The Beast is well-defined

Submitted by Michael S (United States), Aug 1, 2015 at 14:24

Hi, Tovey. You said,

"...we have limited clues as to what the Ten Nation conglomeration may actually take its shape from."

In every generation, the appendages of the beast, be they heads or horns, have always corresponded to the world power most affecting Israel. Those powers have been:

1. Egypt (ruler of Canaan from Abraham to Joshua, and home of the Jews during that time. Pharaoh was considered a god, and was certainly the most powerful individual in the Western World)
2. Assyria (carried away captive the northern tribes, and received tribute from Judah)
3. Babylon (destroyed the temple, and completely exiled the people of Israel)
4. Media-Persia (absorbed Babylon, along with its Jews. It had two parts, Media and Persia)
5. Greece (absorbed Media-Persia and its Jews, then split into four major parts)
6. Rome (outlasted all the above: The Eastern Roman Empire continued until 1453 CE. In the time of Trajan, it included virtually all the world's Jews. Birthplace of Christianity)
7. The Holy Roman Empire (a cooperative effort between the German Emperor and the Pope, lasting from 800 to 1806 CE. All the major monarchs of Europe were descended from the first emperor, Charlemagne. Home to many of the world's Jews, especially after the Mongol conquest of Baghdad, and home to nearly all the world's Christians)
8. The European Colonial Empire (consisting of approximately ten great powers, the greatest power on earth from the time of Clive, in the 1750s, until the end of World War II)
9. The United States of America (the greatest military power in the history of the planet, and the "world's policeman" since WWII)

There are plenty of clues to identify the heads and horns of the beast:

Rev. 17:
[9] And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.
[10] And there are seven kings: five are fallen...

(Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia, Greece)

[10] ...and one is...

(Rome, in power during the time of John's revelation -- the "City of Seven Hills")

[10] ...and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.

(the Holy Roman Empire, the seat of "Babylon the Great", regarded by most as the Pope or the Catholic Church)

[11] And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition.
[12] And 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.
[13] These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.

The ten horns are obviously the Colonial Powers. If I must list them, they are (in order of revenue in 1815):

1. The UK of G Britain & N Ireland
2. France
3. Russia
4. Austria
5. Prussia (later Germany)
6. Netherlands (included Belgium)
7. Spain
8. Naples (later Italy)
9. Denmark
10. Portugal

The US, at the time, had a revenue slightly above Spain and Naples, and no overseas empire. The UK had a vast empire, including the East India Company, British Cape Colony and British North America. France owned French Guyana and other colonies, and had recently controlled much of Europe. Russia controlled all of modern-day Russia, plus Finland, Poland, Central Asia, the Caucasus and the Baltic countries, and outposts in Kodiak, Sitka and Fort Ross in America. The Austrian Empire controlled much of Central Europe. Prussia was the paramount power of the German Confederation. The Netherlands ruled most of Indonesia, and colonies in West Africa and the Caribbean. Spain ruled America from Mexico to Chile, as well as the Philippines. Naples ruled southern Italy and Sicily. Denmark ruled Iceland, Greenland, the Faroes and possessions in the West Indies; and had until recently been united with Norway. Portugal ruled Brazil, Angola, Mozambique and other holdings in Asia and Africa.

Together, these countries controlled the high seas and ruled the world's commerce. They were held together by mutual treaties and by "Congress Europe". After WWI, this was replaced by the League of Nations; and since WWII, most of these countries have been part of NATO -- and as such, have "given their power and strength" to the world's Superpower, the US.

The Colonial world began to unravel after WWII, beginning with the independence of India. Since then, the US has ruled the world, with the European powers, Japan, Korea and ANZ as junior parters. Together, they outstrip Russia, China, India and all the rest of the world in economic and military prowess. We are in the process of making treaties with countries generally in Europe and East Asia, namely, the TTP and TTIP; but whatever the specifics of our bonding documents, the "Beast Coalition" has been in place since 1941.

That's the forest. The trees come and go.

The Gog-Magog consortium includes Turkey, Iran and a couple of other countries. It has not come together yet: Turkey is a NATO member, and Iran is an independent actor. The two countries are divided over the Islamic State (backed by Turkey, but opposed by Iran), Syria-Assad (backed by Iran, but opposed by Turkey) and some other issues; but the Middle East situation is fluid, and these may not be obstacles to unity in the near future. One factor unifies the two countries: an intense hatred for Israel on the part of their leaders. Ezekiel 38-39 doesn't say they will be bosom buddies, only that they will attack Israel together. It also predicts that they will turn against each other, after the attack has begun -- normal behavior, in ME politics.

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