Revelation 17:17;God Hath Put In their Hearts to Fulfil His Will
Revelation 17:17 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.
Walter Scott wrote:
God works unseen, but not the less truly, in all the political changes of the day. The astute statesman, the clever diplomacy, is simply an agent in the Lord’s hands. He knows it not. Self-will and motives of policy may influence to action, but God is steadily working toward an end – to exhibit the heavenly and earthly glories of His Son. Thus, instead of kings and statesmen thwarting God’s purpose, they unconsciously forward it. God is not indifferent, but is behind the scenes of human action. The doings of the future ten kings in relation to Babylon and the Beast – the ecclesiastical and secular powers – are not only under the direct control of God, but all is done in fulfilment of His words.
At a critical time like this, we must keep our eyes open for evidences of God’s overruling hand among the nations.
[Herbert Lockyer, Revelation – Drama of the Ages, Whitaker House, 2012, 275]
All the evil and deceit we observe around us should not dissuade us from the premise that God is in full control of everything. God is sovereign and nothing happens without His will. Indeed, without their knowledge He works in the hearts and minds of earthly rulers and makes them do His bidding. He uses them as instruments in His hands, so that their hatred toward the prostitute is His design (Isaiah 10:5–11; Jeremiah 34:22). The expression placed in their hearts is a Semitic idiom found in the Old Testament and signifies divine guidance.
Isaiah 10:5-11 O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation. I will send him against an hypocritical nation, and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge, to take the spoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets. Howbeit he meaneth not so, neither doth his heart think so; but it is in his heart to destroy and cut off nations not a few. For he saith, Are not my princes altogether kings? Is not Calno as Carchemish? is not Hamath as Arpad? is not Samaria as Damascus? As my hand hath found the kingdoms of the idols, and whose graven images did excel them of Jerusalem and of Samaria; Shall I not, as I have done unto Samaria and her idols, so do to Jerusalem and her idols?
Jeremiah 34:22 Behold, I will command, saith the LORD, and cause them to return to this city; and they shall fight against it, and take it, and burn it with fire: and I will make the cities of Judah a desolation without an inhabitant.
God has three intentions, which are that the ten horns should
• do His purpose
• be of one accord
• give their kingdom to the beast
Some commentators place the second one in brackets to indicate redundancy. But this is not necessary; there is a distinction between the first and the second objective. The first one is an objective assignment to perform God’s will, while the second is a subjective intention to do His will in unity and harmony. These kings together with the beast are determined to destroy the woman who has dominated them. So all along God’s purposes are fulfilled. To underscore the combined intent of the kings to be of one accord, they hand over their kingdom to the beast. The reason for this united front is to accomplish God’s purpose according to His words. The words of God are His revealed will that must be done at His command.
How can a sovereign God work out His plan through the evil designs of worldly powers? This is no conflict of interest, so to speak. Rather we acknowledge that God allows evil to happen, but he uses it to further his own kingdom and to demonstrate his glory.
Amos 3:6 Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid? shall there be evil in a city, and the LORD hath not done it?
Isaiah 14:24-27 The LORD of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, so shall it stand: That I will break the Assyrian in my land, and upon my mountains tread him under foot: then shall his yoke depart from off them, and his burden depart from off their shoulders. This is the purpose that is purposed upon the whole earth: and this is the hand that is stretched out upon all the nations. For the LORD of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul it? and his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back?
Ezekiel 24:7-8 For her blood is in the midst of her; she set it upon the top of a rock; she poured it not upon the ground, to cover it with dust; That it might cause fury to come up to take vengeance; I have set her blood upon the top of a rock, that it should not be covered.
Kistemaker, S. J., & Hendriksen, W. (1953–2001). Exposition of the Book of Revelation (Vol. 20, pp. 478–479). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.