Chapters 15
This chapter outlines the last seven remaining bowls of judgement that will fall upon the world as a result of the Wrath of God. John starts the chapter by reaffirming that those who 'overcome' the beast have eternal rest and salvation. The saints who were slain for the testimony of Jesus, sing a song of deliverance. Both the song of Moses and the Lamb are about being rescued by God. While satan comes to steal, kill and destroy, God comes to save those that were lost. As the angels pour out the last remaining plagues, we see that Heaven cannot contain the Glory of the Lord. Jesus is to be feared, because He is the only one that holds the keys to life and death. The world, which to this point continues to worship the beast, is about to taste the final judgements from God, literally they will experience the Wrath of God. God is about to avenge His saints.
Question for Chapter 15: In verse 2 it says "to those who had been victorious over the beast and its image and over the number of its name." How did the saints accomplish victory over satan - what actions or inaction caused them to be victorious? Conversely, why did those who accepted the mark, suffer defeat - what inaction or actions lead them to defeat.
Chapter 16
Moore, Oklahoma as I am writing this, has been devastated by a mile wide tornado, classified as a number 4 tornado with winds reaching 200 miles per hour. The devastation coming across the television is horrifying. When a natural disaster like the one in Oklahoma occurs, we are reminded of the possibility that not only can disaster strike, but the finality of a tornado, hurricane can be absolute. Chapter 16 describes the results of the last remaining seven bowl judgements. Again, John points us back to the Old Testament book of Exodus, where God sent several plagues against Egypt until the Pharaoh relented, and let the nation of Israel go free. The citizens of the world will not 'fear the Lord' and continue to worship the beast. In verse 11 we find the people would not repent. They would not turn away from their actions, they were resolved to follow the beast, despite God's judgements. Finally, the world is gathered at Armageddon to wage the final WWWIII battle that if not cut short, would result in the loss of all life on planet earth. Yet, in the middle of this chapter Christ Himself warns, 15 “Look, I come like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake and remains clothed, so as not to go naked and be shamefully exposed.” Jesus characterizes those that follow the beast as naked, asleep, shamefully exposed.
Question for Chapter 16: How is it that a Christian is clothed and awake, but that those that do not know Christ are naked, asleep and shamed?
Chapter 17 and 18
John is given a another vision:
babylon the great
the mother of prostitutes
and of the abominations of the earth.
In the last verse John identifies the woman with a city, a city that rules over the kings of the world. Who is the woman?
In the Old Testament book of Hosea, God chooses to use the prophet Hosea to paint a physical picture of idolatry for the nation of Israel. Hosea was directed by God to marry a promiscuous woman, named Gomer. This marriage symbolized the covenant relationship between God and Israel. However, like Hosea's marriage, Israel had been unfaithful to God by following other gods and breaking the commandments which are the terms of the Old Testament covenant. Israel is symbolized by Gomer, a harlot who violates the obligations of marriage to her husband (God). The woman Babylon the great, is any world system that causes mankind to worship other gods, and willfully break the commandments of God.
This woman is not a literal person, and is likely the apostate church. She 'sits on many waters' meaning her influence is world wide. She is "drunk with the blood of God’s holy people, the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus." This woman helps orchestrate the killing of God's people, she is literally drunk with the blood of those who profess that Jesus Christ is God in the flesh. We also find that she rides the beast, or the revived Roman Empire. The world is astonished because the woman rides the ultimate counterfeit of Christ, the beast (antichrist) appears to have been resurrected. The woman forces all nations to worship the beast. Yet, ultimately this city, will be burned - possibly by a nuclear bomb - to the ground.
In chapter 18 we learn that this city was THE supplier of goods throughout the world. All nations and kings drank her wine of adulteries (idolatry). This must be an actual location on planet earth, and the God calls his children out of her so that they do not share in her destruction. She is far off from the other nations...and finally we find that the merchants of the world weep because their best buyer is no more...
Question Chapter 17 and 18 : What city or nation immediately comes to mind as a result of the description John gives of the woman in chapter 17?
the mother of prostitutes
and of the abominations of the earth.
In the last verse John identifies the woman with a city, a city that rules over the kings of the world. Who is the woman?
In the Old Testament book of Hosea, God chooses to use the prophet Hosea to paint a physical picture of idolatry for the nation of Israel. Hosea was directed by God to marry a promiscuous woman, named Gomer. This marriage symbolized the covenant relationship between God and Israel. However, like Hosea's marriage, Israel had been unfaithful to God by following other gods and breaking the commandments which are the terms of the Old Testament covenant. Israel is symbolized by Gomer, a harlot who violates the obligations of marriage to her husband (God). The woman Babylon the great, is any world system that causes mankind to worship other gods, and willfully break the commandments of God.
This woman is not a literal person, and is likely the apostate church. She 'sits on many waters' meaning her influence is world wide. She is "drunk with the blood of God’s holy people, the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus." This woman helps orchestrate the killing of God's people, she is literally drunk with the blood of those who profess that Jesus Christ is God in the flesh. We also find that she rides the beast, or the revived Roman Empire. The world is astonished because the woman rides the ultimate counterfeit of Christ, the beast (antichrist) appears to have been resurrected. The woman forces all nations to worship the beast. Yet, ultimately this city, will be burned - possibly by a nuclear bomb - to the ground.
In chapter 18 we learn that this city was THE supplier of goods throughout the world. All nations and kings drank her wine of adulteries (idolatry). This must be an actual location on planet earth, and the God calls his children out of her so that they do not share in her destruction. She is far off from the other nations...and finally we find that the merchants of the world weep because their best buyer is no more...
Question Chapter 17 and 18 : What city or nation immediately comes to mind as a result of the description John gives of the woman in chapter 17?
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