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.

During John’s vision, there have been several occasions when there seems to be an interlude where John is given clarification on what is happening from a cosmic standpoint.  These interludes in the narrative are not chronological but are summaries of things what has been happening throughout the end-times revelation.  This is a description of the false religious system that will be prevalent during the end times.  This is not some new religion, but a resurgence of a very old one.

THE INFLUENCE OF THE HARLOT: This is a new character that we see being introduced in Revelation.  There have been more subtle references to this character but now she is clearly presented.  Her influence is over many waters, kings, all people, and over the beast.  This is a broad and sweeping influence that include the entire globe.  Nations, political leaders, individuals and even the Antichrist have been under her influence.

THE IDOLATRY OF THE HARLOT: She is dressed in purple and scarlet which are colors associated with royalty.  She has pearls and jewels and a cup full of abominations and impurities.  Scripture repeatedly associates sexual immorality with idolatry.  These two abominations go hand in hand and are clearly involved in this description.  Idols are those things that we put in the place of God.  This is certainly the case with this “mother of all prostitutes.”  This character is the most prolific source of idolatry in the history of the world.

THE IDENTITY OF THE HARLOT: The identity of this character is revealed as Babylon the great.  This name does not likely refer to any particular city from the past or future.  Rather, it is likely a reference that goes back all the way to the Tower of Bable.  This rebellion against God right after the flood was nothing short of a rival religion that was idolatrous in nature.  This displeased God greatly so the confusion of languages and the resulting dispersion of the people that resulted caused this idolatry to spread with it in various iterations.  This idolatrous system that influences vast potions of the world is what is seen in this passage.  

APPLICATION: Recognize the danger of idolatry in all nations and our own hearts.  Don’t allow anything or anyone to hold the affections of our hearts more than God.  Understand that all world religions apart from Christ are related and idolatrous in nature.