See this research also at 666 Beast
I have been studying the 13th and 17th chapters of Revelation, and have some very important news for all. Many theologians have gone before and have tried to solve the meaning of the prophecies given in these chapters, and much of what they have to say is correct, while at the same time, there are passages which still elude them. But as the time comes nearer to the end, these elusive truths must come to light. Otherwise, if we go through the time of the end, and have not gained the truths that are intended for the end, then it will have all been written in vain.
Yet some of these truths are not possible to be discerned until the time appointed for them. Now I believe the time for some of these things is here. Prove now THROUGH THE WORD OF GOD whether or not, that which I present here is true. The Bible says to "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." 1Thessalonians 5: 21.
What I have to present to you here, is not new truth. It has always been written there in the Scriptures. The difference is in the interpretation.
Currently, the conclusion of the 1996 Symposium on Revelation, is that there is no defined interpretation on the seven mountains.
The scriptures that relate to Vicarius Filii Dei, are Rev 13: 1 and Rev 17: 3. VICARIUS FILII DEI is the blasphemy written upon all the popes' heads. Being the authority which they claim to have the power to forgive sins on earth. But as for being the phrase that identifies the 666 man, it does not. This is one of those false interpretations that occludes the real truth. What I will present to you here, not only identifies the 666 beast, but also the 666 man of sin. It is not possible that every pope has been the antichrist, for it belongs to a single individual man, and not to the open seated office he holds. My study involves a "count" of pure numbers, ONLY numbers, not letters that are assigned a numeric value, and are then added up.
"And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy." Rev 13: 1.
A priest while attending a seminary, asked about 666 and the papacy. He was told that there are several different methods of counting that resulted in the total of 666, that could be applied to the papacy. Considering this, the pinning down of the phrase Vicarius Filii Dei count, to the antichrist and the correct interpretation of prophecy, would be invalid.
Many individuals can have the numeric value of 666 in their name, but that does not mean that they are, or are in any way associated with the antichrist. The true identity of the 666 man and his count must be more precise, and none of these applications are able to disclose precisely, who the ``man of sin'' is.
The counting of the beast is intended to identify the antichrist. The phrase ``Vicarius Filii Dei'' does not provide that information.
A Thesis on Revelation 13: 18 and Revelation 17: 9 -11 and the True Count of the 666 Beast.
In re-examining the template of prophecy that was written by John the Revelator, and comparing it to the recent historical record of the Catholic church, I see a clear and complete alignment. I ask that all who read this document to examine carefully all the evidence, study the book of Revelation, and watch and pray.
October 16, 1998 marked a major milestone in the continuing developments of the Catholic church; it is the 20th anniversary of pope John Paul II, the longest reigning pope of this century. And the more I look at how the recent Catholic history fits the prophecy, and of what I have written, the more certain I am that it is true. The prophecy appears just like a rubber stamp of the Catholic church's historical record.
From my initial point of inspiration, around 1994-95, in a flash of insight, I perceived that the set of the numbers of the popes, when added up would total somewhere near 666. I then examined the scriptures in regard to what is the wisdom in the counting of the beast whose number is 666. In Rev 13: 18, it reads; "Here is wisdom..."and again in Rev 17: 9; "And here is the mind which hath wisdom..." Both verses are referring to the same beast. I find also that these are the only two verses that the word "wisdom" is used in this manner.
I discerned the approximate values by counting the numbers from what little information I could find, though I knew it would only be an approximation. I sought then from the internet, to see what is the official Catholic position is, in regard to the seven mountains of Revelation 17: 9, and for the official list of the popes and antipopes. This same list of popes has been published in Compton's Encyclopedia, and I presume most sources have this same list. It was after I had started gathering the list of the popes' names that I realized that there are the same number of the names of the popes since 1798 to the present as there are heads and mountains. From this, I knew that if I had the exact information, it would produce the truth. So I was not surprised to see that when I finished the mathematics, it did.
The 666 beast is real.
God denotes His church as a woman and even His bride, but a corrupt church as a whore or harlot. The great whore, Babylon, the mother of harlots, sits on many waters, which are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.
The use of the term "mountains" to denote kingdoms, led me to count the numbers of the names of the whole kingdom of each head. The first of the seven heads is Pope Pius VII, following the transition that occurred in 1798 at the end of the 1260 year period allotted to the beast's rule over the kings of the earth; the beast ``that was, and is not.'' From 1798, the beast continues; and each name used for the popes, constitutes one of the seven heads of the beast.
While it has been surmised by Protestants for a long time that the 666 antichrist will arise from within the papacy, the available knowledge of its fulfillment is limited to the end time perspective. Neither John the Revelator nor our early church pioneers predicted the papal line so as to know their names and their count. Only since the time given in Revelation 17: 10 with the observer at the time of the seventh head, do we see the full papal line, and the count that is represented.
The seven heads are the seven names of popes of the beast. How else can a head be a mountain (kingdom) and also be a king?
Revelation 13: 1 "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 ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy."
13: 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."
13: 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."
13: 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?"
We see today, an unprecedented worldwide admiration being given to pope John Paul II, who was wounded with a deadly wound, but was healed. He also has entered into the political arena with calls for peace and attempts to influence foreign policy. Of him the scripture says "who is able to make war with him." His fight is being done without the instruments of war.
13: 5 "And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months."
The Catholic church held power from 538 AD to 1798 when French General Berthier took Pope Pius VI prisoner.
13: 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."
Only the ecclesiastical entity of the Catholic church has enjoyed this world wide control over the affairs of the world. During this period of power for 1260 years up to 1798, form the beast "that was" and in 1798 became the "is not" and soon, under the eighth head to come, it will become the "yet is."
13: 10 "He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints."
13: 11 "And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon."
13: 12 "And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed."
13: 13 "And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,"
13: 14 "And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live."
13: 15 "And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed."
13: 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:"
13: 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."
13: 18 "Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six."
While many have referred to a counting of the letters of the "title" of the papacy, as done by assigning numerical values to the letters, the Bible does not specifically indicate that this is the correct application. It does state that it is the number of a beast and a man. To apply it to the title of the papacy, may be more than a coincidence, but it does not completely fulfill the description in Scripture. Certainly, it points to the "beast" which possesses the spirit of antichrist, but only one man will be the Antichrist at the time appointed, not the whole system of the papacy. (The papacy is already represented by a beast, of which, only the last head or pope will become the one antichrist.) Pictured here is a woman, in this case a whore, who is seated upon seven mountains, or as it is applied here, means kingdoms. The whore woman is the papal church. So whatever the mountains are to be, this whore woman who is found sitting on them is closely linked to them.
Considering also that the popes have each taken on a different name than their own, and of these names, they have repeatedly used the same name, and have added " numbers" to them. To myself I thought; "If the popes do not want to be associated with the 666 beast, then why do they put numbers on their name?"
I then set out to add up these numbers and see how many popes there are. Here are the math figures as I have derived from the Vatican's own Official Laternal Record taken from the New Advent Catholic Supersite on the internet; New Advent Catholic Encyclopedia: LIST OF POPES
There have been only 7 names of popes used since 1798.
The beast's number 666, and is the number of a man.
The beast has 7 heads, and are 7 mountains and are 7 kings.
With these 7 names or ``heads,'' the cumulative count comes to 665 with John Paul II.
Table 1
1 = 1 The 666 Antichrist
2 = 3 John Paul
3 = 6
4 = 10
5 = 15
6 = 21 Paul
7 = 28
8 = 36
9 = 45
10 = 55
11 = 66
12 = 78 Pius
13 = 91 Leo
14 = 105 Benedict
15 = 120
16 = 136 Gregory
17 = 153
18 = 171
19 = 190
20 = 210
21 = 231 John
1 = 1 The 666 Antichrist
2 = 3 John Paul
6 = 21 Paul
12 = 78 Pius
13 = 91 Leo
14 = 105 Benedict
16 = 136 Gregory
21 = 231 John
1 + 3 + 21 + 78 + 91 + 105 + 136 + 231 = 666
The popes of these `mountains,' or `kingdoms' of all eras throughout the papal reign are represented. The subjects of his `Kingdom' are from all people from the whole earth who profess it to be their faith. Count the numbers of all the names of all the seven heads. That man whose number completes the count to 666 is the Antichrist. The numbers were predetermined to equal the count of 666 at the appointed time.
The commencing of the beast after it was "not," in 1798 began after the death of Pope Pius VI, in prison. Holding the pope hostage, lasts only as long as the life of the pope being held in prison. After that, the leading Cardinals elect a new free pope.
The count must also be adjusted to eliminate the errors. There was no John XX in the Official Catholic Laternal record, and John XVI and Benedict X (1058-1059) were deposed, so the "actual" number is reduced by the same amount. This corrects the count to the true number that was naturally done by the following antipopes not listed in the record:
Benedict XIII (1394-1423), Gregory VIII (1118-1121) and John XXIII (1410-1415) were deposed and their count continues with the true Benedict XIII (1724-1730), Gregory VIII (1187) and John XXIII (1958-1963). Gregory (1012) and John (844) were deposed and were not even numbered, and therefore the count was not affected by them.
A further explanation as to the discrepancies in the numbers assigned to the name John; ``It should be observed that there is no John XX in the catalogue. This is due to the fact that, in the `Liber Pontificalis,' two dates are given in connection with the life of John XIV (983). This introduced confusion into some of the papal catalogues, and a separate pope was assigned to each of these dates. Thus three popes named John were made to appear between Benedict VII and Gregory V. The error led the pope of the thirteenth century who should have been called John XX to style himself John XXI (Duchesne, ``Lib. Pont.'' 2:17). Reference: Chronological List of Popes
"Historians are unanimous that the supremacy of the papacy occurred between the years 538 AD and 1798 AD. The Roman Emperor Constantine had made Roman Catholicism the state religion circa 312 AD, and passed the first Sunday-keeping law in 321 AD, and elevated the ecclesiastics to a sovereign role as arbiters of disputes. By 538 AD the papacy was the only sovereign power left in the Western Roman Empire, and historians are agreed that the Church became the world's court. From 1929 until today, the papacy has been on its second biblically predicted rise in the world community. Time magazine ran a cover story detailing just how powerful and important John Paul II has been for the demise of the communist block - he holds weekly intelligence briefings via telephone with the US President. Not to get advice, but to GIVE it. Not to get intelligence info --- but to GIVE IT!!" From Del Washburn Theomatics@aol.com.
"Continuing in Revelation, the angel begins to explain to John the woman's symbolism: `This calls for a mind with wisdom: the seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman is seated; they are also seven kings, five of whom have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come, and when he comes he must remain only a little while.' (Rev. 17: 9-10)
"Fundamentalists argue that these seven mountains must be the seven hills of ancient Rome. However the Greek word here, horos, is almost always translated `mountain' rather than `hill.' Mountains are often symbols of kingdoms in Scripture (cf. Ps. 68: 15, **Dan. 2: 35, Obad. 8-21, Amos 4: 1, 6: 1), which might be why the seven heads also symbolize seven kings. The mountains could stand for a series of seven kings/kingdoms, five of whom have already fallen.
"This passage gives us a key rule of Bible interpretation which is often denied by Fundamentalists: that a symbol does not have to refer to one and only one thing. Here the heads refer to both seven mountains and seven kings, meaning the symbol has multiple fulfillments. Thus there is not a one-to-one correspondence in the Bible between symbols and their referents. According to her, the papacy is the seven-headed beast from the sea in Revelation 13:1-10. Accompanying this beast is a lamb-like beast."
"(Note that the Whore also sits on many waters, which we are told are many peoples, cf. 17:15-- the context makes it clear that here her sitting on something does not refer to a geographical location)." 1996 Catholic Answers, Inc.
Revelation 17: 1 "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:"
17: 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."
17: 5 "And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH."
In Revelation, the Church is symbolized by a Woman. As the Apostolic faith became corrupted through the centuries, it is then called a whore, and the mother of harlots. But God still has a people in it and in Revelation 18, God implores His people to come out of her. As Jesus explained in His parable; let the wheat and tares grow together until the harvest...
Rev. 17: 7 "...I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns."
Rev. 17: 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."
Rev. 17: 9 "And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth."
Rev. 17: 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."
Rev. 17: 11 "And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition."
The Catholic church, "sits" on the papacy, being the largest, and most global religion, fits the specifications of the prophecy most accurately.
The woman sits on 7 mountains, (Greek = horos ) mountains are kingdoms; Through the central rule of the papacy, one pope-king is enabled to rule over many people in most of the world. The Catholic Church boasts of being the largest Christian faith, and oldest, spanning from the beginning of Christian belief. It also bears a long history of holding corrupt doctrines. This year, 1998, marks the 200th year of the history of the seven headed beast. The seven heads are identified as the seven names of the popes from 1798. Table 2, shows the complete chronological list of popes since 1798.
Table 2
Pius VI (1775-99)
Pius VII (1800-23)
Leo XII (1823-29)
Pius VIII (1829-30)
Gregory XVI (1831-46)
Ven. Pius IX (1846-78)
Leo XIII (1878-1903)
Pius X (1903-14)
Benedict XV (1914-22)
Pius XI (1922-39)
Pius XII (1939-58)
John XXIII (1958-63)
Paul VI (1963-78)
John Paul I (Aug-Sep1978)
John Paul II (1978-)
Table 3
Calculation Table of Consecutive count;
Pius VII ................ 28 ..........[ 28 ]
Leo XII ............adds 78 ......[ 106 ]
Pius VIII ..........adds 8 .........[ 114 ]
Gregory XVI .....adds 136 ...[ 250 ]
Pius IX ..............adds 9 .......[ 259 ]
Leo XIII ...........adds 13 ......[ 272 ]
Pius X ..............adds 10 ......[ 282 ]
Benedict XV ....adds 105 ....[ 387 ]
Pius XI ........... adds 11 ......[ 398 ]
Pius XII .......... adds 12 ......[ 410 ]
John XXIII ...... adds 231 ....[ 641 ]
Paul VI ............adds 21 ......[ 662 ]
John Paul I ....... adds 1 ......[ 663 ]
John Paul II ...... adds 2 ......[ 665 ]
An antipope, ......adds 0 ......[ 665 ]
The 8th, name of 1 adds 1 ..[ 666 ]
By counting the numbers of each of the names of these seven heads, we arrive at the count of the beast. Thus, when the total comes to 666, the count will have become complete, and the man of sin revealed.
It takes us to the conclusion that with the current pope, John Paul II, the count of the beast stands at 665. The one introduced as the "eighth" who comes in his own name, will be the antichrist. The Catholic Church will then be embroiled in turmoil and many will separate from it, as the man of sin is revealed by the prophecies that identify him.
Table 4
Calculation Table of cumulative count
Head .......... last.... actual... adds... totals
1 Pius.......... 12....... 12....... 78....... 78
2 Leo........... 13....... 13....... 91...... 169
3 Gregory..... 16....... 16...... 136..... 305
4 *Benedict...15........ 14..... 105...... 410
5 *John......... 23....... 21..... 231...... 641
6 Paul........... 6......... 6....... 21....... 662
7 John Paul... 2......... 2........ 3........ 665
8 The Eighth.. 1......... 1........ 1........ 666
The antichrist will be the Eighth, and of the seven in the sense that he uses his own name and thereby introduces the final identifying 1 to the count making him 666, and takes the Seat of the Holy See.
John Paul II, stands as the seventh head.
A seventh-head antipope would not be necessary to fulfill the prophecy. The conclusive proof will depend on what the name is, that is given to the next pope. If the name is new and therefore singular, then it is he who is the antichrist. An antipope then, would only provide an interim waiting period before the arrival of the antichrist. The bottom line is this; the next pope whose number is "one" is the antichrist.
Today's religious groups filled with erroneous and diverse beliefs. But God calls all of these Babylon. God's true people are identified by those who give their homage to the institution that was made to honor the relationship between man and God; the Sabbath day. This is independent of any denomination.
Upon the final act of separating out of God's people from this Babylon, salvation is complete and the wrath of judgment is poured out in the form of the seven last plagues.
God sends us these prophecies to reveal what is soon to transpire. Pope John Paul II is aged and feeble. Watch the count change, note the name and follow after God's lead.
Agreeing with the Catholic explanation of the seven mountains, that also presents a correct exegesis of the scripture, we have Uriah Smith who has arrived at the same conclusion;
"The Seven Heads. -- The seven heads are explained to be, first, seven mountains, and then seven kings. The expression in verse 10, `and there are seven kings,' reads in the original' `and are seven kings.' This makes the sentence read: `The seven heads are seven mountains... and are seven kings,' thus identifying heads, mountains, and kings." Daniel and Revelation p. 711
"Babylon is not the city of Rome. The argument relied upon to show that the city of Rome is the Babylon of the Apocalypse runs thus: The angel told John that the woman which he had seen was the great city which reigneth over the kings of the earth, and that the seven heads of the beast are seven mountains upon which the woman sits. Then, by taking the city and the mountains to be literal, and finding Rome built upon seven hills, the application is made at once to literal Rome.
"The principle upon which this interpretation rests is the assumption that the explanation of a symbol must always be literal. It falls to the ground the moment it can be shown that symbols are sometimes explained by substituting for them other symbols, and then explaining the latter... So in the case before us. `The seven heads are seven mountains,' and `the woman is that great city;' and it will not be difficult to show that the mountains and the city are used symbolically. The reader's attention is directed to the following;
"We are informed in Revelation 13 that one of the seven heads (is) wounded to death. This head therefore cannot be a literal mountain, for it would be folly to speak of wounding a mountain to death.
"Each of the seven heads has a crown upon it. But who ever saw a literal mountain with a crown upon it? The seven heads are evidently successive in order of time, for we read, `Five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come.' Revelation 17: 10. But the seven hills on which Rome is built are not successive, and it would be absurd to apply such language to them.
"According to Daniel 7: 6, compared with Daniel 8: 8, 22, heads denote governments, and according to **Daniel 2: 35, 44, and Jeremiah 51: 25, mountains denote kingdoms.
"According to these facts, a literal translation of Rev. 17: 9, 10 removes all obscurity: `The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth, and are seven kings.' It will thus be seen that the angel represents the heads as mountains, and then explains the mountains to be seven successive kings. The meaning is transferred from one symbol to another, and then an explanation is given of the second symbol.
"From the foregoing argument, it follows that the `woman' cannot represent a literal city, for the mountains upon which the woman sits being symbolic, a literal city cannot sit upon symbolic mountains. Again, Rome was the seat of the dragon of Revelation 12, and transferred it to the beast; but it would be a singular mixture of figures to make the seat, which is sat upon by the beast, and a woman sitting upon the beast refer to the same thing." Daniel and Revelation pp 644 - 645
** Note, both the Catholic interpretation and that of Uriah Smith, support the same conclusion using the same scriptural reference.
The seven heads selected out of the 79 names, are only those seen since 1798, but are present and represented throughout the time of the beast.
Further evidence of identifying the whore Babylon is found in Revelation, chapters 13 and 17. God tells His people to count the number of the beast. He elaborates more on the nature of this beast with a description of its having seven heads, being also seven mountains and seven kings. Narrowing the count to that of one man, there must be established a connection between the seven heads and the count of the 666 man. As seen in table 2, the period of the time of this beast starts in 1798. Since that time, there have been seven different names of the heads of the Catholic church. Add the numbers of all the popes of these seven heads and the count stands at 665. When the count reaches 666, that man whose count is ``one'' is the antichrist.
Here is an excerpt from the Catholic Encyclopedia;
"The individual person of Antichrist will not be a demon, as some of the ancient writers believed; nor will he be the person of the devil incarnated in the human nature of Antichrist. He will he a human person, perhaps of Jewish extraction, if the explanation of Genesis 49: 17, together with that of Dan's omission in the catalogue of the tribes, as found in the Apocalypse, be correct. It must be kept in mind that extra-Scriptural tradition furnishes us no revealed supplement to the Biblical data concerning Antichrist. While these latter are sufficient to make the believer recognize the `man of sin' at the time of his coming, the lack of any additional reliable revelation should put us on our guard against the daydreams of the Irvingites, the Mormons, and other recent proclaimers of new revelations." [A.J. MAAS, From the Catholic Encyclopedia, copyright 1913 by the Encyclopedia Press, Inc.]
The Abomination of Desolation is being set up even now; The Vatican has finally received the approval of the Israeli government, in autonomy of its religious affairs within Jerusalem, enabling for the first time the right of the Vatican to own property within Jerusalem, and to share in managing select Holy sites, that are so regarded by the three major faiths; Muslims, Jews and Christians. The Accord granting this was signed on November 10, 1997. This follows the Vatican having established diplomatic ties with Israel on December 30, 1993.
This brings to pass the prophecy that foretells of the rise of the Antichrist, his manner of rise and his identity.
It is clearly evident that the time is imminently upon us and the message of salvation needs to go forward more urgently, to finish the harvest of souls.
In review of the prophecies of Revelation, is written the description of the true followers of the Church and of Jesus, and also of the false body of Christ, also symbolized by a woman. The time spans of the prophecies reach from 457 BC to 1844, and then following this, conditional prophecies that are not set within specific periods of time, but await the conditional sequences of certain events. When these things are fulfilled, they will be revealed to the true followers of Christ. The final events largely surround the world's largest ecclesiastical body; the Catholic Church. Even while God denounces this system, identifying it precisely and calling it Babylon, He still recognizes that amidst the followers of this false system of worship, there are still many who truly belong to Him, and just before He pours out His wrath on the world, He calls His people out of her.
See 2 Samuel 11 & 12; King David had Uriah the Hittite, the husband of Bathsheba killed, by sending him to the battlefront with a sealed letter to give to the army general. The instruction was to send Uriah into the heat of the battle against the Ammonites, and then to retreat from him so that he would be killed.
Today, we have the Catholic Church, who had over the centuries, been committed to keeping charge over the oracles of God, which in them, contain direct denunciations against the church. These charges have been written in symbols, so as to elude its bearers of the realization that the judgments about to be poured out upon this beast, are directly referring to themselves. As Uriah did not know that he carried his own fate in his hands, so also, the church does not know these rebukes are aimed directly at them.
...Other sheep have I, not of this fold... God has His people scattered among all the various denominations, including the Catholic faith. And in the final throes of this world, before God sends His judgments to destroy it, He first implores His people to come out of her.
My sheep hear my voice... When God calls His own, He empowers them to understand. He will send home His message, and He will expose the `man of sin,' and the corruptions within the churches so His people can see and depart, and not be partakers of the 7 last plagues soon to be poured out. Many people fear the inevitable battle of Armageddon, however, seeing it is the seventh and last plague, the destiny of each soul will have already been determined. With a true saving faith, the people of God will not be disturbed at the judgments that fall on the beast and her adherents; they will remain steadfast while those around them are slain by them, and by the Second Coming of Christ.
17: 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."
These ten kingdoms are for the purpose of first, to enforce by civil power, the dictates of the antichrist, then when it is apparent that the judgment of God is upon them, then they turn on the papal beast to destroy it. Therefore, since none of these ten kingdoms have been enlisted yet to enforce the papal decrees, then we cannot yet know who these ten are until the time appointed. Probation closes between the time that these ten kingdoms receive their power from the beast, and the time that they turn on the beast to destroy it.
Rev. 17: 13 "These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast."
Rev. 17: 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."
Rev. 17: 15 "And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues."
Rev. 17: 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."
Rev. 17: 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."
Rev. 17: 18 "And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth."
Rev. 18: 1 "And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory."
Rev. 18: 2 "And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird."
Rev. 18: 3 "For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies."
18: 4 "And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues."
Rev. 18: 5 "For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities."
Rev. 18: 6 "Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double."
Rev. 18: 7 "How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow."
Rev. 18: 8 "Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her."
Rev. 19: 1 "And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God:"
Rev. 19: 2 "For true and righteous are his judgments: for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand."
Rev. 19: 3 "And again they said, Alleluia. And her smoke rose up for ever and ever."
Rev. 19: 4 "And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia."
An update on the 7 mountains;
My Commentary on Vol 7 of the Daniel & Revelation Committee Series; Symposium on Revelation - Book 2, Frank B Holbrook, Editor. Kenneth Strand wrote the chapter on the Seven Heads.
This book does not exclude that which I have found. The content of the chapter on the 7 mountains consists entirely of debunking the preterists view; that the 7 mountains are the emperors of Rome, and has no definitive conclusion at all to say exactly what the 7 mountains or the seven heads are. Indeed, it states that the sea-beast and its heads and horns are all future to John.
As preterists have defined them, they are the Roman Emperors;
1. Augustus
2. Tiberias
3. Caligula
4. Claudius
5. Nero
6. Domitian
7. Antichrist
The problem with this interpretation is that it must ignore the 5 other valid emperors;
1. Augustus
2. Tiberias
3. Caligula
4. Claudius
5. Nero
?. Galba
?. Otho
?. Vitellius
?. Vespatian
?. Titus
6. Domitian
7. Antichrist
In another commentary these mountains are defined as the seven great world kingdoms;
1 Babylon,
2 Persia,
3 Grecia,
4 Pagan Rome,
5 Papal Rome,
6 Republicanism or Democracy,
7 The Last Great Confederacy of Evil.
Another commentary lists;
1 Egypt
2 Assyria
3 Babylon
4 Persia
5 Grecia
6 Rome
7 Antichrist
Again, there are many other great world kingdoms that are not included in the list, and the problem applying the seven mountains to mean the ancient kingdoms, puts the first five or six of these world kingdoms prior to 1798, when Pius VI was taken captive (it even places them prior to John). The problem in this interpretation is that the woman depicted here is the whore, and not the true bride of Christ, and the tenure of the whore is at its earliest 538 AD through the fall in 1798 to the time of perdition, which is still in the future. Further interpretive problems arise in trying to apply these kingdoms to also being "kings."
The argument put forth then is that Satan is governing these world powers in antagonistic war against God's people. Yet, the confusion lies in the application of antagonism between Satan and God's people being depicted in the image that this beast should convey. But it does not. The picture clearly is not the ``woman of the true church of God'' sitting upon seven mountains, but of the "whore."
"The problem lies in the foundational center of the preterist stance, and therefore, is one that afflicts all preterist interpretations in spite of any and all idiosyncrasies that may exist among individual writers. That ``root problem'' is the perspective that limits the scope of Revelation's message to John's own era. The Biblical evidence reveals, as we have seen, that the leopard- bodied sea beast, its seven heads, and its ten horns relate to things that were still future for John." Symposium on Revelation, book 2 pg 205.
This excludes then the application of the seven mountains to any kingdom that precedes 95 AD.
Since the word "mountains" is obviously symbolic in (Rev) 17: 9, proper principles of interpretation would require that we look for the scriptural usage of the term "mountain" in cases where the term is employed as a symbol. When we do so, we never find "mountain" used to symbolize an individual monarch or ruler." Symposium on Revelation, book 2 pg 186**
"This biblical usage of "mountain" as a symbol should lead us to look for a similar identity of the seven heads in Revelation, since they are called "mountains." The second identifying term in (Rev) 17: 9-10, namely, "kings," can be understood in the same way, as "rulerships," "kingdoms," or "empires." Symposium on Revelation, book 2 pg 186, 187.
The interpretation given to the whore woman is that of a specific identity; the papacy. This is in agreement with the Symposium on Revelation (book 2). Therefore it is in the papacy where we are to look for the seven `heads / mountains / kings.'"
Given that the beast that was and is not and yet is, as meaning that the 1260 year period of papal supremacy, was terminated in 1798, but passing through the period of being "is not," and has continued since. Very soon under the coming eighth head, the beast will have returned as the "yet is."
The beast is described in Rev 17: 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."
Does this not refer forward to the beast as it appears since 1798, or are there seven other heads during the 1260 year period?
Some try to add to it; saying that there is some relevance to the time that the prophecy was given to John, based on the present tense of the words "and one is," claiming that the time that the five fallen kingdoms had fallen before the prophecy was uttered to John. This interpretation ignores the fact that the seven heads are the heads of the beast, and they try to place them outside of and beyond that of the time of beast that is symbolized here.
Some of the prophecies that were given to Daniel and John, refer to time periods spanning from their inception when they were given. But most that he wrote refers specifically to the end; the focus being set within the lifetime of those living in the end. So it does not make any sense to apply it to any other period; the context of the seven mountains is from 1798 to the present, so any rulers, or kingdoms outside of this period are irrelevant. The whore as it appears in Rev 17: 9 - 11 is depicted by the contemporaneous presence of the two-horned beast. This is all set within the final end period. Therefore, for this whore woman to sit upon seven mountains, and to be the worship target of the two-horned beast, it must be that these mountains are contemporary, and in the same period of time as the two-horned beast. Besides the writing of the book of Revelation, none of these events depicted have any relevance to John himself, nor any other purpose than to be the truth for the people of God at the time of the end.
Rev 13: 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."
Does the papal church have "heads?"
Yes, the popes are called the heads of the church.
Are there "seven" of them?
Yes; Pius, Leo, Gregory, Benedict, John, Paul, and John Paul.
Are these "heads" represented also as kingdoms?
Yes, they are listed under their adopted names and numbered just as it is done in a monarchy.
Did any of these heads receive a deadly wound, and was this deadly wound healed?
Yes, Pope Pius VI, and the whole world is witness to this.
13: 12 "And he (the two-horned beast) exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed."
The first beast before him was the beast during the 1260 year period. It also follows that the beast which is urged upon the people to worship is the ``post-wounded'' beast. This text locks in the beast with the seven heads to the time from 1798 to the end. While the observance of Sunday has been urged from time to time by various Sunday-laws, the major thrust of forcing Sunday observance is yet in the future.
Here, we are speaking of the wounding of one of the beast's heads, (Rev 13: 3) but in Rev 13: 12, it refers to the ``beast'' that is wounded. There appears then to be two similar events that are described here, only subtlely distinguished apart. Either it means that there are two such events, or that the scripture infers in Rev 13: 12, that it is one of the beast's heads that was wounded. By understanding that it is the head that is wounded, clears up any confusion. The "wound" language used here is entirely different than that used to frame the time 1798, where the Bible says "the beast that was, and is not, and yet is," so this wounding is more applicable to John Paul II than to Pius VI.
Another specific statement given in Revelation 17:5; "MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH." We all agree that the harlots are the various Protestant churches, each claiming to be Christ's true bride, but instead bear the image of their mother church; in the keeping of its false first day Sabbath.
The papal whore woman never sat upon the ancient kingdom of Babylon, Persia, or Greece. It would be unnatural to have the whore, also called BABYLON THE GREAT, to also be sitting upon Babylon. Or if one of its heads were to be represented as Papal Rome, then this whore which is interpreted as the papal church, again would be sitting upon itself.
The various characteristics given, are to describe the appearance or structure of the kingdom or power that is symbolized.
The great whore, Babylon, the mother of harlots, and sits on many waters, which are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues. The argument then that interprets these seven kingdoms as stated above relies on the premise that the whore is represented to be the people of God, being persecuted by these various world powers. However, this is not the case; True, God's people throughout the ages, have suffered persecution by the world's governments, but that scenario is NOT depicted here. The whore woman "SITS" upon these seven mountains. And to make this apply to these ancient world kingdoms is to say that the whore is the same as the woman who is of the true people of God.
This argument falls short in two ways; first, the woman's sitting upon the seven mountains does not in any way connote antagonism between herself and them, rather, it connotes an agreement. There is no hint of any antagonistic relationship between the whore and the mountains. And second, the woman described here is not the Bride of Christ, but the whore, and in no wise does this whore, reside upon the seven ancient to present kingdoms, while riding on the coattails of the persecuted Bride. The application then of interpreting these mountains must be applied to the correct period of time; to the papacy after 1798.
Now if the woman were to sit upon these ancient kingdoms, and it reads that the whore reigned over the kings of the earth, but the historians would have us believe that the church was persecuted by these ruling kingdom powers that the Scripture says were ruled by the woman. Now it can't be both ways; who is ruling over who? This also excludes the ancient kingdoms as being the seven mountains.
Rightly did Daniel say ``To us belongs confusion of faces.'' (Dan 9) As we approach the end, all of God's people will come into unity as the call goes out for them to come out of Babylon. Heretofore, God's people are among all of the multitude of Christian faiths, but as the purifying truths of the Third Angel's Message prepare those for the time of the end, they will have set aside all their differences and will be keeping a unified faith, being unified with each other as they are all in unity with their relationship to Christ.
"Our sins are continually before us and we have not been as vigilant in our walk in Righteousness as we ought to have been. There is a way of victory and a way of overcoming, that the final work of God may be done and effectual."
"In (Revelation) chapter 13 (verses 1-10) is described another beast, `like unto a leopard,' to which the dragon gave `his power, and his seat, and great authority.' This symbol, as most Protestants have believed, represents the papacy, which succeeded to the power and seat and authority once held by the ancient Roman empire. Of the leopardlike beast it is declared: `There was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies... And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, and His tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. 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.' This prophecy, which is nearly identical with the description of the little horn of Daniel 7, unquestionably points to the papacy.'' Great Controversy pg 439
Revelation 13: 12 "And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.
13: 13 "And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,"
13: 14 "And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live."
Rev. 17: 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."
The scarlet colored beast is the same seven headed, ten horned beast that lived after it was wounded in 1798.
Christ has symbolized the true church as a woman and His Bride. But that which constitutes His true people, are taken from all the various churches. In Revelation, God symbolizes all these diverse and corrupt churches as a whore and the mother of harlots. The whore woman riding on the beast of Revelation 17 is the symbol for the papacy. The harlots are the many Protestant faiths, that share in the false doctrines of the mother church. While many descriptors are written in the prophecies that identify the Catholic faith, very few realize that the symbol is more encompassing, to include the Protestant faiths. In Revelation 18, God implores; ``come out of her, My people."
This topic is more pressing now, because of the time at hand. The verses in chapter 17 further clarify the specific conditions of the prophecy. Once all these are converged, the whole picture becomes more clear.
The "City of Seven Hills" in Rome is often cited as the interpretation given to Revelation 17: 9, but Uriah Smith has presented clear Biblical evidence showing that there is no validity to it, and that the mountains are distinctly symbolic of kingdoms. It is written in his book "Daniel & Revelation." The seven mountains are not the seven hills of the city of Rome, as many have thought. In the original Greek, the text reads;
"The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth, and are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space."
The mountains here cannot be literal, because they are first called seven heads, and then as seven kings. Mountains symbolically denote kingdoms. These mountains are consecutive in nature as it reads; "five are fallen..."
The problem of holding on to false interpretations of prophecy, is that it deprives the reader of the truths that it was intended to impart.
The conclusion is this; Pope John Paul II is old and feeble. We are near the end of the short space. The Bible and recent history presents clear evidence that the Second Coming is almost here.
END
See the comparison of the elements of prophecy with the recent Papal History: Compare.html
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Original thesis written 1997 Last edited 12/27/2001