1. The dragon, also called the ancient serpent, is "the devil, or Satan who leads the whole world astray." Revelation 12:9
2. The dragon has seven heads, ten horns and seven crowns on its heads. This description connects the dragon with the first beast of Revelation 13 and the scarlet beast of Revelation 17.
3. The seven heads bear crowns so these are symbolic of seven kings or kingdoms under his dominion which have been or will be enemies of God's people.
4. The dragon is mentioned in connection with the symbolic depiction of a pregnant woman about to give birth and his attempt to destroy the child. Revelation 12:1-4
5. The dragon's motive for this attack is because he knows the Messiah would bring about the end of his dominion on earth.
6. The woman clothed with the sun, standing on the moon, and having a crown of twelve stars connects her with Israel. Genesis 37:9-10
7. 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
8. This promise is delivered through the calling of Abraham from whose line would come the Messiah. Genesis 22:18
9. Having failed in this attempt, the dragon then pursues the woman but she is given refuge from his attacks.
10. Enraged, the dragon went off to wage war against the rest of her offspring. Thus begins a long history of the dragon using nations hostile to Israel to prevent the promised arrival of the Messiah. Revelation 12:12
11. 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.

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 wound was 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 first (leopard-like) 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.
8. The ten horns on the leopard_like beast are crowned symbolizing the future end-time reappearance of the beast. It utters self-exaltations, making itself equal with God, and wages war on God's holy peopled.

1. It 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. Just as water and earth are two different states of matter, it would appear the second beast arises from a vastly different region on earth.
2. The second beast having lamb-like horns but the voice of a dragon strongly suggests that this entity is a deceiver; a wolf in sheeps clothing.
3. It is the second beast who, by deception, is instrumental in the healing of the fatal wound which causes the world into worshiping the first beast.
4. The second beast is in fact further identified as the false prophet who is allied with the first beast and the kings of earth at Jesus' second coming. Revelation 19:20
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 leopard-like beast 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 leopard-like 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. At the time of the end, the ten horns, when they are empowered as kings, submit their authority and join forces with the beast.
5. By the will of God and without their knowledge, they act to bring about the destruction of Babylon the Great. Revelation 17:16-17
6. 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
7. This brings about the end of the old union of religion and state which was the enemy of God's people throughout ancient history.
8. 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
9. 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.