| BEAST WITH 7 HEADS AND 10 HORNS | |
| In the book of Revelation, John
describes a beast with 7 heads and 10 horns. Yes, it is possible to
interpret what it means. God isn't going to reveal something that is
impossible for us to understand. A careful examination of scriptures
reveals the interpretation. This descriptive picture symbolizes a
panoramic view of kingdoms that have ruled throughout history. Let's
compare the different descriptions of this beast.
Revelation 12:3 The dragon has 7 heads and 10 horns, on his heads were 7 diadems (crowns) The dragon is interpreted as Satan (12:9). This represents Satan's dominion over the 7 world empires:
Revelation 13:1-3 The beast has 7 heads and 10 horns, on his horns were 10 diadems, and on his heads were blasphemous names. Verse 2 describes the beast as a leopard, a bear, and a lion. These are the same beasts as described in Daniel 7:4-6, except in reverse order. Daniel was looking into the future to see these kingdoms, while the apostle John looks back on them as fulfilled in history. In this description, we get more details.
Revelation 17:3 Scarlet beast, full of blasphemous names, have 7 heads and 10 horns. Rev. 17:9-10 tells us the 7 heads are 7 mountains and 7 kings. "Mountains" in the Bible are symbolic of kingdoms or governments. (See Ps. 30:7, Jer. 51:24-25, Dan. 2:35,44). Revelation 17:10-11 The 7 heads are 7 Kings Five have fallen: At the time John was writing Revelation, 5 kingdoms had already past:
Revelation 17:12 The 10 horns are 10 Kings What is the difference between the 7 kings (represented by 7 heads) and the 10 kings (represented by 10 horns)? Simply this. The 7 kings (v.10) are successive kingdoms because they rule one after another over centuries of time. The 10 kings (v.12) are contemporaneous kings who rule at the same time in history. This verse tells us the 10 horns are 10 kings who "have not yet received a kingdom" when Revelation was written in 96 A.D. Because the 10 horns are on the 7th head, these 10 kings will come to power in the future Revived Roman Empire. Daniel 2:44 tells us "and in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed…" That means when Jesus returns to earth to set up His Millennial Kingdom, he will destroy the Antichrist and the kingdom he rules. |
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