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Thursday, May 26, 2016

A Look at Some Christian Riddles of The Bible



Today we will discuss a rather unusual phenomenon in the Bible: the mention of riddles. Riddles are well known from ancient times, and as an example I will use the riddle that the sphinx poses to Eudiphus: "What walks on 4 in the mornings, on 2 in the afternoon and on 3 in the evening?" Wise Eudiphus was the first to solve this riddle, realizing that it was a general statement about mankind – babies crawl on 4, people in their prime walk on 2, and older people who are supported by a cane walk on 3.



In the Bible, we hear both of riddles presented by the protagonists, as well as riddles being posed to them as a challenge. A famous riddle, and in fact the only one presented in the Bible of which we have the actual phrasing of, is one presented by Samson to 30 celebrating Philistines at his wedding feast (Samson married a Philistine woman). The riddle is based on his own personal experience: Samson had recently slain a lion, and when passing by it later on, saw that a swarm of bees were upon the carcass and had scraped off the honey. He therefore asks them to interpret the riddle:

"Out of the eater came forth food, and out of the strong came forth sweetness" (Judges 14:14).


The Philistines try for three days to solve the riddle, to no avail, and eventually, after a week, threaten Samson's newly wedded wife so as to have her find out the answer. She does, and they solve the riddle – saying "what is sweeter than honey? And what is stronger than a lion?" (Judges 14:18). Samson immediately understands that his wife was the one to pass on the information, thus indicating that his riddle was not one that could be solved without previous information about his experiences.


In contrast to the Philistines, the wisest of all men, King Solomon, knew quite well how to solve riddles. As part of the international admiration of his wisdom described in the Book of Kings, many riddles were put forth to him by the famous Queen of Sheba. She was, of course, overwhelmed by Solomon's great wisdom. Unfortunately, the Bible does not tell us what her riddles were and how he solved them. Jewish tradition expanded on the biblical tradition, revealing one such riddle: Solomon was asked to identify between two flowers which was real and which was fake. According to this tradition, Solomon differentiated between the two with the help of a bee: the bee was likely to be tempted by the real flower only. This wise system for finding the solution was successful, and Solomon correctly identified the real flower.


In the Book of Psalms, the riddle is twice mentioned in parallelism together with the parable, another form of ancient wisdom (Psalms 49:5 and Psalms 78:2). It is interesting to note that in both cases the parable appears first in the parallelism, thus indicating, according to the rules of parallelism, that the parable was more common a word that the riddle, and probably therefore also a more commonly used type of wisdom.
Last, we will mention the greatness of Moses, God's closest servant, When Aaron and Miriam speak badly of Moses, God makes it very clear that Moses is his chosen prophet, declaring, among other things, that "with him I speak mouth to mouth, manifestly and not in riddles" (Numbers 11:8). This plain and direct speech of God with Moses is one of a kind in what is described to us in the Bible.

Have a Great Week!

Bible Prophecy Yet to Be Revealed In The Church

With the vivid realization that we are living in the age just prior to the second coming of Christ in the cloud, I pray the Lord will impress you with the shortness of time available before the fate of every living person is decided, and may His Spirit give you the discernment and wisdom needed to understand this short piece on Bible Prophecy Yet to Be Revealed.

Bible prophecies serve a double purpose - to impress on our minds the existence of God who is in control of all events and to warn us of grave up-coming danger. For example, God warned Noah of the coming flood and He also warned Abraham and Lot of the destruction of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.

Additionally, God revealed the unique features of four powerful kingdoms that would rise to power and fall before the end of the world, and the main characteristic of each government (See Daniel 7 and 8). Enough details were given that a candid student of history and the Bible cannot but concede that there is a God in heaven who rules over our world.

The first Empire symbolised by a lion represents the kingdom of Babylon; the second, symbolised by a bear represents the Persian Empire; the third, symbolised by a leopard, represents the great Greek Empire; while the fourth Empire or kingdom which was very different from the others, apparently represents the Roman Empire. God revealed that Rome would be split into ten territories and that in the time of these territories the end will come (Daniel 7:23-27).

History has proven the accuracy of God's word. The Roman Empire, also known as Rome, was established in the 5th c. B.C. Rome grew as a group of villages on seven hills on the east bank of the Tiber. Rome was ruled by seven kings until 510 B.C., when it was made a republic. For nearly half a century (27 BC to 446 AD), after the fall of the Greek Empire, the empire was the most dominant ruling authority on earth. By 476 AD, Rome was divided into ten nations from which present day Europe has emerged. These events were recorded to teach us that whatever God foretold happened exactly as He said. Hence, we cannot afford to ignore the most solemn prophecy of the Bible yet to be fulfilled.

In fact, the most solemn prophetic warning yet to be fulfilled today is important for us to understand because events are taking place in rapid succession indicating its imminent fulfillment. This is very important as it is not by happenstance that the "great whore who sitteth upon the scarlet beast" was seen in the wilderness in Revelation 17. Note that the Bible invariably uses wilderness to describe harsh conditions; a woman is often used to symbolise the Church, and a whore describes the level of corruption and pollution.

Now we come to the most important part of this whole article. God has prophesied that a time will come when satan will use an earthly instrument -the church to persecute all followers of Jesus Christ and cause everyone both small and great to worship the image of the beast, otherwise they will be put to death (Revelation 13:15).

"And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up forever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name. Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus" (Revelation 14: 9-12.)

This Bible prophecy, yet to be fully fulfilled, describes two groups of people: The first group is warned against worshiping the beast and his image, which leads them to receive the mark of the beast; while the second group is viewed positively as keeping the commandments of God, thus inheriting eternal life with Jesus Christ.

Furthermore, the description of the second coming of Christ directly follows this warning.

"Then I looked, and behold a white cloud, and on the cloud sat One like the Son of Man, having on His head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle. And another angel came out of the temple crying with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, 'Thrust in Your sickle and reap, for the time has come for you to reap for the harvest of the earth is ripe.' So He who sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped" (Revelations 14: 14-15)

Therefore, the purpose of this Bible prophecy that is yet to be fulfilled is to warn us not to worship the image of the beast, as anyone who does this will surely be tormented in hell fire as we were told above. We know that this is the last warning given before the second coming of Christ.

...Prophecy, according to the simplest dictionary definition, is divine knowledge of the future or a prediction uttered under divine inspiration. Anyone can Understand Bible Prophecy, however not all prophecies can be understood UNTIL "the time of the end" According to the bible book of Daniel 12:4. To understand any bible prophecy at any given time one has to be delivered from spiritual powers operating from the kingdom of darkness. Remember, Daniel could not expressly understand most of the prophecies which he say because he was in captivity, together with many thousands of his Jewish brethren, in Babylon!

Notice that Daniel's prophecies were to be shut Up, CLOSED. But for how long? Were they to be closed so that no human being could ever understand them? No! They were to be shut up and sealed "even to the time of the end"! several verses from Matthew 24 reveal to us that we are living in that “time of the end" written in Daniel 12:6-10.

students of Bible prophecy have proven down through many centuries that the book of Daniel and the book of Revelation are both interrelated. It is as if Bible prophecy were like one of the picture-type puzzles one may buy in a game store. In order to fill in the complete picture, you must have, not only the book of Daniel, but the book of Revelation, together with many other prophecies, not the least of which is Christ's Olivet prophecy, to complete the picture!

The book of Revelation was written to show God’s SERVANTS those things which are to happen(Revelation 1:1) In Amos 3:7, God says His true servants on this earth WILL understand Bible prophecies! Throughout the history of the church, God has equipped some prophets, with the prophetic gift of the Holy Spirit of God and that of understanding. He plainly says that He will give those gift of prophetic understanding, uniquely, to a certain few of His true ministers! All may not necessarily understand all bible prophecies, but it is imperative that all Christians have a vivid understanding of specific end time prophetic events; both those that have already occured and those that are soon about to occur. The gift of understanding prophecy, is  a PART of the very true Church of God!

The prophecies of Isaiah contain many indictments against the national SINS of Israel! Isaiah 3:12 more specifically relate to the modern nations of the United States, Great Britain, some of the democratic nations of Northwestern Europe. Today, this prophecy of Isaiah has special poignancy in America. Isaiah said he was a man of "unclean lips" (Isaiah 6:5), but God, through a vision, caused Isaiah to see a vision of heaven. In all cases, God's prophets had to be made ready and willing prophecy. The most outstanding example of this is the prophet Jonah as he attempted to flee from the responsibility God was imposing upon him. Jonah became shipwrecked and was swallowed by a specially-prepared giant fish that vomited him up onto the shore. Jonah was willingly humble after the ordeal.

Prophets are a part of the very foundation of the New Testament CHURCH OF GOD! Prophecy can be either literal or Dual or both (literal fulfillment and a final, latter-day fulfillment). It is obvious to serious students of the Bible and Spirit-filled believers that Jesus' Olivet prophecy was DUAL. It had a previous "typical" fulfillment in the sack and destruction of Jerusalem by the armies of Titus of Rome in A.D. 70-71. Shockingly, there is to be a yet future destruction of the city of Jerusalem - yes, the modern city - according to Bible prophecy!

Bible prophecies can also be typical in terms of understanding. The plagues that fell upon ancient Egypt at the time of the Exodus are typical of the great trumpet plagues to be poured upon the beast power; the release of the Israelites from captivity is typical of a yet future regathering of God's people at the Second Coming of Christ .

Bible prophecies can be symbolic in nature. For example the sign of baptism, is symbolic of the overcoming life of a converted Christian. The crossing of' the river Jordan into the "promised land" is a symbolism of the Christian inheritance of the Kingdom of God; and the forty years' wandering (forty is a number symbolizing trial or testing in the Bible) symbolic of the life of trials and tribulation confronting each newly-begotten Christian (John 16:33).

Most bible prophecies also contain Poetic Illustrations. Remember that a good deal of the Bible contains poetry. many biblical books such as oetic books such Psalms, the Song of Solomon, proverbs, ecclesiastics, etc,   and many passages in some of the major prophets are poetry. The bible also contains a great deal of symbols. Often, the Bible uses symbols to express thoughts and ideas. The Holy Spirit is likened unto some of the physical manifestations of power. Examples include water (a life-giving substance which is essential to life); fire (a consuming force which both purges and cleanses); and wind (which is also essential to life). (Acts 2:3; 1 Peter 1:7; Revelation 3:18; etc.), and wind (John 3:8; Acts 2:2; etc.).

Water, the life-giving substance which is essential to life; , wind, or air which is also essential to life; and fire, which both purges and cleanses (in the case of metals, eing tc.), or is capable of destroying, are thus used typically of the powerful SPIRIT Of God!

Also, "light" from the sun and the stars is likewise used. Perhaps, had the Bible been written during our day, God would have used nuclear energy and lasers as typical of His awesome power and might.
Notice a few more Biblical symbols: "And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Eternal's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Eternal, to the house of the God of Jacob; and He will teach us of His ways, and we will walk in His paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the Word of the Eternal from Jerusalem. And He shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more" (Isaiah 2:2-4).

Here, as in many other prophecies, it is obvious that the "mountain" is symbolic of God's government. It is probably both literal and figurative, in that the Bible predicts that God's temple, His headquarters on earth, will be on the "Mount of Olives," which will actually cleave in two during the great final earthquake (Zechariah 14:4-9).

When it says the Eternal's house will be established "in the top of the mountains" it means above all of the so-called "great powers" or great nations, and "exalted above the hills" means exalted above all the lesser nations!

Stars are used as symbols for angels (Revelation 9: 1). In the vision of Jesus Christ which John saw (Revelation 1) there were "in His right hand seven stars..." (Revelation 1: 16). Here is an example of how the Bible interprets the Bible. By merely reading on through the description of all that John saw, you come to verse 20 which says, "The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the churches..." (Revelation 1:20).

Jesus Christ is referred to as "the bright and morning star" (Revelation 22:16, Revelation 2:28).
A BEAST, or wild, ravenous creature is usually used to connote a Gentile government, or kingdom. In Daniel's seventh chapter, for example, are pictured four great beasts. Notice the description:

"The first was like a lion, and had eagle's wings: I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made stand upon the feet as a man, and a man's heart was given to it. [This refers to Nebuchadnezzar's insanity and cure.] And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear, and it raised up itself on one side, and it had three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it: and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh. After this I beheld, and lo another, like a leopard, which had upon the back of it four wings of a fowl; the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given to it.

"After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns. I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.

"I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of His head like the pure wool: His throne was like the fiery flame, and His wheels as burning fire" (Daniel 7:4-9).

Now, notice how the Bible interprets the Bible in revealing the meaning of these various creatures. Continuing to read through the same chapter, we come to verse 17:

"These great beasts. which are four, ARE FOUR KINGS, which shall arise out of the earth."
That a king stands for his kingdom is absolutely conclusive by reading the second chapter of Daniel. Here, we see the vision of Nebuchadnezzar, and the great image described in Daniel 2:32-35.
Daniel, through a miracle, was given the interpretation of the dream and revealed it to Nebuchadnezzar. He said, "Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory. And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold.

"And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth. And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise. And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters' clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay. And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdoms shall be partly strong, and partly broken. And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.

"And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever." (Daniel 2:37-44).

Can anything be plainer? The head of the image stood for Nebuchadnezzar, but it is obvious that king and KINGDOM are completely interchangeable, and mean the same thing. It says, "And after THEE shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee and another third kingdom of brass..." (Daniel 2:39).

Biblical scholars and historians are universal in their acceptance of the obvious succession of the four world-ruling Gentile kingdoms of the Babylonian, Medo/Persian, Greco/Macedonian, and the Roman Empire.
What many have missed in these obvious prophecies is the fact that both the great image of Daniel's second chapter and the fourth beast of Daniel's seventh chapter culminate in the Second Coming of Christ.

Therefore, it is obvious that the fourth beast, which is the Roman Empire with its many revivals and resurrections down through history, will be extant at the final moments before the Second Coming of Christ!
It is "in the days of these kings " (Daniel 2:44) that Jesus Christ returns! In this case "these kings" refer to the ten toes of the great image of Daniel 2.

Notice the Biblical corroboration: "And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast. These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for He is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with Him are called, and chosen, and faithful" (Revelation 17:12-14).

That there will be ten nations united together in a super-dictatorship in Central Europe, probably called a "United States of Europe" by the time of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, there can be no doubt.
"Horns" on the creatures are symbols of the leaders of the state, either civil or religious. It is obvious that the "little horn" of Daniel 7 refers to the papacy which overthrew various governments during the Middle Ages.
Physical Israel (including both the House of Israel and the House of Judah) is always pictured as a woman. Actually, Almighty God pictured Israel as the bride, and God as the suitor in proposing the Old Covenant. God "proposed" by giving Israel His laws and promising to become Israel's protector, sustainer, and provider. When Israel accepted the terms and conditions of God's law, it constituted a COVENANT or an agreement, between them.

God used the analogy of a "marriage agreement" and said "I was an husband to them" (Jeremiah 31:31-32).
When Israel broke the terms and conditions of the covenant, God called it whoredom, or harlotry. Read the entire chapter of Ezekiel 16, where God depicts Israel as a young, beautiful woman whom He found as an abandoned child, caused her to "multiply as the bud of the field" (Ezekiel 16:7), but who forsook Him and "did trust in your own beauty, and played the harlot..." (Ezekiel 16:15). Ezekiel 23 is another important chapter, where the House of Israel (the northern ten tribes) is called "Aholah" and Jerusalem, symbolic of the House of Judah, "Aholibah." This chapter again depicts their harlotry in forsaking their covenant with God and having concourse with Gentile nations.

The church is depicted as a woman "clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars" (in this case, symbolic of the twelve apostles, Revelation 12:1). One must be cautious, in reading some of the prophecies of the Old Testament, for the description of a female called "the daughter of Zion" or "the daughters of Zion" does not always mean the church.

An example is found in Isaiah 3:1: "Moreover the Eternal saith, Because the daughters of Zion are haughty, and walk with stretched forth necks and wanton eyes, walking and mincing as they go..." This obviously refers to the women of the physical nation of Israel!

God also uses the symbol of a harlot, or a fallen woman to depict the great false, universal church! Notice it:
"Sit thou silent, and get thee into darkness, O daughter of the Chaldeans: for thou shalt no more be called, the lady of kingdoms. I was wroth with my people, I have polluted mine inheritance, and given them into thine hand: thou didst shew them no mercy; upon the ancient hast thou very heavily laid thy yoke. And thou saidst, I shall be a lady for ever: so that thou didst not lay these things to thy heart, neither didst remember the latter end of it.

"Therefore hear now this, thou that are given to pleasures, that dwellest carelessly, that sayest in thine heart, I am, and none else beside me; I shall not sit as a widow, neither shall I know the loss of children: But these two things shall come to thee in a moment in one day, the loss of children, and widowhood: they shall come upon thee in their perfection for the multitude of thy sorceries, and for the great abundance of thine enchantments. For thou hast trusted in thy wickedness: thou hast said, None seeth me. Thy wisdom and thy knowledge, it hath perverted thee; and thou hast said in thine heart, I am, and none else beside me" (Isaiah 47:5-10). See also Revelation 17:5.

Understanding Time Sequences

God gives certain, specific keys to understanding Biblical time sequences. Notice: "And your children shall wander in the wilderness forty years, and bear your whoredoms, until your carcasses be wasted in the wilderness. After the number of days in the which you searched the land, even forty days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, even forty years... " (Numbers 14:33, 34).

God plainly tells us that the number of days in which the advance scouts of the nation of Israel searched out the promised land would represent the number of years in which they would wander in the land of Sinai.
Now, notice Ezekiel's fourth chapter. Ezekiel is told to portray a map of the city of Jerusalem on a tile, as a "sign to the House of Israel." He was to depict, like a child playing in the sand, a walled fortified city, depict armies advancing against it, with all of the siege mechanisms of the day, and then to lie first on one side and then on the other to depict the number of years Israel would bear their iniquity.

"For I have laid upon thee the years of their iniquity, according to the number of the days, three hundred and ninety days: so shalt thou bear the iniquity of the House of Israel. And when thou hast accomplished them, lie again on thy right side, and thou shalt bear the iniquity of the House of Judah forty days: I HAVE APPOINTED THEE EACH DAY FOR A YEAR" (Ezekiel 4:4-6).

To see a practical application of this important key in understanding Bible prophecy, turn to Revelation 12 and 13. Here, you see the woman (which you have learned stands for God's true church) given "two wings of a great eagle" (a symbol of God's protection—Exodus 19:4), that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times and half a time, from the face of the serpent (Revelation 12:14).

Later in the thirteenth chapter, we read that the duration of this persecution under the false prophet and the beast is "forty and two months" (Revelation 13:5). Yet, in Revelation 12:6, the same period of time is called a thousand two hundred and threescore days. Simple arithmetic shows us, using the key that a day stands for a year in fulfillment, that there was, in fact, a period of one thousand two hundred and sixty years during the Middle Ages when God's true church experienced terrible persecution; and it tells us, further, that a prophetic year consists of three hundred and sixty days of thirty-day months!

Thus, for prophetic purposes, we can come to understand the meaning of the Biblical "time." A time is a year in Bible prophecy. Thus, "time, times and half a time" means exactly three and one-half years. Three and one-half years consists of forty-two months of thirty days each. Thus, we have twelve hundred and sixty days, forty-two months, or three and one-half years.

Apparently, the great tribulation, heavenly signs and Day of the Lord will fit into this three and one-half years
CAUTION: Do not attempt to "set dates" in Biblical prophecy! Many have learned, sometimes to their bitter disappointment, that it is a grave error to think you have worked out some specific key or other; some table of figures, numerical values to Greek, Hebrew or English letters, etc., and then arrive at a specific date for the fulfillment of some great prophecy!

Biblical Prophecy Deals in the Overview

The prophecies of Jesus Christ on Mount Olivet are the most important for us, during this time! It is these prophecies (Matthew 24, Mark 13. Luke 2 1) which interpret the time Sequence of events outlined in the book of Revelation, specifically beginning with chapter 6 and 7, and following the general theme of tribulation, heavenly signs and day of the Lord as it is developed through the remainder of the book of Revelation.

Notice another major key to understanding the sequence of these great events. Read Joel 2:31, compare it carefully with Matthew 24:29, and then read the sixth and seventh chapters of Revelation.
By this brief study, you will see that the great tribulation (Matthew 24:21, 22), or the time of Jacob’s trouble, comes BEFORE the heavenly signs. You see that the heavenly signs come AFTER the tribulation. You see that the Day of the Lord Comes AFTER the heavenly signs!

By this simple understanding, you can come to understand that those who preach a "secret rapture" where the church is allegedly taken away from the earth prior to the "great tribulation" is a complete error.
Rapturists generally confuse the tribulation and Day of the Lord, making them the same thing. A suggested simple study you might do on your own to aid you in what you have learned is to read the brief description of the great events to befall this earth given by Jesus Christ in the first half of Matthew 24.

As you do so, read Revelation 6 and 7. Notice that the first thing Christ predicted was there would be "false Christs and false prophets." Now, notice the first of the "four horsemen of the Apocalypse" (Revelation 6) is a being who appears Christ-like, but who, instead of carrying a "sharp two-edged sword" carries a bow. He goes out conquering and to conquer. Many are CONFUSED about this prophecy. Does it mean Christ? Let Jesus Christ Himself do the interpreting! Remember, 'No prophecy is of any private interpretation.'
Notice the next of the four horsemen of the Apocalypse, the red horse which connotes war. And what did Jesus say would be the second of the great events? "There shall be wars and rumors of wars!"


Once you have established the sequence of events, you can come to understand the meaning of each of the "four horsemen" of Revelation 6:

1. False Christs and false prophets;
2. Wars and rumors of wars;
3. Famine;
4. Death and destruction.

The fifth seal symbolizes the tribulation, the sixth seal the heavenly signs, and the seventh seal is comprised of seven trumpet plagues. Notice carefully that the 144,000 and the "great innumerable multitude" (Revelation 7) are not to be sealed of God in their foreheads until during or after the great tribulation (Revelation 7:14). Therefore, they are still on this earth during that time!

Do a sample study of Revelation 17 and ask yourself which church sits upon a city of seven famous hills? Which church has ruled over many of the great Gentile kingdoms, including the many revivals of the "Holy Roman Empire"? Which church has become "drunken with the blood of the saints"?
Think about it.

Believe it or not, careful study of just this one chapter in your Bible, Revelation 17, will give you a much greater understanding than is possessed by many, including some who have authored books about Bible prophecy!

We need to allow the Bible to interpret its own symbols. We should expect that God, for our benefit, revealed within the Bible the meaning of these symbols. Therefore, what we need is some diligence in study to find their interpretation in the Bible. By such a method, we avoid all human conjecture and speculation.

The Bible actually condemns human conjecture and speculation because "no prophecy... is of any private interpretation" 2 Peter 1:20. The Bible defines its own symbols. For example, the book of Revelation contains 404 verses. Out of these 404 verses, 278 are found almost word for word in other books in the Bible, where their meaning is expounded.

Therefore, we encourage you to do as the Bible Bereans (see Acts 17:10, 11) and bring every teaching to the test of the Scripture. As, whoever will prayerfully study the Bible, desiring to know the truth, that he may obey it, will understand the Scriptures. "If any man will do His will, he shall know...whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself. "John 7:17.

Which symbols do we need to unlock to identify the beast and his mark?

There are many symbols for the beast: nevertheless, we will suffice ourselves with those necessary to identify the beast. These symbols are 'beast', 'dragon', 'sea', 'forty-two months', and 'blasphemy'.

Beast: In Bible prophecy, a beast is a symbol of a king or kingdom. "These great beasts , which are four, are four kings ... the fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom ..." Daniel 7:17, 23. With this beast, we are studying a unique kingdom for it is not only a political power but a religious one as well, because people "worshipped the beast" Rev. 13:4.

Dragon:According to the Bible, the dragon is another name for Satan, the father of lies and deceptions, "the great dragon ...called the Devil , and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world."This would mean that when Satan gave"his power, and his seat, and great authority"to the beast, we can expect the beast to behave in the same deceptively evil ways of Satan. Thus, a great deal of deception will be found in the affairs of the beast. Rev. 12:9; 13:2

Sea:In Bible prophecy, sea is symbol of a multitude of many different people."...The waters ...are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues"Rev. 17:15. Accordingly, this unique kingdom or power rose out of the sea, signifying that it came out of a location in the world that was densely populated with different nationalities of people.

Forty-two months:This period is equivalent to three and half years (42 divided by 12 months). And the Bible was written based on the Jewish calendar where every Jewish year is 360 days (30 days for each month). So, three and half years and forty-two months are both equal to 1260 days. The reason why we are changing the months to their equivalent in days is that when God gave time prophecies, He often equated a day for a year "...even forty days , each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, even forty years..." "I have appointed thee each day for a year "Numbers 14:34; Ezekiel 4:6.

Therefore, the forty-two prophetic months imply a period of 1260 years during which the beast was given, a "mouth speaking great things and blasphemies"and would"make war with the saints and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations"Rev. 13:5, 7.. Meaning that during this period the beast would blaspheme, persecute Christians, and have great authority.

Blasphemy:In the Bible, blasphemy is defined in two ways. The first is when a person claims to be God or His representative. "...for a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God "John 10:33So the beast, this religio-political power and kingdom, has blasphemed God by pretending to be in the place of God on earth. The second way of committing blasphemy is by granting absolutions (claiming the power to forgive the sins of others). "Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies ? Who can forgive sins but God only?"Mark 2:7.

The beast, this religio-political power and kingdom, has blasphemed God not only by taking His place on earth, but also by claiming the rite of absolution. No wonder the beast has the "name of blasphemy" and speaks "blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name"; this is because the beast claims powers that are the sole prerogative of God. Rev. 13:1, 6..


The Importance of Prophecy in Every Human Transformation

Every prophetic scripture carries a prophetic promise. The word that carries God’s blessings are called prophetic promises. No word of God is empty. Prophecy plays a very importance role in human transformation. For every prophetic promise, there is a prophetic blessing. And for every prophetic blessing, there is a prophetic picture. You must have a prophetic picture before you can possess the prophetic blessing attached.

A prophetic promise that has a prophetic blessing is given to Abraham in Genesis 12: 2. “I will make you a great nation, I will bless you and make your name great and you shall be a blessing”


The word of God spoken by God, or the word of God spoken by angels, or the word of God spoken by you, remains the word of God. The word of God cannot change. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. (Heb. 13: 8). Whatever God speaks, He performs.

We are built and designed by God for a specific purposes. We are the mouth piece that God wants to use to bring about every purpose of His will on earth. God has provided everything that pertains to life and Godliness in His word (2 Pet. 1: 2-3). No wonder the Psalmist says: “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.” Paul says: The Lord shall supply all my needs according to His riches in glory” (Phil. 4:19).

If you can imagine it, the Lord has already supplied it. Revelation leads to restoration. God wants to bring about a transformational breakthrough at your point of need. The greatest gift of the Holy Spirit is the gift of prophecy. Prophecy plays a vital role in every human transformation. Without prophecy, there is no development. From the days of the sons of the prophets until now, the scriptures shows the importance of prophecy in bringing to past the expectations of the saints. (2 Kings 4: 38-44)

As long as you believe what God says and confess it with your mouth, it is bound to translate in your life. Speaking the word of God forms a picture in your heart. And with the picture, you can prophesy according to your faith, to have results. And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written “I believed, and therefore I spoke”, we also believe and therefore speak. (2 Corinthians 4: 13)


Faith is the principal requirement you need to translate prophetic scriptures into prophetic blessings (Luke 1: 45). The spirit of faith is the ability to prophecy. Faith was never intended to solve problems, faith creates solutions. Make a choice to speak the word of God whenever you need a breakthrough at the Gilgal of your life.

The purpose of prophecy is to warn us about future crises. For example, God warned Noah of the coming flood, Abraham and Lot of the destruction of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah and He told Moses of the plagues of Egypt. They all had to obey the warning in faith. These events were recorded to teach us that whatever God foretold happened exactly as He said. Hence, we cannot afford to ignore any of His yet to be fulfilled prophecies as they serve as warnings that, if we obey, will protect us from crises.

Therefore, Bible prophecies serve a double purpose - to impress on our minds the existence of God who is in control of all events and, to warn us of a grave situation.


In the book of Daniel, chapter 2, God outlined in a dream to the Babylonian king that from his time until the end of time, the world would witness only four world empires. History has proved what God foretold. (Note: God, in the Bible, numbers and foretells only those empires which in a specific way impact God’s people.) The four world empires were: Babylon (605 BC-538 BC), Medo-Persia (538 BC-331 BC), Greece (331 BC-168 BC), and Rome (168 BC-476 AD).

Additionally, in Daniel 7 and 8, God revealed the unique features of each empire, such as the manner in which they would rise to power and fall, and the main characteristic of each government. Enough details were given that a candid student of history and the Bible cannot but concede there is a God in heaven who rules over our world.


Examples of Fulfilled Bible Prophecies.


The first Empire symbolised by a lion represents the kingdom of Babylon; the second, symbolised by a bear represents the Persian Empire; the third, symbolised by a leopard, represents the great Greek Empire; while the fourth Empire or kingdom which was very different from the others, apparently represents the Roman Empire. God revealed that Rome would be split into ten territories and that in the time of these territories the end will come. History has proven the accuracy of God's word.

The Roman Empire, also known as Rome, was established in the 5th c. B.C. and emerged as a group of villages on seven hills on the east bank of the Tiber. Rome was ruled by seven kings until 510 B.C., when it was made a republic. From 27 BC to 446 AD, after the fall of the Greek Empire, Rome was the most dominant ruling authority on earth. By 476 AD, Rome was divided into ten nations from which present day Europe has emerged. These events were recorded to teach us that whatever God foretells happens exactly as He says it. Hence, we cannot afford to ignore the role of prophecy in the final transformation of the world at this end time. All the yet to be fulfilled Bible  prophecies in the book of Revelation will surely come to pass.

BABYLON “THE GREAT” – REJUVENATED ROMAN EMPIRE 

Through the study of Revelation chapter 17, the Lord has led us to a most startling truth, confirming that we are nearer to the end of all things than ever imagined. We are prompted by our loving God to share this prophecy, that none need be ensnared by the global events soon to transpire which will engulf the world in the grandest deception yet contrived by Satan.

1. “And there came one of the seven angels… saying unto me, Come hither; I will show unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters: 2. With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication. 3. So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet-coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. 4. And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: 5. And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. 6. And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration. 7. And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns. 8. The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is. 9. And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth. 10. And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space. 11. And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition. 12. And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. 13. These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast. 14. These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful. 15. And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues. 16. And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire. 17. For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled. 18. And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.” (Revelation 17:1-18.)


Summary of Revelations 17

Briefly, John is shown the final judgment of the great whore due to her own course of action. This great whore, referred to as Babylon the great, was shown to John in the wilderness (v. 3). This is an important setting, as will be seen later.

The description of the whore is parallel to the first beast of Revelation 13 that also has seven heads and ten horns (v. 7) indicating that both symbols represent the same entity – that being the Roman Catholic papal system. Furthermore, the whore is described as sitting on seven mountains (v. 9). Rome has frequently been identified as the City of Seven Hills, from classical times down to contemporary time, which we will also study.

Whereas in Revelation 13 the union of church and state was blended in one symbol, in Revelation 17 God has pictured them separately. A woman always symbolizes a church in the Bible, in this case the whore – an impure church. And a beast has al-ways signified a kingdom or state that persecutes God’s people. So we have an impure woman sitting on (i.e. controlling) a scarlet-colored (a bloody) beast (state). This again reinforces the reality of the Catholic system being the only system that is a church and an earthly kingdom at the same time. This whore is described as being eminently rich, proud, and more importantly, very corrupt (v. 4, 5). Indeed, it represents Satan’s final supreme instrument of deception.

The following verses are key verses: “And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space. And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition.” Revelation 17:10, 11.

God elaborates on the seven heads of the beast, which are identified as seven kings. Significantly, the vision was viewed during the reign of the sixth king. He was to be followed by the seventh king, who will rule for a short time. However, the eighth king is going to be one of the previous seven kings, but that when he appears from the bottomless pit (v. 8), he will not only merely be a king (ruling power) but a beast (a persecuting power); finally, he will then go into perdition.

When one of the seven kings reappears from the bottomless pit as the eighth king but in the form of a beast, the ten kings of the earth (v. 12) (ten is an all-inclusive, universal number indicating that this includes all earthly rulers; cf. parable of ten virgins) will be greatly awed by the beast, and will willingly surrender their power to the beast for a short time (v. 12, 13). Both the beast and the ten kings will rule for a short time, and war against Christ in the end of his rule but Christ will overcome him (v. 14).

Just before the end of all things, the ten kings will discover that they have been ensnared and deceived by the beast (the eighth king from the bottomless pit) and they will turn with vengeance against the beast system, and destroy it (v. 16). For they will this time, though belatedly, be doing God’s will (v. 17).

Important End Time Prophecy Yet to be Fulfilled In The Church 

With the vivid realization that we are living in the age just prior to the second coming of Christ in the cloud, I pray the Lord will impress you with the shortness of time available before the fate of every living person is decided, and may His Spirit give you the discernment and wisdom needed to understand this short article.

Bible prophecies serve a double purpose - to impress on our minds the existence of God who is in control of all events and to warn us of grave up-coming danger. For example, God warned Noah of the coming flood and He also warned Abraham and Lot of the destruction of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.
Additionally, God revealed the unique features of four powerful kingdoms that would rise to power and fall before the end of the world, and the main characteristic of each government (See Daniel 7 and 8).


In fact, the most solemn prophetic warning yet to be fulfilled today is important for us to understand because events are taking place in rapid succession indicating its imminent fulfillment. This is very important as it is not by happenstance that the “great whore who sitteth upon the scarlet beast” was seen in the wilderness in Revelation 17. Note that the Bible invariably uses wilderness to describe harsh conditions; a woman is often used to symbolise the Church, and a whore describes the level of corruption and pollution.


Now we come to the most important part of this whole article. God has prophesied that a time will come when satan will use an earthly instrument –a church -to persecute all followers of Jesus Christ and cause everyone both small and great to worship the image of the beast, otherwise they will be put to death (Revelation 13:15).


"And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up forever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name. Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus" (Revelation 14: 9-12.)


This Bible prophecy, yet to be fully fulfilled, describes two groups of people: The first group is warned against worshiping the beast and his image, which leads them to receive the mark of the beast; while the second group is viewed positively as keeping the commandments of God, thus inheriting eternal life with Jesus Christ.


Furthermore, the description of the second coming of Christ directly follows this warning.
“Then I looked, and behold a white cloud, and on the cloud sat One like the Son of Man, having on His head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle. And another angel came out of the temple crying with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, ‘Thrust in Your sickle and reap, for the time has come for you to reap for the harvest of the earth is ripe.’ So He who sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped” (Revelations 14: 14-15)


Therefore, the purpose of this Bible prophecy that is yet to be fulfilled is to warn us not to worship the image of the beast, as anyone who does this will surely be tormented in hell fire as we were told above. We know that this is the last warning given before the second coming of Christ.

Sequence Of Events That Will Immediately Precede the End of the World as Revealed to the Church

Recently, Calls have been made for a predictions registry, a means by which we might hold modern-day prognosticators accountable for their predictions. This is a great idea, and if we are objective in setting up our predictions registry, the source which ranks as the #1 most reliable repository of information concerning the future is clear. That source is the Bible.

More than 25% of the Bible is prophecy. And every prophecy except those concerning the "last days" and the millennial kingdom of Christ that will follow have been precisely fulfilled with 100% accuracy.
Some of these prophecies, such as Jeremiah's claim that Israel would be taken into captivity for a period of 70 years by the Babylonians, were written decades before fulfillment. Others, such as Ezekiel's forecast of the exact year in which Israel would be re-established as a nation, were written 2,500 years before fulfillment.

The Sequence Of Events That Will Immediately Precede the End of the World are:

1) General Signs of the Times
2) The Re-establishment of Israel as an Independent Nation
3) The War of Gog/Magog
4) The Rapture
5) Revival of the Roman Empire
6) The Rise of a Global Dictator
7) The Revival of Babylon as a Great City
8) The Appearance of Two Supernatural Witnesses
9) A Great Rebellion Against God

The most credible source of information on future events, the Bible, somehow explains in sequence the key events to look before the final battle between the armies of God, and that of satan. This battle is tagged by most theologians as the battle of Armageddon. Yet despite the millions of people who attend church and synagogue every week and the existence of countless books on the subject, most people are simply unaware how this battle will eventually shape up in the end time.
It's my hope that this site will raise awareness of the existence of Bible prophecy so that others may investigate the evidence for themselves.
The Bible clearly tells us what will happen in the end times.

In so doing, the Bible clearly tells us what will happen in your future.
The exact dates on which they will be fulfilled are not yet known, but given the Bible's track record, it's reasonable to assume each and every prophecy will be fulfilled to the letter.
This is a good thing, because when Christ returns, all the evils of this world will melt away in his presence.

So if you see the aforementioned events taking place, remember this invitation from Jesus,the invitation he extends to all, when he says, “Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near." Luke 21:28

REVELATION OF THE BEAST AND THE ANTI-CHRIST TO THE CHURCH


God has prophesied that there will be only seven kings: “And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.” Revelation 17:10.

From this verse the following facts can be gleaned:

1. Seven kings in total.

2. John was taken in vision to the time of the sixth king: “five are fallen, and one is.” He comes after the first five have fallen. Again, it is not coincidental that when taken in vision, John was taken to the time of the sixth king. It is a divine hint by which God is guiding us to focus our attention on this particular king, as he will play a very important role in the end-time events.

3. The seventh king “must continue a short space.”
So who are the seven kings/popes? Pius XI was the first Roman Catholic pope (from February 6, 1922) who became king as well on February 11, 1929. He along with Mussolini, engineered the Lateran Treaty.
“And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition.” Revelation 17:11.

Here, we learn the following:


1. The Roman Catholic Church was once a beast (up to 1798), but now is not (as she has been in the wilderness experience since 1798); however, she will regain the beast status (meaning she will come out of her wilderness experience) after the fall of the seventh king, Benedict XVI.
2. The next one to come after Benedict XVI will be one of the other seven kings. But he will no longer be considered a mere king, but will be a beast as well; for with him the Roman Catholic Church will regain her former power to persecute her enemies.
3. The eighth, when he comes, will be the last; for he “goeth into perdition.”


The purpose of This Bible prophecies

The purpose of this prophecy is to warn us about future crises. For example, God warned Noah of the coming flood, Abraham and Lot of the destruction of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah and He told Moses of the plagues of Egypt. They all had to obey the warning in faith. These events were recorded to teach us that whatever God foretold happened exactly as He said. Hence, we cannot afford to ignore any of His yet to be fulfilled prophecies as they serve as warnings that, if we obey, will protect us from crises.

Therefore, Bible prophecies serve a double purpose - to impress on our minds the existence of God who is in control of all events and, to warn us of a grave situation.

So How can I avoid worshipping the beast and his image and receiving his mark? Good question. In order to answer it we need to identify the beast, the image of the beast , and the mark of the beast. It is only logical to assume that God would not warn us about such dangerous entities without helping us to identify them in a conclusive way. Our loving God would not subject us to guesswork, when our eternal destiny is at stake. Not surprisingly then, we find a description of the beast and his image in the previous chapter where many keys are given to unlock their identity.

Identifying the Beast

The only motivation that goads us to share this soul-saving message is God’s love. We hereby state, in the hope of removing prejudices, that all entities spoken of in this article, are referred to as systems, and definitely not the genuine truth-seekers currently part of such systems. We pray that this message is accepted by all readers as heart-felt appeal to study the prophecies in the Bible, because God’s Word is our only guide and safe-guard against deception.

"And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns tens crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. 2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority. 3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast. 4 And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who [is] like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? 5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemi es; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. 6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. 7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. 8 And all that dwell upon earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world... 16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: 17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. 18Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the bea st: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six" Revelation 13: 1-8, 16-18.


We need to allow the Bible to interpret its own symbols. We should expect that God, for our benefit, revealed within the Bible the meaning of these symbols. Therefore, what we need is some diligence in study to find their interpretation in the Bible. By such a method, we avoid all human conjecture and speculation.

The Bible actually condemns human conjecture and speculation because "no prophecy... is of any private interpretation" 2 Peter 1:20. The Bible defines its own symbols. For example, the book of Revelation contains 404 verses. Out of these 404 verses, 278 are found almost word for word in other books in the Bible, where their meaning is expounded.

Therefore, we encourage you to do as the Bible Bereans (see Acts 17:10, 11) and bring every teaching to the test of the Scripture. As, whoever will prayerfully study the Bible, desiring to know the truth, that he may obey it, will understand the Scriptures. "If any man will do His will, he shall know...whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself. "John 7:17.

There are many symbols for the beast: nevertheless, we will suffice ourselves with those necessary to identify the beast. These symbols are 'beast', 'dragon', 'sea', 'forty-two months', and 'blasphemy'.

Beast: In Bible prophecy, a beast is a symbol of a king or kingdom. "These great beasts , which are four, are four kings ... the fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom ..." Daniel 7:17, 23. With this beast, we are studying a unique kingdom for it is not only a political power but a religious one as well, because people "worshipped the beast" Rev. 13:4.

Dragon: According to the Bible, the dragon is another name for Satan, the father of lies and deceptions, "the great dragon ...called the Devil , and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world."This would mean that when Satan gave"his power, and his seat, and great authority"to the beast, we can expect the beast to behave in the same deceptively evil ways of Satan. Thus, a great deal of deception will be found in the affairs of the beast. Rev. 12:9; 13:2

Sea: In Bible prophecy, sea is symbol of a multitude of many different people."...The waters ...are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues"Rev. 17:15. Accordingly, this unique kingdom or power rose out of the sea, signifying that it came out of a location in the world that was densely populated with different nationalities of people.

Forty-two months: This period is equivalent to three and half years (42 divided by 12 months). And the Bible was written based on the Jewish calendar where every Jewish year is 360 days (30 days for each month). So, three and half years and forty-two months are both equal to 1260 days. The reason why we are changing the months to their equivalent in days is that when God gave time prophecies, He often equated a day for a year "...even forty days , each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, even forty years..." "I have appointed thee each day for a year "Numbers 14:34; Ezekiel 4:6.

Therefore, the forty-two prophetic months imply a period of 1260 years during which the beast was given, a "mouth speaking great things and blasphemies"and would"make war with the saints and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations"Rev. 13:5, 7.. Meaning that during this period the beast would blaspheme, persecute Christians, and have great authority.

Blasphemy: In the Bible, blasphemy is defined in two ways. The first is when a person claims to be God or His representative. "...for a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God "John 10:33So the beast, this religio-political power and kingdom, has blasphemed God by pretending to be in the place of God on earth. The second way of committing blasphemy is by granting absolutions (claiming the power to forgive the sins of others). "Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies ? Who can forgive sins but God only?"Mark 2:7.

The beast, this religio-political power and kingdom, has blasphemed God not only by taking His place on earth, but also by claiming the rite of absolution. No wonder the beast has the "name of blasphemy" and speaks "blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name"; this is because the beast claims powers that are the sole prerogative of God. (Rev. 13:1,6.)

Nine Key Marks

Having allowed the Bible to unlock the meaning of its own symbols we can now highlight the nine major identifying marks of the beast to determine which power in history fulfills these features. These are not the only identifiers: there are many more in the Bible. We hope this compilation of identifying keys will lead you to search the Bible to find out more.

(1) The beast combines religious and political power simultaneously, "they worshipped the beast ..." Rev. 13:4.

(2) The beast came to power in a densely populated area of the world,"I...saw a beast rise up out of the sea" Rev. 13:1.

(3) The beast obtained its power and authority from Satan, thus we would expect its history to contain a great deal of deception,"the dragon gave him [the beast] his power, and his seat, and great authority" Rev. 13:2.

(4) The beast ruled ruthlessly possessing absolute hegemony (domination) for 1260 years. This period must have a clear starting point and end with the 'deadly wound'."Power was given unto him to continue forty and two months." "And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death." "And power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations" Rev. 13:5, 3, 7.

(5) The beast persecuted Christians during the 1260 years."And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them" Rev. 13:7.

(6) The beast has a mysterious 666 that identifies his office and name,"count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six" Rev. 13:18.

(7) The beast will fully recover from its 'deadly wound' and the world will marvel after it,"and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast" Rev. 13:3.

(8) The beast blasphemes by claiming to be God and granting absolutions (the power to forgive sins of others).

(9) The beast made other blasphemous claims, undertaking actions that are God's exclusive prerogative."And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies" Rev. 13:5.

The Antichrist and The Woman Riding On A Beast

The attention of almost all Christians these days is focused on the coming Antichrist. Many are also keen to know which character is described in Revelation 17. A woman who rides a beast is another mystery at the heart of prophecy. Who is this woman? The woman riding on a beast represents a universal church that will play a well-defined and powerful role in the Antichrist's future kingdom.

A woman always symbolizes a church in the Bible, in this - an impure church. And a beast has always signifies a kingdom or state that persecutes God's people. So we have an impure church sitting on (i.e. controlling) beast (state). This again reinforces the reality of the Catholic system being the only system that is a church and an earthly kingdom at the same time. This whore is described as being eminently rich, proud, and more importantly, very corrupt.

The Roman Empire was established on seven hills by Augustus in 27 BC and divided in AD 395 into the Western Roman Empire and the eastern or Byzantine Empire. The empire got its divine powers by the name of Holy Roman Empire with the papal coronation of Otto I as the first Holy Roman Emperor in 962. This lasted until 1806 when the empire was dissolved by Napoleon, and it was literally driven into the wilderness.

This is important as it is not by happenstance that the "woman who sitteth upon the beast" was seen in the wilderness. God is indicating the time-period that the Roman Catholic Church will come out of her wilderness experience.

The following verses are key verses: "And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space. And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition." Revelation 17:10, 11.

God elaborates on the seven heads of the beast, which are identified as seven kings. Significantly, the vision was viewed during the reign of the sixth king. He was to be followed by the seventh king, who will rule for a short time. However, the eighth king is going to be one of the previous seven kings, but that when he appears from the bottomless pit (v. 8), he will not only merely be a king (pope) but the Antichrist (a persecuting power); finally, he will then go into perdition.

So who is the antichrist? Pius XI was the first Roman Catholic pope (from February 6, 1922) who became king as well on February 11, 1929. He along with Benito Mussolini (Former Italian President) engineered the Lateran Treaty. Pope Benedict XVI is the seventh king/pope since the Lateran Treaty.

In conclusion: The Roman Catholic Church is a beast (church and kingdom), however she is in the wilderness now and she will regain her beast status after the fall of the seventh king, Benedict XVI. The next pope to come after Benedict XVI will be one of the other seven popes, very likely the sixth pope. But he will no longer be considered a mere pope, but will be a called a king, the ruler of the world, and through him the Roman Catholic Church will regain her former power to persecute her enemies. The eighth, when he comes, will be one of the seven popes and he will be the last; for he "goeth into perdition." In the end of time, the Antichrist and his corrupt kingdom on earth will be destroyed at the second coming of Christ at God's final judgment of the world.


REPENT: JESUS IS COMING SOON