The Beast of Revelation is the embodiment of the ancient imperial power that has stalked the saints since the fall of Adam. History
repeats itself. It is littered with efforts by tyrants and regimes to dominate the earth. Each may experience some success, but every empire that appoints itself sovereign over humanity flounders in the end.
The
imperial effort never ceases. And so, today, we find the latest manifestation
of the Empire marching across the globe, imposing its will, seducing
Christians, and subjugating nations that refuse to bow to its demands.
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| [Photo by Tom Podmore on Unsplash] |
All this raises the question - Why? Why does this pattern repeat over and over again? Why do men embrace corrupt and tyrannical powers again and again despite the lessons of history? Is it because, collectively, humanity never learns? That is certainly the cynic’s answer. Or are nefarious groups of conspirators working behind the scenes from one generation to the next to impose a New World Order?
The
Bible provides a clear explanation. There certainly is a conspiracy operating
behind the scenes, but it is the ancient strategy of the Devil in his cosmic
war with the Creator of all things. His tactics and puppets may vary. He
changes earthly agents and rebrands ideologies as needed. But his objective
remains the same – to destroy the people of God.
ANCIENT BABYLON
In
the book of Daniel, the Neo-Babylonian empire is called the “land of
Shinar,” a reference to the first attempt to start an empire recorded in the
book of Genesis, the Tower of Babel incident.
Like
the original Mesopotamian kingdom, Nebuchadnezzar imposes one language on his domain,
and he erects a great high “image” in the Mesopotamian “plain” where
he will assemble all the nations and peoples of his empire to pay homage to his
majesty and sovereignty – (Genesis 11:1-9, Daniel 1:1-4, 3:1-9).
In
the second chapter of Daniel, the king dreams of a great image consisting
of four sections. Each is composed of a different material. Its head of gold
represents Nebuchadnezzar, and the remaining sections symbolize three kingdoms that
will rise in succession after Babylon - (Daniel 2:1-48).
But
Nebuchadnezzar sees only one figure.
Each kingdom is a part of a single whole. In the end, the kingdom of God
represented by the “stone cut without hands from a mountain” strikes the
image on its feet, turning the entire edifice into dust - all four kingdoms perish together.
We
see this same reality in the seventh chapter when Daniel sees four “beasts”
ascending in succession from the sea. They represent kingdoms, beginning with
Babylon. The first three display the characteristics of known animals – the lion,
the bear, and the leopard – (Daniel 7:1-25).
But the fourth beast is so horrific it has no analog in the animal kingdom. It is a monstrosity with “ten horns,” and it is “diverse” from its predecessors. It wages “war on the saints,” and for a time, “it prevails against them.”
But
the fourth kingdom is destroyed when “judgment is made FOR the saints” by
the “Ancient of days,” and the saints “possess the kingdom.”
What
is striking is that despite their previous demise, the lives of the first three kingdoms continue in
the fourth. “But a lengthening of life was given to them” until
the fourth kingdom is destroyed and “given to the burning fire.” As in
chapter 2, the entire age-old structure is destroyed at once by divine
intervention.
THE BEAST FROM THE SEA
In
the book of Revelation, Satan is the “Great Red Dragon,” the “Ancient Serpent” determined to destroy
the “woman” and her messianic “son.” This echoes the old story in
which the “serpent” tempted and overcame Eve.
But
though the “Dragon” may bite the heel of the “son,” the latter defeats
the former when God raises him to His “throne.” The context makes clear the
“son” is none other than Jesus who has “overcome” the Devil by
his death and resurrection - (Revelation 12:1-17).
At
that time, the “Dragon” is expelled from heaven, having lost his
prosecutorial powers. But he is not done, and he sets out to “wage war”
against the “seed of the woman, those who have the testimony of Jesus.”
We next see him standing on the seashore as he summons his own “seed” from the
sea, the single “Beast” with seven heads and ten horns that John sees “ascending
from the sea” - (Revelation 13:1-10).
This
beast has the same animal characteristics as Daniel’s four “beasts from the
sea” – the “ten heads,” the leopard, the bear, and the lion. But John
sees them ascending in reverse order from Daniel’s vision, almost as if he is looking
back through time.
Moreover, John sees only ONE CREATURE that combines all the features of Daniel’s four separate beasts. It is related to them, but it is also something beyond them, and very likely, something far worse.
And
John’s “beast” exercises all the authority of the “Dragon.” Satan
is the power behind the throne, and the “beast” is granted sovereignty
over the peoples and nations of the earth. It uses this imperial power to “wage
war against the saints and to overcome them and kill them,” echoing the
language from Daniel - (Daniel 7:21, Revelation 13:7).
BEASTLY ECONOMICS
The
preferred weapon of this “beast” is not military might, but ECONOMIC
control. It sanctions any man who refuses to give it total allegiance. In the “beast,”
the Empire demands a level of loyalty and veneration that belongs only to God.
All
men who choose not to pay homage to the “beast” and its “image” but
instead to follow the “Lamb” are excluded from the ECONOMIC life
of the Empire. No man may “buy or sell” without the beast’s “mark.”
At a minimum, this means deprivation and poverty for its victims.
And
this makes perfect sense since the “beast” is allied with and “ridden
by” ancient Babylon, the “Great Whore” who has been seducing the
nations from time immemorial with her false religion and ECONOMIC delights.
She is integral to world commerce, and the Empire cannot operate against the “saints”
without her – (Revelation 18:1-23).
But
this imperial monstrosity does not appear out of nowhere. It is something
the world has seen many times. Its seven heads represent seven “kingdoms.”
At the time of John’s writing, five of the “heads” have already fallen. The
sixth “head” is alive and well, and it can only be the Roman Empire. The
“Ancient Serpent” lives on in Caesar – (Revelation 17:7-12).
But
Rome, also, falls. But before the end of the age, the world will see the rise
of the last “head.” It is the “seventh” but is also an “eighth.”
It is from the same imperial lineage as its predecessors, but it is also something
beyond them.
This
final beastly iteration includes all the ambitions and inhumanity of Egypt,
Assyria, Persia, Babylon, Greece, and Rome, only now fueled by the enraged “Dragon”
who lashes out in his death throes as his end draws near.
FINAL ASSAULT
This
will be the last incarnation of the Empire that Satan will use in his final
attempt to annihilate the “saints.” And his “war” on the
followers of the “Lamb” may begin with economic sanctions, but it will end
with the martyrdom of many faithful disciples.
After
all, the past martyrs must wait “underneath the altar” until the full complement
of their “brethren who are going to be slain even as them” is assembled.
But their deaths will be the Dragon’s undoing, for the “brethren”
overcome him by the “word of their testimony, and because they love not
their lives unto death” – (Revelation 6:9-11, 12:11).
Thus, though it has many forms, throughout human
history there has been one imperial power with one primary objective - to
destroy the people of God - previously, the faithful remnant of Israel, and
since the death and resurrection of Jesus, the church.
History “repeats” because Satan has been pushing the same agenda since the Tower of Babel, if not the Garden of Eden. While its latest form may crumble from time to time, the Empire continues to live.
And so, the church must remain ever vigilant,
watching for the rise of the final “beast” from the sea that will use
all its resources to destroy the people of God.
And today, once more, we see a vast imperial power
on the march across the earth, a regime that uses economic sanctions promiscuously
against entire nations and peoples that do not bend to its will, even against
corporations and individuals. It has been doing so for many years. It is a monstrosity that manifests many of the
characteristics of its predecessors, but especially those of the Roman Empire.
Will it succeed? Will it become the “seventh”
kingdom that is also “an eighth”? Only time will tell.
Empires come and go, and they often fall suddenly
and unexpectedly. The book of Revelation also states that the “beast
from the sea” cannot launch its final assault against the church until
authorized to do so. It was “given to the beast to make war on the saints.”
The “Lamb” who reigns from the “throne” is in firm control of earthly
events.
Nevertheless, it would be foolish to ignore the
present possibilities and dangers, the “beast” that is even now lurking
in plain sight, for its true goal is to prevent the
establishment of Christ’s total sovereignty over humanity and the earth.