Chapter Thirty-Five/Executing Babylon the Great - Ten Kings for One Hour - Conclusion

 Of course, there is nothing that the rulers of this world can do against Jesus himself. He is in heaven, far out of their reach. But Jesus' brothers, the remaining ones of the woman's seed, are still on earth and apparently vulnerable. (Revelation 12:17) Many of the horns have already demonstrated bitter hostility toward them, and in this way have battled with the Lamb. (Matthew25:40, 45) Soon, though, the time will come for God's Kingdom to "crush and put an end to these kingdoms." (Daniel 2:44) Then, the kings of the earth will be in a fight to the finish with Lamb, as we shall soon see. (Revelation 19:11,12) But here we learn enough to realize that the nations will not succeed. Though they and the UN scarlet-colored wild beast have their "one thought," They cannot defeat the great "Lord of lords and King of kings" nor can they defeat "those called and chosen and faithful with him," which includes his anointed followers still on earth.  These too have conquered by keeping integrity in answer to Satan's vile accusations. - ROMANS 8:37-39; REVELATION 12:10, 11. 

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Chapter Thirty-Five/Executing Babylon the Great - Ten Kings for One Hour - Continue

 The ten horns depict all the political powers that presently hold sway on the world scene and that support the image of the wild beast, Very few of the countries that now exist were known in John's day. And those that were, such as Egypt and Persia (Iran), today have an entirely different political setup. Hence, in the first century, the 'ten horns had not yet received a kingdom.' But now in the Lord's day, they have "a kingdom," or political authority. With the collapse of the great colonial empires, particularly since the second world war, many new nations have been born. These, as well as the longer-established powers, must rule with the wild beast for a short period-just "one hour"-before Jehovah brings and end to all worldly political authority at Armageddon. 

Today, nationalism is one of the strongest forces motivating these ten horns. They have "one thought" in that they want to preserve their national sovereignty rather than accept God's Kingdom. This was their  purpose in subscribing to the League of Nations and the United Nations organization in the first place-to preserve world peace and thus safeguard their own existence. Such an attitude ensures that the horns will oppose the Lamb, the Lord of lords and King of kings," because Jehovah has purposed that his Kingdom under Jesus Christ will shortly replace all these kingdoms. - DANIEL 7:13, 14; MATTHEW 24:30; 25:31-33. 46. 

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Chapter Thirty-Five/Executing Babylon the Great -Ten Kings for One Hour

 In the previous chapter of Revelation, the sixth and seventh angels poured out bowls of God's of the anger of God. Thus we are advised that earth's kings are being gathered to God's war at Armageddon and that Babylon the Great is to be remembered in the sight of God.' (Revelation 16:1, 14, 19) Now we will learn in greater detail how God's judgments on these are to be executed. Listen again to Jehovah's angel as he speaks to John. "And the ten horns that you saw mean ten kings, who have not yet received a kingdom, but they do receive authority as kings one hour with the wild beast. These have one thought, and so they give power and authority to the wild beast. This will battle with the Lamb, but because he is Lord of lords and King of kings, the Lamb will conquer them. Also, those called and chosen and faithful with him will do so." - REVELATION 17:12-14. 

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Chapter Thirty-Five/Executing Babylon the Great - Why Called and Eighth King? - Conclusion

 Notice that the scarlet-colored wild beast "is also itself an eighth king." Thus, the United Nations today is designed to look like a world government. At times it has even acted like one, sending armies into the field to resolve international disputes, as in Korea, the Sinai Peninsula, some African countries, and Lebanon. But it is only the image of a king. Like a religious image, it has no real influence or power apart from what is invested in it by those who brought it into existence and worship it. On occasion, this symbolic wild beast looks weak; but it has never experienced the kind of wholesale abandonment by dictator-oriented members that sent the League of Nations reeling into the abyss. (Revelation 17:8) Though holding radically different opinions in other areas, a prominent Soviet leader in 1987 joined the popes of Rome in expressing support for the UN. As John soon learns, the time will come when the UN will act with considerable authority. then it, in its turn, "goes off into destruction." 

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Chapter Thirty-Five/Executing Babylon the Great - Why Called an Eighth King?

 Additionally, original members of the League of Nations included, along with Great Britain, governments that ruled in the seats of some of the previous heads, namely Greece, Iran (Persia), and Italy (Rome). Eventually, governments ruling the territory controlled by the previous six world powers came to be supportive members of the image of the wild beast. In this sense, too, it could be said that this scarlet-colored wild beast sprang from the seven world powers. 

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Chapter Thirty-Five/Executing Babylon the Great - Why Called an Eighth King?

 The angel further explains to John: "And the wild beast that was but is not, it is also itself an eighth king, but springs from the seven, and it goes off into destruction." (Revelation 17:11) The symbolic wild scarlet-colored wild beast "springs from" the seven heads; that is, it is born from or owes its existence to, those of the original "wild beast . . . out of the sea, of which the scarlet-colored wild beast is an image. In what way?  Well, in 1919 the Anglo-American power was the ascendant head. The previous six heads had fallen, and the position of dominant world power had passed to this dual head and was now centered in it. This seventh head, as the current representative of the line of the world powers, was the moving force in establishing the League of Nations and is still the major promoter and financial support of the United Nations. Thus, in symbol, the scarlet-colored wild beast-the eighth kin-"springs from" the original seven heads. Viewed in this way, the statement that it sprang from the seven harmonizes well with the earlier revelation that the wild beast with two horns like a lamb (the Anglo-American World Power, the seventh head of that original wild beast) urged the making of the image and gave it life. - REVELATION 13:1, 11, 14, 15. 

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Chapter Thirty-Five/Executing Babylon the Great

 By the 15th century, however, some countries were building brand-new empires. While some of these new imperial powers were found in the territory of former colonies of Rome, their empires were not mere continuations of the Roman Empire. Portugal, France, and Holland all became seats of far-flung domains. But the most successful was Britain, which came to preside over a huge empire on which the sun never set.' This empire spread at different times over much of North America, Africa, India, and Southwest Asia, as well as the expanse of the South Pacific. 

By the 19th century, some of the colonies in North America had already broken away from Britain to form the independent United States of America. Politically, some conflict between the new nation and the former motherland continued. Nevertheless, the first world war forced both countries to recognize their common interests and cemented a special relationship between them. Thus, a kind of dual world power came to exist, made up of the United States of America, now the world's wealthiest nation, and Great Britain, seat of the world's largest empire. Here, then, is the seventh 'head,' or world power, that continues into the time of the end and the territories of which the modern-day witnesses of Jehovah first got established. Compared with the long reign of the sixth head, the seventh remains only "a short while, " until God's Kingdom destroys all national entities. 

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Chapter Thirty-Five/Executing Babylon the Great

 Rome's Eastern Empire, centered at Constantinople, endured in a somewhat uneasy relationship with the Western Empire. In the sixth century, Eastern emperor Justinian I was able to reconquer much of North Africa, and he also intervened in Spain and Italy. In the seventh century, Justinian II recovered for the Empire areas of Macedonia that had been conquered by Slavic tribesmen. By the eighth century, however, much of the former territory of ancient Rome in North Africa, Spain, and Syria had come under the new empire of Islam and thus passed from the control of Constantinople and Rome.

The city of Constantinople itself endured somewhat longer. It survived frequent attacks from Persians, Arabs, Bulgars, and Russians until in 1203 It finally fell-not to Muslims or Crusaders from the West. In 1453, though, it came under the power of the Muslim Ottoman ruler Mechmed II and soon became capital of the Ottoman or Turkish Empire. Thus. although the city of Rome fell in 410 C.E., it took many more centuries for all traces of the Roman Empire to pass from the world scene. And even then, its influence was still discernible in religious empires based on the papacy of Rome and Eastern Orthodox churches.

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Chapter Thirty-Five/Executing Babylon the Great

 The Roman Empire endured and even expanded for hundreds of years after John's day.  In 330 C.E., Emperor Constantine moved his capital from Rome to Byzantium, which he renamed Constantinople. In 395 C.E., the Roman Empire was split into Eastern and Western parts. In 410 C.E. Rome itself fell to Alaric, king of the Visigoths (a Germanic tribe that had converted to the Arian brand of "Christianity"). Germanic tribes (also "Christian") conquered Spain and much of the territory of Rome in North Africa. There were centuries of upheaval, unrest, and readjustment in Europe. Notable emperors arose in the West, such as Charlemagne, who formed an alliance with Pope Leo III in the 9th century, and Frederick II, who reigned in the 13th century. But their domain, though named the Holy Roman Empire, was much smaller than that of the earlier Roman Empire at its zenith. It was more of a restoration or continuation of this ancient power than a new empire. 

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Chapter Thirty-Five/Executing Babylon the Great

 The seven heads of that ferocious beast stand for seven "mountains or seven "kings." Both terms are used Scripturally to refer to governmental powers. (Jeremiah 51:24, 25; Daniel 2:34, 35, 44, 45) In the Bible, six world powers are mentioned as having an impact on the affairs of God's people: Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome. Of these, fiver had already come and gone by the time John received Revelation, whereas Rome was still very much a world power. This corresponds well with the words, "five have fallen, one is. But what of "the other" that was due to come?

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Chapter Thirty-Five/Executing Babylon the Great

 IN FURTHER describing the scarlet-colored wild beast of Revelation 17:3, the angel tells John: "Here is where the intelligence that has wisdom comes in: The seven heads mean mountains, where the woman sits on top. And there are seven kings; five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet arrived, but when he does arrive he must remain a short while. (Revelation 17:9, 10) The angel is here conveying wisdom fr0m above, the only wisdom that can give understanding of the symbols in Revelation. (James 3:17) This wisdom enlightens the John class and its companions as the seriousness of the time in which we live. It builds in devoted hearts appreciation of Jehovah's judgments, now about to be carried out, and inculcates a healthy fear of Jehovah. As Provers 9:10 states: "The fear of Jehovah is the start of wisdom, and the knowledge  of the Most Holy One is what understanding is." What does divine wisdom reveal to about the wild beast?

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Chapter Thirty-Four/An Awesome Solved - Peace and Security-A Vain Hope - Conclusion

 What form will this significant cry of "Peace and security!" take? It is here mentioned as being outstanding just before the sudden destruction of those making the cry. Hence, it will have to be something more pronounced than any previous declarations by world leaders. No doubt it will be on an earth-wide scale. Yet, it will be no more than a facade. Underneath, nothing will really have changed. Selfishness, hatred, crime, family breakdown, immorality, sickness, sorrow, and death will still be here. That is why the coming cry will mislead you, if you have been awake to the meaning of the world events and have heeded the prophetic warnings in God's Word. - MARK 13:32-37; LUKE 21:34-36.

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Chapter Thirty-Four/An Awesome Mystery Solved - Peace and Security - A Vain Hope -Continue-

 Further, it is deeply significant that the world's religious leaders should join hands with the United Nations in calling for peace at this time. They would like to influence the UN to their own advantage, especially in this modern age when so many of their people are abandoning religion. Like the unfaithful leaders in Israel, they call out, "There is peace!' when there is no peace." (Jeremiah 6:14) No doubt their cries for peace will continue, rising in support of the climax concerning which the apostle Paul prophesied: "Jehovah's day is coming exactly as a thief in the night. Whenever it is that they are saying: 'Peace and security! then sudden destruction is to be instantly upon them just as the pang of distress upon a pregnant woman; and they will by no means escape." - 1 THESSALONIANS 5:2, 3.

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Chapter Thirty-Four/An Awesome Mystery Solved - Peace and Security - A Vain Hope - Continue

 In contrast with those who "walk in the name of Jehovah," not one of those religionists was praying to Jehovah, the living God, who name appears 7,000 times in the original text of the Bible. (Micah4:5; Isaiah 42:8, 12) As a group, they did not approach God in the name of Jesus, the majority of them not even believing in Jesus Christ.  (John 14:13; 15:16) None of them are doing God's will for our day, which is to proclaim worldwide God's incoming Kingdom-not the UN-as the real hope for mankind. (Matthew 7:21-23; 24:14; Mark 13:10) For the most part, the religious organizations have been involved in the bloody wars of history, including two world wars of this century. To such, God says: "Even though you make many prayers, I am not listening with bloodshed on your very hands have become filled. - ISAIAH 1:15; 59:1-3. 

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Chapter Thirty-Four/An Awesome Mystery Solved - Peace and Security - A Vain Hope - Contnue

 Does God answer such prayers for peace? Well, to which God were those religious leaders praying? If you asked them, each group would give a different answer. Is there a pantheon of millions of gods that can hear and grant petitions made in many different ways? Many of the participants worshiped Christendom's Trinity. Buddhists, Hindus, and others chanted prayers to gods without number. In all, 12 "religious families" assembled being represented by such notables and the archbishop of Canterbury, Buddhism's Dalai Lama, a Russian Orthodox metropolitan, the president of Tokyo's Shinto Shrine Association and two American Indians decked out in plumed headdresses. It was colorful group, to say the least, making for a spectacular TV coverage. On group prayed unceasingly for 12 hours at one time. (Compare Luke 20:45-37.) But did any of those prayers reach beyond the rain clouds that hovered over the gathering? No, for the following reasons: 

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Chapter Thirty-Four/An Awesome Mystery Solved - Peace and Security-A Vain Hope

 In a effort to bolster the hopes of mankind, the United Nations proclaimed 186 to be as an "International year of peace with the theme "To Safeguard Peace and the Future of Humanity." Warring nations were called upon to lay down their weapons, at least for one year. What was their response? According to the report by the International Peac Research Institute, more than five million soldiers were killed in combat during 1986 alone! Though some special coins and commemorative stamps were issued, most of the nations did little about pursuing the idea of peace in that year. Nevertheless, the world's religions -always anxious for a fine rapport with the UN-set about publicizing the year in various ways. On January 1, 1986, Pope Joh Paul II praised the work of the UN and dedicated the new year to peace. And on October 27, he assembled the leaders of many of world's religions as Assisi, Italy, to pray for peace. 

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Chapter Thirty-Four/An Awesome Mystery Solved -Ascending Out of the Abyss - Conclusion

 The UN is actually a blasphemous counterfeit of God's Messianic Kingdom by his Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ-to whose princely rule there will be no end. (Isaiah9:6, 7) Even if the UN were to patch up some temporary peace, wars would soon erupt again. This is the nature of sinful men. "Their names have not been written upon the scroll of life from the founding of the world." Jehovah's Kingdom by Christ will not only establish eternal peace on earth but, on the basis of Jesus' ransom sacrifice, raise the dead, the righteous and unrighteous who in God's memory.  (John 5:28, 29; Acts 24:15) This includes everyone who has remained steadfast despite the attacks of Satan and his seed, and others who have yet to show themselves obedient. Obviously, God's scroll of life will never contain the names of die-hard adherents of Babylon the Great or any of who continued to worship the wild beast. - EXODUS 32:33; PSALM 86:8-10; JOHN 17:3; REVELATION 16:2; 17:5. 

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Chapter Thirty-Four/An Awesome Mystery Solved - Ascending Out of the Abyss - Continue

 The UN does not have the answers. And why? Because the Giver of life to all mankind is not the UN's life-giver. It life span will be short, for according to God's decree, "It is to go off into destruction." The UN's founders and admirers do not have their names recording in God's scroll of life. How could sinful mortal men, many of whom mock God's name, achieve through the UN what Jehovah God has declared his is about accomplish, not by human means, but through the Kingdom of his Christ? - DANIEL 7:27; REVELATION 11:15. 

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Chapter Thirty-Four/An Awesome Mystery Solved -Ascending Out of the Abyss - Continue

 At first, great hopes were expressed for the UN. This was fulfillment of the angel's words: "And when they see how the wild beast was, but is not, and yet will be present, those who dwell on the earth will wonder admiringly, but their names have not been written upon the scroll of life from the founding of the world." -(Revelation 17:8b) Earth's dwellers have admired this new colossus, operating from it imposing headquarters on New York's East River. But true peace and security have eluded the UN. In this diabolical nuclear age, world peace has been maintained only by the threat of "mutual assured destruction" -MAD, as it is abbreviated-and the arms race has continued to escalate astronomically. After almost 40 years of effort by the United Nations, its secretary general, Javier Pe'rez de Cu'ellar lamented in 1985: "We are living in another age of fanatics, and we don't know what to do what to do about it." 

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Chapter Thirty-Four/An Awesome Mystery Solved - Ascending Out of the Abyss

 The scarlet-colored wild beast did indeed climb out of the abyss. On June 26, 1945, with noisy fanfare in San Francisco, U.S.A., 50 nations voted to accept the Charter of the United Nations organization. This body was "to maintain national peace and security." There are many similarities between the League and UN. The World Book Encyclopedia notes: In some ways, the UN resembles the League of Nations, which was organized after World War I . . . . Many of the nations that had founded the UN had founded the League. Like the League, the UN was established to help keep peace between nations. The main organs of the UN are much like those of the League. "The UN, then, is actually a revival of the scarlet-colored wild beast. Its membership of over 150 nations far exceeds that of the League's 63; It has also taken on broader responsibilities than its predecessor. 

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Chapter Thirty-Four/An Awesome Mystery Solved - Continue

 What light did the talk "Peace-Can It Last? throw on the prophecy? Clearly identifying the scarlet-c0lored wild beast of Revelation 17:3 as the League of Nations, President Knorr went on to discuss its stormy career on the basis of the angel's following words to John: "The wild beast that you saw was, but is not, and yet is about to ascend out the abyss, and it is to go off into destruction." -REVELATION 17:8. 

The wild beast . . . was" Yes, it had existed as the League of Nations from January 10, 1920, onward, with 63 nations participating at one time or another. But, in turn, Japan, Germany, and Italy withdrew, and the Soviet Union was dropped from the League. In September 1939 the Nazi dictator of Germany launched World War II. Having failed to keep peace in the world, the League of Nations virtually plunged into an abyss of inactivity. By 1942 It had become a has-been. Neither before this nor at some later date-but right at that critical time-did Jehovah interpret to his people the full depth of meaning of the vision! At the New World Theocratic Assembly, President Knorr could declare, in line with the prophecy, that "the wild beast .  .  . is not." He then asked the question, "Will the League remain in the pit?" Quoting Revelation 17:8, he answered: "The association of worldly nations will rise again." That is just how it proved to be-in vindication of Jehovah's prophetic Word!

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Chapter Thirty-Four/An Awesome Mystery Solved - Continue

 From September 18 to 20, 1942, at the height of World War II, Jehovah's Witnesses in the United States held their New World Theocratic Assembly. The key city, Cleveland, Ohio was tied in by the telephone with more than 50 other convention cities, for a peak attendance of 129,699. Where wartime conditions permitted, other conventions repeated the program around the world. At the time, many of Jehovah's people expected that the war would escalate into God's war of Armageddon, hence the title of the public talk, "Peace-Can It Last?," aroused much curiosity. How could the new president of the Watch Tower Society, N.H. Knorr, presume to talk about peace when the very opposite seemed to be in store for the nations? The reason was that the John class was paying "more than the usual attention" to God's prophetic Word. - HEBREWS 2:1; 2 PETER 1:19.

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Chapter Thirty-Four/An Awesome Mystery Solved - Continue

 The angel notices John's amazement.  "And so," John continues, "the angel said to me: 'Why is it you wondered? I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the wild beast that is carrying her and that has the seven heads and the ten horns.' "(Revelation 17:7) Ah, the angel will now unravel the mystery! He explains to the wide-eyed John the various facets of the vision and dramatic events that are about unfold. Likewise, as it serves under angelic direction today, the watchful John class had had revealed it to the understanding of the prophecy.  "Do not interpretations belong to God?" Like faithful Joseph, we believe that they do. (Genesis 40:8; compare Daniel 2:29, 30.) God's people are placed, as it were, center stage as Jehovah interprets to them the meaning of the vision and its impact on their lives. (Psalm 25:14) Right on time, he has opened up to their understanding the mystery of the woman and of the wild beast. -Psalm 32:8.

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Chapter Thirty-Four/An Awesome Mystery Solved

 What is John's reaction at seeing the great harlot and her fearsome mount? He himself answers: "Well, on catching sight of her I wondered with great wonderment." (Revelation 17:6b) Mere human imagination could never conjure up such a sight. Yet, there it is-away out in a wilderness-a debauched prostitute perched on a gruesome, scarlet-colored wild beast! (Revelation 17:3) The John class today also wonders with great wonderment as events unfold in fulfillment of the prophetic vision. If people of the world could see it, they would exclaim, 'Incredible!'  and the world's rulers would echo, 'Unthinkable!' But the vision becomes a startling 20th century reality. God's people have already had a remarkable share in the vision's fulfillment, and this assures them that the prophecy will move right on to its astounding climax.

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Chapter Thirty-Three/Judging the Infamous Harlot -A Name, A Mystery - Conclusion

 Over the centuries, the world empire of false religion has shed oceans of blood. For example, in medieval Japan, temple in Kyoto were transformed into fortresses, and warrior-monks, invoking "the holy name of Buddha, battled one another until the streets ran red with blood. In this 20th century, the clergy of Christendom have marched with the armies of their respective countries, and these have slaughtered one another with the loss of a hundred million lives. In October 19 87 former U.S. president Nixon said: "The 20th century has been the bloodiest in history. More people have been killed in the wars of this century than in all the wars fought before the century began."  The religions of the world are judged adversely by God for their share in shedding innocent blood." (Proverbs6:16, 17) Earlier, John heard a cry from the altar: 'Until when, Sovereign Lord holy and true, are you refraining from judging and avenging our blood upon these who dwell on the earth?" (Revelation 6:10) Babylon the Great, the mother of the harlots and of the disgusting things of the earth will be deeply involved when the time comes to answer that question.

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Chapter Thirty-Three/Judging the Infamous Harlot -A Name, a Mystery - Continue

 Babylon the Great is dressed in "purple and scarlet," the colors of royalty, and is "adorned with gold and precious stone and pearls." How appropriate! Just reflect on all the magnificent buildings, rare statues and paintings, priceless icons and other religious paraphernalia, as well as astronomical amounts of property and cash, this this world's religions have accumulated. Whether at the Vatican, in the TV empire of evangelism centered in the United States, in the exotic wats and temples of the Orient, Babylon the Great has amassed-and at times lost-fabulous wealth.  

Look now at what the harlot has in her hand. John must have gasped a the sight of it-a golden cup "full of disgusting things and the unclean things of her fornication"! with which she has made all the nations drunk. (Revelation 14:8; 17:2) It looks rich on the outside. but its contents are disgusting, unclean. (Compare Matthew 23:25, 26) It contains all the filthy practices and lies that the great harlot has used to seduce the nations and bring them under her influence. Even more revolting, John sees that the harlot herself is inebriated, drunk with the blood of God's servants! In fact, we later read that "in her was found the blood of prophets and of holy ones and of all those who have slaughtered on the earth." (Revelation 18:24) What massive bloodguilt!

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Chapter Thirty-Three/Judging the Infamous Harlot - A Name, a Mystery

 As was the custom in ancient Rome, this prostitute is identified by the name on her forehead." It is a long name: "Babylon the Great, the mother of the harlots and of the disgusting things of the earth." That name "is mystery," something with a hidden meaning. But in God's due time, the mystery is to be explained. In fact, the angel gives John enough information to allow Jehovah's servants today to discern the full significance of this descriptive name. We recognize Babylon the Great as being all of false religion. She is "the mother of the harlots" because all the individual false religions in the world, including the many sects in Christendom, are like her daughters, imitating her in committing spiritual harlotry. She is also the mother of "disgusting things" in that she has given birth to such revolting offspring as idolatry, spiritism, fortune-telling, astrology, palmistry, human sacrifice, temple prostitution, drunkenness in honor of false gods, and other obscene practices. 

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Chapter Thirty-Three/Judging the Infamous Harlot - A Name, a Myystery

 The apostle John is soon to learn that the great harlot has chosen a dangerous beast to ride. First, though, his attention turns to Babylon the Great herself. She is richly adorned, but, oh, how repulsive she is! "And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and was adorned with gold and precious stone and pearls she had in her hand a golden cup that was full of disgusting things and the unclean things of her fornication. And upon her forehead was written a name, a mystery: 'Babylon the Great, the mother of the harlots and of the disgusting things of the earth.' And I saw that the woman was drunk with blood of the holy ones and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus." - REVELATION 17:4-6a. 

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Chapter Thirty-Three/Judging the Infamous Harlot - The Harlot Rides a Beast - Conclusion

 What of the League's successor, the United Nations? From its inception, this body also had the great harlot riding on its back, visibly associated with it and trying to guide its destiny.  For example, on its 20th anniversary, in June 1965, representatives of the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church, together with Protestants, Jews, Hindus, Buddhists, and Muslims -said to represent two thousand million of earth's population-assembled in San Francisco to celebrate their support and admiration of the UN. On visiting the UN in October 1965, Pope Paul VI described it as "that greatest of all international organizations" and added: "The peoples of the earth turn to the United Nations as the last hope of concord and peace. " Another papal visitor, Pope John Paul II, addressing the UN in October 1979, said: "I hope the Unted Nations will ever remain the supreme forum of peace and justice" Significantly, the pope made no mention of Jesus Christ or of God's Kingdom in his speech. During his visit to the United States in September 1987, as reported by The New York Times," John Paul spoke at length about the positive role of the United Nations in promoting . . ."new worldwide solidarity.' " 

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 The dismal failure of the League of Nations should have signaled to the clergy that such man-made organs are no part of a Kingdom of God on earth. What blasphemy to make such a claim! It makes it seem as though God was a party to the colossal botch that the League turned out to be. As for God, "perfect is activity." Jehovah's heavenly Kingdom under Christ-and not a combine of squabbling politicians, many of them atheists-is the means by which he will bring in peace and have his will done on earth as in heaven. - DEUTERONOMY 32:4; MATTHEW 6:10. 

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 On January 2, 1919, the San Francisco Chronicle carried the front-page headline: "Pope Pleads for adoption of Wilson's League of Nations." on October 16, 1919, a petition signed by 14, 450 clergymen of leading denominations was presented to the U.S. Senate, urging that body "to ratify the Paris peace treaty embodying the league of nations covenant." Though the U.S. Senate failed to ratify the treaty, Christendom's clergy continued to campaign for the League. And how was the League inaugurated? A news dispatch from Switzerland, dated November 15, 1920, read: "Opening of the first assembly of the League of Nations was announced at eleven o'clock this morning by the ringing the church bells in Geneva." 

Did the John class, the one group on earth that eagerly accepted the incoming Messianic Kingdom, share with Christendom in paying homage to the scarlet-colored wild beast? Far from it! On Sunday, September 7, 1919, the convention of Jehovah's people in Cedar Point, Ohio, featured the public talk "The Hope for Distressed Humanity." On the following day, the Sandusky Star-Journal reported that J.F. Rutherford, president of the Watch Tower Society, in addressing nearly 7,000 persons, had "asserted that the Lord's displeasure is certain to be visited upon the League . . . because the clergy-Catholic and Protestant-claiming to be God's representatives, have abandoned his plan and endorsed the League of Nations, hailing it as a political expression of Christ's kingdom on earth." 

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 In what way is this symbolic wild beast full blasphemous names? In that men have set up this multinational idol as a substitute for God's Kingdom- to accomplish what God says his Kingdom alone can accomplish. (Daniel 2:44; Matthew 12:18, 21) What is remarkable about John's vision, though, is that Babylon the Great is riding the scarlet-colored-wild beast. True to the prophecy, Babylonish religion, particularly in Christendom, has linked itself with the League of Nations and its successor. As early as December 18,1918, the body now known as the National Council of Churches of Christ in America adopted a declaration that declared in part: "Such a League is not mere political expedient; it is the political expression of the Kingdom of God on earth. . . The Church can give a spirit of good-will, without which no League of Nations is rooted in the Gospel. Like the Gospel, its objective is "peace on earth, good will toward men.' " 

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 This wild beast has seven heads and ten horns. Is it, then, the same as the wild beast that John saw earlier, which also has seven heads and ten horns? (Revelation 13:1) No, there are differences. This wild beast is scarlet-colored and, unlike the previous wild beast, is not said to have diadems. Rather than having blasphemous names on its seven heads only, it is "full of blasphemous names. " Nevertheless, there must be a relationship between this new wild beast and the previous one, the similarities between them are too pronounced to be coincidental. 

What, then, is this new scarlet-colored wild beast? It must be the image to the wild beast that was brought forth under the urging of the Anglo-American wild beast that has two horns like a lamb. After the image was made, that two-horned wild beast was allowed to give breath to the image of the wild beast. (Revelation 13:14, 15) John now sees the living, breathing image. It pictures the League of Nations organization that the two-horned wild beast brought to life in 1920. U.S. President Wilson had envisioned that the League "would be a forum for the dispensation of justice for all men and wipe out the threat of war forever." When it was resurrected after the second world war as the United Nations, its chartered purpose was "to maintain international peace and security. " 

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Chapter Thirty-Three/Judging the Infamous Harlot- The Harlot Rides a Beast

 What more does the prophecy disclose as the great harlot and her fate? As John now relates, a further vivid scene comes into view: "And he [the angel] carried me away in the power of the spirit into wilderness. And I caught sight of a woman sitting upon a scarlet-colored wild beast that was full of blasphemous names and that had seven heads and ten horns." - REVELATION 17:3.

Why is John carried into the wilderness? An earlier pronouncement of doom against ancient Babylon was described as being "against the wilderness of the sea." (Isaiah 21:1, 9) This gave due warning that despite all its weary defenses, ancient Babylon would become a lifeless desolation. It is fitting, then, that John should be carried off in his vision to wilderness to see the fate of Babylon the Great. She too must become desolate and waste. (Revelation 18:19, 22, 23) John is amazed, although by what he sees out there. The great harlot is not alone! She is sitting on a monstrous wild beast!

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Chapter Thirty-Three/Judging the Infamous Harlot - Sitting on Many Waters -Conclusion

 Shinto Japan provides a notable example of this. The indoctrinated Japanese soldier regarded as the highest honor to give his life for the emper0r-the supreme Shinto god. During World War II, some 1,500,000 Japanese soldiers died in battle, almost to a man, they looked at surrender as dishonorable. But as a consequence of Japan's defeat, Emperor Hirohito was compelled to renounce his claim to divinity. This resulted in a notable withdrawing of the "waters" supporting the Shino segment of Babylon the Great-alas, after Shintoism had sanctioned the shedding of buckets of blood in the Pacific war theater. This weakening of Shino influence also opened the way in recent years for more than 120,000 Japanese, the great majority of whom were formerly Shintoists and Buddhists, to become dedicated, baptized ministers of the Sovereign Lord Jehovah. 

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Chapter Thirty-Three/Judging the Infamous Harlot - Sitting on Many Waters

 Ancient Babylon sat on many waters-the Euphrates River and numerous canals. These were a protection to her as well as a source of commerce producing wealth, until they dried up in one night. (Jeremiah 50:38; 51:9, 12, 13) Babylon the Great also looks to "many waters" to protect and enrich her. These symbolic waters are "peoples and crowds and nations and tongues," that is, all the thousands of millions over whom she had dominated and from whom she has drawn material support. But these waters are also drying up, or withdrawing support. -REVELATION 17:15; compare PSALM 18:4; ISAIAH 8:7. 

Further, Babylon of old was described as "a golden cup in the hand of Jehovah, she is making all the earth drunk." (Jeremiah 51:7) Ancient Babylon forcing neighboring nations to swallow expressions of Jehovah's anger when she conquered them militarily, making them as weak as drunken men. In that respect, she was Jehovah's instrument. Babylon the Great, too, has made conquests to the point of becoming a worldwide empire. She is certainly not God's instrument. Rather, she has served "the kings of the earth" with whom she commits religious fornication. She has gratified these kings by using her lying doctrines and enslaving practices to keep the massed of the people, "those who inhabit the earth," weak as drunken men, passively subservient to their rulers. 

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Chapter Thirty-Three/Judging the Infamous Harlot - Modern-Day "Harlotry" - Conclusion

 Such Catholic diplomacy illustrates the kind harlotry that religion has engaged in over the past 4,000 years in wooing the political state in order to gain power and advantage. Such religio-political relationships have fostered warfare, persecutions, and human misery on a vast scale. How happy mankind can be that Jehovah's judgment upon the great harlot is a hand. May it soon be executed!

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 Though a handful of priests and nuns protested Hitler's  atrocities-and suffered for it-the Vatican as well as the Catholic Church and its army of clergy gave either active or tacit support to the Nazi tyranny, which they regarded at bulwark against the advance of world communism. Sitting pretty in the Vatican, Pope Pius XII let the holocaust on the Jews and the cruel persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses and others proceed uncriticized. It is ironical that Pope John II, on visiting Germany on May 19187, should glorify the anti-Nazi stand of one sincere priest. What were the other thousands of the German's clergy during Hitler's reign of terror? A pastoral letter issued by the German Catholic bishops in September 1939 at the outbreak of World War II provides enlightenment on this point. It reads in part: "In this decisive hour we admonish our Catholic soldiers to do their duty in obedience to the Fueher and to be ready to sacrifice their whole individuality. We appeal to the Faithful to join in ardent prayers that Divine Providence may leald this war to blessed success. 

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Chapter Thirty-Three/Judging the Infamous Harlot - Modern-Day "Harlotry"

 On July 20, 2933, the Vatican's interest in the rising power of Nazism was displayed when Cardinali Paceli (who later became Pope Pius XII) singed a concordat in Rome between the Vatican and Nazi Germany. VonPapen signed the document as Hitler's representative, and Paceli  there conferred on von Papen the high papal decoration of he Grand Cross of the Order of Pius. In his book Satan in Top Hate, Tibor Koeves writes of this, stating: "The Concordat was a great victory for Hitler. It gave him the first moral support he had received from the outer world, and this from the exalted source." The concordat required the Vatican to withdraw its support from Germany's Catholic Center Party, thus sanctioning Hitler's one-party "total state." Further, its article 14 stated: "The appointments for archbishops, bishops, and the like will be issued only after the governor, installed by the Reich, has duly ascertained that no doubts exist with respect to general political considerations." By the end of 1933 (proclaimed a "Holy Year by Pope Pius XI), Vatican support had become a major factor in Hitler's push for world domination. 

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Chapter Thirty-Three/Judging the Infamous Harlot - Modern-day "Harlotry"

 Through her meddling in politics, the great harlot has brought untold sorrow to mankind. Consider, for example, the facts behind Hitler's rise to power in Germany-ugly facts that some would like to expunge from the history books. In May of 1924 the Nazi party held 32 seats in the German Reichstag. By May 1928 these had dwindled to 12 seats. However, the great Depression engulfed the world in 1930; riding out its wake, the Nazis made a remarkable recovery, gaining 230 out of 608 seats in the German elections of July 1932. Soon after, former Chancellor Franz von Papal Knight, came to the Nazis' aid. According to historians, von Papab envisioned a new Holy Roman Empire. His own short tenure as Chancellor had been a failure, so now he hoped to gain power through the Nazis. By January 1933, he had mustered support for Hitler from the industrial barons, and through wily intrigues he ensured that Hitler became Germany's chancellor on January 30, 1933. He himself was made vice-chancellor and was used by Hitler to win the support of Catholic sections of Germany. Within two months of gaining power, Hitler dissolved parliament, dispatched thousands of opposition leaders to concentration camps. and began an open campaign of oppressing the Jews.

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Chapter Thirty-Three/Judging the Infamous Harlot -Conclusion

 Baylon (or Babel, meaning "Confusion") came to its peak of greatness in Nebuchadnezzar's time. It was a relio-political state with more than a thousand temples and chapels. Its priesthood exercised great power. Though Babylon has ceased to exist as a world power, religious Babylon the Great lives on, and after the ancient pattern, she still seeks to influence and mold political affairs. But does God approve of religion in politics? In the Hebrews Scriptures, Israel was said to prostitute herself when she got involved with false worship and when, instead of trusting in Jehovah, she made alliances with the nations. (Jeremiah 3;6, 8, 9; Ezekiel 16:28-30) Babylon the Great also commits fornication. Outstandingly, she has done whatever she deems expedient in order to gain influence and power over the ruling kings of the earth. 1 TIMOTHY 4:1.

Today, religious leaders frequently campaign for high government office, and in some lands, they share in government, even holding cabinet posts. In 1988 to well-known Protestant clergymen ran for the office of president of the United States. Leaders in Babylon the Great love the limelight; their photos are often seen in the public press as they consort with prominent politicians. In contrast, Jesus shunned political involvement and said of his disciples: "They are no part of the world, just as I am no part of the world." - JOHN 6:15; 17:16; MATTHEW 48:10; see also James 4:4. 

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Chapter Thirty-Three/Judging the Infamous Harlot - Continue

 Which religious entity? Is she the Roman Catholic Church, as some have maintained? Or is she all of Christendom? No, she must be even larger than these if she is to mislead all the nations. She is, in fact, the entire world empire of false religion. Her origin in the mysteries of Babylon is shown in that many Babylonish doctrines and practices are common to religions around the earth. For example, belief in inherent immorality of the human soul, in a hell of torment, and in a trinity of gods is to be found in most Oriental religions as well as in the sects of Christendom. False religion, spawned more than 4,000 years ago in the ancient city of Babylon, has developed into the modern monstrosity that is called appropriately, Babylon the Great. Why, though, is she described by the repugnant term "the great harlot"? 

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Chapter Thirty-Three/Judging the Infamous Harlot

 "The great harlot"! Why so shocking a designation? Who is she? Some had identified this symbolic harlot with ancient Rome. But Rome was political power. This harlot commits fornication with the kings of the earth, and this evidently includes the kings of Rome. Besides, after her destruction, "the kings of the earth, " are said to mourn her passing. Therefore, she cannot be a political power. (Revelation 18:9, 10) Additionally, since she is mourned also by the world's destruction, she could not picture big business. (Revelation 18:15, 16) We read, however. that by her spiritistic practice all the nations were misled! (Revelation 18:23) This makes it clear that the great harlot must be the worldwide religious entity. 

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Chapter Thirty-Three/Judging the Infamous Harlot

 JEHOVAH'S righteous anger must be poured out to completion, seven bowls of it! When the sixth angel emptied out his bowl at the location of ancient Babylon, it fittingly symbolized the plaguing of Babylon the Great as events move swiftly toward the final war of Armageddon. (Revelation 16:1, 12,16) Likely, it is the same angel that now reveals why and how Jehovah executes his righteous judgments. Joh is struck with wonderment at what he next hears and sees: "And one of the seven angels that had the seven bowls came and spoke with me, saying: 'Come, I will show you the judgment upon the great harlot who sits on many waters, with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, whereas those who inhabit the earth were made drunk with the wind of her fornication.' " - REVELATION 17:1, 2. 

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Chapter Thirty-Two/God's Anger Brought to a Finish - "It Has Come to Pass!" -Conclusion

 Thus, Satan's world will meet up with Jehovah's righteous judgment. To the end, most of humankind will continue to defy and blaspheme God. As with Pharaoh of old, their hearts will not be softened by the repeated plagues or by the final death-dealing culmination of those plagues. (Exodus 11:9, 10) There will be no last minute, large-scale change of heart. With their dying breath, they will have to know that I am Jehovah." (Ezekiel 38:23) Nevertheless, the sovereignty of Jehovah God the Almighty will have been vindicated. 

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Chapter Thirty-Two/God's Anger Brought to a Finish -"It Has Come to Pass!" - Continue

 Once again, Jehovah acts unmistakably toward mankind, this being signaled by "lightnings and voices and thunders." (Compare Revelation 4:5; 8:5) Mankind will be shaken in a way that has never happened before, as if by a devastating earthquake. (Compare Isaiah 13:13; Joel 3:16) This blockbuster shaking will shatter "the great city," Babylon the Great, so that it splits into "three parts"-symbolic of its collapse into unredeemable ruin. Also, "the cities of the nations" will fall. 'Every island" and "Mountains"-institutions and organizations that seem so permanent in this system-will go. "A great hail," much greater than that which afflicted Egypt during the seventh plague, will pummel mankind painfully." (Exodus9:22-26) This punishing downpour of congealed waters like pictures unusually heavy verbal expressions of Jehovah's judgments, signaling that the end of this system of things has arrived at last! Jehovah could well use literal hail too his destructive work. - JOB 38:22, 33.

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 This and the previous six plagues give the sum total of Jehovah's judgments against Satan and his system. They are a declaration of doom for Satan and his seed. When this final bowl is poured out, Jehovah himself proclaims: "It has come to pass!" There is nothing else to say. When the contents of the bowls of God's anger have publicized to Jehovah's satisfaction, there will be no delay in executing these judgments proclaimed by these messages.

John continues: "And lightnings and voices and thunder occurred such as not occurred since men came to be on the earth, so extensive an earthquake, so great. And the great city split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell; and Babylon the Great was remembered in the sight of God, to give her the cup of wine of the anger of his wrath. Also, every island fled and mountains were not found. And a great hail with every stone about the weight of a talent descended out of heaven upon the men, and the men blasphemed God due to the plague of hail, because the plague was unusually great." - REVELATION 16:18-21. 

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Chapter Thirty-Two/God's Anger Brought to a Finish - "It Has Come to Pass!"

 "And the seventh one poured out his bowl upon the air. At this a loud voice issued out of the sanctuary from the throne, saying: 'It has come to pass!" - REVELATION 16:17

"The air" is the final life-sustaining medium to be plagued. But this is not the literal air. There is nothing about the literal air that makes it deserving of Jehovah's adverse judgments, any more that the literal earth, sea, freshwater sources, or sun deserve to suffer judgments at Jehovah's hand. Rather, this is "the air" Paul was discussing when he called Satan "The ruler of the authority of the air." (Ephesians 2:2) It is the satanic "air" breathed by the world today, the spirit, or general mental inclination, that characterizes his whole wicked system of things, the satanic thinking that permeates every aspect of life outside Jehovah's organization. So in pouring out his bowl upon the air, the seventh angel expressed God's wrath against Satan, his organization, and everything that motivates mankind to support Satan in dying Jehovah's sovereignty. 

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