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"Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, 'If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or in his hand, he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.' Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus."—Rev. 14:9–12
If there is anything we can learn from this quotation, it's that God isn't kidding around. It makes it seem possible for one who has professed the name of Jesus upon his lips to lose his salvation if he worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or in his hand. But if this happens, was he really saved to begin with? We must keep a careful watch in these last days. We need to know what the beast is, his image, and the mark so that we are not deceived.
Daniel explains the beast: "Those great beasts, which are four, are four kings which arise out of the earth."—Dan. 7:17
"The fourth beast shall be a fourth kingdom on earth, which shall be different from all other kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, trample it and break it in pieces. The ten horns are ten kings who shall arise from this kingdom."—Dan. 7:23–24
This fourth beast in Dan. 7 is not the same beast as the one in Rev. 14; it has ten horns, not two.
"Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon."—Rev. 13:11
It is not even the same beast as the beast in Rev. 13:1; it has an eleventh little horn and it doesn't have seven heads.
"Then I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name."—Rev. 13:1
But it does tell us that in prophecy, a beast is a kingdom. It also tells us that a horn is a king that arises from that kingdom. And, if you really want to know, that fourth beast in Dan. 7 was the Roman Empire. Pompey conquered Judea in 63 BC. The beast's ten horns were:
1. Pompey (63–49 BC)
2. Julius Caesar (49–44 BC)
3. Augustus (44 BC–AD 14)
4. Tiberius (AD 14–37)
5. Caligula (AD 37–41)
6. Claudius (AD 41–54)
7. Nero (AD 54–68)
8. Galba (AD 68–69)*
9. Otho (AD 69)*
10. Vitellius (AD 69)*
"And another shall rise after them; he shall be different from the first ones, and shall subdue three kings. He shall speak pompous words against the Most High, Shall persecute the saints of the Most High, and shall intend to change times and law. Then the saints shall be given into his hand for a time and times and half a time."—Dan. 7:24–25
Vespasian (AD 69–79) was the little horn. Judea was using the ancient Macedonian calendar until the Julian calendar took effect on January 1, 45 BC, by edict. Vespasian sent his army, led by his son, Titus, to besiege the city of Jerusalem and capture it. Titus destroyed both the city and its Temple in AD 70. The First Jewish-Roman War went on until AD 73, 3 1/2 years after the destruction of the Temple.
3 1/2 years = 1 year + 2 years + 1/2 year = a time (1 year) and times (2 years) and half a time (1/2 year).
* The Year of the Four Emperors, AD 69, was a year in the history of the Roman Empire in which four emperors ruled in succession: Galba, Otho, Vitellius, and Vespasian. The suicide of the emperor Nero in 68 was followed by a brief period of civil war, the first Roman civil war since Mark Antony's death in 30 BC. Between June of 68 and December of 69, Galba, Otho, and Vitellius successively rose and fell, the latter overlapping with the July 69 accession of Vespasian, who founded the Flavian dynasty (Wikipedia).
The seven seals of Revelation (Rev. 6:1–8:6) were fulfilled by AD 395 via the Crisis of the Third Century (conquest, civil war, hyperinflation, and death), the Diocletianic Persecution, four total solar eclipses within 57 years of each other (AD 333, 351, 361, 390), accompanied by four tetrads, and the Galilee earthquake of 363 (Wikipedia). Seriously, look this stuff up on Wikipedia.
Revelation 7 gears us up for the great tribulation by sealing the servants of God (Jews) on their foreheads and assuring us that some of the great multitude in white robes (Christian gentiles) will make it through the great tribulation.
A lot of different views exist as to what the great tribulation actually is, but I hold that it is comprised of the seven trumpets.
It is clear that these seven trumpets haven't been sounded yet, as the occurrence of them being blown results in a third of the trees being burned up, and all green grass being burned up; a third of the sea becoming blood, and a third of the fish dying, and a third of the ships being destroyed, etc (Rev. 8:7–9:21).
Just in case it makes it any easier, here is a list of the seven trumpets:
1. Hail and fire, mingled with blood
2. Something like a great mountain burning with fire thrown into the sea
3. A great star falling from heaven, burning like a torch
4. A third of the sun struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars
5. Locusts
6. World War III
7. The kingdom proclaimed (explained later)
If you are worried, there is a little comfort in all of this. When the 144,000 were sealed, an angel cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea, saying, "Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads."
There actually are four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea. They are: the first angel, the second angel, the third angel, and the fifth angel. And these four angels correspond to the first trumpet, the second trumpet, the third trumpet, and the fifth trumpet. So why is the fourth angel skipped? Because he was granted to strike the sun, the moon, and the stars. The locusts of the fifth trumpet were commanded not to harm the grass of the earth, or any green thing, or any tree, but only those men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. So the 144,000 servants of God, if not also the Christian gentiles, can expect to be protected from 4 of 6 of these trumpets. An interesting thing about the fifth trumpet is that it says that the locusts had had as king over them the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, but in Greek he has the name Apollyon. While this doesn't go so far as to equate him with the antichrist, it could be hinting towards that.
Am I pre-trib, mid-trib, or post-trib? I am most definitely post-trib. And here's why: In chapter 10, John sees an angel in a vision that says, "there should be delay no longer, but in the days of the sounding of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, the mystery of God would be finished, as He declared to His servants the prophets."—Rev. 10:5–7
Paul spoke of this when he wrote: "Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: 'Death is swallowed up in victory.'
'Death, where is your sting?
O Hades, where is your victory?'"—1 Cor. 15:51–55
Similarly, from the prophet Hosea:
"I will ransom them from the power of the grave;
I will redeem them from death.
O Death, I will be your plagues!
O Grave, I will be your destruction!
Pity is hidden from My eyes.”—Hos. 13:14
And Paul wrote, again: "According to the Lord's word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever."—1 Thes. 4:15–17
This does not tell us the day or hour the rapture will happen. It could be the day after the sixth trumpet or it could be fifty years after the sixth trumpet. It could be a hundred years after the sixth trumpet. But it's going to be the seventh trumpet. Of Jesus's words, Matthew wrote, "But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left."—Mat. 24:36–41
We know that two witnesses will appear in Jerusalem before the rapture because they come around the time of the sixth trumpet (second woe): a third world war. I say world war because Revelation says, "Now the number of the army of the horsemen was two hundred million; I heard the number of them."—Rev. 9:16
Horsemen could translate to tanks today. The 29 largest armies in the world in 2020 add up to 14,582,500 active military personnel (World Atlas). We're about 185,417,500 short. But with a draft...
The two witnesses have not appeared yet. When they do, they will prophesy in Jerusalem 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth. Now sackcloth is made of goat's hair. If anyone wants to harm them, fire proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies. And if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this manner. These have power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy; and they have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to strike the earth with all plagues, as often as they desire.
When they finish their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them. And their dead bodies will lie in the street of Jerusalem. Then those from the peoples, tribes, tongues, and nations will see their dead bodies 3 1/2 days, and not allow their dead bodies to be put into graves. And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them, make merry, and send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth.
Now after the 3 1/2 days the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them. And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, "Come up here." And they ascended to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies saw them. In the same hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell. In the earthquake seven thousand people were killed, and the rest were afraid and gave glory to the God of heaven.
The two witnesses "are the two olive trees and the two lamp stands standing before the God of the earth."—Rev. 11:4
Zechariah wrote that the two olive trees "are the two anointed ones, who stand beside the Lord of the whole earth."—Zec. 4:14
John wrote in Rev. 1:20 that "The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lamp stands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lamp stands which you saw are the seven churches." So two lamp stands would be two churches.
Rev. 12 describes at least two astrological signs: 1) A woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a garland of twelve stars. Then being with child, she cried out in labor and in pain to give birth. On Sep. 23, 2017 the sun aligned with Virgo. The moon was at the feet of Virgo. The nine stars of Leo, plus the three planets Mercury, Venus, and Mars were at the head of Virgo. Jupiter was at the center of Virgo, and, as the weeks passed after Sep. 23, Jupiter exited Virgo to the east, past her feet. This alignment has only happened four times in the past 1,000 years! 2) A great, fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads. His tail drew a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. The Draconids are a meteor shower whose parent body is the periodic comet 21P/Giacobini-Zinner. They are named after the constellation Draco, where they seemingly come from. Its name is Latin for dragon. The 1933 and 1946 Draconids had Zenithal Hourly Rates of thousands of meteors visible per hour, among the most impressive meteor storms of the 20th century.
John had another vision: "Then I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name."—Rev. 13:1
"The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits. There are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, and the other has not yet come. And when he comes, he must continue a short time."—Rev. 17:9–10
"The woman whom you saw is that great city which reigns over the kings of the earth."—Rev. 17:18
Rome sits on seven hills (Seven hills of Rome - Wikipedia).
The Holy Roman Empire dissolved in 1806 when Francis II abdicated his title. Most of its territories today make up Italy and Germany.
The seven (Italian) heads were:
1. Victor Emmanuel I of Sardinia (1802–1821)
2. Charles Felix of Sardinia (1821–1831)
3. Charles Albert of Sardinia (1831–1849)
4. Victor Emmanuel II of Italy (1849–1878)
5. Umberto I of Italy (1878–1900)*
6. Victor Emmanuel III of Italy (1900–1946)
7. Umberto II of Italy (1946)**
* Assassinated by Gaetano Bresci on Jul. 29, 1900 in Monza (deadly wound of Rev. 13:3)
** Reigned only 34 days (short time of Rev. 17:10)
"The beast that you saw was, and is not, and will ascend out of the bottomless pit and go to perdition. And those who dwell on the earth will marvel, whose names are not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world, when they see the beast that was, and is not, and yet is."—Rev. 17:8
"The beast that was, and is not, is himself also the eighth, and is of the seven, and is going to perdition."—Rev. 17:11
Remember the two witnesses: "When they finish their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them."—Rev. 11:7
So we are looking out for an Italian ruler who will kill the two witnesses, who has not come yet.
"The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast. These are of one mind, and they will give their power and authority to the beast. These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful."—Rev. 17:12–14
The ten (German) horns were:
1. Frederick William III (1797–1840)
2. Frederick William IV (1840–1861)
3. William I (1861–1888)
4. Frederick III (1888)
5. Wilhelm II (1888–1918)
6. Friedrich Ebert (1918–1925)
7. Hans Luther (1925)
8. Walter Simons (1925)
9. Paul von Hindenburg (1925–1934)
10. Adolf Hitler (1934–1945)*
*Whose holocaust lasted 42 months (Rev. 13:5)
If there is anything we can learn from this quotation, it's that God isn't kidding around. It makes it seem possible for one who has professed the name of Jesus upon his lips to lose his salvation if he worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or in his hand. But if this happens, was he really saved to begin with? We must keep a careful watch in these last days. We need to know what the beast is, his image, and the mark so that we are not deceived.
Daniel explains the beast: "Those great beasts, which are four, are four kings which arise out of the earth."—Dan. 7:17
"The fourth beast shall be a fourth kingdom on earth, which shall be different from all other kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, trample it and break it in pieces. The ten horns are ten kings who shall arise from this kingdom."—Dan. 7:23–24
This fourth beast in Dan. 7 is not the same beast as the one in Rev. 14; it has ten horns, not two.
"Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon."—Rev. 13:11
It is not even the same beast as the beast in Rev. 13:1; it has an eleventh little horn and it doesn't have seven heads.
"Then I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name."—Rev. 13:1
But it does tell us that in prophecy, a beast is a kingdom. It also tells us that a horn is a king that arises from that kingdom. And, if you really want to know, that fourth beast in Dan. 7 was the Roman Empire. Pompey conquered Judea in 63 BC. The beast's ten horns were:
1. Pompey (63–49 BC)
2. Julius Caesar (49–44 BC)
3. Augustus (44 BC–AD 14)
4. Tiberius (AD 14–37)
5. Caligula (AD 37–41)
6. Claudius (AD 41–54)
7. Nero (AD 54–68)
8. Galba (AD 68–69)*
9. Otho (AD 69)*
10. Vitellius (AD 69)*
"And another shall rise after them; he shall be different from the first ones, and shall subdue three kings. He shall speak pompous words against the Most High, Shall persecute the saints of the Most High, and shall intend to change times and law. Then the saints shall be given into his hand for a time and times and half a time."—Dan. 7:24–25
Vespasian (AD 69–79) was the little horn. Judea was using the ancient Macedonian calendar until the Julian calendar took effect on January 1, 45 BC, by edict. Vespasian sent his army, led by his son, Titus, to besiege the city of Jerusalem and capture it. Titus destroyed both the city and its Temple in AD 70. The First Jewish-Roman War went on until AD 73, 3 1/2 years after the destruction of the Temple.
3 1/2 years = 1 year + 2 years + 1/2 year = a time (1 year) and times (2 years) and half a time (1/2 year).
* The Year of the Four Emperors, AD 69, was a year in the history of the Roman Empire in which four emperors ruled in succession: Galba, Otho, Vitellius, and Vespasian. The suicide of the emperor Nero in 68 was followed by a brief period of civil war, the first Roman civil war since Mark Antony's death in 30 BC. Between June of 68 and December of 69, Galba, Otho, and Vitellius successively rose and fell, the latter overlapping with the July 69 accession of Vespasian, who founded the Flavian dynasty (Wikipedia).
The seven seals of Revelation (Rev. 6:1–8:6) were fulfilled by AD 395 via the Crisis of the Third Century (conquest, civil war, hyperinflation, and death), the Diocletianic Persecution, four total solar eclipses within 57 years of each other (AD 333, 351, 361, 390), accompanied by four tetrads, and the Galilee earthquake of 363 (Wikipedia). Seriously, look this stuff up on Wikipedia.
Revelation 7 gears us up for the great tribulation by sealing the servants of God (Jews) on their foreheads and assuring us that some of the great multitude in white robes (Christian gentiles) will make it through the great tribulation.
A lot of different views exist as to what the great tribulation actually is, but I hold that it is comprised of the seven trumpets.
It is clear that these seven trumpets haven't been sounded yet, as the occurrence of them being blown results in a third of the trees being burned up, and all green grass being burned up; a third of the sea becoming blood, and a third of the fish dying, and a third of the ships being destroyed, etc (Rev. 8:7–9:21).
Just in case it makes it any easier, here is a list of the seven trumpets:
1. Hail and fire, mingled with blood
2. Something like a great mountain burning with fire thrown into the sea
3. A great star falling from heaven, burning like a torch
4. A third of the sun struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars
5. Locusts
6. World War III
7. The kingdom proclaimed (explained later)
If you are worried, there is a little comfort in all of this. When the 144,000 were sealed, an angel cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea, saying, "Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads."
There actually are four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea. They are: the first angel, the second angel, the third angel, and the fifth angel. And these four angels correspond to the first trumpet, the second trumpet, the third trumpet, and the fifth trumpet. So why is the fourth angel skipped? Because he was granted to strike the sun, the moon, and the stars. The locusts of the fifth trumpet were commanded not to harm the grass of the earth, or any green thing, or any tree, but only those men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. So the 144,000 servants of God, if not also the Christian gentiles, can expect to be protected from 4 of 6 of these trumpets. An interesting thing about the fifth trumpet is that it says that the locusts had had as king over them the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, but in Greek he has the name Apollyon. While this doesn't go so far as to equate him with the antichrist, it could be hinting towards that.
Am I pre-trib, mid-trib, or post-trib? I am most definitely post-trib. And here's why: In chapter 10, John sees an angel in a vision that says, "there should be delay no longer, but in the days of the sounding of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, the mystery of God would be finished, as He declared to His servants the prophets."—Rev. 10:5–7
Paul spoke of this when he wrote: "Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: 'Death is swallowed up in victory.'
'Death, where is your sting?
O Hades, where is your victory?'"—1 Cor. 15:51–55
Similarly, from the prophet Hosea:
"I will ransom them from the power of the grave;
I will redeem them from death.
O Death, I will be your plagues!
O Grave, I will be your destruction!
Pity is hidden from My eyes.”—Hos. 13:14
And Paul wrote, again: "According to the Lord's word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever."—1 Thes. 4:15–17
This does not tell us the day or hour the rapture will happen. It could be the day after the sixth trumpet or it could be fifty years after the sixth trumpet. It could be a hundred years after the sixth trumpet. But it's going to be the seventh trumpet. Of Jesus's words, Matthew wrote, "But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left."—Mat. 24:36–41
We know that two witnesses will appear in Jerusalem before the rapture because they come around the time of the sixth trumpet (second woe): a third world war. I say world war because Revelation says, "Now the number of the army of the horsemen was two hundred million; I heard the number of them."—Rev. 9:16
Horsemen could translate to tanks today. The 29 largest armies in the world in 2020 add up to 14,582,500 active military personnel (World Atlas). We're about 185,417,500 short. But with a draft...
The two witnesses have not appeared yet. When they do, they will prophesy in Jerusalem 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth. Now sackcloth is made of goat's hair. If anyone wants to harm them, fire proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies. And if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this manner. These have power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy; and they have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to strike the earth with all plagues, as often as they desire.
When they finish their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them. And their dead bodies will lie in the street of Jerusalem. Then those from the peoples, tribes, tongues, and nations will see their dead bodies 3 1/2 days, and not allow their dead bodies to be put into graves. And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them, make merry, and send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth.
Now after the 3 1/2 days the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them. And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, "Come up here." And they ascended to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies saw them. In the same hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell. In the earthquake seven thousand people were killed, and the rest were afraid and gave glory to the God of heaven.
The two witnesses "are the two olive trees and the two lamp stands standing before the God of the earth."—Rev. 11:4
Zechariah wrote that the two olive trees "are the two anointed ones, who stand beside the Lord of the whole earth."—Zec. 4:14
John wrote in Rev. 1:20 that "The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lamp stands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lamp stands which you saw are the seven churches." So two lamp stands would be two churches.
Rev. 12 describes at least two astrological signs: 1) A woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a garland of twelve stars. Then being with child, she cried out in labor and in pain to give birth. On Sep. 23, 2017 the sun aligned with Virgo. The moon was at the feet of Virgo. The nine stars of Leo, plus the three planets Mercury, Venus, and Mars were at the head of Virgo. Jupiter was at the center of Virgo, and, as the weeks passed after Sep. 23, Jupiter exited Virgo to the east, past her feet. This alignment has only happened four times in the past 1,000 years! 2) A great, fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads. His tail drew a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. The Draconids are a meteor shower whose parent body is the periodic comet 21P/Giacobini-Zinner. They are named after the constellation Draco, where they seemingly come from. Its name is Latin for dragon. The 1933 and 1946 Draconids had Zenithal Hourly Rates of thousands of meteors visible per hour, among the most impressive meteor storms of the 20th century.
John had another vision: "Then I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name."—Rev. 13:1
"The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits. There are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, and the other has not yet come. And when he comes, he must continue a short time."—Rev. 17:9–10
"The woman whom you saw is that great city which reigns over the kings of the earth."—Rev. 17:18
Rome sits on seven hills (Seven hills of Rome - Wikipedia).
The Holy Roman Empire dissolved in 1806 when Francis II abdicated his title. Most of its territories today make up Italy and Germany.
The seven (Italian) heads were:
1. Victor Emmanuel I of Sardinia (1802–1821)
2. Charles Felix of Sardinia (1821–1831)
3. Charles Albert of Sardinia (1831–1849)
4. Victor Emmanuel II of Italy (1849–1878)
5. Umberto I of Italy (1878–1900)*
6. Victor Emmanuel III of Italy (1900–1946)
7. Umberto II of Italy (1946)**
* Assassinated by Gaetano Bresci on Jul. 29, 1900 in Monza (deadly wound of Rev. 13:3)
** Reigned only 34 days (short time of Rev. 17:10)
"The beast that you saw was, and is not, and will ascend out of the bottomless pit and go to perdition. And those who dwell on the earth will marvel, whose names are not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world, when they see the beast that was, and is not, and yet is."—Rev. 17:8
"The beast that was, and is not, is himself also the eighth, and is of the seven, and is going to perdition."—Rev. 17:11
Remember the two witnesses: "When they finish their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them."—Rev. 11:7
So we are looking out for an Italian ruler who will kill the two witnesses, who has not come yet.
"The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast. These are of one mind, and they will give their power and authority to the beast. These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful."—Rev. 17:12–14
The ten (German) horns were:
1. Frederick William III (1797–1840)
2. Frederick William IV (1840–1861)
3. William I (1861–1888)
4. Frederick III (1888)
5. Wilhelm II (1888–1918)
6. Friedrich Ebert (1918–1925)
7. Hans Luther (1925)
8. Walter Simons (1925)
9. Paul von Hindenburg (1925–1934)
10. Adolf Hitler (1934–1945)*
*Whose holocaust lasted 42 months (Rev. 13:5)
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