On Sunday, Daniel started the exposition of Revelation 17, 18, and 19:1-10 with the question, “What do you love?” He expounded with a further question, “What things do you always make room for?” Two weeks ago, we discussed God’s wrath and were faced answering what makes us angry. At face value, it feels as if the question about what we love is easier and better to answer, and yet, as we looked at the passage, it became increasingly clear that I would much rather talk about my anger and God’s just wrath than my constant practice of idolatry. 

From Revelation 17, we are confronted with symbolism; John elucidates his vision of the
Mother of all Prostitutes and Abominations, named Babylon the Great, getting drunk on the blood of martyrs while riding a beast with seven heads and ten horns. The prostitute stands in to represent the false promises of a perverted lover – the promise of pleasure and self- indulgence without any of the responsibility in commitment. And her lure and enticement are strong and overpowering. This is the representation of idolatry.

Not only is this image startling and horrific on it’s own, but it’s even harder to confront when we recognize that this is representative of what we often choose over the enriching love of our one faithful lover, Christ. And in this passage specifically, it’s difficult to grapple with the amount of power the prostitute and her beast stead gain. And yet, this is our daily battle. 

When asked what makes me angry, I find it easy to step forward and recognize those things that might push me over the edge a little too easily. I’m fairly quick to catch myself sinning through these emotions because they are so blatant. But my sin in what I love can easily go unnoticed until it has taken complete control over me and become my golden calf. Slowly giving into the lure of the prostitute and her empty promises often seems fulfilling. And as fleeting moments of fulfillment are experienced, I am drawn back for more. Daniel said it this way, “There is a great temptation to lay down our money and play our part.

There is a great temptation, we all face it, to look for our fulfillment, our meaning, our
satisfaction in something or someone other than Jesus and His kingdom.” And he said the
result of giving into this temptation is the blurring of our vision, causing us to see others and ourselves as we ought not, forgetting we are the chased Bride of Christ.
But Revelation 18 and 19 give us the contrast, and the news of saving grace in the midst of this horrible image. The prostitute is judged and destroyed, and ultimately the Lord reigns. There is rejoicing and fulfillment in the Bride. 

“Hallelujah! For the Lord our God
the Almighty reigns.
Let us rejoice and exult

and give Him the glory,
for the marriage of the Lamb has come,
and His Bride has made herself ready;
it was granted her to clothe herself
with fine linen, bright and pure –
for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.”
Revelation 19:6-8

All throughout the Bible, we see the constant adultery of God’s people worshipping idols and turning from Him, and yet He extends grace. We are all tempted by the prostitute and we often are persuaded by her power, but we are the chased Bride of Christ. The prostitute, the beast, and all of the temptations that pour from her golden cup will be struck down. Christ reigns and will have ultimate victory. We will experience enrichment because of fulfilment by our Lord in all that the prostitute falsely and emptily promised. We will sit at the feast with Him after being granted fine linen, bright and pure, in which He clothes us.

~ Emily Spare