17:7-17 How are we to understand the explanation of the beast here?
17:7-17 How are we to understand the explanation of the beast here?
We understand from this that the beast here upon which the woman sits, which also rose up out of the sea in Rev 13, does not symolize Antichrist alone (cp Rev 13:1-7 (see also comments on Re 13:1-7)).
The beast also symbolizes a supernatural being presently confined to the bottomless pit or abyss, who will ascend out of the pit and kill God's two witnesses - Elijah and Enoch - at the end of the tribulation (cp Rev 17:8 with Re 11:3-7 (see also comments on Rev 11:3-6)).
To go into perdition means to be destroyed. The beast out of the bottomless pit, together with Antichrist and the false prophet will be destroyed by Christ at the battle of Armageddon (cp Rev 19:19-20).
It is pointless speculating exactly who the beast out of the bottomless pit is. Suffice it to say that it is not Antichrist, as so many Christians believe, because the bottomless pit or abyss, is a prison for demon spirits, not humans.
Satan will be imprisoned there during the millennial reign of Christ (cp Lk 8:31; Rev 9:1-11; 20:1-3). The beast also symbolizes a kingdom controlled by Antichrist - the eighth, and last world kingdom before Christ's second coming and the battle of Armageddon "... and the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition" (cp Rev 17:9-11).
And is of the seven means that the beast was also one of the seven kingdoms referred to in V 10. He cannot be the sixth kingdom because that is the Roman Empire which ruled over Israel in John's day - and one is. Neither can he be the seventh kingdom for that will be ruled by Antichrist - it is not yet come.
The beast can only be one of the five kingdoms that are fallen - which have dominated Israel from when it was first made a captive nation by the Egyptians until it was conquered by the Romans. They are Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia and Greece.
The sum of the beast is , it represents four things - three future and one past: Antichrist (Rev 13:1-7; 17:1-6, 12-13, 16-17); the supernatural being out of the bottomless pit (Rev 11:3-7; 17:8); one of the five kingdoms that ruled Israel before Rome (Rev 17:11); and the eighth and last world kingdom controlled by Antichrist that will war with Israel before Christ's second coming and the battle of Armageddon (Rev 17:11).
The ten horns on the beast symbolize ten kings and ten future kingdoms that will arise from within the old Roman empire (cp Dan 7:7-8, 19-21, 23-25). The fourth beast here symbolizes the Roman empire - the sixth head on the beast of Rev 17, ... the beast that is (cp Rev 17:9-10).
The little horn in Dan 7:8, 20, 24, is Antichrist (cp Dan 8:8-13, 23-25; 9:27; 11:36-45; Rev 13:1-7; 17:4). The ten kings will give their kingdoms to Antichrist and destroy the apostate religious system symbolized by the woman on the beast. This has all been foreordained by God in order that His purposes be fulfilled (cp Rev 17:12-17).
This will occur in the middle of the tribulation so that Antichrist can set up the image of himself in the temple to be worshipped and proclaim himself to be God (cp Dan 11:31,36-37; 12:11; Mt 24:15 (also Mk 13:14); 2Th 2:3-4; Rev 13:1-6, 11-15).