The Beast (Bible)

This article refers to the Biblical character. For other uses, see Beast.

The Beast of the Sea, in a medieval tapestry

The Beast is a figure in the Book of Revelation, the last book of the New Testament. There are 2 beasts described in Revelations 13. The First Beast arises out of sea with seven heads and 10 horns. The Second Beast arises out of the earth having the appearance of a lamb while speaking like a dragon. This Beast exercises authority on behalf of the first beast and causes the earth dwellers to make an image of the First Beast and worship him. It was able to give life to this image so that it could speak and kill anyone who doesn't worship the First Beast. This Beast is later called “The False Prophet” (Rev. 16:13; Rev. 19:20; Rev. 20:10) and together with the Dragon and the First Beast forms the unholy trinity.

Identity of the Beast From the Sea

Historicist and Preterist interpretations generally identify the First Beast with Imperial Rome particularly with Nero Caesar since Rome was known in antiquity as the city on seven hills(Rev. 13:1, Rev. 17:9) and since Revelation was a warning about events that were "shortly" to take place(Rev. 1:1). According to the majority of Scholars, Nero is the emperor at the time John was writing the book. He is the sixth king "who is." Suetonius’ and Josephus' enumeration of the emperors was: Julius, Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius (the five kings who have fallen at the time that John is writing), Nero (one "who is"), and Galba - one who "has not yet come, but when he does come, he must remain for a little while" - six months(Rev. 17:10). In Rev. 13:5-8, the Beast was given a mouth speaking in blasphemies against God and His Name. Inscriptions have been found in Ephesus in which Nero is called "Almighty God" and "Savior." In verse 4, the Beast is worshipped by the world alongside the Dragon that gave it Authority. Nero and Caligula "abandoned all reserve" in promoting emperor worship - they were the only two who demanded divine honors while still alive. Nero claimed to be the sun-god Apollo. Revelation 13:7 speaks of the power given to the beast to make war with the saints. Nero was the first of the imperial authorities to persecute Christianity. Tacitus records the scene in Rome when the persecution of Christians broke out: "And their death was aggravated with mockeries, insomuch that, wrapped in the hides of wild beasts, they were torn to pieces by dogs, or fastened to crosses to be set on fire, that when the darkness fell they might be burned to illuminate the night." ^[1] Revelation 13:5 says the beast would continue for 42 months. The Neronic persecution was instituted in 64 AD and lasted until his death in June 68 AD, which is three and a half years, or 42 months. Nero was even called the Beast. Apollonius of Tyana specifically states that Nero was called a ‘beast': "In my travels, which have been wider than ever man yet accomplished, I have seen man, many wild beasts of Arabia and India; but this beast, that is commonly called a Tyrant, I know not how many heads it has, nor if it be crooked of claw, and armed with horrible fangs. ... And of wild beasts you cannot say that they were ever known to eat their own mother, but Nero has gorged himself on this diet."^[1] The manner of Nero’s death corresponds with the prophecy of Revelation 13:10: “If anyone is destined for captivity, to captivity he goes; if any one kills with the sword, with the sword he must be killed.” According to Tertullian, Nero was the first to assail the Christian sect with the imperial sword. Nero himself died by sword. He committed suicide by the sword at the age of 30. After the death of Nero in 68 AD, Rome saw a succession of short-lived emperors(Galba, Otho and Vitellius) and a year of civil wars until Vespasian eventually took control in 69 AD and saved the empire from ruins. The Roman Empire destabilized so greatly that Tacitus reported: "Many believed the end of the empire was at hand" (Histories 4:5:4) According to Suetonius, to the surprise of the world, "the empire which for a long time had been unsettled and, as it were, drifting through the usurpation and violent death of three emperors, was at last taken in and given stability by the Flavian family" (Vespasian 1: 1). This may be a reference to the mortal wound on one of the heads of the Beast "inflicted by the sword" which was later healed(Rev. 13:3, Rev. 13: 14).^[2]Some commentators believe that the "healing of the wound" alludes to the so-called Nero Redivivus Legend or the “revival of Nero” myth. A rumor that Nero had just disappeared (to Parthia) and would one day reappear^[3] Finally, The readers of Revelation were told to "calculate the number of the Beast, for the number is that of a man; and his number is six hundred and sixty-six" (Rev. 13:18) Since the Book of Revelation was written to a first-century audience, sometime in late 64 AD, John did not expect that his readers “who had understanding” to have any difficulty identifying the beast, since they could simply calculate the meaning of this cryptogram. "Neron Caesar" (the Greek rendering, documented by archaeological finds), when transliterated into Hebrew נרון קסר (Nrwn Qsr) had a number of 666. The variant number 616 found in some manuscripts of the Greek text of Revelation may represent the alternative Hebrew spelling נרו קסר (Nrw Qsr) based on the Latin form "Nero Caesar". The variant probably existed to keep consistent the meaning of Nero as the Beast.^[4] Christian eschatology states that the Beast is the Antichrist, who will rule the world using a world government the likes or better than the Roman empire.

Alternative Views

• German Protestant theologian Ethelbert Stauffer argued that this beast refers to the Roman emperor Domitian, who ruled from 81-96 AD because he had reigned during the proposed time of origin of the Apocalypse and supposedly was called "The Beast" as a "secret derisive nickname" by Romans, Greek, Christians and Jews. Domitian's official title in Latin was Imperator Caesar Domitianus Augustus Germanicus. This was rendered as Autokrator Kaisar Dometianos Sebastos Germanikos for his Greek-speaking subjects. And in turn, for their coins, this abbreviated to A.KAI.DOMET.SEB.GE=666 (1+20+1+10+4+70+40+5+300+200+5+2+3+5).
• The Seventh Day Adventist Church identify the first Beast with the Papacy. The "image to the beast" represents Protestant churches which will form an alliance with the Papacy, and the "mark of the beast" refers to a future universal Sunday law. Some Adventists have interpreted the number of the beast, 666, as corresponding to the title Vicarius Filii Dei of the Pope.
• Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that the Beast symbolizes many governments, harmonizing with the symbolic depiction of past governments(denoted as "kings") in the Book of Daniel as wild beasts.
• Futurists identify the Beast with the Anti-Christ who will appear immediately after the rapture to rule the world and deceive the Jews.
• Aleister Crowley (1875–1947) claimed that he was the Beast prophesised in the Book of Revelation and took the name “Το μεγα θηριον” ("To Mega Therion"), Greek for “The Great Beast”, which adds up to 666 by isopsephy, the Greek form of gematria.^[5][6]
• Some identify the Beast with a Super Computer in Brussels, Belgium.^[7]

Identity of the Beast From the Land

This earth-beast has been variously identified as:

• the Jewish religious system of the first century that conspired with the Roman state to suppress and persecute the early church (this is the view of several preterist interpreters) ^[8]
• a chief administrator of Roman rule in Ephesus and Asia Minor, i.e., the "henchman" of the Emperor. This is probably the provincial governor (or proconsul) who would have overseen the political and religious operations of the area from his capital in Ephesus^[9]
• the Roman imperial priesthood of the Roman Imperial Cult that sought to enforce worship of caesar. These priests demanded worship of the emperor and demanded those who refused be put to death. Those who worshipped the emperor received a certificate(libellus) or mark of approval. In the reign of Emperor Decius (249-251 AD), those who did not possess the certificate of sacrifice to Caesar could not pursue trades(Rev. 13:17), a prohibition that conceivably goes back to Nero.^[10]
• the High Priest of the Provincial Imperial Cult, who would have been a leading citizen from one of the main cities. The imperial cult in Ephesus was set up by Domitian in 89 AD^[9](Ephesus is the location of one of the Seven Churches in Asia that the Book of Revelation was addressed to)
• the priesthood of the Roman Catholic Church.
• the Papacy (this is the view of the Protestant Reformers).
• a literal individual living and working in conjunction with the antichrist at the end of the age.
• a figurative portrayal of the presence and influence of false teachers, particularly false prophets, throughout the course of church history.
• the United States of America(this is the view of the Seventh Day Adventist Church).

See also

• Number of the Beast

Notes