Rev 17:1 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and
talked with me, saying to me, "Come, I will show you the judgment of the
great harlot who sits on many waters, 2 with
whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the
earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication." 3 So he carried me away in the Spirit into the
wilderness. And I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast which was full of
names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. 4
The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious
stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the
filthiness of her fornication. 5 And
on her forehead a name was written: MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF
HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. 6 I
saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the
martyrs of Jesus. And when I saw her, I marveled with great amazement. 7 But the angel said to me, "Why did you marvel? I
will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her, which
has the seven heads and the ten horns. 8 The beast
that you saw was, and is not, and will ascend out of the bottomless pit and go
to perdition. And those who dwell on the earth will marvel, whose names are not
written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world, when they see the
beast that was, and is not, and yet is. 9
Here is the mind which has wisdom: The seven heads are seven mountains on which
the woman sits. 10 There are also seven kings.
Five have fallen, one is, and the other has not yet come. And when he comes, he
must continue a short time. 11 And the beast that
was, and is not, is himself also the eighth, and is of the seven, and is going
to perdition. 12 The ten horns which you saw are
ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority for
one hour as kings with the beast. 13 These are of
one mind, and they will give their power and authority to the beast. 14 These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will
overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are
with Him are called, chosen, and faithful." 15
Then he said to me, "The waters which you saw, where the harlot sits, are
peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues. 16 And
the ten horns which you saw on the beast, these will hate the
harlot, make her desolate and naked, eat her flesh and burn her with fire. 17 For God has put it into their hearts to fulfill His
purpose, to be of one mind, and to give their kingdom to the beast, until the
words of God are fulfilled. 18 And the woman whom
you saw is that great city which reigns over the kings of the earth."
Satan’s purpose is to do anything it takes to have you
take your eyes off of God.
To this end, Satan has no problem with church – any kind
of church – as long as the basis of the church is to “see and believe.”
If Satan can get the people to follow their natural
tendencies, then he has all he needs to keep you eternally separated from the
True and Living God. As long as you have to see it to believe it, Satan has you
just where he wants you.
One of the great markers of the Renaissance was the
majestic, soaring, spectacular cathedral filled with artwork and statuary, and
priests robed with bejeweled and ornamented frocks with sashes and high hats
made to impress. This was a dramatic turn for the church, which had finally and
completely rejected its humble beginnings of faith and replaced them with haughty
and powerful renditions specifically designed to appeal to the sense of sight.
The church of Babylon’s chief tenet is, “See and believe!” This is the Church
of the World – which will also be the church of anti-Christ.
-Pastor Bill
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