The Mystery Of The Woman And Beast Explained Series

More information about the beast follows in Revelation 17:7-14 and more about the woman in Revelation 17:15-18. The beast supplied the woman’s power and purpose. He had seven heads and10 horns, which the angel explained later (Revelation 17:9-10).

“And of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads, and ten horns,” said the angel, which indicates the mystical significance of the beast, its heads and horns; but this is also delivered in a mysterious manner. In revealing this and what follows, the angel would unveil the woman’s true identity and her ties to the land-beast and the sea-beast both! Above all, however, she must be tied chiefly to the land-beast. She rides the sea-beast; she is the land-beast!

8 The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.

“The beast that thou sawest was, and is not.” In the close of the verse the phrase “and yet is” is added,?“the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.” There are three things stated here: first, that there is a sense in which it might be said of the power referred to here, that it “was,” or that, before this, it had an existence; second, that there was a sense in which it might be said that it “is not,” that is, that it had become practically extinct; and third, that there is a sense in which that power would be so revitalized that it might be said that it “still is.” The “beast” referred to here is the same one that is mentioned in Revelation 17:3{14], Revelation 13:1, Revelation 13:3, and Revelation 13:11-16; which means that there was one great formidable power, having essentially the same origin, though manifested with certain modifications, any one of which might be given the same name, “the beast.”

This “beast” was not created by the devil; for he, the dragon, is distinguished from this beast, but from him the beast gets his position, power, and authority (Revelation 13:1{1]); and he is not any particular emperor, such as Domitian, but he ruled the Roman Empire as if he were sent from hell. The Roman Empire itself is intended here, for as we have seen, it supported the Papacy. In fact, in the beginning it was in the hands of the Romans, but now “is not.” Rome was the great metropolis of the Empire and it was a very powerful and flourishing empire, and now “is not.” Under the jurisdiction of antichrist, it was an idolatrous empire, which encouraged the worshipping of Heathen gods. It was guilty of idolatrous practices such as the worshipping of Jupiter and Mars, and it was given to idolatry in another way; worshipping the Virgin Mary, and other saints. Rome “is not” the same as it has been, in some respects, and yet is the same with regard to idolatry, cruelty, etc. In short, the meaning is that this beast “was” the Pagan Roman Empire described by a dragon with seven heads, and ten horns, with crowns on the heads, but in the Apostle John’s time, it “is not” as yet, as Papal.