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| The Harlot of Revelation 17 |
The Harlot of Revelation represents the ‘false’ church. It has existed ever since Cain tried to appease God by his own liturgy. But like all the ‘birth pangs’ that Jesus warned about in Matthew 24, the false church is becoming stronger and more visible as we approach the end of the age. False churches are ‘marrying and giving in marriage’ so often that the holy covenant of marriage no longer means anything and approximately 50% of those living together don’t even bother with it anymore. The phrase ‘sanctity of life’ means little any more, even among Christians. God asks, “Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.” (Isaiah 49:15). But the abortion rate in the church is as great as in the world today. God calls homosexuality “a shameful” lifestyle (Romans 1:27), but many churches today not only condone it but they are even ordaining homosexual ministers. Many churches are trying to form an ecumenical ‘world church’ with an open door to all faiths and some in America have coined a new phrase – “Chrislam” which encourages Christians to join in worshipping the false god of Islam. This false church mentions God often but, it rarely uses the name of Jesus Christ or the Holy Spirit and never the true meaning of the Blood of Christ. While it may have many ‘programs’ there is little fellowship between believers, especially where the Holy Spirit is allowed to freely operate. It consists mostly of ‘professional’ religious leaders standing up front and the vast majority sitting passively in the audience, except for singing a few songs and giving of offerings.
If this describes your situation, I plead with you to learn the lesson of Jewish history. We owe Israel so much, the faithful preservation of the Word of God, the Prophets, and most of all – the Messiah but, they are also an example for us of things not to do.
“Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it, saying, "If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.” –
Luke 19:41, 42
How much suffering and misery could the Jews have saved themselves from if they would have just known ‘in this your day’ that their Messiah had come just exactly as Daniel had prophesied He would so many years before. 2000 years of Diaspora, homeless, outcasts in all the nations to which they were driven. Of course, not all disbelieved Jesus was the Messiah. There were the disciples who followed Him and by Pentecost even some of the Priests believed and followed Him. Also many others, Scribes and Pharisees and Sadducees, believed He was the Messiah but, they would not accept Him. When the Wise men came searching for Him some 33 years earlier, the priests and scholars knew exactly where He would be born. But they never chose to humble themselves and follow Him. And of course, many saw the miracles He did and heard His words of truth but just could not give up their ways to follow His way. They chose to follow the Priests who had Him crucified declaring to Pilate “His blood be upon us!” or perhaps they just didn’t want the stigma that comes from being ‘different’. Either way, they paid a terrible price for their rebellion.
“Remember the former things of old, for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things that are not yet done, Saying, 'My counsel shall stand, And I will do all My pleasure,'” – Isaiah 46:9, 10
Because of the prayer of Jesus on the cross, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Israel had a hope. God would honor His promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and bring them back to the land of their promise. We have seen that happen in our lifetime. All who love the God of Abraham and His Son Jesus believe this and hope and pray for it, for they know that it makes the second coming of His Son just that much closer. But, Muslims do not believe that and do not wish it and for a Christian pastor to have fellowship with them and allow their prayers to go up in the Church of Jesus Christ is akin to King Ahab offering sacrifices to foreign gods in the Temple or Antiochus Epiphany sacrificing a pig in the Holy of Holies!
In America today, we have a President that is more Muslim in his beliefs than Christian. And he is against Israel and does as much as he can to weaken her. And to the shame of the American Jewish people, American Jews helped elect him and still support him with huge sums of money, even after they know his plans to eliminate the nation of Israel. Abramowitz, senior columnist for the Crystal Ball, recently wrote, “There is almost no chance that the ultimate victor in the Republican nomination contest will be able to significantly increase the GOP share of the Jewish vote beyond the relatively small minority of conservative Jews who have been voting for Republican candidates in recent years.”
We live in the days of prophesy being fulfilled. Jesus’ letters to the seven churches of Revelation is being completed before our eyes.
“Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews, and are not, but lie – indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you.” – Revelation 3:9
Just substitute the word ‘false church’ for ‘synagogue of Satan’ and ‘believer’ for the word ‘Jews’ and you have today’s meaning of this verse. We are living in these days and I pray we will remain faithful and echo the prayer of Jesus – “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
Meanwhile, we need to heed the heavenly voice of Revelation 18 to the people of God in ‘Babylon’ – “Come out of her my people, lest you share in her sins, and you receive of her plagues.” The church of Jesus Christ is coming out and becoming what He meant it to be. You will not find it in Denominations, although there may be some in those denominations that are in it. But mostly, they are gathering in small fellowships, like home fellowships, where they can know each other intimately and be individually used by the Holy Spirit in His supernatural gifting. In spirit they will look like the first church more than the denominational structure of today. Its leadership will be in the form of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors (elders), and teachers but they will be ordained by the Holy Spirit, not some Bible School or denominational seminary.
I encourage you to be “baptized by the Holy Spirit” into such a body (1 Corinthians 12:13) and may God truly bless you in the days ahead.
