We ask our readers to give close attention to Rev. 17 as showing clearly the end of apostasy.
The Apostle John in his apocalyptic vision tells how one of the seven angels with the seven last vials talked with him, saying:- "Come hither; I will show unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters " (Rev. 17:11And 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 17:1)). The utmost abhorrence of the Divine mind is shown in that Romanism is described as "The Great Whore." Just as a whore is a pestilent member of society, debasing womanhood, and degrading the idea of marriage, so the Spirit of God uses this departure from chastity and morality to symbolize His utter detestation of spiritual adultery, which Rome so markedly stands for in Christendom, that is the Church and the ungodly world consummating complete union.
We have only to read the description of "The Great Whore" in Rev. 17 to see how closely it fits in with the history of Roman Catholicism, and with no other religious body in the world. Just as a photograph resembles the person photographed, so the symbolism of Rev. 17 answers to the sad and strange story of the religious and political pride of the Romish religion. On her forehead is plainly written her name. It is written in the history of the dark ages up to the present time. Here it is:- "MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH " (Rev. 17:55And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. (Revelation 17:5)).
It is well known that in the fourth century the Emperor Constantine decreed that his empire should profess Christianity. The practical result was that pagan Rome was still pagan Rome with only a thin veneer of Christianity imposed upon it. The temples dedicated to heathen deities were given Christian names. The turnover was mechanical with no change of spirit. Pagan rites and customs still appeared under Christian names. Thus it will be easy when total apostasy takes place to remove the thin veneer of Christian profession and revert to paganism. So aptly does Rev. 17 use the term, " Babylon the Great."
Sir George Sinclair, author of Letters to Protestants of Scotland, wrote:- "Romanism is a refined system of Christianized heathenism, and chiefly differs from its prototype in being more treacherous, more cruel, more dangerous, more intolerant." (First Series, p. 121) We get a description of the display of wealth and splendor that Rome so well knows how to set forth with so much pomp and ritual. "And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet color, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication... (Rev. 17:44And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet color, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: (Revelation 17:4)). We all know how elaborate and ornate the vast cathedral of St. Peter at Rome is, as well as in the lesser degree countless Cathedrals and Churches in many lands, how we may see images decked with gold and blazing with jewels, how Rome's pope, cardinals, and priests are decked with gorgeous robes of purple and scarlet.
The story is well told of the Pope in the Middle Ages showing St. Thomas Aquinas the splendors of the Vatican, including immense displays of gold, silver and precious stones. Said the Pope with a courtly smile, "You see, Thomas, the Church cannot now say what it said in early times, 'Silver and gold have I none.'" Back came the quick and pointed retort, "No, nor can it say, 'Rise up and walk,'" implying the lack of spiritual power in a worldly Church.
Further we read, "And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration " (Rev. 17:66And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration. (Revelation 17:6)). This points most clearly to Rome. Rome has been the only great persecuting Church professing the Christian religion. Think of the massacre on St. Bartholomew's Day (August 21St, 1572), when ten thousand Huguenots, men, women and children, were put to death, simply because they were true believers on the Lord Jesus Christ, and had committed the crime of possessing Bibles. When the news of this awful massacre reached Rome, the city was illuminated, the cannon of St. Angelo were fired in celebration, whilst the Pope Gregory XIII went in procession to all the churches, and offered thanksgiving at the shrine of every saint. Think of the bloody and cruel work of the Inquisition, and the fagot and the flames of Smithfield, of Ridley and Latimer (1555), of Cranmer (1556) burned at the stake in Oxford.
We are told in this striking Chapter that the woman rides on a scarlet-colored beast, full of names of blasphemy, and that it had seven heads and ten horns. The seven heads and ten horns designate Imperial Rome-see Rev. 13:1-10,1And 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. 2And 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. 3And 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. 4And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? 5And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. 6And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. 7And 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. 8And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. 9If any man have an ear, let him hear. 10He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints. (Revelation 13:1‑10) where the beast is seen as the fourth great world power-having in it the characteristics of the former great world, powers; of Babylon, having the mouth of the lion; of Medo-Persia, having the feet of the bear; of Greece, having the appearance of a leopard.
Here we see indicated the connection between Imperial Rome and Religious Rome, asserting itself with fresh ostentation in the last times. The likeness is very complete. We are told that the seven heads set forth seven mountains on which the woman sitteth. Rome is well-known as the city of the seven hills.
Of Imperial Rome the Chapter tells us there had been five kings up to the time that the Apostle John wrote. A sixth was one the throne when he wrote. Prophecy as to the last times is arrested whilst the Church is on this earth-described as we have seen in "the things that are" (Rev. 2 and 3), whilst the last things come before us after the Church is raptured to glory (Rev. 4 and on). The seventh king that is to come is to continue but a short space, and then the eighth, who will go into perdition, will be the Political and Military Head of the Revived Roman Empire in the last days, working in conjunction with the second beast, the Antichrist, as seen in Rev. 13.
Surely in all this we have the setting for the drama of the last days. This huge apostate religious profession will in the very end be destroyed by Imperial Rome. We read that the ten kings of that Empire will hate "the whore," be so infuriated by her blasphemous pretensions and her attempt to dominate the world, that they will rise in anger against her. Her assumption will be her ruin.
The ten kings will make her desolate and naked, eating her flesh and burning her with fire-eating her flesh, pointing to the confiscation of her palaces, wealth, endowments and property; burning her with fire, to the complete destruction of her system. Thus following total apostasy will succeed total destruction.
Do we not get a foreshadowing of this in Nazi Germany? First she became largely apostate, put hundreds of pastors in prison, and sought to obliterate every vestige of Christianity in the country. Now she lies stricken, bleeding, helpless, in the complete power of those, who have risen against this evil thing. Never has such a defeat been seen in all the history of the world, and it may well stand as an example of what will happen in the last days on a far larger scale.
In Rev. 17:1414These 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 17:14) we find the Battle of Armageddon indicated, the final triumph of the Lord Jesus, spoken of as the Lamb, and yet the Lord of lords and the King of kings. The full details of this battle are found in Rev. 19:11-2111And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. 12His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. 13And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. 14And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. 15And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. 17And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; 18That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great. 19And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. 20And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. 21And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh. (Revelation 19:11‑21).
The task we set ourselves is finished. We can only commit what has been written to the Lord, and seek His favor that it may be used to the enlightenment and help of His beloved people.
God will triumph. All His ways vindicated. His counsels and plans brought to fruition. His name glorified forever and forever. Amen and amen.