“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.”
'They are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come; but when he does come, he must remain for only a little while' - the seven heads are also seven kings or kingdoms: five are already fallen (past empires), one is reigning (Rome in John's time), and one is yet to come (a future empire). The succession of empires shows the transient nature of human power.
Church Fathers on Revelation 17:10
“And there are seven kings: five have fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he has come, he will be for a short time.” The time must be understood in which the written Apocalypse was published, since then reigned Cæsar Domitian; but before him had been Titus his brother, and Vespasian, Otho, Vitellius, and Galba. These are the five who have fallen. One remains, under whom the Apocalypse was written — Domitian, to wit. “The other has not yet come,” speaks…
Nicene & Post-Nicene / Ante-Nicene Fathers translations · public domain
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