“Revelation 17:8-13”

Sunday, January 14, 2018

“‘The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to come up out of the abyss and go to destruction. And those who dwell on the earth, whose name has not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, will wonder when they see the beast, that he was and is not and will come. Here is the mind which has wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits, and they are seven kings; five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come; and when he comes, he must remain a little while. The beast which was and is not, is himself also an eighth and is one of the seven, and he goes to destruction. The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but they receive authority as kings with the beast for one hour. These have one purpose, and they give their power and authority to the beast.”

---End of Scripture verses---

The angel explains “the mystery of the woman and the beast that carries her” (verse 7) in today’s verses. Homer Hailey wrote: “This woman and the beast are indivisible, for lust rides upon, controls, and governs any ravenous, persecuting, and self-seeking political beast. At the same time the beast supports the harlot.” This beast “was, and is not, and is about to come up out of the abyss and go to destruction” (verse 8). We got our first glimpse of this beast in Revelation 13, and in verse 3 it was noted that “one of his heads” had a “fatal wound’ that was subsequently “healed”. We noted then that the “seemingly” deadly wound was likely inflicted upon the beast as a whole and not on any one particular ruler. The “healed” wound represented the succession of world empires, and the Roman Empire was just the latest manifestation of the ruling, global power with its wickedly corrupt leaders. This is also the best explanation for how the beast “was, and is not” and yet “is”.

The fact that the latest manifestation of the beast comes “up out of the abyss” only makes sense because this is the abode of Satan and his agents. This was the source of the hideous locust-beasts that had lion’s teeth and scorpion’s tails (Revelation 9:1-10). Verse 11 reads, “They have as king over them, the angel of the abyss; his name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in the Greek he has the name Apollyon” (Destroyer). After the fall of one persecutor of God’s people another arises from Satan’s domain to take its place, but it is destined to “go to destruction” (apoleaia) as well. This word means “devastation” or “utter ruin,” which is the eternal fate suffered by Satan and everyone who yields to his evil influence, from vagrants to monarchs. All the earth-dwellers whose names were not “written in the book of life” were filled with “wonder” and amazement at the beast that seemingly defied death, and maintain perpetual power over the kingdoms of the earth. But those whose “citizenship is in heaven” (Philippians 3:20) understand that the days of the beast are numbered, and that power over life and death belongs to the God of heaven alone.

These are some of the most difficult verses in Revelation to come to terms with, but “the mind which has wisdom” (verse 9) can spiritually appraise the vision explained by the angel. In other words, let’s keep in mind as we try to interpret this vision that the numbers and images represented her are symbolic in nature. “The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits, and they are seven kings.” “Five” of these kings “have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come” (verses 9-10). Robert Harkrider wrote concerning the number seven, “Throughout Revelation this number consistently has a symbolic reference to that which is complete and whole. It is the perfect divine number.” He goes on to write about the heads-mountains-kings: “Since seven represents the whole, ‘five’ is a broken, incomplete number. This suggests that of the total number of kings who have been and shall be, the greater part has come and gone. ‘One is’ refers to the current reigning power. The ‘seventh’ king is yet to reign, and that only for a brief time. Next, consider the meaning of the word ‘kings’. In Daniel 7:17 the word ‘kings’ refers to the four ‘kingdoms.’ Since Revelation seems to involve the fulfillment of the prophecy of Daniel 7, ‘kingdoms’ is probably the best interpretation. This beast (13:1-8) represented a ‘kingdom’ and not merely one of the Caesars.”

“The beast which was and is not, is himself also an eighth and is one of the seven, and he goes to destruction” (verse 11). Only by rich symbolism can we make sense of this perplexing equation where the math just doesn’t add up. One way that the “eighth” can be viewed as “one of the seven” is that he is the sum total of all of the world empires, and he embodies all the kingdoms of mankind throughout human history. Robert Harkrider wrote: “John simply is being shown that in the overall picture of the kingdoms of men, this seemingly invincible Roman Empire shall be destroyed. However, if the Roman Empire is the one that ‘is,’ what empire is the one which ‘is not yet come’ (v.10)? The answer seems to be in 20:3, 7-8 when, after the thousand years is expired, Satan is briefly loosed and gathers God and Magog to compass the camp of the saints one last time. At the end time God’s kingdom will be oppressed by Satan’s last grand attempt to destroy the cause of God on earth.”

“The ten horns…who have not yet received a kingdom” (verse 12) represent the total (ten being the number of completeness) of future kings and rulers that ally themselves with the beast in opposition to Christ and His eternal kingdom. Homer Hailey wrote concerning verse 13: “As the saints are to be perfected together in one mind and one spirit, with one soul, striving for the faith of the gospel (1 Cor. 1:10; Phil. 1:27), which mind is the mind of Christ (Phil. 2:5), so the beast and his associates are of one mind—the mind of the dragon. These with one accord give their power and authority to the beast in opposition to the Lamb.”

Please read Revelation 17:14-18 for tomorrow.

Have a blessed Lord’s Day!

-Louie Taylor

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