healed and reorganizes his kingdom, or obtains power over another nation. Thus he becomes the eighth, yet in reality he is one of the seven. The sword wound unto death may be understood literally thus making this extraordinary recovery one of the "lying wonders" of Anti-christ, or his prophet, to deceive the nations.
12-14. The ten horns are ten kings or princes who shall come to the assistance of Antichrist for a short time. [1] They will place all their power and resources at his command to accomplish the one object in view, the destruction of the Church. Despite their efforts they shall be overcome by the faithful of Christ who is Lord of lords and King of kings.
15. As in other visions the waters, or the sea, sym bolize human society. Here they represent in particular the peoples and nations subject to Rome and with her in revolt against the Church. The seven principal ones were symbolized above by seven mountains.
16, 17. After a time the beast and his allied kings (the ten horns) will make war upon Rome and lay it waste with fire and sword. The barbarian invasions of Rome in the fourth and fifth centuries give some idea of the manner in which Rome shall become the prey of a "scourge of God" [2] in punishment for revolt against the Church and for its worship of Antichrist. St. John gives
