What is the symbolic significance of the Ten horns in Revelation?

Answer 1

This could mean that the Devil will come and wreck havoc on the Earth and Jesus will come and save the Saints from the Devil..... i guess.

Answer:

Prophetically, the Bible references man's governments as "beastly" in nature. This is revealed to us in the seventh chapter of Daniel... where he "dreams" about "the good news of the coming Kingdom of God" that is presaged by "four beasts," which are revealed as the four major world-ruling governments of man down through post-flood history.

"...I saw in my vision by night... the four winds of the heaven strove upon the great sea. And FOUR BEASTS came up from the sea, diverse from one another." (Dan.7:2-3)

At the end of Daniel's inspired book, he confesses that he didn't understand what he had written. But, he was told that he didn't need to... because what he wrote would be understood "by those who are wise" at the time of the end of God's plan, when the saints of God would be rewarded and the whole world would be made to know the Truth.

"...I heard, but I understood not... what shall be the end of these things? And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the Words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end... none of the wicked will understand; but the wise shall understand..." (Dan.12:8-10).

Who is "wise," according to God? He says, "The FEAR OF THE LORD IS THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM" (Prov.9:10) ! The end time "wise," therefore at the very least - maintain a healthy fear the Lord and at least possess a "foundation" of Godly wisdom, which translates into an understanding of the Bible.

And, sure enough... in these last days... Daniel's closed and sealed words find "Revelation" in the inspired book of that very name. We discover that the only one worthy to strip away the seals and tell us what the prophecy means is the "Lamb of God" - Jesus Christ.

"...Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God [the Father] by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; and hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and WE SHALL REIGN ON THE EARTH." (Rev.5:9-10)

So it is, that we are told who Daniel's "10-horned beast" is... and from "which sea" they and all the beastly governments of the past emerged.

"...I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a Beast rise up out of the sea (just like in Daniel 7), having seven heads and ten horns..." (Rev.13:1).

The "parable" that is the book of Revelation... God's most puzzling parable for the nations to ponder and wonder about... has a story flow that is interrupted here and there with "synoptic inset chapters" that bring the "understanding" reader up to speed on certain aspects of the beasts and their character roles as they have unfolded over the course of time, as well as where they are all headed in the end.

For instance... chapter 12 brings the reader up to date on Satan's role in the course of history from his coercing his angels to follow him in his coup attempt to overthrow God's Government in the beginning... and ends with an overview of his role in the coming Great Tribulation.

The Bible tells us that the "Antichrist," as men, who are ignorant of the scriptures, call a mysterious someone who supposedly shall rule the world in the Great Tribulation, will actually be TWO MEN who will rule this coming government system (Beast) JOINTLY!

They are both referred to as "beasts"... as is the system of government over which they rule. According to Daniel... a "king" is synonymous with his "kingdom." When you say "king"... you are also saying "kingdom." And vice versa: when you say, "kingdom," you are also talking about its "king." For as the king is, so is his kingdom.

So it is with the Beast. The coming "Beast" is interchangeably the government AND its rulers.

For instance, when Jesus said to the Pharisees, "...the Kingdom of God is within you" (Luke 17:21)... you may be assured that He would never tell the Pharisees, whom He called "hypocrites" and a "generation of vipers," such a thing.

The Pharisees and all of Judea were looking for the Messiah to appear to set up Daniel's prophesied Kingdom on earth and smash to pieces Daniel's FOURTH BEAST, which they knew to be the Roman Empire, under whose thumb they lived.

Jesus' preaching of the Kingdom and John the Baptist's testimony and all His miracles made Him the prime candidate for the Messiah position... and they were all waiting and expecting Him to produce it - for three-and-a-half years!

So: "...when He was demanded of the Pharisees, when the Kingdom of God should come, He answered them and said, The Kingdom of God cometh not with observation: neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! For, behold, the Kingdom of God is within you." (Luke 17:20-21)

At another time, Jesus told Nicodemus that we "enter into the Kingdom" (John 3). So Jesus was not telling the Pharisees that it's within us. As stated above... king and kingdom are synonymous with each other.

Therefore... Jesus was telling the Pharisees and whoever else was listening, that the KING of the coming Kingdom of God stood right there (not within them, but) IN THEIR MIDST... and THEY COULDN'T SEE IT!

The "two" Beasts: the Beast and the False Prophet (called, "another" Beast - Revelation 13:11) shall rule their beastly government also called Beast, together. There is no one "Antichrist," as Satan has men believing as a misdirection ploy.

When Jesus returns, He doesn't cast "the Antichrist" into the Lake of Fire, but: "...the Beast was taken, and WITH HIM the False Prophet that wrought miracles before him... These were BOTH CAST ALIVE INTO A LAKE OF FIRE..." (Rev.19:20).

The Great Tribulation will be led by TWO MEN... not one "Antichrist."

The Beast shall be a "political/military" figure. The False Prophet is a "religious" figure who is able to work miracles while in the presence of the Beast (probably channeling Satan's power to the False Prophet... as well as some "high-tech" stuff, called "lying wonders").

The False Prophet appears to the world "Christ-like"... to be "Christian": "...he had two horns LIKE A LAMB, and he spake as a Dragon..." (Rev.13:11).

But, before these two men (Beasts) can come to power... prophecy states that TEN-HORNS will GIVE THEM THEIR POWER.

Who are the ten-horns?

The answer is found in Revelation 17 - the synoptic inset chapter that describes the False Prophet's (false religion's) role in history, and where it all is leading.

"...I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore(a woman is the prophetic symbolism for a "church" or religious establishment, beit a false church, false religion or God's True Church - see also chapter 12) that sitteth upon many waters [the sea]..." (Rev.17:1).

"...the waters [the sea] which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues..." (Rev.17:15).

The four beasts that rose out of the "sea" are the four world-ruling empires in history that arose from the nations of men... the "sea of humanity."

The fourth Beast, Rome... survived its "historical fall" and its basic system of government is still extant today in the "free world" governments of today. Even America has its "Senate."

And as described in the ("11th Edition of the Encyclopaedia Britannica; ed. art. 'Roman Catholic Church') - Rev.13:14 "Image To The Beast":

"The Roman Church as a whole serves in the spiritual sphere spirit and much of the organization of the Roman Empire. The administration of the Curia carries on the tradition of Roman government."

In other words... although the Roman Empire apparently "fell"... its system of government survived and has lived on through various attempts to resurrect over the centuries through the likes of Napoleon, Hitler and Mussolini.

And in Europe today... the vast territory and outlying areas of which the "Holy Roman Empire" (the fourth Beast) ruled... in increasingly troublous, confusing times, Europe is desperately working toward "globalization," world unity... and many people are using the words, "Roman Empire" in their descriptions of Europe, as the United States is being sapped of its superpower status, resources, fear and respect by other nations around the world.

The final resurrection of the "Holy Roman Empire" is near. Rome is called "the City Built on Seven Hills." Note how the Bible describes the Great Whore:

"...the seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth." (Rev.17:9)

Which "religious organization" sits in Rome?

The "Holy Roman Empire" is rising. The nations are in turmoil here in the time of the end. Governments are going bankrupt and nations and powers are falling. A restructuring of the nations and governments are in the offing. Might Europe (the new rising superpower) return to an "authoritarian" system of rule? Where "KINGS" rule over "KINGDOMS?"

The question needs to be asked as the time of the end draws to a close, because of the Bible's interpretation of the "ten horns" of Revelation:

"...THE TEN HORNS WHICH THOU SAWEST ARE TEN KINGS, WHICH HAVE RECEIVED NO KINGDOM AS YET; but receive power AS KINGSone hour WITH THE BEAST. These have one mind, and shall GIVE THEIR POWER AND STRENGTH UNTO THE BEAST." (Rev.17:12-13)

There is the end time understanding of Daniel's "ten-horned" Beast.

The prophetic evidence points to Europe coming under the leadership of the Beast and the False Prophet (state worship) probably through their "miracles"... and probably in a panic, a "crisis" of some kind or many kinds from many directions. It says that the Beast will "appoint" these ten "bluebloods" their power over "kingdoms"... with Europe divided up into "ten kingdoms." It will be a ploy by the Beast to usurp emperor status long enough to get what he wants - all of Europe's power and strength... all of Europe's power and resources, political and military.

It says that their power will be short-lived as the satanic plan of the Beast will lead to the annihilation of all life on earth... which will necessitate Jesus' return to save the world.

"...THESE SHALL MAKE WAR WITH THE LAMB..." (verse 14).

By the time these ten kings come to power, the Great Tribulation will be in full swing and near to ending all life on earth if Jesus doesn't return. And when they see the brilliance of the sun approaching earth in the clouds that have darkened the earth (see Rev.6, the sixth seal)... the Beast will direct all his resources into fighting against Jesus' "alien invasion" of the earth.

"...and the Lamb shall overcome them: for He is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with Him are called, and chosen, and faithful." (Rev.17:14)

That is "one understanding" of the ten-horned Beast in Revelation. The Bible calls it the "gospel"... the "good news" of the coming Kingdom of God.

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The Revelation 12 dragon with 7 heads wearing crowns and 10 horns is physically represented through the United Nations (UN) in the 1st 3 1/2 years (1260 days) of the 7 year tribulation.Spiritually, Satan is symbolized as the dragon who inhabits the UN worldwide corporate beast to rule the world.The 7 heads with the crowns represent the 7 past and present world ruling empires as described in the bible i.e Assyria,Medo - Persia,Babylon,Egypt,Greece,Rome and presently, the UN.Presently,there is only 1 world organization that contains all the seed (descendants all over the world and nations) of the 6 past ruling empires,the UN.The crowns on the heads refers to the fact that nations can individually or bloc vote on world issues in the UN.Nations have voting power.The 10 horns represent 10 future world divisions which will be created in the 2nd 3 1/2 years of the tribulation.They do not have authority yet.

The Rev 13 Beast with 7 heads and 10 horns wearing crowns will be represented physically in the creation of the New World Order (NWO) at the beginning of the 2nd 3 1/2 years (42 months) of the 7 year tribulation.The NWO will evolve out of the UN (which will be no more) as symbolized by the dragon (UN) giving his authority to the Rev 13 beast(NWO) as a result of the global push for world unity and peace due to wars,natural disasters,etc.The NWO in trying to get rid of national and ethnic boundaries and problems will divide the world into 10 divisions(kingdoms).These divisions(kingdoms) will have ruling power instead of individual nations as is the case in the UN today.These future 10 kingdoms are represented by the 10 horns wearing the crowns instead of the 7 heads as seen on the Rev 13 beast.Spiritually,the beast spirit from below (Hades) inhabits this New World Order organization and its human subjects to make war on the saints of God in the 2nd half of the 7 year tribulation described as "the great tribulation".

The 7 year tribulation is for the trying of the church/saints, not the world.God will try his people/church during this 7 year period because when he sends Jesus to gather his people at the rapture and resurrection,he wants a holy and spotless bride/church waiting for him.The lukewarm,apostate,following after the self,only in name christians will fall away from the worldwide body of Christ during the tribulation due to the persecution on the saints by the world beast empire.They (apostate christians) will take the mark of the beast at the start of the NWO (2nd 3 1/2 years).Just like Judas in Jesus's day.Only this time, on a corporate worldwide scale.History always repeats.There is nothing new under the sun.Ecclesiastes 1:9.Sifting of the tares from the wheat as Jesus said.However,the true saints,obedient to the bible,living by faith and in holiness, will endure to the end of the tribulation as overcomers by God's grace and meet Jesus as the holy and spotless bride.

The true saints of God (those who obey the bible) need not fear the tribulation which is about to happen as they will see and do signs and wonders all over the world just as Jesus and the 1st disciples did 2000 years ago.Where sin abounds,grace abounds even more.Those will be exciting times because the gospels will become real for so many saints all over the world.Romans 1:16-17.

Answer 2

The symbolism of the "ten horns" in Revelation is revealed in chapter 17, verse 12:

"...the ten horns which thou sawest are TEN KINGS, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power AS KINGS one hour with the Beast."

These ten kings are to be contemporaries with the "Beast"... who is revealed to be the end time rulerduring the unprecedented time of global distress that Jesus calls "Great Tribulation" [Matt.24:21]. Some people call the "Beast" -- "the Antichrist."

Whatever structure the "new order" of government will be at the time of the end [of man's errant rule on earth]... this passage hints that it will be one of ancient order... with ancient royal bloodlines [kings] reasserting themselves. It may very possibly be at the behest of the Beast, himself, fully expecting them to bequeath to him all of their military and economic resources in the their final attempt to thwart Jesus' assault and takeover of the earth.

"These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the Beast. These [ten kings; ten horns] shall MAKE WAR WITH THE LAMB [fight Jesus Christ and His army], and the Lamb shall overcome them: for He is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with Him are Called, and Chosen, and Faithful." (verses 13-14)

These kings shall "receive their power" from "Satan"... the same source who will give the Beast his power:

"...the Dragon [Satan; see Rev.12:9] gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority." (Rev.13:2)

It's the Beast, the False Prophet and Satan who shall decree that "the kings of the earth"... and "the whole world" join in to fight Jesus when He returns:

"And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon." (Rev.16:13-16)

The "Beasts" of Daniel 7 have always symbolized "man's Satan-guided governments" [see also Matt.4:8-9 & Luke 4:5-7]. And the "ten horns" of Revelation 17:12-14 [the ten kings who will be the pawns of the Beast; and Satan] prophesy of the elimination of man's government at the time of Christ's return to earth with the Government of God.