Sound The Trumpet : Revelation 17:7-8

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“Revelation 17:7-8”
by Art Sadlier
June 20th, 2010

The System Explained

"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." Verse 7

The angel will now explain the literal meaning of the symbols. The word 'mystery' does not mean 'Mysterious', but rather 'secret', that which hitherto has been hidden and is now revealed. The mask has now been stripped from the mother of harlots. That which has been shrouded in secret is about to be explained. The woman is associated with the beast which has seven heads and ten horns. The ten horns are represented in Daniel's image as the ten toes, (see Daniel 2:40-44 and Daniel 7:7).

Six centuries before John's vision it was revealed by God to Daniel that the power of world government would pass through the hands of four empires. The Babylonians, Medio-Persians, Greece and Rome. The last of these, the Roman Empire was overthrown in 476 AD., however the Roman Empire was not completely wiped out. Though Rome has not risen again as a world empire, yet it has been kept alive in Europe as a political force. Through the political influence of Church of Rome. It has also been present in the colonial system of the countries of Europe, the British colonial Empire, the French colonial Empire, the Dutch colonial Empire, the German colonial Empire, the Belgian colonial Empire and also the colonial Empires of Portugal and Spain. It is interesting that when those Empires fell after WW 2, the treaty of Rome was signed and revival of the Roman Empire began.

Rome will rise again! In fact the leaders of the EU boast that they are the return of the Roman Empire.

We read in Daniel 2:31-33 about the old Roman Empire. In verses 36-43 we have the interpretation, this is the Revived Roman Empire. In verse 44 we see that this takes place just prior to the establishment of Christ's kingdom.

In Daniel 7:7 we read, "And it had ten horns." That is the stage of the Roman Empire that has not yet come to pass, it will not come to fruition until the peace treaty is signed. It will last 3 1/2 years then give way to the world wide kingdom of Antichrist.

In Revelation 17:7 John's amazement is directed toward the woman and her influence. The angel says, the mystery involves not only the woman but also the beast that carries her.

"The beast...which hath the seven heads and ten horns", we need to understand that there is a political system and a religious system involved here, a world Empire and a world Church.

Verse 8, "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, 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."

We have a further description of the beast. "the beast that was", that is the past history of Rome. "And is not", that is the Roman Empire's condition over the last 1500 years. "And shall come up out of the bottomless pit", or is about to come up out of the bottomless pit. This refers to the restoration of the Roman Empire by Satan through his man Antichrist. Rome will not be revived until the Antichrist comes on the scene. That which is taking place in the EU today is just preparation for the coming of Antichrist.

"And go into perdition", this refers to the destruction of the kingdom of Antichrist at the coming of Christ. Antichrist's kingdom will be short lived. "And they that dwell on the earth shall wonder," 'Wonder' means to be amazed.

The kingdom shall rise so rapidly, it shall totally control the whole earth. It will have a great religious system that will totally control all men. It will have a astounding economic system that will absolutely amaze and shock all men everywhere. You will not buy or sell without it being recorded by the system of the beast. You will not buy or sell without the permission of the beast. Everything on the planet will suddenly come under his power.

The people of the world will stand in amazement at how rapidly all this happens and at how vast and extensive the control will be.

Looking for His glorious appearing! Titus 2:13