Revelation 17: Historical Interpretation (Deeply rooted in the Book of Daniel)

Christopher Mourey
November 25, 2023

Foreword

I pray that whoever studies the Bible and it’s prophecies will learn about the love of our Heavenly Father and His only begotten Son.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

John 17:3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

Philippians 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

Why Prophecy Matters?

It is best to let the bible answer this question.

Genesis 41:15 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I have dreamed a dream, and there is none that can interpret it: and I have heard say of thee, that thou canst understand a dream to interpret it. 16 And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, It is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace.

Isaiah 46:5 To whom will ye liken me, and make me equal, and compare me, that we may be like? 6 They lavish gold out of the bag, and weigh silver in the balance, and hire a goldsmith; and he maketh it a god: they fall down, yea, they worship. 7 They bear him upon the shoulder, they carry him, and set him in his place, and he standeth; from his place shall he not remove: yea, one shall cry unto him, yet can he not answer, nor save him out of his trouble. 8 Remember this, and shew yourselves men: bring it again to mind, O ye transgressors. 9 Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, 10 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:

Daniel 2:18 That they would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret; that Daniel and his fellows should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. 19 Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven. 20 Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his: 21 And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding: 22 He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him. 23 I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers, who hast given me wisdom and might, and hast made known unto me now what we desired of thee: for thou hast now made known unto us the king’s matter.

Daniel 2:47 The king answered unto Daniel, and said, Of a truth it is, that your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing thou couldest reveal this secret.

John 16:1 These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended. 2 They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. 3 And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me. 4 But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you.

John 16:31 Jesus answered them, Do ye now believe? 32 Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me. 33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world

REVELATION 17

Revelation 17:1

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:

Comment 1: The angel speaking to John is one of the angels in Revelation 16 that poured out one of the vials of God’s wrath. This angel helps John understand the events that lead to the great whore’s judgement in the future.

Revelation 16:17 And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done. 18 And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great. 19 And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath. 20 And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. 21 And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great.

Comment 2: It is important for the bible to interpret its own prophetic symbols.

2 Peter 1:20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.

Comment 3: A pure woman represents a faithful church.

Jerimiah 6:2 I have likened the daughter of Zion to a comely and delicate woman.

Revelation 12:1 And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars:”

Comment 4: A wicked woman represents a rebellious church.

Hosea 1:2 The beginning of the word of the LORD by Hosea. And the LORD said to Hosea, Go, take unto thee a wife of whoredoms and children of whoredoms: for the land hath committed great whoredom, departing from the LORD.

Jeremiah 13:27 I have seen thine adulteries, and thy neighings, the lewdness of thy whoredom, and thine abominations on the hills in the fields. Woe unto thee, O Jerusalem! wilt thou not be made clean? when shall it once be?

Comment 5: “The great whore” sits upon many waters when her judgment is executed in the future (Rev 16:17-21). These waters are the inhabitants of the earth: peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.

Revelation 17:15 The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.

Comment 7: “The great whore” attempts to reign where God reigns.

Psalms 47:7 For God is the King of all the earth: sing ye praises with understanding. 8 God reigneth over the heathen: God sitteth upon the throne of his holiness. 9 The princes of the people are gathered together, even the people of the God of Abraham: for the shields of the earth belong unto God: he is greatly exalted.

Comment 8: In Genesis we can see the adjective “great” is used to describe the condition of a people that are about to be judged because their sins are very grievous, and the LORD sends angels to destroy them. Therefore the (“great” whore) in Revelation 17 is ripe for judgements of God to be poured out in the future (Rev 16:17-21).

Gen 18:20 And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous;

Gen 19:13 For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the LORD; and the LORD hath sent us to destroy it.

Revelation 17:2

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.

Comment 1: The great whore is sitting (directly) on many waters before her judgement is executed (future), when the kings have committed fornication (past tense) and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk (past tense) with the wine of her fornication.

Comment 2: The great whore (mighty and rebellious church) fornicated (had an unlawful relationship) with the kings of the earth (with the rulers of the world). The wine is a result of the union of church and state. This wine makes the inhabitants of the earth drunk.

Comment 3: I will paraphrase what we have learned from the first 2 verses. The angel responsible for pouring out God’s future judgement will help John understand the judgement of the rebellious christian church. The grievous sins of this rebellious christian church includes the unlawful relationship with the world’s leaders. Because the rebellious christian church has influence with the rulers of the earth she is able to make their citizens drunk. This rebellious christian church will have direct influence over the inhabitants of the earth when they have been made drunk. This drunkenness will cause the inhabitants of the world to be deceive and to receive a spirit that does not come from God.

Rev 13:12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. 13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, 14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.

Rev 18:2 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.

Acts 2:1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. 5 And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.

Acts 2:12 And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this? 13 Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine. 14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words: 15 For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day. 16 But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; 17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: 18 And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:

Luk 5:37 And no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish. 38 But new wine must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved. 39 No man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new: for he saith, The old is better.

Revelation 17:3

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.

Comment 1: John is taken from a prophetic scene of the great whore that is still future to another time period in the past. John describes the angel carrying him away in the spirit to a new prophetic scene where the woman is not described as a great whore. This woman (apparent christian church) is not sitting upon many waters (open authority over peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues) as the great whore. Instead this church sits (authority) on a scarlet (sin) beast (kingdom), full of the names of blasphemy in the wilderness (hidden and obscure). While this woman sits (has authority) on this blasphemous beast (kingdom) with seven heads (in the capital in Rome, Italy). She (apparent christian church) is fornicating (unlawful intimate relationship) in obscurity with ten horns (earth’s kings/rulers). The unlawful illicit relationship the Roman church has with the kings of the earth causes the earth’s inhabitants to become subject to her influence via their leaders influence (laws, school curriculum, media, churches, etc.…). These influences from the fornication has an ungodly intoxicating affect from the wine of their fornication. This time period prepares the inhabitants of the earth to accept the great whore to sit with direct authority over them.

Comment 2: After the water beast in Revelation 13 appears to be wounded to death, the church in Rome continued her work while riding the beast without crowns in obscurity. No longer is she described as a beast with crowns operating in the midst of a sea (peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues). This direct influence was lost in 1798 which gives us the starting date of this time period when the wounded church starts to operate in obscurity. The angel wants John to understand the events that transpire from the time she starts riding the beast in the wilderness (obscurity) until the future time when she sits directly on the waters.

Comment 3: The angel confirms that the woman is sitting on the beast in the wilderness. This allows the woman to control the beast in obscurity and appear to maintain her innocence, but the bible is clear that the horrors that the kings of the earth are responsible for can be connected to the rider directing them. A rider has authority of the beast it rides. Daniel 2, Daniel 7, Daniel 11, Revelation 12, Revelation 13 agree with the prophetic picture that we see in Revelation 17. In Daniel 2 the legs of iron (Rome) and clay (church craft) continue from 538 A.D. until the time that the Rock (Christ) strikes the feet of the statue. Revelation 17 brings a specific time period of this power into focus so we need not be deceived when the woman and kings of the earth are having an illicit relation in obscurity. Their primary goal is to intoxicate the inhabitants of the earth with teachings that oppose Christ, His word and His church.

“The mingling of church craft and state craft is represented by the iron and the clay. This union is weakening all the power of the churches. This investing the church with the power of the state will bring evil results. Men have almost passed the point of God’s forbearance. They have invested their strength in politics, and have united with the papacy. But the time will come when God will punish those who have made void His law, and their evil work will recoil upon themselves.”—Manuscript 63, 1899, 12, 13. EG WhiteManuscript, April 22, 1899.)

Comment 4: When the water beast of Revelation 13 was leading the counter reformation publicly her influence continued to wane. Protestants clearly identify Papal Rome as Anti-Christ, print the bible in the common language of their country and their citizens were convicted to accepting the doctrine of Jesus by reading the word of God. Papal Rome appears to be removed from the battle field in 1798, but the counter reformation marches on in secrecy with the rulers of the earth. The angel sheds light on this tactic.

Comment 5: Revelation 17 confirms that Papal Rome maintains her authority just has she has in the preceding prophecies: Daniel 2, Daniel 7, Daniel 11, Revelation 12. Revelation 13 also agrees on this point if you interpret the following verses in the light of all the preceding prophecies. Please read them carefully with this thought in mind:

KJV Rev 13:3 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.

KJV Rev 13:12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.

NKJV Rev 13:12 And he exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence, and causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. KJV Rev 13:14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.

NKJV Rev 13:14 And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived.

Comment 6: The scarlet coloured beast is similar in color to the dragon beast in Revelation 12. The beast the woman rides is full of names of blasphemy which is a similar trait to the water beast in Revelation 13 and the little horn in Daniel 7. The church fathers of the reformation identified this blasphemous power as Papal Rome.

Comment 7: The angel confirms the location of this prophecy. In Revelation 13 we learn that Pagan Rome gave Papal Rome their seat. The seat of power is that both Empires shared is commonly called the “City of Seven Hills” or her proper name: Rome, Italy. From this seat of power Papal Rome has strived to have absolute authority.

Revelation 13:2 the dragon (pagan Rome) gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority

“In the sixth century the papacy had become firmly established. Its seat of power was fixed in the imperial city, and the bishop of Rome was declared to be the head over the entire church. Paganism had given place to the papacy. The dragon had given to the beast “his power, and his seat, and great authority.” Revelation 13:2. And now began the 1260 years of papal oppression foretold in the prophecies of Daniel and the Revelation. Daniel 7:25; Revelation 13:5-7.” – E.G. White THE GREAT CONTROVERSEY

Revelation 17:9 “And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.”

Rev 2:13 I know … even where Satan’s seat is:

Comment 8: The angel confirms the symbol of the woman in this prophecy can literally be interpreted as the great “City of Seven Hills”. An apparent christian city located in Rome, Italy.

Revelation 17:18 And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.

Comment 9: There are no crowns on the horns of this beast. The “divine right of kings” doctrine was outwardly paused. Kingly power appears to wane, but it too is sitting in obscurity with the woman riding it in the wilderness. The woman, the beast and the kings move their operate in obscurity after 1798. The angel describes a time when they will operate openly for a short time.

Revelation 17:12 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.

The kings of the earth secretly fornicate with the woman and the inhabitants of the earth are drinking the wine of this fornication. It is important that we understand this so we will not be deceived.

Comment 10: In Revelation 11 a beast ascends out of the bottomless pit. We know from history that this is the power which appears to “mortally” wound the head of the water beast in revelation 13. God exposes the real motive of the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit in Revelation 11. Revelation 17 confirms that the woman is still holding the reigns as she rides this beast in obscurity.

Comment 11: Although the history books paint a picture of Atheism in France helping the world break free of the tyranny of Papal oppression the bible helps us understand the real purpose of this mindset.

Revelation 11:7 And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them. 8 And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.

Translating and printing the Bible in the language of the common man gave strength to the Protestant Reformation. This caused the Papal Roman empire to respond. The Jesuits order was recognized canonically in 1540 and the Council of Trent (1545–1563) was in session to plan the strategy for a Counter Reformation. One of many tactics to eliminate Protestantism was a Jesuit dialectic which would initially impact the kingdoms of Europe where Protestantism was the greatest threat. This plan was influenced by the following Jesuits, Masons and Jacobins: Adam Weishaupt, Maximilien Robespierre, Voltaire, Jean Jacque Rousseau, etc.

NOTE: Dialectic is a philosophy to move a mindset by causing thesis to collide with antithesis which will then provide the desired result synthesis. See Appendix A Throughout Christendom, Protestantism was menaced by formidable foes. The first triumphs of the Reformation past, Rome summoned new forces, hoping to accomplish its destruction. At this time, the order of the Jesuits was created, the most cruel, unscrupulous, and powerful of all the champions of popery. Cut off from every earthly tie and human interest, dead to the claims of natural affection, reason and conscience wholly silenced, they knew no rule, no tie, but that of their order, and no duty but to extend its power. The gospel of Christ had enabled its adherents to meet danger and endure suffering, undismayed by cold, hunger, toil, and poverty, to uphold the banner of truth in face of the rack, the dungeon, and the stake. To combat these forces, Jesuitism inspired its followers with a fanaticism that enabled them to endure like dangers, and to oppose to the power of truth all the weapons of deception. There was no crime too great for them to commit, no deception too base for them to practice, no disguise too difficult for them to assume. Vowed to perpetual poverty and humility, it was their studied aim to secure wealth and power, to be devoted to the overthrow of Protestantism, and the re-establishment of the papal supremacy. When appearing as members of their order, they wore a garb of sanctity, visiting prisons and hospitals, ministering to the sick and the poor, professing to have renounced the world, and bearing the sacred name of Jesus, who went about doing good. But under this blameless exterior the most criminal and deadly purposes were concealed. It was a fundamental principle of the order that the end justifies the means. By this code, lying, theft, perjury, assassination, were not only pardonable but commendable, when they served the interests of the church. Under various disguises the Jesuits worked their way into offices of State, climbing up to be the counselors of kings, and shaping the policy of nations. They became servants, to act as spies upon their masters. They established colleges for the sons of princes and nobles, and schools for the common people; and the children of Protestant parents were drawn into an observance of popish rites. All the outward pomp and display of the Romish worship was brought to bear to confuse the mind, and dazzle and captivate the imagination; and thus the liberty for which the fathers had toiled and bled was betrayed by the sons. The Jesuits rapidly spread themselves over Europe, and wherever they went, there followed a revival of popery.

To give them greater power, a bull was issued re-establishing the Inquisition. Notwithstanding the general abhorrence with which it was regarded, even in Catholic countries, this terrible tribunal was again set up by popish rulers, and atrocities too terrible to bear the light of day were repeated in its secret dungeons. In many countries, thousands upon thousands of the very flower of the nation, the purest and noblest, the most intellectual and highly educated, pious and devoted pastors, industrious and patriotic citizens, brilliant scholars, talented artists, skillful artisans, were slain, or forced to flee to other lands. Such were the means which Rome had invoked to quench the light of the Reformation, to withdraw from men the Bible, and to restore the ignorance and superstition of the Dark Ages. “The Great Controversy” 234.2 – 235.2

“Weishaupt and his fellow Jesuits cut off the income to the Vatican by launching and leading the French Revolution; by directing Napoleon’s conquest of Catholic Europe [as the Order would do with Hitler]; by the revolt against the Church, led by such priests as Father Hidalgo, in Mexico and Latin America; by eventually having Napoleon throw Pope Pius VII in jail at Avignon until he agreed, as the price for his release, to reestablish the Jesuit Order. This Jesuit war on the Vatican was terminated by the Congress of Vienna and by the secret, 1822, Treaty of Verona. . . . Ever since, the Rothschilds have been the fiscal agents of the Vatican.” -Emanuel M. Josephson, Jewish American Physician & Historian: „The “Federal” Reserve Conspiracy & Rockefellers”, 1968

They (Jesuits) are accused of securing the revocation of the Edict of Nantes,– one of the greatest crimes in the history of modern times, which led to the expulsion of four hundred thousand Protestants from France, and the execution of four hundred thousand more. – John Lord, Beacon Lights of History, volume VI, p. 325.

“It is my opinion that if the liberties of this country – the United States of America – are destroyed, it will be by the subtlety of the Roman Catholic Jesuit priests, for they are the most crafty, dangerous enemies to civil and religious liberty. They have instigated MOST of the wars of Europe.” – Marquis de LaFayette (1757-1834; French statesman and general served in the American Continental Army under the command of General George Washington during the American Revolutionary War.)

The Jesuit dialectic thesis is Atheism which started during the French Revolution (1789-1799). French atheism peaked in 1793 when they renounce unanimously the belief and worship of a Deity and as a nation she lifted her hand in open rebellion against the Author of the universe. In Revelation 11 the mindset of Atheism that started in France, settled into Europe and then spread to parts of the world. Atheism and her fruits are results of the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit. The primary purpose of this beast is to make war against the word of God. The primary strong hold of the word of God during this time was the countries that embraced the reformation.

Revelation 11:7 And when they (old and new testament) shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them. 8 And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.

German historiography may count the War of the Second Coalition (1798/9–1801/2), during which Napoleon seized power, as the Erster Napoleonischer Krieg (“First Napoleonic War”).

This (doctrine) Atheistic influence is spiritually called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. This teaching is a deep draft of the wine that flowed from the fornication of church and state. The desired result (or synthesis) of the Counter Reformation is to destroy the Protestant mindset so the great whore can sit on many waters a.k.a. “the inhabitants of the earth”. For synthesis to occur antithesis will need to clash with thesis.

Revelation 17:4

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:

Comment 1: Exodus 28:4-35 describes what the high priest of GOD was instructed to wear. The woman adorns herself with similar articles, but there are glaring differences. The woman wears no blue! Blue was worn by the priest to remember all the commandments of the LORD, and do them. To keep them from seeking after their own hearts and eyes, which they use to go whoring.

Numbers 15:37 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 38 Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put upon the fringe of the borders a ribband of blue: 39 And it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the LORD, and do them; and that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go a whoring: 40 That ye may remember, and do all my commandments, and be holy unto your God. 41 I am the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: I am the LORD your God.

Comment 2: The woman had more than one pearl! “The righteousness of Christ, as a pure white pearl, has no defect, no stain, no guilt. This righteousness may be ours. Salvation, with its blood-bought, inestimable treasures, is the pearl of great price.” E.G. White SELECTED MESSAGES BOOK 1, PAGE 399. This woman offers salvation substitutes by many methods, none of which is the salvation that Jesus offers.

Matthew 13:46 Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.

“Prophecy had declared that the papacy was to “think to change times and laws.” Daniel 7:25. This work it was not slow to attempt. To afford converts from heathenism a substitute for the worship of idols, and thus to promote their nominal acceptance of Christianity, the adoration of images and relics was gradually introduced into the Christian worship. The decree of a general council finally established this system of idolatry. To complete the sacrilegious work, Rome presumed to expunge from the law of God the second commandment, forbidding image worship, and to divide the tenth commandment, in order to preserve the number…

Instead of trusting in the Son of God for forgiveness of sins and for eternal salvation, the people looked to the pope, and to the priests and prelates to whom he delegated authority. They were taught that the pope was their earthly mediator and that none could approach God except through him; and, further, that he stood in the place of God to them and was therefore to be implicitly obeyed… Then the way was prepared for the introduction of still another invention of paganism, which Rome named purgatory, and employed to terrify the credulous and superstitious multitudes. By this heresy is affirmed the existence of a place of torment, in which the souls of such as have not merited eternal damnation are to suffer punishment for their sins, and from which, when freed from impurity, they are admitted to heaven.

Still another fabrication was needed to enable Rome to profit by the fears and the vices of her adherents. This was supplied by the doctrine of indulgences. Full remission of sins, past, present, and future, and release from all the pains and penalties incurred, were promised to all who would enlist in the pontiff’s wars to extend his temporal dominion, to punish his enemies, or to exterminate those who dared deny his spiritual supremacy.” E.G. White THE GREAT CONTROVERSEY Chapter 3

Comment 3: The golden cup in her hand that holds the wine of her fornication has been expanded and enlarged to help us understand what constitutes the wine: full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication.

Abominations rebelling against what God has forbidden.

Proverbs 28:9 He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination.

Deuteronomy 18:9 …thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations. 10 There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, 11 Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. 12 For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee.

Jeremiah 32:35 And they built the high places of Baal, which are in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire unto Molech; which I commanded them not, neither came it into my mind, that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin.

Lev_20:13 If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination:

Deu_22:5 The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman’s garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the LORD thy God.

Deu_7:25 The graven images of their gods shall ye burn with fire: thou shalt not desire the silver or gold that is on them, nor take it unto thee, lest thou be snared therein: for it is an abomination to the LORD thy God.

Filthiness – church leadership believing and teaching false doctrine.

Isaiah 28:7 But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgment. 8 For all tables are full of vomit and filthiness, so that there is no place clean. 9 Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. 10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little: 11 For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.

Fornication – Result of false doctrine taught by church leadership uniting with the civil leaders to entice church members to rebel against God.

Rev_2:14 But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.

Revelation 17:5

And upon her forehead was a name written, Mystery, Babylon The Great, The Mother Of Harlots And Abominations Of The Earth.

Comment 1: Mystery Strong G3466 – (to shut the mouth); a secret or “mystery” (through the idea of silence imposed by initiation into religious rites)

Comment 2: Babylon The Great = great/mighty city

Revelation 16:19 And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.

Rev 18:10 Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come.

Comment 3: Mother Of Harlots And Abominations Of The Earth. Inscription on the façade of the Basilica of St. John Lateran in Rome.

Latin: “Sacrosancta Lateranensis ecclesia omnium urbis et orbis ecclesiarum mater et caput”

English: “Most Holy Lateran Church, of all the churches in the city and the world, the mother and head.”

Comment 4: The angel discloses that all the protestant churches of the world have been affected by the counter reformation teaching. They abandon doctrine and principals of the Reformers and adopt harlotry from the teaching of their Mother’s counter-reformation doctrines. The story of John the baptist give us a foreshadow of future events when God’s people are filled with the Spirit of Elijah.

Matthew 14:3 For Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put him in prison for Herodias’ sake, his brother Philip’s wife. 4 For John said unto him, It is not lawful for thee to have her. 5 And when he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet. 6 But when Herod’s birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod. 7 Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatsoever she would ask. 8 And she, being before instructed of her mother, said, Give me here John Baptist’s head in a charger. 9 And the king was sorry: nevertheless for the oath’s sake, and them which sat with him at meat, he commanded it to be given her. 10 And he sent, and beheaded John in the prison. 11 And his head was brought in a charger, and given to the damsel: and she brought it to her mother.

Revelation 17:6

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.

Comment 1: “woman drunken with the blood of the saints” this once again confirms the prophetic time that John was taken to. Blood of the saints refer to the millions of Christians that were persecuted by Papal Rome during the dark ages because they cherished the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. The woman being drunk (past tense) signifies that the woman has slaughtered the saints in the past. She is now in the wilderness after the dark ages in 1798 A.D.

Rev_14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

“In the thirteenth century was established that most terrible of all the engines of the papacy—the Inquisition. The prince of darkness wrought with the leaders of the papal hierarchy. In their secret councils Satan and his angels controlled the minds of evil men, while unseen in the midst stood an angel of God, taking the fearful record of their iniquitous decrees and writing the history of deeds too horrible to appear to human eyes. “Babylon the great” was “drunken with the blood of the saints.” The mangled forms of millions of martyrs cried to God for vengeance upon that apostate power.” E.G. White THE GREAT CONTROVERSEY

Revelation 17:7

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.

Revelation 17:8

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.

Was and is not	Rev 13:1…beast rise up out of the sea… 3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death…	1798: Papal Rome appears to be wounded by Atheistic power. No longer appears to have dominion in Europe.
Shall ascend out of the bottomless pit	Rev 11:7 And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit	1798-1989. One head as it were wounded to death by Atheism via France. Atheism has dominion and her spiritual fruits sweep across the kings of Europe. The inhabitants of the world become drunk with this teaching.
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	Rev 13:11…another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. 12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. 13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men	1989-today. Via the US: (dragon speaking) Republicanism and (miracle working) Protestantism has come to Europe. By the end of Cold War the last European stronghold of Atheism falls to US/Papal alliance. The inhabitants of the world become drunk with this wine. Note: Why I believe 1989: 538 A.D. was established after the third horn was plucked up by the roots. WWI, WWII, Cold War Mikhail Gorbachev and George H. W. Bush declared the Cold War over at the Malta Summit December 3, 1989. (1990 Jewish)
When they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.	them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.	25+ years into the short space. See Rev 17:10. We are the final generation.

Comment 1: The first of two kingdoms in Revelation 17 that go into perdition is mentioned.

Revelation 19:20 “And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.

Revelation 17:9

“And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.“

Comment 1: The angel makes a point to draw attention to the next thought, only God can provide this wisdom. He promises to provide wisdom if we ask. This is so important before we proceed as there is much confusion about this specific thought.

Comment 2: The angel provides a primary interpretation tying this prophecy to a geographical location, specifically the seat of Papal Rome and the contested area of her dominion. The protestants gained much influence where the Papal Rome had unquestioned dominion with her crowned kings. Papal Rome launched the Counter Reformatio“Wycliffe, Tyndale, Luther, Calvin, Cranmer; in the seventeenth century, Bunyan, the translators of the King James Bible and the men who published the Westminster and Baptist confessions of Faith; Sir Isaac Newton, Wesley, Whitfield, Jonathan Edwards; and more recently Spurgeon, Bishop J.C. Ryle and Dr. Martin Lloyd-Jones; these men among countless others, all saw the office of the Papacy as the antichrist.” – Michael de Semlyen

“proved, by the revelations of Daniel and St. John, by the epistles of St. Paul, St. Peter, and St. Jude, that the reign of Antichrist, predicted and described in the Bible, was the Papacy … And all the people did say, Amen! A holy terror siezed their souls. It was Antichrist whom they beheld seated on the pontifical throne.” – Martin Luther

“Some persons think us too severe and censorious when we call the Roman pontiff Antichrist. But those who are of this opinion do not consider that they bring the same charge of presumption against Paul himself, after whom we speak and whose language we adopt… I shall briefly show that are not capable of any other interpretation than that which applies them to the Papacy.” – John Calvin.

“that tyranny which the pope himself has for so many ages exercised over the church…the very antichrist, and son of perdition, of whom Paul speaks.” The Zurich Letters – John Knox

“Whereof it followeth Rome to be the seat of antichrist, and the pope to be very antichrist himself. I could prove the same by many other scriptures, old writers, and strong reasons.” – Thomas Cranmer

“He is in an emphatical sense, the Man of Sin, as he increases all manner of sin above measure. And he is, too, properly styled the Son of Perdition, as he has caused the death of numberless multitudes, both of his opposers and followers… He it is…that exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped…claiming the highest power, and highest honour…claiming the prerogatives which belong to God alone.” – John Wesley

“the pretended Vicar of Christ on earth, who sits as God over the Temple of God, exalting himself not only above all that is called God, but over the souls and consciences of all his vassals, yea over the Spirit of Christ, over the Holy Spirit, yea, and God himself…speaking against the God of heaven, thinking to change times and laws; but he is the son of perdition (II Thess. 2).” – Roger Williams

“There is no other head of the church but the Lord Jesus Christ. Nor can the pope of Rome in any sense be head thereof; but is that Antichrist, that man of sin and son of perdition that exalteth himself in the church against Christ and all that is called God.” – Philip Schaff

“It is the bounden duty of every Christian to pray against Antichrist, and as to what Antichrist is no sane man ought to raise a question. If it be not the popery in the Church of Rome there is nothing in the world that can be called by that name. If there were to be issued a hue and cry for Antichrist, we should certainly take up this church on suspicion, and it would certainly not be let loose again, for it so exactly answers the description.” -Charles Spurgeon

“The oracles of God foretold the rising of an Antichrist in the Christian Church: and in the Pope of Rome, all the characteristics of that Antichrist are so marvelously answered that if any who read the Scriptures do not see it, there is a marvelous blindness upon them.” -Cotton Mather

n with the purpose of recovering her territory in Europe and while expanding her dominion to include every inhabitant of the world.

Revelation 17:10

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.

Comment 1: Prophetic kings and beasts can be interpreted as kingdoms. This description expands and enlarges the description of the beast in Revelation 17:8. Therefore, this is a description of the kingdom that the woman is controlling in secrecy.

This beast has ten horns symbolizing the kings of the earth.

Daniel 7:17 These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth.

Dan 7:23 Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth

Comment 2: All of these kingdoms are repeatedly found in Daniel and Revelation. In Daniel the prophetic earthly kingdoms are not totally eliminated when they are conquered, they merely lose their dominion. Their lives were prolonged until there was no place found for them.

Daniel 7:12 As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time.

Dan 2:35 Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.

Comment 3: All of these beasts are referred to in Revelation 13!!!

#1 fallen	… and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the	Babylon 605 B.C – 539 B.C.
#2 fallen	and his feet were as the feet of a bear	Medo-Persia 539 B.C. – 331 B.C.
#3 fallen	like unto a leopard,	Greece 331 B.C. – 168 B.C.
#4 fallen	dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.	Pagan Rome 168 B.C. – 538 A.D.
#5 fallen	Rev 13:1 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	Papal Rome 538 A.D. – 1798 A.D. wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast (Past)
#6 and one is	Rev 13:3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; Rev 11:7 …the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit	Atheism 1798 A.D. – 1989 A.D. (the beast ascending out of the bottomless pit inflicted the deadly wound.
#7 other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space	Rev 13:11 …beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. 12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him…	Republicanism and Protestantism 1989 A.D. – TODAY Short Space + 28 yrs.
#8 was and is not, even he is the eighth, and is one of the seven and goeth into perdition	Rev 13:12…and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.	Papal Rome great whore that sitteth upon many waters (Future)

This is why Revelation revisits the history of Daniel 7. It brings this prophecy to our attention when describing the Water Beast in Revelation 13:

Comment 4: The angel will touches on the miles stones to help this generation understand where we are in prophetic history. Rev 17:1 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.

Revelation 17:11

And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition.

Comment 1: Two separate kingdoms in Revelation 17 go into perdition. This is consistent with Rev 19:20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.

Revelation 17:12

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.

Rev 12:3 … having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.	7 Crowns upon the 7 heads of Pagan Rome
Rev 13:1 … having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns	10 Crowns upon the 10 horns
Rev 13:11 …he had two horns like a lamb	0 Crowns upon 2 horns
Rev 17:3 …having seven heads and ten horns.	0 Crowns upon 10 horns
Rev 17:12 ten horns… receive power as kings one hour with the beast.	10 Crowns upon 10 horns (implied)

Revelation 17:13

These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.

Rev 13:12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.

Revelation 17:14

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.Rev 16:12 And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared. 13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. 14 For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather

them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. 15 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame. 16 And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.

Revelation 17:15

And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.

Revelation 16:1 And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth. 2 And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image. 3 And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man: and every living soul died in the sea. 4 And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood. 5 And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus. 6 For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy. 7 And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments. 8 And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire. 9 And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory. 10 And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain, 11 And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds. 12 And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared. 13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. 14 For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. 15 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame. 16 And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.

Revelation 17:16

And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.

Lev 21:7 They shall not take a wife that is a whore, or profane; neither shall they take a woman put away from her husband: for he is holy unto his God. 8 Thou shalt sanctify him therefore; for he offereth the bread of thy God: he shall be holy unto thee: for I the LORD, which sanctify you, am holy. 9 And the daughter of any priest, if she profane herself by playing the whore, she profaneth her father: she shall be burnt with fire.

Revelation 17:17

For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.

John 17:12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.

Comment 1: God knows the future. He knows who will rebel against his kingdom of love and grace. Despite His foreknowledge we each have a choice!

2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. 11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, 12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? 13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

Revelation 3:14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; 15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. 16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. 17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: 18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. 21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. 22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

Matthew 23:37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! 38 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.

Revelation 17:18

And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.

Comment 1: We are invited to a better City, with a loving Father. We are very precious children. His Son died the death that we deserved that we may live the life that He deserves with “Our Father which is in heaven…” Rev 22:1 And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. 2 In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 3 And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: 4 And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. 5 And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever. 6 And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done. 7 Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book. 8 And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things. 9 Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God. 10 And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand. 11 He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. 12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. 13 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. 14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. 15 For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie. 16 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star. 17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. 18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: 19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. 20 He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. 21 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

Comment 2: Moses can testify to the character of God. God makes a covenant with stiffnecked people. Will you accept His promise to love you?

Exo 34:4 And he hewed two tables of stone like unto the first; and Moses rose up early in the morning, and went up unto mount Sinai, as the LORD had commanded him, and took in his hand the two tables of stone. 5 And the LORD descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the LORD. 6 And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, 7 Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s children, unto the third and to the fourth generation. 8 And Moses made haste, and bowed his head toward the earth, and worshipped. 9 And he said, If now I have found grace in thy sight, O Lord, let my Lord, I pray thee, go among us; for it is a stiffnecked people; and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for thine inheritance. 10 And he said, Behold, I make a covenant: before all thy people I will do marvels, such as have not been done in all the earth, nor in any nation: and all the people among which thou art shall see the work of the LORD: for it is a terrible thing that I will do with thee. 11 Observe thou that which I command thee this day:

APPENDIX A

Hegalilien Dilectic is a philosophy to move a mindset by causing thesis to collide with antithesis which will then provide the desired result synthesis.

Example 1:

Thesis: Protestant Reformers embraced Histroricism which Identified the “Man of Sin” and “Anti-Christ” as the Roman Pontiff

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historicism_(Christianity)

Historicism was the belief held by the majority of the Protestant Reformers, including Martin Luther, John Calvin, Thomas Cranmer, and John Knox. The Catholic church tried to counter it with preterism and Futurism during the Counter-Reformation.

“Wycliffe, Tyndale, Luther, Calvin, Cranmer; in the seventeenth century, Bunyan, the translators of the King James Bible and the men who published the Westminster and Baptist confessions of Faith; Sir Isaac Newton, Wesley, Whitfield, Jonathan Edwards; and more recently Spurgeon, Bishop J.C. Ryle and Dr. Martin Lloyd-Jones; these men among countless others, all saw the office of the Papacy as the antichrist.” – Michael de Semlyen

“that tyranny which the pope himself has for so many ages exercised over the church…the very antichrist, and son of perdition, of whom Paul speaks.” The Zurich Letters – John Knox

Antithesis: Catholic Counter-Reformers Identified the “Man of Sin” and “Anti-Christ” as the someone other than the Roman Pontiff via Preterism and Futurism

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Futurism_(Christianity)

“Two Catholic Jesuit writers, Manuel Lacunza (1731–1801) and Francisco Ribera (1537–1591), proposed the futurist view. Lacunza wrote under the pen name “Ben-Ezra”, and his work was banned by the Catholic Church. Up until the 19th century, the futurist view was generally shunned by non-Catholics, being seen as a self-defense of the papacy against the claims of the historicist reformers.

The Futurist view has grown in popularity in the 19th and 20th centuries, and is currently followed by millions of Christians. However, while this interpretation is popular among U.S. Evangelicals, it is generally rejected by adherents of Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, Lutheranism, and Reformed Christianity.”

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Preterism “At the time of the Counter-Reformation, the Jesuit Luis de Alcasar wrote a prominent preterist exposition of prophecy. Moses Stuart noted in 1845 that Alcasar’s preterist interpretation advantaged the Roman Catholic Church during its arguments with Protestants, and Kenneth Newport in an eschatological commentary in 2000 described preterism as a

Catholic defense against the Protestant historicist view which identified the Roman Catholic Church as a persecuting apostasy.

Due to resistance from Protestant historicists, the preterist view was slow to gain acceptance outside the Roman Catholic Church. Among Protestants preterism was first accepted by Hugo Grotius, a Dutch Protestant eager to establish common ground between Protestants and the Roman Catholic Church. His first attempt to do this in his “Commentary on Certain Texts Which Deal with Antichrist” (1640) arguing that the texts relating to Antichrist had had their fulfillment in the 1st century AD. Protestants did not welcome these views, but Grotius remained undeterred and in his next work, “Commentaries On The New Testament” (1641–50), he expanded his preterist views to include the Olivet discourse and the Book of Revelation.

Preterism continued to struggle to gain credibility within other Protestant communities, especially in England. The English commentator Thomas Hayne claimed in 1645 that the prophecies of the Book of Daniel had all been fulfilled by the 1st century, and Joseph Hall expressed the same conclusion concerning Daniel’s prophecies in 1650, but neither of them applied a preterist approach to Revelation. However, the exposition of Grotius convinced the Englishman Henry Hammond (1605-1660). Hammond sympathized with Grotius’ desire for unity among Christians, and found his preterist exposition useful to this end. Hammond wrote his own preterist exposition in 1653, borrowing extensively from Grotius. In his introduction to Revelation he claimed that others had independently arrived at similar conclusions as himself, though giving pride of place to Grotius. Hammond was Grotius’ only notable Protestant convert, and despite his reputation and influence, Protestants overwhelmingly rejected Grotius’ interpretation of Revelation, which gained no ground for at least 100 years.

By the end of the 18th century preterist exposition had gradually become more widespread. In 1730 the Protestant and Arian, Frenchman Firmin Abauzit wrote the first full preterist exposition, “Essai sur l’Apocalypse”. Abauzit worked in the then independent Republic of Geneva as a librarian. This was part of a growing development of more systematic preterist expositions of Revelation. Later, though, it appears that Abauzit recanted this approach after a critical examination by his English translator, Leonard Twells.

The earliest American full-preterist work, The Second Advent of the Lord Jesus Christ: A Past Event, was written in 1845 by Robert Townley. Townley later recanted this view.”

Synthesis: World Wide Eccumnical Organizations

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dicastery_for_Promoting_Christian_Unity

Pope John XXIII wanted the Catholic Church to engage in the contemporary ecumenical movement. He established a Secretariat for Promoting Christian Unity (SPCU)[1] on 5 June 1960 as one of the preparatory commissions for the council, and appointed Cardinal Augustin Bea as its first president. The secretariat invited other churches and world communions to send observers to the council.

The Secretariat for Promoting Christian Unity prepared and presented a number of documents to the council:

Ecumenism (Unitatis redintegratio);

Non-Christian religions (Nostra aetate);

Religious liberty (Dignitatis humanae);

With the doctrinal commission, the Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation (Dei verbum).

Following the council, in 1966 Pope Paul VI confirmed the Secretariat for Promoting Christian Unity as a permanent dicastery of the Holy See.

In the apostolic constitution Pastor bonus (28 June 1988), Pope John Paul II renamed the secretariat the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.

The PCPCU has two sections dealing with:

The Eastern Churches – The Eastern and Oriental Orthodox Churches as well as the Assyrian Church of the East;

The Western Churches and Ecclesial Communities and the World Council of Churches.

Purpose

The dicastery has a twofold role:

The promotion within the Catholic Church of an authentic ecumenical spirit according to the conciliar decree Unitatis redintegratio;

To develop dialogue and collaboration with the other churches and world communions.

Since its creation, it has also established a cordial cooperation with the World Council of Churches (WCC). Twelve Catholic theologians have been members of the WCC’s Faith and Order Commission since 1968.

The PCPCU is responsible for naming Catholic observers at various ecumenical gatherings and in its turn invites observers or “fraternal delegates” of other churches or ecclesial communities to major events of the Catholic Church.

At present, the PCPCU is engaged in an international theological dialogue with each of the following churches and world communions:

The Assyrian Church of the East[2]

The Eastern Orthodox Church;

The Oriental Orthodox churches;

The Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church;

The Anglican Communion;

The International Lutheran Council

The Lutheran World Federation;

The World Alliance of Reformed Churches;

The World Methodist Council;

The Baptist World Alliance;

The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ);

The World Evangelical Alliance;

Some[which?] Pentecostal groups.

Revelation 17- Historical Interpretation Download

Author

Christopher Mourey

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