1. Revelation 17:17 (ESV)
  2. Exposition

What is meant by “until the words of God are fulfilled”?

Revelation 17:17 (ESV)

17 for God has put it into their hearts to carry out his purpose by being of one mind and handing over their royal power to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled.

The overreach described in Revelation 17:13 and explained in Revelation 17:17 occurs at God’s appointed time; that is, when the words God said would happen have in fact happened. As the Scriptures elsewhere say, not one word of all that God has spoken will fail (Matthew 24:35). That includes his descriptions of “the things that must soon take place” (Revelation 1:1 and detailed in following chapters).