“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” (Revelation 17:17).

Throughout this almost “beyond belief” book, we are often reminded that everything, including Satan’s final demonic acts, is tempered by God Himself. Prophecy unfolds within divine parameters. As much as the wicked mind assumes freedom and self-will, God has a line that rebellion cannot cross.

“The long-suffering of God is wonderful. Long does justice wait while mercy pleads with the sinner. But ‘righteousness and judgment are the establishment of his throne’ (Ps. 97:2, margin).... The world has become bold in transgression of God's law. Because of His long forbearance, men have trampled upon His authority.... But there is a line beyond which they cannot pass. The time is near when they will have reached the prescribed limit. Even now they have almost exceeded the bounds of the long-suffering of God, the limits of His grace, the limits of His mercy. The Lord will interpose to vindicate His own honor, to deliver His people, and to repress the swellings of unrighteousness.”[1]

There is another stunning matter which this judicial imperative raises:

“For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast,” (vs 17)

Does this imply that the wicked will actually patronize God’s end-time plans? That’s exactly what it means! This must bring at times utter chaos to Satan’s emotions and plans. This isn’t the first time God has done this – but it will be the last.

Everything noted, therefore, in verses 12-16 reflects God’s will – the leaders of the world are in one accord and they all agree to surrender their power to the papal beast.[2] Later, they turn against that institution of deception with violent retaliation – all within the framework of God’s terminal plans to bring rebellion to an end. As we penetrate deeper into this verse, it must be construed that these stories unfold not only from divine permission but “divine causation, tempered by preserving man’s free choice. Through His foreknowledge He permits the exercise of their perverse nature”[3] to reveal another chapter of what evil is like.

Notice how God used even pagan kings anciently to bring about His will:

“Behold, I will send and take all the families of the north, saith the LORD, and Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and will bring them against this land, and against the inhabitants thereof, and against all these nations round about, and will utterly destroy them, and make them an astonishment, and an hissing, and perpetual desolations. Moreover I will take from them the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the sound of the millstones, and the light of the candle. And this whole land shall be a desolation, and an astonishment; and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years” (Jeremiah 25:9-11).

“That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid. Thus saith the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut;” (Isaiah 44:28–45:1; cf. Isaiah 6:1-8, 13:5-8; Exodus 4:21, 7:3, 9:12, 10:1, 14:4; II Chronicles 36:22-23; Ezekiel 1:1; Acts 2:23; 4:27-28).

Those pagan kings were addressed as if they were part of God’s administration! In time, both Nebuchadnezzar and Cyrus knew that they were acting on the world stage on behalf of God. We aren’t given information as to whether the ten kingdoms/kings in this chapter gain such awareness. But whatever their individual wishes might be, their collective response (“to agree”) towards the beast will be ardent and passionate. God has even used His enemies to destroy themselves (Judges 7:22, II Chronicles 20:73, I Samuel 14:20, Ezekiel 38:21, Haggai 2:2, Zechariah 14:14). Can you believe that Satan is an instrument in serving His providential purposes?![4] God will give power to people and circumstances to bring about a New World Order. All this is part of His redemptive strategy to show the universe what evil is finally like.

In 17:13 these kings show that they were of one mind and “purpose” by giving power and authority to the beast. Here, they are of one mind and purpose till the final bestial acts are destroyed.

“until the words of God shall be fulfilled.” (vs 17)

These ten kings bond with Rome in some mysterious way until it is no longer useful to them to associate with this religious center. It then becomes abhorrent or repugnant. “God put it in their hearts”! Isn’t that amazing?! Divine judicial action begins here through worldly agents.

There is a resolute loyalty to Rome until the issues of prophecy are fulfilled. That appears to be the period of the antichrist’s work. It strongly suggests the period of 42 months of Revelation 13:5. There, it distinctly says: “power was given unto him to continue” for 42 months. This coincides with the period of persecution of the king of the north (Babylon) (Daniel 12:7) and of the Gentiles (ten kings) (Revelation 11:2)!

The words of prophecy (words of God) are fulfilled regarding the harlot and the beast at the end of that three and a half years. At that time God’s people are delivered and a special resurrection occurs (Daniel 12:1-2, 6-7).

“They are all the prophecies of last events until the overthrow of the false Christ. This statement recalls the sweeping words of the angel in 10:7 regarding the fulfillment of the mystery of God (Lee). The prophecies will reach their goal as God permits wickedness to continue until the cup of iniquity overflows (Walvoord). God’s will and God’s words dictate that the kingdom of this world be under the control of the beast until the end of the age. Unification of evil will mark the very end according to the prophetic word.”[5]

This leans on a remarkable concept in prophecy. When they are fulfilled, they become truth revealed and vindicate God (Deuteronomy 18:18-22).

“From age to age the Lord has made known the manner of His working. When a crisis has come, He has revealed Himself, and has interposed to hinder the working out of Satan's plans. With nations, with families, and with individuals, He has often permitted matters to come to a crisis, that His interference might become marked. Then He has made manifest that there is a God in Israel who will maintain His law and vindicate His
people.

“In this time of prevailing iniquity we may know that the last great crisis is at hand. When the defiance of God's law is almost universal, when His people are oppressed and afflicted by their fellow men, the Lord will interpose.”[6]

At the time of deliverance of the saints, the wicked know that they will be lost. In that time of horror and terror, it will be natural to turn against the leaders they had so fiercely defended.

This recalls: “And if Satan rise up against himself, and be divided, he cannot stand, but hath an end” (Mark 3:26). When no hope arrives – division and
violence will supervene. Desolation
becomes earth’s final material blight.

Franklin S. Fowler Jr., M.D.; Prophecy Research Initiative © 2009