I see there are some who still mistakenly think Rome is the "Beast of the Sea" that John spoke of in Rev 13. Those who think this are not correctly interpreting the Harlot (Mystery Babylon). The key to understanding the identity of the Beast is to first understand who or what the Harlot is. The Beast "carries" or supports the Harlot.
There can be no doubt that the Harlot is a False religion and the mother of all false religions. If Rome were the Beast, then the Harlot would have to be the Roman Catholic Church. The RCC is not, and cannot be, the mother of all false religions. The RCC has doctrinal problems as all denominations do to various degrees, but the RCC church recognizes the true God and His Son Jesus. The RCC recognizes the Holy Trinity and the Cross and the message of salvation. Therefore, the RCC cannot be the Mother of all False religions.
Scripture tells us that the Gates of Hell cannot prevail against the Church. But we are told the BEAST goes to hell. We are told this false faith is utterly burned. Christ would not have made Peter the Rock and founder of a Church that would be going to hell.
Further, the image that John gives us concerning the beast is that it had 7 heads, which are mountains, which are empires. Starting with Egypt, these 7 empires controlled Israel. Rome was simply one of the 7 historical empires. Daniel tells us that Rome is different from the others. Why, because Rome's peoples are different from the others. The other 6 peoples are the same or similar in heritage. We see that the one of the heads of the Beast was mortally wounded yet will come back to life. For Rome to be the head which returns, we must attribute all the clues given to the final beast to Rome. Rome simply doesn't fit most of the clues.
1. The final beast beheads saints. Rome does not behead, they used to crucify. MUSLIMS BEHEAD
2. The Woman is located in a wilderness and John did not recognize her great city. Rome is not in a wilderness and John would have recognized Rome in any era. MECCA IS IN A WILDERNESS AND JOHN WOULD NOT RECOGNIZE MECCA
3. Italians do not thrown dust on their heads to mourn MUSLIMS MOURN IN THIS WAY
4. Rome is not located in a busy shipping lane today MECCA IS CLOSE TO THE RED SEA, THE SECOND BUSIEST SEA LANES IN THE WORLD. A NUCLEAR EXPLOSION OF EVEN THE TINIEST SIZE IN MECCA WOULD BE SEEN ALL THE WAY ACROSS THE RED SEA.
5. The Vatican does minuscule trading, those nobody is getting rich from commerce MANY MERCHANTS TRADE WITH MECCA AND BY EXTENSION, THE SAUDIS. THE SAUDIS ARE FAMOUS FOR BUYING THE ITEMS MENTIONED IN REV 18.
6. The Harlot was present in all 7 past empires. The RCC didn't start until the 4th century AD so has no roots back to Egypt. MUSLIMS WORSHIP THE SAME WAY AS THE BABYLONIANS. THEIR SYMBOL, THE STAR AND CRESCENT MOON, CAN BE FOUND IN EACH OF THE 7 PREVIOUS BEASTS ALL THE WAY BACK TO EGYPT.
7. Catholics do not worship in a similar manner as the Babylonians MUSLIMS DO. WHEN THEY HEAR THEIR WORSHIP MUSIC, THEY BOW DOWN AND FACE THEIR TEMPLE, THE KAABA, IN MECCA AND PRAY JUST AS DANIEL DESCRIBED THE WORSHIP IN DAN 3.
8. The ten kings hate the harlot, wage war with her and destroy her. RADICAL ISLAMISTS HATE THE SAUDIS AND PEACEFUL ISLAM. ISIS AND IRAN HAVE MADE KNOWN THEIR HATRED OF THE SAUDIS. SAUDI ARABIA IS BUILDING A TRUMP LIKE WALL ON THEIR NORTHERN BOARDER RIGHT NOW TO KEEP ISIS OUT.
9. The ten kings then wage war with Christ. I can't see Catholic hating Christ and turning on him MUSLIMS DO NOT RECOGNIZE CHRIST AS THE SON OF GOD AND JOHN SAYS THAT ANYONE WHO DOESN'T IS ANTICHRIST
10. We are told then when the Great City Babylon is destroyed, the sound of harpists, musicians, flutists, and trumpeters shall not be heard in you anymore. These are not instruments regularly used in at the Vatican or in the Catholic Church. The RCC mostly uses organs with huge pipes. THESE INSTRUMENTS ARE ALL FOUND IN MUSLIM WORSHIP MUSIC.
11. In Rev 19 we are told that when the beast is defeated, that the birds will eat the flesh of various ranking men from kings to slaves. Neither Rome nor the RCC engage in slavery any more. SAUDI ARABIA IS #1 IN THE WORLD IN SLAVERY WITH AN ESTIMATED MORE THAN 1 MILLION SLAVES IN COUNTRY. THEY HAVE LABOR SLAVES AND SEX SLAVES. NOT OTHER RELIGIOUS BASED FAITH HAS SLAVES TO THIS DEGREE.