Mystery of the Beast which has the 7 Heads and 10 Horns
In this important Last Days prophecy, God explains the mystery of this beast which has the seven heads and ten horns. He also says that those whose names have not been written in the book of life will be astonished when they see the beast. Therefore, those whose names are written in the book of life will not be astonished. They will not be astonished because they will know the identity of this beast and be prepared. Let’s read the passage, so we understand.
Then the angel carried me away in the Spirit into a desert. There I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns. … I will explain to you the mystery of the woman and of the beast she rides, which has the seven heads and ten horns. The beast, which you saw, once was, now is not, and will come up out of the Abyss and go to his destruction. The inhabitants of the earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the creation of the world will be astonished when they see the beast, because he once was, now is not, and yet will come. This calls for a mind with wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits. They are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come; but when he does come, he must remain for a little while. The beast who once was, and now is not, is an eighth king. He belongs to the seven and is going to his destruction. The ten horns you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but who for one hour will receive authority as kings along with the beast. They have one purpose and will give their power and authority to the beast. …The beast and the ten horns you saw will hate the prostitute. They will bring her to ruin and leave her naked; they will eat her flesh and burn her with fire (Revelation 17:3-16).
Wisdom comes from the Word of God
God says that wisdom is required to understand this mystery. When wisdom is required, the answer can be found in the Word of God, because, wisdom comes from God.
For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding (Proverbs 2:6).
Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or swerve from them (Proverbs 4:5).
Since wisdom comes from the Word of God, we must search Scripture to understand the mystery.
Daniel writes about Four Beast Kingdoms
Let’s start with what we know. Daniel’s prophecies tell of four beast kingdoms that will rise on earth, three have risen and the fourth is yet to come. When the fourth beast kingdom comes, it will continue until the Kingdom of God comes on earth. Let’s read how this is written.
You, O king [Babylon], are the king of kings. The God of heaven has given you dominion and power and might and glory; in your hands he has placed mankind and the beasts of the field and the birds of the air. Wherever they live, he has made you ruler over them all. You are that head of gold. After you, another kingdom will rise, inferior to yours. Next, a third kingdom, one of bronze, will rule over the whole earth. Finally, there will be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron--for iron breaks and smashes everything--and as iron breaks things to pieces, so it will crush and break all the others. … In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed (Daniel 2:37-44)
'The four great beasts are four kingdoms that will rise from the earth. But the saints of the Most High will receive the kingdom and will possess it forever--yes, for ever and ever' (Daniel 7:17-18)
Daniel describes the Fourth Beast Kingdom which is yet to come.
From the time of Daniel’s prophecies three beast kingdoms rose to power, they were Babylon, Media-Persia and Greece. When the fourth and final beast kingdom comes it will usher in the rise of the Antichrist. The Antichrist will be destroyed by the Second Coming of Christ. Let’s read how it is written.
He said: "I am going to tell you what will happen later in the time of wrath, because the vision concerns the appointed time of the end. The two-horned ram that you saw represents the kings of Media and Persia. The shaggy goat is the king of Greece, and the large horn between his eyes is the first king. The four horns that replaced the one that was broken off represent four kingdoms that will emerge from his nation but will not have the same power. "In the latter part of their reign, when rebels have become completely wicked, a stern-faced king, a master of intrigue, will arise. He will become very strong, but not by his own power. He will cause astounding devastation and will succeed in whatever he does. He will destroy the mighty men and the holy people. He will cause deceit to prosper, and he will consider himself superior. When they feel secure, he will destroy many and take his stand against the Prince of princes. Yet he will be destroyed, but not by human power (Daniel 8:19-25).
The rise of the Antichrist from the Fourth Beast Kingdom.
When the final beast kingdom arises it will begin with ten kings. Then another king will come up among the ten and subdue three kings. This king is the Antichrist. When the Antichrist has subdued the three kings, the Fourth Beast Kingdom will then have “seven heads and ten horns.” Let’s read how it is written.
The fourth beast is a fourth kingdom that will appear on earth. It will be different from all the other kingdoms and will devour the whole earth, trampling it down and crushing it. The ten horns are ten kings who will come from this kingdom. After them another king will arise, different from the earlier ones; he will subdue three kings. He will speak against the Most High and oppress his saints and try to change the set times and the laws. The saints will be handed over to him for a time, times and half a time. But the court will sit, and his power will be taken away and completely destroyed forever. Then the sovereignty, power and greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be handed over to the saints, the people of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will worship and obey him (Daniel 7:23-27).
So, Daniel reveals that when the final beast kingdom has seven heads and ten horns, the Antichrist will be its leader and one of the seven heads.
Revelation reveals more about this final beast.
Let’s return to the mystery of the “beast which has the seven heads and ten horns.”
Then the angel carried me away in the Spirit into a desert. There I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns. … I will explain to you the mystery of the woman and of the beast she rides, which has the seven heads and ten horns. The beast, which you saw, once was, now is not, and will come up out of the Abyss and go to his destruction (Revelation 17:3-8)
In addition to the “seven heads and ten horns,” we are also given several other pieces of information to help us understand this mystery. The beast comes up out of the Abyss and is destined for destruction.
Two beast kings are destined for destruction at Christ’s return.
One is the Antichrist, whose destruction is prophesied in Daniel 8:25 “he will be destroyed, but not by human power.”
The other is the False Prophet, who is destroyed with the Antichrist as prophesied in Revelation 19:20 “But the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who had performed the miraculous signs on his behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped his image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur.”
Let’s read more about these two beasts.
And I saw a beast [Antichrist] coming out of the sea. He had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on his horns, and on each head a blasphemous name. … He opened his mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven. … Then I saw another beast [False Prophet], coming out of the earth. He had two horns like a lamb, but he spoke like a dragon. He exercised all the authority of the first beast on his behalf, and made the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed. And he performed great and miraculous signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to earth in full view of men. Because of the signs he was given power to do on behalf of the first beast, he deceived the inhabitants of the earth. He ordered them to set up an image in honor of the beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived. He was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that it could speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed (Revelation 13:1-15).
But the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who had performed the miraculous signs on his behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped his image (Revelation 19:20).
The False Prophet comes out of the earth (Abyss) with power to deceive the inhabitants of the earth and performs miraculous signs on behalf of the Antichrist to deceive unbelievers.
Paul also tells us about this.
Paul also wrote of the coming Antichrist and the influence of the False Prophet when he says that God sends unbelievers a powerful delusion.
The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness (2 Thessalonians 2:9-12).
Revelation reveals more about the king from the Abyss
In Revelation we are told the name of the king of the Abyss. The Abyss is located either on or in the earth. Because, the abyss will be opened when the star is on the earth.
I saw a star that had fallen from the sky to the earth. … When he opened the Abyss, … out of the smoke locusts came down upon the earth and were given power like that of scorpions … They had tails and stings like scorpions, and in their tails they had power to torment people for five months. They had as king over them the angel of the Abyss, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek, Apollyon (Revelation 9:1-3, 10-11).
The Hebrew name “Abaddon” means a destroying angel and the Greek name “Apollon” also means destroyer. In telling us these two names God is confirming the identity of the angel king. The destroyer is described extensively in the Old Testament. To understand more about the destroyer read - The Destroyer.
The destroyer is the king who will come up out of the Abyss - he is also the False Prophet. He “once was, now is not, and will come up out of the Abyss and go to his destruction” (Revelation 17:8).
The False Prophet and the Destroyer are one and the same.
The Seven Kingdoms of Revelation 17
Let’s return to the mystery of “the beast which has the seven heads and ten horns.”
What can we learn about the seven heads?
The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits (Revelation 17:9).
Prophecy frequently describes kingdoms as mountains. Below are examples:
Listen, a noise on the mountains, like that of a great multitude! Listen, an uproar among the kingdoms, like nations massing together! The LORD Almighty is mustering an army for war (Isaiah 13:4).
Deliverers will go up on Mount Zion to govern the mountains of Esau. And the kingdom will be the Lord's (Obadiah 1:21).
"Before your eyes I will repay Babylon and all who live in Babylonia for all the wrong they have done in Zion," declares the LORD. "I am against you, O destroying mountain, you who destroy the whole earth," declares the LORD. "I will stretch out my hand against you, roll you off the cliffs, and make you a burned-out mountain (Jeremiah 51:24-25).
Listen to what the LORD says: "Stand up, plead your case before the mountains; let the hills hear what you have to say. Hear, O mountains, the Lord's accusation; listen, you everlasting foundations of the earth. For the LORD has a case against his people; he is lodging a charge against Israel (Micah 6:1-2).
Who are the Seven Kingdoms?
The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits. They are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come (Revelation 17:9-10).
At the time John was given the revelation, Rome was the kingdom in power, therefore, Rome is the one who “is.”
1. Fallen = ?
2. Fallen = ?
3. Fallen = ?
4. Fallen = ?
5. Fallen = ?
6. One is = Rome
7. Yet to come = ?
What does Scripture say about the five that have fallen? In Jeremiah 50 we find the following prophecy regarding kingdoms and kings that have scattered Israel.
Israel is a scattered flock that lions have chased away. The first to devour him was the king of Assyria; the last to crush his bones was Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon (Jeremiah 50:17).
The king of Assyria is the first to have fallen.
1. Fallen = Assyria
2. Fallen = ?
3. Fallen = ?
4. Fallen = ?
5. Fallen = ?
6. One is = Rome
7. Yet to come = ?
In Daniel we find the remaining four fallen kingdoms.
You [Babylon], O king, are the king of kings (Daniel 2:37).
The two-horned ram that you saw represents the kings of Media and Persia. The shaggy goat is the king of Greece, and the large horn between his eyes is the first king. (Daniel 8:20).
Therefore, the five kingdoms that have fallen are Assyria, Babylon, Media, Persia and Greece.
1. Fallen = Assyria
2. Fallen = Babylon
3. Fallen = Media
4. Fallen = Persia
5. Fallen = Greece
6. One is = Rome
7. Yet to come = ?
The one “yet to come” kingdom is the future fourth beast kingdom.
The fourth beast is a fourth kingdom that will appear on earth. It will be different from all the other kingdoms and will devour the whole earth, trampling it down and crushing it. The ten horns are ten kings who will come from this kingdom. After them another king will arise, different from the earlier ones; he will subdue three kings (Daniel 7:23-24).
The fourth beast kingdom of Daniel’s prophecy has ten kings and then the Antichrist arises among them and subdues three. Then the Fourth Beast Kingdom with “seven heads and ten horns” is lead by the Antichrist.
1. Fallen = Assyria
2. Fallen = Babylon
3. Fallen = Media
4. Fallen = Persia
5. Fallen = Greece
6. One is = Rome
7. Yet to come = Fourth Beast Kingdom with 7 heads and 10 horns
Therefore, the Fourth Beast Kingdom is the seventh kingdom of Revelation 17 which “has not yet come.” The Antichrist will be the seventh king since he will lead the seventh kingdom.
Let’s read how the seven kingdoms are also seven kings.
This calls for a mind with wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits. They are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come (Revelation 17:9-10)
The Eighth King becomes the beast with “7 heads and 10 horns.”
Returning again the explanation of the mystery of the beast which has the “seven heads and ten horns,” we find there is even more information.
The beast who once was, and now is not, is an eighth king. He belongs to the seven and is going to his destruction (Revelation 17:11).
Remember, the False Prophet, “once was, now is not, and will come up out of the Abyss and go to his destruction” (Revelation 17:8).
So, how is the False Prophet an eighth king who also belongs to the seven?
Then I saw another beast, coming out of the earth. He had two horns like a lamb, but he spoke like a dragon. He exercised all the authority of the first beast on his behalf, and made the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed. And he performed great and miraculous signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to earth in full view of men (Revelation 13:11-13).
The False Prophet “exercised all the authority of the first beast.” The first beast is the Antichrist and the seventh king. Therefore, when the False Prophet assumes all the authority of the Antichrist, he will become “an eighth king” since he follows the seventh. Also, “[he] belongs to the seven” because he will be one of the seven.
The False Prophet is this "beast which has the seven heads and ten horns.”
Richard H Perry
