Satan’s Throne and the Eighth King
(Pictures are available in the .pdf file.)
So far what we have seen is that there is really only one adversarial beast empire at any given time. It may even be that it is really the same adversarial beast, which just manifests itself in different ways throughout history.
When Revelation 17 speaks of this adversarial beast, it tells us in that there will be seven kings (i.e., seven kingdoms), and then an eighth. We know that the Roman empire was Beast Number #6, because it was the kingdom that ‘was’ (verse 10) at the time the Book of Revelation was written.
Hitgalut (Revelation) 17:8-11
8 The beast that you saw was, and is not, and will ascend out of the bottomless pit and go to perdition. And those who dwell on the earth will marvel, whose names are not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world, when they see the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.
9 "Here is the mind which has wisdom: The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits.
10 There are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, and the other has not yet come. And when he comes, he must continue a short time.
11 The beast that was, and is not, is himself also the eighth, and is of the seven, and is going to perdition.
Scholars disagree on the identities of the seven ‘kings.’ However, when we remember that Scripture concerns itself with the Middle East (and especially with the Land of Israel), and if we remember that the Roman beast also has an Islamic aspect, it makes sense that these kings were, are, and will be:
- Egypt (Ezekiel 29:1-30-26);
- Assyria and Nineveh (Nahum 3:1-19);
- Babylon (Revelation 18:2, Jeremiah 50-51);
- Media-Persia (Daniel 8:20-22, 10:13, 11:2);
- Greece (Daniel 11:4)
- Rome (existed when Revelation was written);
- Ottoman Islamic Caliphate (1299-1922);
- Renewed Turkish-Islamic Caliphate (below).
At the time Revelation was written, Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Iran and Alexander’s Grecian empire had all fallen. Rome ‘was’, but the Ottoman Islamic Caliphate was not yet; and when it came it had to continue ‘a short time’ (1299-1922). It received a ‘deadly wound’ at the Battle of Vienna in 1683, from which it never recovered. However, it is possible that it will soon recover from its ‘deadly wound’; and if so this may lead to a renewed Islamic Caliphate, quite possibly centered in Turkey. This would be the eighth kingship in this passage. While there are other theories, this one seems to fit particularly well.
11 The beast that was, and is not, is himself also the eighth, and is of the seven, and is going to perdition.
As we will see below, the eighth empire may well be a restored Turkish-Islamic Caliphate. Turkey is also the ancient physical location of Satan’s Throne.
Hitgalut (Revelation) 2:12-13
12 "And to the messenger of the assembly in Pergamos write, 'These things says He who has the sharp two-edged sword:
13 "I know your works, and where you dwell, where Satan's throne is. And you hold fast to My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days in which Antipas was My faithful martyr, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells.
Satan lives in the spiritual realm, just as YHWH does. However, just as YHWH has a house dedicated to Him here on earth (i.e., the Temple Mount), Satan also had a shrine built to honor him in Pergamos (in Turkey).
Pergamos was a major center of pagan worship, and the ruins are extensive. Above is the site where the altar to the sun-god Zeus used to sit (in Pergamos).
The central altar was originally built from 197 to 159 BC in the shape of a giant horse-shoe. It was built as a memorial of his victory over the Galatians.
In the Fourth Century the building was converted to a church dedicated to the Apostle Yochanan (John). Many scholars believe this is likely the seat of the congregation mentioned in the Book of the Revelation (or at the very least it is a ‘type’ of it).
In 1871 the German engineer Carl Humann moved the altar to Berlin, where it is now on display (at the Museum of Pergamum). Then in 1902 the German Kaiser Wilhelm II had the entire structure brought to Berlin and set up. In 1913 Germany began to bring the gates of physical Babylon to the same location, and in 1914 World War One began. Adolf Hitler was a member of the Thule Society (aka, ‘The Skull and Bones’). In 1934 he became leader of the German state, and ordered the Tribune at Zeppelin Field in Nuremberg to be built, as a center for his Nazi rallies. His architect Albert Speer used the Pergamum Altar as the model for the Zeppelin Tribune. World War Two started in 1939.
The Soviet Union captured Satan’s Throne in 1948, and took it to Russia. However, they returned it in 1958. Some scholars note that Satan’s Throne was in the Ottoman Empire during its years of power, and then was moved to Germany during its years of power. It was when Satan’s Throne was removed from Germany that the Nation of Israel was born. Further, it was in the Soviet Union during some key points in their history.
Today the Turkish government wants Satan’s Throne returned to Turkey. We might not think this has any spiritual significance, but would there be any spiritual significance if the Temple of YHWH were to be rebuilt? And if so, then what about Satan’s Throne? Would it not also have spiritual significance?
If Satan’s Throne (and its spiritual power) is restored to Turkey, it might signal the rebirth of the restoration of the Turkish Ottoman Empire, whose ‘deadly wound’ would then have been healed (verse 3).
Hitgalut (Revelation) 13:1-4
13 Then I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name.
2 Now the beast which I saw was like a leopard, his feet were like the feet of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority.
3 And I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world marveled and followed the beast.
If the U.N. is the Second Beast of Revelation, and if the U.N. causes the new United World Religion to rise to power with the Papacy at its center, then the Catholic-Islamic Beast would be restored. Further, if this new world religion became the official world religion, then ‘all’ people would end up worshipping it.
Hitgalut (Revelation) 13:11-17
11 Then I saw another beast (UN) coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon.
12 And he exercises all the authority of the first beast (Rome-Islam) in his presence, and causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.
13 He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men.
14 And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived (Ottoman Empire).
15 He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed.
16 He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads,
17 and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
Time will tell if this theory is correct, but it would seem to be a very close fit. It also seems to match with what we see around us in the world.
One objection to this theory is that we are told that the Eighth Kingdom was, and “is not.” Since Rome ‘was’ at the time Revelation was written, it is said that Rome does not fit.
Hitgalut (Revelation) 17:11
11 The beast that was, and is not, is himself also the eighth, and is of the seven, and is going to perdition.
A renewed Babylon, however, does fit, and we also know from the Nazarene Israel study that the Roman Church is also ‘Mystery Babylon.’
Hitgalut (Revelation) 17:5-6
5 And on her forehead a name was written:
MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
The exact role Satan’s Throne will play is not known, but we do know YHWH will destroy all of these things, and that He will soon set up His kingdom in a restored Land of Israel; so let us pray, and obey all His words.
Daniel 2:44-45
44 And in the days of these kings the Elohim of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.
45 Inasmuch as you saw that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold — the great Elohim has made known to the king what will come to pass after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation is sure."
May YHWH bless, lead and guide us all.
In Yeshua’s name,
Amein.