The Last Days
​Revelation 17:15-18

 Lesson 66- Gods Purpose Fulfilled

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​Lesson 66 | 05/31/26 ​
Revelation 17:15-18 | God's Purpose Fullfilled

Last week we looked at the 7 kingdoms of men controlled by spiritual Babylon, the kingdom of darkness, fighting against God. And verse 14, a climactic verse in this chapter, “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.” In these last days, at the very end of the 7-Year Tribulation, the kingdom of darkness will unite themselves together as they did at the Tower of Babel and take a stand against God... but the Lamb will overcome.
Now as we wrap up chapter 17, John circles back around in these last 4 verses to reveal God’s Purposes and the Fulfillment of God’s Word in the final days of the Tribulation. Lets read Revelation 17:15-18.
In these four verses, the angel speaking to John gives clarity on three things he saw:

1. V.15- The Waters which you saw...
   1. These are peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues... a picture of global dominion and control.
2. V.16- The Ten Horns which you saw...
   1. these will hate the harlot and destroy her
3. v.18- The Woman which you saw...
   1. is the great city Babylon, having rule over the kings of the earth

Revelation 17:15)
The woman sits on the waters, the peoples, multitudes, nations and tongues, but she also sits on the scarlet beast, and in verse 18, she is the one having rule over/upon the kings of the earth. This is describing the new Tower of Babel; a unified global authority, global power, global religion, global politics, and global economics and finance.

• Chapter 17 focuses on the spiritual aspect and origin of Babylon
• Chapter 18 focuses on the political and economic... physical aspects of Babylon

God’s Word promises that this grand empire of Babylon will come crumbling down, Isaiah 66:15-18.

• Verse 16 describes one of the ways this will happen...

Revelation 17:16)

• These Ten Kings are working in conjunction with the Beast
  • Verse 17 says, “they will give their kingdom, the 7th kingdom of men, to the beast”
  • Verse 12 says “they receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast”
    • This is the battle of Armageddon at the very end of the Tribulation
• The Ten Kings seem to have united together fully again under and with the beast
  • Remember, at the middle of the week, three of the kings will rebel against the beast
    • This may be the mortal wound that the beast suffers
    • But the beast will rise up and defeat the three kings that come against him, Daniel 7:7-8, 24; 11:25-28; Rev 13:3-4.
  • And now at the end of the Tribulation, the kings of the earth unite themselves with the beast to wage war against the harlot.
    • It seems they will unite together to destroy the Catholic Church who is the center of religious power and authority
      • You can see the turmoil within the kingdom of darkness
• Why do the kings of the earth hate the harlot? I thought they loved her?
  • Rev 17:2- committed fornication with her
  • Rev 18:9- lived luxuriously with her and will weep and mourn over her
• Why are they turning on the great harlot?
  • Ezekiel 32:9-10 gives us the answer
    • The kingdom of darkness is not loyal. Built on pride and selfishness, looking out for themselves
    • They see the judgement on the great harlot, and they stand at a distance horribly afraid of the judgement they are seeing God pour out on her, Revelation 18:9-10.
      • They don’t want to be associated with her lest they receive the same punishment
  • The kingdom of darkness is a fickle group. They are liars who are of their father, the devil, the father of lies and they will turn on each other as they seek opportunity.
    • There are many examples in the OT when God confused the enemy, and they started fighting against each other, Gideon- Judges 7:19-22; King Jehoshaphat- 2 Chronicles 20:14-24; Assyrian army- 2 Kings 7.

Revelation 17:17)

• He is not going against their free will, but using their will and rebellion to fulfill His plans. They have become dishonorable vessels for the Lord.
• The word purpose is γνώμην. It comes from the root word γινωσκω, “to know.” This word could be translated “known purpose” or “purpose based on knowledge.”
  • God knows their thoughts and intentions, and, in His foreknowledge, He has devised their rebellion into His plan
  • They are dishonorable vessels in which God is using for His purpose. He has given them His plan, and they are carrying it out. They just have no idea.
• There is so much more in the unseen realm with kings and kingdoms that God is doing to fulfill His purposes
  • Daniel 10 gives us a glimpse into the spiritual battles that affect physical kingdoms, Daniel 10:12-13, 20-21.
    • God allows these kingdoms to exist, but it is in His timing and for His purposes
• The 7-Year Tribulation is entirely directed by God; every Seal, every Trumpet, every Bowl is being dictated and orchestrated by Jesus Christ
  • Remember at the 6th Bowl, God dries up the river Euphrates  to prepare the way of the king’s destruction.
    • At this time, the kings will turn from the harlot, join with the Antichrist, give him their power and authority to make war with the Lamb.
      • This begins the Battle of Armageddon.

This will fulfill God’ Word and Purposes
God’s Word and His Purpose will be done. This Judgement on Babylon was foretold back in Jeremiah 50 and 51. These two chapters in Jeremiah connect perfectly with Revelation 17 and 18. Today we will look at chapter 50 in connection with chapter 17. Next week we will look at chapter 51 in connection with Revelation 18, Jeremiah 50:1-15, 18-19, 22-46.

• Revelation 17:17 says this is to fulfill His Purpose and to fulfill His Word, Jeremiah 50:45; Isaiah 14:24-27.
  • Again, we have to remember the timing and the events that are happening at the end of the Tribulation.
    • All the Christians have been removed from the earth
    • There are only two groups of people remaining, 1) earth-dwellers who have taken the mark of the Beast; 2) Jews who have not taken the mark, but have also not confessed Jesus as Lord and Savior.
      • This Judgement on Babylon is God taking vengeance on the nations who have come against God’s people and through this, He is drawing the remnant of the Jews back to Himself so that they will call upon Him in their distress, Deut 4:29-30; Zech 10:8-12.
• God has purposed this, but not against the free will of mankind.
  • This is God using the pride and selfishness of the nations and the kings of the earth to accomplish His plans... just look at the Jews and the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, Acts 2:23.
  • This is the sovereignty of God that Romans 9 speaks of. Not a sovereign will to choose those for salvation, but the sovereign right to choose how His purposes will be accomplished.
    • He has the sovereign right to use vessels of honor and dishonor to fulfill His purpose.
    • Romans 9 is about God’s election for service, not an election of personal salvation.
• God’s purposes of salvation will be fulfilled, including His promises to Israel, Romans 11:25-36.
  • This is ultimately the purpose of the Tribulation. It is the time of Jacob’s Trouble to turn Israel away from playing the harlot with Babylon, and to draw the Jews to Himself, Jeremiah 30:7-9; Zech 13:7-9; Micah 2:12-13; 4:12; 6:2; Ezek 13:14; 16:62-63; 22:16-22; 24:13; Amos 9:8-14.
  • Revelation 17-18 and the fall of Babylon is the final act just before Jesus comes back in final vengeance.
    • The enemy has come to destroy Jerusalem and the Jews, but God fights for His people and then they will know that He is God and Jesus Christ is their Savior, Zech 12:8-11.

 
 
This is the plan of Redemption, God’s 70-Week Plan determined to bring in everlasting Righteousness, Daniel 9:24
The destruction and the death of the gods of this world, the destruction of all those who would merge themselves with Babylon, to make an end of sins, to usher in His Kingdom of Righteousness and Peace, and to Glorify King Jesus.

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