False Religions and False Systems

Revelation 17

Though Christians must be good citizens and seek to influence government for the Lord, the church must not marry political systems. It is this idolatry that we see with Babylon throughout Revelation 17. The systems will only use the church to promote their own plans and then abandon it much like Pilate did when he washed His hands with Jesus and those wishing to crucify Him. Christ’s kingdom is not of this world, and the enemy is spiritual. We must use spiritual weapons to fight spiritual enemies.

“For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. 5 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, 6 being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.” 2 Cor. 10:3–6 (ESV)

“Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great prostitute who is seated on many waters, 2 with whom the kings of the earth have committed sexual immorality, and with the wine of whose sexual immorality the dwellers on earth have become drunk.” 3 And he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness, and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was full of blasphemous names, and it had seven heads and ten horns. 4 The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and jewels and pearls, holding in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her sexual immorality. 5 And on her forehead was written a name of mystery: “Babylon the great, mother of prostitutes and of earth’s abominations.” 6 And I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of the martyrs of Jesus.” Revelation 17:1–6 (ESV)

John saw a blasphemous prostitute sitting on a seven-headed, 10-horned beast, wearing costly clothes, drunk with the blood of the believers she had killed. She had had “immoral relations” with the “rulers of the world,” which has an intoxicating effect on all people. The beast, who will cause the world to marvel because he “was alive but isn’t now. And yet he will soon come up,” is the Antichrist, whose miraculous recovery will cause the world to marvel. He will proceed from the bottomless pit and eventually go to “eternal destruction”

Dr. Tony Evans has much to say on Revelation 17, “The Holy Spirit transports John into the wilderness (a deserted, lonely, desolate wasteland), perhaps to give him a better understanding of the vision. The woman is the harlot or Babylon. Scarlett or The Antichrist, who for a time will support and use the false religious system to effect world unity. Then he will assume political control. Scarlet is the color of luxury, splendor, and royalty. This pictures the extent of Antichrist’s political alliances. The colors of royalty, nobility, and wealth. The woman is portrayed as a prostitute who has plied her trade successfully and become extremely wealthy. Prostitutes often dress in fine clothes and precious jewels to allure their victims. The religious harlot Babylon is no different, adorning herself to lure the nations into her grasp. Still another evidence of the harlot’s great wealth; but the pure gold is defiled by the filthiness of her immorality. Just as a prostitute might first get her victim drunk, so the harlot system deceives the nations into committing spiritual fornication with her.


Dr. Evans writes, “It was customary for Roman prostitutes to wear a headband with their name on it parading their wretchedness for all to see. The harlot’s forehead is emblazoned with a 3-fold title descriptive of the world’s final false religious system. A NT mystery is truth once hidden, but in the NT revealed. Spiritual Babylon’s true identity is yet to be revealed. Thus, the precise details of how it will be manifested in the world are not yet known. This Babylon is distinct from the historical, geographical city of Babylon (which still existed in John’s day). The details of John’s vision cannot be applied to any historical city. All false religion stems ultimately from Babel, or Babylon... Some see the first group as OT saints, and the second as NT saints—an unimportant distinction since this pictures the “witnesses,” or martyrs, of the Tribulation. John’s point is that the harlot is a murderer. False religion has killed millions of believers over the centuries, and the final false system will be far more deadly than any that preceded it."

“When I saw her, I marveled greatly. 7 But the angel said to me, “Why do you marvel? I will tell you the mystery of the woman, and of the beast with seven heads and ten horns that carries her. 8 The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to rise from the bottomless pit and go to destruction. And the dwellers on earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world will marvel to see the beast, because it was and is not and is to come.” Revelation 17:6–8 (ESV)

Each person must identify with either the harlot or the bride; there can be no compromise. The woman represents the ultimate in godless world religion. She is joined with government (carried by the Beast) and corrupts everything she touches. The bride is the true church of Jesus Christ, cleansed by His blood and destined for glory.

“This calls for a mind with wisdom: the seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman is seated; 10 they are also seven kings, five of whom have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come, and when he does come he must remain only a little while. 11 As for the beast that was and is not, it is an eighth but it belongs to the seven, and it goes to destruction. 12 And the ten horns that you saw are ten kings who have not yet received royal power, but they are to receive authority as kings for one hour, together with the beast. 13 These are of one mind, and they hand over their power and authority to the beast. 14 They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful.” Revelation 17:9–14 (ESV)

It is agreed upon that the harlot or prostitute mentioned in this passage represents the worldwide false religion that has always existed and that the Antichrist will turn toward worship of himself during the Tribulation. Participating in false religion is like committing adultery: you are unfaithful to the one to whom you pledged your love.

Dr. Tony Evans continues, “Representatives of the 7 great world empires (Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome, and that of the Antichrist). Daniel’s image in Daniel 2:37–45. five have fallen, one is, the other. When John wrote, the Egyptian, Assyrian, Babylonian, Medo-Persian and Greek empires had gone out of existence; Rome still existed; and the Antichrist’s empire had not yet come. When it does, it will be brief and he will end in perdition.”

“And the angel said to me, “The waters that you saw, where the prostitute is seated, are peoples and multitudes and nations and languages. 16 And the ten horns that you saw, they and the beast will hate the prostitute. They will make her desolate and naked, and devour her flesh and burn her up with fire, 17 for God has put it into their hearts to carry out his purpose by being of one mind and handing over their royal power to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled. 18 And the woman that you saw is the great city that has dominion over the kings of the earth.” Revelation 17:15–18 (ESV)

The harlot was popular for a time, but then her “lovers” turned on her and destroyed her. The Antichrist will use a world church to get himself into power and then establish his own religion.

Dr. Tony Evans writes, “After using the false religious system to unify the world kingdoms and gain control of all, the Antichrist—with the help of his 10 sub-rulers—will turn against the system, plunder and destroy it, and seize all power and worship for himself. They will be carrying out God’s will."

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