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. These descriptions connect it with the four beasts of Daniel's dream. Daniel Ch. 7
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 that had been healed.
6. This caused the whole world to be in awe and follow the beast. 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 nations of the Middle East and the Mediterranean.
2. The seven heads on the sea beast symbolize seven historical occurrences of the beast.
3. The sea beast's physical description falls in line with those in the Old Testament book of Daniel.
4. The four beasts of Daniel's dream have been identified as the Babylonia, Medo-Persia, Greece and Rome.
5. Prior to Daniel's time there were two ancient empires that were also enemies of Israel: Egypt and Assyria.
6. Lastly, the seventh head on the beast foretells a future occurrence of this beast power. Revelation 17:8-11
7. The ten horns are adorned with crowns signifying they have received their kingly status as predicted. Revelation 17:12
8. The beast's attitude toward God and its persecution of God's people is a sure sign that it is the end-time antichrist.

1. John then sees another beast ascending out of the earth. It has two lamb-like horns but speaks like a dragon.
2. This beast works on behalf of the first beast, causing the people of earth to worship the first beast whose fatal wound had been healed.
3. It performs miraculous signs for everyone to see, even making fire to fall from heaven to earth.
4. The people of earth are deceived by these signs and wonders it was able to perform.
5. The second beast commanded the people of earth to construct an image in honor of the first beast whose fatal wound had been healed.
6. It gave breath to the image so that it could speak. Anyone who refused to worship the image were threatened with death.
7. It also forced everyone to receive a mark, either on their right hands or their foreheads.
8. The mark is the name of the first beast or the number of its name.

1. The earth reference signifies a different geographical origin from the beast from the sea.
2. The second beast bears no crowns suggesting it is not a political power. 2 Kings 11:12, Revelation 6:2
3. All the actions of the second beast listed above are on behalf (or support) of the first beast.
4. Horns like a lamb but speaks like a dragon is central to the second beast's deception.
5. The people of earth are made to worship the first beast by the signs it is able to perform.
6. The image of the first beast it causes to be made is the introduction of idolatry in the worship of the first beast.
7. The mark of the beast signifies subservience (or loyalty) to the first beast by thought or deed.
8. Anyone who doesn't bear this mark are denied basic necessities and services.
9. "This calls for wisdom," the numerical value of the mark (i.e., the name) of the beast equates to the number 666, the number of a man.
10. The second beast is in fact further identified as the false prophet. Revelation 19:20

1. All three are shown having seven heads and ten horns. The dragon's heads and the horns on the beast from the sea are adorned with crowns.
2. Both the scarlet beast and the beast from the sea are marked with blasphemous names.
3. The scarlet beast "once was, now is not, and yet will come [again]." The scarlet beasts "now is not" period could be understood as its condition at the time this vision is given to John.
4. More likely, it is the period between the end of Roman persecution of Christians and the beginning of the end-time tribulation. The beast "is not."
5. The people of earth are astonished by the reappearance of the scarlet beast. This reaction is the same observed for the beast from the sea upon its fatal wound having been healed.
   • "The inhabitants of the earth... will be astonished when they see the beast, because it once was, now is not, and yet will come." Revelation 17:8
   • "One of the heads of the beast seemed to have had a fatal wound, but the fatal wound had been healed. The whole world was filled with wonder and followed the beast." Revelation 13:3
   • This healing of the fatal wound brings up three questions:
     1. Which of the seven heads bore the scar of a fatal wound?
     2. Who delivered the fatal wound and what was the result?
     3. Who is responsible for the healing of the fatal wound?
   • Of the seven heads on the scarlet beast five are said to be "fallen," (or passed into history) "one is, the other has not yet come."
   • So it is the sixth head that bore the scar of a fatal wound and this corresponds with the "is not" period of the scarlet beast.
   • The answer to the second question is brought up in point 5-4 above. The spread of Christianity throughout the Roman Empire led to the decline of pagan persecution of Christians.
   • The healing of the fatal wound brings about the seventh head and the reemergence of the beasts "yet will come" period.
   • It is the false prophet - the second beast of chapter 13 - who is instrumental in the healing of the fatal wound.
6. The horns on the scarlet beast are not adorned with crowns while those on the beast from the sea do.
7. The lack of crowns on the horns of the scarlet beast is stated to mean they "have not yet received a kingdom", while the crowned horns on the beast from the sea foretells a time when they "receive authority as kings along with the beast." Revelation 17:12
8. In a future time the ten horns, when they are empowered as kings, submit their authority and join forces with the scarlet beast.
9. By the will of God and without their knowledge, they act to bring about the destruction of Babylon the Great. Revelation 17:16-17
10. This is an act of rebellion since Babylon the Great is shown seated on the scarlet beast, which implies that she exercises authority over it. Revelation 17:3
11. This brings about the end of the old union of religion and state which was the enemy of God's people throughout ancient history.
12. 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
13. The religion aspect of this end-time union is unlike the polytheism of the old system. It is centered on the worship of the antichrist who proclaims itself equal with God. 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4
14. The scarlet beast and the beast from the sea are one and the same. The former is in the past, the later is yet to come.

1. In the last days the beast, in union with the kings of earth, confront Jesus and the armies of heaven but they are quickly vanquished. Revelation 17:14, Revelation 19:19
2. After this confrontation, the beast and the false prophet are captured and cast into the lake of fire. Revelation 19:20
3. An angel appears who has the key to the Abyss. He seizes the red dragon (Satan) and imprisons him there for a thousand years. Revelation 20:1-3
4. After the thousand years, Satan is released and allowed once more to deceive the nations to gather them for the final battle of good versus evil. Revelation 20:7-9
5. The armies of evil are ultimately destroyed and the devil is thrown into the lake of fire "where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown." Revelation 20:10
6. So ends the unholy trinity that has troubled the world from its beginning.

~~~ 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.