Question: Could the harlot in Revelation be the Seventh-day Adventist church?

Answer: Thank you for your question. I am going to ask you a few questions. Try to logically answer each one as you go through them. If you do, you will own the answer I have given at the end. We must treat every detail in these prophecies as important if we are going to make a good conclusion.

  • If the harlot is the SDA church, then who/what does the beast she rides in Revelation 17 represent?
  • Which 7-headed beast with 10 horns that has names of blasphemy is spoken of in Revelation 17? Is it the 7 headed dragon with 10 horns and 7 crowns of Revelation 12, or is it the 7 headed beast with names of blasphemy with 10 horns and 10 crowns with the body of a leopard, feet of a bear and mouth of a lion of Revelation 13? Both Revelation 12 and 13 beasts have 7 heads and 10 horns. Notice that the beast of Revelation 17 has 10 horns, but we are not told how many crowns it has. There is a very good reason for this as she rides both.
  • If Daniel 7 is the prelude to Revelation 13, what are the kingdoms represented in Daniel 7 (lion with eagle’s wings, bear, leopard and dreadful beast with 10 horns)? Who is the “mouth that speaks great things” and “changes times and laws” and is given a “time, times and a half a time”? (Daniel 7:8, 25). Notice there are no eagle’s wings on the beast of Revelation 13. Why is that? Daniel tells us in Daniel 7:4 that they were plucked off.
  • The Revelation 13 beast, in its maturity is “given a mouth that speaks great things” who “continues for 42 months” (time, times and a half a time). This mouthpiece is the same entity as the little horn of both Daniel 7 and 8. Notice that the beast of Revelation 13 is not the mouth that speaks great things but that the mouth is an addition to the composite beast of Revelation 13 (see Revelation 13:5). Revelation 13 beast represents a coming together of the most powerful kingdoms of the world from Daniel 7. There is another entity added to this beast. It is the mouthpiece (little horn) of Daniel 7 and 8.
  • How is it possible for the SDA church to ride, and therefore control, those kingdoms who have come together as a new world order in the time of the end? This is not possible on any level.

If you logically go through each of these questions, there is no way that the SDA church is the Harlot. At best, it could be one of her daughters. The harlot must be the Roman Catholic Church. If we go back to Roman churches’ beginnings it was a pure church built upon the teachings of the Messiah through the likes of Paul and Peter and many others. The Roman Catholic Church has repeated the history of ancient Israel over the centuries. Like ancient Israel, it, too, has become a harlot. It has developed through the centuries to become so set in its ways that it will ultimately persecute God’s remnant as did ancient Israel. They will crucify the Son of God again through His servants.

It is interesting to note that from Abraham to Yeshua was approximately 2000 years until Israel was destroyed in 70 AD. From Yeshua until now is approximately 2000 years. God’s reboot of His church during New Testament times has run its course. We can expect God to destroy what He began because His church has again become a Harlot.

It was through the most powerful kingdom of the world (Rome) that ancient Israel met its demise in 70 AD. His covenant with the Bloodline of Israel ceased at that time. This was foretold in the 70 sevens prophecy of Daniel 9 (see Daniel 9:26). The 490 years began at the “going forth of the commandment to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the prince”. God told Israel, through Daniel, that they would have 490 years until they would be “cut off” if they rejected His plan in fulfilling Daniel 9:24.

It is now, through Christ, that we become the Israel of God (see Galatians 3:29). We, His people today must fulfill this covenant through Yeshua living in us to do what ancient Israel failed to do.

Daniel 9:24 “…To finish the transgression, To make an end of sins, To make reconciliation for iniquity, To bring in everlasting righteousness, To seal up vision and prophecy, And to anoint the Most Holy”.

History is about to be repeated. It will be through the most powerful nations that the Roman Church will meet its demise; prophecy has foretold this. God, through the kings of the earth will destroy the harlot because He has put it into their hearts to do so as is written in Revelation 17:16-18. This is how God has consistently worked throughout history with the kings of the earth in the time of ancient Israel.

Revelation 17:15-18  Then he said to me, “The waters which you saw, where the harlot sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues.

16  And the ten horns [ten kings] which you saw on the beast, these will hate the harlot, make her desolate and naked, eat her flesh and burn her with fire.

17  For God has put it into their hearts to fulfill His purpose, to be of one mind, and to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled.

18  And the woman whom you saw is that great city which reigns over the kings of the earth.”

The harlot does not go through to the Second Coming of Yeshua, only the beast and the false prophet do.

Revelation 19:19-21  And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army. [It should be noted that the kings of the earth make up the beast, the kings of the earth should be in parenthesis behind the beast indicating what the beast represents.]

20  Then the beast was captured [the 1st beast of Revelation 13 which is the beast upon whom the harlot rides in Revelation 17], and with him the false prophet [the 2nd beast of Revelation 13:11-12] who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two [no harlot spoken of here because the kings of earth that make up the beast already destroyed her at the close of the 42 months] were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone.

21  And the rest were killed with the sword which proceeded from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse. And all the birds were filled with their flesh.

I hope this helps a little, there are so many pieces to this puzzle. If we do not use them all, our picture will not be perfect.

I appreciate your question, there are many others that have the same one, it has been echoed through the years. Hopefully this will help you to not make claims that are false against the SDA church. Will the SDA church go through to the end? As it is today it cannot unless it receives the mark of the beast. They, like all of us, must repent of their rejection of new light/truth. It has always amazed me that they claim to be the Laodicean church. Unless they open their eyes, it is not going to end well for them.

Yah bless you, feel free to share this with your friends

Tom