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Who are they and what is the significance of this prophecy to the end times? Here is the text in question...
Revelation 17 King James Version (KJV)
"1 And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:
2 With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.
3 So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.
4 And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:
5 And upon her forehead was a name written, Mystery, Babylon The Great, The Mother Of Harlots And Abominations Of The Earth.
6 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.
7 And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns.
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.
9 And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.
10 And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.
11 And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition.
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.
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."
One of the key points is "the beast that was, and is not" but comes back. Notice "the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns", it is the same beast which receives the 'deadly wound' in Revelation 13.
Revelation 13 King James Version (KJV)
1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.
2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.
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.
4 And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?
5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.
6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.
7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.
8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
So the beast in Revelation 13 is the same beast you find in Revelation 17. The big difference is there's a woman sitting on the beast in Revelation 17. The difference is now you've got a woman, and in scripture you find a woman is a symbol of a church. This church is one that is controlling the power of Rome. So what came after the Roman Empire and rose to not just having power but a religious entity, students of history know. It says these are seven mountains, and Rome is called the city of seven hills, and a religious/political power rose from the ashes of the Roman Empire. And at the time of John, this religious entity was yet to appear as it says there are seven kings - five are fallen, one is, and the other is not yet come.
These heads represent kingdoms that persecuted God's people. You've got Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia and Greece. Five that were in the past when John has this vision, all five of those powers occupied the children of Israel and persecuted them.
Now of the fallen those are all in the past, and it says five are fallen. It says one is - that was Rome at John's time, Pagan Rome ruled by the Caesars. And it says the other is not yet come, and when he is come, he must continue a short space. That's a religious/political entity, with the power of Rome ruled by the church and it says he's also the eighth. Why? You go to Revelation 13, it says he gets a deadly wound but he comes back again and goes and all the way to the end when Christ comes.
So this woman of Revelation 17 represents Babylon, the mother of harlots, false religion or apostate Christianity. Seven heads it says are seven mountains and then it says ten horns. These ten horns are the ten divisions of the Roman Empire that represent the nations of the world today. Just like in Daniel 2, where you've got the ten toes of the image after the Roman Empire, you've got the ten divisions of that Empire.
We have in verse 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..' Now the word kings there means kings or kingdoms, and it appears there's going to be a short time near the end of time where this beast power is going to allow these different nations to have authority as long as they direct their people and the worship back to this religious entity which comes back, but it's temporary.
As the next chapter clearly is about the fall of Babylon and these other kings of the earth are bewailing and lamenting her destruction. So for a brief period of time just before the plagues are poured out, the divisions of the Roman Empire are going to once again direct their authority back to the beast.
Revelation 18 King James Version (KJV)
"1 And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory.
2 And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.
3 For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.
4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.
5 For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.
6 Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double.
7 How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.
8 Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.
9 And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning,"
Revelation 17 King James Version (KJV)
"1 And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:
2 With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.
3 So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.
4 And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:
5 And upon her forehead was a name written, Mystery, Babylon The Great, The Mother Of Harlots And Abominations Of The Earth.
6 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.
7 And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns.
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.
9 And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.
10 And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.
11 And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition.
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.
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."
One of the key points is "the beast that was, and is not" but comes back. Notice "the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns", it is the same beast which receives the 'deadly wound' in Revelation 13.
Revelation 13 King James Version (KJV)
1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.
2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.
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.
4 And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?
5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.
6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.
7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.
8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
So the beast in Revelation 13 is the same beast you find in Revelation 17. The big difference is there's a woman sitting on the beast in Revelation 17. The difference is now you've got a woman, and in scripture you find a woman is a symbol of a church. This church is one that is controlling the power of Rome. So what came after the Roman Empire and rose to not just having power but a religious entity, students of history know. It says these are seven mountains, and Rome is called the city of seven hills, and a religious/political power rose from the ashes of the Roman Empire. And at the time of John, this religious entity was yet to appear as it says there are seven kings - five are fallen, one is, and the other is not yet come.
These heads represent kingdoms that persecuted God's people. You've got Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia and Greece. Five that were in the past when John has this vision, all five of those powers occupied the children of Israel and persecuted them.
Now of the fallen those are all in the past, and it says five are fallen. It says one is - that was Rome at John's time, Pagan Rome ruled by the Caesars. And it says the other is not yet come, and when he is come, he must continue a short space. That's a religious/political entity, with the power of Rome ruled by the church and it says he's also the eighth. Why? You go to Revelation 13, it says he gets a deadly wound but he comes back again and goes and all the way to the end when Christ comes.
So this woman of Revelation 17 represents Babylon, the mother of harlots, false religion or apostate Christianity. Seven heads it says are seven mountains and then it says ten horns. These ten horns are the ten divisions of the Roman Empire that represent the nations of the world today. Just like in Daniel 2, where you've got the ten toes of the image after the Roman Empire, you've got the ten divisions of that Empire.
We have in verse 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..' Now the word kings there means kings or kingdoms, and it appears there's going to be a short time near the end of time where this beast power is going to allow these different nations to have authority as long as they direct their people and the worship back to this religious entity which comes back, but it's temporary.
As the next chapter clearly is about the fall of Babylon and these other kings of the earth are bewailing and lamenting her destruction. So for a brief period of time just before the plagues are poured out, the divisions of the Roman Empire are going to once again direct their authority back to the beast.
Revelation 18 King James Version (KJV)
"1 And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory.
2 And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.
3 For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.
4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.
5 For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.
6 Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double.
7 How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.
8 Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.
9 And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning,"
