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Mystery Babylon and the Two Beasts An Account of the Great Tribulation
The Book of Revelation contains several references to Mystery Babylon and two Beasts which figure prominently in the Bible's prophesied seven-year Tribulation Period to come. Moreover, God does love to challenge Believers from time to time in the Scriptures by presenting mysteries for them to solve, else why would He present them? It was in the spirit of solving these mysteries that I undertook to find out, for myself, who the personalities described as Mystery Babylon and the two Beasts might be.
And while I have read several accounts of the preceding mysteries written by other authors (and am sure some have merit), yet many of these accounts fail to meet a biblical criterion of not violating the scriptures. That is to say, in any account, every attribute ascribed to Mystery Babylon and the two Beasts must be true as revealed in the Scriptures, or else it cannot be a true account.
It was not my purposeful intention to attempt to discover the Antichrist's specific identity, since his true identity will not be fully revealed until the middle of the Tribulation (although he will partly be revealed when he signs the seven-year Peace Treaty with the nation of Israel at the very beginning of the Tribulation). But in the process of considering the mysteries at hand I discovered that the Antichrist was intimately involved as well. All this will be brought out as this account unfolds.
Throughout the centuries, countless Christians (God knows) have been murdered by Mystery Babylon and the two Beasts; thus, it is only fitting that they should be tried in God's court of law. Not surprisingly, this is exactly what God has given us in His account in the Book of Revelation. So, this account is simply an illumination of God's testimony which He presents on behalf of the millions of martyrs who have given their lives for the sake of the gospel as recorded in the Holy Bible. And so also has He given us the ultimate fate which awaits these entities.
I would caution that only born-again Christians will be able to understand this account, and it is for them that they are intended. Sources of documents other than the King James Bible are cited, but there may be some that haven't been cited as completely as I would like. If necessary, however, the sources can be identified. Lastly, I am deeply indebted to the authors of some of the documents used in this account.
Use of the Law to Identify Mystery Babylon The King James 1611 bible translation is used throughout this account. Jesus said “I am the way, the truth, and the life:”. Thus, the scriptures used are taken to be absolutely true. Moreover, it will be required, as part of the LAW in this lesson, that there be absolute harmony among the scriptures. That is to say, whatever is presented must conform absolutely to a harmonized scripture entity. Thirdly, any alternative identity to that found in this account should require the author of that alternative identity to conform to the same rigid standards found herein.
As Christians, we accept and concur that the Word of God is absolutely true, and that spiritual understanding based on this truth is to be believed as well. If we do not take this position, then all of our understanding about God Himself would be likewise without merit, for we only know and understand God through His written Word and His Holy Spirit. This account has been prepared as such. Thus, the holy scriptures of our bible comprise the Law that will be applied throughout this case.
Facts about the Identity of Babylon The Book of Revelation in our bible consists of many events, some to be taken literally, some to be taken figuratively, and some to be taken symbolically. For the charlatan, this offers an extraordinary source for spiritual misguidance that might be aimed at the uninformed Christian. And while there are some bible events that are difficult to understand correctly, most events can be understood by applying scriptures which refer to a given event, oftentimes by appealing to the other books of the bible. In this series, we will be seeking to determine who the principal character is that appears in one major event in the Book of Revelation. More specifically, I am referring to the identity of Mystery Babylon:
And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, And THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. Revelation 17:5
Before we go any further, we must set some ground rules. Foremost, especially in this case, is the distinction of understanding a biblical reference literally, figuratively, or symbolically. Usually, the context of surrounding scriptures and/or other scriptures are helpful. Let us consider the name Babylon itself. Some have interpreted old Babylon as the Mother of Harlots in verse five above. Others have interpreted the word Babylon to refer to Jerusalem, and still others have interpreted it to mean Rome/Vatican. It should be pointed out that the bible does use different names for places from time to time. For example, Jerusalem is referred to as Sodom, and also as Egypt (which is not even a city), where God’s two witnesses will be killed:
And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. Revelation 11:8
Because of scriptures like Revelation 11:8, we will need to consider other scriptures for clarity beyond the literal name of Babylon itself. Those other scriptures will necessarily have to address the additional clues which God gives us concerning the identity of mystery Babylon. As we look through chapter seventeen of the Book of Revelation, we find that this woman possesses the following attributes:
(1) this woman “sitteth on many waters”
And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters: Revelation 17:1
For a further revelation of this scripture, we consider
And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth. Revelation 17:9
Many scholars have been misled by substituting hills for mountains, which amounts to changing the Word of God. After this, they conclude that Rome, which is known as the city that sits on seven hills, is this woman, that is, that it is the Roman catholic church (Roman church). One cannot change the scriptures to fit our suppositions, and the bible clearly says mountains. The only correct understanding of this scripture is that God is considering the entire earth, and is referring to the seven continents that rise up out of the seas. Hence, we should rightfully conclude that this woman sits, or is found in, throughout the whole earth, in all seven continents. This is clearly revealed in the following scripture:
And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues. Revelation 17:15
Conclusion to Attribute (1): This religious entity is found throughout the entire world.
(2) this woman is arrayed in purple and scarlet color, decked with gold and precious stones (Revelation 17:4) We see here that this woman is clothed with purple and scarlet colors, and is very wealthy, having much gold, and precious stones, and pearls. This statement is to be taken literally. At the center of the Roman church's treasure is the (presumed) cup from which Jesus and His Apostles drank the night in which He was betrayed
The chalice is the cup in which the wine and water of the Eucharistic Sacrifice is contained. It should be either of gold, or of silver with the cup gilt on the inside or it may have a cup only of silver, gilt on the inside; in which case the base and stem may be of any metal, provided it be solid, clean, and becoming (Miss. Rom., Ritus celebr., tit. i, n. 1). http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01357e.htm
and is like unto the cup which is held by the woman of Mystery Babylon in Revelation 17:4. "The Search for the Holy Grail" has been a subject written about by some of the world's most famous poets, such as Alfred Tennyson and James Russell Lowell. But what is in the cup? As it turns out, it is the blood of the martyrs for Christ (see attribute (4) below) who have given, and will give, their blood in defense of the gospel of Christ. The value of innumerable sculptures by such masters as Michelangelo, paintings by the world's greatest artists, and countless other art treasures and ancient documents which Rome possesses (not only at the Vatican but in cathedrals around the world) is beyond calculation. The Vatican itself contains thousands of historical documents that would bring untold wealth if sold.
The wealth of the Roman catholic church is so vast that no one can document, or even begin to document, what its monetary value might be. I would invite anyone with such a goal in mind to begin with the description of the Vatican Palace and its contents at http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15276b.htm.
Conclusion to Attribute (2): There is no church, no city which is a spiritual entity, no religious institution past or present which even comes close to possessing the wealth of the Roman church. How has the Roman church managed to acquire the wealth that it has? For the answer to that question, we have to look at some of her other attributes.
From 800 AD through 1806 AD, the kings of England, France, Germany, Spain, etc. were crowned by the Roman church or by the popes of Rome, and were continually under the threat of excommunication by the Roman church if they did not do the church’s bidding. As young men, these kings were brought up to think that the Roman church was their only hope of attaining Heaven and escaping Hell, so the Roman church was in a position to exploit her powers. In addition to reigning over these kings in a spiritual sense, the Vatican also managed to exploit these kings in a physical sense, as will be seen later when we cover the Holy Roman Empire.
While this woman is said to sit upon many waters and thus over all the earth (Revelation 17:1), yet she is at the same time a city. As a religious system, the Roman church fits both descriptions, for its head (the pope at the Vatican) has absolute dominion over Roman church members throughout all seven continents of the earth. And while we know that the headquarters of the Roman church is Vatican City (established in 1929 by the Lateran Treaty), we also know that popes have ruled from Rome for centuries prior to 1929. But the connotation of the Vatican is of utmost importance. Not only is the Vatican a city, but it is also a sovereign nation, which has ambassadors throughout the world, there to conduct the affairs of the Roman church and to interact with the “kings of the earth”. Here are some data about the Vatican:
Formal Name State of the Vatican City Local Name Citta del Vaticano Local Formal Name Stato della Citta del Vaticano Location Europe Capital City The Vatican Currency Euro Population 1,000 Area 44 square kilometers Languages Latin (official), Italian
* The title of "pope" means "father", and refers to a bishop of the Roman catholic church. According to the Lord Jesus in Matthew 23:9 this is blasphemy, as it dethrones God the Father in Heaven.
Conclusion to Attribute (3): The role which the Roman church has played throughout history in both national and international affairs affirms that this attribute is applicable to the Roman church.
(4) Deeds of Mystery Babylon The Bible declares that Mystery Babylon is a great whore who:
1. has committed fornication with the kings of the earth and has made its inhabitants drunk with the wine of her fornication Revelation 17:2,6 2. is drunk with the blood of the saints and the martyrs of Jesus Revelation 17:6
These attributes are partly addressed in the Symbiotic Events section immediately below. She has also spawned other similar entities which are harlots. As will be evident later, the connotation here is applied primarily in a spiritual sense, but it also applies in a physical sense, to a religious entity. At times in the Old Testament, God compared the nations of Israel and Judah, as whores that left their love for Jehovah God (Ezekiel Chapter 23). In like manner, this woman has committed illicit acts outside of her marriage vows by having had extensive dealings with these kings which resulted in enormous material gain for the woman.
But although she (presumably) has the power to bestow these spiritual favors, these favors are illicit, or unlawful, hence she has committed fornication in the sight of God. This woman’s actions have caused the people of the earth to be confused and disoriented in their pursuit of life, and especially in the realm of spiritual truth. She has also spawned other similar religious entities which are also harlots, for she is their mother.
Beginning from at least 325 AD, the Roman church and the kings of the earth have had a symbiotic relationship, whereby the Roman church would seemingly provide the people with their spiritual needs, while the kings would enforce the Roman church's dictates concerning her dogma (i.e., false doctrine). Some of these symbiotic relationships are shown in the table below, but they are obviously an extremely small fraction of these events, for their totality would encompass the entire history of western Europe for this time span. Those who would not voluntarily come under her rule faced excommunication, torture, banishment from the country, or even death, enforced by the government. The woman is called a whore because she has abandoned her (supposed) husband, the Lord Jesus Christ, and has embraced a relationship with the world’s rulers for material gain.
On another note, the Roman church has brought about drunkenness among her people - the drunkenness of spiritual darkness that has led to disorientation and confusion among them. For many years, historians labeled the period from about 325 AD to 1325 AD as being the Dark Ages. This was because the light of the gospel was close to being extinguished by the Roman church during this time. Modern historians - the revisionists - have dropped this connotation from their writings, renaming them as the Middle Ages. And, not willing to acknowledge the birth of Christ as being significant, they have likewise changed BC to BCE and AD to CE, where CE denotes "common era", whatever that means. But the day will come when these revisionists will all have to bow their knee to the Lord Jesus Christ, according to the Word of God:
Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:5-11
Some notable kings and popes of the Holy Roman Empire*
Year (AD) Emperor or King pope Comments
325 Constantine, Emperor, Holy Roman Empire Damasus I (366-384) Emperor Constantine agreed with the Roman church’s position that Sunday should be the official day of worship for Christians throughout the Roman empire at the First Council of Nicaea ** 768- 814 Charlemagne (Charles I) Emperor, Holy Roman Empire Stephen III, Adrian I King of the Franks
800–814 Charlemagne, Emperor Leo III (795-816) Charlemagne was crowned Emperor by pope Leo III in 800 AD Encyclopedia Americana, Vol. VI, 1964
1519–1556 Charles V, king of Spain, Germany Adrian VI of Utrecht (1522) Young Charles' spiritual tutor was Adrian of Utrecht (Adrian of Utrecht was elected pope in 1522 AD)
1530 Charles V Clement VII (1523–1534) Pope Clement crowned Charles V Emperor in 530 AD
1553–1558 Queen Mary of England Julius III, Paul IV Queen Mary Tudor "Bloody Mary" has 300 Christians executed (1553-1558) ***
1806 Francis II (1768-1835) Pius VII (1800-1823) Napoleon’s forces defeated Francis II (the last Holy Roman Emperor) in 1806 AD, thus ending the HRE at the battle of Austerlitz -Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia * Strictly speaking, the Holy Roman Empire dated from 800 AD to 1806 AD. The title "pope" of the Roman catholic church literally means "father" (which is a blasphemous title according to Matthew 23:9), but the pope is also known as Pontifex Maximus (supreme bridge-builder), an ancient Babylonian title held by the priest-kings, and which was taken by Roman Caesars beginning with Julius Caesar in 63 BC and ending with Gratian Caesar in 381 AD. Roman bishop Damasus I acquired the title Pontifex Maximus in 382 AD, and since then, the bishop of Rome has always been referred to as "Pontiff". **The Council of Nicaea was convened and presided over by Roman Emperor Constantine in 325 AD; the Council of Trent was held between 1545 and 1563 AD in Trento and Bologna in northern Italy. Constantine decreed “On the venerable day of the sun let the magistrate and people residing in cities rest, and let all workshops be closed...." However, no bishop of Rome was in attendance. —Schaff’s History of the Christian Church, vol. III, chap. 75. *** England's Queen Mary Tudor had 300 Christians executed because they would not accept and practice Roman catholic church dogma. – The Editors of the Encyclopedia Britannica
Symbiotic Events The Roman Empire and the Roman catholic church (later the Holy Roman Empire (HRE) and the Roman church, respectively) historically acted in tandem and in partnership in many cases. The following are just a few examples of that partnership:
1. The Holy Roman Empire came into existence in 800 AD when Charles I was crowned as its emperor by pope Leo III, thus forging a military and religious alliance that was to last for a thousand years. Encyclopedia Americana, Vol. VI, 1964
2. Sunday worship, long practiced by the Roman church since the beginning of the second century, was officially proclaimed to be the day of worship by Emperor Constantine in 325 AD at the First Council of Nicaea, thereby disavowing the true early church’s worshipping on the Sabbath. Also, the Roman Empire citizens were to observe Easter on a Sunday:
“The First Council of Nicaea (AD 325) declared that Easter was always to be held on a Sunday and was not to coincide with a particular phase of the moon, which might occur on any day of the week” https://en.wikipedia.org/
3. All the Inquisitions commanded by the Roman church were carried out by the State. Please see an account of these events at http://www.cuttingedge.org/news/N1676b.cfm How many innocent Christians were murdered by the Roman Inquisitors? Accounts vary from hundreds of thousands to several millions. If the reader is truly interested in finding out the answer to this question, he/she should search the web for Inquisitions. But, for a solid basis of the truth behind the Inquisitions, please read John Foxe’s Book of Martyrs. This book should be required reading for all true believers in Jesus Christ.
4. The Spanish Inquisition was established by the Monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella in 1478 with the blessing of pope Sixtus IV. This Inquisition was instituted to ferret out, try, and punish through secret tribunals involving all manner of torture anyone who would not accept and practice Roman church dogma. On March 31st, 1492, the Edict of Expulsion (also known as the Alhambra Decree) the Spanish authorities ordered the expulsion of 200,000 Jews from the Castile and Aragon provinces of Spain while prohibiting the expelled Jews from leaving with any gold or silver in their possession. Please read an extensive account of this event at https://messianicjewishhistory.wordpress.com
5. At the Diet at Worms, Germany (an imperial council meeting of the HRE) presided over by Charles V in 1521, Martin Luther was accused of heresy, and therefore an enemy of the State. However, Luther managed to escape the usual consequences of torture and/or death demanded by the Roman church by being under the protection of Prince Frederick III, Elector of Saxony. For an extensive treatment of this event, see https://www.britannica.com/
6. Joan of Arc (1412-1431 AD) was a peasant girl who convinced the French military that she had received divine revelations from St. Michael, St. Catherine of Alexandria, and St. Margaret of Antioch that she should lead the armies of France against the English. After some heroic victories in battle against the English, she was captured and tried as a heretic by Inquisitors of the Roman church. Being found guilty, Joan was burned at the stake in 1431 AD (see image below). Apparently being shamed by historical accounts, pope Benedict XV canonized Joan of Arc to be a saint on May 16, 1920! See the details at https://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-Joan-of-Arc
As recorded in the table above, Emperor Constantine was instrumental in dictating certain laws amenable to the Roman church in 325 AD, but it wasn't until 380 AD that the Roman Empire embraced Roman Catholicism as its official religion with the Edict of Thessalonica. We should know immediately, however, that the Christianity which historians ascribe to Emperor Constantine was not that of true Christianity, but rather that of Roman Catholicism.
In the process of time, the Greek Orthodox church broke away from the Roman church, but continued essentially the same dogma as that of Rome. And very interestingly, the Roman church has spawned similar religious entities with harlot traits. Beginning with the Greek Orthodox Church and even some of the churches of the Reformation, the Roman church's influence has continued to flourish. Any denomination that denies that salvation comes through godly sorrow leading to repentance and belief in the finished works of Jesus Christ on the cross by the shedding of His blood, burial, and His bodily resurrection and nothing else, is a harlot church, if it professes any other form of Christianity. The Roman church itself does not necessarily practice what she preaches, and this will become clearer as we consider the rest of her attributes.
Perhaps the most striking example of the Roman church's symbiotic relationship with the kings of the earth is that of king Charlemagne (768-814 AD) who some historians believe was the first emperor of the Holy Roman Empire (HRE) because that on Christmas Day in 800 AD - in St. Peter’s cathedral in Rome - pope Leo III crowned Charlemagne with the imperial crown while the crowd cried in acclamation “Charlemagne Augustus, Emperor of the Romans!” (Encyclopedia Americana, p. 310, vol. VI, 1964.) From 800 AD until 1806 AD there was a symbiotic relationship between the popes of Rome and the emperor of the HRE, who was to concurrently be the king of Germany. This relationship was not always a harmonious one, but it did lead to horrendous acts of looting, persecution, illegal acts, and murder, all sanctioned by the Roman church and carried out by the governments of the various nations. France, Germany, Italy, England, Spain, etc. all fell under the Roman church's rule, with its major impact being upon what we now know as western Europe.
A second example is that of king Charles V of Spain, who as a child was tutored by a Roman church priest by the name of Adrian. This same Adrian later became the pope at Rome, while Charles was later crowned as the emperor of the HRE by pope Clement VII. The Roman church conducted the spiritual affairs of the people while collecting their tribute. The military arm of the Roman church was the Jesuits, an order of dedicated men who saw to it that every cent possible was wrung from the people as tribute to the Roman church. The extent to which the Roman church prospered under its symbiotic relationship was partly covered in category (2) above. Any reputable encyclopedia catalogs the relationship and rapport that the Roman church and the kings of western Europe had. It would be the easiest attribute to prove in court, and we would do so if we had the time. There are, however, more important things to consider. (The relationship between the popes of Rome and the kings of Western Europe is documented extensively by many writers on the internet)
Conclusion to Attribute (4): The Roman catholic church, as evidenced by practically the entire history of western Europe from 325 AD to 1806 AD, is Mystery Babylon of the Book of Revelation.
(5) This woman is drunk with the blood of the saints and the blood of the martyrs of Jesus This woman has caused the death of the saints and believers in Christ to such an excess that she is literally drunk with their blood. She has reveled in her killings of saints.
The Inquisition was a judicial process of trying a person accused of heresy against the Roman church. According to the Encyclopedia Americana, “In ancient Roman Law, and in the Papal Canon Law which grew up from it, two forms of criminal procedure were recognized, the Accusatorial and Inquisitorial. The former is familiar to us all; a definite prosecutor called into court a definite defendant, and sought to prove his case by ordinary forms of testimony and pleading.” The Encyclopedia Americana, 1964, vol. XV, p.147b.
The Inquisitorial form was ideally suited to deal with heresy, and cases were tried by the Roman church using this form. The sentence was always carried out by the State, whether it was torture, the confiscation of personal property and/or lands of the accused, banishment from the country, or execution. This was exactly the criminal procedure applied to Jesus of Nazareth. The clergy (chief Priests) accused Him, sentenced Him, and had Pontius Pilate (Rome) carry out the execution. I will not try to impress the reader with statistics and documents which tell of the historical barbarism which the Roman church has imposed upon helpless, innocent people whose only crime was that of refusing to accept the Roman church's dogma while declaring their allegiance to the Lord Jesus Christ because others have done this quite convincingly. If the reader is truly in search of the truth of the Roman church's brutality and cruelty, then he/she should consult the following sources regarding the tortures and deaths attributable to her, at
http://www.cuttingedge.org/news/N1676b.cfm http://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/vatican/esp_vatican29.htm#The Tortures
So, there you have it. The Roman church is biding its time, awaiting its role as Mystery Babylon, the Great Whore of the Book of Revelation. Lest we forget about God’s attributes, we should remind ourselves that, to God, time is irrelevant. As far as God is concerned, He hears the cries of the innocent Christians burned at the stake right now as when it happened centuries ago. His righteous indignation will only be satisfied when He brings judgment upon mystery Babylon. “In Bernard Gui’s Register (between 1249 and 1258), among 200 suspects, there is not a single acquittal. In his whole lifetime he convicted 930, of whom 42 were burned. Of the rest, 307 were condemned to prison; and all 930 were liable to total confiscation of their goods.” Ibid. p. 147c.
Except within the Papal States, the institution of the Inquisition was abolished in the early 19th century after the Napoleonic Wars and the Spanish American wars of independence in the Americas. The institution survived as part of the Roman Curia, but in 1904 was given the new name of “Supreme Sacred Congregation of the Holy Office". In 1965 it became the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. (See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inquisition)
The pictures to the right - “An Inquisition Trial of the Roman Church” ( https://akacatholic.com/page/32/ ) and the “Burning of Joan of Arc ( https://www.wikipedia.org/ ) - depict the nature of the Roman church’s barbaric method and means of exterminating all opposition.
(6) This woman says she is a queen, is not a widow, and will see no sorrow (Revelation 18:7) Next, we consider the posture, or position, or current state, of this woman. In this scripture, the Lord presents some tremendous wisdom about this woman. First of all, this woman declares herself to be a queen. We know that queens can wield tremendous power. For example, wicked Haman found out how much power queens have when queen Esther had him hung on his own gallows (Esther 7:10).
But nowhere in history do we have such a sharp contrast between good and evil queens as that of queen Elizabeth I and Roman catholic queen Mary Tudor of England. Under the reign of queen Elizabeth I (1558 -1603), Christianity flourished, and the Word of God was freely distributed. In contrast, wicked queen Mary’s (1553 -1558) legacy to the world is that of being remembered as bloody Mary, who had 300 innocent Christians burned at the stake for their heretical views. Thus, queen Mary proceeded to burn at the stake all those who differed with the Roman church's dogma. (Please read Mrs. Prest's testimony in ON CS LEWIS).
As absolute and powerful as some earthly queens have been, the woman that we are considering has attributes that far exceed that of her earthly counterparts. For this woman also states that she is no widow. (Revelation 18:7) Ordinarily, we would consider that a king is the husband of the queen. By her statement, though, this woman declares that she has never been without a husband. Be that as it may, what is really intriguing is the last statement that she says “I will see no sorrow” (Revelation 18:7). This definitely implies that, if she does have a king as husband, that king is immortal, for for as long as she exists, her husband will never die. These words are not empty rhetoric, for this woman is speaking the truth! The husband of this woman is none other than Satan himself. But not directly.
Throughout the centuries, Satan has empowered the popes of Rome to do his bidding, just as when he entered Judas Iscariot when he betrayed our Lord Jesus. Finally, in declaring that she “will see no sorrow”, she is claiming that her husband, the king, will never die, such that she should be a widow. Not only did she say that she was not a widow, but here she is implying that she is not going to be a widow in the future as well. Plain and simple, her real claim is that Satan will continue to be her husband forever.
Conclusion to Attribute (6): Today, the Roman catholic church is Mystery Babylon, for she has existed for centuries, has outlasted pope after pope, and has enforced her doctrine of deceit, that of befitting an antichrist, upon the peoples of the earth.
(7) This woman’s merchandise is listed in Revelation 18:12,13
(8) This woman sits on a scarlet colored beast which has seven heads and ten horns (This is the first beast of Revelation 13:1-10 and Revelation 17:10-13). There is ample evidence to show that the ten horns of this beast is none other than the restored Holy Roman Empire. The complete beast goes all the way back to king Sargon of the Sumerians, from whom came the deities worshipped by the Babylonians. Thus, the first beast is composed of all the world’s principal rulers. During the Tribulation period, the Antichrist will assume the role of the first beast, as he will be granted power over all the earth. The eight kings of the Historical First Beast are
(1) Sumerian Empire (from post-flood secular history) (2) Nimrod’s Empire (Noah’s great grandson: Genesis 10:8-10) (3) Babylonian Empire (Babylonian kings; Head of Nebuchadnezzar’s Image: Daniel 2:37-38) (4) Medo-Persian Empire (Breast and Arms of Silver: Daniel 2:32) (5) Macedonian Empire (Alexander the Great; Belly and Thighs of Brass: Daniel 2:32) (6) Roman Empire (“one is”) (Legs of Iron: Daniel 2:33) (7) First Beast (EU - the Restored Holy Roman Empire; Feet of Iron and Clay: Daniel 2:33; 7:7) (8) Antichrist is one of the ten kings of the European Union, and will subdue three kings of the EU: Daniel 7:8
This eighth king is the Antichrist who will subdue three kings of the Holy Roman Empire and be the head of the ten-nation confederacy. This will be a man who is spiritually led by Satan to accomplish Satan’s wishes, and who goes into perdition (Revelation 17:8) at the end of the Great Tribulation (Revelation 19:20). While some historians claim that the Holy Roman Empire was established by Otto the Great in 962 AD, I believe its roots actually go back to 800 AD under Charlemagne, as was covered earlier. Regardless of the date of the HRE's origin, the popes of Rome and Holy Roman Empire emperors have engaged in military, economic, and spiritual accommodation throughout the centuries. The tables below give a detailed account of the future makeup of the two beasts of the book of revelation.
Hitler and the Third Reich According to secular history, Germany was involved in what became known as the Second Reich from 1871-1918. It is well-known that Adolf Hitler considered himself the leader of the Third Reich. The word Reich in German means empire, so the Third Reich refers to the Third Empire. In German history, the only record of Germany belonging to any other empire was that of the Holy Roman Empire which we have been discussing. Therefore, Hitler imagined himself to be the emperor of the restored Holy Roman Empire. An empire requires an emperor, and Adolf Hitler assumed the title of Führer (which means leader) on August 1, 1933:
“National Socialist Party became the official monopolistic party through the dissolution and prohibition of all other political parties (law of July 14, 1933). Suspension of civil liberties opened the door to terror, concentration camps, and coercion extending to all manifestations of opposition opinion. The last vestiges of constitutional government disappeared when, after the death of von Hindenburg, Hitler, by merging the offices of the Reich president and the Reich chancellor, assumed full dictatorial powers under the title of “Fuhrer” (law of Aug.1, 1933).” p. 538, The Encyclopedia Americana, vol. XII, 1964.
Predictably, Hitler set out to conquer Europe. Unlike Joseph Stalin, a contemporary dictator, Hitler did not confiscate the factories and put his henchmen in charge, as Stalin had done, but rather he simply ordered the plant managers to start producing tanks, airplanes, etc., for the war effort instead of producing civilian goods.
“At the apex of its might…., Hitler’s Germany ruled most of Europe.” (Ibid. p.539)
While most people are still aware of what Hitler is most remembered for, the following quote will put his exploits in sharp focus:
“Prominent among the ideological concepts was the myth of superiority of the German “master race” (Herrenrasse) , by which the suppression of peoples deemed inferior was held justified. It found its most brutal expression in virulent anti-Semitism, achieving the extermination of German Jewry as well as most of the Jews in the satellite and occupied countries. The Nurnberg laws of September 15, 1935, were the legal basis for this elimination of the Jews.” (Ibid. p. 539)
What the Roman catholic church said The Roman catholic church was seemingly opposed to Nazism:
“In 1929 Pius XI concluded with Italy the Lateran Treaty which created Vatican City ( q.v.), yet issued sharp criticism of the Fascist State (1931), of the German National Socialist regime (1937), and of atheistic communism (1937).” p. 74, vol. VI, The Encyclopedia Americana, 1964.
What the Roman catholic church did Below are excerpts of the 1933 Concordat* between the Holy See and the German Third Reich. View the complete Concordat at http://www.concordatwatch.eu/showkb.php?org_id=858&kb_header_id=752&kb_id=1211
How The Roman catholic church absolves Itself of any wrongdoing How has the Roman church managed to silence the critics who have investigated her deeds and found out that she has been responsible for the murdering of millions of innocent people? How has the Roman church coped with these accusations? In order to find out, we need to look at the beliefs of an ancient cult known as the Gnostics. This cult existed even before Christ came in the flesh, and Christianity afforded it a convenient model of behavior that (they said) exemplified its major beliefs.
The actual definition of Gnosticism varies among those who purport to know what it was, or is. But among all of their different definitions there is a common core of belief that the Roman church has exploited, and continues to exploit, in order to justify its behavior, especially regarding her accountability for her sins. The common core of belief among all definitions of Gnosticism is that a person contends with his flesh and with his spirit regarding sin (of course, this sounds like what we Christians also believe), but there the similarity ends.
No Gnosticism definition contends salvation through the cross of Jesus Christ, but rather salvation is wrought by a person's gnosis (knowledge) which he acquires through a great deal of study, and always reaching for a higher level of understanding whereby he might know God sufficient enough to merit salvation. Thus, Gnosticism, like all other religions apart from Christianity, is a works-based religion.
Structure of the Roman catholic church According to Roman church theology, the church is composed of the Divine Nature of the church (spirit), the church clergy (flesh) and the church laity (flesh, and members of the church). Moreover, the church clergy is composed of the pope, Cardinals, Archbishops, and Bishops. But as long as the clergy adhere to pope pronouncements and Roman church dogma, it is (presumably) innocent of any wrong-doing before God because it is following the Divine Nature of the church, in which {presumably) no sin can exist. Thus, no culpability may be imposed upon the church’s actions.
When individual members of the Roman church sin, they are sinning in the flesh, and not in the Spirit (Divine Nature). Therefore, the church itself is not condemned; only individual sinners can be condemned. Therefore, the Roman church itself cannot be held accountable for the deeds of its individual members. There is a problem here, however, in that there is a separation between the Clergy and the Laity. Therefore, the Roman church itself cannot be considered as being represented by its Laity, but by its Clergy - its pope, Cardinals, and Bishops.
As concerning the pope, we have a special allowance regarding sin. While any individual pope can and does sin, yet his actions do not affect the spirituality of the church. An even more important complication is that of the church’s dogma, which has been formulated by the popes, and for addresses by the pope for public consumption. Unless there is afforded a special dispensation here, the Roman church would have to admit that its dogma might be suspect, since that dogma has been formulated by the Roman church's clergy. Here is where the Roman church invokes its spiritual magic. It seems that sometimes, the pope speaks ex cathedra*, that is, he speaks outside the fleshly realm and in the spiritual, or divine, realm. While in this mode, then, the pope cannot sin, and his pronouncements (supposedly) carry the same weight as the words of Christ Himself!
The trouble with this is, how do the faithful know when the pope is speaking ex cathedra and when he is speaking in the flesh? The answer, of course, is that this whole thing is a ruse, an artifice constructed by the Roman church to justify its dogma. Moreover, the Roman church does not include its members as part of “the church”. For example, when it comes to matters of salvation, it is “the church” that presumes to determine a member’s salvation, which its individual members have nothing whatsoever to do. Thus, it has always been the Catholic clergy that have wrought havoc among the people, for it has been the clergy that have set the Roman church's dogma and policies. Finally, then, we have an institution that refuses to take the blame and be held accountable for the millions of atrocities that it has committed in the Inquisitions and in the Crusades by reason of this Gnostic trickery.
But what about the true church of God? Can it be held accountable for the sins of its individual members? Certainly, if we, as true Christians, are going to hold the Roman church accountable, then we have to explain our own position. Our position is that we are all under the Law of God, and under the Laws of the Land, and are responsible to obey the law, the law of God being superior to that of the law of the land. As individuals, we are responsible for our own actions, regardless of our standing in the true church. The great difference between these (two) entities is that the Roman church has come under fire, not because individual members have done wrong, but rather because the Roman catholic church clergy itself has both promoted and sanctioned the murdering of millions of innocent victims.
No individual catholic church laity member can be called into question, for he/she has not been responsible for the Roman catholic church's dogma. In contrast, the true church of God has the Lord Jesus Christ as the head of the church and is sinless and imbued with all power to exercise His office as God, whom He is. The Roman church, as represented by all of the Catholic clergy, is to be held accountable for the actions of the church. And even beyond the Inquisitions and Crusades are the thousands of Catholic priests that have been charged and convicted of pedophilia, probably the most disgusting, degrading, and immoral behavior of the human race. We have to consider now the even weightier matter of the sin nature of the church itself. Accepting the Gnostic teaching, the Roman church simply asserts that it has a Divine Nature about it, and that guarantees the church’s purity and holiness. According to this false dogma, there is absolutely no way that the Roman church could ever be held accountable for the actions of its clergy, including the pope himself. This is a false presumption, based on a false ideology and on false dogma.
* By virtue of or in the exercise of one’s office.
Part 2 of Mystery Babylon and the Two Beasts will contain information on the historical evidence regarding how the exploits of the Roman church and her dogma conflict with Christian doctrine beliefs.
Bibliography
The Holy Bible, Authorized King James Version, 1611, First Word Publishers
The Compact Bible Dictionary, T. Alton Bryant, Zondervan Publishing House, 1967
Webster’s Seventh New Collegiate Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam Company, 1967
The Encyclopedia Americana, Americana Corporation, 1964
Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, James Strong, Abingdon Press, Nashville, 1980
World Wide Web, various internet sites
The Houston Chronicle, Houston, Texas
Nation’s Business, June, 1989
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