The Harlot of Revelation

God's message has been clear from Genesis to Revelation. In Genesis He chose Moses to lead the Israelites out from 400 years of bondage in Egypt. He gave them the law at Mt. Sinai and chose Joshua to lead them into the Promised Land and the city of Jerusalem. They were led by judges but the people rebelled. Rejecting God as their king, they instead wanted a king like all the other peoples of the land. After Kings Saul, David, and Solomon the kingdom was split into Israel and Judah (through which is the line of Christ).

Throughout, the people would build altars and worship strange gods. This was considered harlotry. God sent prophets to warn the people and lead them back to the law but they killed the prophets instead, so God came in judgment against them. When they continued in their idolatrous harlotry, He sent His Son. When they killed Him too, God came in judgment against them again. In Revelation, we see the harlot portrayed as a woman on a beast. That woman, thrown down, in whom was found the blood of the saints and of the witnesses of Jesus, is the city of Jerusalem, epitomized by the Temple.

A Reformed Presbyterian and small-group leader, Fred Squillante has been a student of the Bible and the subject of eschatology for thirty-five years. Mr. Squillante is retired and lives with his wife in Florida. They have five children and three grandchildren.