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Tommy Ice wrote:

"This passage is providing a landscape of biblical history of those kingdoms, not individual kings, which have persecuted Israel . . . God is saying that He has decreed the time of this final empire will be shorter than the six previous. This factor alone would eliminate the possibility of the seven kings being first-century Roman emperors."

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Sometimes I wonder if Tommy even takes the time to consider what he writes. First, the Revelation does not say seven empires: it says seven kings. A "literalist" should know that. This is the passage:

"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." (Rev 17:10 KJV)

First, there is no doubt which kingdom was in control of Israel in those days: the Roman Empire. These were the five fallen kings of that kingdom:

Julius Caesar
Augustus
Tiberius
Gaius (Caligula)
Claudius

Nero, the sixth king, reigned from 54AD to June 68AD. He started a major persecution of Christians in 64AD. He was also the one who sent the Roman armies against Israel to destroy their cities and Jerusalem. In other words, he was a major player in the last days of Israel.

Galba, the seven king, reigned only six months, or, as written, "a short space."

If those kings do not represent what the Revelation predicted; it was a remarkable coincidence that they matched the scripture perfectly. It was made even more remarkable by this: the persecutions under Nero began in the latter part of '64 and ended on June 9, '68, upon his suicide, as was prophesied in this passage, and the next:

"And there was given unto him [the beast] a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months." (Rev 13:5)

"And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations." (Rev 13:7)

Nero thought of himself as a god, and the Roman senate recognized him as such. It was risky business not to worship, or pay homage to his image. The extent of his authority was mentioned in the above passage as "world-wide," which in those days meant the Roman Empire. Nero is also credited with killing both Paul and Peter: the Saints of Saints.

There is ample proof that the Roman Empire was considered the whole world, as there is ample proof that the gospel was preached throughout the whole world:

"And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed." (Luke 2:1 KJV)

"And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come." (Mat 24:14 KJV)

"And [Jesus] said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." (Mark 16:15 KJV)

"And there stood up one of them named Agabus, and signified by the Spirit that there should be great dearth throughout all the world: which came to pass in the days of Claudius Caesar." (Acts 11:28 KJV)

"First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world." (Rom 1:8 KJV)

"So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world." (Rom 10:17-18 KJV)

"For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel; Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth:" (Col 1:5-6 KJV)

"If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;" (Col 1:23 KJV)

Note that Paul not only said the gospel was preached in all the world, but to every creature, fulfilling both Matt 24:14 and Mark 16:15. And what did Jesus tell the disciples would happen when the gospel was preached in the whole world?

"And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come." (Mat 24:14 KJV)

The end of what? The end of the Mosiac or Jewish Age, which was the last question the disciples had asked him on mount Olive:

"Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?"" (Mat 24:3 NKJV)

All the other prophecies listed in Matthew 24 were also fulfilled, including at least one that would seem insignificant today:

"And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet." (Matt 24:6)

That was significant in those days due to a long period of peace that began under Augustus in 17 AD, and lasted until about 60AD when Queen Boudicca revolted in Britain.

Philip