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 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. This calls for a mind with wisdom: the seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman is seated; 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. As for the beast that was and is not, it is an eighth but it belongs to the seven, and it goes to destruction. 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 are of one mind, and they hand over their power and authority to the beast. They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful.”
Comment: I’ve read that the seven mountains on which the woman sits make the woman the Roman church because Rome is built on seven hills. At the moment Jerusalem is being attacked by seven enemies, under the control of Iran. Bagdad is the capital of one of the surrounding countries of Israel. The beast is certainly Satan, beaten on the Cross but still rampaging the earth, but he is assigned in the end to the bottomless pit. Those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life are secure but others, without their names recorded are somehow associated with the beast! Certainly it sounds as if the kingdoms which are against God and committed to the Beast (Satan) fight against the Lamb of God (is this describing the Battle of Armageddon?).
Prayer: Please don’t let my life be led by speculations or error. There are things that I don’t fully understand, but I thank You that You control the Universe and the Future.
As I read it! 