Ch.17-19: The Harlot: The complexity of evil
The harlot in Revelation is hard to grasp because it shows the complexity of the evil system on earth. But with some patience, we can get a good look at it.
Our text
We are moving quickly forward and chapter 17, 18 and 19.
Who is the harlot?
The story is now a supplement to the bowls (as we also had with the seals and the trumpets). It magnifies what is the main theme of God’s wrath.This is nothing new, but it summarizes all the evil we had before in one complex picture: The harlot who is Babel and who sits on the (first) beast.The first beast with its horns and heads represents the emperor in Rome and today’s political and military power.
Babel is the place from which Israel returned from exile in anticipation of the Day of the Lord.
The harlot herself is the counterpart of the Bride of Christ (the Church) and represents primarily economic and financial power. But there is more. The harlot looks very much like the bride on the outside and could be the host for Christians who wanted to take the easy way out and go with the flow (and received the mark of the beast).
The harlot influenced the rulers of this world to bring prosperity (so be careful if this is your primary goal as a Christian).
The impact and judgment of the harlot
The harlot, even though she looks like the church from the outside, is a fierce enemy of the church and its witnesses and causes havoc. On closer inspection, the harlot is the cause of the third seal: Hunger, based on economic injustice, but ensuring the availability of luxury goods and providing for the rich despite the suffering of the masses. People are considered materials like other resources.
To be the perfect church (church that focuses on blessings and prosperity and not on uncomfortable witness and martyrdom) is also the destiny of the harlot: While the beast tries to attack the church, Jesus intervenes and instead of the church, the harlot is the target. The kings, as representatives of the beast, bring judgment on the harlot.
The harlot is proud and considers herself untouchable, so her judgment will come quickly, as it did over the historical Babel. Babel will be judged with the double measure, meaning that she will suffer exactly what she has distributed to others.
And now?
The harlot has been judged, so now the Bride of Christ is ready for the wedding. The Church is now ready to see her Bridegroom. But first He brings judgment on the rest of the evil trinity.
He comes with a sword out of His mouth and He judges each one alone (the angels are only there to catch the devil and the false prophet). This is not a battle, but rather a courtroom. Jesus brings the final judgment.
Reflection
- How would you describe Babel today?
- How can the church be different from Babel? What can the church offer that Babel cannot?
- When do you see yourself in Babel? How do you leave it?
- What attitude of today reflects the attitude of the harlot?
- What things would you mourn if Babel fell?