Finally! Revelation 17:7-9

Post 198

Warming back up to the study of the last Gentile GDE (Global Dominate Empire) that we explored all over scripture to understand, we now come to the last book of scripture, the book that sums up all the end events of the world. With our prepwork done we should be able to comprehend significantly more of what is said here. But even now this is a whole book in itself so hang on for the ride:

The angel declares to John:
“…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 17:7

IF there were more than one beast that had this description, the word “the” would not be accurate or appropriate. But this beast is identified by these elements because it is the only one with these characteristics “which hath THE seven heads and ten horns.” This tells us that whenever we see these characteristics in scripture, it is referring to THIS beast.

That sounds simple enough, but as we continue it will soon become clear that this beast is not simple. In fact, this beast has three distinct parts that are also identified as beasts much like New York, New York means two things; a city within a State. Now imagine if the country was also called New York and you almost have the idea. Can someone please explain why they thought it was a good idea to name the city after the State?
Perhaps for the same reason a guy named Harold names his son Harold. I suppose these elements are called beasts for the same reason, it is their nature and their relationship, perhaps much like the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, are all God.
Then don’t forget with all that, to remember the woman in the mix. (post 160 “The Great Whore) But for now, the angel here begins telling the mystery of the beast with these specific characteristics.

To save a lot of words and give you a reference to keep coming back to in the reading, I have re-written this verse using only the scripture's self-interpretation. I urge you to take a moment and look up each passage listed:

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Self Interpretation of Revelation 17:7

“I will tell thee the mystery 3466 (*1) of the city Babylon, (Rev 16:19b,17:18,5) AND of the 8th Empire king of the 7th Empire revived (Rev 17:11 Daniel 2:40-43, 7:7-8,23-24) which is the empire that has seven kingdoms described as mountains (Rev 17:9 Daniel 2:34-35+2:44) and ten kings described as horns (Rev 17.12 Daniel 7:8, 24) on which the woman city sits." - Revelation 17:7 (dissected but now not quite accurate)

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As we continue keep in mind the very specific elements and their numbers because there are several different things here that are very easy to confuse as thinking they are one in the same.

“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 2296, 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.” Revelation 17:8

There is a lot in this verse, so we need to break it down into bite size bits, but not to the destruction of the thought. Example: why did God choose here to add the bit about the names found in the book of life that were written there from the foundation of the word? Doesn’t that just muddy the water of understanding the topic of the verse regarding the beast?
Perhaps it does, but that only means why it is here is even that much more important. So lets begin here in our exploration of the verse, though it will seem like a rabbit trail.

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The Book of Life Rabbit Trail:
Who are written into the book of life? Obviously the faithful of God.
In Philippians 4:3 the apostle Paul declares the names of a specific group of people working with him are written in that book. Has Paul read that book and seen their names? I don’t think so.

In Revelation 3:5 Jesus himself declares that some names can and will be blotted out of the book of life if they do not overcome. So again, how does Paul know whose names are written there?
Jesus through John explains in his previous verse, Revelation 3:4; Those that have not defiled their garments: for they are worthy.
So if the names are not blotted from the book of life because they kept their garments undefiled and are therefore worthy, this perhaps implies that most if not all mankind was given undefiled clothes to begin with, and that everyone’s name was originally written in the book of life before the world even began to be blotted out as they defiled themselves.
Yet we know that because of Adam’s original sin, all men are now born in sin and therefore born with defiled clothes. (Romans 3:23, 5:12,18) The writer of the book of life would have known this when he wrote everyone in. See the problem with this view?
The dichotomy is solved when we recognize that everyone was not written in; only those who by God’s foreknowledge will have accepted the cleansing sacrifice and received undefiled clothes. Such were those who were working with Paul. This is verified in Zechariah 3:1-4 as the high priest in filthy garments was found standing (established) before the angel of the LORD and given new clothes as God washed his iniquity away. THEN he is given an if/then option contingent upon his future condition. Zechariah 3:6-7.
Therefore we know even those working with Paul whose names were written in the book of life because their clothes were undefiled, were not free of danger from yet defiling themselves because we are told their names can be blotted out if they do not overcome (Revelation 3:5). Paul was not declaring the guaranteed end result; he was simply stating their undefiled status at the time. They were wholly uncompromised in purity before God; Thus their names were written in the book of life before the earth was ever built on her foundations.
We find in Revelation 20:12 that the significance of the book of life becomes important AFTER we die. The dead are judged out of the things that are written in the books (more than one, including the book of life), and those things are written according to the works of the judged.
Revelation 21:27 confirms that nothing which defiles will enter the last Jerusalem and therefore only those written in the book of life will enter. So much for a Democratic city.

Revelation 13:8 tells us that when this beast of our topic comes and demands worship, virtually everyone on the planet whose names are not written in the book of life; i.e. undefiled before God, will worship the beast. This does NOT say that everyone who refuses to worship the beast will be written in the book of life. (Note another rabbit trail we will not take here; Jesus the Lamb was slain for our entry into that book…. from the foundation of the world as well.) Suddenly we see a pattern with these verses; If your name was not written in the book of life you will not only wonder as told in Revelation 17:8, you will worship the beast as told in Revelation 13:8
Why are these two things so strongly noted here in the description of the beast? The previous verse in 13:7 tells us:
“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.”

It would take a whole post to describe the methods used on prisoners of war to break them.
From sleep deprivation to drugs and torture, man has become very creative in the ability to seriously mess with the mind. I have no doubt that when it says he is given power to overcome the saints as with all mankind, it means exactly that.

So how can a simple saint endure the professionals?
This promise tells us that God has selected us specifically even before the world was made and Adam was created, and written our names in the book of life not based on our own ability to keep our garments clean, but that we keep them washed by continually walking under the blood of the Lamb who in cause of the entry of our names at the beginning, was slain from the foundations of the world. Therefore, no matter what twisting of the mind and confusion of the heart this evil can do to the saints, he cannot succeed in steeling their souls because “they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and the word of their testimony; since they do not love their lives more than their God, even unto death.” (Revelation 12:11 paraphrased)
This is not speaking of their great personal ability to resist the efforts of professionals; it is speaking of the power of God in them, though the result will look like their ability to endure all manner of torture without breaking. Again the proof is in the many martyrs who have gone in honor and glory before us.
We now look to their actions as superhuman beyond what we could endure, but this is because we do not now experience that degree of saving blood of the Lamb applied in the time of need.

Now that we comprehend how important that book of life is, Revelation 22:19 warns us that anyone who detracts from the last days prophecy will find his name blotted from the book of life! Wow. It seems the prophecy is very, very important exactly as it is. Again, it would not be necessary to include this warning if such a thing was not going to be done. This tells us two things:
1st the words of the prophecy will indeed be wrongly “re-worked” at some point in time.
2nd the specific words of the prophecy are very, very important in the last days.
Therefore we can conclude that because the deception will be so convincing by false Christs and false prophets, apparently the correct words of the prophecy are vital to avoid the deception!

“For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.” Revelation 24:24

In a discussion today with a good friend and minister, neither of us are now afraid of being deceived by a false Christ or false prophet. We know our scriptures and we know the truth. We know err when we see it. We know wrong doctrine. But this is because our days are not yet that confusing/deceitful. Truth can still be readily found. This prophecy declares a time coming soon when the deception will be so great even we would be in real danger of falling to the deception!
So what do you imagine will be the success of those Christians who are not well familiar with the prophecy that gives understanding? “I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” Revelation 19:10
I am suggesting that the deception is already underway, and many, many people who think they are just fine, are already falling to the deception through ignorance of the scripture and therefore the word of their testimony falls short. And the deception has not yet even begun in earnest! Today the deception is the notion that your name cannot be struck from the book of life regardless how filthy you get your new garments.

So why did God determine it was important to include this bit here in the description of who would wonder when they saw the beast? God is describing a thing so amazing that it will bring wonder 2296 (*2) to virtually everyone that is not “in the know” with the pre-knowledge of scripture explaining what it is really all about.
Clearly the verse tells us their wonder is regarding his state of being: He was, is not, and yet is. Their wonder at the beast will be a curiosity of “How is this possible in reality, What does it mean?”

Getting back to our topic of Revelation 17:8, it tells us that those whose names are written in the book of life will not wonder when they see the beast “that was, and is not, and yet is”. They will not wonder because prophecy has already told us of the event and what it means.
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The return of Islam is NOT the wonder:
Remember the question “How long?” we explored in post 180 titled “Seventy Years”?
We are now beginning the exploration of the end of the three part last Gentile GDE that must play its part before the carpenters can finish their job and Christ then sets up his kingdom on earth.
This beast we are now examining IS the speckled horse of Zechariah 1 (post 178 “More Horses?”), and IS the last part of the three parts that make up the 4th Great Diverse Beast of Daniel 7 (post 177 “Four Great Beasts”) which is ruled by the 4th spirit /prince of Daniel 10 that strives with the 4th wind of Daniel 7 which I now see is the last carpenter of Zechariah 1 sent to fray it. This same beast IS the left foot of the iron/clay kingdom of feet and toes in the Nebuchadnezzar dream of Daniel 2; the right foot being the 1st Islamic Caliphate that completed its fall in 1924, which was the 7th kingdom of Revelation 17:10. (more on this when we get there)

Got it? Good.
If not, don’t continue reading this before you go back to those posts and get it all straight. From here we will be examining the details of that 8th king of the left foot of the 7th kingdom of Islam returned, and we will see this is a very complex study in itself.
Here in revelation 17 the LORD goes into more detail regarding this kingdom, but none of it will make any sense unless we have the biblical insight from all the other scriptures to build on.
With the past posts you should have no problem comprehending this description of Islam now rising for the second time. Islam was, and is not, and yet is. But that is really no mystery to wonder at; "So a kingdom rises again, where is the mystery?" And so we begin to investigate the wonder of the actual beast that was, and is not, and yet is; The Beast of the beast empire.
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The wonder begins:
“And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.” Revelation 17:9
Remember the topic of this verse is a description of the beast’s 7 heads. But if the angel declares for John what the seven heads are, then why is there need for a mind of wisdom?
Scholars have long analyzed the application in reality of these seven mountains that is the interpretation the angel gave us for the meaning of the seven heads and so have concluded that these are the seven hills on which Rome sits because the Rome Catholic Church must be the Whore. But such a direct interpretation leaves no room for the mind of wisdom and we already discovered that the Roman Church is NOT the whore, (though a good prototype much as Hitler of the Antichrist).
Although we are directly told the heads represent mountains, we are NOT told what the mountains represent. The understanding of this takes the mind of wisdom.

What are mountains?
Referring back to the above scripturally self interpreted Revelation 17:7, we see that Revelation 17:9 instruct us that heads are mountains and Daniel 2:34-35 + 2:44 instructs us that mountains are kingdoms.
Therefore with the mind of wisdom we know the seven mountains are seven kingdoms though they are described in the beast as heads because heads control the body. The mind of wisdom will discover why all the confusing description, but for now lets move on.
The Great Whore woman city sits on the seven kingdoms of Islam’s left foot Empire. (Revelation 17:1b+17:3+ Isaiah 17:12= Revelation 17:9 of Revelation 17:7) Honestly I am not trying to be cool, this is the simplest way to show the math of the scriptural calculation arriving at the sum. Go check my work!

Ten Horns:
Continuing in the description of the beast of Revelation 17:7; Past posts have shown clearly that prophetic horns represent the power of kings or rulers. This beast has ten kings but only seven kingdoms. That is strange. But before we explore that lets drop to the next verse only to note it is NOT speaking of the same thing:

“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.” Revelation 17:10
These seven kings segregated from the previous verse by the “And” are not the same kings. Here we have only 7 not 10, and we now know these are not the 7 heads called mountains we understand to be kingdoms of the beast Empire.
So what are these 7 kings of this verse?
By their listed description we know them to be the seven kings in world history described in Daniel 2:37-41 as the kings of the 7 gentile GDEs: Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia, Greece, Rome, and the Islamic Caliphate.
At the time John wrote Revelation the first 5 had come and gone in history, Rome was currently in power as the 6th, and Islam had yet to rise as the 7th.

Why are these kings (not their kingdoms) of the historical timeline noted here in the description of the beast?
In order to introduce the mystery of the beast’s arrival by the last line of the verse: “…and when he cometh (the 7th king), he must continue a short space.”
History shows that the kingdom of Islam did not continue a short space, not by a long shot; Islam continued 1,292 years, perhaps the longest lasting Empire of them all:

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Islam:
Unfortunately our recent written American history has been strangely scrubbed of anything regarding the Islamic Caliphate that officially reined from 632 AD/CE and lasted about 1,292 years, falling on March 2, 1924 (*3,4,5,6)

It is quite difficult to cipher through all the agenda, propaganda, error, hidden information and simple confusion to rightly establish solid fact, but what seems to come clear across the board is that Muslims followed many gods, and struggled for power long before Mohammad was born in 570 CE/AD.
Mohammad established the concept of the single God Allah and the religion of Islam, which then succeeded through the Islamic Caliphate *5 in ruling most the Middle East from sometime after 632 AD until its fall on March 2, 1924 AD, ruling more territory than each of the previous six kingdoms listed in this passage.
No matter who, or how you slice it, Although Muslims were active and struggling for power during the Roman Empire, the Caliphate of the Islamic Empire was not established until long after the Apostle John wrote the Revelation while on Patmos which was no later than about 80-90 AD. (Revelation 1:9)
Rome was in power over Israel and much of the Middle East through the entire life of John, and it is unarguably Rome that John describes as the 6th “one is” kingdom of Revelation 17:10

So if Islam through the Caliphate was so long endured, how is THAT, the 7th king that “when he come must continue a short space"?
Because the verse carefully excluded the kingdoms by identifying only the kings: “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.” Revelation 17:10 But as we know Daniel 2 explains they were kings of GDEs.

So who was the king of the 7th Gentile GDE?
That will have to wait for the next post.

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*1 mysery: 3466 musterion; from a derivative of muo (to shut the mouth); a secret or “mystery” (through the idea of silence imposed by initiation into religious rites).

*2 Wonder 2296 thaumazo; from 2295; to wonder; by implication to admire.
2295 thauma; from a form of 2300; wonder.
2300; theaomai; a prolonged form of a primary verb; to look closely at, i.e. (by implication) to perceive (literally or figuratively) by extension to visit.

*3 Caliphate:
“The term caliphate "dominion of a caliph ('successor,')," (from the Arabic: kalif Turkish: Halife) refers to the first system of government established in Islam, and represented the political unity of the Muslim Ummah (nation). In theory, it is a constitutionl repubic (see Constitution of Medina), which means that the head of state, the Caliph, and other officials are representatives of the people and must govern according to an existing constitutional law that limits the government's power over citizens.
It was initially led by Muhammad’s disciples as a continuation of the political system the prophet established, known as the ‘rashidun caliphates’. It represented the political unity, not the theological unity of Muslims as theology was a personal matter. A "caliphate" is also a state which implements such a governmental system.
Sunni Islam dictates that the head of state, the caliph, should be selected by Shura – elected by Muslims or their representatives. Followers of Shia Islam believe the caliph should be an imam descended in a line from the Ahl al-Bayt. After the Rashidun period until 1924, caliphates, sometimes two at a single time, real and illusory, were ruled by dynasties. The first dynasty was the Umayyad. This was followed by the Abbaysid, the Fatimid, and finally the Ottoman Dynasty.” - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caliphate

“On March 3, 1924, the first President of the Turkish Republic, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, as part of his reforms, constitutionally abolished the institution of the Caliphate. Its powers within Turkey were transferred to the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, the parliament of the newly formed Turkish Republic. The title was then claimed by King Hussein bin Ali of Hejaz, leader of the Arab Revolt, but his kingdom was defeated and annexed by Ibn Saud in 1925. The title has since been inactive.
A summit was convened at Cairo in 1926 to discuss the revival of the Caliphate, but most Muslim countries did not participate and no action was taken to implement the summit's resolutions.” - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caliphate#End_of_the_Caliphate.2C_1924

*4 Caliphate Timeline:
Chronological Caliphate Timeline

*5 What is the Caliphate?
“Caliphate (Arabic: Kila-fah) is what the Muslim call the leading government that unites them all under one empire, led by a Muslim commander called the Caliph (Arabic: Kali-fah), who is privileged by the title Amir al-Mu'minin, meaning the Commander of the Believers. The Caliphate is the first system of governance established in Islam.” - http://hubpages.com/hub/Islamic-Caliphates-Timeline

*6 What is CE?
“CE stands for Common Era or, if you prefer, Christian Era. It has the same meaning as the older form, AD (Anno Domini). BCE stands for Before Common Era (Before Christian Era). It has the same meaning as the older form, BC (Before Christ). “
- http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_does_CE_and_BCE_refer_to
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