TABLE OF CONTENTS |
Part
I
Revelation 17
Verse 1
Verse 2
Verse 3
Verse 4
Verse 5
Verse 6
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Part
II
Verse 7
Verse 8
Verse 9
Verse 10
Verse 11
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Part
III
Verse 12
Verse 13
Verse 14
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Part
IV
Verse 15
Verse 16
"Ten Horns and the Beast"
Verse 17
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Part
V
Verse 18
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Part III
Verse
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." |
Since World War II ended we saw republican governments emerging, but
not until now do we see the "ten kings" who have "no kingdom"
organizing to form a republic of nations by subscribing to political unity.
When the "scarlet beast" finally emerges from the
"bottomless pit" in strength, the lesson of verse 11 is that there will be no
"head" over it, that is, no emperor to order its affairs. It will be a headless
"beast." Instead of one governing head, it will have "ten kings" who
at last attain a kingdom.
The reason the "King of kings" does not destroy this
"beast" when it makes war with him is because the real reason this pagan
"beast" is allowed to appear again is to destroy the "woman."
The "King of kings" overcomes this "scarlet beast"
and only after this does this "beast" and the "ten kings" turn on the
"woman" to destroy her. Then the "scarlet beast" goes into perdition.
"One hour with the beast" has been and is a challenging
time period to figure out. Bro. Loomis tried to make all the "hour" periods
mentioned in Revelation equal in length.
The "hour of temptation" covered the whole harvest period and
is a long period of time. If this explanation be true, it would mean that everything
happens during the harvest "hour." That is still a viable explanation. If this
be true then the "ten kings" would receive "power" during
this "hour" and not necessarily for the duration of the
"hour."
Jezebel thrown out of the window
by her eunuchs.
|
There is the possibility that this "hour" of verse twelve
may in fact be a shorter period of time. It could be one-twelfth of one year or one
month. It didn’t take long to throw Jezebel out the window. The point needs to be
studied further.
Verse
13
"These have one mind, and shall give their power and
strength unto the beast." |
Here a united Europe is forecast. When the political union of
European nations occurs, it will not be half-hearted. All "ten kings" shall
agree. Now it is hard to get people to agree to anything, even Bible Students. But here
the unity is clearly defined without qualification. They do "have one mind."
When a group is of one mind, it makes it easy for them to give
"their power and strength unto the beast," to this common form of government.
When nations are willing to pool their "power and strength," that makes them a
formidable foe indeed. They are united for the purpose of making war.
However, in this case they are ill advised in their union and purpose.
They haven’t the foggiest idea of the power of the one they are planning to attack.
Napoleon was defeated at Waterloo, even though he had superior numbers.
His demise was not predictable. However, the battle these "ten kings" are
committed to is very predictable. The "ten kings" don’t have a prayer. They
are doomed to be defeated. It is not a good idea to make "war with the Lamb."
Verse
14
"These shall make war with the Lamb, and
the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and Kings of kings: and they that
are with him are called, and chosen and faithful." |
Lord of Lords, and King of Kings
|
Obviously, these "ten kings" are not apprized of the
formidable opponent they have chosen to attack. They are badly informed and their
intelligence is in short supply. They would not knowingly blunder this badly.
They are led to believe the enemy is only a few weak saints that they
can crush easily under foot. They fail to see the "Lord of lords and King of
kings" standing behind this handful of saints.
However, the Lord easily "overcomes" them. He thwarts their
purpose without destroying them. As a matter of fact, the Lord then engages these
"ten kings" and the "scarlet beast" to serve his purpose.
In verse 14 we are given a very significant piece of information.
When "the Lord of lords" is besieged by these "ten kings," we are told
that "they that are with him are called, chosen and faithful." In times past
this was not true.
This war does not take place until the "sealing" of the
144,000 is actually accomplished. There are only 144,000 sealed—no less and no more. This
is not talking about those with some knowledge of the truth. Many more than 144,000 have
had knowledge of the truth throughout the age.
Only 144,000 thousand are finally "sealed." That will be when
the door to the high calling is closed, while some saints still remain in the flesh.
We know the "ten kings" are overcome or defeated, but not
destroyed in their conquest against Christ. We are not sure if any of his saints will
remain in the flesh after the attack is made against the King of kings.
The next sequence of this story shows the "ten kings" and the
"beast" attacking the "woman." This may mean that the saints in the
flesh will have passed beyond the veil, while the "Lord" enlists the "ten
kings" and the "beast" to savagely turn on the "woman" and
destroy her.
In two types we find this "woman" outlives both Elijah and
John the Baptist. The Elijah type shows the saints being taken by God to heaven in a
"whirlwind"—a rather triumphant exit. The John the Baptist type shows the
saints falling in death by the wiles of Herodias.
Elijah taken in a "whirlwind." |
John the Baptist beheaded. |
The two types show two views of the saints passing from the world.
From God’s standpoint they are taken victoriously
to heaven.
From the world’s viewpoint the saints fall in
defeat before this "cursed woman" who plots to have the civil authorities
"behead" the saints.
