6. (a) What did the horns of the beast mean? (b) In what way had they “not yet received a kingdom”?

6 Remember, too, that the beast had ten horns. About these, the angel said: “The ten horns that you saw mean ten kings, who have not yet received a kingdom, but they do receive authority as kings one hour with the wild beast.” (Revelation 17:12) In the Bible, the number ten represents completeness as to things on earth. Therefore, these horns symbolize all the governmental powers earth wide that support the wild beast for a short time (“one hour”) during “the Lord’s day.” They include the seventh world power, as well as the modern governments that have descended from the other six ‘heads of the beast,’ though these six are no longer world powers. These “kings” did not exist in John’s day.* Now that they have gained authority, they “give their power and authority to the wild beast.”—Revelation 17:13.