Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Revelation 17:12

"And the ten horns that thou sawest are ten kings, who have received no kingdom as yet; but they receive authority as kings, with the beast, for one hour." — Revelation 17:12 (ASV)

Here John seems to allude to Da 7:7, 24. The ten horns are usually understood as either native rulers of Roman provinces or to governors of Palestine. Others see in them a tennation confederacy of the future revived Roman Empire. There are good reasons for abandoning these explanations. In the first place, the number ten should—like most of John’s numbers—be understood symbolically. Ten symbolizes a repeated number of times or an indefinite number. It is perhaps another number like seven, indicating fullness (Nehemiah 4:12; Daniel 1:12; Revelation 2:10). Thus the number should not be understood as referring specifically to ten kings (kingdoms) but as indicating the multiplicity of sovereignties in confederacy that enhance the power of the beast. Second, since these kings enter into a power conflict with the Lamb and his followers (v.14), the kind of sovereignty they exercise must be the true antithesis of the kind of sovereignty the Lamb and his followers exercise. These rulers as well as the beast with which they are allied can be no other than the principalities and powers, the rulers of the darkness of this world, the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms that Paul describes as the true enemies of Jesus’ followers (Ephesians 6:12). To be sure, they use earthly instruments, but their reality is far greater than any specific historical equivalents. These “kings” embody the fullness of Satan’s attack against the Lamb in the great final showdown. They are the “kings from the east” (16:12–14, 16), and they are the “kings of the earth” who ally themselves with the beast in the final confrontation with the Lamb (19:19–21). Finally, there is a link between v.12 and v.11. The ten kings are said to receive authority for “one hour” along with the beast. This corresponds to the “little while” of the seventh king. From the viewpoint of the saints, who will be greatly persecuted, this promise of brevity brings comfort. These kings have “one purpose”: they agree to oppose the Lamb. But the Lamb will overcome them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings (cf. Dt 10:17; Daniel 2:47; Revelation 19:16). He conquers by his death, and those who are with him also aid in the defeat of the beast by their loyalty to the Lamb even to death (cf. 5:5, 9; 12:11).