Habakkuk's Two Tables #59
PART SIX: 1989
Presented by Jeff Pippenger
Invocation by Brother Jeff Pippenger: Heavenly Father, we thank you for another day of life, another day that we can serve you, another day that we can learn of you. I thank you for a good night's rest and for bringing the Pecks home safely. As we take up this study this morning, we ask that you grant us the presence of your Holy Spirit to guide and direct our thoughts, our understanding; and that you would take the words that I am going to express, and first touch my lips with the coal off your altar that I might be a fit vessel to convey this message. We want to understand the relationship between the last six verses of Daniel 11 and the Book of Revelation, and we ask that you would help us to do that at this time by pouring your Latter Rain out upon us in preparing our vessels to receive it. In Jesus's name, amen.
Daniel and Revelation
The Beginning and the End
Every Word
Depth
The Spirit of Prophecy
Elijah
Theme
Repetition of History
Daniel's Connection with Revelation
Structure
BROTHER PIPPENGER: I am making arguments now about why what we teach about the last six verses of Daniel 11 is the correct understanding of these verses, and we have tried to show you some of the depth of these verses.
And I am not really that much of a computer guy, but if you are a computer person you know that with Windows you can go into Windows and you have a menu, and you can touch that part of the menu and it will take you another place; and, at that place you will have a menu, and you can touch that part of the menu and it will take you into another place. And some of these Windows programs just go on and on.
And that is what we are suggesting about the last six verses of Daniel 11. Every symbol in those verses is simply a title for a menu. If you touch that verse, if you touch the word East, it is going to take you deeper and deeper into God's Word. But, because it is God's Word, all of them are tied together very nicely.
Another argument and one of those strongest arguments of what we are teaching about the last six verses of Daniel 11 is the connection between the Books of Daniel and Revelation. Sister White repeatedly says that they are the same book. In one place she says the Book of Revelation complements—and the word she uses is spelled with an "e," not an "i." It is not compliment, like you are telling someone that they look nice today. It is complement, and complement, with an "e," means brings to perfection—she says the Book of Revelation brings to perfection the Book of Daniel.
In one place she says the same line of prophecy that is taken up in the Book of Daniel is taken up in The Revelation; and, then often she will make references that in The Revelation, the Lion of the tribe of Judah has opened to the student of prophecy the Book of Revelation. So, there is a connection here.
And, of course, what we are saying is the last six verses of Daniel 11 is the very final message of the Book of Daniel; because, it is the one that leads to the close of probation, when Michael stands up. So, we should expect to see the illustrations of the end of the world in the Book of Revelation to parallel the last six verses of Daniel 11, if we have the correct understanding of these verses.
So, we have been touching on in our worship Revelation 17. I think I have addressed it twice, but never specifically in detail; and, the reason that I addressed it twice is for the purpose of getting those that are not necessarily familiar with what we teach about Revelation 17 to be semi-familiar with it before we go through it a little bit more carefully over the next couple of days.
Revelation Seventeen
One of the Angels which had a Vial
So, if you will turn to Revelation 17, what we are going to do here—
And these here [referring to two large books to his right on the podium], I am going to explain these in a minute. These are not that significant, but I like them.
FROM THE AUDIENCE: (Laughter.)
BROTHER PIPPENGER: So, if you will, turn to Revelation 17.
In verse 1, it says,
"1And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials,"—
All right. When it comes to Revelation 17, we are purposely told that one of the angels that poured out the Seven Last Plagues is the angel that brings the message of Revelation 17 to John.
Verse 1:
—"1And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials,"—
The seven vials are chapter 16.
—"and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:"—
So, a student of prophecy knows that that is a purposeful connection that is being made there between Revelation 16 and Revelation 17.
And let me jump ahead and come back to that, so I can get rid of these books.
The Judgment of the Great Whore
Revelation 17:1-2
—"1And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters."—
Who is the great whore? Well, Sister White is going to tell us it is the Papacy.
And I was raised in California, not as a Christian. I did not become a Christian until I was 25 years old, and immediately became a Seventh-day Adventist Christian. I did not spend a lot of time in any other Protestant denominations. None.
And growing up in California—and California is not a real religious culture—so, up until I was 25, I did not know the difference between a Buddhist or a Catholic or a Protestant or anything. I just did not. I did not grow up that way.
And then for the first 19 years of our experience in Adventism, we were in one of the most liberal dark churches in California; so, they certainly were not going to teach anything about the Pope of Rome and the mark of the beast. So, we did not learn a great deal there about who Rome was.
It really was not until we went early on in that 19-year period that we started going to some camp meetings that were held in Utah, just over the border from us in California, in Provo, Utah. And there used to be an elderly lady there named Mary Walsh, who had written some books—or a book; I think it is books—on the Pope. And it was going to her meetings where I started waking up to, you know, the Catholic Church is a player in Bible prophecy, bigger than I realized.
So, much of what I have learned about the Catholic Church has just been over, you know, a certain period of time; but, my point is this: When we came to Revelation 17, we realized that if you go get an old dictionary before the Year 2000 (and there is even one that was published in 2001), and you crack it open to (and it is in this dictionary) Scarlet Woman: "The woman described in Revelation 17, variously explained as symbolizing Pagan Rome, the Church of Rome."
So, before the 1950s at least, before the 1950s the Protestants of the United States (and this is another dictionary; this [the second dictionary he picks up from the podium] is the Webster's New World Dictionary, published first in 1953, the last in 1966—and this one [the first dictionary he picked up from the podium] was the New Century Dictionary)—but, if you look up Scarlet Woman in this dictionary [Webster's New World Dictionary], it says, "The Roman Catholic Church, an opprobrious term based upon the reference of Revelation 17:1-6."
So, the Protestant world used to know that the "Scarlet Woman" in Revelation 17 was the Roman Catholic Church.
But, we have been studying Isaiah 23 off and on, and what does Isaiah 23 say? That Tyre is forgotten for 70 years, as the days of one king. And Protestantism has forgotten who this woman is.
But, in verse 1 [of Revelation 17] we see that we are told that Revelation 17 is the story of the judgment of the "great whore," of the Roman Catholic Church.
But, we want to deal with that first phrase, now that we have gotten those big books out of the way.
—"1And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials,"—
My argument here is that in order to understand Revelation 17 correctly, you have to understand it in connection with Revelation 16; because Inspiration has purposely tied these two chapters together.
Okay. So, what is there about Revelation 16 that needs to be understood in conjunction with Revelation 17?
I mean, there are 21 verses in Revelation 16. What is the punch line in Revelation 16 that needs to be factored in to Revelation 17?
And I think it is verses 12 through 16. And the reason for this—we will read verses 12 through 16 at this point—and then I will tell you why.
"12And the sixth angel"—
There are seven of them. This is the sixth one.
"12And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared. 13And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. 14For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. 15Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame. 16And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon." Revelation 16:12-16 (KJV).
To me, this is the passage that is the primary emphasis of Revelation 16 because it is the only place in Revelation 16 where you have a warning about keeping your garments. I mean, Revelation 16 is the history that takes place after Michael stands up, after human probation closes.
The seven vials, the Seven Last Plagues, they are poured out after probation closes; yet, here in verse 15 there is a counsel to keep your garments. And when Michael stands up, the garments you have those are the ones you are going to keep. So, verse 15 is saying that there is something in this particular passage that is a warning message that God's people need to understand before Michael stands up.
So, I am under the conviction that the part of Revelation 16 that is the predominant emphasis of Revelation 16 is verses 12 through 16, where it identifies that modern Babylon is divided into three parts: the Beast, the Dragon, and the False Prophet.
And, of course, if you are going to approach Revelation 17 from that perspective, then you would be in agreement with Daniel 11, verse 40; because, in Daniel 11, verse 40, you have the King of the South (the Dragon); the chariots, horsemen, and ships (the False Prophet); and, the King of the North (the Beast); and, in verse 40 they are beginning their march to leading the world to Armageddon, between the seas and the glorious holy mountain in verse 45. And Daniel 11:40-45 can be recognized here in verses 12 through 16 of Revelation 16.
And as we go through Revelation 17, we will see that it is a parallel history to Daniel 11:40‑45 and that it is telling the story of the Beast, the Dragon, and the False Prophet.
So, that is the connection we are putting in place as we proceed.
Verse 2 of Revelation 17 says, speaking of the whore that sits upon many waters in verse 1; and, verse 2 says,
—2With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication." Revelation 17:1-2 (KJV).
Sister White says in The Great Controversy, page 382,
"The woman [Babylon] of Revelation 17 is described as"—and then she quotes from Revelation 17—"'arrayed in purple and scarlet color, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness:...and upon her forehead was a name written, 'Mystery, Babylon the Great, the mother of harlots.' Says the prophet: 'I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus.' Babylon is further declared to be 'that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.' Revelation 17:4–6, 18. The power that for so many centuries maintained despotic sway over the monarchs of Christendom is Rome [the Vatican, the Roman Catholic Church]." The Great Controversy, 382.
So, the woman here under discussion in Revelation 17 is the Roman Catholic Church; and, she has committed fornication with the kings of the Earth.
And what is fornication? It is an unlawful relationship, and in spiritual terms the fornication of Bible prophecy is the combination of church and state.
Babylon's Wine
And what is the first state that the Papacy commits fornication with at the end of the world?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: America.
BROTHER PIPPENGER: The United States, Daniel 11, verse 41.
But, where does the foreplay begin; where is the romance? The engagement began in verse 40 with Ronald Reagan and Pope John Paul II; but, the marriage is consummated at The Sunday Law in the United States. And then she commits fornication with all of the other kings of the Earth thereafter.
Why does she do this, or what is represented as the justification for these kings bowing down to her? It is her wine.
Testimonies to Ministers, page 62:
"The fallen denominational churches are Babylon. Babylon has been fostering poisonous doctrines, the wine of error. This wine of error is made up of false doctrines." Testimonies to Ministers, 62.
Her false doctrines are what are preparing the political leadership of the Earth to believe that she is God's church on Earth.
The Great Controversy, page 388:
"The great sin charged against Babylon is that she 'made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.' This cup of intoxication which she presents to the world represents the false doctrines that she has accepted as the result of her unlawful connection with the great ones of the earth." The Great Controversy, 388.
Okay. Verses 1 and 2 tell us this story in Revelation 17 is about the judgment of the Papacy.
The Wilderness—Revelation 17:3
And in verse 3 we have, to me, the most important verse in Revelation 17. It says,
—"3So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns." Revelation 17:3 (KJV).
AD100 538 1500 1798
John at Patmos WILDERNESS (Rev 12:6)
1260 literal years Period of
John' s Vision
Figure No. 110.
The wilderness, we will see from Revelation 12, verses 6 and 14, is the 1260 years, from AD538 to 1798.
Revelation 12, verse 6, says,
"6And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days." Revelation 12:6 (KJV).
A wilderness is a thousand two hundred and threescore days.
Look at verse 14.
"14And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent." Revelation 12:14 (KJV).
So, what we are saying is that the first thing we are told about John in Revelation 17 is that in order for him to receive this vision, he is carried to this history.
John is actually down here at Patmos in the Year 100, but he is going to see a vision concerning the Roman Catholic Church, and the Roman Catholic Church is in existence prior to AD538, but it is empowered in AD538. So, in order for him to see the Roman Catholic Church in power, he has got to be projected into the future to see it, and the future he is projected into is the 1260 years.
Drunken with Blood
And look at verses 4 through 6.
When he goes into the wilderness, he is going to see this woman riding on a beast, and this woman has certain characteristics.
We just read verses 4 and 5 in the Spirit of Prophecy. We will finish off with verse 6.
"5And upon her"—the woman, the Catholic Church—"upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. 6And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration." Revelation 17:5-6 (KJV).
Okay. So, there are two things that I want you to see there. It is when John is carried into this history here [the 1260 years in the wilderness] and he sees the Roman Catholic Church, she is already drunk with the blood of the saints.
Do you get drunk before you drink or after you drink?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: You get drunk during and after.
BROTHER PIPPENGER: During and after.
So, she is already drunk. She has already committed the persecutions. It is not before the persecution starts. When he sees her, she is already drunk with the blood of persecution.
And she is also called the Mother of Harlots.
So, in about 1500—is that a fair marking of the Protestant Reformation, or should I put it 1590?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: It was in 1517 was the date when he [Luther] nailed his thesis to the door.
BROTHER PIPPENGER: His 95 thesis.
So, from 1500 on, you have the beginning of the Protestant Reformation, and you have people leaving the Church of Rome and starting churches based upon the Word of God.
But, by the time John sees the Roman Catholic Church in this history, she is called the Mother of Harlots, which means, some of these Protestant churches in this history [from 1500 to 1798] they have already quit protesting and they have quit reforming and they began to return to Rome. They become harlots themselves. They become daughters of Rome, making her a Mother. You have to have a daughter or a son to be a Mother, right?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: (Affirmations.)
BROTHER PIPPENGER: So, when John sees the Roman Catholic Church, he sees her right down here in 1798.
By the way, where does Daniel 11, verse 40, begin?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: At the Time of the End.
BROTHER PIPPENGER: At the Time of the End, in AD1798. Right? Because, the Books of Daniel and Revelation are the same book. The same line of prophecy that is in the Book of Daniel is taken up in The Revelation.
In your notes—and I think there is even one more reference in the book, The Great Controversy, on this subject besides these two—but, Sister White tells us the persecution ended shortly before 1798.
The Great Controversy, page 306, she says,
"He thus mentioned certain events to precede His coming, and fixed the time"—Christ did—"when the first of these should be witnessed: 'In those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light.' Mark 13:24. The 1260 days, or years, terminated in 1798. A quarter of a century earlier, persecution had almost wholly ceased. Following this persecution, according to the words of Christ, the sun was to be darkened. On the 19th of May, 1780, this prophecy was fulfilled." The Great Controversy, 306.
So, persecution is ending right down here, which means she is drunk. This is the area where John is seeing the Roman Catholic Church as the Mother of Harlots. She is drunk.
Beginning at page 266, The Great Controversy says,
"The persecution of the church did not continue throughout the entire period of the 1260 years. God in mercy to His people cut short the time of their fiery trial. In foretelling the 'great tribulation' to befall the church, the Saviour said: 'Except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.' Matthew 24:22. Through the influence of the Reformation the persecution was brought to an end prior to 1798." The Great Controversy, 266–267.
So, I hope you see the logic. When John is carried away into the wilderness, in verse 3 of Revelation 17, to see the whore of Rome, the Roman Catholic Church, he does not just see her in the period of the 1260 years. He sees her at the very conclusion of the 1260 years, after she is drunk with the blood of persecution, and after she has become the Mother of Harlots.
The Mystery of the Woman, and the Beast
Revelation 17:7
Revelation 17:7 says,
7And 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." Revelation 17:7 (KJV).
What is the mystery of the woman and the beast?
What is a beast in Bible prophecy?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: It is a state power.
BROTHER PIPPENGER: Political power, state power, civil power.
What is a woman?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: A church.
BROTHER PIPPENGER: So, he is going to tell us the mystery of church and state.
Is that what he is saying?
"7And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman [church], and of the beast [state] that carrieth her, . . ." Revelation 17:7 (KJV).
And we have spent some time in this worship series more than once talking about Sister White's definition of the image of the beast. She says it in a variety of ways, but it is always the same thing. The image of the beast is the combination of church and state, with the church in control of the relationship.
And the mystery of the beast here is this very image; because, this is the mystery of a church that is being carried.
What does it mean if you are being carried? You are being supported by—right?—by a state.
Is that not the very image that the United States reproduces in the image of the beast?
I mean, it [the United States] reproduces the image of the beast. The beast that it is reproducing is the Beast of Catholicism. And the way that Catholicism was structured is that it was carried by the civil powers of Europe. They did its dirty work. It controlled the civil powers of Europe. That was the image of the Papacy. It is a church ruling over the civil structure. That is what is repeated in the United States.
And here, the angel, who is this angel? There is no doubt it is Gabriel.
Is it Gabriel? Gabriel is the one that brings the messages to John and Daniel.
But, I guess that would mean that Gabriel is one of the angels that pours out the vials, if we go back to verse 1, "And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, . . ."
Does that mean that Gabriel is a vial angel—I do not mean vile. I mean an angel that carries a vial.
But, we are not going there.
Verse 7: What is the mystery of the woman and the beast? It is the mystery of the healing of the deadly wound.
What happened in 1798? The Papacy received its deadly wound.
But, in terms of verse 7, in the expressions of verse 7, what happened? The Papacy ceased to be a beast of Bible prophecy. That is the deadly wound.
Did the Papacy cease to be a woman of Bible prophecy in 1798?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: No.
BROTHER PIPPENGER: No.
Okay. 1798 is just marking when there is no more political structure that is supporting the Papacy; but, the Papacy continues to be a church on through history.
The mystery of the beast and the woman in Revelation 17 is how the woman (the Papacy) once again becomes a church/state power at the end of the world. That is the mystery of the woman and the beast.
A Mystery—Colossians 1:26-27; 2 Thessalonians 2:7
Okay. A mystery of Bible prophecy in the Bible, Colossians 1:26.
Most people do not think about this, but a mystery in the Bible is not like a mystery movie that we have in movie theaters and television today or in books. A mystery in television or books is a mystery that keeps you guessing, if it is a good one, to the very last page. All right? And then on the very last page or in the very last scene, everything is explained for you. That is what we think a mystery is.
But, that is not what a mystery is in God's Word. A mystery in God's Word is something that is deep and profound beyond your understanding. You cannot understand the whole thing, not even when you get to the last page you cannot understand the whole thing. But, what has been revealed, you are required to understand.
Colossians 1:26-27
Colossians 1:26-27 says,
"26Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: 27To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory." Colossians 1:26-27 (KJV).
Is there anyone that is prepared to explain the mystery of the Incarnation? It cannot be done; but, you have to know enough about Christ in you, the hope of glory, that you secure that experience or you are going to be lost. See, there is information revealed about the mystery of Christ in you, the hope of glory, that you are required to understand, even though its fullness is beyond human understanding.
2 Thessalonians 2:7
How about 2 Thessalonians 2, verse 7, a different type of mystery. 2 Thessalonians, verse 7:
"7For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way." 2 Thessalonians 2:7 (KJV).
What is the Mystery of Iniquity here?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: (Inaudible response.)
BROTHER PIPPENGER: But, what is iniquity?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: The transgression of God's Law.
BROTHER PIPPENGER: The transgression of God's Law: sin.
Is there anyone that can explain sin?
Can you give an excuse for sin?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: (Various responses.)
BROTHER PIPPENGER: You can give an excuse for sin.
Okay. What was Satan's excuse for sin? It is a mystery. There is the excuse for sin: it is a mystery. When it comes to the Mystery of Iniquity, you cannot explain sin. It is too deep; it is too profound; it is beyond human understanding; but, you have to understand enough about the Mystery of Iniquity to flee from it, or you are going to be lost for eternity.
So, a mystery in the Bible is not like a mystery in the movies. Okay? A mystery in the Bible is different.
And in verse 7 of Revelation 17 says, ". . . I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast . . . ." And the mystery of the woman and the beast is the combination of church and state at the end of the world. It is the political structure that the Papacy takes control of at the end of the world when its deadly would is healed.
All right? Do you follow me?
And we are required to understand everything that is revealed about this truth, because it is one of God's mysteries, although we will not be able to understand it all.
The Beast that Carries Her—Revelation 17:7
Daniel 7:17
"17These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth." Daniel 7:17 (KJV).
Daniel 17:7 is just telling us that a beast is a political kingdom. She [the Roman Catholic Church (the Papacy)] is carried by a civil power.
They Give Their Kingdom and Receive Power—Revelation 17:16-17; 12
And this civil power in Revelation 17, verses 16 and 17, are these ten horns. And in verse 16 it says,
"16And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire. 17For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled." Revelation 17:16-17 (KJV).
These Ten Kings, these "ten horns," they agree to give their kingdom to the Beast. They are going to carry the woman. They are going to give their political structure to the Papacy.
And, we have mentioned that in this worship series. What is the Papacy's pay for being the rod in God's hand?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: Egypt.
BROTHER PIPPENGER: He gives them Egypt. That is Daniel 11, verses 42 and 43. And this here in Revelation 17:17, is the fulfillment when Egypt is given to the Papacy; because, Egypt—who is Egypt in Ezekiel 29, verse 2?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: The Dragon.
BROTHER PIPPENGER: The Dragon.
And who is the Dragon at the end of the world in Testimonies to Ministers, page 38?
"Kings and rulers and governors have placed upon themselves the brand of antichrist, and are represented as the dragon who goes to make war with the saints—with those who keep the commandments of God and who have the faith of Jesus." {TM 38.2}
So, the Dragon is given to the Papacy in prophecy. That is Daniel 11, verse 42; and, that is Revelation 17:17.
And verse 18 says,
"18And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth." Revelation 17:18 (KJV).
Testimonies, volume 7, page 182:
"As we approach the last crisis, it is of vital moment that harmony and unity exist among the Lord's instrumentalities. The world is filled with storm and war and variance. Yet under one head—the papal power—the people will unite to oppose God in the person of His witnesses. This union is cemented by the great apostate." Testimonies, volume 7, 182.
City/Kingdom
What is a city in Bible prophecy?
If you will drop down just a couple of lines in your notes, you will see "City/Kingdom," and it has Revelation 3:12; 11:8, 13; 14:8; 16:19; 18:10, 16, 18, 19, 21; 20:9; 21:2, 10, 14-16, 18, 19, 21, 23; 22:14, 19. All of these are verses in the Book of Revelation alone that teach that a city represents a kingdom in Bible prophecy.
So, when verse 18 of Revelation 17 says, "And the woman," which is the Roman Catholic Church, "which thou sawest is that great city," is this kingdom at the end of the world. And what does this kingdom do? It reigns over the kings of the Earth.
What does it mean to reign?
REIGN, verb—1. To possess or exercise sovereign power or authority; to rule; to exercise government, as a king or emperor; or to hold the supreme power. . . 2. To be predominant; to prevail. 3. To rule; to have superior or uncontrolled dominion. Romans 6:12 {Noah Webster's 1828 Dictionary}
REIGNETH—Strong's Concordance G2192, . . . ; a primary verb . . .; to hold (used in very various applications, literally or figuratively, direct or remote; such as possession, ability, contiguity, relation or condition): - be (able, X hold, possessed with), accompany, + begin to amend, can (+ -not), X conceive, count, diseased, do, + eat, + enjoy, + fear, following, have, hold, keep, + lack, + go to law, lie, + must needs, + of necessity, + need, next, + recover, + reign, + rest, return, X sick, take for, + tremble, + uncircumcised, use.
Now, when Otto and Kathy go out riding their horses, how do they control their horses?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: With reins.
BROTHER PIPPENGER: They rein them.
REIN—to guide or control as with reins (n. 1. A narrow strap of leather attached in pairs to a horse's bit and manipulated to control the animal: usually used in pl. 2. [pl.] a means of controlling, etc.—vt. to guide or control as with reins. {Webster's New World Dictionary, 1990}
Who is control, the horse or Kathy?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: Kathy.
BROTHER PIPPENGER: With Kathy's horse, it is usually her horse that is in control.
FROM THE AUDIENCE: (Laughter.)
BROTHER PIPPENGER: But, ideally, the one that has got the reins is the one that is in control.
And, here the Roman Catholic Church is controlling the kings of the Earth.
Peoples, and Multitudes, and Nations, and Tongues
And, not only does she control the kings of the Earth, in Revelation 17, verse 1, it says, ". . . I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters;" and. then in verse 15 it tells us what these waters that it sits upon are. In verse 15 it says,
"15And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues." Revelation 17:15 (KJV).
To "sit," in Bible prophecy, what does it mean to be seated in Bible prophecy?
What is the seat? That is where you rule from. Okay. It is the seat of your authority.
Not only is she [the Roman Catholic Church (the Papacy)] going to reign over the kings of the Earth, she is going to rule over all the people of the world, "peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues."
Where does she sit? Revelation 17:9 tells us where she sits as she rules over the peoples of the world and the kings of the Earth. It says,
"9And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth." Revelation 17:9 (KJV).
So where does the woman "sitteth"? She sits on seven mountains.
Where are the seven mountains? You can see it from The Great Controversy, page 124, speaking of Luther:
"At last he beheld in the distance the seven-hilled city. 'With deep emotion he [Luther] prostrated himself upon the earth, exclaiming: 'Holy Rome, I salute thee!'" The Great Controversy, 124.
The City of Rome is the seven-hilled city. That is where the Papacy rules from.
The Beast that Was and is Not—Revelation 17:8
Shall Ascend
Revelation 17:8
Now, remember, Gabriel, or at least one of the angels that had the seven vials, is explaining this prophecy to John, and in verse 7 he says, "I am going to show you not only the judgment of the Papacy but I am going to show you the mystery of the woman and the beast." And in verse 8 he begins his explanation. He says,
"8The 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." Revelation 17:8 (KJV).
Okay. We are saying that the beast that was, was the Papacy that ruled here in the wilderness time period [AD538 to 1798 (see Figure No. 110)].
AD1798 End of World
Figure No. 111.
But, in 1798, it [the Papacy that ruled from AD538 to 1798] is not.
But, at the end of the world, it is going to what?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: Ascend.
BROTHER PIPPENGER: Ascend. It is going to ascend.
Daniel 11:40
"40And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over." Daniel 11:40 (KJV).
All right. And we are emphasizing that because in Daniel 11:40, when the King of the North comes against the King of the South like a whirlwind—we have looked at those Hebrew words, "come against like a whirlwind"—part of the Hebrew meaning of the coming against, the sweeping away like a whirlwind is the ascension. And verse 40 is the beginning of the ascending of the Papacy (the King of the North) at the end of the world. It is one of the characteristics of Satan and the Papacy in Bible prophecy.
And the beast that was, and is not, is going to ascend back to the throne of the Earth at the end of time.
And you can see the definition of ascend [against] there .
AGAINST: Strong's Concordance 5921—to ascend, intrans. (be high) or act. (mount)—arise (up). (cause to) ascend up.
Isaiah 14:13-14
In Isaiah 14:13-14, which we have looked before, but we can look at it again, just so you can remember it, if you do not. And we have taken time in this worship series to show that you have Satan, but you have Satan's earthly representative.
Who is Satan's earthly representative?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: The Pope.
BROTHER PIPPENGER: The Pope of Rome.
Okay. So, the characteristics of the Pope of Rome and Satan are pretty much interchangeable. Sometimes when Sister White is talking about the antichrist at the end of the world, she is talking about Satan. Sometimes she is talking about the Pope of Rome. So, they are interchangeable.
And here, in terms of ascension, in verse 13 of Isaiah 14, it says,
"13For thou [Lucifer] hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north. 14I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High," Isaiah 14:13-14 (KJV).
So, the characteristic of ascending is the characteristic of both the Papacy and Satan.
And in Review and Herald, December 21, 1897, it says,
"In this time of prevailing iniquity, the Protestant churches that have rejected a 'Thus saith the Lord,' will reach a strange pass. They will be converted to the world. In their separation from God, they will seek to make falsehood and apostasy from God the law of the nation. They will work upon the rulers of the land to make laws to restore the lost"—
What?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: Ascendency.
BROTHER PIPPENGER: —"the lost ascendency of the man of sin, who sits in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. The Roman Catholic principles will be taken under the protection of the state. The protest of Bible truth will no longer be tolerated by those who have not made the law of God their rule of life." Review and Herald, December 21, 1897.
So, what we are looking at is verse 8 [of Revelation 17], and we are trying to identify who "the beast who was, and is not, yet shall ascend" is. And the way that we are trying to identify who he is, is by breaking down verse 8 and marking all the characteristics in verse 8.
Out of the Bottomless Pit—Revelation 9:2; 11:7; 20:1-3
And the first characteristic that we have looked at is whoever this beast is in verse 8, it is the power that ascends out of the bottomless pit.
This term bottomless pit is the place where lots [many] in Adventism goes off in darkness. They know from The Great Controversy that in Revelation 11 there is a beast that comes out of the bottomless pit, and Sister White commenting on that beast that comes out of the bottomless pit in Revelation 11 in the book, The Great Controversy, tells us that this beast is atheistic France. So, some Seventh-day Adventists make a very shallow conclusion here that the bottomless pit represents Atheism. And any time now that they see "the bottomless pit" in the Scriptures, they are going to go, "Atheism, Atheism, Atheism." But, that is not what "the bottomless pit" represents, and it is disqualifying those that make that application from being Bereans who rightly divide the Word of Truth.
The Great Controversy, page 658, says,
"That the expression 'bottomless pit' represents the earth in a state of confusion and darkness is evident from other scriptures." The Great Controversy, 658.
The bottomless pit represents confusion and darkness.
Is Atheism confusion and darkness? Oh, yeah.
Is Catholicism confusion and darkness? Yeah. Catholicism, what is the name on her [the Mother of Harlot's] forehead? Babylon.
What is Babylon? Confusion.
Okay. So, just because one power is identified as coming out of the bottomless pit does not mean that they all are going to be the same power every time the bottomless pit is referenced.
The Great Controversy, page 268, says—and this is where Sister White is commenting on atheistic France.
"'When they shall have finished [are finishing] their testimony.' The period when the two witnesses were to prophesy clothed in sackcloth ended in 1798. As they were approaching the termination of their work in obscurity, war was to be made upon them by the power represented as 'the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit.'"—
And what was the beast that ascended out of the bottomless pit in that history that is going to make war upon the Bible?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: Atheistic France.
BROTHER PIPPENGER: Atheistic France. Okay? But, it descends out of the bottomless pit. That does not mean that the bottomless pit represents Atheism.
Continuing on:
—"In many of the nations of Europe the powers that ruled in Church and State had for centuries been controlled by Satan, through the medium of the papacy. But here is brought to view a"—
What?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: A new manifestation.
BROTHER PIPPENGER: —"a new manifestation of Satanic power." The Great Controversy, 268.
The bottomless pit represents a manifestation of satanic power. That is what the bottomless pit represents.
And, you know, I mentioned, one of the voices out there that is trying to downplay the significance of the last six verses of Daniel 11 is this Tim Rosenberg that has come out with a book identifying the King of the South in verse 40 is Islam, and it is just a lot of foolish reasoning; but, I mean, he is getting lifted up in Adventism as the man of the hour for the last six verses in Daniel 11; because, "Here is the presentation on these verses that we can listen to and it won't shake us from our carnal lethargy; so, we want to hear that one. It is soothing for our itching ears."
And when I mentioned that book the other day, a brother that had gone to school with him remembered being friends with him, remembered the parting of their personal experience was when NLP was introduced into Adventism.
Do you remember when NLP was introduced into Adventism?
Do you know what NLP is? It is hypnotism, how to hypnotize your Bible studies, or how to hypnotize your church family.
And this brother remembers that that is where he and Tim parted ways, because Tim got excited about going to learn how to teach NLP.
Review and Herald, July 21, 1851, says,
"I told him that the Lord had shown me in vision that mesmerism"—
And what is mesmerism? It is what we call hypnotism today, because it was invented by—I do not know his first name, but his last name was Mesmer.
—"I told him that the Lord had shown me in vision that mesmerism [hypnotism] was from the Devil, from the bottomless pit, and that it would soon go there, with those who continued to use it." Review and Herald, July 21, 1851.
Something from the Devil is from the bottomless pit, and hypnotism (NLP) is from the Devil.
And when we talk about the Spiritual Formations that are being required to be studied in order to become an ordained Seventh-day Adventist pastor today, when we talk about that ruling that was implemented in September of 2001, and we think about the work of reform that we hope our leadership would accomplish by going and cleaning up that mess of Spiritual Formations, but it just seems to keep growing, that is just the tip of the iceberg. They were teaching hypnotism back in the '80s. If you are going to do a reform like Josiah, you need to go in and find all those pastors that learned how to teach NLP and apply NLP, and remove them from the Seventh-day Adventist Church payroll.
It is not just Spiritual Formations. It is not just ordaining women. It is not just teaching that there was seven periods instead of seven days of Creation. You cannot just argue against it. You have got to clean it out. Josiah would. Josiah would go in and tear those idols down and turn them into dust.
But, NLP (hypnotism), it has been in Adventism for 30 years and still going strong, and it comes from the bottomless pit; because, the bottomless pit represents a satanic power.
I listened to a tape one time from Loma Linda where Bill Loveless, the famous pastor, was teaching the pastors of the Southern California Conference how to hypnotize their congregations; and, those are the words that he used, and that is what he was doing.
So, evidently Sister White is incorrect or some kind of infiltration has come into Adventism; because, she says hypnotism comes from the Devil.
All right. Back to Revelation 17, verse 8.
What we are saying here is that this beast that was, and is not, is going to ascend, which is a characteristic of the Papacy and of Satan, out of the bottomless pit, meaning a new manifestation of satanic power.
And if you are of those like Hartland Institute that teaches that this power here is Atheism, based upon this phrase "the bottomless pit," then you have to go to Revelation 9:2
Revelation 9:2
And in Revelation 9, verse 2, it says,
"2And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit." Revelation 9:2 (KJV).
Okay. If you are going to be consistent, if you are saying because in Revelation 11, verse 8, the bottomless pit is where atheistic France came from and, therefore, every time we see the words bottomless pit it is Atheism; if you are going to be consistent, then here in Revelation 9, verse 2, this is Atheism. And if you think in Revelation 9, verse 2, that the power that comes out of that bottomless pit is Atheism, then you destroy these [1843 and 1850] Charts; because, what came out of the bottomless pit in Revelation 9, verse 2, are the First, Second, and Third Woe. It is Islam.
So, if you are going to insist, and be consistent, about saying the bottomless pit represents Atheism, you are off the platform of Adventism. You are fighting against the Foundations.
Perdition—2 Thessalonians 2:3
Okay. Back to Revelation 17, verse 8. We are trying to define what this beast that was, and is not, is, based upon the various clues that are in the verse.
This beast, whoever it is, is going to go into perdition.
2 Thessalonians 2:3
Let me see if I can find 2 Thessalonians faster this time. 2 Thessalonians, chapter 2, verse 3:
"3Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition: . . ." 2 Thessalonians 2:3 (KJV).
In this worship series, we have spent a lot of time on this verse.
What is the "falling away"? That is the time period of Pergamos. That is the time period of compromise, represented by Constantine that prepares the way for Thyatira; and, Thyatira is the Papacy, and the Papacy is the man of sin that does not come into history until there is a compromise in Christianity that prepares the way. There is a falling away first. Right? We have spent some time on this.
But, who is the man of sin in this verse?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: The Papacy.
BROTHER PIPPENGER: He is the son of perdition.
One of the characteristics of the Papacy is that it is going to go into perdition.
Revelation 17, verse 8 says, "The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit [a new satanic power], and go into perdition: . . . " The power that is going to go into perdition is the man of sin. He is the son of perdition.
So, so far every characteristic we have looked here for this beast that was, and is not, and shall ascend, is the Papacy.
The Lamb's Book—Revelation 13:3, 4, 8
And the next clue in verse 8 is, it says, ". . . 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.""
Okay. Now, if you are a Seventh-day Adventist theologian, you "know" that the Old Testament is Hebrew and the New Testament is Greek and, therefore, you "really cannot bring them together because they are two different languages and two different historical locations for the production of those statements";—so, you have difficulty in bringing the Bible together into a whole—"but, if you just stick to one, the Hebrew, then you have a little bit more leeway; or, the Greek, a little bit more leeway."
But this particular point, we are not going to go anywhere but back to Revelation. We are going to let John, himself, define who this is.
According to John, where it says, ". . . 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," who is it that is the power that is wondered after by those people whose names are not written in the Lamb's Book of Life?
Revelation 13:3
Go back to Revelation 13.
What I am saying is, is you really cannot use any theology to twist this out of its place, because it is the same book, it is the same vision. It is Revelation. John is defining what this phrase means in the very same book.
Verse 3 of Revelation 13 says,
"3And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast." Revelation 13:3 (KJV).
Okay. That is Revelation 13:3.
And Revelation 17:8 says, ". . . and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder . . . ."
Is there any difference there: All the world will wonder after the beast and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder?
And those that are going to wonder are those whose names are not written in the Lamb's Book of Life.
And in Revelation 13, verse 4, it says,
"4And they worshipped the dragon"—they worshipped the dragon—"which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? Who is able to make war with him?" Revelation 13:4 (KJV).
So, they are worshipping him.
And then in verse 8 it says, ". . . and they [all] that dwell on the earth shall wonder [worship him] whose"—what?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: Names.
BOTHER PIPPENGER: —"whose names are not written in the book of life [of the Lamb that was slain] from the foundation of the world, . . ." So, those people that are wondering after it and worshipping the beast are those people that do not have their names in the Lamb's Book of Life.
And if you go back to Revelation 17, verse 8, one of the characteristics of the beast that was, and is not, and shall ascend is that they that dwell on the earth shall wonder whose names were not written in the book of life.
So, who is this beast, once again? The first beast of Revelation 13 is the Papacy.
Okay. Every characteristic in verse 8 is a characteristic of the Papacy.
The Beast that Was, and is Not, and yet is and shall Ascend
Was and is Not
It is pretty easy here to identify what it means by "The beast that thou sawest was and is not, and yet is." It was in this history, AD538 to 1798. The Papacy WAS. In 1798, it IS NOT. But it IS; it is going to ascend at the end of the world.
Okay. In your notes, skipping over the first quote from The Great Controversy, 266,
"The periods here mentioned—'forty and two months,' and 'a thousand two hundred and threescore days'—are the same, alike representing the time in which the church of Christ was to suffer oppression from Rome. The 1260 years of papal supremacy began in A.D. 538, and would therefore terminate in 1798. At that time a French army entered Rome and made the pope a prisoner, and he died in exile. Though a new pope was soon afterward elected, the papal hierarchy has never since been able to wield the power which it before possessed." The Great Controversy, 266.
to the second quote.
Shall Ascend
Right to the middle of the second quote from The Great Controversy, page 578,
"The prophecy of Revelation 13 declares that the power represented by the beast with lamblike horns shall cause 'the earth and them which dwell therein' to worship the papacy—there symbolized by the beast 'like unto a leopard.' The beast with two horns is also to say 'to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast;' and, furthermore, it is to command all, 'both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond,' to receive the mark of the beast. Revelation 13:11–16. It has been shown that the United States is the power represented by the beast with lamblike horns, and that this prophecy will be fulfilled when the United States shall enforce Sunday observance, which Rome claims as the special acknowledgment of her supremacy. But in this homage to the papacy the United States will not be alone. The influence of Rome in the countries that once acknowledged her dominion is still far from being destroyed. And prophecy foretells a restoration of her power. 'I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.' Verse 3. The infliction of the deadly wound points to the downfall of the papacy in 1798. After this, says the prophet, 'his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.' Paul states plainly that the 'man of sin' will continue until the second advent. 2 Thessalonians 2:3-8. To the very close of time he will carry forward the work of deception. And the revelator declares, also referring to the papacy: 'All that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life.' Revelation 13:8. In both the Old and the New World, the papacy will receive homage in the honor paid to the Sunday institution, that rests solely upon the authority of the Roman Church." The Great Controversy, 578.
"And prophecy foretells a restoration of her power," that is when she ascends. That is when she IS.
But she WAS NOT before that time.
Where was she before that time?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: (Indiscernible response.)
BROTHER PIPPENGER: No, she was not.
Sunday Law
AD1798 USA End of World
(Isa 27)
PAPACY PAPACY PAPACY
WAS FORGOTTEN IS
Papacy commits
fornication with
Ahab (USA)
Figure No. 112.
When she was in the wilderness, she WAS from 1798 until when? Until she commits fornication with Ahab [USA at Sunday Law], right?
Where is she here?
She WAS [prior to 1798], and she IS [at The Sunday Law].
Where is she here [between 1798 and The Sunday Law]?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: She is forgotten.
BROTHER PIPPENGER: She is forgotten.
Right?
There are Seven Kings
Revelation 17:10-11
Revelation 17, verse 10:
"10And there are seven kings:"—
A king in Bible prophecy is a kingdom. The Books of Daniel and Revelation are the same book.
In your notes, from Testimonies to Ministers, page 112, I am just going to read the last couple of sentences.
"There is need of a much closer study of the word of God; especially should Daniel and the Revelation have attention as never before in the history of our work. We may have less to say in some lines, in regard to the Roman power and the papacy; but we should call attention to what the prophets and apostles have written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit of God. The Holy Spirit has so shaped matters, both in the giving of the prophecy and in the events portrayed, as to teach that the human agent is to be kept out of sight, hid in Christ, and that the Lord God of heaven and His law are to be exalted. Read the book of Daniel. Call up, point by point, the history of the kingdoms there represented." Testimonies to Ministers, 112.
The kingdoms of Bible prophecy are set forth in Daniel, chapter 2, repeated in chapter 7, and repeated in chapter 8, and the 11th of Daniel.
Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome
Education, page 179:
"The crown removed from Israel passed successively to the kingdoms of Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome. God says, 'It shall be no more, until He come whose right it is; and I will give it Him.'" Education, 179.
And the kingdoms of Bible prophecy are Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, Pagan Rome, Papal Rome. Those are the kingdoms of Bible prophecy.
Five are Fallen
Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, Pagan Rome, and Papal Rome
Daniel 7:7, 8, 11, 12
And here in verse 10, it says,
—"10And there are seven kings:"—there are seven kingdoms—"five are fallen"—
This is why verse 3 is so important.
FIVE KINGDOMS ARE FALLEN
1 Babylon
2 Medo-Persia
3 Greece
4 Pagan Rome
5 Papal Rome
1798 6 USA (the False Prophet)
7 United Nations (the Dragon)
8 The Vatican (the Beast)
Figure No. 113.
Where is John at when he receives the vision of Revelation 17? John is in 1798.
In 1798—this is where John is at in history to receive this vision—how many have fallen? Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, Pagan Rome, and Papal Rome.
One Is
—"10And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is,"—
What kingdom is in existence in 1798? That is your sixth kingdom, the U.S.A.
We went through this. We will go through it one more time for the doctor. Maybe he has not recognized this before.
I do not have it in this Bible. I cannot do it.
When was the Declaration of Independence?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: 1776.
BROTHER PIPPENGER: Okay.
When was the Constitution?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: It was in 1787.
BROTHER PIPPENGER: In 1787.
FROM THE AUDIENCE: And it was ratified in 1798, after a 10-year period.
BROTHER PIPPENGER: When was the Bill of Rights?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: The same time period, 1793.
BROTHER PIPPENGER: 1793.
When did the countries of the world recognize the United States as a nation?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: 1798.
BROTHER PIPPENGER: In 1798 diplomatic stations were set up for the United States.
So, in 1798, which is where John is, five are fallen, and one is.
What is the "one is." What is the sixth kingdom of Bible prophecy in 1798? It is the United States of America.
Isaiah 23
And what is the history of this kingdom? It is Isaiah 23, is it not? This is the period when the Papacy is forgotten. Right?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: (Affirmations.)
The Next to come on the Stage
BROTHER PIPPENGER: Sister White says of the United States, Spalding and Magan, page 1—
And, of course, these people that take the bottomless pit and say it is Atheism, they start arguing that the sixth kingdom is Atheism (Luminism), but that is not what Inspiration teaches. Okay? That is simply an attempt to undermine God's truth.
Spalding and Magan, page 1, says,
"I saw that the two-horned beast had a dragon's mouth, and that his power was in his head, and that the decree would go out of his mouth. Then I saw the Mother of Harlots; that the mother was not the daughters, but separate and distinct from them. She has had her day, and it is past, and her daughters, the Protestant sects, were the next to come on the stage"—
After the Papacy, the next to come on the stage is the Protestant sects.
—"and act out the same mind that the mother had when she persecuted the saints. I saw that as the mother has been declining in power, the daughters had been growing, and soon they will exercise the power once exercised by the mother." Spalding and Magan, 1.
A New Power
Signs of the Times, February 8, 1910:
"At the time when the Papacy, robbed of its strength, was forced to desist from persecution, John beheld a new power coming up to echo the dragon's voice, and carry forward the same cruel and blasphemous work. This power, the last that is to wage war" against the church and the law of God, is represented by a beast with lamblike horns."—
"This power, the last that is to wage war . . . ," you need to see this; because, we are saying that the sixth kingdom is the United States, and that there is a seventh kingdom, which is these ten horns; and, the eighth is of the seven.
But here [See Figure No. 113], we are saying the sixth kingdom is the United States, and Sister White tells us that the United States is the last to wage war against God's people.
So, how is it that there are other sinister kingdoms that come after the United States, but yet the United States is the last to wage war?
FROM THE AUDIENCE: They work together.
BROTHER PIPPENGER: They work together.
You see, this is something that is not often recognized by Adventist students of prophecy.
This sequence here of 6, 7, and 8, it is not the sixth, seventh, and eighth kingdoms; it is the final kingdom, because the final kingdom is a threefold kingdom of the False Prophet (the United States), the Beast (the Papacy), and the Dragon (the United Nations.).
This is the story of the mystery woman and the beast, how the woman once again has a beast that carries her. It is about how the threefold union comes together.
So, even though we see the sequence in Revelation 17, verse 10, of 1 through 8, these last three are the last kingdom. They are the last to wage war against the saints, and it is a threefold kingdom.
This is why you need to understand Revelation 16. This is why verse 1 says, 'and one of the angels that poured out the seven vials' brought the message of Revelation 17 to them; because, you need to understand that Revelation 17 is telling about how the final kingdom of Bible prophecy comes together to persecute God's people, and it is a threefold kingdom. And, it is the United States, the United Nations, and the Vatican.
But, we have more to say about that tomorrow.
Anyway, I wanted you to take notes so it did not go over your head that when Sister White talks about the United States, she says it is the last power to wage war against the Church and the Law of God. It is represented as a beast with lamb-like horns.
—"The beasts preceding it had risen from the sea; but this came up out of the earth, representing the peaceful rise of the nation which it symbolized—the United States." Signs of the Times, February 8, 1910.
Only One
And then in The Great Controversy, page 440—and this is the one that I do not know how these guys get around. They do not get around; they just lie.
"What nation of the New World was in 1798 rising into power, giving promise of strength and greatness, and attracting the attention of the world? The application of the symbol admits of no question. One nation, and only one, meets the specifications of this prophecy; it points unmistakably to the United States of America." The Great Controversy, 440.
So, five have fallen, and one is. The one that that follows the Papacy is the United States.
And one is yet to come.
And we will take up "the one that is yet to come" tomorrow, because the one that is yet to come is, in one sense, the subject of Revelation 17.
Okay. What do I mean by that? I mean that we are now trying to show that the Books of Daniel and Revelation, they are the same book, and that the sequence of events that we have identified in the last six verses of Daniel 11 are the identical events that are identified in Revelation 16, 17, and 18; and, that they also are the identical events that are identified in Revelation 13.
But, in Daniel 11:40-45, the main subject is the King of the North (the Papacy), the Beast of Revelation 16.
And in Revelation 17, the same history, the same story, the main emphasis is not on the Beast. It is upon the Ten Horns [the Ten Kings (the Dragon)] that commit fornication with the Beast. It is the story about the role they play in this history.
And in Revelation 13, it is the same history but it is not about the Beast of the King of the North of Daniel 11 or the Dragon of Revelation 17. It is about the False Prophet of the United States.
Revelation 13, 17, and Daniel 11 are three identical lines of prophecy; but, one is emphasizing the role of the King of the North (the Beast), the other of the role of the United States (the False Prophet), and the other of the role of the United Nations (the Dragon). So, Revelation 17, as much as anything else, is dealing with the Ten Kings, which is the kingdom that is still yet to come that we will take up, Lord willing, tomorrow as we proceed.
Shall we pray?
Benediction: Heavenly Father, we see and hear your approach. We hear your footsteps. We see the disasters. We hear of the earthquakes, the volcanoes, the hurricanes, the tornadoes, the famines, the political unrest, the wars, the rumors of wars. We see all these things and we know that your coming is imminent. We watch the rulings that are taking place in the Supreme Court of the United States. We watch the human makeup of the Congress of the United States as it is being prepared with men that will be willing to pass and enforce a Sunday Law, and we can see that we are on borrowed time. We wish to be about our business of giving the Final Warning Message first to your people and then to the world, but we need to be awakened. We ask that this study that we are doing here will be part of the awakening that you will accomplish among your people at this time. We thank you for this study this morning, and we set before you this workday and ask that you will keep us safe and let us do what we do for your glory and honor, and continue to bless the productions of the DVD and the LiveStreaming. We pray in Jesus's name, and we also pray that you will be with our friends in Fort Smith today that are having this special interview and let your will be done there as well. In Jesus's name, amen.