**The Prophecies of Daniel - Part 6 **
In Revelation 17, an angel shows John the great harlot “who is seated on many waters [influencing nations], she with whom the kings of the earth have committed acts of immorality, and the inhabitants of the earth have become intoxicated with the wine of her immorality” (Revelation 17:1-2 AMP)
Just as Daniel explained the mystery of the image in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, the angel explained to John the mystery of this woman and the beast upon which she is riding.
“I will explain to you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and ten horns.”—Revelation 17:7 (AMP)
As we carefully examine each of the clues given to John by the angel, we may be able to put enough of the puzzle pieces in place to be able to see a clearer picture of who this great harlot represents.
Daniel saw this in his interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. The Roman Empire started as a governmental power with legs of iron, and after the two legs of the Eastern and Western Roman Empires fell, the empire continues to exert its powerful influence in the world through the Roman Catholic Church. These feet of iron and clay may not have the military strength that they used to have, but in this form, they may be much more dangerous as they deceive people around the world, leading them away from the true Gospel of Jesus Christ.
So, this great prostitute represents a city.
Let’s look at another clue.
“This calls for a mind with wisdom. The seven heads are seven hills on which the woman sits.”—Revelation 17:9 (NIV)
So, the woman represents a city, and that city sits on seven hills.
There are many cities that claim to sit on seven hills or seven mountains. One of those cities is Jerusalem. Jerusalem is said to sit on seven mountains including Mount Zion and the Mount of Olives.
But does the rest of the description of this woman fit Jerusalem?
This woman is described as “the mother of prostitutes and of the abominations of the earth.” This is a spiritual metaphor. Spiritually, has Jerusalem been the source of corrupt spiritual practices and traditions that have led world astray?
That doesn’t really fit Jerusalem. Jerusalem itself has strayed from the One True God, but it has not been a major source of “abominations” or false religious beliefs and practices. Jerusalem has not been a major influence leading the world astray. Most nations of the world seem to be against Jerusalem. They are certainly not influenced to follow its traditions. Jerusalem often stands alone in the world.
The kings of the earth have not rushed to join themselves with Jerusalem, as we read in verse 2, and the people of the world have not become intoxicated on Jerusalem’s influence. The opposite seems to be true. Jerusalem has very few friends, and many countries would like to see Israel destroyed forever. Jerusalem seems to have been a thorn in the side of many leaders and countries in the world.
So, Jerusalem does not seem to fit the description of this woman in Revelation 17.
But there is another city that is well known for being situated on seven hills.
The title “City of Seven Hills” usually refers to Rome, Italy.
Let’s see if Rome fits the rest of the description of this woman in Revelation 17.
Does Rome have influence throughout the world?
Absolutely! The traditions and practices of the Roman Catholic Church have influenced people throughout the world for centuries.
Not only that, but Rome continues to influence our world and our daily lives in ways that we may not have realized.
For example, as the planets of our solar system were discovered, they were not named after Biblical characters, but they were named after false Roman gods and goddesses like Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune, Mercury, Mars, and Venus.
Also, God gave us His calendar in the book of Exodus, but that is not the calendar that most of us use on a daily basis. Most of us schedule our lives based on the Gregorian calendar. The Gregorian calendar was not given to us by God. It was adopted in October 1582 at the direction of Pope Gregory XIII. The Gregorian calendar that is used today is a modification of the Julian calendar, which was proposed during the reign of the Roman emperor Julius Caesar.
Could Rome be “she with whom the kings of the earth have committed acts of immorality”? Yes. Kings and leaders of many countries have joined themselves to Rome, honoring and submitting to the instructions of the Pope and the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church.
This entanglement with Rome even led to the birth of the Anglican Church in England. When the Pope would not grant King Henry VIII an annulment from his marriage to Catherine of Aragon, England severed ties with Rome, declaring King Henry VIII the Supreme Head of the Church of England. This is how the Anglican Church was born.
But the Anglican (or Episcopalian) Church is not far removed from the traditions and teachings of the Roman Catholic Church, leading some to say that the Anglican (or Episcopalian) Church is basically the Catholic Church without a Pope.
Let’s look at more of the clues in Revelation 17. Have “the inhabitants of the earth have become intoxicated with the wine of her immorality,” as we read in Revelation 17:2?
Yes, it seems very evident that people the world over have followed the corrupt traditions and practices of the Roman Catholic Church, leading them into spiritual adultery with something that is not true Christianity, and leading them away from the true Gospel of the Kingdom of God.
Millions of people have been deceived into following the false Catholic “gospel” of salvation by works; praying to dead people, rather than to God; and believing in a non-existent Purgatory as a second chance to earn their way into Heaven if they are not “good enough” initially.
“For [you seem willing to allow it] if one comes and preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, **or a different gospel from the one you accepted.**You tolerate all this beautifully [welcoming the deception].”—2 Corinthians 11:4 (AMP)
The woman in Revelation 17 is “drunk with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus.” Does Rome fit this description?
Yes. Throughout the centuries, Rome has been responsible for the murders of more of the true disciples of Christ than any other earthly entity. Since the time of Christ, millions of believers have been persecuted and killed, first by the Roman empire, under the leadership of its emperors, and later by the Roman Catholic Church under the leadership of its Popes. This is well documented in Foxe’s Book of Martyrs and many other sources.
When we see Rome as the woman in Revelation 17, all the pieces of the puzzle seem to fit together. Rome seems to fit the description.
Daniel saw this in his interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. The Roman Empire started as a governmental power with legs of iron, and after the two legs of the Eastern and Western Roman Empires fell, the empire continues to exert its powerful influence in the world through the Roman Catholic Church. These feet of iron and clay may not have the military strength that Rome used to have, but in this form, they may be much more dangerous as they deceive people around the world, leading them away from the true Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Come Out!
In defense of the Roman Catholic tradition, people often make the argument that there are good people in the Catholic Church.
And it is true that there are some genuine children of God in the Catholic Church.
Even God acknowledges that true believers are in the Catholic Church, and He calls for His people to COME OUT of it.
“I heard another voice from heaven, saying, “Come out of her, my people, so that you will not participate in her sins and receive any of her plagues; for her sins have piled up as high as heaven, and God has remembered her offenses.”—Revelation 18:4-5 (NASB)
We know that God is speaking of the Roman Catholic Church in this passage because, just two verses earlier in this chapter, she is addressed as Babylon the Great. This is the same title that John saw written on her forehead in Revelation 17.
It is urgent that all true believers come out of the false church so that they are not judged along with her!
A fearful example is given to us in the judgment of Korah.
Just before Korah was judged for his rebellion in Numbers 16, a call went out for all of God’s people to separate themselves from the rebellious group. All those who did not separate themselves shared in the same judgment with Korah.
“And the Lord said to Moses, ‘Then tell all the people to get away from the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.’
“So Moses got up and rushed over to the tents of Dathan and Abiram, followed by the elders of Israel. ‘Quick!’ he told the people. ‘Get away from the tents of these wicked men, and don’t touch anything that belongs to them. If you do, you will be destroyed for their sins.’ So all the people stood back from the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. Then Dathan and Abiram came out and stood at the entrances of their tents, together with their wives and children and little ones.
“And Moses said, ‘This is how you will know that the Lord has sent me to do all these things that I have done—for I have not done them on my own. If these men die a natural death, or if nothing unusual happens, then the Lord has not sent me. But if the Lord does something entirely new and the ground opens its mouth and swallows them and all their belongings, and they go down alive into the grave, then you will know that these men have shown contempt for the Lord.’
“He had hardly finished speaking the words when the ground suddenly split open beneath them. The earth opened its mouth and swallowed the men, along with their households and all their followers who were standing with them, and everything they owned. So they went down alive into the grave, along with all their belongings. The earth closed over them, and they all vanished from among the people of Israel. All the people around them fled when they heard their screams. ‘The earth will swallow us, too!’ they cried.”—Numbers 16:23-34 (NLT)
God is giving a clear warning to all of His people to come out of the false church before it is too late. His warning should not be taken lightly.
