The 5th Head of the Rev 17 Beast

Suggested Previous Reading:  Mountains, Heads, 1st Head (Nimrod's Empire), 2nd Head (Assyrian Empire), 3rd Head (Babylonian Empire), and 4th Head (Persian Empire-Fars)

Revelation 17 tells of a series of empires, five of which are past, one that is current to the first century church, and one that is to come yet in the future of the first century.

Revelation 17:9-10

And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.  And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.

Nimrod's is the first kingdom to be mentioned in the Bible.  Of the cities built by Nimrod or those who came out of his kingdom, the Assyrian Empire is the first to be mentioned.  The Babylonian Empire defeated the Assyrians around 612 bc.  The Persian Empire defeated the Babylonians around 538 bc.  Alexander the Great defeated the Persian Empire around 328 bc.

Alexander died in 323 bc, shortly after conquering Perisa.  His successors, called the diadochi, divided his kingdom up between them.  Over the course of the next 40 years or so, the diadochi engaged in a number of wars among themselves as they fought to secure their power.  The resulting Hellenistic Age saw the spread of the Greek language and culture throughout the known world.

There is no historical reference to Alexander or his diadochi in the Bible.  That empire and period of time is only alluded to in prophecy.

As the map below shows, the area of Nimrod's kingdom is wholly contained within the borders of Alexander's Empire, as would be expected of a head of the same beast.


Next in this series: The 6th Head of the Rev 17 Beast