Allegiance to Jesus: Resisting the False Justice Movement
I. THE FALLING AWAY FROM THE FAITH AT THE END OF THE AGE
A. The Holy Spirit is calling the Church to a fierce allegiance to Jesus in our outreach and works of justice as we resist and expose the
false justice movement that is emerging in the earth today.
B. In my opinion we are in the early days of the generation in which Jesus will return. In other words, I believe that there are people alive
today who will see the return of Jesus. It may be the 20-year-olds or the 2-year-olds who see it. I do not know with certainty. My opinions on
this are based on observation of the biblical signs of the times, not on personal revelation.
C. Rev. 17 is one of the most significant end-time prophecies because it gives us insight into Satan’s end-time strategy to deceive the
Church so that many fall away from the faith. Therefore, this prophecy deserves much careful attention because the deceived will go to the
lake of fire.
D. Paul prophesied about a falling away from the faith in the end times. This prophetic theme is one of the greatest challenges facing the
Church at this hour (Mt. 24:9-13; 2 Thes. 2:3; 1 Tim. 4:1-2; 2 Tim. 3:1-7; 4:3-5; 2 Pet. 2:1-3). A doctrine of a demon is a teaching that is
inspired by demons.
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, 2
speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, 3 forbidding to marry… (1 Tim. 4:1-3)
E. The falling away and the revealing of the Antichrist are two of Paul’s most significant signs that reveal the nearness of Jesus’ second
coming.
3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day [Jesus’ second coming] will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man
of sin [Antichrist] is revealed… (2 Thes. 2:3)
F. Sound doctrine is that which teaches obedience and allegiance to Jesus. It requires endurance. To turn the ear away means that
people will no longer hear what God intended in various passages.
3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching 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 Tim. 4:3-4)
G. Loving the truth is more than agreeing with it; it involves standing for the truth despite the cost.
9 The coming of the lawless one [Antichrist] is…with all power, signs, and lying wonders, 10 and unrighteous deception…because they did
not receive the love of the truth.(2 Thes. 2:9-10)
H. Jesus prophesied about an increased deception in the end times (Mt. 24:9-13).
4 Jesus answered and said to them: "Take heed that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and
will deceive many…11 Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many...24 For false christs and false prophets will rise and show
great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. (Mt. 24:4-5, 11, 24)
II. THE ANTICHRIST’S END-TIME WORSHIP MOVEMENT
A. A significant part of Satan’s end-time plan is that he would be worshiped by all nations. He will raise up a worldwide “Antichrist worship
movement.” This satanic worship movement will find expression in every nation as a counterfeit of Jesus’ end-time, worship movement and
revival.
4 They worshiped the Dragon [Satan]…and the Beast [Antichrist], saying, “Who is like the Beast?”…8 All who dwell on the earth will worship
him [Antichrist]... (Rev. 13:4-8)
B. There are two stages in Satan’s plan to be worshiped by all nations. He knows that it is too big a step for those with a religious
heritage (Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Jewish, etc.) to suddenly become Satan worshipers. Thus, he will first deceive them into joining a
worldwide harlot religion of tolerance, without absolutes, that teaches that all religions lead to God and salvation.
5 And on her forehead a name was written: MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS
OF THE EARTH. (Rev. 17:5)
C. Babylon will eventually include religious (Rev. 17) and economic (Rev. 18) networks.
D. By joining this harlot religion, their conscience will be greatly defiled. This will make it easy for people to break their affiliation with their
religious heritage (Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, etc). This will prepare the way for them to be Satan worshipers in the Antichrist worship
movement.
E. The voluntary, harlot religion will be replaced by a mandatory, Antichrist religion.
First, people will voluntarily join the harlot Babylon one-world religion of tolerance (Rev. 17). Second, all will be forced to be Satan worshipers
in the Antichrist religion (Rev. 13:4, 8, 15).
F. The harlot religion will prepare the nations to receive the Antichrist. It will be a religion of affirmation and tolerance, without absolutes.
It will be a counterfeit justice movement that will feed the poor, be involved in humanitarian projects, and will appear to be filled with
compassion.
G. The nations will rejoice in the unity and world peace that this religion will seemingly bring. Since many military and economic conflicts
are linked to religious differences, many are looking for a “religious solution” that will set the stage to accomplish world peace and prosperity.
3 When they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them. (1 Thes. 5:3)
H. Today, many want to bring the three monotheistic religions together (Christianity, Judaism, and Islam). They seek to unify liberal
“Christianity” (Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox) with moderate Islam and Judaism, together with Hinduism, Buddhism, New Age, etc. Each group
will be committed to moral and religious tolerance and will make many compromises to reach “unity.”
I. The harlot will deceive the nations by sorcery, which is a combination of drugs and demonic power (witchcraft). Her dark supernatural
power will fascinate people and appear to be good. Her worship music will be powerful in that it will have a supernatural demonic element to it.
23 For by your sorcery all the nations were deceived. (Rev. 18:23)
III. HARLOT BABYLON: A COMING ONE-WORLD RELIGION (REV. 17)
1 “Come, I will show you the judgment 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”…4 The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and
adorned with gold…having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication.
5 On her forehead a name was written: MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, the mother of harlots and of the abominations of the earth. 6 I
saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints…15 He said to me, “The waters…where the harlot sits, are peoples…nations, and
tongues.” (Rev. 17:1-6, 15)
A. John gives us details about the emergence and destruction of the harlot religion. He describes her evil seductions and cruel
persecutions (v. 2-6). This religion will be totally destroyed (v. 1).
B. The harlot will sit on many nations (v. 1, 15) or will have authority over the nations. She will successfully seduce and deceive the most
powerful leaders on the earth, including the kings of the earth and the great merchants of the earth (Rev. 17:2; 18:23).
C. The nations will become drunk, or intoxicated (v. 2), with her seductive promise to benefit the nations, including compassionate
humanitarian aid, a unified religion (minimizing wars), and a prosperous world economy. They will also embrace her deceptive theology of
tolerance.
D. The harlot religion will have great prominence. She will be arrayed in purple (royal status) and will be respected by the elite financial
leaders of the earth who will give their allegiance to her.
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. (Rev. 17:4)
E. The harlot will be adorned with gold. She will be the wealthiest religious network in all history. She will have a golden cup in which she
“serves” the nations. Her humanitarian service will appear golden, or as being of great value as she helps the poor. In reality her cup, or
service, will be full of abomination and filth. In the Old Testament, abominations refer to idolatrous or demonic activities. Filthiness points to
being filled with moral perversions.
F. The harlot Babylon will inspire the nations to new heights of sin and demonic activity. Sin will be allowed to reach its fullness or to
become ripe in the end times (Rev. 9:21; 14:18).
23 In the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors have reached their fullness, a king [Antichrist] shall arise…who understands
sinister schemes. (Dan. 8:23)
G. This harlot is the mother of harlots, or the source of false religion. Her offspring are the false religions through history, as well as the
primary source of false religion in the end times. The original mother, or false religion, occurred at the tower of Babel (Gen. 11) where man’s
first organized religion or rebellion against God began. This is where the city of Babylon was built.
5 BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. (Rev. 17:5)
H. The harlot will have a murderous heart, despite her humanitarian appearance. The harlot will cause multitudes to be drunk, or
intoxicated, with the blood of the saints who expose her (v. 6). In other words, the more she kills the saints, the bolder she will become in
killing them.
6 I saw the woman [Harlot Babylon], drunk with the blood of the saints… (Rev. 17:6)
I. The primary enemy of the harlot will be the saints who will expose her for who she really is. We must declare the seductive nature of
her perversion and her inevitable judgment. The saints will be hated by all nations for doing this (Mt. 24:9-11)
J. The harlot will depend on the Antichrist, who will carry her (provide resources and protection).
3 I saw a woman sitting on a Beast [Antichrist] which was full of names of blasphemy…7 I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the
beast that carries her… (Rev. 17:3, 7)
K. The harlot religion will be destroyed by the jealousy of the ten primary kings who serve the Antichrist. They are referred to as ten
horns (Rev. 17:12, 16). They will destroy her at the beginning of the Great Tribulation. Satan’s kingdom is filled with hatred. The saints will
prophesy to the nations that she will be burned by the ten most powerful world leaders.
12 The ten horns which you saw are ten kings… 16 The ten horns…on the beast will hate the harlot, make her desolate and naked, eat her
flesh and burn her with fire. (Rev. 17:12, 16)
L. In the middle of the final seven years of this age, the Antichrist will replace the harlot religion of tolerance with Antichrist worship. This
religion will be strict and intolerant. All who refuse to worship the Antichrist will be killed (Rev. 13:4-18). Satan’s purpose for the harlot religion
is as a “forerunner,” to prepare the nations to worship the Antichrist.
IV. THE HARLOT BABYLON IS A RELIGION
A. Israel’s national and spiritual harlotry consisted of worshiping idols (Ex. 34:12-17). When Israel turned to idols, God called it “playing
the harlot with other gods.” There are 90 passages in the OT that refer to Israel’s national harlotry. In each passage, harlotry is a religion
based on idolatry. John used the same definition of spiritual harlotry that was consistently used in the OT.
16 The LORD said to Moses: “You will rest with your fathers; and this people will…play the harlot with the gods of the foreigners of the
land…and they will forsake Me...” (Deut. 31:16)
9 Because I was crushed by their adulterous heart which has departed from Me, and by their eyes which play the harlot after their idols…
(Ezek. 6:9)
B. Spiritual harlotry is synonymous with idolatry and false religion that involved demon worship (1 Cor. 10:20-21; 1 Chr. 5:25; Ezek. 23:
37; Hos. 4:12-13). Idolatry is usually combined with immorality (orgies), drugs, demonic rituals, and the sacrifice of animals or humans.
C. To be guilty of harlotry requires that her followers once claimed to have had a relationship with the true God (this applies to both the
Church and Israel).
V. THE END-TIME CONFLICT OVER THE TRUTH OF WHO JESUS IS
A. Allegiance to Jesus and loving the truth are primary issues in the end times (2 Thes. 2:10). The Body of Christ must tolerate all
religions in the sense of greatly valuing the dignity of their people and religious liberties. They possess great dignity before God. Yet, we are
not willing to let them go to hell by refusing to love them by telling them the truth about Jesus. A false application of tolerance is foundational
in the movements that lead to the harlot religion.
B. The conflict in the end times will center upon defining who Jesus is and how we love Him. We must love God on His terms. Love for
God is loyalty to His truth, as seen in Jesus. Our love must be expressed in alliance with the Jesus of the Bible, not the Jesus of humanistic
sentiment.
C. Truths about Jesus that offend humanists include His deity and, thus, His right to establish absolute standards of living. Jesus does
not accept humanistic views of righteousness and love that exclude Jesus as the only way of salvation, and His right to judge sin, now and in
eternity.
D. Refusal to stand by such truths is proof that they operate under the spirit of delusion. This is true of famous people who work in the
White House, who host talk shows, who fill stadiums with concerts for the poor, or who lead mega-churches. There are many voices with a
false application of tolerance, and they are currently preparing the nations to embrace this harlot religion.
E. The end-time Church will lead the greatest hope and justice movement in history. In Jesus, we have a hope that is far superior to all
humanistic movements. The true forerunners are the greatest hope-bringers in history. They will be filled with love, purity, and humility as
they engage in works of justice and compassion while giving a clear witness of the truth.
VI. THE TRUE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY
A. John prophesied about Babylon from Rev. 17:1-19:10. He ended the section by defining the true spirit of worship and prophecy as
that which testifies, or magnifies, the truth about Jesus. The testimony of Jesus includes His life, death, resurrection, and the primary issues
on His heart.
10 Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. (Rev. 19:10)
B. One aspect of false prophecy is to promise peace and prosperity in a time of judgment.
16 Do not listen to the words of the prophets…they speak a vision of their own heart, not from the mouth of the LORD. 17 They continually
say to those who despise Me, “The LORD has said, ‘You shall have peace’ and…they say, ‘No evil shall come upon you.’”...21 I have not
sent these prophets, yet they ran. I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied. 22 But if they had stood in My counsel, and had caused
My people to hear My words, then they would have turned them from their evil way… (Jer. 23:16-22)
10 They have seduced My people, saying, ‘Peace!’ when there is no peace… (Ezek. 13:10)
C. There is a great need for forerunner messengers to speak the truth faithfully, boldly, and tenderly.