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THE GREAT WHORE MYSTERY BABYLON THAT GREAT CITY Click here for Chapter 17 in Streaming Sound 17 One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, "Come, I will show you the punishment of the great prostitute, who sits on many waters. 2With her the kings of the earth committed adultery and the inhabitants of the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her adulteries."
INTRODUCTION Come with me and I will introduce you to the harlot. She is drunk (not with intoxicants, but with the blood of saints). She is on a scarlet colored beast. No one can take a picture of her hierarchy without seeing this color. The Catholic church has blasphemed and held out a cup luring people into sin by her indulgences. The ten kingdoms of Europe helped the Catholic church who opposed God's people. Many people were bamboozled and hoodwinked by this religion of whom God declares does not have eternal life. It was such a riddle and mystery that even the apostle wondered with great admiration. John tells us that the beast he saw was the ten kingdoms of Europe and that they would give the Catholic church their power for a period of time and then hate her. She would make war with the Lamb and his followers but in the final analysis the ten kingdoms of Europe would finally bring her down. God's word was and is being fulfilled. Alleluia. Daniel the Prophet declared, "And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of times" Dan 7:25. She claims the power to make and unmake kings. She changed the laws respecting the Lord's Supper. She set up images. In l075 Pope Gregory VII declared all clerical marriages invalid. This was the greatest mass divorce in history. She changed times and laws. She changed our calendar. In 1518 Pope Gregory changed our calendar ten days. She changed the l0 commandments. In general she claims absolute control of all religion. The last verse of the chapter tells us that the "Woman" is a "City" which rules over the earth. If this isn't ROME, then please tell me what city he had in mind.
EXPOSITION 1 One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, "Come, I will show you the punishment of the great prostitute, who sits on many waters. What a word picture. The scripture represents her under the image of a corrupt, idolatrous, and abandon woman. This city reigns over the kings of the earth. Scholars are universally agreed that the city is ROME. Those familiar with Old Testament prophecy will know how often the term "fornication" and "adultery" are used to describe unfaithfulness of a city.
Verse 15 explains that "many waters" are "peoples and multitudes, and nations, and tongues," over which she rules.
2 With her the kings of the earth committed adultery and the inhabitants of the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her adulteries." The Kings of the earth aligned themselves with the Roman Catholic Church and became partners with her. Nations were so intoxicated with her power that they could not see the truth. She is still deceiving millions today. Chapter eighteen,verse 23 declares that, "by thy sorceries were all nations deceived." Could anything be more plain?
3 Then the angel carried me away in the Spirit into a desert. There I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns. Lets look at some of the claims of the Pope's and see if they are blasphemous.
I offer the following quotes from official Catholic books to prove that she fulfills that which was spoken by Paul in II Thess. 2:4, "He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshipped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God."
How much more blasphemy do you need to hear? I believe this is enough to convince any honest, Bible believing Christian.
4 The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and was glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls. She held a golden cup in her hand, filled with abominable things and the filth of her adulteries. The Catholic church has untold wealth. Nino Lo Bello says, "on the question, How rich is the Pope?, suffice it to say that it has become increasingly clear he doesn't even know himself." Again he says it is "one of the greatest fiscal powers in the world." [The Vatican Empire, p.8]
She owns water companies, telephone companies, gas companies, breweries. "One could also mention the Church's invaluable collections of antiquitiesgold and silver crosses, Byzantine jewelry, altar pieces, furniture, chalices and other vessels. The five hundred thousand aged volumes and sixty thousand old manuscripts in the Vatican Library are also part of the Church patrimony. Because none of the treasures will ever be put on the market, it is folly even to hazard a guess as to the cumulative worth of these items. But, conceivably, they could bring a billion dollars under an auctioneers gavel." [p. 13] Mr. Lo Bello describes in fascinating detail Vatican investment in real estateone third of Rome is owned by the Holy Seeelectronics, plastics, airlines, and chemical and engineering firms. He also gives evidence that the Vatican is heavily involved in Italian banking and that it has huge deposits in foreign banks. Some of these accounts are in America; many are in Switzerland. The Vatican financiers prefer numbered Swiss accounts because they allow them to maintain anonymity when gaining control of foreign corporations. She held a golden cup in her hand, filled with abominable things and the filth of her adulteries. She makes large offers and absolutions, and positively lures men into sin. Abominable things and adulteries are her stock in trade. According to her a priest does not break vow of "Chastity" by adultery!
5 This title was written on her forehead: MYSTERY BABYLON THE GREAT THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. Her doctrine of purgatory, transubstantion, relics, miracles, signs, sacraments, etc. are all mysterious and unfathomable. It is mysterious how anyone could be so zealous and profess to be Christian and practice these sins.
6 I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus. When I saw her, I was greatly astonished. Consider: Persecutions and death of Waldenses, Popes war against the Albigenses (Bohemian Brethren), Massacre of St. Bartholomew, Martyrdom of John Calas, the Inquisition (150,000 in 30 years), John Wycliff, John Huss, Jerome of Prague, Tyndale, Luther, Persecutions in Germany, France, Scotland, England, Ireland, persecution of Quakers. From the order of the Jesuits of 1540 it is supposed that 900,000 persons have perished through papal cruelty. Dear reader do you think she is drunk on the blood of Saints? Is there any other institution on the face of the earth that more likely fits the above description?
7 Then the angel said to me: "Why are you astonished? I will explain to you the mystery of the woman and of the beast she rides, which has the seven heads and ten horns. When you first read the history of Roman Catholicism you will wonder with great admiration, you will be amazed beyond measure. Her acts will astound and perplex you beyond measure. I have her own books, and encyclopedias written by her own priests. God has made her confess her own sins.
8 The beast, which you saw, once was, now is not, and will come up out of the Abyss and go to his destruction. The inhabitants of the earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the creation of the world will be astonished when they see the beast, because he once was, now is not, and yet will come. The dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority. The dragon (Pagan Rome) gave him (Papal Rome) his seat (Rome) and his power (absolute ruler-ship) and great authority. THE VATICAN OCCUPIES THE ORIGINAL GARDENS OF NERO! God said, "Come out of her, my people, so that you will not share in her sins, so that you will not receive any of her plagues; for her sins are piled up to heaven, and God has remembered her crimes." Rev. 18:4,5
9 This calls for a mind with wisdom. The seven heads are seven hills on which the woman sits. Rome sits on seven hills, thus the seven-hilled city is a representation of the seven forms of government that she has passed through.
10 They are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come; but when he does come, he must remain for a little while. The remaining part of the book will talk extensively about this red dragon. It is therefore necessary that we identify who or what he is. The Dragon was the standard of Pagan Rome in the third century. The best way to explain the meaning of the Dragon with seven heads and ten horns is to let the Prophet Daniel tell us the meaning. Here is what Daniel has to say about it.
Dear reader, are you anxious to know the true meaning of the fourth beast with 7 heads and 10 horns? If so, then lets have Daniel tell us who it is:
Now that should forever settle whom the beast is. In Daniel chapter two he speaks of four Kingdoms and identifies them as Babylon, Media Persia, Greece and the fourth as the Roman Empire. It is stated in both Daniel and the Revelation that this Empire would have seven heads. As we examine the Empire we notice that it passed through seven Heads:
This 7 headed beast has 10 horns, or ten Kings (kingdoms) over which she ruled for 1260 years. We identify them as the ten kingdoms of Europe: 1. German empire 2. Austrian Empire 3. Belgium 4. Holland 5. France 6. Spain 7. Italy 8. Switzerland 9. Portugal 10. Great Britain
11 The beast who once was, and now is not, is an eighth king. He belongs to the seven and is going to his destruction.
Out of the seventh head of the Roman Empire (the Exarchs of Ravenna) who ruled for a short time (about a century) came the eighth king (the Pope) who is going into perdition.
12 "The ten horns you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but who for one hour will receive authority as kings along with the beast." At the time that this book was written none of these ten kings or kingdoms had received power. We identified them above as the ten kingdoms of Europe. This verse affirms that when John was here that Europe was not divided into ten kingdoms.
13 They have purpose and will give their power and authority to the beast. These powers aided the false church in her religious wars. During the dark ages she used these Kings and their armies to destroy heretics (Christians).
14 They will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will overcome them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings--and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers.
Rome's long history was marked with the shedding of the blood of saints. Can anyone doubt that this belongs to the Popes. In 1208 Pope Innocent III warred against the Waldines and Albigines, in which one million perished. From the beginning of the Jesuits 1540-1580 nine hundred thousand were destroyed. One hundred fifty thousand perished by the inquisition in thirty years. In the low lands fifty thousand persons were hanged, beheaded, burned alive or buried alive for the crime of heresy (Christianity). Within 38 years from the edict of Charles V, eighteen thousand were executed. The Popes tried to put down the reformation in Germany and Switzerland. The slightest acquaintance of the history of the Popes will convince us that this verse refers to them. The historian W.E. H. Lecky says, "The church of Rome has shed more innocent blood than any other institution that ever existed among mankind, will be questioned by no Protestant who has a complete knowledge of history." Some historians have estimated that the persecuting hands of Rome have been reddened by the blood of fifty million saints. I doubt that anyone can come close to the exact number. In Revelation, she is known as Babylon the Great, or better known to us as Union of Church and State. The church was driven into the wilderness for 1260 long years. During this long dark period of history she dealt with a high hand. During this time she made and unmade kings. She changed the laws respecting the Lord's supper, set up images, enacted celibacy of the clergy. In 1075 Gregory VII declared all clerical marriages invalid. This was the greatest mass divorce in history. She changed the l0 commandments. In general she claims absolute control of all religion.
15 Then the angel said to me, "The waters you saw, where the prostitute sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations and languages." John wanted to make sure that we had the proper key to interpret these verses. The pope is an international figure and millions adore and worship him. He rules over a large population of the earth.
16 The beast and the ten horns you saw will hate the prostitute. They will bring her to ruin and leave her naked; they will eat her flesh and burn her with fire. All of the ten kingdoms of Europe finally turned against the Pope and withdrew their power. Consider the following: France was considered the "eldest son of the church," she turned against the church and invaded Italy and locked the Pope up in Prison. Read the history of the French Revolution and see how they hated the Catholic church for its sins.
17 For God has put it into their hearts to accomplish his purpose by agreeing to give the beast their power to rule, until God's words are fulfilled. Our God is Sovereign and is Omnipotent, Omnific, Omnipresent, and Omniscient. Consider how God put into the heart of Cyrus King of Persia to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem:
While the ten kingdoms of Europe gave their power to the pope and allowed him to rule through them over the "Holy Roman Empire," all that took place was "until God's words are fulfilled."
18 The woman you saw is the great city that rules over the kings of the earth. No King was made or unmade in all the ten kingdoms of Europe without the will of the pope of Rome. He claimed the right to transfer sovereignties, break scepters, and remove crowns:
Sometimes the Popes declared rulers unfit to reign:
Did they claim the right to depose Kings and Queens? Pius V (Cath. Ency., V,449), Gregory XIII (Cath. Ency., VII,3) and Sixtus V (Cath. Ency., I,729), Excommunicate Protestant Queen Elizabeth, and Sixtus promised the Spanish King a subsidy for the Armada, with which England was to be subjugated. Sixtus V excommunicated Protestant Henry of Navarre, and sent an army to unseat him, but he died before this was accomplished (Cath. Ency., VII,4) Lets take a look at how Pope Gregory compels King Henry to freeze three days before he would received him:
All of this shows how arrogant the Catholic Church was during the dark ages and how she ruled over the ten kingdoms of Europe. This power that once ruled the world has now been broken, Alleluia. Dear reader is it still ringing in your ears, "until God's words are fulfilled?" Links to other Revelation chapter commentary below e-mail echo@4thewordofgod.com
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