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 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, by the time John sees this beast rise from the sea, his mortal wound is 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.
While Revelation 13 may seem a bit perplexing, once it is broken down from a biblical perspective, the confusion clears. It's very rewarding when the pieces align, and the picture begins to emerge. Many people add more to scripture than what John stated; which contorts the message and, leads to confusion. It is important to stay within the boundaries of scripture, without adding additional information.
I am going to lay out some very basic key points starting with the rise of the beast; and you can follow up with your own study, as a true in-depth study would fill an entire book.
Rise of the Beast:
The beast from the sea is a kingdom. This is understood from Daniel 7; where the origination of the beast kingdoms began. Daniel 7:3, 23
Beast in the Aramaic, is חֵיוְתָא which translates to: animal.
3) And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another. 23) The fourth beast will be a fourth kingdom on earth which will be different from all the other (beast) kingdoms and will devour the whole earth and tread it down and crush it.
Daniel also tells us that the ten horns that arise from the beast, represent kings and that the little horn or, antichrist will rise from among ten horns or, ten kings. A horn is not a head, the horns rise from the head of the beast, as kings rise from kingdoms: Daniel 7:20a. The heads (kingdoms) and the horns (kings) belong to the beasts' genetic makeup. The beast is the creation of the red dragon: Satan's spawn or seed.
And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise; and another will arise after them, and he will be different from the previous ones and will subdue three kings. Daniel 7:24
We can further see that these horns or kings, rise from the fourth beast prior to the tribulation period, and continue into the great tribulation. This places the ten kings and the beast with the ten horns in the tribulation period: Revelation 13:1 and Revelation 17:12. Revelation 17:12 lets us know that these kings have not yet received a kingdom but, they won't need one, as they rule the entire global system under the beast kingdom. These are ten kings that emerge from, and are bound to, the antichrist kingdom, during the tribulation period.
This is a future kingdom, not a previous one nor, a current one. If these kings have no kingdoms, then the ten horns do not represent geographical locations such as kingdoms or, individual nations. This would eliminate current heads of nations or kingdoms such as Presidents, Prime Ministers or Supreme Leaders. This would also exclude current kings such as: King Mohammad bin Salman of the Saud dynasty, King Charles of the United Kingdom or, King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands.
The ten horns are in positions of immense global power and authority. This is shown by the diadems or crowns. The crowns were upon the heads or kingdoms belonging to the red dragon: Rev 12:3, but power and authority is removed, and transferred over to the ten horns as seen by the placement of the crowns in Rev 13:1. The crowns that sat upon the heads have been replaced with the name of blasphemy. This may indicate the name of the beast or, the number of his name, will lie upon the seven kingdoms showing ownership or governing power. This blasphemy unites the kingdoms, and they come together as one massive anti-God, anti-Israel, anti-Christ, anti-Christian, anti-Jewish entity.
Revelation 13:2a tells us that the ten-horned beast from the sea has the genetic make up of three previous mortally wounded beast kingdoms, the lion (Babylon), the bear (Mede-Persian, now Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan) and the leopard with four heads; the Grecian kingdom of Alexander the Great and the four dynasties that rose and claimed territorial domain after his death. Together, these dynasties covered Egypt, N. Africa, Anatolia, Greece, Asia Minor and Syria. These previous beast kingdoms indicate the physical location from where the beast kingdom will rise and reign, setting its territorial boundaries. These boundaries would be based upon 'biblical' geography, which we should always use when interpretating prophecy. Rev 17:3 gives us an additional clue as to where the beast kingdom and the woman, that great city, will be located: the wilderness aka: the desert.
And the beast (kingdom) that I saw was like unto the leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion... (The lion represents the head of the beast)
The beast was like the leopard: The leopard (Daniel 7:6) had four wings and four heads. The winged leopard represents the stealth of a precision hunter, with additional swiftness of a four winged bird, who conquered the lands of the middle east. The four heads signified a division into four dynasties or empires, after the death of Alexander the Great. While the leopard had four heads representing four additional kingdoms, the beast kingdom ' like the leopard' has seven heads or, seven world kingdoms aligned with it. These kingdoms are found on the red dragon as seven heads: Rev 12:3. These are given to the beast kingdom as the dragon gives him his power, seat (domain, throne) and great authority; creating a mini-mi - the mirror image of the red dragon: Rev 13:2b.
This is a new kingdom revived from a combination of three previous, beast kingdoms which conquered the middle east; the lion, bear and leopard. This kingdom will be unified and controlled by the ten kings, and seized by the little horn, once he rises among them.
The beast can be further analyzed by its seven heads, the wounded head, and the ten horns of Daniel's fourth beast kingdom. Each genetic marker provides a wealth of clues. We don't see additional details surrounding the formation of the kingdom until the 17th chapter; which can leave the reader a bit perplexed, flipping pages, searching for answers. The beast is also given male pronouns such as he, him and his, which often leads to some confusion in interpretation. And, of course the basics for the beast kingdoms, began with a night vision given to Daniel so, Daniel is another book to include.
Most often the beast (Greek - θηριον - genetically non human, wild, untamed animal) out of the sea, is equated to the rise of the little horn or, antichrist. It is, but at the same time, it isn't; as the beast kingdom has its own time schedule, and genetic properties that set it apart. There are a series of events that bring the beast kingdom full circle. What begins as a seventh head with ten horns, or, seventh world kingdom rises from the sea in Rev 13, as an eighth world kingdom; the totality of the beast.
This is where Rev 17 and the wounded head come into play, filling in the blanks. A horn (king) wasn't wounded, a head was, stressing the importance of tiny details in scripture.
Daniel's fourth beast kingdom of the ten horns must be in existence as the seventh head or, seventh world kingdom before the little horn is able to rise to global authority, which sounds stupidly obvious but, it is an important factor for interpretation. The ten horns or ten kings that rise from this kingdom, must hold positions of global authority, as they conspire for world domination before the little horn can rise up among them. Everything must be in place as he rises. This is the kingdom that is forming now; while the territorial lands of the ancient Roman empire; the sixth world kingdom, totter and weaken; preparing for the rise of a seventh kingdom.
Yes, the little horn is on the scene during the rise of the seventh head and, also at the beginning of the tribulation period. But, he is still gaining momentum among the ten horns. He doesn't quite reach the height of power as global dictator until the mid point or mid-tribulation. Many times we see this as happening very quickly, when in reality it will take several years to complete. At the mid-point of the tribulation period, he is given 42 months: Revelation 13:5. This is what divides the first 3.5 years into the last 3.5 years as the time period of the great tribulation.
There are several things that must happen prior to the mid-point of the tribulation period. The seventh world kingdom, or, the beast with ten horns rises first. The ten horns must be in positions of global authority before the little horn can rise up after them. These are not kings that ruled in the past but, kings that rule over the beast kingdom in the future. Unlocking the scriptural dynamics of the kingdom is key to realizing the power, given to the little horn.
The beast kingdom and the little horn or antichrist are two separate entities; each having distinct characteristics, and should be treated as such. In fact, the beast kingdom is referenced in great detail in several verses in Revelation 17, suggesting that unlocking the mystery of the beast with the seven heads, and ten horns, is fundamental to understanding key elements before and, during the tribulation period.
And the angel said to me: Why do you wonder? I will tell you the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and ten horns. Rev 17:7
The mystery is not about the little horn, it is about the beast; the kingdom.
Often times the little horn is transposed as the wounded head, replacing a wounded head with a wounded horn which is not scriptural. To the surprise of most, the little horn is not even mentioned in Revelation 17. He has an indirect role which involves the timing of the rise of the wounded head (beast kingdom) from the abyss, as the eighth world kingdom. Revelation 17:8,9,10 and 11. The focus is on the wounded head and the rise of the beast with the ten horns. Note: it is a head that is wounded, not a horn. A horn represents a king, while a head represents a kingdom. If you have seven kings, you must have seven kingdoms.
And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast. Revelation 13:3
The beast (kingdom) that thou saw was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast (the wounded head) that was, and is not and yet is. Rev 17:8
It is not the little horn that rises from the abyss healed and restored to life; it is the beast, the (Greek) θηριον: beast, genetically non human, wild, untamed animal. The beast kingdom rises from the abyss, healed and restored.
Daniel 7:11 speaking of the beast kingdom of the ten horns:
I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the (little) horn spoke. I beheld even till the beast (of ten horns; kingdom) was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame.
Note: the seven heads (kingdoms) upon the red dragon handed over to the beast, are often taught as the seven hills of Rome. If one of the heads are wounded as to death and, the deadly wound was healed, then, which head - hill of Rome - received the deadly head wound? What is so amazing from this wounded 'hill' that makes the world wonder after the beast? How does a hill, a mound of dirt, rise from the bottomless pit; healed and revived? Doesn't make much sense does it?
Rome was already in existence as a world power when John received his vision; Rome is not the beast from the sea, whose deadly wound was healed.
The seven heads are seven mountains and also seven kings: Revelation 17:9,10. A mountain, when used in prophetic symbolism, represents a kingdom; which tells us that the heads, the mountains, are symbolic, and not literal. And, kings rise and rule over kingdoms, they don't rule over hills.
One of the seven heads upon the beast kingdom was εσφαγμενην slain, wounded to death by the sword: suggesting a fallen beast kingdom that was mortally wounded and left to rot and decay. But, the deadly head wound will heal, and the beast will rise from the abyss, as an eighth kingdom: Rev 17:8,11.
A beast kingdom is different from a non-beast kingdom, as a beast can be mortally wounded, slain or butchered. Three beasts found in Daniel 7 are kingdoms which dominated the middle east; the lion, bear, and the leopard. The beast with the ten horns has the genetic makeup of the three previous mortally wounded beast kingdoms, the lion, the bear and the leopard. The beast with the ten horns represents the seventh head or, the seventh world kingdom. And, this one too, will dominate the middle east.
The Great Tribulation begins once the little horn rises from the kingdom of the ten horns and, breaks the covenant. The red dragon and the the false prophet, raise the head with the mortal wound, from the abyss as the eighth kingdom. When John witnessed the beast rise from the sea, the mortal wound was already healed. Revelation 17:8,11 document HOW the beast kingdom comes to be, filling in the blanks. The beast does not have an eighth head; the eighth kingdom is the totality of the beast, the one that rises from the sea in Revelation 13, with all his genetic parts and pieces.
So, how does the fourth beast become the seventh kingdom?
There are four beast kingdoms in Daniel's night vision: the lion, the bear, the leopard and the beast with ten horns. But, there are seven world kingdoms or, heads upon the red dragon, and the beast from the sea in Revelation 13:1. While four of these heads represent four middle eastern beast kingdoms, there are three heads not classified as beast kingdoms: Egypt, Assyria and Rome.
Rome is the sixth world empire and the 'one that is' in the time of John: Rev 17:10. If Rome is the one that is, it can not be the one that was, is not, yet is, shall be again; nor, can it be the one that has not yet come. Rome is the pivot period between the leopard and the beast with ten horns.
A Closer Look at World Kingdoms
There are six predominate world kingdoms recorded in the Bible: 1. Egypt, 2. Assyria, 3. Babylon, 4. Mede-Persian, 5. Grecian and 6. Rome.
Three of the six listed above are beast kingdoms: the lion - Babylon, the bear - Mede-Persian, the leopard - Grecian. According to Revelation 17:10 one is: (Rome) and one has not yet come - the ten horned beast kingdom. So now the kingdoms look like this:
1. Egypt, 2. Assyria, 3. Babylon - beast kingdom, 4. Mede-Persian - beast kingdom, 5 Greek - beast kingdom, 6. Rome - the one that is and # 7 the other that has not yet come: beast of the ten horns... that will continue a short space or a little while.
Rome is the sixth world empire and the 'one that is' in the time of John. (Rev 17:10) The one that is is also the structure that the western world has lived under for the past 2000 years; the legs of iron. The Roman Empire was the forerunner of global expansion, and a structured pattern of civilization, seen in the western world today. The eastern half of the kingdom was conquered, and is now dominated by a political and religious sect of conquest and dominance. But, neither leg had placed a ruling king within the Babylonian empire as the three former kingdoms had done: the focus of Nebuchadnezzars dream.
Babylon, Mede-Persia and the Grecian empire, had kings living in, and ruling over the middle east while living in Babylon. The Chaldeans ruled from Babylon, Darius the Mede ruled the kingdom from the Babylonian city and, Alexander the Great made Babylon his secondary home-base, ruling his vast empire from Babylon, where he later died. The fourth kingdom provides the final king.
Now the world is gradually moving away from the time when Babylon had no king: the legs of iron and entering the time period of feet and toes; a weak mixture of iron and clay. The strength of the former Roman empire is quickly being diminished, as its eastern counterpart is growing in strength, ready to crush and devour -- which is an entire study in itself; from Constantinople to Istanbul.
This is where the fourth kingdom or the seventh world kingdom will enter the picture: In the days of these kings....
Here is where it gets interesting:
John details a seventh world kingdom that has not yet come. Rev 17:10 This will be the kingdom that rises after Rome, dominating the world. The ten horns rise from this kingdom, placing Daniel's fourth beast kingdom of the ten horns, into the tribulation period as a seventh world power. Rev 13:1; 17:7b; 17:12,13.
And they are seven kings; five are fallen, 1. Egypt -fallen, 2. Assyria - fallen, 3. Babylon - fallen beast kingdom, mortally wounded, 4. Mede-Persian -fallen beast kingdom, mortally wounded, 5. Grecian - fallen beast kingdom, mortally wounded, and one is, (6. Rome), and the other is not yet come; 7) beast kingdom of ten horns formed from the lion, bear, and leopard; and when he comes, he must continue a short space.
The seventh kingdom is the wounded head; the beast of the ten horns where the little horn rises from. The seventh head, or kingdom, is comprised of three previous mortally wounded beast kingdoms: the lion, the bear, and the leopard, which form the appearance of a mortally wounded head. These kingdoms unite and merge, forming the beast with the ten horns: Rev 13:2. The seventh kingdom is the head that is raised from the bottomless pit as the eighth beast kingdom. John was given the details of the formation of the seventh and eighth world kingdoms, which he documented as instructed, and passed into our hands: Rev 13:3; 17:7,8,11. Sometimes we just have to step back, and let the Bible speak for itself.
After Satan formally declares war on the woman and the remnant of her seed: Rev 12:17; the Great tribulation begins. The little horn rises up from among ten horns, subduing the power of three, taking control of the seventh kingdom. As he rises to power, the deadly head wound heals, and the beast rises from the abyss transformed into the eighth world kingdom. Revelation 13:3; 17:8,11. This is the beast (kingdom) that rises from the sea in Rev 13:1-4.
The end-time beast empire consists of three beast kingdoms united and merged into one last massive anti-Christ, anti-Israel, anti-God kingdom: the lion, bear, and the leopard coalesce, forming the fourth beast with the ten horns. This is the geographical location of the kingdom that rises from the sea, as the eighth world kingdom. Revelation 13:1-4.
Note: Scripture supports only one transition, the seventh kingdom into the eighth. Rome is not the kingdom of the ten horns; but it's the one that everyone is focused on, completely missing the elephant in the room: the rise of Daniel's fourth beast: the seventh kingdom. Satan is hard at work keeping everyone distracted on erroneous interpretation.
This completes the series of events that lead to rise of the beast kingdom; the head wound is healed, and the kingdom of the lion, bear and leopard who form the fourth (middle eastern) beast kingdom, rises from the sea; as the eighth world kingdom. After which, the little horn is given 42 months: Rev 13:5
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