GETTING THE MESSAGE/How needful grace is to us

It is not easy to decipher the specific details in Revelation 17 concerning whom and when things take place. The more important thing is the main messages and applications that we learn from the text.

In verses 1-6, we see a description of the great prostitute, a name reflecting the depravity of Babylon. As we saw in chapter 14, the spirit of Babylon influences all nations on earth. The word repeatedly connected to Babylon is sexual immorality.

Moral decadence is certainly a characteristic of Babylon, but this refers to spiritual intimacy. Babylon represents false religion, idolatry, immorality, vanity, materialism, greed, malice, and the wisdom of men over God; any indulgence of the sinful nature; things that fill the cup of God’s wrath. The vision depicts the coming judgment of Babylon.

In verse 3, John is taken into the wilderness where he sees a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that is full of blasphemous names. The blasphemy means the beast claims sovereignty that belongs to God alone. The woman and the beast have an alliance. The power of the beast facilitates the prosperity and sinful pleasures of Babylon. Babylon being the world, the beast is a powerful institution or ruler in the eyes of the world.

The woman is described in verse 4 as glamorous, adorned with gold and jewels and pearls, holding a golden cup in her hand. What is in the cup? The abominations and impurities of her sexual immorality. It is a cup full of poison for souls. She is called the mother of harlots and earth’s abominations in verse 5.

Babylon was Babel at one time, a city of men who would make a name for themselves and build a tower even to heaven; a place God knew would have no limits on abominations. When God scattered them, the spirit of that immorality went all over the earth. So, Babylon has been in every generation. Revelation 17 looks ahead to a time when it will manifest itself in terrible abominations before the Lord returns.

In this world, we have all drunk out of the cup of the harlot. We have served ourselves and sin over God. We may try to paint sin in virtuous colors, but we are sinners drawn like a magnet to Babylon in whatever sinful proclivities we may have before God draws us to Christ. And as Christians, the allure of the world in some form over God never ceases to be a temptation.

In chapter 14, Christians in heaven are called virgins, meaning spiritual virgins. They did not commit adultery with the world. We are called to be holy people, for without holiness no one will see the Lord. Not sinlessness, but not worldliness either. It means to be sincere, pure in heart; faith producing a love for Christ over the present world.

Morality is not a savior. Only Christ is, and those saved by God’s grace should live as recipients of grace. Without humility and thanksgiving for salvation, we cannot walk with Christ. It is the low person, the poor in spirit, who exalts Christ, while resisting the allure of the harlot and the impressiveness of the beast.

In verse 5, we see Babylon has a name of mystery. She doesn’t appear to be a harlot full of poison to the world, but it is revealed to the saints that she is heading to a terrible judgment. We see the judgment at the end of chapter 17 and in chapter 18.

The beast, an instrument of Satan, and kings driven by demonic power will hate the prostitute. They will make her desolate and naked, and devour her flesh and burn her up with fire (verse 16). This is the way of the devil. He is a liar, promising pleasure and riches, while delivering death. Promising friendship with malicious intent.

We learn how needful grace is to us. In Revelation 21, the church is adorned as the bride of Christ. She sees the beauty of heaven.

Without grace, men choose the harlot, who is adorned with the ways of the world rather than the glory of God. Proud hearts will not receive counsel from God.

From grace springs wisdom and the peace of God. Study Christ and grace, and the harlot and the beast will appear as the names they are given by God.

The Rev. Chris Shelton is pastor of Union’s First Presbyterian Church.