RUBY RED-DRESS - THE SCARLET HARLOT OF REVELATION 17

Introduction

Some time ago there was a popular song entitled "Ruby Red-Dress." The lyrics were about a fallen woman. The Great Harlot of Revelation 17 is analogous to "Ruby Red-Dress" because she was clothed in purple and scarlet which is a reference to the apostate religious system of the Tribulation. This world-wide ecumenical system will be composed of all unbelievers that remain on the earth following the Rapture of all believers. These people were involved in all of the world religions prior to the Rapture and remained so after the Rapture and during the first half of the Tribulation as indicated in Revelation 2:22 and Revelation 3:10. This great religious system left on the earth will be under the domination of the Great Harlot.

So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways. (Revelation 2:22)

Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth. (Revelation 3:10)

The Description of the Scarlet Harlot

This System Bears the Characterization of a Harlot

The Apostle John, under divine revelation, has given many outstanding details which furnish a description of this evil system. This system bears the characterization of a harlot as in Revelation 17:1-2 and Revelation 17:15-16. This apostate Satanic system (Satan is the father of all religions) claimed to be the Bride of Christ, but instead of actually being in that pure position, the apostate system is described as a harlot.

One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, "Come, I will show you the punishment of the great prostitute, who sits on many waters. With her the kings of the earth committed adultery and the inhabitants of the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her adulteries." (Revelation 17:1-2)

Then the angel said to me, "The waters you saw, where the prostitute sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations and languages. The beast and the ten horns you saw will hate the prostitute. They will bring her to ruin and leave her naked; they will eat her flesh and burn her with fire. (Revelation 17:15-16)

The Scarlet Harlot Is a Leader in Religious Affairs

The scarlet harlot is a leader in religious affairs per Revelation 17:1-2 and Revelation 8:5. Spiritual adultery means adhering to a false spiritual system. This false system concerns indifference and hostility toward the orthodox, fundamental doctrines of Christianity. It emphasizes a universal fatherhood of God and brotherhood of man which completely eliminates the necessity of salvation through faith in the work of Christ on the cross.

One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, "Come, I will show you the punishment of the great prostitute, who sits on many waters. With her the kings of the earth committed adultery and the inhabitants of the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her adulteries." (Revelation 17:1-2)

Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and hurled it on the earth; and there came peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning and an earthquake. (Revelation 8:5)

The Scarlet Harlot Is a Leader in Political Affairs

The scarlet harlot is a leader in political affairs as indicated in Revelation 17:3,9,18. In these verses, it is depicted as controlling the beast upon which it sits. The Beast is the ruler of the Restored Roman Empire. Religious power invested in the scarlet harlot actually enables him to amalgamate his empire during the first half of the Tribulation period.

Then the angel carried me away in the Spirit into a desert. There I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns. (Revelation 17:3)

"This calls for a mind with wisdom. The seven heads are seven hills on which the woman sits. (Revelation 17:9)

The woman you saw is the great city that rules over the kings of the earth." (Revelation 17:18)

The Scarlet Harlot Has Become Extremely Wealthy and Influential

The scarlet harlot has become extremely wealthy and influential and is an organized system of world-wide scope as seen in Revelation 17:4 and Revelation 17:15. Consider the accumulated wealth and assets of the Roman Catholic Church and the Mormon Church today as an example of this religious wealth. You should not be shocked to know that the accumulated wealth of these two religious systems is absolutely astronomical! However, this evil principle also exists with evangelical leaders today. Such huge accumulations of wealth is completely incompatible with the principle of sacrificial living and giving taught in the New Testament. Today, we see tele-evangelists and ministers making hundreds of thousands of dollars every month as their personal salary. The words of our Lord Jesus Christ, "Take up your cross and follow me", obviously referring to the self-control, self-discipline and self-sacrifice of the Christian life, rings very empty and devoid of Truth as it applies to many evangelical leaders today.

The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and was glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls. She held a golden cup in her hand, filled with abominable things and the filth of her adulteries. (Revelation 17:4)

Then the angel said to me, "The waters you saw, where the prostitute sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations and languages. (Revelation 17:15)

The Scarlet Harlot System Was a Mystery

The scarlet harlot system represents a phase of the development of "Christendom" that was hitherto unrevealed in that it is referred to as a "mystery" in Revelation 17:5. This simply means that this ecumenical system was not completely revealed until Revelation 17.

Then the angel said to me, "The waters you saw, where the prostitute sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations and languages. (Revelation 17:15)

The Scarlet Harlot Has Persecuted and Martyred Many Believers

The scarlet harlot will persecute and martyr many believers in Jesus Christ during the Tribulation as stated in Revelation 17:6. The overall historical record for religious persecution and religious genocide will easily be broken by this "holocaust-whore" who will murder many believers during the Tribulation.

I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus. When I saw her, I was greatly astonished. (Revelation 17:6)

The Destruction of the Scarlet Harlot

The Scarlet Harlot Will Be Destroyed by the Ruler of the Restored Roman Empire

The scarlet harlot will be destroyed by the ruler of the Restored Roman Empire as stated in Revelation 17:16. The reason for the destruction of the scarlet harlot is so that the ruler of the Restored Roman Empire might have total ascendancy over the Western World and so that his supremacy may go unthreatened and unchallenged as seen in Revelation 17:17. The Satanic concepts and practices found within Roman Catholic Church are directly attributable to the union of paganism with Christianity when the Emperor Constantine declared Rome to be a Christian Empire. Therefore, we conclude that the scarlet harlot represents all professing Christendom united with all other religions into a single system under one head ( the head of the Roman Catholic Church). Evidently, the scarlet harlot will compete with the ruler of the Restored Roman Empire for the emperor worship by the people living during the Tribulation. The ruler of the Restored Roman Empire will be promoted by the False Prophet (the dictator of Palestine during the Tribulation) and her destruction is brought about so that the Beast may be the sole object of pseudo-worship as he claims to be God himself.

The beast and the ten horns you saw will hate the prostitute. They will bring her to ruin and leave her naked; they will eat her flesh and burn her with fire. (Revelation 17:16)

For God has put it into their hearts to accomplish his purpose by agreeing to give the beast their power to rule, until God's words are fulfilled. (Revelation 17:17

Religious Babylon and Political Babylon

The phrase from Revelation 18:1, "After this" is a technical phrase from the Greek and implies that after the description and destruction of religious Babylon in Revelation 17, we now have the description of another Babylon, (i.e., political Babylon in Revelation 18). Also remember that this political Babylon has already been identified as the United States of America in prophecy. The "mark of the Beast" will be instituted. This event is established by the messages of the second and third angels of Revelation 14. This demolishes the viewpoint that prophetic Babylon is the capital city of the ruler of the Restored Roman Empire. Prophetic Babylon is destroyed before the Man of Sin rises to the place of supreme ascendancy over the Western World and before the "mark of the Beast" is established.

After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven. He had great authority, and the earth was illuminated by his splendor. (Revelation 18:1)

Prophetic Babylon Will Not Be Destroyed by the Lord Directly

Prophetic Babylon will not be destroyed by the Lord directly, but by Him through an agency of a confederacy of fierce and cruel nations from the North of Palestine. Remember, "Mystery Babylon" (the ecumenical religious system) will be destroyed in the same manner by the agency of 10 kings aligned with the Beast. Prophetic Babylon is annihilated by God through the agency of a block of nations from the North, aligned with the King of the North, (i.e, Russia). It is important to understand this because it places the destruction of political Babylon some considerable time before the Second Advent to deliver the Jews and confirms what was said in the paragraph above.

The Inhabitants of Prophetic Babylon Will Be Forewarned

The inhabitants of prophetic Babylon will be forewarned to exodus to the lands of their national origin before divine judgment falls as stated in Revelation 18:4-5. The phrase "Come out of her, my people," has definite implications which cannot be lightly glossed over! Mature believers in prophetic Babylon and those identified with the remnant of mature believers will probably be the only ones to heed this command. Remember, prophetic Babylon is a nation comprised of all the nationalities of the world.

Then I heard another voice from heaven say: "Come out of her, my people, so that you will not share in her sins, so that you will not receive any of her plagues; for her sins are piled up to heaven, and God has remembered her crimes. (Revelation 18:4-5)

Destruction of Political Babylon Is Completely Unexpected

The nature of the destruction of political Babylon is completely unexpected. Its destruction will be by fire which will be completed within one hour of one day as stated in Revelation 18:8,10,17, and 19! It will leave the land uninhabitable and a death trap to trespassers. The universal destruction of gentile capital cities under the Seventh Bowl Judgment precludes the possibility of political Babylon's singular and unexpected holocaust at that time!

Therefore in one day her plagues will overtake her: death, mourning and famine. She will be consumed by fire, for mighty is the Lord God who judges her. (Revelation 18:8)

Terrified at her torment, they will stand far off and cry: "'Woe! Woe, O great city, O Babylon, city of power! In one hour your doom has come!' (Revelation 18:10)

In one hour such great wealth has been brought to ruin!' "Every sea captain, and all who travel by ship, the sailors, and all who earn their living from the sea, will stand far off. (Revelation 18:17)

They will throw dust on their heads, and with weeping and mourning cry out: "'Woe! Woe, O great city, where all who had ships on the sea became rich through her wealth! In one hour she has been brought to ruin! (Revelation 18:19)