Day 216

This is a good time to sit still and read all of Revelation 13 before we begin to unpack it. You can also request my summary sheet of symbols in Revelation and their interpretation as provided by the Bible itself – As Peter said, “But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture becomes a matter of someone’s own interpretation.” 2 Peter 1:20 NASB. To interpret apocalyptic books like Revelation correctly we must allow the Bible to be its own interpreter. As already noted, the book of Revelation is overlayed with Old Testament stories and imagery. The Sanctuary Service as instituted in Exodus and Leviticus is the bone structure for the whole book. Even the Jewish calendar is overlayed on the book. When it comes to this climatic book it’s a matter of ‘think like a Jew or fail.’

The following is a summary:

John watches as a monstrous beast rises out of the sea. While a beast represents a political power, the description of the sea beast points to a political power that has religion as a dominant characteristic. The sea symbolizes the largely populated area of Europe out of which the sea beast rises to power after the downfall of the Roman Empire. The sea is a symbol of populated areas (see Rev. 17:15.)

John describes the beast as it emerges from the water. The beast has seven heads and ten horns, the same as the dragon in Revelation 12:3-4, showing its close connection with pagan Rome. Upon the heads of the beast is a blasphemous name, and upon the horns are royal crowns. The heads of the beast are the kingdoms that Satan has used to persecute God’s people throughout history (Rev. 17:9-11). The blasphemous name points to the divine title the beast claims. The ten horns point to Daniel 7:24, symbolizing the nations that sprang out of the Roman Empire after its demise. These characteristics of the sea beast all point to the religio/political system that grew out of the Roman Empire and took the name of Rome as it became a “Holy” Empire.

The beast from the sea resembles a leopard with the feet of a bear and the mouth of a lion. As such, the beast combines the characteristics of the four beasts (symbols of world empires) in Daniel 7:2-7: Babylon, Media-Persia, Greece, and Rome. However, John lists them in reverse order, which from his first-century perspective shows that the sea beast is related to the fourth beast of Daniel 7, the Roman Empire.
The dragon (the pagan Roman Empire empowered by satan) gave the beast his power, his throne, and great authority. Just as the Father has given His throne and authority to Christ (Rev. 2:27), so Satan invests the beast as his coregent and representative on earth.