The Road to Armageddon / Revelation 17-18

A Motley Bunch and a Behind-the-Scenes Look

Just a real quick story that’s unconnected, but I think it’s kind of fun. Oh, by the way, holy schnikes! Can we scoot together? Like, everybody and their mom is here tonight, which is really cool. So scoot together, that would be great. Wow. Well, there you go. Well, that segues well into my story.

I had a fun time this week talking to three guys who were sort of disconnected from church. As a pastor, you have to work real hard to have conversations like that because as soon as you say what you do, they go, “Hey, what do you do for a living?” and I go, “Hey, I’m a pastor.” They’re like, “Alright, see you,” and they’re gone. Well, with these guys, I had a great captive audience. I told them that the greatest joy about our church is you. It’s our people.

I told them, “Man, here’s the deal. It’s unpretentious. People bring their Bibles and want to learn. They don’t care that I wear shorts. We live in spiritual forming relationships together. We teach the Bible. We do our best to grow in the Spirit. It’s a ragtag bunch of motley folk, but you know what? We’re heading that way, hopefully closer to Christ now than we were a year ago.”

I just watched the peculiar look on their faces, like, “What is he talking about?” And then they come and check it out. I just want you to know, you are making a difference in our city. When we started this, we said we want to be about one purpose: helping people connect to God and to each other. It is so cool to see that three years later, we’re knocking it out. Your friends, your family, and the people who are watching you are seeing something. God is using you here in our city.

With that being said, turn to Revelation 17, and let’s dive in. I’ll be honest with you: of all the weeks we’ve gone through in Revelation, this was probably the hardest for me. I think it was hard because of my perspective. I had a hard time wrapping my arms around it because I tend to be a bit linear and very chronological. I want things in order. At the end of chapter 16, we see the battle of Armageddon taking place. The next thing you would expect to see is Revelation 19, which is the Lord returning on His white horse, putting an end to the madness, and setting up His kingdom.

But you don’t get that. You get two chapters, 17 and 18, which seem odd. I think what happens is that God doesn’t think as much like I do, but more like a Quentin Tarantino—a filmmaker who shows you something, pauses, takes you back, and shows you something else. What you have in 17 and 18 is almost a cutaway shot.

Between that imagery and the brilliance of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, I think I finally figured this text out. My staff was cracking up because I was in full panic mode. I had no idea where to go or what to say, and I was freaking out. Then it came to me. As I watched Lord of the Rings, what made it come to life for me was not just the Shire, but watching the “making of” the Shire—all the work that went into it behind the scenes. The beauty of Gondor is not just in its gates, but in how they made it. The behind-the-scenes footage of Helm’s Deep or the tower at Isengard was the best part for me.

Then it hit me. The problem I had with 17 and 18 is that I was still looking for the main characters. But 17 and 18 is a pause in the action before chapter 19 begins. It is behind-the-scenes footage of what took place in that entire seven-year period. By the end of chapter 16, we’ve seen a few things: a one-world leader (the beast from Revelation 13), a one-world government (signified by the mark 666), and a one-world religion (propagated by the false prophet). If there was no back story, we would never have the question answered as to how this took place and what it looked like. Imagine you’re watching the DVD of Revelation; you finish 16, you hit pause, you go to “Special Features,” and you click “Behind the Scenes.” That is what 17 and 18 are.

There are two primary elements: the religion of the Tribulation (chapter 17) and the commerce of the Tribulation (chapter 18). There are two difficulties here. One, it’s not chronological, which is frustrating if you’re Type A. Two, there’s a ton of imagery. But you’ll love this: John will lay out the symbolism, and when he doesn’t understand it, he’s told, “Hey, don’t sweat it. Here’s what it means.”

The Harlot and the Counterfeit Religion

In chapter 17, we see the rise of this one-world religion. The entire world is going to rally around this religious concept. Most scholars believe it’s going to be some sort of apostate Christianity. It’s called “the harlot.” It’s a prostitute religion that jettisons truth and Scripture and rallies people around some ecumenical idea of “let’s all get together and sing Kumbaya.” We don’t know exactly what it will be like, but we know the world will gravitate toward it.

Karl Marx once said that religion is the “opium of the people.” It’s hard to disagree with that when you consider the longings we have to wonder if there’s something bigger than us—a greater purpose. In the deep recesses of our hearts, we wonder if there is anything in life worth dying for. It’s why love stories are so huge; we love the idea of nobility and someone laying their life down for what they care for.

There is a hole in us that only God can fill. We’ve tried to fill it with all kinds of things. Chances are, you’ve got a story similar to mine where you ran down all kinds of dead-end streets thinking, “If I could just get this, I’ll be happy.” Whether it was a relationship, drugs, or alcohol, you chased it only to find consequence and regret. Any of you have those stories? I sure do. Ultimately, we were trying to fill something only God can fill.

In chapter 17, it all comes together. The world is in chaos, godly folks have been removed, and evil is going crazy. People think the wheels have come off. All of a sudden, this one-world religion rises up and gives people hope, peace, and assurance. They turn to it by the thousands.

Revelation 17:1-2 (NASB)

Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and spoke with me, saying, ‘Come here, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters, with whom the kings of the earth committed [acts of] immorality, and those who dwell on the earth were made drunk with the wine of her immorality.’

This false religion is considered a harlot—a phony and a fake. She is not only immoral but spreading. She sits on many waters, meaning she’s in control of the entire world. But judgment is coming, not just to her, but to all associated with her.

If you look at the pagan religions of the Old Testament, 99.9% of them revolved around sexual immorality. It was brilliant marketing: set up a pole, call it a god, and tell everyone that if they come to worship, there will be an orgy. People were like, “Yeah!” Sexuality and spirituality are often linked in these false systems. She causes the people to be drunk with her immorality.

John is carried away in the Spirit into the wilderness and sees a picture of a beast with seven heads and ten horns. This is the Antichrist. This woman, this false religion, is riding the beast. This means the beast is controlling the woman. Ultimately, this false religion is part of Satan’s plan to exalt the Antichrist.

Revelation 17:4 (NASB)

The woman was clothed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a gold cup full of abominations and of the unclean things of her immorality,

The picture of this religion is a seductive woman. If you read Proverbs 7, you see a naive man walking by the house of an adulterous woman. She is dressed in fine linen and perfume. She tells him her husband is gone and says, “Come, let us drink our fill of love until morning.” On the outside, it looks like beauty and luxury, but it says he goes with her like an ox to the slaughter, not knowing her bed is a grave. That is what this religion will be: golden on the outside, but full of abominations on the inside.

Revelation 17:5 (NASB)

and on her forehead a name [was] written, a mystery, ‘BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.’

The Mystery of Babylon

Let’s unpack this name, “Mystery Babylon.” It has two aspects: geographic and philosophic. Geographically, Babylon is a city that exists today. It was one of the seven wonders of the world, known for its hanging gardens. Its location is about 70 miles south of Baghdad. It’s fascinating because Babylon needs to rise to prominence again. Regardless of your view on the war in Iraq, it’s biblically significant to see that area being raised up once again.

Philosophically, you have to go back to Genesis. Noah is told to build a boat, and when he gets off, God says, “Go, multiply, and fill the earth.” But on the plains of Shinar, a guy named Nimrod—whose name means “let us rebel”—decides he doesn’t want to spread out. He says, “Let’s build a city and a tower that reaches to the heavens.”

Man’s attempt to build a way to God is always met by God coming down. In Genesis 10 and 11, we see the birth of nations, races, and religions because of the Tower of Babel. Babylon had over 180 shrines to the god Ishtar; it’s where idolatry took root. God confused their language—the word “Babel” means confusion. Satan used this city once to deceive the world into idolatry, and he will do it again. The world will be longing for answers and will look for anything that looks like an answer, even if it has no heart.

Revelation 17:6 (NASB)

And I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus. When I saw her, I wondered greatly.

This apostate religion won’t just be wooing people; it will be antagonistic to anyone who rejects it. Isn’t it interesting that one of the biggest arguments against Christianity today is that we aren’t “tolerant”? Yet, when you talk about real intolerance, look at this: this harlot religion will put believers in Christ to death. They’ll call you rigid, narrow-minded, bigots, or sexists—all because you follow the Word of God. John wonders greatly at what he sees, and the angel gives him an interpretation.

Revelation 17:8 (NASB)

’The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to come up out of the abyss and go to destruction. And those who dwell on the earth, whose name has not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, will wonder when they see the beast, that he was and is not and will come.

The Antichrist is a carbon copy of the real thing—a fake of the original. He “was, and is not, and is to come.” This refers to the fatal wound he receives in chapter 13, where he supposedly dies and is “resurrected.” It’s a false resurrection that causes the world to wonder.

Revelation 17:9 (NASB)

’Here is the mind which has wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits,

The angel gives two interpretations: seven mountains and seven kings. Some suggest Rome, which was built on seven hills. But the “seven kings” part is fascinating. Five have fallen: Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, and Greece. One “is”—the Roman Empire of John’s day. And one is yet to come.

Revelation 17:11 (NASB)

’The beast which was and is not, is himself also an eighth and is [one] of the seven, and he goes to destruction.

How is the Antichrist both the seventh and the eighth? In the first three and a half years of the Tribulation, he is behind the scenes while the apostate religion is the focal point. But in the middle of that period, he goes into the temple, proclaims himself to be God, and stops the sacrifice. He becomes the eighth king, establishing his own kingdom. But his reign will be short.

Revelation 17:12-13 (NASB)

’The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but they receive authority as kings with the beast for one hour. ’These have one purpose, and they give their power and authority to the beast.

This ten-nation confederacy will have one purpose: to give all their power and authority to the beast. This is the power shift from the first half of the Tribulation to the second half.

The War with the Lamb

Revelation 17:14 (NASB)

‘These will wage war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with Him [are the] called and chosen and faithful.’

They will wage war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them. Is this some divine tennis match where God is on one side and Satan is on the other, and they’re just going back and forth? No. The Lamb overcomes them because He is Lord of lords and King of kings. He is God. He created Satan, and He will destroy Satan. He’s the bully on the block, and there ain’t no one bigger.

Second Thessalonians 2:8 says that when the lawless one is revealed, the Lord will slay him with the breath of His mouth. When somebody whoops you just by breathing on you, they’re pretty tough! This isn’t a long, drawn-out struggle; it’s the Lord taking His throne. Regardless of how bad things get, remember verse 14: God is on the throne.

Revelation 17:15 (NASB)

And he said to me, ’The waters which you saw where the harlot sits, are peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues.

This false religion will gather people from every tribe, tongue, and nation. There’s a huge movement today for ecumenical unity where people, in the name of Jesus, punt the Bible and truth just to get along. Can I get on a soapbox for a second? I’m not sure God is impressed when we “just get along” by denying the deity of Christ. We need to be a people of one Book who say, “This is sin and this is not.”

Revelation 17:16 (NASB)

’And the ten horns which you saw, and the beast, these will hate the harlot and will make her desolate and naked, and will eat her flesh and will burn her up with fire.

The Antichrist and his ten kings won’t let the one-world religion stay on the throne forever. In the middle of the Tribulation, they will turn on her, destroy her, and the Antichrist will take the throne for himself.

Revelation 17:17 (NASB)

’For God has put it in their hearts to execute His purpose by having a common purpose, and by giving their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God will be fulfilled.

Does that seem odd to you? All of this is happening according to God’s purposes. Have you ever felt like the train wrecks of your life happened because God forgot about you? Like He fell asleep at the switch? “Oops, my bad, I shouldn’t have let that happen.” Friends, we’re all going to face tragedy. If you haven’t yet, take notes, because you will. In those moments, you need to know there is a “verse 17.” God has the big picture. When friends die young and we ask why, God says, “You don’t understand the big picture yet. Hang in there.”

The Fall of Commercial Babylon

In chapter 18, we shift to the political and commercial situation.

Revelation 18:1-3 (NASB)

After these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illumined with his glory. And he cried out with a mighty voice, saying, ’Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a dwelling place of demons and a prison of every unclean spirit, and a prison of every unclean and hateful bird. ‘For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the passion of her immorality, and the kings of the earth have committed [acts of] immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich by the wealth of her sensuality.’

Babylon the city will come to prominence and then fall. John repeats “fallen, fallen” for emphasis. This applies to both the geographic city and the philosophic system that says you can reach God without His provision. It becomes a dwelling place for demons and “hateful birds.” I don’t quite get the bird thing, but John’s audience did! The merchants of the earth grew rich off her sensuality and greed.

Revelation 18:4 (NASB)

I heard another voice from heaven, saying, ’Come out of her, my people, so that you will not participate in her sins and receive of her plagues;

This is a flash of light. God says, “Come out of her, my people.” Throughout Scripture, there is always a glimmer of hope—a remnant. Abraham begged for Lot before Sodom was destroyed. God tucked Noah into a boat. Paul said God always has a remnant according to His gracious choice. Even when wrath is about to be poured out, God calls His people to be separate and holy.

Revelation 18:5-7 (NASB)

for her sins have piled up as high as heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities. ’Pay her back even as she has paid, and give back [to her] double according to her deeds; in the cup which she has mixed, mix twice as much for her. ’To the degree that she glorified herself and lived sensuously, to the same degree give her torment and mourning; for she says in her heart, ‘I SIT [as] A QUEEN AND I AM NOT A WIDOW, and will never see mourning.’

God’s wrath has been diluted over the centuries, but here it is poured out at full strength—a double shot of wrath.

Revelation 18:8 (NASB)

’For this reason in one day her plagues will come, pestilence and mourning and famine, and she will be burned up with fire; for the Lord God who judges her is strong.

It’s as if God has been keeping a sports car under 70 miles per hour for years, and finally, He finds a back road and just opens it up. He opens the floodgates of wrath.

Revelation 18:9-10 (NASB)

’And the kings of the earth, who committed [acts of] immorality and lived sensuously with her, will weep and lament over her when they see the smoke of her burning, standing at a distance because of the fear of her torment, saying, ‘Woe, woe, the great city, Babylon, the strong city! For in one hour your judgment has come.’

In one hour, this city that polluted the world with idolatry is destroyed. And look at the reaction of the merchants.

Revelation 18:11 (NASB)

’And the merchants of the earth weep and mourn over her, because no one buys their cargoes any more–

The Bible lists 28 commodities they traded. Their mourning isn’t because God’s name is blasphemed or because of the loss of life. They are mourning because they aren’t making any money anymore!

Let me “TiVo” this for a second and pause. It would be funny if it wasn’t so close to who we are. We spend our lives accumulating stuff. I’ve got so much junk in my house, and I have no idea why. When I die, I’ll give it to my daughter, and she won’t want it either. She’ll pay for a storage unit or have a garage sale to get rid of the stuff I should have thrown away years ago. That’s life.

What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? Jesus said in Matthew 6 not to store up treasures on earth where moth and rust destroy, but to store up treasures in heaven.

Matthew 6:21 (NASB)

for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Where is your heart? We could probably trace it by looking at your treasures. These people in Babylon had their hearts in the things of this world. Their mourning was about the money.

Where Your Treasure Is

Revelation 18:22-24 (NASB)

’And the sound of harpists and musicians and flute-players and trumpeters will not be heard in you any longer; and no craftsman of any craft will be found in you any longer; and the sound of a mill will not be heard in you any longer; and the light of a lamp will not shine in you any longer; and the voice of the bridegroom and bride will not be heard in you any longer; for your merchants were the great men of the earth, because all the nations were deceived by your sorcery. ‘And in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints and of all who have been slain on the earth.’

Babylon will become a ghost town. This house of glass they built around themselves will collapse. Our only hope is living in such a way that we help people understand who Christ is so they won’t be there when this happens.

When I talk to people who don’t go to church, they usually don’t have a problem with Jesus. They have a problem with us. Can we just be honest about that? People need to hear the truth of Christ. We need to live biblical lives so that the people around us might hear of Christ before it’s too late.

There is only one door. There is one road, one gate, and one means of entrance: the Lord Jesus Christ. The offer is free for all, but the way is very narrow. As we do life together as a body, let’s keep that in mind.

Let’s pray together, and then we’re going to sing one final song.