The Two Beasts

Introduction:

This chapter is difficult to interpret. This chapter tells of the two beasts who will take control during this portion of the tribulation. They will have great power given to them by Satan. Men cannot hope to contend with the powers of Satan without the help of God.

vv.1-4) The Character of the First Beast:

Appearance:

[1] In dealing with the pervious chapter John’s vision mainly had heaven in view. Now the scene of his vision shifts to the earth, and in his vision he stood on the seashore.

Many of us today love the sea, but as a whole the Jewish people in Biblical times regarded the sea as a wild, untamed, frightening place. (This makes what Jesus did, calming the storm and the sea, even more remarkable)

While ancient Israel under Solomon’s rule had a fleet of ships, Hiram the King of Tyre supplied the sailors:

1 Kings 9:26–27 NKJV

26 King Solomon also built a fleet of ships at Ezion Geber, which is near Elath on the shore of the Red Sea, in the land of Edom. 27 Then Hiram sent his servants with the fleet, seamen who knew the sea, to work with the servants of Solomon.

Because ancient Israel was wary of the sea, it was a figure of evil and chaos that seemed to resist God, though the resistance was unsuccessful:

Psalm 74:12–13 NKJV

12 For God is my King from of old, Working salvation in the midst of the earth. 13 You divided the sea by Your strength; You broke the heads of the sea serpents in the waters.

Psalm 89:8–9 NKJV

8 O Lord God of hosts, Who is mighty like You, O Lord? Your faithfulness also surrounds You. 9 You rule the raging of the sea; When its waves rise, You still them.

Isaiah 57:20 NKJV

20 But the wicked are like the troubled sea, When it cannot rest, Whose waters cast up mire and dirt.

Beast rising up: From the place identified with evil and chaos and resisting God, a beast comes forth. In the Greek this word translates with the idea of a wild, dangerous animal. I believe that because John calls him a beast and not a dragon like in the pervious chapter, this creature represents someone distinct from Satan.

Though distinct from the dragon, there are similarities. he is not the dragon, but he is like the dragon. Because the dragon also had seven heads and ten horns.

Any creature with seven heads would be hard to slay, because if you wounded one head, six still remained. Also in biblical imagery horns express strength and power. A bull with two horns is a powerful creature, but a beast with ten horns has that much more power—just like the dragon.

Because of the likeness, one popular opinion is that this beast is the Antichrist. A word that only appears in the Bible 5 times in 4 verses: 1 John 2:18, 22, 4:3; 2 John :7.

1 John 2:18 NKJV

18 Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour.

We can start to understand what the title antichrist means by breaking it down. The prefix anti means “the opposite of” or “instead of.” The antichrist is the opposite Jesus ; it could be instead of Jesus.

To many people have focused on the idea of the opposite of Jesus. Giving them a skewed understanding. Thinking that the Antichrist will appear as a supremely evil person, that as much as Jesus went around doing goo, he will go around doing evil. I personally believe the Antichrist will instead by more of an instead of Jesus.

Looking wonderful, being charming and successful. he will be the ultimate winner, and appear as an angel of light. In this sense the Antichrist will be a satanic Messiah, instead of the true Messiah Jesus Christ.

Now it would be a good question to point out that 1 John 2:18 points out a spirit of antichrist… a little “a.” I believe that these little “a” antichrists are just previews of thee Antichrist to come. He is given several titles throughout the Bible. He is known as:

The little horn of (Daniel 7:8)

The king of fierce countenance of (Daniel 8:23)

The Prince that shall come of (Daniel 9:26)

The willful king of (Daniel 11:36-45)

The one who comes in his own name of (John 5:43), whom Israel will receive as a Messiah

The son of perdition, the man of sin, the lawless one of (2 Thessalonians 2:3)

And on his horns ten crowns: This is different then that of the dragon. The dragon had seven diadems on his heads. And it represented his strength and power.

The ten crowns of the beast express his rule over a group of ten nations.

Most commentators think that the ten horns are distributed among the seven heads, but I see all ten horns upon one of the heads. I believe that this represents the final world empire of the Antichrist, which the Messiah will ultimately conquer:

Daniel 7:7 NKJV

7 “After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, exceedingly strong. It had huge iron teeth; it was devouring, breaking in pieces, and trampling the residue with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns.

Blasphemous name: The seven heads of the best each advertise blasphemy against God. This speaks of more than the beast’s message; it speaks of his character. He is a blasphemer, who speaks against God:

Daniel 7:25 NKJV

25 He shall speak pompous words against the Most High, Shall persecute the saints of the Most High, And shall intend to change times and law. Then the saints shall be given into his hand For a time and times and half a time.

Allegory:

[2] In this vision, God used images from Daniel’s vision of Daniel 7 to communicate the identity and nature of this beast to John. Daniel 7 used four animals beast to describe the course of human government from Daniels time until the ultimate reign of Jesus on this earth.

The first three animals are a lion (Daniel—a picture of Babylonian Empire), a bear (Medo-Persian Empire), and a leopard (the Greek Empire). The fourth beast was dreadful, indescribable beast which shared the most terrifying characteristics of the previous beasts, yet represents the final world empire under the leadership of a Satanic dictator.

I believe what John is doing is presenting this beast as the extension of the fourth beast of Daniel, connecting his empire with the characteristics of the great empires of the past. This final world empire will have the catlike vigilance of a leopard, the slow and crushing power of a bear, and the authority and ferociousness of a lion.

the beast which I saw: All indications in this chapter are that the beast is a man, though he is closely identified with his world-dominating government. Much like Adolph Hitler as an individual and Nazi Germany as a state are virtually the same thing.

Dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority: Through this man, Satan will express his own desire and authority. In this, the beast takes the offer that Jesus refused in Matthew 4:8-10

Matthew 4:8–10 NKJV

8 Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9 And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.” 10 Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ ”

Affection:

[3] I believe this to truly be the Antichrist, who even imitates Jesus in His death and resurrection. The world will believe this, and it will add tremendously to his fame and power.

[4] As people worship this beast and bow down before his government, it may be that they do not know they are bowing down to Satan; but it is worship of Satan none the less.

The world is coming to be enraptured with the power of the beast, and will believe he is so might that he cannot be conquered. For a time, the beast will look like the winner. When he blasphemes Jesus and persecutes God’s people, they will appear to be complete losers—only for a short time.

vv.5-10) The Control of the Beast:

Cursing:

[5-6] Blasphemer may be a more accurate title than “AntiChrist” for this end-times dictator. This beast is a man who speaks against the God and everything God stands for, His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven.

Some Roman Emperors blasphemed God this way; but they did not fulfill these prophecies, even if they did prefigure their fulfillment.

This beast continues without restraint by God for a period of 42 months—the familiar three and one-half years. The duration of the period shows that the beast has full reign for the first half of the final seven years, and that during the whole time he is still under God’s authority.

Why does the beast blaspheme those who dwell in heaven?

I believe this means he speaks against those who were taken in the rapture, and are therefore out of his reach.

Control:

Concern:

Captivity:

vv. 11-18) The Character of the Second Beast: