The Truth about Islam 4
Revealing the Beast part:
The Harlot of Babylon
(preached 11/29/09)
This will be the final sermon in the series about Islam and the End Times and today we discover the possibly identity of the Harlot of Babylon. The identity of the Harlot must be very important to God or He wouldn’t have dedicated 2 entire chapters to it. If it’s important to Him that means He wants it to be important to us!
Please turn to Revelation 17: 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, with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication.” 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. 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. And on her forehead a name was written: MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. 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. 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.
(skipping to verse 15)
Then he said to me, “The waters which you saw, where the harlot sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues. 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. 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. And the woman whom you saw is that great city which reigns over the kings of the earth.”
In our effort to discover the identity of the Harlot of Babylon let’s break Revelation 17 down to her characteristics:
1) INTIMATE WITH ISLAM: She’s sitting on Islam (the Beast) because she has a direct & intimate relationship with it and received sustenance of some sort from it. This fact eliminates the more popular candidates posited by theologians that the Harlot is the Catholic Church or the United States as neither rely upon or have an intimate relationship with Islam.
2) RICH: her clothing and jewels signify her financial prosperity which is backed up by chapter 18 which gives a detailed description of the same.
3) “FORNICATES” WITH KINGS/NATIONS: clearly showing she’s an entity and not an individual and later one we discover she’s a nation/city. We often hear the phrase that one nation/leader is “in bed” with another so the Lord is telling us that the Harlot is in bed with many nations politically and financially (also backed up by chapter 18).
4) HAS MARTYRED CHRISTIANS: this nation/city is directly responsible for the martyrdom of Christians in the past and during the Tribulation.
5) WILL BECOME (future tense!) ENEMIES OF THE 10 KINGS/NATIONS THAT RULE OVER ISLAM AND THEY WILL DESTROY HER. Remember that right now the Harlot still “rides” on the Beast and it allows her to . . . but at some point during the Tribulation the Beast will turn upon the Harlot and destroy her. Thus something will happen to destroy the intimate relationship the Harlot has with the Beast . . . think of it like a rodeo: the bull finally gets tired of its rider, throws her off, then tramples on her until she’s no more.
Whereas Revelation 17 describes the characteristics of the Harlot Revelation 18 gives us the consequences of her actions and those who “fornicated” with her—God’s response to her sins, if you will. In chapter 18 an angel with great authority verbally declares that Babylon will fall and become the habitation of demons. Please note: Middle Eastern belief among both Jews and Arabs is that the DESERT is a place where demons dwell which is why Jesus made the reference that when a demon is cast out it wanders the desert for awhile then comes back with 7 more of its fellows [he got them from the desert and brought them back with him] (Matthew 12:43-45). ALSO please remember that it was when Jesus fasted in the DESERT that Lucifer appeared to Him to tempt Him (Matthew 4:1). Thus chapter 18 shows that the nation the Harlot represents must contain a desert.
Chapters 17 & 18 both make reference that the Harlot produces “wine” and that ALL the nations of the world have “fornicated” with her so that they may “drink” and “be drunk” with this “wine.” Since the “fornication” represents political and financial alliances and transactions, this “wine” must be something that all nations desperately want and need. Something they’re willing to make sacrifices for, something they’re willing to “prostitute” themselves for, pay lots of money for, even kowtow to the Harlot for. Think of a drug addict selling themselves and shaming themselves to their own detriment AND that of others to get their fix. This “wine” must be so desirable that all the nations of the planet are willing to do anything to get it….
What do YOU think the “wine of the desert” is that all nations go to war for, rely on, spend billions on, and make political and financial arrangements for?
OIL
In chapter 18 God calls upon the nations of the world to break off their immoral relationship with the Harlot. To stop doing anything and everything to get her oil, to stop relying on it. Isn’t this the way it is now? U.S. politicians—especially in a Presidential election year—are always talking upon our “dependency upon foreign oil.” The OPEC nations determine the price of our oil at a whim—if they’re not getting enough profits they cut production and the price per barrel goes up. This affects the ENTIRE economy of the U.S. and every person living here (and the rest of the world for that matter). Demand for oil across the globe is not going down but up—especially from China who is going through an industrial and technological growth spurt.
The fact is the U.S. and most every country in the world is “in bed” with OPEC. We’ve gone to war and made political and economic agreements with them so that we can continue to receive and be DRUNK with (let those who have ears hear!) with the wine of the Harlot. Our economies and our politics are “in bed” with OPEC and should she decide to cut us off we would be DEVASTATED. We would be like the drug addict whose had his only source of drugs taken away and we would go through major withdrawal.
In Revelation 18, however, God has finally had it—“the chickens have come home to roost” as my Grandmother used to say. The end of chapter 17 has Him putting it into the hearts and minds of the Beast to destroy the Harlot which means her oil as well. God gives the nations of the world one last chance to repent and calls upon us to “come out of her.” This statement is a Jewish reference to intimacy—the Lord is telling us to get OUT of bed with the Harlot. It’s vital that we end our dependence upon OPEC oil otherwise chapter 18 makes it clear we will share in her destruction.
Ironically her destruction according the Revelation will be “with fire” and LOTS of “smoke.” The smoke will rise so high and be so abundant that neighboring nations and even ships at sea will witness it. I ask you now to remember the pictures of Desert Storm and the Iraq War when the Iraqi’s set fire to the oil—the black smoke blotted out the sun and could be seen from miles. When the nation known as the Harlot is destroyed the fire and smoke will probably be so massive it will be seen from space.
On the day that happens all the nations dependent on her oil will “weep and lament”: “The kings of the earth who committed fornication and lived luxuriously with her will weep and lament for her, when they see the smoke of her burning, standing at a distance for fear of her torment, saying, ‘Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! For in one hour your judgment has come.’
Remember: the drug addicts have been cut off cold turkey. All the trains, planes, automobiles, trucking, shipping, getting to work, running your generator, etc. will ALL be cut off because there will no more source of oil/gas. During Katrina gas prices shot up to $5-$6 per gallon—when the Harlot is destroyed oil will truly be “black gold” and few gas stations will have any. Those that do will probably charge $100 per gallon.
Revelation 18 goes on to—once again—to describe that the Harlot is responsible for the slaying of Christians and Prophets. While the oil addicted nations of the earth are weeping over her destruction, God is rejoicing because justice has finally come to her.
With the detailed descriptions given to us by God in Revelation chapters 17 & 18 there is only one nations who fits all the following criteria:
1) Intimate with Islam.
2) Rich/Prosperous.
3) Sells oil to nations of earth, getting rich off the proceeds and causing other countries to get rich.
4) Forms economic & political relations with these nations for the sake of oil.
5) Also sells other products like spices, clothing, jewelry, livestock, and deals in slavery (Revelation 18:11-18).
6) Has martyred Christians & Jews for centuries.
7) Located near a sea (Revelation 18:17, 21).
The nation that seems to meet all the prophetic requirements of the Harlot of Babylon is Saudi Arabia. Let’s take the above 7 conditions point by point.
1) Saudi Arabia is an Islamic nation (Sunni) and contains the 2 most holy Islamic sites: Mecca and Medina.
2) It’s on the top 5 of richest nations in the world.
3) It’s the greatest producer & seller of oil in the world and the dominate OPEC nation.
4) Is “in bed” with both Eastern and Western nations for the sake of oil.
5) Is home to “the Arabian Mall” a “strip” in Mecca that sells ALL the items listed in Revelation 18:11-18 including human trafficking!
6) Is directly and indirectly responsible for the martyrdom of Christians and a MAJOR financer of terrorism. Fully half or more of the 9/11 terrorists were from Saudi as is Osama bin Laden.
7) Located near the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea and the Persian Gulf—is known as “the Desert by the sea.”
While the martyrdom and Christian certainly angers God the straw the breaks the camel’s back is when the kings of the earth sell out Israel and divide its land for oil: On account of My people, My heritage Israel, Whom they have scattered among the nations; They have also divided up My land.
They have cast lots for My people, Have given a boy as payment for a harlot, And sold a girl for wine, that they may drink. (Joel 3:2-3).
The Kings of the Earth have gone after a “harlot” (Mystery Babylon) and “wine” (oil).
If the Saudi Arabia theory is correct then at some point in the near future The Beast she rides upon turns on her and destroys her. According to Islamic End Times theology, the Mahdi makes WAR upon Saudi Arabia and ends up destroying Mecca and Medina. This causes him to move his HQ to Jerusalem (exactly in line with Scripture) where he then takes over the Jewish Temple and sets up the Abomination of Desolation.
So the question some of you are asking right now is why would the Mahdi go to war with a fellow Muslim nation and destroy it?
In the here and now there are two power blocs in the Middle East: one is Sunni Muslim and the other Shiite. Saudi Arabia is the head of the Sunni power bloc and Iran is the head of the Shiite bloc. The Shiites are the one who believe more strongly in the coming of the Mahdi and tend to take a hard line stance against Israel and the West. Think Ayatollah Khomeni back in the 70’s & 80’s and Ahmidinijead in the here and now. These are the ones who burn American and Israeli flags and shout “Death to Israel! Death to America!” Iran and its allies await the coming of their Mahdi who will lead them to dominate the entire globe for Islam.
The government of Saudi Arabia—despite being Islamic—does NOT believe in the coming of the Mahdi nor do they want him to come. They’re very much like the Pharisees in Jesus day who did not want the Messiah to come. Why? Because they’re rich and live lavish lifestyles, commanding lots of money and power throughout the globe. If Mahdi were to appear and start causing trouble that would be the end for the prosperity and power of Saudi Arabia. They like things the way they are.
Whereas Iran and its allies want war with Israel and the West, Saudi Arabia is (listen now!) “in bed” with Israel and the West as well as China and other nations because we’re its oil customers! Whereas Iran rattles their sabre at us all the time Saudi never does that. They want our money and we want their oil and both sides know it. As a result, Iran and its allies see Saudi Arabia as “prostituting” itself and Islam with Israel and the West. As of right now the Saudi bloc in the Middle East is stronger than the Iranian bloc.
Remember that Mahdi will be the most fundamental of fundamentalist Muslims and he will not tolerate Saudi who behaves like a Great Harlot to other nations. When he comes there will be a fundamental shift of power to the Shiite bloc and if Saudi Arabia truly is the Harlot of Babylon in Revelation chapters 17 & 18 then she will be destroyed by the Mahdi. The Bible says it will happen “in one hour.”
This concludes our sermon series about Islam and the End Times and now we must ask the most important question of all: what do we DO will all this information?
The first point was for us to discern the signs of the Second Coming of Christ. When we start to see all the things happening that were pointed out in this sermon series then we know that its near, even at the doors. We’re admonished over and over by Christ to be ready. The signs of the times gives us the ballpark figure time wise so that we can have the OPPORTUNITY to be right with God and bearing fruit. Remember that learning all this information was only to give us the opportunity to be right and bear fruit—it’s not the act of those things. Sometimes it’s easy to get caught up in the signs when the point of the signs is so we have the chance and time to get ready.
NOW is the time get right with God and you can only do that if you’ve repented of your sins and asked Jesus to be your Savior. Now is the time for Christians to repent of their sins and cast off the ways of the world, drawing closer to Christ and actively working for Him. It’s time for the Church to have a sense of urgency and spread the Gospel of the Kingdom which is what this sermon series has done. The Kingdom Gospel (which is the one Jesus preached) is simple: “Repent (of sins, cast off the world and the devil, cling to Christ)! The Kingdom of Heaven (the Second Coming) is at hand (about to happen real soon)!
