Lesson 41 — A Gist of the Book of Revelation

1. 1 A GIST OF THE BOOK OF REVELATION

A GIST OF THE BOOK OF REVELATION

Without the book of Revelation the canon of Scripture would be incomplete. Thousands of vital questions are unanswered apart from the Revelation. The following brief study of Revelation will enable the student to understand its part in the plan of God for man.

The book is admittedly both literal and figurative. It is to be taken as literal wherever possible. In other words, when a statement is made, it should be taken to mean just what is written unless such interpretation should be highly improbable and against all the dictates of rhetoric and spiritually enlightened reason, or contrary to Scriptures elsewhere on the same subject. In view of this test, if the passage does not admit a literal interpretation, then, of course, we must look elsewhere for an explanation. This method of interpretation is the only sound one as is clear from the fact that the book is a revelation in itself. To treat it as a mystery or to spiritualize it is to deny what it professes to be. Every scene and every truth is clearly explained in the book itself. The reader should first find out what it says concerning its own truths and revelations before going to other parts of the Bible for additional light upon the subject in question. Pre-Revelation prophecy will throw much light upon many passages in Revelation and help in a more detailed study of almost every truth in the book. This Revelation is in perfect harmony with all preceding prophecies and is the logical and harmonious completion of them.

II. The Key to the Interpretation

“Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter” Revelation 1:19.

1. PART I. “The things which thou hast seen”; that is, Christ in the midst of the seven candlesticks Revelation 1:12-18, 20, as seen by John before he began to write.

2. PART II. “The things which are”; that is, the things concerning the churches then existent and those which should exist throughout the Church Age to the rapture. This division takes in only Rev. 2-3.

3. PART III. “The things which shall be hereafter”; that is, the things which shall come to pass after the rapture of the Church. This division includes all of the events of Rev. 4-22. One has only to believe this threefold natural division as given by Christ to understand the book fully, especially as to the time of the fulfillment of the things of each division. The moment these divisions are forgotten and the reader begins to disarrange them and insert certain things into the one or the other that are not part of the division, he will become confused as to the divine order of these “things” which are so clearly given in consecutive order, and he will miss the true intent of the “things” written therein. That we refrain from confusing these “things” is absolutely imperative if a true understanding of them is to be gained.

To further prove that everything in Rev. 4–22 must be after the churches, and therefore after the rapture of the Church, we have this fact confirmed in Rev. 4:1. After John had recorded the vision of Christ in Rev. 1, completing the first division of the book, and after he had recorded all that Christ told him to write to the churches in Rev. 2-3, completing the second division of the book, he was told in Rev. 4:1 that he was to see “things which must be hereafter,” that is, after the things of the churches of the second division of the book. Therefore, if everything from Rev. 4:1 on through the rest of the book must be after the churches, then all the events of Rev. 4-22 must be after the churches. If they must be after the churches, then they cannot happen during the time of the churches. If they cannot happen during the time of the churches, then the Church is no longer on the Earth during the fulfillment of the things which must be after the churches.

Revelation 4:1 literally reads in the Greek, “After these things [the things concerning the churches of the previous division] I saw, and behold a door opened in heaven, and the first voice [of Rev. 1:10] which I heard was as a trumpet speaking with me, saying, Come up hither, and I will show to thee what things must take place after these things,” that is, after the churches which he wrote about in the previous chapters.

These three divisions of Revelation mentioned above do not overlap, nor are they concurrent. One division must be completely fulfilled before the other begins. So if one will be fair and understand that every event of Rev. 4:1 on through the rest of the book must be fulfilled after the rapture of the Church, and if he does not bring one of these events back and place it among the churches as being fulfilled before the rapture, everything in the book will automatically clear up. Fully 95 percent of the false theories of Revelation have come into being because interpreters have failed to recognize the natural threefold division of the book. It is true, most interpreters emphasize these divisions in the beginning of their interpretations of the book, but when it comes to keeping all the events of Rev. 4-22 after the churches they generally fail to stick by this fact. They will place some of the events of the seals, trumpets, and vials back in the Church Age and explain them as being fulfilled before the rapture. They will explain the woman and the manchild in connection with the Church of this age, whereas Jesus told John they were part of the “things” which must be after the churches. They will interpret the dragon, the beast, the false prophet, or some other event of Rev. 4-22 as being fulfilled along with the churches, while the truth is they are part of the things which must be after the churches. If the reader will watch this he will at least be sensible enough to place these events of Rev. 4-22 where they belong—after the churches—and therefore, after the rapture of the Church.

III. The Division of the Book By Classes 1 Corinthians 10:32

1. Rev. 1–3 deals primarily with the Church on Earth.

2. Rev. 4–5 pictures the Church and the Old Testament saints with God in Heaven after the rapture, represented by the twenty-four elders.

3. Rev. 6–19 deals primarily with Israel under the last oppression by the Gentiles in fulfillment of Daniel’s Seventieth Week after the rapture of the Church.

4. Rev. 20–22 refers to all three classes, the Church, the Jews, and the Gentiles. The earthly Jews will be the head of all earthly Gentiles and Christ with the Church will reign over both forever and ever.

IV. The Consecutive Order of Revelation

The book is a succession of consecutive events from the beginning to the end and is not one that is unsystematic and confused. The events are to be taken in the order as God gave them and not according to our own finite ideas as to their occurrence. However, it is almost universally recognized that Rev.1-5 and Rev.19-22 form a consecutive story. Therefore, we may logically conclude that the events of Rev. 6-18 are also consecutive in order. If the events of Revelation are not to be taken consecutively, upon what grounds do we attempt to fix another standard of arrangement? Where can we obtain any other authorized and authentic standard than that which is so plainly evident in the book itself? Why should we hopelessly confuse a plain prophecy given by the Lord concerning “things which must shortly come to pass” and change the order of events from that which was given by the Lord? Certainly He must have set forth the events in their proper order of fulfillment so that He would not confuse His servants.

INTRODUCTORY REMARKS Revelation 1:1-11, 19.

1. The Introduction Revelation 1:1-3.

2. The Salutation—From God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit Revelation 1:4-5.

3. The Exaltation—”Unto him that loved us . . . washed us . . . made us kings” Revelation 1:5.

4. The Chief Theme of Revelation—”Behold he cometh with clouds” Revelation 1:7.

5. The Eternity of the Son of God—”I am Alpha and Omega” Revelation 1:8.

6. The Prophet—John and His Commission to Write Revelation 1:9-11, 19.

7. The Key to the Interpretation Revelation 1:19.

1. The Vision of Christ Revelation 1:12-18.

2. The Symbols of the Vision Interpreted Revelation 1:20.

II. “THE THINGS WHICH ARE” Revelation 2:1–3.

1. The Things Concerning the Local Church at Ephesus Revelation 2:1-7.

2. The Things Concerning the Local Church at Smyrna Revelation 2:8-11.

3. The Things Concerning the Local Church at Pergamos Revelation 2:12-17.

4. The Things Concerning the Local Church at Thyatira Revelation 2:18-29.

5. The Things Concerning the Local Church at Sardis Revelation 3:1-6.

6. The Things Concerning the Local Church at Philadelphia Revelation 3:7-13.

7. The Things Concerning the Local Church at Laodicea Revelation 3:14-22.

III. “THE THINGS WHICH SHALL BE HEREAFTER” Revelation 4:1–22.

1. The Heavenly Tabernacle—the raptured saints with God Revelation 4:1–5.

(1) The Heavenly Door Revelation 4:1.

(2) The Heavenly Throne Revelation 4:2, 3.

(3) The Heavenly Elders Revelation 4:4.

(4) The Heavenly Sea of Glass Revelation 4:6.

(5) The Heavenly Living Creatures Revelation 4:6.

(6) The Heavenly Worship because of Creation Revelation 4:9-11.

(7) The Heavenly Book Revelation 5:1-4.

(8) The Heavenly Lamb Revelation 5:5-7.

(9) The Heavenly Worship because of Worthiness to the Lamb Revelation 5:8-14.

2. Daniel’s Seventieth Week Revelation 6:1–19Daniel 9:27.

(1) The First Six Seals Revelation 6:1-17. (Parenthetical, Rev. 7:1-17.)

(2) The Seventh Seal and First Six Trumpets Revelation 8:1–9. Revelation 10:1–11

(3) The Seventh Trumpet Revelation 11:14–13. (Parenthetical, Rev. 14:1-20.)

(4) The First Six Vials Revelation 15:1–16. Revelation 16:13-16

(5) The Seventh Vial Revelation 16:17–18. (Parenthetical, Rev. 17:1-18.)

(6) The Marriage of the Lamb, the Second Advent, and Armageddon Revelation 19:1-21. (Parenthetical, Rev. 19:1-10.)

3. The Thousand Years and After Revelation 20:1-15.

(1) The Expulsion of Satan from the Earth Revelation 20:1-3.

(2) The Millennial Reign of Christ and His Saints Revelation 20:4-6.

(3) Satan’s Post-Millennial Career and Doom Revelation 20:7-10.

(4) The Final Judgment Revelation 20:11-15.

4. The Eternal Perfect State—the Ages of the Ages Revelation 21:1–22.

(1) The New Heaven Revelation 21:1.

(2) The New Earth Revelation 21:1.

(3) The New Jerusalem Revelation 21:2, 9.

(4) The New Peoples Revelation 21:3.

(5) The New Conditions Revelation 21:4-8.

(6) The New Temple Revelation 21:22.

(7) The New Light Revelation 21:23-27.

(8) The New Paradise Revelation 22:1-5.

THE CONCLUSION Revelation 22:6-21.

1. The Confirmation of Revelation Revelation 22:6-7.

2. The Mistake in the Object of Worship Revelation 22:8-9.

3. The Last Instructions Revelation 22:10-19.

4. The Last Promise and Last Prayer Revelation 22:20-21.

VI. Part I. “The Things Which Thou Hast Seen” Revelation 1:12-20

This part concerns the vision of Christ on Patmos: His body, head, eyes, feet, voice, right hand, mouth, and countenance, and the effect the vision had upon John, and the interpretation of the first symbols.

VII. Part II. “The Things Which Are” Revelation 2:1–3

The messages to the seven churches are set forth immediately after the vision of Christ in the midst of the churches. Chapters 2 and 3 of Revelation contain only “the things which are”; that is, the things which concern the Church on Earth down to the rapture.

The Threefold Application of the Letters

1. 1 A LOCAL APPLICATION of the letters to the churches in John’s day. These seven epistles, as a whole, portray actual conditions in seven local churches in Asia. This is clear from the messages themselves as well as from Rev. 1:4, 11, 20.

1. 1 A PROPHETIC APPLICATION of the letters to the churches throughout this dispensation to the rapture. They reveal the spiritual conditions of the local churches and individuals in the churches throughout the Church Age. This point is clear from the fact that the book is a prophecy. Then too, these letters are as applicable to the saved all through the Church Age as are the other New Testament epistles and other Scriptures 2 Timothy 3:16, 17.

1. 1 AN INDIVIDUAL APPLICATION of the letters, so that the individuals may be warned by the failure revealed therein, and, profiting by the warning, may find encouragement from the promises to the overcomer.

The so-called dispensational application of these church letters; that is, that they portray seven church periods or phases of church history is really based upon human theory alone. There can be no Scripture produced to prove this theory in any one aspect. Similarity to certain phases of church history proves nothing. One can even find similarities between the history of the Church and Israel and there is no end to similarities that could be found in history between almost any two events one chooses to compare. Any conclusions that are based upon human theory are not dependable and are misleading and unscriptural. Much confusion and many false teachings are based upon this method of interpretation. If there was such an application of these letters surely there would have been two or three passages to support each letter and its application to some definite period in history.

Some schools say that we are in the Philadelphian or Laodicean periods, that the rapture of the Church takes place in either one of these two periods, that the Church Age ends with Philadelphia, that Laodicea deals with things after the rapture, that the Ephesian period ended with the apostles, and many other theories that are unscriptural. We still have the kind of conditions of Ephesus and of all these seven churches in local churches today. These conditions existed in John’s day and they will continue to exist as long as the Church is on Earth. We can see that there are Scriptures to prove a local, prophetic, and individual application of the letters, but anything said about a dispensational application of seven distinct periods of time must rest upon human theory and cause numberless differences as to interpretation, and so it would be best to forget this application entirely.

With the seven letters to the seven churches in Asia Revelation 2:1–3, we end all in the Book of Revelation which concerns the Church on Earth. From Rev. 4:1 on, the Revelation deals with prophecies which will happen after the rapture of the Church.

We shall not attempt to discuss each application of the letters nor go into all the details of the letters. The applications, of course, are clear in themselves as applying to any one in any local church throughout this dispensation where these conditions described in the letters exist. To overcome such conditions and be rewarded is the message to the believer in any local church in this whole age. All of these conditions have existed more or less in local churches since John’s time and will always exist as long as there are churches on Earth, so the duty of each person who reads these letters is clear so that further comment on them is not necessary. This will save space for discussion of more important truths in the book. (See Point II in the outline under Point V, above, for a list of the seven churches.)

VIII. Part III. “The Things Which Shall Be Hereafter” Revelation 4:1–22

1. 1 THE HEAVENLY TABERNACLE Revelation 4:1–5

In these chapters four and five we have scenes in Heaven. We have almost a complete picture of the heavenly tabernacle from which the earthly tabernacle was patterned Hebrews 8:1-5Hebrews 9:1-10, 22Hebrews 10:1. See and compare the illustrations of the earthly and heavenly tabernacles on your chart. The following nine points sum up the truths therein:

(1) The heavenly door Revelation 4:1. This is a literal opening to Heaven as is plainly evident here and in Rev. 11:19; 14:15-18; 15:5-8; 16:1, 17.

(2) The heavenly throne Revelation 4:2-5. This is the one seen throughout the book on which God the Father sits Revelation 1:4Revelation 3:21Revelation 4:10Revelation 5:1, 7Revelation 6:16Revelation 7:9-17Revelation 8:3Revelation 12:5Revelation 14:1-5Revelation 16:17Revelation 19:4-5Revelation 21:5Revelation 22:1-3. The throne is white Revelation 20:11-15. It is a real throne for God as a real person sits on it Daniel 7:9-14Hebrews 8:1–12.

(3) The heavenly elders Revelation 4:4-11Revelation 5:8-10Revelation 7:13Revelation 11:16-19Revelation 14:3Revelation 19:4. These elders had thrones placed around the throne of God, so if one throne is literal the others must be. The elders are redeemed persons as is clear from the fact that the word “elders” is never used in Scripture of angels, but only of human beings. Their white raiment is used only in Revelation of the righteousness of saints Revelation 3:5, 18Revelation 6:11Revelation 7:9, 13Revelation 15:6Revelation 19:9, 14. (See Revelation Expounded for a detailed study of all the truths of Rev. 4-5.)

(4) The heavenly sea of glass Revelation 4:6. This is another part of the heavenly tabernacle or capital building of God. It is located before the throne of God and on it are gathered the redeemed and other heavenly creatures to worship on certain occasions Revelation 7:9-17Revelation 15:2-4.

(5) The heavenly living creatures Revelation 4:6-8. These are four angelic beings that call attention to God’s holiness. They are seen in the book in Rev. 4:4-8; 5:8-10; 15:7. (See Lesson Six for a study of spirit-beings.)

(6) The heavenly worship Revelation 4:9-11Revelation 5:8-14. How the worship is done is made plain in these passages, so no comment is necessary.

(7) The heavenly book Revelation 5:1-4Revelation 10:1-11. This book contains the events of the Revelation as recorded in the book by John. It is not a book of redemption or of title deeds of the Earth, as taught by some. There is no reference to such books in all Scripture. The seals that bind the book are clearly stated as containing certain events Revelation 6:1–8. The things “written within” are also revelations that John wrote in his book, as is clear in Rev. 10:1-11 where the angel gives the book to John to reveal its contents to us. The things in the book are “concerning many peoples and nations and tongues and kings” which John wrote about after the breaking of the seals.

(8) The heavenly lamb Revelation 5:5-7 This is a symbol of Christ who is the root of David in this passage and in Gen. 49:10; Mic. 5:1-2; 2 Sam. 7:8-17; Ps. 89:35-37; Isa. 9:6-7; 11:1-9; Jer. 23:5-6. He is the Lamb of God John 1:29.

The First One-Half of Daniel’s Seventieth Week or the Tribulation

Revelation 6:1–9

1. 1 THE FIRST SIX SEALS Revelation 6:1-17

The seven seals and the first six trumpets take place in succession in the first 3½ years of the Tribulation Week, or from the beginning to the middle of the Week. The seventh trumpet blows in the middle of the Week, as we shall see.

(1) The first seal Revelation 6:1-2. The white horse rider of this seal represents the rise of the Antichrist at the beginning of Daniel’s Seventieth Week. He will make a seven-years covenant with Israel and will go forth conquering and to conquer other nations of the Earth, as we have studied in Lessons Thirty-nine and Forty. This rider could not be a symbol of the United States, as some teach, because this is a revelation which shows that a man is crowned and thereafter he wars during the events that must take place after the churches. There is no clear reference in prophecy concerning America, as we have seen in Supplement Thirteen, Question 7. Neither could this be a symbol of Christ, for He is the one opening the seals and revealing events that are to happen on Earth after the rapture. He does not come to conquer until after the Tribulation Matthew 24:29-31Revelation 19:11-21. This seal reveals the conquests of Antichrist, fulfilling Dan. 7:8-9, 23-25; 8:8-10, 20-23; 35-45.

(2) The second seal Revelation 6:3-4. This is a clear picture of war following the rise of an ambitious conqueror, the Antichrist Daniel 7:24Daniel 11:40-45.

(3) The third seal Revelation 6:5-6. This symbolizes famine, which always follows wars. Bread by measure signifies scarcity of food Ezekiel 4:10-17.

(4) The fourth seal Revelation 6:7-8. Here death and Hell are symbolized by riders on horses. Death and Hell are always turned loose on Earth during wars and famines, so this is the natural result of the first three seals Matthew 24:6-7. The word “pale” means “green” in the Greek, as is translated in Rev. 8:7; 9:4; Mk. 6:39. This is why we have the grave line on the chart colored green from the Garden of Eden to the Great White Throne Judgment.

(5) The fifth seal Revelation 6:9-11. This is a picture of the first martyrs of the Tribulation. They were not ready to go in the rapture or they would have been translated before the Tribulation. They get saved after the rapture and are the ones killed between the rapture and the fifth seal. They are told to rest until the remaining, tribulation saints are killed and then vengeance would be taken on those who had killed them.

(6) The sixth seal Revelation 6:12-17. Beginning with this seal in the first part of the Week, the wrath of God begins. In the first five seals we have the wrath of man, but with the sixth seal God begins to pour out His judgments because of the persecution of His people on Earth. There are seven great events that happen under this seal: an earthquake, darkening of the sun, turning the moon to blood, falling of meteors, rolling back of the heavens, moving of mountains and islands, and the beginning of God’s wrath.

(Parenthetical: the Two Companies of Redeemed, Rev. 7:1-17)

Revelation 7 is the first parenthetical passage of the book. The events of this chapter are not the contents of the seals and are inserted between the sixth and seventh seals to explain other events that will happen along with the main order of events after the sixth seal. The revelation of two companies of the redeemed breaks the order of the events of the seals and reveals the fact that both Jews and Gentiles will be saved during the Tribulation.

(1) The sealing of 144,000 Jews Revelation 7:1-8. That they are all Jews and not Gentiles is clear from the fact that they are from the tribes of Israel. They get saved after the rapture, for if they had been saved at the time of the rapture they would not have been left on Earth 1 Thessalonians 4:16-171 Corinthians 15:23. They are sealed for the purpose of going through the trumpet judgments, from the time they begin after the seals are finished in the first part of the Week, to the middle of the Week. It was said to the first four trumpet angels to not hurt the earth, trees, grass, and seas until the 144,000 were sealed. Special direction is given to the fifth and sixth trumpet angels to hurt only those men who were not sealed Revelation 9:4. The 144,000 will be caught up to Heaven under the seventh trumpet, as we shall prove in Lesson Forty-five.

The seal is the name of the Father written on the foreheads and doesn’t mean the keeping of Saturday as the sabbath Revelation 7:3Revelation 14:1. The promise of being written upon is given to all believers as a reward in the next life Revelation 3:12Revelation 22:4, but these will be written upon in this life so as to protect them from the trumpet judgments.

(2) The tribulation saints Revelation 7:9-17. This company will not escape the Tribulation due to the fact that they were not ready to go in the rapture when it happened. They get saved after the rapture Acts 2:16-21 and become martyrs for Christ Revelation 6:9-11Revelation 7:9-17Revelation 15:2-4Revelation 20:4-6. The majority of this company will be slain by Antichrist Revelation 13:7-18Revelation 15:2-4Revelation 20:4-6.

1. 1 THE SEVENTH SEAL AND THE FIRST SIX TRUMPETS Revelation 8:1–9

(1) The seventh seal Revelation 8:1. This simply means silence in Heaven for the space of half an hour, as it is plainly stated, so an interpretation is not necessary.

(Parenthetical: Seven Trumpet Angels and the Priestly Angel, Rev. 8:2-6)

Revelation 8:2-6 is parenthetical in that it explains the work of the priestly angel and the preparation of the seven trumpet judgments. The time of the fulfillment of this passage is as given here, before the seven trumpets begin. After the ministry of Christ at the altar, the seven angels prepare to sound their trumpets. The contents of the judgments are as literal as stated and are simple to understand if one will believe what is written that happens when each trumpet sounds. They are as literal as the plagues in Egypt and are for the same purpose—to protect Israel in the Tribulation of the first 3½ years. The trumpet-judgments are as follows:

(2) The first trumpet—hail, fire and blood burning up grass and trees Revelation 8:7.

(3) The second trumpet—one-third of the sea changing to blood Revelation 8:8-9.

(4) The third trumpet—one-third of the rivers poisoned Revelation 8:10-11.

(5) The fourth trumpet—one-third of the planets darkened Revelation 8:12.

(Parenthetical: Three Woes Announced, Rev. 8:13)

(6) The fifth trumpet—the first woe Revelation 9:1-12. Demon creatures will be loosed out of the pit to torment men for five months. Men will desire to die and cannot until this period is over. The language of this passage should be understood as literal as any other descriptive matter in human literature.

(7) The sixth trumpet—the second woe Revelation 9:13-21. Two hundred million demon horsemen will be liberated out of the same abyss to slay one-third of all men at a certain hour. This passage is also to be taken as literal as it reads, so no interpretation is necessary.

1. 1 THE MIDDLE OF THE TRIBULATION WEEK (Rev. 10:1–13:18

(Parenthetical: the Angel, Temple of God, and the Two Witnesses, Rev. 10:1–11:13)

Between the sixth and seventh trumpets this parenthetical passage is given to explain certain events that are not revealed as the contents of the trumpets and vials, but will happen during the same time.

This angel is Christ who has broken the seals on the little book of Rev. 5 and now has it open in His hand to swear that delay in the fulfillment of the mystery of God will be no longer. Christ now gives to John the little book to eat, signifying the reception of the rest of the Revelation to record for men. Compare this with Ezek. 2:3–3:14; Jer. 15:16; 20:7-9; Ps. 119:103. See also Point VIII, 1, (7), above, and my book, Revelation Expounded. The expression “time no longer” means “delay no longer” and refers to the casting out of Satan under the seventh trumpet, as we shall see below.

This temple referred to in Rev. 11:1-2 is not Herod’s temple, for that one was destroyed 70 a.d. some twenty-five years before Revelation was written. Again, this temple cannot be the Millennial temple as described in Ezek. 40-48, because it will not be built until Christ comes to Earth Zechariah 6:12, 13. This one is to be rebuilt by the Jews before Daniel’s Seventieth Week. It will be destroyed at the end of the Tribulation, either by the earthquake under the seventh vial Revelation 16:18, 19, or by the armies of Antichrist at the taking of Jerusalem Zechariah 14:1-5. Both Testaments are clear that there is to be such a temple where sacrifices will be offered for at least 3½ years. Then this temple will be made desolate for 3½ years and will be polluted by the Antichrist and the Gentiles Daniel 9:27Daniel 12:7-12Matthew 24:152 Thessalonians 2:2-4.

This treading down of Jerusalem by the Gentiles for forty-two months proves that “the times of the Gentiles” will not end until the return of Christ at the end of the forty-two months, as we have already proven in Lesson Fifteen.

First of all, let us determine just what Rev. 11:3-13 says about the two witnesses before we examine other Scriptures. Any theory of their identity must harmonize with the statements concerning them in Rev. 11. The two witnesses are two men and not two covenants, two dispensations, etc., as is clear from the plain description of them in Rev. 11:3-13 and elsewhere. The truths given are as follows:

1. They are my [Christ’s] two witnesses Revelation 11:3.

2. They will be given power by Christ in the future Revelation 11:3. This excludes the argument that they must be two men who have exercised this power in past history.

3. They will prophesy the last 3½ years. All passages referring to forty-two months, 1,260 days, and 3½ years in both Daniel and Revelation, always refer to the last half of Daniel’s Seventieth Week Revelation 11:1-3Revelation 12:6, 14Revelation 13:5Daniel 7:25Daniel 12:7. Malachi 4:5, 6 proves that the time of the ministry of the two witnesses is before the great and notable day of the Lord, which will begin at the second coming of Christ. This, then, places their ministry during the last 3½ years.

4. These witnesses are to be prophets for they will prophesy for 3½ years Revelation 11:3. While they will prophesy of future events, nevertheless their main purpose will be to preach and turn their hearts back to God and to teach others, in order to avert the judgment of God Malachi 4:5, 6.

5. They will be clothed in sackcloth as a sign of mourning because of the judgments that are about to Fall Revelation 11:31 Kings 20:31, 32Nehemiah 9:1Psalms 30:11Psalms 35:13Jonah 3:5.

6. They are the two olive trees and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the Earth Revelation 11:4. This, with Zech. 4:3, 11-14, shows that two persons are represented. Whoever they are, they were standing before God about 546 b.c. when Zechariah prophesied and they were still there when John prophesied about 96 a.d. This then excludes the possibility that the Apostle John will be one of the two witnesses as well as does the fact that he was the one who saw them standing before God.

7. They will be given power and the liberty to exercise it at will Revelation 11:5, 6. If any man desires to hurt the witnesses, fire will come out of their mouths and destroy their enemy. In whatever way their enemies may desire to hurt them they will be killed in a like manner. The two witnesses will stop rain during their ministry, turn the waters to blood, and smite the Earth with all plagues as often as they choose. This shows that both are to exercise the same power.

8. When they finish their testimony they will be placed at the mercy of their enemies. The beast that will ascend out of the abyss will make war on them and will overcome them and kill them Revelation 11:7. The phrase “kill them” shows clearly that they will be two natural men who have never died, but who will die at the hands of the beast. If these things are clear, then it is equally clear that they have both been translated in order to “stand before the God of the earth” and they are still in natural bodies and will be sent back to the Earth as mortals, otherwise they could never be killed by the Antichrist. Nothing is more clear concerning the two witnesses than that they will die as every other man has died. This alone excludes the idea that they have resurrected or glorified bodies in Heaven now, or will have such on Earth during their ministry.

9. When they are slain by the beast their bodies will lie in live streets of Jerusalem for 3½ days. Men will not suffer them to be put into graves. They will gloat over their death and make merry because these two prophets who tormented them are dead. After 3½ days, the Spirit of life from God will enter into them and they will stand upon their feet and ascend into Heaven before their enemies. This will produce paralyzing fear upon their enemies and in the same hour a great earthquake will strike Jerusalem and seven thousand men will be slain and one-tenth of the city destroyed. The remaining men will give glory to God Revelation 11:8-13. This is the same earthquake referred to under the seventh vial Revelation 16:17-21. These facts concerning the two witnesses in the Revelation simplify the question as to their identity. In fact, almost everything is revealed concerning them but their names, and thus all speculation on the subject can be excluded.

The Identity of the Two Witnesses

There are only two men in the entire Bible who fit this plain Revelation. They are Enoch and Elijah. That Elijah will be one of them is clear from Mal. 4:4-9. Some think John the Baptist fulfilled this passage because of what is said of him in Mt. 11:14, but he was never Elijah in person, as John himself testified John 1:19-23. Both Christ and John were truthful. When John said that he was not Elijah he meant that he was not Elijah in person, for he could not have been the natural son of a Tishbite in the days of Ahab and also be the natural son of Zachariah and Elizabeth as is recorded in Lk. 1. All Christ had in mind in Mt. 11:14 was that John was the one who was to come in the “spirit and power of Elias” as in Lk. 1:17. Malachi 3:2-6, 13-17; 4:1-6 have reference to the second advent of Christ because they speak of judgment and tribulation and the day of the Lord, and not of grace as in John’s day. Thus, it is clear that Elijah will be one of the two witnesses who will withstand Antichrist as he did Jezebel and Ahab of old.

Enoch Will Be the Other Witness

Enoch will be the other witness. It is clear that Enoch and Elijah are the only two who have not tasted death; that is, they have not died their appointed death on Earth. This they must undergo as have all others Genesis 5:21-24Hebrews 11:5. Both Enoch and Elijah were prophets of judgment (Jude 14, 15; 1 Ki. 17-18). We know that Elijah was translated to Heaven and is now one of the two olive trees and two candlesticks which stand before God. Is it not very reasonable to believe that since Enoch is the only other man translated and thus did not see death during his lifetime on Earth, that such was for some definite purpose; that is, to be the other witness?

That both of these men will come back and die their appointed deaths at the hands of Antichrist is not only incredible but is entirely logical. Some argue that since Enoch was translated he should not see death at all but these words are not found in the passage in Heb. 11:5. What is said of Enoch in this verse could also be said of Elijah and yet we know that he is to come back and die according to Heb. 9:27. Enoch lived a natural life under the laws of degeneration and was subject to the law of death. He could not possibly escape such law unless he should live at the time of the rapture, when the mystery of men being translated without seeing death will be fulfilled 1 Corinthians 15:51-58.

Paul revealed the mystery of translation and entrance into an eternal state without death, and if it was previously demonstrated by Enoch, then Paul revealed no mystery. If Paul, who wrote about the translation of Enoch, believed that Enoch was translated without the possibility of seeing death in the future, he no doubt would have explained this and used this as an example, as was his custom in illustrating his doctrine of translation without death. But he did not do this.

Again, if Enoch was translated and given a glorified body which could not see death, he was given one over 3,500 years before Christ received His glorified body. Then, in that event, Christ would not be the “firstfruits” of the eternal state among the sons of men, which, of course, He is Romans 5:12-211 Corinthians 15:20-23, 45. If Enoch obtained a glorified body and God gave it to him before Christ and he received it through faith, then others could have received theirs also by the same means. But if such were the case there would have been no need for the conquest of death by Christ and His victory in resurrection and glorification, for God could have given such bodies without it. It is also clear from Heb. 1-2 that Christ was the first to be exalted into an eternal state with a body of glory above the angels and every other creature. Therefore, since Enoch did not receive a glorified body before Christ, and as we have no record of his receiving one after Christ, he cannot permanently reside in Heaven without dying, according to the above Scriptures.

Thus, Enoch must come back to the Earth and die. When will it be, if not in the Tribulation? Elijah who has never died, must die. If Enoch is not the other witness, then we have many questions that the Bible does not make clear concerning the two witnesses and concerning Enoch. God told Elijah that He was going to translate him for a special ministry in the future and he believed God and was translated by faith. Enoch was also translated by faith which shows that God also told him that He was going to translate him, “For faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” Romans 10:17. There must have been a purpose in the mind of God in translating Enoch. It was not because he pleased God more than anyone else, but it was “by faith” in taking God at His Word. God had a purpose in translating Enoch, as well as Elijah, and what was it if it was not to supply the other witness? Elijah pleased God and was translated by faith. Enoch pleased God and was translated by faith. The cases are parallel and stand or Fall together. Also by the process of elimination, these are the only two men who could possibly comply with the plain description of the two witnesses in every point.

The seventh trumpet is a period of time and embraces the statements of Rev. 11:15-19 besides the vision of the woman, man child, dragon, remnant, war in heaven, and the beasts of Rev. 12:1–13:18.

After the statement is made that God will become sovereign over the kingdoms of this world, we have six sayings of the elders which are either fulfilled under the seventh trumpet or given in anticipation of the time each will be fulfilled, as the case may be.

The catching up of the man child, the casting out of Satan from Heaven, the flight of the woman into the wilderness, the persecution of the remnant, the rise of the beast out of the sea and the beast out of the Earth, will all happen and will all be completed under the seventh trumpet.

The seventh trumpet is not the same as “the last trump” which sounds at the time of the rapture, as proven in Lesson Forty-three, Point I, 2. This trumpet blows in the middle of the Week at least 3½ years after the rapture. That it blows in the middle of the Week is clear from the fact that there is only a period of forty-two months Revelation 11:2Revelation 13:5, 1,260 days Revelation 11:3Revelation 12:6, or 3½ years Revelation 12:14 from the blowing of the seventh trumpet to the end of the Week. If this is true, then it is only reasonable to believe that the first six trumpets and the seven seals are all fulfilled in the first 3½ years before the middle of the Week. Revelation 12-13 will be fully discussed in Lessons Forty-five and Forty-six.

1. 1 THE LAST DIVISION OF THE TRIBULATION WEEK Revelation 14:1–19

(Parenthetical, Rev. 14:1-20)

This sixth parenthetical passage contains seven statements which come between the seventh trumpet and the first vial as to reception, but not necessarily in fulfillment. These statements are necessary at this time to explain certain things which are to transpire between the seventh trumpet and the end of the Week.

The 144,000 Jews in Heaven Revelation 14:1-5

These 144,000 are in Heaven at this time, proving that they have been translated since the fifth and sixth trumpets at which time they are mentioned on Earth Revelation 9:4. They will be discussed fully in Lesson Forty-five.

The First Messenger Angel—the Everlasting Gospel Revelation 14:6-7

This message, although an eternal one, will have an additional meaning in the great tribulation, for the flying angel will announce “the hour of His judgment is come,” referring to the judgments of God which will be poured out during this time. This will indeed be glad tidings to those oppressed by the Antichrist, but it will bring fear and condemnation to him and his followers.

The Second Messenger Angel—the Fall of Babylon Revelation 14:8

This angel will also fly in mid-heaven proclaiming the Fall of Literal Babylon, that great city, which is to be destroyed under the seventh vial at the end of the Week Revelation 16:17-21Revelation 18:1-24.

The Third Messenger Angel—Doom of the Beast Worshipers Revelation 14:9-11

The third messenger angel also will fly in mid-heaven during the great tribulation announcing the fact that if any man worship the beast and his image or receive his mark he will be doomed to eternal torment.

The Blessed Dead Revelation 14:13

Following the messages of the three flying angels “a great voice from heaven” told John to write a special blessing for the dead that die “henceforth”; that is, during the great tribulation of the last 3½ years. These dead referred to are those who will be martyred because they will refuse to worship the beast and his image or receive his mark. They are the same as those referred to in Rev. 7:9-17; 13:5-7, 15; 15:2-4; 20:4-6.

The Harvest of the Earth—Armageddon Revelation 14:14-16

“The Son of man” is to reap, that is, He is the one who will execute the judgment upon the people represented by the harvest. This does not refer to the Tribulation martyrs, as some teach, for Christ does not slay His own saints. The “sharp sickle” is the same as that mentioned in Joel 3:9-14 in picturing the destruction of the hosts of Armageddon. Therefore, the scene must be of Armageddon and not of the righteous martyrs, as pictured in Rev. 19:21; Isa. 11:4; Mt. 13:30, 39; Jer 51:33; Hos. 6:11; 2 Thess. 2:8.

The Vintage of the Earth—Armageddon Revelation 14:17-20

The vision of “the vine of the earth” is the same in theme as “the harvest of the earth” above. The “harvest” and the “vintage” are both judgments from God and refer to the future Battle of Armageddon. In this vision “another angel” is the one to reap, thus showing that the angels will have a part in the Battle of Armageddon 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10.

“The vine of the Earth” will be cast into the “great winepress of the wrath of God.” The winepress will be trodden “without the city,” referring to the place just outside of Jerusalem where Armageddon will be fought. Blood will flow out of the winepress even up to the horses’ bridles as far as 1,600 furlongs or nearly 200 miles. This is definite proof that the gathering of the vintage refers to the gathering of the nations to Armageddon by the ministry of the three unclean spirits Revelation 16:13-16 to fight against Christ at His coming. The winepress with the blood flowing out of it refers to the destruction of these nations when blood will flow as pictured here. This same scene is spoken of in Rev. 19:11-21; Isa 34:1-8; 63:1-5; Joel 3:1-21; Zech. 14:1-21.

These seven angels will not be ordinary ones but seven redeemed men who will be already in Heaven with glorified bodies at the time of the fulfillment of this part of the book. According to Rev. 17:1, one of these angels showed John the judgment of the great whore and “the beast that carrieth her.” Then in Rev. 21:9, one of them, perhaps the same one, came to show John the Holy City. After showing him the Revelation, John fell down at his feet to worship him, but was told “See thou do it not: for I am thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren the prophets and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God” Revelation 19:9, 10Revelation 22:8, 9. This proves that one of them is a redeemed man, for he is expressly called “a man” in Rev. 21:17; and if one of them is a man, the other six must be also.

(Parenthetical—the Sea of Glass, Rev. 15:2-4)

This “sea of glass” is the same as that seen by John when he was first caught up to Heaven Revelation 4:1-6. It is a literal pavement before the throne, like unto crystal mingled with fire. It was unoccupied in Rev. 4 while in Rev. 15 it is occupied by the Tribulation martyrs.

In this passage, the vision of the seven angels and the heavenly tabernacle is resumed, after being interrupted by the vision of the Tribulation saints upon the sea of glass. The temple in Heaven is mentioned twelve times in Revelation and each reference indicates a literal temple in which God sits on a throne.

The Greek word Naos means “a dwelling,” “a shrine,” or “a temple.” This is the word used of the temple of God in Heaven in Rev. 3:12; 7:15; 11:19; 14:15-17; 15:5-8; 16:1-17. The same word is used in Rev. 11:1, 2 of the earthly temple. Thus we have conclusive proof that there is a material temple in Heaven.

( 3) The First Vial—Boils on Men Revelation 16:2

The seven vials and their contents are just as literal as the seals and trumpets and their contents. These vials will be poured out only upon the kingdom of the beast during the last half of the Week, and will complete the wrath of God upon men for their persecution of Israel. They are not to be confused with any historical event or with the seals and trumpets in any respect. The pouring of these vials cannot begin until after the seals and trumpets are finished. They will be the last events of the “things shortly to come to pass” before the second coming of Christ. The infliction of just such plagues as these vials will bring upon Israel’s enemies that which is promised for the last days Deuteronomy 30:1-10Isaiah 51:23. Four of these plagues in a lesser degree have already been poured out upon Egypt. The very language describing them proves that they will be literal and fulfilled in the order in which they are given. This procedure forms the only true basis of understanding.

This first vial repeats the plague of boils that was inflicted upon the Egyptians Exodus 9:8-12. It is clear that this plague falls only upon those people who have the mark of the beast and who worship him. If this is true of this one plague, it is also true of all the others, for they are all for the same purpose.

At the blowing of the second trumpet, one-third of the sea will become blood Revelation 8:8, 9, but under the second vial all the sea will become blood.

The third vial will be a repetition of the first plague upon Egypt Exodus 7:19-24. When the waters of Egypt and the sea in the second trumpet are partially turned to blood, the fish will die.

Under the fourth trumpet, one-third of the sun, moon, and stars will be stricken with darkness so that one-third of them will be darkened Revelation 8:12. However, under the fourth vial, the heat of the sun will be increased to such an extent that men will actually be scorched by it, until, in misery and torment, they will blaspheme God whom they will recognize as the cause of the heat.

The fifth vial is a repetition of the ninth Egyptian plague Exodus 10:21, 22. All these plagues that are similar to those which have been poured out before, will be much more intense than those of Egypt. After the sun in that part of the Earth has been shooting its rays of intense heat in torrents of torment upon the followers of Antichrist it will undergo a sudden change. The change will be from one extreme to another—from fiery, piercing blinding brightness and heat to impenetrable darkness. The beast and his followers will be overwhelmed with fresh horror to such an extent that they will gnaw their tongues in pain.

This plague is just as literal as any one of the other ones. It will happen at the very last part of the great tribulation, just before Armageddon, and after the Antichrist has been successful in conquering the countries of the north and east. Then he will gather together these newly conquered nations and those which he will have conquered in the first 3½ years, and with others which will cooperate with him, he will fight against Christ at Armageddon. The drying up of the Euphrates will prepare the way for those who will come from the east. There are many interpreters to whom this passage symbolizes the drying up of the Turkish Empire from the great empire that it once was to the small state that it is today, thus regarding this vial as being already fulfilled.

Such an interpretation takes the passage out of its proper setting and destroys the literal meaning. If it refers to the breaking up of an empire in the past, then it would stand to reason that all the seals, trumpets, first five vials, and all the events of Revelation to this point have already been fulfilled. If that were true we would now be living during the time of the fulfillment of the gathering of the nations to Armageddon by the three unclean spirits.

Just because the Turkish Empire has dwindled down almost to nothing as compared to what it was in the past is no proof that this fact is the fulfillment of the sixth vial any more than the decay of any other empire. In order to fulfill Dan. 7 and 8, the Turkish Empire had to be broken up. This is one thing, but the drying up of the Euphrates is another thing.

If we should take any one of the twenty-six passages in the Bible where “the river Euphrates” is mentioned and substitute “the Turkish Empire” there would be no reasonable meaning to the passage. “The river Euphrates” has the same meaning in both Testaments. It means a literal river in Asia. The term is never used symbolically in the Bible. All other vials as well as the judgments of the seals and trumpets are literal, why not this one?

The drying up of the Jordan and the Red Sea were literal so that men walked over dry ground. We do not make these events symbolic, so why follow a different procedure in Rev. 16:21?

(Parenthetical—the Three Unclean Frog Spirits, Rev. 16:13-16)

This is the seventh parenthetical passage and is usually admitted to be such. It is inserted between the sixth and seventh vials and has its fulfillment in the part of the Week in which it is given. This tells how the kings of the Earth, who are not under the control of Antichrist and who do not form a part of his kingdom will be gathered to the Battle of Armageddon. These three unclean spirits will have shapes like frogs and will come out of the mouths of the dragon, beast, and false prophet. They will be demon spirits who will go forth working miracles, inspiring the nations, and mobilizing them into vast armies which will march from all directions and from all countries for the purpose of preventing the establishment of the kingdom of Christ upon Earth.

This passage is by no means all that is pictured under the seventh vial, for what happens under it is continued in Rev. 18:1-24 after the parenthetical section (Rev. 17) about “Mystical Babylon.” However, we shall limit our remarks on the seventh vial to Rev. 16:17-21 until after we first consider the parenthetical passage. Then, we shall resume our study of the destruction of the Babylon that is scheduled to be destroyed under the seventh vial as has been fully elaborated upon in Rev. 18. Under the seventh vial, the wrath of God will be completed, and for this reason, the coming of Christ to Earth must be included. Christ’s coming will be fulfilled at that time, thus ending the Seventieth Week of Daniel and beginning “the day of the Lord.” When the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air, the first thing John heard was a “great voice out of the temple of heaven from the throne, saying, It is done.” This has reference to the completion of God’s wrath during the seventh vial Revelation 15:1Revelation 16:1.

The result of this earthquake will be that “the great city” (Jerusalem, Rev. 11:8) will be divided into three parts. Many of the large cities of the nations will be destroyed as well as “great Babylon.” But in addition to the total and partial destruction of many cities, the moving of mountains and islands and other great changes in the surface of the Earth in certain places, there will be ‘’great hail” out of Heaven upon men. Each hailstone will weigh from 56 to 114 pounds, according to the weight of the different talents in the New Testament. This last plague will be so terrible that men will again blaspheme God because of its intensity. The hail will perhaps be the same as that mentioned in Ezek. 38:21-23 in connection with Armageddon. This is a repetition of the seventh Egyptian plague of hail, but on a much larger scale. Compare this with the plague of Exod. 9:13-35; Josh. 10:11. God will thus complete in this manner His wrath begun under the sixth seal in the first part of the week Revelation 6:12-17.

(Parenthetical— Mystical Babylon, Rev. 17:1-18)

Revelation 17 is the eighth parenthetical passage and is an account in some detail of Ecclesiastical Babylon, her identification, character, power, wickedness, judgment and destruction by the Antichrist and the ten kings, as well as an explanation of the beast and its seven heads and ten horns. It is clear that this passage is parenthetical because this religion is destroyed by the Antichrist and the ten kings in the middle of the Week so that the Antichrist worship may be established Revelation 17:16-17. Since the beast worship is during the last 3½ years of the Week, Mystery Babylon must be destroyed at that time Revelation 13:1-18. Man destroys Mystical Babylon Revelation 17:16, 17, and God destroys Literal Babylon Revelation 18:5-8, 20. God will put the idea into the hearts of the ten kings to give their kingdoms to the beast for the purpose of destroying Mystical Babylon (17:14-17), while this is not true in the case of Literal Babylon. The beast and the ten kings will rejoice over the destruction of Mystical Babylon Revelation 17:16, 17 and they will mourn over the destruction of Literal Babylon Revelation 18:9-19. Thus it is clear that there are two Babylons in Rev 16:17–18:24.

The Identity of Mystical Babylon

According to many Bible scholars and historians the great whore is identified as a great religious system, the Roman Catholic Church, which they claim will fulfill Rev. 17 and dominate the Antichrist for a short time during his rise over the ten kings and until the middle of the Week. Then the beast and the ten kings will destroy her Revelation 17:9-17. Even Catholic divines admit Rev. 17 is a description of their Church. (See the writings of Cardinal Ballarmine and the French Prelate, Boussuet.) She has a name on her forehead, “MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT” Revelation 17:5 The arguments given by many to prove the whore is Romanism are:

The Ancient Babylonian Cult

What is the historic relation of Babylon to the city of Rome and the Roman Church, and why should Romanism be called Babylon in mystery? That the cities of Rome and Babylon were related seems to have been well-known in the earlier days. It is simple to trace in the archives of history the relation of Babylon to Rome and to the Roman Church. Let us first look at the history of ancient Babylon.

This city was built by Nimrod, the mighty hunter Genesis 10:8-10. It was the seat of the first great apostasy against God after the flood. Here the Babylonian Cult was invented by Nimrod and his queen, Semiramis. It was a system claiming the highest wisdom and ability to reveal the most divine secrets. This cult was characterized by the word “MYSTERY” because of its system of mysteries. Besides confessing to the priests at admission, one was compelled to drink of “mysterious beverages,” which, says Salverte (Des Sciences Occultes, Page 259) was indispensable on the part of those who sought initiation into these mysteries.” The “mysterious beverages” were composed of wine, honey, water, and flour. They were always of an intoxicating nature, and until the aspirants had come under the influence of it and had their understanding dimmed they were not prepared for what they were to see and hear. The method was to introduce privately, little by little, information under seal of secrecy and sanction of oath that would be impossible to reveal otherwise. This has been the policy of the Roman Church and the secret of the power of the priests over the lives of men whom they could expose to the world for their sins that have been confessed to them. Once admitted, men were no longer Babylonians, Assyrians, or Egyptians, but were members of a mystical brotherhood, over whom was placed a Supreme Pontiff or High Priest whose word was final in all things in the lives of the brotherhood regardless of the country in which they lived.

The ostensible objects of worship were the Supreme Father, the Incarnate Female, or Queen of Heaven, and her Son. The last two were really the only objects of worship, as the Supreme Father was said not to interfere with mortal affairs (Nimrod III, Page 239). This system is believed to have come from fallen angels and demons. The object of the cult was to rule the world by these dogmas.

How the Ancient Babylonian Cult Spread

In the days of Nimrod this cult secured a deep hold on the whole human race for it was of one language and all were one people. Nimrod gained the title “Mighty Hunter” because of his success in building cities with walls to free men from the ravages of wild beasts which were multiplying against men. He was called “the Apostate” because he sought to free men from the idea of God and His wrath. As a great deliverer and protector of the people and as the head of the godless civilization at that time he would naturally have great influence upon the people. He led them astray to such an extent that they gloried in the fact that they were free from the faith of their fathers.

All tradition from the earliest time bears witness of this great apostasy, which finally reached such proportions that the people defied God to send another flood to destroy them and they built a tower to escape it. The result was that God confused their language and scattered them throughout the Earth. This Babylonian system was the one which the devil had planned to counteract the truth of God. From Babylon it spread to the ends of the Earth and we have record that Abraham was chosen of God from all these idolatrous nations to represent the true God. Through him God planned to bring man back to Himself. This explains how the different nations of the world have traditions and religions somewhat similar, with changes suitable to the individual nation.

After the nations were scattered abroad, Babylon continued to be the “seat of Satan” until it was taken by Xerxes in 487 b.c. The Babylonian priesthood was then forced to leave Babylon, so it moved to Pergamos, which was the headquarters for some time. When Attalus, the Pontiff and King of Pergamos, died in 133 b.c. he bequeathed the headship of the Babylonian priesthood to Rome. When the Etruscans came to Italy from Lydia (the region of Pergamos) they brought with them the Babylonian religion and rites. They set up a pontiff who was the head of the priesthood and he had the power of life and death over them. Later, the Romans accepted this pontiff as their civil ruler. Julius Caesar was made the Supreme Pontiff of the Etruscan Order in 74 b.c. In 63 b.c. he was made Supreme Pontiff of the Babylonian Order, thereby becoming heir to the rights and titles of Attalus, who had made Rome his heir by will.

Thus, the first Roman emperor became the head of the Babylonian priesthood and Rome became the successor of Babylon with Pergamos as the seat of this cult. Henceforth, Rome’s religion has been that of Babylon. In the year 218 a.d. the Roman Army in Syria, having rebelled against Macrinus, elected Elagabalus emperor. This man was High Priest of the Egyptian branch of Babylonianism. He was shortly afterward chosen Supreme Pontiff by the Romans, and thus the two Western branches of the Babylonian apostasy centered in the Roman Emperors who continued to hold this office until 376 a.d. At that time, however, the Emperor Gratian, for Christian reasons refused it, because he saw that by nature Babylonianism was idolatrous. Thus, religious matters became disorganized until it became necessary to elect someone to fill the office.

The Babylonian Religion and Roman Christendom United

Damasus, Bishop of the Christian Church at Rome, was then elected to the office of Supreme Pontiff. He had been bishop for twelve years, having been made such in 366 a.d. through the influence of the monks of Mount Carmel, a college of the Babylonian religion originally founded by the priests of Jezebel and continued to this day in connection with Rome. So, in 378 a.d., the Babylonian system of religion became part of Christendom, for the bishop of Rome, who later became the supreme head of the organized Church, was already Supreme Pontiff of the Babylonian Order. All the teachings of pagan Babylon and Rome were gradually interspersed into the Christian religious organization. Soon after Damasus was made Supreme Pontiff, the rites of Babylon began to come to the front. The worship of the Roman Church became Babylonish, and under him the heathen temples were restored and beautified and the rituals established. Thus, the corrupt religious system under the figure of a woman with a golden cup in her hand, making all nations drunk with her fornication, is called by God “MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT.”

The Effects of This Union Upon Organized Christianity

The changes that transpired in the doctrines and practices of the Roman Church by this union did not come all at once. The Roman Church of today is purely a human institution, and her doctrines, which militate against God’s Word, were never taught by Christ or the apostles. Various doctrines crept into the Church centuries afterward. Because of the union the Babylonian rites were easily introduced into, and made a part of the Roman Church, and the greatest influence in it became the Supreme Pontiff of the Babylonian Order. The adherents of each religion would not compromise, so a union of the two was the outcome. The following points will show some of the pagan elements that entered into the Church, many of which were taken from the Babylonian religion:

(1) The first practice that grew up after this union was the introduction of the worship of the saints, especially of the Virgin Mary. Thousands of pagans entered the Church in those times who were accustomed to worshipping the gods of towns and places, and who were not thoroughly Christianized. The veneration of saints and holy men became a form of worship. Saints were considered lesser deities, whose intercession availed with God. Places connected with the lives of holy men were considered sacred and pilgrimages were started. Relics or bones of saints were believed to have miraculous power. The worship of the Virgin Mary was set up in 381 a.d., three years after Damasus became head of the Babylonian Cult.

Just as the Babylonian Cult worshipped the “Queen of Heaven and her Son and did not worship the Supreme Father because He, supposedly, did not interfere with mortal affairs, so the Roman Church has a similar worship in that they worship Mary as the Mother of God and her Son. The image of mother and child was an object of worship in Babylon long before Christ. From Babylon this spread to the ends of the Earth. The original mother was Semiramis, the beautiful queen of Nimrod, who was a paragon of unbridled lust and licentiousness.

In the “mysteries,” which she had the chief part in forming, she was worshipped as Rhea (Chronicon Paschale, Vol. 1, Page 65), the great “Mother of the Gods” with such atrocious rites as identified her with Venus, the mother of all impurity. She raised Babylon, where she reigned, to eminence among the nations as the great seat of idolatry and consecrated prostitution (Hesiod, Theogonia, Vol. 36, Page 453). The apocalyptic emblem of the harlot with cup in hand was one of idolatry derived from ancient Babylon, as they were exhibited in Greece, for thus the Greek Venus was originally represented (Herodotus, Historia, Book 1, Cap. 199, Page 92).

The Roman Church has taken this as her emblem. In 1825 a medal was struck bearing the image of Pope Leo XII on one side and on the other side Rome symbolized by a woman with a cross in her left hand and a cup in her right hand and a legend around her “Sedet Super Universum”; that is, “The whole world is her seat.”

From this original practice, practically all nations have copied a similar worship, but in each land the same figure is carried out under different names. In Egypt the mother and child are known as Isis and Osiris; in India, Isi and Iswara; in Eastern Asia, Cybele and Deoius; in pagan Rome, Fortuna and Jupiter-puer; in Greece, Ceres or as Irene with Plutus in arms, etc. In Tibet, China, and Japan the Jesuits were surprised to find the counterpart of the madonna (the Italian name for virgin) and her child as devoutly worshipped as in Rome itself. Shing Moo, the mother of China, is there represented with child in her arms and a glory around her exactly as if a Catholic artist had painted her. Where did these nations get this common worship if not from Babylon before the dispersion in the days of Nimrod? (Gen. 11). Thus the worship of Mary in connection with her Son is of Babylonian origin for there is no such worship prescribed in Scripture.

(2) Our next allusion is to the supremacy of the pope over all moral and religious affairs of the Church, and unlimited and immediate authority over the lives of all as was true of the Babylonian Pontiff, as we have seen above.

(3) The worship and veneration of images was begun early. It was first decreed by the Second Council of Nice, 787 a.d. In the ninth century certain emperors attempted to abolish such worship but it was so rooted in the people and the attempt was so resisted by the ignorant and the monks that the emperors gave up their persecutions and in 869 a.d. a synod at Constantinople declared in favor of them. Image worship is purely pagan and came from Babylon.

(4) Private confession to a priest grew from a small beginning in the second and third centuries to an elaborate system in the time of Innocent III, 1215 a.d., but it was not decreed by council until the Council of Trent, 1551. People were compelled to confess to a priest at least once a year and to do penance according to the degree of sins committed. Penances were fastings, scourgings, pilgrimages, etc. Without confession no one had a right to the sacraments. This is the same system Babylon had, which bound the people to the priest by fear of exposure or divine wrath.

(5) The Sign of the Cross had its origin in the mystic “Tau” of the Babylonian Cult. It came from the letter, the initial letter of Tammuz Ezekiel 8:14, but better known in the classical writings as Bacchus, The Lamented One, who was Nimrod, the son of Cush.

(6) The Rosary is of pagan origin. It is used for the same magic purposes in Romanism for which it was used in the Babylonian mysteries.

(7) The Orders of Monks and Nuns were borrowed from the Babylonian Cult. The latter is an imitation of the Vestal Virgins of Pagan Rome, copied from Babylon.

(8) The outstanding festivals of Romanism, such as Christmas, Easter, St. John’s Day, Lady Day, Lent, etc., are Babylonian and have no relation to Christ and the Bible. None of them were celebrated in Christendom for 200 years after Christ. Note the following:

A. Christmas, literally Christ-mass, was copied from a heathen festival observed on December 24 and 25 in honor of the son of the Babylonian Queen Astarte, and was kept centuries before Christ. The Chaldeans called it Yule Day or Child Day. The Christmas tree so well-known now was equally pagan and was common to all the heathen in those lands. According to a legend, on the eve of the day we call December 24 the yule-log was cast into a tree from which divine gifts from the gods were taken to bless men in the new year. This tree was common in the days of Jeremiah who warned Israel to flee from this heathen custom Jeremiah 10:1-9.

There is no proof that Christ was born on December 25. On the contrary, it seems that He was born during warm days, for He was born in a manger and in the cold months from December to February the winters are too severe for one to be traveling to pay tax as Joseph did with his family. Shepherds were in the field when Christ was born and it was not customary for them to stay with their flocks in the open from October to February. The winters of that land are so severe that Christ said, “Pray that your flight be not in winter” Matthew 24:15-22. The only thing given in Scripture whereby we are to remember Christ is the Lord’s Supper.

The apostles did not observe such a day as is common to us. Tertullian, writing about 230 a.d., lamented the fact that Christians were beginning to observe the custom of the heathen and said, “Gifts are carried to and fro, new year’s day presents are made with din, and sports and banquets are celebrated with uproar; how much more faithful are the heathen to their religion who take special care to adopt no solemnity of the Christians.”

The Church after Constantine, full of pagans, became so corrupt that, in order to conciliate the heathen and swell the ranks of nominal Christians, this heathen festival on December 25 was adopted and the name of Christmas was given it. It is not known when this was officially done but it was not observed as a ritual of the Church until the fourth century. (See the International Encyclopedia on this subject.)

B. Lady Day is observed on March 25 and is also of Babylonian origin. It is the supposed day of the miraculous conception of Mary, while, among the heathen, it was observed as a festival in honor of Cybele, the Mother of the Babylonian Messiah. In Rome, Cybele was called Domina, or Lady, hence, Lady Day.

C. Easter also sprang from the fountain of Babylon. It is not a Christian name, since its derivation is from Ishtar, one of the Babylonian titles of the Queen of Heaven. It was the worship of this woman by Israel which was such an abomination in the sight of God 1 Samuel 7:3Jeremiah 44:18. Round cakes, imprinted with the sign of the cross, were made at this festival, the sign being, in the Babylonian mysteries, a sign of life. This day was observed centuries before Christ and is possibly a factor in the origin of our Easter. (See Mosheim’s History of the Church I, Page 370.)

The Easter eggs which play a great part in this day’s celebration were common in heathen nations. The fable of the egg affirms that “an egg of wondrous size fell from Heaven into the river Euphrates; the fishes rolled it to the bank, where the doves settled upon it and hatched it and out came Astarte, or Ishtar, the goddess of Easter.” “Easter” is used only one time in the Bible Acts 12:4. The Greek word for “Easter” in this passage should have been translated “Passover” as it is in all other places.

D. Lent, which is observed for forty days, ending with Easter, is derived from the Babylonian system of mysteries. It is also observed today by devil worshippers of Kurdistan, who obtained it from the same source as did Rome. Humboldt found it practiced among the pagan Mexicans and Wilkinson informs us that it was a custom in ancient Egypt. Both Easter and Lent were introduced into the Church 519 a.d. A writer of that time says, “The observance of Lent had no existence so long as the Church remained inviolate.”—Cassianus. At the same time of the year that Romanism observes it the heathen observe it for a different purpose—as a celebration of the Rape of Proserpine in which is culminated a period of unbridled lust after forty days of enforced abstinence in preparation thereof. How well does God liken Romanism to a whore, who professes to be the sole spotless bride of Christ, but in reality is the final great apostate religious system linked with the world and exercising power over the nations of the world under the ten kings until Antichrist comes to full power and destroys her in the middle of the Week Revelation 17:16-17.

Other Names of Mystery Babylon

(1) “The Mother of Harlots” Revelation 17:5. This name is certainly appropriate to Romanism. Hundreds of different branches of Christendom have been formed since the reformation. The word “HARLOTS” no doubt refers to these branches which will become more apostate as the age ends and will finally become united with Rome again to fulfill this revelation of “things after the churches.” This is the present trend in the church world. Many religious unions have been formed in recent years and many churches are looking to Rome even now.

(2) “The Mother of the Abominations of the Earth” Revelation 17:5. This, too, is very appropriate of Romanism. The many abominations started and practiced by the ancient Babylonian cult and her present successor go far to identify this woman as a symbol of Romanism.

(3) “The great whore” Revelation 17:1-2. She is called such because of her illicit intercourse with the kings of the Earth in religious practices and superstitions, and which will give her influence over the nations of the ten kings.

(4) “That great city” Revelation 17:18. This expression further identifies this woman as Romanism. This verse literally reads, “And the woman whom thou sawest is the city, the great, which has a kingdom over the kings of the earth.” This proves she is not a political system, but a religious, with political aspirations and with headquarters in the great city. Should we not look for a literal city as in the case of the New Jerusalem which is called “the bride, the Lamb’s wife” in Rev. 21:2, 9-10? Revelation 17:18 must refer to Rome, the religious headquarters of Romanism.

Other Marks of Identity

(1) The attire of Mystical Babylon designates her as Romanism Revelation 17:4. Scarlet is the color of Romanism, being reserved for the pope and the cardinals. This religious denomination is the richest on Earth as pictured in this verse.

(2) The drunkenness of this whore proves her to be Romanism Revelation 17:6-7. This finger of accusation is no mere accident. While it refers to the martyrdom of saints “after the churches” by Romanism, still is it not common knowledge that this same persecution has gone on in past ages? It has been estimated that more than 200 million people have been slain by Romanism in the past. The terrible days of persecution will come again, at least after the rapture of the Church, and before Christ comes to Earth Revelation 6:9-11Revelation 7:9-17.

List of Heresies

The following heresies are deviations from the true gospel of God. They were adopted and perpetuated by the Roman Catholic Church in the course of 1,600 years. In reality, the Romanists are the heretics of past ages instead of the people they have murdered because they would not conform to these heresies. These dates mentioned below are in many cases approximate. Many of these heresies had been current in the Church years before, but only when they were officially adopted by a church council and proclaimed by the pope as dogma of faith did they become binding on Catholics. At the Reformation in the 16th century these heresies were repudiated as having no part in the religion of Jesus as taught in the New Testament.

(1) Of all the human inventions taught and practiced by the Roman Catholic Church, which are contrary to the Bible, the most ancient are the prayers for the dead and the sign of the cross. Both of these began over 300 years after Christ.

(2) Wax candles were introduced in churches about 320 a.d.

(3) Veneration of angels and dead saints began about 375 a.d.

(4) The Mass as a daily celebration was adopted in 394 a.d.

(5) The worship of Mary the mother of Jesus and the use of the term Mother of God, as applied to her, originated in the Council of Ephesus in 431 A.D.

(6) Priests began to dress differently from the laity in 500 a.d.

(7) The doctrine of Purgatory was first established by Gregory in 593 a.d.

(8) The Latin language as the language of prayer and worship in churches was also imposed by Pope Gregory I in the year 600 a.d.

(9) The Bible teaches that we pray to God alone John 16:23-26. In the primitive Church prayers were never directed to Mary or to dead saints. This practice began in the Roman Church about 600 years after Christ.

(10) The Papacy is of pagan origin. The title of pope, or universal bishop, was first given to the bishop of Rome by the wicked emperor Phocas in the year 610 a.d. Jesus did not appoint Peter to the headship of the apostles and He did expressly forbid any such notion Luke 22:24-26Ephesians 1:22, 23Colossians 1:181 Corinthians 3:11.

(11) The kissing of the Pope’s feet began in the year 709 a.d. It had been a pagan custom to kiss the feet of emperors. The Word of God forbids such practices Acts 10:25, 26Revelation 19:10Revelation 22:9.

(12) The temporal power of the popes began in the year 750 a.d. Jesus expressly forbad such a thing and He Himself refused worldly kingship Matthew 4:8, 9Matthew 20:25, 26John 18:36.

(13) Worship of the cross, images and relics was authorized in 788 a.d. Such practice is called idolatry in the Bible, and is severely condemned Exodus 20:2-6Deuteronomy 27:15Romans 2:22.

(14) Holy Water, mixed with a pinch of salt and blessed by the priest, was authorized in the year 850 a.d.

(15) The veneration of St. Joseph began in the year 890 a.d.

(16) The baptism of bells was instituted by Pope John XIV in 965 a.d.

(17) Canonization of dead saints, first by Pope John XV in 995 a.d. Every believer and follower of Christ is called saint in the Bible Romans 1:71 Corinthians 1:2.

(18) Fasting on Fridays and during Lent was imposed in the year 998 a.d. by popes said to be interested in the fishing industry. See Mt. 15:10; 1 Cor. 10:25; 1 Tim. 4:1-8; Col. 2:14-17; Rom. 14:1-23.

(19) The Mass was developed gradually as a sacrifice, and attendance made obligatory in the 11th Century after Christ. The gospel teaches that the sacrifice of Christ was offered once and for all, and is not to be repeated, but only commemorated in the Lord’s Supper Hebrews 7:27Hebrews 9:26-28Hebrews 10:10-14.

(20) The celibacy of the priesthood was decreed by Pope Hildebrand and Boniface VII in the year 1079 a.d. Jesus imposed no such rule, nor did any of the apostles. On the contrary, St. Peter was a married man Matthew 8:14-15 and St. Paul says that bishops were to have a wife and children 1 Timothy 3:2-5, 12.

(21) The rosary, or prayer beads, was introduced by Peter the Hermit in the year 1090 a.d. This practice was copied from Hindus and Mohammedans. The counting of prayers is a pagan practice and is expressly condemned by Christ Matthew 6:5-13.

(22) The inquisition of heretics was instituted by the Council of Verona in the year 1184 a.d. Jesus never taught the use of force to spread his religion (Mt. 5 and 10).

(23) The sale of indulgences, commonly regarded as a purchase of forgiveness and a permit to indulge in sin, began in the year 1190 a.d. The Christian religion as taught in the gospel, condemns such a traffic, and it was the protest against this traffic that brought on the Protestant Reformation in the 16th Century.

(24) The dogma of transubstantiation was decreed by Pope Innocent III in the year 1215 a.d. By this doctrine the priest pretends to perform a daily miracle by changing a wafer into the body of Christ, and then he pretends to eat Him alive in the presence of his people during Mass. The gospel condemns such absurdities, for the Holy Communion is simply a memorial of the sacrifice of Christ Luke 22:19, 20John 6:351 Corinthians 11:26.

(25) Confession of sins to the priest at least once a year was instituted by Pope Innocent III in the Lateran Council, in the year 1215 a.d. The gospel commands us to confess our sins direct to God Isaiah 1:18Luke 7:48Luke 15:211 John 1:8, 9.

(26) The adoration of the wafer, (host) was invented by Pope Honorius in 1220 a.d. So the Roman Church worships a god made by hands. This is plain idolatry and absolutely contrary to the spirit of the gospel John 4:24.

(27) The Bible was forbidden to laymen and placed in the Index of forbidden books by the Council of Toledo in 1229 a.d. Jesus and the apostles commanded that the Scriptures should be read by all John 5:391 Timothy 3:15-16.

(28) The scapular was invented by Simon Stock, an English monk, in 1287 a.d. It is a piece of brown cloth, with the picture of the Virgin and supposed to contain supernatural virtue to protect those who wear it on the naked skin from all dangers. This is fetishism.

(29) The Roman Church forbad the cup to the laity in the Council of Constance in 1414 a.d. The gospel commands all Christians to celebrate Holy Communion with bread and wine Matthew 26:271 Corinthians 11:26-29.

(30) The doctrine of purgatory was proclaimed as a dogma of faith by the Council of Florence in 1439 a.d. There is not one word in the Bible that would teach the purgatory of priests. The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sins 1 John 1:7-91 John 2:1, 2John 5:24Romans 8:10Revelation 1:5Ephesians 1:7.

(31) The doctrine of Seven Sacraments was affirmed in 1439 a.d. The gospel says that Christ instituted only two sacraments, baptism and the Lord’s Supper Matthew 28:19, 20Matthew 26:26-28.

(32) The Ave Maria, or the addition of part of the last half, was made in 1508 a.d. It was completed 50 years afterward and finally approved by Pope Sixtus V, at the end of the 16th Century.

(33) The Council of Trent, held in the year 1545 a.d., declared that tradition is of equal authority with the Bible. By tradition is meant human teachings. The Pharisees believed the same way, and Jesus bitterly condemned them, for by human traditions they nullified the commandments of God Mark 7:7-13Colossians 2:8Revelation 22:18.

(34) Six apocryphal books were added to the Bible by the Council of Trent in 1546 a.d. This is contrary to the Bible Revelation 22:18, 19.

(35) The creed of Pope Pius IV was imposed as the official creed of Catholics in 1560 a.d. True Christians will retain the Holy Scriptures as their creed. Hence, their creed is 1,500 years older than the creed of Roman Catholics. Revelation 22:18, 192 Timothy 2:152 Timothy 3:15-17

(36) The immaculate conception of the Virgin Mary was proclaimed by Pope Pius IX in the year 1854 a.d. The gospel states that all men, with the sole exception of Christ, are sinners. Mary herself had need of a Savior Romans 3:23Romans 5:12Psalms 51:5Luke 1:30, 46.

(37) In the year 1870 a.d. Pope Pius IX proclaimed the dogma of papal infallibility.

(38) Pope Pius X, in the year 1907 condemned, together with “modernism,” all the discoveries of modern science which were not approved by the Church. Pius IX had done the same thing in the syllabus of 1864 a.d.

(39) In the year 1930 Pius XI condemned the public schools.

(40) In the year 1931 the same Pope Pius XI reaffirmed the doctrine that Mary is “the Mother of God.” This doctrine was first invented by the Council of Ephesus in the year 431 a.d. This is a heresy which is contrary to Mary’s own words Luke 1:46-49.

What will be the next invention of the Roman Church? Catholics say their Church never changes, yet it has done nothing but invent new doctrines which are contrary to the Bible, and has practiced rites and ceremonies taken wholly from paganism. At least 95% of the rites and ceremonies of the Roman Church are of pagan origin.

Cardinal Newman, in his book (Page 359) The Development of the Christian Religion admits that “Temples, incense, oil lamps, votive offerings, holy water, holidays and seasons of devotions, processions, blessings of fields, sacerdotal vestments, the tonsure (of priests, monks, and nuns), images are all of pagan origin.” Let any honest heart find Scripture for the above practices and see for himself that Romanism is not scriptural. The above chronological list of human inventions disproves the claim of the priests of the Roman Church that their religion was taught by Christ and that the popes have been the faithful custodians of that religion.

A More Scriptural Exposition of Mystery Babylon:

13 Proofs the Whore is a Religious System:

1. Playing the Whore in symbolic language always refers to religious fornication and idolatry Revelation 17:1-4Isaiah 23:17Isaiah 53:3-7Jeremiah 3:2-9Ezekiel 16:1-63Ezekiel 20:30-32Ezekiel 23:7-49Hosea 4:12-19Nahum 3:4.

2. Her causing the many nations to commit fornication with her, proves that idolatrous religious practices are being referred to, as in passages above.

3. She is not a political power for she is not classed as one with “the kings of the earth.” She only causes the kings and inhabitants of the earth to be drunk with the wine of her fornication Revelation 17:2, 4. Since fornication here refers to religious harlotry then her influence over the nations is through religion.

4. The beast which the woman rides is the 8th kingdom, made up of the many waters or peoples inside the old Roman Empire territory Revelation 17:1, 3. Since the beast itself is the kingdom, the woman must be religion dominating the kingdom until she is destroyed by it Revelation 17:12-17.

5. The attire of the great whore identifies her as a religious system or as a whore committing spiritual fornication, duping political powers by her whoredoms and idolatries Revelation 17:4. The purple, scarlet, precious stones, pearls, and golden vessels indicate the wealth of the system. Cp. Ezek. 23:40-41.

6. The golden cup in her hand, full of her uncleanness, spiritual fornication, and abominations by which she dupes political powers proves her to be a religious power. Cp. Ezek. 23:29-31.

7. Her name “Mystery Babylon” indicates she is not Literal Babylon. The word “mystery” identifies her with the religious rites and mysteries of ancient Babylon.

8. The name “Mother of Harlots” identifies the whore as a religious system Revelation 17:5. The harlots refer to many branches which have sprung from her and have become as much apostate as the great whore herself. She is a symbol of apostate religions being linked together after the rapture of the Church to dominate the ten kings of the Revised Roman Empire until Antichrist comes to full power over the ten kingdoms by the middle of Daniel’s Seventieth Week Revelation 17:1, 3.

9. The name “Mother of Abominations of the Earth’ identifies her to be a religious system fostering and tolerating all the abominations that go with idolatry and spiritual fornication. The word “abominations” is used many times of idolatry and whoredoms associated with pagan worship Deuteronomy 18:9-12Deuteronomy 29:17-18Deuteronomy 32:16-171 Kings 14:242 Kings 16:3-42 Kings 21:2-11Ezekiel 16:22-58. The great whore of the future tribulations will be the mother of abominations in God’s sight because she will exceed all others in wickedness.

10. Her drunkenness—being drunken with blood of the martyrs of Jesus, proves beyond doubt that she is a religious institution. Only religion has killed the martyrs of Jesus in all ages. Governments have carried out the dictates of leaders in religion, doing the actual killing of saints because of religion. Although this prophecy speaks of the future drunkenness of Mystical Babylon after the rapture of the Church, who among us does not know of the martyrdom of 200 million people in the past because they would not conform to organized religion?

5 Classes That Have Martyred Saints:

(1) Jews Acts 7:51-60Acts 8:1Acts 9:1. Their religious prejudice caused many to be put to death.

(2) Pagans of the old Roman Empire. History records the martyrdoms of many Christians by pagan emperors because of religious differences.

(3) Mohammedans slew Christians in all their conquests.

(4) Greek Catholics have also persecuted and martyred Christians.

(5) Roman Catholics have been guilty of martyrdoms in many centuries and many lands.

Martyrdom of saints will again be revived in the old Roman Empire territory between the rapture and the second coming. In the first 3½ years of Daniel’s Seventieth Week, the great whore will murder the saints of Jesus Revelation 17:6. In the middle of the Week when Antichrist comes to power over the ten kingdoms the great whore will be destroyed and martyrdom of Christians will be carried on by the beast and the ten kings until the second coming Revelation 13:1-18Revelation 14:9-11Revelation 17:9-17Revelation 19:11-20.

11. The hatred and destruction of the great whore by ten kings inside the Roman Empire territory prove her to be a religious system dominating them until they tire of her and give their power to the Antichrist. They then turn on the great whore and destroy her so that the Antichrist might establish the beast worship the last 3½ years Revelation 17:12-17.

12. The woman sits on the beast itself, not on the heads and horns in succession Revelation 17:1, 3. The seven heads and ten horns on the beast are a part of him and this is the only sense in which she rides the heads Revelation 17:9. Since the beast is the 8th world empire Revelation 17:11, it is clear that she is something separate from the empire, and only rides or dominates the peoples of that empire. What could she be other than religion?

13. The angelic explanation of the great whore proves her to be a religious system reigning over kings spiritually. The Greek reads, “And the woman whom thou sayest is the city the great, which has a kingdom over the kings of the earth” Revelation 17:18. She has a kingdom within the kingdoms and over them. She is to be a religious system inside the old Roman Empire territory; one that has headquarters in a great city; and one that has a religious kingdom or reign over the kings of the earth.

We must recognize in the symbol two things: a great religious system and a great city where she has headquarters. The great whore will hold power over her loyal subjects, not through superior military forces, but by the deceptions of her spiritual harlotry and abominations.

18 Reasons Babylon the City:

1. Literal Babylon is definitely the subject of Rev. 16:17-21 and 18:1-24.

2. Mystical Babylon is another subject inserted between these two passages, a parenthetical one to explain the religious aspect of Babylon.

3. The fact that the great whore is called Mystery Babylon proves a connection with Literal Babylon Revelation 17:5.

4. Literal Babylon is the site of the first great rebellion against God after the flood of Noah (Gen. 11) and it will be the site of the last great rebellion Revelation 14:8Revelation 16:17-21Revelation 18:1-24.

5. Literal Babylon is always associated with demon religions and idolatry in Scripture Isaiah 21:9Isaiah 47:9-10Revelation 18:2-3, 23.

6. Many prophecies concerning Literal Babylon in both Testaments are yet unfilled Isaiah 13:1-22Isaiah 14:1-27Isaiah 43:14Isaiah 47:1-15Isaiah 48:20Zechariah 5:5-11Revelation 14:8Revelation 16:17-21Revelation 18:1-24. On the other hand, the city of Rome is not once mentioned in any prophecy, fulfilled or unfulfilled.

7. Of all the empires taking part in the times of the Gentiles—Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome, Revised Rome and Revived Greece, the capital city of only one (Babylon) is mentioned in prophecy with a latter day fulfillment. Memphis, Ninevah, Shushan, Rome, etc. are completely ignored in prophecy, while the capital city, Babylon is mentioned repeatedly. See Scriptures under point 6, above.

8. Never has it been necessary to re-identify any city named in prophecy. Predictions in Scripture about Sodom, Gomorrah, Ninevah, Tyre, Sidon and others have been fulfilled regarding the cities known by the names referred to in the various passages. Why should Babylon be an exception? The word “mystery” simply defines the religious aspect of the literal city—Babylon.

9. Literal Babylon is the only city in Scripture called the lady of kingdoms Isaiah 47:5, 7.

10. Babylon is the only city of the last days that will be the headquarters for every demon and unclean spirit Revelation 18:2. If this be true, then Rome or no other city will be the center of false religions fulfilling prophecy.

11. Babylon is the only city named making all nations drunk with the wine of her fornication Revelation 18:3. The great whore unnamed is the only other Babylon causing nations to be drunk with the wine of her fornication, so the references must be to the same city—Mystery Babylon being the religious aspect of Literal Babylon (17:2).

12. Babylon is the only city in the last days to be the center of sorceries, enchantments, etc. Revelation 18:23Isaiah 47:9-10, 12. Rome could not take Babylon’s place in this.

13. Babylon is the only named city singled out as the object of God’s wrath and plagues Revelation 16:19Revelation 18:4, 6. If Rome was to be the great city fulfilling such prophecy it surely would have been mentioned instead of Babylon, for Rome was as well-known as Babylon at the time John wrote the Revelation. The very absence of the name Rome is no mere accident. God never leaves us in doubt as to the true meaning of His revelation of events to come.

14. Babylon is the only city God commands His people to come out of, in the last days Revelation 18:4Jeremiah 50:4-9Jeremiah 51:4-8, 45. The application of this to Rome is out of harmony with Scripture.

15. Heaven is commanded to rejoice over the destruction of Literal Babylon because God has taken vengeance on her Revelation 18:20. This is the same as judging the great whore of Rev. 17, proving that the great whore or Mystical Babylon is the same as Literal Babylon as far as a place or a city is concerned Revelation 19:2. The only difference is that the great whore is the religious aspect of the city of Babylon.

16. Babylon is the only city named which is to be judged in the last days for martyrdoms Revelation 18:24. Since both Mystery and Literal Babylons martyr the saints there must be some relationship. If two different cities as far from each other as Rome and Babylon were to be guilty of the same things after the rapture, then two places would be referred to and not one only as in Rev. 18:24.

17. The 16 points of contrast, 7 points of similarity and 31 facts about Babylon in Rev. 16-18 are in harmony with the idea that the one Babylon, a literal city is the headquarters of the other, Mystery Babylon, a religious system.

18. Antichrist will be king of Syria with Babylon as his capital Isaiah 14:4. This will fulfill Dan. 8:8-9, 20-25; 11:35-45. The great whore will ride the beast (Antichrist’s kingdom) in his rise to power over the ten kingdoms Revelation 17:3, 7. It should be recognized then, that she symbolizes a religion in his capital even before he gets power over the ten kingdoms of Revised Rome Revelation 17:12-17.

What religion is symbolized by the great whore with headquarters at Babylon? Could Apostate Christendom have headquarters in Babylon? That is possible, but not probable due to the fact that the religion predicted in Rev. 17 is anti-Christian. Could it be Mohammedanism, the religion of the eastern part of the Roman Empire territory? It could be as there are about 416.6 million Muslims compared to 480 million Roman Catholics in the world. Muslims control the northern part of Africa, including Egypt, all of Arabia, Trans-Jordan, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Turkey and other parts of the old Roman Empire territory. Catholicism is the prevailing religion in Albania, Bulgaria, Romania, Yugoslavia, Hungary, Austria, Italy, Spain, Portugal, France, and some other parts of the old Roman Empire territory. Between the two religions most of the old Roman Empire territory is covered religiously, but this does not prove a thing regarding Mystery Babylon of Rev. 17.

Babylon’s could be a new religion entirely, or a revival of ancient sorcery, witchcraft, enchantments, and astrology which characterized the ancient city. It is clear that such will be the prevailing religion of the whole Roman Empire territory in the last days, as in point 12, above.

Jesus predicted many false prophets who would show great signs and wonders to deceive men just prior to His coming to Earth again Matthew 24:24. Paul predicted the coming of Antichrist with all power, signs, and lying wonders by the power of Satan 2 Thessalonians 2:8-12Revelation 13:1-18Revelation 19:20. All nations will be deceived by the sorceries and manifestations of demon powers concentrated in future Literal Babylon Revelation 9:20Revelation 14:8Revelation 16:13-16, 19Revelation 18:23Isaiah 47:9-10, 12.

If Antichrist can start a religion and martyr millions during the last 3½ years of this age Revelation 7:9-17Revelation 13:1-18Revelation 14:9-11Revelation 16:2, 6Revelation 16:13-16Revelation 19:20Revelation 20:4-6, then it stands to reason that Mystery Babylon as a revival of ancient magism backed by a concentration of demon powers dominating the nations of the old Roman Empire territory from Babylon could martyr many saints of Jesus during the first 3½ years of Daniel’s Seventieth Week and until Antichrist comes to full power over the ten kingdoms of Revised Rome Revelation 17:1-2, 5.

As to Catholicism and Mohammedanism, both these religions would have to change completely to fulfill prophecies of these events. Neither religion is anti-God.

One thing seems certain—Mystery and Literal Babylons are two aspects of the same city and power that will fulfill prophecy in the last days after the rapture of the Church. Mystery Babylon is a religious system with headquarters in Literal Babylon and will fulfill Rev. 17 until Antichrist comes to full power over the ten kingdoms of Revised Rome in the middle of Daniel’s Seventieth Week Revelation 17:12-17. Then Antichrist, who will be king of Babylon Isaiah 14:4 and the Assyrian Isaiah 10:20-27Isaiah 30:18-33Isaiah 31:4-32Micah 5:3-15, will destroy this religious system and start his own worship the last 3½ years of this age Revelation 13:1-18Revelation 14:8-11Revelation 15:2-4Revelation 16:2, 6Revelation 17:12-17Revelation 20:4-6.

One thing must be kept in mind, all of these events will take place after the rapture of the Church, so Mystery Babylon need not be some religion now prominent inside the Roman Empire territory any more than the religion Antichrist will start must be some prominent religion now in existence. Religions can begin in one day and so it will be easy for two religions (Antichrist’s and Babylon’s) both to start and martyr millions between the rapture and the second coming of Jesus Christ.

The word “Babylon” is used 283 times in Scripture and only once in a symbolic sense Revelation 17:5. Many do not believe in a future Literal Babylon and argue that it is in ruins today and will be forever, and that the Babylon of Rev. 18 is the same as the one in Rev. 17. Such line of argument does not prove that there will not be a Literal Babylon that will be destroyed as in Rev. 16:17-21; 18:1-24, nor does it prove that it is the same as Rev. 17. There is to be a destruction of a literal city called Babylon under the seventh vial Revelation 16:19, for no earthquake could destroy a religious system. All the other cities destroyed by the same earthquake are literal so why not Babylon? Is it so impossible to believe in a future literal city called Babylon? That there will be such a literal city in the land of Shinar is very clear from the following Scriptures:

Scriptural Proofs that Babylon Will Be Rebuilt Again

A. Babylon will be overthrown as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah Isaiah 13:19Jeremiah 50:40. This prophecy has never been fulfilled by judgment from God in “one hour” (Rev. 18).

B. Babylon will never be inhabited after its final overthrow Isaiah 13:20Jeremiah 50:39, 40Jeremiah 51:29, 37.

C. The final overthrow must be followed immediately by blessings on Israel Isaiah 13:6-17Isaiah 14:1-7Jeremiah 50:4-7, 17.

D. The stones of ancient Babylon were not to be used for building purposes again Jeremiah 51:26. Stones from the present ruins are being used again.

E. Babylon must be in existence in the future “day of the Lord” Isaiah 13:6-13Revelation 16:17-21Revelation 18:1-24Revelation 19:1-3.

F. Babylon must be destroyed under the seventh vial and at the second advent of Christ or in “the day of the Lord” by a supernatural destruction Isaiah 13:6-13Jeremiah 50:20, 40Jeremiah 51:8Revelation 16:17-21Revelation 18:8, 10.

G. Babylon is to be destroyed at the end of the great tribulation when the planets are affected Isaiah 13:9-13Matthew 24:29-31Revelation 16:17-21.

H. Babylon is to be totally desolate and all sinners in it destroyed Isaiah 13:9, 19Jeremiah 51:26, 29Revelation 18:19, 21Revelation 19:3. People now visit the ruins of ancient Babylon.

I. Babylon is to be destroyed at the time the world is punished for its sins at the second advent Isaiah 13:11Revelation 18:1-24.

J. Babylon is to be destroyed when Christ comes with the armies of Heaven to fight at Armageddon Isaiah 13:1-5, 11Isaiah 14:5, 25Revelation 16:17-21Revelation 18:8Revelation 19:1-3, 11.

K. The site of Babylon is to be one of the openings of Hell on Earth where men will see the wicked in an everlasting burning Hell. Thus Babylon, the site of the first and last great apostasy against God, will be an everlasting monument of God’s wrath, as will also all rebels of all ages who go to Hell Isaiah 14:9-17Isaiah 66:22-24Revelation 19:3.

L. Babylon is to be destroyed in the day of Israel’s final restoration and blessing at the second coming Isaiah 13:12Isaiah 14:1-8Jeremiah 50:4-7, 19Jeremiah 51:50, 51.

M. Israel is to rule over her oppressors in the day of Babylon’s final destruction Isaiah 14:1-4Revelation 16:17-21Revelation 18:1-24.

N. The generation of Israel who enters the Millennium will sing a triumphant song over the Antichrist, the future king of Babylon, who will have persecuted them Isaiah 14:3-27.

O. Babylon is to be “suddenly” and in “one hour” destroyed Isaiah 13:19Jeremiah 50:40Jeremiah 51:8Revelation 18:8, 10. This has never been fulfilled for ancient Babylon fell into ruins gradually.

P. Babylon is to be a world commercial center after the rapture of the Church. Revelation 4-22 will be fulfilled after the churches. Zechariah 5:5-11 predicts the rebuilding of such a center of commerce in the land of Shinar. There are 28 articles of commerce mentioned in Rev. 18, proving it to be a literal city.

Q. Babylon must again be a world political center Revelation 18:3, 9.

R. Babylon must again be a world religious center Revelation 18:2-10.

S. Babylon’s latter-day sorceries will deceive the world Revelation 18:232 Thessalonians 2:9-15.

T. Orders for the martyrdom of saints during the great tribulation will be decreed from this city Revelation 18:24.

U. Babylon must be burned with fire Revelation 18:8-10, 18Revelation 19:3.

V. Babylon must be destroyed by an earthquake Revelation 16:17-21.

W. Babylon must be thrown down with violence Revelation 18:21.

X. Babylon must never be found after her destruction Revelation 18:21.

Y. Babylon must sink into the Earth Jeremiah 51:62-64Revelation 18:21.

Z. Babylon must be destroyed by God, not by man Revelation 18:20 and it must be followed by the Millennial reign of Christ (Rev. 19-20).

None of these scriptures have been fully fulfilled, so they must refer to the future destruction. Babylon was still a city in New Testament times for Peter refers to a church at Babylon 1 Peter 5:13 and the Babylonian Talmud of the Jews was produced there about 500 years after Christ. Since then Babylon has more or less been deserted and has gone into decay, but it has never been destroyed suddenly by God, as has been prophesied in the above Scriptures.

Revelation 18 definitely proves the existence of a literal city which will be destroyed under the seventh vial at the same time many other cities are destroyed. In Rev. 18:1-3 we have the indictment of Literal Babylon. In Rev. 18:4-8 we have God’s verdict for her destruction. In Rev. 18:9-19 we have the lamentation over her destruction by the governmental, commercial, and maritime worlds. In Rev. 18:20 we have the rejoicing in Heaven over her destruction, and in Rev. 18:21-24 we have the cause and utter doom of Babylon predicted. The language is too simple and literal to make it mean anything but a description of the destruction of a literal city by an earthquake as is plainly stated in Rev. 14:8; 16:17-21; 18:1-24; Isa. 13–14; Jer. 50–51.

A boom could start in Shinar at any time and Babylon could be restored in a short while. In fact, a city called Hillah is already located near the site of ancient Babylon. This could be enlarged and be called Babylon and could fulfill the requirements of Scripture. At least seven years will transpire after the revelation of Antichrist to the destruction of Babylon under the seventh vial. All the above Scriptures will be fulfilled in due time regardless of how impossible it seems to us of there being such a city in the last days. We conclude, therefore, that there are two Babylons in Rev. 1 and 18, Mystical Babylon and Literal Babylon.

We have studied thus far the Revelation down to Rev. 19–22. In these chapters we have the revelation of the marriage of the Lamb, the second coming of Jesus, Armageddon, the Millennium, and the New Heaven and New Earth which we shall discuss in coming lessons.