Although very compelling, and no doubt accurate at a certain level, it may be that interpreting
chapter 17 as being all about Roman Catholicism (or even the apostate church as a whole) is
simplistic. Perhaps a more complete way of looking at it would be to see chapter 17 as being about
“the spirit of Babylon” present in the world from the Babylonian Kingdom itself down to end times.
The characteristics of this spirit being the same wherever it manifests in the kingdoms of man. A
religious spirit that:
Seeks to be the guiding force behind political power
Loves money and power and intoxicates its citizens with the same love
Seeks to glorify itself upon the earth
Persecutes the true followers of God
In seeing things this way it becomes much easier to understand 17:10 concerning the seven kings
(out of which the Antichrist becomes the eighth). Rather than being related specifically to Rome, or Roman Catholicism, these may represent seven past kingdoms on the earth that have embodied the
spirit of Babylon (the terms “king” and “kingdom” often proving synonymous in prophecy). This also
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would explain how Antichrist can be the eighth and yet also one of the seven. If the Roman Empire
was one of the seven Babylonish kingdoms then the final world empire of Antichrist, being
intrinsically connected with the Empire of Rome in prophecy, could both be the eight and (by its
connection to the original Roman Empire) be seen as one of the seven. Note that it does not say that the eighth is the seventh; rather that it is one of the seven. In between the Roman Empire and the
final world empire (that is intrinsically related to it) sits at least one other empire that embodies the spirit of Babylon, the “Holy Roman Empire” of Roman Catholic ascendency during the dark ages.
Thus Revelation chapter 17 can be very much about Catholicism, and yet also be about the
Babylonish systems both before and after it. Looking at things in this wider context not only makes sense of the how in chapter 17 there can be eight kings (in a succession over time / kingdoms) and
also ten kings (concurrent with the Antichrist in the last kingdom), but it also makes it much easier to understand the transition from Revelation chapter 17 to chapter 18. Whereas chapter 17 describes a
spirit, or a pattern, running right through time to its final incarnation, chapter 18 seems to describe the judgment of the city at the power centre of the final world empire; the last empire to embody
the false religious Spirit of Babylon.
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