The kings of the earth were immoral, intoxicated with the pleasure of ‘immorality’, but now they will make restitution, after the Divine rule. The religions of the world did not serve, rather they victimized humanity.
1 Then one of the seven angels with the seven bowls came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the punishment of the great prostitute, who sits on many waters. 2 The kings of the earth were immoral with her, and those who dwell on the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her immorality.”
I cannot but think of Davos, Switzerland, where prostitution is legal and people of means at the WEF were, it is said, to exploit the ‘offerings’. However, this is an utter tangent on my part – the prostitute encompasses ‘many waters’ and intoxicates through her ‘immorality’ – discussed below.
People of means paying for human exploits – labour, lasciviousness, even organs – it is to end. Why does it continue? We all have turned our eyes from the things we chose to forget, to permit, to embrace. I recall when I have failed to cling to the hand of Christ, and it all crushes me. Oh, Lord!
3 And the angel carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness, where I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns. 4 The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls. She held in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her sexual immorality. 5 And on her forehead a mysterious name was written:
BABYLON THE GREAT,
THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES
AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
Purple and scarlet, adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls – describes a scene recalling papistry, indeed. Yet, the connotation of this infidelity alludes to the life and times of the prophet Hosea, whom God directed to marry a prostitute – so as to warn the people, “because this land is flagrantly prostituting itself by departing from the LORD.” The law was given to guide the people for living communally, with mutual care – but with that abandoned, the result became one of criminality and anguish.
God did act to judge and save His own, and now it is time for all in Christ.
The people of Israel came to embrace false gods and goddesses – such as Ishtar, pursuing ‘dreams’ related to them so as to undermine the fidelity of faith in the Creator, the One who embraced them in covenant. In the scripture the first covenant was often characterised in terms of commitment, as in marriage. In the New Testament, the church itself is called the bride of Christ – a covenant established and enveloped in love.
Ideas of spiritism are not merely historical as, shortly before WWII, the people of Germany were led astray by similar fancies. For example, consider the material in this footage of the reconstructed Ishtar Gate of Babylon – a presentation of the Pergamon Museum, Berlin. The implications of the Nazis’ use of the Pergamum altar are not historical, rather the same are contemporary and vital concerns for the entire world.
Thus the mindset of those who pursue ultimate power is not to be considered innocuous. Rather it is, time and again, fixed upon the aphrodisiac of contempt, inflamed by an unsatisfied ambition – the thirst to eradicate those who resist the ‘new godhead’ of hedonistic conquest and control – of pollice verso, the power to issue a ‘thumbs down’.
6 I could see that the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints and witnesses for Jesus. And I was utterly amazed at the sight of her.
7 “Why are you so amazed?” said the angel. “I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and ten horns.
8 The beast that you saw—it was, and now is no more, but is about to come up out of the Abyss and go to its destruction. And those who dwell on the earth whose names were not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world will marvel when they see the beast that was, and is not, and yet will be.
Note the time of the action, in John’s day but regarding the future. ‘Now’ was the end of the first century, and so from a ‘nothingness’ of the past to the future here revealed, the beast will yet emerge from ‘the Abyss’. Thus, the text refers to those who dwell on the earth, those who rejected the love and grace of Jesus Christ. Oh what they will see! What terrible things to have allowed, thereafter to witness, to envision and realize in their own lives.
9 This calls for a mind with wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits. 10 There are also seven kings [Greek: from βασιλεύς (bas-il-yooce’) – a king, ruler, or emperor]. Five have fallen, one is, and the other has not yet come; but when he does come, he must remain for only a little while.
Sitting upon seven ‘mountains’ – a city upon seven mountains, or upon seven continents – i.e. the entire world. These ‘kings’ were of antiquity, invisible in the age of the church and preceding WWII. The ‘kings’ of Sumer, Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia were fallen, while Rome continued. Was Hitler the seventh? I do not know, but I pose the question to present-day saints who cannot escape their calling to preach the gospel while there remains an opportunity. So – what follows?
11 The beast that was, and now is not, is an eighth king [‘king’ implied here], who belongs to the other seven and is going into destruction. 12 The ten horns you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but will receive one hour of authority as kings, along with the beast. 13 These kings have one purpose: to yield their power and authority to the beast.
These ‘kings’, will have ‘an hour’ of time in which each commit their ‘kingdom’ – lands, treasuries, armies – to serve (submit to) the beast, for:
14 They will make war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will triumph over them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and He will be accompanied by His called and chosen and faithful ones.”
A reference to Armageddon to restate, underscore these events are certain.
15 Then the angel said to me, “The waters you saw, where the prostitute was seated, are peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues. 16 And the ten horns and the beast that you saw will hate the prostitute. They will leave her desolate and naked, and will eat her flesh and burn her with fire.
The beast and the ten leaders will despise and destroy ‘the prostitute’ – the unfaithful religious system of the (this?) day, presented here in language which conveys, clearly, an ostentatious city – one which has global control.
17 For God has put it into their hearts to carry out His purpose by uniting to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled. 18 And the woman you saw is the great city that rules over the kings of the earth.”
So a mystery: which city is, or will be, that which rules over the earth’s rulers? New York, London, Beijing, or another? From a perspective of finance, it could be any of the above. From a religious perspective, there could be a single answer only: Vatican City.
In closing this chapter I ask God in sorrow for forgiveness, declaring that I do not need to understand this time of judgement. Rather, I pray with all of my being that neither I nor my loved ones shall witness these things – and yet the record is here for anyone to contemplate, to pursue salvation now.
End Times Prophecy 