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The Seven Heads of the Beast in Revelation 17

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The Seven Heads of the Beast in Revelation 17 Andrews University Digital Commons @ Andrews University Faculty Publications New Testament 12-2013 The eveS n Heads of the Beast in Revelation 17 Ranko Stefanovic Andrews University Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/new-testament-pubs Part of the Biblical Studies Commons Recommended Citation Stefanovic, Ranko, "The eS ven Heads of the Beast in Revelation 17" (2013). Faculty Publications. 16. http://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/new-testament-pubs/16 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the New Testament at Digital Commons @ Andrews University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Faculty Publications by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ Andrews University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. RANKO STEFANOVIC Ranko Stefanovic, PhD, is professor of New Testament studies, Andrews University Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary, Berrien Springs, Michigan, United States. The seven heads of the beast in Revelation 17 n past months, the resignation of Where have such ideas come from? The prostitute riding the Pope Benedict XVI and the elec- Unfortunately, they have not been beast tion of his successor, Pope Francis, derived from careful study of the bib- Revelation 17 is delineated into Ipreoccupied the news media and lical text, but rather from past and two parts: (1) the vision (17:1–6a), in Internet. The news sparked a renewed current news headlines that have been which John the revelator observes a interest in the enigmatic prophecy of twisted into fictitious and sensational woman who is depicted as a prostitute Revelation 17:9–11 among students biblical predictions. Historical facts riding the beast; and (2) the audition of Bible prophecy, resulting in some and biblical texts were creatively inter- (17:6b–18), in which the interpreting creative interpretive proposals. twined in order to fit an established angel explains to John the meaning Revelation 17 vividly describes interpretation, which is unfortunately of the vision of the prostitute and the a beast with seven heads (v. 3). not supported by textual evidence. beast that carries her. Subsequently, an interpreting angel In reality, the view that the healing In the vision, John is invited to explains to John the revelator that of the papal deadly wound occurred in witness the judgment of the great these heads represent seven consecu- 1929 is only an assumption rather than prostitute who sits on many waters, tive kings: five have fallen, the sixth is, a historical fact. The act of granting seductively deceiving the inhabitants and the seventh king is yet to come (v. the papacy a small, independently of the earth (vv. 1, 2). This woman is 10). When he comes, he will remain sovereign state can hardly be viewed as subsequently identified as “ ‘Babylon only for a short time. Along with an the fulfillment of this prophecy, whose the great, the mother of harlots’ ” (v. 5).1 eighth king, the whole beast will go to scope is worldwide, as described in In the Hebrew Scriptures, a prostitute destruction (v. 11). Revelation 13:11–18. While the year symbolically refers to God’s people in During the last several decades, 1929 may have marked the beginning their apostasy (Isa. 1:21; Jer. 3:1; Ezek. some Adventist interpreters have of the healing of the deadly wound, the 16; 23; Hosea 3; 4). The portrayal of the associated these seven heads/kings fact that 84 years have passed since the prostitute in Revelation 17 shows that with the seven successive popes since Lateran Treaty contradicts any evidence she represents an entity that was once 1929—the year in which the Lateran that supports the view that the papal faithful to God before aligning herself Treaty recognized Vatican City as an deadly wound has been healed. with the end-time opponent of God independent sovereign state. For some Furthermore, the application of the and His faithful remnant. Babylon is time, John Paul II, pontiff from 1978 to “ ‘short time’ ” of the rule of the seventh thus a corporate name for an end-time 2005, had been regarded as the last king to the eight-year rule of Benedict apostate entity. pope. However, his death prompted a XVI ignores the even shorter pontificate Note that the prostitute is first reinterpretation of this prophecy. The of John Paul I, who ruled for only 34 referenced to as sitting on “ ‘many fact that Benedict XVI is the seventh days before he died in 1978 (Rev. 17:10, waters’ ” (v. 1); however, when John elected pope since 1929 and his pon- NKJV). Many other such inconsistencies actually sees her, she is seen as sitting tificate lasted for only a relatively short render this adaptation of the biblical on a scarlet beast (v. 3). This should not period of time (some eight years), has prophecy as spurious and inconclusive. come as a surprise due to such a literary led some to associate him with the Therefore, I invite you to join me in feature occurring regularly in the book seventh king; thus, the newly elected a closer look at Revelation 17:9–11 in an (see Rev. 5:5, 6). Therefore, the waters Pope Francis is viewed as the last pope effort to discover the meaning that God and the beast are two symbols that in the office before the end comes. intended for this enigmatic passage. represent the same reality. According to Ministry® DECEMBER 2013 Revelation 17:5, the waters upon which The “was” phase of the beast refers church, was a religious-political power, the prostitute was seen symbolize the to its activities during the prophetic the scarlet beast is exclusively a politi- civil, secular, and political powers of period of 1,260 days or years (Rev. 13:5). cal power. These two are distinct at the the world. Jeremiah 51:13 shows that The year A.D. 538 marked the beginning end of time. “many waters” refers to the Euphrates of this prophetic period when the River. Just as the ancient Babylon church of western Europe, led by the The seven heads of the depended on the Euphrates River for its Roman papacy, established itself as beast existence, so will the end-time Babylon an ecclesiastical power and dominated This brings us to our key passage depend on the civil, secular, and politi- the Western world throughout the of Revelation 17:9–11: “ ‘Here is the cal powers of the world to enforce its Middle Ages. In our time characterized mind which has wisdom. The seven plans and purposes. by religious tolerance, such statements heads are seven mountains on which Furthermore, the beast stands as a can be regarded as harsh and unfair; the woman sits, and they are seven symbol of a political power or system. but the present reality cannot erase the kings; five have fallen, one is, the other That the prostitute Babylon sits (or historical facts. has not yet come; and when he comes, rides) on the beast shows that this Furthermore, the beast came into he must remain a little while. The beast religious system will have control over its “is not” phase of existence in 1798 which was and is not, is himself also an these worldwide political powers at the when, as a result of the events of the eighth and is one of the seven, and he end of time. Thus, the prophecy shows French Revolution, it sustained its goes to destruction.’ ” us that at the end of time, there will deadly wound (Rev. 13:3). This brought The text opens with a call for be a religious-political union when the an end to the church’s oppressive “wisdom” as a prerequisite to under- political powers of the earth will unite political power. The beast disappeared standing the meaning of the heads with the end-time apostate religious for some time from the world’s scene, of the beast. The wisdom that John system named Babylon. yet it survived. calls for here is the same wisdom that Third, with the healing of the was spoken of in connection with the The three phases of the deadly wound, the beast will resur- number of the beast (Rev. 13:18). This beast rect to life in full satanic rage against wisdom refers to spiritual discern- In the second part of the chapter, God’s faithful people. The prophecy ment that can only be imparted by John is described as greatly aston- thus shows that the religious-political the Holy Spirit, rather than through ished when he sees the prostitute. He oppressive system that dominated brilliant mental and intellectual ability recognizes in her the woman that had the world during the Middle Ages will (James 1:5). Only through this divinely fled into the wilderness in order to be revived at the time of the end and imparted wisdom will the faithful be escape the persecution of the dragon will dominate the world as it did in the able to discern the true character of during the prophetic 1,260-day period past. This revival of the beast will fill this end-time satanic power. of the Middle Ages (Rev. 12:13, 14). In the inhabitants of the world with awe Moving forward, we may see that response to John’s astonishment, the and admiration (Rev. 13:8; 17:8b). the beast has seven heads like the red interpreting angel promises to disclose Therefore, Revelation 17 clearly dragon (or Satan) of Revelation 12:3. the “ ‘mystery’ ” of the prostitute and describes the sea beast of Revelation The existence of the beast remains of the scarlet beast that carries her as 13 at the time when its deadly wound inseparable from its heads.
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