Slide show for the weekly Bethany Baptist Church chapter summary Bible study.

1. Three Easy Questions

2. Three Questions when you read the chapter you wish to study:
1. What does the chapter say?
2. What does that mean – specifically – to me?
3. What am I going to do about it?
Some add an optional memory verse as a part of the process to
help them retain what God has said to them.

4. KV 1: The Doom of Babylon
1 - 6: The woman who rides the beast...
7 - 14: Who is this beast that wars with the Lamb?
15 - 18: The judgement of the prostitute...

6. Remember – at least four six(!) levels to understand!
1. To the believers at that time in that place (Historical context)
2. To all the churches (Ecclesiastic context):
“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
3. To all believers (Homiletic context):
“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
4. To world historical events (Prophetic context)
5. The Symbolism and interpretation thereof (Symbolic context)
6. Geopolitical context (won’t say much here)

7. Some principles of Bible study:
Take the text in context
Be sure of literal or symbolic interpretations
Don’t be afraid to ask the Author ;)
Cooper’s first rule of Interpretation:
If the plain sense of Scripture makes good sense, then seek no other
sense!

8. The woman who rides the Beast:
She is called (v.5) “Babylon the Great, mother of
harlots and the abominations of the Earth.”
As it turns out, she has been the source of the
persecution against all believers and witnesses of
the testimony of God throughout history.
Scripture here describes her as a “mystery.” The
Greek work is “musterion,” meaning something
hidden. And it is being declared here what that
mystery is! The woman is a city (v.18).
Many have described this as a false belief system
that will come to fruition during the days of the
“Beast’s” world system, and will ultimately be
struck down by those who are in power at that
time. (v.16-17)

9. The Beast:
Verses 9-11: The beast is seven hills on
which the woman sits. (Conjecture here by
some is that this is a description of Rome,
and that would make the city either Rome or
Vatican City. Others suggest that this is the
ancient city of Babylon, and yet others
suggest that it could be an ancient city in
Assyria.)
A thought I heard that kind of resonated
more than others was this one from Dr. C.
Missler on the next slide:

10. 1. Egypt
2. Assyria
3. Babylon
4. Persia
5. Greece
6. Rome
7. “Rome II”
Here is the mind which has wisdom. The seven heads are
seven mountains on which the woman sits, and they are
seven kings; five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet
come; and when he comes, he must remain a little while.
The beast which was and is not, is himself also an eighth
and is one of the seven, and he goes to destruction.
--Revelation 17:9-11
Currently where we are in History
I do not understand the full implications of this, but I can
understand that we are perhaps about to transition into the next
kingdom I have termed “Rome II” at a point in the near future.

11. The Ten Horns:
The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have
not yet received a kingdom, but they receive authority
as kings with the beast for one hour. These have one
purpose, and they give their power and authority to the
beast. These will wage war against the Lamb, and the
Lamb will overcome them, because He is Lord of lords
and King of kings, and those who are with Him are the
called and chosen and faithful.
--Revelation 17:12-14
Pretty clear these are the ten leaders of the world
system instituted by this Beast, and possibly the
leaders of the armies that will gather in that valley of
Megiddo.

12. The Waters:
Verse 15: “The waters which you saw where
the harlot sits, are peoples and multitudes and
nations and tongues.”
This is a well known symbology that occurs in a
number of places, particularly within
Revelation, but also in other places in
Scripture.
Sitting on top of them is symbolic of power and
position over the waters.

13. The fate of the woman riding the beast…
“And the ten horns which you saw, and the beast, these will hate
the harlot and will make her desolate and naked, and will eat her
flesh and will burn her up with fire. For God has put it in their
hearts to execute His purpose by having a common purpose,
and by giving their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God
will be fulfilled.”
--Revelation 17:16, 17
God is able to use the enemy to get results for His own plans.
Any who chose to be a part of this great false belief system will
suffer the same fate as she does.
There is no good end to those who will oppose God. (Psalm
53:1 – The Fool has said in his heart, “there is no God…”)
There are two ways to read this…

14. Judgement is coming to everyone that lives on Earth.
It is not based on our good works, that is simply part of that false
belief system.
It IS based on how you respond to God’s limited time offer of
redemption in Jesus Christ. (We talked about that last week and
we’ll review it again now.)

15. We know that we have violated God’s holy standards, each of
which carries the sentence of death. We are condemned to eternal
separation from God.

16. Jesus Christ, God the Son, became human with one specific
purpose – to pay that penalty on our behalf and redeem humankind
to God!
Ever hear THIS Bible verse? “For God so loved the world, that He
gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not
perish, but have eternal life.” (John 3:16 NASB)
He came to redeem, or RECONCILE (an accounting term) our lives
with God. He did that by dying on the cross in our place.

17. We can learn four very straightforward truths from John 3:16:
1. God loves us and has a plan for your life! Otherwise why bother
to send Jesus?
2. There is an issue – our SIN separates us from God, and we just
looked at that.
3. Jesus paid the price for OUR sin – and in believing that, we
receive God’s pardon personally.
4. It is a gift that is yours for the taking.
But how do we take that gift?

18. Two things are required:
1. Repent
2. Believe
“…that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe
in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;
for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and
with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.” (Romans 10:9-
10)

19. And you don’t need to go anywhere to get it! Jesus comes to you,
and brings everything needed for your own situation.
“Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice
and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and
he with Me.” (Revelation 3:20 NASB)
Through Christ’s work on the cross, we are offered companionship
instead of condemnation. We would be fools not to take that offer.

20. This is where it all begins – and the even better news is that from
this point, God will always be with you. This DOES NOT mean you
will not have troubles and trials – you may have more! But God will
use them to make you the person that He made you to be.
So:
1. Do not flee God’s discipline in your life.
2. Turn to Him and give Him glory during discipline.
3. Choose now for Jesus – it is a limited-time offer.