RND said:
The dragon gave the beast his power.
Yes, and God defined who that "dragon" is per Revelation 12:9. It's Satan himself, and not any flesh man.
It's better to stick with God's Word on the matter, for one could look at others besides a pope today and also see pagan titles of history being used, like in Masonic Lodges.
Great. Then you should be able to tell me how the woman rides the beast and what all the symbols of her point to Israel. You know, like the golden cup, the purple and scarlet clothes, the "decked" gold, etc. What laws and times did Israel ever change? How was Israel responsible for the "wearing out of the saints"?
God used the 'harlot' metaphor often in the OT for the children of Israel when they disobyed Him, and followed after the false worship of the nations around them. BUT, He ALSO addressed Jerusalem as a harlot when the Jebusites of Canaan had possession of her (Ezek.16). In the last verse of Rev.17 we are told what the "woman" there respresents. It's a "great city". So the "woman" there is NOT the people of Israel, nor deceived Christians that fall away, nor a pope, nor the nation of Israel, but a specific city. For the end of days it will be Jerusalem, for that's where Rev.11 reveals God's "two witnesses" are killed, with their dead bodies left laying in the street, and that's where Christ is to return back to this earth as written in Zechariah 14.
The Papacy already has a fortress in Jerusalem.
And Islam controls part of the city of Jerusalem, and has a mosque on the Temple Mount. All that shows Jerusalem today in a fallen state, and not having been rescued by God's hand from spiritual harlotry.
The papacy can only become a part of the serpent's working,
RND said:
Exactly. See Rev. 13:1-5.
And likewise with those behind the movement for a one world government, like international bodies like the United Nations and its sub organizations, and all the gloablist organizations tied to that movement, like the Trilateral Commisssion, Council On Foreign Relations, British Round Table, etc. The body of the serpent moves through many like-minded centers throughout the world today, so to focus on Rome and a pope is narrow-mindedness.
Rev.13:1-5 is about the final beast kingdom of the feet of toes given in the Book of Daniel. It's toes are to be of part iron and part clay. So what's the clay represent?
but not the serpent itself.
RND said:
Nope. No one can become Satan except Satan.
I don't think you understand that the "synagogue of Satan" blast refers to those that aren't converted Christians. See Romans 2:28-29.
Why would you call that "synagogue of Satan" phrase our Lord Jesus used in Rev.2:9 and 3:9 a "blast"? Do you have a problem with our Lord Jesus using that "synagogue of Satan" phrase? In Rev.3, Christ said He'd make them come worship at the feet of His elect. What does that show about their possible Salvation through Him?