The Harlot Babylon: Introducing the Basic Themes
I. THE GREAT FALLING AWAY FROM THE FAITH AT THE END OF THE AGE
A. One of the greatest challenges for the Church in the End-Times is the falling away from the faith. (Matthew 24:9-13;
2 Thessalonians 2:3; 1 Timothy 4:1-2; 2 Timothy 3:1-7; 4:3-5; 2 Peter 2:1-3).
1 Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and
doctrines of demons… (1 Timothy 4:1)
3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have i
tching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned
aside to fables… (2 Timothy 4:3-4)
B. Paul gives two of the most significant signs of the nearness of Jesus’ Second Coming. They are the falling away
and the revealing or the appearing of the Antichrist on the stage of history.
3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of
sin (Antichrist) is revealed, the son of perdition… (2 Thessalonians 2:3)
II. THE COMING HARLOT: BABYLON THE GREAT
1 Come, I will show you the judgment of the Great Harlot who sits on many waters (v. 15), 2 with whom the kings of the
earth committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication"… 5 On her
forehead a name was written: MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT…6 I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints…
15 He (angel) said, "The waters which you saw, where the Harlot sits, are peoples, multitudes…and tongues.”
(Revelation 17:1-6, 15)
A. In Revelation 17-18, John received one of the most significant prophecies related to the End-Times. In it an angel
revealed to John part of Satan’s strategy to seduce the Church, Israel, and the nations. This prophecy gives us much
insight into the End-Time falling away from the faith.
B. John saw the nature, history and judgment of the coming Harlot religion (Revelation 17) and its economic power
(Revelation 18). The Harlot will have the power to seduce and deceive the most powerful leaders on the earth including
the kings and the great merchants (Revelation 17:2; 18:3, 23).
23 For your merchants were the great men of the earth... (Revelation 18:23)
C. A harlot will be raised up that will have two powerful expressions that operate simultaneously. She will operate
both as a religious and a economic global network which will have a complex connection to each other. This Harlot will
appear good as she uses her two networks to deceive and control kings, economic leaders and the multitudes of the
nations.
D. The prophecy of Revelation 17-18 is one of the most important End-Time prophecies. It is the longest prophecy in
the NT (42 verses). It is also the longest prophecy in the OT is Jeremiah 50-51 (110 verses) and it focuses on Babylon
in the End-Times as does Isaiah 13-14 (54 verses). The second longest prophecy in the NT is focused on the New
Jerusalem (33 verses; Revelation 21:1-22:5).
E. This prophecy is essential to understand. Its theme concerns the coming worldwide religion that will powerfully
seduce and deceive Israel, the Church, and all the religions on earth. Those who are fully deceived by it will end up in
the Lake of Fire. Thus, Revelation 17-18 deserves much careful study and dialogue. The prophetic Church must be
familiar with its truths. It is worth the effort.
F. The main message of Revelation 17 is easy to understand. The main themes are the emergence and destruction
of Harlot Babylon. Revelation 17 focuses on religious Babylon. Revelation 18 focuses on economic Babylon as a literal
city that will be a great worldwide economic center.
G. Revelation 17 is the most symbolic passage in Revelation with many intricate details which makes it the most
difficult chapter in Revelation to understand in all its intricacies. Since the angel gave John the meaning of the symbols,
we have a solid foundation for understanding this passage.
H. Why is this most important prophecy veiled in such cryptic language? Because the Lord wants us to diligently
pour over every line of it and discuss it often so as to understand its every nuance.
I. The Harlot has a surprising relationship with the Antichrist in how he carries or empowers her.
3 I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet Beast (Antichrist) which was full of names of blasphemy…7 I (angel) will tell you the
mystery (a plan hidden in God’s heart) of the woman and of the Beast (Antichrist) that carries her… (Revelation 17:3, 7)
J. A surprising detail is that the Harlot will be destroyed by a civil war in the Antichrist’s empire.
16 The ten horns which you saw on the Beast, these will hate the harlot, make her desolate and naked, eat her flesh
and burn her with fire. (Revelation 17:16)
III. THE HARLOT WILL SIT WITH AUTHORITY AND CONTROL OVER MANY NATIONS
A. The kings will knowingly commit adultery with her as others become drunk with her benefits.
1 Come, I (angel) will show you (John) the judgment (sure defeat) of the Great Harlot who sits on many waters, 2 with
whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of
her fornication. (Revelation 17:1-2)
B. Before the angel shows John the wealth and false beauty of the Harlot, he shows him her inevitable judgment
and sure defeat (v. 1). This system will fail and be utterly destroyed.
C. The Harlot will deceive the nations with supernatural power that is based in the occult.
23 For by your sorcery all the nations were deceived. (Revelation 18:23)
D. The Harlot will have great prominence (royal status) and vast wealth. She will have great respect and esteem
as well as financial power. This will help her seduce and deceive the nations.
4 The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet (royalty), and adorned with gold…having in her hand a golden cup full
of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication. (Revelation 17:4)
E. The cup will be golden or it will appear as something very valuable and good. Yet it will be filled with abominations
(demonic) and filthiness (moral perversity). In the OT, abominations refer to idolatrous or demonic activity. In other
words, she will appear to be good as she offers much humanitarian aid and services yet her nature will be evil
(abomination/filth; Matthew 23:25-28).
15 For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God. (Luke 16:15)
F. People will be ecstatic or intoxicated (drunk) about the good that she will appear to accomplish for the benefit
of all mankind. The paradox of the Harlot is that she will be “lovely but very dark” which is exactly opposite of the Bride
of Christ (Song 1:5).
G. Her name will be a mystery. In other words, the angel was giving John new information that had not yet been
clearly revealed in Scripture. This is surprising information.
5 On her forehead a name was written: MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF
THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. (Revelation 17:5)
H. The surprise is that her roots and origin are established in what happened at the tower of Babel in the plains of
Shinar (Gen. 11). Babel was the city in which the first organized religion in history developed resulting in the first
organized rebellion and war against God by mankind.
4 They said, "Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for
ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth"… The LORD said, "Indeed the people are
one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be
withheld from them. 7 Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language…" 8 So the LORD scattered them
abroad from there over the face of all the earth, and they ceased building the city. 9 Therefore its name is called
Babel, because there the LORD confused the language of all the earth; and from there the LORD scattered them
abroad over the face of all the earth. (Genesis 11:4-9)
I. Nothing they proposed to do would be withheld from them (v. 6) in terms of the progression of sin reaching its
full potential. (NAS/NIV says nothing which they plan to do “will be impossible for them” instead of “withheld from them”).
This refers to their unity in sin that reaches into the demonic realm (top in the heavens). The End-Time Harlot Babylon
will be full of sin.
J. In the Babylonian language, Babel means the “gate of heaven” (in Hebrew it is “confusion”). The people of Babel
were attempting to experience the counterfeit open heaven dynamics described in Genesis 28 and John 1:51. This was
done earlier in Genesis 6 when demons intervened and acted with humans in the natural realm in a sinful way
(Genesis 6:4; 2 Peter 2:4; Jude 6).
12 He (Jacob) dreamed, and behold, a ladder was set up on the earth, and its top reached to heaven; and there the
angels of God were ascending and descending on it. (Genesis 28:12)
51 He (Jesus) said to him (Nathanael), "Most assuredly, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God
ascending and descending upon the Son of Man." (John 1:51)
K. The people at the tower of Babel sought to reach the heavens or the spirit realm of demons as in Genesis 6.
The potential of human sin will reach its all time high in the generation Jesus returns.
L. Satan and his angels will be dislodged from their place in heaven and cast to earth (Revelation 12:7-9). Billions
of demons will be on earth. They will appear regularly to people. In Genesis 6, a sinful connection occurred between the
natural and spiritual realm. It resulted in great violence causing God to destroy the earth with the flood in Noah’s day
(Genesis 6:1-7).
5 The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart
was only evil continually. 6 The LORD…was grieved in His heart. 7 The LORD said, "I will destroy man…from the face
of the earth." (Genesis. 6:5-7)
M. God scattered the people of Babel (v. 8-9) so that they would not reach man’s full potential for evil until God’s
timing. Sin will be allowed to reach its fullness in the End-Times and not before.
23 In the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors have reached their fullness, a king (Antichrist) shall arise…
who understands sinister schemes. (Daniel 8:23)
N. Daniel saw two things that will help reverse the dynamics that resulted from Babel’s scattering of human resources,
understanding, and energy and thus their potential to mature in evil.
4 But you, Daniel…seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro (travel), and knowledge (especially
via technology) shall increase. (Daniel 12:4)
O. Daniel saw communication (technology) and travel being developed to great heights. This will restore the ability
for humans to work together like they did at the tower of Babel. This will result in an unprecedented synergism of
demonized people sinning together (thus providing a greater open door for demons to come into the earthly realm)
and working together.
P. John was surprised that the Harlot will be the mother of harlots (source) of false religion through history as well
as the primary source of false religion and abominations in the End-Times. She will have offspring (false religion through
history) that will crescendo in the End-Times.
5 BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. (Revelation 17:5)
Q. The Harlot will kill those who resist her. She will be drunk on the blood of the saints because she will spill so much
of it. She will have a murderous heart despite her humanitarian appearance.
6 I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. And when I saw her,
I marveled with great amazement. (Revelation 17:6)
R. John marveled at this complex plan that had been hidden in God’s heart throughout the ages. This mysterious
plan will result in bringing forth the salvation of Israel, as it purifies and empowers the Church to be used in the End-Time
revival. As we understand this prophecy, we will marvel like John as we feel the weightiness of what is in God’s heart.
S. The prophetic Church will not be afraid of her but will speak out against the Harlot boldly and fearlessly. The
Church will be faithful to Jesus’ leadership in the midst the Harlot’s persecution.
14 The Lamb will overcome them (ten-nation confederation), for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are
with Him are called, chosen, and faithful. (Revelation 17:14)