The Seven Kings And The Ten Horns

John's Revelation speaks about Rome under the symbol of "Babylon the great, mother of prostitutes and of earth's abominations" (Rev. 17:5). She is drunk with the blood of the saints, the martyrs or witnesses of Jesus. The angel with the seventh bowl explains this mystery of the woman and the beast that carries her, the beast with seven heads and ten horns. The seven heads are the seven mountains or hills on which Rome is founded . . . and "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" (Rev. 17:9-10).

So who are these seven kings? A variety of conclusions have been offered. Here is a list of the Emperors or "kings" of Rome in the first century:

1. Julius Caesar (founder) —13 July 100 BCE - 15 March 44 BCE (murdered by senators)
2. Augustus — 23 September 63 BCE - 19 August 14 CE (natural death)
3. Tiberius — 16 November 14 CE - 16 March 37 CE (natural death)
4. Caligula — 18 March 37 - 24 January 41 (murdered by soldiers)
5. Claudius — 25 January 41 - 13 October 54 (poisoned)
6. Nero —15 December 37 - 9 June 68 (suicide)
7. Galba — 8 June 68 - 15 June 69 (lynched by soldiers)
8. Vitellius —18 July 69 - 20 December 69 (lynched by soldiers)
9. Otho —15 January 69 - 16 April 69 (suicide)
10. Vespasian — 1 July 69 -23 June 79 (natural death)
11. Julius Sabinus — Spring, Summer 70 (hiding; executed 79)
12. Titus — 24 June 79 - 13 September 81 (natural death)
13. Domitian — 14 September 81 - 18 September 96 (murdered by courtiers)
14. Nerva —18 September 96 - January 98 (natural death)
15. Trajan — 28 January 98 - 7 August 117 (natural death)

Julius Caesar sculpture at the Louvre

As to which of these emperors the Revelation refers we can only guess, as have many. Some suggest that the list of seven begins with Julius, others with Tiberius, yet others with Nero. They further suggest that the interim, short-lived emperors (Galba, Vitellius, Otho, Sabinus and Titus) not be included in the list of the seven heads. All that any commentator can do is guess, because it is unclear, regardless of how much speculation you do, exactly to whom the symbol of Babylon in the Revelation initially pointed.

The same thing holds true for the ten horns. Could they refer to the ten governors in Palestine who supported the Romans or legates of the army? As noted, we can only make inferences, based upon Roman history and the parallel history of Babylon, the writings of the Old Testament and various non-Biblical sources.

So what is the point of it all? The Lord God guides the destiny of nations and calls and gathers his people to Himself. Ultimately the harlot and the beast upon whom she rides will perish. The next chapter takes up that theme as a voice from heaven calls God's people to come out of her. We will take up that call in Revelation 18 in the next post.

More About The End Of The Age

My astute friend Harold wrote some insightful comments about my previous posting. I review them here and add some more of my own with helpful links. Harold's are in italics.

When Jesus in v. 6 of Mt. 24 says, "But the END is not yet", I believe that the word in Gk. "telos", refers not to the "end of the world", for Jesus does not there use the word, sunteleia, of 24:3.I believe He is speaking of the things that will happen before the "END" of the TEMPLE (Jesus' prediction of temple's destruction was a blow too hard to believe for disciples). The disciples were shocked to hear Jesus predict the destruction of the temple.

Matthew reports Jesus' using the Gk. word sunteleia to speak exclusively about the "end of the age":

• . . . and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. ... So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous - Mat 13:39-40, 49 ESV 
• teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." - Mat 28:20 ESV

Harold continues:

Their question was "WHEN shall 'these things' be?" When Jesus says 'YOU" in v. 6, v. 9, v. 14,v.23,25, He is speaking to THAT generation which would be around when the armies of Rome would encircle Jerusalem.The "abomination of desolation"would be SEEN, and acc. to Lk.21:20 that abomination was the entry of pagan armies into Jerusalem and the temple . Eusebius reports that believers, remembering Jesus' words, fled to the hills when Rom. armies began to come to jerusalem. 

Eusebius was a 4th century bishop of Caesarea. He wrote a chronological account of early Christianity from the first century to his own. He does indeed write about the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans and the predictions of Christ. They are quoted by eschatology.org.


Harold speaks about modern attempts to interpret Matthew:

I note that premillenialists use the words of Mt. 24 in such a way as though Jesus were speaking to US in the 20th or 21st centuries, as the "Left Behind" series of novels show, and eisegizing a present Jewish people into the text who are to also "flee to the hills", etc.

Patrick Zukeran of PROBE ministries refers to Hank Hanegraaff's book The Apocalypse Code as he writes about the conflicting views about the end of the age. He notes that the debate has continued throughout the history of the church, based not only on Matt. 24, but especially on the Book of Revelation. Harold's word "eisegizing" refers to the practice of reading words and ideas into the Biblical text rather than letting the text speak for itself.



Harold continues with some historical comments about the Roman world of that day.

Jesus says that before the "END" of the temple, 70 A.D., the Gospel would go to all nations, and it did (Rom.1:8;, Rom.16:26, Col.1:6, Col 1:23). There was political turmoil at the time of 70 A.D.(4 emperors in 18 months)there were numerous wars(v.6), famines and earthquakes (v.7).All these things took place in the decades before 70 A.D.  

There were indeed many Roman Emperors in the first century. They had quite a passion for killing off one another. You can read more about the destruction of Jerusalem and the horrors, famines and pestilence connected with in in Josephus' history.



Harold concludes his comments with these words:

I see these words of Jesus in Matt. 24, as the author of the study on Revelation (forgot his name, publ. by CPH) says, "are a microcosm" of the End of all things, and Judgment Day. . . . . h.h. 

He probably refers to Louis A Brighton's several commentaries published by Concordia Publishing House on the Book of Revelation in the Concordia Commentary series.

Thank you Harold. You have expanded our understanding of Matt. 24 and strengthened our faith in the promised return of the Lord Jesus. Even so, come Lord Jesus. Amen.