Revelation

Revelation 17: The Lamb is King of kings

Begin in prayer

Before we read about the woman on the beast and the Lamb who overcomes, please stop and pray. Ask the Lord to show you that no power on earth can stand against Him, and that the Lamb is Lord of lords.

Our God, will you not judge them? For we have no might against this great company that comes against us. We don’t know what to do, but our eyes are on you.”

2 Chronicles 20:12

Father in heaven, please open our eyes as we read Your Word. Show us that the Lamb is Lord of lords and King of kings, and teach us to trust Him. Make us more like Jesus. And please bless our family as we worship You together. In Jesus' name, Amen.

See where we're going

An angel shows John a richly dressed woman riding a scarlet beast, and her name is Babylon the great. Her splendour hides corruption and cruelty against God's people. The angel explains the beast's heads and horns as kings whose power has a fixed limit. They hand their strength to the beast and fight the Lamb, who overcomes them as King of kings. Those with Him are called, chosen and faithful. The beast and its allies turn on the woman and destroy her, fulfilling God's purpose even through their hatred.

As you read Revelation 17, look for the answers:

Reflect together

Key truth

The Lamb is Lord of lords and King of kings, and He will overcome all who war against Him.

The woman's splendid clothes and golden cup make rebellion look desirable, while her violence reveals what lies beneath the glitter. Babylon recalls the empire that destroyed Jerusalem, so her name marks a proud power set against God and His people. The angel explains the heads as mountains and kings, and the vision leaves them unnamed, showing powers that oppose God. Their rise has an appointed limit, and twice the beast's end is named as destruction. Against such strength stands the Lamb, whose title of Lord of lords belongs to God Himself (Deuteronomy 10 verse 17). His followers share His victory because He has called and chosen them, with faithfulness showing their allegiance. Even the coalition's attack on Babylon carries out God's purpose until His words are accomplished. The vision teaches the churches whose power deserves their trust when wealth dazzles and rulers threaten.

How does Revelation 17 show us that the Lamb is Lord of lords and King of kings, and that He will overcome all who war against Him?

Babylon's splendour conceals rebellion against the Lamb.

The woman wears purple, scarlet, gold, jewels and pearls, while her golden cup holds abominations and sexual impurity (verses 4 and 5). The prostitute pictures unfaithfulness to God, joining false worship with worldly wealth and power. She is drunk with the blood of saints and Jesus' martyrs, revealing the violence beneath her beauty (verse 6).

The beast's strength has an appointed limit.

The beast was, is not, will rise from the abyss, and goes to destruction (verse 8). This imitates the eternal Lord's title while exposing the counterfeit's ruin (Revelation 1 verse 8). People absent from the book of life marvel, while wisdom is needed to understand the heads as mountains and kings. Five kings fell, one is, another remains briefly, and the beast is an eighth belonging to the seven (verses 10 and 11).

The Lamb overcomes every king who fights Him.

The ten horns are kings receiving authority with the beast for one hour, giving him their united strength (verses 12 and 13). They fight the Lamb, whose victory is certain because He is Lord of lords and King of kings (verse 14). Those with Him are called, chosen and faithful, belonging to Him through God's grace. Their faithfulness displays that belonging while their enemies' authority runs out.

Even God's enemies fulfill His words.

The waters represent peoples, multitudes, nations and languages, and the woman is the great city ruling earth's kings (verses 15 and 18). The beast and ten horns turn against her, making her desolate and naked, eating her flesh and burning her (verse 16). God puts His purpose into their hearts until His words are fulfilled (verse 17).

Memorise

the Lamb will overcome them, for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings, and those who are with him are called chosen and faithful.

Revelation 17:14

Looking to Jesus in my life

Ask yourself in your heart, who rules my life, and am I bowing to the Lamb?

A woman sat on a beast, and an angel told John the mystery of them both. The angel said the kings give their power to the beast, and that they will war against the Lamb. And the angel said, “the Lamb will overcome them, for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings”.

Who is this Lamb? He is Jesus Christ, the King of kings. He went to the cross for His people and bore the penalty of their sin. His sacrifice is enough, and no earthly king can undo it. He rose in triumph, and He reigns on His throne.

So bow to this King. Turn from your sin and put your trust in Jesus. Everyone who comes to Him finds forgiveness. The Lamb is on His throne, and no king is above Him.

Parent's note

Tell your children that the Lamb overcomes every power raised against Him. Explain the prostitute, her corruption and violent destruction in words suited to their age, preserving the warning against false worship. A Christian home does not make a child one of Christ's people. Call each child to repent and trust Jesus, and pray for a new heart.

Pray together

Now please close your time together in prayer. Thank God that the Lamb is King of kings, and bring the heart question to Him. Every child can pray, so let each one say a short prayer if they want to.

and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us, and washed us from our sins by his blood; and he made us to be a Kingdom, priests to his God and Father; to him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Revelation 1:5-6

Father, thank You that the Lamb is Lord of lords and King of kings. No power can stand against Him. Please give each of us a new heart, and lead us to bow to Jesus. Help us to trust Him this week. Amen.