Part 1: Beast From the Sea
Revelation 13 can be broken down into four distinct characters: 1) the beast out of the sea aka: the tribulation-antichrist kingdom with the seven heads and ten horns, 2) the red dragon 3) the little horn - the mouth of blasphemy: Daniel 7:820,21,25 aka antichrist: 1 John 2:22; 4:2-3 and, 4) the beast out of the earth (clay) - the religious system of the first beast (iron).
The religious system can also be broken down into - the two horned lamb, the words of the red dragon, great signs and wonders, the image, the mark and, the false prophet. Though there is no direct reference to the false prophet in R 13, we find references to this mysterious figure in R 16:13; 19:19-20; 20:10. The false prophet helps to identify the beast out of the earth as the religious system of the first beast - the beast out of the sea. These two systems, one political, the other religious, rise to seize world power in the last days.
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 found in the beast's genetic makeup. The beast has many parts and pieces, which work together as a collective whole. The beast is like a leopard, with the feet of a bear, and the mouth of a lion - the head of the beast. The beast has ten crowned horns that grow from his head and seven additional heads, mimicking the beast 'like a leopard', which had four extra heads. Upon each head is the name of blasphemy: the name of the beast or the number of the name of it: R: 13:16-17. Greek: αριθμον τον ονοματος αυτου - translates into English as: the number of the name of it.
And I stood on the sands of sea, and saw a beast (kingdom) rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns, ten crowns, and upon his (seven) heads, the name of blasphemy. And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as a mouth of a lion; and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat (throne, territorial domain) and great authority. Revelation 13:1-2.
To understand the nature and prophetic significance of the tabulation-antichrist beast from the sea, we need to go back and forth (to and fro) between Daniel and Revelation, and break the beast down by an integration of scripture. The first thing that should be acknowledged is that the beast from the sea is a kingdom, and his horns are his kings: Daniel 7:23-24; Rev 17:12. The ten kings place the fourth kingdom into the time of tribulation, just prior to the second coming of Christ Jesus: Daniel 2:44.
Note: When you see a reference to the fourth beast, or fourth kingdom - this points directly to the antichrist-tribulation kingdom that rises in the last days; not an empire that rose 2,000 years ago, or one that rose 1,400 years ago. This is a rising beast kingdom made of many parts and pieces; which was, and is not, yet is, and shall be: lion, bear, leopard.
The Fourth Beast is the Fourth Kingdom:
The beast is the fourth and final kingdom in Daniel's night vision: Daniel 7. Historically, three beast kingdoms have come and gone: lion, bear and the leopard, leaving a fourth, the tribulation-antichrist beast of ten horns, yet to rise. The three previous beast kingdoms are mortally wounded and deceased and yet, they make up the fourth beasts genetic makeup. The beast reeks of death.
And there's more: The four beast kingdoms from Daniel's night vision also parallel four metals found in the interpretation of a dream, which gave King Nebuchadnezzar many sleepless nights: Daniel 2. The dream was prophetic in nature, as it revealed not only two additional kingdoms that rose to rule the middle east - the lands belonging to the Babylonian kingdom of Nebuchadnezzar - but it revealed the prophetic fulfillment of the fall of Babylon and a final, fourth kingdom that would rise to seize world power in the last days: Daniel 2:28-29. A dream of this magnitude could have only been sent by God, just as the interpretation was given to Daniel, suggesting that God was the author, right from the beginning.
There are two distinct aspects found in the dream image: a historical aspect - which follows the order and succession of three kings / three kingdoms that conquered the middle east, leaving a fourth king / kingdom that has not yet come - the antichrist-tribulation kingdom. The second aspect is a prophetic pattern which is grossly ignored and overlooked. The prophetic pattern acknowledges the kingdom given to Nebuchadnezzar: Daniel 2:37-38, and God's judgement over that kingdom: Jeremiah 25:11-12; Daniel 5. The prophetic pattern defines the timeline of Babylon's decline, found in the image. This timeline of decline is illustrated by using metals, whose gods the Babylonians worshiped and praised: gold, silver, brass and iron, as they lifted themselves up against the God of heaven: Daniel 5:4,23.
Somewhere down the line these two aspects got off track, distorting Babylon's timeline.
The tribulation-antichrist beast from the sea is a formation of three previous beast kingdoms: the lion - Babylon, the bear - Mede-Persian and the leopard - the Greek kingdom of Alexander the Great: Rev 13:2a. These three beasts were kingdoms which ruled the middle east, with kings who lived in Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar ruled the middle east from Babylon until his death: 562 B.C.. He is the head of gold in the dream image which depicts a biblical timeline of Babylon. His kingdom is the first beast from the sea in Daniel's night vision: the golden lion: Daniel 7:4.
Each beast in Daniel 7, correlates to a metal in Daniel 2, interlinking each metal with a beast. There are four metals and four beasts, signifying four kingdoms and four kings. There is also a time period in Babylon's timeline, indicating a significant time gap in Babylon's history. This time period throws everyone off.
23 years after the death of Nebuchadnezzar, Babylon was captured in 539 B.C., by the kingdom of Silver, the Mede-Persians - the beast like that of a bear: Daniel 7:5. Belshazzar was killed and, King Darius took the throne and ruled the kingdom: Daniel 5:31..... Thy kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians: Daniel 5:28.
This conquest set the prophetic fall of Babylon into motion: Isaiah 13:17; Jeremiah 25:12; 51:11-12; also Isaiah 13-14 and Jeremiah 50-51, which can be seen to this day.... Because of the wrath of God it shall not be inhabited, but be desolate, and all who pass by Babylon will be astonished, and hiss at all her plagues: Jeremiah 50:13. And, the prophetic countdown to the fourth kingdom began.
A third king rose in 334 B.C., conquering Persia 334-330 B.C., ruling the middle east. He was infatuated with Babylon and often lived in the fallen city, where he later died - 323 B.C. Alexanders kingdom is the kingdom of brass in the image and, the beast like that of a leopard in Daniel 7:6.
After the death of Alexander the Great, Babylon had no king, and the prophetic judgment against Babylon went unchallenged. This time period depicting the continued fall of Babylon is seen in Nebuchadnezzar's image as the legs of iron, a time of Babylon's decline and desolation. There are four metals, four kingdoms but five time periods, in Babylon's timeline The legs of iron indicate the fulfillment of God's judgement which falls between the third kingdom of brass, and the fourth, the feet and toes of iron and shard clay.
The fourth kingdom rises in the latter days, after the time period of judgement is fulfilled, according to God's will: Isaiah 46:10. The fourth kingdom provides the fourth and final king: the little horn: Daniel 7:8,20,21,24-26. The legs of iron are not the latter days but, a time of fulfilled judgement; the prophesized fall of Babylon: four metals, four kingdoms, four kings, five time periods.
The imagery in Daniel 2 depicts a prophetic timeline of Babylon, a progression of events that began with King Nebuchadnezzar, as the head of gold. Three metals portray three kingdoms whose kings ruled the middle east: gold, silver and brass. The fall of Babylon is a time period, a time of desolation and decline. This time period defines a fallen kingdom that has no king. The fourth Babylon kingdom and fourth king rise after this time of judgement is complete: four metals, four beast, four kingdoms, four kings, five time periods.
Four Metals: 1) Gold: Babylon, 2) Silver: Mede-Persian, 3) Brass: Grecian, 4a) Iron: God's judgment, the fulfillment of the prophetic fall of Babylon, 4b) Iron mixed with shard clay: antichrist-tribulation kingdom.
Four Kings: 1) Nebuchadnezzar, 2) Cyrus the Great, 3) Alexander the Great 4) Little horn aka: Antichrist.
Four Beast: 1) Lion: Babylon, 2) Bear: Mede-Persian, 3) Leopard: Grecian, 4) Beast of ten horns: antichrist-tribulation kingdom.
It's been 2,565 years since the fall of Babylon and 2,349 years since the death of Alexander the Great - the last kingdom connected to Nebuchadnezzar's prophetic dream. The King's dream defined by Daniel's interpretation details a progression of events that focus on two middle eastern kingdoms that followed Nebuchadnezzar as the head of gold and, an extended period of time signifying Babylon's decline - which must be fulfilled - before the fourth middle eastern kingdom can rise. The imagery from the Kings dream depicts four kingdoms and five time periods.
The fall of Babylon is a time period, an era of ruin and desolation which serves as a testimony to God's divine authority and, sovereign governance. The rest of the world progressed while Babylon declined. The fourth kingdom, the antichrist-tribulation kingdom can not rise until the appointed time of judgement is fulfilled.
As the prophetic era of the fall of Babylon is nearing its end, the heartbeat of Nebuchadnezzar's fourth kingdom, grows stronger.
Three kingdoms - all connected to Babylon by their kings, have already come and gone. The fourth kingdom provides the fourth and final king: the little horn aka: Antichrist. The fourth kingdom, seen in Nebuchadnezzar's image as the feet and toes of iron and clay: Daniel 2:40-45, parallels the fourth beast - the antichrist-tribulation kingdom found in Daniel's night vision: the beast of ten horns: Daniel 7:7-25.
It is the fourth beast that rises from the sea in the end of days: R 13:1-4. This kingdom is a combination of two beast systems: iron and clay. The beast from the sea is the political system (iron) while the beast out of the earth (clay) is the religious system of the first beast.
Daniel 2 provides the prophetic background and biblical timeline, and the two systems that make up the beast kingdom: iron and clay - in the end of days. Daniel 7 provides additional details of the fourth kingdom, which has ten kings. The combined perspectives of Babylon's fourth kingdom, fulfill the prophecies of the antichrist-tribulation kingdom that will rise from the sea found in Revelation 13, 17 and 18. The beast kingdom and its great city, the antichrist-tribulation city rise up in the wilderness, to rule the earth in the latter days.
In the days of these kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed nor, will it be left to other people... Daniel 2:44 sets the time period for the rise of the fourth kingdom; in the days of these kings and just before the second coming of Christ Jesus. Beast from the sea: lion, bear, leopard.
Part 2: Genetics - The Profound Nature of the Beast Kingdom
Part one presented an overview to the rise of the fourth beast: Daniel 7:7-25, and the prophetic significance of Nebuchadnezzar's fourth kingdom: Daniel 2:40-45, which rises in the last days to fulfill the prophecies of the antichrist-tribulation kingdom found in Revelation 13; 17 and 18. Part two and three will focus on the genetics of the beast: Rev 13:1-4, who is like the leopard, with the mouth of a lion, and the feet of a bear. The beast also has seven heads, which are seven kingdoms that wear the name of blasphemy, and ten horns, who are ten crowned kings that have no kingdoms of their own: R 17:12.
Some things appear complex on the surface, and deeply absurd, - such as how the beast from the sea is the formation of three previous beast kingdoms: lion, bear and leopard. All three beast kingdoms ruled the middle east; the kingdom of Nebuchadnezzar. These kingdoms no longer exist so, all three beasts are currently deceased, abiding in the abyss. As Babylon revives: R 17:4; 18:16, so does the middle east, awaking the beasts of the abyss. These three beasts form the fourth kingdom: the beast of ten horns. The fourth beast rises for a short time as a seventh kingdom, a seventh head, which has the appearance of death - a mortal wound: Rev 13:3.
A few chapters later we discover that this seventh head - the beast who reeks of death - rises from the abyss, as an eighth kingdom. And all the world will wonder after the beast which was, and was not, yet is, and has come: lion, bear, leopard. Those not written in the book of life will marvel with astonishment when they see the beast rise from the abyss, alive and well.
This is the profound nature of the beast.
But this is how symbolic imagery and allegorical scenes work. They set the theme and tell a story with deep meaning, which requires an interruptive process to understand. Revelation serves up a doozy of imagery and allegory that reveal future events. The imagery above portrays a massive middle east beast kingdom, back from the dead - revived from death.
The beast from the sea is monstrous in nature, his mouth is that of a lion with teeth of iron that crushes, devours and breaks kingdoms into pieces: Daniel 2:40b; 7:19. His feet are the feet of a bear, that stomps the fallen residue to dust, raking the earth with nails of brass, breaking it into pieces: R 13:2a; Daniel 7:7,19. The beast is a war machine and not one nation can make war with him: R 13:4.
The beast is masculine in nature and given male pronouns, he, him and his which carries over into Rev 17, where the head with the mortal wound, rises from the abyss as an eighth kingdom: R 17:8,10,11.These male pronouns cause confusion in interpretation, transposing the beast, a mortally wounded head (kingdom) for a mortally wounded horn, the little horn or Antichrist.
A horn doesn't rise from the abyss with his mortal wound healed: R 17:8, a beast does: lion, bear, leopard, beast of ten horns. If John had seen a horn with a mortal wound or, a horn rise from the abyss, he would have documented it that way. But he doesn't. What did Daniel reveal about the four beasts? Four beast: lion, bear, leopard, beast of ten horns = four beast kingdoms.
A beast is a kingdom, and the horns are his kings:
3) And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another. 17) These four huge animals are four kingdoms that will arise on the earth. 23) The fourth beast will be a fourth kingdom on earth which will be different from all the other kingdoms and will devour the whole earth and tread it down and crush it. And the ten horns out of this kingdom, are ten kings that shall rise... Daniel 7:3,17, 23-24a.
The beast with seven heads is 'like' the leopard. The leopard had four additional heads, which were four dynasties turned into four kingdoms, indicating that a beast from the sea can have multiple heads, one head for each kingdom: Daniel 7:6. Instead of four extra heads, the beast from the sea will have seven. Seven heads = seven kingdoms.
The beast is a mangled, twisted, mutilated mess; a Frankenstein type of kingdom formed of three beasts, who are mortally wounded and deceased: the leopard, bear and lion, and he has ten horns in his head - ten crowned kings. The three beasts pinpoint the location of the fourth beast's physical domain: the middle east.
Before the fourth beast can rise from the abyss, healed and restored, Babylon needs to revive into a merchant paradise, creating an economic boom of prosperity and wealth. Babylon is the catalyst that unlocks the political, economic and religious strength of the beast; she is a sleeping beauty who awaits a kiss from her prince.
Three mortally wounded and deceased beasts form the fourth kingdom: the beast of ten horns, which rises as a seventh head, a seventh kingdom. The seventh head has the appearance of death: a mortal wound.
This mutilated and mangled beast - will rise from the abyss, healed, and given new life: R 17:8,11. This transition from death to life causes those not written in the book of life to wonder after the beast R 13:3b, which was, and is not (was slain, mortally wounded) and yet is: R 17:8b. Maybe because everyone is expecting a 'revived' Roman empire and not a 'revived' Babylon kingdom and great city back from the dead?
Beast in the Aramaic, is חֵיוְתָא which translates to: animal.
Beast in the Greek: θηριον – genetically non-human, wild animal hunted by man.
A beast kingdom is different from a non-beast kingdom; a 'beast' can be mortally wounded or slain - as it is an animal, a living, breathing thing: lion, bear, leopard. All three beasts form the fourth kingdom: the beast of ten horns, and it will be massive; dominating the ancient lands of Kings.
Why do you wonder? I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast who carries her which has the seven heads and ten horns. The beast (kingdom) that you saw (carry the woman) was, (a mighty kingdom) and is not; (was mortally wounded) and shall ascend out of the abyss, and go into perdition (at the 2nd coming of Christ) and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is." R 17:7-8.
The beast with the seven heads and ten horns carries the woman, who fornicates with the kings of the earth: R 17:2; 18:3. The woman sits on seven heads, seven kingdoms, ruling over the kings of the earth in the last days: R 17:9,18. The seven heads wear the name of blasphemy: the name of the beast or the number of his name: R 13:1b,16-17. The woman is a metaphor for a great city - who is also a merchant system, transporting world goods for the buying and selling in the end of days. She wears a name of mystery upon her forehead, indicating submission to the beast which carries her: Babylon the Great.
The woman, the great city shares the same name of the beast: Babylon: R 14:8; 16:19; 18:2,10,21. ... And there followed another angel saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.
The beast is alpha male with masculine pronouns: he, him and his, while the great city is feminine with female pronouns: woman, she, her - a match made in Sheol. And, like a married couple who have been separated for a long period of time, they meet in the wilderness, the desert, become reacquainted, and rekindle an ancient bond: R 17:3,5,9. Wilderness - Greek: 2048, a sterile, barren wasteland - a desert.
Revelation 17:10, lays out the order of six world kingdoms documented in the Bible. These kingdoms belong to the red dragon and were used against Israel. The seven heads upon the red dragon wear little crowns, one for each kingdom: R 13:2.
The Angel provides the interpretation for John, who writes that five are fallen, one is, and a seventh has not yet come: the beast of ten horns - the one that is rising now. The seventh must seize global control, before he can rise from the abyss as the eighth kingdom: R 17:11.
There is no eighth head - the seventh becomes the eighth, who is of the seven. The red dragon has worked 6,000 years to create his final world kingdom: a political system mixed with a religious system - iron and clay. This is his beast, filled with his seed, the tares, blasphemous men and women full of enmity: R 12:17, who will have wailing and gnashing of teeth: Matthew 13:37-43. These are the inhabitants of the earth, who prepare the way for the eighth kingdom to rise.
A beast is a kingdom, and the horns are his kings: Daniel 7:23,24.
Six World Kingdoms in the Bible:
Egypt - non-beast, fallen, Assyria - non-beast, fallen, Babylon - fallen beast kingdom, mortally wounded, deceased, (yet is, shall be), Mede-Persia - fallen beast kingdom, mortally wounded, deceased, Greek - fallen beast kingdom, mortally wounded, deceased, Rome - non-beast European power, the 'one that is'. Rome was the one 'that is' in John's time and the one that 'remains' in ours.
The seventh kingdom rises after Rome, which indicates that the ancient lands belonging to the Roman empire, the European continent, will be conquered and devoured. Rome sits upon the red dragon as the sixth head so, obviously, the next is the seventh head – the seventh kingdom, the wounded head, the other (kingdom) that has not yet come.
The seventh fights to seize global control, preparing the way for the eighth, just as the sixth is preparing the way for the seventh; and he remains a short time, a little while, until he rises from the abyss as the eighth kingdom: R 17:10,11. There is not an eighth head, but there will be an eighth kingdom.
The eighth kingdom will be the fulfillment of Satan’s long-term plan; global rule, when he is worshiped as a god, cleansing the world of unbelievers, overseeing the martyrdom of the saints: Isaiah 14:12-14; Rev 6:9-11; 17:6; 18:24. With Satan's world kingdom in place, his earthly agent, the little horn, leads the war against the saints: Daniel 7:21,25; Rev 13:5-7. The false prophet, convinces those who dwell on earth to create an image to the first beast, which was wounded by the sword but did live, and has now come: R 13:14; R 17:11.
Note: Scripture supports only one transition, the seventh head with the mortal wound rises from the abyss, healed and restored as the eighth kingdom: leopard, bear, lion. Rome is the sixth head, not the seventh; but it's the one that everyone focuses on, completely missing the prophetic significance of a seventh kingdom – which will take the world by surprise, and quickly consume it. (It already is) And by peace shall destroy many....
Part 3: Genetics - Parts-n-Pieces - Seven Heads and Ten Horns
The number of heads given to the beast of the sea, match the number of heads upon the red dragon: R 12:3, indicating that these seven kingdoms belong to Satan, the Serpent of old, the Devil: R: 12:9; 20:2. Satan was the Serpent in the garden who was cursed to his belly to eat the dust of the earth, and earth became his kingdom: Genesis 3:14; 2 Corinthians 4:4.
Seven world kingdoms showcase the dragon's power and earthly authority, so he gave his kingdoms little crowns: R 12:3. The red dragon will give his kingdoms to the beast when the little horn aka: Antichrist prostrates before him in submission, accepting the offer that Christ Jesus rejected: Matthew 4:8-10; Luke 4:5-7. The red dragon hands his seven kingdoms, his throne (territorial domain), power and great authority, to the beast from the abyss: R 13:2b.
If you have seven kings, you must have seven kingdoms and vice-versa: R 17:10. The exception to the rule are the ten crowned horns, the ten kings who have no kingdoms of their own, and have not yet received a kingdom: R 17:12. The ten kings hold immense positions of governing power and global authority, seen by the ten diadems or crowns: R 13:1. The ten crowned kings are not the same as the kings of the earth, who command armies: R 19:19. and fornicate with the woman, making the inhabitants of the earth drunk with the wine of her commercial fornication: R 17:2; 18:3,9.
Babylon hath been a golden cup in the Lord's hand, that made all the earth drunken: the nations have drunken of her wine; therefore the nations are mad. Jeremiah 51:7.
The fourth beast rises as a seventh kingdom, the dragon's seventh head - which has the appearance of death - a mortal wound. As the beast accumulates world power, the ten horns rise out of his head: Daniel 7:8,20,24. A little horn will rise up after them, harnessing the power of the beast, seizing control: Daniel 7:23-24. The little horn uproots three kings as he rises, removing their power, but ten kings still remain: Rev 13:1; 17:12,16.
What type of kingdom has ten crowned kings?
Note: The little horn rises from the head of the beast, as an eleventh king, not an eleventh kingdom. The ten crowned horns are ten kings, not ten kingdoms, which are also found at the base of Nebuchadnezzar's image extending from the feet as toes: Daniel 2:44. In the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed....
The only kingdom that 'revives' from death is Babylon and, if we pay attention, we can bear witness to the early stages of this now. Scripture indicates that Babylon's revival will be something deeply profound, but obvious at the same time. Her influence on the world will be perniciously noxious, like a slow acting poison that corrupts everything it touches. And for this, she will face judgment: Rev 14:8; 16:19; 17:1 and 18:2,3,8-19. Why judge great Babylon if she doesn't have a prophetic role to play in the end of days?
In the past, many doubted that God's Word would be fulfilled according to prophecy so, Babylon's fourth kingdom was removed, and replaced with Rome - not by scripture but by man's world view. After all, Nebuchadnezzar's kingdom had already fallen due to God's prophetic judgement; the lion was slain, and mortally wounded, and Babylon sat barren and desolate in the midst of the wilderness.
For centuries man has refuted the words of prophecy, professing that Babylon would never rise as prophesized, and Babylon really isn't Babylon anyway - it's just a 'code name' for the ancient Roman empire that fell in 476 A.D.. In many Bibles across America, Babylon was crossed out and Rome was written in, conditioning entire generations to view prophecy through the lens of the world, refuting the prophetic lens of scripture.
In the eyes of man, God had made a grave error - a fourth Babylon kingdom was never going to happen! I mean, have you seen Babylon lately? Babylon is nothing more than crumbling infrastructure and barren desert wasteland! Ignore what John had written - he really meant Rome; but John was more afraid of persecution and death then God!
Even today, God's judgement continues to be questioned as Babylon's role in the end times has been westernized and replaced with 'feasible' locations: America: D.C., New Yorkistan, Europe: The E.U., Rome, Italy, the Roman Catholic church ect... Even though the religious system of the middle east where Babylon is located, is not a 'mystery mother-child' religion that 'allegedly' rose from Babel, but one that rose from UR and spread into Arabia.
Perhaps it's not the Word of God that should be questioned, but the prophetic significance of Babylon's fourth kingdom and its great city, which rises in the end of days to fulfill the prophecies found in Revelation 13, 17 and 18. Scripture lays out a prophetic plan based upon a prophetic pattern based on Babel's role in the end of days - from the woman in the ephah to a great city in Revelation, God lays the blueprint for those that have ears to hear.
“Where are they taking the ephah?” Then he said to me, “To build a temple for her in the land of Shinar; and when it is prepared, she will be set there, on her own pedestal.” Zechariah 5:5-11. As we know, the land of Shinar sits between two rivers, the Euphrates and the Tigris - home of the ancient Babel and Babylon kingdoms.
In the past, scripture had been molded to fit an European 'world view' based on pre-conceived narratives that conform to history, instead of scripture. These ancient teachings were conveniently cited as 'prophecy fulfilled, case closed' and 'no further action required'; so, no one has bothered to re-examine scripture to see if these centuries-old teachings still hold water. The methods once used by the Bereans to search scripture for answers and not outside sources, died long ago: Acts 17:11.
But as always, the world will eventually catch up to prophecy, and man's arrogance and impatience will prove futile against God's prophetic time clock. According to scripture arrogance leads to a fall, is hated by God and comes from an evil heart: Proverbs 16:5,18; Isaiah 13:11. The Bible equates impatience with unrighteous anger: Psalms 37:7-8; Proverbs 14:29, which is increasing in today's world.
These western alterations of scripture were carried into the Revelation prophecies, removing Babylon's end time role, replacing it with another location based upon pre-conceived narratives, overwriting scriptural ones.
Apparently, there are severe consequences for removing and adding to the things that John, was told to write: Rev 1:19; 22:18-19. As someone who fears God, I would rather avoid any and all plagues, and stay in the book of life, so I try to understand scripture as written, without adding to or, taking away from, the words John had written. This has opened a door of understanding to what John witnessed while 'in the spirit'. Sticking with scripture does come with consequences; often times there is mocking, scoffing and ridicule regarding Babylon's end time role, which is a reflection of the world in which we live: Galatians 6:7. Occasionally someone 'gets' it and the door is opened. But I digress.
The lions roar will be heard throughout the earth, as prosperity returns to the middle east, and it begins to thrive. As the middle east revives so do the beasts from the abyss. All three beasts merge to form the fourth beast - the fourth kingdom: Daniel 7:7,19; R 13:2. This merger of former beast kingdoms, establishes a middle eastern rule. This is the prophetic picture Daniel and John are painting through prophetic imagery, and allegorical scenes.
The beast has ten crowned kings, and seven heads, seven kingdom; and, one of his seven heads was slain and mortally wounded. But, when John saw the beast rise from the sea, the mortal wound was healed; Rev 13:3, and all the world wondered after the beast which was, and was not, yet is. The wounded beast, the seventh head of ten horns, rises from the abyss, with his mortal wound healed. It's not a horn that rises from the abyss, it's a head; a merger of three mortally wounded beast kingdoms which ruled the middle east: lion, bear, leopard: R 13:2; Daniel 7:7,19.
The red dragon transfers his seven heads, his seven kingdoms over to his beast when the little horn bows before him in submission, and worship. There are seven heads, seven kingdoms but only four are beast kingdoms: the lion, bear, leopard and beast of ten horns. This indicates that three kingdoms were not beast kingdoms: Egypt, Assyria and Rome. Rome doesn't revive, Babylon does.
Revelation 17:8,11 provides additional information on the head with the mortal wound, filling in the blanks. The angel tells John how the head with a mortal wound rises from the abyss healed with his life restored. .... I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast which carries her, that has the seven heads and ten horns. The mystery centers around the rise of the beast with the seven heads, and ten horns, not the king.
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: Rev 13:3 ….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 (mortally wounded) beast (kingdom) that was, and is not, and yet is. ... And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven (heads, kings, mountains, kingdoms), and goeth into perdition. Rev 17:8b, 11.
The angel explains how the mortally wounded seventh head revives from death, and ascends from the depths of the abyss, as the eighth kingdom.... and all the world will wonder after the beast. This beast then rises from the sea: Rev 13:1-4, brought back from the sword, with his mortal wound healed. A beast is a kingdom and the horns are his kings. If John had seen a mortally wounded horn, he would have documented it as such. The focus is the beast - the kingdom, not the king. We should be watching for a rising beast kingdom: leopard, bear, lion - not a king.
Revelation 17:9-10 identifies the seven heads where the woman sits as seven mountains and, seven kings. In prophetic text, a mountain is symbolic of a kingdom: Ezekiel 28:14-16; Isaiah 2:2; Daniel 2:35; Jeremiah 51:24-25. The seven mountains are seven world kingdoms - seven kingdoms, not ten.
The seven mountains are also seven kings as kings rule kingdoms, and kingdoms are ruled by kings. These are the seven heads where the great city will sit, ruling over the kings of the earth, in the last days during the reign of Antichrist. The seven heads wear the name of blasphemy, the name of the beast: Rev 13:1b, while the beast is filled with blasphemous names and the blood of the martyrs: R 17:3. This is the earthly kingdom of the red dragon.
The beast from the sea is 'like a leopard' which had four additional heads: Daniel 7:6, These four heads depict the division of the third beast, into four dynasties, which became four kingdoms. The little horn that rose from one of the four heads of the leopard, rose from the Seleucid dynasty. That little horn was the Greek king - Antiochus Epiphanes - the King of the North. Antiochus Epiphanes is a foreshadow of the little horn that rises from the head of the fourth beast: leopard, bear, lion - as the eleventh king. As the eleventh king rises, he makes war with the saints and, those who have the testimony of Christ Jesus: R 12:17; Daniel 7:20-21,25; Rev 13:5-7; 17:6; 18:24.
The four heads of the leopard, help us understand the prophetic meaning of the seven heads given to the beast that rises from the sea: R 13:1-4. These seven heads are seven world kingdoms where the woman sits, ruling over the kings of the earth in the last days. Until all the parts and pieces for the time of the end are firmly in place, I don't see things moving as fast as everyone claims. If any man have an ear, let him hear: R 13:9.
Because of the wrath of God, she will not be inhabited; she will become completely desolate. All who pass through Babylon will be horrified and will hiss at all her plagues.
The old Babylon will remain desolate and barren and all who pass by, will hiss at her plagues, for mighty is the God who judges her. The second fall of Babylon will annihilate her, as though she never existed: Babylon is fallen, is fallen.... not once, but twice.
They will stand far off, in fear of her torment, and say, “Alas! Alas! You great city, you mighty city, Babylon! For in a single hour your judgment has come.” Rev 18:10
This concludes the three part in-depth study of the Rise of the Beast R 13:1-4 - Nebuchadnezzar's fourth kingdom - which has yet to come. The fourth Babylon kingdom fulfills the prophecies found in Rev 13, 17 and 18, which Satan has concealed with centuries of erroneous doctrine; for his time is short: R 12:12. Scripture reveals the plan of the red dragon to rule the world, and the two beast systems he will use to accomplish his goal: the beast out of the sea - the iron, the political arm of the beast system and, the beast out of the earth - the clay - the religious system of the first beast.
I haven't heard a peep about a merchant port being built on the Tyrrhenian Sea, but the 100-berth merchant port on the tip of the Persian Gulf, is complete. The road and rail system to transport cargo into Turkey is underway. From Turkey the merchant system will continue into Asia and Europe. And, as the time of tribulation grows near, without the mark, no one will be able to buy or sell. 15 cities are in stages of planning that will line the road and rail corridor between Basra, Iraq and Turkey. From there, communities will grow, and the great city of Babylon will rise.
While most Christians wait for a 'revived Roman empire' and a 'little horn' who rises from the abyss to rule the world, others are watching a mortally wounded 'beast' kingdom revive from death; the beast which was, and was not, yet is and shall come - Babylon the Great.
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