Rev 17:15 | KingComments | STEP | . In the days of John the sixth form of government exists, which is the imperial form. The seventh form is still to come, for today we still live in the period that is indicated as “and is not”. There is a great chance that this seventh form is the form in which the ten kings will freely join and will together give their power to the beast, the head of the empire. Here the empire is identified with his eighth and last form of government, which is the restored Roman empire with its demonic dictator. The beast represents both the empire and its head. The seventh form is the covenant of the ten kings and the eighth is the dictator. Of this last form we read that it is “of the seven”. That is, it is a form that was earlier known and it will therefore not be a new one. It may well therefore be the imperial one. Here also it is not possible to definitely indicate the kind of form. But looking at the data we have, the most plausible form is the imperial one. In any case, it is a dictatorial form. . The “ten horns” are not on the head of the beast, but are to be distinguished from the beast. Those are the “ten kings” that receive power together with the beast that is seen here as the last ruler over the empire. The fact that the beast comes into power at the expense of three of the kings, is mentioned in Daniel 7 ( ), but not here. When the beast rules, the kings are also in power. They rule together “with the beast”. . But the real power is in the hands of the beast, the dictator. The cause of it is that the ten kings join to become a state union or the united states of Western-Europe. They will freely – although probably due to their own incapability to face all problems – give up “their power and authority” to put it in the hands of the beast. . The monstrous alliance of united Europe culminates in man’s revolt against the Lamb. The Lamb is called “Lord of lords and King of kings”. These names reflect His majesty and superiority above every power and authority on earth. In a few words the outcome is mentioned of the war that the kings in their arrogance dared to wage against the Lamb. The result is beyond doubt. “The Lamb”, together with all who are already with Him in heaven and who follow Him from heaven, “will overcome them”. That is described in Revelation 19 ( ). The Lord Jesus will not come alone, but together with those who are “called and chosen and faithful”. No one can be with the Lamb except he is ‘called’ ( ; ). And he who heeds the call of God has done that because he has been “chosen” ( ) by God. As for their life on earth, those who are called and chosen are identified by their ‘faithfulness’, by the trust they have had in Him and by which they have made certain their calling and their being chosen ( ). . After the angel has shown John what the beast, the seven heads and the ten horns represent and what will happen to them, he explains the end of the other person in the mystery ( ). He briefly refers to what John has seen of the harlot and recalls the great influence of the woman, that is the influence that the roman-catholic church has worldwide. . But her religious domination will at a certain moment no longer be tolerated by the dictator and the ten kings that reign with him. Every form of religion, even if it is in the corrupted form of roman-catholicism, is a suppression for the dictator and his companions, from which they will get rid. The kings and the beast will make an end to Babylon, to her harlotry. She who wanted to exercise her manipulating power over the world, is made “desolate and naked” by that same world. She will have no more followers and she will be robbed from her power and splendor. What she possesses of earthly wealth, the kings will “eat”, that is, will appropriate. Finally they “will burn her up with fire”. Nothing remains of all her religious pretensions. Her spiritually corrupted teachings and her earthly possessions can in no way offer her protection. She is consumed by the fire of the judgment that God has executed over her by the means of those with whom she has had such intimate relationships and over whom she had exercised power in such an unjustified way. Burning with fire is the appropriate judgment. It is in accordance with the law that a daughter of a priest who commits harlotry must be burned with fire ( ). Here we find the fulfillment of the seventh bowl by which an end is put to Babylon ( ; cf. ; ). The world leaders “will hate the harlot”, the harlot, not the city that benefits them so much. What happens here is always true. The political and economic powers despise a church that commits harlotry and that seeks to have influence and favor, because they see through her hypocrisy. By the way, their hatred is only fed by purely selfish motives. With even more hatred they wage war against the Lamb. They do not tolerate any power above them. . God knows how to use everything for His purpose. He uses the hatred of the beast and the kings against every religiosity to judge the false church. He puts it in their hearts to destroy her. In which the kings are of one mind, is given in their heart by God (cf. ), for His purpose is executed by them. This will be the end of the religious power of Rome, but not yet the end of the political, economic and cultural power of Rome. . Babylon as a harlot is judged. But she still has another character which is that of the city. This indicates the political and economic interest of the roman-catholic church. Religiously, her role is over, but she must also be judged as a political and economic stronghold. Papacy has come to its end. Vatican City is still to be judged. We find the description of it in the next chapter. Now read Revelation 17:11-18 again. Reflection: Why do the kings and the beast hate the harlot?