The Book of Revelation Part One
Tools For A Better Reading
Revelation 1:3
[3] Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near. (ESV)
Three Tools for Reading Revelation
- Know there are two teams
Team Dragon: Beasts, kings of Babylon, Babylon, the prostitute, merchants, sailors, those with the mark of Babylon, Nicolaitens, Balaam, Jezebel.
Team Lamb: Father, Son, lion of Judah, seven spirits, woan, churches, wintnesses, four living things, twenty-four elders, angels, the bride.
- Know the role of Babylon
Who is Babylon? Rome
Revelation 17:9 (ESV)
[9] This calls for a mind with wisdom: the seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman is seated;
Babylon is a timeless oppressor for God’s people
Revelation 17:1–6 (ESV)
[1] Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great prostitute [Babylon] who is seated on many waters, [2] with whom the kings of the earth have committed sexual immorality, and with the wine of whose sexual immorality the dwellers on earth have become drunk.” [3] And he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness, and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was full of blasphemous names, and it had seven heads and ten horns. [4] The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and jewels and pearls, holding in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her sexual immorality. [5] And on her forehead was written a name of mystery: “Babylon the great, mother of prostitutes and of earth’s abominations.” [6] And I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. When I saw her, I marveled greatly.
Revelation 18:1–3 (ESV)
[1] After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was made bright with his glory. [2] And he called out with a mighty voice,
“Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great!
She has become a dwelling place for demons,
a haunt for every unclean spirit,
a haunt for every unclean bird,
a haunt for every unclean and detestable beast.
[3] For all nations have drunk
the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality,
and the kings of the earth have committed immorality with her,
and the merchants of the earth have grown rich from the power of her luxurious living.”
Revelation 19:1–3 (ESV)
[1] After this I heard what seemed to be the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, crying out,
“Hallelujah!
Salvation and glory and power belong to our God,
[2] for his judgments are true and just;
for he has judged the great prostitute
who corrupted the earth with her immorality,
and has avenged on her the blood of his servants.”
[3] Once more they cried out,
“Hallelujah!
The smoke from her goes up forever and ever.” (ESV)
- Know the Traits of Babylon
- Anti-God/ Idolatry (Rev 13:5; Gen 11:4; Dan 3:4)
- Opulent (Rev 18:3; Isa 51:7; Dan 3:1)
- Murderous (Rev 17:6; Dan 3:19; Hab 1:13-17)
- Image (Rev 17:8; Gen 11:4)
- Militaristic (Rev 17:13; Isa 31:1-2)
- Economically exploitative (Rev 18:3, 11-13; Jer 51:34-35; Lam 4:5; )
- Arrogance (Rev 18:7; Isa 47:7-8, Zeph 2:15)
