Who are the two mysterious beasts in Revelation 13? Are they two end-time individuals? Many call the first beast the antichrist and the second beast the false prophet. Is there something more here?
We do NOT write about end-time prophecy to cause FEAR, but to warn and prepare God’s people for what lies ahead.
We do BELIEVE in the Pre-Tribulation Rapture, the Great Rescue for God’s people, and will discuss that in another post. The Rapture will be NICE to write about! But for all those who either do not believe in Jesus Christ right now, or are sitting on the fence, remember, Satan owns the fence. We just want you to have some idea of what to expect and therefore have some idea of a course of action that you will take WHEN these end-time events begin.
Who is the FIRST BEAST in Revelation 13?
Revelation 13: Then I saw a beast coming up out of the sea🌊, having ten horns and seven heads, and on his horns were ten crowns, and on his heads were blasphemous names.
2And the beast that I saw was like a leopard, and his feet were like those of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. And the dragon gave him his power and his throne, and great authority. 3
I saw one of his heads as if it had been fatally wounded, and his fatal wound was healed. And the whole earth was amazed and followed after the beast;
4they worshiped the dragon because he gave his authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast, and who is able to wage war with him?”
5A mouth was given to him speaking arrogant words and blasphemies, and authority to act for forty-two months was given to him. 6And he opened his mouth in blasphemies against God, to blaspheme His name and His tabernacle, that is, those who dwell in heaven.
7It was also given to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them, and authority was given to him over every tribe, people, language, and nation.
Things to note:
The FIRST BEAST in Revelation 13 comes up out of the sea. 🌊Throughout the Bible, bodies of water (sea) often symbolize death, chaos, or evil. The sea can also represent the abyss, a return to the pre-creation state of the earth in Genesis 1:1-3.
“You divided the sea 🌊by your might; you broke the heads of the sea monsters on the waters. You crushed the heads of Leviathan.” (Psalm 74:13-14)
“Was it not you who dried up the sea🌊, the waters of the great deep, who made the depths of the sea a way for the redeemed to pass over?” (Isaiah 51:10)
But the wicked are like the tossing sea🌊; for it cannot be quiet, and its waters toss up mire and dirt.” (Isaiah 57:20)
Rescue me from the mud and do not let me sink;
May I be rescued from those who hate me, and from the depths of water.🌊
15 May the flood of water not overflow me
Nor the deep swallow me up,
Nor the pit close its mouth on me. (Psalm 69:14-15)
The prophet Jonah was tossed into THE SEA and was “SWALLOWED” by a great whale. 🐳 Most scholars agree that Jonah was in Sheol, the place of the dead. When the whale “spit him up”, it was a “type” of resurrection, one that Jesus Himself would reference referring to His own death and resurrection.
Jonah 2:2: and he said,
“I called out of my distress to the Lord,
And He answered me.
I called for help from the depth of Sheol;
You heard my voice.
Matthew 12:38: Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to Him, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.”
39 But He (Jesus) answered and said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation craves a sign; and so no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah the prophet;
40 for just as Jonah was in the stomach of the sea monster for three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights.
The first beast comes up out of THE SEA, ABYSS, the place of the dead, Sheol.
The first beast has “seven heads and ten horns”. We understand that apocalyptic literature can be difficult to understand.
Apocalyptic Symbolism used in the book of Revelation..
- Dragon – satan
- Sea — represents ABYSS, CHAOS, DEATH, DESTRUCTION 🌊💀
- Head or crown – A leader or king.
- Horn – A leader or king and points to power. The Lamb who was slain has 7 horns depicting Jesus’ perfect power on Heaven and on earth (Rev. 5:6). The 2nd Beast has two horns LIKE A LAMB, representing the power of his false religion (Rev. 13:11).
- Beast – Represents both a tyrannical, idolatrous empire and the “king” of the empire. Could be either secular or religious empire.
- Earth – DRY LAND, CREATION, more orderly than the SEA.
In the Bible, the terms “kings” and “kingdoms” are often used interchangeably. Biblical scholars pretty much agree that six of the seven heads of this beast include global kingdoms (superpowers): Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Greece, Media/Persia, Rome. The seventh head is in question and could include the Islamic Caliphate.
We see this more fully revealed in Revelation 17. The final “head” that receives a deadly wound that appears to be healed is the ANTICHRIST, the final king in the 7th “head” (kingdom).
Per Revelation 13, this final king is given authority for 42 months, or 3.5 years. Satan is the one who gives THIS BEAST his authority. Why is Satan ALLOWED to do this? Because mankind has SINNED and REJECTED YHWH, the God of the Bible. For this reason, God “gives them over” to that which they seek – another “god” (idol/Satan).
Those who are “LEFT BEHIND” will be FULLY under the authority of Satan 😈because they REJECTED THEIR ONLY LIFELINE – Jesus Christ as SAVIOR and LORD. ✝️
The FIRST BEAST APPEARS TO BE SPIRITUAL 🌊(Satan/dragon/antichrist spirit)
Who is the SECOND BEAST in Revelation 13?
Revelation 13: 11: Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb and he spoke as a dragon.
12 He exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence. And he makes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose fatal wound was healed.
13 He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down out of heaven to the earth in the presence of men. 14 And he deceives those who dwell on the earth because of the signs which it was given him to perform in the presence of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who *had the wound of the sword and has come to life.
15 And it was given to him to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast would even speak and cause as many as do not worship the image of the beast to be killed.
16 And he causes all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free men and the slaves, to be given a mark on their right hand or on their forehead,
17 and he provides that no one will be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark, either the name of the beast or the number of his name.
18 Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for the number is that of a man; and his number is six hundred and sixty-six.
Let us unpack these verses so we can gain a better understanding of who this second beast is. While the FIRST BEAST comes up out of the SEA (abyss), the second beast comes up out of the EARTH. The earth is the abode of men. God made mankind’s bodies out of the earth.
The second beast is described as having TWO HORNS as a lamb but speaks like a dragon. Horns in the Bible can represent leaders and power. This second beast has TWO HORNS, “as a lamb”. This comparison to a lamb could mean that he will appear very peaceful, at least at first. It could also be a comparison to the TRUE Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, His death and Resurrection. ✝️
Jesus Christ, the Son of God, died on a Cross 2000 years ago for our sins, was buried in a tomb for 3 days and 3 nights, and was RESURRECTED on the THIRD DAY. ✝️
Because the enemy loves to mimic and mock the truth, it could be that the two horns of the second beast represent the death and fake resurrection of the antichrist. (“as” a lamb).
This second beast speaks as a dragon. He is NOT speaking the truth of Jesus Christ. He is a FALSE PROPHET, pointing the world to a FALSE SAVIOR.
The second beast “exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence (in the presence/sight of the first beast). He performs great signs and wonders, including calling down fire out of Heaven. He uses these signs and wonders to DECEIVE mankind into worshipping the first beast. He gives BREATH to the image of the first beast. He forces all those who dwell on the earth to WORSHIP the first beast (Satan/antichrist) whose “deadly headwound was healed”.
The second beast also forces all those who dwell on the earth to make their own IMAGE to the first beast. If any people REFUSE to worship the first beast or to make an image to the beast, he will NOT allow them to “buy or sell” (conduct commerce, work, or live) in his dark kingdom.
The “job” of the 2nd Beast/False Prophet
- Coerces all people to make an IMAGE to the first beast/antichrist/satan
- will “give breath” to the image of the 1st beast so that it can speak.This could mean a “lying sign and wonder (pretend Resurrection) after the 1st beast’s deadly headwound appears to be healed ( Revelation 13:3). Notice Rev. 13:3 says AS IF IT HAD BEEN SLAIN.
- will perform lying signs and wonders so that the people of the world will worship the 1st Beast, the antichrist.
- will cause those who refuse to worship the image of the 1st beast killed.
- will cause all of the people of the world to take a mark on their right hand or forehead. Those who do not take the mark of the Beast will not be able to buy or sell (no commerce, no job, no life). Those who REFUSE the mark of the beast will be killed by the antichrist. Howver, MOST IMPORTANTLY – those who DO take the mark of the beast will FORFEIT FOREVER their ability to BE SAVED by JESUS!
The SECOND BEAST appears to be PHYSICAL. 🌎
Both beasts of Revelation will be thrown into the Lake of fire by YHWH Elohim.
Revelation 19:20: And the beast was seized, and with him the false prophet who performed the signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image; these two were thrown alive into the lake of fire which burns with brimstone.
Who or what is the first and second beast of Revelation 13?
Most scholars believe there are two individuals who fulfill these roles at the end of days. They see the first beast as the antichrist, a political figure, and the second beast as the false prophet, a religious figure. This is the most popular interpretation of these scriptures.
Other names for the antichrist in Scripture include….
- the son of Destruction or Perdition (2 Thess. 2:3)
- the Little Horn (Dan. 7:8-11, 21-26; 8:9-12, 23-25)
- the man of sin (2 Thess. 2:3)
- the lawless one (2 Thess. 2:8, Dan. 11:36)
- the Assyrian (Isaiah 10: 5, 12)
- the prince that shall come (Dan. 9:26)
- The idol shepherd (Zech. 11:16,17)
We are going to add some additional thoughts. Given the imagery that is provided to us in Revelation 13, we think it is very possible that there is only ONE END TIME FIGURE – THE ANTICHRIST, who fulfills both BEASTS OF REVELATION 13.
The first verse in Revelation 13 shows us Satan standing on the shore of the sea. The first beast comes up out of the sea (abyss). Satan, the dragon, is the one who gives this beast his “authority”. This first beast was instrumental in seven kingdoms throughout human history because he has SEVEN HEADS and TEN HORNS. The PURPOSE of these seven kingdoms (seven heads) has been to THWART the plans of God. This first beast is a spiritual entity (antichrist spirit/Satan).
The FIRST BEAST’S final “head” receives a deadly wound that is healed. The final head is the antichrist. Satan will indwell this individual after his deadly wound is healed. This is not a true resurrection because the one at the helm will not be the man who died, but Satan himself as the “son of perdition”. The man who dies (man of sin) is literally giving himself over to the enemy of mankind to gain power and his own version of “eternal life”. But he is self-deceived because he is going into the lake of fire. (Rev. 19:20).
The second beast comes up out of the earth, indicating that this is a human being. He performs great signs and wonders. He gives breath to the image of the beast. He is a deceiver. This could be a second individual, OR MORE LIKELY, this could be the HUMAN BODY (man of sin) that SATAN will inhabit AS the antichrist. This individual does all his miracles IN THE PRESENCE of the first beast. Is he literally standing next to him? Or…is the first beast (Satan) INSIDE of him? He gives breath to the “image of the beast”. He gives breath to Satan. Could this be describing Satan’s having “breath” because he now lives inside of a human body? Is this human body now the IMAGE OF THE BEAST? Is this the ABOMINATION THAT MAKES DESOLATE? (Matthew 24:15)
Mankind was made in God’s image (YHWH). Is it Satan’s plan to REMAKE mankind into his own image?? The “false prophet” coerces ALL MANKIND to make an IMAGE TO THE BEAST. They will be required to take the MARK OF THE BEAST. Is the mark of the beast meant to REMAKE mankind into the IMAGE OF THE BEAST in similar fashion to the antichrist? We know that there was a DNA modification scheme going on during the days of Noah (Genesis 6). The Bible tells us that the Last Days will be LIKE the days of Noah!
Could the NEW DNA MODIFICATION SCHEME involve TECHNOLOLGY??
Although many scholars are looking for a “dynamic duo” of antichrist/false prophet, we think it’s VERY LIKELY that there will be only one PHYSICAL INDIVIDUAL (son of perdition) that is indwelt by another SPIRITUAL individual (SATAN).
Thinking outside of the box. 🤔
Is it also possible that the two horns of this beast represent the dual powers or lives of the FALSE PROHET, one that perhaps existed in around 600AD, who received a mortal wound. The second appears at the end of days, as though the mortal wound was healed. The FALSE PROPHET gives BREATH to the IMAGE of the BEAST – a CLONE?? 😱
Colors of the 4 horses of the apocalypse (white/red/black/green) 🐎
It is our prayer that God remove the blinders from humanity’s eyes so that they can RECOGNIZE their enemy and understand his SCHEMES. If mankind could SEE through the enemy’s DECEPTION, they would RUN to their SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST! ✝️
