In Rev 17 a mountain is a head of a beast. In Daniel a beast is a kingdom, not the head of the beast. A head/mountain is land, where a kingdom or more is located. The head/mountain is not symbolic of a kingdom itself.
Not according to the Word or wisdom of Christ:
Rev 17:9
(9) And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The
seven heads are seven mountains, on which the
woman sitteth.
Notice, it says "here is the mind that hath wisdom." Christ is wisdom incarnate. In other words,, here is the mind of Christ to interpret what the seven mountains "represent." We cannot judge this by the world's wisdom or their standard of physical things, but in the wisdom of Christ seeking spiritual truth and understanding. Selah!
These mountains don't represent physical nations or physical kingdoms of this world, but spiritual rulers in high places. That is the mind and wisdom and that referenced in the message here. Here is the mind having wisdom, not understanding it by our own pea brains or minds, but using the mind of Christ--He is the "Living" word of God wherein His Spirit reveals truth to us.
1st Corinthians 2:15-16
- "But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.
- For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ."
We can't instruct Him (Romans 11:34) on what these things mean, He has to instruct us. And He does so through comparing Scripture with Scripture, through the Holy Spirit. How do we have the mind of Christ? Only by being transformed where our mind is changed to agree with His revealed will--which is in His Holy Word.
Romans 12:2
- " And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."
We prove the spirits just as the more noble Bereans did. Through searching out God's word.
The mind of Christ is the only true mind of wisdom in interpretation, judgment and understanding. Do not interpretations belong to God? Indeed they do! Seek not worldly, natural, carnal man-authored interpretations, instead seek the Spiritual in the mind and wisdom that is Christ. Worship Him in Spirit and truth, not in stones, bloodlines, houses, nations, meats, drinks, or FoxNews.
Consider the exact words of this prophecy again very carefully. At the time of the writing of this book (
about 2000 years ago), the beast was CLEARLY already in existence, and He had five heads that had already
previously fallen. That means he had existed prior to that time of this writing, and that those 5 heads/power of his reign had already taken place and has already been broken. After the 5 had fallen, the Beast had two more kingdoms (
rules of power) to get through. One of the two was present at the time of John's writing Revelation, and the other was said to be in the future. So that is
"proof positive" that the beast is not simply a modern day phenomenon nor end time creation, and that it has CLEARLY existed since the days of Christ. I believe the beast is simply a symbol or representation of
Satan's kingdom wherein natural man rules, and is ruled over by his king, Satan.
Carnal man is the Beast, and the
Dragon is his king that gives him his evil power or strength.
In fact, Scripture plainly says, "
Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of man" (Revelation 13:18). Please note though the transliteration in most Bibles might say "number of a man," that is not what the Scripture actually says. The original reads the number of man, and no legitimate Bible scholar will deny that since there is no article "a" in the original manuscripts. It actually reads, "
Let him that has understanding count the number of the beast, for it is the number of man." And of course, this agrees seamlessly with this imagery of the Beast being the kingdom of unsaved man. Just as those who are servants of God receive the seal, mark or name of God Spiritually written on them, those who are servants of Satan receive his mark. We don't read that we have the name of "a" god written upon us, and it shouldn't. It should be the same for it is the number of man, not of "a man." When we read we are the children of God, the text is the same Greek construction. There shouldn't be children of a God.
Or again, look to Revelation chapter 12.
Revelation 12:3
- "And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads."
This Dragon is Satan, and note we see the
same attributes as the Beast. And again, we see Satan is represented with 7 heads and 10 horns exactly as the beast was. This episode of the Dragon with 7 heads and 10 horns in Revelation chapter 12 starts taking place before Christ (
the man child) was even born and continues to after his death and resurrection. And so we can say unequivocally we understand that this beast with 7 heads and 10 horns represents the Kingdom of Satan as it exists throughout time and is not 7 individual physical kings on Earth. For example, it represents Satan and his carnal messengers who fight against Christ and His messengers, and that he and his horns and heads have been around since before the first advent of Christ. Our understanding of this has to be based on comparing God's words with God's words and not on man's fancies of individual earthly kingdoms. As Joseph rhetorically asked, "do not interpretations belong to God?" Indeed they do.
Mt Zion is a real mountain near Jerusalem. It can be literal about that literal mountain, or it can have a symbolic meaning of the capital of the kingdom of God, Jerusalem but not the entire kingdom.
Zion is a city, a mountain, a Kingdom, a principality and a people because it is defined this way. There is no great enigma of why the use of Zion or why Mount Zion is in both the Old and New Testaments. The Testaments/Covenants prefiguure this Spiritual Kingdom, this city and people. The use of Zion is because it symbolizes our exalting or raising up as a mountain to signify God's kingdom and government. As Melanie already said, it thus represents the Kingdom of Heaven.
Romans 9:33
- "As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed."
The word mountain representing Kingdom, and Zion representing its exalted position or "raising up" as Jerusalem, the holy city of peace. That's why the hill of Jerusalem on which the city of David was built is called Zion. God's people Jerusalem are the spiritual and holy city to which God has comforted and brought peace. Zion representing God's love for this Holy people of God, whom have been brought peace. Jerusalem, the city of peace.
Psalms 87:2-3
- "The LORD loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob.
- Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God. Selah."
This is not at all talking about a literal mountain. Zion is synonymous with, and represents the spiritual city that God loves, the heavenly (
as opposed to earthly) Jerusalem. The earthly or physical Mount Zion in the Old Testament and situated in the Middle East, merely pointed to this spiritual kingdom of heaven. The previous reference to Hebrews chapter 12 illustrates this clearly.
Hebrews 12:22-23
- "But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,
- To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,"
Mount Sion here is the antitypical Zion, the heavenly Jerusalem, the Kingdom of Heaven of which the saints have "already" come, are already its citizens, and already reign with Christ within.
Rev 14:1 And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads.
The Lamb is Jesus not an actual lamb
The Lamb represents Christ.
so that's literally Jesus being there, making the mount literal and the people literally physically related to the various tribes of Israel.
Read Hebrews 12:22-23 above.