Greed In Disguise
saying, “Woe, woe, the great city, she who was clothed in fine linen and purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls;” Revelation 18:16
Clothed – You’re reading John’s apocalyptic revelation. You know that apocalyptic literature is filled with symbols and literary allusions. You’re Jewish. You know your own Scriptures because you have heard them read to you since you were a child. Then you come across this verse. What do you think about it?
For most of us, this is just a description of the royal clothing, the luxury, of the symbol of idolatry and disobedience – Babylon. We don’t connect this with other passages in Scripture because we don’t have that rich history of the Jewish culture. But John did. He wasn’t writing to Western Europeans or Americans. He was writing to Messianic Jews. When he used the words ‘ei peribebliemenei bussinon kai porphuroun kai kokkinon (clothed in fine linen and purple and scarlet), his reading audience would think of Exodus 28:5 (and 15-17), ve-et- hatchelet ve-et-haargaman ve-et-tolaat. Fine linen, purple and scarlet had a very special use in Exodus. These were the material of the robes of the High Priest.
Suddenly we see that John’s revelation connects disobedience and idolatry to an imitation of true worship. Every reader in John’s culture would have recognized that the clothing of Babylon was a mockery of God’s adornment of His priest. The Great Whore mimics God’s anointed. The characteristics of Babylon might appear to be religious, but the truth is quite the opposite.
What do we learn from John’s deliberate connection between God’s adornment and the false counterpart? What we learn is that the other characteristics of Babylon are also imitations of God’s Kingdom. The copy looks right but it is corrupt to the core. And what does that copy look like? Well, we might start with Babylon’s promotion of luxury. In a word, this is the idolatry of greed. Heschel helps us see the compelling power of this god. “Judaism is spiritual effrontery. The tragedy is that there is disease and starvation all over the world, and we are building more luxurious hotels in Las Vegas. Social dynamics are no substitute for moral responsibility. The most urgent task is to destroy the myth that accumulation of wealth and the achievement of comfort are the chief vocations of man.”[1]
Babylon didn’t disappear in the 7th Century BC. Babylon is here today. Greed is the god of this age, and of many ages in the history of Man. Greed isn’t limited to the millionaire who wants “just one more.” Greed is the desire to have according to my expectations, without consideration for God’s purposes.
So the men of Israel took some of their provisions, and did not ask for the counsel of the LORD. Joshua 9:14
“Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you, for on Him the Father, God, has set His seal.” John 6:27
Topical Index: clothed, ‘ei peribebliemenei, greed, idolatry, Revelation 18:16, Exodus 28:5
[1] Abraham Heschel, Moral Grandeur and Spiritual Audacity, p. 31.
Shalom,
Skip … accurate depiction … sadly enough!
But I will need to disagree with you a bit on this following statement: [The Great Whore mimics God’s anointed. The characteristics of Babylon might appear to be religious, but the truth is quite the opposite.]
I think the great “mystery” surrounding the whore is that “religion” … although a false “religion” … is in many cases front and center for many people. Don’t get me wrong here … I am not talking halakha … walking haDerech … or anything seriously resembling the covenant relationship. I am talking about people who are doing church and not relationship … yet in the minds of many this is “religion”!
False religions have been and are prominent! The adversary has no problem with “religion” since it destroys just as well as rebellion. And there is no better example of this than the Romans … let’s face it … the pagans were as “religious” as it gets!
And Skip … please forgive me if you really meant to state that “Babylon might appear to be APPROPRIATELY religious” … I just wanted to remind everyone that false religion is as treacherous and foul a scheme employed by the adversary!
False religion brings to mind the metaphorical lady of ill repute that Solomon invokes within Proverbs! Pretty on the outside and thoroughly corrupt on the inside!
No argument with your assessment. If we think of religion only as the true religion of YHWH, then of course all other forms of religious activity are false and deceptive. But if we think of the word “religion” as it is popularly used in the the culture, then the religion of the people, even of people who claim biblical basics, can appear to be true worship when it is not. Thanks again Drew.
You are correct Drew in indicating a false religion. Revelation describes two woman. One describes as a woman cloth with the sun,with the moon under her feet… a description of the truth Church which goes into the wilderness and shows up later chapters as shown here in this verse as the corrupted church. All you have to do is go back to the 4th century and see the it’s history. Revelation says, do not WORSHIP the beast!
“she who was clothed in fine linen and purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls….”
Makes me think of Hester Prynne and her Scarlet Letter A, elaborately embroidered in fine linen.
And the offspring of her adulterous affair with the Reverend Dimmsdale, her precious Pearl.
More at home deep in the forest with the wild animals and Indians than with the Puritan leaders.
Together, they serve the outcasts of their community, transforming the A into a living symbol.
A symbol that stands for Able, Action, Angel, and Androgyny (10 Sefirot); Hero of the community.
As I read this, I am drawn to the pictures of how Babylon will fall in the span of 1 hour. “Sudden Destruction”, and all that represents this worldly view of beauty and success is causing all those who looked to her for comfort and compared themselves by themselves are now in mourning. Anyone else note how all the glitz and glamour center around particular names in fashion? These kings are worshipped for their designs and most live ungodly lifestyles. Once again, material prosperity is shown to be accessible to even the un-Godly! So why do we crave it and preach it today?
The true kings are clothed in the righteousness of Christ…not Louis Vitton and Versace!
Please excuse my limited exposure, but would the reader also notice what was missing? That “blue” was missing (Numbers 15:38-39 for God’s laws; and Exodus 1:26 for God’s throne), or that the linen was not described as “white” (purity)? Or am I running too far with this?
Shalom … not running too far with this at all! 🙂
It points to the “lawlessness” and “unholiness” of the whore and the whore’s master and bed-mate … the adversary and father of all lies and murder!
Good comment!
Thank you Drew! I’m presenting this as part of a study tonight and your timing was perfect. Shalom!