The Mystery of the Woman and of the Beast: Revelation 17:

But the angel said to me, ‘Why did you marvel? I will tell you the mystery of the woman AND of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and the ten horns. (Rev.17:7)

When examining this difficult to understand chapter, for our contemporary world, it is most important that we refer back to John’s preview of the God-opposing, end time ‘kingdom beast’ that rose up out of the sea in Revelation 13:1–4 (during its first advent). John had previously been told in Revelation 1:19 to …write… the things which will take place after this. Then in Revelation 4:1 he is told…’Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this’ (i.e., after the Roman era of the Seven Churches in Asia/Turkey), via John’s futuristic visions, relating to the seventh and eighth iterations of the beast.

Consequently, the beast that rose up out of the sea, which took the form of a ‘beast-shaped’ piece of territorial land in the Middle East, did not coalesce into a united polity until the 7^th Century CE, when he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, against God, His name, His tabernacle and those who dwell in heaven (Rev. 13:5–6); after which Islam stormed out of the Hejaz region in Arabia to begin the great Islamic Conquest (both military and religious) when it was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue and nation (Rev. 13:7). This seemingly unstoppable force was initiated by Muhammad the (false prophet) founder of Islam, and it continues to the present time.

It had seven heads (it comprised seven historical iterations of kingdoms, empires, caliphates)

and ten horns (located over ten modern Muslim nations—after the partition of the Ottoman territories—that comprised the beast’s shape [via Sykes-Picot Agreement; Treaty of Sèvres 1920; Treaty of Lausanne 1923].)

and on his horns ten crowns, (showing that the ten nations were legitimate sovereign nations).

and on his heads a blasphemous name. (Indicating, that all seven kingdoms were idolatrous.)

It was shaped like a leopard; his feet were like the feet of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. (i.e., it was composed of parts from three historic empires (Babylon, Media-Persia and Macedon-Greece). These three would have their lives prolonged for a season and a time (as recorded in Daniel 7:4–6, 12); they would reappear for a season and a time after the last manifestation of the Roman iteration (6^th head) on the beast was destroyed (Dan. 7:11). These three O.T. empires are—in Revelation, and the end time—listed in reverse historical order; i.e., the Macedon-Grecian (leopard) being the most recent; the Media-Persian (bear), and the Babylonian (Lion) the oldest. These empires that existed in the Middle East/Asia—centred on the ancient city of Babylon as their Capital, until the 7^th Century when Babylon was neglected, and finally abandoned in AD 1,000.[1]

One of its heads (i.e., the seventh head iteration, the SUNNI Islamist Ottoman Empire came into existence (as heir to Eastern Rome, Constantinople: AD 1453–1918, at the end of the Islamic Conquest (c. AD 700’s—>).

had been mortally wounded, (by the ‘sword’ in World War I (Rev. 13:3, 14), and ceased to exist),

but its deadly wound was healed. (Rev. 13:3–4) It revived and reappeared in similar form, when it was given authority to ‘continue’ for 42 months (cf. Rev. 13:5) as Islamic State (ISIS).

And all the world marvelled and followed the beast (i.e., they were surprised by its revival).

So they worshiped the dragon (God’s heavenly adversary, who gave authority to the beast),

And they worshiped the beast (Satan’s earthy agent who opposes Yahweh God).

The beast was given power, his throne and great authority by the dragon (Satan, Devil, and serpent of old, (Rev. 12:9)

The angel’s explanation for the Beast’s eighth appearance in Revelation 17:

So, after reviewing the beast’s first advent in Revelation 13:1–10, the angel now brings John’s attention to focus on the scarlet beast that he saw in the wilderness, which had a woman sitting on it! This scarlet beast was basically the same beast that John first saw in Revelation chapter 13, only now there were some changes:

It was now scarlet coloured and full of names of blasphemy (implicating sinful idolatry).

There was a harlot woman sitting on it with a tattoo on her forehead, which named her: ‘Mystery’ Babylon the Great, The Mother of Harlots and of the abominations of the earth! She appears to represent some sort of evil spirit or reincarnation of ancient Babylon’s idolatrous and false religion, dressed up as a great luxurious, religious and commercial city located in the wilderness, which is far off from a great maritime Port (Rev. 18:10, 15, 17) from where the Merchants of the Sea mourn to see the smoke of her burning.

John is told that the seven heads are seven mountains (empires), on which the woman sits (therefore she has had influence over seven kings; peoples, multitudes, nations and tongues).

Five of these (heads/empires/kings) are historic; one is (Rome), and one is yet to come in N.T. times. When the seventh head/Caliphate comes, (then there will be a hiatus in time after he/it is mortally wounded); then he/it must continue a short time (cf. 42 months Rev. 13:4) until he/it is sent to Perdition, which ends its tenure as the seventh head. This occurred when ISIS was driven out of Syria and Iraq in December 2017, and Caliph Ibrahim (Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi) was killed by a US raid in Idlib, Syria, on Oct, 27, 2019.

The beast’s 10 horns are now described as ‘ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet’ but they receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast. They become of one mind, and in return they give their power and authority to the beast.

This group of ten ‘kingdom-less kings’ makes war with the Lamb, and the Lamb overcomes them.

God puts it into the ‘kingdom-less kings’ hearts to hate the harlot and destroy (with fire) the great city in the wilderness, which reigns over the kings of the earth.

As John’s Angel guide told him… Here is the mystery of the beast, and we need wisdom to understand it:

NB. For further interpretation of the difficult to understand verses in Revelation 17:8–11, see my two letters: The Seventh and Eighth heads on the beast; and A Harlot Woman sits on the Beast. Jan. 14, 2024. These letters have been written to cover these end time topics with different emphasises.

However, one of the very interesting things about this particular, demonically empowered beast (Rev. 13:7; 16:13) with its accumulated heads/empires etc., is that the unclean spirit that possesses it is ‘enduring’ almost ‘immortal’ and it keeps-on-moving-on, surviving and re-appearing! The demon spirit does not meet its terminal fate (together with its possessed beneficiaries) until it is finally captured (cf. Rev. 19:17–21), and is cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone, together with every semblance of its activist False Prophet and his influence via the Quran and Hadith.

We are inclined to forget, when we view the rise and fall of empires, that there are demonic spirits and princes of darkness supporting each of them; they make war with the angels of God, with God’s people, and even with the Lamb! (a.k.a. the King of kings and Lord of lords). (cf. Dan. 10:13, 20; Rev 11:7; 12:6, 17; 17:14; 19:19).

It is the premise of this letter therefore, that while the seventh head on the beast (with its dual historical representation as two comparable SUNNI Islamist Caliphates) has now been consigned to history, the fact remains; the demonic spirit inhabiting the beast is well and truly active, and it will once again reappear in its eighth iteration via the SHIA branch of ISLAM!

Hence the following verses form a trilogy about the beast, with my explanations inserted:

The beast that was, and is not, (viz., the SUNNI ‘seventh head’ version of Islam that has now ceased to exist) is himself also the eighth, (viz., the SHIA ‘eighth head’ version of Islam that is now arising via Iran’s ‘Axis of Resistance’) and is of the seven, and is going to perdition. (Rev. 17:11)

The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, i.e., ‘Non-State, FTO’s, who align with SHIA IRAN, but they receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast. (Rev. 17:12)

These are of one mind, and they will give their power and authority to the beast. (Rev. 17:13)

To summarise: The eighth iteration of the beast described above, together with the powerful and active ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, (i.e., non-state FTO’s, Foreign Terrorist Organisations) are empowered to receive authority for one hour to act like kings (who usually have their own armies). These disparate leaders have latterly become of one mind, via their ‘unity of fronts’ agreements brokered by Hezbollah and Iran, and they will give their power, authority and militant armies to the beast—as its proxy forces, via Iran’s Axis of Resistance!

And the ten horns which you saw on the beast, these will hate the harlot, make her desolate and naked, eat her flesh and burn her with fire. For God has put it into their hearts to fulfil His purpose to be of one mind, and to give their kingdom to the beast until the words of God are fulfilled. And the woman whom you saw is that great city which reigns over the kings of the earth. (Rev. 17:16–18)

Subsequently, the ten horns that John saw, which were originally identified as ten Muslim nations that contributed to the shape of the beast, are now being described as ‘ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet’. This can only be a reference to the fact that these ten original and legitimate Muslim nations now have Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs) Islamist groups embedded in them (e.g., Muslim Brotherhood, Hamas, Hezbollah, ISIS, Al Qaeda, Iran’s IRGC, etc). These ten FTO entities will destroy the great harlot city (Mecca) called Babylon (cf. Rev. 17:16–18, above).

This diversion to destroy Mecca with fire is not unheard of, as a similar attack was carried out in Nov. 20–Dec. 4, 1979. The siege was led by a Salafist Islamist anti-monarchist called Juhayman al-Otaybi, who, together with 600 militants, stormed the Grand Mosque of Mecca.

‘Juhayman alleged that the House of Saud had become corrupted, decrying their pursuit of alliances with "Christian infidels" and stating that the Saudi government's policies were betraying Islam by attempting to push secularism into Saudi society.’

The same situation could be applied to current events today, as Saudi Arabia has been considering ‘Normalisation Talks’ with Israel. In any case, God has put it into their hearts to fulfill His purpose, to be of one mind, and to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled.

Also, the fifth bowl judgment (Rev. 16:10) poured out on the throne of the beast when his kingdom became full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues because of the pain; is not an unusual occurrence in Saudi Arabia either… as it suffers from sand-storms blowing across Saudi Arabia, called Shamal.[2] Watch: Saudi storm brings fierce winds to Mecca | Saudi – Gulf News - Aug. 23, 2023

These (ten kings without kingdoms and the beast) 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.

Today, as I write this letter, January, 12, 2024, it is highly likely that the actions taken by the US and UK today—to launch air strikes against Houthi rebels in Yemen, because of the danger and threat to global shipping in the Red Sea—will foment a scenario where IRAN calls on its ‘Axis of Resistance’ FTO’s composed of the ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, to do its dirty work; this will escalate into a regional war, fought by the followers of the Lamb: i.e., UK, US, Canada, Netherlands and Australia, with support from Bahrain.

[1] Is it just an interesting coincidence… when the ancient City of Babylon (Gate of the Gods) in Mesopotamia was suffering neglect from around AD 651 onward (and declined after the Muslim Arab conquest in the 7^th Century, until it was finally abandoned in AD 1,000), that during this same era Muhammad (b. 570–632) received instruction from the (angel?) Jibril in the Hira Cave in Mecca (610–622), when the Quran was first revealed.

Is this also the era when the religious and idolatrous spirit of ‘Mystery Babylon’ abandoned her previous habitat in Mesopotamia, and was transferred to Mecca, via the 360 pagan stone idols originally found to be residing in the Kaaba (the black cube, House of God) in Mecca?

Mecca was afterward made the religious centre of Islamic faith, while the Kaaba, (within Islam’s holiest site, the Al-Masjid Al-Haram, Sacred Mosque) in AD 624 was made the Qiblah (direction for prayer five times a day) for Muslims! Thus, in Revelation 17:18, the religious harlot called ‘Mystery, Babylon,’ is apparently a great city that reigns over the kings of the earth, and she is sitting on the eighth iteration head on the beast in the wilderness (Rev. 17:3).

[2] Dust over the Arabian Peninsula (nasa.gov)

A dust storm swept over the Arabian Peninsula in early February 2012. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite captured this image on February 2.

This dust storm follows a familiar pattern for this region, with especially thick dust occurring in the southwest. Toward the northeast, the dust thins enough to show the Persian Gulf, Qatar, and Bahrain.

This storm likely draws at least some of its dust from the Arabian Peninsula’s Empty Quarter, or Rub’ al Khali. Sprawling over parts of Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates, Rub’ al Khali is the largest sand sea on Earth, and it holds about half as much sand as the Sahara Desert.