Sermon Tone Analysis

As one looks at the ungodly, anti-Christian philosophy that is in the world, one sees absolute wickedness.

Yet, when you look at the various mindsets, there is a semblance of spiritual thoughts.

For years, living with your lover before marriage, has been considered acceptable by many, and even promoted by some.

In fact, marriage was considered to be just one option.

The logic was to make certain a mistake would not be made that both would regret later.

Those promoting homosexual lifestyles would have us believe they are truly interested in the world becoming more tolerant and accepting of people.

Several have suggested that Jesus would have completely accepted the homosexual lifestyle, since He supposedly created them the way they are.

Individuals supporting abortion and/or euthanasia, would have us believe they are truly concerned with a quality of life.

They would denigrate those who would try to save lives as people trying to “play God.“

After all, an individual’s private desires and wishes are really what matters in life.

Many individuals have described Christians as cold-hearted and unfeeling.

They have relegated us to the ranks of those who do not have a Christ-like heart.

In each of the examples I just listed, there can be found a somewhat warm ring to the logic, if one doesn’t know the Bible or even basic logic.

However, comparing it to God’s Word, should lead you to recognize that it’s a lie.

Understand that Satan does not necessarily portray himself as wicked.

Satan wants humanity to believe that he truly has the right answers and everyone’s best interest at heart.

As a result, we find the false religious system in chapter 17.

This false religious system has been developing for centuries.

It is nothing new.

The scary part is how a large segment of churches seems to have adopted it.

As believers, we want to be sure that our life is rooted and real in Christ.

She Looks Real, but She Is Rotten.

Revelation 17:1–2 (NASB95)

Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and spoke with me, saying, “Come here, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters, with whom the kings of the earth committed acts of immorality, and those who dwell on the earth were made drunk with the wine of her immorality.”

As one looks back at the Old Testament, we read about many situations in which the prophets said that Israel had become the harlot or the prostitute.

In each situation, this was a description of the result of Israel’s, spiritual unfaithfulness, more appropriately named adultery.

That is what the angel is describing to John.

It is what is happening today, but in a much more intense manner during the Tribulation Period.

Today, we can see this in the professing, yet apostate church.

This describes the false church.

This is the church organization that does not truly possess Christ, but merely professes Christ.

This is the church that chooses to ignore the biblical mandates, while doing its own thing.

This is the church that is so busy oiling the machinery and making sure everything is correct according to man standards, it loses perspective on what Christ has called the church to actually be.

This is the church, which is full of people who shout, “Lord, Lord,“ yet the people are unwilling to follow the path of discipleship and servanthood.

This is the church, where the needs of people, spiritual and physical, are not important unless it is to make an impression.

Sadly, the great prostitute has her sensuous fingers in many churches.

She is doing her utmost to entice people to follow her.

Her silky, smooth tongue, can deceive many people to believe that what she is doing is what God really wants.

She will offer herself to whomever will carry out her bidding.

My friends, this might seem good and pleasurable for the moment, but the disaster that awaits everyone who plays church is horrific.

It is one of the most dangerous games a person can play.

That is why it is essential that the true believer in Christ makes sure that their life is rooted and real in Christ.

Anything else will result in an eternity separated from Christ.

She Looks Beautiful, but She Is Bad.

Revelation 17:3–6 (NASB95)

And he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness; and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast, full of blasphemous names, having seven heads and ten horns.

The woman was clothed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a gold cup full of abominations and of the unclean things of her immorality, and on her forehead a name was written, a mystery, “BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.”

And I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus.

In these verses, John sees a woman sitting on a scarlet beast.

From the description and explanation, this beast is what we would commonly call the antichrist.

The woman, we can safely assume to be the prostitute, or the apostate church.

What a terrible contradiction in word pictures!

The beast was covered with blasphemous names.

He had seven heads and 10 horns which does carry some symbolism.

However, the woman is dressed beautifully.

She has purple and scarlet; rich colors.

She was covered with gold, precious stones, and pearls.

She carried a golden cup.

Yet, within the cup, was the reality of who she truly was.

This cup was filled with the garbage of what she was actually representing.

She was trying to come across as the true church.

However, according to the title written on her forehead, she is the apostate church.

Just as Ephesians describes the true church as a mystery, so it is with this fallen church.

So, why the use of the name of Babylon?

It helps if we consider Genesis 11.

It is there that Noah’s great grandson, Nimrod appears.

Nimrod appeared to be a man’s man.

He was fiercely independent, even to the point of being independent from God.

He attempted to establish his own religious system.

So, he began work on building the tower of Babel.

Even though God had already provided the instructions about how to worship, Nimrod felt there should be a better way or another way.

In fact, it has been noted that there were at least 180 shrines dedicated to the goddess Ishtar, who was known as the Queen of heaven.

God destroyed that attempt just as he will ultimately destroy the final attempt by man when he tries to be religious on his own terms.

Throughout history, false religious systems have always carried the stigma of being a “Babylon.“

That is what is represented here.

It is not a particular city or location.

Rather it represents false religion.

Not only that, but for all the outward beauty, she was drunk with the blood of the saints.

She had participated and led in destroying the lives of those who belong to Jesus Christ and who had boldly proclaimed His message.

Notice something else here.

This woman is on top of the beast.

She is in control.

The beast is actually supporting her.

This is almost like a symbiotic relationship from one to the other.

The government, in support of the false religion, gives prominence to this false religion.

This false religious system enables the beast to rise to power without much, if any, opposition.

How can we relate to this today?

Traditionalism and denominationalism can also become false religions.

One can end up having a sense of false security.

There is even a sense of pride and nobility about what what has done or are currently being done.

In other words, it can become easy to be quite pretentious in our “religious systems.“

A church can seem to have all of its ducks in a row and have everything looking neat and pretty; but still be a rotting corpse inside.

We must be sure that our life is rooted and real in Jesus Christ.

I do not care how much something may look like church.

I don’t care how often somebody chooses to mention the name of Jesus.

I don’t care how biblically an individual can answer questions and how biblical they sound.

I don’t care how strongly one feels about their worship experience.

Unless there is a personal relationship with the living Christ, it is of no value.

Unless people are living for Christ in every area of life, they may look beautiful, but it is bad.

He Looks Dynamic, but He Is Defeated.