This past Monday, our kids had a day off from school, and we finally had a chance to take them all in for routine blood work. Let’s just say they weren’t thrilled! One of them was especially nervous about the needle and watching the blood flow out. What if someone were to drain not just a little blood but all your blood? Revelation chapter 17 talks about that!
In Revelation chapter 16,
John concluded his vision with the seven-sealed scroll, seven angels, seven
trumpets and seven bowl judgments. Chapter 17 takes John to a new vision, which
seems to layer similar truths from the previous vision – wickedness in the world
continues, Satan covers sin in luring appeal to deceive many, God’s people can
expect oppression and even death, yet all false detractors will face God’s
judgment.
Revelation 17:1-6 One of the seven angels who had the seven
bowls came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the punishment of
the great prostitute, who sits by many waters. 2 With
her the kings of the earth committed adultery, and the inhabitants of the earth
were intoxicated with the wine of her adulteries.”
3 Then
the angel carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness. There I
saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous
names and had seven heads and ten horns. 4 The
woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and was glittering with gold, precious
stones and pearls. She held a golden cup in her hand, filled with
abominable things and the filth of her adulteries. 5 The
name written on her forehead was a mystery:
babylon the great
the mother of
prostitutes
and of the
abominations of the earth.
6 I saw
that the woman was drunk with the blood of God’s holy people, the blood of
those who bore testimony to Jesus.
When I saw her, I was greatly astonished.
The ancient nation of
Babylon took Judah into captivity and destroyed the Jerusalem temple in 586 BC.
Since then, “Babylon” has often been used as a term to refer to staunch enemies
of God and His people. Babylon will fall, facing not just earthly destruction
but eternal punishment.
As we reflect on this
passage, we can ponder some important questions: What things in this world lure
you and me away from the things of God? What’s your “Babylon,” and what’s mine?
I think most of us don’t
want to be matyrs, but I pray we will all be faithful to Jesus to the very end,
no matter what. He shed his blood for you and me so we could have eternal life!
So, He’s worthy of our total devotion, whether it’s sacrificing a small comfort
or giving our earthly blood. Where will you choose faithfulness to Jesus today?
We can pray and ask for God’s strength to turn from temptation and remain
faithful.
