Just recently, a friend of mine was getting into his car a few blocks from here.
This is just a little while ago.
And a woman either got in the car with him or came up right to his window,
and she propositioned him.
She said, essentially, I'll perform this act
if you'll just give me a ride over this place in the city.
And so she was prostituting herself for a car ride.
Now, maybe you're in the room and you're saying,
man, I hope that never happens to me.
Or you're sitting here thinking, I wonder what my husband would do
if he was propositioned like that.
Maybe you're the husband thinking, what would I do if I was propositioned like that?
Well, this morning what you need to understand is that it's not if you get propositioned,
it's you are getting propositioned.
This morning, God's word shows us that there is another prostitute,
the great prostitute, the world,
who is regularly propositioning us with various kinds of seductions.
And they run along the lines of pleasure and prosperity,
and they're designed to win our hearts away from our first love.
There are all sorts of seductions with which the great prostitute seeks to seduce us.
There are the sexual seductions, and then there's the entertainment seductions.
There's the financial seductions, knowledge seductions, success seductions.
There is power seductions and comfort seductions.
It's all about seduction.
Capturing the desires of your heart and leading you astray.
The world is seeking to seduce your heart away from your great first love,
the Lord Jesus Christ.
And you must resist her.
Don't marvel at her.
Rather, there's something more glorious to marvel at.
Let me get your bearings in place if you're new here.
We're in the book of Revelation.
We've been preaching through the book of Revelation for some time now.
And just two weeks ago, we were in Revelation chapter 16.
And chapter 16 shows us the seven bold judgments of God.
They're the full and final judgments of God on earth.
And it's the seventh bold judgment, verse 19, that we read that the great city Babylon was utterly destroyed.
So here's what's going on.
What's referenced, and we're given a sneak peek of in verse 19, chapter 17 and 18 of Revelation,
it opens up for us to see with greater clarity.
To see the fall of Babylon.
So chapter 17, what we're going to look at this morning is,
there's this angelic show and tell going on.
An angel shows John this prostitute and then explains to him the details surrounding her.
And then in chapter 18, what we see is a description of her total destruction with various responses from various people.
Like I said this morning, we're in chapter 17.
And you can break it up simply as verses 1 through 6, the angel shows John this prostitute.
And then verses 7 through 18, he explains to John who this prostitute is.
And so, getting, kind of taking my cues from this show and tell,
here's how we're going to proceed this morning.
I want to ask five questions of this woman.
And as we answer those five questions of this woman in chapter 17,
I want to show and tell the answer.
Just from the scriptures.
From Revelation 17.
So let's just dive right in with the first question.
Who is this prostitute?
Here's why you need to know this.
You're not to marvel at her.
You're to marvel at something else.
So who is this woman that we see in chapter 17?
Well, verse 1, we read,
One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me,
this is one of the angels who just poured out one of bowl judgments.
He says to John,
Come and I will show you the judgment of the great prostitute who's seated on many waters.
The great prostitute.
The ultimate prostitute.
Prostitution is an abomination in God's sight.
And here's why.
Prostitution is this distorted twisting of God's good gift of marriage
between one man and one woman for life.
It's this twisted distortion that runs roughshod over the exclusive relationship
between one man and one woman for sexuality to be expressed.
So prostitution is this awful distortion of this good thing called marriage.
And in the Bible, this infidelity gets used as a metaphor.
We see it in like Ezekiel 16, in the book of Hosea.
Prostitution is a metaphor for God's people being unfaithful to God.
And it's always connected to idolatry.
People rejecting the one true great covenant making God
and going after other false gods who cannot deliver.
And so prostitution throughout your Bible is used to talk about spiritual adultery or idolatry.
Who is this woman?
She's the great prostitute.
She is a spiritual whore leading the nations away from the exclusive worship of the one true God.
That's who this is.
And if you notice, and I think it's verse 5, she's going by another name.
On her forehead is written, Babylon the Great.
This woman that we're seeing here is the great city that is dominating over the kings of the earth.
Just let your eyes fall in verse 18.
And the woman, the angel tells us, that you saw is the great city that is dominating over the earth.
Now flip, just look back to verse 19 in chapter 16.
The great city was split into three parts and the cities of the nations fell.
And God remembered Babylon the Great to make her drain the cup of the wine of the fury of his wrath.
What you need to know about Babylon is if you're familiar with the book of Daniel,
Nebuchadnezzar was in Babylon.
Babylon is a city that's opposed to God and oppresses God's people.
But Babylon gets its namesake from another city.
Babel.
Genesis chapter 11.
Remember the story of Babel?
Humankind organized in rebellion against God,
builds a tower in their pride to make them equal with God.
Remember that?
So for this lady to be labeled a prostitute in Babylon is no compliment.
We're told in 1718 that this woman, this prostitute, is this great city, Babylon.
A people organized in spiritual rebellion against God.
And it transcends history.
This prostitute has showed up as Babel.
Babylon, Nineveh, Tyre, Sidon, Sodom, Gomorrah, Jerusalem, Rome, Washington, D.C., New York, L.A., Hollywood, Sunset Strip, Huey Lewis and the News.
It's all a way of describing humanity in organized rebellion against God.
Same horror.
Different cities.
And the one great city represents, this Babylon represents opposition to God.
And so the prostitute Babylon has her own community.
She has her own desires, values, goals, and methods.
And the hallmark of Babylon the prostitute is the relentless pursuit of pleasure and prosperity.
Apart from God.
She is a seductress.
So, so far what we've learned is that this great, this woman is the great prostitute Babylon.
And for those of us who may be familiar with other passages in our Bibles, it's another way of describing the world.
Not the created world.
Not the planet.
But what John talks about in John 17 and 1 John 2 and 1 John 5.
As the world.
As humanity in organized rebellion against God.
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son.
That whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
That world.
Not the planet.
Humanity and their sin.
With all the institutions and systems.
This woman is a prostitute Babylon.
The world organized against God.
And there's just one more thing I want you to notice.
And it's verse 6.
She's drunk.
A drunken prostitute.
And she's drunk on the blood of the saints and on the martyrs of Jesus.
Which means she is no ally.
She is an enemy of the lamb and of his bride.
Who is this woman?
The great prostitute Babylon.
The world.
Don't marvel at her.
Next question I want to ask is.
Well who are.
If she's a prostitute.
Who are her Johns?
Who are her clientele?
Well.
And we're told.
We're shown in verse 2.
With whom the kings of the earth commit sexual immorality.
And with the wine of whose sexual immorality the dwellers on the earth have become drunk.
We're shown.
The kings of the earth.
Those in positions of power who don't fear God.
They go after her.
They commit adultery with her.
Idolatry with her.
And not just those in power.
It's everybody else.
The dwellers of the earth.
I've been telling you all along.
That the dwellers of the earth is a phrase.
A technical phrase.
For all who have rejected the lamb.
They're drunk on the wine of her sexual immorality.
They're out of their minds.
Maybe you heard of beer goggling before.
They're babble goggling.
They don't see things clearly.
They've been unduly influenced by her immorality.
Her idolatry.
We're told in verse 8.
That these dwellers of the earth.
That their names are not written in the book of life.
For the foundation of the world.
These dwellers of the earth have not experienced the life changing saving grace.
Of the lamb.
They're opposed to him.
And so what her clientele is.
Are all those who have not been appointed for eternal life.
Citizens of Babylon.
Clients of the prostitute.
And in verse 1.
We read this.
Come I will show you the judgment of the great prostitute.
Who seated on many waters.
Do you see that?
Seated on many waters.
Look down at verse 15.
We're told what that is.
And the angel said to me.
The waters that you saw.
Where the prostitute.
Where the prostitute is seated.
Are peoples and multitudes and nations and languages.
This prostitute Babylon.
Representing the world.
Is sitting over all the peoples of the world.
Who are not followers of Jesus.
To do her bidding.
To seduce them away from the lamb.
To capture their hearts.
By sheer force.
And allure of desires.
If you flip back in the book of Revelation.
To chapter 2.
Verse 20.
The risen.
Radiant and reigning Christ.
Is sent letters to these seven churches.
And he sends one to the church in Theotira.
And in verse 20.
We read this.
But I have this against you church.
That you tolerate that woman Jezebel.
Who calls herself a prophetess.
And is teaching and seducing my servants.
To practice sexual immorality.
And eat food sacrificed to idols.
Remember this is all one book.
Written to.
Originally written to these seven churches.
They had already been experienced.
The seduction of this prostitute.
Through this teacher named Jezebel.
In their church.
They were being drawn away.
They were being tempted.
To marvel.
At the prostitute.
Like all those who have never experienced.
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.
In Theotira.
It seems as though these Christians.
Were thinking that they could.
Get in the sack with a prostitute.
As well as live for the Lord Jesus Christ.
In our day.
There is this.
Distortion of the gospel.
Being proclaimed in many pulpits.
It's called the prosperity gospel.
It's trash.
It doesn't.
Doesn't bring you to the Lord Jesus.
Revealed in the scriptures.
I think it's.
Demonic.
Don't.
Don't marvel at her.
Don't marvel at the world.
Don't be.
Confused with her clientele.
Let's ask another question.
How does this great prostitute.
Work her trade.
What are her ways?
Well the great prostitute.
Like I told you earlier.
Is just another enemy of the lamb.
I mean.
There's the devil.
1217.
Who's.
Warring against us.
And then.
There is the beast.
One of the.
Devil.
The dragons.
Emissaries.
Who.
Uses political power.
To oppress.
God's people.
By threat.
And then there's the false prophet.
Who uses.
Propaganda.
To.
Misinform.
And misdirect people.
He's the spin.
Meister.
And then.
There is the great prostitute.
And she doesn't work in power.
She doesn't work in information.
She operates.
In the realm of pleasures.
She's a seductress.
The modus operandi.
Of the prostitute.
Is to seduce.
People.
With the false promises.
Of illicit pleasure.
In prosperity.
We're shown.
Something about her.
In verse 4.
What she's wearing.
She is wearing.
Clothing.
Of purple.
If you flip over.
To chapter 18.
Verse 7.
You read.
From the lips.
Of the prostitute.
I sit as a queen.
Purple.
Is the color of royalty.
She thinks.
She's queenly.
And then.
She's also.
Wearing.
Scarlet.
In verse 4.
If your eyes.
Can fall.
On verse 3.
We'll see this.
In just a second.
That this.
Woman.
Shown.
By the angel.
Is sitting.
On a scarlet.
Beast.
That was full.
Of blasphemous.
Names.
She is wearing.
Scarlet.
The beast.
That she's riding.
Is scarlet.
Scarlet.
Which seems.
To indicate.
That they are.
Color coordinated.
Because they're a team.
Working together.
In opposition.
To the land.
They're in cahoots.
We also notice.
In verse 4.
That.
She has gold.
And jewels.
And pearls.
They're.
Snapshots.
Of.
Prestige.
And luxury.
Prosperity.
Wealth.
Abundance.
That's her trade.
That's what she operates in.
Desires of the flesh.
Desires of the eye.
The pride of life.
First John 2.
She gets people drunk.
And at the most basic level of drunkenness.
Is not being in your right mind.
She pours out her golden cup.
Verse 4.
It's full of abominations.
And impurities.
Of her sexual immorality.
She just keeps pouring it out.
Pouring it out.
Cup after cup.
Drink it down.
Abominations are just reprehensible actions.
Against God.
Impurities are things that are unclean.
God is pure and clean.
He is holy.
The world.
The prostitute.
Gets people drunk.
On ungodly living.
The relentless pursuit.
Of pleasure.
And prosperity.
In order to lead them away from the land.
And if you don't think that.
That is current.
Look.
In.
The day that John wrote.
If you look at.
Revelation.
Chapter 3.
Verse 17.
The church of Laodicea.
Jesus rebukes them.
He says.
I'm going to spit you out of my mouth.
In verse 16.
For you say.
I am rich.
I have prospered.
And I need nothing.
Not realizing that you are wretched.
Pitiable.
Poor.
Blind.
And naked.
They were not in their right minds.
Because they are drinking.
From the cup.
Of the prostitute.
They were trying to buy.
Fool's gold of the world.
Instead of the refined gold.
Offered by Jesus.
So what I am helping you to see here.
Is the great prostitute.
Works in the realm of seduction.
And pleasures.
In verse 5.
She is also a mother.
A mother of other prostitutes.
And abominations.
She is reproducing her trade.
More and more.
People.
Cities.
Others.
Not living for the land.
Her tact.
Is a pretty simple one.
She likes to.
Help people.
Forget the giver.
Of the gifts.
Focus on the gifts.
So the gift of sex.
It's a good thing.
And it can become a God thing.
If it's disconnected.
From the giver.
Of that good gift.
Money.
It's a good gift.
From God.
But when.
You forget.
The giver.
Of that gift.
It can become.
Its own God.
Success.
Comfort.
All these.
Good things.
Can become.
God things.
If they're disconnected.
From the living God.
What pleasures.
Are you pursuing?
What illicit.
Pleasures.
Are you pursuing?
And at what cost?
Christ.
If you're willing.
To compromise.
The clear commands.
Of Christ.
In order.
To satisfy.
A desire.
You've been.
Seduced.
By the world.
We're not.
To be seduced.
By her.
We're not.
To marvel.
At her.
We're to be.
Wise.
To her ways.
Fourth question.
If she's a prostitute.
Who is her pimp?
A pimp.
A pimp is the guy.
Who.
Makes a living.
Off a group.
Of prostitutes.
The prostitutes.
Pay him a cut.
Of their action.
For quote unquote.
Protection.
But what they really get.
Is.
Further abuse.
And exploitation.
So who is the prostitute's.
Pimp?
Well look who's carrying her.
In verse three.
We see.
That she is riding.
The beast.
And then verse seven.
We're told.
That the beast.
Carries her.
They're in cahoots.
Now this beast.
Is the same beast.
Of revelation.
Chapter 13.
One.
Seven heads.
Ten horns.
He's full of blasphemous names.
That's what he does.
In chapter 13.
Verse six.
He just blasphemes God.
And the people of God.
He.
He just.
Makes total.
Nonsense.
Comments.
About who God.
Is in his people.
The beast.
Is particularly known for.
Its oppression.
Of God's people.
Through political violence.
And threat.
The beast.
Is trans historical.
He shows up.
In a variety.
Of different governments.
He.
He can work with communism.
He can work with socialism.
He can definitely work.
With democracy.
He doesn't mind.
He's able to use it.
For his purposes.
He's adaptable.
Typically.
If there's a little motto.
It would be.
The beast saying.
Hey.
Don't worship Jesus.
Or else.
Isolation.
Penalty.
The beast.
Is the prostitute's.
Pimp.
The beast.
And.
I'm not sure.
If you noticed this.
When Bev.
Was reading.
But.
But there's this moment in verse 6 where John sees the woman drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of the martyrs.
And then in the latter half of verse 6, John is saying, when I saw her, I marveled greatly.
John the apostle marveling at this whore.
We're not told if it is an allure or an amazement of the power that she has over people.
I'm guessing it's a little bit of both.
But what it is, is he's awestruck.
There's a mystique about her.
And then in verse 7, the angel tells him, why do you marvel?
I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast with seven heads and ten horns that carries her.
You see, the angel is popping the mystery bubble by helping John and us to see who's carrying the prostitute.
There's where the mystery is.
In verse 6, when we read that she's drunk on the blood of the saints and of the martyrs of Jesus, it's a big hint.
The great prostitute is being used by her beastly pimp to seduce the kings of the earth and the dwellers of the earth
into a drunken stupor of pleasure and prosperity and power that oppresses God's people.
That's the deal.
The pimp and the prostitute, they got matching colors.
They're color coordinated.
They're a team working together.
He's carrying her.
When you saw in verse 3, the seven heads and ten horns of the beast, that probably got your attention.
In verse 9, we have the explanation.
We have the show, and in verse 9 is the tell.
The seven heads are seven mountains, we're told, the angel says.
Rome had seven mountains around it.
And so it's a direct reference to Rome.
It was the manifestation of the beast at that time.
But it's not limited to Rome.
And then as only apocalyptic language does, it's got a flexibility that those seven mountains are seven kings.
Five fallen, one who is, seventh yet to come.
The seven heads are different manifestations of the beast with a full and final appearance yet to come as Antichrist.
In verses 12 through 14, we have an explanation of the ten horns.
They are future kings who unite together under the beast, handing over to him their authority to make war on the lamb.
It's a reference back to 1616 in Armageddon.
The kings of the earth, drunk on the immorality of the prostitute, unite together to battle against the lamb.
You cannot be in your right mind to line up against the risen Christ.
This beast is a counterfeit.
Verse 8, he's described as who was, is not, and is about.
It's a mockery of the God who was and is and is to come.
He's a counterfeit.
See through it.
She's riding a sham.
He's a pimp.
Bent on destruction.
Speaking of which, in verse 14, we got a primer of what's going to happen in chapter 19, 11 verse 21.
When the lamb returns on a white horse and he conquers all those who oppose him with a sword from his mouth.
And there is a name written on the robe in verse, chapter 19.
King of kings and Lord of lords.
It's a beautiful tie-in for what we're reading here.
And they will make war on the lamb.
How futile.
And the lamb will conquer them.
Is that, is that tough to hold all that together?
The lamb will conquer them.
For he is Lord of lords and King of kings and those with him are called and chosen and faithful.
That's us.
The lamb will conquer.
They will line up against him and he will conquer them.
The mystery of the world is that she does the bidding of the beast who is doing the bidding of the dragon.
And we know that the lamb is going to conquer them all.
I am reading often out of the ESV study Bible.
It is the Bible that I do my devotions out of.
And I often reference it in terms of the sermons I preach.
And there's a note that is a very helpful note that describes the relationship between the beast and the prostitute.
Pleasure-addicted society.
Pleasure-addicted society conspires with the power-addicted state to silence the testimony of Jesus.
Belcribulous―
she's riding a pimp
who's bent on destruction.
Don't be drawn off by her mystique.
Our Lord exposes it for us.
The final question I want to ask is,
what is this prostitute's fate?
In verse 1, we're told,
come, I will show you the judgment of the great prostitute
who's seated on many waters.
And then we are shown that,
verse 16,
in the ten horns that you saw,
they and the beast will hate the prostitute.
They will make her desolate and naked
and devour her flesh and burn her up with fire.
Do you see what's going on?
The beast turns on his whore.
And the ten kings, future kings,
rally with him to utterly destroy her.
What a judgment.
It's a destruction of desolation.
It's a destruction, a judgment of exposure, nakedness.
They devour her, so violent,
and then they burn her up.
Desecrate her.
And if that's not surprising,
verse 18 is surprising.
Excuse me, 17.
For God has put it into their hearts,
the beast and the ten kings.
God has put it into their hearts
to carry out his purpose
by being of one mind
and handing over the royal power to the beast
until the words of God are fulfilled.
God's sovereignty is so amazing
that he is able to use his evil enemies
to accomplish his good and just purposes.
All throughout this passage,
there are multiple references to God's sovereignty.
I counted up, in addition to this one,
just five.
The fate of this woman is set
because God is sovereign and just
and he will repay his wickedness
and do it in the most graphic of ways.
Her fate is destruction.
Revelation 17 is this angelic show and tell
of the great prostitute.
We see her nature.
She's a prostitute.
She's Babylon.
She's humanity organized against God, the world.
We see her people,
those not written in the book of life.
We see her ways.
She is a seductress using pleasure
and the pursuit of prosperity
in order to distract people.
Her pimp is the beast
who's kind of violent and bent on destruction
and her fate is one of desolation,
humiliation, being devoured
and being desecrated.
Don't marvel at her.
That's the point of this passage.
Don't marvel at the beast,
at the prophet, the prostitute.
Don't marvel at any of them.
Don't marvel at the beast.
Don't marvel at it.
The prostitute is passing away,
1 John 2, 17.
Now the question becomes,
how?
You're going to leave this building
and you're going to be tempted
by the world.
You know you will.
How are you not going to give in?
Well, it's there in the text.
The angel corrects John.
Why do you marvel?
Don't marvel at her.
And that opens up the door
for me to help you
to marvel at something else.
Do you know how you resist the world?
With a greater marveling.
Can I show you?
So for the balance of this time,
let me point to five things
for you to marvel at.
Don't marvel at the prostitute.
Babylon.
Marvel at a better city.
The new Jerusalem.
In 17.1, the angel,
one of the seven
who poured out the bowls,
comes to John and says,
come, I will show you
the great prostitute.
In 21.9,
one of the seven angels
with the bowls of wrath,
they come to John again
and they say,
come, I will show you
the bride,
the wife of the Lamb.
It's not Babylon.
It's the new Jerusalem
coming down from heaven.
Marvel
at
that.
If the prostitute
is rebellious humanity
organized against God,
the bride,
the new Jerusalem,
is the blood-bought
community
organized
in joyful submission
to God.
You're a citizen
of the new Jerusalem,
not a citizen of Babylon.
And so marvel
that you have been given
citizenship
for the city
that is to come.
Babylon
had its own
gold,
jewels,
and pearls.
New Jerusalem
has its
own
gold,
jewels,
and pearls.
When was the last time
you read Revelation 21
through 22.5?
Be
awed
by that.
Marvel
at the better city
to come.
Babylon.
Way better
than Babylon.
Second,
marvel
that you
are in
the book.
We read
earlier here
that those whose names
are not written
in the book of life,
they marvel
at the prostitute,
not us,
because we
are written
in the book of life
from before
the foundation
of the world.
So we marvel
at something else.
Let me help you
understand something here.
You're not written
in the book of life
because of your
great works
that you did.
You're not written
in the book of life
because God
before the foundation
of the world
said,
you know what,
I need that guy
on my team
because he's so awesome.
None of that.
You're written
in the book of life
before the foundation
of the world
only because
God is gracious.
It's his grace.
You can say
that your name
is written
with the blood
of Jesus
before the foundation
of the world
in that book.
When was the last time
you read Ephesians 2,
1 through 10?
And you brought
to mind
God's amazing grace
with which
he delivered you
from death
to life.
Marvel
that you're not
outside the book
of life
but your name
is in the book
of life
if in fact
you've put
your trust
solely in Jesus.
Third,
marvel
at God's ways.
Marvel
at his words.
We read
in
verse 17
maybe you caught it
for God has put it
into their hearts
to carry out
his purpose
by being of one mind
and handing over
the royal power
to the beast
until the words
of God
are fulfilled.
God's words
the words
of the prostitute
they're empty
promises.
The words
of our God
our blood
bought
promises.
Marvel
at the words
of this book.
Let me ask you
this question.
Do you feel
spiritually flat?
Do you know
that you've compromised
with the world?
Could it be
because
you have
put aside
the life
giving words
of God?
Those
sanctifying
truthful words
of his
that give you
life?
If you see
the Bible
as page
after page
of restrictions
that keep you
from living
the life
you really want
to and if
they weren't
there you'd be
all after
that life.
If that's how
you're seeing
the Bible
you've got
to ask
the question
maybe you need
to get right
with Jesus
but if you're
seeing
God's words
as page
after page
of life
after life
marvel
that his
promises
always prove
true.
True
in John
17
14
through 18
Jesus
is praying
for his
disciples
and he
talks about
how he
has called
them out
of the
world
and how
he's giving
them his
word to
sanctify
them in
truth
so that
they can
be in
the world
but not
of the
world
to be
new
Jerusalem
citizens
while
being
among
Babylon
you need
God's
word
marvel
at his
ways
when was
the last
time you
read
Psalm
119
marvel
at the
lamb
for
if the
beast
is the
great
prostitute's
pimp
then the
lamb
is
the
bride's
husband
pimps
don't
protect
prostitutes
they
exploit
prostitutes
the
beast
devours
the
prostitute
in the
end
but do
you know
what kind
of husband
Jesus is
to his
bride
the church
he does
not
desolate
his
bride
he gives
her life
he doesn't
expose
her nakedness
he covers
her with
his
righteousness
he doesn't
devour
her
he gives
her life
up for
her
he doesn't
burn
her with
fire
he bore
the
fury
of
God's
wrath
for
her
he is
the
lord of
lords
and king
of kings
he is
the
husband
of the
bride
marvel at
the lamb
he's no
pimp
he's our
faithful
loving
bridegroom
and you
know what
he has
to say
John 16
33
hey babe
take heart
I've
overcome
the world
I got
you
you need
big Jesus
in your
life
Colossians
1 15
through 23
if you
haven't read
it lately
read it
or if it's
been some
time since
you saw
the spectacular
vision of
Jesus at
the beginning
of revelation
revelation
1 12
through 18
go big
Jesus
you will
see the
risen
radiant
and reigning
Christ in
his glory
marvel at
the lamb
not at
the pimp
finally
marvel
that your
future
is not
her
future
in chapter
18
you will
see next
week
the future
desolation
of the
great
prostitute
but in
revelation
19
starting in
verse 6
you see
the future
celebration
of the
marriage
supper
of the
lamb
the bride
of Christ
reunited
with his
groom
her groom
in his
presence
with his
people in
his place
singing his
praises
if you're
in Christ
your future
isn't the
future of
the prostitute
your future
is the
future of
the bride
of Christ
because of
Jesus
you do not
need to
fear
but marvel
that God
in his
sovereign
grace
has provided
for you
a glorious
future
with him
do you know
what the last
four words
of revelation
chapter 22
verse 20
are
they're
about
your
future
all this
marveling
guards
our
hearts
against
the
prostitute
seeking
to
entice
us
you tell
me
a man
who deeply
loves his
wife
who delights
in her
who respects
her
longs for
her
joy
to leave
her
can't
live
without
her
he's
going to
be hard
pressed
to cheat
on her
when the
world tries
to seduce
you
if you
are marveling
about
the city
to come
if you're
marveling
that you're
in the
book
if you're
marveling
about the
goodness
of his
ways
if you're
marveling
about the
lamb
if you're
marveling
about your
future
and that
prostitute
comes up
to you
and seeks
to tantalize
you
here's
what you
say
sorry
I belong
to another
who is
far better
who is
my first
love
and I
will never
forsake
him
Christ the
King
Church
resist
the world
by marveling
at the
God
who gave
himself
for you
all that
he's done
all that
he's doing
and all
that he
will do
God thank
you so
much
for reminding
us
that not
only are we
being regularly
tempted
but you
have made
such wonderful
gracious and
glorious
provisions
for us
God would
you cause
our hearts
to marvel
at you
and all
that you've
done for
us
so that we
can walk
faithfully
with you
Lord Jesus
our bridegroom
amen