Babylon: A Government Created to Appease God

Continued

 

The composite beast has seven heads and ten horns, just like the great red dragon, because the devil will infiltrate the crisis government and become the power within the composite beast. In other words, when the crisis government forms, men will respond out of a legitimate fear of God. Understand that these leaders do not comprehend what God is actually doing. However, as time passes, the crisis government will eventually become totally corrupt. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. I like to describe Babylon, the composite beast, as “a human glove” which mankind will create, but the devil will use. The devil will insert his power and work through this human glove to persecute God’s saints. For example, if you put your hand into a glove and then hit someone with the gloved hand, who is responsible for the pain you caused- your glove or your hand? Once mankind exalts religion over politics and creates this crisis government, the devil will quickly enter through the back door to take control of the world. 

“… And he [the composite beast] was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation. All inhabitants of the earth will worship [obey] the beast-all whose names have not been written in the book of life belonging to the Lamb….”  (Revelation 13: 7,8, insertions mine) When the governments of the world submit to the demands of the crisis government, they will be, in effect, worshiping the devil because the concept of appeasing God through forced obedience is false from the start. The devil will be delighted with the crisis government’s decision to enforce its “laws” because he has been preparing to make war on the saints for a long time. (Revelation 12:17) The devil now has an opportunity to make war on the saints and destroy them. “He [the composite beast] was given power [by the devil] to make war against the saints and to conquer them….” (Revelation 13:7, insertions mine)

 

Now you can understand why the description of the devil in Revelation 12 and the anatomy of the composite beast in Revelation 13 are identical (both having seven heads and ten horns). God represented these matters to John in this way so that we can trace the devil’s hidden role and evil activities as he “enters” the human glove. The devil’s ultimate purpose is to destroy God’s people and he will make the most of the 42 months he has to wage war against the saints. Do not lose your faith! God will give His people grace to deal with persecution and death. As in the story of the metal man, God has a purpose for all of this! He will use the first four trumpets to show the human race that all religions of the world are false. To do this, the religions of the world must become very important and more powerful than politics! The devil will jump on this transition and use it to his advantage to persecute the saints. In spite of the devil’s plans, God is poised and prepared to rescue many wonderful people who are trapped inside false religions.

 

Seven Heads

The composite beast has seven heads. Notice these nine specifications. Revelation 13 says:

 

1.      Each head has a blasphemous name. (v.1)

2.      One of the heads had been wounded and healed. (v.3)

3.      The beast was given a mouth to blaspheme God. (v.6)

 

Revelation 17 says:

 

4.      The seven heads are seven hills. (v.9)

5.      The seven heads are seven kings. (v.9)

6.      Five have fallen. (v.10)

7.      One is. (v.10)

8.      One is yet to come. (v.10)

9.      The beast that ascends out of the abyss [the devil] will be the eighth king and is a companion of the seven heads. (v.11, insertion mine)

 

Summary Explanation

The composite beast has seven heads at the end of time. Seven is a perfect number-a whole number. Because there are seven of the same thing; namely seven heads, each head must symbolize the same thing. From Revelation 13 we learn that each head has a blasphemous name on it. This means that even though the seven heads are religious in nature-they are opposed to God’s authority. According to Webster, blasphemy is defined as assuming the prerogatives of God. The composite beast will be given a mouth to speak blasphemies against God. (Revelation 13:6) This means the composite beast will speak (make laws) that is contrary to God’s law that is blasphemy. For example, God has declared in the fourth commandment that the seventh day of the week is His holy day, a memorial to His creation of Earth. Satan has led the religious systems of the world to think that the fourth commandment has been terminated or even worse, that man has the authority to declare which day is holy to God.  

 

Seven Mountains

Revelation 17 says the seven heads are seven hills (or mountains, KJV). How can seven religious systems also be seven hills? In ancient times, highest hills and mountains were reserved as places of worship or the dwelling of deity. Notice this passage:

“Destroy completely all the places on the high mountains and on the hills ands under every spreading tree where the nations you are dispossessing worship their gods. Break down their altars, smash their sacred stones and burn their Asherah poles in the fire; cut down their idols of their gods and wipe out their names from those places. You must not worship the Lord your God in their way.” (Deuteronomy 12: 2-4) Ancient temples or shrines were placed on prominent places high above ordinary terrain because these locations were believed to be God’s dwelling places. King David wrote, “Lord, who may dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your holy hill?” (Psalm 15:1) Israel’s temple mount is often referred to as “Mt. Zion” and Bible writers often spoke of the temple mount as “God’s holy hill.” (See Daniel 9: 16,20; Micah 4.) In the United States, we refer to the official building of the U.S. Congress as “Capital Hill.” The point of association is that the seven heads are seven hills. People look up to their religious authorities for knowledge and instruction on the will of God. This is why every religious system has clergy (men and/or women who speak for God).

 

Seven Kings

Revelation 17 says these seven heads are also seven kings; that is, the seven heads have subjects. Do religious systems have subjects? Yes! People submit to the demands of their religious systems thinking they are obeying God. When confronted with a spiritual question or problem, to what authority do religious people submit if not their religious leaders? Billions of people go through religious rituals every week for no other reason than their religious leaders tell them it is necessary.

 

Five Are Fallen

Perhaps the most revealing specifications about the seven heads is timing. The angel said to John, “this calls for a mind with wisdom…. Five have 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) This conversation took place around A.D. 95. The statement by the angel, “five heads have fallen” is stated in a past perfect tense – indicating that as of A.D. 95, five of the seven heads had fallen. According to Webster, the term “fallen” can mean ‘brought down” or “proven false.” The word “fallen” is also used in Revelation 14:8 when the second angel says that “Babylon [the crisis government] is fallen.” In both cases the word ‘fallen” means “proven false.” 

Therefore, looking at the end of the first century A.D., we find a historical explanation of what the angel meant when he said that fiver heads had fallen. When Jesus became flesh and dwelt among men, five religious systems were exposed as false. The ministry and teachings of Jesus caused five religious systems to fall:

1.      Heathenism

2.      Atheism

3.      Judaism

4.      Eastern Mysticism

5.      Islam*

 

* Note: The label “Islam” came into existence during the sixth century A.D. as a result of Mohammed’s influence and is used to identify the ancient religion of Arabs prior to Mohammed. Many Christians erroneously think that Mohammed is the founder of the Arabic faith. This is not the case. Mohammed united, organized, and expanded the beliefs of the Arabs. Even though he is considered by the Moslems to be the last and therefore the greatest of God’s messengers, Arabs trace the origin of their faith back to Abraham through Ishmael’s 12 sons. (See Genesis 21:13.)

How did Jesus expose these five religious systems as false?

1.      Heathenism is a religious system that does not have valid knowledge about the God in Heaven. This religion creates its own super-gods and religious rules according to superstition. Jesus declared this religion false. (John 10)

2.      Atheism denies the existence and reality of God. Even though it denies the existence of God, it is a godless system of religious thought. Jesus said this was false. (John 17)

3.      Judaism believes that salvation come through obedience and ceremonial rituals. Jesus declared that man cannot save himself through obedience or rituals. (John 3; Matthew 5:20) 

4.      Eastern Mysticism teaches that man can become God. This is the inverse of truth. God became man to save us from the penalty of sin. (John 1)

5.      Islam denies that Jesus is deity, the Son of God and Savior of mankind. This makes Jesus a liar. (Luke 22:70)

 

But wait! There’s more!

Keep in mind that the angel told John that ‘five heads have fallen, one is, and one is yet to come.” In John’s day, five heads had been exposed as false by the teachings of Christ. The sixth religious system was just beginning to develop at that time, and according to the angel, a seventh head would appear later on and it would last for a short time. The sixth head or religious system that was developing in John’s day began as Christianity and today, this religious system is known as Catholicism. John was a charter member of this new religious system. We know from church history that Christianity rose to power and fell from grace as Satan entered through the back door and gained control of the church. Centuries later, the Reformation produced the seventh and last religious system. The angel said the seventh head would only last for ‘a short time.” This religious system is called Protestantism. Looking back over the landscape of history, Protestantism is a “newcomer: to the religious world in terms of existence. Since we are near the end of the world, it can only last for a short time!

The essential problem with all seven heads it that they are blasphemous. This means that they teach things that are contrary to God’s will! Of course, no person believes his or her church teaches blasphemy. Everyone thinks that what he or she believes is the truth about God, but this is where the problem lies! Therefore, God is going to turn the world upside down. God is about to tear back the veil of religious beliefs and the sincere in heart will discover the truth about God – the rest will reject it! In other words, when repentance and worship become matters of persecution, the sheep will be separated from the goats in all religions!  Because the first four trumpets will induce global panic, everyone will thoughtfully consider God’s will for a season! To help people make the right choice, God will empower 144,000 people to speak for Him.

This brings us to a very interesting point. When Babylon, full of doctrines and demonic power, is given absolute control to manage the crisis between God and man, the head that had been wounded will e healed! Once again, the papacy will lead the world into apostasy through blasphemy. Therefore, the seven heads of the composite beast represents the seven religious systems of the world! They are:

1.      Heathenism

2.      Atheism

3.      Eastern Mysticism

4.      Islam

5.      Catholicism

6.      Protestantism

7.      Judaism

 

Think about this: Can you identify any person on Earth who does not belong to one of these seven systems? Next month, I will write an article about the beast from the abyss because it relates to the seven heads and ten horns. The ten horns are ten “puppet kings” which Lucifer will appoint to rule over the world once he physically appears. Please make copies and share this article with all your friends. They need to know.

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