REVELATION LESSON 42

REVELATION

LESSON 42

ARE WE LIVING IN THE END TIMES?

Revelation 17:10   ¹⁰ 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.

The word kings can also be translated Kingdoms. It makes more sense in this case to say the seven heads are seven kingdoms. History and scripture reveal that there have been seven gentile world kingdoms.

The five who have fallen are the five gentile world kingdoms. Assyria, Medio-Persia, Greek, Egypt, and Babylon. These existed before Johns lifetime “and one is” refers to the sixth kingdom. The roman empire that existed during Johns lifetime. The other has not yet come refers to a seventh future kingdom, the revived Roman Empire.

The revived Roman empire will exist after Johns lifetime. This seventh kingdom will remain and refers to the ten-nation confederation symbolized by the ten horns, which in Johns day had not yet come, and has to this day not come.

This seventh kingdom will remain. It must continue for a short time, throughout the duration of the seven-year tribulation period.

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

As years progress leading up to the second coming of Christ this world empire which its ruler is the eighth king, and is stated as “the beast who once was and now is not.” This beast is the antichrist. He will be one of the seven already mentioned, since he is not yet come. He must come out of the seventh gentile world kingdom which will be the revived Roman Empire.

As an eighth king he will take over the seventh gentile world kingdom and establish his own brand of world government. A new World Order. The antichrist will rise in power in that government. He will take over and transform it into a satanic state. The beast that was and is not is the beast that will come out of the bottomless pit… the antichrist.

Revelation 17:12   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.

The ten horns are the ten kings that will rule with the antichrist. This is a picture of what the end time world government will look like. The antichrist will rule the world which will be divided into ten divisions. There will be a separate leader in charge who will answer to the antichrist.

The ten kings will receive military authority for one hour. One hour is a biblical term meaning for a short time. In this particular case it means the ten kings will reign with the antichrist for the tribulation period.

The significance of this is the fact that Jesus promised to keep faithful believers from the hour of trial that is coming upon the world. To me all the signs point to a pre-tribulation rapture. 

Revelation 3:10   ¹⁰ Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.

The church will not be on earth during the one-hour reign of the ten kings with the antichrist.

Revelation 17:13   ¹³ These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.

These ten rulers controlled by the antichrist will be nothing more than puppet kings who will submit to him. Dictators usually come to power by using one or more of these tactics. Violence, force or political trickery. After coming to power, they usually have to continue to use force to stay in power. Because of that they usually outlaw basic freedoms such as the freedom of assembly, freedom of speech and freedom of worship. According to the bible the antichrist will do these things also, and do much worse than any previous dictator.

Revelation 17:14   ¹⁴ These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.

At the end of the tribulation period the antichrist and his ten puppet kings will make war against the Lamb and his called, chosen and faithful followers. Unfortunately for them the outcome was determined long ago. The Lamb will defeat them in the battle of Armageddon because he is the Lord of Lords and the King of Kings. Only those who are called, chosen and faithful will be with Jesus.

Revelation 17:15   ¹⁵ And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.

Both the woman and the beast, the ecclesiastical and the political, are opposed to God and those who put their trust in the Lord at that time. This indicates that the false religion promoted by the woman as well as the political power promoted by the beast are worldwide.

This base of power and support will give the harlot religious system tremendous control. She will ensnare and deceive people on a worldwide scale.

Revelation 17:16   ¹⁶ And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.

The next development is a tremendous additional revelation. The beast and the ten horns you saw will hate the prostitute. They will bring her to ruin and leave her naked, this beast who was dominated by the harlot system is the one who rises against her system completely. Without a doubt the harlot system was in competition with the religious worship of the beast.

Promoted by the false prophet, her destruction is brought about so that the beast may be the sole object of false worship as he claims to be God. The antichrist will enter the Jewish temple in Jerusalem and declare at this time to be God.

There is no more room for Babylon and her one world religion and one world government, the antichrist can not be God and subject to those who worship him at the same time. Someone has to go, the antichrist and his allies will destroy the harlots of religious system and confiscate her expensive clothing, gold and precious stones. They will persecute and kill her deceived people.

What the antichrist does not realize is that God has sovereignly moved to give him the ability to overthrow the Babylonian system and that soon it will be the antichrists turn to experience the judgment that is swift, total and dreadful. The destruction of the city of Babylon will come later on.

Until our next lesson,

Stay in the word. 

Brother Andy