SCRIPTURE: Revelation 17:1-18 (Page 1468); Proverbs 7:1-27 (Page 768)
SERMON: Don’t Go There!							        11 February 2001

INTRODUCTION: THE BOWLS EXPLAINED (17:1; see 15:1-16:21; see 17:1&21:9!; chps.17-20&21,22)

  I. THE JUST DESTRUCTION OF THE IMMORAL WOMAN (17:1; chps.17,18)

A. REVELATION: FROM GOD (17:1,3; see 4:1,2; 1:1,10; see Ezk.1:1; 3:12; 8:3; 11:1)

B. MYSTERY: NOT DISCERNIBLE BY MAN (17:5,7; 10:7; see 1:20; see Dan.2:19f)

C. JUDGMENT: THE BAD CONSEQUENCES OF SIN (17:1; 18:10,20)

D. THE GREAT HARLOT (17:1-7; see 18:2f; see Hosea, Ezk.16,23)
1. power, authority (17:1,3; 5; see 17:3,7; 13:1f; see 3:21; Mt.26:64)

2. many waters (17:1,15; 18:17; see Jer.51:13; Is.23:15f)

3. kings, dwellers of the earth (17:2,8;5; see 3:10; 6:10; 13:8,12,14,14; see 2Th.2:10-12; Col.1:13; 3:1-4)

4. overpowered by temptation (17:2,4; see 18:3; 14:8,10; see 2:14(Num.25:1f); 2:20(1Kngs.16:31,etc.))

5. deceived into sin (17:4; see 16:13; 13:14; 20:8; see Heb.3:13)

6. blasphemous presumption (17:3,4; 13:1f; see Ex.25:4; 28:1f; etc.; see Is.14:4,14,12f; 2Th.2:4f)

7. bold assertion (17:5; see 13:16; Prov.7:13; Ezk.16:30; Dan.4:30-32)

8. overpowered in persecution (6; 18:24; see 16:6; 14:8,10; 6:10; 2:13)

E. JOHN’S REACTION (17:6,7; see v.8)

 II. THE HARLOT: IDOLATRY & IMMORALITY IN THE BIBLE (17:1)

A. HARLOTRY: BETRAYAL (Hos.9:1; see 3:1; Ezk.23)

B. IDOLATRY: BETRAYAL OF GOD
1. fallen man (17:2f; Rom.1:18f,23; Gen.1:26,27; 1Cor.11:7)
2. stumbling church (Hos.3:3; Is.1:21; Jer.2:2; Ezk.16:32; Jms.4:4; see Eph.5:25f; Rev.21:9 vs.17:1)

C. IMMORALITY: BETRAYAL OF MAN
1. sexual immorality (Mal.2:14,15; Ex.20:14=Dt.5:18; 1Th.4:6)
2. non-sexual immorality (Amos 1:9; Is.58:6,7)

D. CONSTANT COMPANIONS 
1. proofs (Rev.2:14,20; Jer.5:7f; Ezk.18:11; Rom.1:23&24-32; 1Cor.10:7,8,20; Col.3:4; see Mt.6:33)
2. explanations (Mt.22:37,39; Ex.20:1-17; Dt.5:1-21)

E. THE WORLD (Rev.17:2,8;5; see 3:10; 6:10; 13:8,12,14,14; see 2Th.2:10-12; Col.1:13; 3:1-4)

(completed on reverse)

SERMON: Don’t Go There!							        11 February 2001

III. DON’T GO THERE! (17:1f; 18:2f; see Prov.7:1f; 5:1-23; see Jms.5:19,20)

A. JOHN’S PROBLEM
1. John’s automatic reaction (17:6,7; see v.8; 13:3; Gen.3:6,3; 2:17contrast Rev.15:1,3)

2. the angel’s question (17:7; see Mt.9:11; 15:2,3; Lk.19:31; 24:38; Acts 5:3)

3. our common problem (17:7; see Mt.24:24; see Jms.4:4; 1:14,15; see 2Sam.11:2f)

B. THE SEDUCTIVE IDOLATRIES & IMMORALITIES OF THE WORLD
1. the world (17:2,5,8; see IID above)

2. worry, anxiety (Mk.4:19; Mt.6:25; see Rev.13:17; 2:8-11; see Mt.6:32,33&9; Phil.4:6,7)

3. deceitfulness (Mk.4:19; Heb.3:13; Eph.4:22; see Rev.16:13,14; Eph.4:14; 1Tm.4:1; see Heb.11:25,26 with Rev.17,18)

4. lust (Mk.4:19; (Mt.6:33); 1Jn.2:15-17; Jms.4:1,3)

5. convicted (17:6,7; see Ex.20:1f; see Jms.4:4,1f)

C. OUR ONLY HOPE 
1. God is faithful (17:7; Mt.24:24; see Rev.17:8; 13:8; see 2Th.2:13,9f; 2Tim.2:19; see Hos.3:1f; 14:1f)

2. God will open our eyes (17:7; see Eph.4:14,15; 5:11; 2Cor.2:11; see Rev.16:15)

D. DON’T GO THERE! FLEE! (17:7; 18:4; see 1Cor.11:14,7,8; 1Tm.6:9-11; see Gen.39:12,1f; Prov.7:24f,1f)

Summary: The world of temptation all around you is just an old whore!  She may be all “fine” in red dress, purple heels, gold bracelets, diamonds, emeralds and natural pearls; her eyes may be painted like Jezebel and she may have “body by Bathsheba”, but she’s still just an old whore who not only revels in idolatry and immorality, but gives hearty approval to those who do these things.  And soon, they will sing the song of the forgotten harlot (Is.23:16) as this world and its lusts and pleasures of sin will completely end when she, and all those who have participated in her idolatries and immoralities, will undergo an eternal destruction.  Every time you are tempted to sin because you are worried about what you need or longing for what you want, ask God to open your eyes so that you will see that the sin which is so enticing to you is just an old whore trying to come on to you and take you to destruction with her.  Prov.7:24-27