Gates of the City

Biblical End Times Players of Revelation

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As we start into this chapter, please understand that for decades this prophetic subject has been a recurring part of my biblical studies throughout my walk with Christ, even though it is a message I cannot say I enjoy studying. But rather, due to the severity of the message, it is one which my relationship to the Lord, with also my being both a husband and father, that I am constantly compelled by a sense of necessity to be reexamining my conclusions in light of both historical and current events I discover, as well as other eschatological messages I come across. For I cannot count the times I have thought to myself upon various discoveries, “Hmm, I didn’t know that, so, I wonder if that means…” and then off I go on the train of thought,  as well as back into scriptures and prayer, for no one can figure these things out, rather it is given to us to know and understand them of our Father. Consequently, we all must learn we need to “ask, seek, and knock if we are to receive, find, and have the door of understanding open to us. We must be faithful students of God’s word with an open and attentive ear listening to hear what the Spirit might be speaking to us. For I understand quite well Paul’s admonition that “If any man thinks he knows something, he knows nothing as he ought.”

Therefore, I try to always be open to receive both instruction and correction, if only someone would truly take the time to properly address my error and show me in the Christian spirit of love where I am wrong or have been led from the truth. For anyone can do a drive-by and yell out their window at you that you’re wrong, and sadly, that is about the sum of how most Christians treat people they disagree with. For it takes a true Berean with the heart of a Philippian to labor with another in the error of their way. Consequently, I only cling to those things to which after critical examination and frequent reevaluations that I have become convinced are true.

It is doubtless that my pursuit of gaining understanding of all this also has to do with what the Lord impressed upon me one day many years ago, which I wrote about in an article titled “I doubt many will believe it though a man declares it unto you.” That article has therefore been included as Chapter 19, because I have come to realize just how many people refuse to believe or even consider that they might not be a true Christian or really saved from their sins, and are actually living in their flesh and are entangled in a vain religion – instead of faithfully walking and living in communion with the Spirit of Christ, or that the country they cherish might be worthy of God’s wrath and is rapidly headed for destruction.

Matthew 7:21 – Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. ²² “Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ ²³ “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

To discern America in scripture, it helps to distinguish certain specifics regarding the main players mentioned in Revelation chapters 13-19. While we might not be able to identify all of them irrefutably, it is still possible to establish some very specific conclusions about them from the scriptures. To start, it would be beneficial to list the end time players which we will be examining with brief descriptions and minor observations of each. However, for the purpose of brevity here, I will only be listing the dark players involved and not the Lamb, or the angels, or the hundred and forty-four thousand.

The entity that appears first in Revelation 13 is the seven-headed beast which rises up out of the sea. 

Revelation 13:1 – And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.

Then we have the second beast, which unlike the first that arose out of the sea, this one comes up from the earth.

Revelation 13:11 – And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spoke as a dragon.

On the first beast were ten horns with crowns which represent ten monarchies in Europe and/or the Middle East that eventually will form a temporary alliance. In the end, these will succumb to a common mindset to either subjugate or destroy the neighboring regions and all opposing religions, especially the nation Israel, and Judaism and Christianity.

Revelation 17:12 – And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. ¹³ These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast. ¹⁴ 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.

Revelation 17:16 – And the ten horns which thou sawest 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. ¹⁷ For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil His will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.

Lastly, we have the mysterious woman riding the beast.

Revelation 17:3 – So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. ⁴ And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication.

Later, I will be addressing some of the popular end time theologies that are out there, but for now I would like to just briefly present the following points which will be reviewed more thoroughly again later on. However, it would be advantageous for the reader to at least have some scriptural familiarity with these key players of Revelation. Therefore, if necessary, please take the time to read chapters 13-19 once or twice to get a basic knowledge of each chapter’s contents; and note that the following list is simply to provide preparatory aid for those who might want to review this even further on their own.

Fundamental Points

First – A vision given in considerable detail to the Apostle John is described in chapters 13-16. Being left stunned and speechless, the apostle was left staring at the “woman drunken with the blood of the saints” when the angel stated he will show John the mystery of the vision. The angel continues by giving him clues and expounds on the destruction of both The Eighth Beast and Mother of Harlots, articulating the various events that precede the Return of Christ and the Marriage of the Lamb.

Revelation 19:1 – And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God: ² For true and righteous are His judgments: for He hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of His servants at her hand. ³ And again they said, Alleluia. And her smoke rose up for ever and ever. ⁴ And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia. ⁵ And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye His servants, and ye that fear Him, both small and great ⁶ And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigns. ⁷ Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to Him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife hath made herself ready.

Second – While telling John about “the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carries her,” the angel says something very specific that I have yet to hear adequately addressed, let alone preached on from the pulpit. For by the angel’s words this “mystery” appears to be something that true believers in Christ have a responsibility to know, that is if their names are “written in the book of life from the foundation of the world.”

Revelation 17:7 – And the angel said unto me, Wherefore did you marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and ten horns. ⁸ The beast that you saw was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were 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.

That part in the verse about those “whose names were not written in the book of life” is often just read through by many without any real pause or consideration. So, for those who might be considering its significance for the first time, you may also need to reflect upon what Jesus said to His true disciples.

Luke 8:10 – And He said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand.

God’s people should know about these events which were prophetically foretold concerning the days in which they live, and therefore should not be caught unaware. If these things were meant to remain a mystery and hidden, then why would Jesus have attributed the people’s ignorance to them in His day as a contributing cause for the destruction of Jerusalem?  Jesus absolutely expected them to know, and consequently a just verdict of condemnation was spoken over the holy city with tears as a determined judgment was levied upon them for their failure to discern the time in which they were living.

Luke 19:41 – And when He was come near, He beheld the city, and wept over it, ⁴² Saying, If thou had known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! But now they are hid from thine eyes. ⁴³ For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side, ⁴⁴ And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knew not the time of thy visitation.

In Jesus’ day there were the Zealots, the Sadducees, the Pharisees, the Essenes, and the Herodians; and these all had their respective beliefs which they had derived from the scriptures. So I ask you, was it because they were too confident in what they believed, or had they become so indoctrinated that they had become apathetic and too lazy to seek those things which God desires to reveal to all men freely. Surely it was the judgment of God upon them to have Jesus say unto them, “But now they are hid from thine eyes.” 

This notion that God expects His people to know certain things can be further established through Daniel who was able to understand the times and events which were due to occur in his day “by the books,” i.e., the writings of the Prophet Jeremiah.

Daniel 9:2 – In the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet, that He would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem.

The problem of ignorance must lie with men and not God, for He has promised that those who come to Him will be rewarded for their diligence.

Hebrews 11:6 – But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.

Matthew 7:7 – Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: ⁸ For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

Likewise, Paul’s Epistle to the Thessalonians demonstrates how through the scriptures – with his teachings – their prayerful attentiveness – and their walking in the Spirit, that they had no additional need to have the things which were ready to come to pass in their day furthered explained to them.

I Thessalonians 5:1 – But of the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I write unto you. ² For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. ³ For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. ⁴ But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. ⁵ You are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.

Thirdly – This first beast that rises up out of the sea is not a person, as the angel explains to John that the sea represents a diversity of people and not just an individual. This will be discussed in a little more depth with supporting scriptures in Chapters 5 and 7.

Revelation 17:15 – And he said unto me, The waters which you saw, where the whore sits, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.

Forth point – It is the dragon, or Satan, who is ultimately the controlling power behind the Eighth Beast’s rise to supremacy.

Revelation 12:9 – And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

Revelation 13:2 – And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.

Fifth point – the angel explains to John that this beast “that was, and is not, even he,”  is but a prophetic and historical representation of the various empires in Israel’s past and present, and future. However, in context of John’s vision and the prophecy, the overall seven-headed beast ultimately represents that final empire that goes into destruction; and is therefore referred to as “The Eighth Beast” throughout this book. It will later be presented both how and why this seven-headed beast represents a succession of spiritual Babylons up to the rise of “the eighth.” Again, it is important to stress what we are specifically told, that of this eighth and final manifestation of the beast system, that it is “the dragon [that] gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.” 

The beast’s seven heads are intended to represent a historic succession of “mountains” which are prophetic of these kingdoms, four of which Daniel’s vision additionally confirms are “four great beasts [that] come up from the sea.”

Daniel 7:3 – And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another.

Revelation 17:9 – And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth. ¹⁰ And there are seven kings: five [of which] are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space. ¹¹ And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition.

Readers will find it helpful to keep this final “eighth beast” in mind while reading through Revelation chapters 13-18.

Sixth point – There is a second beast that comes “up out of the earth” which is in fact a man. Just as Adam came from the dust of “the earth,” so does this individual. Now some of you more studious bible readers may have noticed Daniel 7:17 states that the four beast-nations came from “the earth,” and therefore might be confused or even inclined to object. However, a careful examination will reveal that it is in fact the kings and not the empires that arise up out of from the earth.

Daniel 7:3 – And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another.

Daniel 7:17 – These great beasts, which are four [kingdoms or empires], are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth.

Note also how the numeric connotation of “four” is given twice in verse 17, indicating four separate kingdoms under four specific kings, again differentiating that it is the kings and not the beasts which rise out of the earth.

 We must not ignore the fact that since scripture clearly states this second beast “exercises all the power of the first beast before him,” that it establishes his position as a leader or ruler of the Eighth Beast’s empire. Thus, in Revelation when we see the “second beast that comes up from the earth,” it represents either a man, or perhaps a position or office which has been held by a succession of men throughout the duration of “the Eighth Beast” supremacy prior to it going into perdition. If it is a position, then those who have filled it may very well have adorned the appearance of a lamb, but history in the end will reveal that when they spoke it was in reality with the mouth of a dragon. This symbolizing that while there is an ongoing effort to maintain an appearance with the constant assertion of being for peace, their concealed agenda is actually seeking to make opportunity to wage war against God’s saints and Israel. 

Revelation 13:11 – And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spoke as a dragon. ¹² And he exercises all the power of the first beast before him…

I cannot stress enough the importance to recognize that this second beast may very well be a position which has been held by a succession of men, like the position of the “High Priest” in Israel. Which while there have been many who have served therein, the office is still a unique position which can only be held by one man at a time. Thus, any reference made to “the High Priest” is an address to the position, regardless of whoever was filling the position at that moment. Likewise, this position of the second beast exercising “all the power of the first beast before him,” may very well be one that has been filled by a succession of men from the time of the Eighth Beast’s rise until its fall. 

Seventh point – It is also interesting to note that distinct from the ten horns which the angel recognizes as “kings,” that the leader of the Eighth Beast is not so identified. That provides even more reasons to the probability that the system, or foundation of his authority, as Daniel might put it, is “diverse from all before it.” Meaning, according to scripture there are sound reasons to believe the Eighth Beast Empire will not be a monarchical kingdom with a “king.” We must acknowledge that nowhere has there been a direct reference to a ruling “king” in the Eighth Beast mentioned. This is actually very similar to the first “little horn” mentioned by Daniel.

Daniel 7:7 – After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns. 8 I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.

Daniel 7:24 – And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another [little horn] shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.

Please note that this “little horn,” unlike the ten other horns, is not referred to as a king. We will touch on this “little horn” in more depth later in Chapter 12. 

Eighth point – In Revelation 13 when the Eighth Beast rises up out of the sea there is no mention of “the woman.” It is not until chapter 17 that the woman is revealed and shown to be sitting upon the beast. 

Revelation 13:1 – And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.

Revelation 17:3 – So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet colored beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.

The fact that this woman wasn’t mentioned when the Eighth Beast rises up from the sea and is later revealed to be riding the beast and “drunken with the blood of the saints and… the martyrs of Jesus,” signifies an obvious transformation has occurred in the Eighth Beast’s empire. Historically, the relationship between the civil and religious aspects of a society is very much like a marriage, each ministering accordingly to the needs and aspects of the community. Such is why we have the books of Nehemiah and Ezra in the Holy Scriptures, presenting the respective responsibilities of both the civil and religious leaders during the time of the Jews return to Jerusalem after the Babylonian captivity. Therefore, it is plausible this transformation is the result of an eventual departure within the Eighth Beast from its original religious foundation to the embracement of another.

If care isn’t given to maintain a balanced and proper relationship, the love and commitment necessary for a healthy relationship will become lukewarm. When that happens a door can easily be let open for a spirit of adultery to move in and cause the hearts of a society to wander and depart from their first love and fall prey to a host of seducing spirits. Perhaps such is the simplest explanation to what happens, or happened, when Babylon the great fell.

Revelation 18:1 – After these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory. ² And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. ³ For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.

Being now fallen, and yet loving and openly celebrating their having been seduced, the uninhibited sins of the Eighth Beast cause it to be completely given over, or perhaps more literally, conquered by an adulterous spirit. Having rejected God and His Word, the Eight Beast’s inhabitants joyfully embrace the doctrines of devils and are swept away in the devastating flood of whorish religious institutions represented by the “Mother of Harlots” just prior to their going into perdition. 

Revelation 12:15 – And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood. ¹⁶ And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth. ¹⁷ And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

Ninth point – The woman is said to be sitting upon three things: the sea, the beast, and seven mountains.

Revelation 17:1 – 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: 

Revelation 17:3 – So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet colored beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.

Revelation 17:9 – And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.

This woman characterizes a spiritual wickedness that aggressively seeks to steal the glory, affection, and worship due to the true and living God and Him alone. She is not an entity that is capable of manifesting its presence everywhere, for only God is omnipresent, He alone fills all time and space, being everywhere all the time, all through time, at the same time. This woman represents the assembly of fallen angelic forces working as principalities, powers, and rulers of darkness in this world, and spiritual wickedness in high places; who are ever determined and constantly occupied in various religious deceptions within every nation – to destroy humanity which was created in the image of God and were to be part of the glory of God filling all the earth.

 These whorish religious institutions work just as Balaam did, who could not curse the people of God by his own power, but for the reward of filthy mammon gave devilish counsel to Balak, who then had the people send seductive women in among the Hebrews. Similarly, these false religious institutions with their seductive doctrines have for centuries been creeping into careless churches and drawing the hearts of people away from Him after another gospel and false gods, causing destruction to come upon them through the wrath of God for their willful sins.

Numbers 25:1 – And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab. ² And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods: and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods.

Numbers 31:16 – Behold, these caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to commit trespass against the LORD in the matter of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of the LORD.

Thus, this woman that rides the beast is referred to as “the great whore that sitteth upon many waters.” However, since the visions given to Daniel concerning the rise and fall of nations, the coming of Messiah, and definite end time events, all deal with “thy people and upon thy holy city,” we can see that this specific account of the woman sitting on “seven mountains” is given to help us determine those empires which will have had a direct correlation with Israel leading up to the rise of the Eighth Beast.

The fact that in Chapter 17 the woman is riding the Eight Beast reveals that the authority and power of another mountain, or empire, has once again been completely usurped by this woman through her seductive Jezebelian spirit; for she is now shown to be controlling the beast through her enchantments and manipulations. And just as Jezebel plotted to “war with the” righteous to kill them and steal their inheritance, so will the Eighth Beast and the Mother of Harlots make war with those “which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” However, just as Jezebel was thrown down and died, so will be the fate of this latter-day spiritual Babylon.

Revelation 17:9 – And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth. ¹⁰ And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space. ¹¹ And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition.

Tenth point – The ten horns which are ten kings, at the time of John’s vision “have received no kingdom as yet,” yet in the last days they rise up and very briefly merge their “power and strength” with the beast. This part of the angel’s explanation to John should never be far from every one’s mind whenever the world leaders seek the support of other nations to combat what they present to the masses as a global threat. However, it is evident from the passage that the consent of these leaders will not be a sincere merger for it is only for “one hour,” because God has put it in their hearts to unite and rise up against the woman riding the eighth beast, spiritual Babylon, to utterly destroy it.

Revelation 17:12 – And the ten horns which thou saw are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. ¹³ These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast. ¹⁴ 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. ¹⁵ And he saith unto me, The waters which thou saw, where the whore sits, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues. ¹⁶ And the ten horns which thou saw 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. ¹⁷ For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil His will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled. ¹⁸ And the woman which you saw is that great city, which reigns over the kings of the earth.

The fact that these ten kings only appear to give their power to the beast for one hour, and then violently turn against the woman riding it, is yet another factor which undermines the widely held belief there will be a fulfillment of the “One World Government” concept. For it is clear these ten horns have kept their individual sovereignty intact, and the merger will be extremely brief, prophetically being called “one hour.” Therefore, I believe that this will not be an actual yielding of their independent powers, but only a convincing appearance of a mutual consent. This unification is merely a shallow political agreement of which the leader of the Eighth Beast will probably openly boast and take credit for coordinating the consolidation of these powers.

Perhaps this agreement may be as simple as a move to initiate a common currency or new economic system requiring “the mark” among the consenting nations using a fiat or crypto money system, in an attempt to combat other wealthier nations which may be pushing for a mandatory international gold standard for global economic stabilization. An argument can easily be made that wealth can be considered power and strength just as well as military might.

Conceivably, the destruction of the nation with the world’s greatest debt, especially if its currency has been used as a global standard, would require a reboot of the whole global economic system. That alone could have tremendous appeal to other smaller debtor nations. However, I readily admit that an economist I am not and that these things are way beyond my paygrade, so to say.

Nonetheless, the purpose of this agreement between the Eighth Beast and the ten kings appears to be made only to allow them to deceive the beast just long enough to jointly prepare for a sudden assault to bring a swift and sure annihilation upon both the whore and the Eighth Beast which foolishly allowed her to usurp its authority.

Revelation 18:9 – And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning, ¹⁰ Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come.

Revelation 18:17 – For in one hour so great riches is come to naught. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off, ¹⁸ And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city! ¹⁹ And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate.

Eleventh point – “That great city, which reigns over the kings of the earth” is a reference to the capital of this last spiritual Babylon. For remember – Babylon wasn’t a country; it was the seat of the Chaldean Empire, therefore the speaking of the fall of Babylon is speaking of the fall of the Chaldean Empire. Thus the “great city” here refers to that nation’s capital which through its international policies – moral and monetary manipulations – or what in scripture is called “sorceries,” it thereby causes “all nations to be deceived.” The word “sorceries” implies their rebellion against God and their intentional manipulation of the other nations as being witchcraft, which like Balaam – is the intentional and calculated exploitation of men’s wills to cause them to consent to sin. “For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft – and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD,” (1st Samuel 15:23). It is because of her constant rebellions and sorceries that the great city spiritual Babylon will eventually be annihilated.

Revelation 16:10 – And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain, ¹¹ And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds.

Revelation 18:23 – And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived.