Mystery Babylon

The Great Whore

The Mother of Harlots

"The Beasts of Revelation"

Chapter 4

Come with me and I will show you the punishment of the great harlot who sits upon many waters. With her the kings of the earth have committed fornication and the peoples of the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her fornications. So the angel carried me away in the Spirit into the wilderness where I saw a woman sitting upon a seven headed, ten horned scarlet colored beast which was full of blasphemous names. She was dressed in purple and scarlet red color, gilded with gold, precious stones and pearls. In her hand she held a golden cup which was filled with the filthiness of her fornications. Upon her forehead was written a name:

I wondered greatly as I watched this woman who was drunken with blood of saints and the martyrs of Jesus. Then the angel said to me: "Why were you astonished? I will explain to you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her which has the seven heads and ten horns. The beast which you saw, was, is not, but shall come up out of the bottomless pit and go into perdition. This calls for a mind which has wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits. They are also seven kings. Five kings have fallen, one king is, and another king has not yet come; but when he does come, he must remain for a little while. The beast who once was, and is not, even he is the eighth. He belongs to the seven and goes into perdition. The angel said to me,"The waters upon which you saw the prostitute sit are peoples, multitudes, nations, and languages. The woman you saw is the great city which rules over the kings of the earth." (Paraphrased excerpts from Revelation 17)

THE BEAST SHE RIDES

"There are seven kings: five are fallen",… The angel said that the mind which has wisdom should understand that, ..."the seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth" (Rev.17:9) It may have some fulfillment in "the seven hills of Rome" or Jerusalem. However, the seven mountains on which the woman sits are seven kings and their kingdoms, (Rev.17:10) ...not one city. Seven great kingdoms or civilizations have dominated the earth during the times of God's dealing with his elect and chosen people; ....from Abraham to the present. The angel said in 17:10:…"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".

He was saying that 5 kingdoms had fallen or ceased to exist at the time of John's visitation in A.D. 95? They were : 1st Egypt, 2nd Assyria, 3rd Babylon, 4th Media Persia, and 5th Greece. Each of these kingdoms had in the course of history, up to that time, had been a world power and ruled the earth, but each had been conquered and replaced by the next.

"And one is"…. The 6th kingdom to rule the earth was currently at that time in control and exercising dominion upon the nations. It was the pagan Roman Empire of the Caesars

"And the other is not yet come",… The 7th kingdom to rule the earth would not come upon the world scene until years after AD. ?95. This 7th kingdom has become known as The Holy Roman Empire or the The Roman Papacy. The Roman Catholic church represents the fullness of manifestation of the 7th head or 7th kingdom. (We can not take the time or space to explain this more fully, but a little reading in any thorough history text which surveys the Civilizations of Man will make this evident. Approach it prayfully and ask God to show you.)

"And the beast that was , and is not, even he is the eighth and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition." (v.11)… The power of this beast would know a time called, "is not", …pointing to a time when its influence and ability to dominate and exert authority would not exist, or be taken from it. Yet, its ability to exert its power and authority in the earth would return, "and yet is", ...."shall ascend out of the bottomless pit." Thus, it would fade away for a while into the shadows, but would later return.

All of this speaks of forces operating upon the affairs of humanity beyond the scope and limitations of one historical figure, city, church, or government. Yet, most assuredly, this Mystery Harlot manifested herself religiously during each generation by acting out her nature and purposes through specific individuals, cities, churches, and governments.

The Great Whore, the mystery Babylon spirit, has existed and ridden through every age and civilization since the tower of Babel age. She represents the influence of religious confusion among Pagans, Jews, and Christians for false worship, deceit, corruption, rebellion, fraud and unfaithfulness during each of the earth's seven great civilizations within which God's COVENANTED people lived.

It is one religious spirit system regardless of it's labels or doctrines. One system of idolatry, rebellion and adultery against God and his will. These 7 kingdoms, civilizations, or mountains of this 7 headed devilish power have served the Mystery Harlot faithfully from culture to culture even as men and women of this 20th century yield themselves to shape THE EIGHTH BEAST.

JOHN'S VIEW OF THE BEAST

Over 500 years after Daniel's experiences, Apostle John was given, for the New Testament church, further insight into the SAME power that Daniel saw in Daniel 7. Only John witnessed more detail and a broader description of the 11th horn spirit. Notice the parallels.

John, in Revelation 13, saw also the sea; but, this time only one beast came up. "And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns.." (v.1) Yes, this is the Great Whore's Beast of Rev. 17. This beast was a mixture of some leopard (Greece), some bear (Media Persia), and some lion (Babylon) (v.2), which represented those peoples and nationalities which composed Pagan Rome and later composed Papal Rome.

This beast was almost a duplicate of the Devil Dragon of Rev. 12:3,9. "And behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns." The same scarlet red color and the same number of heads and horns: "that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world." (12:9) It was Satan's instrument by which he could manifest himself within the nations of humanity. Satan's earthly vehicle was injected with the Devil's own "power, and his seat, and great authority." (v.2)

Notice what John sees happen to one of the heads. "And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast." (v.3) Though one of the heads, or one of the kings or kingdoms of the beast (17:10) was struck a death blow it healed itself, greatly astonishing the earth. The head which was wounded unto death was the seventh head kingdom. More on that a little later.

Just as the "little horn" of Daniel 7, the 11th horn, was given a mouth to speak notice the parallel revealed to Apostle John. "And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and .....he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven." (v.5 6) A very stout fellow. He speaks blasphemy even against God.

Remember the phrase "wear out the saints" from Daniel 7? "And it was given unto him to make war with the saints and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations." (v.7) He likes to make warfare and war against God's people. He likes to see their blood flow.

There is also a parallel dealing with the span of time this beast would reign. Daniel said "time (1) and times (2) and the dividing of time (1/2)" in 7:25 {that is 3 and 1/2}. John saw his beast reign; "and power was given to him to continue forty and two months" (v.5). {42 times 360 days per year = 1260} {time, times and a half (dividing) time equates to 1260 see Rev. 12:6,14}

We can use Numbers 14:34 and Ezekiel 4:6 to equate 1 day to 1 year yielding 1260 days in terms of 1260 years. {Remember Israel wandered 1 year for every day they spied out the land 40 days turned into 40 years}

The head which received the wound, the kingdom which received a death blow and was healed is the power which reigned, dominated, and wore out the saints through persecution and war for well over a twelve hundred years. Do a little reading concerning church history and you will find a kingdom and power which came after Pagan Rome that fulfilled all of Daniel's descriptions of the "little horn". John's beast with the wounded head. It was the 7th head of the Harlot's beast : The Roman Papacy or the Roman Catholic Church. Remember the 7 heads represent the 7 great kingdoms which have existed upon earth (Rev.17:3,9,10) and carried the Spiritual Harlot throughout her journey. They are: 1st Egypt, 2nd Assyria, 3rd Babylon, 4th Media Persia, 5th Greece, 6th Pagan Roman Empire, and the 7th Roman Papacy Catholicism.

John received revelation on the isle of Patmos of the future not the past. John was aware of history; but, Jesus was revealing what the church would go through. The time factor referred to the future kingdom that was to come. Remember, the angel said, "There are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come ..." (17:10) A wound was coming in the future to the head of the beast which was ..."not yet come". The same head or kingdom which would war against God's people for over 1200 years. The 7th head of the beast was wounded unto death. God sent a death blow to the Roman Papacy Catholicism.

A W O U N D B Y T H E S W O R D

"The Beast that was and is not"
The angel told John in Rev. 17:8 that the Harlot's Beast which carried her would for a period of time be out of the seat of authority, "was and is not". It "was" in power and authority, but for some period of time it "is not". But it would return, "yet is, .... and shall ascend (though it is not) out of the bottomless pit". What happened that caused this interruption in its domination of the earth? The Protestant Reformation.

"And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast." (Rev.13:3)

We are not presently in the 1260 days (years) period of supreme rule and iron teethed domination of the 7TH Head, Mystery Babylon Harlot Beast system of Revelation 13:1 8. That period of wholesale blood letting by the 7th head Roman Catholic Church is over! That oppressive 7th Head expression of Satan's Beast Harlot system during the Dark Ages was WOUNDED and crippled by a Sword wound.

About 500 years ago Satan's saint killing machine, the 7th head Roman Catholic kingdom was wounded (Rev.13:3) by "the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."(Eph.6:17)

Martin Luther indicted the Romanish Church for her many errors as he nailed his 95 theses to the Wittenberg church door that day in 1517. He "wielded the sword of the Word" and inflicted a wound which others of the Reformation rallied around in calling God's people back to the scripture, God's Word, as a guide of practice. They exalted the written scriptures above all church systems, above all traditions, and above all religious creeds. This unveiling by God of truth, righteousness, and return to scripture took the reigns of control from the political religious hands of the Beast's 7th head kingdom Roman Catholicism. She was wounded.

When this "Sword of the Word" death blow was struck, her influence and power to hold the world's populace in slavery was broken for a time. History records the avalanche of freedoms and free thinking which followed closely upon the Reformation. These freedoms included: a release from suppression and ignorance, ....democracy bloomed, ....freedom of the press, ....scientific discoveries multiplied, ....freedom of speech, ....a Bill of Rights, ....freedom of religion, and more. Of course Roman Catholicism fought back with it's Syllabus of Errors of 1864, (which were later ratified by the 1st Vatican Council) in condemning the freedom of religion, speech, press, and all scientific discoveries not approved by the Roman church. Yet truth marched on in the sun light in spite of resistance, no longer bound to the shadows.

Though a deadly wound was struck against the Harlot's Beast system, ...she did not die! The Beast's "deadly wound was healed". (Rev.13:3,12) The power and influence of the Mother Harlot spirit through the Roman Catholic Church would rejuvenate over time. She did not die.

This Babylonian Religious church system did lose much of it's power to direct the political and religious climate of the earth's governments for a period of time. This period of time allowed the gospel and faith in Jesus Christ to be preached with great liberty over the globe.

THE HARLOT HAS DAUGHTERS

The Reformation did not annihilate her. She simply expanded her Mothering influence. Remember John saw that she had a name written upon her forehead which said,

"MYSTERY"
"BABYLON THE GREAT"
"THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS"
"AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH"

As the Mother of Harlots, she had offspring, ...daughters, ...other religious systems which were birthed or grew out of Roman Catholicism. They wanted to grow up and be separated from their Mother, ...but not entirely. They protested, but kept some of her doctrinal stones to build their own Protestant religious dwellings, which God prohibited.(Jer.51:26) For the most part, they could not sanctify themselves completely from the Mother's doctrines and unfaithful ways toward God, ...there was just too much of Mother in them.

Each Protestant group became a carrier of Roman Catholicism's genes of Paganism. At the beginning of their protesting, the Mystery of Iniquity seeds were concealed within believers : Lutherans, Baptists, Episcopalians, Anglicans, Methodists, Presbyterians, Church of Christ, Pentecostals, Charismatics, and etc. These daughters of the Mother Harlot system in time began to exhibit and show a greater and greater resemblance to their Mother, ...the Roman Catholic Church. The Mystery Babylon Beast system of Iniquity had found another way to reproduce and resurrect herself.

The deadly wound began to heal as the Mother Harlot Catholic Spirit transmitted seeds of defilement to mankind through her Protestant daughters. You may not be aware of the numerous religious systems and denominations which came forth out of Roman Catholicism. But, each daughter failed in some measure, to purge themselves completely from ALL of the Catholic Harlot's fornicating (unfaithfulness) traditions, doctrines, and creeds.

The Light of Scripture returned to the common man as people refused …Mary worship, ..priest celibacy, ..statue worship, ..prayers for the dead, and more. Yet, they did retain ..pagan holidays, ..the trinity, .salvation without the in filling of the Holy Ghost, ..water baptism for church membership, and the ..elevation of tradition and church dogma above the teachings of the Apostles doctrines upon which the christian church was originally established.

The daughter systems and denominations, for some reason, could not cleanse themselves from all of the fornications of Roman Catholicism. They could not wash themselves completely and thoroughly with the "Washing of the Water by the Word" of God. Each daughter system kept some measure of the Mother's tradition and doctrines which had been developed over the centuries from her pagan roots. In time the newly formed Protestant movements began to preach and disciple believers who became diluted, mixed, and mingled with such worldliness until......, it was necessary and timely for the original "gift of the Holy Ghost" Pentecostal experience of the 1st Acts Church to be preached again in power and in demonstration. It was the beginning of the 20th century.

Much of Christianity today feels comfortable with the Roman Catholic church, believing that her awesome, destructive power of the Dark Ages was broken and that she is not to be feared anymore. Much of Protestantism feel that she has reformed and that fellowship with her is permitted. Little do they realize that they also carry the same seeds (same DNA) of (spiritual unfaithfulness) fornication, as their Mother, the Roman Catholic church. They are becoming more like their Mother every day. What was once separation and division has shifted into increasing tones of compatibility and harmony, all within specific guidelines, of course. However, war against the saints is being perpetrated AGAIN by the Mother Harlot Mystery Babylon spirit through Her prostituting daughter believers upon the true endtime Church of God The Bride of Jesus Christ!

God saw that the time would come when multitudes of HIS PEOPLE those called to everlasting life in Jesus Christ would unknowingly find themselves worshipping and co existing within the Mystery of Babylon religious systems of Judaism, Catholicism, and Protestantism. Of course, beyond these three groups there still remains many pagan religions world-wide. They are called by many names, yet of the same seed root of Mystery Babylon's Iniquity, even though they do use the name of Jehovah or Christ. Nevertheless, as the Great shepherd that he is, He said he would call unto his sheep who are within all the religious systems of the earth and say, "Come out of Her My People, that ye be not partakers of her sins and that ye receive not of her plagues." (Rev.18:4) God loves his own and does not want to destroy them with the others whom he must judge in his wrath. That judgment will fall upon the whole spirit of rebellion which drives all the religions of the world whether it is pagan, Judaism, or Christian.

The Beast was wounded! But the wound is healed! The next beast is upon the stage! Another beast, ...yes, another, and the last beast! Now..., we are in the days of the "8th beast", ...the Lamb like Beast of Revelation 13:11 18. She appears quite differently; yet, it is the same Mystery Harlot Beast, ...the same Babylonian spirit of religious confusion, ...the same spirit of Catholicism, and ...the same spirit of oppression and the same spirit spiritual unfaithfulness and whoredom to our Creator. Again, whose ultimate purpose is to bring all peoples of all races, creeds, and religions into spiritual bondage.

Remember, Satan's Harlot Beast operation has become more clever and wise over the course of centuries. The Devil's systems have adjusted and re adjusted their schemes and manifestations to increase their persuasive powers of deception upon all the nations of the earth.

But, Praise the Lord, through the eyes of the Holy Ghost the overcomers comprehend the revealing of the Mystery of Iniquity. The eyes of the Spirit of Christ show us That same spirit of religious Harlotry against Jehovah God which has dominated … Paganism, …Judaism, and apostate Christianity. That same spirit is wooing today from the pulpits of Catholicism, Protestantism, Charismaticism, and luke warm Pentecostalism. Chapter 5: "Smokescreening The Harlot"