Wisdom Needed in Revelation

17:9

1. Calls for a mind with wisdom

1) Our wisdom or the angels?

2) There is wide disagreement about these passages

2. Seven heads are seven mountains

1) Some want this to refer to kingdoms

Mountains often do refer to kingdoms in Scripture

Problem: Mountains is the interpretation. Why would you interpret a thing with another thing that needed to be interpreted.

2) This is likely a reference to Rome

Rome was noted to be the city that sat on seven hills

Literature of John’s day was filled with references to the city of the seven hills

The discovery of the Dea Roma coin, minted in 71 a.d.

One side contains an emblem of the emperor (Vespasian)

The reverse side shows a Roman pagan goddess seated on seven hills by the Tiber River

Rome was dominating Israel at the time of this writing

Rome was persecuting the church at the time of this writing

Peter refers to Rome as Babylon in

refers to the woman as a “city”, not a “kingdom”

17:10

1. Seven Kings - these are Kingdoms that have persecuted or will persecute God’s people

1) “Five of whom have fallen” - From Scripture we can see what these five kingdoms were

(1) Egypt ()

(2) Nineveh or Assyria ()

(3) Babylon (; )

(4) Persia (; )

(5) Greece ()

2) “One is” - Rome is clearly the world power involved in persecution in John’s day

3) “The other has not yet come” - indicating the power at the end of the age

4) “When he does come he must remain only a little while”

He will have an impressive empire

He will have an impressive economy

He will have an impressive plan

HE WILL LAST ONLY A LITTLE WHILE - NO WORLD KINGDOM WILL HAVE EVER HAD A SHORTER REIGN

17:11

1. “As for the beast that was and is not”

1) “It is an eighth”

The Antichrist receives a mortal wound and is healed in

2) “it belongs to the seven”

3) “it goes to destruction”

17:12

1. The seven horns are ten kings

“they have not yet received royal power” - as of the writing of Revelation

They will receive authority

They will reign for one hour with the beast

Taking a day for a year ()

A Jewish year is 360 days

The 1/24th of 360 would be 15 literal days that they would reign with the beast

2. Who are they?

1) ;

2) ;

3)

4) Arab nations who want to destroy Israel?

(1) Edom - Southern Jordan

(2) Ismaelites - Arabs

(3) Moab - Jordan

(4) Hagrites - Egypt

(5) Gebal - Lebanon

(6) Ammon - Northern Jordan

(7) Amalek - Sinai Peninsula (Yemen, Oman, Katar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirate, parts of Jordan and Iraq)

(8) Philistia - Gaza Strip

(9) Tyre - Lebanon

(10) Asshur - Syria and Iraq

(11) Children of Lot - Jordan

5)

(1) Gog of the land of Magog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal

An attack from the north (Russia or Turkey, depending on interpretation)

(2) Persia - Iran

(3) Cush - the Arabian Peninsula (Yemen, Oman, Katar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirate, parts of Jordan and Iraq)

(4) Put - Lybia

(4) Put - Lybia

(5) Gomer - Turkey

(6) Bethtogarma - Turkey

17:13

1. “These are of one mind”

2. “They hand over their power and authority to the beast.”

17:14

1. “They will make war on the Lamb”

2. “The Lamb will conquer them”

Because He is Lord of Lords and King of Kings

“those with Him are called and chosen and faithful”

- “For many are called, but few are chosen.”

Only the ones with wedding garments

17:15

1. The waters where the prostitute (I believe is the Roman church) is seated

peoples

multitudes

nations

languages

17:16

1. The ten horns and the beast will hate the prostitute

2. They will make her desolate and naked

3. They will devour her flesh

4. They will burn her with fire

17:17

1. They will be carrying out God’s purpose

17:18

The woman is the great city that has dominion over the kings of the earth