Beasts
What or who do the two main beasts represent?
Summary.
In Revelation, satan has two main beasts that do its bidding in the eschaton (or ‘last days’). The two beasts rise in 13:1-18 and what their appearances represent are described in 17:1-18. One beast rises onto the earth from the abyss/ sea (the abyss beast) and it has seven heads and ten horns (13:1-10). The seven heads represent seven hills beneath Babylon and seven kings; Babylon is the great city and harlot. The ten horns are future kings and the beast itself becomes a king at that time. The common evil purpose of the beast and the ten kings is to defeat the Lamb (Christ) and ruin Babylon (17:12-16). The other beast rises through the earth (the earth beast) and it has two horns (13:11-18). It is a false prophet, who works on behalf of the abyss beast. It sets up a speaking image of the abyss beast (13:15) and it forces everyone to worship the image and to be ‘marked’ with the number of the abyss beast (the number of the abyss beast is ‘666’, 13:16-18).
In the proposed macrostructure, satan’s two beasts only appear once, when the fifth and sixth trumpets sound during time-parallels 2 and 3 (Figure 3). Time-parallels are like text parallels, but with a chronological component (see Towards … 1b). The abyss beast’s seven and ten kings and the earth beast’s two horns reflect characters in two eras (John’s era and the eschaton) – but the beasts themselves only appear for a short time (13:5), in the eschaton. Satan and the two beasts gather the kings of the earth together for battle ‘on the great day of God the Almighty’ at a place called Armageddon (16:13-16), but battle is thwarted by the storm and earthquake which destroys Babylon (16:17-21). Forces re-group when the Rider (Christ) appears and the two beasts are defeated in the Great Battle and thrown into the lake-of-fire (19:20) forever and ever (20:10). Revelation is an apocalyptic-prophetic letter, so if, how or when these symbolic events may be recognisable on the material, non-visionary world in the eschaton is unknown. This study sees Revelation as an overview of God’s territory that puts characters and events into a cosmic and temporal perspective, so it is unhelpful to allocate names of people or institutions to the beasts because we do not know our relative position on the Creation- New Order continuum.
Background.
On 24 July 2023, there were over 7 million Google responses to the question ‘What or who do the two main beasts of the biblical book of Revelation represent’; ‘Armageddon’ gave 343,000 responses. These illustrate how embedded in western culture are Revelation’s beasts and their actions. This study is an introduction to God’s response to the three characters (satan and his two beasts) when they try to manipulate humanity into evil actions, as described by Revelation’s author (John). The study uses Revelation’s text, the proposed macrostructure and a small library of book books and articles (see the Bibliography) to consider this question.
In Revelation, satan (sometimes described as a great, red dragon) is present at the beginning of Creation (12:5; see Framework 1) and it has two main creatures that do its bidding: the abyss beast and the earth beast. It is the dragon and the beasts who gather together ‘the kings of the whole world (…) for battle on the great day of God the Almighty (…) at the place that in Hebrew is called (A)rmageddon’ (16:13-16). In the interpretation in this study, this will happen during the eschaton (or ‘last days’), which begin when the golden censer is thrown to earth and the seven trumpets are ready to sound (8:3-6, Framework 2). Satan’s beasts appear on earth (13:1-18) during the fifth and sixth trumpets, respectively (time-parallels 2 and 3, Figure 3),[1] and further details about their identities are given in 17:1-18. In other words, the beasts do not appear until the eschaton is well underway, but satan has been with us since the beginning of time.
In the proposed macrostructure, there are two earthly spaces, see Framework 1B.d: the physical-spiritual earth, which is so called because John describes these two dimensions together, for example the four seal horsemen (spiritual) bring physical consequences (conquest, war, famine and death, 6:2-8); and the biblical earth, which is so called because the events described within it reflect the biblical narrative, for example satan’s two beasts are a reminder of Daniel’s beasts (Dan. 7:1-8:27, Framework 3C.b). Both the physical-spiritual and biblical earths are visionary versions of the earth within which John lived (the material earth). In the proposed macrostructure, the beasts’ appear (13:1-18) on the biblical earth. The beasts may be seen on the physical-spiritual earth when the earth beast is the false prophet, who works on the behalf of the abyss beast (13:12-17, 19:20, see also 16:13, 20:10), and when the abyss beast becomes an ‘eighth king’ (17:11). The structural relationship between chapters 11-16 is controlled by two of the four steps back in relative time in the story (see Towards … 4b).
[1] Time-parallels are like text parallels, but with a chronological component (see Towards … 1b).
1) Two beasts appear on earth (Part 1) - Framework 3C
Chapter 13 introduces satan’s two beasts (see Figure 3). The first (abyss) beast comes out of the abyss/ sea onto the biblical earth (13:1-10), most likely from below-the-earth and most probably when the abyss opens on the physical-spiritual earth (9:1-2). In the proposed macrostructure, this is when the fifth trumpet sounds and the ‘first woe’ begins (9:1-12, during time-parallel 2). Earth experienced scorching, contaminated sea and fresh water, and darkness when the first four trumpets sounded (8:7-12), but the subsequent three woes represent enhanced evils. When the abyss opens, horse-like, stinging locusts appear out of the smoke. These creatures affect ‘only those people who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads’ (9:4, see 7:3-8) and their agonies last for five months (9:5). The leader of this army is the angel of the abyss (called ‘Destruction’ or ‘Destroyer’; 9:11) but if the abyss is open, it is likely the abyss beast also rises at this time (13:1). This beast is allowed to make war on the faithful and it has power over all humanity for a short time, because it has the authority of the dragon/ satan for ‘forty-two months’ (13:5-7).
When the sixth trumpet sounds on the physical-spiritual earth, the second (earth) beast rises through the earth onto the biblical earth (13:11-18, see Figure 3). In the interpretation in this study, this is most likely when the four angels who were standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds (7:1), are released at the River Euphrates (9:14-15) – this assumes these four angels are the same ones who were bound and then released at the Euphrates. In this second woe, an army of 200 million mounted troops appear on the physical-spiritual earth and a third of mankind is killed by the fire, smoke and sulphur emitted from the mouths of the troops and the injuries caused by their tails (9:15-19). Yet, the people still do not repent of their evil ways (9:20-21). While this is happening, the earth beast sets up a speaking image of the abyss beast and everyone must worship this image (13:12-15) (see time-parallel 3, Figure 3). The earth beast also arranges for everyone to receive a ‘mark’ before they can buy or sell anything. The mark is the name of the abyss beast or its number, and the number of the beast is 666 (13:16-18). What this number may mean is ambiguous because its context became obscure after the Roman Empire ended.
During the sixth trumpet/ second woe, John meets the ‘mighty angel’ and he (John) hears the seven thunders (but their message is sealed up for the time being), he eats the little scroll, measures the temple and he is told about the two witnesses in the ‘great city (…) where also their Lord was crucified’, i.e. Jerusalem (10:1-11:6). Satan’s two beasts are present when these events happen because the abyss beast kills the two witnesses (11:7-10). The earth beast/ false prophet does the abyss beast’s bidding (13:12-17, 19:20, see also 16:13, 20:10), so it is likely that the false prophet orchestrates the murders. The witnesses are resurrected and they ascend into heaven (11:11-12) and then a severe earthquake destroys a tenth of the city, with 7000 fatalities (11:13). The third woe is coming soon (11:14), the seventh trumpet sounds, the heavenly temple opens (11:15-19) and the scene is set for Christ’s appearance at 14:1, i.e. straight after the two beasts appear (in 13:1-18, see Figures 3 and 4).
The abyss beast looks like a leopard with seven heads that are inscribed with blasphemous names, and ten crowned horns (13:1-2). The earth beast has ‘two horns like a lamb’ (on a single head, is implied) and it ‘spoke like a dragon’ (13:11). The master of the two beasts (satan/ dragon) also has ‘seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads’ (12:3). The monstrous forms of the beasts, with the heads and horns, do not automatically signify monstrous natures – they mimic the form of Christ the slain Lamb in Revelation, who has seven horns and seven eyes (on a single head, is implied, 5:6). The abyss beast has a fatal wound that appears to be non-fatal (13:3), which mimics Christ’s death, resurrection and return to earth. The marking (13:16-18) is a reminder of the sealing of the faithful (7:2-8), so the histories and images of the dragon and the beasts (their heads, crowns and horns) illustrate evil imitating good. The smoke from the abyss may be a parody of the smoke from the glory and power of God that filled the temple when it opened (15:8, time-parallel 8).
2) The abyss beast and Babylon - Framework 4C
Chapter 17 describes the abyss beast and Babylon, and what they represent (see Figure 4). The scarlet beast of 17:3 rises from the abyss (17:8) and it is almost certainly the abyss beast of 13:1-10 (both are covered with blasphemous names and each has seven heads and ten horns). In this study the scarlet beast and the abyss beast are considered to be the same creature. The beast’s seven heads represent seven mountains or hills beneath Babylon and seven kings (17:9). Babylon is the great city and harlot (14:8, 16:17-21, 17:1-18:24). The earth beast is not described in chapter 17, but it has one head (probably) and two horns (13:11) and its role is as a false prophet who does the bidding of the abyss beast. The abyss beast demands worship by everyone (13:15) and it becomes an ‘eighth (king …) but it belongs to the seven’ (17:11). What this means is undefined in the text but it suggests this beast may be an autocratic ruler who is hailed as a god, as were some Roman emperors, and the abyss beast is like the Roman Caesars. The ten horns are future kings whose common evil purpose, together with the beast, is to defeat the Lamb and ruin Babylon, in the eschaton (17:12-16). The ten future kings may be the ‘kings from the east’ (16:12) and/ or the ‘kings of the whole world’ (16:14), who gather at Armageddon (16:16) just before a storm and a severe earthquake destroys Babylon the city (16:17-21; see Figure 4).
The explanation of what the abyss beast represents is given in terms of physical identity. Its heads are seven hills or mountains upon which Babylon sits (17:9), and they may represent the physical and social bedrock of Babylon (almost certainly corrupt Rome in John’s era). The seven heads are also seven kings (17:9-10) and the beast’s horns represent ten future kings (17:12). The beast itself only has one incarnation on earth, when it becomes the eighth king ‘and it goes to destruction’, in the time of the ten future kings, i.e. in the eschaton. In other words, this study suggests the scarlet/ abyss beast does not have a series of incarnations as kings on earth (it only has one body and it is only king once) and its heads and horns do not become physical kings, they are symbolic of the seven kings that satan manipulates in John’s era, and the ten kings that satan and his two beasts will manipulate in the eschaton.
Earlier it was suggested that the monstrous form of the two beasts, with the head(s) and horns, do not automatically signify monstrous natures – they mimic the form of Christ the slain Lamb in Revelation, who has seven horns and seven eyes, but only one head (5:6). The abyss beast’s heads or horns represent seven or ten corrupted kings. From John’s point of view, five of the seven kings/ heads were in his past, one was alive and the seventh will be king for a short time (17:9-10). The ten horns represent future kings who receive authority to rule (together with the beast) from the dragon/ satan in the eschaton (13:2-8, 17:12-14). This suggests the horns/ kings represent two eras (John’s era and the eschaton). The earth beast has ‘two horns like a lamb and it spoke like a dragon’ (13:11). It is a false prophet so its horns are not kings but they may represent the authority given to it by the abyss beast – perhaps false prophecy in two eras (John’s era and the eschaton). The seven horns of the slain Lamb may represent Christ’s complete authority as God’s Messiah (2:27, 12:10-11, 11:15), through all of time. The seven eyes of Christ the slain Lamb in Revelation represent the ‘seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth’ (5:6).
The proposed macrostructure indicates that satan’s two beasts do not appear in the story until the trumpets sound, yet it is suggested in this study that the seven and ten kings represented on the abyss beast and the two horns on the earth beast reflect events in John’s era as well as in the eschaton. The Greco-Romano period was characterised by elaborately decorated temples, with statues and carved friezes representing the gods and mythical events, so it is possible that the visual appearances of both beasts are like the statues and friezes. The abyss beast was given a mouth so that it could blaspheme and exercise authority for a short time (13:5) and the earth beast set up a speaking image of the abyss beast (13:15). This suggests the abyss beast itself looks like a living, manipulating, leopard-like statue – until it becomes the eighth king. The heads and horns of the beast tell a story about seven, and then ten, kings and seven hills and John would have been familiar with statues illustrating past and future history. The abyss beast’s image is like an echo in the eschaton of the Gospel warnings of the desolating sacrilege and armies (Mt. 24:15-22, Mk. 13:14-20, Lk. 21:20-24) that were visible warnings prior to Jerusalem’s destruction in A.D. 70 (see Framework 2C.b). The earth beast’s role as false prophet probably begins from its first appearance (13:11) but it is not described in chapter 17. It has two horns, so the appearances of both beasts are reminders of temple statues that illustrate past and future history.
This ‘two era’ interpretation is compatible with Jesus’ recorded words in the Gospels: the disciples and their era would experience trauma like ‘birth-pangs’ of the end of the age (Mt. 24:3-8, Mk. 13:3-8) and there will be the ‘times of the gentiles’, in which Jerusalem will be downtrodden (Lk. 21:24) and ‘this generation’ will witnesses devastating events (Lk. 21:29-33, Mt.24:32-36, Mk. 13:28-32). After this, when people are living ordinary lives, like in the times of Noah (Lk. 17:26-27, Mt. 24:37-39) or Lot (Lk. 17:28-33), then the cosmos will be shaken apart and the Son of Man will appear suddenly, in the cloud(s) with power and great glory (Lk. 21:25-28, Mt. 24:29-31, Mk. 13:24-27). Matthew adds: a trumpet will sound (Mt. 24:31). With hindsight and foresight, it is likely these words refer to two eras: the fall of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 and persecution of the faithful, and the eschaton. In the interpretation of Revelation in this study, Jesus’ words applied to the devastation during the sixth seal (6:12-17, Framework 2) and they will apply to the blasphemies and corruption associated with the beasts and with Babylon in the eschaton (17:1-18:24, Framework 4).
The nature of the beasts’ and kings’ presences on earth is uncertain because John describes events within intertwined physical-spiritual and biblical earthly dimensions. Heaven directs events and the physical-spiritual time-line describes what happens. The biblical time-line follows a biblical version of earth’s history and it describes why events happen, i.e. satan and his two beasts are ‘behind’ or influence earthly activities and wars (see Framework 1B.d). In the interpretation in this study, the two beasts’ descriptions suggest they illustrate two eras: the first is the era of the seven kings/ Caesars, i.e. John’s own time (the first century A.D.); the second is the era of the ten kings in the eschaton. It is in the second era that the beast becomes the eighth king, who hates Christ the Lamb and the harlot Babylon (17:14-16), and the earth beast becomes the false prophet. Both 17:3 and 13:1 refer to the abyss/ scarlet beast’s ten horns, seven heads and the covering of blasphemous names, so the two eras, if they are historical, are not separated into chapters 13 and 17.
The reign of terror by the beasts ends when Christ the Rider appears with his armies (19:11-16, Framework 5). The abyss beast, kings of the earth and their armies gather to make war against the Rider (19:19) and they are defeated in the Great Battle (19:20). This battle may be the delayed battle at Armageddon (delayed by Babylon’s destruction by storm and earthquake when the seventh bowl empties, 16:17-21). Both beasts are captured and thrown into the lake-of-fire (19:20), forever and ever (20:10). After the battle, the dragon/ satan is seized by the angel who holds the key to the abyss and thrown into the abyss for a thousand years (20:1-3). After release from the abyss, and thwarted in its plans for a Final Battle (20:7-9), satan is condemned to the lake-of-fire forever and ever (20:10).
This interpretation of satan/ the dragon and his two beasts is compatible with the proposal in this study that characters in different dimensions have different identities and roles; the visionary physical and spiritual dimensions intermingle within one physical-spiritual space in Revelation (for example: kings, hills, false prophet and satan); biblically-based allegorical characters appear on the biblical earth (for example: the dragon, the two beasts) and their heads and horns, resemble the beasts in (Dan. 7:1-8:27, see Framework 3C.b). Revelation reveals hidden mysteries as an apocalyptic-prophetic letter (see Towards …1a), so if, how or when these symbolic events may be recognisable on the material, non-visionary world in the eschaton is unknown. It is not possible to identify the eighth king and false prophet now. The images of the two beasts illustrate how the evils they represent were/ will be present on earth in two eras – during John’s era and the evils will intensify when the beasts themselves appear in the eschaton. When the seven thunders are unsealed, we may know more (10:4).
Page updated 6 May 2024