'Rev 17:7-14

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Power of the beast (Rev 17:7-14)

The angel now explains the meaning of the beast and the prostitute. The antichrist, empowered by Satan, controls human society, using his power to fight against the authority of God. His attacks on God’s people may die down for a period, but after he gains fresh life and strength the attacks will be renewed.

In the end God will destroy him (Rev 17:7-8; cf. 13:3-4).

(For believers of John’s time this illustration was full of meaning. The calm that followed Nero’s death was not permanent. Persecution was renewed under the Emperor Domitian, who appeared to the Christians to be a second Nero - Nero come back to life, so to speak.)

First century Rome, with its advanced civilization and organized opposition to God, was a clear expression of the anti-God spirit symbolized by the beast, the prostitute and Babylon. The seven heads of the beast, explained as representing both seven hills and seven rulers, symbolized the strength and stability of Rome.

But in any age or society, as people’s sense of collective self-sufficiency increases, they inevitably set themselves against God (Rev 17:9).

Interpreting the vision becomes more difficult when the angel gives further details of the seven rulers. Most of them already belong to the past. Only one is yet to appear, though he will be replaced by an eighth, who will display even greater satanic power than the previous seven. But God will destroy him. Again, events of the first century may have given this vision special meaning for Christians who experienced persecution under several emperors. No doubt the climax of evil at the end of the age will give the vision much fuller meaning. However, in any era Christians can look back on a line of ungodly rulers and look for relief in the future, even though the final ruler may embody the antichrist more than all who have gone before him.

Rulers who become too harsh in their exercise of power usually bring about their own destruction (Rev 17:10-11).

There will always be rulers and nations who want to join forces with the antichrist. They see benefits for themselves in being part of the ungodly power system. They give wholehearted support to the antichrist, but their apparent success is only brief (Rev 17:12-13).

In deciding to attack Christ, they guarantee their own destruction. Real power in the kingdoms of the world rests not with the beast (the antichrist) but with the Lamb (the true Christ) (Rev 17:14).