Source: https://nightlightblogdotcom.wordpress.com/tag/free-will-and-sovereignty/
Timestamp: 2019-04-25 10:56:26+00:00

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6] I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. And when I saw here, I marveled with great amazement.
7] But the angel said to me, “Why did you marvel? I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and the ten horns. 8] The beast that you saw was, and is not, and will ascend out of the bottomless pit and go into perdition. And those who dwell on the earth will marvel, whose names are not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world, when they see the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.
9] “Here is the mind which has wisdom: The seven heads are ten mountains on which the woman sits. 10] There are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, and the other has not yer come. And when he comes, he must continue a short time. 11] The beast that was, and is not, is himself also the eighth, and is of the seven, and is going to perdition.
These verses describe a “woman,” but who is she? John himself tells us.
We dealt at some length with this in our post of the letter to the church at Pergamos, so here let’s just say that the link between these two is found in the title Pontifex Maximus, the title held by the Popes since the time of Constantine, and before then by the High Priest of pagan religions, which originated in Babylon, hence she is the mother of harlots and of the abominations of the earth.
In this chapter, John shows the final development of the Church, completely allied with the world. The beast on which she sits is described as one who was, and is not, and will ascend out of the bottomless pit and go into perdition. While I won’t be dogmatic about it, it seems to me that this refers to what we’ve already seen in that the beast, in this case, the head of the final world government, who will die and be allowed to come back to life.
This will result in the world saying, “Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him? Revelation 13:4. Revelation 17:8 continues, and those who well on the earth will marvel, whose names are not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world, when they seen the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.
I attended a Bible Conference with several hundred pastors. One of the speakers had as his text Revelation 17. As he read the chapter, he got to verse 8, and read the first part. Then there was silence for what seemed like a long time, but probably only a few seconds. He skipped over the part of the verse we quoted in the last paragraph, went to v. 9 and read it and the rest of the chapter. He never once read or referred to the part of the verse he left out.
I understand there’s a lot of controversy over the topics of election and predestination – the group to which I belonged at the time was very opposed to the Reformed view of them, but to skip over and not even read a portion of Scripture simply because it doesn’t fit a doctrinal viewpoint??
I’m not going to get into those subjects myself at this time. I’ve done that enough in other posts. Just remember, our Lord commented that the deception John prophesied would be so great as “to deceive, if possible, even the elect,” Matthew 24:24.
In v. 12, John explains the meaning of the ten horns. There’s a lot of discussion about who they are, some trying to find them in historical figures, some finding them in consecutive forms of government or rulers. But John says they’re all contemporaries of the beast and will with one mind yield their power to him. They will be at the forefront of the “battle” when the Lord comes back, having gathered together with all their armies to invade and conquer Israel.
There’s an interesting description of those who will accompany the Lord Jesus when He returns: they are called, chosen, and faithful, v. 14.
This is a common designation of believers, especially in Paul’s epistles. Cf. Romans 1:6; 8:28; 1 Corinthians 1:2, 9, 24, 26, chapter 7, to name just two of them. Then there’s Romans 8:28, a favorite verse of many, and a comfort to believers: And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose (emphasis added).
There are those who look at the word “foreknew” in v. 29 and say that God simply looked down the corridors of time and chose those whom He foresaw would choose Him. On that basis, He chose them.
The Scripture itself uses that picture. Psalm 14:2 says, The LORD looks down from heaven upon the children of the sons of men, to see if there are any who understand, who seek God. If the “foreknowledge” view is correct, we’d be told that God saw some folks who would receive Him. Is that what we’re told?
Psalm 14:3 says, They have all turned aside, they have together become corrupt; there is none good, no, not one. Paul quoted this portion in Romans 3:11 as he shows the complete and utter corruption of mankind, concluding, There is no fear of God before their eyes, v. 18.
What does this mean? We’ve already commented on “called.” Our Lord put “called” and “chosen” together when, in the parable of the wedding feast, He said, “For many are called but few are chosen,” Matthew 22:14.
While it’s true that Paul was referring to Israel, it holds equally true for us Gentiles as well, for there is no difference [between Jew and Gentile], for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, Romans 3:23. If God didn’t choose us, we would never choose Him.
There’s a charge made against those who hold the doctrine of God’s sovereign election that we can live as we like and don’t have to worry about holy living. And it’s true that some do live just like the world, but that’s not a result of the doctrine, but of a misunderstanding of it. Ephesians 1:4 says that He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him.
In vs. 16-18, John closes his description of this wicked woman and her surroundings. “The waters” are simply the nations of the world over which, with their rulers, she holds sway, v. 18. The “ten horns,” whatever kind of alliance that turns out to be, will turn on her and destroy her. Perhaps this will be because she does claim to represent God, and the beast will himself claim to be God – and will allow no competition.
But why is God so opposed to this “woman”?
Perhaps the answer can be found in the golden cup she holds. What is the central part of her worship? Is it not the Mass? And what is the central part of the Mass? Isn’t it the offering of “the unbloody sacrifice” of the Lord Jesus in that bread and wine, which are said to be transformed into His actual body and blood? In this way, what the Lord Jesus Himself did on the Cross is negated and the efficacy of His sacrifice is made to depend on the utterance of a few words by a priest. This is presumption of the highest order.
There is no salvation in such things.
We cannot, we dare not, try to add to what He did or to say that men must come to Him through some ritual or ceremony as part of a church service, whether it’s the Mass or an altar call.
There is only one way of salvation, and that is through faith in the finished work of Christ on the Cross. There is nothing to be added to it. Indeed, such “additions” only subtract from what He did.
Is your hope of heaven in what some man has done?
In what you have done?
Or, in what the Lord Jesus Christ did?

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