11/21/12

"SUPRISE"





First impressions of this photo are great!  Then under closer scrutiny, flaws appear. First among them is "SUPRISE"-I guess spelling wasn't important. Next, how does a little child like that know what the sign says, anyway?  Question: How does a cat come out of a cake and NOT have cake all over it? Also,how does that cat hold a sign with its paws wide open? Looks photoshopped to me, but perhaps it is a molded cake because there is a shadow on the cake to the right of the cat.  So, we have a youngster frightened by a sign that it adopted.  All in all, it is cute in its own way, even with all my faultfinding.  Wait; lets go back to that adopted thing...

Galatians, Chapter 4
 1 But I say that so long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a bondservant, though he is lord of all; 2 but is under guardians and stewards until the day appointed by the father.  3 So we also, when we were children, were held in bondage under the elemental principles of the world.  4 But when the fullness of the time came, God sent out his Son, born to a woman, born under the law,  5 that he might redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of children.  6 And because you are children, God sent out the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, “Abba, Father!”  7 So you are no longer a bondservant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

We all are born into this world the same way (more or less) and each of us has a different family life as a child*.  Some of us are loved, others-- not so much.  For those that fall into the second category, we have good news-- GOD LOVES US!!!  Those of us who have chosen GOD are chosen by him through Christ and are loved!!!  Loved enough by GOD to have suffered for us!!!  So, the child in the picture should be crying tears of joy and not expressing fear.  Something nice to think about on a beautiful sunny day in Florida!!!

* We could have been born through Cesarean method or have been adopted or been the product of a broken home or perhaps even been a "test tube baby".

Bible Reading Nov. 21


Nov. 21
Jeremiah 34-37

Jer 34:1 The word which came to Jeremiah from Yahweh, when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and all his army, and all the kingdoms of the earth that were under his dominion, and all the peoples, were fighting against Jerusalem, and against all the cities of it, saying:
Jer 34:2 Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel, Go, and speak to Zedekiah king of Judah, and tell him, Thus says Yahweh, Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire:
Jer 34:3 and you shall not escape out of his hand, but shall surely be taken, and delivered into his hand; and your eyes shall see the eyes of the king of Babylon, and he shall speak with you mouth to mouth, and you shall go to Babylon.
Jer 34:4 Yet hear the word of Yahweh, O Zedekiah king of Judah: thus says Yahweh concerning you, You shall not die by the sword;
Jer 34:5 you shall die in peace; and with the burnings of your fathers, the former kings who were before you, so shall they make a burning for you; and they shall lament you, saying, Ah Lord! for I have spoken the word, says Yahweh.
Jer 34:6 Then Jeremiah the prophet spoke all these words to Zedekiah king of Judah in Jerusalem,
Jer 34:7 when the king of Babylon's army was fighting against Jerusalem, and against all the cities of Judah that were left, against Lachish and against Azekah; for these alone remained of the cities of Judah as fortified cities.
Jer 34:8 The word that came to Jeremiah from Yahweh, after that the king Zedekiah had made a covenant with all the people who were at Jerusalem, to proclaim liberty to them;
Jer 34:9 that every man should let his male servant, and every man his female servant, who is a Hebrew or a Hebrewess, go free; that none should make bondservants of them, to wit, of a Jew his brother.
Jer 34:10 All the princes and all the people obeyed, who had entered into the covenant, that everyone should let his male servant, and everyone his female servant, go free, that none should make bondservants of them any more; they obeyed, and let them go:
Jer 34:11 but afterwards they turned, and caused the servants and the handmaids, whom they had let go free, to return, and brought them into subjection for servants and for handmaids.
Jer 34:12 Therefore the word of Yahweh came to Jeremiah from Yahweh, saying,
Jer 34:13 Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel: I made a covenant with your fathers in the day that I brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage, saying,
Jer 34:14 At the end of seven years you shall let go every man his brother who is a Hebrew, who has been sold to you, and has served you six years, you shall let him go free from you: but your fathers didn't listen to me, neither inclined their ear.
Jer 34:15 You were now turned, and had done that which is right in my eyes, in proclaiming liberty every man to his neighbor; and you had made a covenant before me in the house which is called by my name:
Jer 34:16 but you turned and profaned my name, and caused every man his servant, and every man his handmaid, whom you had let go free at their pleasure, to return; and you brought them into subjection, to be to you for servants and for handmaids.
Jer 34:17 Therefore thus says Yahweh: you have not listened to me, to proclaim liberty, every man to his brother, and every man to his neighbor: behold, I proclaim to you a liberty, says Yahweh, to the sword, to the pestilence, and to the famine; and I will make you to be tossed back and forth among all the kingdoms of the earth.
Jer 34:18 I will give the men who have transgressed my covenant, who have not performed the words of the covenant which they made before me, when they cut the calf in two and passed between its parts;
Jer 34:19 the princes of Judah, and the princes of Jerusalem, the eunuchs, and the priests, and all the people of the land, who passed between the parts of the calf;
Jer 34:20 I will even give them into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of those who seek their life; and their dead bodies shall be for food to the birds of the sky, and to the animals of the earth.
Jer 34:21 Zedekiah king of Judah and his princes will I give into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of those who seek their life, and into the hand of the king of Babylon's army, who have gone away from you.
Jer 34:22 Behold, I will command, says Yahweh, and cause them to return to this city; and they shall fight against it, and take it, and burn it with fire: and I will make the cities of Judah a desolation, without inhabitant.
 

Jer 35:1 The word which came to Jeremiah from Yahweh in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, saying,
Jer 35:2 Go to the house of the Rechabites, and speak to them, and bring them into the house of Yahweh, into one of the chambers, and give them wine to drink.
Jer 35:3 Then I took Jaazaniah the son of Jeremiah, the son of Habazziniah, and his brothers, and all his sons, and the whole house of the Rechabites;
Jer 35:4 and I brought them into the house of Yahweh, into the chamber of the sons of Hanan the son of Igdaliah, the man of God, which was by the chamber of the princes, which was above the chamber of Maaseiah the son of Shallum, the keeper of the threshold.
Jer 35:5 I set before the sons of the house of the Rechabites bowls full of wine, and cups; and I said to them, Drink you wine.
Jer 35:6 But they said, We will drink no wine; for Jonadab the son of Rechab, our father, commanded us, saying, You shall drink no wine, neither you, nor your sons, forever:
Jer 35:7 neither shall you build house, nor sow seed, nor plant vineyard, nor have any; but all your days you shall dwell in tents; that you may live many days in the land in which you sojourn.
Jer 35:8 We have obeyed the voice of Jonadab the son of Rechab, our father, in all that he commanded us, to drink no wine all our days, we, our wives, our sons, or our daughters;
Jer 35:9 nor to build houses for us to dwell in; neither have we vineyard, nor field, nor seed:
Jer 35:10 but we have lived in tents, and have obeyed, and done according to all that Jonadab our father commanded us.
Jer 35:11 But it happened, when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up into the land, that we said, Come, and let us go to Jerusalem for fear of the army of the Chaldeans, and for fear of the army of the Syrians; so we dwell at Jerusalem.
Jer 35:12 Then came the word of Yahweh to Jeremiah, saying,
Jer 35:13 Thus says Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel: Go, and tell the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, Will you not receive instruction to listen to my words? says Yahweh.
Jer 35:14 The words of Jonadab the son of Rechab, that he commanded his sons, not to drink wine, are performed; and to this day they drink none, for they obey their father's commandment: but I have spoken to you, rising up early and speaking; and you have not listened to me.
Jer 35:15 I have sent also to you all my servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them, saying, Return you now every man from his evil way, and amend your doings, and don't go after other gods to serve them, and you shall dwell in the land which I have given to you and to your fathers: but you have not inclined your ear, nor listened to me.
Jer 35:16 Because the sons of Jonadab the son of Rechab have performed the commandment of their father which he commanded them, but this people has not listened to me;
Jer 35:17 therefore thus says Yahweh, the God of Armies, the God of Israel: Behold, I will bring on Judah and on all the inhabitants of Jerusalem all the evil that I have pronounced against them; because I have spoken to them, but they have not heard; and I have called to them, but they have not answered.
Jer 35:18 Jeremiah said to the house of the Rechabites, Thus says Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel: Because you have obeyed the commandment of Jonadab your father, and kept all his precepts, and done according to all that he commanded you;
Jer 35:19 therefore thus says Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel: Jonadab the son of Rechab shall not want a man to stand before me forever.
 

Jer 36:1 It happened in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, that this word came to Jeremiah from Yahweh, saying,
Jer 36:2 Take a scroll of a book, and write therein all the words that I have spoken to you against Israel, and against Judah, and against all the nations, from the day I spoke to you, from the days of Josiah, even to this day.
Jer 36:3 It may be that the house of Judah will hear all the evil which I purpose to do to them; that they may return every man from his evil way; that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin.
Jer 36:4 Then Jeremiah called Baruch the son of Neriah; and Baruch wrote from the mouth of Jeremiah all the words of Yahweh, which he had spoken to him, on a scroll of a book.
Jer 36:5 Jeremiah commanded Baruch, saying, I am shut up; I can't go into the house of Yahweh:
Jer 36:6 therefore go you, and read in the scroll, which you have written from my mouth, the words of Yahweh in the ears of the people in Yahweh's house on the fast day; and also you shall read them in the ears of all Judah who come out of their cities.
Jer 36:7 It may be they will present their supplication before Yahweh, and will return everyone from his evil way; for great is the anger and the wrath that Yahweh has pronounced against this people.
Jer 36:8 Baruch the son of Neriah did according to all that Jeremiah the prophet commanded him, reading in the book the words of Yahweh in Yahweh's house.
Jer 36:9 Now it happened in the fifth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, in the ninth month, that all the people in Jerusalem, and all the people who came from the cities of Judah to Jerusalem, proclaimed a fast before Yahweh.
Jer 36:10 Then read Baruch in the book the words of Jeremiah in the house of Yahweh, in the chamber of Gemariah the son of Shaphan, the scribe, in the upper court, at the entry of the new gate of Yahweh's house, in the ears of all the people.
Jer 36:11 When Micaiah the son of Gemariah, the son of Shaphan, had heard out of the book all the words of Yahweh,
Jer 36:12 he went down into the king's house, into the scribe's chamber: and behold, all the princes were sitting there, to wit, Elishama the scribe, and Delaiah the son of Shemaiah, and Elnathan the son of Achbor, and Gemariah the son of Shaphan, and Zedekiah the son of Hananiah, and all the princes.
Jer 36:13 Then Micaiah declared to them all the words that he had heard, when Baruch read the book in the ears of the people.
Jer 36:14 Therefore all the princes sent Jehudi the son of Nethaniah, the son of Shelemiah, the son of Cushi, to Baruch, saying, Take in your hand the scroll in which you have read in the ears of the people, and come. So Baruch the son of Neriah took the scroll in his hand, and came to them.
Jer 36:15 They said to him, Sit down now, and read it in our ears. So Baruch read it in their ears.
Jer 36:16 Now it happened, when they had heard all the words, they turned in fear one toward another, and said to Baruch, We will surely tell the king of all these words.
Jer 36:17 They asked Baruch, saying, Tell us now, How did you write all these words at his mouth?
Jer 36:18 Then Baruch answered them, He pronounced all these words to me with his mouth, and I wrote them with ink in the book.
Jer 36:19 Then said the princes to Baruch, Go, hide you, you and Jeremiah; and let no man know where you are.
Jer 36:20 They went in to the king into the court; but they had laid up the scroll in the chamber of Elishama the scribe; and they told all the words in the ears of the king.
Jer 36:21 So the king sent Jehudi to get the scroll; and he took it out of the chamber of Elishama the scribe. Jehudi read it in the ears of the king, and in the ears of all the princes who stood beside the king.
Jer 36:22 Now the king was sitting in the winter house in the ninth month: and there was a fire in the brazier burning before him.
Jer 36:23 It happened, when Jehudi had read three or four leaves, that the king cut it with the penknife, and cast it into the fire that was in the brazier, until all the scroll was consumed in the fire that was in the brazier.
Jer 36:24 They were not afraid, nor tore their garments, neither the king, nor any of his servants who heard all these words.
Jer 36:25 Moreover Elnathan and Delaiah and Gemariah had made intercession to the king that he would not burn the scroll; but he would not hear them.
Jer 36:26 The king commanded Jerahmeel the king's son, and Seraiah the son of Azriel, and Shelemiah the son of Abdeel, to take Baruch the scribe and Jeremiah the prophet; but Yahweh hid them.
Jer 36:27 Then the word of Yahweh came to Jeremiah, after that the king had burned the scroll, and the words which Baruch wrote at the mouth of Jeremiah, saying,
Jer 36:28 Take again another scroll, and write in it all the former words that were in the first scroll, which Jehoiakim the king of Judah has burned.
Jer 36:29 Concerning Jehoiakim king of Judah you shall say, Thus says Yahweh: You have burned this scroll, saying, Why have you written therein, saying, The king of Babylon shall certainly come and destroy this land, and shall cause to cease from there man and animal?
Jer 36:30 Therefore thus says Yahweh concerning Jehoiakim king of Judah: He shall have none to sit on the throne of David; and his dead body shall be cast out in the day to the heat, and in the night to the frost.
Jer 36:31 I will punish him and his seed and his servants for their iniquity; and I will bring on them, and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and on the men of Judah, all the evil that I have pronounced against them, but they didn't listen.
Jer 36:32 Then took Jeremiah another scroll, and gave it to Baruch the scribe, the son of Neriah, who wrote therein from the mouth of Jeremiah all the words of the book which Jehoiakim king of Judah had burned in the fire; and there were added besides to them many like words.
 

Jer 37:1 Zedekiah the son of Josiah reigned as king, instead of Coniah the son of Jehoiakim, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon made king in the land of Judah.
Jer 37:2 But neither he, nor his servants, nor the people of the land, did listen to the words of Yahweh, which he spoke by the prophet Jeremiah.
Jer 37:3 Zedekiah the king sent Jehucal the son of Shelemiah, and Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah, the priest, to the prophet Jeremiah, saying, Pray now to Yahweh our God for us.
Jer 37:4 Now Jeremiah came in and went out among the people; for they had not put him into prison.
Jer 37:5 Pharaoh's army was come forth out of Egypt; and when the Chaldeans who were besieging Jerusalem heard news of them, they broke up from Jerusalem.
Jer 37:6 Then came the word of Yahweh to the prophet Jeremiah, saying,
Jer 37:7 Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel, You shall tell the king of Judah, who sent you to me to inquire of me: Behold, Pharaoh's army, which is come forth to help you, shall return to Egypt into their own land.
Jer 37:8 The Chaldeans shall come again, and fight against this city; and they shall take it, and burn it with fire.
Jer 37:9 Thus says Yahweh, Don't deceive yourselves, saying, The Chaldeans shall surely depart from us; for they shall not depart.
Jer 37:10 For though you had struck the whole army of the Chaldeans who fight against you, and there remained but wounded men among them, yes would they rise up every man in his tent, and burn this city with fire.
Jer 37:11 It happened that, when the army of the Chaldeans was broken up from Jerusalem for fear of Pharaoh's army,
Jer 37:12 then Jeremiah went forth out of Jerusalem to go into the land of Benjamin, to receive his portion there, in the midst of the people.
Jer 37:13 When he was in the gate of Benjamin, a captain of the guard was there, whose name was Irijah, the son of Shelemiah, the son of Hananiah; and he laid hold on Jeremiah the prophet, saying, You are falling away to the Chaldeans.
Jer 37:14 Then said Jeremiah, It is false; I am not falling away to the Chaldeans. But he didn't listen to him; so Irijah laid hold on Jeremiah, and brought him to the princes.
Jer 37:15 The princes were angry with Jeremiah, and struck him, and put him in prison in the house of Jonathan the scribe; for they had made that the prison.
Jer 37:16 When Jeremiah was come into the dungeon house, and into the cells, and Jeremiah had remained there many days;
Jer 37:17 Then Zedekiah the king sent, and fetched him: and the king asked him secretly in his house, and said, Is there any word from Yahweh? Jeremiah said, There is. He said also, You shall be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon.
Jer 37:18 Moreover Jeremiah said to king Zedekiah, Wherein have I sinned against you, or against your servants, or against this people, that you have put me in prison?
Jer 37:19 Where now are your prophets who prophesied to you, saying, The king of Babylon shall not come against you, nor against this land?
Jer 37:20 Now please hear, my lord the king: please let my supplication be presented before you, that you not cause me to return to the house of Jonathan the scribe, lest I die there.
Jer 37:21 Then Zedekiah the king commanded, and they committed Jeremiah into the court of the guard; and they gave him daily a loaf of bread out of the bakers' street, until all the bread in the city was spent. Thus Jeremiah remained in the court of the guard.



Nov. 21
Hebrews 7

Heb 7:1 For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of God Most High, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him,
Heb 7:2 to whom also Abraham divided a tenth part of all (being first, by interpretation, king of righteousness, and then also king of Salem, which is king of peace;
Heb 7:3 without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God), remains a priest continually.
Heb 7:4 Now consider how great this man was, to whom even Abraham, the patriarch, gave a tenth out of the best spoils.
Heb 7:5 They indeed of the sons of Levi who receive the priest's office have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brothers, though these have come out of the body of Abraham,
Heb 7:6 but he whose genealogy is not counted from them has accepted tithes from Abraham, and has blessed him who has the promises.
Heb 7:7 But without any dispute the lesser is blessed by the greater.
Heb 7:8 Here people who die receive tithes, but there one receives tithes of whom it is testified that he lives.
Heb 7:9 We can say that through Abraham even Levi, who receives tithes, has paid tithes,
Heb 7:10 for he was yet in the body of his father when Melchizedek met him.
Heb 7:11 Now if there was perfection through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people have received the law), what further need was there for another priest to arise after the order of Melchizedek, and not be called after the order of Aaron?
Heb 7:12 For the priesthood being changed, there is of necessity a change made also in the law.
Heb 7:13 For he of whom these things are said belongs to another tribe, from which no one has officiated at the altar.
Heb 7:14 For it is evident that our Lord has sprung out of Judah, about which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priesthood.
Heb 7:15 This is yet more abundantly evident, if after the likeness of Melchizedek there arises another priest,
Heb 7:16 who has been made, not after the law of a fleshly commandment, but after the power of an endless life:
Heb 7:17 for it is testified, "You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek."
Heb 7:18 For there is an annulling of a foregoing commandment because of its weakness and uselessness
Heb 7:19 (for the law made nothing perfect), and a bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God.
Heb 7:20 Inasmuch as he was not made priest without the taking of an oath
Heb 7:21 (for they indeed have been made priests without an oath), but he with an oath by him that says of him, "The Lord swore and will not change his mind, 'You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek.' "
Heb 7:22 By so much, Jesus has become the collateral of a better covenant.
Heb 7:23 Many, indeed, have been made priests, because they are hindered from continuing by death.
Heb 7:24 But he, because he lives forever, has his priesthood unchangeable.
Heb 7:25 Therefore he is also able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, seeing that he lives forever to make intercession for them.
Heb 7:26 For such a high priest was fitting for us: holy, guiltless, undefiled, separated from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;
Heb 7:27 who doesn't need, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices daily, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. For he did this once for all, when he offered up himself.
Heb 7:28 For the law appoints men as high priests who have weakness, but the word of the oath which came after the law appoints a Son forever who has been perfected.

Revelation, Chapter 17, Mark Copeland

                        "THE BOOK OF REVELATION"

                           Chapter Seventeen

OBJECTIVES IN STUDYING THIS CHAPTER

1) To appreciate the importance of this chapter in interpreting the
   book of Revelation

2) To note the significance of the fact that the beast "is not" when
   the Revelation was given

3) To ascertain the identity of the great harlot and the scarlet beast

SUMMARY

This is a key chapter, for the mystery of the great harlot and the
beast is explained, and one's understanding of this chapter will affect
their interpretation of the rest of the book.

John is carried away into the wilderness where he is shown the great
harlot "Babylon", with whom the kings of the earth have committed
fornication and the inhabitants of the earth were drunk with the wine 
of her fornication.  She is seen sitting on a scarlet beast with seven
heads and ten horns.  She is dressed in purple and scarlet, adorned
with gold, precious stones and pearls.  In her hand is a gold cup full
of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication.  On her forehead
is written:
                               MYSTERY,
                          BABYLON THE GREAT,
                        THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS
                 AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH

Seeing the woman drunk with the blood of the saints (Old Testament
saints?) and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus, John marvels with
great amazement (1-6).

The angel then proceeds to tell John the mystery of the woman and the
beast that carries her.  He begins with the beast first, described as
one who "was, is not, and is about to come" (NASB).  This beast will
ascend out of the bottomless pit (cf. Re 11:7) and go to perdition (cf.
Re 19:20).  The seven heads of the beast represent seven mountains upon
which the woman sits.  There are seven kings, five of whom have fallen,
one is, and the other has yet to come.  The beast is then described as
the eighth king, though of the seven.  The ten horns represent ten
kings who give their power and authority to the beast, make war against
the Lamb, and eventually turn on the harlot herself.  The harlot is
finally described as that "great city" (cf. Re 11:8;14:8; 16:19) which
reigns over the kings of the earth (7-18).

As indicated in the introductory material, my understanding of this 
book focuses on the fact that John is given this revelation at a time 
when the beast "is not" (Re 17:8,11).  Whatever explanation one gives
for the beast, it did not exist at the time of the Revelation!  It had
existed, and was about to come, but at the time John was shown the
vision, it "is not".

One plausible explanation is that the seven (actually eight) kings
represent Roman emperors, starting with Augustus.  This would make Nero
the fifth king, whose death in 68 A.D. left the empire in an uproar and
may be the "deadly wound" referred to Re 13:3,12,14.  Discounting
Galba, Otho, and Vitellius whose insignificant reigns were short-lived
during the turmoil, the sixth king ("one is") would be Vespasian who
restored order to the empire.  This would make Titus the seventh
emperor and Domitian the eighth.  The beast that "was, and is not, and
will ascend" therefore depicts the persecuting Roman emperor, seen
first in the person of Nero (the beast who "was") and later in the
person of Domitian (the beast who "will ascend").  The "ten kings" who
gave their power and authority to the beast appear to be vassal kings 
that supported the emperor in times of persecution.

The identity of the harlot is still an open question in my own mind.  
Many understand her to represent the commercial and immoral spirit of 
Rome (not the literal city itself, for she was never destroyed as 
described in later chapters) which was instrumental in opposing the 
people of God.  There is much to be said for this view.  Re 17:2,18;
18:3,9,11 certainly seem to fit Rome.

However, I lean toward the view that the harlot represents Jerusalem, 
often supported in her persecution of the church by the Roman empire
but then destroyed herself by Rome in A.D. 70.  It is interesting to 
compare such verses as Re 17:6; 18:20,24; 19:2 with Jesus' statements
in Mt 23:31-39.  As foretold by Jesus in both Matthew and Revelation,
God was about to avenge His apostles and prophets on this city "who
kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her" (Re 18:20; Mt
23:37).

While the identity of the beast, the kings, and the harlot might be
unclear in the minds of some, the outcome of the conflict described in
this chapter is certain.  In what may be described as the theme of this
book, we are told that:

   "These will make war with 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." (Re 17:14)

Comforting words indeed to those early Christians who were persecuted
by both the Roman emperor and unbelieving Jerusalem!

OUTLINE

I. THE SCARLET WOMAN AND THE SCARLET BEAST (1-6)

   A. JOHN IS APPROACHED BY AN ANGEL (1-2)
      1. One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls
      2. Who offers to show him the judgment of the great harlot
         a. Which sits on many waters
         b. With whom kings of the earth have committed fornication
         c. With whom inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the
            wine of her fornication

   B. JOHN IS SHOWN THE SCARLET WOMAN ON THE SCARLET BEAST (3-6)
      1. He is carried away by the angel in the Spirit into the 
         wilderness
      2. There he sees a woman sitting on a scarlet beast
         a. The scarlet beast
            1) Full of names of blasphemy
            2) Having seven heads and ten horns
         b. The woman
            1) Arrayed in purple and scarlet
            2) Adorned with  gold, precious stones, and pearls
            3) In her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the
               filthiness of her fornication
            4) On her forehead the name written:
               a) MYSTERY
               b) BABYLON THE GREAT
               c) THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE
                  EARTH
            5) Drunk with:
               a) The blood of the saints
               b) The blood of the martyrs of Jesus
      3. He marveled with great amazement when he saw her

II. THE MYSTERY OF THE WOMAN AND BEAST EXPLAINED (7-18)

   A. THE ANGEL OFFERS TO EXPLAIN THE MYSTERY (7)
      1. Asking John why he marveled
      2. Saying that he will tell him the mystery
         a. Of the woman
         b. Of the beast with seven heads and ten horns that carries
            her

   B. THE BEAST EXPLAINED (8-14)
      1. The beast that John saw:
         a. Was, is not, and will ascend out of the bottomless pit and
            go to perdition
         b. Will be marveled by those by those whose names are not
            written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the
            world when they see it
      2. The mind which has wisdom:
         a. The seven heads are seven mountains upon which the woman
            sits
         b. There are also seven kings
            1) Five have fallen, one is, the other has yet to come
            2) When the seventh comes, he must continue a short time
         c. The beast that was, and is not, is himself the eighth
            1) He is of the seven
            2) He is going to perdition (destruction)
         d. The ten horns are ten kings
            1) Who have received no kingdom as yet
            2) But receive authority for one hour with the beast
            3) Who are of one mind, and give their power and authority
               to the beast
         e. These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will
            overcome them
            1) For He is Lord of lords and King of kings
            2) Those with Him are called, chosen, and faithful

   C. THE WOMAN EXPLAINED (15-18)
      1. The waters upon which she sits are peoples, multitudes,
         nations and tongues
      2. The ten horns (ten kings) on the beast
         a. Will hate the harlot
            1) Make her desolate
            2) Eat her flesh and burn her with fire
         b. For God has put it into their hearts to fulfill His purpose
            1) For them to be of one mind
            2) To give their kingdom to the beast
            -- Until the words of God are fulfilled
      3. The woman John saw is that great city which reigns over the
         kings of the earth

REVIEW QUESTIONS FOR THE CHAPTER

1) What are the main points of this chapter?
   - The scarlet woman and the scarlet beast (1-6)
   - The mystery of the woman and the beast explained (7-18)

2) What did the angel tell John he would be shown? (1)
   - The judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters

3) How does the angel describe this woman? (2)
   - With whom the kings of the earth committed fornication
   - The inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her
     fornication

4) List the description of the woman as seen by John (3-6)
   - Sitting on a scarlet beast with seven heads and ten horns, full of
     names of blasphemy
   - Arrayed in purple and scarlet, adorned with gold, precious stones
     and pearls
   - A golden cup in her hand, full of abominations the filthiness of
     her fornication
   - Written on her forehead:  "Mystery, Babylon the Great, the Mother
     of Harlots and of the Abominations of the Earth"
   - Drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the
     martyrs of Jesus

5) What was John's reaction to seeing the woman? (6)
   - Marveled with great amazement

6) What does the angel offer to tell John? (7)
   - The mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her

7) How is the beast described? (8)
   - He was, is not, and is to come
   - He will ascend out of the bottomless pit and go to perdition
   - Those whose names are not written in the Book of Life from the
     foundation of the world will marvel

8) What does the seven heads of the beast represent? (9-10)
   - Seven mountains on which the woman sits

9) What is said of the seven kings? (10)
   - Five have fallen, one is, and the other has not yet come
   - When the seventh king comes, he must continue a short time

10) What is said of the beast that was and is not? (11)
   - He will be the eighth king
   - He is of the seven
   - He is going to perdition

11) What do the ten horns represent? (12)
   - Ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet
   - Who receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast

12) What else is said of the ten kings and the beast? (13-14)
   - The kings of are of one mind and will give their power and 
     authority to the beast
   - They will make war with the Lamb

13) Why will the Lamb overcome the beast and the ten kings? (14)
   - He is Lord of lords and King of kings
   - Those with Him are called, chosen, and faithful

14) What do the waters upon which the harlot sits represent? (15)
   - Peoples, multitudes, nations, tongues

15) What will the ten horns (kings) do to the harlot? (16)
   - Hate the harlot, make her desolate and naked, eat her flesh and
     burn her with fire

16) Why will they do this? (17)
   - For God has put it into their hearts to fulfill His purpose and
     fulfill His words

17) How is the woman finally described? (18)
   - That great city which reigns over the kings of the earth