Revelation 17

INTRODUCTION:

This study describes what will take place when the Image of the Beast system becomes international, worldwide, and how it will fall.

Prayer Thought:

But there is a day that God hath appointed for the close of this world’s history. This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.” Prophecy is fast fulfilling. More, much more, should be said about these tremendously important subjects. The day is at hand when the destiny of every soul will be fixed forever. This day of the Lord hastens on apace. The false watchmen are raising the cry, “All is well”; but the day of God is rapidly approaching. Its footsteps are so muffled that it does not arouse the world from the deathlike slumber into which it has fallen. While the watchmen cry, “Peace and safety,” “sudden destruction cometh upon them,” “and they shall not escape”; “for as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.” It overtakes the pleasure-lover and the sinful man as a thief in the night. When all is apparently secure, and men retire to contented rest, then the prowling, stealthy, midnight thief steals upon his prey. When it is too late to prevent the evil, it is discovered that some door or window was not secured. “Be ye also ready: for in an such hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.” People are now settling to rest, imagining themselves secure under the popular churches; but let all beware, lest there is a place left open for the enemy to gain an entrance. Great pains should be taken to keep this subject before the people. The solemn fact is to be kept not only before the people of the world, but before our own churches also, that the day of the Lord will come suddenly, unexpectedly. The fearful warning of the prophecy is addressed to every soul. Let no one feel that he is secure from the danger of being surprised. Let no one’s interpretation of prophecy rob you of the conviction of the knowledge of events which show that this great event is near at hand. {FE 335.2}

Rev. 17:1-6 

WHOM DOES THIS WOMAN SYMBOLIZE

1. A woman symbolizes a church. See Jer. 6:2; GC 381

In Revelation 14 the first angel is followed by a second proclaiming: “Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.” Revelation 14:8. The term “Babylon” is derived from “Babel,” and signifies confusion. It is employed in Scripture to designate the various forms of false or apostate religion. In Revelation 17 Babylon is represented as a woman –a figure which is used in the Bible as the symbol of a church, a virtuous woman representing a pure church, a vile woman an apostate church. {GC 381.1}

2. This woman must be an apostate woman (prostitute) verse 5

3. She is described as Babylon. . . abominations of the earth.

THIS WOMAN IS NOT SPECIFICALLY THE PAPACY

1. Rev. 18:24– The woman is responsible for .all that were slain upon the earth.. The first person slain for their faith was Abel. Thus the woman goes back to the time of Cain and Abel.

2. Rev. 19:1-7– These verses show that the woman was destroyed around the time of the close of probation. But the Papacy will exist up to the 2nd coming of Christ (2 Thess. 2:3-8; GC 321, 579)

Taking the manner in which the prophecies had been fulfilled in the past as a criterion by which to judge of the fulfillment of those which were still future, he became satisfied that the popular view of the spiritual reign of Christ–a temporal millennium before the end of the world–was not sustained by the word of God. This doctrine, pointing to a thousand years of righteousness and peace before the personal coming of the Lord, put far off the terrors of the day of God. But, pleasing though it may be, it is contrary to the teachings of Christ and His apostles, who declared that the wheat and the tares and to grow together until the harvest, the end of the world; that “evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse;” that “in the last days perilous times shall come;” and that the kingdom of darkness shall continue until the advent of the Lord and shall be consumed with the spirit of His mouth and be destroyed with the brightness of His coming. Matthew 13:30, 38-41; 2 Timothy 3:13, 1; 2 Thessalonians 2:8 . {GC 321.1}

Since the middle of the nineteenth century, students of prophecy in the United States have presented this testimony to the world. In the events now taking place is seen a rapid advance toward the fulfillment of the prediction. With Protestant teachers there is the same claim of divine authority for Sunday keeping, and the same lack of Scriptural evidence, as with the papal leaders who fabricated miracles to supply the place of a command from God. The assertion that God’s judgments are visited upon men for their violation of the Sunday-sabbath, will be repeated; already it is beginning to be urged. And a movement to enforce Sunday observance is fast gaining ground. {GC 579.1}

3. The woman therefore, could not specifically be the Papacy. The papacy came to power in 538A.D. This woman represents a counterfeit religious system or ideology which is older that the Papacy. It is a false belief system that goes back to the time of Cain. It was Cain who purported the first false doctrine and killed his brother Abel.

4. Obviously, the Papacy is part of the woman. The woman takes on different forms as she has progressed down through time. In other words, the woman initially represented Paganism, but was later on fused into Christianity during the dark ages. Then she was known as the Papacy. This further indicates that Rome’s doctrines are not new, but in fact went back to the very father of false religion on earth . Cain.

HER THREE EXPLOITS OR OUTSTANDING PERIODS

1. Sitting on the waters (verse 1) during the dark ages, at the time of the Papacy when this false system of worship controlled many nations – waters.

2. Sitting on the seven heads (verse 9) – when the woman unites all the churches together, when Protestantism, Catholicism, and Spiritualism unite (5T 451; GC 589)

As the approach of the Roman armies was a sign to the disciples of the impending destruction of Jerusalem, so may this apostasy be a sign to us that the limit of God’s forbearance is reached, that the measure of our nation’s iniquity is full, and that the angel of mercy is about to take her flight, never to return. The people of God will then be plunged into those scenes of affliction and distress which prophets have described as the time of Jacob’s trouble. The cries of the faithful, persecuted ones ascend to heaven. And as the blood of Abel cried from the ground, there are voices also crying to God from martyrs’ graves, from the sepulchers of the sea, from mountain caverns, from convent vaults: “How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost Thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?” {5T 451.2}

God has revealed what is to take place in the last days, that His people may be prepared to stand against the tempest of opposition and wrath. Those who have been warned of the events before them are not to sit in calm expectation of the coming storm, comforting themselves that the Lord will shelter His faithful ones in the day of trouble. We are to be as men waiting for their Lord, not in idle expectancy, but in earnest work, with unwavering faith. It is no time now to allow our minds to be engrossed with things of minor importance. While men are sleeping, Satan is actively arranging matters so that the Lord’s people may not have mercy or justice. The Sunday movement is now making its way in darkness. The leaders are concealing the true issue, and many who unite in the movement do not themselves see whither the undercurrent is tending. Its professions are mild and apparently Christian, but when it shall speak it will reveal the spirit of the dragon. It is our duty to do all in our power to avert the threatened danger. We should endeavor to disarm prejudice by placing ourselves in a proper light before the people. We should bring before them the real question at issue, thus interposing the most effectual protest against measures to restrict liberty of conscience. We should search the Scriptures and be able to give the reason for our faith. Says the prophet: “The wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.” {5T 452.1}

Satan works through the elements also to garner his harvest of unprepared souls. He has studied the secrets of the laboratories of nature, and he uses all his power to control the elements as far as God allows. When he was suffered to afflict Job, how quickly flocks and herds, servants, houses, children, were swept away, one trouble succeeding another as in a moment. It is God that shields His creatures and hedges them in from the power of the destroyer. But the Christian world have shown contempt for the law of Jehovah; and the Lord will do just what He has declared that He would–He will withdraw His blessings from the earth and remove His protecting care from those who are rebelling against His law and teaching and forcing others to do the same. Satan has control of all whom God does not especially guard. He will favor and prosper some in order to further his own designs, and he will bring trouble upon others and lead men to believe that it is God who is afflicting them. {GC 589.2}

3. Sitting on the Scarlet Colored Beast (SCB) verse 3; during the one world government. Her sitting on the beast must be her last act.

WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THE SCARLET COLORED BEAST?

She has all the characteristics of the previous beast, so must represent the world after them, and just before the return of Jesus.

1. SCARLET – Full of sin/cursed. God’s people will be called out of it.
2. NAMES OF BLASPHEMY – fill of sin and corruption including hypocrisy.
3. TEN HORNS – Civil powers – governments. Note that the horns have no crowns showing that the authority and control rests with the woman.
4. SEVEN READS – The religious bodies in existence at the time of the mark of the beast.

Note the SDA church would have already be purified so they are not included.

VERSE 8 

WAS – before the millennium.

IS NOT – During the millennium when the wicked are dead in their graves (Rev. 20:1-3, 5)

YET IS – After the millennium when all the wicked dead are resurrected. (Rev. 20:3,7,8)

BOTTOMLESS PIT – The earth in chaos and as a prison house for Satan, his angels and the wicked during the 1,000 yrs. (Rev. 20:3, 5; GC 658)

That the expression “bottomless pit” represents the earth in a state of confusion and darkness is evident from other scriptures. Concerning the condition of the earth “in the beginning,” the Bible record says that it “was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep.” [THE HEBREW WORD HERE TRANSLATED “DEEP” IS RENDERED IN THE SEPTUAGINT (GREEK) TRANSLATION OF THE HEBREW OLD TESTAMENT BY THE SAME WORD RENDERED “BOTTOMLESS PIT” IN REVELATION 20:1-3.] Genesis 1:2. Prophecy teaches that it will be brought back, partially at least, to this condition. Looking forward to the great day of God, the prophet Jeremiah declares: “I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void; and the heavens, and they had no light. I beheld the mountains, and, lo, they trembled, and all the hills moved lightly. I beheld, and, lo, there was no man, and all the birds of the heavens were fled. I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down.” Jeremiah 4:23-26.{GC 658.3}

PERDITION – A destruction from which there is no resurrection. After the millennium the wicked will be destroyed by fire from God.

THEY THAT DWELL ON THE EARTH – After all the wicked (whose names are not written in the book of Life) are resurrected they will marvel(wonder) when they see all the wicked from the beginning of time.

VERSE 9 

Heads and mountains in Scripture represent religious bodies. Therefore the seven heads forecast the unification of the churches.

VERSE 10 

FIVE FALLEN – five kingdoms have fallen- past:

1. Adamic kingdom
2. Babylonian kingdom
3. Medo-Persian kingdom
4. Grecian kingdom
5. Rome kingdom

ONE IS – Our present world- same as the ten toes. This period covers the LLB, 2HB and the SCB.

NOT YET COME – the wicked world after the millennium

CONTINUE A SHORT SPACE – The 100 years after the millennium just before the wicked are destroyed. Isa. 65:20; Rev. 20:3(“a short while” same as “a little season”)

VERSE 11 

THE BEAST THAT WAS AND IS NOT IS THE EIGHTH – He is the eighth of all the beast from Daniel 7 and Revelation:

1. Lion
2. Bear
3. Leopard
4. Non-descript Beast
5. Leopard-like beast
6. Two-horned beast
7. Scarlet-colored beast before the millennium
8. the SCCB after the millennium.

IS OF THE SEVEN – The SCCB – all the wicked after the millennium, is a composite of all the previous beasts, kingdoms. He has all the characteristics of all the former beasts.

GOES INTO PERDITION – The SCCB after millennium (the eighth beast),represents all the wicked who are cast into a lake of fire and destroyed. Rev. 20:8-10)

HORNS – civil powers

VERSE 12, 13 

These horns represent civil powers or Political entities.

1. Are kings but have not yet received there kingdom
2. They have authority as kings for one hour
3. They have one mind they are unified in their thinking and planning
4. Instead of taking the rulership, they give it away for the one hour.
5. They give their kingdom (rulership) away because God put it in their hearts to do it.
6. The one hour is the same as the 11th to 12th hour of Matt. 20:6, 7 the loud cry message.

WHAT CIVIL POWERS DO THE HORNS REPRESENT?

Only communists profess no religion – They despise it. The ten horns hated the woman and destroyed her. Rev. 17:16

Rev. 18:9-11 the kings in this passage are crying because the woman is destroyed.These kings must be democratic-they love religion.

VERSE 14 

These kings are to be anti-religious and therefore anti-Christian. They shall eventually make war with the Lord and with His called, chosen, and faithful ones.

VERSE 15 

Waters represents peoples.

VERSE 16, 17, 18 

After the gospel is completed, the Communist powers will destroy the New World Order – the Mark of the beast system. This will take place around the close of probation.Then the plagues will fall. So Babylon’s rule will be short lived. At that point the great multitude would have already been gathered.

Summary:

This study shows the development of the emerging “New World Order” where all of the religious power will be united as a corrupt and false system supported the power of the state. This confederation of church and state powers will enforce the mark of the Beast and represents the world during the final harvest just prior to Christ’s return. Also shown is that the corrupt women is not the papacy as many believe.

Meat In Due Season – 17. The Scarlet Colored Beast – Rev. 17 (google.com)