THE RELIGIOUS POWER BASE
OF THE WORLD RULER
To help secure his political power base and help secure peace, the benevolent
dictator (the beast) will carry (sponsor) a large religious organization
which imitates the Babylonian evil of the past (a combination of political,
economic and religious power which controls the whole earth).
Rev. 17.3-5
And he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness; and I saw a woman
sitting on a scarlet beast,
full of blasphemous names,
having seven heads and 10 horns.
And the woman was clothed in purple and scarlet,
and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand
a gold cup full of abominations
and of the unclean things of her immorality,
and upon her forehead a name {was} written, a mystery,
"BABYLON THE GREAT,
THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH."
This very large and powerful religious body will trace its
heritage back to the Babylonian evil initiated by Nimrod in the first organized
human opposition to God. All we need do to find the modern day fulfillment
is find the religious body which embraces the doctrines and practices of
the Babylonian religion of Nimrod.
Zechariah speaks about the vast economic power this religious body will
have during the time of its world-wide dominance.
Zech. 5:5-11,
Then the angel who was speaking with me went out,
and said to me,
"Lift up now your eyes, and see what this is, going forth." and
I said, "What is it?" and he said,
"This is the ephah going forth."
Again he said,
"This is their appearance in all the land
(and behold, a lead cover was lifted up);
and this is a woman sitting inside the ephah."
Then he said, "This is Wickedness!
And he threw her down into the middle of the ephah
and cast the lead weight on its opening.
Then I lifted up my eyes and looked,
and there two women were coming out
with the wind in their wings;
and they had wings like the wings of a stork,
and they lifted up the ephah
between the earth and the heavens.
And I said to the angel who was speaking with me,
"Where are they taking the ephah?
Then he said to me,
"To build a temple for her in the land of Shinar;
and when it is prepared,
she will be set there on her own pedestal."
The land of Shinar is that which identifies this woman as the expression
of Babylonian evil in all its forms throughout history.
The Babylonian religious system is centered around the worship of a woman
known as Semiramis (in Ancient Babylon), the "Mother of God"
and has consistently held its adherents in religious slavery through fear
and economic oppression. The ephah is what identifies her economic controls.
The "pedestal" where she sits refers to the center of operation
for her political, economic and religious controls throughout her entire
history until she is finally destroyed by the beast.
It has been often debated whether Shinar is to be viewed as a literal reference
to the city of Babylon, which will be rebuilt in the last days, or to another
city which has actually adopted the Babylonian evil of Shinar, which would
be the city of Rome. Rome has indeed been the seat of Babylonian evil since
the 4th century AD. But there is evidence that this seat could be transferred
to an actual restored city of Babylon before or during the 70th week of
Daniel.
Babylon's religious control will include the persecution of anyone who
does not hold to her religious doctrines and policies. She is viewed as
having this power within the 7 kingdoms of the beast.
Her past is especially noted in regard to persecution of God's people from
both the Old Testament times (saints) and the New Testament times (witnesses
of Jesus). And yet the Christian church has never been authorized by New
Testament scripture to enforce doctrines or policies through "physical"
punishments.
Thus, this large religious power block will have been in existence throughout
the church age and be uniquely tied to the 10 nation confederacy that will
exist just prior to the 70th week.
In fact, since we see the woman "sitting" on the beast, it appears
that something about her will dominate and control the 7 kingdoms until
the time that her control is removed by the beast.
According to Revelation 18 and the ephah of Zechariah 5, the nature of
that control is economic. It is the wealth of this religious organization
that gives it its power. In every culture where this "Babylonian evil"
has spread, it has dominated society by its economic controls, hoarding
for itself the great bulk of material possessions even to the detriment
of the people who have genuine material needs.
So at a time prior to the 70th week, the 10 nation confederacy, dependent
upon the economic resources of this large religious organization, will
try to fulfill its plans for peace. Furthermore, this large religious organization
will represent a major attempt to cultivate a world wide ecumenical union
that will unite "all" religions under one authority and religious
philosophy. But as noted before, nothing will succeed until the world ruler
comes on the scene and is able to so motivate all the parties involved
to participate in a world-wide move for peace. A major part of this attempt
at world wide control will be the 7 year covenant with the European and
Middle Eastern countries which will result in world peace for 3 1/2 years.
THE HISTORY OF THE WOMAN
THROUGHOUT THE CHURCH AGE
Rev. 17.6
And I saw the woman drunk
with the blood of the saints,
and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus.
Rev. 17:18
And the woman whom you saw is the great city,
which reigns over the kings of the earth.
Rev. 18:3
For all the nations
have drunk of the wine of the passion of her immorality, and the kings
of the earth
have committed immoralities with her,
the merchants of the earth have become rich
by the wealth of her sensuality.
Rev. 18:24
And in her was found
the blood of prophets and of saints
and of all who have been slain on the earth.
Although there is considerable hyperbole in these passages, it should be
clear that there is only one city that can "fit the bill" as
we view it from 96 AD to the present - and that is Rome.
See Topic: BABYLONIAN RELIGION: History
See Topic: BABYLONIAN RELIGION: Advance
in the church age
There is a warning to "my people" concerning association with this
great religious power. Both before and during the first half of the 70th week,
this ecumenical religious form of Babylonian evil will deceive both Christians
and unbelieving Jews. I believe that BOTH are represented by this term, "my
people," and both need to heed the warning to get out of it before it and they
are destroyed by the man of lawlessness at the onset of the great tribulation.
Rev. 18.4
And I heard another voice from heaven, saying,
Come out of her, my people,
that you may not participate in her sins
and that you may not receive of her plagues.
This is warning to not associate with this Politico-economic religious
system which will be ecumenically attractive to most of the world. In actuality
will be the "age-old" Babylonian religion of Nimrod. This system
operates on principles of independence from God, having established the
old Babylonian rituals and dogma as Christian truth and fulfills the warnings
we find at 1Tim. 4:1-3. It will deceive weak Christians and non-Christians
with its ecumenical message and be the perfect vehicle for the world ruler to
use to kick-start the Covenant Experiment for peace and toleration in the
Middle East and throughout the world.
This is probably what is in view in the warning to the church at Thyatira
which is recorded at Rev. 2:18-29 where great judgment is promised to those
who continue to associate with her spiritual compromise. But before we
look at that passage we must establish a standard for interpreting the
truths given to those churches.
ORIENTATION TO
THE 7 CHURCHES OF THE REVELATION
The 7 churches of the Revelation should be viewed as having a double application.
I personally do not hold to the theory that the 7 churches also represent
7 different though consecutive phases of church history from John to the
end time. But that theory really is not pertinent in our present study.
The first and primary application is to 7 specific churches in Asia, which
through divine selection, demonstrate what the general condition of the
church will be in that generation that sees the arrival of the Day of the
LORD.
There are general and specific issues dealt with in each letter, but all
of them occur within the context of the possible return of Jesus in their
generation. While the rapture itself is not imminent, the events which
will precipitate the 70th week of Daniel can take place at any time in
the history of the church. Once these events occur and the 70th week begins,
it is that generation of the church which will see the Lord's return. Accordingly,
the second application is to that generation of the church which will actually
witness those end time events.
In either case the 7 churches represent 7 different conditions within the
body of Christ as evidenced by 7 general types of believer who will be
living during the final days of the church.
Thus, we see believers who claim allegiance to Christian values but who
have compromised in one or more of the various areas represented by the
7 churches.
The reason 7 churches were chosen to illustrate the general condition of
the church is because 7 is sufficient (and those specifically) to completely
illustrate what that condition of the church will be in the days preceding
the Day of the LORD.
For both applications, it is imperative to recognize that the general context
for viewing these churches is in expectation of the return of the Lord
and the beginning of the Day of the LORD judgments.
Revelation 1:7
Behold, He is coming with clouds,
and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes
of the earth will mourn over Him.
Even so. Amen.
It is really only within that context that all the information written
to those 7 churches can be sensibly correlated.
In each of the 7 letters, there is the expectation of Christ's return at
the Day of the LORD. There is scattered here and there, in those letters,
specific information that can only apply to a church that is present on
the earth prior to the Day of the LORD.
However, any generation after John can find fulfillment in the 7 churches,
for at any time during the history of the church, the events could take
place which would precipitate the 70th week.
Furthermore, there is certainly a common benefit to the church throughout
its entire history, for many of the principles found in the letters have
universal application. But the specific application must be kept within
the context of Rev. 1:7.
Therefore, the letters to the 7 churches should be studied with the idea that
everything that is dealt with will be an issue within the church community
that exists at the end times. The general application therefore, will see a
church that will encounter the oppressive reign of the beast (Rev. 2:10), and
that needs to be prepared for that great tribulation.
THE CHURCH AT THYATIRA
Emphasis on the compromise with Babylonian evil.
(the great harlot)
Rev. 2:18-23a
And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write:
The Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire,
and His feet are like burnished bronze, says this:
This symbolism consistently speaks of the administration of divine justice
and in this context the judgment from that justice.
I know your deeds,
and your love and faith and service and perseverance,
and that your deeds of late are greater than at first.
This is a church and a category of believer that is zealous in its adherence
to Christian values and production of good works. But it has compromised
in its association and tolerance of a woman bible teacher who has misrepresented
bible truth and led many believers to live a way of life that is contrary
to truth.
A way of life that is described in v.24 as "the deep things of Satan,"
for it is indeed a manifestation of the doctrines of demons mentioned at
1 Tim. 4:1.
But I have {this} against you,
that you tolerate the woman Jezebel,
who calls herself a prophetess,
and she teaches and leads My bond-servants astray,
so that they commit {acts of} immorality
and eat things sacrificed to idols."
I suggest that "acts of immorality" is a reference to moral
compromise in church doctrine and personal standards. I further suggest
that "eat things sacrificed to idols" refers to religious compromise
that introduces idolatry into church doctrine and worship.
Both of these are part of Roman doctrine:
(1) They practice immorality by the forbidding of marriage to certain of
their practitioners (1 Tim.4:3).
(2) They practice idolatry through the worship of images, from saints to
Mary to Jesus.
She and those who have been swayed by her false doctrine will be disciplined
severely during the time of great tribulation when the economic conditions
in the world through the oppressive reign of the beast will produce massive
hardship through the famine and disease that will result (Seal #4).
And I gave her time to repent;
and she does not want to repent of her immorality.
Behold, I will cast her upon a bed {of sickness},
and those who commit adultery with her
into great tribulation, unless they repent of her deeds.
And I will kill her children with pestilence;
The point being, that unless they change their mind about their quality
of life and return to honoring Christian values, they will be ill-prepared
for the time of oppression and instead of being a time of blessing through
service in persecution (1Pet.4:12-16), it will be a time of discipline
and shame.
This body of people represented by Jezebel could very well refer to the
religious power of "Babylon" who will have such sway and power
through so much of the church age and be used by the beast at the beginning
of his benevolent reign to cultivate religious compromise via an ecumenical
union as I have previously related.
However, at the midpoint of the week, the religious harlot and all those
associated with her will be destroyed by the beast.
In the passages below I suggest that the "desolation" of the
"harlot," very easily corresponds with the judgment
which is promised to the system itself as well as to those who share her
compromised ideas.
Even though it is the beast who administrates the desolation of this religious
body, it is God who uses it as His own expression of judgment and discipline
on the compromising believers.
This destruction will occur in two stages.
Stage one will occur at the midpoint of the
70th week when the beast removes the influence and presence of the ecumenical
Babylonian religion, and takes possession of the city of Rome. He needs to do
this in order to advance his own religious system of beast worship.
Rev. 17:16-18
And the 10 horns which you saw, and the beast,
these will hate the harlot and will make her desolate and
naked, and will eat her flesh and will burn her up with fire. For God has
put it in their hearts to execute His purpose by having a common purpose,
and by giving their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God should
be fulfilled. And the woman whom you saw is the great city, which reigns
over the kings of the earth.
The entire city will not be destroyed at this
time, but the religious "capital" of Babylonian evil will be destroyed. I
suggest that it is the Vatican itself that is burned. The city of Rome and its
prestige will remain as the beast will use it to advance his economic agenda
of Operation 666.
Stage two will occur several days before
Jesus descends physically to the earth to confront his enemies at Edom,
Jerusalem and Megiddo.
(Rev.18:1-2
After these things I saw another angel coming down
from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illumined with his
glory. and he cried out with a mighty voice, saying, Fallen, fallen is
Babylon the great! And she has become a dwelling place of demons and a
prison of every unclean spirit, and a prison of every unclean and hateful
bird.
V.5-8, for her sins have piled up as high as heaven, and God has remembered
her iniquities. Pay her back even as she has paid, and give back {to her}
double according to her deeds; in the cup which she has mixed, mix twice
as much for her. To the degree that she glorified herself and lived sensuously,
to the same degree give her torment and mourning; for she says in her heart,
I SIT {as} A QUEEN AND I AM NOT A WIDOW, and will never see mourning. For
this reason in 1 day her plagues will come,
pestilence (death - thanatos) and mourning and famine, and she will be burned up with fire;
for the Lord God who judges her is strong.
Rev. 18:22-23
And the sound of harpists and musicians and flute-
players and trumpeters will not be heard in you any longer; and no craftsman
of any craft will be found in you any longer; and the sound of a mill will
not be heard in you any longer; and the light of a lamp will not shine
in you any longer; and the voice of the bridegroom and bride will not be
heard in you any longer; for your merchants were the great men of the earth,
because all the nations were deceived by your sorcery.)
And the Christian churches in general, that are not associated with her religious compromise,
will realize that when she falls it is the judgment of God that has been
carried out upon her.
Rev.2.23b
And all the churches will know that I am He who
searches the emotions and hearts; and I will give to each one of you according
to your deeds. But I say to you, the rest who are in Thyatira, who do not
hold this teaching, who have not known the deep things of Satan, as they
call them - I place no other burden on you. Nevertheless what you have,
hold fast UNTIL I COME. And he who overcomes, and he who keeps My deeds
until the end, TO him I will give authority over the NATIONS;
(Rev. 5.10, they will reign upon the earth)
AND HE SHALL RULE THEM WITH A ROD OF IRON, AS THE VESSELS OF THE POTTER
ARE BROKEN TO PIECES, as I also have received {authority} from My Father;
and I will give him the morning star. He who has an ear - - - -
let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
