Thinking Thursday

[Rev 17:6-13 ESV] 6 And I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. When I saw her, I marveled greatly. 

John sees this harlot drunk on the power of persecuting the saints and marvels probably how this happened.

7 But the angel said to me, "Why do you marvel? I will tell you the mystery of the woman, and of the beast with seven heads and ten horns that carries her. 

The angel tells John that he shouldn't marvel that it is clear what she represents.

8 The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to rise from the bottomless pit and go to destruction. And the dwellers on earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world will marvel to see the beast, because it was and is not and is to come. 

A beast that existed, died and is coming back only to be destroyed forever.  This will greatly impress the people whose names are not written in the book of life.  It will be a miracle (although a false one) that they can get behind and believe/hope in.

9 This calls for a mind with wisdom: the seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman is seated;

Mountains in Scripture usually represent kingdoms. 

10 they are also seven kings, five of whom have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come, and when he does come he must remain only a little while. 

Five kings are thought to be Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia and Greece as detailed in Scripture.  At John's time of writing Revelation, the kingdom that exists is Rome.  The one to come must be the kingdom of the antichrist.

11 As for the beast that was and is not, it is an eighth but it belongs to the seven, and it goes to destruction. 

Satan's reign through the antichrist.  The end of this reign is already determined.

12 And the ten horns that you saw are ten kings who have not yet received royal power, but they are to receive authority as kings for one hour, together with the beast. 

These 10 kings will be in partnership with the antichrist for a brief time.

13 These are of one mind, and they hand over their power and authority to the beast.

Talk about zombies!  .These 10 kings in their hive state of mindwill just hand over power and rally behind the beast. Scary stuff to give one demonic person power over the world.