“And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition” (Revelation 17:11).

Have you noticed that though the purpose of this angel’s message is to define how the harlot came to her end (“judgment”), we are asked to rivet our attention so much on the beast? Remember – the beast carries the woman! Without that kingdom (ambassadors, seat at the United Nations, concordats with nations, consultant to nations) she would be helpless and there would be restricted ability to relate to the world. But with a world-renowned country (the smallest at that) with charismatic male leaders dressed as women, with mystical liturgical intrigue and opulence, it demands everyone’s attention!

John was just given a ringside view of the past, present and future of those powerful leaders (previous verse) when the church and state would once again be mutually dependent on each other. Initially, the beast was described as the creature with seven heads and ten horns (vss 3, 7). Next, the focus was on its final seven heads or leaders. Now an existential briefing regarding that beast is given:

Was – is not – shall ascend (vs 8)

Since the story of the heads is sequential, since they are numbered as seven and since the harlot is at all times (from verse 3) on that beast, it is a story of after the beast ascended! It is in this context that we move into the next phase of this amazing story.

“And the beast that was, and is not,” (vs 11)

This immediately refers back to similar language in verse 8 when details were added regarding this red colored beast.

1.    It did rise, it came to life and was resurrected – out of the grave of evil – perdition (hell). It had been there where demons live.

2.     It was a kingdom centered in Rome which brought support to the
Roman Catholic Church (just as the Lateran Treaty did in 1929) (see Appendix I).

3.     The final visible leader of the beast (Vatican) is the current pope. He will rule for a short period and then an “eighth” will emerge.

4.   The eighth is not identified as a head but as the whole beast. It follows the last head and is obviously a “kingdom” power.

There is a unique tie to this in two verses of Revelation 13, referring to the sea beast:

13:12    “to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.” 

13:14    “they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.” 

[Note: There was a head that was wounded and lived (13:3). But these two verses refer to the beast that was wounded and lived.]

Connecting each of these we have this stunning beast picture:

17:11:  Was — is not — is         

13:12:  Lived  — deadly wound — healed

              ↕

13:14:  Lived — wounded by sword — did live

Could there be a dual meaning to this “beast”? Clearly, we have imagery that bonds to the papacy. But with the seventh head (a complete unit) now prophetically ended, comes another beast/kingdom. Let’s carefully look:

“even he is the eighth,” (vs 11)

In some mysterious way, the beast is related to the seven heads by this numerical sequence but he is identified only as the beast rather than another head.[1]

When the pope was taken prisoner February 15, 1798, an ecclesiastical head of state was wounded. When all papal states were removed from the Roman Catholic Church in October 1870 and added to the territory of Italy, the beast had a wound. Both were healed in the Treaty of 1929. Thus, prophecy is precise! As we have also seen, another wounding of a distinct end-time “head” leader had been made!

How then do we decipher this eighth? The number shows that another leader supersedes Pope Benedict XVI, the seventh. But now it is not another “head” alone. Benedict completes the papal seven that God distinctly foretells. Thus, a non-papal leader, one that immediately comes to power, is prophesied, apparently still carrying the harlot (assumed because of 16:19).

The key is a new focus – the “beast” is the eighth. When it assumes power, this means another kingdom has emerged following that seventh pope. It has several characteristics.

“and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition.” (vs 11)

The Greek expression here is distinct (ek ton hepta estin) – “out of the seven is.” The “out of” or ek has been extensively studied. It expresses many characteristics:

1.     Part of the seven

2.     Out of the likeness of the seven

3.     According to the seven

4.     Separate but with a close connection to the seven 

Scholars adopt mainly the theme that this eighth powerful kingdom shares characteristics of all the papal heads. It no longer needs the Vatican state. It serves as its own moral and political force. Since he goes to perdition (from where he arose), he displeases God and his final destiny is in His hands. Verse 8 again is referenced!

“Bottomless pit” (abyssou) is addressed uniquely in chapter 9. Satan (the star that had fallen in the past) was locked in the abyss (9:1-2) with his minions, symbolized as locust. A key is given to Satan to give his kingdom agents a short period of five months (9:5) to reveal to the world and the universe what kind of kingdom they really rule.

That kingdom is so bad, the Bible notes: “in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them” (9:6).

The world, everyone, is in conflict, seeking each others harm (Matthew 24:10) except those with the seal of God in their foreheads (9:4). The fifth Trumpet and “the eighth” here represent the same satanic kingdom that will have power over the world – briefly. It is the same prophetic timing.

At the end the beast, Satan’s kingdom, ends. That is graphically described in chapter 20. “I saw an angel come down from heaven … laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years” … when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison” (20:1-2, 7). The Holy Word notes that after a brief period of deceptive activity, “fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. And the devil that deceiveth them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are” (20:9-10).

• Here, Satan and the prior symbol of the beast with its papal heads are burned up in perdition.

• Satan’s kingdom and his greatest representative, papal Rome (dragon gave him his power – 13:2b), are destroyed – it’s their end, perdition and eternal ruin.

This prophecy reveals “the full presence of the dragon or beast.”[2] “Eighth,” Biblically, represents “beginning again.” On the “eighth day” a new week begins. On the “eighth day” Christ arose and the Christian dispensation began. “Calling the beast an “eighth” is another way of referring to his future attempted mimicry of Christ’s resurrection.”[3]

“He is an eighth in the sense that he is distinct from the other seven. He is Antichrist, not simply another Roman emperor. He is not a human ruler through whom the power of evil finds expression – he is that evil power itself. He belongs to the cosmic struggle between God and Satan that lies behind the scenes of human history. Yet he will appear on the stage of history as a man. He is ‘of the seven’ (ek ton hepta) – not ‘one of the seven’ – in that he plays the same sort of role as his earthly predecessors. He himself, however, belongs to another sphere of reality. His period of hegemony is … [just] preceding the return of the Messiah.”[4]

What authority could supersede the world power of the papacy? There is only one possible answer. The conflict has been between Christ and Satan. John was warned that at this time Satan knows that he has a short time (12:12). He panics, knowing this is his last chance to conquer or be conquered. “Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! For the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath” (12:12). Does he appear as an angry being ready to fight? Is he a bully ready to take on the world or anyone who opposes him? Paul said: “And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light” (II Corinthians 11:14).

“Satan is striving to gain every advantage. He desires to secure, not only students, but teachers. He has his plans laid. Disguised as an angel of light, he will walk the earth as a wonder-worker. In beautiful language he will present lofty sentiments. Good words will be spoken by him, and good deeds performed. Christ will be personified, but on one point there will be a marked distinction. Satan will turn the people from the law of God. Notwithstanding this, so well will he counterfeit righteousness, that if it were possible, he would deceive the very elect. Crowned heads, presidents, rulers in high places, will bow to his false theories.[5]

“He will indeed transform himself into an angel of light. But while he will bear the appearance of Christ in every particular, so far as mere appearance goes, it will deceive none but those who, like Pharaoh, are seeking to resist the truth.”[6]

“We shall be commanded to worship this being, whom the world will glorify as Christ. What shall we do? – Tell them that Christ has warned us against just such a foe, who is man's worst enemy, yet who claims to be God; and that when Christ shall make His appearance, it will be with power and great glory, accompanied by ten thousand times ten thousand angels and thousands of thousands; and that when He shall come, we shall know His voice (RH Dec. 18, 1888).”[7]

There is more to this deceptive beast. The number eight is relevant to Judaism. “Eight” has eschatological significance.... Sunday in early Christian tradition is occasionally called the “eighth day.”[8] This beast, covered with the names of blasphemy (17:3), comes at the very end to promote “an eighth” and dispense with the seventh. Some see this as a veiled indicator that Sunday worship will be promoted. Gaebelein embellishes this thinking even further:

“This pattern of seven-to-eight-equals-one was familiar to the early church. It is a concept those raised in the great liturgical traditions can grasp. The eighth day was the day of the resurrection of Christ, Sunday. It was also the beginning of a new week. The seventh day, the Jewish Sabbath, is held over, to be replaced by the first of a new series, namely Sunday.
Austin Farrer has noted how even the whole theme of the Apocalypse is integrally related to this idea. ‘Sunday is the day of Resurrection.’ The week with which the Apocalypse deals extends from the Resurrection of Christ to the General Resurrection, when death has been destroyed.’ He further states the relation between the seventh and eighth:

“‘God rests from his completed work, but in so resting he initiates a new act which is the eighth-and-first day. We may compare the Gospel once more. On the sixth day Christ conquered, and achieved his rest from the labours of his flesh. But the sabbath-day which follows is in itself nothing, it has no content: it is simply the restful sepulcher out of which, with the eighth and first day, the resurrection springs. (A Rebirth of Images; the Making of St. John’s Apocalypse [London: Darce, 1949], pp. 70-71).’

“Each of the series of sevens in the book, except for the seven churches, follows a pattern of the seventh in the series becoming the first of a new series; thus seven to eight equals one. The eighth was the day of the Messiah, the day of the new age and the sign of the victory over the forces of evil (Alexander Schememann, Introduction to Liturgical Theological [London: Faith, 1966], pp. 60-64). Shepherd also calls attention to this phenomenon in Revelation (Massey H. Shepherd, Jr., The Paschal Liturgy and the Apocalypse [Richmond: John Knox, 1960], pp. 20-21, 80).”[9]

These scholars, unaware of the Sabbath issues at the end, are sensitive to the fascinating sentiments related to Sunday, first day, Messianic resurrection missives – “the eighth.”

The beast now takes on a new meaning:

Did Satan fulfill the “was”? Yes, as Lucifer in heaven. He was called perfect (Ezekiel 28:12, 14). Then he was cast to the earth (Revelation 12:9-10). His contacts and work were curtailed. At the Cross another saga restricted him further and brought the sentence of his second fall.

“When Christ died on Calvary's cross, he exclaimed in his expiring agony, ‘It is finished;’ and Satan knew that he had been defeated in his purpose to overthrow the plan of salvation. When the Son of God came forth from Joseph's sepulcher, a triumphant conqueror over death, and broke the fetters of the tomb, he led forth the captives that Satan had bound in the grave. He presented to the world a sample of the great resurrection day, when all who have fallen asleep in Jesus shall be raised to a glorious immortality. They shall come forth from their graves at the trump of God, and shall ascend to the city of God, and see the King in his beauty.”[10]

This opens to us a time when his power and authority “is not.”

But then comes the “eighth.” God gives to him the key to once again exercise his power. His kingdom of subjects accedes to his leadership a short time. But it is short lived. It is described as when the “dragon was wroth with the woman and went to make war with the remnant of her seed” (Revelation 12:17).

The “eighth” will be the last kingdom beast power before Christ returns. It “is not,” but will soon ascend. It is THE head of all evil – “the great dragon … that old Serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world” (Revelation 12:9), the grand finale of all beasts headed to hell.

Franklin S. Fowler Jr., M.D.; Prophecy Research Initiative © 2009