The Lamentation of The Great Whore

 Temple Baptist Church - 11-7-2021

Revelation 18

 

A.  Last week, we saw why the great whore had to be destroyed: 1)  Because she had outlived her purpose or usefulness to Satan  2)  Because Satan will not continue to allow anything or anyone to be worshipped in his stead.

 

B.  Her Description – Verses 1-3.  Babylon the Great, in chapter 17 and 18, is given a two-fold description.

 

1.  The Ecclesiastical description is "Mystery Babylon" in chapter 17.  This refers back to her beginning and follows her history until the end-time.  She is a religious whore who has sold her soul for temporal things.  Romanism is not a worship of God or Jesus Christ, it is a worship of the Catholic Church, Mary, and idols.

 

2.  The Economic description is "Babylon the Great" found in both chapter 17 and 18.  Here we find her commercial outreach from the city of Rome that has touched every nation in the world.  She is popular because she is rich!  She is the richest religious institution on earth.

 

3.  The End of this religious system comes at the hand of the Political Babylon in Revelation 17:16.  She is destroyed on two fronts referenced by the double "is fallen, is fallen."  She will be destroyed religiously as Satan will have no "gods" before him and economically as her great merchandise will cease at her falling.  Today, we are getting a small dose of what will transpire in the Tribulation Period as economies will ultimately collapse because socialism is a "failure looking for a place to happen."  You cannot live on another's finances!

 

C.  Her Wickedness – Verses 2-3.  She is great and she is wicked!  She is the habitation of devils, foul spirits, and unclean birds (interesting that her leadership bears the name of "cardinals.")  The heart of the Roman system of worship is idolatrous and anti-Bible.  Martin Luther found out that you cannot read and study your Bible and remain Catholic. 

 

D.  "Habitation of devils."  The first mention of "devils" in the Bible is associated with unacceptable sacrifice. 

 

Leviticus 17:3-7  What man soever there be of the house of Israel, that killeth an ox, or lamb, or goat, in the camp, or that killeth it out of the camp,  (4)  And bringeth it not unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, to offer an offering unto the LORD before the tabernacle of the LORD; blood shall be imputed unto that man; he hath shed blood; and that man shall be cut off from among his people:  (5)  To the end that the children of Israel may bring their sacrifices, which they offer in the open field, even that they may bring them unto the LORD, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, unto the priest, and offer them for peace offerings unto the LORD.  (6)  And the priest shall sprinkle the blood upon the altar of the LORD at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and burn the fat for a sweet savour unto the LORD.  (7)  And they shall no more offer their sacrifices unto devils, after whom they have gone a whoring. This shall be a statute for ever unto them throughout their generations.

 

The only acceptable sacrifice took place within the Tabernacle in the Wilderness.  There were some who chose to offer their personal sacrifices outside the Tabernacle and the Bible called these sacrifices "sacrifices unto devils, after who they have gone a whoring" in verse 7.  The only acceptable sacrifice today is on a hill called Calvary, where our Lord Jesus Christ died for the sins of the world.  Calvary and the Resurrection comprised a finished work called the Gospel to which nothing can be added or removed.  The Gospel is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believeth, both Jew and Gentile.

 

E.  "Hold of every foul spirit." The word "hold" refers to a protected or guarded place.  "Foul spirit" refers to devils in general (fallen angels) who are enemies of Christ and mankind.  "Devils" refers to their association to Satan and their following of the same.

 

Mark 9:25  When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him.

 

These "foul spirits" continue to exist in our day.  The wickedness of people is often because of devil possession as it was in the days of Christ.  Our Lord dealt with these fallen angels on a consistent basis and we have the same warfare.

 

Ephesians 6:11-13  Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.  (12)  For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.  (13)  Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

 

F.  "Cage of every unclean and hateful bird."  This phrase does not speak of birds in general as God made them beautiful and harmless.  I love to feed birds.  They are a thing of beauty and singing that brings joy and peace to the heart.  The description is of a cage: a place of forced containment.  The spiritual Babylon holds captive the evil spirits that remain within it. 

 

G.  "Unclean and Hateful" speaks of those birds that I do not like to see such as buzzards, crows, and other birds that eat carrion.  Her priesthood is defiled and is likened unto unclean and hateful birds.  The First Mention of such is found when birds came down to devour the sacrifices made by Abram. 

 

Genesis 15:9-11  And he said unto him, Take me an heifer of three years old, and a she goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon.  (10)  And he took unto him all these, and divided them in the midst, and laid each piece one against another: but the birds divided he not.  (11)  And when the fowls came down upon the carcases, Abram drove them away.

 

The end-time spiritual system is bankrupt because it destroys the singular sacrifice of Jesus Christ alone for salvation. There is no co-redemptrix nor is there a co-mediatrix as is taught by Catholicism.  Redemption and mediation are found in Christ alone.

 

H.  Verse 3.  All nations will be drunk (to be "intoxicated") with her spiritual fornication.  People who protect the religious Babylon have no comprehension of what the Bible teaches.  They only follow what the end-time church teaches.  I believe that it would be a fair assessment to say that almost all Catholic people have never read their Bible through from cover to cover much less studied the Scriptures.

 

J.  All the kings of the earth will have "bought in" to her fornication.  Fornication - to act the harlot, that is, (literally) indulge unlawful lust (of either sex), or (figuratively) practice idolatry: - commit (spiritual fornication).  These ungodly nations and kings agree with this religious institution though the religious institution is not in agreement with Bible.  The Bible MUST be assessed by them as a source of truth and practice but not THE source of truth and practice.  The end-time religious system becomes the form of worship to be followed.

 

Revelation 2:20-23  Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.  (21)  And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not.  (22)  Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds.  (23)  And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.

 

K.  The merchants of the earth are "bought in" because this religious system has made them rich through the abundance of her delicacies.  She will be greatly mourned at her demise.