1.1) Woman riding the beast refers to RCC. This is indisputable & accepted by all. What is overlooked is time context of the vision. The woman was in the 'wilderness.' Yes, RCC entered wilderness when true church came out of wilderness in 1798. In that year Pope Pius VI was exiled by..

1.2) French General Berthier, and Napoleon declared end of popes' temporal power. From that time till 1929 [date of Lateran Agreement], popes lost all their papal states, were on the run for their lives from Italian nationalists & lost Rome itself, and from 1870 till 1929 4 popes were prisoners of Vatican.

1.3) The 4 popes did not leave Vatican. Reason: they did not want to be subject to Italian king. RCC was in its 'wilderness.' They had no temporal power and could not persecute the saints anymore.
-Prior 1798: popes were king makers.
-1798-1929: popes were running 4 their lives.

1.4) In 1929, deadly wound started to heal. They became mere kings. It is not full healing. For popes to accept to be mere kings is a temporary concession til they regain former power, which will happen soon. Full recovery will be evidenced by ability to force doctrine & punish heretics.

1.5) It important when studying the timeline of 7 kings to focus on the 'wilderness'. It means that 7 kings time setting is post 1798. Ministers who explain Rev 17 without addressing the key word 'wilderness' are ignorant, unwittingly serving Satan's agenda to hide 7 kings from view.

1.6) When 'wilderness' is taken into context, it becomes clear as light the non-sense of kings being kingdoms. How can you fit 7 world kingdoms between 1798 till end of time? Sadly, the most important timeline in Revelation is the most ignored and misinterpreted prophecy in Revelation.

2.1) If John using kings meant kingdoms, he could have done so, as he used kingdom elsewhere. So when he said kings he meant it. This leads us to second important reason why kings means kings: when you apply kings to popes from 1929 [they only became kings in 1929], prophetic details fit perfectly like a glove.

2.2) The vision was given at the time of 6th king "one is'. This was John Paul II. Is it surprising that John was taken in vision to the time of the most loved pope in history, and second longest pontificate? He is also the pope that is known by all living today. A divine hint.

2.3) Now we come to another startling detail regarding 7th king. It states "when he cometh, he must continue a short space." Benedict XVI resigned 5 yrs ago, and last month he turned 91. He shocked everyone with his resignation, which is really extremely rare amongst popes.

2.4) Benedict was the 265th pope. Only 2 popes before him resigned. Celestine V in 1294 resigned voluntarily. Gregory XII in 1415, forced to resign to end the Western Schism. Benedict's resignation came 719 yrs after the only other voluntary resignation with the 265 popes. Most astounding indeed!

2.5) The resignation of Celestine V in 1294 was so awkward that succeeding pope Boniface ordered Celestine's imprisonment because he believed that two living popes might create a division in the church. Today we have 2 living popes, one in power and another ex-pope. Amazing!!!!!!

3.1) Of the 8th, it states that he 'shall ascend out of the bottomless pit.' Bottomless pit is synonymous with death. Is it surprising that Francis the 8th king is the 1st Jesuit pope in history? Did not history record that millions of saints were martyred at the hand of Jesuits? Is there a more fitting description of the Jesuits than 'bottomless pit'?

3.2) We know from Rev 11, 13 & 17, that the 8th, when his wound is fully healed and his power fully restored, will wage a final battle with the saints in the very near future. It is Satan's plan to hide the 7 kings timeline so that His people are found not ready.