1. John sees the red dragon standing by the sea shore and then a beast coming out of the sea.
2. The beast had seven heads and ten horns. Each horn was adorned with a crown and each head bore a blasphemous title.
3. The beast looked like a leopard, but it had feet like a bear and a mouth like a lion.
4. The dragon gave the beast his power, throne, and great authority.
5. One of the heads on the beast bore the scar of a fatal wound. The fatal would had been healed and this caused the whole world to be in awe of the beast.
6. They worshiped the dragon for empowering the beast, and they also worshiped the beast and praised its greatness.
7. The beast exalted itself, spoke blasphemies against God, the heavenly realm and all those abiding there.
8. It exercised its authority over the earth for a period of 42 months, during which time it waged war on the saints and defeated them.
9. All the nations of earth, everyone whose name is not found in the Lamb's book of life, will worship the beast.

1. The sea from which it arises symbolizes the populous region around the Mediterranean from which arise the great civilizations and empires of the ancient world. Revelation 17:15
   • Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, and Rome.
2. The physical description of this beast connect it with the four beasts of Daniel's dream. Daniel Ch. 7
   • "Resembled a leopard": Greece.
   • "Feet like those of a bear": Medo-Persia.
   • "Mouth like that of a lion": Babylonia.
   • "Ten horns": Rome.
3. The seven heads on the sea beast symbolize seven historical empires which became the primary oppressors of Israel.
   • Egypt, Assyria, Babylonia, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome.
   • The seventh head foretells the end-time reappearance of the beast. Revelation 17:8-11
4. Which of the seven heads received the fatal wound? "Five have fallen", says the angel, or had passed into history by Johns day. The apostle John lived during the Roman Empire who was exiled to Patmos because of his Christian testimony. This clearly identifies Rome as the sixth head on the beast.
5. What could have caused this death blow to imperial Rome which is symbolized by the beast that "once was" and "now is not", and how was it healed?
6. Imperial Rome persecuted both Jews and Christians when it's religion was pagan. This ceased when the empire converted to Christianity in the fourth century AD. The Western Roman Empire came to an end in the fifth century AD.
7. The ten horns on the scarlet beast do not have crowns symbolizing the divisions of the Western Roman Empire after its fall. The ten horns on the leopard beast are crowned symbolizing the future end-time reappearance of the beast that "yet will come". Revelation 17:12
8. The beast exalts itself and executes its attack on God and his holy people for a period of 42 months during which time it ruled with authority over the entire earth.
9. 42 months = (1260 days) = (time, times and half a time) = (3 & 1/2 years and days).
   • Days:
     • The 1260 days given to the two witnesses to prophesy clothed in sackcloth. Revelation 11:3
     
     *After this time the two witnesses are killed by the beast that comes up from the Abyss. Verse 7
     *The scarlet beast, when it reappears, is seen coming up out of the Abyss. Revelation 17:8
     
     
     • The 1260 days for the woman taking refuge in the wilderness. Revelation 12:6
     • The three and a half days people gaze on the bodies of the two witnesses killed by the beast. Revelation 11:7
     • After the three and a half days the two witnesses are revived and called up to heaven. Revelation 11:11
   • Months:
     • The time given to the Gentiles to trample on the holy city. Revelation 11:2
     • The time given to the first beast of Revelation 13 (see point #8 above).
   • Time, times and half a time:
     • The time given to the little horn on the fourth beast (Rome). Daniel 7:25
     • The time for the woman taking refuge in the wilderness. Revelation 12:14
10. Some scholars suggest this time period refers to the last 'seven' of the seventy 'sevens' prophecy. Daniel 9:24-27
11. "He [the end-time beast] will confirm a covenant with many for one ‘seven.’ In the middle of the ‘seven’ he will put an end to sacrifice and offering." Daniel 9:27
12. The phrase "one seven" can be translated as one week, or seven days. The end-time beast makes a covenant which he breaks mid-week beginning the period (3 & 1/2 days) known as the tribulation.

1. The symbolic image of the woman, clothed with the sun, standing on the moon, and wearing a crown of twelve stars, and seen pregnant and about to deliver represents spiritual Israel. Genesis 37:9-10
2. What the woman gives birth to is not Jesus, son of Mary, but the promise of a savior in fulfillment of Scripture. Genesis 3:15
3. The beast represents all the human agencies that Satan has used in his attack on God's plan for the redemption of humanity.
4. This attack is best represented by the dragon seen near the woman "so that it might devour her child the moment he was born", but his attack is foiled as "her child was snatched up to God and to his throne." Revelation 12:4-5
5. The dragon enraged then attempts to destroy the woman, but she is given a place of refuge for 1260 days (time, times, and half a time). Revelation 12:6
6. She is given two wings of a great eagle to fly to the place in the wilderness prepared for her "out of the serpent’s reach." Revelation 12:14
7. The dragon spews a river of water to sweep the woman away with the flood, but the earth comes to her aid by swallowing the flood of water. Revelation 12:15-16
8. It is quite evident these texts cannot be applied to Mary, but a deeper symbolic reference to spiritual Israel through which God would fulfill the promise of a savior.
9. What is the wilderness which provides refuge to the woman during the 1260 days and what period of time does this encompass?
10. Real wildernesses are regions that are generally untouched by human activity and are often protected by law.
11. It cannot be said of the nation of Israel that it was protected from Satan's attacks as it was subject to foreign invasion throughout its history. So again this substantiates the idea of a spiritual Israel.
12. Spiritual Israel has existed from the creation, and possibly even before, right up to the present time so the 1260 days has to be understood as symbolic and not literal.

1. A second beast appeared arising from the earth. It had two lamb-like horns but spoke like a dragon.
2. It possessed the same authority and used it on behalf of the first beast, making the people of earth to worship the first beast.
3. The second beast performed wondrous signs on behalf of the first beast to deceive the people of earth.
4. The second beast makes the people of earth to set up an image of the first beast that bore the mark of a fatal wound and yet lived.
5. The second beast is empowered to give life to the image of the first beast.
6. The image of the first beast speaks compelling the worship of itself on pain of death.
7. The image of the first beast commands all people to be stamped with a mark.
8. This mark is placed on the right hand of the recipient or on the forehead. Anyone not bearing this mark is denied basic services.
9. The mark of the beast is the name of the first beast or the number of its name.
10. The number of the beast is the number of a man and when calculated from the name of the beast comes out to be 666.

1. This beast coming out of the earth may be symbolic of an entity that arises in a different part of the world or is not a geopolitical power as that which arises from the sea.
2. The two lamb-like horns could symbolize an entity that presents itself as a type of Messiah or, more specifically, an antichrist. Matthew 24:5-31.
3. The second beast is in fact further identified as the false prophet.
   • "But the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who had performed the signs on its behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped its image." Revelation 19:20
4. Calling the second beast the false prophet is strong evidence that this entity is the religious power deceiving the world into following the first beast.
5. The second beast orders the setting up of an image of the first beast. This symbolizes the introduction of idolatry in the worship of the first beast.
6. The second beast then gives life and breath to the image signifying that it is not like other idols made of stone or wood.
7. By giving the image this ability could symbolize a separate agency created to work on behalf of the second beast.
8. The image of the beast commands the people of earth bow down to it on pain of death. The worship of idols in ages past was how people would show devotion to their gods.
9. The image then moves to impress on all the people of earth to bear the mark of the first beast on their right hand or their forehead.
10. This mark signifies subservience (or loyalty) to the first beast by thought or deed. Those who refuse to receive the mark are denied basic necessities and services.
11. The mark of the beast is connected numerically with name of the first beast. The number is 666, "the number of a man." Revelation 13:18
12. Since the first beast represents much more than any one individual, it is suggested this figure may apply to a specific title belonging to it.

1. The beast from the sea and the scarlet beast are one and the same. The later is in the past, the former is yet to come.
2. The people of earth are astonished by the reappearance of the beast from the sea upon its fatal wound having been healed. This reaction is the same observed for the scarlet beast. Revelation 17:8
3. The healing of the fatal wound brings about the seventh head and the reemergence of the beasts "yet will come" period.
4. Who is responsible for the healing of the fatal wound? It is the false prophet - the second beast of chapter 13 - who is instrumental in the healing of the fatal wound.
5. At the time of the end, the ten horns, when they are empowered as kings, submit their authority and join forces with the beast.
6. By the will of God and without their knowledge, they act to bring about the destruction of Babylon the Great. Revelation 17:16-17
7. This is an act of rebellion since Babylon the Great is shown seated on the scarlet beast, which implies that she exercised authority over it. Revelation 17:3
8. This brings about the end of the old union of religion and state which was the enemy of God's people throughout ancient history.
9. It also brings about a new persecuting union of religion and state that comes into being prior to Christ's Second Coming. Revelation 17:12-14, 19:19-20
10. The religion aspect of this end-time union is unlike the polytheism of the old system. It is centered on the worship of the first beast of Revelation 13 who proclaims itself equal with God. 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4

~~~ Final Thoughts ~~~

The prophetic books of Daniel and the Revelation use imagery and symbolism to convey their message, the understanding of which is open to interpretation and debate. I prefer rather to base my faith and understanding on other scripture, particularly the four Gospels which recount Jesus' acts and words, and the apostle's letters to the churches. Jesus, the Son of God, is the perfect revelation of God the Father and the Holy Spirit.