Category: Revelation

Posted on

Revelation 4:1-8 – a visual description of God’s throne room.

This is an article in the series on the vision of the book with the seven seals (Rev 4:1-8:1).

Summary

Jesus calls John up to heaven.

John hears a voice “like the sound of a trumpet” calling him up to heaven (Rev 4:1). This is Jesus’ voice (Rev 1:10; 1:13). His voice also sounds like “many waters” (Rev 1:15). These are two descriptions of the same voice. Jesus is not explicitly mentioned in Revelation 4 but it is Him who leads John in vision.

LampstandIn the first three chapters of Revelation, John saw Jesus standing between “seven golden lampstands,” symbolizing “the seven churches” (Rev 1:12, 1:20). This is followed by Jesus dictating letters to the churches (cf. Rev 1:19). The focus, therefore, of these chapters, was on earth. But in chapter four, since John is called up to heaven, the focus shifts to heaven.

The purpose of inviting John up to heaven is to reveal to him what will happen in the future (Rev 4:1).

After hearing Jesus speaking, John was immediately “in the Spirit” (Rev 4:2). In other words, John did not literally enter heaven and he did not see a real place. He only saw a symbolic representation of the invisible reality through a vision of his mind.

The Throne

The first thing that John saw was God’s throne (Rev 4:2). “Throne” is the main word in chapter 4. Everything in this chapter happens in and around the throne.

The person who sits on a throne has the legal authority to rule. Revelation 4 is a vision of the governing center of the universe. Therefore, the throne symbolizes God’s authority over all things. That authority is grounded in creation (Rev 4:11): God is counted worthy to sit on the throne and govern the universe because He created all things.

John saw the throne “was standing” (Rev 4:2). He did not see the throne being put in place like in Daniel 7:9. The throne “was standing” BEFORE John saw it. This implies that John did not view one specific event but received a TIMELESS description of God’s throne room.

One Sitting on the Throne

John saw “One sitting on the throne” (Rev 4:2). This Person is not named but Revelation distinguishes between “Him who sits on the throne” and Jesus Christ (e.g., Rev 5:13; Rev 6:16). The “One sitting on the throne,” therefore, is the Father. Since He sits on the throne, He has ultimate authority.

John describes the Father rather vaguely (Rev 4:3). Other throne visions describe God in human terms (e.g., Ezek 1:26-27), but these could have been descriptions of the unique Son of God for, before He became a human being, He “existed in the form of God” and had “equality with God” (Phil 2:6).

God’s appearance is vague because He cannot be seen (John 1:18). He “dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see” (1 Tim 6:16). He has created all things that can be seen but He Himself exists outside space, time, and matter. Therefore, the substance of His Being can never be defined in terms of physical things. He may appear in a theophany (an appearance of God), but a theophany is only a faint reflection of His real full Being.

The 24 elders are people.

Next, John saw 24 elders sitting on 24 thrones around God’s throne. In human meetings, the audience normally sits in front of the speaker but the twenty-four thrones encircle the throne. The following identifies them as people:

    • Their number (24), which is a doubling 12 (cf. Rev 12:1; 21:12, 14, 17; 7:4-8).
    • The title “elder,”
    • Their “white garments” (cf. Rev 3:4-5; 3:18; 6:11; 7:9; 7:14)
    • Their “golden (stephanos) crowns” (cf. Rev 2:10; 3:11),
    • That they sit on thrones (cf. Rev 3:21; 20:4).

Angels are never described as having such things. For a further discussion, see – The 24 elders.

Their thrones indicate that the elders share in God’s rule of the universe. As prime examples of God’s people, they love their fellow human beings as they love themselves. It is wonderful to think that such human beings represent humanity in the control room of the universe.

The elders are from both Israel and the Church.

The 24 elders represent God’s people from BOTH the time before AND after Christ. In other words, from both Israel and the church. This is firstly implied by the number 24, which equals 12 + 12. This is secondly indicated by the fact that Revelation merges God’s people from Israel and the church. For example:

      • The “seven lampstands” in the Jewish temple become a symbol for the church (Rev 1:20).
      • The woman of Revelation 12 first symbolizes Israel but then also the Church.
      • The people who overcome the beast sing the song of both Moses and the Lamb (Rev 15:3).
      • Jerusalem becomes the bride of Christ (Rev 21:2; cf. Rev 19:7; 21:27).
      • The names of BOTH “the twelve tribes … of Israel” and “of the twelve apostles” are written on the New Jerusalem—the eternal city of God’s people (Rev 21:12, 14).

For a further discussion, see – Revelation merges the church into Israel.

Seven Spirits of God

John saw “seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God” (Rev 4:5). This recalls the Hebrew sanctuary, in which seven lamps of fire were always burning (Exo 25:37).

God does not literally have seven Spirits. The number seven has to do with time and should be understood as the completion or perfection of time—the full period. For this reason, and due to the connection to the lamps in the temple that was ALWAYS burning, the seven Spirits of God can be understood to mean that God’s Spirit is ALWAYS present. 

“The seven Spirits of God” is here located before the throne of God; apparently subordinate to the “One sitting on the throne” (Rev 4:2).

Four Living Creatures

John also saw “four living creatures” “in the center and around the throne” (Rev 4:6). They represent the angelic portion of God’s kingdom. Since they are always near the throne (Rev 4:6; 5:6; 7:11; 14:3), it could also mean that they are between the circle of elders and the throne. They seem to be intermediaries between God and humanity, represented by the 24 elders.

They were “full of eyes in front and behind” (Rev 4:6), symbolizing knowledge of everything. Since the number four represents ‘the whole earth’ (cf. Rev 7:1; 14:6), the four living creatures know everything that happens on earth.

Their faces were like the faces of a lion, a calf, a man, and a flying eagle (Rev 4:7). These features indicate endurance, perseverance, strength, and speed. Relative to the animals, the “face like a man” suggests intelligence.

The throne vision of Ezekiel 1 also has four living creatures with faces like a lion, ox, man, and eagle/vulture, and that are full of eyes (Ezek 1:5; 1:10; 1:18; cf. Rev 4:6-7). And each of the seraphim of Isaiah 6 also had six wings (Isa 6:2) and constantly say, “holy, holy, holy” (Isa 6:3; cf. Rev 4:8). The description of the four living creatures, therefore, combines features drawn from both the cherubim in Ezekiel and the seraphim of Isaiah 6.

– End of Summary –  

This is the end of the summary. If you would like to skip the detailed discussion below, the next article in this series is – The 24 elders in God’s throne room. Alternatively, see the list of the articles in the series on the sealed book.

Revelation 4:1

After these things

This phrase often introduces a new vision (e.g., Rev 7:1, 9).

Here, “these things” refer to the seven letters to the seven churches, as contained in chapters two and three (cf. Rev 1:19). 

… I looked and behold

John did not look with his literal eyes, but in a vision.

… a door standing open in heaven

In his mind, John is no longer on Patmos, but at the gates of heaven.

… and the first voice which I had heard, like the sound of a trumpet speaking with me

This is Jesus’ voice which John previously heard as a loud voice; “like the sound of a trumpet” (Rev 1:10). When John turned to see who was speaking, he saw a vision of the Son of man among the seven candlesticks (Rev 1:12-18).

Jesus’ voice sounds both like a trumpet and like many waters (Rev 1:15). These are two descriptions of the same voice.

It is, therefore, Jesus who speaks in this verse. Jesus is not one of the actors in this chapter but it is still Him who leads John in vision.

… said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after these things

This is the second time that the phrase “after these things” appears in this verse. “These things” refer to chapters two and three, reflecting John’s time. “What must take place after these things” are events that are largely in his future.

The words, “come up here” invites John into heaven. In the first three chapters, John met Jesus ON EARTH, for Jesus was standing between the candlesticks symbolizing the seven churches (Rev 1:20). The seven letters in chapters 2 and 3 were also addressed to seven churches ON EARTH. But the scene changes in chapter four from earth to heaven.

Revelation 4:2

Immediately I was in the Spirit

John does not enter heaven physically; he is carried in vision by the Spirit into the heavenly places.

In Revelation, John goes “in the Spirit” four times. The first was in Revelation 1:10, where he encountered the glorified Jesus. The second is here. The third and fourth are in Revelation 17:3 and 21:10. Of the four, the current one is the only one that calls John into heaven. The others call him to different places ON EARTH where something special happens.

… and behold, a throne was standing in heaven

The main word in chapter 4 is “throne.” This word appears fourteen times in the eleven verses of the chapter. Everything in this chapter happens in and around the throne. In addition to God who sits “on” the throne (Rev 4:2, 4, 6, 9, 10), we read about things:

        • In the midst of the throne (Rev 4:6),
        • Before the throne (Rev 4:5, 6, 10),
        • All around the throne (Rev 4:3, 4, 6), and
        • Coming out from the throne (Rev 4:5),

The term “throne” is drawn from the governmental language of the time. The person who sits on a throne has the legal authority to rule over some territory or a nation. Revelation 4 depicts the governing center of the universe, and the throne is the symbol of God’s authority to rule the universe.

That authority is grounded in creation for God is counted worthy to sit on the throne and govern the universe because He created all things (Rev 4:11).

There are four major throne scenes in the Old Testament. Revelation 4 strongly alludes to the throne scene of Ezekiel 1. But the description of the four living creatures (Rev 4:6-7) and the “holy, holy, holy” (Rev 4:8) refer to the throne vision in Isaiah 6. We find another major throne scene in Daniel 7.

The throne “was standing” in heaven. It means that the throne “was standing” BEFORE John saw it. This confirms that John is not viewing one specific event, in contrast to Daniel 7:9, where the throne was placed for a special event.

… and One sitting on the throne

The One sitting on the throne is not named but Revelation distinguishes “Him who sits on the throne” from Jesus Christ (cf. Rev 5:5-7, 5:9, 5:13; 6:16). The “One sitting on the throne,” therefore, is God the Father. Since He sits on the throne, He has the ultimate authority.

Revelation 4:3

And He who was sitting was like a jasper stone and a sardius in appearance

Revelation 1 describes Jesus in much detail (Rev 1:13-18) but there is a vagueness in this description of God. Other throne visions are more specific:

        • In Ezekiel 1:26-27, the one sitting on the throne has a human appearance. From the waist up, He looks like glowing metal and, from the waist down, like fire.
        • Daniel 7:9 describes “the Ancient of Days” (God). “His vesture was like white snow and the hair of His head like pure wool.”

These visions describe God in human terms but God cannot be seen (John 1:18). He “alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see” (1 Tim 6:16). He has created everything that can be seen and cannot be described in terms of things that can be seen. God does not exist somewhere in the universe. The universe exists somewhere within God. He exists outside space, time, and matter. He may appear in a theophany, which is an appearance of God, but a theophany is only a faint reflection of His real full Being. Since space, time, and matter exist somewhere within God, the substance of His Being can never be defined in terms of physical things.

… and there was a rainbow around the throne, like an emerald in appearance.

It is not clear whether the rainbow was horizontally around the throne or a half-circle vertically arched above the throne, as rainbows are on earth.

While a rainbow normally exhibits multiple colors from purple to red, the primary color of this rainbow is green; the color of an emerald.

In the flood story of Genesis, the rainbow was a symbol of God’s covenant with Noah (Gen 9:12-17), an assurance that He is faithful in keeping his promises.

Revelation 4:4

Around the throne were twenty-four thrones;
and upon the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting,
clothed in white garments,
and golden crowns on their heads.

Like the rainbow in the previous verse, the 24 elders are “around the throne,” which should be taken in a horizontal sense. If the rainbow is like a halo horizontally around the area, the 24 elders could be understood as sitting in or under it.

In human meetings, the audience normally sits in front of the speaker but the twenty-four thrones encircle the throne. 

The elders are people.

The article on the 24 elders identifies them as human representatives of God’s people on earth. This is based on the following:

1) “Elders” is a familiar Biblical title for humans but angels are never called elders.

2) They sit on thrones and Revelation promises that the overcomers will sit on thrones (Rev 3:21; 20:4). Angels are never described as sitting on thrones.

3) They are “clothed in white garments” (Rev 4:4) and Revelation promises white robes to God’s people (Rev 3:4-5; cf. Rev 3:18; 6:11; 7:9, 14).

4) The 24 elders have victory crowns (stephanos) which is the reward for the overcomers (Rev 2:10; 3:11) and symbolizes eternal life (Rev 2:10; cf. 2 Tim 4:8).

5) The number 24 is a doubling of the number 12 and Revelation associates the number 12 with God’s people (Rev 12:1; 21:12, 14, 17; 7:4-8).

Their thrones indicate that the elders share in God’s rule of the universe. It is wonderful to think that human beings, that love their fellow human beings like themselves, represent humanity in the control room of the universe.

The elders are from both Israel and the Church.

The article on the 24 elders also shows that the 24 elders represent God’s people from BOTH the time before AND after Christ. In other words, from both Israel and the church. The 24 elders are one example of how Revelation merges God’s people from Israel and the church. The following are further examples:

      • The names of BOTH “the twelve tribes … of Israel” and “of the twelve apostles” are written on the New Jerusalem—the city of God’s people in the new heavens and new earth (Rev 21:12, 14).
      • The woman of Revelation 12 represents both Israel and the church. (See, Who are the woman, the dragon, the child?)
      • The “seven lampstands” in the Jewish temple become a symbol for the church (Rev 1:20).
      • The people who overcome the beast sing the song of both Moses and the Lamb (Rev 15:3) – the key figures of the Old and New Testaments.
      • Jerusalem, Israel’s capital city, becomes the bride of Christ (Rev 21:2; cf. Rev 19:7; 21:27).

Revelation 4:5

Out from the throne come flashes of lightning
and sounds and peals of thunder.

This language builds on Old Testament ‘theophanies’:

        • The original theophany was on Mount Sinai (Exo 19:16-20).
        • In the first chapter of Ezekiel, the appearance of God also included lightning and loud noises (Ezek 1:13, 24).  

This series of words (lightning – sounds – thunder) is repeated three more times in Revelation:

        • The next two instances add “earthquake” to the previous three (Rev 8:5; 16:18).
        • The fifth instance adds both “earthquake” and “great hail” (Rev 11:19)

Since the “lightning and sounds and peals of thunder” are things that happen in the air in a thunderstorm, and since they come out of the throne, they probably represent God’s utterances. The “earthquake” and “great hail,” on the other hand, are things that happen on earth and, therefore, probably represent the earthly consequences of God’s decrees.

And there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God;

The Greek words translated “lamps” in this verse, symbolizing the Spirit of God, are different from the word translated “lampstands” in Revelation 1:12-13, representing the seven churches (Rev 1:20). Nevertheless, the concept of “seven lamps of fire” in this verse still recalls the Hebrew sanctuary, in which seven lamps of fire were CONSTANTLY burning (Exo 25:37).

“The seven Spirits of God” is here located before the throne of God; apparently subordinate to the “One sitting on the throne” (Rev 4:2).

God does not literally have seven Spirits. The number seven must be interpreted symbolically. It is mentioned many (56) times in Revelation and is based on the seven days of the week. The number seven in Revelation is different from the other numbers in Revelation in the sense that the seven elements stand in chronological sequence to each other—the second follows after the first—the third after the second, and so forth, with the seventh as the last or end. The same cannot be said of the other important numbers in Revelation, such as 4, 10, and 12. The number seven, therefore, has to do with time and should be understood as the completion or perfection of time—the full period.

For this reason, and due to the connection between the Spirits and the lamps in the temple that were ALWAYS burning, the seven Spirits of God can be understood to mean that God’s Spirit is ALWAYS present.

Revelation 4:6

and before the throne there was something like a sea of glass, like crystal;

It is not a real sea of glass; it is “something LIKE a sea of glass.”  John is doing his best to describe his vision of heavenly in human terms.

Glass and glass-blowing were known to the ancients but the ancient glass was often coarse and semi-opaque. In contrast, the reference to crystal emphasizes the transparent clarity of this sea of glass.

The “sea of glass” appears again in Revelation, but then it is mingled with fire (Rev 15:2).

and in the center and around the throne, four living creatures full of eyes in front and behind.

It is a bit difficult to understand what “in the center and around the throne” means:

It could mean that the four living creatures move around.

Since they are always near the throne (Rev 4:6; 5:6; 7:11; 14:3), it could also mean that they are in the center of the circle of elders; between the circle of elders and the throne. They seem to be intermediaries between God and the human race, represented by the 24 elders.

The Four Living Creatures of Ezekiel 1

There are also four living creatures in the throne vision of Ezekiel 1. There are multiple similarities. Both Revelation 4 and Ezekiel 1 have:

      • Four living creatures (Ezek 1:5; Rev 4:6);
      • With faces like a lion, ox, man, and eagle/vulture (Ezek 1:10; Rev 4:7);
      • Full of eyes (Ezek 1:18; Rev 4:6); and
      • A rainbow surrounding the throne (Ezek 1:28; Rev 4:3).

In both, the four living creatures are especially close to God. In Ezekiel, they are the bearers of God’s throne chariot. There are also some interesting differences. For example:

Ezekiel 1 Revelation 4
Each of the four living creatures has FOUR faces, one each of man, lion, ox, and eagle (Ezek 1:10). Each living creature had a face like only one of the four beings (Rev 4:7).
Each of the four living creatures has four wings (Ezek 1:11). Each has six wings (Rev 4:8).
The WHEELS are full of eyes all around (Ezek 1:16-18). The living creatures themselves are covered with eyes front and back (Rev 4:6).
The four living creatures are under the throne (Ezek 1:26) and are the means by which the throne moves (Ezek 1:12; 15-21). The throne seems stationary (Rev 4:2).

These prophets did not physically see God’s throne room. These were visions in the minds of the prophets. What detail God gave to them may be different from time to time, depending on the purpose of the revelation.

Living Creatures in other sources

1 Enoch 40:2 (Ethiopic Enoch) – a Jewish book known in New Testament times – mentions four archangels named Michael, Gabriel, Uriel, and Raphael. If they are the same as the four living creatures, they are the leaders of the angels. In that case, in Revelation, the first circle around the throne consists of angels, and the second circle consists of human beings; represented by the 24 elders.

Ezekiel 10:20 refers to four living beings as cherubim. This term occurs over 90 times in the Hebrew Bible but only once in the New Testament (Heb 9:4-5), where they are “above” the ark of the covenant.

Similar to the four living creatures of Revelation, the seraphim in Isaiah 6 also have six wings and constantly say, “holy, holy, holy” (Isa 6:2-3; Rev 4:8). Revelation 4, therefore, combines features drawn from both the cherubim in Ezekiel and the seraphim of Isaiah 6.

Who are the Four Living Creatures?

The King James Version describes the four living creatures as “beasts,” but that is not a good translation. The word for beast represents the animal kingdom and is reserved for the forces of evil in Revelation (Rev 11:7; 13:1; 13:11, etc.). “Living creature,” on the other hand, is a broader term that can represent also angels, birds, and humans.

The four living creatures are full of eyes in front and back. This is not to be taken literally. Their eyes probably represent the omniscience of God, who knows everything that can be known. The number four represents ‘the whole earth’ (cf. Rev 7:1; 14:6). The four living creatures, therefore, know everything that happens on earth.

In conclusion, the four living creatures are the primary connection between God and creation. They might correspond to the four archangels of Jewish tradition; the leaders of the angels. As such, the four living creatures represent the angelic portion of God’s kingdom, while the twenty-four elders represent the human race before God.

Revelation 4:7

The first creature was like a lion,
and the second creature like a calf,
and the third creature had a face like that of a man,
and the fourth creature was like a flying eagle.

These features indicate endurance, perseverance, strength, and speed. Relative to the animals, the “face like a man” implies intelligence.

Revelation 4:8

And the four living creatures,
each one of them having six wings

Since the living creatures of Ezekiel 1 had four wings each, the six wings recall the six-winged cherubim of Isaiah 6; two wings were used to cover their faces, two wings to cover their feet and two were used to fly (Isaiah 6:2).

are full of eyes around and within

In verse 6, four living creatures were “full of eyes in front and behind.” In the current verse, the eyes are “around and within,” which is difficult to visualize. Nevertheless, the meaning is that the vision of the living creatures is not impeded in any way. They were created by God with the highest possible alertness, perception, and knowledge.

Other Articles

Posted on

Who or what is the beast from the sea? (Revelation 13:1-2)

Overview

Great Red Dragon

Revelation 13 begins with the dragon standing on the sand of the seashore (Rev 13:1). Then, John saw “a beast coming up out of the sea.” The main purpose of this article is to identify this beast based on its description in Revelation 13:1-2.

This article first shows the many allusions in these two verses to the beasts in Daniel 7. For example, the beast “was like a leopard,” had “feet … like those of a bear,” and a “mouth like … a lion” (Rev 13:2). These are explicitly three of the four animals in Daniel 7:4-7. Based on this and other allusions, this article concludes that Revelation’s beast is part of the series of animals and horns in Daniel 7.

Next, this article focuses on the dragon from which the beast receives its authority (Rev 13:2). By comparing the dragon to the animals of Daniel 7, this article concludes that the dragon is the same as the fourth animal in Daniel 7.

This article then notes that another article identifies Daniel’s fourth beast as the Roman Empire. Consequently, Revelation’s beast receives “his power and his throne and great authority” (Rev 13:2) from the Roman Empire. 

Next, the article identifies the beast as one of the horns that grow out of Daniel’s fourth beast. These horns symbolize the several kingdoms that came into existence after the fall of the Roman Empire. Indications that the beast is one of those horns include the following:

      • It receives its authority from the fourth beast.
      • It has crowns on its horns, implying that it exists during the time of the horns.
      • It receives something from each of the four animals in Daniel 7, meaning that it comes to into existence AFTER those animals.

The final conclusion of this article is that the beast in the book of Revelation and the 11th horn of the fourth beast in Daniel 7 are two symbols for the same world power. While that 11th horn is the Antichrist in the book of Daniel, the beast is the Antichrist in the book of Revelation. 

Introduction

Purpose

The main purpose of this article is to identify the beast in Revelation based on its description in Revelation 13:1-2. It will also identify the dragon and make a few brief observations about the seven heads of the dragon.

Revelation 13:1-2

1. And the dragon stood on the sand of the seashore.
Then I (John) saw a beast coming up out of the sea,
having ten horns and seven heads,
and on his horns were ten diadems,
and on his heads were blasphemous names.

2. And the beast which I saw was like a leopard,
and his feet were like those of a bear,
and his mouth like the mouth of a lion.
And the dragon gave him
his power and his throne and great authority.

John first describes the horns and heads and then the beast’s body. Perhaps, as the beast rose from the sea, John first saw the horns, then the heads, and then the body.

“Diadems” is an untranslated Greek word, meaning crowns of rulers, in contrast to the victory crowns of the Olympics [stephanoi] as in, for example, “the crown of life” (Rev 2:10).

“Power … throne … authority” are related terms and perhaps describe one single concept.

The beast does not have its own authority or power. It received its “power … throne and great authority” from the dragon (Rev 13:2).

Who stood on the sand?

According to some older translations, such as the King James Version, John himself stood on the sand of the seashore (13:1). However, the earliest manuscripts of Revelation read “he,” which would refer to the dragon mentioned in the previous verse (Rev 12:17). Therefore, in modern translations, the dragon stood on the sand. Such a translation also fits the story-line better:

In Revelation 13, the dragon, the sea beast, and the land beast work together (e.g., Rev 13:4; 13:11-12). If it is the dragon who stood on the sand of the seashore, then it tells us how the three came together:

In Revelation 12, after the earth protected the woman against the dragon, the dragon “went off to make war with the rest of her children” (Rev 12:17).

It goes to the shore of the sea to secure reinforcements. From the vantage point of the “seashore,” it is then first joined by the beast from the sea (Rev 13:1) and later by a beast from the earth (Rev 13:11).

1. The Beast is part of the animals of Daniel 7.

The animals of Daniel 7

In Daniel 7, “four great beasts were coming up from the sea” (Dan 7:3). These were a lion, a bear, a leopard, and “a fourth beast, dreadful and terrifying and extremely strong” (Dan 7:4-7). These four animals are explained as “four kings who will arise from the earth” (Dan 7:17). Since “the fourth beast will be a fourth kingdom” (Dan 7:23), a “king” represents a “kingdom.” In other words, these four animals symbolize four kingdoms.

The fourth animal “had ten horns” (Dan 7:7). This is explained as that, “out of this kingdom ten kings will arise” (Dan 7:24). Consequently, while each of the first three kingdoms will be replaced by one single kingdom, the fourth will be replaced by “ten kings.” “Kings” may also here be understood to mean kingdoms. The number “ten” probably is a symbol (e.g., Dan 1:20); meaning “many.”

For purpose of clarity, this article reserves the term beast for Revelation’s beast and refers to the creatures in Daniel 7 as animals.

Allusions to Daniel 7

In the description of the beast (Rev 13:1-2), there are several strong allusions to the animals of Daniel 7, including:

1) Both the beast and the animals in Daniel 7 come up out of the sea (Dan 7:3).

2) Four animals are mentioned in the description of the beast (Rev 13:2) and there are also four animals in Daniel 7.

3) The beast has characteristics of three animals (a lion, a bear, and a leopard) (Rev 13:2) and these are explicitly the first three animals in Daniel 7 (Dan 7:4-6).

4) The beast has the same number of heads and horns as that the four animals of Daniel 7 have in total, namely, seven heads and ten horns:

Seven heads – While the other three animals have one head each, the leopard has four heads (Dan 7:5), giving seven in total.

Ten horns – The fourth animal has ten horns (Dan 7:7), while the other three have none.

(Heads also symbolize kingdoms. For example, the four horns of the male goat in Daniel 8:8 are interpreted as the four kingdoms into which the empire of Alexander the Great was divided after his death, but these same four kingdoms are symbolized in Daniel 7 as the four heads of the leopard (Dan 7:6).)

Conclusions

These allusions in the description of the beast in Revelation 13:1-2 to the animals of Daniel 7 are perhaps the strongest allusions to the Old Testament one would find anywhere in the book of Revelation. They are not a coincidence but have the following implications:

1) Part of the series

The series of beasts and horns in Daniel 7 covers the time from ancient Babylon (cf. Dan 2:37-39) until Christ’s return (Dan 7:26-27). The strong allusions listed above imply that the beast is part of that series of animals and horns.

2) A Human Organization

The beast comes out of the sea (Rev 13:1). In Daniel 7, the sea is equivalent to “the earth” (Dan 7:2, 17), symbolizing the people of the world. In other words, the animals in Daniel are organizations of the people of the world. By implication, the sea in Revelation 13:1 also represents the peoples of the world and the beast is another organization of the people of the world.

2. The dragon is the fourth animal.

A further allusion to Daniel 7 is that the dragon, which gave the beast “his power and his throne and great authority” (Rev 13:2), is the same as the fourth animal in Daniel 7. This statement is argued as follows:

1. Since the dragon also has seven heads and ten horns (Rev 12:3; 13:1) – equal to the total number of heads and horns in Daniel 7 – it is, similar to the beast, part of the series of animals and horns in Daniel 7. Their seven heads and ten horns identify the dragon and the beast as two instances of the same species, and that species is defined in Daniel 7. Both of them are facets of the sequence of kingdoms in Daniel 7.

2. In Revelation, the beast receives something from each of four animals (Rev 13:2). There are also four animals in Daniel 7. Since three of the animals from which the beast receives something (the lion, bear, and leopard) are explicitly three of the animals in Daniel 7, it is implied that the fourth animal from which the beast receives something (the dragon) is the fourth animal in Daniel 7.

3. Daniel 7 does not say what kind of animal the fourth is but describes it as “dreadful and terrifying and extremely strong; and it had large iron teeth” (Dan 7:7). “Dragon” is a good name for such an animal.

Why the dragon is identified as Satan

The dragon, therefore, is the same as the fourth animal in Daniel 7. The dragon is also identified as Satan (Rev 12:9), but that is in a different context. Revelation 12 uses “dragon” as a symbol for Satan’s forces during a series of wars, for example:

      • Against the woman, before the time of Christ (Rev 12:1-4);
      • Against Christ, after He was born (Rev 12:5);
      • Against Michael, in the war in heaven, after Christ ascended to God (Rev 12:7-13).
      • Against the woman again, after the dragon was thrown out of heaven (Rev 12:14-16), and lastly,
      • Against “the rest of her children” (Rev 12:17).

The identification of the dragon as Satan in 12:9 is appropriate for that specific context, for that verse describes the war in heaven. But, in other wars, “the dragon” also symbolizes the authorities on earth through which Satan works, for the dragon has seven heads and ten horns, and both the heads and horns represent kings (or kingdoms) (Rev 17:9-10, 12). Revelation 13 elaborates on chapter 12 and shows the different entities involved in the end-time war.

3. The fourth animal is the Roman Empire

In Daniel 7, four animals come up from the sea; one after the other. They symbolize four successive empires that would rule the world; at least the world as experienced by God’s people. Another article compares the animals of Daniel 7 and 8 and concludes as follows:

First animal – a lion (Dan 7:4) Babylonian Empire
Second animal – a bear (Dan 7:5) Medo-Persian Empire
Third animal – a four-headed leopard (Dan 7:6) Grecian Empire of Alexander the Great
Fourth “dreadful and terrifying and extremely strong” animal (Dan 7:7) Roman Empire

This is also the traditional and conservative interpretation of the four animals of Daniel 7. Since it has been shown above that (1) the dragon is the fourth animal of Daniel 7 and (2) that that fourth animal is the Roman Empire, it follows that the dragon symbolizes the Roman Empire. Consequently, the beast receives “his power and his throne and great authority” (Rev 13:2) from the Roman Empire. (For a further discussion, see – The Seven-headed Beasts of Revelation.)

4. The Beast is one of the ten horns.

So far, we have concluded as follows:

      1. The strong allusions to Daniel 7 imply that the sea beast is part of the series of beasts of Daniel 7.
      2. The dragon is the fourth beast in Daniel 7.
      3. That fourth beast is the Roman Empire.

Consequently, the many horns that will grow out of the fourth animal (Dan 7:7, 24) symbolize the many kingdoms into which the Roman Empire fragmented in the fifth and later centuries. This section continues the identification of the beast by showing that the beast is one of those fragments.

Firstly, the following shows that the beast arises during the time of the horns of Daniel 7:

(a) The Beast’s Authority

Since the beast receives its “power … throne and great authority” (Rev 13:2) from the dragon (Rev 13:2), and since the dragon is the fourth animal in Daniel 7, the beast receives its authority from that fourth animal. This implies that the beast exists in time after the fourth animal.

(b) The Beast’s Crowns

While the dragon has diadems (ruler crowns) on its heads, the sea beast has diadems on its horns (Rev 12:3; 13:1). The allusions to Daniel 7, as listed above, require us to interpret these crowns in terms of Daniel 7. In that chapter, there first are four animals with seven heads in total. After the last animal follows ten horns. Therefore:

The crowns on the heads of the dragon imply that it exists during the time of the heads in Daniel 7. Since the seven heads are subdivisions of the four animal-kingdoms, this means that the dragon exists during the time of the four animal-kingdoms. As already stated, the dragon is equivalent to the fourth beast.

The crowns on the horns of the beast mean that it exists during the time of the horns of Daniel 7.

(c) The Beast’s Appearance

The sea beast receives (Rev 13:2):

          • A body like the leopard;
          • Feet like the bear;
          • A mouth like the lion; and
          • “Power … and great authority” from the dragon.

Since the beast receives something from each of these four animals, it arises in the time after them. Since the dragon is the fourth animal of Daniel 7, the beast arises during the time of the horns.

Conclusions

Since the beast arises during the time of the horns, and since the beast must be interpreted as part of the series of animals and horns in Daniel 7, the beast is one of the horns of Daniel’s fourth animal. In other words, it is one of the kingdoms into which the Roman Empire fragmented after the fall of Rome (Dan 7:24). It receives its authority from the Roman Empire and, therefore, is the continuation of Roman authority.

The description of the beast coming up out of the sea refers to the beginning of its existence. Since it is one of the kingdoms into which the Roman Empire fragmented, it came into existence after that empire began to fragment in the fifth century AD.

5. The beast is evil 11th horn.

We are able to identify the beast even more specifically. In Daniel 7, after ten horns have grown out of the fourth animal, an eleventh little horn comes up that grows to become larger than all the other horns. This website sometimes refers to it as the evil horn because it blasphemes the Most High, persecutes His people, and is only destroyed when Christ returns (Dan 7:8, 24-27).

This 11th horn is the main character and purpose of Daniel 7. An analysis of that chapter will show that the only reason that Daniel 7 mentions the preceding four animals and ten horns is so that the reader would be able to identify that 11th horn.

Above, it was argued that the beast is one of the horns of the fourth animal. For the following reasons, the beast is specifically the evil 11th horn:

(a) Antichrist

If we use the term Antichrist to refer to the main opponent of God on earth, both the 11th horn and the beast are described as the Antichrist. For example:

        • Both are described as the main power that opposes God.
        • Both blaspheme God and persecute His people (e.g., Dan 7:21, 25; Rev 13:6-7).
        • Both are only destroyed when Christ returns (Dan 7:26-27; Rev 19:11, 20).

(b) Time, times, and half a time

Revelation’s beast was given “authority to act for forty-two months” (Rev 13:5). In Daniel, “the saints of the Highest One… will be given into his (the evil horn’s) hand for a time, times, and half a time” (Dan 7:25). As discussed elsewhere, the 42 months refer to the same period as the “time, times and a half.”

For these reasons, it is concluded that the beast (Rev 13:1) and the evil 11th horn of Daniel 7 are symbols of the same world power. The book of Revelation is built on the prophecies of Daniel. The same applies to this antichrist-horn. Revelation incorporates it into its visions but provides additional information about it.

This is only a preliminary identification of the beast based on the first two verses of Revelation 13. The beast is identified more specifically in one of the further articles in this series.

What are the Seven Heads?

Above, we identified the dragon and the beast. But we have not yet explained the seven heads or the ten horns.

A common mistake of commentators is to assume that the seven heads and ten horns in Revelation are the same as the seven heads and ten horns in Daniel. They are not the same. For example:

1. In Daniel 7, the ten horns are followed by an eleventh horn which is described as the Antichrist and which uproots three of the ten horns as it came up (Dan 7:8). Therefore, there are not really 10 horns in Daniel 7. And, while the 11th horn is the main character in Daniel 7, there is no mention of an 11th horn in Revelation.

2. In Revelation, the sixth head exists after five “have fallen” (Rev 17:10). That sixth head cannot be the sixth head in Daniel 7 because, in that chapter, the sixth head is the fourth head of the leopard. The four heads of the leopard symbolize the four empires into which Alexander’s Greek Empire was divided, and they existed simultaneously. The last one does not exist after the others have fallen.

3. While the ten horns in Daniel 7 symbolize the fragments into which the Roman Empire has been divided, the ten horns in Revelation are limited to the end-time. For example, they “will hate the harlot and will make her desolate and naked” (Rev 17:16).

4. The ten horns in Revelation are described in Revelation 17:12-17 and there simply is no similarity with the ten horns in Daniel 7.

Revelation takes things from the Old Testament but gives them new meanings. For example, in the Old Testament, the ancient city of Babylon was built on the river Euphrates. In Revelation, Babylon becomes the name for the harlot and the Euphrates becomes “the waters which you saw where the harlot sits,” symbolizing “peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues” (Rev 17:15). In the same way, the heads and horns in Daniel receive different meanings in the book of Revelation.

The seven heads and ten horns are not discussed in the current article. They are discussed in the series of articles on Revelation 17.

Other Articles