the woman

I’ve been thinking a lot about the woman lately. She is no ordinary hooker with cheap perfume and skimpy clothes standing on a street corner peddling her assets. No – she is different, more respectable, with more class. Her clientele tend to be more upscale – politicians, businessmen, and church leaders. For many of her clients, being in bed with her elicits no shame; rather, they view their relationship with her as an honor.

The book of Revelation, speaks of the woman; her wealth, her extravagant lifestyle as well as of her arrogance and her anger toward those who refuse to be seduced by her charms. She especially despises the saints; those who follow Jesus. In fact through the years she has been responsible for the death of the martyrs of Jesus. On the other hand, to those who yield to her enchantment, she rewards with the desires of their soul. She bestows wealth, honor, and power upon those who will become one with her.

There is a slight caveat to her “blessings”. Just like any prostitute she expects something in return for her services. While she promises to and is willing to satisfy any desire one may have, she does not perform her services because she loves her clientele. No – her driving motivation is more sinister – the control of those whom she seduces. While they may receive the immediate benefit they desire, the long-term result is one of bondage. And like any other prostitute, she can offer no more than a cheap substitute of the real thing. Her “intimacy” never results in the giving of life.

I have seen people recognize the seductiveness of her charms and choose to distance themselves from her. She doesn’t become immediately angry; she simply waits. She knows that for those who have tasted of her offerings and have chosen to walk away, the time comes when they won’t know how to act without her. At that moment she begins to seductively whisper to their soul. She dresses a bit differently, wears a new fragrance designed to speak to the specific desires of the human soul. And so they return to her bed. As they once again give themselves to her seductions, she whispers welcoming words that assuage the longing of their soul.

Those who recognize that she is nothing more than a cheap disease-laden whore, promising what only God can truly give, become the target of her wrath. She quickly enlists her clientele to do her dirty work, using them to destroy the ones who refuse to succumb to her. She will utilize whatever means needed to wreak havoc in the lives of those who resist her. Her clientele that do her bidding in the attempt to destroy the followers of Jesus will be especially rewarded by her.

However, if we read Revelation, we discover that her destruction will happen. It will be rapid and severe. Her clientele will be left with nothing; only a deep sense of mourning and loss. On that day, their allegiance to someone other than the Creator will be evident for all to see.