Daniel predicted that the Roman Empire would be revived in a ten-kingdom form (
Dan. 7:24).
Believer's Bible Commentary: A Thorough, Yet Easy-to-Read Bible Commentary That Turns Complicated Theology Into Practical Understanding.
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His
10 horns and 7 heads, with 10 crowns on his horns, depict the revived Roman Empire, which was also represented by the fourth beast of Daniel, which also had 10 horns (
Dan. 7:7-8; cf.
Rev. 13:3;
17:3,
7). In
Revelation 13 and
17 the beast is the world ruler, whereas in
Daniel 7 the little horn on the beast was the world ruler.
The fact that the beast comes out from the sea indicates that he is
a Gentile, for the sea of humanity is involved as his source (cf.
Rev. 17:15).
The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures by Dallas Seminary Faculty.
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There it represents the prophetic history of the Roman Empire, down to "the little horn" and his destruction. That fourth beast looked like it became dormant for a little while, and then out of one of its seven heads there came up ten horns, out of which came a little horn.
. . .
However, in the Book of Revelation the emphasis is upon the rule of the little horn of
Daniel 7, and the little horn is set before us as a wild beast, for he is now ruling and controlling the restored Roman Empire in John's prophecy.
Thru The Bible with J. Vernon McGee.
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out of the sea—(
Da 7:3; compare
Note, see on
Rev. 8:8); out of the troubled waves of
peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues. The
earth (
Rev. 13:11), on the other hand, means the consolidated, ordered world of nations, with its culture and learning.
seven heads and ten horns—A, B, and C transpose, "ten horns and seven heads." The ten horns are now put first (contrast the order,
Rev. 12:3) because they are crowned. They shall not be so till the last stage of the fourth kingdom (the Roman), which shall continue until the fifth kingdom, Christ's, shall supplant it and destroy it utterly; this last stage is marked by the
ten toes of the two feet of the image in
Da 2:33,
41,
A Commentary: Critical, Experimental, and Practical on the Old and New Testaments.
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Daniel shows that the human Antichrist will rise up from these ten kings (
Dan. 7:16-24). John picks up the numerical imagery of
Daniel 2:41, 42, which refers to the ten toes on the statue’s clay and iron feet. The apostle sees the beast as the final world government—the anti-Christ, anti-God coalition—headed by a revived Roman Empire, having the strengths of various world powers, yet mixed with weakness and ultimately crushed (cf.
Dan. 2:32-45;
7:7, 8,
19-25;
see note on 12:3). The crowns show the regal dominion of this confederate kingdom.
blasphemous name. Throughout history, every time a monarch has identified himself as a god, he has blasphemed the true God. Each ruler who contributes to the beast’s final coalition has an identity, wears a crown, exerts dominion and power, and, therefore, blasphemes God.
The MacArthur Bible Commentary.