Babylon, the Prostitute on the Beast
“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. With her the kings of the earth committed adultery, and the inhabitants of the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her adulteries’ ” (Revelation 17:1-2).
John was invited to see the punishment of the great prostitute who caused other nations to commit adulterous acts with her in his vision. The angel who gave the invitation had been one of the seven who had poured out the seven bowls of God’s wrath that we discussed earlier. This prostitute had encouraged the people of the earth to be drunk with her wine. God often referenced Israel and Judah as a prostitute (or harlot) because of their spiritual unfaithfulness, idolatry, and rebellion. Furthermore, there are numerous theories that scholars hold as to who this great prostitute is, but before we get into the identification of this prostitute, let’s visit the characteristics of a prostitute.
a. Exchange sexual services for monetary gain or material possession. The Bible says, “Her sister Oholibah saw this, yet in her lust and prostitution she was more depraved than her sister. She too lusted after the Assyrians—governors and commanders, warriors in full dress, mounted horsemen, all handsome young men. I saw that she too defiled herself; both of them went the same way” (Ezekiel 23:11-13). Many countries, such as the United States, and people are prostituting themselves to sin. They will do anything for fame, popularity, money, self-satisfaction, and more.
b. Sexual services are often their primary or secondary occupation. The Bible says, “Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, “The two will become one flesh.” But whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit” (1 Corinthians 6:16). When one disobeys God to commit willful sin, it’s like uniting with a prostitute in God’s eyes. Those in sin allow it to become a priority and god in their lives.
c. They operate independently or under the supervision of a pimp, brothel, etc. The Bible says, “The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work” (1 John 3:8). Those who choose to prostitute themselves to sin are workers of the enemy. He is lord over them because they have rejected the true Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ, who died to free mankind from sin.
d. Their occupation allows them to work indoors or outdoors. The Bible says, “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). While Satan is not omnipresent like God, he goes about the earth with his demonic host seeking those he can destroy, including inside the church and out in the world.
e. They aim to please the person who is eliciting their services. The Bible says, “But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death” (James 1:14-15). When one gives in to the temptation of their desires, they may have temporary pleasure, but in the end, they not only destroy themselves but also their relationship with God.
f. Seduction is at the heart of their business. The Bible says, “To preserve you from the evil woman, from the smooth tongue of the adulteress. Do not desire her beauty in your heart, and do not let her capture you with her eyelashes; for the price of a prostitute is only a loaf of bread, but a married woman hunts down a precious life” (Proverbs 6:24-26). The enemy studies and knows people’s weaknesses, just as he did with Eve from the beginning. He uses that knowledge to allure people to sin by making it enticing to their fleshly desires.
g. Many sex workers are involved in drugs and alcohol. The Bible says, “Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise” (Proverbs 20:1). Those ravaged by sin are spiritually drunk by the devil’s enticements and are spiritually impaired, where the only One who can help them is Jesus, who came to save us all.
h. Morality is not of concern, for they will often satisfy their lustful passions with the married, underage, or anyone who will pay their fees. The Bible says, “Judah did evil in the eyes of the Lord. By the sins they committed they stirred up his jealous anger more than those who were before them had done. They also set up for themselves high places, sacred stones and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every spreading tree. There were even male shrine prostitutes in the land; the people engaged in all the detestable practices of the nations the Lord had driven out before the Israelites” (1 Kings 14:22-24). Immorality becomes so deep in a nation that turns against God that they will not even blush to think that the Lord sees everything they do.
i. They display nonjudgmental attitudes toward their clients, so clients can leave their consciousness at the door. The Bible says, “Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them” (Romans 1:32). The immoral stay quiet about sin and go along with those who do evil against the Lord.
j.
They perform acts with multiple clients
without limitations, day, noon, or night. The Bible says, “Woe to those
who plan iniquity, to those who plot evil on their beds! At morning’s light
they carry it out because it is in their power to do it. They covet fields and
seize them, and houses, and take them.
They defraud people of their homes, they rob them of their inheritance” (Micah 2:1-2).
The wicked have no end to the debauchery they plot against the Lord. Their
iniquities are on their minds day and night with no regard for the Lord.
k. For many in this profession, the law is of no regard, and they will even operate in states where it is illegal. The Bible says, “Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness” (1 John 3:4). The reason that lawlessness abounds within nations is that the wicked have no regard for laws, regardless of how many lawmakers create.
l. Prostitutes often recruit others for their occupation and solicit clients. The Bible says, “My son, if sinful men entice you, do not give in to them. If they say, “Come along with us; let’s lie in wait for innocent blood, let’s ambush some harmless soul; let’s swallow them alive, like the grave, and whole, like those who go down to the pit; we will get all sorts of valuable things and fill our houses with plunder; cast lots with us; we will all share the loot”—my son, do not go along with them, do not set foot on their paths” (Proverbs 1:10-15). There’s a saying that misery loves company. While many people are living lives full of sin, they tend to drag others down with them, which is how Lucifer was able to take 1/3 of the heavenly host with him to his downfall and continues to take souls with him every day.
Scholars have debated over the years as to who this prostitute is in Revelation. While many debate as to it being Rome, the Vatican, the pope, or others, the United States of America is fitted perfectly for the representation of the harlot of Revelation. America is surrounded by many waters, as described in this text. This is one of the reasons it was great: its seclusion from most nations of the world. However, the Bible speaks of other kings of the earth who committed adultery with her. These kings represent other nations of the earth who have been greatly influenced by the United States and followed her wicked ways. The Bible says: “The wicked go down to the realm of the dead, all the nations that forget God” (Psalm 9:17).
The United States has pressured other nations to accept ungodly things such as homosexuality, abortion, and more. They have aligned themselves with nations based on greed, theft, murder, and human trafficking, and have turned friends to enemies and enemies to friends. Yes, the United States “appears” to be the good guys, but she is just as sinful, if not more wicked, than Sodom and Gomorrah. Because of the greatness God allowed the United States to achieve, its fall will be the hardest. The Bible says: “But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked” (Luke 12:48). The United States has fallen short of what is due to God. It has cursed God by turning away from Him despite their national days of prayer, churches on every corner, social media pages, even satellite services. This nation is becoming more wicked by the day, and it would have been nothing without Him. While it has been recognized as being founded on Judeo-Christian values, not all of our founding fathers were Christians. Some of the Founding Fathers were Freemasons. Notable examples include George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Paul Revere, and John Hancock. According to historical records, about 16% of the signers of the Declaration of Independence and 33% of the signers of the U.S. Constitution were documented Masons. Let’s be clear, God does not honor secret societies and secret oaths.
