Nehemiah 12

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Nehemiah 12

Nehemiah 12:1 These are the priests and Levites who went up with Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and with Jeshua: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra,

Nehemiah 12:2 Amariah, Malluch, Hattush,

Nehemiah 12:3 Shecaniah, Rehum, Meremoth,

Nehemiah 12:4 Iddo, Ginnethoi, Abijah,

Nehemiah 12:5 Mijamin, Maadiah, Bilgah,

Nehemiah 12:6 Shemaiah, Joiarib, Jedaiah,

Nehemiah 12:7 Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, Jedaiah. These were the heads of the priests and their relatives in the days of Jeshua.

Nehemiah 12:8 The Levites: Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah — he and his relatives were in charge of the songs of praise.

Nehemiah 12:9 Bakbukiah, Unni, and their relatives stood opposite them in the services.

Nehemiah 12:10 Jeshua fathered[1] Joiakim, Joiakim fathered Eliashib, Eliashib fathered Joiada,

Nehemiah 12:11 Joiada fathered Jonathan, and Jonathan fathered Jaddua.

Nehemiah 12:12 In the days of Joiakim, the heads of the priestly families were Meraiah of Seraiah, Hananiah of Jeremiah,

Nehemiah 12:13 Meshullam of Ezra, Jehohanan of Amariah,

Nehemiah 12:14 Jonathan of Malluchi, Joseph of Shebaniah,

Nehemiah 12:15 Adna of Harim, Helkai of Meraioth,

Nehemiah 12:16 Zechariah of Iddo, Meshullam of Ginnethon,

Nehemiah 12:17 Zichri of Abijah, Piltai of Moadiah, of Miniamin,

Nehemiah 12:18 Shammua of Bilgah, Jehonathan of Shemaiah,

Nehemiah 12:19 Mattenai of Joiarib, Uzzi of Jedaiah,

Nehemiah 12:20 Kallai of Sallai, Eber of Amok,

Nehemiah 12:21 Hashabiah of Hilkiah, and Nethanel of Jedaiah.

Nehemiah 12:22 In the days of Eliashib, Joiada, Johanan, and Jaddua, the heads of the families of the Levites and priests were recorded while Darius the Persian ruled.

Nehemiah 12:23 Levi’s descendants, the family heads, were recorded in the Book of the Historical Events during the days of Johanan son of Eliashib.

Nehemiah 12:24 The heads of the Levites—Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua son of Kadmiel, along with their relatives opposite them—gave praise and thanks, division by division, as David, the man of God, had prescribed.

Nehemiah 12:25 This included Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, and Obadiah. Meshullam, Talmon, and Akkub were gatekeepers who guarded the storerooms at the city gates.

Nehemiah 12:26 These served in the days of Joiakim son of Jeshua, son of Jozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah the governor and Ezra the priest and scribe.

Nehemiah 12:27 At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, they sent for the Levites wherever they lived and brought them to Jerusalem to celebrate the joyous dedication with thanksgiving and singing accompanied by cymbals, harps, and lyres.

Nehemiah 12:28 The singers gathered from the region around Jerusalem, from the settlements of the Netophathites,

Nehemiah 12:29 from Beth-gilgal, and the fields of Geba and Azmaveth, for they had built settlements for themselves around Jerusalem.

Nehemiah 12:30 After the priests and Levites had purified themselves, they purified the people, the city gates, and the wall.

Nehemiah 12:31 Then I brought the captains of Judah up on top of the wall and appointed two large processions that gave thanks. One went to the right on the wall, toward the Dung Gate.

Nehemiah 12:32 Hoshaiah and half the captains of Judah followed,

Nehemiah 12:33 along with Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam,

Nehemiah 12:34 Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, Jeremiah,

Nehemiah 12:35 and some of the priests’ sons with trumpets, and Zechariah son of Jonathan, son of Shemaiah, son of Mattaniah, son of Micaiah, son of Zaccur, son of Asaph followed

Nehemiah 12:36 as well as his relatives– Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah, and Hanani, with the musical instruments of David, the man of God. Ezra the scribe went in front of them.

Nehemiah 12:37 At the Fountain Gate, they climbed the steps of the city of David on the ascent of the wall and went above the house of David to the Water Gate on the east.

Nehemiah 12:38 The second thanksgiving procession went to the left, and I followed it with half the people along the top of the wall, past the Tower of the Ovens to the Broad Wall,

Nehemiah 12:39 above the Ephraim Gate, and by the Old Gate, the Fish Gate, the Tower of Hananel, and the Tower of the Hundred, to the Sheep Gate. They stopped at the Gate of the Guard.

Nehemiah 12:40 The two thanksgiving processions stood in the house of God. So did I and half of the officials accompanying me,

Nehemiah 12:41 as well as the priests: Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah, with trumpets;

Nehemiah 12:42 and Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malchijah, Elam, and Ezer. Then the singers sang, with Jezrahiah as the leader.

Nehemiah 12:43 On that day, they offered great sacrifices and rejoiced[2] because God had given them great joy. The women and children also celebrated, and Jerusalem’s rejoicing was heard far away.

Nehemiah 12:44 On that same day, men were placed in charge of the rooms that housed the supplies, contributions, firstfruits, and tenths. The legally required portions for the priests and Levites were gathered from the village fields, because Judah was grateful to the priests and Levites who were serving.

Nehemiah 12:45 They performed the service of their God and the service of purification, along with the singers and gatekeepers, as David and his son Solomon had prescribed.

Nehemiah 12:46 For long ago, in the days of David and Asaph, there were heads of the singers and songs of praise and thanksgiving to God.

Nehemiah 12:47 So in the days of Zerubbabel and Nehemiah, all Israel contributed the daily portions for the singers and gatekeepers. They also set aside daily portions for the Levites, and the Levites set aside daily portions for Aaron’s descendants.

[1] יָלַד = give birth to, be born, father. Nehemiah 12:10, 11.

[2] שָׂמַח = enjoy, rejoice. Nehemiah 12:43.

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Nehemiah 12

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Nehemiah 12

Nehemiah 12:1 These are the priests and Levites who went up with Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and with Jeshua: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra,

Nehemiah 12:2 Amariah, Malluch, Hattush,

Nehemiah 12:3 Shecaniah, Rehum, Meremoth,

Nehemiah 12:4 Iddo, Ginnethoi, Abijah,

Nehemiah 12:5 Mijamin, Maadiah, Bilgah,

Nehemiah 12:6 Shemaiah, Joiarib, Jedaiah,

Nehemiah 12:7 Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, Jedaiah. These were the heads of the priests and their relatives in the days of Jeshua.

Nehemiah 12:8 The Levites: Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah — he and his relatives were in charge of the songs of praise.

Nehemiah 12:9 Bakbukiah, Unni, and their relatives stood opposite them in the services.

Nehemiah 12:10 Jeshua fathered[1] Joiakim, Joiakim fathered Eliashib, Eliashib fathered Joiada,

Nehemiah 12:11 Joiada fathered Jonathan, and Jonathan fathered Jaddua.

Nehemiah 12:12 In the days of Joiakim, the heads of the priestly families were Meraiah of Seraiah, Hananiah of Jeremiah,

Nehemiah 12:13 Meshullam of Ezra, Jehohanan of Amariah,

Nehemiah 12:14 Jonathan of Malluchi, Joseph of Shebaniah,

Nehemiah 12:15 Adna of Harim, Helkai of Meraioth,

Nehemiah 12:16 Zechariah of Iddo, Meshullam of Ginnethon,

Nehemiah 12:17 Zichri of Abijah, Piltai of Moadiah, of Miniamin,

Nehemiah 12:18 Shammua of Bilgah, Jehonathan of Shemaiah,

Nehemiah 12:19 Mattenai of Joiarib, Uzzi of Jedaiah,

Nehemiah 12:20 Kallai of Sallai, Eber of Amok,

Nehemiah 12:21 Hashabiah of Hilkiah, and Nethanel of Jedaiah.

Nehemiah 12:22 In the days of Eliashib, Joiada, Johanan, and Jaddua, the heads of the families of the Levites and priests were recorded while Darius the Persian ruled.

Nehemiah 12:23 Levi’s descendants, the family heads, were recorded in the Book of the Historical Events during the days of Johanan son of Eliashib.

Nehemiah 12:24 The heads of the Levites—Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua son of Kadmiel, along with their relatives opposite them—gave praise and thanks, division by division, as David, the man of God, had prescribed.

Nehemiah 12:25 This included Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, and Obadiah. Meshullam, Talmon, and Akkub were gatekeepers who guarded the storerooms at the city gates.

Nehemiah 12:26 These served in the days of Joiakim son of Jeshua, son of Jozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah the governor and Ezra the priest and scribe.

Nehemiah 12:27 At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, they sent for the Levites wherever they lived and brought them to Jerusalem to celebrate the joyous dedication with thanksgiving and singing accompanied by cymbals, harps, and lyres.

Nehemiah 12:28 The singers gathered from the region around Jerusalem, from the settlements of the Netophathites,

Nehemiah 12:29 from Beth-gilgal, and the fields of Geba and Azmaveth, for they had built settlements for themselves around Jerusalem.

Nehemiah 12:30 After the priests and Levites had purified themselves, they purified the people, the city gates, and the wall.

Nehemiah 12:31 Then I brought the captains of Judah up on top of the wall and appointed two large processions that gave thanks. One went to the right on the wall, toward the Dung Gate.

Nehemiah 12:32 Hoshaiah and half the captains of Judah followed,

Nehemiah 12:33 along with Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam,

Nehemiah 12:34 Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, Jeremiah,

Nehemiah 12:35 and some of the priests’ sons with trumpets, and Zechariah son of Jonathan, son of Shemaiah, son of Mattaniah, son of Micaiah, son of Zaccur, son of Asaph followed

Nehemiah 12:36 as well as his relatives– Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah, and Hanani, with the musical instruments of David, the man of God. Ezra the scribe went in front of them.

Nehemiah 12:37 At the Fountain Gate, they climbed the steps of the city of David on the ascent of the wall and went above the house of David to the Water Gate on the east.

Nehemiah 12:38 The second thanksgiving procession went to the left, and I followed it with half the people along the top of the wall, past the Tower of the Ovens to the Broad Wall,

Nehemiah 12:39 above the Ephraim Gate, and by the Old Gate, the Fish Gate, the Tower of Hananel, and the Tower of the Hundred, to the Sheep Gate. They stopped at the Gate of the Guard.

Nehemiah 12:40 The two thanksgiving processions stood in the house of God. So did I and half of the officials accompanying me,

Nehemiah 12:41 as well as the priests: Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah, with trumpets;

Nehemiah 12:42 and Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malchijah, Elam, and Ezer. Then the singers sang, with Jezrahiah as the leader.

Nehemiah 12:43 On that day, they offered great sacrifices and rejoiced[2] because God had given them great joy. The women and children also celebrated, and Jerusalem’s rejoicing was heard far away.

Nehemiah 12:44 On that same day, men were placed in charge of the rooms that housed the supplies, contributions, firstfruits, and tenths. The legally required portions for the priests and Levites were gathered from the village fields, because Judah was grateful to the priests and Levites who were serving.

Nehemiah 12:45 They performed the service of their God and the service of purification, along with the singers and gatekeepers, as David and his son Solomon had prescribed.

Nehemiah 12:46 For long ago, in the days of David and Asaph, there were heads of the singers and songs of praise and thanksgiving to God.

Nehemiah 12:47 So in the days of Zerubbabel and Nehemiah, all Israel contributed the daily portions for the singers and gatekeepers. They also set aside daily portions for the Levites, and the Levites set aside daily portions for Aaron’s descendants.

[1] יָלַד = give birth to, be born, father. Nehemiah 12:10, 11.

[2] שָׂמַח = enjoy, rejoice. Nehemiah 12:43.

links:

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The NEHEMIAH shelf in Jeff’s library

Nehemiah 11

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Nehemiah 11

Nehemiah 11:1 Now the captains of the people stayed in Jerusalem, and the rest of the people cast lots for one out of ten to come and live in Jerusalem, the sacred city, while the other nine-tenths remained in their towns.

Nehemiah 11:2 The people praised all the men who volunteered[1] to live in Jerusalem.

Nehemiah 11:3 These are the heads of the province who stayed in Jerusalem (but in the villages of Judah each lived on his property in their towns– the Israelites, priests, Levites, temple servants, and descendants of Solomon’s servants —

Nehemiah 11:4, while some of the descendants of Judah and Benjamin settled in Jerusalem. Judah’s descendants: Athaiah son of Uzziah, son of Zechariah, son of Amariah, son of Shephatiah, son of Mahalalel, of Perez’s descendants;

Nehemiah 11:5 and Maaseiah son of Baruch, son of Col-hozeh, son of Hazaiah, son of Adaiah, son of Joiarib, son of Zechariah, a descendant of the Shilonite.

Nehemiah 11:6 The total number of Perez’s descendants who settled in Jerusalem was 468 efficient men.

Nehemiah 11:7 These were Benjamin’s descendants: Sallu son of Meshullam, son of Joed, son of Pedaiah, son of Kolaiah, son of Maaseiah, son of Ithiel, son of Jeshaiah,

Nehemiah 11:8 and after him Gabbai and Sallai: 928.

Nehemiah 11:9 Joel, son of Zichri, was the officer over them, and Judah, son of Hassenuah, was second in command over the city.

Nehemiah 11:10 The priests: Jedaiah son of Joiarib, Jachin, and

Nehemiah 11:11 Seraiah son of Hilkiah, son of Meshullam, son of Zadok, son of Meraioth, son of Ahitub, the chief official of God’s temple,

Nehemiah 11:12 and their relatives who did the work at the temple: 822. Adaiah, son of Jeroham, son of Pelaliah, son of Amzi, son of Zechariah, son of Pashhur, son of Malchijah

Nehemiah 11:13 and his relatives, the heads of families: 242. Amashsai, son of Azarel, son of Ahzai, son of Meshillemoth, son of Immer,

Nehemiah 11:14 and their relatives, capable men: 128. Zabdiel, son of Haggedolim, was their chief.

Nehemiah 11:15 The Levites: Shemaiah son of Hasshub, son of Azrikam, son of Hashabiah, son of Bunni;

Nehemiah 11:16 and Shabbethai and Jozabad, from the heads of the Levites, who supervised the work outside the house of God;

Nehemiah 11:17 Mattaniah the son of Mica, son of Zabdi, son of Asaph, the one who was leading[2] the thanksgiving in prayer; Bakbukiah, second among his relatives; and Abda, son of Shammua, son of Galal, son of Jeduthun.

Nehemiah 11:18 All the Levites in the sacred city: 284.

Nehemiah 11:19 The gatekeepers: Akkub, Talmon, and their relatives, who guarded the city gates: 172.

Nehemiah 11:20 The rest of Israel, the priests, and the Levites were in all the villages of Judah, each on his own inherited property.

Nehemiah 11:21 The temple servants lived on Ophel; Ziha and Gishpa supervised the temple servants.

Nehemiah 11:22 The leader of the Levites in Jerusalem was Uzzi, son of Bani, son of Hashabiah, son of Mattaniah, son of Mica, of the descendants of Asaph, who were singers for the service of God’s house.

Nehemiah 11:23 In fact, the king had commanded them and issued an ordinance regulating the singers’ daily tasks.

Nehemiah 11:24 Pethahiah, son of Meshezabel, of the descendants of Zerah, son of Judah, was the king’s agent in every matter concerning the people.

Nehemiah 11:25 As for the farming settlements with their fields: Some of Judah’s descendants lived in Kiriath-arba and Dibon and their surrounding villages, and Jekabzeel and its settlements;

Nehemiah 11:26 in Jeshua, Moladah, Beth-pelet,

Nehemiah 11:27 Hazar-shual, and Beer-sheba and its surrounding villages;

Nehemiah 11:28 in Ziklag and Meconah and its surrounding villages;

Nehemiah 11:29 in En-rimmon, Zorah, Jarmuth, and

Nehemiah 11:30 Zanoah and Adullam with their settlements; in Lachish with its fields, Azekah, and surrounding villages. So they settled from Beer-sheba to Hinnom Valley.

Nehemiah 11:31 Benjamin’s descendants: from Geba, Michmash, Aija, and Bethel and its surrounding villages,

Nehemiah 11:32 Anathoth, Nob, Ananiah,

Nehemiah 11:33 Hazor, Ramah, Gittaim,

Nehemiah 11:34 Hadid, Zeboim, Neballat,

Nehemiah 11:35 Lod, and Ono, in Craftsmen’s Valley.

Nehemiah 11:36 Some of the Judean divisions of Levites were in Benjamin.

[1] נָדָב = volunteer. Nehemiah 11:2.

[2] תְּחִלָּה = leading. Nehemiah 11:17.

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Nehemiah 10

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Nehemiah 10

Nehemiah 10:1 Those whose seals were on the document were the governor Nehemiah son of Hacaliah, and Zedekiah,

Nehemiah 10:2 Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah,

Nehemiah 10:3 Pashhur, Amariah, Malchijah,

Nehemiah 10:4 Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluch,

Nehemiah 10:5 Harim, Meremoth, Obadiah,

Nehemiah 10:6 Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch,

Nehemiah 10:7 Meshullam, Abijah, Mijamin,

Nehemiah 10:8 Maaziah, Bilgai, and Shemaiah. These were the priests.

Nehemiah 10:9 The Levites were Jeshua son of Azaniah, Binnui of the sons of Henadad, Kadmiel,

Nehemiah 10:10 and their brothers Shebaniah, Hodiah, Kelita, Pelaiah, Hanan,

Nehemiah 10:11 Mica, Rehob, Hashabiah,

Nehemiah 10:12 Zaccur, Sherebiah, Shebaniah,

Nehemiah 10:13 Hodiah, Bani, and Beninu.

Nehemiah 10:14 The heads of the people were Parosh, Pahath-moab, Elam, Zattu, Bani,

Nehemiah 10:15 Bunni, Azgad, Bebai,

Nehemiah 10:16 Adonijah, Bigvai, Adin,

Nehemiah 10:17 Ater, Hezekiah, Azzur,

Nehemiah 10:18 Hodiah, Hashum, Bezai,

Nehemiah 10:19 Hariph, Anathoth, Nebai,

Nehemiah 10:20 Magpiash, Meshullam, Hezir,

Nehemiah 10:21 Meshezabel, Zadok, Jaddua,

Nehemiah 10:22 Pelatiah, Hanan, Anaiah,

Nehemiah 10:23 Hoshea, Hananiah, Hasshub,

Nehemiah 10:24 Hallohesh, Pilha, Shobek,

Nehemiah 10:25 Rehum, Hashabnah, Maaseiah,

Nehemiah 10:26 Ahijah, Hanan, Anan,

Nehemiah 10:27 Malluch, Harim, Baanah.

Nehemiah 10:28 The rest of the people — the priests, Levites, gatekeepers, singers, and temple servants, along with their wives, sons, and daughters, everyone who is able to understand and who has separated themselves from the people of the landto obey the instruction of God —

Nehemiah 10:29 joins with their noble brothers and makes themselves strong with a sworn oath[1] to follow the instruction of God given through God’s servant Moses and to obey carefully all the commands, ordinances, and statutes of Yahweh, our Lord.

Nehemiah 10:30 We will not give our daughters in marriage to the people of the land and will not take their daughters as wives for our sons.

Nehemiah 10:31 When the people of the land bring merchandise or any grain to sell on the Sabbath day, we will not buy from them on the Sabbath or a sacred day. We will also leave the land uncultivated in the seventh year and cancel every debt.

Nehemiah 10:32 We will impose the following commands on ourselves: To give an eighth of an ounce of silver yearly for the service of the house of our God:

Nehemiah 10:33 the bread displayed before Yahveh, the continual[2]  tribute offering,[3] the continual ascending offering,[4] the Sabbath and New Moon offerings, the appointed[5] festivals, the sacred things, the sin offerings to atone[6] for Israel, and for all the work of the house of our God.

Nehemiah 10:34 We have cast lots among the priests, Levites, and people for the donation of wood by our ancestral families at the appointed times each year. They are to bring the wood to our God’s house to burn[7] on the altar of Yahveh our God, as it is written in the instruction.

Nehemiah 10:35 We will bring the firstfruits of our land and every fruit tree to Yahveh’s house year by year.

Nehemiah 10:36 We will also bring the firstborn of our sons and our animals, as prescribed by the instruction, and will get the firstborn of our herds and flocks to the house of our God, to the priests who minister[8] in our God’s house.

Nehemiah 10:37 We will bring a loaf from our first[9] We will also bring a batch of dough to the priests at the storerooms of the house of our God. We will also bring the first of our grain offerings, every fruit tree, new wine, and fresh oil. A tenth of our land’s produce belongs to the Levites, for the Levites are to collect the one-tenth offering in all our agricultural towns.

Nehemiah 10:38 A priest from Aaron’s descendants is to accompany the Levites when they collect the tenth, and the Levites are to take a tenth of this offering to the storerooms of the treasury in the house of our God.

Nehemiah 10:39 For the Israelites and the Levites are to bring the contributions of grain, new wine, and fresh oil to the storerooms where the articles of the sanctuary are kept and where the priests who minister are, along with the gatekeepers and singers. We will not neglect the house of our God.

[1] אָלָה = oath. Nehemiah 10:29.

[2] תָּמִיד = continual(ly). Nehemiah 10:33.

[3] מִנְחָה = tribute (offering). Nehemiah 10:33; 13:5, 9.

[4] עֹלָה = ascending (offering). Nehemiah 10:33.

[5] מוֹעֵד = conference, appointed. Nehemiah 10:33.

[6] כָּפַר = atone, absolve. Nehemiah 10:33.

[7] בָּעַר = burn, consume. Nehemiah 10:34.

[8] שָׁרָת = minister. Nehemiah 10:36, 39.

[9]רֵאשִׁית = first Nehemiah 10:37; firstfruits 12:44.

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WHEN BABYLON FALLS

WHEN BABYLON FALLS

Revelation 17:15-18 NET

15 Then the angel said to me, “The waters you saw (where the prostitute is seated) are peoples, multitudes, nations, and languages. 16 The ten horns that you saw, and the beast — these will hate the prostitute and make her desolate and naked. They will consume her flesh and burn her up with fire. 17 For God has put into their minds to carry out his purpose by deciding to give their royal power to the beast until the words of God are fulfilled. 18 As for the woman you saw, she is the great city that has sovereignty over the kings of the earth.”

One of the great purposes of the Book of Revelation is to record the visions God gave to John about the future—visions that begin in John’s own time and stretch all the way to the end of history. John is told in Revelation 1:19 to write what he saw (the visions), what is (the present condition of the churches in chapters 2–3), and what will take place after these things (the unfolding of God’s plan). Last week we saw how John was lifted into heaven and given a glimpse of the new universe in Revelation 4—a universe centered around the throne of God, where elders fall, and living creatures sing “Holy, holy, holy” without ceasing.

Today’s text, Revelation 17:15–18, comes from one of the visions that describes the future—how we get from where we are now to God’s ultimate plan for the universe. These verses show us the fall of a religious-political system that once dominated the world. They show us how God brings down a power that had corrupted nations, persecuted believers, and exalted itself above Christ. And they remind us that our allegiance must never be given to any earthly institution, no matter how impressive or ancient, but to Christ alone.

The passage is brief but devastating. In just four verses, the angel explains the meaning of the great prostitute’s influence, reveals the shocking reversal of her political allies, and exposes the sovereign hand of God orchestrating the entire collapse. What looks like political upheaval on the surface is divine judgment underneath. What looks like the beast and his allies acting on their own initiative is actually God fulfilling His word. The fall of Babylon is not chaos—it is covenant justice.

Let us walk through this passage under three headings: A Church That Dominated, A Church That Persecuted, and A Church That Loses Its Power.

I. A Church That Dominated (Revelation 17:15, 18)

John is shown a woman seated on many waters. The angel explains that these waters represent “peoples, multitudes, nations, and languages.” In other words, this woman—symbolizing a religious system—has global influence. She sits on the beast, meaning she is supported by political power. And in verse 18, the angel identifies her as “the great city that has dominion over the kings of the earth.” The phrase “great city” is not a compliment. It is an identification. This is the city that rules, the city that commands, the city that sits above kings as though it were God.

For over a thousand years of Western history, the most powerful institution on earth was a church centered in Rome—the city famously known as “the city on seven hills,” just as Revelation 17:9 describes. From that vantage point, this institution crowned kings, shaped empires, and exercised authority over nations. It was not merely a spiritual body; it was a political force. It dominated the world scene in a way no other religious institution ever has. Emperors sought its blessing. Monarchs feared its decrees. Whole populations were shaped by its teachings, its sacraments, and its threats. It claimed to hold the keys to heaven, and it used those keys to lock earthly doors.

Now, Revelation is not simply a history book. It uses symbols. But the parallels are striking. John’s vision shows us what happens when a religious institution becomes intertwined with political power. When the church stops being the bride of Christ and becomes a partner of the state, it becomes Babylon. It becomes a system that uses spiritual language to justify worldly control. The woman holds a cup in her hand, and the cup looks golden—but inside it is filled with abominations (Revelation 17:4). That is the nature of religious corruption: it looks beautiful on the outside, but the substance is poisoned.

And this is not just a medieval problem. Whenever the church seeks worldly power instead of spiritual faithfulness, it becomes Babylon. Whenever the church tries to rule through coercion instead of witness, it becomes Babylon. Whenever the church trades the gospel for influence, it becomes Babylon. The warning is not limited to one institution in one era. It is a permanent caution to every church in every age. The moment the church begins to measure its success by political access rather than gospel fidelity, it has started to sit on the beast.

Revelation warns us that religious power can be just as corrupt as political power. The church is at its strongest when it is faithful, not when it is dominant. The church is at its purest when it is persecuted, not when it is privileged. The church is at its most Christlike when it is serving, not when it is ruling. Jesus Himself refused political power when Satan offered it (Matthew 4:8–10). He told Pilate, “My kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36). Any church that forgets this has already begun its drift toward Babylon.

The woman in Revelation 17 dominated the nations. But her dominance was not a sign of God’s blessing—it was a sign of her corruption.

II. A Church That Persecuted (Revelation 17:6)

John says he saw the woman “drunk with the blood of the saints.” That is a horrifying image. It means that this religious system did not merely influence the world—it persecuted the faithful. It used its power to silence dissent. It used its authority to crush those who resisted its corruption. It became an enemy of the very people it was supposed to shepherd. The word “drunk” suggests not just violence but indulgence—a system that had grown accustomed to bloodshed, that had acquired a taste for power, that no longer recognized what it had become.

History bears witness to this. For centuries, believers who sought to follow Scripture rather than tradition were imprisoned, tortured, or killed. Reformers, translators, and ordinary Christians suffered at the hands of a religious empire that had lost its way. Men like John Hus were burned at the stake for preaching the gospel in the common language. William Tyndale was strangled and burned for translating the Bible into English. The Inquisition turned the instruments of justice into instruments of terror. The church that should have protected the saints became the instrument of their suffering.

Revelation shows us that persecution does not always come from atheistic governments or pagan cultures. Sometimes it comes from religious institutions that have lost sight of Christ. When religion loses Christ, it loses compassion. And when it loses compassion, it becomes capable of violence. The name of God can be invoked to bless the very acts God condemns. The cross can be carried as a weapon rather than a symbol of surrender. This is the deepest horror of Babylon: it does evil in the name of the One who is good.

This is why Revelation is so important. It unmasks the spiritual dangers of religious power. It shows us that the greatest threat to the church is not always outside; it can be inside. It can be a system that uses the name of Christ but does not reflect His heart. Jesus warned of this Himself: “A time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering service to God” (John 16:2). Religious persecution is the most deceptive form of opposition because it wears the clothing of devotion.

The woman in Revelation 17 persecuted the saints. And God saw it. God remembered it. And God judged it. Every prayer whispered in a prison cell was heard. Every cry of a martyr at the stake was recorded. Christ Himself witnessed every abuse committed in Christ’s name. The book of Revelation is, among other things, a book of divine accounting. Nothing is forgotten. Nothing is overlooked. The blood of the saints cries out, and God answers.

III. A Church That Loses Its Power (Revelation 17:16–17)

In verses 16 and 17, something shocking happens. The political powers that once supported this religious system suddenly turn against her. The ten horns—symbolizing kings or political alliances—”will hate the prostitute.” They will strip her of her power, expose her corruption, and destroy her influence. They will “make her desolate and naked.” They will “consume her flesh and burn her up with fire.” The language is brutal and complete. The same institutions that once carried the woman now consume her. The same hands that once elevated her now tear her down.

The same nations that once upheld her authority now dismantle her. The same kings who once bowed to her now burn her with fire. And John tells us why: “God has put it into their hearts to carry out His purpose.” The verse is one of the most striking statements of divine sovereignty in the New Testament. The political leaders who destroy Babylon are not righteous men. They are not agents of justice. They are, in fact, allied with the beast. They act out of hatred, not holiness. They turn on the woman because their ambitions no longer align with hers. But behind their hatred, God is working. Behind their political calculation, God is fulfilling prophecy. Behind their selfish decisions, God is accomplishing His purpose.

In other words, God uses political forces to bring judgment on a corrupt religious system. God is sovereign even over the rise and fall of institutions. He does not need righteous instruments to accomplish righteous ends. He can use the ambition of kings to judge the corruption of priests. He can use the jealousy of empires to topple the pride of religion. He can use the very powers that once supported Babylon to bring Babylon down.

This is a sobering truth. No religious institution—no matter how ancient, wealthy, or influential—can stand when God withdraws His hand. When a church becomes corrupt, God will not protect it. When a church persecutes the faithful, God will not defend it. When a church becomes Babylon, God will judge it. The institution may have stood for a thousand years, but if it has abandoned Christ, its days are numbered. The walls may look strong, but if the foundation has crumbled, the fall is certain.

And Babylon is still with us. It appears wherever religion is used for power. It appears wherever the church becomes a political tool. It appears wherever spiritual authority is used to manipulate or control. It appears wherever the gospel is replaced with tradition, nationalism, or self-interest. Babylon is not a relic of the past. It is a temptation of the present. Any church in any age can become the woman on the beast.

But Revelation assures us: Babylon will fall. Every false religious system will collapse. Every corrupt institution will be exposed. Every misuse of Christ’s name will be judged. The fall may not come today. It may not come in our lifetime. But it will come—because God’s word will be fulfilled. Verse 17 says so explicitly: the political powers act “until the words of God are fulfilled.” God’s word is the clock. His promises are the schedule. Babylon’s days are measured, and the measure is already set.

Conclusion: Allegiance to the Lamb

What does this passage call us to do? It calls us to examine our allegiance.

Revelation 17 is not a call to attack institutions. It is a call to guard our hearts. It is a call to remember that our loyalty belongs not to church structures, not to traditions, not to political alliances, not to denominations, not to leaders—but to Christ alone. The passage does not ask us to become crusaders against corruption. It asks us to become faithful witnesses in the midst of it. It asks us to look at the woman on the beast and say, “That is not my Lord. That is not my home. My Lord is the Lamb.”

The fall of Babylon warns us not to place ultimate trust in any earthly power. Churches rise and fall. Nations rise and fall. Institutions rise and fall. But the Lamb remains. His kingdom remains. His truth remains. Hebrews 13:8 declares, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” Institutions change. Christ does not. Movements rise and collapse. Christ does not. The Lamb is the only constant, the only certainty, the only certainty that cannot be shaken.

When Babylon falls, only the Lamb’s kingdom stands.

So let us pledge our allegiance not to church or state, but to Christ alone. Let us follow the One who is faithful and true. Let us trust the One who will never misuse His power. Let us cling to the One who shed His own blood instead of shedding the blood of others. The contrast could not be sharper. The woman was drunk with the blood of the saints. The Lamb was slain for the sins of the saints. The woman shed blood to maintain control. The Lamb shed blood to give life. The woman ruled by fear. The Lamb rules by love. Choose carefully whom you follow.

Revelation 17 ends with the collapse of a corrupt religious system. But Revelation does not end there. It ends with a wedding—the marriage supper of the Lamb. It ends with a new heaven and a new earth. It ends with a Bride who is pure, faithful, and beautiful. The false bride falls. The true Bride rises. The counterfeit church is exposed. The true Church is revealed. And the difference is Christ. The true Church is not built on political power or institutional authority. It is built on the confession that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God—and the gates of hell will not prevail against it (Matthew 16:18).

That is the church Christ is building. That is the church we belong to. That is the church that will never fall.

Closing Prayer

LORD, keep our hearts faithful to You. Guard us from trusting in earthly powers. Cleanse Your church from corruption. Make us loyal to Christ alone. And prepare us for the day when Babylon falls, and the Lamb reigns forever. Amen.