The Beast from the Sea
An unfamiliar animal with seven heads with blasphemous names written on them and a total of ten horns each with a jeweled crown
(Rev 13:1). The animal looked "like a leopard, with feet like those of a bear, and a mouth
like that of a lion." And Satan enabled this Beast of the Sea to have political and military power
(Rev 13:2).
Daniel has two visions about the fourth Gentile kingdom before the Divine Kingdom. In his first vision
(Dan 2:40-43), Daniel describes some general characteristics of this kingdom: it will be
militarily powerful (Dan 2:40) but somewhat divided and not uniformly united
(Dan 2:33, 41-43). While Daniel's prophecy indicates that the fourth Gentile kingdom
continuously succeeds the third (Greece), the apostle John's prophecy is focused more on the last king of the fourth Gentile
kingdom.
In his second vision, Daniel's prophecy is more like the apostle John's:
It was an unfamiliar beast from the sea that was "dreadful and terrifying," and it was "extremely strong" with
"large iron teeth" that "devoured and crushed" and "trampled down" with "its feet"
(Dan 7:7).
It had ten horns. (Dan 7:8).
An angel interprets the fourth beast as "the fourth kingdom on earth," "different from all other kingdoms,"
"devour the whole earth," and "crush it" (Dan 7:23).
Because the apostle John's Beast from the Sea shares some physical similarities with Daniel's description of the
fourth Gentile kingdom, it implies a possible association and relationship.
One of the most significant attributes of the Beast from the Sea is the apostle's description of one of the seven heads with a
"fatal wound" that "healed," which establishes the Beast of the Sea as a supernatural being worthy of worship
(Rev 13:3-4). Paired with this is Satan's portrayal as
the one who gives "power (including supernatural), a throne, and great authority" (Rev 13:2),
which was only possible if God allowed Satan to do so.
This observation is important to note as Nebuchadnezzar learns from his dream and Daniel's interpretation
(Dan 4:24-25). The apostle Paul refers to this in his epistle to the Thessalonians, as God
"restrains" Satan directly, Satan is unable to empower the Beast of the Sea and, in effect, Satan "restrains" the emergence of the
Beast.
Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of
lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so
that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God. Do you not remember that while I was still with you,
I was telling you these things? And you know what restrains him now, so that in his time he will be revealed. For the mystery of
lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way. Then that lawless one will
be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming; that is, the
one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, and with all the deception of
wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved.
(2 Thess 2:3-10)
The apostle John also reveals that Satan gave the Beast of the Sea a mouth to speak "arrogant words with blasphemies against
God" (Rev 13:5-6).
Daniel prophesized of a similar individual:
It had ten horns. An additional horn emerged, small at first, but removed three existing horns by pulling them
"out by the roots." Unlike the other horns, this one was personified with eyes "like the eyes of man and a mouth uttering great
boasts" (Dan 7:8).
The idea that the Beast from the Sea is the "Antichrist" comes from the apostle John's epistles. He defines antichrist as one
who deceives and denies God the Father and / or His Son Jesus Christ. The apostle John's definition applies to anyone; however, the
Antichrist is applied to one individual who comes in "the last hour."
Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many
antichrists have appeared; from this we know that it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they were not really of us;
for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be shown that they all are not of
us. Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father
and the Son. (1 John 2:18-22)
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many
false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has
come in the flesh is from God; and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God; this is the spirit of the antichrist,
of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world. (1 John 4:1-3)
For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the
flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist. (2 John 1:7)
With Satan's power and authority, the Antichrist is given a time of 3-1/2 years to act, to make war and conquer the saints, to
rule every nation given to him, and to receive worship from around the world (Rev 13:5-8).
Daniel has a similar prophecy including the destruction of the Antichrist and his entire kingdom, and he uses
the ancient phrase "times, and half a time" to refer to 3-1/2 years of rule:
Then I kept looking because of the sound of the boastful words which the horn was speaking; I kept looking
until the beast was slain, and its body was destroyed and given to the burning fire. (Dan 7:11)
Then I desired to know the exact meaning of the fourth beast, which was different from all the others,
exceedingly dreadful, with its teeth of iron and its claws of bronze, and which devoured, crushed and trampled down the remainder
with its feet, and the meaning of the ten horns that were on its head and the other horn which came up, and before which three of
them fell, namely, that horn which had eyes and a mouth uttering great boasts and which was larger in appearance than its associates.
I kept looking, and that horn was waging war with the saints and overpowering them until the Ancient of Days came and judgment was
passed in favor of the saints of the Highest One, and the time arrived when the saints took possession of the kingdom. Thus he said:
"The fourth beast will be a fourth kingdom on the earth, which will be different from all the other kingdoms and will devour the
whole earth and tread it down and crush it. As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings will arise; and another will arise
after them, and he will be different from the previous ones and will subdue three kings. He will speak out against the Most High and
wear down the saints of the Highest One, and he will intend to make alterations in times and in law; and they will be given into his
hand for a time, times, and half a time. But the court will sit for judgment, and his dominion will be taken away, annihilated and
destroyed forever." (Dan 7:19-26)
When the Antichrist desecrates the Temple by entering the Holy Place, he is also known as the "abomination,"
and for his destructive intent, "of desolation." Jesus warns Believers to flee into the wilderness when the "abomination of
desolation" stands in the Holy Place.
Therefore when you see the abomination of desolation which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet,
standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains. Whoever is on the
housetop must not go down to get the things out that are in his house. Whoever is in the field must not turn back to get his
cloak. But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! But pray that your flight will not be
in the winter, or on a Sabbath. For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the
world until now, nor ever will. Unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect
those days will be cut short. Then if anyone says to you, 'Behold, here is the Christ,' or 'There He is,' do not believe him. For
false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect.
Behold, I have told you in advance. (Matt 24:15-25;
Mark 13:14-20)
When correlating the 3-1/2 years with Daniel's prophecy (Dan 9:27), this occurs in the last
half of Daniel's 70th week. This can also be seen in the purpose of Daniel's 70th week: 1) to finish the transgression, 2) to make
an end of sin, 3) to make atonement for iniquity, and 4) to bring an everlasting righteousness. This can only occur with the demise
of the Antichrist at Armageddon.