DEEP-DIVE SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION GUIDE Based on: Unmasking Babylon: Evil, Greed, and the City of God Primary Text: Revelation 17:1–19:10 Time: 90–120 minutes

LEADER PREPARATION

(Read before your group meets)

Overview: This session explores one of Revelation's most vivid and challenging visions — the unmasking, judgment, and fall of "Babylon the Great." The pastor argued that this apocalyptic vision isn't primarily about distant future events but about exposing the nature of evil in every age, ultimately revealing that at its core, evil is driven by greed and indulgence. The passage calls God's people to resist the seduction of the "city of man" and to orient their lives toward the "city of God."

Big Idea: Evil always wears a mask, and when God rips that mask off, it looks less like a foreign ideology and more like our own love of wealth and comfort — which is why the call to "come out of her" is both urgent and deeply personal.

Essential Background:

• Revelation is simultaneously a prophecy, an apocalypse (an "unveiling"), and a letter written to real first-century Christians living under Roman pressure. All three genres matter for interpretation.
• "Babylon" in Revelation is a layered symbol. It draws on Old Testament imagery of Israel's great oppressor, but in this vision it expands to represent the entire system of imperial and religious power aligned against God — what the pastor called "the city of man."
• The three women in Revelation form a deliberate contrast: the woman of chapter 12 (the faithful people of God), the harlot/prostitute of chapters 17–18 (unfaithful religion and corrupt power), and the bride of chapter 19 (the redeemed church awaiting her groom). Tracking these images helps unlock the passage's emotional logic.
• The "Hallelujah Chorus" from Handel's Messiah draws directly from Revelation 19. Many group members may not know this celebrated piece of music is actually a response to economic evil being destroyed.

Preparation Checklist:

• Read Revelation 17:1–19:10 twice, slowly
• Review the word studies and cross-references below
• Think through your own honest answers to the application questions
• Pray for your group members by name before the meeting

Facilitator Encouragement: You don't need to be a Bible scholar to lead this discussion well. Your job is to ask good questions, create space for honest conversation, and keep the group in the text. The questions are designed to do the heavy lifting. Trust the process — and trust the Spirit.

OPENING (5–10 minutes)

Icebreaker Question:

Think of a time when something that looked impressive, safe, or appealing turned out to be very different from what it appeared. It could be a product, a relationship, a job opportunity — anything. What was the experience of "the mask coming off" like?

(Let 2–3 people share briefly. This question primes the group for the session's central theme of unmasking without requiring any biblical knowledge upfront.)

TEACHING TIME (15–20 minutes)

Share the following with your group in a conversational tone. You don't need to read it word-for-word — just hit the key ideas.

HISTORICAL & CULTURAL CONTEXT (5–7 minutes)

Revelation was written by the apostle John, most likely during the reign of the Roman Emperor Domitian (around AD 95), and addressed to seven churches in the region we now call western Turkey. These were real communities facing real pressure — some facing economic exclusion for refusing to participate in emperor worship, some facing outright persecution.

When John writes about "Babylon," his original readers would have immediately understood the reference. Babylon was the empire that had destroyed Jerusalem's first temple in 586 BC and carried Israel into exile. It was the ultimate symbol of godless, oppressive power. But by John's day, "Babylon" had become a kind of code word — used in Jewish and early Christian writing — for Rome. Rome had destroyed Jerusalem's second temple in AD 70, just a generation before John wrote.

The image of Rome as a prostitute "sitting on seven hills" (17:9) would have been instantly recognizable — Rome was famously built on seven hills, a fact celebrated in Roman literature and coinage. And the cargo list of Revelation 18 — gold, spices, silk, ivory, and "human souls" — mirrors actual Roman trade records. This was the economy John's readers lived inside.

The Parthians, Rome's feared rivals on the eastern frontier, called their rulers "King of Kings and Lord of Lords." When John applies those titles to Jesus, he is making a bold, subversive claim: you're afraid of the wrong king.

KEY WORD STUDIES (5–7 minutes)

"Apocalypse" / "Unveiling" — apokalypsis (Greek) The very word from which we get "apocalypse" literally means an uncovering or revealing. It's not primarily about catastrophe — it's about seeing what was always true but hidden. John's vision isn't designed to terrify; it's designed to give God's people clarity about the true nature of the world they're living in. This is why the pastor called Revelation "an X-ray, not a crystal ball."

"Fallen, fallen" — epesen, epesen (Greek) The double repetition in Revelation 18:2 ("Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great") is an intentional echo of Isaiah 21:9, where the same phrase announces the fall of ancient Babylon. This is what scholars call an "intertextual echo" — John is saying: remember what God did to the original Babylon? He's doing it again, and bigger. The repetition also conveys finality and certainty. It's already done in God's perspective, even though it hasn't fully played out in time.

"Sorcery" / "Pharmakeia" — pharmakeia (Greek) In Revelation 18:23, Babylon deceives the nations by her pharmakeia — the root of our English word "pharmacy." In the ancient world, this word referred to the use of drugs or potions, often in the context of occult practices and manipulation. But the deeper meaning here is seduction through false promises. Babylon doesn't conquer by force alone — she enchants. She makes the city of man look irresistible. This is why the passage reads like an addiction narrative: the nations are "drunk" on her wine.

IMPORTANT CROSS-REFERENCES (3–5 minutes)

• Isaiah 47 and Ezekiel 16, 23 — The Old Testament prophets used the image of a prostitute to describe Israel's spiritual unfaithfulness. John is drawing on a long tradition. Ezekiel 16 in particular is one of the most confrontational passages in the entire Bible on this theme.
• Matthew 6:19–24 — Jesus's teaching on money and masters. "You cannot serve God and money." The pastor highlighted this as the direct New Testament parallel to Revelation 18's economic expose of evil.
• 1 Timothy 6:6–10, 17–19 — "The love of money is the root of all evil." Paul's pastoral counsel on wealth provides the theological framework the pastor drew on.
• Acts 19:23–41 — The riot in Ephesus, sparked by a silversmith whose income depended on idol-making. The pastor pointed to this as a narrative illustration of exactly what Revelation 18 describes in apocalyptic imagery: economic interest driving religious opposition to the gospel.
• Revelation 21:1–27 — The New Jerusalem, the "bride" city, which the pastor contrasted with Babylon. Pearls that were luxury items in Babylon become the gates of the new city. Everything Babylon promised, God surpasses.

SCRIPTURE READING & OBSERVATION (10–15 minutes)

Read aloud: Revelation 18:1–8 and 19:1–8 (Consider reading 18:1–8 from the ESV or NIV, and 19:1–8 from The Message for contrast.)

Observation Questions (Take 5–7 minutes to notice before you analyze):

1. What words or images are repeated in these two passages?
2. What surprises you, or what strikes you as strange or unexpected?
3. Who is speaking in each section — and who is responding?
4. What emotions do you notice in the text? Who is weeping? Who is rejoicing?

DEEP DIVE DISCUSSION (40–50 minutes)

Section A: Understanding the Text

1. The pastor described Revelation as simultaneously a prophecy, an apocalypse, and a letter to real people in a real situation. How does knowing that Revelation was written to specific first-century Christians change how you read a passage like this? What would be lost if we only read it as a prediction about the distant future?

2. In chapter 17, the harlot is riding the beast — but by chapter 18, the beast has turned on her and destroyed her. The pastor connected this to the historical destruction of Jerusalem by Rome in AD 70. What does this "evil devouring itself" pattern suggest about the nature of corrupt power? Have you seen this dynamic play out in history or in everyday life?

3. The cargo list in Revelation 18:11–13 ends with "slaves, that is, human souls." The pastor noted: "There is no commodity the city of man will not trade in." Why do you think John ends the list there? What does that final item reveal about where economic exploitation ultimately leads?

[Leader Tip: If the group focuses only on ancient slavery, gently press them toward the present. Follow-up: "Where do we see human beings treated as economic commodities today?" This is meant to be uncomfortable — let the silence do some work.]

4. The people who depended on Babylon don't repent when she falls — they just mourn their losses. The kings, merchants, and sailors all grieve what they've lost, not what they've done. What is the difference between grief over consequences and genuine repentance? Why does that distinction matter?

Section B: Theological Connections

5. The pastor pointed out that evil always masks itself — it presents itself as something appealing, dignified, or even religious. How does the image of the prostitute (seduction, false promises, appetite) complement the image of the beast (intimidation, raw power)? How do these two strategies of evil work together in the world, and in our own hearts?

[Leader Tip: This is a rich theological question. If the group gets abstract, ground it: "Can you think of a specific way false religion appeals to greed or desire? What does it promise?" The pastor's example of Satan tempting Jesus in the desert is a helpful anchor here.]

6. In Revelation 19, the praises of God's people are described as sounding like "the roar of many waters" and "mighty peals of thunder" — the same language used elsewhere in Revelation to describe the voice of God himself. What does it mean that the worship of the redeemed sounds like God? What does this suggest about what worship is meant to do to us over time?

7. The bride in chapter 19 is clothed in "fine linen, bright and pure," which is explained as "the righteous deeds of the saints." The pastor was careful to distinguish this from works-based salvation — our good deeds don't earn our standing before God, but they accompany us into eternity. How do you hold those two truths together: saved entirely by grace, yet our deeds genuinely matter and are remembered?

Section C: Contemporary Application

8. The pastor made a striking claim: "When you get to Revelation 18, the full revelation of evil looks a lot more like us." He acknowledged that other ideologies (communism, radicalized religion) are genuinely dangerous — but argued that for Western Christians, the more pressing threat is greed and consumerism. Do you agree? What makes this particular form of evil harder to see and resist than more obvious forms?

[Leader Tip: This question may create some friction — that's okay. Some group members may push back, and that's a healthy sign they're engaging. Avoid resolving the tension too quickly. The goal isn't agreement; it's honest reflection.]

9. Jesus said, "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Matthew 6:21). The pastor called this "the clearest index of true spirituality." If someone examined your spending over the last three months without knowing anything else about you, what story would it tell about what you actually value?

10. The voice from heaven in Revelation 18:4 calls: "Come out of her, my people." This is not a call to leave civilization — it's a call to refuse the spirit of Babylon while living within it. What does "coming out of Babylon" look like practically for someone living in a prosperous, consumer-driven culture? What would it not look like?

[Leader Tip: Push past vague answers. Follow up with: "Can you name one specific habit, assumption, or spending pattern that might need to change?" The pastor himself said this is harder than it sounds — validate the difficulty while keeping the group honest.]

11. The pastor contrasted the harlot's promise (stuff) with the city of God's promise (the face of God himself). He said: "No roller coaster, no thrill, nothing will ever compare to you seeing your Lord." Is that genuinely compelling to you right now — or does it feel abstract? What would need to shift in your imagination for the promise of God's presence to feel more real than the promise of comfort or wealth?

PERSONAL APPLICATION (15–20 minutes)

Give the group 2–3 minutes of silence to reflect individually before inviting sharing.

Reflective Questions:

1. Where in your life are you most tempted to depend on the "city of man" — its security, its approval, its comfort — rather than the city of God?

2. The pastor asked: "If the destruction of evil meant financial hardship for you, would you still celebrate it?" Sit with that question honestly. What does your gut-level answer reveal?

3. Is there an area of your financial life — spending, giving, saving, consuming — where you sense God is calling you toward greater faithfulness? What's one step you could take this week?

This Week Challenge:

Do an honest audit of one week of spending — not to feel guilty, but to let the numbers tell you the truth about where your heart is. Bring what you notice back to the Lord in prayer, and if you feel led, share one honest observation with someone in this group before you meet again.

(Note: The pastor indicated that the church will be spending four weeks exploring faithful discipleship in a greedy world. This audit is a way to begin that journey personally before the series continues.)

PRAYER & CLOSING (10 minutes)

Suggested Prayer Focus:

Close by praying in the direction of the three "women" of Revelation — that your group would:

• Be protected from the seduction of Babylon (the harlot)
• Be faithful to their Lord in the waiting (the woman of chapter 12)
• Be made ready as the bride — clothed in righteous deeds, oriented toward the marriage supper of the Lamb

Prayer Options:

• Conversational prayer: Invite anyone who wants to pray aloud to do so, using the three themes above as a loose guide.
• Pairs prayer: Have group members turn to one person and share one honest thing they want to bring to God from tonight's discussion, then pray briefly for each other.
• Guided closing prayer (leader reads): "Father, thank you that you don't leave evil masked forever. Thank you that the same God who judges Babylon is the God who clothes his bride in righteousness. Convict us where we've been seduced by the city of man. Give us eyes to see what you see, and courage to live differently. We want to be found faithful. Amen."

Closing Word:

The Hallelujah Chorus isn't just a Christmas tradition — it's the sound of God's people celebrating that the mask is off, the city of man is finished, and the city of God is coming. May that be the song your group is learning to sing — not just on Sunday, but in how you spend, give, resist, and live this week.