¿Who is the beast?

The book of Revelation has many references to something called "the beast." What or who is it? That makes? What does God tell us to do about "the beast"? 

For nearly 2,000 years, men and women have studied and speculated about the identity of "the beast" of Revelation. Who or what is the beast? Is it symbolic or real? Can we identify this beast as contemporary of John, the writer of the last book of the Bible? Or, is the beast a character or entity of the end times? Is it important for us to know the identity of the beast? What does the Bible reveal to us regarding the beast of Revelation?

Let's start by seeing what Christ, the revealer (Revelation 1: 1) showed John, and what John wrote about the beast in the last book of the Bible. While it is true that the word "beast" is found 37 times in the book of Revelation, some of them refer to another beast. The passage of Revelation 13: 1-8 is one of the most descriptive about that one called "the beast."

“I stood on the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rising from the sea that had seven heads and ten horns; and in his horns ten headbands; and above their heads, a blasphemous name. And the beast that I saw was like a leopard, and its feet like a bear, and its mouth like a lion's mouth. And the dragon gave him his power and his throne, and great authority. I saw one of their heads as a death wound, but their mortal wound was healed; and all the earth marveled after the beast, and they worshiped the dragon that had given authority to the beast, and worshiped the beast, saying: Who like the beast, and who can fight against it? He was also given a mouth that spoke great things and blasphemies; and he was given authority to act forty-two months. And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, his tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven. And he was allowed to make war against the saints, and defeat them. He was also given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation. And all the inhabitants of the earth worshiped it whose names were not written in the Lamb's book of life that was slain from the beginning of the world ”(Revelation 13: 1-8).

Understand the symbolism

To understand this passage of writing, we must understand the symbolism. A fundamental principle of Bible study is to let the Bible interpret itself (2 Peter 1: 20-21). In other words, look at other sections of the writing or the context itself to understand its meaning.

The symbol of beasts representing civil governments is also found in the book of Daniel. The prophet Daniel received a vision of God from four great beasts: the first as a lion with eagle wings, the second as a bear, the third as a leopard and the fourth - different and more terrible than the others - with 10 horns ( Daniel 7: 1-7). Daniel was told that these great beasts symbolized "four kings" (kingdoms) (v. 17). History shows us that the beasts of the book of Daniel were four great world empires: the Babylonian, the Medo-Persian, the Greek and the Roman.

The nature of the beast

One of the characteristics of the beast in the book of Revelation is its hostility against God and his people. In Revelation 11: 7, John is told: "When they have finished (both witnesses) their testimony, the beast that rises from the abyss will make war against them, and overcome them and kill them."

In Revelation 13: 7 we read that this beast is going to "make war against the saints" and "defeat them." This beast will have the power to kill all those who do not worship her (v. 15), and will blaspheme against God (v. 6).

First century perceptions

Daniel began writing during the time of the Babylonian Empire, and God revealed to him that the Medo-Persian empire (Daniel 5:28) would be the next to come to power. After this empire would come "the king of Greece" (Daniel 8:21). But what empire is represented by the fourth beast that Daniel saw in the vision — the beast that was “dreadful and terrible and greatly strong” (Daniel 7: 7), which is “different from all other kingdoms” and that "he will devour the whole earth" (v. 23)?

For history students and first-century citizens, the answer is obvious. The Roman Empire was the fourth beast of which Daniel spoke. In the first century, the Roman Empire had crushed all other political powers. The book of Revelation, written at the end of the first century, records the persecution directed to the people of God by the Empire (Revelation 2: 10,13). The first believers, reading the book of Revelation concluded that the beast of which John wrote was the Roman Empire, which dominated the world at that time.

During the time of the New Testament, several Roman emperors showed the characteristics described in John's account (Revelation 13: 1-7): powerful, with great authority and military power, an instrument of Satan ("the dragon"), blasphemer, He claims to be a god through the emperor's worship, persecuting the true church and killing Christians. All the elements were there! These early Christians faced difficult situations, and the words of the prophecy were there to encourage them not to be deceived by the beast or so that through idolatry they would turn away from God.

But is there more to this prophecy? Was it addressed to those of us who lived in the last days?

The dragon and the future beast

In the book of Revelation we find that the beast's agenda is the same as that of the dragon. The dragon is the devil and Satan, the one who deceives "the whole world" (Revelation 12: 9), and the beast of Revelation 13: 1-7 performs this deception. John implies that the healing of the deadly wound of the beast is itself a hoax, producing awe among the whole world (v. 3), causing all the inhabitants of the earth to worship the dragon and the beast ( v. 4).

The future beast will have authority on earth for 42 months and at the end of that time all the inhabitants of the earth will worship her (vv. 5 and 8; compare with Revelation 11: 2). It is clear that the prophecies about the beast also apply to a future character in the end time who will have great civil, financial and religious power.

The dragon's goal of persecuting Christians is also evident (Revelation 12: 7). The beast opens its mouth "in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, his tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven" (Revelation 13: 5-6).

Verse 7 specifically mentions the current persecution of Christians, but the persecution is clearly implicit in John's prophetic call to readers in verse 10, which speaks of saints being "taken into captivity" and "killed by the sword." . This requires patience and faith on the part of Christians. Emphatically the book of Revelation is not a call to arms, it is a call to patience and faith on the part of God's people.

Religious deception

In the prophecy of the Mount of Olives, Christ warned his disciples: "For false Christs will rise, and false prophets, and will make great signs and wonders, so that they will deceive, if possible, even the elect" ( Matthew 24:24). It is very important then, that we pay attention to the warning of Christ and that we are awaiting the coming of the beast and the false prophet of Revelation!

One of the strongest warnings in the Bible is given to people who worship this future beast. This warning includes the threat of receiving the wrath of God: “And the third angel followed them, saying in a loud voice: If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives the mark on his forehead or on his hand, he will also drink from the wine of the wrath of God, which has been emptied pure in the cup of his wrath; and he will be tormented with fire and brimstone before the holy angels and the Lamb ”(Revelation 14: 9-10).

There will only be two options for Christians in the future, and they are the same as the first Christians to whom John wrote. When the power of the future beast begins the persecution of the saints formally, the Christians will either follow God or follow the beast. If we worship the beast and receive its mark, then we will receive the wrath of God . That is why it is very important that we understand the warnings about the beast, so that when it appears we can avoid being deceived to worship it. 

Blasphemy and arrogance

In Revelation 13: 5 it says that the beast will be given a mouth "that spoke great things and blasphemies" for 42 months. In writing the mouth is the symbol of the thoughts that are revealed when speaking (Matthew 12:34). The mouth of the beast pronounces evil - blasphemies - but most will not recognize it for what it is.

The beast will demand a divine power that it does not have. He will try to put himself in God's place — the worst blasphemy.

The beast was given authority over "every tribe, people, tongue and nation" (Revelation 13: 7). Clearly the source of power and authority of the beast is the dragon (v. 2).

With its political, military and economic power worldwide, the restored Roman Empire will seem like an unbeatable monster. "Who like the beast, and who can fight it?" (V. 4). But the inhabitants of the earth are not only going to fear the Empire; They will also love and adore him.

In the book of Revelation, it is seen that the world willingly accepts the authority of the beast, regardless of God. "And all the inhabitants of the earth worshiped it ..." (v. 8). The beast catches the hearts and souls of men and women everywhere, but it must not trap Christian hearts!

Revelation 13 shows that the beast is the enemy of the true Church on Earth. We are told that the beast was given the power to "make war against the saints, and defeat them" (v. 7). Satan uses the political power of the beast as his agent, in an attempt to destroy and destroy the people of God.

Lessons for us

There will only be two options for Christians in the future, and they are the same as the first Christians to whom John wrote. When the power of the future beast begins the persecution of the saints formally, the Christians will either follow God or follow the beast. Jesus' warning to his disciples will happen: "Then they will deliver you up to tribulation, and they will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for my name's sake" (Matthew 24: 9).

This beast will be allowed to exercise its power of recent times over the world and over the Church, for a short period of 42 months (three and a half years). God is going to intervene then and will stop the merciless madness that will prevail throughout the Earth, threatening to annihilate the true Church of Jesus Christ along with all mankind (Matthew 24:22).

An alliance in the end times between a religious power called "Babylon the great" (Revelation 17: 5) and this civil power identified as "the beast" (Revelation 13: 1-10) will control world economic power. Religious power, a great false church represented in Revelation 13: 11-15 as a second beast: “And he exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence, and causes the earth and its inhabitants to worship the first beast ”(v. 12). This second beast is also referred to as "the false prophet" (Revelation 19:20).

The first beast of Revelation 13 - the civil authority that will influence all mankind at the end of this era - will be the final resurgence of the Roman Empire mentioned in Daniel 7:20, 24 and Revelation 17: 10-14. This Empire of the end times, will need people to "receive the mark on their right hand or on their forehead" to "buy or sell" (Revelation 13: 16-17). If you wish to deepen the civil authority of the end times and the false religious leader who will work together to govern and deceive humanity, see the articles " Daniel 7 ", " Antichrist " and " Revelation 17 ".

Although the economic system of the beast will bring prosperity to the merchants of the earth, it will be destroyed (Revelation 18: 3, 15, 19). The people of God will be pleased to see the great and the beast fall to Babylon. “And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who had made before her the signs with which he had deceived those who received the mark of the beast, and had worshiped his image. These two were thrown alive into a lake of fire that burns with sulfur ”(Revelation).