What does the beast carrying the woman mean in Revelation 17?
The beast carrying the woman symbolizes the revived Roman Empire, the worldwide political system headed by Antichrist, supporting and subsidizing the world church. The woman rides upon it, showing that this church is upheld by Antichrist’s government. The beast’s seven heads and ten horns point to Antichrist, Satan, and the Empire.
Les explains that a beast of burden carries and supports what is on it. In Revelation 17, the woman is riding the beast, so the revived Roman Empire—the great political worldwide system headed by the man Antichrist—will subsidize and support this world church. The government of the Antichrist is supporting it. The beast that carries her, with seven heads and ten horns, is a reference to the Antichrist, to Satan, and to the Empire. Verse 8 describes the beast as was, is not, shall ascend out of the bottomless pit and go into perdition, tied to the ancient Roman political, economic, and pagan religious system culminating. The seven heads are seven mountains or kingdoms/nations on which the woman sits, meaning she has rule, and verse 10 points to Western Europe and seven kings.