Revelation 17, Part 2 - The Scarlet Coloured Beast
Having considered in part 1 the significance of the great whore we now consider the scarlet coloured beast on which the whore was sitting. It is described as having seven heads and ten horns (17:3). These features are identified for us in verses 9-11; “The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sitteth.” (v.9) “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. (v.10) And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition.” (v.11)
A comparison with Daniel’s prophecy
In Daniel 7 four beasts are described, a lion, a bear, a leopard and an unnamed fourth beast. These follow a similar sequence to the four metals mentioned in the image described in chapter 2. The gold, silver, brass and iron represented the Babylonian, Persian, Grecian and Roman empires. By this comparison it is suggested that the four beasts also represented the same empires, the fourth identified as the Roman. This beast is said to have ten horns (Dan.7:7). The beast of Revelation 17 also had ten horns; it would therefore also represent the Roman Empire.
In Rev.17:11 quoted above, it is said of the Beast that it “was, and is not, even he is the eighth”, that is, the eighth head. In this reference, therefore, the beast is identified also as the eighth head. The historical fulfillment of this we hope to give later on.
The Seven Heads
Referring again to verses 9 and 10 we are informed that the seven heads are ‘seven kings’, meaning that there would be seven phases in the government of the Roman Empire. The historian Tacitus identified six of these as follows: Regal, Consular, Dictatorial, Decem viral, Tribunitial and Imperial. History verifies, therefore, that in the days of John “five (heads) are fallen, one is (the Imperial phase) and the other not yet come.”(v.10)
The seventh head was Gothic and was established in the 5th century. This change came about when Germanic tribes from the north invaded the Roman Empire. The first of these Barbarians was Alaric, king of the Goths who besieged and sacked Rome in 410. In 476 another Barbarian king named Odoacer fought against and defeated the emperor in Rome and took his place, thus marking the beginning of the seventh head. Later, another Barbarian, Theoderic – King of the Ostrogoths, fought against and deposed Odoacer and took possession of the whole of Italy. Concerning this seventh head, the text says, “and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.” (v.10)
Theodoric reigned over the Popes of Rome but he had many enemies. After a long war the Gothic kingdom was brought to an end in 553; the Roman Senate was abolished and authority was retrieved by the Emperor in Constantinople. Thus the short space of the Gothic head existed from AD476 to 553.
Lastly, verse 11 has “And the beast that was (the imperial sixth head) and is not (because overthrown by the Gothic kingdom) even he is the eighth (head) and is of the seven and goeth into perdition.”
Eventually the Popes of Rome restored the imperial constitution in the west when Pope Leo III crowned Charlemagne as Emperor in AD800. This event illustrates the way the Popes of Rome had begun to arrogate to themselves power to crown kings or depose them.
The ten horns
The ten horns represent ten kingdoms which were established on Roman territory during the time when the Gothic head held sway. The victorious conquests of the Barbarian kings, Alaric, Odoacer and Theoderic encouraged other tribes from the north to follow and settle where they could. A list of these settlers as submitted by Brother John Thomas was as follows; Huns, Vandals, Visigoths, Burgundians, Gepidae, Lombards, Franks, Suevi, Alans and Bavarians. These people adopted the Roman Catholic religion and recognised the authority of the emperor in Constantinople. Their measure of independence effectively brought to an end the mighty power of the Roman Empire possessed during its Imperial phase.
Developments in the last days
To return to our text, we have extended it as follows, “The ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings which have received no kingdom as yet (with authority from the Pope) but they receive power (Gk. Authority) as kings one hour with the beast. These have one mind and shall give their power and strength (Gk. Authority) unto the beast.” (v.12-13)
Although in the past the Popes used their power to elect kings, in AD 1870 they lost this power together with their power to persecute dissenting Christians. In more recent times, however, the Catholic Church had been regaining some of her former power and has been encouraging the European States, the horns, to unite to form a European State. In this organisation she would be recognised and accepted as the authorised church.
The beginning of this movement began in 1957 when the Treaty of Rome was signed by six states to further this European unity. More recently the Maastricht Treaty was signed in 1992, furthering the aim of a European Union and in December 2007 the Treaty of Lisbon established an enlarged European Union of 25 countries having a single currency; in this way fulfilling verse 13, “These have one mind, and shall give their power and authority unto the beast.”
The Advent of the King of Kings
We are informed also that, “these (horns) 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.” (v.14)
It is evident, then, that at this time the Lord Jesus will have returned with power and great glory (Matt.24:30). The prophecy in Zechariah, chapters 12 and 14 describe how the Lord Jesus will return to the Jews when they are being besieged by hostile nations and will rescue them from defeat in Jerusalem (Zec.14:3, 12:8). He will then be reconciled to these Jews (12:10-14) and be accepted as their long-awaited Messiah. The Lord Jesus is not only the King of the Jews (Matt.27:11, 37) but is also to be ‘King of kings’ by setting up and establishing the Kingdom of God.
Consequently, these horn kingdoms, now united as the European Union, will have to submit to the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ enthroned in Jerusalem. With the ‘great whore’ sitting on the ten-horned beast, one can readily understand why the European Union, dominated by the Catholic Church, will resist the claims of the Lord Jesus. “They will make war with him and the Lamb shall overcome them (v.14) for he is Lord of lords and King of kings: and they that are with him are called and chosen and faithful”. (v,14) These are the saints who will have been raised, judged and made equal unto the angels (Matt.25:31,37 and Luke 20:36).
The Horns reject the Whore
The next development is given in verse 16, “These (horns) shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire. For God hath put in their hearts to fulfill his will…”
This remarkable change of attitude by the Horns towards the Great Whore must be due to a good reason. It could well be because they have come to realise how much they have been deceived. In the past, the Catholic Church, in order to avoid the charge of being the Anti-Christ, invented the story that the Anti-Christ will appear on the world’s stage in the future; that one reigning from Jerusalem will make false claims to being the Messiah but is actually the ‘Anti-Christ’! At last the truth of the matter will come out and the Catholic Church will be revealed as the great deceiver. Not only will she be seen as a deceiver but her teaching will be seen to be erroneous, her morals profane and she had robbed the poor of the little they had by fictitious claims of being able to deliver their ‘souls’ from the pains of purgatory for a fee!
Being this disenchanted, these one-time devotees of the Church, being angry, will give vent to their fury upon her. Chapter 18 fills out some details of the judgements which one day will surely bring God’s vengeance upon her. When Rome’s dominance is ended, God’s righteous kingdom, reigned over by the Lord Jesus Christ, will flourish and give glory to God “as the waters cover the sea.” (Heb.2:14)
Artist's impression of Rev 17
Bro. Ralph Green, (Torquay, UK).
