Tyndale Open Study Notes on Revelation 17:8

A historical reference excerpt for this verse. Read it alongside the biblical text and other available sources.

Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Modern study notes
Source: BibleWord.ai's local reference edition of this named work.

17:8-11 The destruction within this vision contrasts with the destiny of the people of God in the new heaven and earth (see 21:1-4). 17:8 The beast . . . was once alive but isn’t now . . . will soon come up: When Domitian became emperor (AD 81–96), he was as evil as Nero (both were fierce persecutors of the church), and many thought he was the embodiment of Nero’s spirit, if not Nero himself (perhaps similar to the way that John the Baptist was considered to embody Elijah’s spirit; see Mal 4:5; Matt 11:14; Luke 1:17; John 1:21). • you saw: The past tense indicates that the angel’s interpretation took place after John’s vision. • was once alive but isn’t now: This contrasts with God, “who is, who always was, and who is still to come” (Rev 1:4, 8). • the bottomless pit: See study note on 9:1-12. • In contrast to God’s people, the people of this world are not written in the Book of Life (see 20:11-15). They will be amazed by the apparent resurrection of the beast (see study note on 17:10-11; see also 13:13-17).

Read Revelation 17:8 →Read the full chapter →John Gill's Exposition →Jamieson, Fausset & Brown →Barnes' Notes →Wesley's Explanatory Notes →Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge →

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