olizing governments], and are seven kings," 17:9, 10.
And they are shown to be successive, by the fact that, when John wrote,
the first five had passed away, one only then existed,--the Pagan
Imperial,--and the other head was then in the future, 17:10.

The "ten horns" also symbolize kings, or dynasties; but, unlike the heads,
instead of being successive, they are contemporaneous. According to the
explanation, they had received no kingdom when John wrote, and were all to
exercise power at the same time: "The ten horns which thou didst see, are
ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom; but they receive power as
kings, one hour with the wild beast," 17:12. These will be more
particularly noticed in connection with the thirteenth chapter, and there
shown to be the ten contemporaneous governments which succeeded to the
dominion, on the subversion of the Western Empire. See p. 169.

The "seven crowns" on the heads of the dragon, indicate that the acts here
symbolized, would be fulfilled during the period when the sovereignty of
Rome should be vested in the forms of government symbolized by the heads,
and not during that symbolized by the horns.

The woman appeared in the symbolic heavens anterior to the dragon. Prior
to the birth of Christ, the church was conspicuous and honored. The
sacrifices which smoked on Jewish altars, were offered to Jehovah. The
subjects of the divine government conducted their service with all the
splendor imparted by the Jewish ritual. Royalty was an appendage of the
nation: the sceptre did not depart from Judah, nor a law-giver from
between his feet, till Shiloh came, Gen. 49:10. By an alliance with the
Romans, B. C. 135, Rome took its position in the presence of the woman.

The first act of the dragon was by a sweep of its tail to draw down
one-third of the stars, and to cast them to the earth. This was before the
birth of the man-child. After Rome attained the supremacy, Judea
proportionably suffered. Her glory was measurably dimmed by many
indignities before her subjugation to Rome was consummated. Jerusalem was
repeatedly besieged. At one time (B. C. 94) Alexander Jannaeus slew six
thousand persons on account of their meeting in the temple at the feast of
tabernacles. In B. C. 63, Judea was conquered by Pompey, the Roman
general. In B. C. 54, Crassus plundered the temple of Jerusalem. In B. C.
37, Jerusalem was taken, after a siege of six months. Various other
difficulties occurred betw