We have a picture of a great prostitute in Chapter 17 and she is riding upon a scarlet beast. Maybe you have heard the little poem that goes like this:

“There once was a lady of Niger
Who smiled as she rode on a Tiger
They came back from the ride
With the lady inside
And the smile on the face of the Tiger.”


In our poem we have the lady riding on a Tiger thinking that all is well but then she was devoured by the Tiger; in this chapter we will see the great prostitute riding on a beast and in time she too is devoured by the beast she rides and there will a smile on his face as well.

In our Biblical events of this morning from Revelation 17 we see there are specific characters who are described by the Apostle John as he writes what the angel of God shows him as he sees into the future events of this world.

Let’s look at Revelation 17:1-6,

Now we see a harlot or prostitute who is given the main stage in history during the first three years of the Tribulation. We need to remember this is not a true person who is a prostitute but we have to look at this harlot being as the one world church or the apostate church! The angel says “come I will show you the punishment of the great prostitute” so we are looking at the end of the rebellion of false religions that has been going on from the beginning.
Warren Wiersbe writes about this in his commentary on chapter 17 and he says that John was carried away “in the Spirit” into the desert or wilderness and he wrote down what he saw. John described what the harlot was like including her appearance. Then Wiersbe says, “Genesis 2 speaks of a pure bride in a lovely Garden; but by the Bible’s end, civilization has degenerated to an impure harlot in the wilderness! That is what sin does to the world.”

What about this “great prostitute?” Who is she and who is the beast she is riding on? The harlot is the one world religion that was begun so many years ago when Nimrod in Genesis 10 founded the city of Babylon. Nimrod built the Tower of Babel (Gen. 11: 1-9). Bab-el means “gate of God” and the tower was an idolatrous attempt of man to defy God. It was here that God judged man's efforts and caused their one language to become many and then bab-el became the word to mean “confusion.” Later, Babylonian efforts of defying God reached everywhere by its great empire. “But from the beginning of Nimrod’s city in Genesis 10, an insidious anti-God “Babylonian influence” has been felt throughout history.” (W. Wiersbe) “The harlot who is the “mother of false religions” or the Babylonian’s system, has in one way or another given birth to all false religions. She has seduced men into opposing God and persecuting His followers.” Her influence was so great that the kings of the earth worshiped her and they became “intoxicated with the wine of her adulteries.”
Many scholars feel that the harlot is the “apostate church” “who profess to follow Christ but without possessing Him.” (John Hagee) 1 Timothy 4:1 says,

The harlot’s influence will be wide spread up and until the end of the first three years of the Tribulation.
Notice in verses 3-5 that she is adorned with purple and scarlet garments and all kinds of royal jewels too which indicates great wealth and position. Notice as well, that she holds “a golden cup in her hand, filled with abominable things and the filth of her adulteries.” Wiersbe says that “she is drunk with the blood of the saints.”

Now to the beast upon which the prostitute rides. Many, if not most of the scholars, say that the beast is the antichrist or the Roman Empire that begins to return under the leadership of the of this antichrist, they are synonymous. Here we see that the harlot and the beast are together and seeking to rule the earth with the power from satan and his influence on the religious machine and the political power of the world. Both religion and political powers are held in the hand of the one who defies the God of the Universe for they will seek to destroy all influences of God, in the world that He made. Satan has always sought to confuse and to deceive as well as take that which God has said is good and make it bad and for his wicked purposes. If you will note in history every time religion and political powers unite the wickedness of satan enters in and goodness goes by the wayside and wickedness reigns supreme. The concept of the harlot riding the beast is one that describes the cooperation they have where satan let’s the church feel it is in control. The revived Roman Empire under the leadership of the antichrist will combine it forces with the harlot or the apostate church, so as to deceive the world and its leaders. Make sure you understand that the harlot is riding the beast but she doesn’t control him and soon we will see the end of that apostate church. But in the meantime, we see when you compromise with the devil and his schemes you will be wrapped up in lies and deception and he always changes you, not the other way around. This new global religion will mesmerize all the world and its leaders.
Also notice the beast has the names which are blasphemous to God on its body as well as the seven heads and ten horns.

Verse 8 tells us who the beast is; he is the one who once was, now is not, and yet will come. This is the story of the death of the antichrist and his coming alive again. There will be a time where the antichrist is killed and miraculously is raised from the dead. I read that even in the Babylonian religious system they worship a mother and child in their belief system where the son was killed and rose again to live. Here (vv. 8-9) we see that the beast is described like that: “he was once” - he was alive and well; “now is not” - he died (however that happened he was dead); and “yet to come” - he rose again from the dead and was alive again. Satan copies everything God does so as to deceive everyone and make him think he is as good as God.
(Vv. 9-10) Now to the beast and his seven heads, they are the seven hills of Rome where the apostate church sits and rules the world with the antichrist. (Rome was built on seven hills and is known in history for that truth.) These seven heads are the kingdoms of the world represented by five that have passed from the world. Those are: Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia and Greece. The present or the sixth kingdom would be Rome and then the future kingdom would be that one the antichrist establishes during the Tribulation.
Notice in v. 12 the beast has ten horns too. Each of these represents ten kings and they receive their authority from the beast but they have only one purpose: to give all their power and authority over to the beast.
Let’s stop there for a minute and here was Warren Wiersbe says about this beast, his false religion and the kings of the world. "The beast" not only has seven heads, but also ten horns, which represent ten kings. But these are very special kings: they enable "the beast" to rise to power and are even willing to yield their authority to him. Recall that at the opening of the first seal (Rev. 6:1-2), Antichrist began his "peaceful" conquest of the nations. He organized a "United States of Europe," brought peace to the Middle East, and appeared to be the great leader the troubled world was seeking.
But in the midst of the seven-year period, this ruler broke his covenant with Israel (Dan. 9:27) and began to persecute the people of God as well as the nation Israel. Energized by Satan and assisted by the false prophet, "the beast" became the world's dictator and its god. In this way, "the beast" was both "one of the seven [kings, kingdoms]" but also "the eighth." His kingdom was nothing but a revival of the Roman Empire ("one of the seven"), but it was a new kingdom ("the eighth"). Bible Exposition Commentary (BE Series) - New Testament - The Bible Exposition Commentary – New Testament, Volume 2.
We must not forget that this beast is a man, the antichrist seeks world domination and during these days and completes what his desire has always driven him to do.
So what does this antichrist want to do? Verse 13 says that the kings will give over everything to the beast and then in v. 14 they all make war against the Lamb of God! That is what he wants to do. But as we know the Lamb wins!!!! He will overcome them all because He is the Lord of lords and the King of kings!!!! When He overcomes He will bring with Him all that were called, chosen and faithful to Him as followers of the Lord Jesus Christ!

Eventually the people and the rulers, kings and the beast will hate the apostate church and will do it in. Notice, “They will bring her to ruin and leave her naked and eat her flesh and burn her alive.” Remember the beast uses the “church” for his purposes and now he will do away with her. Remember the lady and the Tiger? What is so chilling about this whole thing is explained in verse 17, “For God has put it into their hearts to accomplish his purpose by agreeing to hand over to the beast their royal authority, until God’s words are fulfilled.” God’s plan is being unfolded in front of us as we read His Word. The destruction of those who are disobedient is great. God does not tolerate for long those who pretend to be religious, He knows our hearts and desires complete obedience to His commands. Remember “the marriage of church and state is not a happy one.” (W.W.) When the church of Jesus Christ remains separate from the world it is then that the church has influence in the world.
God has desired for His children to follow Him with spiritual discernment and not fall for the counterfeit. Paul preached often to the churches that he wrote so that they should be careful not to be seduced away from their sincere devotion to Christ. There will be temptations to do just that and to conform to the “popular religion” and to abandon the fundamentals of the faith. Remain true to the faith that is in Jesus Christ!!!
Are you walking with the Lord? If not, today is a the best day to make that choice to be saved and have your sins forgiven.