KNOW THE TRUTH CONCERNING YOUR FUTURE! Do you want to know the truth concerning your future? The Book of Revelations reveals the truth about your present and future welfare. There it describes two women. One dressed in purple and red and the other cloth with the sun and the moon under her feet. Who are these two women, and what do they have to do with your present and your future?
In the context of the three angels’ messages in Revelation 14, we take a look at the two women and two cities described in the Book of Revelation and what role they play today and in the future.
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Seeking God’s Help
Holy Father, as we look at the book of Revelation, we see that we are living in the time of the end. Help us to adhere to the call of the three angels. In Jesus’ Name Amen
By now, we understand that Revelation is a book filled with symbols. These symbols help us better see the cosmic conflict between good and evil unfold. This great battle between good and evil is summarized in Revelation with the symbolism of two women: one clothed with the sun in Revelation 12 and one dressed in scarlet in Revelation 17.
The two women described in the Book of Revelation are a contrast between the two systems. They are two opposing systems.
One system is based on human reasoning. The members of this system pledge allegiance to man and their obedience to human decrees. At its head is human religious leaders.
The other system foundation is on the Word of God. The members of this system pledge their allegiance to God and obey his commands. The head of this system is Jesus Christ.
Revelation 17:14 lets us know the outcome of this battle between these opposing systems, saying:
14 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 woman found in Revelation 12 is faithful to Jesus. She is a pure woman who has not been defiled and corrupted by false teachings. Who is this woman?
In the Bible, a pure woman symbolizes the bride of Jesus or His true and loyal church. For instance, in Jeremiah 6:2, the prophet says,
The prophet Jeremiah uses the expression “daughter of Zion” to describe God’s people. This we see in Hosea 2:20
20 I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness, And you shall know the Lord. (Hosea 2:20)
It is also seen in Ephesians 5:25–32, in which Paul is instructing the men on how to treat their wives.
Ephesians 5:25-32
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her,
26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word,
27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.
28 So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself.
29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church.
30 For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones.
31 “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.”
32 This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church. (Ephesians 5:25-32)
On the other hand, the Bible, as in James 4:4, describes apostasy, the rejection or the refusal to submit to God and adhere to his words and teachings, as harlotry or adultery.
4 Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. (James 4:4)
Speaking of Israel’s rebellion and unfaithfulness, Ezekiel in Ezekiel 16:32 cries and weeps, saying,
“ ‘You are an adulterous wife, who takes strangers instead of her husband’ ” (Ezekiel 16:32, NKJV).
In this week’s lesson, we will study these two women of Revelation and probe more deeply into the conflict between truth and error and how they affect your present and your future.
Who are these women, and what do we have to do with them? Continue watching Part 2: Two Contrasting Systems.
Down through the ages, God has always had people who are faithful, loyal, and obedient to Him.
Revelation 12:17 describes them as those keeping the commandments of God.
17 And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. (Revelation 12:17)
And Revelation 17:4 depicts them as the called, the chosen, and faithful.
14 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)
Our aim should be to ensure that we are a part of God’s true system. The issue, therefore, is to make certain we are among those who are called, chosen, and faithful.
Babylon is depicted as a false system. What does the second angel announce about the condition of Babylon? In Revelation 14:8 It says:
8 And another angel followed, saying, “Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.” (Revelation 14:8)
Revelation 17:1 and 2. Tell us why the second angel makes this announcement. It says:
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,
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)
Now the question is, is this angel talking about ancient Babylon or is this Babylon symbolic of another false system?
You see, John wrote the book of Revelation at the end of the first one hundred years after Jesus’ birth. By this time, the ancient city of Babylon had already been destroyed for several hundred years.
So, in the book of Revelation, Babylon is symbolic of a false system in the end-time.
The end-time Babylon is a false system of worship that will be much like the real ancient city of Babylon that existed during Old Testament times. The same principles and teachings that controlled ancient Babylon will guide and control modern-day spiritual Babylon. You do not want to be caught up in this system. Why?
In Revelation 17:1–6, a woman is described as wearing a purple and scarlet dress.
Revelation 17:1-6
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,
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.”
3 So he carried me away in the Spirit into the wilderness. And I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast which was full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.
4 The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication.
5 And 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 and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. And when I saw her, I marveled with great amazement. (Revelation 17:1-6)
This woman is wearing purple and red. She is riding on the back of a red or scarlet-colored beast. The Bible says this woman is a harlot or “prostitute.”
This woman has left her true Lover, Jesus Christ, and is now selling her body. The harlot is called Babylon. As expressed, Babylon symbolizes a powerful, worldwide religious system that has fallen away from those who are called, chosen, and faithful.
It is a false religious system. Notice what Revelation 17:2 says about her: “The kings of the earth committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication” (Revelation 17:2).
The inhabitants of the earth were made drunk, intoxicated?
Fornication is the practice of forbidden sexual activity, which is symbolic of false teachings and doctrine.
The point is that both government leaders and everyday people have been negatively influenced by the false teaching of this religious system called Babylon. How, then, can we be protected from it? Read Ephesians 6:10–18 and then watch to see the extent of Babylon’s influence and how it can affect you. Part 3: The Wine of the Wrath
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