6. The Roman Revivalism in Europe.

[Notes of Addresses on Prophetic Subjects by P. Ben, Delivered before the Assembly, Gathered at YMCA, Secunderabad, 2014.]
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Rome is to resuscitate shortly- the beast that was, and is not and yet is (Rev17:8). Presently, we belong to the ‘is not’ phase of the empire of Rome.

Roman polity is viewed to be peculiar from the beginning itself- it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it (Dan 7:7). The reason for its strangeness is ferocity, plurality of forms, ecclesiastical collusion, resuscitation, mixture, federation, dark roots, blasphemy and speedy termination.

The unyielding fervor to imperialize accompanied by sabotage was so characteristic of the fourth beast- literally devouring and stamping the residue (Dan 7:7).

Plurality of forms is depicted by the ‘seven heads’ (Rev 13:1). Each refers to a particular form in which imperial Rome had its stay of power.*

*Such as the triumvirates, the princeps, and the domines.

Ecclesiastical collusion began with Pergamum- Constantine’s entry and the church dwelling where Satan’s seat is (Rev 2:13)-the unholy start of an age-old nexus- woman sitting upon the beast (Rev17).

Resuscitation after more than a thousand years- deadly wound was healed (Rev 13:3). At present is the interregnum, the period of resurgence for nation states across the globe which had suffered the loss of liberty with the onset of the times of gentiles in the sixth century BC.

Mixture of the previous empires that had constituted the times of gentiles- a conglomerate of beastly features belonging to Greek (leopard), Mede-Persia (feet of a bear) and Babylon (mouth of a lion)-(Rev 13:2) *

*Compare with the beasts of Daniel 7. This mixture does not imply the annexation of the geographical territories belonging to the previous empires by Italy. It simply refers to certain administrative quality akin to the previous establishments that is to characterize the revived establishment.

Federation was never seen in the past Roman history. It is altogether new- ‘ten horns’ (Rev13:1). The ‘ten horns’ had no past history but are to appear on the scene in connection with the head* of the revived Rome.

*The head of the revived Rome is referred to as the ‘eighth’ (Rev 17:11). In Rev 17, there are two beasts and Babylon. One ‘beast’ is a composite power answering to the Roman empire, the other ‘beast’ is one who heads the revived Roman empire and Babylon is corrupt Christendom.

The dark roots are to be considered a little. Firstly, the Roman period of imperialism- right from its start (not the ancient Republic of Rome) as an imperial entity to the future revived state is holistically shown as ‘seven heads and ten horns’. It does not mean that at any one point in time, we have all the seven forms of imperial Rome along with ten kingdom federation realized. For instance, Rome cannot subsist having Octavian as princeps along with Diocletian as domine. It is either principate or dominate and not both at the same time. But principate and dominate can be shown as two forms of the same empire which manifests accordingly depending on the form it takes. It is difficult to say what these different forms refer, but they all relate to the same imperial Rome- it is one beast (one imperial empire) but with different forms (seven heads).

Rome’s power in all its varied structure is simply seven different forms realized subsequently at different points in the pagan history of its empire. This does not mean seven different empires but the same empire adjusting to seven different forms. This thought is presented to us in Rev 13:1.

However, the seven headed beast in Rev 17 primarily refers to the imperialistic character of Rome, besides the city of Rome itself (seven mountains). That is, the seven heads refer to two things- seven mountains (v9) and seven kings (v10). Rev 17 is about the collusion of Christendom with Rome- both past as well as future. In the past it sat on the beast (v3) and in the future it is to be destroyed by the head of the revived Rome and the ten horns which are ten kings (v12 and v16). In Rev 17, when the seven heads are shown to be seven kings (v10), it does not mean (going by Rev13:1) that these seven kings had introduced the seven different forms of imperial Rome. The seven kings*, including the one at the time of the apostle (v10-‘and one is’) are not to be thought of as having introduced the seven forms of imperial rule. The seven kings are not seven forms of imperial Rome but rather literal kings which typify the imperial character of Rome in its freshness. This imperial character had gone to oblivion with the subsequent truncated history of latter Rome into the west and the east. The future head of the Roman empire bears resemblance to the imperial character of the old Roman Empire- in this manner, he is the eighth, and is of the seven (Rev 17:11).^

*The seven kings mentioned in Rev 17:10 are not the only kings from Rome just as much as the four kings prophesied in Dan 11:2 are not the only kings that Persia witnessed. This had to do with significant realities and not mere history.

^It is not, ‘and is of the seventh’ but ‘of the seven’. It cannot be seventh as the forms of imperial Rome is not the consideration here but simply the imperial character of Rome.

Further, in Rev 12:3, the Roman empire is shown to be the expressive medium for Satan politically.

There are certain indications that help us to distinguish between the old and the revived empire.

The characteristic feature of the revived empire would be blasphemy, ten kingdom federation and destruction by Him that sat on the horse.

Rev 13 speaks of the revived empire, therefore the stress is on the ten kingdom federation- for this reason the ten horns are crowned-Rev13:1. Rev 12 speaks of the empire as known in history- for this reason the seven heads are crowned and not the horns- Rev12:3.

Moreover, the names of blasphemy are particularly associated with the revived empire (Rev13:1and6). In Rev 17:3, the woman sits on the beast, full of names of blasphemy.* It does not import the future dealings between Vatican and the revived empire. It is not the time element that is stressed here but the nature of the false church and that of the revived empire. It is the revived empire because it has the names of blasphemy (Rev17:3). Rev 17 reveals that the false church would have its centre in Rome (seven mountains) and further had association with the empire of imperial Rome (seven kings) as well*. Whereas in the revived empire, it is not mere association with Rome, but is of the seven, that is, enjoys imperial power.

*Here in Rev17, the seven kings represent the element of imperialism rather than the forms of such imperialism. In Rev 13:1, the seven heads refer to seven forms of imperialism, therefore the figure of ‘one of his heads’ wounded and healed is presented (Rev13:3).

Rev 12 deals with empire in connection with the devil and against Christ and the Jewish remnant.

Rev 13 treats the empire in connection with the world and the false prophet (antichrist).

Rev 17 treats the empire in connection with corrupt Christendom.

Its destruction is sudden (Rev 19) in contrast with the other previous empires who had their lives prolonged though their dominion was removed (Dan 7:12).

The previous empire of pagan Rome had witnessed a division into the west and the east. But the revived empire is not to be taken as a unified whole consisting of both the west and the east. It is only the Western Europe. In Rev12:4, the tail drew the third part of the stars- Europe is in consideration and not the east. The ‘third part’ refers to Europe. Compare this with the trumpets (first, second, third, fourth and the sixth)-we have the third part under judgment (Rev 8 and 9).

We shall consider the ten horns afterwards.

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