The Beast of the Sea

"As I stood on the sandy beach, I saw a beast coming up out of the sea with ten horns and seven heads. On his horns he had ten royal crowns (diadems) and blasphemous titles (names) on his heads. And the beast that I saw resembled a leopard, but his feet were like those of a bear and his mouth was like that of a lion. And to him the dragon gave his [own] might and power and his [own] throne and great dominion." (Revelation 13:1,2 - Amplified Bible)

Satan wants to be God. So he often imitates God. This chapter describes his attempt to imitate the Trinity. He is Satan the father. The Anti-Christ is the son of Satan. The False Prophet is the unholy spirit. Like all of Satan's imitations, this one is imperfect and evil.

Some Greek manuscripts say, “He stood upon the sand of the sea” instead of “I stood on the sand of the sea.” The he would refer back to the dragon of chapter twelve. This would suggest that Satan is always watching for the one who will be the Anti-Christ. Satan has always had those whom he has used to promote wickedness. However, he is waiting for the one man who will bring him the worship of the world.

The sea represents the Gentile nations. The Anti-Christ will be a Gentile. According to chapter seventeen, the seven heads are seven mountains and seven kings. The ten horns are ten kings who support the Anti-Christ in his rise to power. When we get to chapter seventeen I will discuss this symbolism more fully.

The description of the Anti-Christ is similar to the description of the dragon in the previous chapter. This shows how closely related the two are. Satan is the true power behind the Anti-Christ.

Upon the ten heads are written a name or names of blasphemy. This man will be ungodly from the beginning. He and his supporters will be opposed to the truth. They will speak blasphemous things.

The description of the beast reveals to us his connection with the past world powers. According to Daniel, the leopard represents the Greek Empire; the bear represents the Media-Persian Empire; and the lion represents the Babylonian Empire. The fourth beast that Daniel describes representing the Roman Empire is like the beast described by John.

“After that, in my vision at night I looked, and there before me was a fourth beast—terrifying and frightening and very powerful. It had large iron teeth; it crushed and devoured its victims and trampled underfoot whatever was left. It was different from all the former beasts, and it had ten horns. While I was thinking about the horns, there before me was another horn, a little one, which came up among them; and three of the first horns were uprooted before it. This horn had eyes like the eyes of a man and a mouth that spoke boastfully.” (Daniel 7:7,8 – New International Version)

This fourth dreadful beast represents the Roman Empire. The Anti-Christ will rule over a revived Roman Empire. His initial power base will be in Europe. The little horn that Daniel describes is the Anti-Christ. At first the ten rulers represented by the horns will support him. But Daniel tells us that for some reason three of the rulers will eventually oppose the Anti-Christ and he will turn upon them. They will be removed from power.

The great things that the Anti-Christ speaks are to be equated with the blasphemous names that John mentions. The Anti-Christ will make himself out to be god-man. He will oppose the truth of the Lord.

Flood

"The Serpent vomited a river of water to swamp and drown her, but earth came to her help, swallowing the water the Dragon spewed from its mouth. Helpless with rage, the Dragon raged at the Woman, then went off to make war with the rest of her children, the children who keep God's commands and hold firm to the witness of Jesus." (Revelation 12:15-17 - The Message)

God's use of the earth to help the Israelites will anger Satan. He will seek to use the earth to destroy the fleeing Jews with a great flood. Satan will divert the waters of the Euphrates River.

Tom McElmurry wrote, “The headwater tributary system of the great river Euphrates begins in the same general area as the headwater tributary system of the Jordan River. And oddly enough, a tremendous subduction fault zone runs through Turkey and northern Lebanon beneath both headwater tributary systems. . . . These massive structure changes in Turkey and northern Lebanon will cause the runoff waters of the tributary system of the Euphrates River to be diverted into the Jordan River system. This additional runoff water in the upper headwaters will greatly increase the depth and width of the Jordan River.” (page 46, The Tribulation Triad, Tom McElmurry, Bogard Press, Texarkana, 1983)

Satan will send a massive flood of water into the Jordan River. This will flow towards the Jews fleeing into the Jordan River Valley from Jerusalem. God will then use the earth to not only prevent this flood from destroying these refuges but to cut off those pursuing them.

We know from Ezekiel chapter forty seven that during the thousand year reign of Christ, there will be a great river about 1850 meters from Jerusalem. Today the Jordan River is about 30 km away. So God will divert the Jordan River into a new course much closer to Jerusalem. This new river will flow behind the fleeing Jews cutting off those seeking to pursue them. This flood which Satan hoped would destroy them will protect them.

Unable to reach those Jews who are protected by God in the wilderness, Satan increase his persecution of Christians, especially Jewish believers. The Tribulation will be a horrific time. Yet even in it, God will be at work and for those with spiritual vision, His hand will be clearly seen.

The Woman Flees

"And when the dragon saw that he was thrown down to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male child. But the two wings of the great eagle were given to the woman, so that she could fly into the wilderness to her place, where she was nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent." (Revelation 12:13,14 - New American Standard)

The events of this passage on the surface seem mysterious. However, when combined with some other prophetic passages and geological facts; they fall into place.

In the last few posts, we learned that the dragon is Satan and the woman is Israel. Around the middle of the Tribulation, there will be a great war in heaven. Satan and his demons will be cast out of heaven never to be allowed to return. Satan will be enraged. Satan will promote the greatest persecution of the Jewish people ever.

Regarding verse fourteen, Hal Lindsey writes, “Some kind of massive airlift will rapidly transport these fleeing Jews across the rugged terrain to their place of protection. Since the eagle is the national symbol of the United States, it's possible that the airlift will be made available by aircraft from the US Sixth Fleet in the Mediterranean.” (page 165, There's A New World Coming, Hal Lindsey, Bantam Books Inc, NY, 1975)

This presents one possible interpretation of this passage: that the wings of a great eagle refer to an airlift. If this is the case, we have no idea what nations will be involved. Many nations use the eagle as a symbol. Besides the United States, nations that have used the eagle as a national symbol include: Ancient Egypt, Ancient Rome, Austria, Russia, Czech Republic, Germany, Poland, Spain, Mexico and the Philippines.

There is another possible interpretation. This is one based upon another passage of Scripture. God told Moses to tell the people of Israel, “Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagle's wings, and brought you unto Myself.” (Exodus 19:4 – King James Version)

How did God carry the people of Israel on eagle's wings out of Egypt? He opened up a path through the sea for them. God gave them a way of escape from the army of Egypt. During the Tribulation, Israel will once again need a way of escape. God will provide one.

The prophet Zechariah wrote, “And His feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the Mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south. And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; . . .” (Zechariah 14:4,5a – King James Version)

When those in Jerusalem need to flee from the Anti-Christ, it will not be the Red Sea that blocks their path, but the Mount of Olives. The Lord tells us that He will split this mountain in two creating a valley that goes east out of Jerusalem. This will provide a smooth and easy means for the Jews to escape the Anti-Christ. They will flee to a place of refuge where God will protect them for three and a half years from the Anti-Christ.

Woe on the Earth

"Therefore rejoice, you heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you! He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short" (Revelation 12:12 - New International Version)

Those who are in heaven rejoice that Satan has been cast out. Those on earth should fear. Satan will be angry. He will know that the prophetic events of Revelation are winding down. He will seek to do as much damage to God's creation as he can in the time left to him.