The Strand Study Bible

Written From the Island of Patmos REVELATION 17:5 “Religious” Babylon began in Babel whenNimrod established the world’s first religious center (Gen 10:8-10 & 11:9).Therefore, “ Babylon the Great ” is the "mother of all false religions" ( THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS ) and symbolizes the false religious systems of the world. 17:6 This word ( admiration ) is the Greek word θD XP D ( thauma ) and means “ to gaze in wonder ; marvel .” The Apostle John did not “admire” (respect, esteem) the false religious system of the world, he “marveled” at it. 17:7 Both man’s religious system , which started in Genesis 11:4 and is represented by the woman ( BABYLON THE GREAT – vs 5), and the Devil’s religious system , which started in Genesis 3: 1- 5 ( Mythology and Polytheism , which eventually led to Hinduism , Buddhism , Mormonism and The Mind Sciences , which includes New Age ) and is represented by the beast, the Devil’s Antichrist, will “blend and unite” here ( the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her ) during the first 3½ years of the Seven-Year Tribulation Period. They will bring the world together for a moment until the Antichrist sets himself up as god (II Thess 2:3-4). Then the entire religious systems of the world will be destroyed by the Dragon and his Antichrist, as he alone will require worship. Herb Vander Lugt in Understanding the Endtimes notes: 17:8 Is the beast (Antichrist) Judas Iscariot resurrected? Only two people in the Bible are referred to as the “son of perdition:” (1) Judas Iscariot (Jn 17:12); and (2) the beast (II Thess 2:3 – Antichrist). Could both of these men be the same “son” of Satan? Jesus said of Judas in John 6:70, “ Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil? ” Seeing the definite article in the Greek is employed, John 6:70 should read, “…and one of you is THE DEVIL.” This would make Judas the Devil incarnate, and explain why Jesus called him the “son of perdition.” According to Revelation 17:8 and 11:7, the beast (Antichrist) is said to have ascended out of the bottomless pit (α EXσσ ο 9 -abyss). What was he doing in the abyss to begin with? If there is only one “son of perdition” as indicated (Jn 17:12 and II Thess 2:3), and Judas and the Antichrist are one and the same person, then he got into the abyss when Judas went to his “own place” (Acts 1:25). If Judas and the Antichrist are one and the same the enigma is solved. When Judas was on the earth, he “was” (Rev 17:8); when Judas went to his “own place” (Acts 1:25), he “was not” (Rev 17:8). When Judas comes back from the “bottomless pit” (Rev 11:7 & 17:8), he will be–the Antichrist. Thomas Horn in Apollyon Rising 2012 notes: 2169 The harlot of the endtimes will bring together into one system a merger of occultism, eastern mysticism, pantheism, reincarnation, nature worship, and the like. It probably will tolerate everything except biblical Christianity. 1 The Author does not insist on this view of Judas and Antichrist being correct, but with open mind he accepts it, because it seems to be the only logical solution of both Judas and Antichrist being called the “ SONOF PERDITION .” 4 17:9 A “mountain” in the Bible is symbolic of a kingdom or empire (Psa 30:7, Jere 51:25, Dan 2:35, Mic 4:1 and Zech 4:7). Henry Jacobsen in The War We Can’t Lose notes: The seven heads of the beast on which the woman rode are called mountains, and a mountain, in Scripture, often symbolizes an empire or kingdom (as in Isa 2:2). 3 The woman ( false religious system ) here is not an empire. She rides upon empires that are set up by Satan and she controls them. These empires (or, kingdoms) court her only to be fooled by her charm. This “religious” woman is longer-lived than any one empire. She bears the name of ancient Babylon and will not be destroyed until the middle of Daniel’s Seventieth Week when the Antichrist sets himself up as God and has no more use for her (Rev 17:16). 17:10 a These “ seven kings ” are kingdoms: Egypt , Assyria , Babylon , Medo-Persia , Greece , Rome , and The Revived Roman Empire (under the dictates of the Antichrist). Herb Vander Lugt in Understanding the Endtimes notes: The seven heads are also seven kings or kingdoms (v. 10). The five fallen ones are Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia, and Greece. The sixth is the Roman Empire of New Testament days. The seventh will be the future restored empire under Antichrist. The eighth may be his kingdom after he is killed and resurrected by the devil. 1 17:10 b The five kingdoms that had fallen by the time John wrote his epistle were: Egypt (fell 1200 BC), Assyria (fell 612 BC), Babylon (fell 539 BC), Medo-Persia (fell 331 BC), and Greece (fell 146 BC). 17:11 The Antichrist will destroy the seventh empire (the Revived Roman Empire – vs 10; the other which is not yet come) and become the eighth (an Empire unto himself ) (Dan 9:26-27 and II Thess 2:4). People not familiar with biblical eschatology may find this idea fantastic, that the being who becomes the Antichrist was once alive, then was dead, and returns from the grave to rule the novus ordo seclorum . But this is exactly what Revelation 17:8 appears to say will happen. 2 Henry Jacobsen in The War We Can’t Lose notes: This beast “was, and is not, and yet is” (v. 8, AV), which may indicate that Antichrist will have had a previous earthly existence and will be brought back to life. He will rise up out of the abyss (cf. 13:1) and, after receiving the worship of those who do not belong to God, will be cast into perdition. This description has led some to think Antichrist may be a reincarnation of Judas Iscariot–a rather fanciful notion. 3 Clarence Larkin in The Book Of Daniel notes:

1 De Haan II, M.R. Understanding the Endtimes , Grand Rapids, MI, RBC Ministries, 2004. Print. 2 Horn, Thomas. Apollyon Rising 2012 , Crane, MO, Defender, 2009. Print. 3 Jacobsen, Henry. The War We Can’t Lose , USA, Victor Books, 1972. Print. 4 Larkin, Clarence. The Book of Daniel , Glenside, PA, Rev. Clarence Larkin Estate, 1929. Print.