Pastor Allen Victor presented a sobering message titled “The Woman and the Scarlet Beast” from Revelation 17. He began by recounting the tragic story of Angela Craig, who unknowingly drank protein shakes laced with poison by her husband in March 2023. He asked the congregation: if you knew a drink was poisoned, would you continue to drink it? That illustration set the tone for Revelation 17, where the world was pictured as drinking from a golden cup filled with spiritual poison.

Pastor Allen explained that Revelation 17 described Spiritual Babylon, while Revelation 18 would describe Commercial Babylon. He read Revelation 17:1–2, where John was shown the judgment of the “great harlot” who sat on many waters and intoxicated the nations. He taught that the “Great Harlot” represented a global false religious system—a counterfeit church influencing peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues (Revelation 17:15). She committed spiritual fornication with the kings of the earth, seeking wealth while political leaders sought power. Together they desired “dessert without the dishes”—benefits without commitment. Just as poison was mixed into a smoothie, false doctrine was mixed into attractive religion.

He described how the woman rode a scarlet beast (Revelation 17:3), symbolizing sin, corruption, and bloodshed. Though she appeared to guide the beast, she was ultimately controlled by it. Pastor Allen quoted, “Whenever faith gets in bed with the state, its political embrace is sure to corrupt the message of grace,” pointing to history when the church aligned itself with imperial power under Constantine. The woman’s purple and scarlet garments and golden cup (Revelation 17:4) reflected wealth gained through corruption—beautiful outwardly yet filled with abominations within.

The name on her forehead— “MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS” (Revelation 17:5)—identified her as the source of idolatry and rebellion dating back to Nimrod and ancient Babylon. Pastor Allen contrasted the “mystery of godliness” in 1 Timothy 3:16 and Colossians 1:27—Christ in you, the hope of glory—with the ongoing mystery of evil: Satan working through human empires. He traced Babylon’s past rise under Nimrod and Nebuchadnezzar, its pride and idolatry, and its judgment, then pointed to its future global influence.

John marveled that the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints (Revelation 17:6). Pastor Allen reminded the church that persecution should not surprise believers, recalling Jesus’ warning in Matthew 7:23. He explained the beast as the Antichrist—“was, and is not, and yet is” (Revelation 17:8)—and outlined the seven kingdoms (Revelation 17:9–10): Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome, with a future revived empire still to come. The ten horns represented ten future kings who would yield their authority to the beast (Revelation 17:12–13), preparing a borderless global system.

Ultimately, these rulers would make war with the Lamb, but the Lamb would overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings (Revelation 17:14). Pastor Allen concluded that though political powers would use and discard false religion, God’s purposes would be fulfilled (Revelation 17:17). The chapter ended by identifying the woman as “that great city which reigns over the kings of the earth” (Revelation 17:18), prompting reflection on modern religious and political alliances.

This message was presented at Calvary Chapel West Jacksonville by Pastor Allen Victor.

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