Coming One World Religion

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS PROPHECY
A. Rev. 17-18 is one of the most significant End-Time prophecies because it gives us insight into Satan’s strategy to deceive the nations while causing many Christians to fall away from the faith. Those who are deceived by the Harlot will end up in the Lake of Fire and some saints who resist the Harlot will be killed (Rev. 17:6). This prophecy deserves much careful study and dialogue.

B. The main message of Rev. 17 is easy to understand. The main themes are the seductive power, and cruel persecution along with the inevitable destruction of this Harlot system. The Harlot is the counterfeit of the Bride that the Holy Spirit is raising up.

C. Rev. 17 is the most symbolic passage in Revelation with many intricate details. These intricacies make it the most difficult chapter in Revelation to understand. Since the angel gave John the meaning of the symbols, we have a solid foundation for understanding this passage. Why is this most important prophecy veiled in such cryptic language? One reason I think it is veiled is because it causes us to pour over every line and discuss it often to understand its every nuance.

D. Rev. 17:1-6, gives us details about the emergence of the Harlot Babylon as a one-world religion, describing her evil seductions and cruel persecutions. She will be a counterfeit justice movement that unifies multitudes from the largest religions on earth. The rest of Rev. 17-18 describes her relationship with the Antichrist and how she is finally destroyed.

E. The five chronological sections in the Book of Revelation tell us the main storyline of judgment events that are released on the earth by the Praying Church in the order they occur. After each of the chronological sections, an angel explains to John why the events just described are necessary. These explanations function as a parenthesis that puts the story line on “pause” as they answer questions such as Why is God’s wrath is so severe? and What will happen to the saints?

F. In the angelic explanation in Rev. 17-18, we are told why the bowls of wrath are necessary and we are assured of the defeat of Babylon. The angel explains why billions of people will be killed in the bowl judgments and why the infrastructure of the nations will be dashed into pieces by Jesus. It is because the seduction of Babylon’s religion of evil will permeate so many of these structures.

8 I will give You (Jesus) the nations for Your inheritance…9 You shall break them with a rod of iron; You shall dash them to pieces like a potter's vessel. (Ps. 2:8-9)

26 The nations…27 shall be dashed to pieces like the potter's vessels (Rev. 2:26-27)

G. The 7th Trumpet focus is on replacing evil leaders and the bowls focus on replacing the social infrastructures (tax codes, education or business policies, etc.).