As I watched her pass out of sight, I thought, "Oh, God, as a minister, if that's the best we've done, ...oh, oh, oh." I thought, " God hide me". I just wanted to get away from there if that was all that our ministry labors had produced. Those women were suppose to be virgins to Christ. Instead of being virgins, they passed by moving to the music with their short hair and painted faces. I just turned my head. It was so disgraceful. I knew the Lord was standing there and I wanted to start weeping. As a minister of the church I was thinking, "Is this the type of church I have produced for him". I thought, " Oh, God, I can't look at it. Let me die. Let me fade away."

Each of these churches would walk away from me out to a certain place and just drop out of sight. I'd hear their sound fade away and the sound of the next nation's church would begin to come from the other side.

As the last of these church-women passed off out of sight, I began to hear back over this way the sound of music similar to that old song, Onward Christian Soldiers. As I looked at this group, I saw the most sainted bunch of little girls. They were like none of those others. They were not unclothed. Nor were they dancing and gyrating to ungodly music as they came. These girls were all dressed so correctly and decently. Their hair was not cut off as the others; their hair was hanging way down their back, smooth, and clean. They were marching just so in step with the Gospel. She was the Word. And it looked like one out of every nation. When this Bride people passed by, they did not drop off out of sight as those churches of the other nations did. Instead of going down, they started going up. As I watched, I noticed one or two or three of them trying to get out of line. I screamed at them, "Stay in line!"

Right then, the vision left me, and I came to myself standing in the room screaming, "Stay in line!" Yes, I saw a preview of the Bride of Christ - a beautiful little lady so correctly dressed as she marched by.

(This vision was given nearly 30 years ago to an elder minister of the gospel who is now deceased.)

For a moment, stop and think on the vision you have just read. Could it be true?

Could it be that "what" the general masses and John Q. Public calls THE CHURCH is not really anything more than a sham, an imitation, an exercise in "Let's Pretend", a charade, a make-believe?

Could it be that there is A CHURCH which is composed of believers of every race and nation on earth and who march "AS ONE" to the step or rhythm of the Gospel or Word of God in a much different manner than that body of people which the general public calls ...."the church"? Could it be that there is a people of dedication, discipleship, and holiness who are in fact the Bride of Jesus Christ?

The purpose of this sermon or study is to reveal to you just how scriptural the preceding vision is; AND, that there are two churches in the earth.

One church people live their lives in conduct and experience according to the beat or sound of the Word or Gospel. Both her appearance and spirit becometh the Bride of Christ, a Bride of the Word Made Flesh, ...a Word Bride. She is Not a sect. Not an organization. Not a denomination. She is the TRUE CHURCH; a body of people whose walk with Christ is beyond all man-made artificial boundaries. Her whole manner is different.

Others of the church world put on a good show, but do not come to the standards of righteousness, discipleship, holiness, and The WORD as taught in scripture. They represent themselves to the world as Christ's Church. Yet, this other people live their lives and conduct themselves marching to the sound of a different drummer. They march, as unto Christ, but are under the influence and direction of a beat which is generated by the world, the lusts of the flesh; .....by Satan himself. While they hold themselves before the minds of men as an exhibit of God's church; ...they rebel against God's Word and serve their master, the rebellious one. They serve Christ in name only.

Two peoples? Two Churches? This idea of two vines or branches should not surprise you if you have heard or read many of Jesus' Parables, especially the one of the TARES and the WHEAT. It is recorded in Matthew 13 . It reveals that there are two seeds in the earth, ...two seeds in God's kingdom. One seed, Jesus calls "the children of the kingdom"(v.38) and the other he calls "the children of the wicked one"(v.38), that seed of offense, sown by the wicked one. Both seeds or peoples grow together in the Kingdom until the time of the harvest, when God separates those that offend and DO INIQUITY from His Kingdom. (Iniquity is the spirit of Lawlessness, ....not crime or Mafia. It is the same spirit of rebellion which operates in religion, but can not come to the Word of God. It is rebellion against The Word in some measure.)

IT'S A MYSTERY! In fact it's TWO MYSTERIES! One mystery is called in scripture, THE MYSTERY OF GODLINESS......while the other is spoken of as THE MYSTERY OF INIQUITY or lawlessness. The mystery of two peoples, two churches. One is the MYSTERY OF A VIRGIN, ...THE CHURCH, ...THE BRIDE OF CHRIST. The other is the MYSTERY OF A WHORE, ...A PROSTITUTE, ...BABYLON THE GREAT.

For over one-half of a millenium, 500 years, ministers of Jesus Christ have gone on record as labeling the Roman Catholic Church System as the Great Whore of Revelation 17. It would be enlightening for each person to be acquainted with the reasons why Catholicism has been called the AntiChrist, the Great Whore, and Mystery Babylon by such historical Christians and ministers as John Fox, John Wycliffe, Martin Luther, John Knox, John Calvin, William Tyndale, Sir Isaac Newton, John Wesly, Cotton Mather, Johnathan Edwards, Alexander Hislop; ...to name a few.

We will attempt to bring the revelation of the Mother Harlot, the Great Whore UP-TO-DATE. If all those men were to resurrect today, what would be their decree? If they were to behold the religious landscape of this 20th century, they would have to refine and adjust their understanding as to where the Mother Harlot, the Mystery Babylon Spirit, has her principle thrust. To simply dog-tag Roman Catholicism exclusively would be to acknowledge that nothing has changed over the centuries and to consent that Satan has no new agenda of deception for the endtime.

However, things have changed. The Protestant Reformation has come and gone. The Methodist Revival has flowered and faded. The 20th Century out-pouring of the gift of the Holy Ghost, just like at Pentecost, has pressed its way onto the religious stage. Charismaticism has stirred the lives of many. Things have changed. The Revelation of the Great Whore has moved on. There is another beast of Revelation 13. Things have changed. The web has spread further.

We will lay some foundation for those who may not be well versed in the understanding that Roman Catholicism, at one time, was the Great Whore in totality. But we will go further. We must go further. Why? Because Satan's deceptive designs have progressed further. Jesus Christ spoke of it to John on the isle of Patmos.

Martin Luther said in 1520, "...personally I declare that I owe the Pope no other obedience than I do than that to AntiChrist." Cotton Mather's 1700 understanding was, "...The oracles of God foretold the rising of an ANTICHRIST in the Christian Church; and in the Pope of Rome, all the characteristics of that Antichrist are so marvelously answered that if any who read the scriptures do not see it there is a marvelous blindness upon them." If you understand and believe these two statements, .....then you are prepared with a foundation to have the revelation of the the Great Whore, Mystery Babylon, the Mother of Harlots, the Beast; ....unveiled for this present endtime generation as we approach the end of the 20th century.

By the grace of God through the Lord Jesus Christ, we will, in our own limited way, try to share what God asked us to share with others. It won't be the "last word", nor "complete", but hopefully it will add another stone to your Wall of Righteousness and Faith.

As names and identities are described please realize that we are not inditing the specific individuals who are members of particular sects and movements, .....it is the spirit of the thing. That is why the Lord is so clear and emphatic when he said, "Come out of Her MY people, and be not partaker of her sins and her plagues." (Rev.18:4)

Alexander Hislop's, Two Babylons, would be a good preface to this sermon. We could call his book of the 1800's, ....Mystery Babylon-- Part 1 . We will pick up the revelation where he left off. We could call this study, ....Mystery Babylon -- Part 2.

M Y S T E R I E S

Different mysteries are mentioned in the New Testament, such as: the mysteries of the Kingdom of God, the mystery of God, the mystery of Christ in you, the mystery of Iniquity, the mystery of godliness, and lastly, the mystery of MYSTERY BABYLON.

Each of the mysteries in scripture are important pieces in the overall development of God's eternal purposes. Col. 1:26 speaks of "the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but NOW is manifest to his saints" : Christ in you, one body, Jew and Gentile, the hope of glory.

A mystery to the people of God in one age, later became "present truth" (2 Pet.1:12) and "meat in due season" (Matt.24:45) when unveiled by the Spirit of God to the believers of a later age. Do you remember God's reply to Daniel's request for more understanding? God instructed Daniel that the visions and truths were closed and would not be revealed until the time of the end, ...the endtime. (Dan.12:9) The unveiling of truth only comes to a people or generation as that truth is needed to further develop God's purposes in the earth. Thus, that which was a mystery to the people of God in one generation or age, ...as they "looked through a glass darkly", later became understood clearly "in the light" when it came time for the understanding to be revealed.

THE MYSTERY OF INIQUITY !

"For the mystery of iniquity doth already work"... These words of instruction were spoken under the direction of the Holy Spirit almost two thousand years ago, in about A.D. 55, to the believers in Thessalonica. He, this mystery of iniquity, was to "be revealed in his time" (2 Thess 2:7-8). That mystery of iniquity (lawlessness) was present then, but was not revealed or unveiled. It was standing in the shadows where only the light of the Spirit could shine upon him. This Iniquity was then working on its strategy to weave itself into God's New Plan, ...the Church. This was not a new iniquity, ....but the same iniquity which had touched every race, culture, and generation since Adam and Eve's seduction in the garden. (By the way, the pronouns "He" and "She" are both used as God protrays and veils the nature of this Mystery. Just remember the Spirit of God is unveiling a spirit which has neither sex nor gender, however, humans describe attitudes and character in terms of ..."he, she, or it" to help us comprehend manifestations. Whether, "he" or "she" or "it", ....the outworking of Satan's deceptions are being described.)

Religious mysteries of an unholy nature were upon the face of the earth and confronted the spread of the good-news as it was preached by Jesus, the apostles, and the early saints in the book of Acts. These mysteries of evil were woven among the religious rituals and ceremonies of pagan cultures in their worship of false deities, images, animals, and heavenly bodies.

The Mystery of Iniquity had not only shaped the pagan systems of religion; ...but, it had even crafted Israel's worship of Jehovah in Jesus' day, into such a mingled, mixtured, mongreled religion, ....that only "a remnant (in Israel) according to the election of (God's) grace" received Jehovah's most excellent ministry of Jesus Christ. (Rom.11:5) Judaism at the time of Christ had become a fabric so woven with Mystery Iniquities' blinding elements of ritual, tradition, and rebellion, ....that the kingdom was taken from them and given to another people that would bring forth fruit. (Matt.21:43) As a nation, they had deteriorated from the cancerous effects of religious confusion to an un-redeemable level; so "that the blood of all the prophets which was shed from the foundation of the world, from the blood of righteous Abel", was to "be required of this (that) generation" of Hebrews. (Luke 11:50,51)

Wherever the truth was preached in villages, markets, heathen temples, and even Jewish synagogues, ...those evangelists of Acts confronted the Mystery Iniquity Religion of Babylon, ...the same spirit of religious confusion which first bloomed at the tower of Babel.

Babel means confusion. It was there that the minds and efforts of men united to work together to get to heaven. God brought confusion and scattered them. At Babel the seeds of religious confusion were sown which later bore fruit in EVERY kingdom to which mankind scattered. All religious confusion and iniquity, whether Pagan, Judaic, or Christian comes from the same seed bed, ...Mystery Religion of Babylon, ...simply one Mystery of Iniquity. The cities of Babel and Babylon had disappeared into dust and ruins thousands of years prior to the 1st century; yet, the Pagan Babylonian mysteries and doctrines of religious confusion which were born at Babel, ...were present in 55 AD. within the hearts, minds, and religious practices of the men and women to whom the 1st century church preached. It was to be only a matter of time until that same "spirit of lawlessness" (iniquity), which had corrupted the Pagan world and the 12 tribes of Israel, ...would begin to breed its rebellious nature of iniquity within the unsuspecting New Testament Church. Just as it was in Israel, not everyone would become ignorant, blind, and overcome. The Spirit was already forewarning and reminding those early believers of Thessalonica of what they had been taught through Apostle Paul, ..."Remember ye not, that when I was yet with you, I told you these things? And now ye know..." (2 Thess 2:5) The Mystery of Iniquity was to keep unfolding.

INIQUITIES MANY FACES

The veil which has cloaked Mystery Babylon's deceit is ripped away when one begins to understand that kingdoms, civilizations, and cultures live and die. Each kingdom has it's time of influence upon the stage of man, only to be replaced in a few years, decades, or centuries, ... by another. But this process of life and death among kingdoms is not true of religion. Civilizations have come and gone; but their religious systems have lived-on under the cloak of different names or images. All the kings of the earth HAVE drunken of the intoxicating wine of her religious adulteries, lusts, and spiritual fornications. (Rev. 18:3) She has not known any permanent relationships.

Revolution and war have not affected the Great Harlot Mother of Abominations in the Earth. This religious Harlot has not cared who ruled the political realm, nor has it mattered where wars were fought. She did not mind being called Isis or Osiris in Egypt, Ashtaroh in Assyria, Diana of the Ephesians, Aphrodite in Greece, Jupiter or Mercury in Rome, or even Pharisees and Sadducees in Israel. She clothed herself in the religious garb of whatever suited the need of that time, so that she might influence idolatry and rebellion against Jehovah God. That is why she could exist continuously, in spite of political upheavals and kingdom shifts. She would simply change her clothes, change names, switch alliances, and continue to stay in control of men's souls and hearts through false religion, whether pagan, ...rebels of Judaism, ...or apostate Christianity. Yet, beneath the new garb was always the same religious harlot who could not submit to God's WORD as He spoke it in each age. Each harlot religious system always had their OWN words or teachings which were held in higher esteem than God's Word.

As each civilization was replaced by another, Mystery Iniquity grew in religious deceit and knowledge. She kept learning and developing apostasy over the ages and centuries until we see Her today robed in her most splendid, deceitful, and adulterous attire. She portrays herself as the seat of truth and orthodoxy, when all the while she is the seat of Satan. She is presently alive, thriving, and reigning within the religious Christian and Non-Christian communities of this earth. She is not of the future, but of the present. She is not one woman, city, or church. She is religion which is untrue to God Almighty.

PARALLEL MYSTERIES

The Mystery of God and the Mystery of Iniquity, ...Parallel Mysteries, ...have both unfolded down through time. God's plan of the ages from the garden of Eden kept unfolding and being revealed to mankind during each age according to God's design and timing. Satan's plan of Iniquity, deception, and rebellion was always designed to match God's plan in each age. The devil, the master of disguise, has used the same spirit of deception which he used to defile Eve, to defile multitudes in every age down through history.

Iniquity deceptively veiled itself in each age with just the right approach at just the right time. No matter the method, Satan's purpose was always to combat, hinder, resist, and stop, if possible, God's plan and purposes for His people during each age. Satan knew from personal experience that defilement, spiritual impurity and mixture were most subtle and always brought God's wrath and judgment upon God's People. Regardless of the manner of attack, Satan's ultimate purpose was to create a religious behavior, contrary to God's desire, among humans so that God could not fellowship them any longer; ....thus he would have to separate from them and judge them.

In the garden Satan began by beguiling Eve to fall from God's Word. This resulted in Paradise being locked away from all mankind with the curse of death. In Abel's day Satan fathered murder and lying through Cain which marked and separated him from his family and God. Later, the Noah generation witnessed Satan's seductive ability to create mixed marriages between the Sons of God and the daughters of men (Gen 6:2) which brought forth such a depth of violence and evil upon the earth that God sent the flood.

In Canaan, Satan's influence incited idolatrous, sexual pagan worship practices of creatures, images, astrology, and witchcraft. Consequently the children of Israel became anointed to establish a beach-head for righteousness in the heart of Amorite territory and to cast out those offending nations when the cup of Amorite Iniquity (Gen.15:16) came to fullness.

Satan seduced and defiled Israel by prompting them to walk in the statues of the heathen by building high places, setting up groves and images, burning incense like the heathen, serving idols, worshipping the host of heaven, serving Baal, offering their children in sacrifice, enchantments (2 Kgs.17:6-20), .....and ultimately rejecting Jesus Christ. Satan watched the effects of Iniquity as God's people (because of their pollutions), became cursed and victims of divine judgments. Later, Satan's plan bore fruit as the kingdom was taken from them (Matt 21:43) and their house left desolate. (Matt 23:38)

The One Mystery of Iniquity all along played out lawlessness and spiritual rebellion within human hearts using the deceptive elements of the Mystery Babylon Religion.

When Jesus came upon the scene, none had fought the Mystery of Iniquity Religion openly, with any measurable results, for many years. Iniquity held sway over the whole world. Jehovah had been silent nearly 400 years until the fullness of time came for God to speak when Jesus of Nazareth came preaching and teaching the true unadulterated religion of Jehovah which was pure and free from any elements of the Mystery of Iniquity and Babylon's religious confusion. To God's people and church of that day the TRUE WORD came to a "people which sat in darkness (they) saw great light and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is (was) sprung up". (Matt.4:16) Similar to that exists today. Darkness covers the earth and gross darkness the people. (Isa.60:2) But, praise God, there is a light in the darkness.

OLD TESTAMENT SAINTS FOUGHT HER

This woman, Mystery Babylon of Revelation 17, is no stranger to God's people of every age. They had to overcome her enticing wiles and resist her from age to age for the right to worship the true and living God -- Jehovah. She is that WOMAN, that SPIRITUAL CITY, which has ruled over the kings, governments and souls of men upon earth. The saints and prophets of every age fought and resisted her religious harlotry, "abominations, and the filthiness of her fornications". (17:4) Her lusts for the "souls of men" (18:13) cost multitudes their lives as they held faithful to Jehovah. She pursued their blood, literally and spiritually, with such a lust that in time she became "drunken with the blood of the saints" of the Old Testament "and the blood of the martyrs of Jesus." (17:6) In fact, she is responsible for the blood "of all that were slain ." (18:24)

She reigned "over the kings of the earth" (17:18) from her throne. She sat "upon many waters" (17:1,15), that is, of peoples, nations and generations spanning the centuries and cultures preceding Abraham's day to the Present. Abraham sojourned among HER as "he looked for a city, ...whose builder and maker was God" (Heb. 11:10) Moses faced her in the courts of Pharaoh as he gave Jehovah's decree..."Let My People Go" ! As Joshua and the Judges of Israel struggled to reclaim the land of Canaan for Jehovah, they encountered HER deceptive influence, always inviting them, -- as Balak did --, to enjoy the pleasures of lusts, sin, and rebellion. David faced her as he warred against neighboring nations who were under her intoxicating influence, as he attempted to bring the worship of Jehovah to greater heights.

In time SHE, ...that Mystery of Iniquity, ...Mystery Babylon, managed to manipulate the religious character of Israel from within the King's palace. Elijah fought to break Her strangle-hold upon Israel. Elijah felt that he was alone, but God said,.."Yet, I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal." (1 Kings 19:18) (That figure could have represented less than 1% of Israel's population still holding onto Jehovah.) Could you imagine that over 90% of God's people and church (in Northern Israel) of that day had bowed to Baal ...to HER, ...to the GREAT HARLOT, ...to MYSTERY BABYLON, ...to the spirit of religious harlotry in that generation. It teaches one the great error in blindly following the majority and the masses.

Daniel and the Hebrew children resisted HER advances as they kept themselves faithful to their covenant vows in the middle of her enticements, sorcery, and wooing in the kingdom of Babylon. As Jesus walked among the people during the days of His Flesh, he wanted them to know that His teachings came from the Father and were not borrowed from HER. "My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me." (John7:16) None of Jesus' doctrine was borrowed from HER influence upon the surrounding pagans, nor from the Rabbi's and scribes of Israel, ...who had corrupted themselves by committing spiritual fornication with the Mystery Harlot, ....by exalting their traditions above the WORD of GOD. (Matt 15:6-9)

NEW TESTAMENT SAINTS FOUGHT HER

Certainly the Apostles and Paul spread the good news of Jesus Christ into the depths of the religious harlot's own territory. The entire earth at that time worshiped under the Mystery Iniquity religious Spirit. Everywhere they went there were Jewish and Gentile souls ready and waiting for release, ....wanting to be free.

After the Apostles passed from the scene, the Harlot's seductive advances made their impact upon even the Church of Jesus Christ. Not even God's New Covenant church people were beyond the reach of Her wiles; nor could they withstand all of her advances. Apostle Paul instructed the Thessalonians that "the Mystery of Iniquity doth already work" even in 55 AD. and that the restraints upon him, (this Mystery of Iniquity) would in the future be removed "that he might be revealed in his time." (2 Thes.2:7,6) Within a few hundred years This Mystery was in full-bloom and had stolen the name of "Christianity". Many departed from the faith, as man's intellect borrowed non-Biblical doctrines, religious principles (principles not previously taught by Jesus nor the 12 apostles) and attitudes from the Greek and Roman philosophies. These were incorporated into the Church by the early church Fathers? which were adulterous to God's WORD and commandments. They presumed to change, modify, and shape the church to the designs of their own intellect.

As Jesus spoke to John on the isle of Patmos in ?95 AD., he addressed some of the prevailing situations which had developed since Paul's exhortation to the Thessalonians nearly 40 years before. Yes, the Mystery of Iniquity had not been idle. It had over that 40 year period, brought forth such a change in the churches from God's original intent, that Jesus had to speak a rebuke to nearly every church of Asia he addressed. Listen to Jesus speak of the spiritual conditions which already existed at that time (A.D. 95) within the Seven churches of Asia..., some "say they are apostles and are not and thou hast found them liars" (2:2)..., "I know ...where satan's seat is" (2:13)..., "thou hast ...the deeds of the Nicolaitanes which I also hate" (2:6)..., "some hold the doctrine of Balaam, ...and the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, which thing I hate." (2:14-15)..., some "say they are Jews (the original church) and are not, but are the synagogue of satan" (2:9), and even the spirit of "Jezebel" had surfaced again among God's people. (2:20)

Jesus' statements recognized and forewarned the churches of God in that 1st century of Mystery Babylon's spiritual web of unfaithfulness, fornication, and rebellion that was beginning to engulf the church as a spider does its prey.

ONE SYSTEM OF UNFAITHFULNESS

The true identity of Mystery Babylon as the Mystery of Iniquity has been gradually unveiled in the earth as that of one system of Whoredoms. Satan has lived and influenced mankind through her ONE whorish spirit. She has expressed Satan's character as she has ridden that ONE beast of Rev. 17; ....not 7 beasts, ....not 7 women, ...one system of harlotry. "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." (v.4) This religious Harlot spirit was "Mother" to all other "abominations of the earth," (v.5) as she was carried by the devilish 7 headed beast through each of the seven great kingdoms or civilizations of earth, ...from the Egyptian Pharoahs till the present, ...in her lust for "the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth." (18:24)

Abraham, Moses, David, Daniel, Jesus Christ, the saints of the book of Acts, those martyred by the Pagan Roman Empire, those killed by the Roman Catholic church, ....and even those fearless men of the Reformation faced Her, ....the same Prostituting Spirit. The same religious Harlot influenced the crowd to cry that day in Jerusalem..... "Away with this man, release unto us Barabbas." Today we are either resisting Her advances, ...or we are yielding to Her for the sake of convenience and gratification of our own desires.

When a person fails to see that her influence and life has spanned generations and cultures, he is blinded in his perception of Her in THIS generation "upon whom the ends of the world are come." She, Mystery Babylon, the Great Whore, the Mother of Harlots and Abominations in the Earth is the ENTIRE SYSTEM OF RELIGIOUS CONFUSION, whether it be Paganistic (worship of gods besides Jesus Christ), Judaic (with its traditions and rejection of Jesus Christ) or Apostate Christianity (those who confess belief in Jesus but walk after the flesh). Each of the kingdoms which carried Her represent only 1/7th of the whole. Each of the 7 kingdoms in turn produced a more refined religious machine dominating the souls of men through religious fraud and spiritual darkness.

As we share that which the Lord Jesus bids us, we hope and pray that you will understand that Roman Catholicism is not the present manifestation of the Mystery of Iniquity as it once was in the past ---------- NOW it is the Harlot daughters.

THE HARLOT & HER BEAST

Come with me and I will show you the punishment of the great harlot who sits upon many waters. With her the kings of the earth have committed fornication and the peoples of the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her fornications. So the angel carried me away in the Spirit into the wilderness where I saw a woman sitting upon a seven headed, ten horned scarlet colored beast which was full of blasphemous names. She was dressed in purple and scarlet red color, gilded with gold, precious stones and pearls. In her hand she held a golden cup which was filled with the filthiness of her fornications. Upon her forehead was written a name:

MYSTERY

BABYLON THE GREAT

THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES

AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH

I wondered greatly as I watched this woman who was drunken with blood of saints and the martyrs of Jesus. Then the angel said to me: "Why were you astonished? 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.

The beast which you saw, was, is not, but shall come up out of the bottomless pit and go into perdition.

This calls for a mind which has wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits. They are also seven kings. Five kings have fallen, one king is, and another king has not yet come; but when he does come, he must remain for a little while. The beast who once was, and is not, even he is the eighth. He belongs to the seven and goes into perdition.

The angel said to me,"The waters upon which you saw the prostitute sit are peoples, multitudes, nations, and languages. The woman you saw is the great city which rules over the kings of the earth." (Paraphrased excerpts from Revelation 17)

THE BEAST SHE RIDES

The angel said that the mind which has wisdom should understand that, ..."the seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth" (Rev.17:9) and may have some fulfillment in "the seven hills of Rome". However, the seven mountains on which the woman sits are seven kings and their kingdoms, (Rev.17:10) ...not one city. Seven great kingdoms or civilizations have dominated the earth during the times of God's dealing with his elect and chosen people; ....from Abraham to the present.

The angel said in 17:10:

"There are seven kings: five are fallen",

He was saying that 5 kingdoms had fallen or ceased to exist at the time of John's visitation in A.D. 95? They were : 1st-Egypt, 2nd-Assyria, 3rd-Babylon, 4th-Media-Persia, and 5th-Greece. Each of these kingdoms had in the course of history up to that time been a world power and ruled the earth, but each had been conquered and replaced by the next.

"And one is"

The 6th kingdom to rule the earth was at that time in control and exercising dominion upon the nations. It was the pagan Roman Empire of the Caesars.

"And the other is not yet come",

The 7th kingdom to rule the earth would not come upon the world scene until years after AD. ?95. This 7th kingdom has become known as The Holy Roman Empire or the The Roman Papacy. The Roman Catholic church represents the fullness of manifestation of the 7th head or 7th kingdom. (We can not take the time or space to explain this more fully, but a little reading in any thorough history text which surveys the Civilizations of Man will make this evident.)

"And the beast that was , and is not, even he is the eighth and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition." (v.11)

The power of this beast would know a time called, "is not", when its influence and ability to dominate and exert its authority would be taken from it. Yet, its ability to exert its power and authority in the earth would return, "and yet is", ...."shall ascend out of the bottomless pit." It would fade away for a while into the shadows, but it would return.

All of this speaks of forces operating upon the affairs of humanity, beyond the scope and limitations of one historical figure, city, church, or government. Yet, most assuredly, this Mystery Harlot manifested in each generation her nature and purposes through specific individuals, cities, churches, and governments.

The Great Whore, the mystery Babylon spirit has existed and ridden through every age and civilization since the tower of Babel age. She represents the influence of religious confusion among Pagans, Jews, and Christians for false worship, deceit, corruption, rebellion, fraud and unfaithfulness in each of the the seven great civilizations within which God's COVENANTED people lived. One system of idolatry, rebellion and adultery against God and his will. These 7 kingdoms, civilizations, or mountains of this 7-headed devilish power have served Mystery Harlot faithfully from culture to culture even as men and women of this 20th century yield themselves to shape THE EIGHTH BEAST.

Let's take a look at God's descriptions of these kingdoms and how they appear in Bible history.

H I S T O R I C A L R O O T S O F B A B Y L O N

In naming the mystery whore, Babylon, God directs our attention to the root of Babylon, ...Babel. Nimrod was ruler of ancient Babylon. "He was a mighty hunter before the LORD" (Gen. 10:9,10). It was here in the land of Shinar that men first attempted to get to heaven on their own by building the tower of Babel. Here men said, "let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name,..". (Gen.11:4)

But, Jehovah God stopped their venture because their motives and attitudes were obviously evil and rebellious toward God. They were not intending to approach God for worship and adoration. Consequently, God confused their languages and thus the place was called Babel, ...meaning confusion.

The seeds of the "Mystery of Iniquity" Babylon religion were sown in the earth at Babel (Babylon) through Nimrod and his wife Semiramis. Astrology, demons, sorcery, and witchcraft were fundamental elements of Babylon religion and are traceable to Babel.

After the Egyptian (1st) and Assyrian (2nd) kingdoms passed from power, Nebuchadnezzar's kingdom of Babylon (3rd) conquered the known world. Babylon brought credit to it's name, ....confusion. It was known for it's numerous temples and worship of as many as 50 different deities. The Babel seed of Pagan Religious Mysteries had flourished until religious confusion was at the helm of the strongest political power of that day, .......Nebuchadnezzar's Babylon.

In time, Babylon would be called upon to recognize another God, ...Jehovah of the Hebrews, ...as the "God of gods, ...because there is no other God that can deliver" as he does. (Dan. 2:47, 3:29) Even Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, would "praise and extol the King of heaven, ...and none can stay his hand, or say unto him What doest thou?" (Dan. 4:37,35) However, Jehovah God became just another God within their Babylonian Religious Confusion.

Any careful student of religious history is full aware that from Babel spread the seeds of Mystery Babylon religion to all cultures and civilizations. Hislops', The Two Babylons, makes it all too clear, that all the idolatry and false worship of the whole earth is all of one system, with one unifying source, .....Babylonian. The deliberate schemes of Satan modified the names of false deities and their origins from culture to culture. But, when they are looked at through wide-viewing lenses, which look across ages and cultures, ...one sees the same paganistic elements of ritual, tradition, doctrine, and practice re-surfacing over and over.

That explains why that over time, the Mother-Son worship of Semiramis, the "Queen of Heaven" and her son, Tammuz, which originated within Nimrod's kingdom of Babel, spread across the ages among varying world cultures. In Assyria, her name was Ishtar, and her son was Bacchus; ...in Egypt, she was known as Issis, and her son as Osiris; ...in India, she was Isi, and her son was Iswara; ...in Asia, Cybele and her son Deoius; ...in Greece, Aphrodite and her son Eros; ...in Rome, Venus and her son Cupid, and later in Roman Catholicism, ...she became known as Mary and Baby Jesus.

However, the Mystery of Iniquity Babylonian religion gave rise to more than just Mother-child worship. Pagan religions throughout the earth, those which did not worship the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, carried many of the same familiar strains and characteristics. Such as : prayers for the dead, worship of images, a non-marrying priesthood, a separation of the priestly caste from the general worshiper, monkery, holidays to commemorate Pagan Deity births, purgatory, initiation rites of baptism, prayers to the dead, relic worship, rosary beads, and even a Pontifus Maximus (where the political leader is considered a god with leadership in both the civil and religious affairs of the state).

The system of religious lawlessness and iniquity conceived at Babel bore continual fruit in the earth as The Mystery of Iniquity made in-roads into the cultures of all nations. Religious confusion thrived and held sway upon the souls of all men except for those faithful Israelites who stayed close to the precepts of Jehovah.

Truly a world-wide system of false worship was transmitted across political boundaries and ages until it found its most fruitful expression of poly-theism and corrupting pagan religious practices in the ....Pagan Roman Empire of the Caesars. All religious confusion and harlotry conceived at Babel eventually found it's way into the Roman culture of the Caesar's. There had never been a kingdom like Rome, it was different from all the previous kingdoms which had ruled the earth, "diverse from all those which came before it". Satan had finally funneled all of the social, religious, and political evil of man into "his creation". Thus, when God revealed the nature of this kingdom, He could not type it with any creature God had ever created -- It was different! It was un-natural! It was without precedent! Let's take a look at how God described Satan's political-religious creation of Rome.

T H E A G E O F G E N T I L E K I N G D O M S

The scriptures of the Bible have somewhat to say of those seven kingdom-mountains which would rule the earth. God does give various descriptions of the natures of these kingdoms which would dominate the earth for many centuries. All would be Gentile nations and kingdoms. Daniel got a glimpse of 4 of these kingdoms while dealing with the King of Babylon's dream. Nebuchadnezzar's dream begins with His Babylon, omitting Egypt and Assyria, since their dynastys were already ended.

In Daniel 2:31-45, Daniel relates and interprets Nebuchad- nezzar's dream of a great image. The image had a head of gold, breast and arms of silver, belly and thighs of brass, two legs of iron, and feet of part iron and clay. It tells us of four kingdoms, from that time on, which would dominate the earth. (If not familiar, you should read it on your on.)

Daniel said to the King of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar:

"Thou, O king, ...art this head of gold (v.38),

"after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee

(v.39 ...the Media-Persia kingdom, Dan.5:28),

"and another third kingdom of brass

(v.39 ...the kingdom of Greece, Dan.8:20-21),

"and the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things; and as iron that breaketh all these, shall break in pieces and bruise."

(v.40) ...non-biblical history reveals plainly that the next world-wide kingdom after Greece was the Roman Empire.)

The fourth kingdom was to be divided, (v.41) and be partly strong and partly broken because of the iron mixed with the potter's miry clay (v.42) in the feet and toes. The Roman Emperor Constantine performed that very division when he move the capitol of the Empire to Constantinople. This formed an eastern and western division of the empire.

There was to come a time when another kingdom, represented as a stone would be cut out of a mountain and fly through the air and strike the image upon it's iron-clay feet and toes. The image of gold, silver, brass, and iron would then be broken by the stone into fine pieces and blown away by the wind. (v.34,35) The stone, a kingdom (v44) set up by God would break these Gentile kingdoms into pieces, ...thus bringing them to an end.

God said that four great kingdoms would rule over the earth from Daniel's day until the endtime : Babylon, Media-Persia, Greece, and The Roman Empire. Secular history verifies these very events. However, ...since God said that 4 Gentile Kingdoms would rule the earth until the kingdom of God appeared (the stone kingdom) AND since we know that the fourth Roman Empire kingdom, came to a political end about 476 AD.; ....there is a question which needs answering.

We know the Kingdom of God has not physically appeared; (even though "it has come without observation, ...in righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost."), ....so Where is the 4th Gentile Roman Kingdom? God said in the dream that the 4th kingdom would exist as iron and later as iron mixed with clay, until the stone kingdom came and broke the image's kingdoms to pieces and blew them away. Where is the Roman Empire kingdom? It has to be here -- God does not lie! Politically it has ceased to exist; but, religiously and spiritually it still exists.

We will explain in more detail during Daniel's vision of the 7th chapter; ...but, here is what happened.

The Roman empire fell in the 5th century. When Pagan Rome ceased to exist as a political force in the earth, the spirit of Pagan Rome did NOT cease to exist. It continued! The pagan-political spirit of the Roman Empire shifted into a spiritual and religious system -- The Roman Papacy. The political system of the Caesar's was toppled, ...but the religious system of Rome remained intact, ....so the church, which had already begun at that time to exercise itself with political powers, ...simply filled in the vacuum. And before too long the church was exercising both religious and political powers.

Rome lives. The Roman Empire exists now in a spiritual medium and affecting your and my spiritual life more than most comprehend. In later centuries it evolved into what became known as the Roman Papacy or Catholic Church. The 4th Kingdom does exist today. It did a shift, from Pagan Rome to Papal Rome. The spirit of Pagan Rome lives on today within the church-world. Many are expecting a revival of the old Roman Empire. Once you see her spiritually, you will know there is no need of waiting. She exists today! We will show a little more fully how this happened.

D A N I E L'S VIEW OF THE KINGDOMS

Daniel the 7th chapter gives a little more insight into Mystery Babylon's disguise as she rode upon the civilizations of history.

This time the vision is Daniel's and he watched as four beasts came up out of the sea as the winds blew upon the waters. (v.3) The angel said "These great beasts which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth." (v.17) He saw :

1st == a lion with eagles wings (kingdom of Babylon)

2nd == a bear with 3 bones in his teeth (Medes & Persians)

3rd == a 4 headed leopard with 4 wings (kingdom of Greece)

4th == a ten horned dreadful and terrible beast (the Pagan Roman Empire, v.4-7)

The 4th beast is the focus of the 7th chapter. Daniel, no doubt, had never seen anything like it or else he would have been able to identify it by name.

"a dreadful and terrible" beast with "great iron teeth", (iron was the metal of the image's legs, the 4th kingdom in Daniel 2).

"It devoured and brake in pieces and stamped the residue with the feet of it." ...a description of the conquering Roman Empire.

" It was diverse from all the beasts that were before it." No animal God had created could portray its nature and character -- as did the lion, bear, and leopard. This kingdom was Satan's creation.

"and it had ten horns. (v.24 ....represents 10 kings or the 10 divisions of the Pagan Roman Empire at its fall: the Anglo-Saxons, Burgundians, Huns, Heruli, Lombards, Franks, Ostrogoths, Suevi, Visigoths, and Vandals).

PAGAN ROME BECAME PAPAL ROME

"There came up among them another little horn". As he watched, an 11th horn (v.25 ..another king arose among them, among the ten (v.8), ...the 11th horn represents the Roman Papacy) This verse of the ten horns and the 11th little horn which came up and plucked-up three horns represents the political events which came about within a century of Rome's fall in 476 AD.

The ten horns represent the ten divisions which the Empire became when it fell. The little horn represents the Roman Papacy which allowed the life of the spirit of Pagan Rome to continue. This is where the Roman Empire shifted from a political to a spiritual force. Here is a simple explanation of how the shift occurred and why the 4th Kingdom of Rome is still dominating and conquering the earth. However, now it conquers in a religious and spiritual manner.

The transition of the spirit of Pagan Rome into the church was given extra energy when Constantine proclaimed the Edict of Toleration in 313 AD. This decree stopped all persecution of the christians throughout the empire. It brought to an end persecutions which had battered the christian community for more than two hundred years.

Persecution ended, churches were re-opened, new buildings erected, state sacrifices to pagan gods were stopped, many heathen temples were consecrated as churches, churches began to receive state financial support, clergymen became a privileged class, the church could even use state military to enforce religious decrees, crucifixion was abolished, Sunday was proclaimed a day of rest, ....in fact, membership in the church was sought as a way to gain social and political influence. Christianity had moved from the outcast religion of the empire to the New State Religion of Rome.

It was all due principally to one man, ....Constantine. While he was attempting to militarily solidify his position as emperor, he said he saw a cross in the sky and was told to conquer by this cross. So he changed his military insignias to a cross, won the battle and became a convert of the christian faith.

With the concern of persecution over, it was not long until Constantine had to deal with the bishops who now had time to focus upon doctrinal debates which had been dividing the christian community. With the great influx of Gentile converts over the past 250 years, the church was no longer Jewish in its thinking and many of its doctrines. The church now contained some of the best Greek minds who began to teach doctrines and concepts contrary to those taught by the New Testament apostles. Thus, the factions debated.

In a few years, Constantine realized that his new state religion, Christianity, had factions and strife in it which were not promoting unity in the empire. Thus, he began to convene religious councils to work out these issues and to bring unity to the state religion. Some of the bishops knew Constantine was going to use political and civil muscle to stop the bickering and bring a united faith to his Empire. Those bishops and leaders knew that whoever persuaded Constantine of their religious correctness would have the backing of the political and military machine of Rome. And so it happened.

Constantine was going to be the turning point for the Christian faith in more ways than one. Not only did he stop the imperial persecutions of christians by making Christianity the state religion; But, He opened the door of a new type of persecution for christians. One believer persecuting another believer. This came about from councils which Constantine called and required the bishops to attend. These councils resulted in many believers and churches losing their property and civil rights. The winning Bishops and leaders labeled the losers as heretics, and even required re-baptism and re-ordination of all those who did not agree with the "trinity" concept of God and the trinity mode of baptism. The Council of Nicea was the principal turning point in the debates. It was the beginning of christians with political muscle out-lawing all other christians who disagreed with what the leaders deemed religiously correct.

It was not long until the Empire's new state religion began to take on a more Pagan Roman attitude. Why? The Roman Church contained the old Harlot Spirit of Pagan Rome. It all came so natural. The masses were joining the church by merely confessing a creed, rather than by true repentance and being born again of the water and the Spirit. (John 3:3-5)

So Constantine did Christianity a service by ending the persecutions; but a dis-service by wedding it to the political machine of the Empire. Worship services became less spiritual, as pomp and ritual were more accented. Gradually, old Roman pagan forms, images and rituals with which the Romans were already familiar and comfortable, were given change-of-name face-lifts as they were brought into the church. This allowed popular heathen festivals to become church social events.

Later Constantine moved the capitol of the Empire to Constantinople. This left the bishop of the Rome church as the most influential and powerful figure in that area. In time, Rome fell to the barbarians. Rome existed no more. Rome was divided into 10 territories or smaller kingdoms. That is when the Beast had ten horns. But, remember; ....the spirit of the Pagan Roman Empire shifted into the new power that was building in the old capitol of Rome -- Rome's Bishop or Papa, ....the Roman Papacy.

"and it had ten horns. (v.24 ...they represented 10 kings or the 10 divisions of the Pagan Roman Empire at its fall: the Anglo-Saxons, Burgundians, Huns, Heruli, Lombards, Franks, Ostrogoths, Suevi, Visigoths, and Vandals).

But, this did not last long. Three of the ten rulers would not submit to the bishop of Rome. They resisted the bishop of Rome who was accustiomed to having authority and things his way since Constantine divided the empire. So he used the military strength at his disposal and had the three rebellious territories conquered. These three refused to submit to his brand of christianity, thus they were plucked up by the Bishop's political, military might.

"before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots" ("..whose look was more stout than his fellows" v.20) This 11th horn king tore 3 of the 10 horns out by the roots. (v.7-8) {v.24 The Papacy toppled 3 kingdoms, the Vandals, the Heruli, and the Ostrogoths.}

The beast became truly diverse as a religious-civil, church-state power. It began to persecute and torture all who would not submit. Thus, the false church vine, got control of the name, ....christian. The Roman Catholic Papacy became the receptacle of all the Paganism which was Rome and fostered if off on the world as Christian. Pagan Rome became Papal Rome. The Spirit of Pagan Rome simply shifted into the christian arena as Papal Rome. Thus the 4th Iron Kingdom of Nebuchadnezzar's dream continued to dominate the earth. Rome was yet alive. And Daniel was told more.

"behold in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things, ...And he shall speak great words against the most High and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws:" (v.8,25)

The 11th horn (v.25), the Roman Papacy, spoke great words and became more stout than the other kingdoms. In time he spoke against God, wore out the saints, and changed times and laws.

WEARING OUT THE SAINTS

Daniel saw this power emerge which would get a reputation as a destroyer of saints. The blood of God's people would flow as never before. Pagan Rome tried to exterminate New Covenant Christianity by it's many purging persecutions of the Christians. They began with Nero in 67 A.D. and continued through Diocletian's persecutions which began in 302 A.D.

However, history reveals that the Roman Papacy Catholic church exceeded all others in the systematic, barbaric torture and murder of those who confessed Jesus Christ in opposition to her perversions of worship and scripture. This continued for well over 1200 years.

The Mother Harlot Spirit became intoxicated on the blood of martyrs as she declared an "open season" on all people she labeled as ..."heretics". (The true Christians attempted to abide in the Apostles doctrine of the New Testament). All of this transpired with the sanction of the Roman Catholic Church. History records how Catholic clergy-men and church empowered civil-servants burned, massacred, hacked, hunted, butchered, shot, stabbed, drowned, beheaded, quartered, impaled, buried alive, baked, threw from cliffs, starved, suspended, stuffed, blew up, ripped, dragged, bored with hot irons, choked, trampled, and performed other unmentionable barbarities upon men, women and children who opposed Catholicism.

Roman Catholic Inquisition efforts were made to extinguish the Waldenses, the Lollards, the Bohemians, the Hussittes, the Huguenots, and other innumerable Protestants. It has been estimated that close to 50 million souls were killed under the direction of the Roman Pontiffs. The executioners of this torment and torture were given absolution of all their sins and a promise of immediate entrance into heaven if they should die in the pursuit and murder of "heretics".

Truly for well over 1200 years the Great Whore "wore out the saints" and became "drunken with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus." (Rev.17:6)

CHANGING TIMES AND LAWS

She changed numerous doctrines to suit her fancy and labeled them God's laws. The doctrines which surfaced from the clergy of the Roman Catholic Papacy had very little in common with the gospel preached by the Apostles in Acts and the New Testament Epistles. In fact the new doctrines of "that church" resembled MORE those of the Mystery Babylon Religion which had expressed itself in the polytheism of Pagan Rome. A simple glance at history reveals a church so unlike the "Acts Church" and so Like Roman Paganism!

The following are some of the rituals which were brought into "that church" and given the label of Christian: Mary worship, Mother-child worship, prayers to dead saints?, prayers for the dead, purgatory, the christianizing of Pagan holidays as Easter, Halloween, and Christmas, worship of statues, signing of a cross, tri-theism, trinity, celibate priesthood, mandatory worship on Sunday, laymen forbidden to read the Bible, traditions were declared equal to Scripture in authority, the immaculate conception of Mary, the confessional, professed power to forgive sins, church membership by baptism, and on it goes. All of these were of pagan origin, ....yet they were clothed with Christian labels and declared inspired of God. Nothing could have been further from the truth.

It was the Mystery Harlot's work to bring God's people into judgment for "eating things sacrificed to idols" and to "committing fornication", ....spiritual unfaithfulness to God's word. (Rev.2:20)

The saints were "given into his hand until a time, times and a dividing of time" (v.25) or 3 and 1/2 times. (representing 3 1/2 years of 360 days each, ....which equals 1260 days, ....3 1/2 X 360 =1260) And if each day represents 1 year ....then it equals 1260 years of prime domination and torture. (Remember, 40 days spying out the land translated into 40 years of wandering in Num. 14. See Rev.12:6,14, ...to equate 3 1/2 times with 1260 days)

History shows all too clearly that for well over 1200 years, the Babylonian Religious spirit of confusion manifested itself through the Roman Papacy Catholic churches' system of rebellion against God, his name, and his saints. This continued until the Mother Harlot's Roman Catholic church system was dealt a staggering blow by the Reformation in the sixteenth century. Apostle John was given an even deeper insight into the Mystery Babylon Spirit while he was upon the isle of Patmos near the close of the 1st century. A portion of it is recorded in Revelation chapter 13.

JOHN'S VIEW OF THE BEAST

Over 500 years after Daniel's experience, Apostle John was given insight for the New Testament church of the SAME power that Daniel saw in Daniel 7. Only John witnessed more detail and a broader description of the 11th horn spirit. Notice the parallels.

John, in Revelation 13, saw also the sea; but, this time only one beast came up. "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.." (v.1) Yes, this is the Great Whore's Beast of Rev. 17. This beast was a mixture of some leopard (Greece), some bear (Media-Persia), and some lion (Babylon) (v.2), which represented those peoples and nationalities which composed Pagan Rome and later Papal Rome.

This beast was almost a duplicate of the Devil-Dragon of Rev. 12:3,9. "And behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns." The same scarlet red color and the same number of heads and horns: "that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world." (12:9) It was Satan's instrument by which he could manifest himself within the nations of humanity. Satan's earthly vehicle was injected with the Devil's own "power, and his seat, and great authority." (v.2)

Notice what John sees happen to one of the heads. "And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast." (v.3) Though one of the heads, one of the kings or kingdoms of the beast (17:10) was struck a death blow -- it healed itself, greatly astonishing the earth. The head which was wounded unto death was the seventh head kingdom. More on that a little later.

Just as the "little horn" of Daniel 7, the 11th horn, was given a mouth to speak -- notice the parallel revealed to Apostle John. "And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and .....he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven." (v.5-6) A very stout fellow. He speaks blasphemy even against God.

Remember the phrase "wear out the saints" from Daniel 7? "And it was given unto him to make war with the saints and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations." (v.7) He likes to make war and warfare against God's people. He likes to see their blood flow.

There is also a parallel dealing with the span of time this beast would reign. Daniel said "time (1) and times (2) and the dividing of time (1/2)" in 7:25 {that is 3 and 1/2}. John saw his beast reign; "and power was given to him to continue forty and two months" (v.5). {42 times 360 days per year = 1260} {time, times and a half (dividing) time equates to 1260 -- see Rev. 12:6,14}

We can use Numbers 14:34 and Ezekiel 4:6 to equate 1 day to 1 year yielding 1260 days in terms of 1260 years. {Remember Israel wandered 1 year for every day they spied out the land -- 40 days turned into 40 years}

The head which received the wound, the kingdom which received a death blow and was healed is the power which reigned, dominated, and wore out the saints through persecution and war for well over a twelve hundred years. Do a little reading concerning church history and you will find a kingdom and power which came after Pagan Rome that fulfilled all of Daniel's descriptions of the "little horn" and John's beast with the wounded head. It was the 7th head of the Harlot's beast : The Roman Papacy or the Roman Catholic Church. Remember the 7 heads represent the 7 great kingdoms which have existed upon earth (Rev.17:3,9,10) and carried the Spiritual Harlot throughout her journey. They are: 1st-Egypt, 2nd-Assyria, 3rd-Babylon, 4th-Media-Persia, 5th-Greece, 6th-Pagan Roman Empire, and the 7th-Roman Papacy-Catholicism.

John received revelation on the isle of Patmos of the future -- not the past. John was aware of history; but, Jesus was revealing what the church would go through. The time factor referred to the future kingdom that was to come. Remember, the angel said, "There are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come ..." (17:10) A wound was coming in the future to the head of the beast which was ..."not yet come". The same head or kingdom which would war against God's people for over 1200 years. The 7th head of the beast was wounded unto death. God sent a death blow to Roman Papacy - Catholicism.

A W O U N D B Y T H E S W O R D

"The Beast that was and is not"

The angel told John in Rev. 17:8 that the Harlot's Beast which carried her would for a period of time be out of the seat of authority, "was and is not". It "was" in power and authority, but for some period of time it "is not". But it would return, "yet is, .... and shall ascend (though it is not) out of the bottomless pit". What happened that caused this interruption in its domination of the earth? The Protestant Reformation.

"And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast." (Rev.13:3)

We are not presently in the 1260 days (years) period of supreme rule and iron-teethed domination of the Mystery Babylon Harlot-Beast system of Revelation 13:1-8. That period of wholesale blood-letting by the 7th head Roman Catholic Church is over! That oppressive 7th Head expression of Satan's Beast-Harlot system during the Dark Ages was WOUNDED and crippled by a Sword wound.

About 500 years ago Satan's saint-killing machine, the 7th head Roman Catholic kingdom was wounded (Rev.13:3) by "the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."(Eph.6:17)

Martin Luther indicted the Romanish Church for her many errors as he nailed his 95 theses to the Wittenberg church door that day in 1517. He "wielded the sword of the Word" and inflicted a wound which others of the Reformation rallied around in calling God's people back to the scripture, God's Word, as a guide of practice. They exalted the written scriptures above all church systems, traditions, and religious creeds. This unveiling by God of truth, righteousness, and return to scripture -- took the reigns of control from the political-religious hands of the Beast's 7th head kingdom ---Roman Catholicism.

When this "Sword of the Word" death blow was struck, her influence and power to hold the world's populace in slavery was broken for a time. History records the avalanche of freedoms and free-thinking which followed closely upon the Reformation. They included: a release from supression and ignorance, democracy bloomed, freedom of the press, scientific discoveries multiplied, freedom of speech, a Bill of Rights, freedom of religion, and more. Of course Roman Catholicism fought back with it's Syllabus of Errors of 1864, (which were later ratified by the 1st Vatican Council) in condemning the freedom of religion, speech, press, and all scientific discoveries not approved by the Roman church. Yet truth marched on in the sun-light in spite of resistance, no longer bound to the shadows.

Though a deadly wound was struck against the Harlot's Beast system, ...she did not die! The Beast's "deadly wound was healed". (Rev.13:3,12) The power and influence of the Mother Harlot spirit through the Roman Catholic Church DID NOT DIE.

This Babylonian Religious church system did lose much of it's power to direct the political and religious climate of the earth's governments for a period of time. This allowed the gospel and faith in Jesus Christ to be preached with great liberty over the globe.

THE HARLOT HAS DAUGHTERS

"The Beast that was, and is not, and yet is."

The Reformation did not annihilate her. She simply expanded her Mothering influence. Remember John saw that she had a name written upon her forehead which said,

"MYSTERY"

"BABYLON THE GREAT"

"THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS"

AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH"

As the Mother of Harlots, she had offspring, ...daughters, ...other religious systems which were birthed or grew out of Roman Catholicism. They wanted to grow up and be separated from their Mother, ...but not entirely. They protested, but kept some of her doctrinal stones to build their own Protestant religious dwellings, which God prohibited.(Jer.51:26) They could not sanctify themselves, for the most part, completely from the Mother's doctrines and unfaithful ways toward God, ...too much of Mother was in them. Therefore each Protestant group became a carrier of Roman Catholicism's genes of Paganism. At the beginning of their protesting, the Mystery of Iniquity seeds were concealed within these non Spirit-filled believers : Lutherans, Baptists, Episcopalians, Anglicans, Methodists, Presbyterians, and etc. These daughters of the Mother Harlot system in time began to exhibit and show a greater and greater resemblance to their Mother, ...the Roman Catholic Church. The Mystery Babylon Beast system of Iniquity had still found a way to reproduce itself.

The deadly wound began to heal as the Mother Harlot Catholic Spirit transmitted seeds of defilement to mankind through her Protestant daughters. You may not be aware of the numerous religious systems and denominations which came forth out of Roman Catholicism and how each failed in some measure, to purge themselves completely from ALL of the Catholic Harlot's fornicating traditions, doctrines, and creeds.

The Light of Scripture returned as people refused Mary worship, priest celibacy, statue worship, prayers for the dead, and more. Yet, they retained pagan holidays, trinity, salvation without the in-filling of the Holy Ghost, water baptism for church membership, and the elevation of tradition and church dogma above the Apostles doctrine.

The daughter systems and denominations, for some reason, could not cleanse themselves from all of the fornications of Roman Catholicism. They could not wash themselves completely and thoroughly with the "Water of the Word" of God. Each daughter system had to keep some measure of the Mother's tradition and doctrines which had been developed over the centuries from her roots. In time these newly formed Protestant movements began to preach and disciple believers who were diluted, mixed, and mingled with such worldliness until......, it was necessary for the original "gift of the Holy Ghost", the Pentecostal experience of that 1st Acts Church to be preached again in power and in demonstration. It was then the beginning of the 20th century.

Much of Christianity today feel comfortable with the Roman Catholic church, believing that her awesome, destructive power of the Dark Ages was broken and that she is not to be feared anymore. Much of Protestantism feel that she has reformed and that fellowship with her is permitted. Little do they realize that they carry the same seeds of fornication, as their Mother, the Roman Catholic church. They are becoming more like their Mother every day. What was once separation and division has shifted into increasing tones of compatibility and harmony, -- all within specific guidelines, of course. However, war against the saints will be perpetrated AGAIN by the Mother Harlot spirit through Her prostituting daughter believers upon the true endtime Church of God --- The Bride of Jesus Christ!

Let me be clear. God saw that the time would come when multitudes of HIS PEOPLE -- those called to everlasting life in Jesus Christ -- would unknowingly find themselves worshipping and co-existing within the Mystery of Babylon religious systems of Judaism, Catholicism, and Protestantism. Nevertheless, as the Great shepherd that he is, He said he would call unto his sheep who are within the religious systems of the earth and say, "Come out of Her My People, that ye be not partakers of her sins and that ye receive not of her plagues." (Rev.18:4) God loves his own and does not want to destroy them with the others whom he must judge in his wrath.

The Beast was wounded! But the wound is healed! The next beast is upon the stage! Another beast, ...yes, another, and the last beast! Now..., we are in the days of the "8th beast", ...the Lamb-like Beast of Revelation 13:11-18. She appears quite different; yet, it is the same Mystery Harlot - Beast, ...the same spirit of religious Babylonian confusion, ...the same spirit of Catholicism, and ...the same spirit to oppress and bring God's people into spiritual bondage.

Remember, Satan's Harlot-Beast operation has become more clever and wise over the course of centuries. The Devil's systems have adjusted and re-adjusted their schemes and manifestations to increase their persuasive powers of deception upon the nations of the earth. But, Praise the Lord, through the eyes of the Holy Ghost the overcomers still see that revealed Mystery of Iniquity. That same spirit of religious Harlotry against Jehovah God which has dominated Paganism, Judaism, and apostate Christianity is wooing today from the pulpits of Catholicism, Protestantism, Charismaticism, and luke-warm Pentecostalism.

UNVEILING THE HARLOT

S M O K E S C R E E N I N G

We of the latter part of the 20th century are facing a different image of Mystery Babylon than the image that was projected during any of the seven great kingdoms: Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Media-Persia, Greece, Pagan Rome, and Papal Rome. We are facing the Beast-Harlot's best ....the EIGHTH MANIFESTATION, "which is of the seven." (Rev.17:11) Her greatest and last deception just before she "goeth into perdition."

Deception and craftiness is one area where Satan has no human equal. He is the source of all deceit. In keeping with his known methods, Satan has erected SMOKESCREENS at this endtime to keep God's ministers preoccupied with secondary issues rather than what is primary.

Thus saith the Lord : The preachers today are out hunting the Beast, they are trying to find him, while all the time they are looking here and there, the Beast-Harlot has come to their very House, ....to the Church, ....to the Community of Believers!

So many ministers do not understand that they should be looking for the Man-of-Sin, the Son of Perdition, the Spirit of Anti-Christ with-in their own fellowship. NOW, it is just as it was with Judas, who set the pattern for the AntiChrist spirit -- He was right among the apostles -- ministering with them and fellowshiping with them. This unfaithful spirit is working today among the church --not the world. Don't look in the world -- look among the church. Don't look among the Catholics only -- look among the Protestants, the Charismatics, and the Pentecostals. The Son of Perdition is here now -- a partaker of the ministry! (This is not a call for a witch hunt. But if you are blind, then you will lead the blind and both of you shall fall in the ditch.) The snare is laid. But can you see it?

The Mystery of Iniquity has raised smokescreens and diverted the attentions of much of the ministry to issues which keep them from ever truly focusing upon the fullness of the truth of the Great Whore Spirit in this generation. Periodic up-dates are the norm for systems which are constantly developing and maturing. Reading statements and testimonies about the Beast and Great Whore by the leaders of the Reformation are enlightening, but they are all observations, ....after-the-fact!

Martin Luther spoke from hindsight when he made this statement in the 16th century, "I rejoice in having to bear such ills for the best of causes. Already I feel greater liberty in my heart; for at last I know that the pope is antichrist, and that his throne is that of Satan himself." The time, times and a half-time or 1260 years (Dan. 7:25) of the "wearing out the saints" phase was close to its end. Its course was almost run.

Hislop's, Two Babylons, we must remember is a great work of research. But it was, as all research, ....an exercise in HIND-SIGHT. It no doubt was inspired of God to provide us with historical information few of us would have ever found on our own. But we, upon whom the ends of the age are come, do not have the luxury of time to wait for the accuracy of 20-20 hindsight. We must see clearly as we encounter each new facet of the endtime. Or else we will fall into deception which will mean becoming partaker of the sins and plagues which are falling upon Mystery Babylon at the endtime. (Rev.18:4)

We must up-date our revelation to include more than Satan's yesterday's strategy. The Protestant Reformation created a whole different image of christianity. No longer was it a "universal - Catholic" church which took all the lime-light. The Mother Church had to share the stage with all the different Protestant denominations which proceeded from her. Each developed into large religious bodies of their own with members on every continent.

And then, at the turn of this century, God unveiled another phase of his purposes when He began to "pour out of his Spirit" another Pentecostal out-pouring as in the book of Acts. Thus beginning the fulfillment of James' early and latter rain harvests of the earth. (James 5:7) This move shook the church world of Catholics and Protestants as these Holy Ghost filled believers made a place for themselves upon the Christian stage. Now all three stand in the lime-light of attention in Christianity: the Catholics, the Protestants, and the Pentecostals.

If Martin Luther were here now at the close of the 20th century, where would he say the "seat of Satan" is NOW? Would he still point to the Pope and Catholicism? No. He would now perceive that the Mystery of Iniquity did not crawl off into a corner and die with the Reformation. She moved on into the Protestants and later into the Pentecostals. The revelation was simpler in Luther's day. Everyone pointed at the Catholic church system. But, with the addition of the Protestant denominations (Episcopalians, Anglicans, Lutherans, Methodists, Baptists, etc.) and the Pentecostal denominations (Church of God, Assembly of God, United Pentecostal, & etc) and the present Charismatic element; .....the picture has become diluted, the mix has changed in many ways. But, the Devil is still the most subtle beast of the field and is now smokescreening his moves. You must open the lense and your field of vision. There is now more in the picture. Thus, Satan is using all types of distractions to keep ministers from comprehending what he is really doing.

Since the Reformation, adjustments have been made in the christian community -- thus, Satan made some adjustments in his Mystery of Iniquity Harlot system, too. Therefore, two, three, and four hundred year old historical quotes of religious leaders, (not Biblical quotes), are at best unable to give the whole picture for the endtime. The Holy Spirit of God wants us to look through the murky cloud upon today's horizon and focus upon the evil behind all the Smokescreens.

BABYLON IS NOT

Mystery Babylon is NONE of the following: Roman Catholicism, the United States of America, Islam, Communism, Satanic worship, occult, witchcraft, New Age, the Illuminati, the Masons, the Tri-lateral Commission, European Common Market, Opec-Muslim oil cartel, Economics, Council on Foreign Relations, the Bilderbergers, the Rothschilds, Humanism, Homosexuality, Abortion, Central World Bank, One World Order, New York, Los Angeles, London, ....and neither Iraq. All of these manifest evil from Satan's designs and plots to take over the planet, BUT none of these are Mystery Babylon nor the Mystery of Iniquity.

Mystery Babylon is none of these exclusively. Each manifests a portion of the Harlot-Beast's evil character; but, none are Mystery Babylon's Beast image today! Yes, they all represent and reveal evil on a multitude of battle-fronts. The war is greater than any specific one by itself. Truly Satan has come with "all power" in all of these mentioned perversions to attack the Bride of Jesus Christ from numerous directions; .....but, ALL OF THESE ARE SMOKESCREENS.

BABYLON IS

It is truly a mystery that multitudes today can not see Mystery Babylon APART FROM Roman Catholicism. Many Protestants and Pentecostals have removed from their worship much of the Pagan Rome worship practices which crept into the christian community through the Catholic church; such as Mary worship, prayers for and to the dead, purgatory, worship of images and relics, a celibate clergy, and etc. Consequently, they feel they are free of Romanism and the Great Whore Spirit. Truly, whenever a person rejects any area of Romanish NON-BIBLICAL worship practice, he sanctifies himself more closely to God because he is refusing to "eat things sacrificed unto idols". (Rev.2:20) This purifying is accomplished only by the "washing of the water by the Word", (Eph.5:26) not by man's word nor by theologian's word, but by Only the Word of God, ...as found in THE BIBLE.

The Protestants and even the Pentecostals have failed to rid themselves completely of the Babylonian Spirit and, just as many previous believers; have BIRTHED: ....wide-spread religious confusion (a life-saver christianity), ....elaborate church buildings (emphasis on the physical), ....a clergy who are lords over God's heritage, ....the spirit of Nicolaitanism (a conquering and suppressing of the laity), ....denominationalism (people belonging to a click more than to Jesus Christ), ....the doctrine of Balaam (a gospel of and for financial gain), ....organizationalism (God needs man to structure his church, which implies that God will fail without us handling matters for him), ....church creeds with more authority than the Bible (tradition and what men say matters more than God's word), ....receiving the Holy Ghost upon confession (new birth without the experience of Pentecost), ....water baptism as church membership (rather than for remission and washing away of sins), .... and on it goes. The Harlot Daughter systems have done well in terms of following in the Mother Harlot's Spirit. And the Pentecostals and Charismatics, by and large, have followed suit. Just as Israel wanted a king, so they want a visible structure like the heathen nations around them. (1 Sam.8:5)

A HARLOT IN THE HEART

Where is Mystery Babylon, the Mother of Harlots today? Simply where she has always been. The Mystery is that she exists in the Spirit of Religious Confusion within the religious institutions, doctrines, practices, dogmas, and creeds of religious men and women as they go about their daily lives attempting to worship Almighty God. It matters not which religious garment this Babel spirit of confusion wears; whether pagan, humanistic, Judaic, or Christian. On the surface, false religions and apostate christianity may appear different and diverse; but, ...beneath lies that same old Mystery of Iniquity Spirit which transferred itself from Pagan Rome into Roman Catholicism. If they can not worship God according to his revealed word through Jesus Christ and his "present truth" (2 Peter1:12) or "meat in due season" (Matt.24:45) for this age, ....then they are worshipping under the influence of the Mystery Whore's fornicating spirit.

Worshiping Jehovah God by doctrines and practices that are foreign to the foundations laid by Jesus Christ and Heavenly Jerusalem's 12 apostles of the Lamb places believers and non-believers in a state of unfaithfulness, or spiritual fornication and adultery toward the God of creation. They won't be true to the WORDS of their GOD! They are just like many Old Covenant Jews who exalted their traditions and creeds ABOVE GOD'S WORD, ....thereby making the "Word of God of None Effect". (Mrk.7:13) They are always deviating in some respect from the preached word of the New Testament church written in the Bible. They won't be bone of his bone or one with HIS WORD; always holding out for the WORDS of their preacher or church system above the WORD OF GOD. (It is not our place to judge our brother's and sister's eternal destiny with God, but it is our responsibility to share the revelation which the Spirit of God has given.) Thus, the Mother Harlot is alive and well. The Wound has Healed! The same nature and character Satan injected into Catholicism was transmitted into the hearts of Protestant, Pentecostal and Charismatic believers. Those same traits are manifested from those who can not exclusively attach themselves to God's Word.

CAN YOU SEE HER ?

She has found an especially fertile ground within the United States and it's religious denominations, institutions and creeds: Catholic, Protestant, Charismatic-Pentecostal, luke-warm Pentecostals, and etc. The Harlot spirit is upon all religious people who say they love the Lord Jesus Christ, but are entrapped and ensnared by Mystery Babylon Religion. They either can not OR, will not come to the same gospel and "the faith which was once delivered unto the saints" (Jude 3) of the New Testament.

We do not insinuate that these people do not love Jesus. They do! However, they are just like a woman who loves her husband; but, if another man makes advances upon her she will climb in bed with him, too. She just can't seem to be 100% of the time faithful and true to her husband. And so is it with this Harlot daughter spirit; it just can't be TRUE to the HUSBAND ALONE, to JESUS CHRIST, the WORD OF GOD. SHE KEEPS HAVING RELATIONS WITH OTHER "WORDS" which are not GOD'S WORDS. She keeps deviating from the WORD of GOD, ...fornicating a little here and a little there. If they could only imitate their 1st century brethern who "continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine". (Acts 2:42) We are speaking of the 12 New Testament apostles, not those who came years later and called themselves apostles.

Therefore, it becomes more clear why God has spoken, "Come Out of THAT Spirit....COME OUT OF HER MY PEOPLE!" (Rev.18:4)

T W O C I T I E S T W O W O M E N

Now let's compare and contrast the TWO WOMEN, the TWO CITIES which the book of Revelation sketches. One is a whore (Rev.17-18), while the other is a Bride. (Rev.21:9-27)

Neither city, Mystery Babylon nor Heavenly Jerusalem politically existed as literal cities in the past nor in the present. (Take note that Babylon and Jerusalem were both literal cities at one time, but neither is Mystery Babylon nor Heavenly Jerusalem.) Both are spiritual habitations and are called by the names of historical earth cities, which once did literally exist, so that we might understand somewhat of their nature. (Iraq is not Mystery Babylon any more than present Jerusalem, Israel, is Holy unto the Lord!)

THE CITY OF JERUSALEM

Holy Jerusalem (not in Palestine), is the Bride, the Lamb's wife and is a spiritual city from "above" and "is the mother of us all." (Gal. 4:26) She has streets of gold, gates of pearl and foundations of precious stones which contain the names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb. This wife is adorned with glory, as a bride for her husband,