This makes the most sense and I think I would agree with you.
Nero seems to be the likely candidate of the 6th king.
The 7 kings have NOTHING to do with man or a human kings.
Rev 17:9-10
[9] And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The
seven heads are
seven mountains, on which the
woman sitteth.
[10] 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.
God wanted us to pay attention closely with WISDOM. It obviously requires spiritual discernment, not making some guess work with world history, current events, or how awesome man is. No, this has nothing to do with human leaders or nations here!
The heads are biblical imagery that signifies "AUTHORITY" of the kingdom - Satan's spiritual kingdom. Nothing to do with particular man or physical kingdom. The number 7 signifies the completeness or "totality" of whatever is in view. Thus the totality of this rule or authority lasts for 7. And since 5 of these 7 were placed BEFORE the Cross, and two come after, the chronology is clear. They are also pictured in Revelation as seven mountains, which "again" reiterates or confirms that it signifies THEIR REIGN or RULE. Because mountains used in the apocalyptic language of Scripture symbolizes KINGDOM or RULES. So we have a certain Biblical fact which has to be considered in this interpretation. First, when the text was written, 5 of these authorities or rules of this beast had already ruled and had fallen when they were cast out of the congregation of Israel (Old Testament congregation). The 5th is the last, which fell when Christ dealt Satan a deathblow at the Cross. This is the ONE HEAD, the authority of Satan, that was wounded unto death. This is why Christ restrained Satan's power and authority so that he could build His Church.
Rev 13:2-3
[2] And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.
[3] And I saw
one of his heads as
it were wounded to death; and
his deadly wound was healed: and
all the world wondered after the beast.
One of his heads, the 5th one, was wounded to Death by Christ when He went to the Cross. This was predicted by David when he wrote a Messianic Psalm:
Psa 68:20-21
[20] He that is our God is the
God of salvation; and unto GOD the Lord belong the issues from death.
[21] But
God shall wound the head of his enemies, and
the hairy scalp of such an one as goeth on still in his trespasses.
David detailed Christ's defeat of Satan and His freeing the captivity in the New Covenant Dispensation:
Jer 31:23
[23] Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the
God of Israel; As yet they shall use this speech in the land of Judah and in the cities thereof,
when I shall bring again their captivity; The LORD bless thee, O habitation of justice, and mountain of holiness.
Or again:
Rev 13:1
[1] And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.
Rev 13:3
[3] And I saw
one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and
his deadly wound was healed: and
all the world wondered after the beast.
This is the SAME BEAST with seven heads and ten horns as we see in Revelation 17. This head wounded is Satan's AUTHORITY (to deceive the nations) at the time of the fall of Old Testament Congregation of Israel along with the death of their Messiah the Prince, Jesus Christ (Dan 9:26). Christ dealt Satan's kingdom a deathblow, and that was his 5th head falling. Satan's authority to deceive the nations was crippled, as Satan was chained and bound (restrained) by Christ for 1,000 symbolic years - the whole Church age.
That was the last of the 5 heads fallen.
Now the 6th head was present at the time of John was writing because though Satan was defeated by Christ, he still goes about in the world as a roaring lion, working through unsaved people. That is the kingdom that is. And the one head or king that was yet to come is when the head is HEALED. That is when Satan having been bound at the Cross, is loosed NOW to rule once again. Why, because the purpose of the building of God's kingdom through the church has fulfilled their purpose to seal all people God wanted to seal has been sealed. THEN Satan is loosened from the bottomless pit as the 7th head, or authority, which will introduce the great tribulation in the future (which I believe is right now) that lasts for a SHORT SPACE.
Rev 17:10
[10] 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.
The "short space" is the SAME as Revelation chapter 20 reveals that Satan must be loosed for a "little season." That little season is the short space of this last king's rule. If we want to know what these kings are, I believe that a careful study the Scripture will show that they (these heads) were PART of the beast that has been around since before the Cross and represents his periods of AUTHORITY over man. This is what I believe on the basis of interpreting Scripture by Scripture, based on biblical history, not world history, which the heads are not something we can identify with physical empires, nations, or human kings.
The Preterists and Premillennialists (and their cousins) are busy looking for famous or popular like Nero, Dominion, Gorbachev, or Trump thinking they are the one God talked about.
NO! They totally misunderstood what God actually talked about here!
