One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and spoke with me, saying, "Come, I will show you the judgment of the great prostitute who sits on many waters. With her the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and those who live on the earth have become drunk with the wine of her fornication. Rev. 17:1, 2.
One of my favorite old movies is Samson and Delilah, with Victor Mature and Hedy Lamarr. The long drawn-out scene in which Lamarr entices "Samson" to reveal the secret of his strength is one of the great moments in cinematic legend. On the one hand, you find yourself absolutely charmed by the attractiveness of Lamarr's Delilah and on the other hand absolutely infuriated by her duplicity and cunning.
In this kind of dynamic it is easy to put the blame entirely on the woman. She is the seducer. Samson's great strength doesn't seem to affect one iota of his brain. In her hands he is all but helpless (especially since he is too distracted by her to call on God to get him out of there). Delilah is the stereotypical femine fatale.
But this kind of dynamic is falling out of favor in today's world, and the book of Revelation has received a great deal of criticism as a result. Some commentators complain that John's portrayal of Babylon as a prostitute represents a sexist stereotype no longer appropriate in today's world. They worry that Revelation's great popularity in the Christian world will translate into even more abuse and hatred of women than already exists.
The women of Revelation do appear in stereotypical roles, but such images were already current in John's day. Gentile writers of the first century often personified their homeland in female terms. Coins and other artwork typically depicted a city as a goddess enthroned by a river. So the book of Revelation was adopting images that communicate effectively within the culture of its time. While Westerners may be uncomfortable with such language today, it can be explained in terms of its context. To condemn John (or God) for using the concept of the prophet's day is culturally insensitive and anachronistic.
When sharing the message of Revelation, we should be prepared for some objections from modern audiences. God meets people where they are. That means Revelation was well designed to communicate truth in the first century. But not every aspect of the way that truth was presented will be culturally familiar today. God is not on trial in the logic or the style of the Bible's writers.
Lord, help me to discern the contemporary meanings of these ancient symbols. Enable me to interpret them in ways that will not hurt other people.
One of my favorite old movies is Samson and Delilah, with Victor Mature and Hedy Lamarr. The long drawn-out scene in which Lamarr entices "Samson" to reveal the secret of his strength is one of the great moments in cinematic legend. On the one hand, you find yourself absolutely charmed by the attractiveness of Lamarr's Delilah and on the other hand absolutely infuriated by her duplicity and cunning.
In this kind of dynamic it is easy to put the blame entirely on the woman. She is the seducer. Samson's great strength doesn't seem to affect one iota of his brain. In her hands he is all but helpless (especially since he is too distracted by her to call on God to get him out of there). Delilah is the stereotypical femine fatale.
But this kind of dynamic is falling out of favor in today's world, and the book of Revelation has received a great deal of criticism as a result. Some commentators complain that John's portrayal of Babylon as a prostitute represents a sexist stereotype no longer appropriate in today's world. They worry that Revelation's great popularity in the Christian world will translate into even more abuse and hatred of women than already exists.
The women of Revelation do appear in stereotypical roles, but such images were already current in John's day. Gentile writers of the first century often personified their homeland in female terms. Coins and other artwork typically depicted a city as a goddess enthroned by a river. So the book of Revelation was adopting images that communicate effectively within the culture of its time. While Westerners may be uncomfortable with such language today, it can be explained in terms of its context. To condemn John (or God) for using the concept of the prophet's day is culturally insensitive and anachronistic.
When sharing the message of Revelation, we should be prepared for some objections from modern audiences. God meets people where they are. That means Revelation was well designed to communicate truth in the first century. But not every aspect of the way that truth was presented will be culturally familiar today. God is not on trial in the logic or the style of the Bible's writers.
Lord, help me to discern the contemporary meanings of these ancient symbols. Enable me to interpret them in ways that will not hurt other people.
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