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Revelation 17

By: Richard Puckett

Revelation 17: (v. 1-6) One of the angels who had the vials, explains the meaning of the former vision of the antichristian beast that was to reign 1260 years, and then to be destroyed.

(v. 7-18) And interprets the mystery of the woman, and the beast that had seven heads and ten horns.

One of the angels who had the vials, explains the meaning of the former vision of the antichristian beast that was to reign 1260 years, and then to be destroyed

Here we see an angel that talked to John and gave explanation as to the judgment of the whore. Who is the whore, since I was a child I have heard the whore called USA, Russia, Red China and so on, I have no ideal as to what country or if it is a country. Could be that it is more a reference to a time and situations and that some country will rise up and play this role, could be it is a not just one country at one time but history seems to repeat it self and could be that it has already been and will be again differing country's. For example Germany under Hitler, Russia under Stalin, or even America in its past or future. I do think the important thing is not to try and dwell on who but to see the real message the warning that is being given and strive not to be a part of that failure. I also think that the bible is a book for us as individuals and that all the words are to be applied to our own lives. There for this may not even be so much to a country as to us as individuals. No man lives unto himself; we are a country in our own right. Our family lines pass down from years to generations, and the mistakes we make effect all the generations to come. We have children and cousins, aunts, uncles and the list go on. Sometimes the whore is the member in the family that is the betrayer, the one who yields their selves to do evil. So as you look at these verses do so from a number of views and try to see how it effects you and the warnings to you. The greatest danger in the church world is we tend to see the sin in others and not ourselves. We can find fault in our wives our friends the work places the boss, the pastor, and the church, with out seeing that we are guilty of the same or worse. I constantly try to teach that we are not judges, we were not given the role to sit and condemn, but we are to be servants and walk humbly and meekly and live our life in a way that we lead others down the right path. Preacher's roles go even farther in that the bible says to rightly divide the word of truth. You can not rightly divide if you are blind to the truth, if you do not study, if you enter into study with a preconceived ideal. The trick to this book and every book in the bible is to toss out all you have learned in the past and approach every verse with a open mind and heart, apply it to self first then to those conditions around us. Becareful to never make it personal battering ram to use on others. A hammer is a great tool if used right; if used wrong it can cause great damage to ones self and property. The bible is a tool, to teach us as individuals and as a group, it is for growth and learning, it is a weapon against sin, becareful you don't shoot your self with it.

(vv. 1-18) Perhaps the most enigmatic of the visions of the Apocalypse is that of the great harlot. John himself registers considerable astonishment (Rev. 17:7). Nor is he able to comprehend the mystery. The angel explains that the woman sits on seven mountains (v. 9). She rides upon the political beast, which privately despises her. She has committed fornication with the kings of the earth. She is described as the mother of harlots and is drunk on the blood of the saints, indicating her intense involvement in persecution. She is further given the name Babylon the great (18:2). Idolatry began in Babylon or Babel with Nimrod (cf. Gen. 10:8, note). The cult of mother and child, Semiramis and Tammuz, was there initiated. This cult, along with other constituent elements of the Babylonian mysteries, was conserved by Roman and Greek religious systems. By the end of the first century, elements of the mysteries had also been adopted by some advocates of the Christian faith. Constantine's actions between A.D. 313 and 323 brought about the marriage of church and state, and with this union came undiluted doses of those ancient idolatrous faiths. By the time of the Reformation, those ancient myths and mysteries had been thoroughly assimilated into the Christian faith. The scarlet woman of this chapter is, in effect, a resurgence of those same erroneous doctrines. The difference seems to be that the ecumenicity of this latter-day world church embraces virtually all religious faiths. Few still comprehend the nature of genuine Christianity, and they suffer at the hands of the drunken harlot as in eras past. This passage should provide for modern believers an intuitive wariness, not only in the wake of organized ecumenism but also in the midst of movements which develop their entire thrust around just one major doctrine, whatever that may be.

How often lust has destoryed homes and countrys. How often has a nations leaders sold out the people for money, power, sex, how often has pastors, husbands, corpatate leaders and bosses done the same. It makes no difference when or who, what makes a difference is its not you. The fornication is truly the trying to serve God while serving the flesh.

I like the part he carried me away in the spirit, have you ever been carried away in the spirit? In allowing yourself to let God take control you eyes can be open. The woman seems to repersent those who going though life living a lie, living and deceiving, and yet they think cause they are on top of the beast they are in control. I have seen it often in the chruch, pastors who take the role God called them into just to use his word to preach and teach lies for their own benefit. Building great churchs not for God, but for their own kingdom. I turn on the tv and hear some preacher telling you how wonderful it is to ride in a fancy car, and dress in a fancy suit and sit in gold chairs and do it in Gods name, while begging you to buy his book or send him more money. Folks, this is not of God, I do not think god wants his minister to live like beggers but he dose not want them to build worldy kingdoms either. Did jeuse ride in a charriot or a white horse, did he live in a fine house, did he sit in the high places or even build a buidling. How many offerings did he take up, when did he start a homless mission or build a broadcasting network? These guys get so big they won't even come to see you, they have the finaces to help you pay your bills that you can't but do they? Call up one of the great tv minsters and ask him to come pray for you, or come to your house to eat. Yet our lord did all those things, when we are to big to serve the people we are to big to serve God. If we are really trying to lead others to God and we have the words god gave us to help someones marrage or lead them out of debt, do you really think God wants it to be sold or given away?

God does not put a price tag on his work or works, and when that happens who is the whore? Ok I agree many church leaders will not like what I have just said, and will tell you dozens of reasons why I'm wrong, here's my challenge to you, you read it you study it, you pray and see if in the end you don't agree. There is none so blind as he who will not see, open our eyes Lord we want to see Jesus, I don't see Jesus in the men who stand behind most church pulpits today, do you.

Gee this could be describing a lot of pastors and church leaders. I went to a church not long ago, notice the bishop had a diamond big enough to be worth enough to feed all the hungry in his congregation. Had a nice new car, wore a beautiful gold trimmed robe, and then preached on humbleness.

How often do you sit to hear someone tell you how you cannot understand the mystery of God but need them to tell you. How many books are sold by preachers to line their pockets to teach you the mystery? I tell you the whore is not country but the leaders, it’s the church leaders who have failed the most. God forgive us.

My this reminds me of a Baptist church I attended one Sunday in Jefferson City, the pastor spent over a half hour cutting down every church, that did not believe just as he did. I bet you have been in church many times to hear someone tell you why only the Pentecost or Baptist or Methodist or what ever they are the ones going to heaven. Words kill and destroy, you want to hurt someone in a way that will last forever, and words will do it. I have seen more people destroyed and killed spiritually in church then on the streets of the largest cites. Someone comes in and the congregation can't wait to find out all they can and start to pick them apart. I have seen more love by strangers then in the church, let a church member do wrong, get in trouble, and where is the love the forgiveness the caring. Who is the whore, could it be the church?

And interprets the mystery of the woman, and the beast that had seven heads and ten horns

The beast which carries the scarlet woman is to be identified as the restored Roman Empire, which had an existence, was destroyed, but will live again only to go into perdition. The beast despises the union with the harlot; and when she is no longer useful, he sees to her death.

Rev 17:7: Verses 7-14. The beast on which the woman sat was, and is not, and yet is. It was a seat of idolatry and persecution, and is not; not in the ancient form, which was pagan: yet it is; it is truly the seat of idolatry and tyranny, though of another sort and form. It would deceive into stupid and blind submission all the inhabitants of the earth within its influence, except the remnant of the elect. This beast was seven heads, seven mountains, the seven hills on which Rome stands; and seven kings, seven sorts of government. Five were gone by when this prophecy was written; one was then in being; the other was yet to come. This beast, directed by the papacy, makes an eighth governor, and sets up idolatry again. It had ten horns, which are said to be ten kings who had as yet no kingdoms; they should not rise up till the Roman empire was broken; but should for a time be very zealous in her interest. Christ must reign till all enemies be put under his feet. The reason of the victory is, that he is the King of kings, and Lord of lords. He has supreme dominion and power over all things; all the powers of earth and hell are subject to his control. His followers are called to this warfare, are fitted for it, and will be faithful in it.

Those who preach any other gospel but that of Christ is not from heaven but from the father of lies who is Satan out of the bottomless pit.

The mind with wisdom, and what is wisdom?

There are great men and woman of God today and in the past, they are those that have upheld honor and bear the mark of Christ in there daily lives. Then there are those and more to come that destroy and call themselves men of God but are not. Which do you follow, which do you learn from?

Verses 10 and 11 are perhaps the most debated of all the passages in the Apocalypse. Since "fallen" is language more appropriate for kingdoms than for emperors, the best solution is probably to see the five fallen kings or kingdoms as Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, and Greece. The sixth kingdom ("one is") is the Rome of John's day. The last or seventh ("the other has not yet come") is the revived form of the Roman Empire, first in its diversified form of ten kingdoms, eventually yielding to the eighth and final form in the beast.

What the devil gives is temporay!

Satan finds strength in numbers!

Satan and his followers many that say they are of God in fact seek to destroy Christ and his followers. Yet in the end God wins and his people.

So many are led astray and lost.

Rev 17:15: Verses 15-18. God so ruled the hearts of these kings, by his power over them, and by his providence, that they did those things, without intending it, which he purposed and foretold. They shall see their folly, and how they have been bewitched and enslaved by the harlot, and be made instruments in her destruction. She was that great city which reigned over the kings of the earth, when John had this vision; and every one knows Rome to be that city. Believers will be received to the glory of the Lord, when wicked men will be destroyed in a most awful manner; their joining together in sin, will be turned to hatred and rage, and they will eagerly assist in tormenting each other. But the Lord's portion is his people; his counsel shall stand, and he will do all his pleasure, to his glory, and the happiness of all his servants.

You may fool the people for a while, but look how often the truth often comes out in time.

Give God time, no matter how many are lost, how many that follow the beast, God still plants his seed in hearts of mankind and in the end they will enter into his rest. Remember its he that over cometh that wins in the end.

The judgment of the great whore, which sits on many waters, vv. 1, 2. Her description,
name, and conduct, vv. 3-6. The angel explains the mystery of the woman, of the beast,
etc., vv. 7-18.

This chapter is, on several accounts, very important, and particularly as it
appears to explain several of the most remarkable symbols in the book.

The same author who has written so largely on the twelfth and thirteenth
chapters, has also obliged me with his interpretation of this chapter. Not
pretending to explain these things myself, I insert this as the most elaborate and
learned exposition I have yet seen, leaving my readers at perfect liberty to reject
it, and adopt any other mode of interpretation which they please. God alone
knows all the secrets of his own wisdom.

NOTES ON CHAPTER 17, BY J. E. C.

And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and
talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will show unto thee the
judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters—That idolatrous
worship is frequently represented in Scripture under the character of a whore or
whoredom, is evident from numerous passages which it is unnecessary to quote.
See 1 Chronicles 5:25; Ezekiel 16:1-63; 23:1-49, etc. The woman mentioned here
is called a great whore, to denote her excessive depravity, and the artful nature of
her idolatry. She is also represented as sitting upon many waters, to show the vast
extent of her influence. See on Revelation 17:13 (note).

With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the
inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her
fornication—What an awful picture this is of the state of the religion of the
world in subjection to this whore! Kings have committed spiritual fornication
with her, and their subjects have drunk deep, dreadfully deep, into the doctrine of
her abominable errors.

So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness—This wilderness
into which the apostle was carried is the desolate state of the true Church of
Christ, in one of the wings of the once mighty Roman empire. It was a truly
awful sight, a terrible desert, a waste howling wilderness; for when he came
hither he:—

Saw a woman sit upon a scarlet-coloured beast, full of names of
blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns—No doubt can now be
entertained that this woman is the Latin Church, for she sits upon the beast with
seven heads and ten horns, which has been already proved to be the Latin empire,
because this empire alone contains the number 666. See on Revelation 13:18
(note). This is a representation of the Latin Church in her highest state of
antichristian prosperity, for she SITS UPON the scarlet coloured beast, a striking
emblem of her complete domination over the secular Latin empire. The state of
the Latin Church from the commencement of the fourteenth century to the time
of the Reformation may be considered that which corresponds to this prophetic
description in the most literal and extensive sense of the words; for during this
period she was at her highest pitch of worldly grandeur and temporal authority.
The beast is full of names of blasphemy; and it is well known that the nations, in
support of the Latin or Romish Church, have abounded in blasphemous
appellations, and have not blushed to attribute to themselves and to their Church
the most sacred titles, not only blaspheming by the improper use of sacred names,
but even by applying to its bishop those names which alone belong to God; for
God hath expressly declared that he will not give his glory to another, neither his
praise to graven images.

And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet color, and decked with
gold, and precious stones, and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of
abominations and filthiness of her fornication—This strikingly represents the
most pompous and costly manner in which the Latin Church has held forth to the
nations the rites and ceremonies of its idolatrous and corrupt worship.

And upon her forehead was a name written, Mystery, Babylon the Great,
the Mother of Harlots, and Abominations of the Earth—This inscription
being written upon her forehead is intended to show that she is not ashamed of
her doctrines, but publicly professes and glories in them before the nations: she
has indeed a whore’s forehead, she has refused to be ashamed. The inscription
upon her forehead is exactly the portraiture of the Latin Church. This Church is,
as Bishop Newton well expresses it, A MYSTERY of iniquity. This woman is also
called Babylon the Great; she is the exact antitype of the ancient Babylon in her
idolatry and cruelty, but the ancient city called Babylon is only a drawing of her
in miniature. This is indeed Babylon THE GREAT. "She affects the style and title
of our HOLY MOTHER, the CHURCH; but she is, in truth, the mother of harlots and
abominations of the earth."

And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the
blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great
admiration—How exactly the cruelties exercised by the Latin Church against all
it has denominated heretics correspond with this description, the reader need not
be informed.

And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel! I will tell thee
the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carried her, which hath the
seven heads and ten horns—The apostle was greatly astonished, as well he
might be, at the woman’s being drunk with the blood of the saints, when the
beast which carried her abounded with sacred appellations, such as holy, most
holy, most Christian, sacred, most sacred. The angel undertakes to explain to St.
John the vision which had excited in him so great astonishment; and the
explication is of such great importance, that, had it not been given, the mystery of
the dragon and the beast could never have been satisfactorily explained in all its
particulars. The angel begins with saying:—

And they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names there 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—By the earth is here meant
the Latin world; therefore the meaning is, that all who dwell in the Latin world
shall adhere to the idolatrous and blasphemous religion of the Latin Church,
which is supported by the Latin empire, except those who abide by the sacred
Scriptures, receiving them as the only rule of faith and practice. These believe in
the true Sacrifice, and keep themselves unspotted from the corruption that is in
the world. But the inhabitants of the Latin world, under the dominion of the
Romish religion, shall wonder when they behold the beast, or Latin empire; that
is, as Lord Napier remarks, "shall have in great admiration, reverence, and
estimation, this great monarchie." They shall wonder at it, by considering it the
most sacred empire in the world, that in which God peculiarly delights; but those
that so wonder have not their names written in the book of life, but are such as
prefer councils to Divine revelation, and take their religion from missals, rituals,
and legends, instead of the sacred oracles: hence they are corrupt and idolatrous,
and no idolater hath inheritance in the kingdom of God. In the preceding part of
the verse the beast is considered in three states, as that which was, and is not, and
shall ascend out of the bottomless pit; here a fourth is introduced, and yet is. This
is added to show that, though the Latins were subjugated by the Romans,
nevertheless the Romans themselves were Latins; for Romulus the founder of
their monarchy, was a Latin; consequently that denominated in St. John’s days
the Roman empire was, in reality, the Latin kingdom; for the very language of
the empire was the Latin, and the Greek writers, who lived in the time of the
Roman empire, expressly tell us that those formerly called Latins are now named
Romans. The meaning of the whole verse is therefore as follows: The corrupt
part of mankind shall have in great admiration the Latin empire yet in futurity,
which has already been, but is now extinct, the Romans having conquered it; and
yet is still in being; for, though the Latin nation has been subjugated, its
conquerors are themselves Latins. But it may be objected against the
interpretation here given, that these phrases are spoken of the beast upon which
the apostle saw the woman, or Latin Church, sit; for the angel says, The beast
that THOU SAWEST was, and is not, etc.; what reference, therefore, can the Latin
empire, which supports the Latin Church, have to the Latin kingdom which
subsisted before St. John’s time, or to the Roman empire which might properly
be so denominated! This objection has very great weight at first sight, and cannot
be answered satisfactorily till the angel’s explanation of the heads and horns of
the beast have been examined; therefore it is added:—

Five are fallen, and one is—It is well known that the first form of Latin
government was that of kings, which continued after the death of Latinus 428
years, till the building of Rome, B.C. 753. After Numitor’s decease the Albans or
Latins instituted the form of a republic, and were governed by dictators. We have
only the names of two, viz., Cluilius and Metius Fufetius or Suffetius; but as the
dictatorship continued at least eighty-eight years, there might have been others,
though their names and actions are unknown. In the year before Christ 665 Alba,
the metropolis of the Latin nation, was destroyed by Tullus Hostilius, the third
king of the Romans, and the inhabitants carried to Rome. This put an end to the
monarchical republic of the Latins; and the Latins elected two annual
magistrates, whom Licinius calls dictators, but who are called praetors by other
writers. This form of government continued till the time of P. Decius Mus, the
Roman consul; for Festus, in his fourteenth book, informs us "that the Albans
enjoyed prosperity till the time of King Tullus; but that, Alba being then
destroyed, the consuls, till the time of P. Decius Mus, held a consultation with the
Latins at the head of Ferentina, and the empire was governed by the council of
both nations." The Latin nation was entirely subjugated by the Romans B.C. 336,
which put an end to the government by praetors, after it had continued upwards
of three hundred years. The Latins from this time ceased to be a nation, as it
respects the name; therefore the three forms of government already mentioned
were those which the Latins had during that period which the angel speaks of,
when he says, The beast which thou sawest WAS. But as five heads, or forms of
government, had fallen before St. John’s time, it is evident that the two other
forms of government which had fallen must be among those of the Romans; first,
because though the Latin nation so called, was deprived of all authority by the
Romans, yet the Latin power continued to exist, for the very conquerors of the
Latin nation were Latins; and, consequently the Latins, though a conquered
people, continued to have a LATIN government. Secondly, the angel expressly
says, when speaking to St. John, that one is, that is, the sixth head, or Latin form
of government, was then in existence; which could be no other than the imperial
power, this being the only independent form of Latin government in the apostolic
age. It therefore necessarily follows, that the Roman forms of government by
which Latium was ruled must be the remaining heads of the beast. Before the
subjugation of the Latins by the Romans four of the Roman or draconic forms of
government had fallen, the regal power, the dictatorship, the decemvirate, and the
consular power of the military tribunes, the last of which was abolished about
366 years before the commencement of the Christian era; none of these,
therefore, ruled over the WHOLE Latin nation. But as the Latins were finally
subdued about 336 B.C., the consular government of the Romans, which was then
the supreme power in the state, must be the fourth head of the beast. This form of
government continued, with very little interruption, till the rising up of the
triumvirate, the fifth head of the beast, B.C. 43. The dictatorship of Sylla and
Julius Caesar could not be considered a new head of the beast, as the Latins had
already been ruled by it in the persons of Cluilius and Fufetius. The sixth head of
the beast, or that which existed in the time of St. John, was consequently, as we
have already proved, the imperial power of the heathen Caesars, or the seventh
draconic form of government.

And the other is not yet come—Bishop Newton considers the Roman dutchy,
under the eastern emperor’s lieutenant, the exarch of Ravenna, the seventh head
of the beast. But this cannot be the form of government signified by the seventh
head, for a head of the beast as we have already shown, is a supreme,
independent form of Latin government; consequently the Roman dutchy cannot
be the seventh head, as it was dependent upon the exarchate of Ravenna; and the
exarchate cannot be the head, as it was itself in subjection to the Greek empire.
The Rev. G. Faber has ascertained the truth exactly in denominating the
Carlovingian patriciate the seventh head of the beast. That this was a supreme,
independent form of government, is evident from history. Gibbon, in speaking of
the patriciate, observes that "the decrees of the senate and people successively
invested Charles Martel and his posterity with the honors of patrician of Rome.
The leaders of a powerful nation would have disdained a servile title and
subordinate office; but the reign of the Greek emperors was suspended, and in the
vacancy of the empire they derived a more glorious commission from the pope
and the republic. The Roman ambassadors presented these patricians with the
keys of the shrine of St. Peter as a pledge and symbol of sovereignty, and with a
holy banner, which it was their right and duty to unfurl in defense of the Church
and city. In the time of Charles Martel and of Pepin, the interposition of the
Lombard kingdom covered the freedom, while it threatened the safety of Rome;
and the patriciate represented only the title, the service, the alliance, of these
distant protectors. The power and policy of Charlemagne annihilated an enemy,
and imposed a master. In his first visit to the capital he was received with all the
honors which had formerly been paid to the exarch, the representative of the
emperor; and these honors obtained some new decorations from the joy and
gratitude of Pope Adrian I. In the portico Adrian expected him at the head of his
clergy; they embraced as friends and equals; but in their march to the altar, the
king, or patrician, assumed the right hand of the pope. Nor was the Frank content
with these vain and empty demonstrations of respect. In the twenty-six years that
elapsed between the conquest of Lombardy and his imperial coronation, Rome,
which had been delivered by the sword, was subject, as his own, to the scepter of
Charlemagne. The people swore allegiance to his person and family, in his name
money was coined and justice was administered, and the election of the popes
was examined and confirmed by his authority. Except an original and self-
inherent claim of sovereignty, there was not any prerogative remaining which the
title of emperor could add to the patrician of Rome." The seven heads of the
beast are therefore the following: The regal power, the dictatorship, the power of
the praetors, the consulate, the triumvirate, the imperial power, and the patriciate.

And when he cometh, he must continue a short space—The seventh form of
government was only to remain a short time, which was actually the case; for
from its first rise to independent power to its utter extinction, there passed only
about forty-five years, a short time in comparison to the duration of several of the
preceding forms of government; for the primitive regal government continued at
least four hundred and twenty-eight years, the dictatorship was in power about
eighty-eight years, the power of the praetors was in being for upwards of three
hundred years, the consulate lasted about two hundred and eighty years, and the
imperial power continued upwards of five hundred years.

It is observable that the eighth Latin power is called by the angel the beast, and
also one of his heads. This apparent discordance arises from the double
signification of the heads, for if we take the beast upon which the woman sits to
be merely a representation of that secular power which supports the Latin
Church, then the seven heads will represent the seven electorates of the Germanic
empire; but if by the beast we understand the general Latin empire from first to
last, then what is, according to the angel’s first interpretation of the heads, called
the beast, is in this case only one of his heads. See on Revelation 17:18 (note).

These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the
beast—Therefore the ten horns must constitute the principal strength of the Latin
empire; that is to say, this empire is to be composed of the dominions of ten
monarchs independent of each other in every other sense except in their implicit
obedience to the Latin Church. The beast in this and the preceding verse is
distinguished from its horns, as the WHOLE Latin empire is distinguished in
history from its constituent powers. See on Revelation 17:16 (note).

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—The ten powers of the beast must compose
the secular kingdom of antichrist, for they make war with the Lamb, who is
Christ Jesus. This is perfectly true of all popish states, for they have constantly
opposed, as long as they have had any secular power, the progress of pure
Christianity. They make war with the Lamb by persecuting his followers; but the
Lamb shall overcome them, for he is the Lord of lords, and King of kings—all
lords have their authority from him, and no king can reign without him; therefore
the ten Latin kings are God’s ministers to execute his vengeance upon the
idolatrous nations. But when these antichristian monarchies have executed the
Divine purpose, those that are with the Lamb—the called, the chosen, and the
faithful, those who have kept THE TRUTH in the love of it, shall prevail against
all their adversaries, because their battles are fought by the Lamb, who is their
God and Deliverer. See Revelation 19:19, 20.

And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore
sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues—"So many
words," Bishop Newton observes, "in the plural number, fitly denote the great
extensiveness of her power and jurisdiction. She herself glories in the title of the
Catholic Church, and exults in the number of her votaries as a certain proof of the
true religion. Cardinal Bellarmin’s first note of the true Church is, the very name
of the Catholic Church; and his fourth note is, amplitude, or multitude, and
variety of believers; for the truly Catholic Church, says he, ought not only to
comprehend all ages, but likewise all places, all nations, all kinds of men."

And the ten horns which thou sowest 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—Here is a clue to lead us to the right interpretation of the
horns of the beast. It is said the TEN horns shall hate the whore; by which is
evidently meant, when connected with what follows, that the whole of the ten
kingdoms in the interest of the Latin Church shall finally despise her doctrines,
be reformed from popery, assist in depriving her of all influence and in exposing
her follies, and in the end consign her to utter destruction. From this it follows
that no Roman Catholic power which did not exist so late as the Reformation can
be numbered among the horns of the beast; the horns must, therefore, be found
among the great states of Europe at the commencement of the Reformation.
These were exactly ten, viz., France, Spain, England, Scotland, The Empire,
Sweden, Denmark, Poland, Hungary, and Portugal. In these were comprehended
most of the minor states not styled monarchies, and which, from their first rise to
the period of the Reformation, had been subdued by one or more of the ten grand
Roman Catholic powers already named. Consequently, these ten constituted the
power and strength of the beast; and each minor state is considered a part of that
monarchy under the authority of which it was finally reduced previously to the
Reformation.

But it may be asked, How could the empire, which was the revived head of the
beast, have been at the same time one of its horns? The answer is as follows:
Horns of an animal, in the language of prophecy, represent the powers of which
that empire or kingdom symbolized by the animal is composed. Thus the angel,
in his interpretation of Daniel’s vision of the ram and he-goat expressly informs
us that "the ram with two horns are the kings of Media and Persia." One of the
horns of the ram, therefore, represented the kingdom of Media, and the other the
kingdom of Persia; and their union in one animal denoted the united kingdom of
Media and Persia, viz., the Medo-Persian empire. In like manner the beast with
ten horns denotes that the empire represented by the beast is composed of ten
distinct powers, and the ten horns being united in one beast very appropriately
show that the monarchies symbolized by these horns are united together to form
one empire; for we have already shown, in the notes on Revelation 13:1, that a
beast is the symbol of an empire. Therefore, as the horns of an animal, agreeably
to the angel’s explanation, (and we can have no higher authority), represent all
the powers of which that domination symbolized by the animal is composed, the
Roman empire of Germany, as one of those monarchies which gave their power
and strength to the Latin empire, must consequently have been A HORN of the
beast. But the Germanic empire was not only a LATIN power, but at the same
time was acknowledged by all Europe to have precedency of all the others.
Therefore, as it is not possible to express these two circumstances by one symbol,
it necessarily follows, from the nature of symbolical language, that what has been
named the holy Roman empire must have a double representation. Hence the
empire, as one of the powers of the Latin monarchy, was a horn of the beast, and
in having precedency of all the others was its revived head. See a similar
explanation of the tail of the dragon in the notes on Revelation 12:4.

For God hath put in their hearts to fulfill his will, and to agree, and give
their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled—Let
no one imagine that these ten Latin kingdoms, because they support an idolatrous
worship, have been raised up merely by the power of man or the chances of war.
No kingdom or state can exist without the will of God; therefore let the
inhabitants of the world tremble when they see a wicked monarchy rise to power,
and let them consider that it is raised up by the Lord to execute his vengeance
upon the idolatries and profligacies of the times. It is said of the kings in
communion with the Church of Rome, that God hath put in their hearts to fulfill
his will. How is this Divine will accomplished? In the most awful and afflictive
manner! In causing ten Latin kings to unite their dominions into one mighty
empire for the defense of the Latin Church. Here is a dreadful dispensation of
Jehovah; but it is such as the nations have most righteously deserved, because
when they had the truth they lived not according to its most holy requisitions, but
loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. Therefore hath
"the Lord sent them strong delusion that they should believe a lie, that they might
all be damned who believe not the truth, but have pleasure in unrighteousness."
But this deplorable state of the world is not perpetual, it can only continue till
every word of God is fulfilled upon his enemies; and when this time arrives,
(which will be that of Christ’s second advent), then shall the Son of God slay that
wicked "with the spirit of his mouth, and shall consume him with the brightness
of HIS COMING."

JOHN EDWARD CLARKE.