Revelation 13 can be broken down into four distinct characters, the red dragon, the beast kingdom, the little horn (antichrist) and the false prophet, magician or sorcerer.
Mesopotamian kingdoms had a slew of false prophets: magicians, sorcerers, necromancers, star gazers, mediums with familiar spirits, wise men, and dream interpreters in the kings court. This is what the false prophet represents, a master magician who rules in the kings court, in service to the king and his kingdom.
The Simplified Overview:
Rise of the beast kingdom. Revelation 13:1-4
Rise of the little horn or antichrist: Revelation 13:5 - 10
Rise of the false prophet: Revelation 13:11-16
Rise of the dragons power: Revelation 13:2b, 5b
Of the four, the rise of the beast kingdom is the most complicated as it is the most complex. What makes it so complex is the amount of detail involved in his genetic makeup. The beast has many parts and pieces, such as three previous beast kingdoms, ten horns with crowns, and seven heads; and, one of his heads was slain and mortally wounded. But, his mortal wound was healed. There is also a bit of historical knowledge needed to navigate the rise of previous 'beast' kingdoms and their geographical locations. Many ancient kingdoms simply absorbed the conquered ones, expanding their territorial boundaries.
These ancient territorial markers set the boundaries for the coming antichrist kingdom.
