Signs & Symbols

SIGNS AND SYMBOLS

THE ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION

As we proceed to discuss landmark symbols found in Bible prophecy, we must be careful to always reflect on the foundational rules for interpreting prophecy.

• No prophecy in the scripture is of any private interpretation. This means as scholars, our opinions, theories or feelings concerning the script are unlawful. The scriptures must always be afforded the opportunity to interpret themselves.

• All of the symbols used in symbolic writings are explained within the context of the scripture or elsewhere in the Bible.

For example, the first three chapters of the book of Revelation talk about the seven churches in Asia. Seven golden candlesticks symbolically refer to the churches. There are also other symbols used, such as the seven stars and the meaning of these symbols is given in Revelation 1:20.

Revelation 1:20

The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.

Now concerning the seven stars that the scripture states are the angels of the seven churches, in order to rightly divide the Word we must look at Revelation 2:1. It starts off by saying,

Revelation 2:1

1 Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;

If the apostle, John, was talking about a heavenly angelic creature, there would be no need to write to him. What we find here is the word angel in this passage means pastor, overseer or messenger of that church. As scholars, we want to make sure that we adhere to what is written.

By following this rule we find three key points:

1. John is writing to seven natural churches.

2. The seven stars are angels of the churches. The meaning of angels in this passage is pastors, overseers, messengers.

3. The seven golden candlesticks are churches.

Landmark symbols will enable us to really understand prophecies of the Bible. By using the same rule of interpretation, let us look at the abomination of desolation and others.

St. Mark 13:14

But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains:

To shed light on this symbol of prophecy, we must hastily go to the writings of John:

Revelation 13:11-15

11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he

spake as a dragon.

12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose

deadly wound was healed.

13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,

14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.

15 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.

Daniel 11:31

And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh

desolate.

In the two preceding verses, we see the creation of an image. It is an image of the beast, which we will discover is the antichrist. These verses describe the image of the beast, the antichrist, as the one who will desecrate the temple. The world has been prepared and completed to worship the image of this man. Notice that the image is placed in the Holy of Holies of the temple in Jerusalem.

Therefore, the abomination of desolation is an image of the ruling antichrist that is placed in the temple as an idol for the world to worship. This is definitely an insult to the Jews.

THE WHORE OF BABYLON

Revelation 17:1-18

1 And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, 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:

2 With 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.

3 So 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.

4 And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:

5 And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

6 And 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.

7 And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns.

8 The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.

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

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

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

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

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

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

15 And he saith unto me, the waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.

16 And 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.

17 For 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.

18 And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.

Key points taken from the scripture:

• 1. The whore was judged by God for spiritual fornication with the inhabitants of the earth.
• 2. The woman rode the beast with seven heads and ten horns.
• 3. She was arrayed in purple, scarlet, gold, pearls and precious stones.
• 4. The cup in her hand was full of abominations and filthiness.
• 5. She was drunken with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus.
• 6. She shall be made desolate, naked and burned with fire by the will of God.
• 7. The woman is that great city.
• 8. The holy apostles and prophets were avenged by her destruction.
• 9. In her was found the blood of prophets and saints and of all that were slain upon the earth.
• 10. The seven heads are mountains which the woman sits upon.

There is really no need to prolong our research here. The scriptures are always faithful to reveal the identity of their symbols. All we have to do is stick to the rules. If the symbol is not identified within the context of the immediate scripture, then it is identified elsewhere in the Bible.

As we look at the list of key points or observations concerning the great whore, we see point #7 taken from Revelation 17:18 clearly states:

. . . the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.

The woman is a city. She is a symbol of that great city. According to Rev. 17:6; 18:20; 18:24, the woman, which we now know to be a city, was filled with the blood of saints, martyrs of Jesus, apostles and prophets. If we stopped here, it could be considered to be almost any city in the world, especially Rome. But if we continue, we will find a uniqueness in this city relative to the blood of saints. In Revelation 18:24, it reads:

Revelation 18:24

And in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.

This is the key to exposing her identity. In her was found the blood of all that were slain upon the earth. This is powerful.

This city would contain the blood of all that were ever slain upon the earth. To reveal her identity, let us go to the sayings of Christ.

St. Matthew 23:30-38

30 And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets. 31 Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets.

32 Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers.

33 Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?

34 Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city:

35 That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.

36 Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.

37 Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!

38 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.

Jerusalem is the city that contains all the blood of those slain upon the earth. Jerusalem is the whore of Babylon, the harlot of the earth.

(Ezekiel 16:1-41)

Jerusalem’s judgment is to be burned with fire and utterly destroyed. (Behold your house is left desolate). The seven heads are mountains on which the woman sits. Even though the city of Rome is known geographically as the city on seven hills, it is not the whore of Babylon.

In using Revelation 17:9, most scholars stop reading at that verse and try to make the woman (who is a city), sit on seven hills or mountains. This is how they come up with Rome as being the woman. Remember, it is very important that we stick to what is written in the Word and allow it to interpret itself. Now, the tenth verse explains the ninth verse. There are seven kings and the seven mountains are seven kings. Verse 18 tells us that the great city (the woman) reigns (sits) over them.

BEASTS

The Great Red Dragon of Revelation 12. A great red dragon is described in Revelation 12:9. This dragon, as you can see, is the old serpent, the devil, Satan, the deceiver.

Revelation 12:9

And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

Now, in Revelation 13, two other beasts are illustrated. These beasts are very closely connected to the great red dragon. The first beast mentioned is the antichrist and is explained in Daniel 8:23- 25. This beast is a political leader. The second beast that comes out of the earth is the false prophet or the great deceiver. This beast is a religious leader and is described in Revelation 13:11.

Revelation 13:11-18

11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.

12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast

before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.

13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,

14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.

15 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the

image of the beast should be killed.

16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:

17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

18 Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.

If you carefully read the above scriptures, and allow scripture to interpret itself, you will understand the relationship of these three beasts. Satan, who is the serpent, devil and deceiver, empowers the antichrist and the false prophet to operate in their deadly deceptions.

It is important to remember that all symbols used in symbolic writings are explained within the context of the scripture or elsewhere in the Bible.

Take this time to study each of the landmark symbols in this study guide carefully. Then, as you continue your study of Bible prophecy, you will be better equipped to rightly divide and understand symbolic writing.