The Great Whore
Satan’s greatest weapon against fallen humanity from the beginning has been to offer a counterfeit way of Salvation. If he succeeds in turning men away from God’s true Salvation, which is in Jesus Christ alone, then he will succeed in damning multitudes to eternal darkness. Religion has been his greatest tool and has been given many names. God calls all of it “the great whore.” This term speaks to us today that religion is likened by God to spiritual decadence, spiritual fornication and spiritual adultery.
By Chris McDonald
TEXT: Rev. 17:1 - And there came one of the seven angels, which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will show unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:
The 17th chapter of the book of Revelation is probably one of the most difficult passages to understand in the entirety of the word of God. This chapter is actually what Bible teachers call a “parenthetical” passage, meaning an interpretation in the order of events so something may be explained. The events spoken of in this chapter take place about the mid-point of the Great Tribulation period. However, the things spoken of have their origins in the dawn of time.
In this passage, we see Satan’s ultimate attack upon fallen humanity through organized religion. The enemy has long sought to claim a counterfeit way of Salvation starting in the Garden of Eden when he first lied to humanity’s first parents – Adam and Eve.
Genesis 3:1-8 - Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? [2] And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: [3] But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. [4] And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: [5] For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
It was here where Satan first took God’s word and tampered with it making it seem that God didn’t mean the things that He said. In the 3rd verse we actually see his first effort of religion which “adds to” God’s prescribed methods of Salvation. Satan told Eve the Lord told them not to “eat of the tree,” AND not to “touch” the tree. God had only told them not to EAT of it. The warning not to touch it was added by Satan who tried to seduce the woman by playing on the emotion that God’s ways were too strict for the first couple to adhere by.
As a result of man listening to Satan the entire human race FELL. And mankind has never found himself since except through the finished work of Christ on the cross which removed the curse of sin for all those who will but trust and believe in what He accomplished on the Cross.
Jesus Christ and Him cruficied is mankind’s only hope. There are not two, three, four, six, seven soluitions to man’s ills. There is only ONE. If Satan can succeed in turning men away from God’s one true way of Salvation – through the Lord Jesus Christ and His shed blood – then he will succeed in damning multitudes to eternal darkness. Sadly, Satan has done that to a great degree using even more sadly preachers of the gospel who have stopped preaching the truth of the gospel and started preaching lies fostered by demon spirits.
Let me tell you this right here before we get into the meat of this journal. For the most part the church world right now is in two camps. You have one camp, which I will call the non-Pentecostal world, which includes the Baptists, Methodists, Presbyterians, etc. For sake of logistics I’ll use the term denominational world. The denominational world by and large has rejected the moving of the Holy Ghost in their churches. Entire denominations are enforcing this strict resistance to anything that resembles a move of the Holy Ghost to where preachers are being stripped of their credentials and standing if they are baptized in the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking with other tongues. These churches usually have TONS of activities in them but the presence of God is millions a mile away and to be frank the leadership of these churches doesn’t even care.
They’re happy with the activity and that fact their churches are filled Sunday to Sunday with happy tithe-paying “saints”, many of which are not even born again, but they are good church-going people. Ichabod has long been written on the threshold of the house. The GLORY of God has departed. No one is ever saved. No one is ever healed. No one is ever set free of bondages. No one is ever filled with the Spirit. The gospel preached in these churches is usually no more than a wrapped up social gospel with no conviction and no power.
It is from these movements that the ordaining of homosexuals is not even winked at any more. These churches are deader than dead, twice dead, plucked up by the roots. If they put gasoline tanks outside and pumped gasoline to the community they are in, they’d be of better service to the Kingdom. The preachers leading these dead congregations are probably dead and lost themselves, thus you have a lost shepherd leading lost sheep and neither are going to find their way out of the abyss they’re both in unless God intervenes in a miraculous way. It’s a vicious cycle but when you reject the Holy Spirit friend you are making one of the worst eternal choices you could ever make this side of heaven. And preacher of the gospel if you’re reading this journal God is going to hold us accountable for the leadership we have provided for the sheep. We can’t be the Holy Spirit to the sheep. They must know God for themselves and if the gospel we’re preaching is not leading them to deeper intimacy with HIM, then we are leading them to hell! That’s blunt, but it’s clear and that’s my intention.
Then on the other side of the fence, you have the Pentecostal and Charismatic communities which by and large DO believe and operate in the gifts of the Spirit but have fallen into such darkness that they may have tons of things “going on” in each service but what is going on is being generated by “another spirit” other than the Holy Spirit.
It is a fulfillment of what Paul said would happen in the last days. He called this type worship “seducing” spirits:
1 Tim. 4:1
Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
2 Tim. 4:2-4
Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. [3] For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; [4] And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
The Charismatic world basically preaches nothing anymore except a message about money and how much we can get FROM God instead of preaching a gospel that requires us to lay down our lives and die daily at the cross of Christ. One of the Charismatics leading voices in the Word of Faith movement the late Rev. Kenneth Hagin, died not too long ago. Rev. Hagin was without a doubt a godly man. That is not in question with what I am about to say. Rev. Hagin wrote in several articles toward the end of his life that the church needed to “go beyond the cross,” onto the “throne.” In one such article written a little over a year ago at the time of this journal he wrote and I quote him here, “the cross of Christ was the greatest defeat in the history of mankind.”
If the cross of Christ was such a place of defeat then why did Paul, Peter, James and Jude all write epistles warning the church to defend the cross at all costs?
1 Cor. 2:4
And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
1 Cor. 1:17-19 - For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect. For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. [19] For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.
Galatians 6:14
But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.
Gal 5:11 - Brothers, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been abolished. (NIV)
Gal 6:12 - Those who want to make a good impression outwardly are trying to compel you to be circumcised. The only reason they do this is to avoid being persecuted for the cross of Christ. (NIV)
Eph 2:16 - and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. (NIV)
Phil 3:18 - For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. (NIV)
Col 1:20 - and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. (NIV)
Col 2:14 - having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. (NIV)
Heb 12:2 - Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (NIV)
Paul wrote these verses to let us know that the gospel message for fallen humanity does not center around a “word,” it centers around a “message.” It centers itself around the fact fallen humanity needs a redeemer, not a counselor. Fallen humanity needs repentance, not rehabilitation. There is nothing that is good to rehabilitate. There is no good thing in man’s flesh. NOTHING! When man comes to the cross of Christ, it is there that man finds the definition of himself as he looks into the face of the world’s Saviour and King. It is here where humanity finds true freedom, not the political type that our country promises to provide, but a deeper freedom that sets men free from sin, sickness, bondage and darkness.
At the cross, at the cross, where I first saw the light and the burden of my heart rolled away. It was THERE by faith, I received my sight, and now I am happy all the day. That little song is being taken out of many churches but it holds the key to salvation of millions – including thousands of lost church members whose hearts are a million miles away from God that sitting on pews each week in dead churches. The plan of Salvation is through the Son! The plan of Salvation points us to a person – not a doctrine! The plan of Salvation points us to a MAN – not a denomination. The plan of Salvation points us to the Father’s Beloved, not a human being who seeks to exalt himself above everyone else and tries to define righteousness for everyone else. Neighbor, you can’t define what I’m talking about. This will set you free. This freedom and joy I am talking about is truly “joy unspeakable,” and full of GLORY! It will set the alcoholic free, it will set the drug addict free, it will set the pornographer free, it will set the unfaithful free, it will set the homosexual and lesbian FREE. Glory to God.
Yet fallen man seeks a substitute to atone for his sin and that substitute the enemy has offered mankind is religion which John sees as a GREAT WHORE that “sits” upon many waters.
You see when one reads the book of Revelation, we see a view of things as God does. It’s a picture into the Spirit realm unlike any in the Word of God. Many times the world will perceive a thing as beautiful when, in reality, God sees “the great whore.” At times the Church applauds its own efforts (of the flesh) while God calls it “spiritual fornication.” In effect, what John sees in this vision is the Lord saying, “This thing has been allowed to sit upon many waters (people) from the beginning, and now it is going to be judged.”
The Corruption Of Christianity
As we have laid the foundation earlier in this journal, let us say it again. It can’t be said enough. The Bible message of Christianity is “Christ and Him Crucified.”
Romans 4:25-5:2 - Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification. [5:1] Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: [2] By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
Romans 6:3-14 - Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? [4] Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. [5] For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: [6] Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. [7] For he that is dead is freed from sin. [8] Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: [9] Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. [10] For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. [11] Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. [12] Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. [13] Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. [14] For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
1 Cor. 1:21
For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
1 Cor. 1:25
Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
1 Cor. 2:2
For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
Col. 2:14-15
Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; [15] And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
The devil cannot destroy true Christianity. What Jesus did at the Cross will stand forever. A million years from this moment we will be celebrating His finished work on Calvary in heaven. Why? Because if it was not for that work on the Cross, we would not be in heaven to begin with. When Rev. Hagin entered heaven I can guarantee you that he saw the nail prints in the hands of the Master. Those nail prints are a testimony to the reason Bro. Hagin was allowed to go there! When the message of the Cross is preached correctly and under the anointing, it will always and without fail, result in the salvation of souls, believers being baptized in the Holy Ghost, the sick being healed, lives being gloriously and wondrously changed by the Power of God.
There is not one thing Satan can do this message to destroy it. What he CAN do is corrupt it by making Christianity just another “religion,” and regrettably he has done that in the lives of countless numbers of Christians.
If the preacher is not preaching this great salvation message of Christ and Him Crucified, then he is preaching “another Jesus,” and the believer is accepting “another faith,” and the enemy has drawn both away from the simplicity of Christ that sets men free from sin and darkness.
2 Cor. 11:1-4
Would to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with me. [2] For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. [3] But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. [4] For if he that cometh preaches another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.
The Great Whore
Rev. 17:1
And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:
The word “whore,” is translated “harlot,” in the original language. The TRUE CHURCH is married to Christ.
Romans 7:4
Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.
Being married to Him not only refers to Him Personally, but as well, to what He has done for mankind by giving His life on the cross.
Ephes. 2:13-18
But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. [14] For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; [15] Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; [16] And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: [17] And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. [18] For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
Upon faith in what Christ did at the cross, the believer is literally placed into Christ by the Holy Spirit. In other words when we were saved, we were “baptized into His death,” then buried with Him, and then raised with Him in newness of life.
Romans 6:3-5
Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? [4] Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. [5] For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
Religion’s, or the great whore’s, alternative to that process is to offer mankind another way as to circumvent the cross by making man feel he can just come to God by “bettering” himself in one way or the other. And those “ways” can be a million things. In some cases, it may be the individual feels if he reads his Bible 10 minutes every day then that will save him. Another may fast for weeks on end in order to gain favor with God. Another may give all his money to charitable causes, which he feels, will make him a better person. Others may attend a certain church thinking that is the way to find heaven’s gate. God calls such as “the great whore.” The Holy Spirit through Paul also uses such terms as “adulterous,” and “harlotry,” referring to a Christian who tries to live his/her life other than placing total faith and confidence in the finished work of Christ.
When we do such, in the eyes of God, we are committing spiritual adultery. In other words, we are being unfaithful to Christ, when we try to live by and under the law to gain favor and righteousness.
Romans 7:1-4 - Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he lives? [2] For the woman who hath a husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he lives; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband. [3] So then if, while her husband lives, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man. [4] Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.
In another passage Paul used different terminology but said the same thing:
2 Cor. 11:2-3 - For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.
Then in verse 3 he says:
2 Cor. 11:3 - But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
The vision John has sees the Lord judging ALL religions and to be sure judged harshly. As the blood of the slain Lamb ALONE could save those who were in the house of the time of deliverance of the children of Israel from Egypt, likewise it is the blood, which will be the password presently! Everyone who doesn’t look to Christ and HIS CROSS will be judged. All who look to Christ and to His cross have in effect, already been judged. They were judged IN CHRIST when He laid down His life on behalf of all lost mankind.
The whore “sits” upon the people and that is what religion does. It “sits” on people. It exploits them. It appeals to people’s fears and concerns and “takes” instead of “ministers.” It appeals to man’s pride and shallowness of heart by promising great things if the hearer will but submit himself to the whore and in many cases become a “pimp” for the cause.
So much that happens today over Christian television is nothing more than exploitation and gross misrepresentation of the gospel. It’s become a WHORE religion when preachers of the gospel tell their listeners that if they give $20.00 (usually the plea is for much more) that the preacher will wave a magic wand and all the people’s problems will go away. Other preachers show one image on screen but behind the scenes are bloated, arrogant pompous people who have to be waited on hand and foot and never serve others. These type men are part of the “whore” religion coming upon the world scene quickly.
On this subject I want to say something else as well. We know when the Antichrist comes on the scene he will in many ways be a religious person. The false prophet who points to the Antichrist and basically declares the Antichrist to be “god” will for sure be a very religious person. They both will come in with flattery and deceit. Everything they say will be what people want to hear about their fallen state. You can be sure it will be laced with a message that states that man is not bad, he is just in a bad environment and that the purpose of the Antichrist’s reign will be to change the world’s “environment” so man can reach his full potential. (Neighbor, at man’s “FULL” potential – man is still a SINNER! He may just be a “full potentialed” sinner but he is still a sinner)
That will cause millions of people to worship the Antichrist as deity. The false prophets will very well be a miracle worker. Great signs and wornders will accompany this duo’s “ministry.”
Rev. 16:13-15 - And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. [14] For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. [15] Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.
The seriousness of what I am saying about the Antichrist is this. Most of the church that is on earth at this very moment would welcome that type leader in a heartbeat. MOST of the Charismatic and Pentecostal world would welcome that type leader and religious icon in a heartbeat. That how religion blinds us. It “sits” on us and destroys our senses. It leaves us with no will power or energy to resist because while it “sits” on us, it drains life from us. It has us “doing,” instead of true Christianity, which has us “resting in HIM” and “believing.”
The apostate church will embrace the Antichrist with open arms. The spirit of that is working today as we write this journal! John said the “spirit of Antichrist does work already,” and it will get more pronounced as we get closer to the rapture of the church.
The Kings Commit Fornication With Her
Rev. 17:2
With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.
The term “fornication,” here is the same word used by the Angel to define faith and trust placed in anything other than Christ and His cross. Billions have been made spiritually drunk by the spiritual wine of spiritual fornication!!! It speaks to us of the association of kings and nations with false religions which has been so from the dawn of time.
The first organized false religion was the ancient Babylonian cult, started by Nimrod and his Queen, Semiramis, which spread among all nations. In this particular religion, the objects of worship were the supreme father, the incarnate female, or queen of Heaven, and her son. The cult claimed the highest wisdom in the most divine secrets. While there have always been many false religions in the world, this of which we speak strangely enough, continues unto this very hour.
Besides confession to Priests, there were many mysterious rites to this ancient Babylonian cult. In fact, Julius Caesar became head of the Roman branch of the Babylonian cult in 63 B.C. Other Emperors held the office until A.D. 376, when the Emperor Gratian, for Christian reasons, refused it. He saw that Babylonianism was idolatrous. Demasus, Bishop of the Christian Church at Rome, was elected to the headship in A.D. 378 and from that time Babylonianism and organized Christianity, under the guise of the Catholic faith, for the most part, became ONE.
The rites of the Babylonian system were soon introduced into the Christian church. Temples were restored, beautified, and their rituals encouraged. Worship and veneration of images, Saints, relics, private confessions, penances, scourging, pilgrimages, the sign of the Cross, CHRISTMAS, Lady Day, Easter, Lent, and other pagan rites and festivals, little by little, became part of what is not called “Christian worship.”
Through the centuries, many Governments have had what is normally called “the state religion.” Every single time this effort has been of Satan.
Several centuries ago, England broke away from Roman Catholicism. However, the state Church of England was little different than the Roman Catholicism it replaced. However, the Anglican Church did not quite go to the lengths of persecution characterized by its Roman counterpart but almost.
Our Pilgrim forefathers came to American primarily to escape the clutches of the state Church in England. They braved hardships and untold persecution to worship God as they saw fir. The Constitution of the United States tended toward freedom of religion and worship. Among other things, this has made America great.
In the 1600’s on some of the Caribbean Islands, white men killed Indians, including women and children, for sport because of the color of their skin. They were considered little more than soulless animals. These murderers would hurry home in time for Sunday services. It was against the law not to attend Church. Incidentally, these were Protestants.
Ironically, halfway around the world in Toledo, Spain, the Roman Catholic Church carried out the horrible inquisition, brutally murdering tens of thousands whom they called heretics simply because they would not embrace the Catholic faith. Many of those who died were Jewish people. All of this, whether it is called, “Protestant,” or “Catholic,” could be better labeled, “the great whore.” These false religions have caused millions to be drunk with the wine of their fornication and thereby eternally lost.
The situation has changed little today with the institutionalized church, be it Protestant or Catholic. Both are being shot through right now with apostasy and it is spreading rapidly until it will escalate into John’s vision of the last day’s church.
As we close this first part of this journal one this is clear. Any way of Salvation that adds to or takes away from the atoning, Vicarious Offering of the Lord Jesus Christ on the Cross of Calvary as the only way of Salvation can be labeled, “the great whore.”
At this hour almost one billion of the world’s population is under the bondage of Islam. Catholicism rules another billion, while another billion fall under the definition of Protestant. Hinduism controls another billion, with Buddhism controlling another approximate billion. That leaves another billion who have formulated their own religion. In all of this there is a remnant, a small remnant of true believers who still say in their hearts – “if it not Christ and Him crucified, then it is the great whore!”
Neighbor, the battle lines are growing clearer and clearer each day. THIS IS THE APOSTASY of the last days. This is the arena where in truth that will save men’s souls will be either won or lost. The battle is not ours, but the Lords. His army will have their hearts IN HIM and anchored in the finished work of His Son, Jesus Christ. To go beyond that work is rank heresy and without a doubt the religion of “the great whore.” Keep the faith.
Heavenly Father, we come to You today in the name of Jesus. We ask You to keep Your remnant of true believers anchored in true faith in the finished work of their redemption. It is that finished work that we find the TRUTH. We find the truth about OUR condition outside Christ AND our condition IN CHRIST! We rejoice today in the fact that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. That is the bedrock of which we have our faith in today and what we will keep our faith in. Help us Lord to live up to this awesome responsibility in these last days to be messengers of your gospel to a lost and dying world. Help us not water it down to appease men but to preach the word of God IN SEASON and OUT OF SEASON. Help us reprove, rebuke and exhort with ALL longsuffering and with doctrine. Give us YOUR HEART for these last days and anoint our eyes that we may see clearly and concise. Give us great discernment in the coming days about YOUR PURPOSE and plans as well as helping us not be ignorant of the enemy’s devices. We ask this in Your Son’s name- Jesus Christ – AMEN.
This Journal is continued By Clicking HERE - "The Great Whore Part Two"