Revelation 17:6 – 13 “I could see that the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints and of the witnesses for Jesus. And I was utterly amazed at the sight of her. “Why are you so amazed?” said the angel. “I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and ten horns. The beast that you saw—it was, and now is no more, but is about to come up out of the Abyss and go to its destruction. And those who dwell on the earth whose names were not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world will marvel when they see the beast that was, and is not, and yet will be. This calls for a mind that has wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits. There are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, and the other has not yet come; but when he does come, he must remain for only a little while. The beast that was, and now is not, is an eighth king, who belongs to the other seven and is going into destruction. The ten horns you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but will receive one hour of authority as kings, along with the beast. These kings have one purpose: to yield their power and authority to the beast. “
The Book of Revelation has confounded Bible teachers for years. There are all kinds of charts, time lines, and diagrams that have been used in attempts to explain these parts of the vision. Rather than get too bogged down in specifics, let’s look at the overall picture.
1. The woman spoken of is an arch – demon representing every city and every economy in the world in which Christians have been persecuted in any fashion. As mentioned yesterday, this figure is a satanic counterfeit of the Virgin Mary but is Mary’s exact opposite in every detail. Where Mary is pure, this figure is called “BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.” According to this name, this figure represents the source of corruption, fornication, and perversion throughout the earth.
2. This figure is referred to as being carried by the beast, that is being supported and transported by thebeast. At the same time, references are made to the woman sitting on seven mountains. Ancient Rome was built on seven different hills; this reference obviously indicates Rome as a center of corruption. As Roman society deteriorated, the city became incredibly corrupt and perverted. Does this mean that ONLY Rome can be represented here? Remember that God was giving John a vision using images that John would recognize. It’s likely that Rome is being used as a symbol for all the cities of the world.
3. The mystery of the seven heads: This reference was made to the first five emperors of Rome, who were already dead at the time of this vision. The one emperor who was ruling at the time of the vision was Vespasian, who was succeeded by Titus, who only reigned for two years. Barclay comments: The beast which was, and is not, is itself the eighth. It proceeds from the series of the seven, and is on its way to destruction. This can only mean that the emperor who followed Titus is being identified with Nero redivivus(re-born) and Antichrist; and the emperor who followed Titus was Domitian. Domitian was an incredibly evil ruler, described by a writer of the time as “an object of terror and hatred to all.”
“But,” you might ask, “all this refers to ancient Rome. What does that have to do with us?” Visions operate on several different levels, particularly when they are giving information about the end times. While on one level this vision appears to be speaking about the Roman Empire, please remember that Satan repeats patterns. If Satan was able to inspire one man to be as evil as Domitian, why can’t he inspire another man, or other men? Who are the ten horns? There have been all kinds of explanations for those figures, but what is important is that they are political leaders who will appear at the same time as the beast and who will have brief terms of power. 7:13 says, “These kings have one purpose: to yield their power and authority to the beast. “
Today we live in an age in which governments of various countries are attempting to undermine governments elsewhere. The events of Revelation 17 are becoming more believable. Today more than ever before, Christians are being persecuted. Pastors in China are going into hiding. In 2020 alone more than 2200 Christians in Northern Nigeria have been killed for their faith.
Hundreds of years before John received this vision, God also gave the prophet Daniel a vision of the end times. Speaking of the persecution of believers, the angel giving the interpretation to Daniel told Daniel that an evil ruler would arise and, “With flattery he will corrupt those who violate the covenant, but the people who know their God will firmly resist him. Those with insight will instruct many, though for a time they will fall by sword or flame, or be captured or plundered. Now when they fall, they will be granted a little help, but many will join them insincerely. Some of the wise will fall, so that they may be refined, purified, and made spotless until the time of the end, for it will still come at the appointed time.” Daniel 11:32-35
We have no choice over the time in which we have been born. The major choice each of us must make is this: Will we serve the One True Living God, or will we reject Him? The choice is not necessarily an easy one: choose to follow God and possibly suffer here on earth or reject God and suffer for eternity?
PRAYER: Father God, we are afraid! It has already been a difficult year, full of pain, suffering, loss, and sometimes death. Help us to realize that You are our only Hope and to choose to follow you, no matter what. In the mighty and precious Name of Jesus. Amen.
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