ˈan-tē-krīstos

And “the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority...” Power (n.), "ability to act or do; strength, vigor, might," especially in battle; "efficacy; control, mastery, lordship, dominion; legal power or authority; authorization; military force, an army," from Anglo-French pouair, Old French povoir, noun use of the infinitive, "to be able," earlier podir (9c.), from Vulgar Latin *potere, and Latin potis "powerful.” We know from Revelation 2:13 that Satan’s seat is at Pergamum, Turkey. Note: Pergamon Altar is today the most famous masterpiece in the Berlin Collection of Antiquities. By the middle of the fifth century, Mohammed’s followers had conquered much of Turkey including the present-day capital, Ankara. They also laid a four-year siege on Constantinople 654-658, but were unable to take the city until 1453. Constantinople named for Roman emperor Flavius Valerius Aurelius Constantinus, whose name is derived from Latin constans (see constant (adj.)). Constant (adj.) late 14c., "steadfast, resolute," from Old French constant (14c.) or directly from Latin constantem (nominative constans) "standing firm, stable, steadfast, faithful," present participle of constare, from com- "together" (com-) + stare "to stand," from PIE root *sta- "to stand" (see stet). Stet from Latin stet "let it stand," third person singular present subjunctive of stare "to stand, stand upright, be stiff," from PIE root *sta- "to stand, set down, make or be firm," with derivatives meaning "place or thing that is standing" (cf. Sanskrit tisthati "stands;" Avestan histaiti "to stand;" Persian -stan "country," literally "where one stands;" Greek histemi "put, place, cause to stand; weigh," stasis "a standing still," statos "placed." Greek Konstantinou polis (Constantinople) means "Constantine's city," or “City of Faithful.”

The city’s name was then changed to Istanbul. Istanbul is a Turkish name of Constantinople, a corruption of the Greek phrase eis -tan (ten) polin "into the city," which is how the local Greek population referred to it. Picked up in Turkish 16c., though Turkish folk etymology traces the name to Islam -bol "plenty of Islam." Greek polis "city" has been adopted into Turkish as a place-name suffix as “bolu,” the original name would have been Islam and –bolu, literally “City of Islam,” or the transliteration from Arabic Islam, literally "submission.” So the more appropriate translation is “City of Submission.”

²And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.  Revelation 13:2

At the beginning of Revelation 17:7, we see the mystery of the woman explained. In eschatology, a “woman” represents a religion or church. This religion is the apostate religion that “rides” [eschatological root ridan "sit and be carried on"] the beast. This is referring to a theocratic system where state, religion, and law are of one body. Islamic religious law is formed directly from the Quran, Surah’s, and Hadiths. Arabic word shari'ah "the revealed law," from root shar' "revelation." Continuing, we see “the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns.” In eschatology, a “head” is a kingdom, and a “horn” is its authority or the law over that kingdom.  These empires are:

1. The Egyptian Empire

2. The Assyrian Empire

3. The Babylonian Empire

4. The Medo-Persian Empire

5. The Greek Empire

After these five, the angel tells John that “¹⁰And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is.” At the time that John wrote the Book of Revelation, this was the Roman Empire. It ruled the Middle East, Northern Africa and much of Europe.

6. The Roman Empire

The angel continues to inform John that “And the other is not yet come; and when he (Mohammed) cometh, he must continue a short space. [Revelation 17:10]” This is the Pre-Islamic Ottoman Empire starting with Mohammed to the Seljuk’s who were the first Turks to inhabit Asia Minor and complete the Ottoman Empire.

7. The Pre-Islamic Ottoman Empire

The Office of the Caliph of the Ottoman Empire is the seventh head of Revelation 17:7, and was disbanded in 1918. The Armistice of Mudros formalizing Ottoman surrender was signed aboard a British warship on October 30, 1918.

8. The Post-Ottoman Islamic Empire (Revelation 17:11)

After the fall of the Ottoman Caliphate In 1918, Islam no longer had an Office of the Caliph, and the reign of Ottoman Empire came to an end in 1922. Islam “received a mortal wound, but the mortal wound is healed,” of the Post-Ottoman Islamic Empire.  The wound will be completely healed once the Office of the Caliph is reinstated under the Post-Ottoman Islamic Empire. This will also fulfill Revelation 17:11 and the “beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth.” The “the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom,” will be covered later.

⁷And the angel said unto me, wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns.  Revelation 17:7

In Revelation 17:8 we see that the beast “shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition.” Focusing on the Greek words μέλλει ἀναβαίνειν “shall ascend,” or literally “futurity” and “ascend, go up, or mount.” Futurity (n.) c.1600, from future + -ity. future (adj.) late 14c., from Old French futur, from Latin futurus "going to be, yet to be," as a noun, "the future," irregular suppletive future participle of esse "to be," from PIE *bheue- "to be, exist, grow, come into being," and ascend (v.) late 14c., from Latin, ascendere "to climb up, mount, ascend," figuratively "to rise, reach," from ad- "to" (ad-) + scandere "to climb.”

When Muhammad was a child he was nursed by a Bedouin woman. During this time he had an experience with "two men in white raiment.” Here is W. M. Watt's translation of Ibn Ishaq's biography of Muhammad, page 36: .”..two men in white clothes came to me with a golden basin full of snow. They took me and split open my body, then they took my heart and split it open and took out from it a black clot which they flung away. Then they washed my heart and my body with that snow until they made them pure." This event deeply disturbed the Bedouins and they returned Muhammad to his mother. Here is the story told by Muhammad's wet-nurse, related in Guillaume's translation of Ibn Ishaq, page 72: "His [Muhammad's friend's] father said to me, "I am afraid that this child has had a stroke, so take him back to his family before the result appears. .....   She [Muhammad's mother] asked me what happened and gave me no peace until I told her. When she asked if I feared a demon had possessed him, I replied that I did."

Quoting from the Hadith of Bukhari, 9.111, narrated by 'Aisha: The commencement of the Divine Inspiration to Allah's Apostle was in the form of good righteous (true) dreams in his sleep. He never had a dream but that it came true like bright daylight. He used to go in seclusion (the cave of) Hira where he used to worship (Allah Alone) continuously for many (days) nights. He used to take with him the journey food for that (stay) and then come back to (his wife) Khadija to take his food like-wise again for another period to stay, till suddenly the Truth descended upon him while he was in the cave of Hira. The angel came to him in it and asked him to read. The Prophet replied, "I do not know how to read." (The Prophet added), "The angel caught me (forcefully) and pressed me so hard that I could not bear it anymore. He then released me and again asked me to read, and I replied, "I do not know how to read," whereupon he caught me again and pressed me a second time till I could not bear it anymore.  He then released me and asked me again to read, but again I replied, "I do not know how to read (or, what shall I read?)." Thereupon he caught me for the third time and pressed me and then released me and said, "Read: In the Name of your Lord, Who has created (all that exists). Has created man from a clot. Read and Your Lord is most generous... That which he knew not." (96.15)

Then Allah's Apostle returned with the Inspiration, his neck muscles twitching with terror until he entered upon Khadija and said, "Cover me! Cover me!" They covered him till his fear was over and then he said, "O Khadija, what is wrong with me?" Then he told her everything that had happened and said, 'I fear that something may happen to me." Khadija said, 'Never! But have the glad tidings, for, by Allah, Allah will never disgrace you as you keep good relations with your Kith and kin, speak the truth, help the poor and the destitute, serve your guest generously and assist the deserving, calamity-afflicted ones." But after a few days Waraqa died and the Divine Inspiration was also paused for a while and the Prophet became so sad as we have heard that he intended several times to throw himself from the tops of high mountains and every time he went up the top of a mountain in order to throw himself down, Gabriel would appear before him and say, "O Muhammad! You are indeed Allah's Apostle in truth" whereupon his heart would become quiet and he would calm down and would return home.  And whenever the period of the coming of the inspiration used to become long, he would do as before, but when he used to reach the top of a mountain, Gabriel would appear before him and say to him what he had said before. (Ibn 'Abbas said regarding the meaning of: 'He that Cleaves the daybreak (from the darkness)' (6.96) that Al-Asbah means the light of the sun during the day and the light of the moon at night).

⁸The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.  Revelation 17:7

In Revelation 17:9 we see “seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.” Who is the woman? The “seven mountains” are the seven empires: Egyptian, Assyrian, Babylonian, Medo-Persian, Grecian, Roman, and Islamic. The common factor to all these empires is that they ruled over Jerusalem/Israel. The woman is Israel. In biblical eschatology, a woman represents the God’s church or an apostate church. The Greek word κάθηται translates to rest (*as opposed to sits). In the original etymological meaning of rest, appears to be a measure of distance (cf. Old High German rasta, which in addition to "rest" meant "league of miles," Old Norse rost "league, distance after which one rests," Gothic rasta "mile, stage of a journey"), perhaps the word is from the nomadic period. Unless the original sense is "repose," thence extended secondarily to "distance between two resting places." The bible states that Israel is between two resting place – the Old and New Covenants. They, Israel will not find rest until they find their Messiah, our Lord Jesus. This is all summed up in Isaiah 30:15, “For thus saith the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not.”

⁹And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.  Revelation 17:9

In Revelation 17:10, we see that “there are seven kings: five are fallen,” the five that have fallen were in John’s past, and these empires are:  Egyptian, Assyrian, Babylonian, Medo-Persian. At the time of John’s vision “and one is,” this is Rome, “and the other is not yet come,” this is Islam. The key portion of this verse is “and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.” The Greek word ἔρχομαι, where used in the KJV is translated as “when he cometh.” The Greek translation is the word erchomai, literally meaning succor (n.) early 13c., from Anglo-French succors "help, aid," Old French sucurres, from Medieval Latin succursus "help, assistance," from past participle of Latin succurrere "run to help," from sub "up to" + currere "to run.” Muhammed, aided “Allah” [Satan] to recite (v.) early 15c., from Old French reciter (12c.) and directly from Latin recitare "read aloud, read out, repeat from memory, declaim," from re- “back, again" (re-) + citare "to summon.” The Greek words used for the KJV translation of “he must continue a short space” are ὀλίγον (a little while) αὐτὸν (him) δεῖ (what must happen, inevitable) μεῖναι (it remains).

¹⁰And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.  Revelation 17:10

In Revelation 17:11 we see the reference to “And the beast that was,” this appears to be referring to Revelation 17:8, regarding the beast that will “ascend out of the bottomless pit.” The key part of the passage is the “beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth.” The “beast that was” is referring to an empire, power, or system. The Greek word εἰμί, eimi meaning "was, and will be.” This implies that the eighth power “is of the seven.” What is the common factor of all seven beast powers (Egyptian, Assyrian, Babylonian, Medo-Persian, Greek, Roman, and Ottoman) Empires? All seven of these beast powers ruled over the East, specifically Jerusalem. In Joel 3:2 we see that “they scattered my people among the nations and divided up my land,” and in Amos 7:17 “Your land will be measured and divided up,” again in Jeremiah 13:24-26 we see "This is your lot, the portion measured to you From Me.” In Micah 2:4 we read “In that day shall one take up a parable against you, and lament with a doleful lamentation, and say, We be utterly spoiled: he hath changed the portion of my people: how hath he removed it from me! turning away he hath divided our fields.”

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

²I will gather all nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. There I will put them on trial for what they did to my inheritance, my people Israel, because they scattered my people among the nations and divided up my land.  Joel 3:2

¹⁷"Therefore this is what the LORD says: "'Your wife will become a prostitute in the city, and your sons and daughters will fall by the sword. Your land will be measured and divided up, and you yourself will die in a pagan country. And Israel will surely go into exile, away from their native land.'"  Amos 7:17

²⁴"Therefore I will scatter them like drifting straw To the desert wind. ²⁵"This is your lot, the portion measured to you From Me," declares the LORD, "Because you have forgotten Me And trusted in falsehood. ²⁶"So I Myself have also stripped your skirts off over your face, That your shame may be seen.… Jeremiah 13:24-26

Revelation 17:12 took place in 1948 when the Arab nations rose up against Israel in the “Six Day” war. These ten nations were Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Morocco, Sudan, and Pakistan. The passage further states that they “have received no kingdom as yet;” but we know from scripture that at the end of days that Islam will overtake Jerusalem after the two witnesses are killed. Abduallrahman Kelani, a Muslim author of The Last Apocalypse, describes the many battles of the Mahdi. Hadith narrated by Nuaim Ibn Hammad's Kitab Al-Fitan, “They will defeat supporters of the Sufyani (and proceed further) until he (Shuayb bin Salih) arrives in Jerusalem (where) he will lay the foundation for the Mahdi's (future) dominion.” These ten principalities shall “receive power as kings one hour with the beast [Islamic Mahdi, or Biblical Antichrist].” Hour (n.) mid-13c., from Old French hore "one-twelfth of a day,” using the “day for a year principle” 360/12 = 30 prophetic years. The Armistice of Mudros formalizing Ottoman surrender was signed on October 30, 1918. The reference to “one hour with the beast,” appears to reference the thirty years from 1918, bringing the prophetic date to 1948. Those thirty years have been the bloodiest years of war, then all of the previous wars combined.

¹²And 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.  Revelation 17:12

The al-Mahdi will receive a pledge of allegiance as a caliph for Muslims. He will lead Muslims in many battles of jihad. His reign will be a caliphate that follows the guidance of the Prophet. Many battles will ensue between Muslims and the disbelievers during the Mahdi’s reign… The Last Apocalypse

In Revelation 17:13 we see at the beginning of the passage “These have one mind,” which has a very telling prophetic message. In Psalm 83:5 we read “For they have conspired together with one mind; Against You (Israel).” Who has one mind”? We see further in the verse “Edom (present-day Jordan) and the Ishmaelites (present-day Muslim’s), Moab (present-day Jordan) and the Hagrites (present-day Muslim’s),” and both conspire against Israel. The Ishmaelites, as a people, migrated to the area of eastern Jordan and into Saudi Arabia:

¹⁷These were the years of the life of Ishmael: one hundred and thirty-seven years; and he breathed his last and died, and was gathered to his people. (They dwelt from Havilah as far as Shur, which is east of Egypt as you go toward Assyria.) He died in the presence of all his brethren. Genesis 25:17-18

Earlier English names for the faith include Mahometry (late 15c.), Muhammadism (1610s), Islamism (1747), and Ismaelism (c.1600), which in part is from Ishmaelite, a name formerly given (especially by Jews) to Arabs, as descendants of Ishmael (q.v.), and in part from Arabic Ismailiy, name of the Shiite sect that after 765 C.E. followed the Imamship through descendants of Ismail (Arabic for Ishmael). The Ishmaelites disappeared from history after the time of David's reign. Most assume that they absorbed into the surrounding people, and represent many of the Arabs that live in Israel's neighboring countries. The Hagrites were Ishmaelites who took the matron name:

In Genesis 25:12-18, it is recorded the descendants, "generations," of Ishmael, "whom Hagar the Egyptian Sarah's handmaid, bare unto Abraham." Two, and possibly three, of these tribes, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah (Genesis 25:15), appear to be identical with the three tribes whom the Reubenites and the other Israelite tribes east of the Jordan conquered and dispossessed (1 Chronicles 5). The correspondence of names in Genesis and 1 Chronicles, there leaves little doubt that "Hagrite" is a generic term roughly synonymous with "Ishmaelite," designating the irregular and shifting line of desert tribes stretching along the East and South of Israel. Those "East of Gilead," "Jetur, Naphish, and Nodah," were overcome by Reuben, "The Hagrites were delivered into their hand, and all that were with them. .... And they took away their cattle ... they dwelt in their stead until the captivity" (1 Chronicles 5:20-22).

The Bible shows us that the Hagrites migrated east of Israel and lived in eastern Jordan (Gilead was in northwest Jordan), we see this in 1 Chronicles 5:10  “Now in the days of Saul they made war with the Hagrites, who fell by their hand; and they dwelt in their tents throughout the entire area east of Gilead.”

¹³These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast. 

     Revelation 17:13

⁴They have said, "Come, and let us wipe them out as a nation, That the name of Israel be remembered no more." ⁵For they have conspired together with one mind; Against You they make a covenant: ⁶The tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites, Moab and the Hagrites…        Psalm 83:5