First and foremost, Revelation was written and addressed to seven ancient Churches in Anatolia, not 21st century Christians. When Christ brought Revelation to these Seven Churches, he told them that these prophecies “must soon take place” (Revelation 1:1), that “the time is near” (Revelation 1:3), that what John saw was “what is now and what will take place later” (Revelation 1:19), and that “those who pierced him” would see him “coming with the clouds” (Revelation 1:7). If I send you a letter and state that I will “soon” visit you, that does not mean I will visit your descendants 2000 years after you die. Rather, a short while after receiving my letter you will be visited—at the very most, within your lifetime. Christ meant what he said, and the Great tribulation was fulfilled in the first-century AD.

This is evident through the Olivet Discourse, as Christ prophecies of the Great Tribulation (Matthew 24:21) and lists off all its aspects: the destruction of the Second Temple, false prophets, wars, famines, earthquakes, persecution, lawlessness, invasion, and celestial deconstruction. But, after listing off these aspects of the Great Tribulation, he states, “Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.” (Matthew 24:32, Luke 21:32, Mark 13:30) Through this claim, Christ made it clear that the people he spoke to would incur the Great Tribulation.

That the Great Tribulation would fall upon Christ’s generation is substantiated by passages such as:

⁃ Luke 11:49-51, “Because of this, God in his wisdom said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and others they will persecute.’ Therefore this generation will be held responsible for the blood of all the prophets that has been shed since the beginning of the world, from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, this generation will be held responsible for it all.”

(Parallels Revelation 6:9-11, Revelation 16:4-6, and Revelation 18:24)

⁃ Matthew 12:38-42, “Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, ‘Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.’ But he answered them, ‘An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here. The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.’”

(Parallels Revelation 20:12-13, and Revelation 22:12)

⁃ John 12:27-32, “‘Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name!’ Then a voice came from heaven, ‘I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.’ The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him. Jesus said, ‘This voice was for your benefit, not mine. Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.’”

(Parallels Revelation 11:15, Revelation 12:9-12, and Revelation 20:2)

⁃ Luke 23:26-31, “As the soldiers led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus. A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him. Jesus turned and said to them, ‘Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children. For the time will come when you will say, ‘Blessed are the childless women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed! Then they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us,’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us.’ For if they do these things when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?’”

(Parallels Revelation 6:15-17 and Revelation 9:6)

⁃ Luke 10:1/3/10-12, “After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go… Go your way; behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves… But whenever you enter a town and they do not receive you, go into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near.’ I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town.”

(Parallels Revelation 11:8/13-16)

⁃ Luke 21:20-24/31-32, “But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, and let those who are inside the city depart, and let not those who are out in the country enter it, for these are days of vengeance, to fulfill all that is written. Alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! For there will be great distress upon the earth and wrath against this people. They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive among all nations, and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled… So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all has taken place.”

(Parallels Revelation 11:2, Revelation 12:6, and Revelation 14:20)

This is compounded by near-demonstrative rhetoric employed by John the Baptist, Matthew the Apostle, James the Apostle, John the Apostle, and Paul the Apostle:

– Matthew 3:1-3/7/10-12, “In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said, ‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight’… But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, ‘You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?… Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.’”

(Parallels Revelation 14:14-15 and Revelation 11:3-10)

– James 5:1-9, “Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you. Your riches have rotted and your garments are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver have corroded, and their corrosion will be evidence against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure in the last days… Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord… Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door.”

(Parallels Revelation 18:11-19 and Revelation 6:15-17)

– 1 John 2:18-19, “Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour.”

(Parallels Revelation 13:1-8, Revelation 19:20, and Revelation 20:10)

– Acts 24:24-25, “After some days Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, and he sent for Paul and heard him speak about faith in Christ Jesus. And as he reasoned about righteousness and self-control and the coming judgment, Felix was alarmed and said, ‘Go away for the present. When I get an opportunity I will summon you.’”

(Parallels Revelation 11:18 and Revelation 14:7)

– 1 Corinthians 10:11, “Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come.”

(Parallels Revelation 11:13-19)

– 1 John 2:18-19, “Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour.”

(Parallels Revelation 1:1-3, Revelation 22:10-12, and Revelation 14:7)

– Acts 24:24-25, “After some days Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, and he sent for Paul and heard him speak about faith in Christ Jesus. And as he reasoned about righteousness and self-control and the coming judgment, Felix was alarmed and said, ‘Go away for the present. When I get an opportunity I will summon you.’”

(Parallels Revelation 1:1-3, Revelation 22:10-12, and Revelation 14:7)

– 1 Corinthians 10:11, “Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come.”

(Parallels Revelation 1:1-3, Revelation 22:10-12, and Revelation 14:7)

Notice how in all the aforementioned passages, the protagonist is speaking directly to first-century Judaeans and warning them of a coming judgement. That is because the Great Tribulation was fulfilled in the first-century AD, primarily through the First Jewish-Roman War.

The Four Beasts of Daniel

Now, to identify the Beast of Revelation, one must understand the prophecies of Daniel. Reason being, Daniel speaks of four consecutive beasts which would conquer those they succeed and subsequently take possession of their land. After these four beasts, a rock from Heaven destroys these empires and becomes its own kingdom. This rock represents Christ, who overcame the four beasts and became his own Kingdom, Christendom. Christendom brought about the Millennial Reign of Christ, which was spiritual in nature but physically manifested through the Church. This Church was fractured roughly 1021 years (a millennia) after the Crucifixion of Christ, as in 1054 AD, the Universal Church split in half. This event is referred to as the Great Schism, and from it, we get both Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy. Thus, the fourth and final beast, which is Rome, aligns the Beast of Revelation, which immediately precedes the Kingdom of Christ. After this beast, the only other enemy is Gog of Magog, but he is never mentioned as being another beast. Rather, he is the ruler of Magog and leads a coalition of (discernably Islamic) nations against the Holy Land. This invasion comes at the end of Satan’s Short Season, which itself is after the Millennial Reign, which itself comes after the Christianization of the fourth beast, which is Rome.

That Rome is the final beast of Daniel, and thus the Beast of Revelation, is attested to by Daniel 2. This chapter speaks of a statue comprised of four parts, each of which correlate to the four beasts mentioned in Daniel 7. Daniel 2:32-35 states, “The head of this image was of fine gold, its chest and arms of silver, its middle and thighs of bronze, its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay. As you looked, a stone was cut out by no human hand, and it struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces. Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold, all together were broken in pieces, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away, so that not a trace of them could be found. But the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.”

Daniel 2:38 identifies the first nation to comprise this statue, as Daniel says to Nebuchadnezzar, “You, O king, the king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, and the might, and the glory, and into whose hand he has given, wherever they dwell, the children of man, the beasts of the field, and the birds of the heavens, making you rule over them all—you are the head of gold.”

So, to identify the four beasts, one must look at the chronological succession of empires after Babylon. Through the head, which represents Babylon, it is evident that the chest and arms represent the Medo-Persians, the body and thighs represent the Hellenes, and the legs represent Rome. The feet of this statue, which comprise 10 toes, parallel the ten horns of the fourth beast in Daniel 7:23-24, “Thus he said: ‘As for the fourth beast, there shall be a fourth kingdom on earth, which shall be different from all the kingdoms, and it shall devour the whole earth, and trample it down, and break it to pieces. As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings shall arise, and another shall arise after them; he shall be different from the former ones, and shall put down three kings.”

The Beast of Revelation

Therefore, the fourth empire with ten toes is the fourth beast with ten horns. These ten horns directly parallel the Beast of Revelation, which also has ten horns: “And I saw a beast rising out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads, with ten diadems on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads. And the beast that I saw was like a leopard; its feet were like a bear’s, and its mouth was like a lion’s mouth. And to it the dragon gave his power and his throne and great authority. One of its heads seemed to have a mortal wound, but its mortal wound was healed, and the whole earth marveled as they followed the beast. And they worshiped the dragon, for he had given his authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, ‘Who is like the beast, and who can fight against it.” (Revelation 13:1-8)

Here we see that the ten-horned beast is given its power by a dragon (satan), and through Revelation 12:1-6, we are told that the dragon also has seven heads with ten horns: “A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth. Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on its heads. Its tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth. The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that it might devour her child the moment he was born. She gave birth to a son, a male child (Jesus Christ), who will rule all the nations with an iron scepter. And her child was snatched up to God and to his throne. The woman fled into the wilderness to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days.”

The red dragon is typically interpreted as being satan, so the seven heads and ten horns of the dragon indicate that the seven heads and ten horns of the fourth beast were satanic in nature. More importantly, the seven heads and ten horns indicate that the dragon and beast are contemporaries, as they represent specific rulers. Thus, if the seven-headed, ten-horned dragon exists at the time of Christ and seeks to devour him at birth, it is evident that the Beast of Revelation was a first-century empire, not a modern entity.

This is corroborated by Revelation 12:6, which tells that the woman, who represents both Mariam and Israel, flees into the wilderness for 1260 days (3.5 years). When the First Jewish-Roman War began in 66 AD, the inhabitants of Jerusalem took heed of Christ’s command in the Olivet Discourse, “And when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then you will know that the time of its destruction has arrived. Then those in Judea must flee to the hills. Those in Jerusalem must get out, and those out in the country should not return to the city” (Luke 21:20-21). Accordingly, the 1260 days represent the 3.5 year period from the beginning of the war in 66 AD to the desolation of the temple in 70 AD. Of course, it was Rome who carried out this destruction, so Rome is the beast with seven heads and ten horns.

As stated earlier, the ten horns represent specific rulers of the beast. This is evident through Revelation 13:1, which tells that the ten horns each have a diadem or crown. Thus, the ten horns in Daniel 7/Revelation 12/Revelation 13 represent ten prominent Roman leaders, as well as the ten imperial provinces of Rome.

As for the Roman leaders, there are two interpretations as to who the ten horns are:

Interpretation one)

The first 10 Caesars:

1. Julius Caesar (49-44 BC) – Progenitor of the Julio-Claudian Dynasty
2. Augustus Caesar (27 BC-14 AD)
3. Tiberius Caesar (14-37 AD)
4. Caligula Caesar (37-41 AD)
5. Claudius Caesar (41-54 AD)
6. Nero Caesar (54-68 AD)
7. Galba Caesar (68-69 AD)
8. Otho Caesar (69 AD)
9. Vitellius Caesar (AD 69)
10. Vespasian Caesar (AD 69-79): Daniel 7:8 states, “I considered the horns, and behold, there came up among them another horn, a little one, before which three of the first horns were plucked up by the roots.” Vespasian was the horn that uproots three others, as he was last in line during the Year of Four Emperors. Those he uprooted were Galba (68-69 AD), Otho (69 AD), and Vitellius (69 AD).

Interpretation two)

Pompey and the Julio-Claudian Dynasty:

1. Pompey the Great (70–48 BC) – While Julius Caesar practically acted as a King, he was only 1/3 of the First Triumvirate and ruled alongside Pompey the Great and Marcus Licinius Crassus. Of these two figures, Pompey the Great fits best into the ten horns, as he was the first Roman to initiate conflict with Judaea. In 63 BC, Pompey intervened in a civil war within Hasmonean Judaea. This strife was the result of a power-dispute between two Hasmonean nobles, Hyrcanus II and Aristobulus II, who both appealed to Pompey for support. Eventually, Aristobulus II dissented against Pompey, which prompted him to siege Jerusalem, capture the city, and install Hyrcanus II as High Priest. From the perspective of contemporary Judaeans, Pompey was the first Roman leader to afflict them and assert his authority over the land, and being equal in power to Julius Caesar, there is a strong case to make that Pompey is the first horn.

2. Julius Caesar (49-44 BC) – Progenitor of the Julio-Claudian Dynasty

3. Augustus Caesar (27 BC-14 AD)

4. Tiberius Caesar (14-37 AD)

5. Caligula Caesar (37-41 AD)

6. Claudius Caesar (41-54 AD)

7. Nero Caesar (54-68 AD) – Ruled at the time Revelation was written (66 AD), hence the Mark of the Beast equalling 666, the gematria of Nero Caesar.

8. Galba Caesar (68-69 AD)

9. Otho Caesar (69 AD)

10. Vitellius Caesar (69 AD)

In this case, the 11th horn (or “little horn” of Daniel 7:7-8/24-25) is Vespasian Caesar (69-79 AD). For one, he was last in line during the Year of Four Emperors, hence Daniel’s claim that the 11th horn “put down” three of the prior horns: Galba (68-69 AD), Otho (69 AD), and Vitellius (69 AD). Secondly, Vespasian fits the caricature of a “little horn”, as he was the first Roman Emperor from an equestrian family and rose to the senatorial rank late in his life. With modest origins of little significance, Vespasian contrasted previous horns who came from patrician bloodlines.

Of course, one may argue that if the 11th horn is “different from the former ones” (Daniel 7:24-25), then Pompey the Great must be taken off the list, as he was also from an equestrian family and did not belong to the Caesar gens. This may be refuted by the fact that Pompey married into the Caesar gens by wedding Julia, the daughter of Julius Caesar. Essentially, while both Pompey and Vespasian descended from Equestrian families, Pompey was part of a Patrician family, served as Consul, and ruled alongside Julius Caesar. Conversely, Vespasian bore no lineal connection to nobility and served as a general until usurping the genetic heirs of Julius Caesar.

Now, if Vespasian is the 11th horn, it makes sense why only 11 horns are listed. Reason being, Vespasian was ruling when the Abomination of Desolation was fulfilled in 70 AD, and it was his son Titus who led Roman forces into Jerusalem. As shown in my essay on the Harlot of Revelation, Revelation 11:7-14 pertains to the destruction of Jerusalem; this desolation marks the seventh trumpet, which finalizes the Great Tribulation and announces Christ’s victory and rulership. So, if the 11th horn, being Vespasian, was ruling at the time of the final trumpet, then it makes sense for the beast to have just 11 horns.

In regard to the secondary meaning of the ten horns, being the ten major provinces of the Roman Empire, these are:

1. Italia
2. Gallia
3. Britannia
4. Hispania Tarraconensis
5. Germania
6. Aegyptus
7. Syria
8. Judaea
9. Asia
10. Africa Proconsularis

As for the “seven heads” of the beast (Revelation 13:1), we are given more detail in Revelation 17:9-12, “This calls for a mind with wisdom: the seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman is seated; they are also seven kings, five of whom have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come, and when he does come he must remain only a little while. As for the beast that was and is not, it is an eighth but it belongs to the seven, and it goes to destruction. And the ten horns that you saw are ten kings who have not yet received royal power, but they are to receive authority as kings for one hour, together with the beast.”

Here we see that the seven heads represent both seven mountains and seven kings:

7 Mountains) The term translated as mountains is Strong’s 3735, ὄρη (orē): a mountain, or a hill. Accordingly, the seven mountains/hills allude to Rome, which was universally referred to as the “City of 7 Hills”:

1. Capitoline Hill
2. Palatine Hill
3. Aventine Hill
4. Caelian Hill
5. Esquiline Hill
6. Viminal Hill
7. Quirinal Hill

The Harlot of Revelation (Apostate Jerusalem) symbolically sits on these hills (Revelation 17:7), representing Judaea’s allegiance to Rome. One passage showcasing this is John 19:14-15, “It was the day of Preparation of the Passover; it was about noon. ‘Here is your king,’ Pilate said to the Jews. But they shouted, ‘Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!’ ‘Shall I crucify your king?’ Pilate asked. ‘We have no king but Caesar,’ the chief priests answered.” Harlot Jerusalem rode securely on this beast (Rome) until its horns (Caesar and his Legions) turned on her and burned her to the ground in 70 AD. This ultimately fulfilled Revelation 17:16, “And the ten horns that you saw, they and the beast will hate the prostitute. They will make her desolate and naked, and devour her flesh and burn her up with fire…”

7 Kings) The seven kings are seven rulers of the beast, which is Rome. But, whereas the ten horns may have began with Pompey the Great rather than Julius Caesar, the descriptions of these chronological kings indicate that the seven heads begin with Julius Caesar (progenitor of the Julio-Claudian Dynasty).

To begin, “Five have fallen” (Revelation 17:10), meaning five had already died prior to the writing of Revelation:

1. Julius Caesar (49-44 BC)
2. Augustus Caesar (27 BC-14 AD)
3. Tiberius Caesar (14-37 AD)
4. Caligula Caesar (37-41 AD)
5. Claudius Caesar (41-54 AD)

“One is” (Revelation 17:10), meaning one was ruling at the time Revelation was written:

    6. Nero Caesar: 666 in Greek Gematria (54-68 AD)

And “one will last a short while” (Revelation 17:10), meaning his reign will be short-lived:

    7. Galba Caesar (seven month reign, 68-69 AD)

Yet, there is also “an eighth” king (not necessarily the eighth consecutive king), who is not an eighth head but is part of the seven (Revelation 17:11). He is referred to as “the beast that was and is not”, which alludes to the head of the beast that was mortally wounded in Revelation 13:3. This wounded head represents the suicide of Nero Caesar (Gematria: 666) in 68 AD, which plunged the Roman Empire into a state of instability. Thus, if the eighth king is part of the seven heads but does not comprise an eight head, he may represent the resurrection of the beast’s sixth head, which is Nero. This is not to say that the spirit of Nero possessed the eighth king, but that the spirit which possessed Nero also possessed the eighth king. This spirit seems to have been Apollo (Apollyon: Revelation 9), as Nero believed himself to be Apollo-incarnate and even minted coins depicting himself in the likeness of Apollo. Accordingly, the eighth king is Titus, who led the Legion of Apollo into Jerusalem, captured and slaughtered millions of Judaeans, and burned down the temple in 70 AD.

In Rome, cults of Apollo were symbolized by the locust, hence the locusts led by Apollyon in Revelation 9. This chapter tells us that these locusts are cavalry units with golden crowns and hair like women (Revelation 9:7-8). For one, this is representative of their allegiance to Apollo, who himself had long hair. Secondly, Imperial Rome had been recruiting cavalry from across the Empire. Wikipedia states, “Augustus also made a regular Auxilia corps of non-citizen soldiers. These professional Roman soldiers, like the Legions, were subjects recruited from the non-citizens in provinces controlled by Rome that had strong native cavalry traditions.” Thus, the locusts’ long hair could certainly be prophetic of the long-haired Roman cavalry. Ironically, the barbarian cavalry of Rome mostly came from regions such as Germania, Gaul, Britannia, and Scythia, so the locusts’ golden crowns may also represent their blonde hair, as many of those recruited by Roman forces were Germanic or Celtic in origin.

As for “the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates” (Revelation 9); prior to contesting Judaean forces in the Holy Land, General Titus led three legions, which hitherto, were stationed in Syria near the Euphrates River. Upon arriving in Judaea, he took command of another legion which was previously led by his father, Emperor Vespasian. Considering how these four angels are let loose to kill those who were unsealed, it is likely that they represent the four Roman legions who sieged Jerusalem and left it desolate. That said, it is also possible that the four angels represent the original three legions from Syria, along with Titus himself as a fourth angel. These three legions were: Legio V Macedonica (the Fifth Macedonian Legion), Legio XII Fulminata (the Twelfth Thunderbolt Legion), and Legio XV Apollinaris (the Fifteenth Apollonian Legion). The most prominent of the aforementioned would be the 15th Legion of Apollo, as it serves as a blatant fulfillment of Apollyon and his locusts.

It is also possible that these three initial legions represent the three frog-like spirits that emerge from the mouth of the dragon and the beast. Revelation 16:10-13 states, “The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and its kingdom was plunged into darkness. People gnawed their tongues in anguish and cursed the God of heaven for their pain and sores. They did not repent of their deeds. And I saw, coming out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs.” As stated in my essay on the Great Tribulation, floods are often utilized in scripture to symbolize militaristic invasions (Isaiah 8:7-8, Jeremiah 47:2, Daniel 9:26, Nahum 1:8). Thus, the three frog-like spirits may represent the three Roman legions, who alongside General Titus, flooded Judaea, just as the frogs flooded Egypt during the 10 Plagues of Egypt (Exodus 7-12). Remember, Jerusalem is spiritually called Sodom and Egypt (Revelation 11:8).

Now again, the ten horns represent both Roman leaders and imperial provinces. Thus, the ten additional kings who have not yet received royal power, but receive authority as kings for one hour with the beast, are the “Legatus Augusti pro praetore” of the ten imperial provinces (governors of imperial provinces who assume both administrative and militaristic responsibilities). These ten imperial provinces provided military-aged males who would receive placements among the various legions that razed Jerusalem in 70 AD. This ultimately fulfilled Revelation 17:16, which states, “And the ten horns that you saw, they and the beast will hate the prostitute. They will make her desolate and naked, and devour her flesh and burn her up with fire…” Essentially, soldiers from across the beast empire would destroy and burn the prostitute after she securely rode them (in other words, after she allied with Rome). If the beast is Rome, then the prostitute is evidently apostate Jerusalem, and this is further attested to in my essay on the Harlot of Revelation.

Now, aside from the seven heads and ten horns, Revelation 13:2 allows us to see that the beast of Revelation retains the animalistic features of the beasts that preceded Rome: “And the beast that I saw was like a leopard; its feet were like a bear’s, and its mouth was like a lion’s mouth.” Evidently, the leopard represents the third beast which was the Alexander’s empire (Daniel 7:6), the bear represents the second beast which was Medo-Persia (Daniel 7:5), and the lion represents the first beast which was Babylon (Daniel 7:4). Thus, the fourth and final beast, which encompasses all those that preceded it, is the Roman Empire, which at the time was the largest empire to ever exist.

Lastly, Revelation 17:3 states that this beast is scarlet in colour, which provides more evidence that it represents Rome. Scarlet has a deep association with Roman power, wealth, and military dominance, and was notably prominent in Roman society for several reasons:

⁃ Roman battle ensigns, known as vexillum, were often dyed red. 

⁃ Roman soldiers, particularly centurions and officers, often wore red cloaks, tunics, and plumes.

⁃ Scarlet dye was relatively expensive, and thus denoted luxury and prestige in the Roman Empire. For this reason, it was often worn by emperors, aristocrats, and high-ranking officials.

Now, whereas Daniel 7 does not provide the origin of this fourth beast, Revelation 13 says it emerges from the sea. This is both literal and symbolic, as the sea alludes to two things:

1) Gentile nations: within scripture, the sea often symbolizes non-believing or non-Israelite nations, which are referred to as gentiles:

– Isaiah 17:12-13, “Ah, the thunder of many peoples; they thunder like the thundering of the sea! Ah, the roar of nations; they roar like the roaring of mighty waters! The nations roar like the roaring of many waters, but he will rebuke them, and they will flee far away, chased like chaff on the mountains before the wind and whirling dust before the storm.”

– Psalm 65:7-8, “You who still the noise of the seas, the noise of their waves, and the tumult of the peoples.”

– Revelation 17:15, “And the angel said to me, ‘The waters that you saw, where the prostitute is seated, are peoples and multitudes and nations and languages.’”

2) Maritime travel: The sea is indicative that the beast empire will arise from across the sea and utilize ships as a means to reach its target.

Rome matches both these criteria:

1. Not only was Rome a gentile nation, but it built an empire comprised of other gentile nations. As a result, the Roman Empire was a sea of gentiles.
2. Rome was situated across the Mediterranean Sea from Judaea, so the quickest and most frequent mode of travel between Rome and the Levant was by ship.

To add, Revelation 13:5-8 states, “And the beast was given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words, and it was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two months. It opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against God, blaspheming his name and his dwelling, that is, those who dwell in heaven. Also it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them. And authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation, and all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain.”

The 42 months in Revelation 13:5 refer to the same period as the 1260 days in Revelation 12:6. This 3.5 year period represents the beginning of the First Jewish-Roman War in 66 AD to the desolation of Jerusalem in 70 AD. However, there is another aspect to this 3.5 year prophecy, as in 64 AD, Nero Caesar (666) accused local Christians of starting the Great Fire of Rome, and consequently launched an incredibly brutal persecution of Christians throughout the empire. This wave of persecution lasted until Nero’s death in June of 68 AD, so in totality, it lasted 3.5 years (42 months). This is the 42 month period in which the beast waged war against the saints.

Nonetheless, Revelation 13:7-8 will inevitably cause people to adopt a Pre-Tribulational view, as it states that the “earth” will worship the beast while it asserts authority over all tribes, peoples, languages and nations. Well, the term translated as “earth” is “γῆς” (gēs), Strong’s 1093: meaning soil, or by extension a region. Keep in mind that those living in the first-century AD had not explored the entirety of the Earth, nor were they aware of what they’d find out in uncharted territory. Thus, the term “γῆς” (gēs) was always applied in relation to the context. In this case, the context is Rome and its dominion over all nations of the oikoumené, so the “earth” (soil or region) referred to is the Roman Empire. As with the term “γῆς” (gēs), the term “nations” also has to be interpreted within its context. Revelation 13 is not stating that all 195 nations we know of today will be controlled by the beast, but rather, that all the nations of the time were dominated, or at least heavily influenced, by the Roman Empire.

That Rome’s constituents marveled at this beast and worshipped it is attested to in the Bible itself: “He (Pontius Pilate) entered his headquarters again and said to Jesus, ‘Where are you from?’ But Jesus gave him no answer. So Pilate said to him, ‘You will not speak to me? Do you not know that I have authority to release you and authority to crucify you?’ Jesus answered him, ‘You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above. Therefore he who delivered me over to you has the greater sin.’ From then on Pilate sought to release him, but the Jews cried out, ‘If you release this man, you are not Caesar’s friend. Everyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar.’ So when Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judgment seat at a place called The Stone Pavement, and in Aramaic Gabbatha. Now it was the day of Preparation of the Passover. It was about the sixth hour. He said to the Jews, ‘Behold your King!’ They cried out, ‘Away with him, away with him, crucify him!’ Pilate said to them, ‘Shall I crucify your King?’ The chief priests answered, ‘We have no king but Caesar.’ So he delivered him over to them to be crucified.” (John 19:9-16)

The Beast from the Land

Revelation 13:11-18 states, “Then I saw another beast rising out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb and it spoke like a dragon. It exercises all the authority of the first beast in its presence, and makes the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose mortal wound was healed. It performs great signs, even making fire come down from heaven to earth in front of people, and by the signs that it is allowed to work in the presence of the beast it deceives those who dwell on earth, telling them to make an image for the beast that was wounded by the sword and yet lived. And it was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast might even speak and might cause those who would not worship the image of the beast to be slain. Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name. This calls for wisdom: let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is 666.”

Whereas the beast from the sea is Rome, the beast from the land represents the authorities in Judaea, which were propped up by Rome and granted regional jurisdiction. This beast has two horns, which represent both the political and religious establishments, as well as the Sadducees and Pharisees within the latter. These two horns resemble a lamb but speak like a dragon, so this beast is a perversion of the Lamb of God and represents the anti-christ religious institutions who spoke on behalf of the God they condemned. With that, these two horns are the antithesis of the Two Witnesses, who not only attest to Christ’s divinity and authority, but act as witnesses against the covenant-breaking Israelites. These two witnesses are the Law and the Prophets, which are embodied in Moses and Elijah. Thus, the two horns represent the Sadducees and Pharisees who bastardized the Law and the Prophets as a means to persecute the Messiah. In upcoming posts this will be expounded upon, but for now, consider these passages:

– Acts 28:23, “When they had appointed a day for him, they came to him at his lodging in greater numbers. From morning till evening he expounded to them, testifying to the kingdom of God and trying to convince them about Jesus both from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets.”

– Acts 26:22-23, “To this day I have had the help that comes from God, and so I stand here testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would come to pass: that the Christ must suffer and that, by being the first to rise from the dead, he would proclaim light both to our people and to the Gentiles.”

– Romans 3:21-22, “But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it—the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe…”

– Luke 24:25-27, “And he said to them, ‘O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?’ And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.”

– John 5:39, “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me.”

– Malachi 4:4-6, “Remember the law of my servant Moses, the statutes and rules that I commanded him at Horeb for all Israel. ‘Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.’”

– Matthew 17:1-3/5/9-13, “And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light. And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him… a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, ‘This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him’… And as they were coming down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, ‘Tell no one the vision, until the Son of Man is raised from the dead.’ And the disciples asked him, ‘Then why do the scribes say that first Elijah must come?’ He answered, ‘Elijah does come, and he will restore all things. But I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they pleased. So also the Son of Man will certainly suffer at their hands.’ Then the disciples understood that he was speaking to them of John the Baptist.”

If the two horns of the beast represent a satanic counterpart of the Two Witnesses, it makes sense why it is said to perform “great signs, even making fire come down from heaven to earth in front of people.” Reason being, one of the two witnesses are embodied by Elijah, who called fire down from heaven and destroyed the Prophets of Ba’al (2 Kings 1:10). Thus, this verse is not literally stating that the Sadducees and Pharisees will call fire down from heaven, but is symbolic of them warping the Law and the Prophets in order to lead people away from the Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

This two-horned beast also “deceives those who dwell on earth, telling them to make an image for the beast that was wounded by the sword and yet lived. And it was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast might even speak and might cause those who would not worship the image of the beast to be slain” (Revelation 13:14).

Once again, the term “earth” is translated from γῆς (gēs), Strong’s 1093: meaning soil, or by extension a region. So, this verse is referring to the region of Judaea, in which the two-horned beast operates. More importantly, if the reader isn’t drawing parallels between Revelation and the rest of YHWH’s word, it is easy to read this passage and conclude that the image will literally breathe and speak blasphemies. However, this is a non-literal allusion to Psalm 115:4-7, “But their idols are silver and gold, made by human hands. They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but cannot see. They have ears, but cannot hear, noses, but cannot smell. They have hands, but cannot feel, feet, but cannot walk, nor can they utter a sound with their throats.” Essentially, whereas idols were once powerless and inconsiderable to the Israelites, they had now been given life by the covenant-breaking Judaeans, who not only killed Christ and his Saints, but allowed Roman idols to be planted throughout the province, and were complicit in the idolization of Caesar.

Again, consider John 19:9-16; also consider that Romans in the Holy Land constructed buildings, statues, idols, icons, paintings, and mosaics—all of which depicted deities, mythological figures, and emperors. This was conceded to by the Judaean authorities, who saw relations with Rome as more beneficial than conflict. For example: Herod the Great, who ruled as a client king under Roman authority, commissioned temples dedicated to Augustus and Rome, which would have contained Roman idols and pagan art.

Ultimately, the Beast from the Land is the “Synagogue of Satan” referred to in Revelation 2:9 and Revelation 3:9:

“I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.”

“Behold, I will make those of the synagogue of Satan who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie—behold, I will make them come and bow down before your feet, and they will learn that I have loved you.”

The Mark of the Beast

If the Beast of Revelation was Rome, then the Mark of the Beast must pertain to Rome. This was certainly the case, as the Greek term translated as “mark” is “χάραγμα” (charagma), and it referred to an idol or a stamp used on royal seals and coins. Considering that the mark (charagma) would allow people to buy and sell in the market (Revelation 13:17), it evidently referred to the imperial seal on Roman coinage. These Roman coins allowed Judaeans to participate in the marketplace, as the monetary system was standardized and regulated across the empire.

As per Revelation 13:18, “the number of the beast is the number of a man, and his number is 666.” In Hebrew Gematria, Nero Caesar (Nron Qsr: pronounced “Nerōn Kaisar”) equals 666, and there are two reasons as to why the number of Nero was used to represent the beast:

1. Nero Caesar launched Rome’s first persecution against Christians in 64 AD, and it lasted until his death in 68 AD (1260 days, or 3.5 years).
2. When Revelation was given to John, Nero Caesar was ruling over the Roman Empire. This is attested to by the seven heads of the beast, as “five have fallen” (Julius Caesar, Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius) and “one is” (Nero).

If Nero was alive and ruling when Revelation was sent to the Seven Churches, they’d inevitably identify the number of the man as a reference to Nero Caesar (666). This is corroborated by the earliest known manuscrupt of Revelation 13, which instead records the number of the man as “616”, the Latin Gematria of Nero Caesar (Nro Qsr: pronounced “Nerō Kaisar”).

Not only did the Roman Charagma (Mark of the Beast) contain the name of Nero Caesar (666), but also an image depicting him as Apollo/Apollyon (Revelation 9). With that, the intended audience, being first-century Christians, would have understood the Mark of the Beast to be the charagma of Nero Caesar (666) on Roman coinage.

Importantly, the mark was not physically on their foreheads or wrists (Revelation 13:16), but spiritually stamped and seen only by Elohim for the day of judgement. It is on the forehead, which represents the psychological domination of satan, and/or on the hand, to symbolize the coercion utilized to force this monetary system.

It also symbolizes how they’ve pledged allegiance to the Roman Beast and chosen Apollo/Apollyon/Caesar as their God. Reason being, the mark is a satanic perversion of Deuteronomy 6:4-9, “Hear, Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one! And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. And you shall repeat them diligently to your sons and speak of them when you sit in your house, when you walk on the road, when you lie down, and when you get up. You shall also tie them as a sign to your hand, and they shall be as frontlets on your forehead. You shall also write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”

By siding with Rome rather than the Messiah, the people of Jerusalem chose Caesar as their King, and thus denied the Son of God, the King of Kings, Jesus Christ. This means that they lost the father, and ultimately broke his commandments from Deuteronomy 6:4-9. Consider 1 John 2:23, “No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also.”

Essentially, those who believed in Christ and trusted his words knew to flee to the wilderness when armies encircled them (Matthew 24:15-18, Luke 21:20-22, Mark 13:14-16), but those who rejected Christ chose to remain in the cities instead, believing themselves to be shielded by their high fortified walls. These people chose the Mark of the Beast rather than Christ’s grace, and were ultimately slaughtered by the beast they once rode on.

But with all that said, there is also another aspect of the Mark of the Beast. While the Roman charagma is the primary fulfillment of this mark, there was also the Roman libellus: a certificate proving that a person had offered sacrifice to the Roman gods or to the emperor, who was referred to as Caesar et Kyrios (“Caesar and Lord”). During times of persecution, such as under Emperor Decius (249–251 AD), Christians were required to perform these sacrifices to demonstrate loyalty to Rome. If they complied, they were given a libellus, which allowed them to continue participating in the economy and in public life. Without it, they could face severe punishment, including exclusion from trade, imprisonment, or execution.

Thus, there is sufficient attestation to the fulfillment of the “Mark of the Beast” in the first-century AD and subsequent centuries.

Altogether, the Beast of Revelation was symbolic of Rome, which conquered Judaea, sieged Jerusalem, and destroyed the Holy City along with its temple, thus putting an end to the Old Covenant Age, the Israelite Era.