Rule #1. The Bible always interprets itself.

1. Where / how it began.


Genesis 10:8 (KJV)
8 And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth.

Nimrod - Hb - to rebel

2. Indicating violent and open rebellion against God.

a. the first antichrist


Genesis 10:9 (KJV)
9 He was a mighty hunter before the LORD: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the LORD.

3. His rebellion is associated with:

a. the beginning of his kingdom

4. According to Josephus and writers of the Targums.

a. Josephus = Jewish historian

b. Targums = Aramaic translation of the Old
Testament

c. he was hunting people by tyranny and force

d. destroying all who opposed him

5. Josephus: THE ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS\
BOOK 1\Chapter 4\Section 2

6. Josephus says that Nimrod:

a. persuaded people to credit him for their happiness

b. rather than God

c. since God had flooded the earth



Genesis 10:10 (KJV)
10 And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar.

7. This is the first kingdom.

a. satan set up to defy God

b. through a human host

Shinar = the southern region of Mesopotamia

a. or the southern region of Iraq

b. the State of Kuwait

c. and part of Iran

8. He became a great leader,

a. taught people to unite by building the tower

b. he defied God to send another flood

9. Nimrod hunted down wild beasts also,

a. which were killing people

b. and taught people to build walls around cities for protection

10. He established the first kingdom:

a. and the first universal false religion opposing God since the flood of Noah

11. God confused languages to end the rebellion of Nimrod.

a. disrupting their unity

12. The ancient Babylonian cult,

a. started by Nimrod and his queen, Semiramis

b. spread among all nations

c. which is now the great whore

13. According to the historian Eusebius,

a. Semiramis was the wife of Nimrod

14. According to other traditions,

a. Semiramis was Noah’s granddaughter

b. and both the mother and wife of Nimrod.

15. This new religion had its own trinity:

a. the Supreme Father

b. the Incarnate Female, or Queen of Heaven/Mother of God

c. and her Son

16. They introduced: confession to priests

a. a variety of rites and rituals

17. The whore through history:

18. Julius Caesar became head of the Roman branch of the Babylonian Cult in 63 B.C.

a. other emperors held the office until 376 A.D.

b. when the emperor Gratian, for Christian reasons

c. refused it because he saw that Babylonian-ism was idolatrous

* Demasus, bishop of the Christian church in Rome,

a. was elected to the headship in 378 A.D.

b. and from here on Babylonian-ism and organized Christianity became one

c. the great whore emerges

19. The rites of Babylon were soon introduced into the Christian church.

a. heathen temples were restored

b. their rituals encouraged

c. Worship and veneration of images, saints, relics

d. private confessions, penances, scourges, pilgrimages,

e. making signs of the cross,

f. Christmas, Lady Day, Easter, Lent, and other pagan rites and festivals

g. slowly became a part of Christian worship

h. wafers are the literal body of Christ

20. Also refer to Hislop's "The Two Babylons", which quotes 260 sources.


Revelation 17:1 (KJV)
1 And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:

21. We are introduced to three main characters:

a. the Apostle John who is being shown all of these things

b. the angelic escort

c. a great whore

22. A whore is symbolic of:

a. religious fornication (false teachings)

b. mixing the things of God with superstition

c. idolatry

d. it can include literal fornication

e. (Rev. 17:1-4; Isa. 23:17; 57:3-7; Jer. 3:2-9; Ezek. 16:1-63; 20:30-32; 23:7-49; Hos. 4:12-19; Nah. 3:4;


Revelation 17:2 (KJV)
2 With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.

a. kings - world rulers of

b. inhabitants - people and fallen angels

c. wine - in this case a false / religious spirit

d. fornication - false teachings


1 Timothy 4:1 (KJV)
1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;

23. Two spirits working in the church:

a. seducing spirits

b. devils with doctrines


Galatians 1:6 (KJV)
6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:

another gospel - religious fornication

24. She persuades many nations to commit fornication
with her:

a. refers to and proves that idolatrous religious practices are being done

25. The whore is not a political power”

a. because she is classified separably from the kings of the earth

26. Here fornication here refers to religious harlotry.

a. and her influence over the nations is through religion

b. a common, all-inclusive religious system


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

27. The beast which the woman rides:

a. is the 8th kingdom

b. made up of the many waters or peoples inside the old Roman Empire territory

c. the beast itself is the kingdom

d. the woman must be a religion dominating the kingdom

e. until she is destroyed by the beast she serves


* SEE MY TEACHING ON “THE ANTICHRIST AND AMERICA”


Revelation 17:4 (KJV)
4 And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:

28. The garments identifies her as a religious system:

a. or as a whore committing spiritual fornication

b. misleading political powers by her whoredoms and idolatries

29. The purple, scarlet, precious stones, pearls, and golden vessels:

a. indicate the wealth of this religious system

30. The golden cup in her hand,

a. full of her uncleanness, spiritual fornication and abominations

b. is what she uses to deceive and mislead political rulers


Revelation 17:5 (KJV)
5 And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

31. Get ready for the meat of the Word.

32. Her name, "MYSTERY BABYLON," shows that she is
not literal Babylon.

33. The word "mystery" identifies her with:

a. the religious rites and mysteries of ancient Babylon


Revelation 17:5 (NLT)
5 A mysterious name was written on her forehead: “Babylon the Great, Mother of All Prostitutes and Obscenities in the World.”

34. The harlots refers to:

a. the many branches which have sprung from her

b. and have become as apostate as the great whore herself


Apostasy – the act of refusing to continue to follow

a. obey, or recognize a religious faith

35. Meaning after the rapture those that are left behind

a. will link together to dominate the 10 kings of the Revised Roman Empire

b. until the antichrist comes to full power over the 10 kingdoms

c. by the middle of Daniel's 70th week

36. After the rapture many will turn to religion!


Revelation 17:5 (MSG)
5 A riddle-name was branded on her forehead: GREAT BABYLON, MOTHER OF WHORES AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

37. Mother of abominations identifies her to be a religious system:

a. fostering and tolerating all the abominations

b. that go with idolatry and spiritual fornication

38. “Abominations” is used many times

a. of idolatry and whoredoms

b. associated with pagan worship

c. she will exceed all others in wickedness


Revelation 17:6 (KJV)
6 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.


drunk on blood of saints and martyrs - focuses on a religious system

a. using world governments to

b. carry out the dictates of leaders in religion

c. doing the actual killing of saints because of religion


Revelation 17:7 (KJV)
7 And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns.

39. The Bible is about to interpret itself.

40. The beast carries her,

a. meaning she is separate from the beast itself

b. the beast is political

c. the whore is religious

41. To have a true understanding of the beast:

a. think of him as being different from both the heads and horns

42. The beast carries her,

a. they are working together to push their agendas


Revelation 17:8 (KJV)
8 The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.

43. The beast comes from the bottomless pit implying
three things:
1. A fallen angel (demon) out of the abyss.

2. A mortal man, possessed by the demon

3. A kingdom, revived Roman Empire

a. which was

b. destroyedc. 376–476

c. yet is = NATO


go into perdition = destined for destruction


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

44. The heads are 7 mountains,

a. and the 7 mountains are 7 kings or kingdoms

b. co-existent with Israel

c. from her beginning to the 8th kingdom (Rev. 17:9-11)

d. making the 8 kingdoms

e. that will have persecuted Israel in the times of the Gentiles

f. (Lk. 21:24; Rom. 11:25)

45. Here 5 of the 7 kingdoms "are fallen:

a. Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, and Greece

b. and one is the 6th, the old Roman Empire, NATO

c. the other is not yet come

d. the 7th made up of the 10 kingdoms

e. has yet to be formed inside the Roman Empire, Dan. 7:23-24)

f. and when he (the 7th, or the Revised Roman Empire) comes

g. it must continue a short space" (3 ½ years, Rev. 12:12,14)

46. The beast that was:

a. had existed on earth before the Apostle John's time

47. The beast that is not:

a. on earth in the Apostle John's time

b. is the 8th (8th kingdom)

c. succeeding the 7 preceding kingdoms

d. and is one of the 7

e. the 5th is Greece, that had fallen before the Apostles John's day

f. Greece then becomes the 8th kingdom

g. after the 6th and 7th kingdoms

h. and goeth into perdition (Rev. 17:9-11)

48. Whew!


Revelation 17:18 (KJV)
18 And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.

49. The Bible always interprets itself.

50. The woman is a great city!

51. Many believe this s the Vatican City in Rome.

52. This city reigneth over the kings of the earth.

a. it has done so for centuries

53. BUT...


Revelation 18:2 (KJV)
2 And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.
54. This city will be the capital of antichrist:

a. demonic overflow will cause its fall

b. this refers to Jerusalem

c. you decide

55. So we see that the whore is:

a. a religious system

b. and a great city

c. where she has her headquarters

56. The great whore will hold power:

a. over her loyal subjects

b. not through military forces

c. but by the deceptions of her spiritual harlotry and abominations

57. The devil copied this idea from God as proven below.


Revelation 21:9 (KJV)
9 And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife.

58. The devil has a whore:

a. God has a bride


Revelation 21:10 (KJV)
10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,

59. The bride is a city!

a. the New Jerusalem

b. set on a mountain

c. while the whore sets on 7 mountains



Revelation 21:11 (KJV)
11 Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;

60. The city is referred to:

a. as a bride

b. with the pronoun ‘her’

61. The Bible always interprets itself.


Revelation 11:8 (KJV)
8 And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.

62. The Two Witnesses are dead:

a. laying in the streets of Jerusalem

63. Notice that Jerusalem is called spiritual Sodom and Egypt:

a. because it will become the headquarters of sodomites/homosexuals

b. (Isa. 1:9-10; Ezek. 16:46,53)

c. and whoredoms (sex and religious perversions)

d. Ezek. 23:3,8,19,27)

e. during the last 3 ½ years

f. as the Gentiles control the city (Rev. 11:1-2)

64. This indicates that sexual and religious perversions:

a. will be predominant sins ending this age

b. (Mt. 24:37-39; Lk. 17:26-30)

65. Reasons why Babylon is the city:

66. Literal Babylon is the site:

a. of the first great rebellion against God after the flood of Noah

b. and it will be the site of the last great rebellion

c. Gen. 11, Rev. 14:8; 16:17-21; 18:1-24

67. Literal Babylon is always associated with:

a. demonic religions

b. and idolatry in Scripture

c. (Isa. 21:9; 47:9-10; Rev. 18:2-3,23).

68. Of all the empires taking part in the times of the Gentiles:

a. Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome

b. Revised Rome and Revived Greece

c. the capital city of only one (Babylon) is mentioned in prophecy

d. with a latter-day fulfillment

69. Prophecies about Sodom, Gomorrha, Ninevah, Tyre, Sidon

a. and others have already been fulfilled

b. except Babylon

70. The word mystery simply defines the religious aspect of the literal city of Babylon.

71. Literal Babylon is the only city called the lady of kingdoms (Isa. 47:5,7).

a. which cannot be referred to as the Vatican city

72. Babylon is the only city of the last days:

a. that will be the headquarters for every demon and unclean spirit

b. (Rev. 18:2)

73. Babylon is the only named city:

a. singled out as the object of God's wrath and plagues

b. (Rev. 16:19; 18:4,6).

74. Since Rome existed during the Apostle John’s day

a. it would have been mentioned by name instead of Babylon

75. God never leaves us in doubt as to the true meaning of His revelation of events to come.

76. Babylon is the only city God commands His people to come out of, in the last days.

a. (Rev. 18:4; Jer. 50:4-9; 51:4-8,45

b. the application of this to Rome cannot be proved by Scripture

c. but it does not mean that Rome is not involved

77. the antichrist will be king of Syria with Babylon as his capital.

a. (Isa. 14:4)

b. this will fulfill Dan. 8:8-9,10-25; 11:35-45

c. the great whore will ride the beast (Antichrist's
kingdom)

d. in his rise to power over the 10 kingdoms (Rev. 17:3,7)

e. she symbolizes a religion in his capital

f. his capital will be the Temple in Jerusalem

g. before he gets power over the 10 kingdoms of Revised Rome

78. What religion is symbolized by the great whore with headquarters at Babylon?

a. the religion predicted is anti-Christian

b. could it be Islam, the religion of the eastern part of the Roman Empire territory

c. Muslims control the northern part of Africa

d. including Egypt, all of Arabia, Trans-Jordan, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Turkey

e. and other parts of the old Roman Empire territory

79. Catholicism is the prevailing religion in:

a. Albania, Bulgaria, Romania, Yugoslavia, Hungary

b. Austria, Italy, Spain, Portugal, France

c. and some other parts of the old Roman Empire territory

80. Between the two religions most of the old Roman Empire territory is covered.

81. Historic First: Islamic Prayers Held at the Vatican September 8th, -2014.

82. Muslim prayers and Koran readings:

a. were held at the Vatican for the first time in history on that Sunday.

b. this does not prove a thing regarding "MYSTERY
BABYLON"

83. Babylon's could be a new religion entirely,

a. or a revival of ancient sorcery, witchcraft, enchantments, and astrology

b. which characterized the ancient city

84. Meaning that Catholicism and Islam,

a. would have to change completely to fulfill prophecies of these events

b. because neither religion is anti-God

85. Jesus predicted many:

a. false prophets who would show great signs and wonders

b. to deceive people just prior to His coming to earth again

86. The Apostle Paul predicted the coming of the antichrist:

a. with all power, signs, and lying wonders by the power of satan

b. (2Th. 2:8-12; Rev. 13:1-18; 19:20)

87. All nations will be deceived:

a. by the sorceries and manifestations of demon powers

b. concentrated in future literal Babylon

c. (Rev. 9:20; 14:8; 16:13-16,19; 18:23; Isa. 47:9-10,12-13).

88. If Antichrist can:

a. start a religion and martyr millions during the last
3 ½ years of this age

b. doctrines of devils

c. (Rev. 7:9-17; 13:1-18; 14:9-11; 16:2,6; 16:13-16; 19:20; 20:4-6)

d. is mystery Babylon as a revival of ancient magism

e. backed by a concentration of demon power

f. dominating the nations of the old Roman Empire territory


Revelation 20:4 (KJV)
4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

89. Shows that it may have an Islamic influence.

a. since they still use beheadings today

90. Mystery and literal Babylons are two aspects of the same city:

a. and power that will fulfill prophecy in the last days

b. after the rapture of the church

91. However it plays out:

a. religions can begin in a day and

b. so it will be easy for two religions

c. the antichrist's and Babylon's

d. to start and martyr millions

e. between the rapture and the second coming of Jesus Christ


Luke 21:36 (KJV)
36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

92. This is the first obvious reference in all Scripture of
the rapture

a. some escaping all the tribulation period

93. Are you rapture ready?