series (this is sermon number 55). I have reminded you of some of these principles along the way. A couple of them I have mentioned numerous times. But I would like to quickly list them for you now to remind you of them so that they might continue to be a help to us as we approach the finish line of Revelation 22:21. These principles are drawn, remember, from Denise Johnson’s commentary, “Triumph of the Lamb.”

One, we must remember that the book of Revelation is given to reveal. The name itself suggests that it’s purpose is to take things that are mysterious and to make them clear. If the book only makes mysterious things more mysterious, then perhaps you have the wrong approach.

Two, we must remember that Revelation is a book to be seen. This book communicates truth via symbol. It’s literary genre is prophetic and apocalyptic. To take the book literally whenever possible is to ignore it’s genre. Indeed, John was shown what would take place, as the first two verses of the book indicate. John saw visions, and those visions are filled with things symbolic.

Three, we must remember that numbers count in Revelation. In other words, the numbers that we encounter in this book are also symbolic. This we have seen with the numbers 3, 4, 6, 7, 10, 12 and their multiples, 24, 666, and 144,000. This we will encounter again in the closing chapters with the mention of the numbers 1,000, 12, and 144. Numbers function symbolically in Revelation. We should strive for consistency in our handling of the numbers found in this book.

Four, remember that the book of Revelation makes sense only in light of the Old Testament. Put another way, the key to understanding the symbolism of the book of Revelation is the Old Testament. So no, we are not free to take the symbols of Revelation and to interpret them any way we please, but we are to allow scripture to interpret scripture. The Old Testament, and in many cases the New Testament also, functions as a key and a guide to our interpretation of this symbolic book. To look to current events as the key is foolish. To look to the rest of scripture is wise, for it is clearly what the author intended.

Five, do not forget that Revelation concerns what must soon take place. And this statement is to be understood, not from our vantage point, living now in 2018, but from the vantage point of those who originally received the letter in the first century A.D., for it was to them that John wrote, “The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place… Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near” (Revelation 1:1,3, ESV). And remember that the same thing is repeated at the end of the book: “‘These words are trustworthy and true. And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place.’ ‘And behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book’” (Revelation 22:6–7, ESV). Any interpretation that pushes the fulfillment of the majority of the prophesies contained within this book way off into the future from the perspective of the first century audience should be met with suspicion given that it contradicts what the book says about itself. Indeed, some things in this book are about the time of the end – the second coming of Christ, the final judgement, the arrival of the new heavens and the new earth – but these reference to the time of the end are easy to identify. Most of the book describes how things will be in the time between Christ’s first and second coming. So indeed the words of Revelation 1:1 are true. This book did reveal, and does reveal, “things that must soon take place”, for, more often than not, it describes how things will be in the here and the now leading up to the consummation.

Six, remember that Revelation is written for a church under attack. The objective of the book, as you have seen, is to urge the Christian to persevere in the midst of tribulation. How sad that most preachers today say that “the church will not be here to experience tribulation.” I can hardly imagine a more backwards and unbiblical teaching. No, the book of Revelation reinforces the words of Christ when he spoke to his disciples, saying, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world (John 16:33, ESV). The book of Revelation portrays the church as being under constant assault. The type and the intensity of the assault will vary from time to time and from place to place, but the church will always experience pressure. And the book of Revelation says, persevere! Conquer! Overcome! Remain faithful in Christ! And it shows why we should by providing us with the heavenly perspective on the things we experience in this world.

Seven, remember that Revelation shows above all else that the victory belongs to God and to his Christ. And this is the source and foundation of all of the encouragement that we receive in this book. Though it looks as if evil has won, though it looks as if our enemies are too strong, though it looks as if Christ has been defeated and the dragon has won, the truth is that Jesus the Christ has conquered and is bring all things to their God ordained end.

These seven principles were presented in sermons 2 and 3 of this series. They have been helpful up to this point in our interpretation of this book, and I pray they remain as a help to us up to the very end.

In sermon 4 I presented seven observations concerning the structure of the book of Revelation. All of them were important. I’ll remind you once more of the seventh, which was that the book of Revelation repeats. I’ve also put it this way: the book of Revelation recapitulates. In other words, the book is not ordered chronologically, as if the order of events in the book corresponds to order of events in human history. Instead, the book is ordered thematically. It provides us, time and again, with different perspectives on the same event. It provide us with different perspective on the same period of time, be it the time immediately preceding the last day, the last day itself, the consummate state, or the church age. The book repeats. Now that we are in chapter 19 I can I ask the question, “how many times has the return of Christ and the final judgement been shown to us in the book of Revelation?” I don’t have the number for you. The point is that you know we have been brought to the time of the end again and again throughout this book, the earliest picture of it being found way back in 6:12 with the opening of the sixth seal:

“…behold, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood, and the stars of the sky fell to the earth as the fig tree sheds its winter fruit when shaken by a gale. The sky vanished like a scroll that is being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. Then the kings of the earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, calling to the mountains and rocks, ‘Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?’” (Revelation 6:12–17, ESV)

That’s Revelation 6:12-17. It describes the day when the wrath of God and the Lamb are poured out. It’s a description of the last day. And it is found, not in the closing chapters of the book – not in chapters 19, 20, 21, or 22 – but in chapter 6! And there are many other passage like this one peppered throughout the book which provide us with a different perspective of that last day. The book is not ordered chronologically, but repeats. This you have seen clearly in our study.

So why the prolonged introduction? And why the all of the review? It is so that we might finish strong. We are coming to portions of the book of Revelation – indeed we are in one now – where it is necessary to remember these things, lest we interpret them badly.

Let’s consider what is happening here now in the book of Revelation.

Notice that there is a a lot of repetition found here in chapters 18 through to the end of 20. We are, again and again, shown something of the last day when Christ will return to rescue those who are his, to pour out his wrath upon his enemies, to judge those not in him, and to make all things new. Indeed, we were shown something about this last day way back in 6:12, but here in this section references to the last day are concentrated and they are detailed.

Remember that in chapter 18 it was the judgment of the harlot, who is called Babylon, that was described to us. Ironically she is said to be judged, not directly by Christ, but will be devoured by the beast upon whom whom she once so happily sat and the kings symbolized by the ten horns of the beast. I will not here rehash the meaning of that in detail. For now recognize that at the end of time the great cities and cultures of the world, which do seduce men and women to worship the things of this world instead of their Creator, will be judged, not directly by God, but as God does permit their self destruction. The beast (and all that he symbolizes) will turn on the harlot (and all that she symbolizes) to devour her (Revelation 17:15-18). These two, who ever since the fall have worked so happily together, will in the end self destruct. This is the judgement of God poured out upon the harlot. Revelation 18 has described it to us.

Now notice that here in chapter 19 we find a description of the judgment of two other figures. Look at verse 19:

“And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to make war against him who was sitting on the horse and against his army. And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. And the rest were slain by the sword that came from the mouth of him who was sitting on the horse, and all the birds were gorged with their flesh.” (Revelation 19:19–21, ESV)

And so here we have a description of the judgement of the two beasts that were first introduced to us in Revelation 13. The beast is captured. He is the beast that John saw rising from the sea in Revelation 13:1. And so too the false prophet is captured. He is the same as the beast that was seen rising out of the earth in 13:11. This is the one who deceived men and women to receive the mark of the beast and to worship its image.

These two will be captured by Christ and his army, and they will be “thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur.” And those who belong to them and follow them will be “slain by the sword that [comes] from the mouth of him who [is] sitting on the horse”, that is to say, Christ.

And so do you see that by the end of chapter 19 the return of Christ has again been described to us. When he returns he will pour out his wrath upon all of his enemies. All will be slain who do not belong to him.

The beast, symbolizing political powers that persecute – symbolizing nations and kings and their armies who oppose Christ and all who belong to him – will be judged – thrown into the lake of fire.

The false prophet also, who symbolizes those social and religious and economic institutions that the evil one uses to urge the worship, not of Christ, but of the beast, will also be judged – thrown into the lake of fire, we are told.

And all who follow after these two will also be slain. In verse 21 we read, “And the rest were slain by the sword that came from the mouth of him who was sitting on the horse, and all the birds were gorged with their flesh” (Revelation 19:21, ESV).

You do understand that this passage describes the judgement that will come upon people at the end of time, don’t you? This passage refers to the judgement of people – that is to say, all not in Christ.

Yes, in the vision we see two beasts and the multitude of people that follow them. But we should remember that these beasts symbolize people – people who have positions of power within governments. People who are kings. People who are governors. People within armies. People who teach false things. People who use powers of many kinds to turn the screws on God’s people.  These are the once who have listened to the false prophet themselves, who have bowed before the beast from the sea, and who now do their bidding. Put another way, these are the ones who have taken the mark of the beast who, at the end of time will be judged personally by Christ. This is what is symbolized here in Revelation 19.

Isn’t that what the announcement of the angel of verse 17 tells us. He cried out and “with a loud voice he called to all the birds that fly directly overhead, ‘Come, gather for the great supper of God, to eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all men, both free and slave, both small and great” (Revelation 19:17–18, ESV).

And so notice that by the end of chapter 19 we are taken yet again to the end of time and we are shown something of what will happen when Christ returns. When he returns that harlot Babylon will have been ravaged. When he returns he will slay the beast from the sea, the beast from the land, and all who have followed after them, trusting, not in Christ, but in this world.

Who is left then to be judged? Who is left to be judged in the narrative of the book of Revelation? The beast, the false prophet, and the harlot have been judged. Who is left of the enemies of God? What other loose end need to be tied up before the new heavens and new earth can come in fulness?

The answer is that the dragon must be judged. The dragon, that ancient serpent is still roaming, as far as the narrative of the book of Revelation is concerned. Put differently, have been made to rejoice by the end of chapter 19 as the enemies of God and his people fall one by one – the harlot, the beast, the false prophet and all who belong to them and serve them – but the reader should also here stop and ask, what about the dragon who did motivate them all? What about the dragon, that ancient serpent, whom the beast, the false prophet and the harlot did serve?

Look ahead with me briefly and see that that is what chapter 20 describes. Chapter 20 does not follow chapter 19 chronologically, but it repeats and provides for us another persecutive on the dragon, his career, and his judgement. Verse 7 of chapter 20:

“And when the thousand years are ended, Satan will be released from his prison and will come out to deceive the nations that are at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them for battle; their number is like the sand of the sea. And they marched up over the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, but fire came down from heaven and consumed them, and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.” (Revelation 20:7–10, ESV)

When will this happen? It will happen when Christ returns. It will happen on that last day when Christ returns. It will happen on the same day when the beast, the false prophet, and all who belonged to them will be judged. It will happen when Christ returns. He will return to do many things – to rescue those who belong to him who are under assault, to pour out his wrath upon the enemies of God, and to cast the devil himself into the lake of fire to “be tormented day and night forever and ever”. When Christ returns he will judge, after which he will make all things new.

If we assume that the book of Revelation is organized chronologically we will be very confused. Indeed, we will be confused throughout (not knowing what to make of all of the reference to the end peppered throughout, nor knowing what to make of the mention of the birth of Christ in 12:1), but we will be especially confused here in chapters 18, 19, and 20 as we try to fit this all on a timeline. It is far better to see that the book is organized thematically and it that it does recapitulate, providing for us different perspectives on the same period of time, in this case, the last day when Christ returns.

More broadly, the book of Revelation describes to us how things will be in the whole time between Christ’s first and second comings. It tells a story. It paints a picture, telling us about the challenges we will face in this world, and how things will go in the end. It exposes our enemies. It shows their true character. It shows their end.

Go with me to Revelation chapter 12. And notice how Revelation 12:1 all the way through to Revelation 20:10 tell a story.

In Revelation 12:1 we were introduced to a women with child. Who is this woman? Remember, she symbolizes Mary the mother of Jesus. More than that she symbolizes Israel who was indeed “pregnant” with the Christ until he did come. Even more than that she symbolizes Eve, who heard the promise of God when he spoke to the serpent who deceived her, when he said, “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel” (Genesis 3:15, ESV). So even Eve was “pregnant” with the Christ as she carried within her womb the promise of God concerning a Redeemer who would come from her seed.

This woman of Revelation 12 – who is Eve, Israel, and Mary – was pregnant with a child. And she was being harassed even before the child was born. And who was it that harassed her? “A great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven diadems” (Revelation 12:3, ESV). In 12:9 we were told that he is, “that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world.” (Revelation 12:9, ESV).

This dragon pursued the woman. But she was kept by God, being preserved by him in the wilderness.

This dragon sought to devour the Christ child, the “one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne” (Revelation 12:5, ESV).

But the battle between the dragon, the woman and her child was not over. “Then the dragon became furious with the woman and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus. And he stood on the sand of the sea” (Revelation 12:17, ESV).

So there is a conflict, then. There is a battle that rages between the dragon, who is Satan, and Christ. The dragon was confined to the earth at Christ’s first coming when Christ was caught up to heaven where he is now enthroned.

On earth the people of God find themselves under assault, then. They are pursued by the dragon even still. But the dragon uses the beast from the sea (political powers that persecute), the beast from the land (false prophets), and the harlot who rides upon the beast from the sea (the seductiveness of the world), to war against the people of God. These three were introduced to us successively in chapters 13 and chapter 17.

Now notice what we have here in chapters 18, 19 and 20. Each of these enemies of God are removed from the scene in the reverse order they were introduced.

First the harlot is made desolate. The beast that she once road turned on her to devour her, and the people of the hearth lamented her fall. This is what chapter 18 describes.

Secondly, the beast and the false prophet are captured and thrown alive into the lake of fire. This is described in chapter 19.

And thirdly, the dragon himself who did motivate these three is also judged. This is described in chapter 20 with the words, “and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever” (Revelation 20:10, ESV).

Friends, the book is ordered thematically, and not chronologically.

The enemies of God and his people are introduced:1, 2, 3, 4.

The promise is that God will preserve those who belong to him even as they are pursued, tempted, and assaulted on earth by these enemies.

And then the enemies are swiftly removed from the seen having been judged by God and his Christ: 4, 3, 2 and 1.

Do you see, then, how everything comes to focus upon Christ who is our Champion and our King?

The enemies of God seem, at first, to be so powerful, so terrifying, so ferocious. They are the seven headed and ten horned dragon, the seven headed and ten horned beast, the beast who speaks like the dragon, and the harlot who’s seductiveness made even John the Apostle to marvel at her.

And indeed, Christ seems to us to be distant. He was, long ago, caught up to heaven – crucified, buried, raised and ascended. We do not see him now. We see our enemies! We feel their power! And indeed they do look so intimidating to us! But what does God word reveal? Our Lord will one day return. And when he does he will slay all of his and all of our enemies with the word of his mouth.

John “saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse”, the kind of champion war horse that a Conquering King would ride.

“The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war” (Revelation 19:11, ESV). This is Christ our King!

“His eyes are like a flame of fire”, because he sees all and will judge with purity in the end.

“And on his head are many diadems” which put the ten counterfeit diadems warn by the dragon and his beast to shame.

“And he has a name written that no one knows but himself” (Revelation 19:12, ESV), for though we know Christ truly, we cannot comprehend his power and glory fully.

“He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood”, for his is the one who will tread out the “great winepress of the wrath of God” (Revelation 14:19, ESV).

“The name by which he is called is The Word of God” (Revelation 19:13, ESV). It is God’s word that will stand in the end, friends.

And this great warrior King is not alone, but has “the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure… following him on white horses” (Revelation 19:14, ESV). Who are these? They are his people, redeemed from the earth, who have been caught up with him to meet him in the air on that last day (1 Thessalonians 4:17). They are the Bride of Christ. She “has made herself ready; it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure’— for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints (Revelation 19:7-8, ESV)”. These redeemed of the Lord now return with the Lord to conquer with him.

Verse 15: “From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty” (Revelation 19:15, ESV).

This is in fulfillment to that great Messianic Psalm, Psalm 2, which says,

“Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against his Anointed, saying, ‘Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us.’ He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision. Then he will speak to them in his wrath, and terrify them in his fury, saying, ‘As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill.’ I will tell of the decree: The Lord said to me, ‘You are my Son; today I have begotten you. Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.’ Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in him” (Psalm 2, ESV).

Lastly we read that, “On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords” (Revelation 19:16, ESV).

Conclusion

Brothers and sisters, this is the story that followers of Christ the world over need to hear.

These truths are the ones we need if we are to stand up in the face of persecution, false teaching, and the seductiveness of the world.

Look at the end of the matter, friends.

The things of this world that seem so attractive to you – look at their end! Do not go the way of the harlot. Her end is destruction; her path leads only to death.

Think also of the end of the false prophet who’s words seem so pleasant to your ears. The false prophet will be cast alive into the lake of fire. Pay no attention to his smooth and flattering speech! Listen instead to God’s word which stands forever. Look to Christ and trust in him, for he is the Word of God; he is the one who will slay his enemies with the double edged sword which proceeds from his mouth. Give heed to God’s word. Obey the word of Christ if you wish to have life. Reject the words of the false prophet. His end is destruction; his path leads only to death.

And what about those who persecute you? Think of their end. Think of what Christ will do to those who have assaulted his beloved Bride when he returns for her on that last day.

It is popular today to only talk of the love and mercy of God. And indeed God is loving and merciful, but he is also holy and righteous and just. If you do not believe in a God who will judge in the end, then you do not have the God of the scriptures, but an idol that you have erected for yourself in the mind and in the heart. If you do not believe in a Christ who will judge in the end, then you do not have the true Christ, but a false Christ who is the product of your worldly imagination. Friends, God and Christ will judge in the end. Concerning this the scriptures are clear.

And this is a comfort to the people of God, particularly those who have experienced persecution. True, we are to pray for our enemies. True, we are to love them. And it is the knowledge that God and his Christ will set things right in the end which enables us to do so. It’s not ours to take vengeance – that is God’s job. It is not ours to pour out wrath – Christ will. Indeed, it is this knowledge that enables to love even those who persecute us.

“Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:19–21, ESV).

How comforting it is for the people of God to know that if we suffer in this world our Savior, who has himself suffered, will set it right in the end.

Posted in Sermons Joe Anady Revelation 19:11-21
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Old Testament Reading: Psalm 148

“Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise him in the heights! Praise him, all his angels; praise him, all his hosts! Praise him, sun and moon, praise him, all you shining stars! Praise him, you highest heavens, and you waters above the heavens! Let them praise the name of the Lord! For he commanded and they were created. And he established them forever and ever; he gave a decree, and it shall not pass away. Praise the Lord from the earth, you great sea creatures and all deeps, fire and hail, snow and mist, stormy wind fulfilling his word! Mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars! Beasts and all livestock, creeping things and flying birds! Kings of the earth and all peoples, princes and all rulers of the earth! Young men and maidens together, old men and children! Let them praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is exalted; his majesty is above earth and heaven. He has raised up a horn for his people, praise for all his saints, for the people of Israel who are near to him. Praise the Lord!” (Psalm 148, ESV)

Sermon Text: Revelation 19:1-10

“After this I heard what seemed to be the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, crying out, ‘Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for his judgments are true and just; for he has judged the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her immorality, and has avenged on her the blood of his servants.’ Once more they cried out, ‘Hallelujah! The smoke from her goes up forever and ever.’ And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who was seated on the throne, saying, ‘Amen. Hallelujah!’ And from the throne came a voice saying, ‘Praise our God, all you his servants, you who fear him, small and great.’ Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out, ‘Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure’— for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints. And the angel said to me, ‘Write this: 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.’ Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said to me, ‘You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God.’ For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” (Revelation 19:1–10, ESV)

Introduction 

The thing that differentiates the people of God from those who are of the world is that those who belong to God worship God, whereas those who belong to the world worship the things of this world.

All people worship. Even the most devout atheist worships. The atheist, though he may deny the existence of God, has a god of his own. Someone or something owns his heart. He lives for something. He finds his pleasure and satisfaction somewhere. He has some source of hope. Even the atheist worships as he looks to this thing or that, saying, “this is of ultimate worth.”

The questions is not, “do we worship?”, for all do. Instead the question is, do we worship aright. Do we worship that which is truly worthy of worship? And do we worship that one aright?

You’ve noticed, I’m sure, that the book of Revelation is all about worship. When we began the study of this book over a year ago you probably assumed that the book was about the future. What we have found is that, although the book does reveal some things about the future, it is really a book about worship. It reveals what it reveals in order to urge the reader to worship aright – to worship, not the things of this world, but God who made the world, and the Christ, who is the God-man, and our redeemer.

Really, those are our two options. Either we worship the things of this world, or we worship the God who made the world and all things therein. That we will worship is unavoidable! To worship is to be human, and to be human is to worship! The question is, will we rightly worship our Creator, or will we wrongly give worship to something in his creation?

One way for us to talk about the fall of man and the entrance of sin into the world is to describe it as worship gone wrong. The first sin, and indeed all sin, can be described as worship misdirected, or worship bent out of shape. To sin is to transgress God’s holy law. And the summary of God’s holy law is to, first, love God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and second, to love our neighbor as ourself. Every sin that we commit is committed because we have, in some way, failed to love God supremely and as we should. We have looked to some other thing in God’s creation and have loved it more than God. To sin is, therefore, to fail in worship.

Some worship their possessions. Some worship their entertainment. Some worship their food, others their drink. Some worship other people and the relationships that they have with them. Some worship sex. Some money, power and fame. Some worship demons. And some worship god’s that they have made for themselves, either god’s carved out of wood and stone, or ideas about God that come, not from him, but from themselves, based, not upon divine revelation, but upon human reason.

Those who belong to God worship God as he has revealed himself to us in history, through his Son, and by his word. “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world” (Hebrews 1:1–2, ESV). It is the wholehearted and faithful worship of this God that the book of Revelation is urging. We are to worship this God, the one true God who created the heavens and the earth. He is the God who speaks. He has given us his word. He has graciously disclosed himself to us. We are to worship this God, the one true God, through faith in Jesus the Christ, who, because of our sin and our alienation from God, has been graciously given as the only “mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5, ESV).

What do you worship?

Whom do you worship?

To whom or what do you look to and say, “that is of ultimate worth and is worthy of my devotion, my trust, my heart, indeed my very life?”

Notice three things about Revelation 19:1-10.

We Are Seven Times In This Passage Urged To Give Worship To God

First of all, notice how we are seven times in this passage urged to give worship to God.

The word “hallelujah” appears four times in this passage. In verse 1“a great multitude in heaven” is heard by John “crying out, Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God” (Revelation 19:1, ESV). In verse 3 they again cry out, saying, “hallelujah!” In verse 4 it is “the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures [who fall] down and [worship] God who was seated on the throne, saying, ‘Amen. Hallelujah!’” (Revelation 19:4, ESV). And in verse 6 John again hears the voice of a great multitude “like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out, ‘Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns’” (Revelation 19:6, ESV).

The word “hallelujah” here is a Greek transliteration of a Hebrew compound word which means, “praise YHWH”, or, put all in English, “praise the LORD”. So when you say “hallelujah” you are in fact speaking Hebrew. You are urging the praise of YHWH! “Praise the LORD”, is what it means.

It was appropriate for us to read Psalm 148 at the beginning of this sermon for the first and last words of that Psalm are, in Hebrew, “הַ֥לְלוּ יָ֨הּ”. And the throughout the repeated refrain is, “praise the Lord!”

“Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise him in the heights! Praise him, all his angels; praise him, all his hosts! Praise him, sun and moon, praise him, all you shining stars! Praise him, you highest heavens, and you waters above the heavens! Let them praise the name of the Lord! For he commanded and they were created.” (Psalm 148:1–5, ESV)

PsaLm 148 and Revelation 19:1-10 share this in common: both urge the praise of YHWH using the word “hallelujah”.

The praise of God is urged also in Revelation 19:5 where we read, “And from the throne came a voice saying, ‘Praise our God, all you his servants, you who fear him, small and great’” (Revelation 19:5, ESV). Also, we should consider verse 7 where the multitude says, “Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory…” (Revelation 19:7, ESV). And then seventhly, and lastly, in verse 10 we read John’s words, “Then I fell down at his [the angel’s] feet to worship him, but he said to me, ‘You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God” (Revelation 19:10, ESV).

Do you see, then, that the objective of this passage from beginning to end is to urge the worship of the one true God, YHWH, the Creator of heaven and earth, Lord Most High. And do you see how easy it is for our worship to be misdirected. Even John the Apostle, being perhaps overwhelmed with the vision that he saw, did bow down before an angel, bring upon himself a swift and firm rebuke: “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God.”

You see God is the only one who is worthy to receive worship. Nothing in all of creation – not even holy and righteous angels – are worthy to receive praise, for they are creatures, and not the Creator. Angels and men, though a different species, share much in common. Both are volitional creatures made for the service of God. Not even they, holy as they may be, are to be worshiped, but God only. So the distinction is not between things holy and things sinful, nor is the distinction between things spiritual and physical, but it is the distinction between Creator and creature that is useful in determining who is worthy to receive worship. It is the Creator only who is worthy to receive worship from his creation.

“Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise him in the heights! Praise him, all his angels; praise him, all his hosts! Praise him, sun and moon, praise him, all you shining stars! Praise him, you highest heavens, and you waters above the heavens! Let them praise the name of the Lord! For he commanded and they were created.” (Psalm 148:1–5, ESV)

If you are alive today you owe God worship for he is your Maker. And to refrain from giving him the worship he so rightly deserves – worse yet, to take the worship that he deserves and to give it another –  is a most terrible thing. I have a hard time finding the words, to be honest.

The comparison that comes to mind is that of a child, who having been brought into this world by his parents, and having been nurtured by them – sheltered, clothed, fed, loved, disciplined and protected – he goes on only to dishonor them. He cares little for them. When he does speak to them, he speaks rudely. He calls only when he wants something. His love he will not give to them, but he will gladly give to those who are unworthy. He responds to his parents love with hatred, but those who have not true love for him, those he loved. The son, having been shown love, responds by spitting in his parents face. There are hardly words to describe just how terrible this is.

But it is far worse for a creature to do this do the Creator. And yet this is what all men do in their natural state and apart from the saving grace of God. They, in one way or another, spit in the face of their Creator. They repay his goodness with hatred, his kindness with contempt, his faithfulness with faithlessness, his patience with stubborn pride.

Friends, if you are a worshipper of God today do not forget that this is how you once were, but God has been merciful to you. He determined from before creation to bring you to himself. And though you were a child of wrath, he has made you a beloved son. This he did through the shed blood of Christ who paid for the sins of his people. This he did by calling you to faith by his word and by his Spirit. When God’s word called out to you to trust in Jesus – when God’s word called put to you saying, hallelujah! Praise the Lord! – you responded to that call with a “yes” and “amen”, not because you were by nature one who was a worshipper of God, but because God has been gracious to you. Seven times in this passage we are urged to give worship to God. It is those predestined, called and justified who have, do, and will.

This Passage Stands In Contrast To The Preceding One

Secondly, notice how this passage stands in contrast to the preceding one.

Chapter 18 and verses 1-10 of chapter 19 share this in common: they both describe responses to the judgement of Babylon.

Remember the way that the earth dwellers responded. They wept and mourned over her. “They threw dust on their heads as they wept and mourned, crying out, ‘Alas, alas, for the great city where all who had ships at sea grew rich by her wealth! For in a single hour she has been laid waste’” (Revelation 18:19, ESV).

But even in chapter 18 we heard a call for a different response. In verse 20 we read, “Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you saints and apostles and prophets, for God has given judgment for you against her!” (Revelation 18:20, ESV).

This is precisely what we have in 19:1-10. Here heaven responds to the call of 18:20 and rejoices, saying, “After this I heard what seemed to be the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, crying out, “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for his judgments are true and just; for he has judged the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her immorality, and has avenged on her the blood of his servants” (Revelation 19:1–2, ESV).

The two responses to the judgement of Babylon could not be more different. But this only further shows how different the kingdom of God is from the kingdoms of this world. These two kingdoms stand in stark contrast to one other. The citizens of these kingdoms value entirely different things, so that what causes one to weep and mourn, causes the other to shout for joy and to give glory to God.

Babylon will be destroyed, friends. And if this is where your treasure is, you will be found weeping in the end. But the kingdom of heaven is eternal. God is everlasting and unchanging. If your treasure is stored up with him, in the end there will be rejoicing.

Notice the Reasons Given For The Worship Of God

Thirdly, notice the reasons given for the worship of God.

God will be worshiped in the end for the glory of his righteous judgments.

Verse 1: “After this I heard what seemed to be the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, crying out, ‘Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for his judgments are true and just; for he has judged the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her immorality, and has avenged on her the blood of his servants” (Revelation 19:1–2, ESV).

God will be worshiped in the end for the glory of his salvation.

Verse 6: “Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out, ‘Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure’— for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.” (Revelation 19:6–8, ESV)

The bride of Christ is the church.

“Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body. ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.’ This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church” (Ephesians 5:25–32, ESV).

Christ shed his blood, not for the world, but for his church. He gave himself up for her. He died for his bride, that is to say all of the elect, so that “he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.”

Here in Revelation 19 we have symbolized the consummation of these things where Christ and his bride do enjoy their wedding feast. This will happen at the end of time when the Lord returns for his betrothed and judges her enemies.

When Paul wrote to the church in Corinth he spoke this way, saying, “I feel a divine jealousy for you, since I betrothed you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ” (2 Corinthians 11:1–2, ESV). When Paul preached the gospel and saw men and women come to faith in Christ he saw them as betrothed to Christ. His objective in teaching the church was to prepare the church for her wedding day, so that he might present the church to Christ as a pure virgin.

Notice that two different perspectives are presented side by side concerning the churches preparation to meet Christ.

First we are told at the end of verse 7 that “his Bride has made herself ready” (Revelation 19:7, ESV). This emphasizes the responsibility that we have to persevere in the faith, to contribute to our sanctification, and to work our our salvation with fear and trembling.

But to protect us from thinking that we can, in any way save ourselves, or to prepare ourselves for salvation, we are told in verse 8 that “it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure”— for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints” (Revelation 19:8, ESV).

Indeed, we come to faith in Christ because God has granted it. We persevere in Christ because God has granted it. We will be able to stand before God and Christ on that last day “without spot or wrinkle or any such thing”, not because we have provided this clothing for ourselves, but because God has provided for us in Christ Jesus. Indeed we do receive the fogginess of sin and Christ’s righteousness by faith. But has been granted by our God by his grace. “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Ephesians 2:8–9, ESV).

Conclusion 

Brothers and sisters, what should we do in response to the things that we have heard?

Let us worship God!

Individually

May he have your heart.

Trust in him.

Hope in him.

Find your pleasure in him.

Give him glory with your tongue.

Pray to him.

Give thanks always.

Testify to his goodness.

Obey him in all that you do.

Do not do that which he has forbidden.

Do that which he has commanded.

Have his word as the lamp which illuminates your path and directs your steps.

In Families

Corporately with the Church

Keep the Lord’s Day Sabbath; rest.

Do not neglect the assembling of yourselves.

Engage in the means of grace from the heart.

Let us worship him through faith in Jesus the Christ, for there is no other way.

Posted in Sermons Joe Anady Revelation 19:1-10
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Old Testament Reading: Jeremiah 51

“Thus says the Lord: ‘Behold, I will stir up the spirit of a destroyer against Babylon, against the inhabitants of Leb-kamai, and I will send to Babylon winnowers, and they shall winnow her, and they shall empty her land, when they come against her from every side on the day of trouble… For Israel and Judah have not been forsaken by their God, the Lord of hosts, but the land of the Chaldeans is full of guilt against the Holy One of Israel. ‘Flee from the midst of Babylon; let every one save his life! Be not cut off in her punishment, for this is the time of the Lord’s vengeance, the repayment he is rendering her. Babylon was a golden cup in the Lord’s hand, making all the earth drunken; the nations drank of her wine; therefore the nations went mad. Suddenly Babylon has fallen and been broken; wail for her! Take balm for her pain; perhaps she may be healed. We would have healed Babylon, but she was not healed. Forsake her, and let us go each to his own country, for her judgment has reached up to heaven and has been lifted up even to the skies. The Lord has brought about our vindication; come, let us declare in Zion the work of the Lord our God… ‘I will repay Babylon and all the inhabitants of Chaldea before your very eyes for all the evil that they have done in Zion, declares the Lord. ‘Behold, I am against you, O destroying mountain, declares the Lord, which destroys the whole earth; I will stretch out my hand against you, and roll you down from the crags, and make you a burnt mountain. No stone shall be taken from you for a corner and no stone for a foundation, but you shall be a perpetual waste, declares the Lord… For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: ‘The daughter of Babylon is like a threshing floor at the time when it is trodden; yet a little while and the time of her harvest will come.’ Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon has devoured me; he has crushed me; he has made me an empty vessel; he has swallowed me like a monster; he has filled his stomach with my delicacies; he has rinsed me out. The violence done to me and to my kinsmen be upon Babylon,’ let the inhabitant of Zion say. ‘My blood be upon the inhabitants of Chaldea,’ let Jerusalem say. Therefore thus says the Lord: ‘Behold, I will plead your cause and take vengeance for you. I will dry up her sea and make her fountain dry, and Babylon shall become a heap of ruins, the haunt of jackals, a horror and a hissing, without inhabitant…’ The sea has come up on Babylon; she is covered with its tumultuous waves. Her cities have become a horror, a land of drought and a desert, a land in which no one dwells, and through which no son of man passes… Go out of the midst of her, my people! Let every one save his life from the fierce anger of the Lord… Jeremiah wrote in a book all the disaster that should come upon Babylon, all these words that are written concerning Babylon. And Jeremiah said to Seraiah: ‘When you come to Babylon, see that you read all these words, and say, ‘O Lord, you have said concerning this place that you will cut it off, so that nothing shall dwell in it, neither man nor beast, and it shall be desolate forever.’ When you finish reading this book, tie 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 disaster that I am bringing upon her, and they shall become exhausted.’ Thus far are the words of Jeremiah.” (Jeremiah 51, ESV)

Sermon Text: Revelation 18

“After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was made bright with his glory. And he called out with a mighty voice, ‘Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a dwelling place for demons, a haunt for every unclean spirit, a haunt for every unclean bird, a haunt for every unclean and detestable beast. For all nations have drunk the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality, and the kings of the earth have committed immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth have grown rich from the power of her luxurious living.’ Then I heard another voice from heaven saying, ‘Come out of her, my people, lest you take part in her sins, lest you share in her plagues; for her sins are heaped high as heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities. Pay her back as she herself has paid back others, and repay her double for her deeds; mix a double portion for her in the cup she mixed. As she glorified herself and lived in luxury, so give her a like measure of torment and mourning, since in her heart she says, ‘I sit as a queen, I am no widow, and mourning I shall never see.’ For this reason her plagues will come in a single day, death and mourning and famine, and she will be burned up with fire; for mighty is the Lord God who has judged her.’ And the kings of the earth, who committed sexual immorality and lived in luxury with her, will weep and wail over her when they see the smoke of her burning. They will stand far off, in fear of her torment, and say, ‘Alas! Alas! You great city, you mighty city, Babylon! For in a single hour your judgment has come.’ And the merchants of the earth weep and mourn for her, since no one buys their cargo anymore, cargo of gold, silver, jewels, pearls, fine linen, purple cloth, silk, scarlet cloth, all kinds of scented wood, all kinds of articles of ivory, all kinds of articles of costly wood, bronze, iron and marble, cinnamon, spice, incense, myrrh, frankincense, wine, oil, fine flour, wheat, cattle and sheep, horses and chariots, and slaves, that is, human souls. ‘The fruit for which your soul longed has gone from you, and all your delicacies and your splendors are lost to you, never to be found again!’ The merchants of these wares, who gained wealth from her, will stand far off, in fear of her torment, weeping and mourning aloud, ‘Alas, alas, for the great city that was clothed in fine linen, in purple and scarlet, adorned with gold, with jewels, and with pearls! For in a single hour all this wealth has been laid waste.’ And all shipmasters and seafaring men, sailors and all whose trade is on the sea, stood far off and cried out as they saw the smoke of her burning, ‘What city was like the great city?’ And they threw dust on their heads as they wept and mourned, crying out, ‘Alas, alas, for the great city where all who had ships at sea grew rich by her wealth! For in a single hour she has been laid waste. Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you saints and apostles and prophets, for God has given judgment for you against her!’ Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, ‘So will Babylon the great city be thrown down with violence, and will be found no more; and the sound of harpists and musicians, of flute players and trumpeters, will be heard in you no more, and a craftsman of any craft will be found in you no more, and the sound of the mill will be heard in you no more, and the light of a lamp will shine in you no more, and the voice of bridegroom and bride will be heard in you no more, for your merchants were the great ones of the earth, and all nations were deceived by your sorcery. And in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints, and of all who have been slain on earth.’” (Revelation 18, ESV)

Introduction 

It is important that we see Revelation 18 as a continuation of the description of the judgement of the harlot that began in Revelation 17.

In 17:1 we read John’s words, “Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, ‘Come, I will show you the judgment of the great prostitute who is seated on many waters…” (Revelation 17:1, ESV). After that John was shown a vision of the harlot. She was seen, “sitting on a scarlet beast that was full of blasphemous names, and it had seven heads and ten horns. The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and jewels and pearls, holding in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her sexual immorality” (Revelation 17:3–4, ESV).

When we consider the way that the harlot and the beast upon which she rides is described it becomes clear that, for the original recipients of the book of Revelation who were alive in Asia Minor in the first century A.D., she symbolized the seductiveness of the Roman culture in which they lived. The Rome (the city of seven hills) was seductive. It’s sinful pleasures did have the power to seduce men and women to abandon Christ and commit spiritual adultery, which is idolatry. So, for the members of the seven churches to who Revelation was addressed, the harlot was Rome.

But when we consider the harlot’s name it becomes clear that she symbolizes, not only Rome, but all of the cultures of the world that seduce in the way that Rome did, for “on her forehead was written a name of mystery: ‘Babylon the great, mother of prostitutes and of earth’s abominations’” (Revelation 17:5, ESV). By this time the ancient city of Babylon had come to symbolize the seductiveness of the world. It was ancient Babylon that conquered Judah. It was there to Babylon that the people of God were exiled. It was there in Babylon that the Israelites were to remain pure. It was from Babylon that God would rescue his people as the great city was judged. This is what was described in Jeremiah 51. And so ancient Babylon, Judah’s captivity there, followed by their redemption and the judgement of that place have come to have symbolic significance. Babylon is code for “all that is evil and seductive in the world which does tempt men and women to commit idolatry”. By the end of chapter 17 we are told that this harlot symbolizes “the great city that has dominion over the kings of the earth” (Revelation 17:18, ESV).

For the members of the seven churches to whom Revelation was addressed, the harlot stood for Rome. For the people of Judah carried away to captivity in the sixth century B.C., the harlot was Babylon. For you and me who are alive today the harlot symbolizes the seductiveness of our own culture.

So just as the beast from the sea and the false prophet of Revelation 13 have alway been active in the world, so it is with the harlot. The dragon of Revelation 12 has always used these three – political powers that persecute, false teaching and the seductiveness of the world, to draw men and women away from the worship of the creator into an idolatrous worship of the creation instead.

So by the end of chapter 17 we have a good idea of what this prostitute represents. She represents the seductiveness of the world. She represents the way in which the world – particularly the great cultures and great cities of the world – seduce and drive men and women to chase after her pleasures and to make them ultimate – the pleasures of money, power, fame, and sexual immorality, to name a few. Indeed, the “kings of the earth have committed sexual immorality” with her. And it is from her cup that “the dwellers on earth have become drunk” (Revelation 17:2, ESV).

Notice also that by the end of chapter 17 we have only a description of the harlot (along with the description of the beast upon which she rides). She is beautiful and the power of her allure is recognized even by John. But as of yet we’ve heard nothing of her judgement as was promised to us in 17:1, when the angel said to John, “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great prostitute who is seated on many waters…” (Revelation 17:1, ESV). That is what we have in the chapter 18 – a description of the judgement of this prostitute whose name is Babylon.

What is the point of all of this? Why was this vision given to John, and through him, to us? What does God desire for us to take away from this?

I think his desire is that we would come to see the sinful seduction of the world for what it is – something that is empty; something that leads only to death; something destined for judgement. And having come to see the harlot (or Babylon) for what she is, then we are able to flee from her to God through faith in Christ Jesus and to the heavenly and eternal city of Jerusalem.

Revelation 18 describes the judgement of Babylon (or the harlot) to us, but in such a way that we also receive a heavenly commentary on Babylon’s true nature. Everyone, it seems, has an opinion concerning the happenings of this world. Turn on the television or talk radio and you’ll find no shortage of commentators. But friends, it is God’s commentary that matters most. It is his perspective on the world that we should be most eager to hear. Indeed, it is his point of view that every child of his should adopt as their own.

Notice five things:

A City Already Fallen

First of all, recognize that when God comments on Babylon he speaks of her as already fallen. This we see in verses 1 through 3 of Revelation 18:

“After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was made bright with his glory. And he called out with a mighty voice, ‘Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a dwelling place for demons, a haunt for every unclean spirit, a haunt for every unclean bird, a haunt for every unclean and detestable beast.” (Revelation 18:1–2, ESV)

Of course, Babylon was not fallen in John’s day. Indeed, she is not fallen today (this world, and the great cultures of this word, are still very seductive). But this angel from heaven says that “Babylon the great” is “fallen, fallen”. It is as good as done. It is as if God has inscribed above the city the phrase, “abandon hope all ye who enter here”, for Babylon’s end is certain destruction.

From the human perspective it is hard to understand how this could be. When the Christians of the first century looked upon the Rome in all of its power and glory I’m sure they were tempted to think, “this empire will never be moved.” When the people of Israel were enslaved to Pharaoh I’m sure that they were tempted to think, “this power will never come to an end.” And we too are prone to look upon the great powers of the world in the same way today. These great nations and these great cultures seem to our natural senses to be immovable, all powerful, and eternal. It is no wonder, then, that men and women are often lured into the worship of them! These great powers seem to be almost divine and worthy of our worship to our natural senses !

But human history does show, and the word of God does plainly declare, that these powers are as good as fallen. This is true of individual nations, for in the last days “nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom…” (Matthew 24:7, ESV). But it is also true of the whole course of human history which is marked by the succession of nations for, in due time, “the end will come” (Matthew 24:14, ESV).

How foolish it is, therefore, to put ones ultimate hope is something that is destined to fail. That seems to be the point of it all. It is stupid to place your trust in, to live for, and to worship that which is as good as dead, and yet that is what men and women the world over do.

A City Fueled By An Insatiable Desire For Pleasure

Secondly, notice that Babylon is described as a city fueled by an insatiable desire for pleasure.

In verse 3 the reason for Babylon’s fall is given: “For all nations have drunk the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality, and the kings of the earth have committed immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth have grown rich from the power of her luxurious living” (Revelation 18:3, ESV). It is this passion for sexual immorality, for wealth, for power, and for luxurious living that drives Babylon. That’s what makes her tick.

Notice how those that belong to Babylon mourn when she is judged. Verse 9: “And the kings of the earth, who committed sexual immorality and lived in luxury with her, will weep and wail over her when they see the smoke of her burning” (Revelation 18:9, ESV). Verse 11: “And the merchants of the earth weep and mourn for her, since no one buys their cargo anymore, cargo of gold, silver, jewels, pearls, fine linen, purple cloth, silk, scarlet cloth, all kinds of scented wood, all kinds of articles of ivory, all kinds of articles of costly wood, bronze, iron and marble, cinnamon, spice, incense, myrrh, frankincense, wine, oil, fine flour, wheat, cattle and sheep, horses and chariots, and slaves, that is, human souls” (Revelation 18:11–13, ESV). Do you see how far men will do to have pleasure in this world? They will stoop even to the level of trading in human souls!

In verse 14 the idolatrous love affair that these men did have with the world is most plainly seen as the voice from heaven ridicules them, saying, “The fruit for which your soul longed has gone from you, and all your delicacies and your splendors are lost to you, never to be found again!” (Revelation 18:14, ESV). Clearly these men were driven by an insatiable desire for pleasure. They loved to the core of their being this world and the things of this world. They worshipped the creation instead of the Creator. Do you see how throughout this passage they are, again and again, described as “weeping” and “mourning” and “crying aloud? Verse 19: “And they threw dust on their heads as they wept and mourned, crying out, “Alas, alas, for the great city where all who had ships at sea grew rich by her wealth! For in a single hour she has been laid waste” (Revelation 18:19, ESV).

Truly, these men had their treasures stored up in Babylon. This is where their hearts were. They, being children of Babylon, lived with an insatiable desire for the pleasures of this world.

A City Filled With Pride 

Thirdly, notice that Babylon is described as a city filled with pride.

Verse 7: “As she glorified herself and lived in luxury, so give her a like measure of torment and mourning, since in her heart she says, ‘I sit as a queen, I am no widow, and mourning I shall never see.’” (Revelation 18:7, ESV)

Certainly this is how the prideful and powerful within our societies do think of themselves – as if they are untouchable, as if their empires will never come to an end.

A City Ripe For Judgement

Fourthly, notice that Babylon is described as a city ripe for judgement.

Verse 5: “For her sins are heaped high as heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities. Pay her back as she herself has paid back others, and repay her double for her deeds; mix a double portion for her in the cup she mixed.” (Revelation 18:5–6, ESV)

The phrase “God has remembered her iniquities” is meant to be heard in contrast to the covenant promise made by God to his people, when he says, For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more” (Jeremiah 31:34, ESV). God has covered the sins of his people by the blood of Christ. Though their “sins are like scarlet”, God has made them “white as snow” (Isaiah 1:18, ESV). “For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us” (Psalm 103:11–12, ESV).

Not so with those who are of the world. The worlds sins – the sins of those not in Christ – is piled high like heap of garbage, stinking and rotting. “Because of [their] hard and impenitent heart[s] [they] are storing up wrath for [themselves] on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed” (Romans 2:5, ESV).

In verse 21 John sees a depiction of the judgment of Babylon: “Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, ‘So will Babylon the great city be thrown down with violence, and will be found no more…” A milestone is a very large and heavy stone used to mill grain. You can imagine what it would look like for one of these to be thrown into the sea, and how quickly it sink and vanish into the dark abyss. So it will be with the judgemnet of Babylon.  Then we are told that “the sound of harpists and musicians, of flute players and trumpeters, will be heard in you no more, and a craftsman of any craft will be found in you no more, and the sound of the mill will be heard in you no more, and the light of a lamp will shine in you no more, and the voice of bridegroom and bride will be heard in you no more…” These things that once made the culture so pleasant – these guilds which the Christians and Rome after found themselves barred from – will come to an end. Why? “For your merchants were the great ones of the earth, and all nations were deceived by your sorcery. And in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints, and of all who have been slain on earth.’”

This is quite a commentary on human culture. We should take care not to push this too far in assuming that all cultures are equally wicked. Indeed, some are corrupt than others. Some are more fueled by an insatiable desire for pleasure, than others. And some are, therefore, more ripe for judgement than others, the pile of their sins being heaped hire than others.

The judgement pronounced against Babylon here is not meant to be applied with such exactness, but communicates more generally that this is how the world works. The engine that drives the world is fueled by an insatiable desire for sinful pleasure. The sins of the world do not go unnoticed by God. The world – all not in Christ – is indeed “storing up wrath for [themselves] on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed” (Romans 2:5, ESV)

A City To Flee

Fifthly, notice that Babylon is described as a city to flee from.

Verse 4 seems most important.: “Then I heard another voice from heaven saying, ‘Come out of her, my people, lest you take part in her sins, lest you share in her plagues…’” (Revelation 18:4, ESV).

Here is the point. God wants his people to see the world for what it is. Recognize the seductiveness. See what is good in it and rightly to be enjoyed to the glory of God, but recognize also what is sinful. See how the world does temp men and women to live, not to the glory of God, but for their own pleasure. And see the end of the matter, that the world, and those of the world, are destined for judgement.

Flee from Babylon. “Come out of her… lest you take part in her sins, lest you share in her plagues.”

Of course this is not all call to leave any particular city, or cities in general, but to flee from worldliness in general.

Listen to what John says directly in 1 John 2:15: “Do not love the world or the things 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 and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever” (1 John 2:15–17, ESV). What John says directly here is communicated via the symbolism in Revelation 18.

Conclusion 

So what should we do in response to these things?

Come out of Babylon! Flee from the harlot. Her power may be concentrated in the large and prosperous and particularly seductive capitals and cities of this world, but her tentacles are far reaching.

I wonder, Christian, has she grabbed ahold of you? Does she have a hold upon your heart?

Your impulse might be to say, certainly not! But I would urge you to slow down in your reply.

How is your heart, friend?

How is your thought life?

What do you truly treasure? Is God and Christ? Or do you treasure the things of this world?

What is ultimate for you? What are living for? What can you not imagine living without?

The answers to these questions help us to identify the idols that do reside within our hearts.

Brothers and sisters, do not be deceived to think the things of this world to be of ultimate worth and worthy of our worship. Indeed, only God is worthy of our worship, and we must come to him through faith in Christ.

And once we come to faith in him we must worship and serve him as he has ordained in his word.

We are to obey God’s commandments in this world. We are to “Abhor what is evil [and] hold fast to what is good” (Romans 12:9, ESV).

We are to live for the furtherance of his kingdom in this world, understanding that there is also a kingdom of darkness.

We are to live in this world for his glory.

“So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 10:31, ESV)

Posted in Sermons Revelation 18
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Old Testament Reading: Psalm 110

“A Psalm of David. The Lord says to my Lord: ‘Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.’ The Lord sends forth from Zion your mighty scepter. Rule in the midst of your enemies! Your people will offer themselves freely on the day of your power, in holy garments; from the womb of the morning, the dew of your youth will be yours. The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, ‘You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.’ The Lord is at your right hand; he will shatter kings on the day of his wrath. He will execute judgment among the nations, filling them with corpses; he will shatter chiefs over the wide earth. He will drink from the brook by the way; therefore he will lift up his head.” (Psalm 110, ESV)

Sermon Text: Hebrews 2

“Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard, while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will. For it was not to angels that God subjected the world to come, of which we are speaking. It has been testified somewhere, ‘What is man, that you are mindful of him, or the son of man, that you care for him? You made him for a little while lower than the angels; you have crowned him with glory and honor, putting everything in subjection under his feet.’ Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him. But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering. For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers, saying, ‘I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise.’ And again, ‘I will put my trust in him. And again, ‘Behold, I and the children God has given me.’ Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.” (Hebrews 2, ESV)

Introduction

There are many in this world who will give honor to the Jesus of the nativity who want nothing at all to do with the Jesus of the Holy Scriptures and of history.

The world will honor Jesus provided he be confined to the nativity scene.

The world will honor Jesus provided he remain only meek and mild.

Jesus of the nativity seems acceptable to the world – a babe lain in in a lowly manger, born to poor and humble parents, surrounded by poor and humble shepherds – that Jesus the world will have, for that Jesus, if considered only in this way, demands little of us.

And we will have that Jesus too! For we are not ashamed, as some might be, of the lowliness of Christ, for we know that it was by his humiliation and through his suffering that he did accomplish our redemption. Indeed, we rejoice in the fact that he “emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:5–8, ESV).

So we are happy to give honor to the Jesus of the nativity, but we are also happy to bow before the Lord of glory, the Christ of the Holy Scriptures and of history. We give honor to the whole Jesus – Christ, both in his humiliation and in his exultation. For the scriptures reveal that the same Jesus who was lain in the manager is also the one, who before this, “was in the form of God, [and] did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped but emptied himself…” (Philippians 2:6-7, ESV). The Jesus of the nativity is also the one who, after his humiliation, was “highly exalted [God having] bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:9–11, ESV).

Friends, it is good that we give attention to the nativity of Jesus, but we should not loose sight of his glory. In considering Jesus’ birth we must also remember all that the scriptures have to say concerning the significance of his person and work.

Hebrews chapter 2 is one of those places in Holy Scripture that does help us to understand something of the glory of Jesus Christ.

The book of Hebrews was written to those who were Jewish, who had be raised in Old Covenant Judaism, and had professed faith in Jesus as the Christ. It appears that they were, for one reason or another, tempted to return to the Judaism that they had known from birth. The writer to the Hebrews wrote, therefore, to compel them, not to go back, but to remain true to Jesus as the Christ, for Jesus the Christ is better, and the covenant of which he is the mediator is better covenant than that of the Old, being founded on better promises.

The arguments in the book of Hebrews are many and they are complex, but here in chapter 2 we find Jesus Christ held forth as our great Prophet, Priest, and King. Under the Old Covenant there were many prophets, priests, and kings, but under the New there is one. Christ is the Prophet, the Priest, and the King.

My concern on this Christmas Eve is that, as we direct our minds towards the nativity of Christ, we remember also his glory, so that we might bow humbly before him.

And so let us consider from Hebrews chapter 2 Jesus the Christ as our Prophet, Priest, and King.

This theme of Christ in his threefold office is actually found at the very beginning of the letter to the Hebrews. Quoting the commentators Kistemaker and Hendriksen, “In the first chapter, the writer [to the Hebrews] describes the Son as the person through whom God spoke prophetically (1:2), a high priest who ‘provided purification for sins’ (1:3), and the one who in royal splendor ‘sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven’ (1:3).”  The author continues this emphasis in the second chapter by portraying Christ as ‘the Lord’ who as a prophet announces salvation (2:3), the king crowned ‘with glory and honor’ (2:9), and ‘a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God’ (2:17).”

Let us now take each section in sequence.

Christ Our Prophet

It is in verses 1-4 of Hebrews 2 that Jesus is described as our great Prophet.

In verse 1 we read, “Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it” (Hebrews 2:1, ESV).

The word “therefore” in verse 1 indicates that the author is here building upon principles that were established beforehand. In particular the author is building upon what was said in verses 1 and 2 of chapter 1. The opening words of the letter to the Hebrews are, “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but [in contrast to this] in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world” (Hebrews 1:1–2, ESV).

Under the Old Covenant God communicated to his people through the prophets – prophets like Moses, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel. “But”, the writer to the Hebrews says, “in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son.” This “Son”, we learn, is the one whom God has appointed as “the heir of all things.” This “Son”, we learn, is the one “through whom [God] created the world.” The revelation that we have received through Jesus Christ, therefore, is far better than the revelations given under then Old Covenant through the prophets. Indeed, the revelation given through Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God come in the flesh, was supreme and it was final. “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world” (Hebrews 1:1–2, ESV).

There is a similar principle communicated in John 1, isn’t there? There we read,

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made… [Verse 14] And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth… For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.” (John 1:1-3, 14–18, ESV)

The principle found both at the beginning of John and of Hebrews is this: Under the Old Covenant God did reveal himself truly through Moses and the prophets, but in Christ and under the New Covenant we have something better. Christ is the eternal Word of God – the Word that was “in the beginning”, the Word that “was with God”, and, indeed, the Word that “was God” – come in the flesh. In Christ we have God incarnate. In Christ we have the Word incarnate. In Christ we have truth incarnate.

This is why I say he is not a prophet, but the Prophet of God. And this is why the writer to the Hebrews says in 2:1, “Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it.” In other words, what we have now received in Christ Jesus is so much greater than what was before given, how could we not “pay much closer attention” to it?

In verse 2 we read, “For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation?” (Hebrews 2:2–3, ESV).

When the writer to the Hebrews talks about “the message declared by angels” he is referring to (quoting Kistemaker and Hendriksen again) “the law that God gave to the Israelites from Mount Sinai. Although the Old Testament in general and Exodus in particular give no indication that God used angels to convey the law to the people of Israel (Exod. 20:1; Deut. 5:22), Stephen in his address before the Sanhedrin (Acts 7:35–53) and Paul in his Epistle to the Galatians (3:19) mention the instrumentality of angels. There is, of course, a reference to angels, present at Mount Sinai, in the blessing that Moses pronounced on the Israelites before he died [“He said, ‘The Lord came from Sinai and dawned from Seir upon us; he shone forth from Mount Paran; he came from the ten thousands of holy ones, with flaming fire at his right hand’”(Deuteronomy 33:2, ESV).]

It is conceivable that oral tradition preserved this information for Stephen, Paul, and the writer of Hebrews.”

If the law of the Old Covenant which was declared by angels proved to be reliable and true and binding so that those who broke it were justly punished, what will happen to us if we refuse to listen to this message communicated, not by angels, but by the Son himself?

Christ is the Prophet of whom even Moses himself spoke saying to the people of Israel, “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers—it is to him you shall listen—” (Deuteronomy 18:15, ESV). Christ is the Prophet. He is the one who has revealed God to us most fully and finally – it is to him that we must listen!

And what did Christ reveal as our Prophet? Among other things, he has revealed to us the way of salvation which is through faith in him. He came preaching the gospel of the Kingdom. What will happen to us, reasons the writer to the Hebrews, if we neglect “such a great salvation?”

In verse 3b we read, “It [our salvation] was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard, while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will” (Hebrews 2:3–4, ESV).

How did the Hebrews to whom this epistle was addressed come to have this message of salvation?  Was it declared to them by a prophet in their midst? No, this salvation was declared “first by the Lord” Jesus himself. It was, after that, “attested to [them] by those who heard” the message, namely the Apostles of Jesus Christ. And God himself did bear witness to the truthfulness of the Apostles message “by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.” There were miracle workers present during the Apostolic age when eyewitness of Jesus’ life and teachings were still alive in order to validate that the message they delivered was true. The “signs and wonder and various miracles” that the eyewitness of Christ preformed functioned as a stamp of approval from God himself that the message they were conveying was true.

You and I, like those to whom the epistle to the Hebrews was addressed, did not have the privilege of hearing the voice of Christ our Prophet directly, but we do have record of his words, attested by those who did hear him, and validated by the signs and miracles that God did work through those eyewitness of Jesus, and o preserved for us in the pages of Holy Scripture. It is this word – the word of Christ the Prophet as declared by his Apostles and preserved in the Holy the Scriptures – that we must pay careful attention.

Christ Our King

It is in verses 5-9 that Jesus is described as our great King. There we read,

“For it was not to angels that God subjected the world to come, of which we are speaking. It has been testified somewhere, ‘What is man, that you are mindful of him, or the son of man, that you care for him? You made him for a little while lower than the angels; you have crowned him with glory and honor, putting everything in subjection under his feet.’ Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him. But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.” (Hebrews 2:5–9, ESV)

The kingly language is hard to miss.

The writer to the Hebrews is talking about one to whom the world to come has been made subject. A king has subjects. And the writer to the Hebrews is talking about the king of the new heavens and new earth. He remarks that “It was not to angels that God subjected the world to come”, but rather it was (quoting from Psalm 8) the “son of man”, whom God did “for a little while” make “lower than the angels” that he crowned “with glory and honor, putting everything in subjection under his feet.”

Who is this “son of man” who, for a time was made lower than the angels (made human) who, having been crowned with glory and honor, now has everything in subjection to him? In verse 9 the writer to the Hebrews is most clear when he says, “namely Jesus.”

Jesus the Christ is our great King! Everything is now in subjection to him. God has left nothing outside of his control. And, though it is true that “at present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him”, we, through the testimony of the Apostles, have seen Jesus “crowned with glory and honor” at his resurrection from the dead and ascension to the Father’s right hand.

How did Christ come to be our victorious and conquering King? We are told at the end of verse 9, “Jesus [was] crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone” (Hebrews 2:9, ESV).

It was through the “suffering of death” that Christ did conquer as our great King. It was through suffering – particularly the sufferings of the cross – that Christ did win a the great and decisive victory for all who belong to him. It was there by dying on that cross, and by raising from the tomb on the third day, that Christ defeated Satan, the enemy of God and the people of God, and even death itself, which is the just penalty for sin. Christ faced our most formidable foes on that cross. He went to battle for his people. Just as David (who would become king) confronted Goliath, not only for himself, but for all Israel, so too Jesus the Christ, confronted Satan himself and did taste death itself, not for himself, but for all his people. Failure would mean failure for all. Victory would mean victory for all.

It is because of the victory won by King Jesus that we are able, along with Paul, to say, “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:37–39, ESV).

There were very many kings under the Old Covenant, but Christ is better than them all.

Christ is the King that David spoke of in Psalm 110, saying, “The Lord says to my Lord: ‘Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.’ The Lord sends forth from Zion your mighty scepter. Rule in the midst of your enemies! Your people will offer themselves freely on the day of your power, in holy garments; from the womb of the morning, the dew of your youth will be yours.”

Jesus Christ is the supreme King who’s kingdom shall never come to an end that was promised to David by the mouth of Nathan the prophet, who said, “When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.” (2 Samuel 7:12–13, ESV)

Christ is our great King. He is the King of the new creation. He, after suffering, has been crowned with glory and honor. All things are in subjection to him. Nothing has been left outside of his control.

Christ Our Priest

Lastly, it is in verses 10-18 that Christ is described as our great Priest. There we read,

“For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering. For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers, saying, ‘I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise.’ And again, ‘I will put my trust in him.’ And again, ‘Behold, I and the children God has given me.’ Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.” (Hebrews 2:10–18, ESV)

There is a great deal that could be said about this beautiful passage, but time will only allow for a few remarks.

Let me simply ask this: Why the incarnation? Why did (quoting our confession) “The Son of God, the second person in the Holy Trinity, being very and eternal God, the brightness of the Father’s glory, of one substance and equal with him… when the fullness of time was come, take upon him man’s nature, with all the essential properties and common infirmities thereof, yet without sin.” Why the incarnation? Why Jesus Christ the God-man?

The answer that is given here in Hebrews 2 is that it required one with a human nature to redeem those who were by nature human.

We are told in verse 10 that the mission of the Christ was to bring “many sons to glory”.

“It was fitting (or right) that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering.” Christ came to save sinners and he did so by sharing in our suffering. This was “fitting” or right.

Christ calls us brothers because he does truly share our nature. We have flesh and blood, and “he himself likewise partook of the same things.”

He truly died as only humans can die so “that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.” God cannot die. Angels do not die. Humans die. And Christ dies because he did truly “take upon [himself] man’s nature, with all the essential properties and common infirmities thereof.”

Why did the Son of God take upon himself a human nature? So that he might save those who are by nature human. Verse 16: “For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people” (Hebrews 2:16–17, ESV).

Jesus the Christ, the God-man, is our High Priest. He shared in our humanity. He suffered as we suffer. He died, which is something that we humans do. And he died, not for his own sins, for he had none, but for ours. He made “propitiation for the sins of the people” (Hebrews 2:17, ESV). This means that his death atoned for sins. His shed blood covered sins. His death wiped the sins of is people away.

Under the Old Covenant there were many priests, but they themselves could not remove sin. They offered up sacrifices to God on behalf of the people which did symbolize the removal of sin. Those sacrifices did also work to make the people right with God. But Christ, who is the High Priest, offered, not the blood of bulls and goats, but his very own blood. And shed blood did actually atone for the sins of many.

Conclusion

Friends, I’m glad that we do once a year give special attention to the nativity of Christ. It is good that we remember his long awaited arrival and consider the lowly and humble way in which he came. But let also remember his glory. This babe that was lain in the manger was, from birth – more than, from before the foundation of the world – destined to be the Christ, our Savior, our great Prophet, Priest and King. And we do need him.

“In respect of our ignorance, we stand in need of his prophetical office; and in respect of our alienation from God, and imperfection of the best of our services, we need his priestly office to reconcile us and present us acceptable unto God; and in respect to our averseness and utter inability to return to God, and for our rescue and security from our spiritual adversaries, we need his kingly office to convince, subdue, draw, uphold, deliver, and preserve us to his heavenly kingdom.” (London Baptist Confession 8.10)

Let us trust in him, worship him, and serve him in this world.

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Old Testament Reading: Daniel 7:15-28

“As for me, Daniel, my spirit within me was anxious, and the visions of my head alarmed me. I approached one of those who stood there and asked him the truth concerning all this. So he told me and made known to me the interpretation of the things. ‘These four great beasts are four kings who shall arise out of the earth. But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, forever and ever.’ Then I desired to know the truth about the fourth beast, which was different from all the rest, exceedingly terrifying, with its teeth of iron and claws of bronze, and which devoured and broke in pieces and stamped what was left with its feet, and about the ten horns that were on its head, and the other horn that came up and before which three of them fell, the horn that had eyes and a mouth that spoke great things, and that seemed greater than its companions. As I looked, this horn made war with the saints and prevailed over them, until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was given for the saints of the Most High, and the time came when the saints possessed the kingdom. Thus he said: ‘As for the fourth beast, there shall be a fourth kingdom on earth, which shall be different from all the kingdoms, and it shall devour the whole earth, and trample it down, and break it to pieces. As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings shall arise, and another shall arise after them; he shall be different from the former ones, and shall put down three kings. He shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High, and shall think to change the times and the law; and they shall be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time. But the court shall sit in judgment, and his dominion shall be taken away, to be consumed and destroyed to the end. And the kingdom and the dominion and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High; his kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.’ Here is the end of the matter. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts greatly alarmed me, and my color changed, but I kept the matter in my heart.”” (Daniel 7:15–28, ESV)

Sermon Text: Revelation 17:6-18

“And I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. When I saw her, I marveled greatly. But the angel said to me, ‘Why do you marvel? I will tell you the mystery of the woman, and of the beast with seven heads and ten horns that carries her. The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to rise from the bottomless pit and go to destruction. And the dwellers on earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world will marvel to see the beast, because it was and is not and is to come. This calls for a mind with wisdom: the seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman is seated; they are also seven kings, five of whom have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come, and when he does come he must remain only a little while. As for the beast that was and is not, it is an eighth but it belongs to the seven, and it goes to destruction. And the ten horns that you saw are ten kings who have not yet received royal power, but they are to receive authority as kings for one hour, together with the beast. These are of one mind, and they hand over their power and authority to the beast. They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful.’ And the angel said to me, ‘The waters that you saw, where the prostitute is seated, are peoples and multitudes and nations and languages. And the ten horns that you saw, they and the beast will hate the prostitute. They will make her desolate and naked, and devour her flesh and burn her up with fire, for God has put it into their hearts to carry out his purpose by being of one mind and handing over their royal power to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled. And the woman that you saw is the great city that has dominion over the kings of the earth.’” (Revelation 17:6–18, ESV)

Introduction

I think that most people would agree that this world is a messed up place. That is not to say there is no good in it at all. Indeed, by the grace of God, there is good in the world. There is beauty to behold. There are things to be rightly enjoyed. There is truth to be found here. There are people who do live virtuously. And there are even some who do worship God according to his word, seeking to keep his commandments.

The world, by the grace of God (both his common grace and saving grace), has not been delivered over to sin, and to the effects of sin, completely. Something of the Creator can still be seen within his creation. God is active in this place. He does show grace to all, causing it to rain upon the just and unjust alike. Indeed, it is in him that we all “live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28, ESV). And he has shown saving grace to some, redeeming them out of the world by the blood of Christ, and by calling them to faith in Christ by his word and Spirit.

And so the Christian cannot be absolutely negative concerning this world in which we live. Indeed, we are sometimes moved to say, “what a wonderful world this is!”, and we are right to say it! But when we say it, you know as well as do I, that it will not take long for something to happen, or for some piece of news to reach our ears, which does remind us that something is terribly wrong with this world in which we live.

The book of Revelation does reveal, among other things, what is wrong with the world. It reveals something of the source of the troubles that do plague us. This book shows us, through its symbolic visions, that behind all of the sin and suffering that we see in the world lies an ancient, cosmic, and spiritual battle.

In the beginning Satan himself did rebel against God. And that dragon – the ancient serpent – did tempt man to rebel against God. But God, being rich in mercy showed grace to fallen humanity. In his common grace he did not immediately judge man fully and finally, but does permit us to live, making “his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matthew 5:45, ESV). And in his special and saving grace he calls his chosen people out of the world to walk with him by faith in Christ. To put it in different terms, God is building his kingdom in this world, “and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18, ESV), and Satan is seeking to keep his.

Here in Revelation 17 we are learning more about how Satan works in this world. He does not always work directly to deceive his subjects and hold them captive, but often he works through agents. In Revelation 13 we learned that the evil one (the dragon) works uses political powers to persecute the people of God. Also, he uses false prophets to deceive men and women. These two powers that are always at work in the world were there symbolized by the beast that rose from the sea and the beast that rose up out of the earth. Here in Revelation 17 we are introduced to third agent. She is called “the great prostitute who is seated on many waters” (Revelation 17:1, ESV). Her name is “Babylon the great, mother of prostitutes and of earth’s abominations” (Revelation 17:5, ESV). She symbolizes the seductiveness of the world – money, power, fame, sexual immorality, and every filthy thing that the evil one does use to pull on the heart of man, drawing him away from the worship of the living God to idolatry.

We now have in the book of Revelation a kind of false or counterfeit trinity – the beast from the sea, the false prophet, and the harlot. These compel men and women to worship, not the one true God, but the things of this world, and ultimately the dragon whom they serve. These figures are presented to us so that we might understand something of how the evil one works in the world, and having understood it, to bear up under the temptation, so that we might conquer in Christ Jesus.

Notice that the beast from the sea of Revelation 13 and harlot of Revelation 17 are intimately related. The have a kind of symbiotic relationship, where the one benefits from and promotes the activities of the other.

In verse 3 John “saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was full of blasphemous names, and it had seven heads and ten horns” (Revelation 17:3, ESV). This is the beast from the sea of Revelation 13. Here we learn that his color is red. It matches the color of the dragon of Revelation 12. It also matches the color of the prostitutes apparel. Red symbolizes blood and their persecution of the saints of God.

The fact that the harlot is riding upon the beast indicates that, although they represent different entities, they are in partnership with one another. The beast, who represents political powers that persecute, and the harlot, who represents the world in all of its seductive and sinful pleasures, motivate one another and cooperate in their effort to lead people away into idolatry. The harlot rides the beast, and thus drives it, as a rider does with a horse.And the beast carries the harlot, and thus empowers her, as a horse does its rider.

Something new is, therefore, revealed to us here in Revelation 17 concerning the sea beast of Revelation 13. One, we learn that political powers that persecute, and the rulers that rule them, are often driven by an insatiable desire for the pleasures of this world – money, power, fame, sexual immorality, and every abominable thing. Two, we learn that political powers that persecute use, not only brute force to make men comply with them, but also, in partnership with the seductiveness of the cultures of this world symbolized by the harlot, use the promise of the same pleasures that they themselves enjoy to lure others into idolatry. The combination is a powerful and deadly one. “Conform to our ways”, says the world, “If you will not we will use our powers to persecute you with force”. And, “conform to our ways”, says the world. “and you yourself will enjoy the pleasures that we enjoy – money, power, fame, sexual immorality, and the like”. It takes a special kind of resolve to stand against temptation such as this and to overcome. It takes faith. Faith in Christ, and faith that what God’s word say concerning the true nature of things is in fact true.

Why Do You Marvel? 

When John saw the image of the harlot “drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of the martyrs of Jesus” in partnership with the beast, he “marveled greatly” (Revelation 17:6, ESV). He marveled, not because he was drawn to her, but because he recognized her seductive power.

The angle then said, John, “why do you marvel? I will tell you the mystery of the woman, and of the beast with seven heads and ten horns that carries her” (Revelation 17:7, ESV). What follows, then, is an explanation of the symbolism of these two figures.

The Mystery The Beast

First, the angel provides an explanation of the beast that carries the woman.

Verse 8a: “The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to rise from the bottomless pit and go to destruction.”

It is easy to hear the mockery of this member of the counterfeit trinity.

The threefold expression, “was, and is not, and is about to rise from the bottomless pit and go to destruction” is meant to be contrasted with the description of the one true God in Revelation 1:4: “John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come” (Revelation 1:4, ESV). God is, was and is to come. He is eternal. His life and power are without end.

Also, we are to remember Christ’s description of himself in 1:18: “Fear not”, Christ said to John, “I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades” (Revelation 1:17–18, ESV).

The beast, though impressive to our sight, is nothing before God and Christ. That he “was” indicates that there was a time when his power was greater. That he “is not”indicates that his power has, in some ways been broken and restrained by the time of John’s writing (the beast, though still active in the world, was defeated at the resurrection and ascension of Christ). And that he “is about to rise from the bottomless pit” indicates that a day will come when this beast will be unleashed, not to victory, but to ultimate judgement.

In verse 8b we read, “And the dwellers on earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world will marvel to see the beast, because it was and is not and is to come.” (Revelation 17:8, ESV)

Here is the interpretation that I believe to be correct. The beast, representing political powers that persecute the church, is restrained now (he “is not”). God is restraining the political powers of this world from gaining too much power to oppress the people of God. At the end of time this beast will be released for a while, and he will come against the people of God to overthrow them. Those of the world will be impressed. They are called “dwellers on earth”, for this is their home. They are the ones “whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world”.They “marvel to see the beast”. It is not that the world will have been without political powers that persecute between the time of John’s writing and the the time of the end. Indeed, the world will always have manifestations of the beasts power in it. But the beast “is not”. His power is now restrained. But at the end of time he will be released  – he will “rise from the bottomless pit” so that that his power will grow in a way that is impressive to the earth dwellers. Here at the end of verse 8 the text says that the beast “was and is not and is to come”. The “is to come” refers to the time where he will be released from the pit for while to come against the saints of God, and to be fully and finally judged.

And so here in verse 8 we have a kind of general overview of how the career of the beast will go in the world between Christ’s first and second comings. He “was, and is not, and is about to rise from the bottomless pit and go to destruction.” And again, he “was and is not and is to come.”

The angel now interprets the symbolism of the beast’s seven heads. In verse 9 we read: “This calls for a mind with wisdom: the seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman is seated…” (Revelation 17:9, ESV).

Notice that there is a shift in the metaphor. The angel says, “the seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman is seated.” What, then, do the seven mountains symbolize? The answer is clear. They represent Rome. Rome, from ancient times and down to the present, is known as “the city of seven hills”. They are here called mountains because mountains symbolize power. Rome was the dominant world power in the first century A.D. The seven churches to whom Revelation was addresses lived under Roman rule. The Christians of the first century did, from time to time, come under Roman persecution. Clearly the present manifestation of the beast’s power for the original recipients of this letter was Rome. That is upon the “seven mountains [that]… the woman is seated” signifies that Rome does also have the power to seduce with it’s economic and religious systems.

In verse 10 we read that the seven heads are “are also seven kings, five of whom have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come, and when he does come he must remain only a little while” (Revelation 17:10, ESV).

So the seven heads also symbolize a succession of kings or kingdoms. From the perspective of the original recipients of the book of Revelation, five had fallen, one was in power currently, and the other had not yet come to power, and would remain only a short while.

There are some (in fact, many) commentators who try to identify those kings with precision, saying that they represent seven particular Roman Emperors – “Roman Emperor so and so was number one, this Emperor was number six (the one alive at the writing of Revelation), and that one was number seven.”

I agree with those commentators such as Beale and Johnson who question the validity of such an approach. It is better to see that the symbolism of the book of Revelation does not work with such precision, but often communicates truths in a more general way.

The fact that the commentators who seek such precision rarely can agree on the proper numbering of Roman Emperors, and the fact that all of the their views are filled with certain problems, should caution us against interpreting the text in such an exact way.

I do not wish to get too bogged down here, but here is a chart which shows five different ways in which commentators have attempted to number the Roman Emperors according to the number seven (or eight, as we will see) found in Revelation 17.

Date of Reign	Emperor	Possible Enumerations of the Reign in Rev. 17:10
49–44 b.c.	Caesar	1	1
31 b.c.–a.d.14	Augustus	2	2	1	1
14–37	Tiberius	3	3	2	2
37–41	Caligula	4	4	3	3	1
41–54	Claudius	5	5	4	4	2
54–68	Nero	6	6	5	5	3
68–69	Galba	7		6
69	Otho	8		7
69	Vitellius			8
69–79	Vespasian		7		6	4
79–81	Titus		8		7	5
81–96	Domitian				8	6

(Taken from Beale)

It is far better to take the number seven as symbolic for completion. The recipients of the book of Revelation were living historically near to the end of the succession of kings or kingdoms symbolized by the seven heads of the dragon. Quoting Johnson,

“The solution to the puzzle may be simpler, if understanding the message of the seven or eight kings is not dependent on historiographic expertise: Seven symbolizes completeness, so it shows that the beast’s reign apparently holds sway over the whole history of fallen humanity. Yet from the perspective of God’s plan to establish his kingdom under the scepter of the Lamb, the beast’s time is drawing short – five out of seven already ‘have fallen.’ To be sure, John’s readers are not yet at the very end of the conflict of the ages. The one king who ‘has not yet come’ and must ‘remain a little while’ shows that, though the dragon has been decisively defeated by the blood of the Lamb and therefore ‘has only a short time’ (Rev. 12:!1-12), nevertheless the church must be prepared to endure further suffering” (Johnson, Triumph of the Lamb, 250-251).

This, I think, is the right approach.

In verse11 we read, “As for the beast that was and is not, it is an eighth but it belongs to the seven, and it goes to destruction” (Revelation 17:11, ESV). After the seventh king does reign, the beast himself will reign as number eight. When the text says that “it belongs to the seven” it does not mean that he is to be number along with the seven, but that he of the same kind. Better yet, the seven are of the same kind as the beast who is eight. They are cut from the same cloth. At the end of time, when the beast “[rises] from the bottomless pit” the political powers on earth will persecute the people of God in such a way that it will right to say, the beast himself does reign, and then he will “go to destruction”.

The way that John talks about the beast here is similar to the way that he talks about the anti-Christ in his other writings. There are many anti-Christ’s in the world now, but there will come a day when the Anti-Christ will appear.

In verse 12 we read, “And the ten horns that you saw are ten kings who have not yet received royal power, but they are to receive authority as kings for one hour, together with the beast” (Revelation 17:12, ESV).

These ten horns symbolize ten kings who will “receive authority as kings for one hour”. This reference to ten kings who reign only briefly is another way of referring to the the seventh king of verse 10 of whom it is said “when he does come he must remain only a little while”. In other words, the seven kings do not represent individual kings, but kingdoms. The ten kings refer to a corporation of kings and kingdoms at the end of time who, being empowered by the beast who “will rise from the bottomless pit”, will persecute the people of God. The number ten, like the number seven, is not to be taken literally, but also communicates completion. The number ten has also been used in the book of Revelation to stand for a complete, intense, but brief period of persecution for the church. To the church in Smyrna Christ did say, “Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Revelation 2:10, ESV). The ten kings of Revelation 17 stand for the end time world powers that, in a most intense way, and being motivated by the beast released from the pit, will seek to overrun the church of God that does remain in the world.

Verse 13: “These [ten kings] are of one mind, and they hand over their power and authority to the beast” (Revelation 17:13, ESV). They are of one mind as it pertains to their opposition of God and his people. The are, in a most pure way, compelled by the beast.

Verse 14: “They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful.” (Revelation 17:14, ESV).  The battle at the end of time will be between the beast and his army, compose of all who are of this world, and the Lamb and his army, composed of the elect.

As you know, the book of Revelation does recapitulate, and so it should be no surprise to you that we will be given another picture of this end time battle later in the book. Look at Revelation 19:17. There we hear John say,

“Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and with a loud voice he called to all the birds that fly directly overhead, ‘Come, gather for the great supper of God, to eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all men, both free and slave, both small and great.’ And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to make war against him who was sitting on the horse and against his army. And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. And the rest were slain by the sword that came from the mouth of him who was sitting on the horse, and all the birds were gorged with their flesh” (Revelation 19:17–21, ESV).

Can you picture it, then? In human history the dragon has always been active (Revelation12). He works through his agents, the beast, the false prophet (Revelation 13) and the harlot (Revelation 17), to oppose God, his kingdom, and his people. There has been a never ending succession of world powers, symbolized the beast and harlot together,  who do threaten the people of God with their strength and seduce them with their pleasures. At the time of the writing of the book of Revelation, Rome was that power. The succession of powers has continued from that time, and will continue to the end of the world. Near to the end of the world there will be an intensification of this power when the beast is released from the pit where he is now restrained. He will persecute the people of God through his ten kings. The persecution will be brief, and then the beast and his kings will go to destruction.

The Mystery Of The Woman

In verses 15 through 17 we have a brief explanation of the symbolism of the woman.

In verse 15 we read, “And the angel said to me, ‘The waters that you saw, where the prostitute is seated, are peoples and multitudes and nations and languages” (Revelation 17:15, ESV).

The prostitute was said in verse 1 to be seated on many waters. This imagery conjures up throughs of Babylon, situated on the Tigris and Euphrates, and even Egypt, situated on the Nile. That she is seated on these waters indicates her authority. When a king is said to be seated on his through, it refers to his authority. When Christ is said to be seated at the Father’s right hand, it refers to the authority. The woman seated on many waters signifies the power and authority that she has over the kingdoms of the world.  “The waters that you saw, where the prostitute is seated, are peoples and multitudes and nations and languages.” It is worth noting that she has authority, not over one nation, but man. The symbolism in this passage cannot be confined only to Rome, or to any other power, but has universal and timeless significance.

Verse 16 reveals something surprising: “And the ten horns that you saw, they and the beast will hate the prostitute. They will make her desolate and naked, and devour her flesh and burn her up with fire…” (Revelation 17:16, ESV).

At the end of time the beast and its kings will turn on the prostitute. The world power symbolized by the beast and the harlot will somehow self destruct. The political powers will turn on the culture to devour it. It is not hard to imagine how this could be for we have seen examples of this in human history with the rise and fall of nations.

Why does the beast turn on the harlot? Verse 17: “for God has put it into their hearts to carry out his purpose by being of one mind and handing over their royal power to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled” (Revelation 17:17, ESV).

Where is God in all of this? He is enthroned. He does permit it the rise of nations, including those at the end of time, and does ordain their destruction. Sometimes he executes his judgments by simply given men over to their corruptions. Much like when he hardened Pharaohs heart to bring about his greater purposes, so too will he “put it into their hearts to carry out his purpose”.

Verse 18: “And the woman that you saw is the great city that has dominion over the kings of the earth” (Revelation 17:18, ESV). It was Babylon in the days of Israel’s captivity. It was Rome in the days of the early church. There are manifestations of it in our day. Who it will be at the end of time, only God knows. There is no point in speculating. What we need to know has been clearly communicated here, and we must be faithful to Christ.

Conclusion

Brothers and sisters, these visions are given so that we might see the world for what it truly is. Yes, in many ways the world is filled with the glory of God, but it is all twisted up by sin, bent away from God and towards evil. There is a power at work in this world that is Satanic in its origin.

We should not be completely negative in our view the world for, by the grace of God, there is much good in it. But neither should we be naive. The Christian is, therefore, to live in the world, but be not of it.

Worldly power do tend away from God and towards evil. The cultures of the world are seductive  and promote, not the worship of the one true God, but idolatry.

This principle is what undergirded Paul’s famous words to the Christians at Ephesus when he said,

“And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:1–10, ESV).

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Old Testament Reading: Jeremiah 50:1–20

“The word that the Lord spoke concerning Babylon, concerning the land of the Chaldeans, by Jeremiah the prophet: ‘Declare among the nations and proclaim, set up a banner and proclaim, conceal it not, and say: ‘Babylon is taken, Bel is put to shame, Merodach is dismayed. Her images are put to shame, her idols are dismayed.’ For out of the north a nation has come up against her, which shall make her land a desolation, and none shall dwell in it; both man and beast shall flee away. ‘In those days and in that time’, declares the Lord, ‘the people of Israel and the people of Judah shall come together, weeping as they come, and they shall seek the Lord their God. They shall ask the way to Zion, with faces turned toward it, saying, ‘Come, let us join ourselves to the Lord in an everlasting covenant that will never be forgotten.’ My people have been lost sheep. Their shepherds have led them astray, turning them away on the mountains. From mountain to hill they have gone. They have forgotten their fold. All who found them have devoured them, and their enemies have said, ‘We are not guilty, for they have sinned against the Lord, their habitation of righteousness, the Lord, the hope of their fathers.’ Flee from the midst of Babylon, and go out of the land of the Chaldeans, and be as male goats before the flock. For behold, I am stirring up and bringing against Babylon a gathering of great nations, from the north country. And they shall array themselves against her. From there she shall be taken. Their arrows are like a skilled warrior who does not return empty-handed. Chaldea shall be plundered; all who plunder her shall be sated, declares the Lord. Though you rejoice, though you exult, O plunderers of my heritage, though you frolic like a heifer in the pasture, and neigh like stallions, your mother shall be utterly shamed, and she who bore you shall be disgraced. Behold, she shall be the last of the nations, a wilderness, a dry land, and a desert. Because of the wrath of the Lord she shall not be inhabited but shall be an utter desolation; everyone who passes by Babylon shall be appalled, and hiss because of all her wounds. Set yourselves in array against Babylon all around, all you who bend the bow; shoot at her, spare no arrows, for she has sinned against the Lord. Raise a shout against her all around; she has surrendered; her bulwarks have fallen; her walls are thrown down. For this is the vengeance of the Lord: take vengeance on her; do to her as she has done. Cut off from Babylon the sower, and the one who handles the sickle in time of harvest; because of the sword of the oppressor, every one shall turn to his own people, and every one shall flee to his own land. Israel is a hunted sheep driven away by lions. First the king of Assyria devoured him, and now at last Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon has gnawed his bones. Therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I am bringing punishment on the king of Babylon and his land, as I punished the king of Assyria. I will restore Israel to his pasture, and he shall feed on Carmel and in Bashan, and his desire shall be satisfied on the hills of Ephraim and in Gilead. In those days and in that time, declares the Lord, iniquity shall be sought in Israel, and there shall be none, and sin in Judah, and none shall be found, for I will pardon those whom I leave as a remnant.” (Jeremiah 50:1–20, ESV)

Sermon Text: Revelation 17:1-6

“Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, ‘Come, I will show you the judgment of the great prostitute who is seated on many waters, with whom the kings of the earth have committed sexual immorality, and with the wine of whose sexual immorality the dwellers on earth have become drunk.’ And he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness, and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was full of blasphemous names, and it had seven heads and ten horns. The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and jewels and pearls, holding in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her sexual immorality. And on her forehead was written a name of mystery: ‘Babylon the great, mother of prostitutes and of earth’s abominations.’ And I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of the martyrs of Jesus.” (Revelation 17:1-6, ESV)

Introduction

Brothers and sisters, as we journey deeper into the book of Revelation it is important for us to remember that this book was originally written, not to us, but to seven churches in Asia Minor in the first century A.D. Specifically Revelation was addressed to the church in Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea. These churches, being seven in number, do represent all churches (their struggles being common to all), but we must remember that these were actual churches, and that the book of Revelation was given first to them.

Christ addressed each of these churches individually in seven letters found in chapters 2 and 3 of the book of Revelation. He rebuked most of them for their weaknesses; he encouraged and exhorted all. These churches struggled with many things: some were persecuted, others were plagued by false teaching, some were especially tempted by the seductiveness of the world, others had, in their prosperity, grown complacent in their love for God and for one another.

I mention those letters to the seven churches here so that we might recognize how the rest of the book of Revelation connects to them. Though the visions of chapters 4 and following differ rather significantly in style, they are not unrelated to those seven letters, but give an answer to them. In the letters the churches were exhorted to stay true to Christ at all costs. They were commanded to persevere. They were urged to overcome! But do you see how the visions of chapters four and following complement the letters as they provide an answer to the inevitable question, “why?”, or “is it worth it?” After reading the letters to those seven churches you can almost here the members of those churches asking, “why should we persevere in Christ if it will mean poverty for us? Why should we persevere in Christ if it will mean persecution for us? Why bear up under this suffering in the name of Christ? Why abstain from the pleasures of this world? Is it worth it?”

The visions of chapters 4 and following say to the Christ follower, “it is worth it!”, by revealing how things really are, and how they will be. That is what the book of Revelation reveals – how things really are now, and how they will be at the end of the age. The book reveals how things really are, despite appearances.

Though things might appear to be otherwise the truth is that God is enthroned in heaven and he is worshiped there, being radiant in glory and awesome in power. And Christ is there at the Fathers right hand. These are sovereign over all. Nothing happens in this world apart from their decree. God and Christ know those who belong to them. They promise to keep them and will judge all who oppose them, partially now, and fully in the end. To belong to Christ – to have his seal placed upon you – means life eternal. But to belong to the evil one – to have his mark stamped on you – means everlasting damnation. In the world, Christ followers will indeed have tribulation. They will be pursued by the dragon. They will come under the assault of the beast from the sea (political powers that persecute). They will feel the pressure of the beast from the land (false prophets who serve the beast and the dragon), but God will keep those who are his, and judge all who oppose him in the end.

These are some of the truths that have been communicated to us via the the visions shown to John as described in Revelation chapters 4 through 16. These truths are for the church. Initially, they were for the seven churches of the first century in Asia Minor, but they are also for us today. The visions, like the letters, urge Christians to persevere in Christ by showing how things truly are.

The Harlot Introduced

Here in chapter 17 we come to a new vision, and in it we are introduced to a new character. She is called “the harlot”, or the “the great prostitute who is seated on many waters” (Revelation 17:1, ESV). And this new character, as we will see, symbolizes the seductiveness of the world. She represents the seductiveness of the great cities of the world – cities filled to the brim and overflowing with money, sinful pleasures, and the promise of power and fame. Here the Christian is warned to see the seductiveness of the cultures of the world for what it is. The world’s beauty, though impressive, is only skin deep. Though the world might appeal to us, in truth she is rotten to the core. Her way leads to death. Her end is destruction.

 

The harlot of Revelation 17 was an answer to those in the seven churches who’s appetites and affections were drawn to the seductiveness of Rome – Rome being the dominate world power in that day. . Remember that there were some in the church in Thyatira who loved “that woman Jezebel, who [called] herself a prophetess and [taught] and [seduced Christ’s] servants to practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols” (Revelation 2:20–21, ESV).  And there were some in Pergamum who “[held] to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality” (Revelation 2:14, ESV). The church in Laodicea had been lulled into complacency by her prosperity, saying, “I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that [they were] wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked” (Revelation 3:17, ESV). To those enamored with the sinful pleasures, and luxuries of the world, the book of Revelations presents the harlot of chapter 17. Her beauty and appeal is not denied, but Christians are warned not to chase after, for, though she promises pleasures forever more, she leads only to death – her end is destruction.

In versus 1 and 2 the harlot is introduced: “Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, ‘Come, I will show you the judgment of the great prostitute who is seated on many waters, with whom the kings of the earth have committed sexual immorality, and with the wine of whose sexual immorality the dwellers on earth have become drunk.”

It was one of the angels who had the seven bowls that revealed the harlot to John. It should be recognized that this vision concerning the harlot provides us with another vantage point what bowls six and seven revealed, namely the gathering of the kings of the earth for judgement, and the judgement of Babylon, which stands for the great cities of the world.

Notice that though this is the first time the harlot has been mentioned, she is described as judged as soon as she is introduced. “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great prostitute”, the angel says.

This harlot is said to be “seated on many waters”. Her being seated indicates her power and authority over the people of the earth and over the beast. When it is said that she is seated on many waters, it is to remind us of Jeremiah 51 where God did promise to judge Babylon, saying, “O you who dwell by many waters, rich in treasures, your end has come; the thread of your life is cut” (Jeremiah 51:13, ESV). Babylon was rich, in part, due to her close proximity to the Tigers and Euphrates rivers, and thus her success in trade.

We are told that it is with the harlot that the “kings of the earth have committed sexual immorality, and with the wine of whose sexual immorality the dwellers on earth have become drunk.” It would be a mistake to think that this harlot represents only the temptation of sexual sin. True, she is called a “harlot” or “prostitute”. And true, the sin of “sexual immorality” is mentioned again and again. But we should remember that harlotry, sexual immorality, and the sin of adultery often function as a metaphor for spiritual idolatry in the pages of Holy Scripture. For example, in Jeremiah chapter 3 God confronts Israel for her idolatry (their false and misdirected worship) by saying,  “You have played the whore with many lovers… declares the Lord. Lift up your eyes to the bare heights, and see! Where have you not been ravished? By the waysides you have sat awaiting lovers… You have polluted the land with your vile whoredom” (Jeremiah 3:1–2, ESV).  God was not confronting Israel for sexual sin only, but for her sin of idolatry, which sometimes involved sexual immorality.

Harlotry and the sin of sexual immorality and adultery serve as metaphors for spiritual idolatry because the two things are similar. The sin of adultery is committed when a husband or wife goes off to join themselves to another, thus violating the marriage covenant. The husband belongs to the wife, and the wife to the husband, and it is a grave sin when that union is broken. And so also the sin of idolatry is committed when a person abandons the worship of the one true God, to worship another who is not God. The creature belongs to the Creator, and the Creator is to be worshiped and served by the creature. It is a grave sin when that union is severed. You can understand, then, why spiritual idolatry (false worship) is referred to as adultery and whoredom. It is a most grievous sin when the thing that should be given only to God is given to another, namely glory, honor, and praise.

The harlot of Revelation 17 signifies all of the ways in which the world seduces men and women to abandon the worship of the one true God, and to worship something in his creation instead.

So far John has only heard about the harlot. In verses 3 through 6 he sees her. There we read,  “And he [the angel] carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness, and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was full of blasphemous names, and it had seven heads and ten horns. The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and jewels and pearls, holding in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her sexual immorality.”

What shall we say about this?

One, John was in the Spirit, which indicates that he was again receiving a prophetic vision.

Two, he was carried away into a wilderness. We should remember that it was into the wilderness that the church fled while being pursued by the dragon in Revelation 12. It was there in the wilderness that the church “has a place prepared by God, in which she is to be nourished for 1,260 days” (Revelation 12:6, ESV). Many things may be signified by the fact that John was taken into a wilderness to see this harlot. One is that the church will not be entirely immune from the harlots seductive powers as she is protected and preserved in this wilderness place. Another may be that when Babylon is judged, which is what this woman represents, the once thriving city will be made desolate, like a wilderness place. This is what Revelation chapter 18 describes. There an angel calls out with mighty voice, saying,

“Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a dwelling place for demons, a haunt for every unclean spirit, a haunt for every unclean bird, a haunt for every unclean and detestable beast. For all nations have drunk the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality, and the kings of the earth have committed immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth have grown rich from the power of her luxurious living” (Revelation 18:1–3, ESV).

John being carried away into the wilderness to see the harlot does prepare us to here of her judgment unto desolation in that place.

Three, notice the apparel of the women. “The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and jewels and pearls.” Her dress is very extravagant. She represents the luxurious living and sinful seduction.

Four, notice that she is “holding in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her sexual immorality.” She has in her a hand a cup filled with a deadly sinful concoction which she offers to the kings of the earth and the earth dwellers, from which they do drink.

In verse 5 we read, “And on her forehead was written a name of mystery: ‘Babylon the great, mother of prostitutes and of earth’s abominations.” On her forehead was written a “name of mystery”. The name will need to be interpreted for us, for it is mysterious. The fact that it is written on her forehead indicates that her name reveals her true character. And what is her name? “Babylon the great, mother of prostitutes and of earth’s abominations.” And what does the women with this name represent? In verse 18 the angel reveals it when he says to John, “And the woman that you saw is the great city that has dominion over the kings of the earth” (Revelation 17:18, ESV). The harlot, as I said before, represents the seductiveness of the world. She represents the seductiveness of the great cities or cultures of the world – cities filled to the brim and overflowing with money, sinful pleasures, and the promise of power and fame.

In verse 6 we read, “And I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of the martyrs of Jesus… (Revelation 17:6, ESV). So this woman, if she cannot seduce Christ’s people, does persecute them even to the point to of death.

Clearly the description of the woman of Revelation 17 is meant to be contrasted with the description of the bride of Christ which we will find in Revelation chapter 21. There we find language similar to the language found at the beginning of chapter 17:

“Then came one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues and spoke to me, saying, ‘Come, I will show you the Bride, the wife of the Lamb.’ And he carried me away in the Spirit [not to the wilderness, but] to a great, high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God, having the glory of God, its radiance like a most rare jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal… [and so on]” (Revelation 21:9–12, ESV).

Satan has his woman, and Christ has his.

Satan’s woman is the world. She is a harlot arrayed in extravagant apparel, but filled will all manner of impurity, who does seduce men and women to commit idolatry. Her way is death. Her end is destruction.

Christ’s woman is the church. She too is arrayed gloriously, but is pure – made pure by the blood of her husband and the washing of the water of the word. She is no harlot, but has remained true to her God and to Christ. Her end is everlasting glory.

At the end of verse 6 John says, “When I saw her, I marveled greatly” (Revelation 17:6, ESV).

Commentators differ on how to interpret this. Some say that John himself was tempted strongly by the harlot. Others refuse to say that John was in any way impressed by her. The answer seems to me to be somewhere in the middle. Though John probably was not swayed by her seductive powers, it seems that he recognized the potential. He understood the power that this woman did have to seduce, and so he marveled greatly.

The angel then said to him, “Why do you marvel? I will tell you the mystery of the woman, and of the beast with seven heads and ten horns that carries her” (Revelation 17:7, ESV). In other words, John, there’s nothing to be impressed with here. I will show who this woman truly is.

Application and Conclusion

Brothers and sisters, we must stop here today for the sake of time and pick with verse 7 next week, where we will learn more about this harlot and her relationship to “the beast with seven heads and ten horns that carries her.”

But before we conclude I must ask, does the world seduce you? Does the seductiveness of the world land with you? Are the sinful things of he world appealing to you?

Now it is important for us to think clearly and biblically here. The things of this world are not inherently sinfully. It is good and right for the Christian to enjoy the world – to marvel at it is beauty and to give glory to God for it. It is right for the Christian to eat and drink with thanksgiving in his heart. It is right and good for the Christian to earn money to prove for himself and for his family. Indeed, all of the pleasures of this life can and should be enjoyed to the glory of God!

But you know as well as I do how the evil one does tempt us to approach the good things of this world in the wrong way, to misuse them, to make them ultimate, and only to please ones self. This is the essence of idolatry, wherein men and women worship and serve the creation instead of the Creator. They do not give glory to God. They do not seek to obey him. They do not live according to his will. Instead they seek only to satisfy their sinful appetites and desires.

How is it for you, friend? Are your affections bent towards God, or towards evil? Do you love the things that he has called loves, or do you love this world more? Does the harlot seduce you? Are you drawn to her sinfully? Or have have you been renewed by Christ so that you crave that which is good and right and distain that which is evil?

“Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.” (Colossians 3:5–10, ESV)

Brothers and sisters, the old, natural and sinful man is indeed seduced by the world. The sinfulness of the world certainly appeals to him. He, given his fallen nature, has an appetite for it. But in Christ we have been made new. And in Christ, by his word and Spirit, we are being renewed day by day. This is what we must pursue – transformation of the mind, the heart and the will – so that we love what God love as and hate what he hates. So that when we look upon the harlot of Revelation 17 we marvel not, but look away with authentic and heart felt disgust.

How do get this heart transformation? By walking in the means of grace that God has given to us.

Worship on the Lord’s Day Sabbath

Being attentive to God’s word, seeking to obey it.

Giving cheerfully

Prayer (and fasting)

 

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