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| The Bible is our Road Map God's Word
© Karen Kyle Ericson, all rights reserved.
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I'm still working on cleaning out my coats. Hope others are too. At 54, I really don't know what size I'll be the next day hahaha. I used to be incredibly skinny, not so much now. I have an old Boeing jacket I will never fit into again : )
Revelation Chapter 17
The Scarlet Woman and the Scarlet Beast
1 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and talked with me, saying to me, “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters, 2 with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication.”
The harlot is the false Church. It will span many nations (many waters). I read this and think of Kings who claimed Christianity as an excuse to kill and steal. The most disturbing is the Crusades. It's the one people often use to illustrate how horrible Christians are. It's more of an excuse to commit more evil than fact.
There's a few things to think about. In the time period of the Crusades, people couldn't read. Only a select group of individuals like monks and Popes knew how. This left the average person without a Bible of their own. They blindly trusted leaders from the government in the 1200's- or died. It was really one of the Kings who set off the crusades and a corrupt Pope. It hurts me to even think of someone abusing Jesus' name that way.
Paintings like Michelangelo's were created to help people who couldn't read understand. But they were still dependent on a Church official to explain it. They never really knew the truth about Jesus.
I was on a NY Times forum and several people were saying how Christians are killers. The truth is it wasn't a Christian thing to do at all. We need to be more afraid of a Government controlled Church like in the Crusades, than we do the Church itself. I believe the fornication described in verses 1-2 are the lies spread about God. When a leader claims to be declaring an act of evil in the name of God, it can't be right. God has no evil within Him. He will judge and condemn.
This re-enforces the need to have daily quiet times and make sure to read the Bible ourselves. I always ask the Holy Spirt to speak to me through His Word. Then it makes more sense. Evil people will try and distort the truth for their own means (usually financial, like stealing treasure or relics). The Antichrist will be worse than the crusades. Far more evil.
10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.3 So he carried me away in the Spirit into the wilderness. And I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast which was full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. 4 The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication. 5 And on her forehead a name was written:
(1 Timothy 6:10 NKJV)
MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
When people claim to be more knowledgable about God's will than they actually are, this would be blasphemy. For example, I heard a man say, "My job is to stand in the place of Jesus on earth."
No one can take Jesus' place anywhere. He is the Son of God, He is God. He doesn't need an alternate when He's busy... We do need to be His witnesses sharing our testimony with others. But we will never be Jesus, He's alive, He rose from the dead. No human on earth can take our sins away only the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross.
18 “Come now, and let us reason together,”As I read the Bible I keep coming back to God's forgiveness. These verses are humbling for me. Scarlet or the color red symbolize two things: 1. our sin, 2. Jesus blood that can cleanse us and make us white (pure). People are right, the Church isn't perfect. We have all sinned. But one day we will be perfected in Christ. No more of those scarlet sins : ) I'm hoping I won't put my foot in my mouth in Heaven. lol hate when that happens.
Says the Lord,
“Though your sins are like scarlet,
They shall be as white as snow;
Though they are red like crimson,
They shall be as wool.
(Isaiah 1:18 NKJV)
6 I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. And when I saw her, I marveled with great amazement.
This is creepy isn't it? It reminds me of Jesus' crucifixion. In that time period many of the saints were martyred by Romans. In fact all of the twelve disciples were martyred. Peter asked to be hung upside down on a cross because he wanted to show he was less than Jesus (from the book of Martyrs not in the Bible). We all love the Apostles : ) So glad the Bible describes their personalities in it.
The Meaning of the Woman and the Beast
7 But the angel said to me, “Why did you marvel? I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and the ten horns. 8 The beast that you saw was, and is not, and will ascend out of the bottomless pit and go to perdition. And those who dwell on the earth will marvel, whose names are not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world, when they see the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.
Ouch! Verse 8 says people will marvel at the names of those who aren't in the Book of Life. Sounds like people will think they are good. They give good tips at restaurants. They aren't mean. But they never accepted Jesus as their Savior.
9 “Here is the mind which has wisdom: The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits. 10 There are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, and the other has not yet come. And when he comes, he must continue a short time. 11 The beast that was, and is not, is himself also the eighth, and is of the seven, and is going to perdition.
Rome was built on 7 mountains. It is believed that the false Church is based in Rome. It will be the home of the Anti-Christ.
12 “The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast. 13 These are of one mind, and they will give their power and authority to the beast. 14 These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful.”
I read this and what comes to mind is the financial markets. To me it sounds like an exchange of power is coming to the beast, the time will be 1 hour. And it will unsuccessfully try and defeat all that is holy. I don't know I just have a hunch money has something to do with these verses. Maybe I'm off. The Lamb wins!!! That's what's important : )
15 Then he said to me, “The waters which you saw, where the harlot sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues. 16 And the ten horns which you saw on the beast, these will hate the harlot, make her desolate and naked, eat her flesh and burn her with fire. 17 For God has put it into their hearts to fulfill His purpose, to be of one mind, and to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled. 18 And the woman whom you saw is that great city which reigns over the kings of the earth."
When I read about Rome, I can't help but wonder how that could be. Modern day Rome has many issues it's not the incredible city it was in the time of Christ. The old colosseums are ruins now. Some of this will only make sense when it happens.
(Revelation 17:1-18 NKJV)
Dear Heavenly Father,
I lift up the nations to You. Please bless those who are unfairly persecuted today. Please help our government leaders have courage and wisdom as they work out the path forward for our country. Reveal the truth to us Father, set us free. I thank You and praise You for giving us Bibles in our homes and those who gave them out. I would never have lasted in the beginning without one. Help us not to be taken by corrupt government leaders.
Our Father in heaven,
Reveal who you are.
10 Set the world right;
Do what's best––
as above, so below.
11 Keep us alive with three square meals.
12 Keep us forgiven with you and forgiving others.
13 Keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil.
You're in charge!
You can do anything you want!
You're ablaze in beauty!
Yes. Yes. Yes .
(Matthew 6:9-13 Message)
In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Sometimes life has a way of really knocking us down. We wonder when the peace will come. We are still assigned to bring hope. This is an old carol we used to sing in Church. It just seems like a good time to listen to it even though it's not Christmas... I'll play it again next month : )
Casting Crowns, "I heard the Bells" (link)
My thanks again to Pastor Chuck Smith in Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa, CA, also to Pastor Lloyd Pulley in Calvary Chapel Old Bridge, in NJ. You both have different perspectives, thanks for your hard work and service.
: )
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