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Revelation 17:1-18
One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me,“ Come, I will show you the punishment of the great prostitute, who sits by many waters.With her the kings of the earth committed adultery, and the inhabitants of the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her adulteries.”Then the angel carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness. There I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns.The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and was glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls. She held a golden cup in her hand, filled with abominable things and the filth of her adulteries.The name written on her forehead was a mystery: babylon the great the mother of prostitutes and of the abominations of the earth.I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of God’s holy people, the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus. When I saw her, I was greatly astonished.Then the angel said to me:“ Why are you astonished? I will explain to you the mystery of the woman and of the beast she rides, which has the seven heads and ten horns.The beast, which you saw, once was, now is not, and yet will come up out of the Abyss and go to its destruction. The inhabitants of the earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the creation of the world will be astonished when they see the beast, because it once was, now is not, and yet will come.“ This calls for a mind with wisdom. The seven heads are seven hills on which the woman sits.They are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come; but when he does come, he must remain for only a little while.The beast who once was, and now is not, is an eighth king. He belongs to the seven and is going to his destruction.“ The ten horns you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but who for one hour will receive authority as kings along with the beast.They have one purpose and will give their power and authority to the beast.They will wage war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will triumph over them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings— and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers.”Then the angel said to me,“ The waters you saw, where the prostitute sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations and languages.The beast and the ten horns you saw will hate the prostitute. They will bring her to ruin and leave her naked; they will eat her flesh and burn her with fire.For God has put it into their hearts to accomplish his purpose by agreeing to hand over to the beast their royal authority, until God’s words are fulfilled.The woman you saw is the great city that rules over the kings of the earth.”
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Isaiah 13:1
A prophecy against Babylon that Isaiah son of Amoz saw:
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Jeremiah 3:1-2
“ If a man divorces his wife and she leaves him and marries another man, should he return to her again? Would not the land be completely defiled? But you have lived as a prostitute with many lovers— would you now return to me?” declares the Lord.“ Look up to the barren heights and see. Is there any place where you have not been ravished? By the roadside you sat waiting for lovers, sat like a nomad in the desert. You have defiled the land with your prostitution and wickedness.
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Isaiah 15:1
A prophecy against Moab: Ar in Moab is ruined, destroyed in a night! Kir in Moab is ruined, destroyed in a night!
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Isaiah 22:11
You built a reservoir between the two walls for the water of the Old Pool, but you did not look to the One who made it, or have regard for the One who planned it long ago.
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Ezekiel 23:1-49
The word of the Lord came to me:“ Son of man, there were two women, daughters of the same mother.They became prostitutes in Egypt, engaging in prostitution from their youth. In that land their breasts were fondled and their virgin bosoms caressed.The older was named Oholah, and her sister was Oholibah. They were mine and gave birth to sons and daughters. Oholah is Samaria, and Oholibah is Jerusalem.“ Oholah engaged in prostitution while she was still mine; and she lusted after her lovers, the Assyrians— warriorsclothed in blue, governors and commanders, all of them handsome young men, and mounted horsemen.She gave herself as a prostitute to all the elite of the Assyrians and defiled herself with all the idols of everyone she lusted after.She did not give up the prostitution she began in Egypt, when during her youth men slept with her, caressed her virgin bosom and poured out their lust on her.“ Therefore I delivered her into the hands of her lovers, the Assyrians, for whom she lusted.They stripped her naked, took away her sons and daughters and killed her with the sword. She became a byword among women, and punishment was inflicted on her.“ Her sister Oholibah saw this, yet in her lust and prostitution she was more depraved than her sister.She too lusted after the Assyrians— governors and commanders, warriors in full dress, mounted horsemen, all handsome young men.I saw that she too defiled herself; both of them went the same way.“ But she carried her prostitution still further. She saw men portrayed on a wall, figures of Chaldeans portrayed in red,with belts around their waists and flowing turbans on their heads; all of them looked like Babylonian chariot officers, natives of Chaldea.As soon as she saw them, she lusted after them and sent messengers to them in Chaldea.Then the Babylonians came to her, to the bed of love, and in their lust they defiled her. After she had been defiled by them, she turned away from them in disgust.When she carried on her prostitution openly and exposed her naked body, I turned away from her in disgust, just as I had turned away from her sister.Yet she became more and more promiscuous as she recalled the days of her youth, when she was a prostitute in Egypt.There she lusted after her lovers, whose genitals were like those of donkeys and whose emission was like that of horses.So you longed for the lewdness of your youth, when in Egypt your bosom was caressed and your young breasts fondled.“ Therefore, Oholibah, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will stir up your lovers against you, those you turned away from in disgust, and I will bring them against you from every side—the Babylonians and all the Chaldeans, the men of Pekod and Shoa and Koa, and all the Assyrians with them, handsome young men, all of them governors and commanders, chariot officers and men of high rank, all mounted on horses.They will come against you with weapons, chariots and wagons and with a throng of people; they will take up positions against you on every side with large and small shields and with helmets. I will turn you over to them for punishment, and they will punish you according to their standards.I will direct my jealous anger against you, and they will deal with you in fury. They will cut off your noses and your ears, and those of you who are left will fall by the sword. They will take away your sons and daughters, and those of you who are left will be consumed by fire.They will also strip you of your clothes and take your fine jewelry.So I will put a stop to the lewdness and prostitution you began in Egypt. You will not look on these things with longing or remember Egypt anymore.“ For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am about to deliver you into the hands of those you hate, to those you turned away from in disgust.They will deal with you in hatred and take away everything you have worked for. They will leave you stark naked, and the shame of your prostitution will be exposed. Your lewdness and promiscuityhave brought this on you, because you lusted after the nations and defiled yourself with their idols.You have gone the way of your sister; so I will put her cup into your hand.“ This is what the Sovereign Lord says:“ You will drink your sister’s cup, a cup large and deep; it will bring scorn and derision, for it holds so much.You will be filled with drunkenness and sorrow, the cup of ruin and desolation, the cup of your sister Samaria.You will drink it and drain it dry and chew on its pieces— and you will tear your breasts. I have spoken, declares the Sovereign Lord.“ Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Since you have forgotten me and turned your back on me, you must bear the consequences of your lewdness and prostitution.”The Lord said to me:“ Son of man, will you judge Oholah and Oholibah? Then confront them with their detestable practices,for they have committed adultery and blood is on their hands. They committed adultery with their idols; they even sacrificed their children, whom they bore to me, as food for them.They have also done this to me: At that same time they defiled my sanctuary and desecrated my Sabbaths.On the very day they sacrificed their children to their idols, they entered my sanctuary and desecrated it. That is what they did in my house.“ They even sent messengers for men who came from far away, and when they arrived you bathed yourself for them, applied eye makeup and put on your jewelry.You sat on an elegant couch, with a table spread before it on which you had placed the incense and olive oil that belonged to me.“ The noise of a carefree crowd was around her; drunkards were brought from the desert along with men from the rabble, and they put bracelets on the wrists of the woman and her sister and beautiful crowns on their heads.Then I said about the one worn out by adultery,‘ Now let them use her as a prostitute, for that is all she is.’And they slept with her. As men sleep with a prostitute, so they slept with those lewd women, Oholah and Oholibah.But righteous judges will sentence them to the punishment of women who commit adultery and shed blood, because they are adulterous and blood is on their hands.“ This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Bring a mob against them and give them over to terror and plunder.The mob will stone them and cut them down with their swords; they will kill their sons and daughters and burn down their houses.“ So I will put an end to lewdness in the land, that all women may take warning and not imitate you.You will suffer the penalty for your lewdness and bear the consequences of your sins of idolatry. Then you will know that I am the Sovereign Lord.”
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Hosea 1:1-3
The word of the Lord that came to Hosea son of Beeri during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and during the reign of Jeroboam son of Jehoash king of Israel:When the Lord began to speak through Hosea, the Lord said to him,“ Go, marry a promiscuous woman and have children with her, for like an adulterous wife this land is guilty of unfaithfulness to the Lord.”So he married Gomer daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son.
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Ezekiel 16:1-63
The word of the Lord came to me:“ Son of man, confront Jerusalem with her detestable practicesand say,‘ This is what the Sovereign Lord says to Jerusalem: Your ancestry and birth were in the land of the Canaanites; your father was an Amorite and your mother a Hittite.On the day you were born your cord was not cut, nor were you washed with water to make you clean, nor were you rubbed with salt or wrapped in cloths.No one looked on you with pity or had compassion enough to do any of these things for you. Rather, you were thrown out into the open field, for on the day you were born you were despised.“‘ Then I passed by and saw you kicking about in your blood, and as you lay there in your blood I said to you,“ Live!”I made you grow like a plant of the field. You grew and developed and entered puberty. Your breasts had formed and your hair had grown, yet you were stark naked.“‘ Later I passed by, and when I looked at you and saw that you were old enough for love, I spread the corner of my garment over you and covered your naked body. I gave you my solemn oath and entered into a covenant with you, declares the Sovereign Lord, and you became mine.“‘ I bathed you with water and washed the blood from you and put ointments on you.I clothed you with an embroidered dress and put sandals of fine leather on you. I dressed you in fine linen and covered you with costly garments.I adorned you with jewelry: I put bracelets on your arms and a necklace around your neck,and I put a ring on your nose, earrings on your ears and a beautiful crown on your head.So you were adorned with gold and silver; your clothes were of fine linen and costly fabric and embroidered cloth. Your food was honey, olive oil and the finest flour. You became very beautiful and rose to be a queen.And your fame spread among the nations on account of your beauty, because the splendor I had given you made your beauty perfect, declares the Sovereign Lord.“‘ But you trusted in your beauty and used your fame to become a prostitute. You lavished your favors on anyone who passed by and your beauty became his.You took some of your garments to make gaudy high places, where you carried on your prostitution. You went to him, and he possessed your beauty.You also took the fine jewelry I gave you, the jewelry made of my gold and silver, and you made for yourself male idols and engaged in prostitution with them.And you took your embroidered clothes to put on them, and you offered my oil and incense before them.Also the food I provided for you— the flour, olive oil and honey I gave you to eat— you offered as fragrant incense before them. That is what happened, declares the Sovereign Lord.“‘ And you took your sons and daughters whom you bore to me and sacrificed them as food to the idols. Was your prostitution not enough?You slaughtered my children and sacrificed them to the idols.In all your detestable practices and your prostitution you did not remember the days of your youth, when you were naked and bare, kicking about in your blood.“‘ Woe! Woe to you, declares the Sovereign Lord. In addition to all your other wickedness,you built a mound for yourself and made a lofty shrine in every public square.At every street corner you built your lofty shrines and degraded your beauty, spreading your legs with increasing promiscuity to anyone who passed by.You engaged in prostitution with the Egyptians, your neighbors with large genitals, and aroused my anger with your increasing promiscuity.So I stretched out my hand against you and reduced your territory; I gave you over to the greed of your enemies, the daughters of the Philistines, who were shocked by your lewd conduct.You engaged in prostitution with the Assyrians too, because you were insatiable; and even after that, you still were not satisfied.Then you increased your promiscuity to include Babylonia, a land of merchants, but even with this you were not satisfied.“‘ I am filled with fury against you, declares the Sovereign Lord, when you do all these things, acting like a brazen prostitute!When you built your mounds at every street corner and made your lofty shrines in every public square, you were unlike a prostitute, because you scorned payment.“‘ You adulterous wife! You prefer strangers to your own husband!All prostitutes receive gifts, but you give gifts to all your lovers, bribing them to come to you from everywhere for your illicit favors.So in your prostitution you are the opposite of others; no one runs after you for your favors. You are the very opposite, for you give payment and none is given to you.“‘ Therefore, you prostitute, hear the word of the Lord!This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because you poured out your lust and exposed your naked body in your promiscuity with your lovers, and because of all your detestable idols, and because you gave them your children’s blood,therefore I am going to gather all your lovers, with whom you found pleasure, those you loved as well as those you hated. I will gather them against you from all around and will strip you in front of them, and they will see you stark naked.I will sentence you to the punishment of women who commit adultery and who shed blood; I will bring on you the blood vengeance of my wrath and jealous anger.Then I will deliver you into the hands of your lovers, and they will tear down your mounds and destroy your lofty shrines. They will strip you of your clothes and take your fine jewelry and leave you stark naked.They will bring a mob against you, who will stone you and hack you to pieces with their swords.They will burn down your houses and inflict punishment on you in the sight of many women. I will put a stop to your prostitution, and you will no longer pay your lovers.Then my wrath against you will subside and my jealous anger will turn away from you; I will be calm and no longer angry.“‘ Because you did not remember the days of your youth but enraged me with all these things, I will surely bring down on your head what you have done, declares the Sovereign Lord. Did you not add lewdness to all your other detestable practices?“‘ Everyone who quotes proverbs will quote this proverb about you:“ Like mother, like daughter.”You are a true daughter of your mother, who despised her husband and her children; and you are a true sister of your sisters, who despised their husbands and their children. Your mother was a Hittite and your father an Amorite.Your older sister was Samaria, who lived to the north of you with her daughters; and your younger sister, who lived to the south of you with her daughters, was Sodom.You not only followed their ways and copied their detestable practices, but in all your ways you soon became more depraved than they.As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, your sister Sodom and her daughters never did what you and your daughters have done.“‘ Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy.They were haughty and did detestable things before me. Therefore I did away with them as you have seen.Samaria did not commit half the sins you did. You have done more detestable things than they, and have made your sisters seem righteous by all these things you have done.Bear your disgrace, for you have furnished some justification for your sisters. Because your sins were more vile than theirs, they appear more righteous than you. So then, be ashamed and bear your disgrace, for you have made your sisters appear righteous.“‘ However, I will restore the fortunes of Sodom and her daughters and of Samaria and her daughters, and your fortunes along with them,so that you may bear your disgrace and be ashamed of all you have done in giving them comfort.And your sisters, Sodom with her daughters and Samaria with her daughters, will return to what they were before; and you and your daughters will return to what you were before.You would not even mention your sister Sodom in the day of your pride,before your wickedness was uncovered. Even so, you are now scorned by the daughters of Edom and all her neighbors and the daughters of the Philistines— all those around you who despise you.You will bear the consequences of your lewdness and your detestable practices, declares the Lord.“‘ This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will deal with you as you deserve, because you have despised my oath by breaking the covenant.Yet I will remember the covenant I made with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish an everlasting covenant with you.Then you will remember your ways and be ashamed when you receive your sisters, both those who are older than you and those who are younger. I will give them to you as daughters, but not on the basis of my covenant with you.So I will establish my covenant with you, and you will know that I am the Lord.Then, when I make atonement for you for all you have done, you will remember and be ashamed and never again open your mouth because of your humiliation, declares the Sovereign Lord.’”