Dennis Pumford’s Revelation Decoded #18

The Seven Head Puzzle

Most of us who study Revelation extensively have  wrestled with the identity of the seven heads on the  dragon of Revelation 12, the composite beast of  Revelation 13, and the scarlet beast of Revelation 17.  We notice that in chapter 12, the seven heads have  crowns. In chapter 13, the crowns are on the ten horns  rather than the seven heads. In chapter 17, there are no  crowns. It has been thought that when the dragon  appeared in chapter twelve, the crowns on the heads  indicate that the events took place during the dominion  of the seven powers. By the same token, the crowns on  the heads in chapter 13 indicate that the events described  take place during the period signified by the 10 horns. If  this pattern holds true, then the lack of crowns in chapter  17, places the events at the end of the millennium, just as  I have written in my book, Revelation Decoded.   

So, who or what do the seven heads represent?  Revelation 17:9-10, gives us some clues in the form of a  riddle: “The seven heads are seven mountains on which  the woman sits, and they are seven kings; five have  fallen, one is, the other has not yet come; and when he  comes, he must remain a little while. And the beast  which was and is not, is himself also an eighth, and is of  the seven, and he goes to destruction.”   

Notice that the heads are mountains, which are kings.  Are these literal kings? In Daniel chapter 2, as Daniel  interprets the dream to Nebuchadnezzar, he said, “You,  O king, are the head of gold…and after you will arise  another kingdom…” Daniel told the king that he was the  head of gold. But after him would come another  “kingdom,” not “king.” Clearly, Daniel meant that  Nebuchadnezzar represented Babylon. Daniel 8:17 says,  “These great beasts, which are four, are four kings who  will arise from the earth.” Here again, the four  kingdoms—Babylon, Persia, Greece and Rome—are  called “kings.” So there is a precedent for the term  “king” to stand for “kingdom.”   

“Five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come…”  We must calculate this riddle at the time that John was  given the vision. He lived under the kingdom of Rome.  Counting back from Rome, you would include Greece,  Persia and Babylon. What these kingdoms have in  common is that they suppressed controlled or reigned  over God’s people Israel. Taking this principle back  farther than the four kingdoms of Daniel 2 and Daniel 7,  we could include Egypt and Assyria. Both were world- class powers in their day that tangled with Israel. So the  five that had fallen were: Egypt, Assyria, Babylon,  Persia and Greece. The one that was at that time was  Rome. Many commentators see the one that is yet to  come as Papal Rome as opposed to Pagan Rome which  existed in John’s day. Actually, in the visions of Daniel  2, 7 and 8, Pagan and Papal Rome are not treated as two  separate powers. That leaves us with wondering what  power is yet to come that “must remain for a little  while.”  

Some believe that it is the Papacy after the deadly would  is healed. Still others believe that it is the United States.  Neither really works well. The United States is already  represented by a different symbol in Revelation 13, so it  cannot also be one of the heads. The Papacy is already a  head with Rome, so should not be counted again, or the  continuum would be broken.   

Let’s look at the phrase, “must remain a little while.” Is  the emphasis here on the shortness of its reign? Or is the  emphasis on the “must remain” for some reason? It is  hard to tell.   

There is one other kingdom, or empire that reigned and  is largely lost sight of in today’s studies. It is the  Ottoman Empire. This empire was considered widely in  the commentaries of the past. It has largely been lost  sight of. The Ottoman Empire had its capitol in  Constantinople, Turkey, which was also the ancient seat  of the Roman Empire after Constantine changed it from  Rome. It was one of the greatest and most significant  cities for hundreds of years. The Ottoman Empire was  made up of Moslems. At their zenith they reached from  Europe on the northwest to Persia on the east and Egypt  in the South. There influence and dread reached across  Europe and especially all the way to Spain. Because of  their strategic location, the Empire held control of the  trade between Europe and India. It was because they cut  off the flow of trade that Columbus was motivated to  find a route to India the other direction, and accidentally  discovered America. At times, the Christian European  nations feared the Ottomans more than anyone else. The  Ottoman Empire endured for many centuries. During its  last 100 years or more, it was called the “Sick Man of  the East.” This was because of its weakened condition.  Several times when it was just about to meet its demise,  other nations would come to its rescue, which makes  little sense if it had been a threat to the Christian world.   

In 1825, Clarke wrote in his commentary on Daniel 11  that the Ottoman Empire was the one pointed out in  verses 40 through 45. He stated that verse 44 would be  fulfilled when Persia and Russia threaten the Ottomans  and they fight a war. In fact, about 30 years latter that is  exactly what happened. We call it the “Crimean War.”  England and France came to the aid of the Turks, and  they survived. Why were other Christian nations fearful  of the demise of the Ottoman Empire? Simply because  of Daniel 11:45. “He will pitch the tents of his royal  pavilion between the seas and the beautiful Holy  Mountain; yet he will come to his end, and no one will  help him.” Many believed that when the Ottoman  Empire ended, Christ would come and the world would  end.   

So, what happened? By the time World War I broke out,  the Ottoman Empire had pulled back from its once larger  territory to include only Turkey and Palestine. (Turkey  lies between the Black Sea and the Mediterranean Sea.  Palestine includes the “Holy Mountain” of old, which is  Jerusalem) The Ottomans sided with the Germans in the  war, were defeated and signed surrender to the British in  October of 1918.   

The Ottoman Empire was the last of a continual  succession of powers that controlled Palestine. It  became a British protectorate after the war and until it  was partitioned into the present state of Israel in 1948.   

Canaan (Palestine) was a territory of Egypt when the  Israelites left Egypt in the Exodus. Assyria took control  of the ten northern tribes of Israel, and then Babylon  defeated Judah. Palestine was under the control of  Persia, Greece and Rome. Then the Ottoman Empire  had control of the area. That is why there is a Moslem  Mosque on the “Holy Mountain” today.   

Could the seven heads of the dragon and beasts be:  Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia, Greece, Rome and the  Ottoman Empire? It fits the pattern. If that is so, and if  the Ottoman Empire’s end was the fulfillment of Daniel  11:45, we will have to take another look at Daniel 12:1.  

That we will attempt to do next week.

Until then, have a good and prosperous week. 

Dennis 
dennispumford.com

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