“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.” – Revelation 17:3
Scripture reading: Revelation 17:1-18
The Spirit isolates John so he can see the Great Prostitute and the Beast on which she sits. She is gloriously arrayed. She is the great city that has dominion over the kings of the earth (v.18). In other words, she is human civilization, not in submission to Christ, but in harmony with the beast. She is a picture of any ungodly civilization: people working and living together in business, commerce, labour, entertainment, arts, education, theology, etc., but all apart from God. This civilization is seen as a prostitute because, while looking attractive, she leads people away from God to serve created things. This is adulterous. When God’s people were taken in by this world, Isaiah exclaimed, “See how the faithful city has become an adulteress (Isaiah 1:21). The prostitute is always the insolent and idolatrous society (Tyre in Isaiah 23:16, Nineveh in Nahum 3:4) that seeks to lead even God’s people astray. Civilization here is a whore, not an adulteress. Babylon is a prostitute, never the lamb’s wife.
She sits on many waters, or many peoples that are opposed to God. She is also on the beast out of the waters, which is any ungodly human power or authority. Civilization cannot exist apart from human government, so she is seen here dependent on the beast.
Tomorrow we will see why we should not be taken in by her, but remain as we are, redeemed to be a holy nation, a royal priesthood, a people set apart unto the Lord.
Suggestions for prayer
Although the society in which we live is very enticing, her music and art, work and science beautiful, pray that we may remain a distinct and holy people for God’s glory.
Rev. Calvin J. Tuininga was born in Grand Rapids Michigan, but as a PK grew up in different places, mostly in Canada. He served in four churches: Burdett Alberta (CRC), Telkwa, B.C. (CRC), Trinity St. Catharines, Ontario (CRC/URC) and Covenant URC in Pantego, North Carolina. He retired in September 2019, and he and his wife presently reside in Washington, North Carolina. Get this devotional delivered directly to your phone each day via our RP App. This devotional is made available by the Nearer To God Devotional team, who also make available in print, for purchase, at NTGDevotional.com.
