Who or what is the beast out of the sea? It is a challenge to keep the identity of the beast in perspective when reading any book of the Bible but especially the book of Revelation.
The beast is associated with the antichrist but the antichrist himself is most often represented as a horn on one of the beast’s heads or one of the heads itself. The beast is also associated with Satan since Satan gives the beast his power and the beast, like Satan, comes out of the abyss.
“This is what he said: ‘The fourth beast will be a fourth kingdom on the earth, different from all the other kingdoms. It will devour the whole earth, trample it down, and crush it. The 10 horns are 10 kings who will rise from this kingdom. Another, different from the previous ones, will rise after them and subdue three kings. He will speak words against the Most High and oppress the holy ones of the Most High. He will intend to change religious festivals and laws, and the holy ones will be handed over to him for a time, times, and half a time.’ ” Daniel 7:23-25 (antichrist as a horn)
“Then the male goat became very great, but when he became powerful, the large horn was shattered. Four conspicuous horns came up in its place, pointing toward the four winds of heaven. From one of them a little horn emerged and grew extensively toward the south and the east and toward the beautiful land. It grew as high as the heavenly host, made some of the stars and some of the host fall to the earth and trampled them. It made itself great, even up to the Prince of the host; it removed His daily sacrifice and overthrew the place of His sanctuary. Because of rebellion, a host, together with the daily sacrifice, will be given over. The horn will throw truth to the ground and will be successful in whatever it does.” Daniel 8:8-12 (antichrist as a horn)
“And I saw a beast coming up out of the sea. He had 10 horns and seven heads. On his horns were 10 diadems, and on his heads were blasphemous names. The beast I saw was like a leopard, his feet were like a bear’s, and his mouth was like a lion’s mouth. The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority. One of his heads appeared to be fatally wounded, but his fatal wound was healed. The whole earth was amazed and followed the beast. They worshiped the dragon because he gave authority to the beast. And they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast? Who is able to wage war against him? ” Revelation 13:1-4 (antichrist as a head)
The use of the personal pronoun in chapters thirteen and nineteen of Revelation, translated “he” in English, suggests the beast represents a person. That the pronoun refers to the beast is certain but it is debatable that the correct pronoun is used. The Greek word for beast in these chapters, thérion, is neutral which means it is more correct to translated the personal pronoun as “it”, as done in some English translations.
“Then I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies gathered together to wage war against the rider on the horse and against His army. But the beast was taken prisoner, and along with him the false prophet, who had performed the signs in his presence. He deceived those who accepted the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image with these signs. Both of them were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur.” Revelation 19:19-20
But, unless we distinguish the antichrist from the beast it is impossible to resolve the imagery of the antichrist as a horn on the head of the beast and as the beast itself at the same time. When the beast is cast into the lake of fire it follows that the beast with all its horns and heads with it are cast into the fire. That understanding is supported by the announcement of the third angel in Revelation fourteen that all those who take the mark of the beast will suffer the same punishment as the beast.
“And a third angel followed them and spoke with a loud voice: ‘If anyone worships the beast and his image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, he will also drink the wine of God’s wrath, which is mixed full strength in the cup of His anger. He will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the sight of the holy angels and in the sight of the Lamb, and the smoke of their torment will go up forever and ever. There is no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and his image, or anyone who receives the mark of his name.’ ” Revelation 14:9-11
One of the most definitive statements given about the identity of the beast was given to the Apostle John.
“The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to come up from the abyss and go to destruction. Those who live on the earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the worlds will be astonished when they see the beast that was, and is not, and will be present again” (Revelation 17:8).
To put this in perspective, if this book of Revelation was being read in the assembly at Philadelphia around the year 96 A.D. and someone asked, “could the beast be Rome?”, the answer would be “No, because Rome exists and this beast doesn’t exist. Besides, Rome did not exist in the past”. The beast being identified in Revelation seventeen was not in existence but existed before John’s time and will rise out of the abyss to exist again and go to destruction in the end-times. This rising will so astonish the world that those whose names are not written in the book of life will worship the beast because of it (see Revelation 13:1-4 above).
As Revelation thirteen continues the verses distinguish the antichrist from the beast as a mouth and is supported in the descriptions of the antichrist in Daniel.
“A mouth was given to him [the beast] to speak boasts and blasphemies. He was also given authority to act for 42 months. He began to speak blasphemies against God: to blaspheme His name and His dwelling — those who dwell in heaven. And he was permitted to wage war against the saints and to conquer them. He was also given authority over every tribe, people, language, and nation. All those who live on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name was not written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slaughtered” Revelation 13:5-8 [the beast] added for clarity (antichrist as a mouth)
“He will speak words against the Most High and oppress the holy ones of the Most High. He will intend to change religious festivals and laws, and the holy ones will be handed over to him for a time, times, and half a time.’ ” Daniel 7:25
There is only one other book in the Bible that associates a beast with Babylon in the end-times besides Revelation. Daniel seven is a follow-up vision to the one given to Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel two. In chapter seven the end-times Babylon is seen as a confederation of four beasts. All four beasts exist at the same time and it is from the fourth beast that the antichrist rises.
“I watched, then, because of the sound of the arrogant words the horn was speaking. As I continued watching, the beast was killed and its body destroyed and given over to the burning fire. As for the rest of the beasts, their authority to rule was removed, but an extension of life was granted to them for a certain period of time.” Daniel 7:11-12
“This is what he said: ‘The fourth beast will be a fourth kingdom on the earth, different from all the other kingdoms. It will devour the whole earth, trample it down, and crush it. The 10 horns are 10 kings who will rise from this kingdom. Another, different from the previous ones, will rise after them and subdue three kings. He will speak words against the Most High and oppress the holy ones of the Most High. He will intend to change religious festivals and laws, and the holy ones will be handed over to him for a time, times, and half a time.’ ” Daniel 7:23-25
So the beast is not the antichrist nor is it Satan and it is not Babylon but rather one part of the end-times Babylonian kingdom. It will be worshiped as Satan is worshiped. It did not exist in the time when John was given the Revelation but did exist in the past and will rise from the abyss to go to prediction. Any supposition concerning the beast must fit these criteria.
It turns out there was a time mentioned in the Old Testament that may fit all this criteria and there may be a reference to that time in the Book of Revelation.
Chapter twelve of Revelation gives an interesting statement concerning the environment at the time of the beast’s rising. Satan will sweep a third of the stars and host of heaven to the earth. It is in these verses we see a blending of Satan, the beast, and the antichrist into an unholy trinity. Satan replacing the Father, the antichrist replacing Son, leaving the beast as a replacement for the Holy Spirit.
“Then another sign appeared in heaven: There was a great fiery red dragon having seven heads and 10 horns, and on his heads were seven diadems. His tail swept away a third of the stars in heaven and hurled them to the earth. And the dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she did give birth he might devour her child.” Revelation 12:3-4).
Notice the dragon, Satan, has seven head and 10 horns just like the beast.
“From one of them a little horn emerged and grew extensively toward the south and the east and toward the beautiful land. It grew as high as the heavenly host, made some of the stars and some of the host fall to the earth, and trampled them. It made itself great, even up to the Prince of the host; it removed His daily sacrifice and overthrew the place of His sanctuary.” Daniel 8:9-11
The antichrist is equated to Satan by making some of the heavenly host fall to the earth.
Satan himself will be confined to the earth in these last years.
“So the great dragon was thrown out — the ancient serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, the one who deceives the whole world. He was thrown to earth, and his angels with him.” Revelation 12:9
There is one other time when the fallen had walked among men.
“When mankind began to multiply on the earth and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of mankind were beautiful, and they took any they chose as wives for themselves. And the LORD said, “My Spirit will not remain with mankind forever, because they are corrupt. Their days will be 120 years.” The Nephilim were on the earth both in those days and afterward, when the sons of God came to the daughters of mankind, who bore children to them. They were the powerful men of old, the famous men.” Genesis 6:1-4
The Hebrew word translated “Nephilim” in Genesis six comes from a root word that means to fall and can mean a “fallen one” but it is most often translated as “giant” meaning a feller or bully. It is also interesting that the Greek word for beast in Revelation, thérion, is sometimes translated brute instead of beast and has a similar connotation as Nephilim. The Epistle of Jude suggests that God has confined these “sons of God” to the abyss waiting for God’s day of judgment.
“and He has kept, with eternal chains in darkness for the judgment of the great day, the angels who did not keep their own position but deserted their proper dwelling.” Jude 1:6
That explains why there isn’t currently any Nephilim on the earth now as there was in the past. They are in the abyss waiting to rise to prediction. With the unlocking of the abyss (Revelation 9:1-2), the casting of the fallen angels to earth (Revelation 12:7-9), and the rising of the beast out of the sea (Revelation 13:1-8) the earth will once again have the fallen on it. The first time ended with God rescuing the righteous and destroying the wicked. This last time will end with the same result.
One possible supposition as to the identity of the beast, then, is that it is the resurrection of the religious system associated with the Nephilim that centers on Satan worship and possible demon possession. The supposition also fits with the imagery of a second beast as a false prophet of this religious order and fits with the antichrist receiving his earthly power (as a horn) and charisma (as a mouth) from the beast. There won’t be enough time in the tribulation for children to be born and grow to be world leaders. That only leaves demon possession to account for a Nephilim style existence on the earth.
“They worshiped the dragon because he gave authority to the beast. And they worshiped the beast, saying, ‘Who is like the beast? Who is able to wage war against him?’ ” Revelation 13:4
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