Revelation 17:14-18 highlights the conflict between the called, chosen and faithful followers of the Lamb (Jesus Christ) – referring to the male child and his brothers from Revelation 12, those who overcame in Revelation 15, and those who poured out the bowls in Revelation 16 – and the beast with 10 horns, which represents the 8th king (Mr. Oh) and the 10 elders. This beast wages war against the Lamb and His followers. Despite this, the Lamb will ultimately overcome them because He is the Lord of lords and King of kings, and His called, chosen and faithful followers stand by His side.

The passage then turns to the judgment of the great prostitute, identified as Mr. Tak. Remarkably, it is the very beast with 10 horns that hates the prostitute and brings about her ruin – leaving her naked, devouring her flesh, and burning her with fire. This act of judgment against the prostitute is part of God’s greater purpose, as He puts it in the hearts of the 10 horns to accomplish His will by giving them ruling power until His words are fulfilled regarding the judgment of the prostitute. The woman (prostitute/Mr. Tak) is revealed to represent the great city that rules over the kings (pastors) of the earth. Thus, Revelation 17 depicts the final victory of the Lamb over the beast, as well as the divine judgment carried out against the great prostitute who had ruled over the earth.

Study Guide SCJ Bible Study

Wash Day – Sundays and Wednesdays at Mount Zion

We call Sundays and soon Wednesdays “Wash Day” because of Numbers 19, which speaks of cleansing from the week’s dirtiness. These days provide an opportunity for us to be washed by:

– The water of God’s word

– The sea of glass (as referenced in Revelation chapters 4 and 15)

These services are cherished because they:

1. Allow us to reset ourselves
2. Help us get back on the right track
3. Cleanse our inner being through God’s word

In-person attendance is encouraged because it:

– Eliminates distractions

– Helps maintain focus during service time

Rev 17: The Devil’s Food, The Wine of Adulteries

In Revelation 17, we learn about the devil’s food, which is described as the wine of adulteries. This stands in direct contrast to God’s food.

The book of Revelation presents God’s food in several ways, but one particularly important description is the hidden manna. This can also be referred to as the opened scroll.

God’s food, which stands as the opposite of Satan’s food, is this hidden manna that was initially sealed but was later opened by Jesus. This opened scroll was then given to the mighty angel and eaten by John. This same hidden manna, mentioned in Revelation 2:17, is the food we are partaking of at this present moment.

 

Mindset

Before diving into today’s content, there are some important things we need to discuss first. 

It’s crucial to establish the right mindset and ensure we all have a clear understanding.

 

ONE – 1 Corinthians 3:1-9 (Lk 17:10)

 

So very important mindset given here.

Paul is rebuking the church in Corinth for a few reasons:

 

1.- Servants, doing the task of planting and watering the seed (preaching).  

In addressing the Corinthians, Paul considers them still worldly, indicating they aren’t ready for solid food but still require milk. This assessment stems from their behavior – quarreling amongst themselves, acting out of jealousy, and showing favoritism to their instructors.

In 1 Corinthians 3:5, Paul had to correct them by asking, “What after all is Apollos? What after all is Paul?” emphasizing that they are only servants – vessels.

In Babylon, there was an obsession with particular preachers – preferring one over another, criticizing how different preachers delivered their messages. This attitude didn’t align with Paul’s teachings.

Paul and Apollos are servants, as emphasized in Luke 17:10: “So you also, when you have done everything you are told to do, should say, we are unworthy servants. We have only done our duty.”

We shouldn’t be saying, “I really like Nate, Mike, Josh, or Peter,” while dismissing others because we don’t prefer their speaking style. This isn’t the correct approach. The evangelists are merely vessels, bowls containing the word that needs to be received.

What matters is the seed being planted, and God is the one who makes it grow. The person delivering the seed could be a 12-year-old boy or a 90-year-old man – it’s immaterial. They are only vessels; God is doing the work.

Whether it’s Instructor Nake or Instructor Mike, the focus should be on listening and absorbing the word and the seed. The evangelists plant and water the seed – which raises questions: Are you treating your evangelists with respect? Do you answer their calls? Do you participate in one-to-ones with them? They’re trying to water the planted seed, but ultimately, it is God who makes it grow.

1 Corinthians 4:6 NIV84

Now, brothers, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us the meaning of the saying, “Do not go beyond what is written.” Then you will not take pride in one man over against another.

2.- Do not go beyond what is written!

Two Important Mindsets from Apostle Paul:

1.- The primary purpose is to prevent taking pride in one person over another. The focus should be on following the word and being where the word is present.

In this era, during the time of the Second Coming, the word was given to New John. However, following New John should not be based on his speaking style, appearance, nationality, or his military service in the Korean War. The sole reason to follow New John is because the word is present with him.

2.- A crucial point – “do not go beyond what is written,” meaning do not exceed the boundaries of the scriptures. Venturing beyond the scriptures leads one into Satan’s domain.

 

In our current time, what lies beyond the scriptures includes:

– The internet

– People’s personal thoughts

– Blogs

– Commentaries

– Articles

– Videos

– Television programs

Many people frequently venture beyond what is written, believing they will find truth in these sources. However, this will not lead to truth but instead result in more confusion and maddening wine.

3.- Before Passover: New Family Education

For those who have decided to enter Mount Zion and have completed the process, there is a special period before Passover called new family education, which lasts about a month.

During this time, you will hear from various leaders throughout Mount Zion, including those from our evangelism ministry, theology ministry, and internal affairs ministry. Although these leaders have different teaching styles, the word and the seed they share remain the same. It will be a wonderful opportunity for you to read, listen, and learn from these different leaders – the very ones who taught us and keep us in check.

During new family education, different leaders will take turns speaking, giving you the chance to meet many new people in Mount Zion who have been praying for you and are eager to meet you. This applies to those who are ready to enter Mount Zion immediately after the class.

Revelation 17 Main Points:

 

1.- Rev 17 happens after Rev 16

While it may seem obvious that chapter 17 comes after chapter 16 numerically, this sequential order is particularly significant in the Book of Revelation, as the chronological flow is not always linear. In this case, the events in Revelation 17 definitively occur after the events in Revelation 16.

2.- Reveals the Prostitute (Babylon) who captured the Chosen People.

This chapter provides a crucial revelation about the identity of the prostitute, specifically Babylon, who has captured the chosen people. The significance of revealing the prostitute’s identity is a key element that will be explored further in the lesson.

3.- Mr. Tak = Prostitute

Mr. Tak is the prostitute, the destroyer of Revelation 9, 13, and 16. 

4.- Revelation is fulfilled up to Revelation 17. 

Revelation’s fulfillment has progressed up to chapter 17. While chapter 18 is currently in the process of being fulfilled, chapters 18, 19, and 20 are still outstanding for complete fulfillment.

Revelation 18:4 focuses on people coming out of Babylon, which is happening gradually, person by person, in our current time.

The next major event that must occur in Revelation 18 is the judgment of Babylon. On a smaller scale, this judgment has already occurred with the Babylon represented by the Tabernacle Temple (TT), which no longer exists. However, the greater Babylon, encompassing everyone else, still remains.

 

This is why Revelation 18 is not yet fully fulfilled. After the complete judgment of Babylon in chapter 18 (which will be a wondrous time for those who have left Babylon), the following events will take place:

– Revelation 19: The marriage with the lamb and the souls of the martyrs

– Revelation 20: The beginning of the first resurrection

In the meantime, our task remains: “Come out of her, my people.”

For those wondering about Revelation chapters 21 and 22 (as Revelation has 22 chapters total), these final chapters are retellings, similar to a closing paragraph in a school paper where you summarize what has been discussed. 

They expand on specific details that occurred during chapters 1 through 20. Therefore, the actual sequence of events in Revelation concludes in chapter 20.
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Revelation 17:1-2

ONE – Me: New John Who Witnesses

In Revelation 17, there’s a question about who the “me” refers to in this chapter. Throughout every chapter of Revelation, there is evidence that John sees or hears something. Therefore, this “me” in the passage is referring to New John.

TWO – Great Prostitute: Mr. Tak

In Revelation 17:1, the great prostitute is identified as Mr. Tak, who is the head of the Stewardship Education Center. He is called the mother of prostitutes because he is the leader who leads others into spiritual, sexual immorality with the devil through teaching his seed.

THREE – Many Waters (Sea):

To understand the meaning of the many waters that she is sitting on, we need to read verse 15.

Revelation 17:15 NIV84

Then the angel said to me, “The waters you saw, where the prostitute sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations and languages.

The phrase “peoples, multitudes, nations, and languages” appears repeatedly throughout Revelation, though with slight variations. This recurring phrase refers to the world, specifically churches.

In different chapters of Revelation, we see similar expressions:

– Peoples, multitudes, nations, and languages

– Peoples, tribes, languages, and kings

– Peoples, nations, languages, and kings

Although these phrases vary slightly, they all refer to the same group: churches. The prostitute mentioned sits on many waters, which represents these churches.

This was fulfilled in reality through the Stewardship Education Center in Korea, which taught pastors who then taught their congregations. These congregations became the “many waters” mentioned in scripture.

Mr. Tak, who headed the Stewardship Education Center, is referred to as the mother because of this role. He wielded significant power during that era.

 

To summarize, “peoples, multitudes, nations, and languages” encompasses:

– Congregation members

– Denominations

– Churches

– Doctrines

– Pastors

All these elements collectively represent churches.

Revelation 17:3-5

ONE – Desert: A place of temptation.

The angel who held one of the bowls takes John to a desert, a wilderness. 

What is the reality of the desert? It is a place without water.

A desert represents a place with no water and no life – in other words, a place without the word. 

Today, we gain an additional understanding that the desert is also a place of temptation, just as Jesus experienced in Matthew 4:11.

Based on Matthew 4:1-11, Jesus spent 40 days and 40 nights fasting in the desert. During this time, He faced temptation from the devil. Jesus successfully overcame these temptations using the word, demonstrating a stark contrast to the prostitute who is unable to do the same.

The desert, therefore, represents a place devoid of the word – a location where the prostitute faces temptation.

In this context, as the angel reveals to John, we gain understanding about several aspects: the secret of the prostitute, the prostitute’s identity, and the beast upon which the prostitute rides.

 

TWO – Kings of the Earth: Pastors of the world (SEC) 1 Pt 2:9

Let us examine the reality presented in Revelation 17:3, where the angel carried the writer away in spirit to a desert. The vision shows a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that had 7 heads and 10 horns, covered with blasphemous names. This woman was adorned in purple and scarlet, glittering with gold and precious pearls, holding a gold cup filled with abominable things and the filth of her adulteries.

In Revelation 17:2, it mentions the kings of the earth who committed adultery and the inhabitants of the earth who were subject to it. To understand who these kings are in a spiritual context:

Who are these spiritual kings? They are pastors.

This is supported by 1 Peter 2:9, which states that “We are a royal priesthood.” Therefore:

– Pastors = Royal priesthood

– These refer to the pastors of the world

– Also known as the Stewardship Education Center

THREE – Inhabitants of the Earth: Congregation members of those pastors.

The inhabitants are the congregation members, specifically those who belong to these pastors. 

When referring to the prostitute and the pastors of the prostitute, they had many inhabitants who were drunk on the maddening wine. If we understand that the prostitute represents a false pastor, and the kings of the earth are false pastors, and the inhabitants of the earth are the congregation of these false pastors, then we can understand that the reality of the desert is Babylon.

Babylon represents a place with no word, such as churches without truth. It is a place with no water of life. The main prostitute is identified as Mr. Tak, who is the head of the Stewardship Education Center. This connects to the beast with 7 heads and 10 horns, which is the same beast mentioned in Revelation 13 and 12.

 

The structure can be broken down as follows:

1. Kings are pastors
2. Heads are leaders, pastors
3. Hills are churches (similar to mountains)

This creates a pattern of 7 pastors with 7 churches. A pastor represents the face of a church, which is why a pastor can also be called a church, as learned in Revelation 2 and 3. This is exemplified by the messengers of the churches of Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, and others.

Therefore, hills represent churches, while heads and kings represent the pastors of those churches.

FOUR – Wine of Adulteries: Commentaries

The prostitute holds a cup filled with abominable things. Abominable refers to things that are awful, bad, corrupt, gross, and disgusting.

Let’s understand what a container represents. A container is a person or a person’s heart, and it is defined by what is inside it. For example:

– If you put water in a cup, it becomes a water cup

– If you put wine in it, it becomes a wine glass

– If you put juice in it, it becomes a juice cup

The container takes on the properties of its contents. Even a trash can becomes valuable if it’s filled with gold.

 

In this context, we have a cup holding abominable things – things that God does not like. The person holding this cup is a pastor. What’s in that cup? It contains lies and false teachings, which we can summarize as commentaries:

– “I think this means this”

– “I think this means that”

– “Based on my understanding of Hebrew and Greek language…”

– “Based on historical accounts from 15th century scholars…”

These interpretations go in circles, making people more confused.

 

There are two types of wine:

1. Maddening wine
2. The New wine

Spiritually speaking, we should drink the good wine, not the maddening wine.

The true wine comes from the true vine. Who is the true vine? Jesus.

This is confirmed in John 15:1.

John 15:1 states, “I am the true vine and my father is the gardener,” where Jesus is speaking.

When considering which true wine we need today, we must understand that we need the true new wine of our time. Additionally, we need to become new wine skins that can contain this new wine.

However, there exists maddening wine, which appears similar to true wine and comes from a similar place. This is often referenced in the Bible. It’s like comparing wines to someone who isn’t a connoisseur – they can’t taste the subtle differences or detect the intricate hints of flavors.

Spiritually speaking, those who lack discernment might view both wines as identical. They might think, “This wine is $50, that wine is five dollars – when I’m drunk, they taste the same.”

However, someone with a refined spiritual taste (a tuned tongue) can distinguish the difference and recognize maddening wine, choosing to pour it out rather than consume it.

Sadly, those who cannot discern drink it all, simply seeking to become spiritually drunk without understanding the significance of the difference. This is something we should move beyond in our current era.

The passage reveals that the wine of those who are false is comparable to poison venom. This venom has three deadly effects: it can make someone sick, corrupt them, or kill them. The passage draws a comparison between their words and things that cause death.

In Daniel 4:20-22, there is a description of a giant tree, which represents the king of Babylon. This tree serves as a host to various birds and beasts that gather around it. In spiritual terms, these birds and beasts represent:

1.- Spirits
2.- People who don’t know the word

The fruit found on this tree is from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Though it’s a lengthy phrase, it all refers to the same concept – the false tree or false vines, and their fruit represents those words.

The lesson here is that we should not willingly consume words from this type of place. We must avoid these words and instead seek words from the true vine and where the true vine is located.

FIVE – Treasure: Satan’s Commentaries

Looking at Revelation 17:4, we see the woman’s attire: she was dressed in purple and scarlet, glittering with gold, precious stones, and pearls.

All these items can be summarized as treasure. But what kind of treasure is she adorning herself with? What does she value as treasure? While in a physical sense, these are worldly possessions, we need to understand this spiritually.

This treasure represents the word, but not the good word – she’s clothed herself with something else. In fact, this is Satan’s treasure. What are these treasures? They are commentaries.

To the prostitute, these commentaries are as valuable as treasure. This reflects what Jesus teaches: where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. There are two types of treasure here. Whatever a person values becomes their treasure. In the prostitute’s case, she valued commentaries greatly, but these were not God’s words – they were the opposite.

SIX – Mystery: Destruction. The prostitute didn’t know herself.

In Revelation, there is a prostitute with “Mystery, Babylon the Great” written on her forehead.

There are three mysteries in Revelation, and this represents the second one – the mystery of destruction. 

Why is she called a mystery? The reason is profound – she did not know her own identity or reality. Not only was she unaware of who she was, but others around her were also unaware. Even John didn’t know until it was revealed to him, and the people under her influence were completely unaware of her true identity.

This concept of mystery parallels Revelation 1:20, where Jesus refers to the seven stars as a mystery. Similar to the prostitute, the seven stars didn’t fully understand their own identity either.

 

So we see a pattern:

– She didn’t know herself

– The seven stars were unaware of their identity

– John, before Jesus appeared to him, didn’t know who he was

They were all simply living their lives until the revelation began to be fulfilled through their actions.

The title “mother” was given to her because she served as the director of the SEC, the organization responsible for training pastors.

Revelation 17:6-13

 

A few things that are important to note:

ONE – Angel Explains: Mystery is shown only to New John

When New John saw the prostitute, his reaction was one of astonishment and surprise. 

Why was he astonished? What caused such surprise?

The angel needed to provide an explanation to John about the identity of this mysterious woman because John was so surprised by what he saw.

TWO – Astonished by Woman: Realises who is

When discussing actual reality in Revelation, it’s important to understand that not everything was shown to New John simultaneously. 

Why wasn’t everything revealed to him at once, even when Jesus appeared to him in Revelation 1?

One answer relates to “food at the proper time.” However, there’s an even clearer explanation:

The events described in Revelation unfold over different time periods. One can only testify to the actual reality of things after they have occurred and appeared. 

As Revelation’s prophecies are fulfilled over time, New John comes to realize the reality of specific verses. When events actually happen, he can understand “Oh, I see now. This is the reality of this because now it’s happened.”

 

Its the Testimony has changed?

The claim that Mount Zion’s testimony has changed is false. It is important to understand that the judgment described in Revelation chapter 16 unfolds over a 7-year period, followed by the events of Revelation 17.

New John was preaching about Revelation 13, but when he later witnessed Revelation 17, he came to a new understanding. He realized that the beast he had seen in Revelation 13 – specifically the head of that beast – was actually Mr. Tak. This was not known to him initially, which explains why he was astonished when it was later revealed to him.

 

The Angel Explains the Mystery

The angel explains to New John the mystery about the prostitute in Revelation 17. 

Initially, New John knew about Mr. Tak from Revelation 13, but he did not realize that Mr. Tak was the same prostitute mentioned in Revelation 17 until its fulfilment. 

This mystery was exclusively shown to New John, and no one else can claim to have seen the reality of the prostitute, because it was not revealed to them. Therefore, only one person – New John – can explain this revelation, as he realizes the true identity of the prostitute.

THREE – Beast with 7 Heads and 10 Horns: 7 Pastors of SEC

The angel proceeds to describe the reality of the beasts, specifically the beast with 7 heads and 10 horns. 

The 7 heads represent the 7 pastors of the Stewardship Education Center (SEC), including the prostitute herself. The angel provides an explanation for each of these pastors.

As written in Revelation 17:8, “the inhabitants of the earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the creation of the world will be astonished when they see the beast because he once was, now is not, and is yet to come.”

FOUR – Book of Life: Registry of Heaven

The book of life serves as the registry of heaven. It is important for everyone to have their names written in this heavenly registry. If you haven’t completed this process yet, please connect with your evangelist who can assist you. We will also be reaching out to ensure this is completed.

Two crucial verses from Revelation highlight the significance of the book of life:

Revelation 21:27 teaches that nothing impure will enter heaven.

Revelation 22:1-2,14 emphasizes the importance of washing our robes, as Jesus instructs.

 

Those who follow the beast have not washed their robes, and consequently, their names are not registered in:

– The registry of heaven

– The registry of peoples

– Those who are born in Zion

FIVE – 7 Heads, Hills, Kings: 7 pastors, 7 leaders and 7 churches 

The angel explains about 7 hills and seven heads, along with a beast that “once was, now is not, and is yet to come.” The description of these beasts requires careful understanding.

In Revelation 17:9, it states “This calls for a mind with wisdom.” Let’s examine what this truly means. When Scripture says this, or “Let he who has an ear let him hear,” it’s not simply about studying extensively until understanding comes. Rather, wisdom comes through revelation and acceptance – accepting the grace of understanding what the Lord shows.

Revelation 17:9 continues: “The 7 heads are 7 hills on which the woman sits.” These represent 7 kings, who are 7 pastors or leaders of 7 churches. These seven heads were once together in the Tabernacle Temple before they dispersed.

 

This connects to the consequences mentioned in Revelation 12 about breaking the covenant, referencing Deuteronomy 28 – where defeat means they will flee in 7 ways. This explains why in Revelation we see:

– 7 betrayers

– 7 destroyers

– New John and his brothers making 7

This pattern is significant as it represents both victory and defeat.

Revelation 17:10 states: “There are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, and the other is yet to come. But when he does come, he must remain for a little while.”

 

After the victory in Revelation 12 and the pouring of the seven bowls over seven years, the seven heads dispersed from being together. By that time:

– 5 had fallen (gone)

– One remained

– One had left but needed to return (for a brief time)

This reflects how the pastors left the Tabernacle Temple after being defeated and exposed as false by New John and his brothers (the 7 bowls).

But it then mentions an 8th person.

SIX – 8th King: Beast from the Earth: Mr. Oh Revelation 13:11-18

Revelation 17:11 speaks of “the beast who once was and now is not” (from verse 8), who is identified as an 8th King. 

The text uses the term “king” specifically because it refers to a pastor. This pastor is the same figure mentioned in Revelation 13:11-18, who is identified as the beast from the earth.

In reality, this refers to Mr. Oh, who is connected to the beast with 7 heads and 10 horns (the beast from the sea). 

These passages are actually describing the same entities, with the text noting that this beast “once was and now is not and is yet to come.”

 

The Actual Reality

In 1975, Mr. Oh entered the Tabernacle Temple. During his time there, he temporarily left and went to Jeju Island for a period. This absence was significant as it represented a time when he was not present. However, he was yet to come back.

Upon his return, Mr. Oh came back to take over. This was during the era when the 7 heads were in power. However, they began to collapse due to the judgment from New John and his brothers, which was known as the bowls of wrath.

SEVEN – 10 Horns: 10 Elders from Tabernacle Temple

When Mr. Oh returns, he appears with 10 horns. According to Revelation 17:12, “The 10 horns you saw are the 10 kings who have yet to receive a kingdom.” These horns represent authority figures.

These 10 authority figures are the same ones that previously belonged to the beast with 7 heads and 10 horns. They demonstrate their lack of loyalty by switching sides – originally following the seven pastors, but then shifting their allegiance to Mr. Oh upon his return.

This reveals an important characteristic about Babylon: there is no loyalty among Satan’s people. The authority figures in Babylon readily switch their allegiance.

EIGHT – One Purpose: Beast (8th King) with 10 Horns is Ruining the Prostitute

In Revelation 17:12-14, we learn about the beast with 10 horns and the 8th king, who is Mr. Oh. Upon his return, he brings the elders with him and attempts to seize power from Mr. Tak and the seven pastors. This leads to a war between them, which is part of God’s judgment.

The scripture states: “The 10 horns you saw are ten kings who have yet to receive a kingdom but who for one hour will receive authority as kings along with the beast, the 8th king.”

These ten kings and the beast share one purpose, as they give their power and authority to the beast. Although they will wage war against the lamb, the lamb will ultimately overcome them because he is the lord of lords and king of kings, accompanied by his called, chosen, and faithful followers.

What is their one purpose? Their unified purpose is ruining the prostitute – taking power away from her and stripping her of her title. This results in infighting.

Revelation 17: 14-18

 

ONE – Called Chosen Faithful Followers: Those who fight and overcome: Rev 12,15,16.

In Revelation, we observe that they come to make war against the Lamb. The many waters represent the beasts that she rides upon, which are the many peoples, multitudes, nations, and languages.

 

Let’s first identify who are the called, chosen, and faithful followers that the beast with 10 horns intends to fight against:

1. The male child and his brothers
2. Those who fought and overcame (as mentioned in Revelation 12 and 15)
3. Those who poured out (in Revelation 16)

The beast also wages war against another entity – the prostitute, as stated in Revelation 17:16:

“The beast with 10 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.”

God has placed in their hearts to accomplish His purpose by agreeing to give the beast the power to rule until God’s words are fulfilled. The woman mentioned represents a great city that rules over the kings of the earth. This is similar to how Jesus gave the key to the shaft of the abyss to the star Wormwood in Revelation 9, who then opens the shaft of the abyss.

It is God whose word must be fulfilled, and He allows these events to happen. The beast with ten horns’ purpose aligns with God’s purpose, as God wanted the prostitute to be judged.

Therefore, the beast with 7 heads and 10 horns ruins and judges the prostitute. Mr. Tak.

 

The Actual Reality

In reality, when Mr. Oh returns and takes power from Mr. Tak, he maintains her teachings. While he keeps the things she said, he casts her aside and judges her. The text states that they left her naked and ate her flesh.

What is the meaning of eating the flesh? 

It refers to taking in and speaking her lies – they ate (accepted) her words.

They left her naked – being spiritually naked is a bad thing, not good. This connects to what Jesus says in Revelation 16: “Blessed is the one who remains clothed.”

By leaving her naked, they are exposing her as a liar.

Satan loves to expose nakedness. This is demonstrated when he exposed the nakedness of Adam and Eve, and when Noah’s nakedness was exposed through his son Ham. Figuratively, he exposed the nakedness of the Israelite people by causing them to worship idols, accept gentile gifts, marry into gentile nations, and break the covenant. Exposing nakedness represents the revealing of one’s sins.

Jesus teaches us the opposite approach in Matthew 18. When your brother sins against you, Jesus instructs to handle the situation one-to-one with your brother. Handle it amicably and then move on without revisiting it.

 

Instead, what do people often do? They go around saying:

“Hey, did you hear what this person did to me?”

They spread lies and gossip, thereby exposing that person’s nakedness.

The person who gossips actually commits a worse sin than the original wrongdoer. We should not be gossipers, especially not in God’s kingdom. Such behavior is not proper for God’s people.

 

The right approach is to address it directly:

“Hey man, you did this to me. Can we talk about it? I really didn’t appreciate it.”

Once handled, you can say, “Let’s go get some ice cream” or “Let’s get some food.” It’s done when handled the right way, following Jesus’s advice in Matthew 18.

However, Mr. Oh did the opposite – he exposed Mr. Tak’s actions, saying “Look at what Mr. Tak did…” They really persecuted her, though they originally worked together, resulting in lots of infighting.

 

Regarding the judgment of the prostitute, they burned her with fire. They took her doctrine and shamed her publicly, which is very sad. But these things had to happen so that the word of God could be fulfilled.

Let’s continue studying the last revelation test. We have one more test remaining. Wow.

Well done everyone – just one final test to go.

Memorization

 

Let’s Us Discern