Tues.’s Devo - The End of the Harlot

Read: Zechariah 9:1-17; Revelation 17:1-18; Psalm 145:1-21; Proverbs 30:32
Zechariah proclaims God’s wrath over Hadrach and Damascus in Syria. Hadrach means “commode” and Damascus means the absence of repentance. God used Alexander from Egypt to bring his judgment. When Alexander began his conquest, many did turn to the Lord.
Tyre was divided into Old Tyre which was on the shore and New Tyre which was built out in the ocean 700 paces from the shore. It was protected by a double wall 50 feet high. Alexander conquered it by laying stone and timber making a road to the island. They set the city on fire and sank her ships.
Then, Alexander advanced toward Jerusalem and was stopped by a dream. Instead of hurting the Jews, he gave them great privileges instead. His successors were not so nice to the Jews. They profaned God’s temple and persecuted the people. When it looked like all hope was gone, they were rescued by the Maccabees.
In the midst of this prophecy we have the promise of the Savior which would be humble and riding on a donkey. He would be the ultimate deliverer and Savior. He would bring the new wine of the Holy Spirit.
In Revelation, we have the harlot which stands for the apostate church - papal Rome. She will arise when the Christians are taken so all that will be left will be those who don’t know the Lord. The Roman Catholic Church will have no standard to keep evil and deception out so she will arise as the False Prophet. She has always been alive and well, but now she will have no opposition on the earth. The seven heads might stand for seven popes that have been sainted. Now there have been only six. To be sainted, you have to have miracles that have been documented and proven as true miracles. This last prophet will have many miracles that can be proven so he will be the last head. Or they could stand for the seven mountains that are around Rome just as there are seven mountains around Jerusalem. The ten horns could be the cardinals that kiss the popes feet. Their doctrine will make war with Christ’s. The beast’s cardinals will turn on the Pope and bring him down for a short time. In other words, the religion of the day will become a stench in the ruler’s nostrils and they will take it over. This happened to the papacy during the reign of Napoleon. It will happen again in the end.
Lord, today, may your glory shine through us.