Continuing in my thoughts from part six of The Beast Empire Study, it seems that the beast in Revelation 17:8-13 must be an individual, and not the entire beast system that has seven heads and ten horns as seen in verse seven. I explained my thoughts on this previously, but click the picture to the left to enlarge it for a visual example of what I believe.
Click here to go to part seven of the Beast Empire study. And if you're new here, click here to begin at the beginning of this study.
6 comments:
So, if I read this right, the seven heads are seven mountains (kingdoms). The heads are also seven kings; of which ONE of them is also the beast, being an eighth king. So far so good.
v10: and they are seven kings, five kings have fallen, one king (the sixth) "is" and another (king, the seventh) is yet to come.
Ok, got that. 5 down, 1 is, 1 to go.
v11: the beast which was, "is NOT?" and is one of the seven AND is HIMSELF the eighth king.
Ok, Not so good. 5 down, 1 is NOT and 2 to go?
IT seems that all seven kings (or kingdoms) are expressions of the beast (dragon) as world powers, while the eighth king is the dragon ruling over the last kingdom personally. Which would mimic the Christ, of course.
It also seems that the beast is both the seventh kingdom and the seventh king, as well as the eighth king, which, based on my bias would suggest duality in one person, or that the beast rules through a HUMAN "king7" by possessing him "king8".
However, the "and is not" in v8 and v11 confuse me. It is mentioned three times in this short passage. He was, and is not and will come. Seemingly "is not" means not present or here (from John's perspective). Did John not say that "one is"? Was not ROME the sixth beast empire? Is not the Roman empire to revive as the seventh? What does "and is not" mean from John's time frame?
Ah, good observation and question, lawofthespirit. But this is the subject of my next post, and I certainly can't put my thoughts here and ruin my next post, can I?
I guess you will have to come back again for my answer (or attempted answer)! See how I reeled you in? :)
Dave
I await with bated breath...
Yeah, the suspense is killing me too!
Dave, I hope you are able to continue with this topic....
Thanks, lawofthespirit! I'm posting another entry today or tomorrow, and as I was writing it I felt like I am going way off in la la land where very few are interested, so I'm glad to know at least a few of you might be enjoying it.
Dave
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