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Daily Devotions

Revelation

Revelation 
Day 
Day 118

"Why did you marvel?"

Text: Revelation 17:7

CORRECTING THE APOSTLE

John was a privileged apostle. He was the only one who was given such visions. He functioned as an apostle and a prophet. But for that, he was not faultless.

“But the angel said to me, ‘Why did you marvel? I
will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the
beast that carries her, which has the seven heads
and the ten horns. The beast that you saw was, and
is not, and will ascend out of the bottomless pit and
go to perdition. And those who dwell on the earth
will marvel, whose names are not written in the Book
of Life from the foundation of the world, when they see
the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.'”
Revelation 17:7-8

1. John marvelled at the fate of the great harlot.

a) She personified Babylon.

b) She was filthy and wicked.

c) Her doom was pronounced.

d) John marvelled at these things he saw.

2. The mystery.

a) Surrounding the woman.

i) She was influential.

ii) She was wealthy.

iii) She seemed invulnerable.

b) Surrounding the Beast she sat on.

i) It had seven heads.

ii) It had ten horns.

iii) This was an even more significant portrayal of great power.

c) This was a mystery that had to be explained.

3. The origin of the Beast.

a) It came from the bottomless pit.

b) It is pure evil.

4. The fate of the Beast.

a) It will go to perdition.

b) It was doomed for destruction by the will of God.

5. The response of the world.

a) It will marvel.

b) The worshippers of the Beast did not believe that it could be destroyed.

c) They will marvel that the mighty Beast will be destroyed.

6. Who are these people?

a) Their names are not in God’s Book of Life.

b) They have turned away from God.

c) Thus their names are not listed in God’s Book of Life.

7. The gentle rebuke.

a) John must not be ignorant.

b) He must be more discerning.

c) He should see beyond the external power of the Beast.

d) He must see evil for what it is and not marvel when evil is judged and punished by God.