Five Are Fallen

FIVE ARE FALLEN

Some thoughts to consider... I am NOT posting prophetic doctrine; rather looking at the scriptures and adjusting my thinking to what they SAY, not what I think the MEAN!

NOTE:

Some bible students go back and try to bring in Egypt and the kingdom of Nimrod to get the 5th. That won't work, for the world kingdoms start with Babylon - Thou art this head of gold, Dan. 2.

Some try to bring Egypt and Assyria into this vison John saw, as being part of the fallen kings of kingdoms mentioned in Rev. 17. Again, John is NOT dealing with history! He is dealing with the nation of Israel in the tribulation. John is dealing with prophecy; not history.

To understand the bible, as well as prophecy, one MUST always leave the nation of Israel in proper context of where the Holy Spirit placed them.

Starting with Rev. 17:7

Rev. 17:7-14

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.

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.

9 And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth*.

10 And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.

11 And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition.

12 And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.

13 These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.

14 These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.

Revelation 17:8-12

8 'The beast that thou sawest was,' (The beast John saw in this vison, at some time in the past was on the earth. The beast is most likely Judas - but that is a guess. Judas - was alive, died, went to his own place, Acts 1:25 - Jesus said have I not chosen 12, and one of you is a devil, John 6:70.)

'and is not;' (at the time John saw the vison, Rev. 17, Judas was still in his own place, Acts 1.)

'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.'

Most folks 'will wonder;' once they realize he rose from the dead.

9 'And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.'

Rome sits on 7 hills. Ever wonder why she's called the Roman Catholic church and not the Italian Catholic church? After all, the RCC is housed in the nation of Italy, but she's called a city in the bible. The bible calls her a city, that sits on seven hills, not a nation sitting on seven hills.

When John saw the vision of the woman, Rev.17, I believe he was in the future. Recall what God told him, Rev. 4:1.... Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be **hereafter.** Hereafter what? The rapture of the NT church body. John saw the tribulation poured out on the world after the rapture, but he saw it from heaven. Furthermore, as he watched the tribulation, he says nothing about the NT church enduring to the end. John saw Daniel's 70th wk from heaven, looking down on and thru the corridor of time.

10 'And there are seven kings: five are fallen,'

Now here is where the 'rubber meets the road,' here is 'the rub!'

Five kings are fallen. History and Daniel tell us who four of the five are:

(1) Babylon - Under King Nebuchadnezzzar - Thou art this head of gold, Dan. 2. Babylon (612–539 BC)

(2) Medo/Persia - Medo-Persia (539–331 BC)

(3) Greece - Greece (331–63 BC)

(4) Rome - Rome (63 BC–AD 476;

Larkin's book, "Dispensational Truths" has much to say on these kingdoms.