Satan’s first objective for Babylon is simple:  gain enough control of the world so that his coming will be received as the arrival of God.  When Satan gets here, he uses his miracle working powers to deceive even the people into joining his efforts to establish a new world government.  But some refuse to accept his offer.  So, Satan leads his followers into the bloodiest of “holy wars.”  War unites people against a common enemy.  By rallying those who believe he is God, Satan wars upon the world in general and the saints in particular.  Satan takes by force what he could not achieve through deception!  The last resort of false religion is force.

Submit or else

Revelation 13:8 say, “All the inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast – all whose names have not been written in the book of life.”  The Greek word in Revelation 13:8 for worship means submission.  In fact, the meaning of the word is also associated with the idea of kissing.  “To kiss” is an act of submission.  Kissing as a gesture of humility and submission is seen in the eastern cultures today.  Political leaders in the Middle East often embrace one another with a kiss to signify mutual respect.  In this light, the kiss of Judas betraying Jesus in the garden can be seen of the height (or depth) of hypocrisy!

Notice that Revelation 12:17 and 13:8 simply puts everyone into one of two camps: All the inhabitants of the world will either submit to the commands of Babylon or, to the commandments of God.

The rise of Babylon

The first six trumpets provide a catalyst for union of the religious systems of the world.  While people are being lulled into a false sense of global security with political developments of peace and safety on earth, Jesus seals the 144,000 and gathers “remnant 1” together.  Since the world is busy with “more important things”, this process is hardly noticed.  About the time global peace looks possible, the trumpets suddenly begin and the world is literally shaken to pieces.  During the panic of this time, the full gospel message goes throughout the earth announcing that Jesus is coming.  Salvation is still available while Jesus is conducting his work in the heavenly sanctuary.

Panic and fear immediately displace feelings of security.  People in every land turn from political optimism to religious wonderment about these trumpets.  They rush to clerics to understand the meaning of the devastation of trumpets. They will want to know the meaning of these “acts of God.”

“The cause is simple,” religious leaders exclaim.  “We have forgotten God, therefore these judgments have come upon us.”  “The pursuit of world peace is not enough.  We must turn God’s anger.  He is angry at our sinful lives.  The solution is to appease God.”

Politicians are among the first to agree!  Clerics advance the ideas that laws requiring righteousness should be enacted.  “Let punishment for wrongdoers be sudden and swift, lest we all perish.”  American clerics will quote the Bible saying, “all this disaster has come upon us, yet we have not sought the favor of the Lord our God by turning from our sins and giving attention to (His) truth.”  Daniel 9:13

In various lands, laws requiring immediate reform will be imposed.  Everyone must submit or suffer immediate punishment.  What other options are there?  Clergy from every religious body on earth unite and form a global organization so that God may be appeased and the devastation stopped.

Many people disagree with the official plan to appease God.  Some will argue that “righteous legislation” does not make saints!  At first, these people fall into two categories: hardliners and saints.  The hardliners are people opposed to any restrictions by anyone.  They aren’t saints, nor do they understand the full gospel.  They simply refuse to go along with the righteous legislated movement on the basis of freedom.  On the other hand, the saints are opposed to the legislated reforms for two reasons.  First God will not accept “forced” righteousness.  He is a God of love, and He only accepts those who choose to serve Him.  The object of the trumpets is not to force earth into righteous behavior.  Secondly, the righteous legislation process of Babylon clearly conflicts with the law of Almighty God.

Because the entire world is trying to appease God, a global religious organization develops and the Pope will be the “chief executive” of the group.  Since the judgments are global, and this is a global problem, all religious systems of earth will be represented.

The Pope has earned the right to be chief executive.  For more than 20 years he has traveled the globe seeking unity.  He will lead the world confederation.  The Papacy is uniquely qualified to conduct this work for it has diplomatic ties with every major religious and political power in the world!  The deadly wound soon will be healed.

The term Babylon means confusion.  Since the organization will be made up of the seven religious systems of the world, the student can see that confusion is unavoidable.  For example, the Moslems will see the solution to the trumpet problem differently than Protestants.  The Moslem concept of Jesus is quite different than the Christian concept of Jesus.  But, differences will have to be overlooked.  What will be urgently needed at this time will be solutions!  Clerics and politicians unite saying, “We must implore God to stop this judgments!”

Babylon

Who makes up Babylon?  What do the seven heads and ten horns represent?  John saw the beast having seven heads and ten horns three times in Revelation.  The first time is recorded in chapter 12, the second time in chapter 13, and the last time in chapter 17.

Revelation carefully maintains the identity of Satan so that the remnant might understand the work of Satan.  In these terms, God gives the saints an explanation of the enemy’s disguise and war plans.  Let’s study the seven heads and discover whom they represent.  Notice the following details about the heads from chapter 13:

• Each head has a blasphemous name

• One of the heads had been wounded and healed

• The beast was given a mouth to blaspheme God

From chapter 17 we learn more about the heads:

• The seven heads are seven hill {V9}
• The seven heads are seven kings {V9}
• Five are fallen  {V 10}
• One is  {V 10}
• One is yet to come  {V 10}
• The beast that ascends out of the Abyss will be the eighth king and companion of the seven heads  {V 11}

Summary on the heads

From chapter 13 we see that each head has a blasphemous name.  This indicates that each head is a religious system or body, for each head assumes the prerogatives of God.

From chapter 17 we notice that each head is a hill.  The symbolism of seven religious bodies as seven hills should not be hard to understand.  Seven represents a complete number, a finished or full count.  (There are seven colors in the rainbow, seven notes on the musical scale, seven continents, seven days in a week)  Hills in John’s day were reserved as places of worship or the dwelling of deity.  Ancient temples or shrines were placed in prominent places high above the terrain, because these holy places were believed to be the dwelling place of God.  Even Israel is often referred to as “Mt Zion”, or “My holy hill.”  See Daniel 9:16,20; Micah 4.  In America, we even refer to the official building of the U.S. Congress as “Capitol Hill.”

These seven religious bodies are also seven kings, that is, they have subjects.  People obey and follow their respective religious system as a means of serving God.  For example, Americans have been amazed at the religious zeal and loyalty of Moslems.  Many Moslems have a commitment to their God that most Protestants cannot understand.

But the most important issue connected with the identification of the heads is timing.  John was told that, “five are fallen”, one is and the one is yet to come.”  We ask when is this phrase true?  If we can locate a point in time when five are fallen, we should be able to determine the identity of these seven heads with reasonable certainty.  John’s attending angel said,  “This call for a mind with wisdom. Five are fallen, one is, and the other has not yet come, but when he does come, he must remain for a little while.” Revelation 17:10

To locate when the five heads are fallen, we need to determine when the conversation takes place between John and the angel.  This writer believes the conversation between John and the angel occurred at the time of the vision (about 95 A.D.).  According to Webster, the term “fallen” does not mean destroyed or collapsed, rather, it means “brought down” or proven “false.”

Convincing support for A.D. also comes from the historical nature of what the angel meant when he said, “five are fallen.”  Looking at the first century, we find a harmonious explanation regarding the time of the five fallen heads.  When the Word of God became flesh and dwelt among men, five religious systems were “brought down” or exposed as false.  The physical presence of Jesus upon earth unmasked the vain and foolish teachings of man.  The five religious systems that were exposed as false were:

1.      Heathenism

2.      Atheism

3.      Judaism

4.      Eastern Mysticism

5.      Islam *

The term “Islam” as used above came into the existence during the 6^th century as a result of Mohammed’s influence and is used here as a label describing the ancient Arabic faith.  Even though some as the founder of the faith credits Mohammed, it must be emphasized that Mohammed did not invent a new religion.  Rather, he united, or organized the beliefs of the nomadic Arabians.  Even though he is considered by the Moslems to be the last and the greatest of God’s messengers, and consequently greater than Jesus, the Arabs trace the origin of their faith back to Ishmael, and his twelve sons.  Moslems today regard Ishmael as father of their faith and not Mohammed.  See Genesis 21:13

These five religious systems are blasphemous and were proven to be false by the physical appearing of Jesus at the first advent for the following reasons:

1.      Heathenism is religion apart from the knowledge of the true God of Heaven.  In this system, man creates his own gods according to fantasy or whim.

2.      Atheism denies the existence of the God of Heaven.

3.      Judaism rejects the teachings of Jesus and seeks salvation through obedience and ceremonies.

4.      Eastern Mysticism teaches that man can become God.

5.      Islam denies that Jesus is the Son of God and as such, the Savior of mankind.

There’s more

John was also told that one head “is”, and the one “is yet to come.”  The head or religious system that existed in John’s day was Christianity, and is called Catholicism today.  John was a charter member of that new religious system.  We have already studied how it rose and fell as Satan gained control of it.  Centuries later, the Reformation produced a new head or religious system that would exist for “a little while.”  This system is known as Protestantism.  Looking back over the landscape of history, Protestantism is a “new comer” to the religious world in terms of existence.  That Catholicism is blasphemous is historically inescapable.  Protestantism has quickly degenerated into a fallen condition by replacing the teachings of Jesus with corrupt teachings contrived by man.

This brings us to a very significant point.  When Babylon rises from the sea, the head that had been wounded is healed!  The Papal power will be alive again!  Surely, this event cannot be far from now!  So, in summary, the seven heads represent”

1.      Heathenism

2.      Atheism

3.      Eastern Mysticism

4.      Judaism

5.      Islam

6.      Catholicism

7.      Protestantism

When Satan appears on earth claiming to be God, he will be the eighth king.  He will set himself up over the seven heads.  Many won’t like what Satan will do, but they will be powerless to “make war with the beast.”  Notice what Paul says, “Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for the day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. 

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