Originally Posted by windywherever

I'd suggest the Vatican would be better suited for the role of False prophet. The Beast will almost certainly be Russia (currently represented by a Bear as it's national animal), aided by China (currently represented by a dragon as it's national animal).

Prophecy often says more than one thing at a time, and I believe something similar happens with the Babylone the prostitute. I believe it is referring to the spiritual destruction of greed in the world at the battle of Armageddon, but that it is also referring to an earlier battle between worldly Kingdoms. The prophecy says Babylon "sits" on the "red" Beast, but that the Beast eventually turns against the prostitute and destroys her, with the help of 10 kings, thereby gaining control of the world (Rev 17:16-17).

I suggest that Babylon the prostitute represents America (represented by an eagle as it's national animal).

American capitalism (the love of money) is currently "sitting on" world communism. That is, America has the upper hand for the moment. If you read read the description of Babylon from Revelation 18 you'll notice that nearly the entire chapter talks about materialism. Babylon is a "great city which sits as a queen and reigns over the nations of the earth". All the merchants, shipping captains and business men of the Earth were made rich by her materialism.

The pride. The materialism. In all of history I don't think there is a better fit than America for the description found in Rev 18. If America were the Beast and the Vatican Babylon, there would be no motive for America to destroy the catcholic Church. It simply would not make any sense either politically or economically.

However, if Russia is the Beast and America Babylon, there would be a huge motivation for Russia to destroy America. The United Nations security counsel current has 5 permanent members and 10 rotating members.

The 5 permanent members are Russin, China, USA, England, and France. These countries represent themselves by these animals, Bear, Dragon, Eagle, Lion, Rooster, respectively.

The ten rotating members are a collection 2nd and 3rd world countries which rotate in and out of the security counsel every few years.

If a Russia/China alliance, assisted by the 10 members of the rotating counsel, could destroy America, then England and France would be powerless to stop a take-over in the power vacuum left behind.

If you read Daniel 7:3-8 you'll find all the animals represented by the UN security counsel found in Daniel's description of the final world empire. He says the Eagle's wings were "plucked" and the lion was given the heart of a man (i.e. no longer a "Beast" or world empire" and the wings of the foul simply act as an appendage on the back of the Beast.

In that same passage he describes a Bear with three "ribs" in it's mouth and instructed to devour much flesh. He describes three horns being plucked up.

America "plucked" and neither England or France able to do anything about it afterwards.

The Revelation gives much the same description of this final world empire, using the same animal symbolism, except the eagle is missing. Revelation 13:2.

There's some other prophecy stuff in Jeremiah about God using a Bear to attack a rebellious nation over the North Pole; which is exactly what would happen if Russia were to launch a surprise nuclear strike at America. I'm not advocating panic or paranoia, but I do think a serious and rational approach to prophecy will show that there is a very real chance of that happening.

All of this prophecy about "beasts" and world powers are conspicuously similar to how world politics is shaping up today.