This calls for a mind with wisdom. The seven heads are seven hills on which the woman sits. 10 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 only a little while. 11 The beast who once was, and now is not, is an eighth king. He belongs to the seven and is going to his destruction.
Can anyone try to decipher this.
It is from Revelations 17:9-11
I understand Mystery Babylon to be the US, can someone explain the rest
For what it's worth, I am attaching the commentary of Andrew of Caesarea, a 6th century Greek theologian:
Rev. 17:9a Hère is a mind having wisdom:
Since the things said being interpreted are spiritual, spiritual wisdom is needed to understand, and not worldly (wisdom).
Rev. 17:9b The seven heads are seven mountains upon which the woman is seated and there are seven kings.
Seven heads and seven mountains we think imply seven places standing out from the rest in worldly prominence and power, thèse upon which we know were established in due season the (ruling) kingdom of the world.864 The first being the rule of the Assyrians in Ninevah [3rd century BC], the second the dynasty of the Medes in Ecbatana from the time of Arbaces [the 6th century Median general who reportedly destroyed Nineveh] which dominated the Assyrians, of which it is narrated that Arbaces destroyed King Sardanapalos. After this (came) the rule of the Chaldeans in Babylon over whom ruled Nebuchadnezzar [early 6th century BC]. There upon, after the dissolution of thèse, the supremacy of the Persians in Susa under Cyrus was established, after this they were brought to an end by Alexander under the kingdom of the Macedonians. After them in the old Rome, (there is) the power of the Romans monarchially ruled under Augustus Caesar after former kings and consuls and controlled by the impious (emperors) up to Constantine, after whose dissolution the impérial offices of Christ-loving kings was transferred to the New Rome. The same idea and the seven kings, we suppose to be indicated by the alternating of genders, in no way hindering the (continuity of) identity of the meaning, even though thèse
seven heads are féminine and
seven mountains are neuter. Hère the seven kings were signified. For many times masculine names are found indistinguishably from féminine in the Scripture. And the contrary (as well), such as
Ephraim is a provoked heifer [Hosea 10:11]
, and again Ephraim was a dove not having a heart [Hosea 7:11]
, and according to the Theologian,
Thèse three bear witness to Christ, the blood, the water and the spirit, [1 John 5:7-8] also
They are three, according to Solomon,
a billy goat, a rooster and a king speaking publicly [Proverbs 30:29,31 LXX]. So therefore, through seven heads femininely showing cities and through the seven mountains in due season seven heights surpassing the rest of the body of the earth in neuter, this is not a spécifie place among the nations but relates to ranks of glory. And by
king we hâve understood, so to speak, as either the places which hâve been honored with royal administration, or those who first reigned in each of the aforementioned, periphrastically defining the entire reign, such as Nino of the Assyrians, Arbaces of the Médians, Nebuchadnezzar of the Babylonians, Cyrus of the Persians, Alexander of the Macedonians, Romulus of ancient Rome and Constantine of the New (Rome).
Rev. 17:10 They are also seven kings. Five of whom fell, one is, the other has not yet corne, and when he cornes he must remain only a little while.
The Blessed Hippolytus (2nd century AD) understood thèse to mean âges, of which five hâve passed by, the sixth still stands, during which the apostle saw thèse things and the seventh, which is after the 6,000 years,
has not yet come, but coming
it must remain a little while. And thèse things thusly (are as follows). If, as Irenaeus [3rd century AD] says, just as seven days had been created, in the same manner also seven heavens and seven angels ruling over the rest, and it seems thèse things that are said by us are readily received by those hearing them, that also the seven famous kingdoms are the famous ones from the beginning until now, of which five already hâve fallen and the sixth during which the Révélation was seen, was the one during the old Rome, and the seventh has not yet come, (i.e.) the one in the New [Victorinus - early 4th century - believed that "the seven" referred to actual Roman emperors, with "the five" referring to those who had fallen]; the statement about the world-wide Babylon would well be accomplished in the capital city until the Antichrist, reigning for a little while, as compared to the previous (kingdoms), some of which ruled more than five hundred years, and others more than one thousand. After ail, every chronological number is short compared to the future everlasting kingdom of the saints.
Rev. 17:11 And the beast that was and is not, it is an eighth but it is from the seven, and it goes to perdition.
The beast is the Antichrist; as the
eighth he will be raised up after the seven kings for the purpose of deceiving and desolating the earth.
From the seven, (since) as one of them, he will spring forth. For he will not come from another nation, along (the Unes) of the things we hâve already said, but he will come as King of the Romans for the purpose of the dissolution and destruction of those who were persuaded by him, and after this he will go forth into the perdition of Gehenna.
