Revelation 17

Key to Bible Prophecy

The Scarlet Woman and Beast of Revelation 12 are the subjects of this mystery and its interpretation. Unexpected elements of the Dragon are additionally tied to the Beast. These will prove to be a key in understanding much of Bible prophecy and identifying the players.

A Beast from the Grave

Revelation 17:
8 The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.

John saw a woman and the Beast that did not yet exist. The Beast would rise from Hell and contain the spirit of Old Heathen Rome. After Old Rome fell, its wickedness was prophesied to return and live in another world power. Thus, in the days when this prophecy comes true, people will look and wonder at the Beast that Was, (Old Rome) and is not, (Old Rome is dead.) and yet is. (Old Rome's spirit resurrects into a new world kingdom.)

9 And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth

Throughout history poets and writers have referred to the golden eternal city of Rome that sits on SEVEN HILLS.

18 And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.

At the time of John's writings, the City of Rome was the undisputed sovereign of the earth. Rome was known for its splendor and power and was marveled at by generations of people. Rome's rulership of the earth's kingdoms positively marked Rome as this woman. Remember, Satan offered these kingdoms to Jesus! When Old Rome was dissolved, another rising from the ashes greedily sprang upon Satan's standing proposal. This beast will be identified in the following verse.

Heathen Rome was symbolized by the Dragon. The Beast is the Universal Christian Church or Catholic Church, which inherited the spirit and soul of the Heathen Religion of the Caesars!

• HORNS OF POWER -- The Ten Horns are the ten economic-governmental centers of the Old Roman Empire. These 10 Roman centers became kingdoms when old Rome fell. They next yielded their power to the Beast. (Roman Church) After 1260 years of submission these centers of power striped Rome of her wealth. Today, Rome retains a shadow of her former glory. She will be destroyed when Jesus comes.
• SEVEN CROWNS -- Seven crowns are seven Roman kingdoms that fall one after the other. At last a deadly wound ended Old Rome. The spirit of Heathen Rome then passed into Hell.
• THE EIGHTH CROWN -- This crown resurrects having the spirit of Heathen Rome. An idolatrous spirit filled the Apostate Church, which became Satan's kingdom on earth. This wicked kingdom ruled with unprecedented world power for 1260 years as the Beast and Mystery Babylon.

The Church of Rome has long claimed inherited right to all of Old Rome's earthy authority! The Roman Church said this legacy was granted by the Caesar called Constantine! Therefore, after the fall of Old Rome, Catholic Rome accumulated unimagined wealth in many nations. The Church of Rome came to hold more property and treasure than any other power in all of history. Today, we cannot begin to grasp the absolute domination of this once mighty monolith. The physical power of Catholic Rome was only exceeded by her spiritual claim.

Millions of souls were eternally lost through Rome's blocking of the Gospel. True Born Again Christians were continually sought like vermin and trampled under vengeful hoof. Anyone seeking to escape this religion was ruthlessly murdered as a heretic. Rome's long shadow darkened the minds of many multiplied generations. The Word of God was made unavailable to starving humanity for centuries. Rome placed the masses of the Dark Ages in chains of ignorance. Catholic Rome became drunk on the blood of the Saints, while Hell gorged its jaws with the rest of humanity.

This holocaust continued until the Bible was freed to the nations. As men read the Scripture their minds and hearts were emancipated which brought about great political upheaval. Kings from Rome's ten regions began to pillage (eat) the Woman's (Church's) earthly holdings, and reduced her to a shadow of her former Glory. This change came at the end of the 1260 years of total power for the Beast. Rome's final destruction was not predicted at the close of that period. The Beast's power was passed to another as he stood by watching. Rome will finally be burned at the coming of Christ.

The Catholic Church perfectly fits John's description of the Beast and Woman. A forced "gap theory" is unnecessary to explain prophecy as it actually occurred. The appearance and tenure of this rising monster fulfill the scripture with chilling accuracy. Catholicism's past tyranny exceeds anything modern Christians project for a future antichrist. If we fail to recognize this monstrosity because of our neglect of well-known historical knowledge, we will certainly doomed to repeat our past.

These seven crowns are seven kingdoms or unique forms of government that occupy Roman History. Strong's Greek dictionary defines kings as, a foundation of power, or sovereign -- abstractly, relatively, or figuratively. Therefore, kings can be understood as an individual or a collective group of leaders such as a dynasty.

Any student of Roman History knows of the seven consecutive forms of Roman government. You may easily find them in any encyclopedia or book covering Roman history.

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5. Triumvirate -- Three kings rule

6. Emperors, Here, Christ's teachings began to spread.

7. In 476 the German chief, Odoacer, deposed the last Emperor. Rome was then carved up by the Vandals, Jutes, Angles, Saxons Franks, and Goths.

Revelation 13:3 "And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast."

From one of Rome's dying kingdoms, sprung a resurrected kingdom, which was described as the eighth crown. This crown contained the spirit of the old Caesar's. Here is a sort of Satanic imitation of the resurrected Christ. Hell's crown took control of the wounded Beast. (Former Roman Empire) The power of this new crown grew and surpassed that of Old Rome. Thus, the imitation Church continued the Caesar's work and suppressed the Gospel of Salvation for many centuries.

Revelation 17:12 And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.

13 These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.

The Dragon as Old Rome, (Which was quite alive in John's day.) had ten horns that were ten major cities of power and commerce. These centers had governors but Rome retained supremacy and control.

When the Beast arose, these once Roman cities enjoyed their own native rulers. Old Rome was no longer the political king of these locations. This change was represented by 10 crowns upon 10 horns.

However, Mystery Babylon (The false Church) claimed a power that reaches into eternity. The souls of men were bought and sold. This absolute spiritual prerogative ultimately stretched into an absolute material claim. Temporal kingdoms at last become the vassals of the Roman Church.

Therefore, the spirit and power of Old Rome was fully resurrected into the Church of Rome and the wealth of the nations flowed into her coffers. The Scarlet Woman then had her Beast saddled, as she went out for a very long ride. These events of history fulfilled Bible prophecy to the letter!

Under false Christian Rome the souls of the men still belonged to Old Roman idolatry. Matthew Henry says "...the old had just put on a new dress." Far more souls were lost to this new idolatry, than the Old Heathen one. This monster and rider extend their absolute power for 1260 years. Untold millions passed into eternity, without the Good News of Salvation.

Because of the False Church many past generations never heard the Gospel! Nothing can compare to that disaster, for men had no hope of receiving the good things of God. Seven years of future tribulation and persecution stand as a "flea" of threat compared to that Millennium Monster of the Dark Ages.

How dark were those past days? Imagine if every Bible were burned and every true minister martyred. Picture millions of true believers put to death for their faith. Then you will understand what the world was like under the Beast. Today, many Christians look for only seven years of future tribulation. However, such a tribulation was already experienced in the 1260 years of Great Apostasy! A future seven years of beastly persecution would only yield a small echo of the past millennium of Christian holocaust.

Today, the Gospel can be heard by any seeker. Hungry hearts can feast on a banquet of a thousand translations and a million Bible teachers. Today's generation has heard the Good News and nothing can reverse its effect. The Devil has already lost a great host to the Gospel message. Therefore, we wait expectantly for the appearance of Jesus not the Beast

Only a militant and spiritual Church can keep the darkness from returning. The spirit responsible for the Dark Age holocaust is living and growing. Our United States Government embodies this demonic spirit by denying the Bible to our morally bankrupt Children. We must pray for the heathen who rule over us, to bow to Christ or be disposed. Remember the Devil's servants don't come wearing devil costumes. They come claiming to be Christians and servants of all. However, ungodly acts mark ungodly people. Our fathers drove back antichrist once and we can do it again. Prayer changes thing!

These are the key cities that served as the administrative and commercial centers for the Roman Empire.

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Revelation 17:14 These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.

At the conclusion of the Dark Ages, the Bible was released to the nations. Thus, a mighty conflict came about between deception and truth. Christ's chosen people carried God's message everywhere. The Gospel struck the Beast of Rome to the ground. Many people left Rome but tragically embraced a new lie that was authored by Rome's old spirit. Contrariwise, God's faithful generation has refused Satan's mark and still continues to follow the indwelling Christ of the Scripture. Rome's old deceptive spirit will finally be crushed at Christ's return.

15 And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.

16 And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.

17 For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.

"Burn her with fire," may also be translated as, "consume her with lightning." Rome quickly lost unmeasured amounts of property and wealth when the kings of the Middle Ages rebelled. During the Reformation Rome was stripped of her wealth, Popes were imprisoned, and governments were secularized. History is too full of examples to enumerate. Most kings revolted for their love of wealth rather than love for God. Therefore, the kingdom of the Beast is broken but his spirit remains intact. The Beast now stands aside watching, as the False Prophet deceives the earth.

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