"And 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, that has the seven heads and ten horns." (Revelation 17:7)

"Here is the mind which has wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sits. And there are seven kings; five have fallen, and one is, and the other has not yet come. And when he comes, he must continue a short time.  And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goes into perdition." (Revelation 17:9-11)

There are eight kings. Or beasts, whatever you want to call them.

Five Beasts have gone into history. One Beast is alive and working Satan's work on Earth right now, early in the year AD 2024.

The first Beast attempted to kill Jesus when He was born:

"And another sign was seen in the heavens. And behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on his heads...And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she bears he might devour her child." (Revelation 12:3-4)

Then, after nearly two thousand years, the second Beast arises. Daniel describes his beginning:

"So the king of the north shall come, and cast up a siege mound, and take a fortified city. And the arms of the south shall not hold out, nor his chosen people, nor will there be any strength to hold out." (Daniel 11:15)

The third, fourth and fifth Beasts are described, beginning in verse 18:

"And he shall turn his face to the coastlands, and shall capture many. But a ruler shall make cease his reproach for him, but his reproach will return to him." (Daniel 11:18)

 The end of the fifth Beast is described in verse 26:

"Yes, those who eat his food shall destroy him, and his army shall be swept away. And many shall fall down slain." (Daniel 11:26)

The next verse is not about a Beast, but about an event which happens seventy years after the death of the fifth Beast:

'And both these kings' hearts shall be to do evil, and they shall speak lies at one table. But it shall not succeed. For still the end comes at the time appointed." (Daniel 11:27)

Immediately following that event the sixth Beast appears:

"And he shall return to his own land with great riches. And his heart shall be against the Holy Covenant. And he will act, and he shall return to his own land." (Daniel 11:28)

This Beast is still here, early in the year AD 2024, and is in the process of returning to his own land.

When the sixth Beast has returned to his own land, or perhaps shortly before that, (or perhaps some time after that) the seventh Beast makes an abortive expedition to the South, but turns tail and heads for home when he is confronted by the ships of Kittim:

"At the time appointed he shall return and come against the south. But it shall not be as the former or as the latter. For the ships of Kittim shall come against him. And he shall be grieved and return, and have fury against the Holy Covenant. So he shall do; he shall even return and give heed to those who forsake the Holy Covenant. (Daniel 11:29-30)

And then, the ghost of either the second or fifth Beast, the eighth Beast arises. He sends an expedition on a peace-keeping mission to Jerusalem. But he is not peaceful, he is deadly.

"And part of the army will profane the sanctuary of power, and shall remove the daily sacrifice, and they shall set up the desolating abomination." (Daniel 11:31)

Then begins a time of great distress.


A little more:

"The ten horns which you saw on the beast, these will hate the harlot and will make her desolate and naked. And they will eat her flesh and burn her with fire. For God gave into their hearts to do His mind, and to act with one mind, and to give their kingdom to the beast until the Words of God will be fulfilled. And the woman whom you saw is the great city which reigns over the kings of the earth." (Revelation 17:16-18)

A city which has sat astride, for over two thousand years, eight Beasts. A city which, probably for reasons of his own economic ideology, the eighth Beast will allow to be destroyed.