Chapter XVII 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 show unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters: NOTE: "I have likened the daughter of Zion to a comely and delicate woman." Jeremiah 6:2. "for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ." 2Cor. 11:2. However, the woman in this chapter is not a pure woman or church, but a corrupt and idolatrous woman, or a corrupt Christian Church. The waters on which she sits symbolize "peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and languages" or all the earth. Revelation 17:15. 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. NOTE: The Roman Catholic Church is not just a religious entity, but a political force which has relations with all the other governments. Many people on earth are practicing customs which this church adopted and conceived, without even realizing where the customs came from. "Of course I quite well know that Sunday did come into use in early Christian history as a religious day, as we learn from the Christian Fathers and other sources. But what a pity that it comes branded with the mark of Paganism, and christened with the name of the sun-god, then adopted and sanctified by the Papal apostasy, and bequeathed as a sacred legacy to Protestantism." Dr. E. T. Hiscox, report of his sermon at the Baptist Minister's Convention, in New York Examiner, November 16, 1893. "It was the Catholic Church which, ...has transferred this rest (from the Bible Sabbath) to the Sunday ...Thus the observance of Sunday by the Protestants is an homage they pay, in spite of themselves, to the authority of the (Catholic) Church." Monsignor Louis Segur, Plain Talk about the Protestantism of Today, p. 213. 3. So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet colored beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. NOTE: Revelation 12:9 shows us that this beast represents Satan. We have seen how Rome was the ruling kingdom used by Satan to murder Jesus. This church or woman is riding on the power of Satan. Revelation 13:1-6 shows that the popes of the Roman papacy had the titles of blasphemy. At this period in history, there are no crowns on either the heads or the horns. 4. 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: NOTE: Roman Catholic Cardinals wears red, Archbishops wear purple, while the Pope wears gold and precious stones. The Vatican and many of the Catholic churches around the world contain a wealth of gold and precious stones. 5. And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. NOTE: This church became the mother of harlot daughters after the reformation when other churches split from her but retained her false practices. 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. NOTE: When the Catholic church says the extermination of millions of heretics was justified, they are proverbially still "drunk" with those peoples' blood. 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. NOTE: The angel is going to reveal a mystery or prophecy about this church power. Those who keep the Ten Commandments will be able to understand the prophecies. Rev. 12:17 and Rev. 19:10. 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 (venomous beast) that was, and is not, and yet is. NOTE: The word bottomless means the depths. Our earth is the depths as compared to Heaven. The word pit was not in the original text. The people on earth shall behold or see Satan when he appears. Our Lord says about Himself, "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty." Revelation 1:8. Satan is the beast that was, and is not, and yet is. He is the Father of lies. In the garden of Eden, he was there, but you couldn't see him because he was working though the serpent. Today, he is working through a false church. However, the time will come when we will see him, appearing as an being of light. 2 Cor. 11:14. 9. And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth. NOTE: Webster's Dictionary under heading of "Seven Hills of Rome," the seven hills (the Aventine, Caelian, Capitoline, Esquiline, Palatine, Quirinal, and Viminal) on and about which the ancient city of Rome was built." Note.-- Bishop Wordsworth (Church of England) wrote: "Heathen Rome doing the work of heathenism in persecuting the church was no mystery. But a Christian church, calling herself the Mother of Christendom, and yet drunken with the blood of saints-- this is a mystery .... "Nearly eighteen centuries have passed away since the Holy Spirit prophesied, by the mouth of St. John, that this mystery would be revealed in that city which was then the queen of the earth, the city on seven hills,-- the city of Rome. "The mystery was then dark as midnight. Man's eye could not pierce the gloom. The fulfillment of the prophecy seemed improbable, almost impossible. Age after age rolled away. By degrees, the mists which hung over it became less thick. The clouds began to break. Some features of the dark mystery began to appear, dimly at first, then more clearly, like mountains at daybreak. Then the form of the mystery became more and more distinct. The seven hills, and the woman sitting upon them, became more and more visible. Her voice was heard. Strange sounds of blasphemy were muttered by her. Then they became louder and louder. And the golden chalice in her hand, her scarlet attire, her pearls and jewels, were seen glittering in the sun. Kings and nations were displayed prostrate at her feet, and drinking her cup. Saints were slain by her sword, and she exulted over them. And now the prophecy became clear, clear as noonday; and we tremble at the sight, while we read the inscription, emblazoned in large letters, 'Mystery, Babylon the Great,' written by the hand of St. John, guided by the Holy Spirit of God, on the forehead of the Church of Rome."--"Union with Rome," pp. 61-63. NOTE: The Greek text means "The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth and they are also seven kings," showing a dual application. 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. NOTE: We look for a time when "Babylon," the Catholic church became "THE GREAT" after the deadly wound of 1798. See Rev. 13:3. In 1929, the Lateran Treaty established the pope as an independent sovereign in Vatican City or the "head of state." Italy paid to the Catholic church, Italian dollars in the amount of 750 million and 1 billion in bonds. The church has been rising GREATER and GREATER as first, ambassadors from countries were sent and now presidents and kings kneel before it. From the time it rose again, we must count its kings to see the prophecy. 1st King-------1922-39; Pope Pope Pius XI 2nd King------1939-58; Pope Pius XII 3rd King------1958-63; Pope John XXIII 4th King------1963-78; Pope Paul VI 5th King------1978 (died suddenly, Sept. 29); Pope John Paul I This prophecy was understood when Pope John Paul II was alive making this the: One that is----1978-2005; Pope John Paul II Short space---2005 (April 19); Pope Benedict XVI 11. And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition. NOTE: The prophecy does not say that there are eight kings, but seven, showing that the eighth is not a man like the other seven, but an angel (though fallen). He is of the seven because Satan will give the Catholic church his blessing when he comes impersonating Jesus. 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. NOTE: For this prophecy to be correct, there must be ten kings which are not ruling as yet, in addition to the correct number of popes that have lived. The Club of Rome Report circulated to the world leaders on September 17, 1973 would place the entire world under one government run by the United Nations. Under this plan all nations would be part of one of the ten divisions of the New World Order: North America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Japan, Rest of Developed World, Latin America, Middle East, Rest of Africa, South and South East Asia, and China. Sources are confirming the presence of these ten leaders, "witnesses say he (Maitreya) was present on the ship at Malta with Bush, Gorbachev, and the ten regional heads of the New World Order." Behold A Pale Horse, p. 80. 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 ear her flesh, and burn her with fire. 17. For God hath put in their hearts to fulfill his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled. 18. And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth. NOTE: The hour described in vs. 12 and the time that the ten kings are ruling with Satan is the same as that described in Revelation 3:10: "Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth." Faith in Jesus, obedience and overcoming our sins will give us the assurance of Rev. 3:5: "He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels." We need our names to stay in the book of life, because, "all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him (Satan), whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world." Revelation 13:8. By the power of the blood of Jesus and the Holy Spirit dwelling in your mind and guiding your thoughts, you can OVERCOME your sins!
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