The Scarlet Harlot - Part 2

Welcome to God First, a program committed to encouraging you to put God first while viewing life through the window of the Bible. Now, in honor of the one and only true God, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, please join us for today's episode. In the name of Jesus, the Savior, Jesus Christ. And as always, it is a joy and honor and a privilege to join you each week.

I want to thank you for tuning in. Well, we are continuing on our journey through the book Revelation. Last week, we listened to a message from Pastor Al Pittman titled, The Scarlet Harlot of Revelation chapter 17.

He is the pastor of Calvary Worship Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Last week, we heard part one. missed it, you can visit our website, Godfirst.org.

That's G-O-D, the number one S-T dot O-R-G. There you can hear part one of this message, along with all of the previous messages from our programs that are archived on our website. Again, Godfirst.org. So this week we're going to listen to part two and the conclusion of the Scarlet Harlot, again from Pastor Al Pittman in a message delivered at Calvary Worship Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado. How can those who say they're Christians devour each other? He's marveling over that, but you know, that happens in the church even today. John would marvel that how we devour one another in the name of Jesus. Calling ourselves Christians and gossiping about each other and devouring each other and wounding each other and plotting against each other, John marvels how can she be called a Christian and do these things? Well the fact is that you can be a Christian in name only and deny Jesus by your works.

And this is what she has done, this great harlot. It is possible to have Jesus on my lips and on my mind, have the knowledge, I got the degree, I have a master in divinity or whatever, and not have Jesus in your hearts. Isaiah chapter 29, the Lord God says, therefore the Lord said, in as much as these people draw near with their mouths and honor me with their lips, but have removed their heart far from me and their fear toward me is taught by the commandments of men. These people have me on their lips, but their heart's far from me.

What is that? It's what Paul called a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof. Their relationship with me is according to the commandments of men. Oh, I told a line, I look like a Christian, I dress the way they want me to dress, I talk the way they want me to talk, I look the way they want me to look, but my heart is far from God. This is where the great harlot is and it's what she's about. In verses seven to 11, John marvels, how can she have the blood be called by the name of Christ and have blood on her hands?

He marvels. In verse seven, but the angel said to him, why did you marvel? I wonder if the angel's saying that because, you know, John, don't you know the nature of man? Don't you know how people really are? How unfaithful mankind is.

Don't you know the nature of man, the depraved nature of man? And if we as believers do not walk in the spirit, Romans chapter eight tells us that if we walk in the flesh, we'll die. Doesn't mean you lose your salvation, but your relationship with the Lord will become nullified. There'll be no intimacy, no transforming relationship with Jesus Christ. Therefore walk ye in the spirit so that you do not gratify the desires of the flesh. He says in Galatians, and it's so true.

He says, look, you know, this is just the way the nature of mankind is. Why do you marvel, John? So I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her, which has rather the seven heads and the 10 horns. The beast that you saw was and is not and will ascend out of the bottomless pit and go to perdition. Now, remember we talked about this back in Revelation chapter 13, that the beast, this is the Antichrist here that is speaking about, that Antichrist will be wounded, suffer a mortal wound, will die, and then come back to life, and the whole world will blow everybody's mind, even though Jesus Christ has risen from the dead. You know, but when they see this happen to the beast, everybody's gonna be like, whoa, this is the man.

This is the guy. They're gonna be really impressed, but it's a counterfeit resurrection. It's not Easter, amen. It's a counterfeit resurrection. And he says, 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.

Here is the mine which has wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits. There are also seven kings. Five have fallen. One is, and the other has not yet come. And when he comes, he must continue a short time. The beast that was and is not is himself also the eighth and is of the seven and is going to perdition. All right, now that we all understand that, let's move on.

Okay, let's unpack it, all right? The mystery of the harlot. Well, he says the mystery of the harlot there in verse seven. He's talking about the secret of the harlot is now revealed. In other words, the harlot's been kind of living in secret, but I'm gonna show you who she really is.

It may manifest who she really is. You know, John says in 1 John that there are those who went out from us, but they went out from us because they were never among us. They were never with us.

They were never one with us. And it went out that it might be manifested that they were never of us in the first place. You see? And so a lot of people are in the church, but they're not of the church. And the day has come for this great harlot where the angel says, let me show you who she really is.

The mystery is now revealed. She's not really with us at all. She's not really with the Lord at all. And the beast in verse eight, eight as I've already mentioned, is the antichrist, and antichrist is supporting the great harlot. She's riding on the antichrist. We'll see what happens with that here in just a moment.

But here's one thing I wanna pass along to you. It's never a good thing for the church to be supported by the world. Because in order to win the world's support, you always have to appease the world. And when we start receiving support from the world, when the world is like, hey, the church is right and we should get behind the church, watch out. Step back a couple of steps, amen.

That's not a good thing. I don't worry everybody's around and saying, oh, let's get America back. I don't worry everybody's around and saying, oh, let's get America back. I don't worry everybody's around and saying, oh, let's get America back to where it used to be and all of that. And we can get back to our religious roots and Judeo-Christian values and all that.

And that's great, that's wonderful. When the world starts embracing the church, there's a problem. Jesus said, I didn't come to bring peace, I came to bring a sword, to bring division, amen.

And there's a clear division between light and darkness. Here's one of the reasons why I have never supported the idea of our church receiving any kind of grant from the government. Never will, never have. God said, trust me, I'll provide and he has, amen.

I'm not just saying that to pump myself up or anything. It's just the Lord told me a long time ago, cause there's a lot of grants out there and we were tempted like, oh, there's a grant over here. This group offers a grant, this grant. And the Lord said, don't you dare.

Don't you have some untempered mortar that you're mixing together here. Because the reality is that if you embrace or you accept the grant, then people can come in and tell you what to say and what not to say. And we're gonna preach the whole counsel of God's word here today, amen. And we're gonna always preach his word. Well Pastor Al, we really like your organization.

You guys are doing a fine job. But if you could just be more positive and leave out Jesus thing, cause you know what, in order for you to receive this $500,000, you need to embrace LGBTQ and you need to embrace all the other religions and all this, you need to be more universal. Ain't gonna happen, amen. Not according to this word, amen. The light has no fellowship with darkness.

I'm not saying in your business world or whatever you want to accept the grant, that's up to you, that's totally fine. But for the house of God, Jesus is the head, amen. And God is our Jehovah Jireh, he is our provider, amen.

The just shall definitely live by faith and so God has provided for his church. And so I give God praise and glory. Now in verse nine, the seven heads are seven mountains where the harlot resides. And most scholars believe the seven mountains speak of Rome. There's seven hills or seven mountains in Rome. They're named, and if you're fluent in Italian, you can come and rebuke me later.

But they're named Palatine, Capitoline, Quirinal, excuse me, Venemol, Esquiline, and Celion, excuse me, and Aventine, or Aventine. So these are the seven mountains, seven hills upon which Rome was built on. And they believe that this seven hills, seven mountains is where this harlot is seated, that she's seated in Rome.

And so therefore, some people believe that possibly the Roman Catholic Church along with the Protestant Church will be spearheading this false church during the tribulation period. If you are just now joining us, we are listening today to the message, the scarlet harlot by Pastor Al Pittman. The message was given at the Calvary Worship Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado. We are going to pause for a brief announcement, but please don't go away. On the other side of the break, we'll be back with the conclusion again of this message, the scarlet harlot from Pastor Al Pittman in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Don't go away. You are tuned into the God First program. You are listening to God First. If you believe in what we stand for at God First Bible Fellowship, would you consider partnering with us? Our God First partners program is based on Matthew 6-33. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added on to you. For a recurring donation of $6.33 per month, you can help us share the message of placing God's commands first when viewing the issues of our culture. Please visit our website, Godfirst.org or write to us at God First Bible Fellowship, P.O.

Box 266, Knightdale, North Carolina 27545 for more information. Now, let's return to the conclusion of today's program. Now, that's speculation. That's what some people believe. It is yet to be seen.

We will see. But we do know this, that her headquarters for the harlot, the scarlet harlot is Rome. In verses 10 and 11, there we also see seven kings.

Now, here where you have to kind of listen closely. In regards to these seven kings, according to verse 10, it says that five of these kings or kingdoms have passed away and one, however, was present, that is existed, during the time John is writing the book of Revelation. And one is yet to come. Now, many believe that the five past kings refer to five past kingdoms. The kingdoms are these, and if you can write fast, you can write these down, but they are Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia, and Greece. Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia, and Greece. The present kingdom, the sixth kingdom, in John's day, was the Roman Empire.

The Roman Empire. And the future kingdom, the seventh kingdom to come, is the kingdom of the beast that is the Antichrist. Now, I don't want to confuse you, but some scholars believe it's not five kingdoms, it's five kings, and so we'll let them debate about that. And some believe that the five kings are five Roman rulers.

And I'm just gonna say them real quick. They think that it's probably Julius Caesar, Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius, and Nero, and the sixth one being Domitian. Domitian was actually ruling the Roman Empire at the time John is writing the book of Revelation.

Here's the point. The point is that both of these interpretations point to the fact that that seventh kingdom is the kingdom of the beast, or the Antichrist. In verse 10, the latter part, it says that he will continue for a short time. He'll be a short timer, this king of the, or king or kingdom, the seventh kingdom, will be for a short time. Only seven years during the tribulation period, and it talks about short time, talking about seven years during the tribulation time. In verse 11, the beast, it says, was of the seven, so he is of the seven.

He's the same spirit, the same ilk or whatever. He's the same, he's of the seven, the beast, the Antichrist, is of the seven, and that he will be the seventh kingdom, a revived Roman Empire in the last days. We talked about that in Revelation chapter 13, but it's based on Daniel's prophecy, this revived Roman Empire in the last days, so in Daniel chapter nine, verse 27. But he will also be of the eighth, so he's of the seventh, the Antichrist is of the seventh kingdom, his kingdom will be the seventh kingdom, but he's also of the eighth. Well, what is the eighth?

The eighth is the 10 nation confederation, 10 nation confederation that he will rule over toward his final days. We read about it here in verse 12 and 13. In verse 12 it says, the 10 horns, which you saw are 10 kings, two and 10 rulers, who have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority for one hour, as kings with the beast. These are one mind, and they will give their power and authority to the beast. So, for one hour, they will give their authority to the beast.

In context, that one hour literally means, the Greek word for one hour literally means a certain short time or short season. In Daniel's prophecy, Daniel tells us that short season is three and a half years. Three and a half years, he says it's a time, times, and half a time, which is three and a half years that this 10 nation confederation will be ruled by the Antichrist, a short time, according to Daniel chapter seven, verses 24 and 25. They will experience a demonically inspired unity.

They will come against the lamb of God, the people of God, and yet the Bible says in verse 14, these will make war with the lamb, and the lamb will overcome them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with him are called chosen and faithful. Hallelujah, amen. In the midst of all this chaos, amen, praise the Lord. Give him praise and glory, amen.

Thank you, Father. That the lamb of God, the world now united, a 10 nation confederation, and they're coming against the people of God. Oh, it looks like they're winning. It reminds me here of Muhammad Ali, one of his tactics in boxing was called what? The rope-a-dope, right? And it's like the enemy is winning, and the church is against the ropes, you know, and doing the rope-a-dope, but you know, Ali would invite people to come in and just hit him and hit him until he wears them out. Then he would clock them, amen, knock them out, right?

Called the rope-a-dope. And I believe at this particular time, and even now that the enemy is coming against the church, the church looks up against the ropes, but Jesus is getting ready for a TKO, amen. He's going to knock the enemy out.

He's just setting him up, and he's setting him up here in the book of Revelation. Oh, they thought they were winning. We've got a coalition. We've got one world government now. We've got unity in the world, and oh, we're going to give it to God now, and yet it looks like they got him against the ropes, and he comes out swinging, amen.

And the lamb overcomes this 10-nation confederation, overcomes the world. The same thing applies in our lives, folks. Oh, you may feel like you're up against the ropes this morning. I feel like the devil's winning. Pastor, I'm taking the blows. Oh, but God's getting ready for a TKO, amen. I love what Michael says in Michael chapter seven, verse 8. He says, do not rejoice over me, my enemy, when I fall, because I will rise. When I sit in darkness, the Lord will be a light to me. Don't pop the cork on the champagne devil too soon, amen. I may be up against the ropes, but I'm not finished.

Paul said I was down, but I'm not out, amen. Praise his holy name. And notice something here.

I want you to see something here also. The difference between what the devil says about you and what the Lord says about you. What does the devil say to you? What he says to you, what he says to me. You're hopeless.

You can never get it right. You're a loser. You've been forsaken. God doesn't care anything about you. Those are the things that the devil is constantly trying to tell you, they're lies. Because what does Jesus say about those that are in him? The Bible says about those who are in Christ.

The latter part of verse 14. You're chosen and you're faithful. Who, you?

Who, me? That's right. You're chosen and he calls you faithful. How can he call you faithful? It's not because of your faithfulness, but the faithfulness of his son. Amen? He who knew no sin became sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in him. Amen? He looks at us, he sees the righteousness of his son. He says, you're chosen and you're faithful.

Amen, isn't that good? There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, amen? Praise his holy name. God calls you chosen.

He calls you faithful because of his son. In verses 15 to 18, as we continue. He says, then he said to me, the waters which you saw, where the harlot sits, are people's multitudes, nations, and tongues. And the tin horns which you saw on the beast, these, these rulers, will hate the harlot, make her desolate, and naked, eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.

You see, that's why you don't trust in the support that you get from the world. They turn against the great harlot. Then it says this, that God is large and in charge. For God has put it in their hearts to fulfill his purpose, to be of one mind and to give their kingdom to the beast until the words of God are fulfilled.

Can we get that down in our soul? In the next presidential election. That God is not intimidated by who's in the White House.

You are. You've got your underwear in a bunch over who's in the White House. God ain't worried. Psalm 2 says the nations rage and God sits on his throne and laughs. Well Pastor L, what about, I don't know. But I do know this, that nobody's in authority but that God puts them there. Now Christians have a problem with that. You know why they have a problem with that? Because they don't live by faith.

They don't trust God. Ain't nobody there, ain't nobody gonna be there but what God wants. Now listen, we should vote.

Absolutely. Perform our civic duty but understand that the outcome is in the hands of God. And even when it looks like the wicked are winning, they are falling in line with God's agenda.

That's what it says here. Did you hear me? I mean, because we still got people, oh, oh, oh, you okay? If it ain't Obama, it's Bush.

It ain't Bush, it's Trump, oh, oh, Trump. God, repent. God is in control, man, God, amen. Praise his holy name. I didn't say we had to like it.

I just said we just trust that God is in control. Amen. The harlot is destroyed.

The nation's turned against her. Her demise reminds me of my old childhood story, the old gingerbread man. Remember him? Anybody remember the gingerbread man? My favorite childhood story.

Because I think every time I read it, I was hungry, I don't know. Oh, the couple couldn't have any kids and so the wife baked a gingerbread boy in the oven and he pops out, he's a real boy and he starts running and he says to her, run, run as fast as you can. You can't catch me. I'm the gingerbread man.

I am, I am. And he runs from the cow, I think, and the horse and the farmer and nobody can catch him. He comes to the river and he can't get across because you don't want to step in the water. He might dissolve and so the old fox comes along and says, hey, gingerbread boy, why don't you hop on my back?

I'll take you across. He goes about halfway across, jump on my head. He's getting deep. He jumps on his head and he says, you're on top of my nose. He's on his nose, woof, the old woof on me.

The fox throws his head back and chomp, chomp, chomp. Gingerbread boy eats the gingerbread boy, right? Great story, amen. And I was thinking, I was thinking it's very similar to what happens to the scarlet harlot right in on the back of the Antichrist. And Antichrist devours it, but isn't it like the nature of sin?

Sin supports you only to condemn you. How many times have we done things the night before to only find condemnation waiting by our bedside first thing in the morning? What an awesome message from Pastor Al Pittman of Calvary Worship Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Want to give a big thank you to him and to his wonderful staff for making this sermon available and allowing us to share it with you, our audience.

So we just give a big thank you and let this message seep into your heart, seep into your mind. Because as you heard Pastor Pittman stating, we as the church, we are in the world, but we are not to be of the world. Meaning we are not supposed to live by the ways of the world. The world should not influence us, but so many today seem to be concerned about pleasing the world.

Whether it's due to fear or whether it's due to wanting popularity and maybe wanting money, whatever the motivation may be, there are so many that are more concerned about the world than they are about the word of God. And the Bible calls us to come out from among them. Again, we are to witness to the world. We are to evangelize to the world.

We are to help the world when they're in need, but we are not supposed to live as the world. We should come out of it, what the Bible calls spiritual fornication. When we are taking the ways of the world and bringing it into God's house. And when we take the ways of the world and bring it into our Christian lives, the Bible calls that spiritual fornication.

So we are not to be of the world. You know, I am loving the book of Revelation as those of you who have heard me in the past speak, you've heard me say many times that it is my favorite book in all of the Bible. And I heard so many times growing up, people would say, stay away from that book. It will drive you crazy. It will make you lose your mind. But I say, why would a God who loved us so much that he came to this earth in the form of a man to be tormented, to be tortured and to die, and then to only turn around and give us a book that would drive us crazy.

It doesn't make sense. He's a God of love. He loves us. That's why he died for us.

So that we can have eternal life. So don't be deceived by the devil who tries to get you to stay away from this book that has so many great promises that points to the coming kingdom of our great Lord Jesus Christ. Well, folks, we're all out of time for this week, but I wanna thank you for tuning in. Please come back and join us again next week as we continue to encourage you to put God first while viewing life through the window of the Bible. Until then, remember to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. Bless God's great nation of Israel. To the only wise God, be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen. Thank you for tuning in to the God First program. Amen.