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.
There are seven kings total: five have already fallen, one is currently in power, and there's still one more coming. When that last one shows up, he won't be around for long.
Even the most powerful rulers are just temporary, their time always runs out.
📚 Historical Context
In the first century AD, the Book of Revelation was written by the apostle John during a period of intense persecution under the Roman Empire, likely around 90-95 AD when Domitian was emperor. The seven kings in this verse are part of a symbolic vision representing a sequence of rulers or empires, with five having already fallen (possibly referring to earlier Roman emperors), one existing at the time, and one yet to come, highlighting the transient nature of worldly powers in opposition to God's kingdom. This imagery fits into the broader apocalyptic narrative warning of judgment on corrupt systems.
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