How Does the Harlot Work?

The work and the development of the harlot go hand in hand. She develops as she works and works as she develops. Now we can consider her work.

“Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.” Rev. 14:8; 17:5.

“For your merchants were the great men of the earth, for by your sorcery all the nations were deceived.” Rev. 18:23.

From these verses we see that fornication and sorcery are the works she engages in. We have explained previously what fornication is: dividing your heart between two men. Jesus speaks about forsaking everything and thereby receiving treasures in heaven. The apostles speak of seeking the things above where Christ is seated, and not the things on the earth. Col. 3:1-2. The harlot works to mix earthly things with heavenly things so that people have to give up as little as possible. This, then, is her fornication.

“Having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication.” Rev. 17:4. The golden cup is God’s Word—the Bible. When she gives the people to drink, she uses the Bible—God’s Word. When people receive the cup, naturally they drink with confidence. They do not consider what is in the cup—the spirit that is put into the words. We know that when Satan tempted Jesus, he used God’s Word, but not in the Spirit of God. Jesus was not deceived by the golden cup Satan offered Him, but all the nations have drunk of and been deceived by the harlot’s golden cup. It is not so uncommon to hear people say, “But they do use God’s Word; they read from the Bible!” However, they are unable to discern the spirit in which this is done. This is why we need the apostle John’s exhortation: “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.” 1 John 4:1. If John could say this in his day, how much more does it apply now?

God’s Word divides and separates; it is sharper than any two-edged sword. Heb. 4:12. Notice, though, that many people use God’s Word to mix right and wrong together, and one of their standard questions is: “Is this sin?” or, “Can’t I still be a Christian even if I do this or that?” They are happy if only they can find a Bible verse that supports what they desire, and this is where the harlot works energetically to oblige them.

Jesus says, “My kingdom is not of this world.” The harlot’s work is to get the world to recognize Jesus’ kingdom; and not only that, but to unite the two. She has already made great strides in this. As a matter of fact, her work has come so far that the teachings of Jesus (so-called) have been recognized as the state religion in many countries. The church, which is the body of Christ, has become a state church, and all of Europe has been “Christianized.” We are not heathens anymore; all of us are Christians, because we have been baptized and confirmed. How could the harlot accomplish this? It is by her fornication, by using God’s Word to combine the two instead of separating them.

Jesus says that we cannot see the kingdom of God unless we are born again. We realize that to be born again means to receive a new life with entirely new interests. Instead of being interested in earthly things, we are interested in heavenly things. Eph. 2:6. But it is not easy to bring people to the point where they are born again. It is a momentous decision in a person’s life when he repents and forsakes everything to follow Jesus. The harlot, however, has an answer for this too. She teaches that a person is born again in baptism. All you have to do is be baptized, and then you are born again. But to persuade adults to be baptized is not an easy matter, so she takes them while they are little babies, before they can even think. She teaches that the child is lost unless it is baptized. This is a direct contradiction to Jesus’ word: “Of such is the kingdom of heaven.” Who wants a little child to be lost? And so the harlot persuades the parents to have their child baptized, so the child can be “born again” and be a member of the Christian church. At the same time she exhorts the parents and godparents (often ungodly people themselves, who curse and drink until they are drunk) to have the child constantly in their prayers. This is how the harlot has “Christianized” the people even though they do not have a new life or new interests. And the priest can stand behind the pulpit and speak to his “Christian” congregation, leading them in their creed and confession of sins. Once I traveled on a train together with another man, and I asked him if he prayed. His answer was so typical: “The priest does that for me!”

“Because she has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.” Rev. 14:8. The harlot’s sole interest is to enjoy herself. She does not want the sufferings that are necessary in order to bear fruit. She lives to gratify her feelings. Preachers are regarded as very successful if they can stir their listeners’ emotions. Commandments, conditions, obedience, and laboring do not promote good feelings. These preachers say that Jesus has done all this on our behalf, so that we don’t have to do anything. The harlot’s sole desire is promises, gifts, and enjoyment. She is like a woman who does not want the bother that comes with children. She only wants to make herself look good and enjoy life. She has truly been given over to a debased mind.