‘Day 291

“17 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 prostitute who sits on many waters” REV 17:1 (NASB)

Jer.51:13 shows that the “many waters” upon which Babylon sits are the river Euphrates. According to Rev.17:15, these waters symbolize the nations and peoples of the world over which the harlot has control.  

A woman in the Bible is a symbol for God’s people. In Revelation, God’s true Christian church is portrayed as a pure woman (Rev.12:1, Rev.22:17). A harlot thus represents false apostate Christianity. In Rev.17:5, this harlot is identified as Babylon the Great. Just as ancient Babylon depended on the Euphrates River for its existence, so will end-time Babylon rely on the support of the masses to enforce her plans.  

According to Rev.17:2 along with Rev.14:8 and Rev.18:2-3. We find 2 groups that give their support to the harlot. The first group is the kings of the earth, the governing political powers. They are portrayed as being engaged in an adulterous relationship with the harlot Babylon. In the OT, the language of fornication is used frequently to describe how apostate Israel turned away from God to false religions (Isa.1:21, Jer.3:1-10). The adulterous relationship between the kings of the earth and the harlot symbolizes an illicit union between end-time Babylon and the governing political powers – a union of church and state.  

The second group in an illicit relationship with the harlot Babylon is the inhabitants of the earth, the governed masses. These are made spiritually drunk with the wine of Babylon’s fornication. In contrast to the governing political powers, the general populace is intoxicated by Babylon’s false teachings and practices, deceived into thinking that she can protect them. When people are drunk, they do not think clearly and are controlled easily (Isa.28:7). The whole world, with the exception of a faithful remnant, (the third group) will be led astray by Babylon.  
History has shown that the majority is rarely right and that there are dangers in following popular sentiments – no matter how popular.