The End of World Religion, Part 2

Turn with me in your Bible to Revelation chapter 17. Revelation chapter 17. We began our study of this infamous chapter last week, realizing once again that the book of Revelation is the most incredible, most astounding book you'll ever read. As we go through the pages of this book, we've come to realize that some things are difficult to understand, some are a little bit easier, but for the most part, It's hard. And so we have tried to explain to you what John saw when God gave him the different visions.

Of the future. Satan is out to deceive the nations, to deceive the world. He will accomplish that and Revelation 17 tells us exactly how he brings the world together in one deceptive mode. To get them to bow down and worship him as king. We learned last week that the name of that System that religious system is in verse number five of Revelation chapter 17. It's a name that we discussed and we will review just a little bit tonight for you, but it's not a name that you're going to find on the marquee.

It's not going to be above the Church of Satan. It's not going to read, Welcome to Mystery Babylon the Great, the mother of harlots, and of the abominations of the earth. That's not what it's going to say. But that's what the Bible calls it, because that's exactly what it is. We learned last week that it was a mystery. Why is it called a mystery? Because it's more than a physical system. It's more than a human system. It's more than something that can be located in some geographical place. It is deep.

It is demonic. It is supernatural, and the reason it is a mystery is because it has not yet been fully revealed. Therefore, it is a mystery. It's called Mystery Babylon the Great. Its fin form of rel is called Babylon the Great. It's called the Great because all the religions of the world have come together. It's comprehensive in nature. The reason it's called the Mother of Harlots is because In Babylon, back in Genesis chapter 11, is the time in which all the false religions were spawned under one man by the name of Nimrod.

And he brought the world together. Satan tried to accomplish something in Genesis chapter 11 that he was unable to accomplish because God came down to the Tower of Babel. and he confused the languages and when he confused the languages he drove the people out of that one location around the world and in so doing they took that false religious system with them. And in Revelation 17, they will all come back to one area, to one system, and that is Satan's system. That's why. She's called the m of harlots.

Harlotry is something that describes all false religion. Idolatry is characterized in Scripture as prostitution. It's characterized as adultery. Being intimate with someone other than the true God. Whenever somebody doesn't worship the one true God, whenever an individual or a group of individuals decide to worship self. Another God, some other form of a God, they commit spiritual fornication. They bec harlots in a spiritual sense. God has created man to worship Him. God has created man to have an intimate relationship with Him.

When man does not have that intimate relationship with Him on a spiritual level, the Bible calls it Prostitution. The Bible calls it harlotry. It's also called the ab of the earth. Why? Because she is the source of all blasphemy. She is the source of all abominations. This religious system on the earth called Babylon the Great, the mother of harlots, is a system that once gave birth in Genesis chapter 11. And the false religions were scattered around the world because of the Lord. They all come home for the tribulational holiday.

They all come home to Mother, to celebrate. One God, that God is the Antichrist. It's humanly impossible to bring the world together religiously. But Satan will be able to accomplish it in the tribulation. He'll be able to bring the world together and to pull off what he has tried to accomplish from the day that he was cast out of heaven. And yet, God will destroy it all in the end. It is our business to speak the truth. It is our business to stand for truth. It is our business to make sure that Jesus Christ Himself is lifted up, that God is glorified, that God Himself is honored.

In 1978, McCall magazine qu Billy Graham when he said these words. I used to believe, and I quote, that pagans in far countries were lost if they did not have the gospel of Christ preached to them. I no longer believe that. End quote. People were a little upset, needed to say, at that statement. And in 1997, Mr. Graham had an interview with Dr. Robert Schull. And Schul Who is the promoter of the self-est gospel began to interview Mr. Graham? And he asked the evangelist's view. Listen very carefully.

He asked the ev's view on the future of Christianity. Graham answered by giving his belief about the final make of the body of Christ. This is what he said. From all the Christian groups around the world, out the Christian groups. I think that everybody that loves or knows Christ, whether they are conscious of it or not, They are members of the body of Christ. How can someone not know consciously that he loves Christ and is a member of the body of Christ? He goes on to say this: I don't think that we are going to see a great sweeping revival that will turn the whole world to Christ at any time.

I think James entered that, the Apostle James, in the first council in Jerusalem. When he said that God's purpose for this age is to call out a people for his name. And that's what he is doing today. He is calling out of the world for his name. People, whether they come from the Muslim world or the Buddhist world or the non-believing world. They are members of the body of Christ because they have been called by God. They may not know the name of Jesus. But they know in their hearts that they need something they do not have, and they turn to the only light they have.

And I think that they are saved and they are going to be with us. In heaven, end quote. How can someone come to saving faith and not believe in the name of Jesus? When there is no other name under heaven given among men whereby you must be saved, how can someone be saved unless they hear the gospel? The Bible says, faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

How shall they hear without a preacher? How is it that the foremost preacher of the world Who goes around the world gathering people together to preach God's word to them? Can all of a sudden come out and say, I don't believe any longer that the world has to hear the word of God to be saved. But just to let you know how subtly Satan infiltrates evangelicalism with the thought. That anybody who just, whatever they believe about Jesus in their mind, whatever that may be, will get them to heaven. Robert Schul was surprised at what he heard Dr.

Graham say. And he was anxious for clarification. He said, What I hear you saying is that it's possible for Jesus Christ to come into human hearts and soul and life, even if they have been born in darkness and have never had exposure to the Bible. Is that a correct interpretation of what you are saying? Yes, it is, Dr. Graham responded in decided tones. At which point. His television host tripped over his words with excitement and exclaimed, as only Dr. Schul can, I am so thrilled to hear you say this: that there is whiteness in God's mercy.

To which Graham added, yes, there definitely is. Folks, listen. I'm not here just to rag on the Roman Catholic Church. I'm not here to rag on anything except to tell you exactly what the Word of God says about the future of the world.

The world is moving toward a religiosity, a religiosity that's all-encompassing. Come as you are from whatever church you're in, from whatever background you've experienced. If you just conjure up in your mind some thought of God, whatever that might be, if you believe in that, if you believe in whatever light that is, you'll get to heaven. That's a new age gospel. And that's what's being filled in people, people's minds are being filled with that kind of teaching. And friends, if that doesn't anger you, if that doesn't grieve your soul, then your heart is hardened.

Something's wrong with you. Your heart should be burdened for the truth. Your heart should be set ablaze with the gospel. You should be willing to stand up as a Daniel did against everybody else and say, thus saith the Lord. As Paul did, thus saith the Lord. Even though everybody forsook him, he said, I'm standing strong on what I believe. People like John Knox, people like Martin Luther, people like John Calvin, who were unafraid of the church. Who were unafraid of the newspaper, who were unafraid of anybody who would come out against them.

They were more afraid of God than they were of anybody else. And I'm afraid that most of us are not nearly afraid of God as we are of our neighbor or those in whom we go to church with. In my heart today, I am more compelled to preach the truth hard and more vehemently than I was even yesterday. And I would trust that that would be the case for you as well. That in the innermost part of your being, you love the law of God as a psalmist did. You love it so much that whenever a little inkling of error arises, you squelch it.

Because you don't want people to be confused. Is it any wonder that when we go to church, we see these people who claim Christianity but are so confused about what it means to be a follower of Jesus Christ? Why is that? It's because of how Satan is slowly moving the world to become very rel. Remember, Satan is an angel of light. He disguises himself as such. He is the master deceiver of the world. He is so deceptive that the Bible says in Matthew 24 that if possible, The elect would be led astray because the supernatural power of Satan is so great that if it was possible, and it's not, but if it was, the elect would be led astray.

So God shortens the days of the tribulation. So that those who are born again during that time period don't fall away because the angel of light Is so far beyond us when it comes to deceiving us, and his power is so incredible, so masterful, that most of us never even see it. That's why we must know for certain the truth of the Word of God. And that's why we have spent the time we have this evening trying to help you understand that what is happening today. In the world, all stems from a thing that happened way back in Genesis chapter 11 with a man by the name of Nimrod.

His wife Sam, the son Tammuz, and how that spread all through the world till it came to Rome. And in Rome, there was a mixture of Christianity. In the Babylonian cult that came to be known as Roman Catholicism, and now Roman Catholicism becomes that m motivating factor that will play a significant part. In the falsification of religion in the end time, headed, of course, by the false prophet himself, empowered by S. That leads us to Revelation 17, verse number 1. And it says. And one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and spoke with me, saying, Come here.

I shall show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters. One of the seven angels who had one of the seven ball. This connects us back to Revelation chapter 16. One of the angels who had one of the seven bowls that was poured out in rapid succession at the end of the tribulation, one of those angels. Comes and tells John something. This is not an additional event. What happens in Revelation 17? Is a description of what is being destroyed as the bowls are being poured out. Listen, God is so good to us because He wants us to know.

He wants us to know the characteristic of this woman, this false religious system, and shame on us. If we don't spend time inv the most significant chapter in the Bible that describes for us the false religious system that is going to encompass the world, Because it's already happening today. It's been happening for hundreds of years, thousands of years. The angel says, I want to tell you about the destruction of the great harlot. I want to show you what's going to happen to her. Chapter 16 ends right before the return of Christ.

But chapter 17 and chapter 18 are inserted. Before that, return, so that you and I will have a comprehensive description of Satan's system. And that description is best described in Revelation chapter 17. And look at the invitation.

Come here. I'm going to show you the judgment of the great harlot. Come here, John. I want to invite you and I want to show you something. Look with me over to Revelation 21, verse number 9, for a moment. It says, and one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the last seven plagues, so maybe this is the same angel, maybe this is another one of those seven angels, but listen to this invitation. Come, or came and spake with me, saying, Spoke with me, saying, Come here. I will show you what?

The bride. I'm going show you the bride. I'm going show you the wife of the lamb. Listen. In Revel 17, it, I want to show you the harlot. I want to show you the prostitute. A boy in Revelation 21, he says, I want to show you the bride, the virgin. Remember in Ephesians 5, we're talked about as a spotless br where Christ wants to present us to the Father unblem. Clean and spotless. And one of those angels comes and says, Let me show you the bride.

But before you see the bride, The wife of the lamb, you got to see the harlots. We want to exhibit her in all of her harlotries to you. And we look at four things.

Number one, we want you to see her power. Number two, her prosperity. Number three, her passion. Number four, her persecution. And I don't think we're going to finish these this evening. But that's okay. First of all, her power.

The angel says, I want to show you the judgment of the great. Harlot. She's great. She's mega. She's incredibly huge. Unbelievably large. She's all-encompassing. Any city that prostitutes itself, committing spiritual fornication, is a harlot city. Los Angeles. Is a harlot city. New York is a harlot city. I'm sure the mayors of those cities would not appreciate me saying that, but that is the truth, if at any time. You prostitute yourself by committing spiritual fornication, by worship other gods, by not bowing down to the one true God.

You are a harlot, according to what the Bible says. But her power is seen in basically two areas. Number one, the authority that she has and the associations that she has.

First of all, her authority. It says that she sits on many waters. Sitting is a mark of distinction. Sitting is what kings do on their thrones. It's the position of sovereignty. It is the distinctive posture of deity. It symbolizes Rule. She sits on many waters. As you recall, in ancient days, the most important thing a city ever thought of was water. They had to have a supply of water, whether it be rivers, lakes, springs. Water supply was everything. Water number one Geographics number two.

Babylon, by the way, was by the Euphrates River. In fact, Babylon had one of the seven wonders of the world. They are the ones who developed the very first air conditioning system.

They somehow were able to develop a system where water would drip. Down to the ground, and as the water would drip and the wind would pass through that water, it would blow that water onto people, and it was one of the seven wonders of the world. This great harlot is seated by many waters, the text says. Verse number 15 describes that too. You look that in Revelation 17, verse number 15. And he said to me, The waters which you saw, back up in verse number one, the waters which you saw where the harlot sits are people's And multitudes and nations and tongues.

So the Bible tells you what the waters are. When a city was built by the water, it meant that there was great access to that city. Trade could be developed in that city. People would come to that city. And the great harlot sits. On these many waters, commanding with great authority as sovereign ruler over the world. So her authority is seen by the fact that she sits in the place of sovereignty, and she sits over many peoples, tribes, tongues, and nations. But look at her alliances or her associations.

It says in verse number two: 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, and he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness. Notice, first of all, She's associated with the kings of the earth.

Her scope is immense. She is the ally of the whole world. She is the ally of the presidents. She's the ally of the kings. She's the ally of the prime minister. She's the ally of the emperors. She's the ally of the dictators. She's the ally of all the sovereigns, all the kings of the earth. They all come to this harlot. And it says, what? It committed acts of immorality. The word used, porne, very significant word. Why? Because the word that is used. Is the word used for fornication not adultery? Why?

Because in order for there to be adultery, there has to be a marriage. The world is not married to God. Only those who believe in God and are true to Him and have accepted what He said in His Word are true to Him. Israel was an adulteress because she committed spiritual adultery, but the world commits acts of immorality. She commits acts of fornication because they don't know God. They worship other deities. They've been deceived by the false prophet, by the Antich. So, all the world leaders come together, they all go to bed with the same harlot, and they end up with her infectious disease, and ultimately they will all be killed.

Why? Because they have been duped. B Satan. Jeremiah 51, 7 says that idolatry is likened to intimate intercourse. Not only is it the kings of the earth who associate with her, but it's those who dwell on the earth. Not just the believer, but the unbeliever. The phrase, those who dwell upon the earth, is that phrase that is used repeatedly in the scripture to describe the unbeliever. And the imagery is unbelievable. They are all made drunk with the wine of her immorality. They are all into with this false religion.

This isn 't sexual immorality. This is spiritual immorality. And the world has become intoxicated. With false religion. They have succumbed to it totally, passionately, and intensely. They have given into her heart and soul. They have given everything over. To her. And then it says in verse number three, and he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness.

And saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast full of blasphemous names, having seven heads and ten horns. What is that? You come next week, and I'll tell you. Let's pray.