Devotional 18 April 2025

April 18, 2025 • Steve Torres

Revelation 17:16-17.jpg

"And the angel said to me, “The waters that you saw, where the prostitute is seated, are peoples and multitudes and nations and languages. And the ten horns that you saw, they and the beast will hate the prostitute. They will make her desolate and naked, and devour her flesh and burn her up with fire, for God has put it into their hearts to carry out his purpose by being of one mind and handing over their royal power to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled. And the woman that you saw is the great city that has dominion over the kings of the earth." (Revelation 17:15-18, ESV)

In these verses, we see a vivid and tragic picture. Jerusalem, once meant to be a light to the nations, is shown seated upon “many waters,” representing the peoples, nations, and languages. Instead of drawing the nations to God, she caused His name to be blasphemed among them (Romans 2:24). Her compromise with worldly powers, especially Rome, led to her ultimate downfall.

The “beast” — Rome — once persecuted Christians under Nero. Yet now, in a dramatic reversal, it turns against Jerusalem. The judgment imagery John uses here is rich with Old Testament echoes. The “desolation” calls to mind Jesus’ warning about the “abomination of desolation” (Matthew 24:15; Daniel 9:26-27). Historically, this was fulfilled when Eleazar ben Ananus, a Zealot leader and Temple Captain, convinced the priests to stop offering sacrifices for Rome and the emperor in 66 AD. Josephus records that the Zealots desecrated the Temple, using it as their military headquarters. Seeing these signs, the Christians remembered Jesus’ words and fled the city before its final destruction.

The “nakedness” symbolizes the exposure of Jerusalem’s spiritual prostitution. Just as Jezebel, who led Israel into idolatry, was cast down and devoured (2 Kings 9:30-37), so too would Jerusalem be utterly exposed and judged. Moreover, under Levitical law, the daughter of a priest who became a prostitute was to be burned with fire (Leviticus 21:9). Here, Jerusalem is judged in accordance with the very Law she claimed to uphold.

Importantly, all of this happened according to God’s sovereign plan. Revelation 17:17 reminds us that God put it into the hearts of the nations to fulfill His word. The destruction was not merely political; it was divine judgment on covenant unfaithfulness.

Faithfulness to God must never be compromised for worldly power or comfort. Just as old Jerusalem was judged for her unfaithfulness, so too are we called to remain steadfast, trusting in Christ, and refusing to prostitute our faith for earthly gain. Are there areas where you have compromised our faith for security or acceptance? Are you living as a light to the nations, pointing to Christ instead of trusting worldly systems? May our testimony be the truth of Christ always!