PROPHECIES OF REVELATION 6
Chapter 17 (this chapter continued from previous issue)
“So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness; and I saw a woman sitting upon a scarlet-colored beast full of the names of blasphemy and having seven heads and ten horns. And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet color and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication and upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. 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 astonishment.”
"And the angel said unto me, For what reason did you marvel? 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 was, is not and shall ascend out of the abyss and go to perdition. And they who dwell on 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, yet is. And here is the mind that has wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits. And there are seven kings; five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come, and when he comes, he must continue for a short while. And the beast that was and is not, even he is the eighth and is of the seven and goes into perdition And the ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom yet; but receive authority for one hour with the beast. 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. And he said unto me, the waters which you saw where the whore sits, are people, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues. And the ten horns which you saw upon the beast, these shall hate the whore and shall make her desolate, and burn her with fire. For God has put it into their hearts to fulfill his will and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast until the words of God shall fulfilled. And the woman whom you saw is that great city that reigns over the kings of the earth.”
“And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of demons, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. For all nations have drink of the wine of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are increasingly enriched through the abundance of her delicacies. And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her my people, that you not be partakers of her sins and that you not receive her plagues. For her sins have reached unto heaven and God has remembered her iniquities. Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works; in the cup which she has filled fill to her double. How much she has glorified herself and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give to her, for she says in her heart, I sit a queen, and I am no widow, and shall see no sorrow. 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 judges her.”
“MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH". The whore is a mystery because men cannot really see who she is, instead they see the Pope and his super power and divine authority. "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 astonishment.”
Ancient Babylon was a city that opposed God and His people. Great Babylon is Rome, a city that rules over the earth deals mostly with the souls of men. It is called great because it is that great city that rules over kings and queens on earth – papal Rome. When Babylon the great is destroyed They will find in her ruins the blood of the martyrs and saints which she shed profusely. The papacy has a history of bloodshed with actions opposed to the gospel which they used to preach.
“Their names are not in the book of life.” Many in Christianity, both in the papacy and in Protestantism, expect that their names are recorded in the book of life and that when they leave this world they will attain to eternal life. This is the promise of Christ but it is to those in His Church and not to those outside.
There are no restrictions on papal wantonness as money pours through her coffers. Many have become rich by dealing with her and sharing the booty that the faithful supply, sometimes supposing that they are doing God’s work. But is this God’s work? Look at the history of the papal crusaders which is written in blood. Entire regiments of soldiers that had surrendered to them were massacred. Leaders and rich men were mercilessly tortured; women and girls were dishonored in a beastly fashion, infants and boys were torn to pieces. Pregnant women were dragged through the streets, their wombs cut open and the embryos dashed to the ground or fed to dogs. They were skinned alive and many were hanged. They were murdered through various forms of torture. They were blinded, hanged by their hands or feet, dragged behind horses, stoned to death, thrown into burning furnaces or buried alive.
Revelation identifies the whore as the great city which reigns over the kings of the earth. This great city is the bastion of the papacy – Rome, the only city that rules over the kings of the earth. This is all recorded in history, because Rome has calmed down in our days and now smiles and appears peaceful and kind-hearted.
But this great city will be destroyed as Revelation says: “And the kings of the earth who have committed fornication and wantoned with her shall bewail her and lament for her when they shall see the smoke of her burning, standing far off in fear of her torment, saying, woe, woe, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! For in one hour is your judgment come” (Rev. 18: 9-12).
Not us, but the Lord God is the just Judge who has decided to destroy that great city that rules over the kings of the earth. When those who dealt with her see the smoke of her burning, they will cry out in amazement, for they had confidence in the great whore and her mighty city. They will stand far off In fear of her torment, for they did not realize the enormity of her crimes before God, which is why they were in fear of torment for they had dealings with the enemy of God.
“And they who dwell on 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, yet is.”
On earth there exists the Church which Christ founded wherein is to be found salvation and eternal life. This Church is the woman clothed with the sun or holy Orthodoxy, and those outside of her cannot benefit from her shelter and salvation, nor can they receive any spiritual benefits from her.
“They stood afar of and cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city! And they cast dust on their heads and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, woe, woe, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! For in one hour is she made desolate. Rejoice over her you heavens, and you holy apostles and prophets for God has avenged you on her. And an angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down and shall be found no more at all.” Revelation goes on to say at the end after her destruction, “And in her was found the blood of prophets and of Saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth” (Rev. 18:18-24).
The papacy has made countless people wealthy including clergy and laity, but when they see her destruction they will learn only then, that the pope is not Christ’s vicar, nor did he replace Christ as head of the church. For Rome has convinced most of the world that the Pope alone represents God and is His only spokesman which is untrue. Christ did not build His Church on Peter, nor did He send Peter to Rome to establish the papal church. The Bible supports this and the Vatican knows that a single man could never govern the true Church. Christ had 12 and later 70 additional disciples who were sent by Him, not only to Rome but everywhere to preach to the whole world, faith in Jesus Christ the Son of God.
If anyone has questions on this series, send them in and I will attempt to answer. RJM
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