Revelation 18:17-19

¹⁷ Because in one [single] hour all the vast wealth has been destroyed (wiped out). And all ship captains and pilots, navigators and all who live by seafaring, the crews and all who ply their trade on the sea, stood a long way off,

¹⁸ And exclaimed as they watched the smoke of her burning, What city could be compared to the great city!

¹⁹ And they threw dust on their heads as they wept and grieved, exclaiming, Woe and alas, for the great city, where all who had ships on the sea grew rich [through her extravagance] from her great wealth! In one single hour she has been destroyed and has become a desert!

• Jesus will return to the earth as a thief in the night. Commerce, government, and religion will change in a twinkling of an eye when He does.
• For you yourselves know perfectly well that the day of the [return of the] Lord will come [as unexpectedly and suddenly] as a thief in the night. 1 Thessalonians 5:2
• The only way for this to happen is if the world will be doing unbelievably well right before He does. People will be trusting in themselves and the success of the world and then it will all end. If the world's economies had been destroyed 3 1/2 years earlier they would not be weeping over it when Jesus returned. They would have moved on, they would have had to. 
• Don’t look for bad times as a sign of the end times, look to the world doing better then it ever has before as a sign.  
• Actually look for the Gospel of the Kingdom to be preached all over the world as it never has been preached before, this is truly the one sign of the end.
• And this good news of the kingdom (the Gospel) will be preached throughout the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then will come the end. Matthew 24:14

Revelation 18:14-16

¹⁴ The ripe fruits and delicacies for which your soul longed have gone from you, and all your luxuries and dainties, your elegance and splendor are lost to you, never again to be recovered or experienced!

• The root of all evil, which as we have discussed so often is the love of money, also known as the Great Whore, or Babylon, will never come back into being. Jesus brings in the way of faith when He returns and worldliness will be cast out so the Fruit of the Spirit will abound. 
• Then the cares and anxieties of the world and distractions of the age, and the pleasure and delight and false glamour and deceitfulness of riches, and the craving and passionate desire for other things creep in and choke and suffocate the Word, and it becomes fruitless. Mark 4:19
• The Word will be the One ruling and governing the world and Jesus and His Bride will not be fruitless when He returns. 
• The cares of this world do not allow us to truly enjoy life. When Jesus returns that will all change and it will scare those who have only trusted in worldly wealth. They will mourn over what they perceive to be a loss, but their tears will be turned into joy.
• But we have to remember that not everything changes right when Jesus returns, that will occur a thousand years later when our Father comes and makes everything new. So when Jesus comes back our guests will still have fear and doubts. This is why Jesus will rule the world with an Iron Rod, Revelation 2:27.
• And He Who is seated on the throne said, See! I make all things new. Also He said, Record this, for these sayings are faithful (accurate, incorruptible, and trustworthy) and true (genuine). Revelation 21:5 (This occurs after Jesus' Millennial Reign.)
• God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and death shall be no more, neither shall there be anguish (sorrow and mourning) nor grief nor pain any more, for the old conditions and the former order of things have passed away. Revelation 21:4

¹⁵ The dealers who handled these articles, who grew wealthy through their business with her, will stand a long way off, in terror of her doom and torment, weeping and grieving aloud, and saying,

¹⁶ Alas, alas for the great city that was robed in fine linen, in purple and scarlet, bedecked and glittering with gold, with precious stones, and with pearls!

Revelation 18:11-13

¹¹ And earth’s businessmen will weep and grieve over her because no one buys their freight (cargo) any more.

• When the anti-christ is in power people are allowed to buy and sell only if they have his mark, but when Jesus returns buying and selling will all be done away with. 
• Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, drive out demons. Freely (without pay) you have received, freely (without charge) give. Matthew 10:8
• And He said to them, Guard yourselves and keep free from all covetousness (the immoderate desire for wealth, the greedy longing to have more); for a man’s life does not consist in and is not derived from possessing overflowing abundance or that which is over and above his needs. Luke 12:15
• So when Jesus returns the Truth that sets people free will be allowed to flourish. It will take time for the world to realize this, but they will. At first they will be fearful, because there will be massive changes, but they will come to learn that they are loved and that life is far more than money. 

¹² Their merchandise is of gold, silver, precious stones, and pearls; of fine linen, purple, silk, and scarlet [stuffs]; all kinds of scented wood, all sorts of articles of ivory, all varieties of objects of costly woods, bronze, iron, and marble;

¹³ Of cinnamon, spices, incense, ointment and perfume, and frankincense, of wine and olive oil, fine flour and wheat; of cattle and sheep, horses and conveyances; and of slaves (the bodies) and souls of men!

Revelation 18:9-10

⁹ And the rulers and leaders of the earth who joined her in her immorality (idolatry) and luxuriated with her will weep and beat their breasts and lament over her when they see the smoke of her conflagration.

• People will not know what to think when Jesus returns. If these rulers and leaders are actually fallen angels they will definitely be weeping.
• We are told that Jesus will rule people with a rod of Iron when He returns, Revelation 2:27.
• So everyone isn’t changed instantly to be like Jesus when He returns, 1 Corinthians 15:52. Only we who are the Bride of Christ will be changed, the guests will not be. So they will need to learn the new ways of Christ. They will be fearful, but their fear will be turned to joy as they learn what it means to have Jesus in charge.
• Take note! I will make those of the synagogue of Satan who say they are Jews and are not, but lie—behold, I will make them come and bow down before your feet and learn and acknowledge that I have loved you. Revelation 3:9   

¹⁰ They will stand a long way off, in terror of her torment, and they will cry, Woe and alas, the great city, the mighty city, Babylon! In one single hour how your doom (judgment) has overtaken you!

• Everything changes for the world in a single moment. The people will see the dead in Christ raised up and the living in Him all changed to be just like Him. The people who the world had killed will now be in charge of them.
• Beloved, we are [even here and] now God’s children; it is not yet disclosed (made clear) what we shall be [hereafter], but we know that when He comes and is manifested, we shall [as God’s children] resemble and be like Him, for we shall see Him just as He [really] is. 1 John 3:2
• But many who [now] are first will be last [then], and many who [now] are last will be first [then].  Matthew 19:30
• The world will be a long way off from where the power is when Jesus returns. The fallen angels who were allowed to become rulers and leaders will be far from the power. 
• This doesn’t mean that Jesus doesn’t love the lost, or the guests, or that He will not take care of them. Jesus will bless those who cursed Him.
• We also will bless those who had cursed us and feed and take care of those who had persecuted us, Luke 6:28, as we rule along with Jesus.
• These fearful people will learn the Truth that will set them free. 
• And you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free. John 8:32

Revelation 18:6-8

⁶ Repay to her what she herself has paid [to others] and double [her doom] in accordance with what she has done. Mix a double portion for her in the cup she mixed [for others].

⁷ To the degree that she glorified herself and reveled in her wantonness [living deliciously and luxuriously], to that measure impose on her torment and anguish and tears and mourning. Since in her heart she boasts, I am not a widow; as a queen [on a throne] I sit, and I shall never see suffering or experience sorrow—

• Before Jesus returns the world will be saying peace and safety, 1 Thessalonians 5:3. Here we see that Babylon will be doing very well at the end and glorying in herself. 
• Think about it, when times are bad people do not trust in themselves, they tend to look to our Father. But when times are good, they look to themselves and glorify their efforts. So with what our Father has shown us about the prideful and boastful ways of the world at the end, seem to show us that worldly speaking, things will be good. 
• However spiritually speaking they will be times of great distress. People will seek joy and peace through money and wealth, but they will not find it. Just as they do not find it today. 

⁸ So shall her plagues (afflictions, calamities) come thick upon her in a single day, pestilence and anguish and sorrow and famine; and she shall be utterly consumed (burned up with fire), for mighty is the Lord God Who judges her.

• When Jesus returns He will end the worlds system of commerce.
• Jesus will end worldly things quickly. The Light will instantly drive out the darkness. 
• Jesus tells us that He is coming as a thief in the night. So if He ended all of the commerce before He returns everyone would be looking for Him. But as with a thief, things will all seem good then Jesus will return

Revelation 18:4-5

⁴ I then heard another voice from heaven saying, Come out from her, my people, so that you may not share in her sins, neither participate in her plagues.

• I do not ask that You will take them out of the world, but that You will keep and protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world (worldly, belonging to the world), [just] as I am not of the world. John 17:15-16
• You also must be ready therefore, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not expect Him. Who then is the faithful, thoughtful, and wise servant, whom his master has put in charge of his household to give to the others the food and supplies at the proper time? Blessed (happy, fortunate, and to be envied) is that servant whom, when his master comes, he will find so doing. Matthew 24:4-46
• During the last days our Father will remove us from needing to be part of Babylon, but we will still be here on the earth. We will be used by our Father during these times to give people what they really need, the Truth. When Jesus returns He will be using us to serve and every nation, tongue, and tribe will be benefiting from what He is empowering us to do.
• We will also be provided for without needing the world.
• But the woman was supplied with the two wings of a giant eagle, so that she might fly from the presence of the serpent into the desert (wilderness), to the retreat where she is to be kept safe and fed for a time, and times, and half a time (three and one-half years, or 1,260 days). Revelation 12:14
• Our needs will always be met by our Father’s riches and glory. We will never be left or forsaking by Jesus. Our burden will always be light and our yoke is always easy.

⁵ For her iniquities (her crimes and transgressions) are piled up as high as heaven, and God has remembered her wickedness and [her] crimes [and calls them up for settlement].

• In Revelation 2 we were shown that Jesus hates the deeds of the Nicolatians. These religious leaders set themselves up above others, thinking that they were better, and that is what Babylon does. It glorifies self and condemns others who are perceived to be inferior. I also believe that many so called Christians do this today. Far too many are arrogant about being saved and far too condemning of those who they believe are not.  
• Jesus empowers us to give and not expect anything in return. Babylon teaches people to always receive for what you have done. Jesus tells us to bless those who misuse us. Babylon teaches revenge. Babylon is anti-christ and our Father will destroy it. 

Revelation 18:1-3

Then I saw another angel descending from heaven, possessing great authority, and the earth was illuminated with his radiance and splendor.

• Notice all of the great messages that are coming from Heaven during the end times. John just keeps seeing them over and over. Remember that our Father showed Joel that there would be a great anointing during the end times, Acts 2:17-18. 
• Who does our Father use to deliver His messages? He uses His chosen ones. If we are not here, who will be giving these messages that illuminate the world?
• The messages of the end times are mighty for the whole earth, Revelation 5:9, Revelation 7:9

² And he shouted with a mighty voice, She is fallen! Mighty Babylon is fallen! She has become a resort and dwelling place for demons, a dungeon haunted by every loathsome spirit, an abode for every filthy and detestable bird.

• Babylon, the whore, the world’s economy will fall. Notice that beings are still involved in it though. It hasn’t been abandoned, it will just be defiled.
• Governments are corrupt, banks and wall street are corrupt. Preachers, politicians, and churches are corrupt, it seems that everyone only wants money and many are willing to do all kinds of evil to get it. The worlds economy is largely corrupt.
• Look at so many preachers today and see how their messages all evolve around money, buying a teaching series or giving a gift. 
• This is all evil. Our Lord told us to freely receive and freely give.
• Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, drive out demons. Freely (without pay) you have received, freely (without charge) give. Matthew 10:8
• And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not. 2 Peter 2:3.

³ For all nations have drunk the wine of her passionate unchastity, and the rulers and leaders of the earth have joined with her in committing fornication (idolatry), and the businessmen of the earth have become rich with the wealth of her excessive luxury and wantonness.

• The anti-christ will require people to have a mark to buy or sell, so buying and selling will be going on during the end times. This means that most of what we are told in Revelation has to be spiritual. The flesh will be glorying as it never has before, 2 Timothy 3:2, but peoples spirits will be corrupted as they never have been before.  

Revelation 17:18

¹⁸ And the woman that you saw is herself the great city which dominates and controls the rulers and the leaders of the earth.

• Only one earthly thing controls every worldly leader and it is money! Leaders need money to rule their kingdoms. Even if they are dictators, they need money to keep an army to control the people. As soon as the money is gone, so is their rule. 
• There is not one church that dominates and controls every leader. There is not one faith, or one person, but money and the love of it does control all leaders.
• The kings of the earth took their stand in array [for attack] and the rulers were assembled and combined together against the Lord and against His Anointed (Christ, the Messiah).For in this city there actually met and plotted together against Your holy Child and Servant Jesus, Whom You consecrated by anointing, both Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and peoples of Israel, To carry out all that Your hand and Your will and purpose had predestined (predetermined) should occur. Acts 4:26-28
• The Rulers came against Jesus out of fear of the loss of money and control and we are now His body, so they will come after us. Because most leaders love the Harlot more then the Truth that will set them free.
• The worldly leaders came after Paul because they loved the Harlot more then our Father. 
• But as time went on, there arose no little disturbance concerning the Way [of the Lord]. For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of [the goddess] Artemis [Diana], brought no small income to his craftsmen. These he called together, along with the workmen of similar trades, and said, Men, you are acquainted with the facts and understand that from this business we derive our wealth and livelihood. Acts 19:23-25
• These two examples of scripture show us that money will drive people to attack the children of God. Neither of these places were poor, they were both prosperous, just as the end times will be. 

Revelation 17:15-17

¹⁵ And [the angel further] said to me, The waters that you observed, where the harlot is seated, are races and multitudes and nations and dialects (languages).

• The world’s economy encompasses most nations. There are very few places that are not part of the global economy.
• Right now, in 2014 Saudi Arabia, is intentionally trying to drive the price of oil to $40 a barrel by over producing. We are told that they are doing this to punish Russia for supporting Iran. Russia makes a lot of money from producing oil, so the higher the price of oil, the more profit they make and the better their economy is. 
• But there are a lot of Americans who also make money from producing oil. So while we are enjoying low gas prices right now, many who work in the oil industry are being laid off and new companies that have prospered from shale oil are struggling. So the actions of one country, who has made a ton of money over the decades and can stand the lower prices is directly effecting the worlds economy. 
• The harlot, the worlds economy, the love of money, effects us all. So we are all tied together and the efforts of one country can easily effect all countries. This is the harlot.

¹⁶ And the ten horns that you saw, they and the beast will [be the very ones to] hate the harlot (the idolatrous woman); they will make her cheerless (bereaved, desolate), and they will strip her and eat up her flesh and utterly consume her with fire.

• The policies of these ten leaders will actually harm their nations ability to provide wealth for their people. 
• These leaders will say that what they are doing is for love and equality, but their policies will strangle commerce and so they will need the money of the anti-christ. 
• Just look at the socialist economies today and how they all need cash. It takes a ton of money for a government to supply the masses with just the bare necessities. No one ever really enjoys prosperity in socialist or communist societies, except the few leaders who are in charge. The common people will be promised great things, so they will think that they are going to be taken care of and it will seem to be a peaceful time. 
• Why else would the people, who these leaders reign over, give up their authority to the anti-christ’s kingdom? The will allow it for the money that they believe that they will receive from the anti-christ.  
• Our Father never lets governments succeed over Him. It doesn’t matter whether it's socialist, capitalist, communist, or fascist. Man was created to trust in and need our Father and He is jealous, so anything that hinders that trust, always fails.  

¹⁷ For God has put it into their hearts to carry out His own purpose by acting in harmony in surrendering their royal power and authority to the beast, until the prophetic words (intentions and promises) of God shall be fulfilled.

• This is a great verse that shows the lie of free will.
• These leaders will do what our Father wants them to do. Our Father gets His way all of the time! 
• For in this city there actually met and plotted together against Your holy Child and Servant Jesus, Whom You consecrated by anointing, both Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and peoples of Israel, To carry out all that Your hand and Your will and purpose had predestined (predetermined) should occur. Acts 4:27-28

Revelation 17:12-14

¹² 

Also the ten horns that you observed are ten rulers (kings) who have as yet received no royal dominion, but together they are to receive power and authority as rulers for a single hour, along with the beast.

• The anti-christ kingdom will be short lived, only 3 ½ years. 
• The 10 rulers will be new. They haven’t yet received their royalty and when they do it will be for a very short time. 
• Look at the Middle East today and how quickly leaders are changing. Blood lines mean nothing. Also look at how we elect leaders who have no history. President Obama was a relatively unknown politician and he became President.
• The anti-christ serves for a very short time as well. He is released from the Abyss and goes directly to the Lake of Fire all in just 3 1/2 years.
• Now here is my thoughts on the anti-christ: he is not human. But that does not mean that our Father does not allow him to inhabit a body that was human or resemble the person. People are possessed all of the time. Jesus took on another form when He was raised, maybe the beast will be empowered by our Father to do the same? The person who the beast inhabits or resembles may very well have been killed, and yet the demon is allowed to inhabit the body or resemble him. This would cause the world to marvel. This would also go along with the statute of the beast, Revelation 13:14. The real person would have died and what will be walking around during the Great Tribulation will only be a reflection of who he used to be. 

¹³ These have one common policy (opinion, purpose), and they deliver their power and authority to the beast.

• We keep mentioning it, but the Truth is that the love of money is the root of all evil, even the evil of the end times. 
• These leaders will come together for money, the root of all evil. 
• So if you want to see the anti-christ’s kingdom, look to a power that has a lot of money that the other leaders want. Also look for a person who should have died for some reason and did not.
• Actually there is no reason to look until you see the full power and demonstration of the Gospel of the kingdom being preached as you have never seen it before. Because that is the sign Jesus told us to look for before His return.  

¹⁴ They will wage war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will triumph over them; for He is Lord of lords and King of kings—and those with Him and on His side are chosen and called [elected] and loyal and faithful followers.

• These leaders give their power to anti-christ, not anti-God, or anti-Jesus, or anti-religion, they give their power to the one who tries to wage war on the power of God working in us.
• They will lose, because Christ cannot be defeated. 
• Notice that we are chosen. I love when I read that. It means that our Father knew who and how we are and He still chose us. Grace is shown in all of its glory when you read that we were chosen.

  

Revelation 17:9-11

⁹ This calls for a mind [to consider that is packed] with wisdom and intelligence [it is something for a particular mode of thinking and judging of thoughts, feelings, and purposes]. The seven heads are seven hills upon which the woman is sitting;

• The world’s economy during the last days will be directed from where this whore is headquartered, Rome. 
• The Roman Catholic Church has a great amount of wealth. According to many sources it is impossible to calculate the wealth that it has accumulated.
• Remember the love of money is the root of all evil. Legitimate governments are held somewhat accountable, but the church can be very secretive about their finances. 
• The worlds leaders will want the wealth that the Catholic Church has and they will arrange alliances with the it, but that does not mean that they will be in perfect unison with the anti-christ. Remember his kingdom is built on the sand, Revelation 13:1
• The leaders of the end times will also hate the world’s economy. We are told this in Revelation 17:16.
• The leaders will need money to rule, but they will hate the powers that provide it.
• Think of socialist leaders today. They are always creating policies that come against the drivers of wealth. They need the wealth, but they want people to be subservient to their rule and wealth makes people less dependent on government. They want people to need government over God. So these end time leaders will appear to be in favor of the world’s economy because they need it, but they will actually hate it.   

¹⁰ And they are also seven kings, five of whom have fallen, one still exists [and is reigning]; the other [the seventh] has not yet appeared, and when he does arrive, he must stay [but] a brief time.

• The Egyptian Empire has fallen
• The Babylonian Empire has fallen
• The Assyrian Empire has fallen
• The Medo-Persian Empire has fallen
• The Grecian Empire has fallen
• The Roman Empire was in control when Jesus gave us His Revelation.
• The United States had not yet come into power and historically speaking we are very young. We have not been a world power for very long, only since the 1900’s. So we will be the briefest of the historical powers. 

¹¹ And as for the beast that [once] was, but now is no more, he [himself] is an eighth ruler (king, head), but he is of the seven and belongs to them, and he goes to perdition.

• The anti-christ will be a world leader. His is the ruler of the eighth kingdom and it is comprised of several other nations, a union of the former seven, Revelation 17:12.
• The anti-christ is thrown directly into Hell after Armageddon, so he is not human.

Revelation 17:3-5

³ And [the angel] bore me away [rapt] in the Spirit into a desert (wilderness), and I saw a woman seated on a scarlet beast that was all covered with blasphemous titles (names), and he had seven heads and ten horns.

• Once again we are shown satan’s relationships with several different nations and their leaders during the Great Tribulation. We are shown its in the desert. It's dry and harsh, there isn't refreshment in the desert. It is a harsh and brutal place.
• Blasphemy is taking credit for the things that our Father does. This is anti-christ. 
• The seven heads are the seven leaders of the ten kingdoms that the anti-christ has rule over. 
• They will look religious, just as the leaders were when Jesus was here, yet their hearts will be far from the Truth. 
• Remember Revelation keeps building in itself, so we are just being shown the relationship that the anti-christ and the false rulers have with money and worldly religions.
• Things must be prospering during the last days, worldly speaking, for us to be shown this. 
• The angel, the message of Truth, protected John as he was shown the whore, or the money, as it will protect us from the lie of Babylon. This is why we are told that he was wrapped in the Spirit.

⁴ The woman was robed in purple and scarlet and bedecked with gold, precious stones, and pearls, [and she was] holding in her hand a golden cup full of the accursed offenses and the filth of her lewdness and vice.

• Purple is the color of Priests.
• Scarlet is blood, death
• Gold, precious stones, and pearls these are the things that money buys.
• The worlds economy and money is the leader of many people, thus it is the priest of many people. The love of it causes death, it curses people, it's a dry desert. It never lives up to what people expect of it. Money is a religion to many, many people, this is why we are shown a woman. Money and worldly wealth is a church to many. 
• The Bible calls money filthy, Titus 1:7.  

⁵ And on her forehead there was inscribed a name of mystery [with a secret symbolic meaning]: Babylon the great, the mother of prostitutes (idolatresses) and of the filth and atrocities and abominations of the earth.

• Her forehead means it will be plain to see who she is.
• Think of what a prostitute is willing to do for money.
• This prostitute is the corruption of the world’s economic systems.
• Nations go to war for money. They kill for money, destroy for money, and allow corruption for money. This Babylon is the mother of all corruption. The love of money is the root of all evil. Many believe this to be America, but all nations seek out wealth and all have deceived and killed to get it, not just America.  

Revelation 17:6-8

⁶ I also saw that the woman was drunk, [drunk] with the blood of the saints (God’s people) and the blood of the martyrs [who witnessed] for Jesus. And when I saw her, I was utterly amazed and wondered greatly.

• Paul was beaten and arrested when people thought that they would lose money from selling their handmade idols when people heard about Jesus, Acts 19.
• The world’s love of money has always been against True Christianity. Where a person’s treasure is, is where their heart will be, and humans cannot serve God and money at the same time. The love of money is a powerful religion and many people belong to that church.
• No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will stand by and be devoted to the one and despise and be against the other. You cannot serve God and mammon (deceitful riches, money, possessions, or whatever is trusted in). Matthew 6:24
• If Revelation is a prophecy of the end times and no one had money, why would our Father talk about this great prostitute?
• If the Great Tribulation was all physical and times were physically bad, why would we be told that no one could buy or sell? If no one had any money, why would there be such a law? 

⁷ But the angel said to me, Why do you wonder? I will explain to you the [secret symbolic meaning of the] mystery of the woman, as well as of the beast having the seven heads and ten horns that carries her.

⁸ The beast that you saw [once] was, but [now] is no more, and he is going to come up out of the Abyss (the bottomless pit) and proceed to go to perdition. And the inhabitants of the earth whose names have not been recorded in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world will be astonished when they look at the beast, because he [once] was, but [now] is no more, and he is [yet] to come.

• The beast comes from the Abyss. 
• The Beast will be thrown directly into the Lake of Fire when Jesus returns.
• And the beast was seized and overpowered, and with him the false prophet who in his presence had worked wonders and performed miracles by which he led astray those who had accepted or permitted to be placed upon them the stamp (mark) of the beast and those who paid homage and gave divine honors to his statue. Both of them were hurled alive into the fiery lake that burns and blazes with brimstone. Revelation 19:20
• If the beast and false prophet are human they would be thrown into Hades to await judgment. But these two are thrown directly into Hell, meaning they are not human because they are not around for Judgment Day.
• Remember back in Revelation 13:14 that we were told that the anti-christ had been wounded by the small sword and the world marveled that he did not die from the head wound that he received? 
• Also let’s consider the position that the anti-christ may hold during the last days. I believe that he will be the last Pope.
• In verse 9 we are going to be told about where the anti-christ will rule from. His throne is amongst 7 hills and there are 7 hills that surround Rome.
• When you read about a revised Roman Empire, I believe that these things are our Father showing us that the anti-christ will be the last Pope. I may be wrong, but that is what I am being lead to believe.
• So with that being said, think about the Popes power. There was a time when he was the most powerful man on the earth. Then his power was taking from him by Napoleon. For him to come back to being the most powerful man again will cause the world to marvel greatly. Thus he once was, then he wasn’t, then he was again.
• Also think about the fallen angels, satan once was able to have great power over the world, then Jesus defeated him, and during the last days our Father will allow him to have great power again. The fallen angels will marvel and glorify what they believe to be their triumph.     

Revelation 17:1-2

One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls then came and spoke to me, saying, Come with me! I will show you the doom (sentence, judgment) of the great harlot (idolatress) who is seated on many waters,

• A harlot is a woman who has frequent casual sexual relationships.
• This harlot is seated on many waters, so what she represents has relationships with many people, many nations.
• Notice that we are shown the destruction of the Harlot, not those who acted with her.

² [She] with whom the rulers of the earth have joined in prostitution (idolatry) and with the wine of whose immorality (idolatry) the inhabitants of the earth have become intoxicated.

• What one thing do all men have in common? Money.
• The love of money is the root of all evil.
• For the love of money is a root of all evils; it is through this craving that some have been led astray and have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves through with many acute [mental] pangs. 1 Timothy 6:10
• All men, all nations, desire wealth and the power that comes with it. People who don't have money even want money, this is just not an issue for the rich.
• All men are not joined by one religion, or one country, but all men love money in whatever form it is.
• The harlot is the world’s love of money.