Revelation 16:12 And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared.

  14 For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.

 

(Does this not deal with kings, which are other kings, who are not the antichrist or his ten kings, but the kings of the nations of the earth?

In Daniel 2, isn’t there a description of what the last days kingdoms and kings will be like?)

 

Daniel 2:41 And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters’ clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay.

  42 And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken.

  43 And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.

 

(It won’t be worldwide empire ruled by one king, but won’t it be divided, into many different nations with their own kings?

Are not these kings very different from the kings of the past, where they then had full autocratic authority, and established dynasties?

But doesn’t it say iron mixed with miry clay, that they mingle themselves with the seed of men, but not cleave one to another?

In our time, aren’t these “kings” no longer called kings by their countries, and they no longer inherit a throne?

But aren’t many of them elected to be the leaders by the people, some for a few years, and others longer?

In parliamentary governments, isn’t the leader the prime minister, who is simply one of the nation’s ministers, chosen to lead?

Are they not so weak compared to the traditional rule of a king, with some exceptions, where they are dictators?

So, do not many of them form multinational groups to make them collectively stronger?

            e.g. EU, Arab League, ASEAN, NATO, African Union, OPEC, etc.

Even though they, or the people, or their nation’s constitution, doesn’t want to call them kings, are they not yet still kings?)

 

(So, why do these last days kings need to be persuaded to go against Israel?

1.      The antichrist will not be a single all-powerful king over all the earth

2.      The nations will still be headed by their own, often elected, leaders

3.      Some may need their religious and ethnical hatred for Israel to be inflamed

4.     Most may need miracles to deceive them, to bring their armies against Israel

But why will they need such strong persuasion, like the Euphrates drying up, or miracles of devils?

Will the drying up of the Euphrates be blamed on Israel and inflame those affected nations?

Through much of the tribulation, did not the kings of the world all watch the antichrist rise, first as an apparent man of peace?

Then did they not watch as he received a mortal head wound and yet lived?

Did they then watch, when no one could stop the two witnesses, but that he was able to kill them?

Did they then watch as countless numbers of people began to worship him, and then to even take his mark, name, or number?

Did they then watch as he blasphemed the LORD, and even all the false gods of the nations?

Did they then watch as he went into the temple and sat, possibly even on the mercy seat, and declare himself to be God?)

 

(So, what changed? 1^st were not his worshippers smitten with a grievous sore, then a sea was turned into the blood of a dead man,

then rivers and fountains of water were turned to blood, and people had to drink blood,

then men were scorched with great heat by fire, and then the antichrist’s kingdom was plunged into darkness?

Won’t they watch as the antichrist, like Pharaoh, be helpless to stop these plagues, or to do anything about them?

Not much of a god anymore, in their eyes, possibly? - But isn’t there one more thing?)

 

Revelation 17:1b 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.

 

Revelation 18:3b  and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her,

  9 And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning,

  10 Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come.

 

Revelation 17:18 And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.

 

(Has there not been another power somehow ruling over all of them? – a power that had them totally deceived by fornication & sorceries?

Hasn’t she also had total economic power over them, making them, their merchants, and their nations rich, by her system?

Doesn’t this power have to be destroyed by the antichrist’s ten kings, before all these kings can be brought to fight against Israel?

Whether they realize it or not, are not the antichrist’s ten kings actually doing Jesus’ will, by destroying her?

But when the hold of her seductive power over the kings of the earth, is broken, when she is destroyed and burned,

will not the kings of the earth, yet again, be deceived, but this time by the miracles of unclean spirits of devils?

Will they then be under another deceptive power, where they willingly commit their nations forces to Armageddon?)