How can we identify modern "great prostitutes" as described in Revelation 17:1? Setting the scene from Revelation 17:1 “Then one of the seven angels with the seven bowls came and said to me, ‘Come, I will show you the punishment of the great prostitute, who sits on many waters…’” John is invited to see a shocking vision—an end-times system portrayed as a brazen woman committing spiritual adultery with the kings of the earth. Key biblical traits of the “great prostitute” Read the rest of Revelation 17–18 alongside 17:1 and notice: • Global reach—“sits on many waters” (17:1); the angel interprets the waters as “peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues” (17:15). • Intoxicating influence—“with whom the kings of the earth committed sexual immorality, and the inhabitants of the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her immorality” (17:2). • Lavish wealth—“arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls” (17:4). • Religious façade—she holds “a golden cup…full of abominations” (17:4); the outward glitter hides inward corruption. • Persecutor of believers—“I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the saints” (17:6). • Partnership with political power—she rides the scarlet beast (17:3); her authority is propped up by governments yet will be destroyed by them (17:16-17). • A name that links her to Babylon (17:5), echoing Genesis 11, Jeremiah 51, and Isaiah 47: the archetype of rebellion, pride, and idolatry. Foundational passages for discernment • Isaiah 1:21—Jerusalem called a harlot when she embraced idolatry and injustice. • Ezekiel 16; 23—God equates covenant-breaking with prostitution. • James 4:4—“Friendship with the world is hostility toward God.” • 1 John 2:15-17—Love for the world system is set against love for the Father. Modern manifestations: where do we see these traits? Look for any movement, institution, or cultural current that combines the traits above: • A worldwide ideological or religious network that substitutes human glory for God’s. • Systems that seduce leaders and populations through economic leverage, entertainment, or propaganda, normalizing immorality. • Wealth-driven structures that exploit the vulnerable while flaunting opulence. • Political-religious alliances that demand conformity and silence dissent, especially from faithful believers. • Persecution—legal, social, or violent—of those who hold to biblical testimony. When several of these markers converge, we are likely glimpsing a contemporary foretaste of the final Babylon. Practical checkpoints for personal discernment • Examine loyalties—Does this entity call for allegiance that competes with Christ’s lordship? (Luke 14:26-27) • Test doctrines—Is the gospel distorted for popularity, profit, or power? (Galatians 1:6-9) • Observe fruit—Are holiness, justice, and sacrificial love absent? (Matthew 7:16-20) • Watch treatment of saints—Are believers marginalized, mocked, or harmed? (2 Timothy 3:12) • Consider endgame—Does it foster dependence on a unified global system rather than on God? (Revelation 13:16-17) Living faithfully in the midst of Babylon • Stay alert—“Come out of her, My people” (Revelation 18:4); separation is first inward, then, where possible, outward. • Hold fast to truth—Scripture is the plumb line (2 Timothy 3:16-17). • Endure in hope—The Lamb conquers (Revelation 17:14); fidelity today will be vindicated tomorrow. • Witness with courage—Even under pressure, keep proclaiming the gospel (Philippians 2:15-16). • Invest in eternal riches—Store up treasures in heaven, not in Babylon’s marketplaces (Matthew 6:19-21). The “great prostitute” will reach her full expression in the last days, yet her shadow already falls across our era. By measuring every modern system against the biblical portrait, believers can discern, resist complicity, and cling to the victorious Lamb. |
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