“The woman you saw is the great city that rules over the kings of the earth.” (Revelation 17:18, NIV 1984).
My Musings – In the last days, many believe that a one world church will be formed, perhaps an amalgam or intermarriage of all world religions in the ultimate in coexistence honk if you’ve seen the bumper sticker). Currently “coexisting” as distinct religions, this world church (the harlot) would be involved in the political, social, and economic affairs of the world and, with the help of the Beast, will become a great power. The world church will ride into power on the back of the Beast and with the help of Satan.
A union (marriage of church and state) will exist between the nations ruled by the Beast and the world church. Currently impossible under the United States’ constitution, but perhaps the “final solution” to its religion “problem.” The scene in Revelation 17 of the “great prostitute” (the “woman“) takes place during the first half of the Tribulation, when the Beast is not yet revealed in his true satanic character. During the middle of the Tribulation, the Beast will want to have all the power and all the worship for himself. This means he must get rid of the harlot, because she represents the worship of God, if even in an apostate way. Once the harlot is out of the way, the Beast will declare himself to be a god and demand the worship of the nations and “all inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast.” (Revelation 13:8, NIV 1984).
The true Church is “a pure virgin” (2 Corinthians 11:2, NIV 1984), but the false religious system will be a harlot who abandons the truth and prostitutes herself in multiple relationships with false religions. In every age, there has been a harlot who has persecuted God’s people. This will reach its zenith in the last days as this worldwide apostate religious system. “The woman” was introduced in Revelation 12:1–6 as Israel or the Church while still faithful. Satan having failed by violence and persecution to bring her down successfully seduces her by the allurements of the world. She is no longer the virgin bride, but the wayward harlot. As the union of Christ and the Church was a “great mystery” (a spiritual truth of momentous interest, once hidden, now revealed – Ephesians 5:31, 32), so the Church conforming to (consorting with) the world and thereby becoming a harlot is a counter mystery.
The phrase, “the woman was drunk with the blood of God’s holy people,” suggests that the apostate religious system of the first half of the last seven years leading up to Christ’s second coming will likely be devoid of any true Christians. As a matter of fact, the apostate church will attempt to kill all those who follow the true faith. John expressed that he was “great astonished” at the revelation of this mystery.
My Advice – The increasing popularity of the “many paths to God” theology, which is making inroads into many churches (small “c”) today, could be the “genesis” of this one world religious amalgamation that even now is causing an exodus from the Church (capital “C”). The truth is, always has been, and always will be that “I [Jesus] am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6, NIV 1984). Many paths may sound appealing, but it is a lie from the devil.
Resources:
Wiersbe, W. W. (1992). Wiersbe’s expository outlines on the New Testament (pp. 846–847). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, pp. 611–612). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
Jamieson, R., Fausset, A. R., & Brown, D. (1997). Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (Vol. 2, p. 590). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.
Walvoord, John F. (1985). Revelation. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 971). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
The Brew Is A Musing 