Luke 21:8

Christian, Be Not Deceived!

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE 

''THEY ARE SEVEN KINGS: FIVE ARE FALLEN, AND ONE IS."

THE 6th HEAD "IS" DURING 

THE PERIOD WHEN THE BEAST "IS NOT". THE MYSTERY OF THE 
6th AND 7th HEADS AND THE "IS NOT" PERIOD OF THE 
BEAST EXPLAINED IN THE LIGHT OF "THE MYSTERY OF GODLINESS". 

Where any element of uncertainty exists it is always wise to commence with something established, and then work from the known to the unknown or uncertain. The known becomes a solid foundation upon which to build our thought structure. In a storm, it is good to have a sheet anchor; something stable and sure. Applying this principle to the consideration of the 6th and 7th heads there are several proven facts that assist us materially in our search for the answer to the problems we have mentioned in this chapter heading. The first fact is that the beast has only 7 heads, not eight; the 7th head is labeled 8 because of its being the Bible symbol number for resurrection, and this beast of persecution has a resurrection to life and power. This revived beast of persecution is the same as the 7th and last head and is said to be "an eighth, and is of the seven"–see R.V. and other translations. The Twentieth Century New Testament reads: "He counts as an eighth, although he is one of the seven" (v. 11). 

The 7th head is the persecuting beast resurrected to carry on its nefarious work against the church. The 7th head is the last head, the last form of persecuting power against God's people, for in the language borrowed from the Spirit of Prophecy "the number seven indicates completeness, and is symbolic of the fact that the messages [or here, persecutors and persecutions] extend to the end of time" (AA. 585). This last or 7th head of the beast therefore includes the combined forces of Papal and apostate Protestantism, which are so plainly revealed in the previous chapters. 

There would be no difficulty in our understanding the symbolism of Rev. 17 if we remembered the way the Lord has already led us in our understanding of the previous chapters. Rev. 12 traces the whole course of the great controversy between the forces of good and evil, terminating in v. 17 with the final conflict involving the remnant church keeping the Commandments of God and having the testimony of Jesus. Rev. 13 outlines the rise of the Papacy from the teachings of Babylon via the Roman Empire, and also presents the rise of Protestant America whose mighty power 

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and powerful influence(once employed to foster pure democratic principles) will be eventually employed in support of undemocratic designs of the Papacy, bringing distress to the people of God over the enforcement of the Papal Sunday, then to be indeed the mark of the beast. In this thirteenth chapter we are informed concerning the wounding of one of the heads of the seven-headed beast–the papal head–and we are also informed that this head, though apparently dead, still has a spark of life left, and that, toward the end, it will rise again to a greater power than it ever had before. That rise to power will be brought about by Protestant America forsaking its wonderful democratic principles and joining hands with the Papacy in bringing about a persecuting form of government, a government which enforces religious dogmas, thus bringing hardships to the faithful people of God who will refuse to obey the dictates of Rome that will be enforced via apostate Protestantism. 

The 14th chapter of Revelation presents God's three-fold message; the third message particularly being a warning against the beast and his mark and his image. In other words, this message specifically warns against obedience to the dictates of the beast, especially against receiving the mark of the beast and the image of the beast-that is, the keeping of the Papal Sunday which will then be enforced by so-called Protestant countries, following the lead given by the United States. 

The 16th chapter of Revelation outlines the plagues that will fall upon those who worship the beast and who receive his mark and who fall into line with worldly governments which enforce the Papal Sunday. The 6th plague deals with the finale of the world crisis that will come to the people of God when the death decree passed upon all Sabbath keepers is about to be executed: that will be the time when God will intervene to deliver His people from this threatened death. Instead of God's people suffering death at the hands of their would-be murderers they are delivered while their would-be murderers meet the almighty power of God: from that time the vengeance of God falls upon Babylon to completely destroy it.--see Rev. 16:17-21. 

Now God certainly intends us to enter into our study of Rev. 17 with these facts in our minds. Consequently we may know for certain that the 7th head–the final, the last head–of the resurrected beast refers to the combined forces of Papalism and apostate Protestantism. Any attempt therefore to make a separate head out of America would seem to the writer to bring in confusion where it should not exist. The lamblike beast of Rev. 13:11-17 is brought into the prophetic picture not to play a separate part but rather that its power may be seen as definitely contributing to the success of the beast–the lamblike beast enforces the 

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mark of the beast, makes an image to the beast, is an adjunct of the beast, and as such is not one of the heads of the beast. The 7th head made up of the persecuting power of the Papacy and apostate Protestantism has upon it the ten kings who represent the governments who assist the persecuting beast by giving "their power and strength unto the beast"; that is, by employing their governmental power to enforce the mark of the beast, thus bringing distress to God's people. 

The 7 heads are consecutive, in contrast to the ten horns being contemporaneous. Explaining the 7 heads, the angel informed John: "The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth: and they are seven kings; the five are fallen, the one is, the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a little while" (R.V.). The ten horns, however, are contemporaneous, for they "receive power as kings one hour with the beast. These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast". Thus these ten horns will exist together upon the 7th and last head of the beast which is stamped with the number 8 to indicate that it is the power that was once wounded but has risen again to continue its terrible work of opposing the work of Jesus in His remnant church. 

Comprehension of the enigmas of Rev. 17 depends upon our understanding that the Revelator, when describing matters pertaining to "the mystery of iniquity"-the counterfeiting system of false worshipemploys descriptive phrases which are understood in the light of `the mystery of Godliness". The Lord Jesus died but rose again by His own inherent almighty power. "Divinity did not die", as declared by the Spirit of Prophecy, which is based upon Scriptural statements. The believer also is to die daily (1 Cor. 15:31; 2 Cor. 4:10-16). However, the very fact that he dies every day shows that actually he was not all dead the previous day, or if he did die some of the old man, the old nature, remained, for it has to be put to death each day. In another passage Paul says: "Our old man is crucified with Him [Jesus], that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. . Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Rom. 6:6-11). Our Lord died–yet He possessed life in Himself to raise Himself from death–His "divinity did not die". The Christian's "old man", the old nature of sin, is crucified with Jesus, "he is dead", but yet actually is only reckoned dead, for as the unwatchful Christian knows from experience the old nature will come to life again in all its old power unless that crucifying of the old man does not take place each day. We die daily in order that we may live unto God daily. Jesus said: "If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me" (Luke 9:23). 

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"We need to be converted daily" (7T. 252) "Those who believe the truth are to be converted every day" (TM. 248) If you will seek the Lord and be converted every day ... all your murmurings will be stilled, all your difficulties will be removed, all the perplexing problems that now confront you will be solved." (Mount of Blessing, 150). 

Here we have light from "the mystery of Godliness" which w' have seen is the basis of our understanding of the enigmas of Rev. 17 in which "the mystery of iniquity" is described in language that has a reference to "the mystery of Godliness". "The old man" dies, is dead, is reckoned dead, but rises again at the first opportunity to continue its life of sin. Similarly, the persecuting beast receives its death-stroke, is dead, is reckoned dead, but rises again at the first opportunity to continue its work of persecuting the people of God. Thus we are able to understand how it is when the persecuting beast "is not", or in a condition of death, or is reckoned dead, that the 6th head "is". "The seven heads . . . are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is." One of the heads–the 6th head, for the angel is careful to clearly explain this fact– exists during the time that the beast is reckoned dead, when its power to persecute has been taken away from it by the "death-stroke", mentioned three times in Rev. 13. 

The Papacy received a death-stroke but it has lived since then. Civil power has also continued, but its persecuting nature is dead, or at least the Papacy has not been able to use it to persecute God's people in any general organized way as it did in the past, and as it will in the future. We can see it beginning to rear its head at the present time as in Spain and in parts of South America. 

Taking a survey of the experiences of the Papacy during the long period of her history two facts stand out as great mountains in a wide landscape, namely, the Papacy persecuted God’s people during the hundreds of years of her supremacy, that since 1798 she has lost that power to persecute. That the Roman church for more than twelve centuries used the kingdoms of earth to punish those who opposed her claims to be the true church and taught doctrines contrary to her creed, and that she does not now possess that power is acknowledged in a Roman Catholic work entitled, "Half Hours with the Servants of God": 

“For many ages after the conversion of Constantine it was easier for the church to repress heresy by invoking the secular arms than by organizing tribunals of her own for the purpose....The bishops, as a rule, had but to notify the appearance of heretics to the lay power, and the latter hastened to make enquiry, and, if necessary, to repress and punish.... 

"The duties and powers of inquisitors are minutely laid down in the canon law, it being always assumed that the civil power will favour, or can be compelled to favour, their proceedings. Thus it is laid down, that they 'have power to constrain all magistrates, even secular magistrates, to cause the statute against heretics to be observed,' and to require them to swear to do so; also 

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that they cam `compel all magistrates and judges to execute their sentences, and these must obey on pain of excommunication,' also that inquisitors in causes of heresy `can use the secular arm,’ and that 'all temporal rulers are bound to obey inquisitors in causes of faith.’ No such state of things as that here assumed now exists in any part of Europe; nowhere does the State assist the church in putting down heresy; it is therefore superfluous to describe regulations controlling jurisdiction, which has lost the medium in which it could work and live" (pp. 58-60).  

This is not only a testimony to the accuracy of the fulfilment of prophecy; concerning the days of Papal supremacy, but it is also a, clear statement concerning the fact that the Papacy has lost the use of the secular arm, the power of the State, and thus is unable to persecute the saints. It also serves to indicate what may be expected when that power is restored. The States before the Papacy received its deadly wound were compelled by spiritual tyranny to assist the church in punishing dissenters. This is the power which is to be restored. As stated in GC. 579: "The influence of Rome in the countries that once acknowledged her dominion, is still far from being  destroyed. And prophecy foretells a restoration a resurrection  of her power–Rev. 13:3."  

"As America, the land of religious liberty, shall unite with the Papacy in forcing the conscience and compelling men to honour the false Sabbath, the people of every country on the globe will be led to follow her example" (6T. 18). 

"For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil His will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of) God shall be fulfilled" (Rev. 17:17). 

It would be foolish for anyone to attempt to explain Rev. 17 upon any other basis than it being an explanation or a fuller revelation of the facts already given from Rev. 12. Throughout it is the same seven-headed beast, with the ten horns. And it is perfectly obvious that the references to the beast's persecuting powers being taken away from it followed by the restoration of those powers are an enlargement upon on the same facts revealed , in Rev. 13. Three times in Rev. 13, it is stated that one of the heads receives a death-stroke; three times it is also stated that that deadly wound will be healed, which is followed by all the world wondering after the beast. Similarly, in Rev. 17 it is stated three times regarding the beast that it receives a death-stroke that renders it powerless to persecute the people of God, followed by its resurrection to power to again persecute the people of God, which fact is also, as in Rev. 13, mentioned three times. Thus the connection between Rev. 13 and Rev. 17 is indisputably settled. 

In Rev. 17:10 the angel plainly declares that it is the 6th head which exists–the "one" that "is"–while the beast's persecuting power is in a comatose state. This then is the head that received the "death-stroke" according to Rev. 13. As we have already shown, according to terminology understandable in Christian 

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experience, the Papal head receives a "death-stroke"–i.e. it loses its power to persecute God's people yet the Papacy still exists, and during the period while the principles of Protestantism–civil and religious liberty; the separation of Church and State–operate among the nations it cannot exercise its malevolence toward the people of God. Such a condition finds a counterpart in Christian experience, for as long as the believer looks to the Saviour through prayer and the study of the Bible he keeps the old nature under in a powerless position. As long as the principles of true Protestantism operate, these heavenly principles make it impossible for the Papacy to employ its power to persecute God's people. When the believer does not avail himself of the power of Christ through prayer and Bible study, the old nature reasserts itself, it has a resurrection to power. Jesus our Lord, speaking of such an experience, says: 

"When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he saith, I will return unto my house whence I came out. And when he cometh, he findeth it swept and garnished. Then goeth he, and taketh to him seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in, and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first.'  (Luke 11:24-262. 

Thus the professing Christian who does not maintain his experience goes from bad to worse. So does the Papacy. It ceased its persecution of God's people because the Lord worked through human forces to give it a death-stroke. It still exists, though in a powerless state as far as persecuting God's people in any organized way through the States. But when the present period (during which heavenly principles of democracy and religious freedom operate) ends and once again conditions permit, its power to persecute will be redoubled. 

From the foregoing we have shown that the 7th here represents the restoration of Papal power plus the power of apostate Protestantism supported by "the kings of the earth and of the whole world". We have also shown that during the time when the beast's persecuting power is held under by the power of God working through truly Protestant principles, the 6th head exists in its wounded and powerless condition. The Papacy still exists but cannot persecute. Thus there does not exist any mystery which cannot be explained regarding the 6th and 7th heads and the "is not" period of the persecuting beast.