The Book of Revelation: Lesson Five

Presented by: Rev. Dr. D. Dean Weaver

I. Restatement of the Big Idea –for the whole book, the whole NT…THE Kingdom Concept!

a. Matthew 6:10 – “….Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven”

b. Revelation 11:15 – “The Kingdom of the World, has become the Kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ”

c. How is this to be finally realized?

Isaiah 66:1-2 –the earth is being made ready to receive her King (chapters 21-22)

Mt 24:36 –first time the earth was cleansed with water (baptism) and the second and final time it will be cleansed with fire (sanctification) –be made holy….impurities burned off…pure…holy….ready to receive her bridegroom….etc.

II. The Purpose of Judgment

a. The Nature of the Covenant

Obey = blessing & disobey = cursing (judgment)

b. The Justice of God

Psalm 9:7-8; 16 Psalm 11:7 Psalm 97:1-3f Isaiah 9:7 (130 x in Bible)

c. The Wrath of God

· Retributory punishment for an offense or a crime

· A holy God’s response to sin and unholiness

· Righteous Anger

d. The Love of God

· The Justice of God and the wrath of God are not separate from the Love of God

· Hebrews 12:10-11 –purpose of “discipline” (correction)

· Though judgment and discipline are distinct…they are rooted in the same character of God …which is love…a desire for restoration….

e. The Restoration of Creation

· Romans 8:18-23

· Creation….Fall….Redemption….Restoration

· From Perfect Eden…to fallen world/earth….to Perfect New Heavens & Earth

· Cleanse the earth…to make ready for His return…made holy /pure –“Eden again”

Pg. 2 / Revelation 17-18

III. The Final Judgment of the Kingdom of the World

a. The Woman and the Beast (Chapter 17)

i. The Mystery of The Great Prostitute and her adulteries (vss 1-8)

· -prevailing image of God and His people is bridge groom and bride

· -unfaithfulness is often depicted as spiritual “adultery” or Israel playing the “harlot”

o Book of Hosea in OT

o -Irony of prostitutes in Jesus family lineage (Rahab) and disciples (Mary M) points to redemption of the unfaithful

· -complimentary image is that of “drunkenness” (vs 2)…they often go together

· -ie. Loosing your senses and going off after false gods…and things of this world

· -Mystery of 7 heads and 10 horns (revealed in following verses)

*an aside: remember to not “push” symbolic consistency….ie. 7 here is not perfection…

ii. The Mystery revealed (vss 9-18)

· “This calls for a mind with wisdom” (ie. This is not easy to figure out)

· 7 heads = 7 hills

o 7 Hills = Rome

o 7 Kings = Two Possibilities:

§ (1) Seven Roman Kings

· 5=Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius & Nero

· 6^th = Vespasian

· 7^th is short reign of Titus (79-81 AD)

· Ie. Those who have led up to Domitian

§ (2) Seven Empires (cf. Daniel 2:31-45)

· Eqypt

· Assyrian

· Babylonian

· Medo-Persian

· Greek

· Roman

· The Kingdom of the World (opposed to the KOG)

iii. Application for all three levels of eschatological literature:

· This refers to Rome….as representative of all “capitals” for the Kingdom of this world (Revelation 11:15)

· There is a deliberate contrast here between the capital of the kingdom of the world (Babylon) and the following chapters in the Kingdom of our God (New Jerusalem)

· Rome stand for every “civilization” or city of people that is of “the world”

· This was true then, is true now, and is always true…all three levels

Pg. 3 / Revelation 17-18

b. The Fall of Babylon the Great (Chapter 18)

i. The Two Voices of Great Authority (vss 1-8)

1. The Great Missional Tension

a. -being “in the world” but not “of the world” -John 17:15-19

b. Compare vss 1-3 with vss 4-8

c. Vss 1-3 –Pronouncement of the Judgment of the World

d. Vss 4-8 –A Call to “come out of her” …be holy and undefiled

i. ie. Live in the world but do not be of the world

ii. I Peter 1:13-16 / Lev 11:44

2. Retributive Justice

a. Vs 6 –double portion

b. Vss 7-8…. luxury >to plague / not a widow >to mourning

ii. The Three Double “Woes” (vss 9-20)

1. Literary Structure of the “Woes”

(1) First line is double “woe” to the great city -emphatic and ironic judgment

(2) Second line(s) is a description of her greatness

(3) Third line is “In one hour” (in a very brief time)….ruin/destruction/judgment

2. The Focus of the Judgment (adulteries)

-economic excesses (lavish luxuries)

Power….wealth….commerce….

-contrast this to God’s repeated call for justice for the poor and oppressed

3. The Final Pronouncement (vs 20)

-as the world laments her woe…the follower of God “rejoices” (2x) for

“God had judged the way she treated you….”

iii. The Final Judgment of the Kingdom of this World (vss 21-24)

1. Finality of the Judgment

-violent and final (milestone)

-6 fold “never” verses 21-23

-never: music, trade, & the church and her savior (lamp and bridge groom etc)

2. Images of emptiness, darkness and silence (use of irony)

-no music; no commerce; no production; no light(s); no celebration

-barren, empty and the ironic opposite of all they strived to be while on earth

3. Final Reflections of literary style

-chapts 17-18 have been referred to as a “Funeral Dirge”… a unique type of literary genre

4. THE Stage is now set…….The kingdom of the earth now fully purged, cleansed and judged; the stage is set for the eternal contrast…the heavenly city….rep the Kingdom of God….