Introducing beast number two! We learned in the last post about the dragon and the first beast. Today we will learn more about the mighty dragon and TWO beasts. They all have certain characteristics, both physical traits and character traits. All three play their roles as well in the end.
Review Of The First Beast
A dragon and the first beast are mentioned in Revelation 13:1-4. They are listed below.
The dragon[a] stood on the shore of the sea. And I saw a beast coming out of the sea. It had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on its horns, and on each head a blasphemous name. 2 The beast I saw resembled a leopard, but had feet like those of a bear and a mouth like that of a lion. The dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority. 3 One of the heads of the beast seemed to have had a fatal wound, but the fatal wound had been healed. The whole world was filled with wonder and followed the beast. 4 People worshiped the dragon because he had given authority to the beast, and they also worshiped the beast and asked, “Who is like the beast? Who can wage war against it?”
Revelation 13:1-4
Now Add The Second Beast
| Characteristics | Red Dragon | Leopard Beast (1st Beast) | Horned Lamb Beast (2nd Beast) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heads | 7 | 7 | 1 |
| Horns | 10 | 10 | 2 |
| Crowns | 7 on the 7 Heads | 10 on the 10 Horns | |
| Came out of… | The Sea | The Sea | The Earth |
| Notable Attributions | Great & Powerful Tail | – Blasphemous name on each horn – Mouth like a Lion – Feet like a Bear – Serious Injury | – Looks like a sheep with two horns – Spoke like a dragon – Helped the injured Beast |
The Old Testament Prophesies Four Beasts
This isn’t the first time we’ve seen specific beasts with targeted objectives in scripture. Daniel chapter 7 mentions four beasts. They are not all the same but similar, for example, the leopard has similar traits to the leopard in Revelation 13.
Daniel dreamed of four beasts in chapter 7. Four winds of heaven churning up the sea. Four great beasts came out of the sea, each different from each other. Check out what Life Hope and Truth says about these beasts.
- 1st- Lion, had wings of an eagle
- 2nd-looked like a bear
- 3rd- looked like a leopard, with four wings like the wings of a bird, then four heads, given authority to rule(is this the same leopard in Rev 13?)
- 4th-terrifying, frightening, powerful. Had large iron teeth. Crushed and devoured its victims. Trampled underfoot whatever was left. Different from all former beasts and had 10 horns.
Now we know what these beasts in Daniel represent (the Babylonians, the Persians, the Greeks and the Romans) which prophesy what, to us is history. But notice the animals, the avatars, are very similar suggesting that there may be elements of these beasts that are related or borrow traits from each other. The passages in Daniel also may very well be Old Testament foreshadowing of what comes later in John’s Revelation.
Non-Physical Characteristics Of The Beasts
Based on Revelation 13:5-18
| Beast 1 | Beast 2 |
|---|---|
| Spoke proud words and blasphemed God | Exercised all of the authority of the 1st beast, made everyone worship the 1st beast. |
| Slandered the name of God, His dwelling place, and those who live in heaven | Performed great signs- fire came down from heaven in front of all people |
| Exercised authority for 42 months, given power to wage war against God’s holy people and conquer them | Deceived people |
| Given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation | Set up an image of the 1st beast who was healed |
| All inhabitants whose name was not written in the Lambs Book of Life will worship this beast | Gave the image of the 1st beast, power to breathe and speak, then to kill those who did not worship the 1st beast |
| Forced all people to receive a mark on their right wrist or forehead so that they could not buy or sell. This number is 666, the number of man. |
Think About Life With The Mark
I find it interesting, not that the events surrounding Covid-19 are exactly like what will happen someday, but that I see a similarity with the mark of the beast and the implications of having this mark. The similarity that I see is with the vaccinations and wearing the face mask. Right now, we hear again about Shanghai, China being once again in a 24/7 lock down due to Covid-19.
In many cities, businesses and events do not allow people in if they do not follow specific rules such as showing their vaccination cards. Similar to this, without the mark on their foreheads or their right wrists, we see in Revelation 13 that no one will be able to buy or sell. Think for a minute about how this will impact people. They need to go to the grocery store to buy food for their family. If they don’t have this mark, they won’t even be allowed to buy food! If they need gas, they will not be able to get any to run their vehicles or to get to work. Because the mark is required, people can’t get products that they need like clothing, toilet paper, any essentials for daily living unless they have this mark!
How about if someone wants or needs to sell their car or their home? They can’t do this either unless they have this mark!
God Is Omniscient (All-Knowing)
I read that people are considering chips to put inside of people already. We can look online and see the vision that the World Economic Forum has for a Universal Digital Identity and how it could be tied, in the future, to our ability to leverage things like financial, food and health services. Now, my purpose isn’t to call out various organizations, but as we see the world “progress” and we see what God says is coming, we have to ask ourselves “is this a coincidence?” God knows all things, way ahead of what we know and no one can outsmart God! We already see people pushed into doing certain things that they do not feel comfortable with. Looking ahead, they will have no choice unless they are willing to suffer and die. They actually are forced to get this mark, the number 666.
When I was a kid in Junior High School, a prophecy preacher talked about the “revived Roman Empire.” When I mentioned it to my Social Studies teacher, she could hardly contain her laughter: “Reeally, he thinks the Europeans will all cooperate with currency and one government?” Now the EU and the Euro is so common, no one thinks about it.
What old prophecy preachers taught is now “common sense.” Digital money, no cash; a “mark” or implant so you cannot lose your card; the government will manage everything for you; global cooperation for “your own good.”
Even so, come Lord Jesus. 😇
Amen!!!! It’s getting crazy out there and appears like His return is closer when people are putting their ideas in place, as if no one else ever thought of this or knows that it will happen. Amazing! Honestly, I look forward to His return so much!!!
So good and clear. We must know He will provide for us through any storm. Then we will be safe as we depend upon His “All Knowing Care.” Great Post!
Thanks😁