Who are the people who wonder at the beast in Revelation 17:8?
They are the unbelieving inhabitants of the earth, those whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world. They will be part of the great religious system and will wonder when they behold the beast that was, is not, and yet is.
Les explains that the beast in Revelation 17:8 is the revived Roman Empire, also identified with the Antichrist and Satan, which was, disappeared, and will ascend out of the bottomless pit. He says the ones who wonder are the unbelieving element of the world, those whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world. They will be part and parcel of the great religious system, and they wonder when the ancient Roman political, economic, and pagan religious system culminates in the beast that was and is not and yet is.
The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.
More Questions
What is the beast in Revelation 17:8 that was, is not, and will ascend from the bottomless pit?
In Revelation 17:8, the beast that was, is not, and will ascend from the bottomless pit is the Roman Empire, which existed, faded from history, and will re-emerge to go to perdition.