The Ten Horns of Kingdom and the Identity of the Jesus

Revelation 17 has John's vision of the power of empire as the great prostitute sitting on the great beast that, elsewhere in Revelation, has represented Nero specifically and the Roman empire in general. Now the beast, however, is what the woman of empire rides, and he has ten horns, which John says are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but who will receive authority for one hour along with the beast (17:12). John is saying that grasps at power fragment kingdoms into smaller realms, which are held for temporary amounts of time and which, eventually, come to hate the empire which rules them and they tear her to pieces (17:16). In the first seven seals of Revelation, John has shown the "natural" progression in human affairs when left to themselves in God's judgment, so it doesn't surprise us that judgment against the woman would be achieved by letting empires run their course. What is surprising, however, is that the identity of the Lamb is conditioned by the horns and the beast.

Even in receiving their own power, the ten horns, or kings, realize that all authority has not been given them, so they give their limited authority to the beast, who is a parody of Christ, in an effort to "make war against the Lamb" (17:14). The problem, however, is that no one can (even) make war against the Lamb. The beast, in his effort to make war, is simply captured (19:20)! In giving their power to the beast, however, these kings make the beast their king. The beast literally becomes the "lord of lords and king of kings." John, however, gives this explicit title to the Lamb--first, immediately following this act of the ten kings (17:14) and then in the eschatological moment of the White Rider's return (19:16).

The fact that John first gives this title to Jesus in mockery of the efforts of human authority impresses me, again, with the nature of this King. He does not consider the Messiahship of God something to be grasped, but accepts it from his God. He does not consider his authority something to be spurned and rejected, but does indeed use it to thwart all enemies. I believe John's point is that to those who worship Jesus, he appears as the Lamb. But to those who wish to make war against him, he is a conquering rider. The issue, again, is of worship and repentance. Proper attitude to the King of kings makes all the difference in the world.