When people think of Bible prophecy, they almost always go to the book of Revelation. Unless you are an industrious student of the Bible, the movies regarding the apocalypse are pretty much the narrative that you follow regarding prophecy of end times.
But the Bible has so much more prophecy throughout it. And, Revelation contains more than just future predictions.
There are four women mentioned in the book of Revelation. These women can tell us something about how God views mankind.
The first is Jezebel.
Revelation 2:20- Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.
God is speaking to the churches located throughout Asia Minor. And with these churches, he is warning Christians through the Church Age what they need to pay attention to and watch out for.
The church in Thyatira is the fourth church mentioned by John. He starts out with some good compliments regarding their charity, service, and faith. But then he throws in the verse about them bearing with the woman Jezebel.
In the few verses that follow, God gives prophecy about what will happen to this woman.
Revelation 2:21-23- And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not. Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds. And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.
This woman makes God so angry that not only does He bring judgment upon her, but upon her children, and upon the churches that allow her deeds.
Who is Jezebel? Jezebel was the princess daughter of the Zidonians, who were known for worshipping Baal and Ashtoreth. They were Phoenecians who lived in Sidon. She married the King of Israel, Ahab, and caused him to commit wickedness. She's known for being conniving and murderous.
I Kings 16:31- And it came to pass, as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took to wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Zidonians, and went and served Baal, and worshipped him.
I Kings 21:25- But there was none like unto Ahab, which did sell himself to work wickedness in the sight of the LORD, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up.
Jezebel turned the nation of Israel away from worshiping the Lord God Almighty and instead brought them the idol Baal, the sun god, to worship.
When the Roman Catholic Church came to power, they mixed paganism with Judaism and Christianity- a leavened mess of idolatry and tradition. The church in Thyatira didn't stand up and preach against the idolatry that was coming in claiming to be true Christianity. Instead of worshiping a risen Savior who died for mankind, the people began to worship His mother and other humans they deemed "saints". This not only damned their souls to hell with a sense of false salvation, it set up their religion as a substitute for those who wanted to appear righteous.
Matthew 23:28- Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.
The second woman mentioned doesn't have a name, only a description.
Revelation 12:1-6- And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars: And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered. And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born. And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne. And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.
The description of this woman matches a woman in a dream Joseph had back in the Old Testament. Jacob actually gives us the interpretation of who is being talked about.
Genesis 37:9-10- And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me. And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth?
The stars were his brothers, and the sun and moon were his parents. This woman who has the moon under her feet, clothed with the sun, and is holding the stars in her crown is a typology of the nation of Israel. She is giving birth to a man child that many people think is Christ, but it isn't.
The timing of this event is during the Tribulation. The dragon mentioned here is the same one mentioned with our next woman. And this dragon wants to destroy this man child, but God steps in and raptures it before it can be harmed.
This child is a picture of the Jewish male virgins that get chosen by God during the first part of the Tribulation.
Revelation 7:1-4- And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree. And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.
Later, you read how they were saved from Great Tribulation, just as the man child is taken to heaven before the woman flees to the wilderness for three and a half years.
For those who don't know, the Tribulation time period has two distinct parts. Part one is the tribulation where the man of sin, a smooth talking politician, is building his kingdom. Part two is the great tribulation where the AntiChrist takes over and is literally killing any who oppose and don't submit to him.
The third woman is connected with both Jezebel and the dragon.
Revelation 17:3-6- So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.
This scarlet clad woman is the instrument through which humanity will be urged to worship the dragon, or the AntiChrist. This woman is the Roman Catholic Church.
How do I know?
Revelation 17:9- And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.
What city sits on seven mountains? Rome, Italy is the city that sits on seven hills: Palatine, Capitoline, Aventine, Caelian, Esquiline, Quirinal, and Viminal. There is no other city that is spread out over seven mountains!
Revelation 17:18- And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.
Now, what city has ever had rule over kings? Vatican city.
Did you notice the description of the Beast that she rides? It has seven heads and ten horns, just like the dragon mentioned above. But those who follow Satan will never get a fair deal.
Notice that he turns on her and those who rule with him help to destroy her.
Revelation 17:12-13- And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.
Revelation 17:16- And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.
The end of those who choose to follow the AntiChrist in the tribulation is eternal damnation.
Revelation 20:12, 15- And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
What is the Lamb's Book of Life? It is the book that God writes down the names of those who have accepted Christ as their Savior. The Lamb, is the Lord Jesus Christ, that died on Calvary to pay the debt for the sins of the world. But only those who believe the gospel and accept His sacrifice as payment for their sin will have their names written down in that book.
The last woman is the Lamb's wife, the Bride of Christ.
Revelation 21:9-10- And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife. And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,
Just like the woman in scarlet represented a city, so, too, does the Lamb's wife. This woman is New Jerusalem, the city where Christ will dwell for all eternity.
Revelation 21:22,24- And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.
Those who get their names into the Book of Life will have access to this city.
Revelation 21:27- And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.
If you think back to Jesus talking with His disciples, you will remember that He promised to make them a place to live for their service to Him.
John 14:2-3- In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
And with that also came the promise to return and take us with Him to dwell with Him. We call that the rapture.
These are some interesting women. One a nation, some a city of false religion, and one an eternal city of rest. You can possibly identify with one of these women. Are you walking with the seal of God, waiting for His return? Or are you blinded by a religious system that doesn't care about your eternal soul?
Revelation 22:6-7- And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done. Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.
You have a choice in the matter. What decision do you make?