Revelation 17:8

The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and is about to come up out of the abyss, and to go into perdition. And they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, they whose name hath not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast, how that he was, and is not, and shall come.

The beast that thou sawest was, and is not, and is about to come up out of the abyss ... As Beckwith said:

It seems unquestionable that the idea expressed in these words (Revelation 17:8) is the same as that denoted in the symbolical vision by the head smitten unto death and healed (Revelation 13:3). They are described in closely parallel terms.[34]

This is an exceedingly important point, having the meaning that this woman herself is that "healed head" once smitten to death. Pagan Rome, the sixth of the seven heads (Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome) was the one smitten to death, even as the previous "heads" had run their course and fallen; but the death of this sixth head (Rome) would be different; its "death" would not be the end of the persecuting state. The woman herself was to be the healing of the sixth head, its replacement; and the Great Harlot would succeed the persecuting empire of pagan Rome in the form of the persecuting power of "Christian" Rome. Did it happen? Who can deny that it did? Who needs any answer except the history of the past two millenniums?

In this, it is also clear what is meant by the land-beast making an image of the first (Revelation 13:15). When the harlot, certainly the same as the land-beast, made an image of the beast, or to the beast, what is meant? Exactly the same thing that is meant when it is said that Tommy grew up and made an engineer! He became an engineer. The woman made an image of the beast which was persecuting pagan Rome, becoming herself persecuting "Christian" Rome. She herself was the image of the beast, the healed head, the replacement and successor to pagan Rome. Historically, this places her after 476 A.D., when the pagan empire fell, long after emperor worship had perished from the earth. Note that there is absolutely no reference whatever in Revelation to making an image "to Caesar," or to "the emperor," or "to one of the kings." No! The image was "of the beast," not of one of his heads, even if "heads" is misinterpreted to mean "emperors."

And go into perdition ... The ultimate destiny of all evil is never denied or thwarted by the riches and glory displayed in the present existence. These words are to keep that truth in focus.

And they that dwell on the earth shall wonder ... This refers to the unregenerated, non-Christian world.

They whose name hath not been written in the book of life ... See comment on this under Revelation 13:8.

From the foundation of the world ... Unlike the passage earlier (Revelation 13:8), this phrase is here applied to the inscription of the names of the saints in the book of life. The eternal purpose of God is known by him from the beginning, regarding all things and all people. Of course, there are unfathomable mysteries about such things which we cannot understand; but the meaning of the words is clear enough as they regard the purpose in view, encouraging the redeemed. In whatever manner the entire world may be captured and enthralled by the charms of the satanic beast, the true Christian will not be deceived.

How that he was, and is not, and shall come ... Note that in the Greek (ASV margin), the last words are "shall be present," recalling Revelation 13:3. See comment quoted above from Beckwith. As Hendriksen said, "The book of Daniel proves that these seven heads do not symbolize seven individual kings or emperors, but seven anti-Christian world powers."[35] See under Revelation 17:8 for a list of these, Rome being the head "that now is." The use of the past tense "he that was" is a reference to the vision that John had seen (past tense) in Revelation 13:3; but the head John had seen as existing there, is the same as the one that will be designated "one is" in Revelation 17:10. Revelation 17:8 refers to what John saw (past tense); and Revelation 17:10 indicates the meaning (present tense) for John, explained by the angel.

[34] Isbon T. Beckwith, The Apocalypse of John Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1919), p. 696.

[35] William Hendriksen, More Than Conquerors (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1956), p. 204.