I was among the very first few to watch the early screening of Quantum of Solace when it opened late last year at the cinemas. Perk of self-employment aside, I had every intention of cashing in on the leftover adrenalin squeezed from its predecessor Casino Royale, which in my estimation was one of the better Bond movies of late. And of course, Daniel Craig remains the Bond of the hour; second only to Sean Connery.
Solace was anything but. Action packed to the hilt, you'ld hardly have a moment to breathe before the next KAPOW scene hits. Beside me were two guys dunking themselves on Coke and sporadically spurting their next destination in whispers - the SONY handphone dealer to pay homage to the 10,000 product placements in the movie. Hey, visual stimulation works.
I left the theatre quite entertained. Which began to bother me later. One may not think much of it, but it bothers me that I enjoyed the violence and killings in the movie, in the name of harmless entertainment. I can sit there and watch people getting killed and buildings ripped apart while enjoying my drink. Come to think of it, that puts me in the same league as Pol Pot or Hitler. Not in degrees, but in essence.
I am being desensitized.
Revelation Chapter 17 talks about the nature of Babylon, metaphor used to denote Rome at the time of writing; and in terms of prophecy - any other city that exalts itself against Christ. The "Babylons" of our times have set up systems and values which go contrary to those of Christ and His followers. Different Babylons have sprung up in different ages to oppose true disciples of Christ.
Observation
Chapter 17
We are introduced to the whore. She is seated on many waters. In v 15, the waters are explained to be nations of the world. This whore has a grip and influence on many nations of the world. The kings or authorities of the earth are said to have fused themselves with this evil and have been intoxicated by it. This prostitute is also seated on a beast with seven heads and 10 horns (this is the Beast #1 from 13:1 - the Antichrist). Details on Antichrists had been explained in Lesson 5 posted earlier. This whore is named for us. She is Babylon. It is clear that she is clothed in great earthly splendour, and is exceedingly evil, vehemently opposing the people of God. She is to be contrasted with the woman in Chapter 12 and the bride in Chapters 21 & 22.
The harlot's forehead was written a name, a mystery. Mystery will indicate that the meaning of the harlot's name is not open and obvious to all. It is subject to revelation, and the angel proceeds to reveal it in v 7. The significance of the name is made known to John, and John to believers. But, the worldly would not know it at all. Babylon is not only a prostitute, but she is the mother of whores and abominations; meaning she spawns evils like her own. In v 4, all kinds of abominations are ascribed to this city.
The picture of sexual looseness in the Old Testament is used in more ways than one. The people of God are seen as God's bride, hence unfaithfulness is likened to adultery (Jer 3:9, Ezk 16:9). Unfaithfulness was also seen as habitual and mercenary, an intentional sinning against love, as in Hos 2:5, Isa 1:21.
17: 8 reads like a riddle - "the beast who was, and is not, and is about to....". This is a parody of Christ by the Antichrist, since Christ is attributed as "who was and is and is to come...". Here, we see the Antichrist counterfeiting the attributes of God, and leading the world astray with his own brand of miracles. This includes being healed from a mortal wound (13:3, 12, 14). Spectators will be impressed by the survivability of evil. The evil in mankind may seem to disappear, but it always returns again. When Revelation was written, Nero the evil one was gone. He died. But his successor Domitian appears to be a second Nero. And the evil against Christians continued. Evil survives. Until such a time as God permits.
V 9 Seven mountains refer to Rome, an empire widely-believed to have had its roots in the seven hills on the Tiber river. What follows is where it gets complicated. One interpretation believes the seven kings represent the total number of Roman caesars (rulers). Another point of view believes the the kings represent different empires. Either view is possible. But for our sakes, it is probably better to take the first view. V 10 says five kings had passed away, which puts the scribe John in the time of the sixth king. The seventh king is connected to the eighth, which is linked as the beast or Antichrist ( v 11). John is telling us the beast, the basic source of all evil, finds itself especially incarnated in the eighth king or empire. But John is not concerned with the beast's career nor his powers or activities. John's emphasis here is the fact that the beast goes to destruction. So, all evil will ultimately perish.
V 12 introduces more players into the mix. There is an additional 10 kings who will join the fray for a short moment. Again, the number 10 may be symbolic to represent a total, or entirety. These kings will receive authority for one hour - a short / unimportant time. They are willing collaborators of the beast, apart from whom they do not have authority.
It is interesting in V 16, the coalition of evil breaks up. The empire of evil seems to have turned against each other. There will be hatred between the whore, the kings and the beast. The whore will be left naked and desolate, preyed upon and consumed by her former cohorts.
The reason for this is explained in V 17. God is in sovereign control, even when evil is at its ultimate. God causes the breakup in evil, and their doom is sure. The beast may defeat its own supporters, but it will never defeat God.
Back to Babylon. In John's time, Babylon meant Rome. But in the end-time, it represents man in organised community, apart from God. Outlined here are some of its characteristics.
Marks of Babylon
1. Leaving God out of the picture (Gen 10:10)
2. Sensuality. In today's world, our spheres of society are all affected by sensuality (17:2,4; 18:3,9).
3. Injustice (Social 18:13)
4. Violence
5. The worship of products (Consumerism)
6. Deception / Counterfeit
7. Idolatory
And of course, the desensitization of the individual to the effects of the above is a quinessential step to assimilation to the values of the city represented by Babylon.
Question
What does this mean to a bunch of desensitized, media-weary generation?
Thoughts
So what now? Run off to a monastery to escape the evil in the world? Somehow I don't think asceticism is the answer. Nor is flailing arms in futility and despair. The original readers of Revelation were never told to disengage from culture (although they were told to leave the sins of the city in 18:4). What they were encouraged to do was to stay away from sin, persevere faithfully and patiently endure the circumstances they found themselves in.
The reason is clear. The christian's hope is pinned on a Liberator who can vanquish evil and rescue him. In the following chapters, we find that God not only saved His people, but consummated the relationship in a way not fully imaginable nor comprehend-able.
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