Seven last visions: Number 1 - Babylon, Revelation 17, Tower of Babel.

VISION 7: - REVELATION 17:1 - 22:5: - SEVEN LAST VISIONS.

Vision 1: - 17:1-19:5 : - THE FALL OF BABYLON.

INTRODUCTION.

This next section of the book is the seventh group of seven pictures, making the symmetry complete. A possible eighth series of visions, that of the thunders, was not recorded (10:4).

These seven visions are:

(1) 17:1-19:5 The Fall of Babylon.

(2) 19:6-10 The Marriage of the Lamb.

(3) 19:11-21 The Victory of Christ.

(4) 20:1-6 The Millennium.

(5) 20:7-14 The Judgements.

(6) 21:1-8 The New Creation.

(7) 21:9-22:5 The Bride of Christ.

Vision 1: - 17:1-19:5 : - THE FALL OF BABYLON.
This portion is one literary unit.

Every generation of the Church has seen itself in this prophecy. This is because it describes spiritual realities which are going on behind the scene all of the time, and hence have an outworking on the earth in politics which is clearly visible to the discerning eye. This is true even if the exact historical form is different in each manifestation. The important thing to see then is the principles operating here, then we can see them in operation wherever they appear.

The trap most interpreters fall into is in identifying the principle in this chapter with a particular historical manifestation – whether it is Rome, The Roman Catholic Church, Islam, or any other possibility from history. In this way they miss the point totally.

This chapter has been interpreted in three main ways based on the particular view of the key text:

17:9 "the seven heads are seven hills on which the woman is seated. They are also seven kings, five have fallen, one is and one is to come."

Traditionally this has been taken to be an obvious illusion to Rome, the city of seven hills.
Hence the Harlot is interpreted to be Roman government in one of its forms, either:
(i) Imperial Rome, as it was in John's day, with emperor worship as the religious aspect.
(ii) Papal Rome, ruling the world through the Church. Hence the Roman Catholic Church is interpreted as being the Harlot.

Most commentators today rightly reject this second interpretation outright as the Harlot clearly existed in the days of John, and could be seen by John's readers. However the R.C. Church did not exist then so could not be what is referred to.

The Traditional Interpretation of this chapter, following (i) is as follows:
The Harlot is Rome, the city of seven hills. The form of false worship is emperor worship, supported by v2 " with whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication". Fornication is an OT symbol for false worship. The kings of the (known) earth all involved themselves in Emperor worship at this time (90 AD). They were all under Roman rule.

Various interpretations are then given as to the meaning of the "ten horns". Usually they are said to be ten emperors of Rome, but the problem is always which ten out of the twenty plus do you choose and why? This idea also seems to ignore the statement of v12 which expressly says "The ten horns are ten kings who have not yet received royal power, but they are to receive authority as kings for one hour, together with the beast..."

Clearly they are not persons who lived and ruled in Rome prior to John's writing. Also it says that they will all reign at the same time, thus indicating that they are not Roman emperors. The Beast, who rules with and over them seems to be the emperor. The fact that they exist at the same time as the Beast, the Antichrist, puts them at the end of the age, not during the Roman Empire.

The "seven heads" are said to be seven forms of imperial government experienced in the history of Rome.

It seems to me that this interpretation really only is, at best, a partial interpretation of the chapter. If one doesn't ask too many questions it holds together, but it doesn't really explain what we see here.

The real question is, "Is it Rome at all that is referred to?" The simple identification of the "seven hills" with those of Rome is not necessarily right. The seven hills of Rome are no more distinctive of Rome than are the seven hills of Jerusalem (which incidentally does have seven hills), or the seven hills of Auckland (which has plenty to choose from!).

What is more important is that the Greek is literally "seven mountains", and the seven hills of Rome are not mountains.

The apocalyptic nature of Revelation would suggest that we should look for a symbolic meaning to the idea of mountains before we should look for literal meanings, particularly when John clearly indicated that they are symbolic "the seven heads are seven mountains..., they are also seven kings...".

John goes on to say "five have fallen, one is and one is to come". This phrase refers not just to the kings, but also to the mountains which symbolise them. But mountains do not "fall" in this way, and five of the hills of Rome definitely had not.

It thus seems best to me to take the term "mountains" to be symbolic, and this is what we shall do.

Revelation 17 is a cartoon from an ancient myth. The Beast here is female, she is Tiamat. The monster and the woman represent the same thing seen from different angles. They are opposed here to show the Antichristian empire as against the Antichristian city. As we have already seen the "city" speaks of the world system in opposition to God. The empire is the final embodiment of this.

Revelation 17 deals primarily with the nature of the beast as a religious system. Revelation 18 deals with its destruction as a political force in time.

B) EXEGESIS.

17:1-18 The Harlot Babylon.

17:1-6 Vision.
17:7-18 Interpretation.

REV 17:1 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.

"the great harlot"
Among the cities John is writing to three had temples to the goddess Roma, the Roman form of the Mother Goddess. It is this mother goddess that John is referring to. John is wanting to show that she, the dignified goddess, is nothing but a whore. Mother goddess religions were found in every city of Asia Minor in one form or another.

The term "harlot" is used in the OT to describe an apostate city - Tyre (Isaiah 23:16), Nineveh (Nahum 3), Jerusalem (Isaiah 1:21, 52:3). These all worshiped the Mother Goddess in the time of their apostacy. This was a fertility cult with sexual immorality as a key point. Hence immorality is used as a symbol of religious infidelity.

"seated on many waters"
Jeremiah 51:23 - Babylon was on the Euphrates, and was surrounded by canals, though it was built in a desert. However it also ruled the "nations" who are like many restless waters (17:15).

However on a grander scale Babylon has ruled the religious systems of the world since the Tower of Babel. The system began there and was adapted for use throughout the world.
Hence there is a literal and a spiritual fulfilment of this chapter.

The system of Babylon, which rules the world, will also return to the ancient city of Babylon and there be destroyed.

Note:- It is not true to say that Rome sat on many waters in both a literal and spiritual sense. The system was found IN Rome at the time John was writing, and so could be recognised there, but the system began in Babylon, and is Babylonian in its roots and nature.

REV 17:2 With her the kings of the earth committed adultery and the
inhabitants of the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her adulteries."

"with whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication".
It implies ALL of them. This was not true of Rome – not all of the nations of the world had committed fornication with Rome in the history of the world, not even at the time of John writing. But in a very real way the system of Babylon, religious and political, has been adopted by man throughout history.

Babylon entices men by offering them sexual pleasure as a way to God.

REV 17:3 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.

"a wilderness"
(i) Babylon was in the wilderness.
(ii) This is primarily a spiritual reference. It is only as we leave the city and "come out of her" that we begin to see the true nature of the city.

"in the Spirit"
In a prophetic trance.

"a woman sitting on a scarlet beast"
She is outwardly dominant, she controls the beast.

The beast is described in a similar way to that in ch 12 & 13, but it is not the same beast. The similarity is to show that it is spiritually related, they all have the same nature and motivations.
The woman is said now to be seated "on the beast" where in v1 she is seated "on the waters", thus indicating that the beast is identified with the waters in some way.

"scarlet"
Indicating its close relationship to Satan.

"full of blasphemous names"
C/f 13:5-6.

"seven heads and ten horns"
See v 9ff for interpretation.

"sitting"
Greek = ruling, holding sway.

REV 17:4 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.

"arrayed with purple and scarlet"
Colours of earthly pomp and splendour, the garb of royalty.

"bedecked with gold and jewels and pearls".
She dressed like the priests of ancient Babylon used to dress. This garb was followed by priests in the mother god cults throughout history. The dress is the same as seen in the higher echelons of the Roman Catholic Church.

C/f 12:1-3 the description of Zion. Zion is dressed in heavenly splendour, the Harlot's is that which is earthly.

"holding in her hands a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her fornications"
C/f Jeremiah 51:7.

"abominations"
LXX = moral and ceremonial uncleanness.
= idolatrous rites.
= Daniel 11:31; 12:11; 9:27.
The cup looked nice, but the inside was full of evil.

REV 17:5 This title was written on her forehead: MYSTERY BABYLON THE GREAT THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

"on her forehead was written a name"
Harlots in Rome had their name written on the headbands worn by Roman women.

"a name of mystery, Babylon the Great"
The Punctuation is difficult.
(i) as above.
(ii) " a name: Mystery Babylon the..."

Walvoord: "'Mystery' refers to the title 'Babylon the Great', i.e. it is not literal Babylon that is intended, but means that the woman corresponds religiously to what Babylon was religiously.

Interpreter's Bible: It is to be understood allegorically, not literally, i.e. it is Rome.

Probably it is meant to be both literal and allegorical. It appears that the system which began at Babel will be returned there before the end of the age, so that it can be literally destroyed there.

"mother of harlots"
Babylon was the mother - the originator - of the worlds false religious systems.
What we are seeing here then is not just any old religion, but the great grand mummy of them all.

REV 17:6 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.

C/f Matthew 23:35-36.
The woman is a fit companion for the beast of 13:7 who kills the saints.
It was the system of Babylon, found in Rome and in the R.C. Church, and which throughout history has persecuted the true Church of born again believers.

Zechariah 13:7-9 - great martyrdom in Israel and the Church.

"when I saw her I marvelled greatly"
Her earthly pomp was awe inspiring.
Greek literally = "I was amazed at her with great amazement".

REV 17:7 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.

REV 17:8 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 beast that you saw was, and is not, and is to ascend from the bottomless pit and go to perdition."
This is the Antichrist. It is one of the ways John often refers to Antichrist. It does not appear to refer to the beast before us in Revelation 17.
This reflects the popular belief that Nero would come back again from the dead. However this belief about Nero is based on an older religious myth from Babylon, versions of which were widely believed throughout the ancient world.

The myth is a creation story, in which there is a battle between the forces of evil/darkness, and the creator. The creator is victorious and the earth is created. On the belief that the world would end as it had begun, this battle was to be re-fought at the end of time.

In Jewish Apocalyptic this story was told using the creatures Behemoth and Leviathan. They were expected to rise again from the sea as a prelude to their final destruction. Meanwhile they are held in some form of bondage until the appropriate time.

In the myths of the region there is a widespread belief that evil, incarnate in some monster (a seven headed beast) is not destroyed, but is somehow held in check until the last days when it will be freed. After a short period of liberty it will be finally destroyed.

This is the likely basis of then Antichrist belief in scripture.

This mythology, as we have noted earlier, is based on the pictures of Astrology, which depict the cosmic struggle between good and evil.

John says "he was", referring back to the time of creation.

"is not" meaning that he is presently not free, and "is to ascend" - during the tribulation.

"will go into perdition" - final destruction.

The context of v8 makes it clear that this refers to Antichrist, but the beast of v1 seems to have a wider meaning than just Antichrist, as we shall see later.

I do not believe that the two beasts of ch 13 and ch 17 are the same despite the obvious similarities. The beast of ch 13 is a man, so has limited existence, whereas the beast of ch 17 has an extended lifetime over thousands of years during which time its heads rise and fall.

REV 17:9 "This calls for a mind with wisdom. The seven heads are seven hills on which the woman sits.

"This calls for a mind with wisdom"
c/f 13:8 - i.e. it can be worked out but the meaning is not immediately obvious.

"the seven heads are seven hills on which the woman is seated"
Greek literally "...seven mountains..."
Usually this is taken to be a reference to the seven hills of Rome, so it is assumed that Rome is what is meant by the Harlot. However other comments about Babylon in Ch 17, 18 require that the literal Babylon be meant. Rome just does not fulfil all the possibilities.
e.g. 16:12 "the Euphrates".
18:17-20 ' "ships and sailors" - true for Babylon as the Euphrates is navigational by large ships for a long way past Babylon, but it is not true of Rome which is inland on a non navigational river.
Hence the "mountains" are not to be taken literally. They are symbolic. In prophecy mountains often mean political empires.

Psalm 30:7; Jeremiah 51:25; Daniel 3:25; Enoch 52; Micah 1:3,4.

Hence we are to see "Babylon" as being primarily symbolic. It is the literal city, but it also refers to the system of Religious and Political government which began there at the Tower of Babel.

NOTE:- A Literal Babylon?

Are we to see a literal Babylon at the end of the age? I believe so.
The system of Babylon which began at Babel will return there to be destroyed there. This opinion I base on the following factors:

(1) There are many OT prophecies about the destruction of Babylon by invasion and fire which never occurred historically after they were made.
Jeremiah 50:8-15; 51:11,12,25,58.
Babylon has been in ruins since about 500 AD but this came about because of changing geographic factors.
The river Euphrates had moved away from the site of the city several miles, so the heart of the city's life was lost. The population dwindled until it was too small to continue the fight against the wind blown sands, and to maintain the ancient buildings. The population simply deserted it around 500 AD.

The invasion of the Medes and Persians under Cyrus - which was traditionally said to have destroyed the city - did not actually do so. Cyrus conquered the city peacefully, having been invited to take over by the priesthood of Marduk, the city God, who had become disillusioned with Nabonidus and his son Belshazzar. The priests actually opened the gates wide, and went out to meet him, as his army approached.

Isaiah 13:17-22.

It is now clear that probably only the kings' palace was destroyed, as recorded in Daniel 5:30, the rest of the city underwent a major reconstruction under the Medo Persian rule.

Hence the OT prophecies need fulfilment.

(2) The System to Return to Its Home.

Zechariah 5:5-11.
This prophecy relates to a system of government.
We see a woman, speaking of false religion, whose name is iniquity, or wickedness. She is entombed inside an ephah. The ephah was a standard measure and speaks symbolically of the economic system, hence of the political.

What we see here then is a political system in some way controlled by a false religion, which is at its heart.

The key verse is v11 - it is being carried back to Babylonia. The modern translations lose some of the meaning here. Literally it reads:
"Where it is to be put on ITS OWN BASE".
In other words this is where it began, where it belongs, and now it is being returned there.

(3) In the light of this we would expect the city of Babylon to be rebuilt. This is actually what is happening.
In Iraq, Suddam Hussein has spent millions of dollars rebuilding the ancient city of Iraq. He believes he is Nebuchadnezzar reincarnated.

L.A. Times Dec 2 1971.
"The tower of Babel, Biblical source of the worlds languages, may soon rise again over the dusty plain once known as Mesopotamia. The Iraqi Government is considering a plan to reconstruct part of the ruins of Babylon, including a 295 ft tower which probably inspired the author of the book of Genesis."

A more recent article said:

“$400 million has been set aside for the task."

A news article on T.V.N.Z. early in 1992 showed pictures of the new Babylon. A large modern city, but built in ancient style, all prepared for its population, but totally uninhabited.

The city is prepared for its task, waiting for the time of its revisiting.

Why Rebuild Babylon?

I believe it is in the plan of God.
Just as God has a city, Jerusalem, which has been the geographic centre of his activities on earth, so too Satan, who copies all of God's works, has a city. It is Babylon. Just as the fulfilment of God's plan for earth will come at Jerusalem, so too the fulfilment of Satan's designs will centre on Babylon. She was "the mother of Harlot's" - all of the world's false religions find their roots and cult in Babylon, hence when it is judged it will be seen to be judged.

"seven mountains"
In fact the seven mountains are a traditional Jewish apocalyptic symbol for the political empires of earth in rebellion against God.

Enoch 52.
"The Seven Metal Mountains and the Elect One."
I. And after those days in that place where I had seen all the visions of that which is hidden - for I had been carried off in a whirlwind and they had borne me towards the west 2. There mine eyes saw all the secret things of heaven that shall be, a mountain of iron, a mountain of copper, a mountain of silver, a mountain of gold, and a mountain of soft metal (tin), and a mountain of lead.

3. And I asked the angel who went with me, saying, "what things are these which I have seen in secret?" 4. And he said to me: "All these things which thou hast seen shall serve the dominion of His Anointed that he may be mighty and potent on the earth...

6. And these mountains which thine eyes have seen, The Mountain of iron...copper...silver...gold...soft metal...lead, all these shall be in the presence of the Elect One, As wax before the fire, And like the water which streams down from above (upon these mountains), And they shall become powerless before his feet.

9. And all these things shall be destroyed from the surface of the earth, when the Elect One shall appear before the face of the Lord of Spirits."

Clearly these are powers on the earth hostile to God and his Elect One (Christ), as they are destroyed.

Note v6 which parallels Micah 1:4, and the concept of v9 which parallels the destruction of the image of Daniel 2.
The parallel of the metals with Dan 2 is obvious. Only six are mentioned in Enoch but the editor of Enoch, R.H. Charles indicates that the seventh is traditional. The seventh is the last, that of iron and clay, and because iron is already mentioned Enoch does not do so again.

We see then that the seven mountains are a traditional symbol of Jewish apocalyptic, and refer to the seven world empires of human history.

REV 17:10 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.

"they are also seven kings..."
This is Hebrew parallelism.
“The Seven head are seven mountains
...they are also seven kings...”
i.e. heads = mountains = kings.

I believe that it is best to understand this phrase to mean:
"The seven heads are seven kingdoms/empires which can be symbolised in their kings"

"seven... five have fallen, one is, and one is to come"
As these are political empires then they can "fall".

Micah 1:4 c/f Enoch 52:6.
This refers to the heads, and hence to the mountains and the kings. If these were literal mountains this would be impossible. But if we see them as political empires this is true. Biblically speaking there are seven important empires that affect the course of salvation history.

(1) Babel - personified in Nimrod. This is the original empire and the prototype and model for the rest. Myth and tradition indicates that Nimrod had an empire that ruled from the border of India to Egypt. It was here the harlot had her beginning. Nimrod began the secret mystery rites which became the religion of the empires of history.

(2) Assyria - personified in Sargon.

(3) Babylon - personified in Nebuchadnezzar.

(4) Medo Persia - personified in Cyrus.

(5) Greece - personified in Alexander.

(6) Rome - personified in Caesar.

(7) Revived Rome - to be ruled by Antichrist.

NOTE:
Some interpreters have suggested Egypt to be one of these empires. I do not feel that Egypt qualifies in the same way as these other empires. Egypt did live under the system of Babylon, but during the period that Egypt extended its rule the activities of the embryonic Jewish State were all contained within the Egyptian empire. The conquests of Egypt and its political rule seem to have no real effect on the growth of the Bible story, except when Joseph, and later his brothers, went there to live. Even with this Egypt seems to have no real impact in the story.

Hence looking at this list we can see at the time of John writing this:

"Five have fallen" - Babel, Assyria, Babylon, MedoPersia, Greece.
"One is" - Rome.
"One is to Come" = Revived Rome.
This last one is only to "remain a little while"

REV 17:11 The beast who once was, and now is not, is an eighth king. He belongs to the seven and is going to his destruction.

"And the Beast which was and is not" - the Antichrist.

"is himself also an eighth, and is of the seven"
The Antichrist's empire is not one of the seven, but comes after the seventh. How he acquires his empire is described in the next verse:

REV 17:12 "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.

REV 17:13 They have one purpose and will give their power and authority to the beast.

"And the ten horns which you saw are ten kings, who have not yet received a kingdom"
Clearly this means that none of these kings belong to the first six heads, they all belong therefore on the seventh. It is wrong then to look for these kings in history as some interpreters attempt to do. These ten kings all belong the last kingdom. Hence they are the same as the ten toes of Daniel 2 and the ten horns of Daniel 7:24.

It seems that these "kings", meaning "political rulers", rise to power just prior to the Antichrist and presumably form some sort of political bloc. We see this in the fact that:

"they give their power and authority to the beast".
This indicates that their power and authority was prior to the Antichrist and is how he obtains his kingdom.

Hence the Antichrist empire rises out of the seventh empire, which must arise first. Hence he is:

17:11 "of the seven, but is an eighth."

In the OT we find a picture of this.
1 Samuel 16:6ff.
Here Samuel is sent by God to anoint a king for Israel. Jesse brings his seven eldest sons before Samuel. Humanly speaking they were all impressive. Each one was tall, strong, healthy looking - a model king. Samuel thought for each one how wonderful they looked. But God did not accept any of them. Then David was sent for - the youngest, the least important, the smallest, insignificant looking, but God chose him.

It is like this with the kingdoms of the world - seven of them will pass before God and he will reject them all. But the last one he will accept - the kingdom of his own Son.

This phrase also has another more horrible twist of meaning, which we shall discover later.

"ten horns"
These ten kings appear just prior to the Second Coming.
They are clearly still alive to be able to oppose Christ at his coming (17:14).

Who are they? What countries do they lead?

They are to be identified with the ten toes of the image in Daniel 2 and the ten horns of Daniel 7:12. This would indicate that they arise out of the ruins of the Roman Empire. It seems from Daniel's visions that each of the empires, even after its demise, has some form of continuing existence, and the land which was peculiar to that empire is still counted as belonging to it. Hence we would expect these ten kings to arise in the area of land which was peculiar to the Roman Empire, i.e. in Western Europe. It is clear that theses ten kings belong to the last days as they are still alive at the coming of Christ (Revelation 17:14). Hence commentators who look for the ten kings in history are mistaken (as some historical interpretations do).

This would suggest that they are the leaders of Western European countries who join together by treaty into a single political unit. Then at some later stage they give their allegiance to the Antichrist. He presumably is the leader of the united league.

REV 17:14 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."

"king of kings and lord of lords"
The title given to Marduk, god of Babylon, and to the rulers of all the empires of history from Nimrod on.

REV 17:15 Then the angel said to me, "The waters you saw, where the prostitute sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations and languages.

"the waters... are peoples, multitudes, nations and tongues."
Identification of the symbol.

REV 17:16 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.

"these will hate the harlot, and will make her desolate and naked and will eat her flesh and will burn her up with fire."

This verse is difficult. It seems that the religious system of Babylon is destroyed by the Antichrist. Why is this?

Because the woman is a system of beliefs that centres on Humanism. In this system man makes himself into god and worships himself. The real focus of Babylonianism is, however, the exaltation of woman over man. This system is a tool for Satan which he uses to lead men away from worshipping God, but the aim of Satan is quite different. What Satan wants is men to worship HIM. The Antichrist is the vehicle through which Satan gets this worship, so all other cults have to be destroyed, including the tool of deception he has used through the ages.

The Antichrist is the tool by which Satan is attempting to bring about the worship of Satan on earth. He is the final outworking of the Spirit of Antichrist which has been working towards this throughout the ages.

Satan's aim then is self deification, and humanism is only a tool he used to draw men to himself. When that job is completed he no longer needs the philosophy - or the cult that goes with it. Nor can he endure it, so he destroys it.

The other tool Satan uses is Internationalism, which appears to be essentially Jewish in its design and control.

Satan is after worldwide dominion, and internationalism is the tool, it is a pseudo kingdom of God.

How will it be destroyed?

The strength of Internationalism appears to come from the joining of Jewish and Gentile internationalist forces, notably the Rockefellers, (Gentile) and Rothschild (Jewish) families and their associates. The two cannot mix indefinitely. The Rockefeller philosophy is: "Competition is a sin", and this implies they want to control everything with no power sharing. Hence they will in time destroy any alliance with any other group, and internationalism will go along with it. The attack by the Antichrist on Israel probably marks the end of this alliance.

REV 17:17 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.

REV 17:18 The woman you saw is the great city that rules over the kings of the earth."

C) THE THREE SEVEN HEADED BEASTS.

Revelation 12,13, 17.

Rev 12 = Satan himself, the great red dragon.
Rev 13 = The Antichrist, “the beast”.
Rev 17. Is not Satan, nor is it the Antichrist as the Antichrist is referred to separately in the chapter as “the beast who was…”. Thus this is a third seven-headed beast.

It is important in reading Revelation to realise that what we are seeing described to us by John are SPIRITUAL REALITIES. We see conflicts in the heavenlies, spiritual beings who are at work behind the visible scenes of the conflicts occurring on earth.

This is particularly true in Revelation 17 - the beast described here is a spiritual being - a reality which exists in the spiritual realm which is at work in the history of mankind.

As we have seen the OUTWORKING in human history of this beast's existence is the creation of seven political empires over the history of the world, but what then is this seven headed beast?

The clue is found in Daniel 10:1-20.

Here we see Daniel praying about the future of Israel. An angel is sent with a message from God to answer his prayer, but is withstood in the heavenlies by a Fallen Angel, called the Prince of the Kingdom of Persia. A fierce battle ensued. We can figure out that the angel sent to reveal things to Daniel is Gabriel from other references to him in Daniel, where he appears to be the Angel responsible for bringing messages to men.

Gabriel explains how Michael, another archangel, was sent to his aid after three weeks. Michael stood in Gabriel's place allowing him to continue with the message. However he had to return to take up the battle again. Gabriel explains that after he has defeated the Prince of Persia, the prince of Greece was to come, and he would fight him also.

The implication from this passage is that every kingdom, or political unit, has a Fallen Angel power controlling it. In particular the empires of world history have each been the direct result of the activity of a Fallen Angel bringing it to pass.

Many empires have come and gone, but the Bible concerns itself with only seven, which in particular manifest the plan of Satan in the world.

Each one of these empires then had a fallen angel inspiring and controlling it, seven princes of seven empires. These are the "seven heads" of the seven-headed beast.

In the Satanic Hierarchy this extremely strong group of Fallen Angels seem to dominate the whole of Satan's plan on earth in the political arena.

These angels appear to work together to some degree, and their operation on earth is manifested by the same sort of activities. Their association together is so close that they often appear to be one Satanic force and are called by one title indicating their unity in Scripture - "the Spirit of Antichrist".

Hence we see that the Spirit of Antichrist is made up of a group of spirits, not just one. However in general we can refer to them together as "the Spirit of Antichrist".

1 John 2:18,19.

Anti Gtreek = (i) Against, i.e. opposition to Christ.
(ii) In place of, i.e. a substitute.

These are the two works of the Spirit of Antichrist throughout history. We will understand what this means if we consider the work of Christ for a moment. His task was two fold:
(i) Political - to bring about a new kingdom, the kingdom of God.
(ii) Religious - to Reveal God to man.

The Spirit of Antichrist therefore has two works:
(i) Political - to raise up political structures which oppose the Kingdom of God.
(ii) Religious - to Raise up another Christ to deceive men.
This is what we see here in Revelation 17, a political beast, and a false religion riding, or controlling, it.

It seems as if these Fallen Angels are involved in corrupting the political structures of the world.

Ephesians 6:12 "Rulers of this present darkness".
The final work of the Spirit of Antichrist will be the elevation of a political ruler who will attempt to rule the whole world. If it were not for the coming of Christ he may well succeed in his attempts, but Christ returns before the plan reaches its culmination.

2 Thessalonians 2:1-8.
v7 - "the mystery of lawlessness" = the spirit of Antichrist, and it “is already at work".
It will bring about the rise of the "man of lawlessness", i.e. the Antichrist, at the end of the age.
However Paul says the spirit of Antichrist is active already in the political sphere, and is bringing forth "Antichrists", and "Antichrist empires", as trial runs for the real thing.

1 John 4:1-3, 2:18.

Hence in Revelation we find three seven headed beasts. Careful examination reveals that they are all different manifestations of the same aspect of the Satanic plan, but the three are not to be identified.

(1) ch12 - The great, red, seven headed dragon = Satan himself (v9).
The seven diadems (kingly crowns) are found each on a head, indicating that Satan's rulership extends over the whole of the period of the activity and life of this beast, i.e. all of man's history.

(2) ch13 - The Antichrist himself.
The ten diadems are found on the ten horns, all of which are found on the seventh, and last, head. This indicates that his rulership is limited in scope to the period of the ten kings who create his empire.

(3) ch 17 - The Spirit of Antichrist.
No diadems - this beast has no real authority of its own, rather it is the pawn of Satan.

This is a direct parallel to the Father, Christ and Holy Spirit. Satan is a counterfeiter.

The "Beast is an eighth ... but is of the seven ... the ten kings give their power over to the beast (Antichrist)".

The last empire rises out of the agreement of the rulers of the seventh empire to give rulership to one man, the Antichrist.

"is of the seven" This means that the Antichrist's empire, though it grows out of the seventh empire, is in itself fundamentally different from all of the others that have gone before it. “It is an eighth.”

We have noted from Daniel earlier that each of these empires had a Fallen Angel ruling spirit over them. It is the combination of these seven fallen angels which make up the whole spirit of Antichrist. Each of the Empires that make up the seven in history have BUT ONE fallen angel motivating it. HOWEVER, the ANTICHRIST'S EMPIRE HAS ALL SEVEN MOTIVATING IT.

This can only mean that the Antichrist's empire will be AT LEAST SEVEN TIMES MORE HORRIBLE than any of its predecessors.

Note:
This seven headed beast is the "mystery of lawlessness which is already at work" (2 Thessalonians 2), and Daniel 10 tells us that Gabriel is warring with it, i.e., Gabriel is the "restraining spirit" of 2 Thessalonians 2:6,7