 |
| Earl Gillespie |
ROME: THE SEAT, THE CENTER, OF THE WOMAN’S AUTHORITY
Let’s sum up what we have studied in chapter 17: Strive to understand the symbology of the book rather than spiritualizing it. Babylon is briefly
referred to in Revelation 14:8 and in Revelation 16:19. In chapters 17 and 18
we have a fully detailed description of the character and the doom of Babylon;
but there is another subject of judgment besides that of Babylon: The Beast.
This tremendous apostate secular power occupies a very important an outstanding place in this prophecy. The two main subjects in chapters 17 and 18
are Babylon (the religious system), and the Beast (the civil apostate power
energized by Satan himself). The former
occupies the chief place in this chapter; the Beast is more prominent in
chapter 13, but here is regarded as secondary, having to do with Babylon the
harlot. In the outset of chapter 17 the harlot is the powerful one.
Chapter 17 is divided into two parts: First, John saw a vision (verses
1-6); and second, he gives to us the interpretation of that vision (verses
7-18). The interpretation goes much further than what is seen in the vision.
The same principle is discussed in Daniel 2 and in Matthew 13. The
interpretation adds instruction to that found in the dream of Daniel 2 or the
parable in Matthew 13. The vision deep in symbology must be carefully studied.
John first beheld the great whore, ripe for judgment (verse 1). She is
called “Babylon the Great,” because of the widespread and horrible confusion of
which she is the head. She is also “the great whore” because of the
hypocritical and frightful system she holds over the souls and bodies of men.
Her terrible character is described by the word “whore.” She is called a woman
because the term “woman” implies subjection (I Corinthians 11:3), and this
harlot sets herself up as the bride of Christ - or, as the Church, the true
Bride. She is definitely a counterfeit; the true Bride is described in
Ephesians 5:23-25.
In the case of this woman, her every move is hypocritical, diabolical,
intended to lead men to destruction. Jesus, the true head of the Church, came
to save men, and His Church is made up of holy, righteous, spotless born again
believers. This woman cares nothing for Christ, nor will she bow to His
headship nor to His authority. She is one hundred percent diabolical in her
hypocrisy. The whore sits upon “many waters” (verse 1). These many waters
signify many peoples . . . multitudes of peoples (verse 15). The woman will
cast a spell over these multitudes, luring them to everlasting ruin and
destruction. Keep in mind that the devil is making his last drive against the God
of gods, Lord of lords, and the King of kings. He is using a woman here to do
it.
The kings and inhabitants of the earth are deceived by the woman and
are drawn to her. From this we gather that her influence will be universal, and
that the whole world will have direct connection with the whore. “The kings of
the earth” are not the same as the ten kings in verse 12. The ten kings will
have to do only with the Roman Empire . . . the civil power of the day; but the
kings of the earth signify the whole world. We can understand why liberals and
modernists are crying today for a world church. After the Rapture, there will
be a world church, and the woman will be the head of it.
The woman is seen sitting upon a “scarlet beast.” This is the same
beast with the same power seen in chapter 13. The ancient Roman Empire which
has been defunct for many centuries is here witnessed by John on the scene of
prophecy covered with the glory and government of the entire world, and this
will be fulfilled after the Rapture. The Roman Empire will again control the
world, and all roads will once more lead to Rome!
The woman is arrayed in scarlet.
In Revelation 12:3 the dragon bears the same color. Man has always sought
eagerly after the pomp and glory of this world. The imperial power in that day
will be subject to the woman. The Beast to whom the dragon commits universal
authority and his own diabolical power is servant to and tool of the woman. In
the beginning of her reign, the secular power (the secular Beast and his ten
puppets) will support her.
The Beast upon which the woman sat is further described as “full of
the names of blasphemy.” It is the Beast
who is described as full of the names of blasphemy. As despicable as the woman is, she is not
guilty of daring and open blasphemy. Deceit, corruption, violence, pride and
evils beyond description are ascribed to Ecclesiastical Babylon - the whore;
but blasphemy and the public denial of Almighty God and His Christ are not acts
of the woman; these are acts of the Beast upon which she rides. The names of
blasphemy on the heads of the Beast in Revelation 13:1 point out the executive
governing authority with this awful character of guilt and blasphemy. The fear
of God is completely gone.
The empire in all its parts is wholly given up to the most horrible
iniquity and blasphemy man could ever conceive. When the Beast comes on the scene of action
(Revelation 13) he is said to have “seven heads and ten horns.” This term is repeated several times. The mention of
the Beast in Revelation 13:1 is in similar terms to that of the mention of the
dragon in Revelation 12:3. In the case
of the dragon, his heads - not his horns - are crowned. In the case of the
Beast (in Revelation 13:1) the horns are crowned, but the heads bear the names
of blasphemy. However, in chapter 17, neither the heads nor the horns are
crowned (Revelation 17:3). Such, then, is the general character and description
of the Beast who will be the main supporter of the false, corrupt religious systems dominating the
empire that will come into world-wide power after the Rapture, and the head (or
seat) of that government will be in Rome, while the influence of the empire
will permeate the whole wide world.
It seems strange that the Beast on which such great power is conferred
by Satan (Revelation 13:4-7) should be willing to allow himself to be used of
the woman; but her dazzling splendor and seductive influence will be as the
glistening of the shining serpent who came to Eve in the Garden, and even this
giant power who will be at the head of the civil world government will bow at
the feet of the harlot for a season.
The woman is clothed in splendor, adorned with all that the world
values (verse 4). She holds a golden cup in her hand, and that cup is full of
abominations and the unclean things of her fornication. All the people of earth
who drink of her cup (and multiplied millions will) will be morally ruined.
Upon her forehead we see stamped, in clear view of all, her name and character:
“Mystery” of iniquity.
The second part of her title: “Babylon the Great.” This speaks of the
havoc she will play with the peoples of earth in that day of her glory. She
will fill Christendom with innumerable evils and with hopeless confusion. This has been true ever since Rome (Babylon)
came into existence almost sixteen centuries ago, but after the Rapture she
will bring in such confusion as the world has never known.
There is a third part to the title of the woman: “The mother of
harlots and abominations of the earth.” Every hellish system which copies the
ways of the woman - every system which accepts her doctrines, including the
Romish system - makes up Babylon. Babylon means confusion; the Romish system
has always been confusion.
This woman is the mother, the source, of every evil religious system.
There is only one true religion, and that is Christianity, purchased at the
tremendous price of the Blood of Jesus. Every religious system that does not
bow in total submission to the Blood and the finished work of Jesus is a part
of the systems of Babylon.
This woman is drunk with blood. She professes to be the spouse of
Christ; and yet she has murdered the saints and the prophets - the witnesses of
Jesus Christ who were redeemed by the Blood of the Lamb.
During the first part of the Tribulation period there will be a great
number saved whom the spirit of Babylon will butcher. The Beast is the one who
will actually put the saints to death during the time of the woman’s glory, but
she is the power behind the Beast at that time. “And it was given unto him to
make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over
all kindreds, and tongues, and nations” (Revelation 13:7). This refers to the
first Beast - the revived Roman Empire - and the power is given by the second
Beast, which is the ecclesiastical dictator at the end time. The woman is the
final bloody, deplorable picture of this ecclesiastical power.
In the second part of chapter 17, the mystery of the woman and of the
Beast who carries her, is explained to us. I praise God that the Holy Spirit
gave us the last half of this chapter. This mystery is double - the woman and
the Beast. I made the statement earlier in our study that for everything God
has that is good, the devil has a cheap counterfeit.
We read concerning the true Church, “the mystery concerning Christ and
the Church” which has to do with Christ (the head) and the born again believers
(the Bride) of the true Church. But here we read concerning the mystery of the
woman and the Beast which carries her. In the true Church, Christ is mentioned
first as the head, and we, the members of His body, are mentioned second; but
in our present Scripture the woman is mentioned first, and the Beast carries
her. This is the counterfeit. Jesus is
the True . . . and the Truth: “Ye shall know the Truth, and the Truth shall
make you free.” Those who follow the woman are led into captivity and
destruction.
The mystery of the Beast is explained first (verse 8). “The beast that
thou sawest was, and is not.” The Beast, therefore, existed as one vast empire
under a long line of imperial rulers. “ . . . and is not.” At the time John saw
the vision and penned down this prophetic truth, the Beast has no political
existence. The countries and nations once within the empire, remain; but the
empire as a glorious power ended in A. D. 476. Rome crumbled and that ancient
empire of world-wide fame for many centuries ceased to exist, although parts of
it have never ceased to be. This Beast “shall ascend out of the bottomless pit”
(verse 8).
How could the Roman Empire be revived? The truth of the matter is, the Roman Empire
exists today in broken parts. The countries and territories that composed the
old Roman Empire are still there, and the spirit of the people in most of those
places would be very happy to accept a world dictator.
The Empire will not be revived until after the Rapture. (Nothing needs
to take place before the Rapture. Jesus can come at any second. There is not
one word of Scripture that needs yet to be fulfilled before Jesus comes.) But
before He comes in the Revelation to destroy ecclesiastical and political
corruption, the Roman Empire must and WILL be revived. The Beast will be the
head, the ten king will be his puppets, and their territory will make up the
giant empire of Rome again. All the world will wonder at this gigantic Beast -
except the elect (Revelation 17:8), who will understand.
At the end of his bloody reign, he “will go into perdition.” This
describes the everlasting doom of the Beast (Revelation 19:20). He will be cast
alive into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the Beast and the False
Prophet are. So the Satanic trinity will be placed in the lake of fire and
brimstone (chapter 20).
The seven heads are seven mountains. These mountains refer to the
hills on which Rome is built. The seven kings signify various forms of
government of the Roman Empire. These heads are seven kings, five of which had
fallen. Some Bible scholars consider the reference to point to the first five
emperors of Rome (Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius and Nero).
After John mentions the five fallen phases of civil and political
government, he continues by saying, “. .
. and one IS.” (That is the imperial form of government that existed in John’s
day - the sixth head.) However, another “is yet to come . . . the seventh.” The
seventh one will continue for a brief season. “AND THE BEAST THAT WAS . . . AND
IS NOT . . . EVEN HE IS THE EIGHTH, and is of the seven, and goeth into
perdition” (Revelation 17:11). And the eighth, which is of the seven and goeth
into perdition, is the man who heads the empire - the Antichrist, the little
horn of Daniel chapter 7. That will be Satan’s man who will arise out of the
abyss.
Next we have the ten horns of the Beast (verse 12). The ten horns are
kings who come within the scope of the kingdom of the Beast. The duration of
his reign will determine the duration of their reign. They all have one mind,
one purpose and one heart. They yield themselves wholeheartedly and unreservedly
into the hands of the Beast . . . they are at his service (verse 13). The Lamb of God then appears and declares war.
The Beast, the ten kings and their armies are on one side; the Lamb of
God and the mighty host of Heaven are on the other side (verse 14). This is the
war described in Revelation 19:11-21. In chapter 17 the last act of the Beast
and his ungodly associates has not actually come. It is seen by John, but it
does not happen until Revelation 19:11-21. There are other events that
transpire between the account given here and the actual battle. There is no
guesswork concerning the outcome. The King of kings will be victorious and the
Beast with his henchmen will be put down.
The waters John saw, upon which the woman sat, signify multitudes of
people, nations, tongues (verse 15). The
tremendous moral influence of the woman extended far beyond the Palestine area
. . . it reached the ends of the earth. The masses of mankind were organized
and brought under her influence. The “many waters” in verse 1 become
evangelists of the woman, and lead untold multitudes to follow her. The ten
horns (kings) finally turn against her whom they have supported, worshipped,
and bowed down to. The Beast and the ten kings then destroy the woman. They
reduce her to a state of complete desolation, and they confiscate her wealth. “The love of money is the root of all evil,”
and the glory of things seen has been the damnation of millions - and will be
until the consummation of all things.
In verse 17 we see God’s will and God’s words carried out. The ten
kings unite with the Beast, who is the real authority, and together they
destroy the systems of Rome . . . the scarlet woman with all of her despicable
doctrines and practices.
No comments:
Post a Comment