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Home , Revelation 17

Revelation

Session 49

CHAPTER 17

Revelation 17:7

➢ God’s angel notices that John is astonished and maybe even confused. ➢ So, this angel explains these things to John ➢ The remining verses in chapter 17 are about this mystery beast and the identity of the woman.

Revelation 17:8

➢ exists prior to Johns lifetime. (once was) ➢ Did not exist when John saw this revelation (now is not) ➢ But will reappear at some specified time in the future. ➢ This beast will have satanic ties and will come out of the abyss ➢ He will eventually go to his destruction since God will cast him into the “lake of fire”. Revelation

➢ He will take his followers (the inhabitants of the earth whose names are not written in the “lamb’s ” with him. ➢ When the 5th trumpet sounds, Satan will open the bottomless pit and release the demonic spirits being held there. ➢ Now imagine this----we think the world is bad now----imagine what it will be like when the demonic spirits (which have been kept at bay in the bottomless pit) are released?

Revelation 17:9

➢ This verse gets a little tricky when it comes to interpretation. Its not meant to be tricky or confusing---it just requires a spiritual lens rather than a geographical lens. ➢ The seven heads on this beast are seven mountains on which the woman sits. ➢ Revelation 17:10 tells us these are not actual mountains, but are 7 kings or kingdoms (world governments) ➢ So, there are three possibilities here--- 1). A religious system or city that sits on 7 mountains or 2). Seven kings or 3). Both, ➢ The tells us that mountains are a symbol of kingdoms. ➢ Therefore, the mountains must be 7 kingdoms / governments ➢ Some still say that the “seven mountains” is a reference to Rome-- - the city on 7 hills. If they are correct, then Rome would be the only city that the prostitute would control and be propped up by.

Revelation 17:10

➢ The word “kings” can also be translated “kingdoms”. Revelation

➢ History and scripture have revealed there have been 7 Gentile world kingdoms. ➢ The five that have fallen are the Gentile kingdoms – Assyrian, Medo-Persian, Greek, Egyptian, and Babylonian. ➢ “One is” refers to the sixth kingdom –Roman that existed in Johns lifetime ➢ “the other has not yet come” – refers to 7th future kingdom (the revised roman empire) which will exist after Johns lifetime. ➢ The 7th kingdom will remain for a short time (for the duration of the Tribulation period). ➢ Also, these kingdoms have been dominated by the false occultic religion of ➢ The 7th kingdom will last for 7 years (the length of the tribulation period).

Revelation 17:11

➢ This describes the beast that “was and was not”---the ➢ He is the 8th kingdom / king ➢ He is NOT one of the 7 already mentioned. ➢ He will come out of the 7th kingdom mentioned ( which would be the revived Roman empire) -----now there is some real debate about this. That could include any country that was formed out of the European empire, it could be just the New Roman empire (which would Europe / Rome only) or it could mean this Antichrist could come from a one world religion instituted through the New Roman Empire. ➢ Which ever it is, this King/kingdom will establish a Gentile world kingdom and government. The Antichrist will rise in this new Revelation

government, take it over and then transform it into a satanic state. ➢ The Beast that was and is not – is the beast that will come out of the bottomless pit ---the Antichrist.

Revelation 17:12

➢ These 10 horns are ten kings that will rule with the Antichrist. ➢ This scripture presents a picture of what the end-time world government will be like. ➢ The Anti- will rule the world, which will be divided into ten divisions. ➢ In charge of each division will separate leaders who will answer to the Anti-Christ. ➢ Each one of these kings will receive authority for one hour. (One- hour is a Biblical term that means “for a short time”. ➢ In this case, “a short time” means that these kings will reign with the Anti-Christ during the tribulation period. ➢ Look back at :10 – What does this verse mean to you?

Revelation 17:13

➢ These 10 kings will be “puppet kings” who submit to the Antichrist ➢ What do you know about “dictators”? What means do they use to come into power? ➢ Violence, force, political trickery ➢ These dictators must maintain force to stay in power. Revelation

➢ Dictators usually outlaw basic freedoms such as freedom to worship, freedom of assembly, freedom of speech. ➢ According to the , the Antichrist will do these things as well but on a much greater scale. ➢ Question: Why do dictators outlaw basic freedoms?

Revelation 17:14

➢ At the end of the tribulation period, the Antichrist and his ten puppets will make war with the Lamb (who is the Lamb?). ➢ War will be with the Lamb and his faithful followers (His chosen) ➢ The Lamb will defeat these kings in the Battle of because he is the Lord of Lords and the King of Kings.

Revelation 17:15

➢ This scripture tells us that the “Harlot” will sit upon (which means have the support of) people and nations from across the world. This religious system will have tremendous power ( Think back to the One World Religious System idea).

Revelation 17:16

➢ Have you ever noticed how dictators get approval and buy in from people before they wind up completely doing away with them? ➢ Here in verse 16, during the first half of the tribulation, The Antichrist will be submissive to this one world religious system and to the city (Babylon) where the one world government is located. Revelation

➢ John tells us it will not stay this way----the 10 puppet kings under the command of the Antichrist, will rise at the midpoint of the tribulation period. ➢ The Antichrist will enter the Jewish temple in and declare himself to be god. There will be no more room for the one world religion and the city of Babylon (center of the one world government). ➢ The Antichrist and his puppets will destroy the harlot’s religious system. They will confiscate her wealth and will persecute and kill her deceived people. Nothing will remain of this religious system when the Antichrist takes her down.

Revelation 17:17

➢ This is an interesting verse that what the Antichrist does not realize is that he is really the puppet here. ➢ God will put into the minds of the 10 puppet kings the destruction of this false religious system----destruction of the harlot religious system is why God agrees to give them power to start with. ➢ They will be instruments to fulfill the very purpose of God and His WORD.

Revelation 17:18

➢ This last verse of chapter 17 identifies a woman (which is a city) but it does not tell us what that city’s name is. ➢ It does say this city is a powerful city reigning over the kings of the earth. ➢ There is a great deal of disagreement about this verse. Many want it to have a spiritual meaning and not a literal meaning. ➢ John, however, has referred to Babylon as that literal city in :8, 18;10,16,18&19. Revelation

➢ It would not make much sense for John to stray away from that literal interpretation to bring in a spiritual city. ➢ John also names other cities within the book of Revelation. ➢ Isaiah prophecy (that a literal city like ) will be destroyed (Isaiah 13:19-20) ➢ Some say the great city of Babylon (prior to the tribulation and throughout the cities existence in the Tribulation) will possibly house the United Nations (moved from New York to the end time location).