Author: Charlie Garrett

Friday, 4 June 2021

And the woman whom you saw is that great city which reigns over the kings of the earth.” Revelation 17:18

To complete the contents of the chapter, the angel speaking to John now makes an explicit statement concerning the harlot who rides on top of the beast. She is “that great city.” The identity is set and there is no reason to assume that Mystery Babylon, the great harlot, is anything but as is described here. When symbolism is explained by the Bible, that is its interpretation. Nothing more needs to be inserted to bend or twist what has been made evident. Understanding that the woman in the vision represents a city, the angel then says, “which reigns over the kings of the earth.”

At John’s time, this would be Rome. However, the vision is referring to a future entity. Can this still be said of Rome? The answer is, “Yes.” The Vatican (the Holy See) is its own city within Rome. It has all the rights and benefits of being a city-state, and it is considered a permanent observer state of the UN as of 6 April 1964. Thus, it is a part of the body that reigns over the kings of the earth.

Further, this does not say “all the kings of the earth.” Thus, it is a general statement. There are, at any given time, leaders of the world who claim to be Roman Catholic. Thus, the influence of the Vatican over them in their political decisions is broad-ranging. And another note is that the word translated as “over” is epi. It signifies “on” or “upon,” implying something that fits. One can think of the epidermis (skin) fitting on a person.

With this understood, and using that in the translation, it can be rendered, “which reigns upon the kings of the earth.” It is not that there is a sovereignty over them, but guiding body upon them. Just as Islam directs the Muslim nations, without being an actual ruler, so the Roman Catholic Church directs these Catholic (and other) nations, directing them without being an actual ruler.

Life application: When the destruction of Mystery Babylon comes, all false religion will be ended, and the true worship of God will be instituted on earth. Babylon the great will be remembered no more. All non-Christian religions will be proven false. The false identification with Christ, by supposed but apostate Christian denominations, will be eradicated. The world will find only a pure and untainted faith in Christ.

Until then we should keep our noses in the Bible, studying it and weeding out any falsity from our doctrine. Let us hold fast to the truths recorded there, and let us glorify God through proper faith in the Lord. He is great. He is worthy. He is JESUS.

It is marvelous to know that someday the world will be unified in worship of You, O God. There will no longer be division and fighting within the church, there will no longer be false teachers to lead Your people astray, and there will no longer be false religions outside the church. We long for the day when our worship of You is perfect and undefiled! Amen.

Thursday, 3 June 2021

For God has put it into their hearts to fulfill His purpose, to be of one mind, and to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled.  Revelation 17:17

The Greek has different words in it that are not noticed in this translation. For example, it says “fulfilled” twice, but two different Greek words are used. The first signifies “to accomplish,” as if working towards a goal. The second means to “fulfill,” as if in having met an end purpose.

Further, the words translated as “purpose” and “mind” are the same. The LSV translates it as “for God gave into their hearts to do His purpose, and to make one purpose, and to give their kingdom to the beast until the sayings of God may be fulfilled,”

Having noted this, the verse begins with, “For God has put it into their hearts.” This is a similar thought to that of the strong delusion of 2 Thessalonians 2 –

“And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, ¹² that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” 2 Thessalonians 2:11, 12

In such cases, the action is passive. Things are arranged in such a way that the intents and purposes of God are met as people pursue the logical path of that arranged course. One can think of coming to a new land and finding it immensely suitable for farming. We might say, “God put it into their hearts to farm.” In this, He didn’t actively do it, but things were set in such a way so that they followed the logical path that led to their farming the land.

With this understood, the verse next says, “to fulfill His purpose.” God arranges things so that an exacting outcome will result. There is nothing deceptive or wrong about this. He controls the flow of lava from volcanoes, and He directs the winds in their courses. Meteors come from the sky according to His will. Everything is set in order to bring about an end purpose, thus meeting His will.

On the way, things will be set in place, and the people will have it in their hearts to fulfill His purpose. Even though this sounds directive in nature, the same truth applies to each and every person. Paul writes of being predestined in the book of Romans. God has predestined all things. And yet, he has done it in such a way that we still must exercise our free will in the process.

In the case of these ten kings, it is God’s purpose for them “to be of one mind.” Their one mind (17:13), a united effort of these kings (and thus their individual kingdoms drawn together as one), will make war on the Lamb (17:14). They will also “hate the harlot, make her desolate and naked, eat her flesh and burn her with fire.”

These things were God’s intent in order to arrange the world for Christ’s second coming and for the ensuing millennial reign of Christ. Therefore, all is in a specified order so that they will “give their kingdom to the beast.” Joining in this way, God’s plan will, in fact, come to pass. The all-knowing and infinitely wise Creator is bringing everything to a point that has been predestined by Him, even from the very beginning. And these things will continue on “until the words of God are fulfilled.”

His word is written, and it will come to pass. And yet, during the entire process, the free will of those involved is highlighted. God simply knows the choices that will be made as time and history unfold.

Life application: This verse shows us the omniscience of God in all things, including the wicked choices and actions of man. This in no way implies God actively causes these things. He has given man freewill, and we exercise it to our own benefit or loss. Though He knows our choices before they occur, this in no way negates freewill. We can choose to do evil, we can choose to do right, and we can choose to accept or reject Jesus.

Freewill in man is a principal tenet in the Bible. In the case of this verse, the words indicate that their actions have come about by their willful rejection of Him, not His will being forced upon them. Their hearts suppress the knowledge of God, and – by default – they move in an expected way because of this rejection. It is a way that came about by free will and yet it was a part of how God has designed them and their circumstances.

Paul gives a general description of this type of action in Romans 1:18-27. In their rejection of God and their consolidation of world power, they have united in their aims and conferred their power upon the beast which is led by the antichrist. And the path they are headed down will lead them to the final point that God knew before He created anything. There is only one possible avenue and one possible termination point, which is the fulfillment of God’s word.

It is an amazing thing to ponder, but the important thing to understand is that when these things have come to pass, those who have rejected Him will have no one to blame but themselves. The destruction of the beast is assured; the book is written; and yet it still needs to happen.

Passages such as the one today show us the immense wisdom and foreknowledge of God. And the highest expression of that is in the giving of His Son. Even from the very foundation of the earth, He promised to correct the wrongs that came about through the fall. It is the plan of redemption, and it is this plan that shines forth in the coming of JESUS.

Great are Your workings, O God! How amazing it is to ponder that You know all things before they occur, and yet they still have to come about by our free will choices. It is hard for us to understand, and yet it is an indication of Your great love for us – allowing us to choose Jesus, but knowing the choice we will make. What a great and awesome God You are. Amen.

Wednesday, 2 June 2021

And 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

The chapter has been speaking of the great harlot, the beast, and the relationship between the two. It seems that there is great harmony and agreement between them. And yet, out of the blue, this verse suddenly reads like part of a tale of intrigue, beginning with, “And the ten horns.”

This is the “ten kings” of verse 17:12. It says they will give their power and authority to the beast in verse 17:13. As the woman is sitting on the beast, it seems as if these ten horns (kings) are in agreement with the woman as well as the beast. But it next says, “these will hate the harlot.”

Remembering that the harlot is a spiritual entity that prostitutes itself in various ways, and one of those ways is through interaction with the governments around it – just as Israel, Judah, and Jerusalem prostituted themselves – one can see that there is an underlying hatred of the religious body by the secular body. And this is so, even if the religious body is a complete apostate.

An example of this type of enmity (one of several) from the Old Testament is found in Jeremiah 4 –

“And when you are plundered,
What will you do?
Though you clothe yourself with crimson,
Though you adorn yourself with ornaments of gold,
Though you enlarge your eyes with paint,
In vain you will make yourself fair;
Your lovers will despise you;
They will seek your life.” Jeremiah 4:40

Ezekiel 23 details another such judgment, a lengthy one, against Jerusalem. Just because they engage in harlotry with this woman, it does not mean they like her at all. In fact, they despise her. Remembering that the harlot is a city that is committing fornication with them in order to meet a specific agenda, we can look to the world and see a particular city that has done this for eons.

She is in bed with governments around the world, she flaunts herself openly. The nations participate in a bed of idolatry with her, and yet they hate her. Only she has deluded herself that her harlotries mean she is loved. In fact, she is only a whore who is despised because of her actions. Because of her conduct, it next says, “make her desolate and naked, eat her flesh and burn her with fire.”

In the end, this lavishly adorned harlot will be destroyed by the same nations that she engaged with in her whoredom. It is similar to Jerusalem of the past. The seat of the Lord’s religion had so prostituted herself that she was despised, even while she intermingled with her paramours. Such will be the case with this great city as well. Her end will not be pretty.

Life application: An amazing turn of events will take place at some point during the tribulation period. The ten kings of the final world empire will turn on the harlot. The antichrist will come to power and eventually he will become the only source of idol worship left. The false religious system of the harlot will become more and more despised until they decide it is time for her to be destroyed.

This pluralistic system of world religion, which will surely include a supposed “Christian” element, will no longer be tolerated. She has been made wealthy over the centuries and is robed in splendid attire, possessing great wealth. However, she will have failed to stem the tide of destruction upon the world – the very thing which religions are supposed to do.

They are supposed to be the mediators between the people and whatever “god” they serve. But the world will continue to grow more and more unstable despite the kumbaya attitude of complete religious equality. The system will be seen for the failure it is and will finally be marked for destruction.

After taking away her wealth – finery, property, tax-free status, etc. – these kings will completely consume her so that nothing is left of her. The world’s false religions will be utterly removed from protection and banned from practice. They couldn’t save, and now they won’t be saved.

Ironically, by removing the world’s religions, there will only be one religion left – the most dubious of all – secular humanism. The world will throw all of its allegiance and idol worship behind the antichrist. “Our gods couldn’t save us; we will save ourselves.” But this is the path that has been tried and which has failed throughout history. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. Such will be the case once again in this final government before the return of Jesus Christ.

A world without true Christianity is a world doomed to failure and destruction. And true Christianity comes through faith, and through faith alone, in what God has done through the giving of His Son. He has done the work, and we are to accept that it is sufficient to carry us through to the good end that is promised by Him. Let us accept the good news and receive God’s offer of peace – JESUS.

Heavenly Father, here we are facing every possible challenge to the truth of Your full and complete revelation of Yourself to man – the pages of the Bible that tell us of Jesus. Help each one of us to properly evaluate Your word and then to be able to explain it to religiously confused people – turning them to a saving knowledge of Your truth. Amen.

Tuesday, 1 June 2021

Then he said to me, “The waters which you saw, where the harlot sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues. Revelation 17:15

The angel who has been speaking to John has been describing the beast in verses 17:7-14. He will now refer to something already described by John, but not yet explained, saying, “The waters which you saw, where the harlot sits.” Mentioning these waters now takes the reader back to verse 17:1 –

“Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and talked with me, saying to me, “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters.”

The great harlot is the woman sitting on the beast that was described by John in verses 17:3-6. This woman, the harlot, is a city (as will be noted in verse 17:18). In the vision, she sits on many waters, and those waters – according to the angel – “are peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues.”

What this means is that the scope and influence of this religious body (see commentary on verses 17:4-6) which is found in a city reaches out in many directions. The waters are peoples, but there are many, many of them. They also are found in many nations and speaking many tongues.

So, the question is, “Is there such a religious city that has adherents that span the globe?” There might be adherents of it in Guatemala and in China. There might be adherents in Australia and in Canada. It may have adherents in Hawaii and in Malta. It is a harlot (a religion based on works and filled with idolatry) that reaches out in such a manner.

As this woman sits on the beast, and as this is probably a beast that has been around in one form or another for eons (see comments on 17:10), then it means that this woman’s religious expression derives its customs, idols, and traditions from various empires going back to antiquity. The comments in 17:10 noted that one explanation for the beast is that it comprises Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome.

In other words, if this harlot (this city) rides on a beast where one head symbolizes Egypt, one would expect Egyptian influence or idolatry to be seen in it, perhaps an obelisk. Likewise, religious icons, traditions, or idols from the other beasts would be found in her. Is there such a city on earth today? The answer, of course, is “Yes.”

Life application: The harlot is sitting on the beast, and the harlot “sits” on many waters. The harlot is the false religious system that is supported by the beast. It is a system of ungodly government which has great rule and authority. The harlot however is dependent upon something else – people. It is the description that shows the extent of them – “peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues.”

This concept goes all the way back to the Tower of Babel in chapter 11 of Genesis. At that time, the whole world had one language and one speech, and they attempted to establish themselves as a united power in contradiction to the ordinances of God. At that time, God confused their languages and dispersed them around the world. This has been the state of the world ever since, but now it is getting smaller once again.

There are universal translators on our mobile devices and there is a uniting of the world’s religions through institutions like the UN. The inane bumper sticker that is found on the cars of religious pluralists everywhere reads COEXIST – as if all religions are equal in merit, meaning, purpose, and intent. However, the God of the Bible has made exclusive claims which take away the possibility of this being true. Its claims are absolute and unchangeable.

God has revealed Himself in one unique way – through the Person and work of Jesus Christ. This concept however is rejected by the beast and the harlot, and they have the support and adulation of the masses. Confusion of thought and morality is again the ruler of the human mind, just as it was at the time of Babel. The words of the Bible ring true –

“That which has been is what will be,
That which is done is what will be done,
And there is nothing new under the sun.” Ecclesiastes 1:9.

The repetitious cycle of improper conduct of religious leaders, government officials, and the peoples of the earth will only be brought to an end when Christ sets up His eternal kingdom. It is a kingdom that will bring God all the everlasting glory He is due. It is a kingdom that is founded on what God has done through the giving of His Son, JESUS.

Lord, since the very beginning You have shown us what is right and the proper path to follow. And yet, time and time again, we have strayed from Your precepts to improper avenues of our own perverse thinking. Help us to think clearly, worship properly, and act responsibly as people. Without Your guidance, we will surely take the wrong path every time. Amen.

Monday, 31 May 2021

These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful.” Revelation 17:14

The beast has been given the power and authority of the ten horns, as noted in the previous verse. With this united power, it now says, “These will make war with the Lamb.” This thought takes the reader back to the Lamb first mentioned in Revelation 5. There, this Lamb “as though it had been slain,” was given the scroll to open. In opening the seals of the scroll judgments came forth. This Lamb (Jesus) is also mentioned several other times as well, usually in relation to matters of the salvation of His people.

This occurs again now. When it says, “These will make war with the Lamb,” it is a reference to those  coming against faithful believers, and probably more especially those who call out to Him from Israel. The beast is reflective of those who belong to Satan. As such, the Lamb is reflective of those who belong to the Lord – with the Lord as their Head. As such, it next says, “and the Lamb will overcome them.”

Though by the world’s reckoning, there could be only defeat for the enemies of the beast, with the Lord as the Head of His people, the victory is assured. The beast, comprised of its various horns and heads, will be defeated.

While considering this, it must be remembered that the beast is not just this empire of nations all by itself. The woman is sitting on the beast as is recorded in verse 17:3. Therefore, this war includes a spiritual element as well.

This great harlot is certainly a part of the impetus for their actions – as if they believe they have God on their side because of her. But, in fact, they are working against Him. This beast may have kings that have given it power and authority, but the One they have actually come against is the Lord, and they will be defeated, “for He is Lord of lords and King of kings.

The war now noted in Chapter 17 will be more fully described in Chapter 19 – highlighted by this same title being ascribed to the Lord as He returns on a white horse to execute judgment against this beast who has come against His people who are almost at their breaking point. With no hope left, they will call out, and He will return to save them. But he will not be alone. As we are next told, “and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful.” These words are explained in Revelation 19:14 –

“And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses.”

There is no reason to assume that these verses are speaking of anything other than an actual war. The beast has been described, it has kings that have given their power and authority to it. There is the woman in the wilderness already described. There is the land of Israel and the coming battle of Armageddon. The various things that have been described, that are being described, and that are yet to be described will all be brought together into a completed narrative as the verses of Revelation continue to unfold.

Life application: In an exciting preview of the events ahead, this verse lets us know that the victory is already assured. War is coming, but it is already noted that the Lamb will overcome.

This world power, led by the antichrist will probably conduct its war in several ways. The first is against anyone who refuses the mark of the beast. They will be cut off from buying and selling, and will surely be hunted down and martyred as well. An attack against the body of believers is an attack against the Lord as we learn in Acts 9:4. Saul was persecuting the church, but Jesus notes that it was actually He who was attacked – “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?”

The second way war is being waged against the Lamb is literal. He is returning as we will see in the chapters and verses ahead. When he does, the beast will stupidly think that fighting against the Creator is somehow an option… but it’s not. Jesus, the Lamb, will overcome them.

It should be noted now that a lamb is a docile animal, not a fighter. The symbolism is clear. Jesus is the Prince of Peace and a loving Lord, but He is also One who cannot tolerate sin and rebellion. For the Lamb to wage war means that God’s patience has ended and that there is no remedy at all for those who have come against Him. He is not only the Lamb, but He is also the Lord of lords and King of kings. There is none greater than Him, and He is the ultimate ruler of all that is.

When He returns, it will be to bring peace to the world. But before that happens, there will be a great slaughter. Only then will the world be ready for the peace that has long eluded it. In that coming battle, the saints of the Lord will be participants. This will include all who have died in Christ throughout the ages, along with those who were alive and who were glorified at the rapture.

This will come about after the seven years of tribulation. The beast, which has such great power and authority at his disposal, along with all the power of Satan backing him up, won’t stand a chance against the King of Glory. Be on the winning team and be a participant in the greatest battle ever waged.

The Lord is great and greatly to be praised. The book is written, and it reveals what lies ahead. Nothing will change that. And so, call out today. Be reconciled to God. Call out to JESUS!

Lord Jesus, the world is getting increasingly wicked as the days go by. Some wonderful day You will come back for Your saints to take us out of here. At that time, our chance to tell others about you will be over. Help us to have a heart for the lost and to turn many to righteousness before that day happens. Thank You for being patient and giving us the time to bring many to You. Amen.