11 - A WOMAN WORLD RULER

Have you heard about the woman who made everybody in the world drunk? Is it possible for one woman to make the earth drunk? Not in a literal sense, obviously. However, Revelation 17 presents a symbolic harlot who has made the inhabitants a symbolic harlot who has made the inhabitants of the earth “drunk with the wine of her fornication” Revelation 17:2.

“Fornication” is used here in a figurative sense to denote the unfaithfulness of professed followers of God who depart from His way to follow the sinful Ways of the world. In the Old Testament the relationship between the children of Israel and Jehovah is likened to the marriage union. When the Israelites worshiped the false gods of the other nations and followed the ways of the heathen, they were guilty of spiritual adultery. God used the term harlot when referring to them. (Jer. 3:1-9, 20; Ezek. 23; Hoses 1:2). This is a key that unlocks the mystery of the world drunk with the wine of her fornication.

The relationship of the believer to Christ is compared to the marriage relationship (Rom. 7:4). The act of adultery by a married man or woman signifies unfaithfulness to the marriage vow. Likewise, professed Christians unfaithful to their Master are “adulterers and adulteresses” (James 4:4).

In the case of this symbolic harlot “the wine of her fornication” represents her false doctrines by which countless millions have been led astray. This wine also signifies her unlawful alliances with civil powers to enforce her false dogmas by civil law.

We have a reference to this portrayal in the second angel’s message: “There followed another angel, saying. Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication” (Rev. 14:8). The power represented by the woman has not yet made all nations drunk, because the work of apostasy has not yet reached its culmination. But the fateful moment is near for the final great delusion.

The apostle John describes the vision of the harlot: “There came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters: with whom the kings of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication. So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication” (Rev. 17:1-4).

In chapter nine it was shown from the Bible that the symbolic pure woman of Revelation 12 represents Christ’s true church throughout all generations. Since this symbolic woman of Revelation 17 is the opposite kind of woman, a harlot, it is clear that she represents a false church and a false system of worship.

The many waters upon which the harlot is represented as sitting symbolize the peoples and nations of the earth: “The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues” (Rev. 17:15). The scarlet-colored beast upon which the woman rides represents the governments of the earth. Thus the figure of the woman sitting on many waters and riding upon a beast suggests that this false system of worship is supported by the nations and peoples of the earth.

The woman’s riding upon the beast denotes how this false church system influences governments to enforce certain of her false teachings by civil law. This is how the harlot Babylon will make all the nations drink of the wine of her fornication and so become, in certain respects, world ruler.

Any church or federation of churches that seeks to enforce its doctrines by civil law shows that it is not the Lord’s true church, but is a part of Satan’s false system.

Ever since Adam and Eve sinned there has been a continuing conflict between truth and error, Christ and Satan. And the two symbolic women of Revelation represent the two sides in this conflict of the ages. Let no person think that he is not involved in this conflict. The issue of truth versus error is of eternal import for every soul. Therefore, every person should have a true understanding of what is represented by these symbolic women. And since the harlot makes the inhabitants of the earth drunk with the wine of her false teaching, you and I should be concerned as to how we might escape being deluded.

The name of this harlot is of special significance. “Upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH” (Rev. 17:5).

Some declare that this woman called Babylon represents the Church of Rome only, and has no application to Protestant churches. However, God says she is “the mother of harlots.” She has a group of impure daughters. These daughters represent the Protestant churches that do not follow the Bible, or follow some of the false teachings of Romanism. They are a part of Babylon the great. In fact, the book of Revelation indicates that this symbolic Babylon includes every religious teaching and denomination not in harmony with the truths of God’s threefold message (see Revelation 18:1-4).