"Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and talked with me, saying to me “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters, 2 with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication.”3 So he carried me away in the Spirit into the wilderness.
Mystery Babylon is a city that must be a seaport and gateway for international tradeBased on this verse...“Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters,..."
Which of these cities is best described as a seaport city and gateway for international trading and could be described as sitting on many waters?:-
a. Rome
b. New York Cityc. Iraq
d. Istanbul
e. Jerusalem
f. Mecca
g. all of the above except Iraq
Based on this verse..."With whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication?
a. Romeb. New York City
c. Iraq
d. Istanbul
e. Jerusalem
f. Mecca
g. a, b,and e
Which of these cities spanned over three main empires and is known best for its spiritual pacts and alliances, its many temples, gods and idol worshiping that influenced paganism including all three major religions:
Judaism, Catholicism, and Islam? Thus creating opportunities for all worshipers to intermix faiths and creeds to appease other nations and its government?
a. Rome
b. New York City
c. Iraq
d. Istanbul
e. Jerusalem
f. Mecca
g. all of the above except Iraq
If for any reason you are confused about the right answer for the above, ask yourself in which of these cities or city can you find old temples dedicated to Artemis, The Sun, and Aphrodite? That should help the elimination process.
a. Romeb. New York City
c. Iraq
d. Istanbul
e. Jerusalem
f. Mecca
g. Rome and Mecca
Which of these cities or city has a wilderness or desert BUT also has coastlines that can be seen by surrounding and nearby countries because its a main trading gateway for ships?
a. Rome
b. New York City
c. Iraq
d. Istanbul
e. Jerusalem
f. Mecca
So far whatever city Mystery Babylon is we know from these texts, it needs to be situated on many waters (representing both many peoples and seaport location) that is a gateway for international trade. We know that it was and is instrumental in shaping religion and spirituality that affected how kings and kingdom ruled and worshiped. Now we will continue to look at the other clues that further distinguishes this city beyond the shadow of a doubt.
Let's continue..."...and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was full of blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns.'
One of the hallmark feature of this city is not so unique and yet is, that is, it sits on a beast that has 7 heads but it has 10 horns! The interpretation of the clues are already given. So lets break down the part of the vision more specifically, the 7 heads and 10 horns. The angel says this calls for wisdom, so I pray that you will be able to follow and understand what I’m sharing based on the understanding that I have of this city, that has 7 heads and sits on 7 mountains that are also 7 kingdoms.
There are several ways to approach this, I will use the shortest route by simply listing all the relevant cities that is known to have 7 hills. After identifying these cities, two maybe left standing but only one will have a very outstanding feature that solidifies the uniqueness of this city of 7 mountains or hills, and then from there identify the kingdoms of this beast.
Cities that have 7 Hills
Lets go! So all these following cities claim to have 7 hills or mountains. There are allegedly several throughout the globe. However, that is why this calls for wisdom. Here are these cities that are relevant in terms of religious ties:- Rome, Jerusalem, Mecca, Istanbul and neither Iraq nor NY is among them. That leaves us with 4 very controversial cities, religiously and politically speaking. Therefore, we need to undress these and see not just what city lies on these 7 mountains but what's underneath the hills literally, because this is key that sets it apart unequivocally. So based on this 7 hill criteria we can safely eliminate NY and Iraq and by extension the EU and or UN for those who have been inclined to believe any of those was the beast power. It simply does not make sense, the EU is not one single nation or single kingdom nor is the UN or have any one city that can be logically assigned to it. As such needless to say, these later two fail miserably as they're in fact organizations whose geographical description does not measure up.
Why Rome has been the Spotlight
However, Rome by virtue of tradition needs to be looked at more closely and rightly so, because its known to have 7 hills (and some might insist that its called by this name too) but has had more than 7 popes (and not sure if they were classified as separate kingdoms or succession of the same a combination of both?) throughout history past and present (which then arguably could be classified as kings if needed). Except, if we skip over to the verses where the angel further explains the previous kingdoms we will find that neither the Roman Empire or modern Rome would be this city in question. Here's why:In Daniel 7 the vision of Nebuchadnezzar the 4th Beast is understood historically as Rome. But within the midst of the 10 horns comes another little horn and before which the 3 fell. This scenario is somewhat similar yet vastly different to the beast of Revelation 13. The similarity being that the beast of Daniel 7 and Revelation 13 both have 7 heads and 10 horns; in the case of Daniel 7 of which 3 fell. Conversely, in looking again at Daniel 7 the fourth beast power with 7 heads and 10 horns comes out of the earth the beast of Revelation 13 comes out of the sea. Are they one and the same with two different roles or two different beasts with a common role? For example while the Roman empire is the 4th Kingdom in King Nebuchadnezzar's dream and in turn eventually took control over those parts of the Middle East to the west of Mesopotamia. There is one additional oversight which begs to be clarified between the Beast of Daniel 7 and Revelation 13. Are they both concerning the Roman Empire, or The Papacy or a Revived Rome or something else?
It clear that history shows although the Western Roman Empire was divided into ten separate (interpreted as 10 horns) kingdoms, Alemanni, Franks, Burgundians, Suevi, Vandals, Visigoths, Anglo-Saxons, Ostrogoths, Lombards, and the Heruli. Three of these (therefore 3 horns: Vandals, Ostrogoths, the Heruli) were exterminated, in effect leaving seven The Roman Empire as we know it also died. But also bear in mind...it was one of the four beast that came up out of THE EARTH in Daniel 7: 15-17. Did it revive in Revelation 13 with a more detailed description of its appearance compared to Daniel 7? This is imperative to clear up as Rome as been the main and the largely accepted perspective for Mystery Babylon.
Here it is:-
Daniel 7:19-22 “Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast, which was diverse from all the others, exceeding dreadful, whose teeth were of iron, and his nails of brass; which devoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with his feet 20 And of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spoke very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows. 21 I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them; 21 until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.”
This was STILL the 4th Beast yet it was diverse from the others, perhaps because there was one that came up and whom BEFORE the three that fell! That horn unlike the others (separate of the 10 of which 3 fell) had eyes and a mouth that spoke great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows. This new horn is in effect like an eleventh horn.
It is THIS horn many prophesy students are now equating with that of the eastern part of Iron Legs-- The Roman-Byzantine came about with the continuation of when the Roman emperor Constantine I who dedicated a “new Rome” on the site of the ancient Greek colony of Byzantium. It was named after him---Constantinople. So get this, though the western half of the Roman Empire crumbled and fell in 476, the eastern half survived for 1,000 more years, spawning a rich tradition of art, literature and learning and serving as a military buffer between the states of Europe and the threat of invasion from Asia.
I'm proposing that they appear to be an extension of each other Roman Byzantine and yet are different beasts. In that both are seen coming from different places sea and earth. Because though they are both of the Iron Age, each had not one role but two separate roles. The Byzantine Empire was not a revival of The Roman Empire, it was an extension with a new identity and with a different mission to fulfill, otherwise what the point of having the Byzantine Empire if the Roman Empire was scheduled for a rebirth anyways except much later to the end days? That brings me to this fascinating find that while the Western Empire of Rome had 10 horns and 3 of which were exterminated, the Byzantine Empire produced 7 regional caliphate or kingdoms as well as throughout the world. They are Europe, Russia, Spain & Africa, South Asia, Southeastern Asia, Central Asia and of course the Middle-east. The Ottoman being the most recent one that was brought to an end in 1924 had however a short time. Revelation 17 gives the timeline of all 7 beast power time line leading up to the end-times and last days- until Christ Kingdom comes as a Rock that smites the last remaining Empire that has been revived but is a divided one.
John saw that:
“The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits. 10 There are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, and the other has not yet 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.
The five kings or kingdoms that had fallen prior to John's time were Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Media-Persia, Greece, (these 5 had fallen) Rome was in power at time of vision and is therefore 6th, and the other has not yet come (Ottoman came after Rome). And when it comes, he the last Caliph, he must continue a short time. The Beast that was, (Turks/Ottoman/), and is not, (was not yet at time of vision) is the 8th and is of the 7th, and is going to perdition. Note the falling away must also take place before man of perdition is revealed. This leader and king is of the of the same empire that followed Rome. The Ottoman followed Rome which was the 6th. It stands to reason that the 7 was Turks. The 8 is of the 7th again....its going to be an Islamic not Roman Empire that will usher in the return of Christ's Kingdom.
So to bring things together after The Byzantine Empire fell in 1453, by the Ottoman army which conquered Constantinople during the reign of Constantine XI and renamed it Istanbul.It is this City that I will provide incredible 100% proof that Istanbul was not just the first conquest for the Ottoman Empire, it was to be the finest. In fact here are some truly undeniable facts about Istanbul.
The first city captured by the Ottomans and renamed Istanbul.
The Name of the City was changed 3 times. The current being the last.
The Name Istanbul means The City of 7 Hills - Its nicked named The City.
The Golden Horn
The only city in the world located on two continents is Istanbul, which has been the capital of three great empires, Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman for more than 2,000 years. The world's oldest known settlement is in Catalhoyuk in central Anatolia, Turkey. Istanbul, the largest city, a seaport and the cultural and financial center of Turkey. The city is located in the northwest of the country at the Bosporus (or Istanbul) strait, which connects the Black Sea with the Marmara Sea. This connection is called The Golden Horn.Istanbul is ranked as an Alpha World City, according to GaWC.
Istanbul is Turkey's largest city with a population of 7,309,190 according to year 1990's data, probably around 12 million today. It is the only city in the world which is on two continents, Europe & Asia. It was also the former capital of three successive empires- Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman Empire. Today it is not the capital city as to many people's surprise. The capital city of Turkey is Ankara. This will probably explained why Istanbul will be hated and destroyed by the beast as prophecy declares.
Lies on multiples Water/Seas - “The waters you saw, where the prostitute sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations and languages.
Istanbul lies along the two shores of the Istanbul Bogazi (Bosphorus) that links the Sea of Marmara in the South with the Black Sea in the North. And since Marmara Sea is connected to Mediterranean Sea, Bosphorus becomes the only gate way between the Black Sea and Mediterranean Sea (You can visualize this more clearly with the help of the maps and pictures). So Istanbul's port area is very important and visited by all manners of ships, including cargo vessels, naval vessels and cruise ships
All ship captains, all who travel by ship, sailors, and as many on the sea, stood at a distance and cried out when they saw the smoke if her burning, saying, " What is like this great city?" Not country. Not a church.
A City!
Lifestyle & Rich Culture
Istanbul is very rich in art & culture with a rich tradition in opera and ballet, theaters performing Turkish and foreign plays, concerts, exhibitions, festivals, auctions and conferences. The absorption and assimilation were the easier because the Empire was cosmopolitan.
The country's largest and finest palaces universities are also in Istanbul
It is a noted fact that after Benjamin of Tudela, who had seen Bagdad, he tells of the great stir and bustle which prevailed at Constantinople in consequence of the gathering of many merchants from Babylon, Mesopotamia, Media, Persia, Egypt, Palestine, Russia, Hungary, Lombardy, Spain, and other countries. He said the Greeks were extremely wealthy; "they dress in garments of silk, ornamented with gold and other costly materials; they ride upon horses, and in their appearance they are like princes." This wealth was another source of strength to the Byzantine Empire.
At every turn in the city you are faced with Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman palaces, mosques, churches, synagogues, monasteries, monuments, walls and ruins. Yet Istanbul is not a city living only in its past. It is a vibrant, modern and future-oriented metropolis. Bazaars and ultra-modern supermarkets and department stores, street vendors and stock-brokers, old crumbling buildings and skyscrapers, horse drawn carts (chariots) and sumptuous limousines coexist and this gives the city a multifaceted outlook and flavor. It has a blend of eastern and western cultures.
Its known for its Ceramic
Byzantine Amphorae was a ceramic shaped vase you see above often with two handles and an narrow neck. It was commonly used to transport goods by sea such as honey, almonds, walnuts, hazel, olives, fish sauces and pine cones.
What is Ceramic- This is unique to Turkey and Istanbul trading....
Ceramics are generally made by taking mixtures of clay, earthen elements, powders, and water and shaping them into desired forms. Once the ceramic has been shaped, it is fired in a high temperature oven known as a kiln. In other words:
Ceramic materials are brittle, hard, strong in compression, weak in shearing and tension.
Look at what Daniel's interpretation says about the feet and toes of this kingdom,
" Just as you saw that the feet and toes were partly of baked clay and partly of iron, so this will be a divided kingdom; yet it will have some of the strength of iron in it, even as you saw iron mixed with clay. As the toes were partly iron and partly clay, so this kingdom will be partly strong and partly brittle; and just as you saw the iron mixed with baked clay, so the people will be a mixture and will not remain united, any more than iron mixes with clay. Daniel 2:41-43.
The metaphor used to described its Kingdom....is exactly that. Partly strong and partly weak. Its like a riddle! That leads only to one, none of the other potential cities have this marker. Put it also can be used to describe the continues wars and division of the Sunni and Shiite desires for their own Caliphate. They are of the Islamic Kingdom but is divided as a result they are weak although they are a strong people as represented by the iron.
Oil and Wine
Amphorae ceramic jar were also used chiefly for bulk transport of oil and wine during each of these kingdom as they were shipped from Istanbul former capital of all three empires. Its use was widespread through the Mediterranean although by the fourteenth century the use of ceramic amphorae had begun to decline. But oil and wine are still two of the most highly produced and high in demand commodities in this kingdom as it was then for and still is now. This was shipped through the deep-sea port of Istanbul.
Grain and Fine Wheat
Ivory/Marble
From Africa (and India) ivory was imported into the empire.
Luxurious Silk & Textile
But it was likely the prestige of Constantinople’s gold and silk commodities that attracted the greater number of traders over time. Constantinople’s burgeoning textile industry of the nine century produced some of the most elegant and elaborate silks in imperial workshops.
In-fact, all silks dyed purple were prohibited by others, as it was reserved only for the imperial court and the palaces Turkish interior and decor is always red and frame in gold
The Silk Road is one of the oldest and most important routes in trade history. Its network of interlinking trade routes stretched from Europe through central Asia to the Far East.
Commercial Trade Route & International Transportation Trading Route
Transportation on the silk road reached its peak during the Byzantine period. Although, the silk trade was the silk roads primary purpose, many other goods found their way to Constantinople from ivory to exotic animals.
Istanbul was and still is considered the middle-east luxurious metropolis which also boast luxurious animals and livestock. This included sheep.
Its known for Purple Silk (it was illegal for anyone other that the imperial majesty to color their silk purple) Other nations adopted this. It originated in Istanbul.
Frankincense, Citron wood
They were known for their spices, including citron wood NY, and Rome does not carry these unique spices this unique to the Middle East. Especially Citron wood it is unique to the Southern Asia.
Coastlands - The beast and the ten horns you saw will hate the prostitute. They will bring her to ruin and leave her naked; they will eat her flesh and burn her with fire. 17 For God has put it into their hearts to accomplish his purpose by agreeing to hand over to the beast their royal authority, until God’s words are fulfilled.
Istanbul boast some of the most impressive coast lands and sits on large body of water with main seas giving in borders and coastlines to his neighbors countries because its location on the banks of Black seas, the Mediterranean seas and Marmara Sea---bordering of many other nations, peoples languages and tongues. They will be able to see her burning from these coast-lands and docking areas along the acropolis.
Istanbul was the only city that was shared by all three main religions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam prior to Jerusalem. However, it’s not the current capital of Turkey. Could it be that an attempt will be made by the opposing side (Shiite) to set up their caliphate again there? That would most certainly start an uprising and Turkey’s President (seeking his own) would have it razed and burnt as a result? Time will tell.
Fornication and Pagan Religions - With her the kings of the earth committed adultery, and the inhabitants of the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her adulteries.”
In Istanbul you can find old temples on the acropolis, dedicated to Artemais, the Sun, and Aphrodite (which is another name for queen of heaven) gods.
The Imperial cult was inseparable from that of Rome's official deities, whose cult was essential to Rome's survival and whose neglect was therefore treasonous. Traditional cult was a focus of Imperial revivalist legislation under Decius and Diocletian. Christian apologists and martyrologists saw the cult of the Emperor as a particularly offensive instrument of "pagan" impiety and persecution. It therefore became a focus of theological and political debate during the ascendancy of Christianity under Constantine I. The emperor Julian failed to reverse the declining support for Rome's official religious practices: Theodosius I adopted Christianity as Rome's state religion. Rome's traditional gods and "Imperial cult" were officially abandoned. However, many of the rites, practices and status distinctions that characterized the cult to emperors were perpetuated in the theology and politics of the Christianized Empire.
When the Romans began to dominate large parts of the Greek world, Rome's senior representatives there were given the same divine honors as were Hellenistic rulers. This was a well-established method for Greek city-statesto declared their allegiance to an outside power; such a cult committed the city to obey and respect the king as they obeyed and respected Apollo or any of the other gods.
One such example was that besides language, religion was a bond of union for all the people, and the Byzantine Empire was peculiarly bound up with the church, which used Greek in its liturgy. Istanbul (formerly Constantinople) inherited and was and is instrumental in creating and maintaining its religious alliances to help expand trades with its surrounding neighbors. This has been the root of all things pagan.
Moreover, the tradition of the old Roman Empire still haunted the thoughts of men and they still called themselves Romans, and thought of the emperor as the head of the Roman Christian world. "The Byzantine Empire was not the political expression of a nation; it was an artificial creation, governing twenty different nationalities, and uniting them all by this formula; one ruler, one faith. Its pride was a purely fictitious belief, the heritage of Rome; but it had a real bond of strength: religious.
Precious Metal
Its rich in gold, silver and bronze because again it is the only city that was ruled by Three Great Empires each of which was abundant in all these precious metals and represented by each (See Daniel 2) during its era of which Istanbul has inherited today as a result. As a side note this great metropolis is renowned for its signature golden cups
The City that Rides the Beast - The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and was glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls. She held a golden cup in her hand, filled with abominable things and the filth of her adulteries. 5 The name written on her forehead was a mystery:Babylon the great the mother of prostitutes and of the abominations of the earth
“For all the nations have drunk the maddening wine of her adulteries. The kings of the earth committed adultery with her, and the merchants of the earth grew rich from her excessive luxuries.” Revelation 18:3
If Istanbul is the City that rides the Beast; the Beast is located within the same Kingdom. Therefore, Turkey is the Beast Power to come. It is already paving way to do so, normalizing its relations with Israel after just over six years. As well as Russia this is a very strategic move, especially in light of the Brexit from The E.U. Of course, its not impossible to think that Turkey could get some veto power from Germany to become an official member of the E.U by passing all previously standing policies and thus subduing member nations. This might prove to be what revelations speaks of regarding the inability to buy or sell without the image of the beast. Because member nations will be under Turkey’s control through whatever international negotiations that were broker but then broken. The 10 horn (kings) comes into play and receive power for an hour to bring about their confederate agenda, most likely against Istanbul. Because Revelation 18:10
Terrified at her torment, they will stand far off and cry:
“Woe! Woe to you, great city,you mighty city of Babylon!
In one hour your doom has come!’
The above text as well as following in the same chapter of Revelation 18:15-19 also support the “one hour” 10 horn “crowning”
“The merchants who sold these things and gained their wealth from her will stand far off, terrified at her torment
They will weep and mourn and cry out:“Woe! Woe to you, great city,
dressed in fine linen, purple and scarlet,
and glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls!
In one hour such great wealth has been brought to ruin!’
“Every sea captain, and all who travel by ship, the sailors, and all who earn their living from the sea, will stand far off. 18 When they see the smoke of her burning, they will exclaim, ‘Was there ever a city like this great city?’ They will throw dust on their heads, and with weeping and mourning cry out:
“‘Woe! Woe to you, great city,
where all who had ships on the seabecame rich through her wealth!
In one hour she has been brought to ruin suggest that this had not yet happened in any of the previous kingdoms in Daniel’s interpretation of King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. However, from what we see from these texts John was shown it was yet to come. Which means, it cannot be that of the fallen kingdoms of Rome as seen in John’s vison because nothing is left to revive 10 popes or kings of Rome as a kingdom---the papacy already doesn’t match the criteria given from what we see in Daniel 2, or John’s vision and description of Revelation 17 and 18 regarding Mystery Babylon’s characteristics and interpretation given by the angel. But a whole lot is left of Turkey to resurrect an Ottoman (Islamic Caliphate) empire.
In light of this one hour agreement, could we then then see the destruction of Istanbul, leading to the overnight and complete demise of Damascus as prophesied in Isaiah 17? Or even see Psalm 83 take full effect? In time we will know the order of these prophesies are not clear as yet.
Bodies and souls of men –“ In her was found the blood of prophets and of God’s holy people, of all who have been slaughtered on the earth.”
Its a historical fact that bones of Christians and other enemies of these empires were frequently used to supposedly consecrated, under Constantine the Great, and stately churches were erected over their bodies. Now all those church all mosques.
In addition to that the Armenian Massacres, was the Ottoman government's systematic extermination of about 1.5 million of its minority Armenian subjects inside their historic homeland, which lies within the present-day Turkey. The Ottoman authorities rounded up, arrested, and deported 235 to 270 Armenian intellectuals and community leaders from Constantinople (what is now Istanbul) to Ankara, the majority of whom were eventually murdered. The genocide was carried out during and after World War I and implemented in two phases: the wholesale killing of the able-bodied male population through massacre and subjection of army conscripts to forced labor, followed by the deportation of women, children, the elderly and infirm on death marches leading to the Syrian desert.
Deadly Wound of Caliphate healed of 1924
The Deadly wound of the Caliphate is going to be completely healed and will become the next greatest Empire of our life time just before Christ returns, and will again persecute both Jews and Christians. The Dragon will give its image onto the Beast.
In fact, look at what the angel told John about the 10 horns…
“The ten horns you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but who for one hour will receive authority as kings along with the beast. 13 They have one purpose and will give their power and authority to the beast.
So who are these ten kings going to be, I will blog on this soon and share my insights. Of course if you know or have ideas, please share.
“Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great!’
“For all the nations have drunk
the maddening wine of her adulteries.The kings of the earth committed adultery with her,
and the merchants of the earth grew rich from her excessive luxuries.”
But we also know that John vision took him to a desert--Turkey and of course is known for its desert or wilderness. .
After all these years Turkey apologetically deny that the holocaust (Shoah) happened.
All seven churches of Revelation is also located in Turkey in their original name.
Turkey is exactly north of Israel and the bible tells us that Pergamum is where the Throne of Satan is. Revelation 2:13
The beast power of Revelation 13 that then comes out of the sea is connected to the same waters of the harlot, mystery Babylon...and it is already technically a composite of the Beast powers that in essence it foundations are stemmed in from the previous three empires that once ruled over Mystery Babylon ---Istanbul. She already has the image of the Beast of those within her culture, religious and political demographics, spiritual and physically.
How incredible and amazing is the sure word of our God ---The One and Only True Creator of Heaven and Earth, The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
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