REVELATION 17.6-13

6 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration (lit. amazement; there was nothing to admire in this great harlot).

• Drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: The woman not only persecutes, she revels in her persecution of the godly as a drunk revels in wine.

·      I marveled with great amazement: Why is John amazed?  Because this persecution and bloodbath that he saw was not at the hands of secular, pagan government (such as he knew in his day), but at the hands of a wicked religious system. 

·      Just like a drunkard is drunk with alcohol, this religious harlot was drunk with the blood of God’s people.

·      Once again the bloody history of the Crusades cannot be overlooked.

o   We should never forget that some of the most vicious persecution conducted against true Christians has been done in the name of the church. A candid, unbiased reading of the Dark Ages and the times of The Crusaders will reveal that Untold millions of Protestants and Jewish people were murdered and cruelly tortured by the Roman Catholic Church.   In the days when the Roman Catholic Queen Mary ruled England (known as “Bloody Mary” for good reason), some 288 Christians were burnt at the stake for their stand for Christian truth between 1555 and 1558.  This barbarity was committed in the name of religion, in the name of the chur.h David Guzik

o   Sir Robert Anderson of Scotland Yard fame estimated that 50,000,000 people were killed by the Roman Catholic Church.

o   The fact that the Roman Catholic Church felt compelled to ask for forgiveness for her persecution sins of the past on March 12th, 2000, only serves to further confirm she is a part of the apostate great harlot that was, is and will be responsible for the blood of the saints spoken of in Revelation!

o   I would only add here that the Protestant church has blood on its hands as well, for there was such a thing as the Protestant Inquisition as well. Though far less in number, it was a part of the history of the protestant church during the times of the reformation. We do not have the time to go into all of the martyrs that have been at the hands of Islam, Hinduism as well.

A careful examination of the book of Revelation indicates that John is shown numerous martyrs of Jesus.

·      Antipas in the church of Pergamos was a faithful martyr (Rev. 2:13+).

·      At the opening of the fifth seal, John sees “the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held” (Rev. 6:9+)

·      God’s two witnesses, empowered to prophesy, are martyred as a witness (Rev. 11:7+).

·      John sees those who had overcome the Beast and his mark—probably martyrs—standing on the sea of glass (Rev. 15:2+ cf. Rev. 12:11+).

·      At the initiation of the Millennial Kingdom, John sees “the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands” (Rev. 20:4+)

Re 17:7 And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns.

• The angel provides revelation concerning aspects of the woman (Rev. 17:15-18+) and the beast with the seven heads and ten horns (Rev. 17:8-14+, 16-17+).The remainder of the chapter is devoted to these two topics.
• Although the Beast carries the woman for a season, ultimately he and his ten kings turn upon her and consume her (Rev. 17:16-17+) bringing about God’s judgment upon her.
• Perhaps her ride upon the Beast is eventually seen to be too burdensome so he throws her off. She may ultimately prove to be a liability and a competition in his eventual bid for all attention and worship (2Th. 2:4).

8 The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition:

• This reference to the beast that was and is and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit definitely goes back to chapter 13 where the antichrist receives a mortal head wound and comes back to life again. The demons that come out of the bottomless pit possess his body, and empower him with the ability to perform lying signs and wonders.
• When the Beast ascends out of the abyss, he will overcome the two witnesses (Rev. 11:7+). The destruction of these two powerful prophets together with his return from the dead will seal his worship by the earth dwellers.

• The timing of this scene appears to be somewhere after the mid point of the 7 year tribulation period.
• He shall go into perdition- Remember that the antichrist is said to be the son of perdition in 2 Thess 2.3. Because his destiny is destruction, he is the son of perdition.
• The antichrist, or son of perdition will be destroyed (cast into the Lake of Fire, not annihilated) at the Second Coming of Christ (Rev. 19:20+). According to the Bible, The Beast and the False Prophet are the first inhabitants of the Lake of Fire—spending one thousand years there before being joined by Satan (Rev. 20:10+). Thus, the “antitrinity” are the first to suffer in hell. The rest of the ungodly dead are in Hades until their time of judgment (Rev. 20:12-13+).
• Some very deceived people who mock the Bible and the doctrine of eternal punishment have made the statement that if there is an afterlife, it will be the greatest party forever…..my dear friend, do listen to Jesus Christ. 
• Mt 13:41 The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; 42 And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder (marvel), 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.

• The earth dwellers shall wonder (marvel)- They marvel over his “miraculous” resurrection from his deadly wound and lying signs and wonders.

• If we haven’t had enough food for thought or discussion yet, please note the phrase whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world.  
• Rev 13:8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him (the beast), whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
• There is no security against embracing the most dangerous errors, and joining in the most abominable practices, except in that distinguishing grace of God which leads men to trust in the Redeemer, and in well-doing to commit the keeping of their souls to him. Family Bible Notes
• Your eternal destiny hinges upon whether or not your name is written in the book of life.
• Rev 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
• Rev 3:5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.
• Overcomers are the individuals who written in the book of life. Who are overcomers?
• 1John 5:4 For whatsoever is born of God (born again; born from above) overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. 5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?
• Listen to an example of the testimony of an overcomer  Ac 8:35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. 36 And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? 37 And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. 38 And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.
• Please observe that this Ethiopian man that was baptized in water was an adult. He was an individual that had believed from the Scriptures found in Isa 53 that Jesus died for his sin. He believed that Jesus was the Son of God and he was able to confess that faith in Christ himself. He publically expressed his faith in Jesus by being water baptized.

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• Those who marvel and follow the beast are those whose names were not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. This is exactly what we read in Rev 13.8 a moment ago.
• But elsewhere we read of individuals whose names are written in heaven or in the book of life.
• Jesus told the 70 that returned to him with a glorious report of how the power of God was working in their lives these words. Lu 10:20 Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.
• In Phil 4.3, Paul writes about fellowlabourers, whose names are in the book of life.
• Only the name of those who have trusted Christ as Lord are recorded in the book of life of The Lamb. A close parallel to this would be Eph 1:4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world. Your name was not placed there at the point of your salvation. Your name was there before you were saved…before you were born…even before the foundation of the world. If you have believed in Jesus as your Savior, you can be confident that God chose you and has placed your name in the Book of Life.What an encouragement! You didn’t choose God; He chose you! Because He chose you, He will be sure to preserve you in His grace.
• No stronger statement of the sovereignty of God in things pertaining to salvation is found in the entire Bible.
• But we also read Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
• No clearer statement could be made of the necessity for man to place faith and hope in Christ in order to be saved.
• Divine sovereignty and human responsibility are equal truths in Scripture that defy human logic. No wonder after writing about divine election and human responsibility in Romans 9-11, Paul concluded his argument with these words, Rom 11:32 For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!

9 And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.

• Anybody in John’s day would identify this as the city of Rome. Look in most any encyclopedia and you will find that Rome is known as the city of seven hills, or seven mountains.
• An ancient Roman coin (a Sestertius) in the collection of the British Museum, minted at Tarraco in 71 A.D. during the reign of Vespasian (69-79 A.D.), declaring him to be the Pontifex Maximus (a title that is now assumed by the papacy), depicts the city of Rome as both the goddess Dea-Roma seated on 7 hills.
• Coins minted in Vatican City from 1955 to 1965 under three Popes. The inscription on the reverse side of the coin reads in Italian "CITTÁ DEL VATICANO", which as we can now see, means City of Prophecy. So once again, the prominence of the city of Rome in the tribulation period is cited as the capital or central location of the great harlot.
• But the mind that has wisdom is much deeper than knowing that Rome ins the 7 hilled city.

Re 17:10 And there are seven kings:

• The KJV is a bit ambiguious here, for verse 9 and 10 reads, the 7 heads are 7 mountains on which the woman sits, and they are 7 kings…..
• The relationship between kings and mountains is well-established in Scripture—mountains represent the power of kingdoms and their individual kings (Jer. 51:25; Dan. 2:35; Zec. 4:7). These seven mountains, together with the eighth (Rev. 17:11+), will eventually be destroyed by the stone which is Christ, the Messianic King (Rev. 20:4+). His kingdom is destined to become “a great mountain” and fill the whole earth (Dan. 2:35). This speaks of the kingdom reign of The Lord Jesus Christ that we will look at more fully in Revelation 20.

five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space (3 ½ years).  

·      5 of these kingdoms are fallen- Ancient Egypt, Assyria, Medo-Persia, Babylon and  Greece.  One is- that would be Rome.

·      Other is not yet come- in others words, this kingdom that will emerge in the last days, will be a resurrection of a demonic personality that will rule the kingdoms of the world. 

·      He (the king or antichrist and his kingdom) must continue a short space- Please remember that 3 times in the Revelation The Holy Spirit speaks of a 3 ½ year period of time.

Re 17:11 And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition.

• Now the angel is speaking of the individual who will be the ruler of the kingdom yet to come. This phrase refers to the period of the reign of the Beast following his revival from his deadly wound.
• This would refer to the last half of the week, the three and one-half years during which he is given authority: “he was given authority to continue for forty-two months” (Rev. 13:5+).

Rev 17:12  And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. 17:13 These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.

• The horn is a symbol of power, and often is used for a kingdom in prophetic language.  
• Dan 7:24 And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.
• The ten horns correspond to the ten toes of Nebuchadnezzar’s image (Dan. 2:40-43) Universal world power has always been the aim of fallen man from the tower of Babel to the present.
• The worldwide scope of the reign of the beast and the brevity of their reign in absolute power is described here. In the latter part of the great tribulation, the unification of this evil kingdom will be brought about by the sovereign will of God to fulfill His will. (vs. 17).
• Let me leave you with this powerful truth this morning beloved. Something that can be easily lost in the quest to understand the meaning of every single detail of the Revelation is this:
• Redemption for fallen man by grace through faith in the vicarious sacrifice of His Son Jesus Christ is God’s eternal plan. This plan cannot be franchised by any denomination or religious group. This plan leaves no room for works of any kind. We are being kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
• In the midst of the craziness and confusion that our planet is in, our God reigns on His throne. Pr 21:1 ¶ The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will. Dan 4.25 the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will. Dan 4.35 he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?