Continued from 138/ Seven heads and ten horns.
We keep in mind that verses 3&4 are describing Satan and his anti-God empire that has existed for thousands of years; a vast world system which is still in place today. The seven heads refer to dynasties or empires which have existed for so long now. Chapter 17v9-10 helps us in the understanding of this "and here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth. And there are seven kings; five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space." There is therefore no need for speculation, the seven heads are seven empires controlled by seven kings which have been energized by Satan. Mountains in scripture refer to world empires (Jeremiah 51v25 "Behold I am against thee o destroying mountain saith the Lord, which destroyest all the earth" this refers to the empire of Babylon). (Isaiah 2v2 & Daniel 2v35&v45). The statement "five are fallen, one is, and the other is not yet come" clarifies it for us. When John wrote, the Roman empire was in existence; this is "the one which is." The five who are fallen must refer to past empires which have fallen away. The five great world empires prior to the Roman empire were EGYPT, ASSYRIA, BABYLON, MEDO-PERSIA, and GREECE. These are all traceable in history. John then writes of a future kingdom which is described in both the prophecy of Daniel and the book of the Revelation. The references are as follows: Daniel 7v7; Daniel 7v20; Daniel 7v24; Revelation 12v3; Revelation 13v1; Revelation 17v3; Revelation 17v7; Revelation 17v12. The future world empire will consist of a confederacy of ten kingdoms. The horn in scripture always speaks of power. A reading of each of those references would reveal that the ten horns of the future will be a revival of the Roman empire, although not perhaps in its original form and may include much more than Rome. The character of this confederacy is described in Revelation chapter 13 but the overall picture is of all world empires including the future one as being energized and controlled by Satan. Satan has a vast empire (seen and unseen) , and although most of these empires have gone, they still exists on the earth in spirit, in the spirit that controls all the evil in the world.
This monster who has control of all evil empires, past, present and future confronts the woman ready to devour her child as soon as it is born. This of course refers to Matthew chapter 2, the story of Herod and the wise men and the slaughter of innocent children . Satan knew that this little baby, if allowed to grow would bring down his kingdom. The message of the wise men is very poignant here "where is He that is born king?" and again in Matthew 2 "thou Bethlehem in the land of Judea are not the least among the princes of Judea for out of thee shall come a governor that shall rule my people Israel." Satan knew that the baby Christ was the stone of Daniel chapter 2 which would crush his kingdom, and itself become a great mountain that would cover all the earth. This is not the first time Satan has attacked the seed of the woman all through the centuries.
We keep in mind that verses 3&4 are describing Satan and his anti-God empire that has existed for thousands of years; a vast world system which is still in place today. The seven heads refer to dynasties or empires which have existed for so long now. Chapter 17v9-10 helps us in the understanding of this "and here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth. And there are seven kings; five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space." There is therefore no need for speculation, the seven heads are seven empires controlled by seven kings which have been energized by Satan. Mountains in scripture refer to world empires (Jeremiah 51v25 "Behold I am against thee o destroying mountain saith the Lord, which destroyest all the earth" this refers to the empire of Babylon). (Isaiah 2v2 & Daniel 2v35&v45). The statement "five are fallen, one is, and the other is not yet come" clarifies it for us. When John wrote, the Roman empire was in existence; this is "the one which is." The five who are fallen must refer to past empires which have fallen away. The five great world empires prior to the Roman empire were EGYPT, ASSYRIA, BABYLON, MEDO-PERSIA, and GREECE. These are all traceable in history. John then writes of a future kingdom which is described in both the prophecy of Daniel and the book of the Revelation. The references are as follows: Daniel 7v7; Daniel 7v20; Daniel 7v24; Revelation 12v3; Revelation 13v1; Revelation 17v3; Revelation 17v7; Revelation 17v12. The future world empire will consist of a confederacy of ten kingdoms. The horn in scripture always speaks of power. A reading of each of those references would reveal that the ten horns of the future will be a revival of the Roman empire, although not perhaps in its original form and may include much more than Rome. The character of this confederacy is described in Revelation chapter 13 but the overall picture is of all world empires including the future one as being energized and controlled by Satan. Satan has a vast empire (seen and unseen) , and although most of these empires have gone, they still exists on the earth in spirit, in the spirit that controls all the evil in the world.
This monster who has control of all evil empires, past, present and future confronts the woman ready to devour her child as soon as it is born. This of course refers to Matthew chapter 2, the story of Herod and the wise men and the slaughter of innocent children . Satan knew that this little baby, if allowed to grow would bring down his kingdom. The message of the wise men is very poignant here "where is He that is born king?" and again in Matthew 2 "thou Bethlehem in the land of Judea are not the least among the princes of Judea for out of thee shall come a governor that shall rule my people Israel." Satan knew that the baby Christ was the stone of Daniel chapter 2 which would crush his kingdom, and itself become a great mountain that would cover all the earth. This is not the first time Satan has attacked the seed of the woman all through the centuries.
- The murder of Abel - Genesis chapter 4.
- The corruption of the pure human seed - Genesis chapter 6.
- The slaughter of male infants - Exodus chapter 1&2.
- The attempted genocide of the royal seed - 2nd Kings chapter 11.
- The confedercy to destroy Judea - Isaiah chapter 7.
- The exiles in Assyria and Babylon - the major prophets.
- The attempt to corrupt the faithful remnant - prophecy of Zechariah.
- The slaughter of the innocent - Matthew chapter 2.
- The temptation of Christ - Matthew chapter 4.
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