|
The Metaphor of Beasts and Heads Introduction Prophetic beasts come dramatically onto the scene in Daniel 7. They are called “great beasts” without explanation except for their surrealistic aggressive nature (7:3). Later, they are said to represent kingdoms ( Though these beasts relate directly to Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece and Rome; their leaders, kings (especially at the time the prophetic message applies), often personify the kingdoms. As an example, Nebuchadnezzar was symbolized by a lion and an eagle (Lion – Jeremiah 4:7; 49:19, 22; 50:17, 44. Eagle – Jeremiah 49:22, Lamentations 4:19, Ezekiel 17:3, Habakkuk 1:8). Therefore, we see a:
· Primary application: Beast – kingdom · Secondary application: King – kingdom – personification of that kingdom
There are two unique kingdom leaders that epitomize this second consideration: A mystical beast is the dragon (drakon – Gr.). This is presented frequently by John in his Revelation (12:4, 7, 9, 13, 16-17; 13:2, 4, 11; Another “beast” representing a single person is the Lamb. Jesus was “like a lamb to the slaughter” (Isaiah 53:7); the “Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world” (Revelation 13:8 – NIV). The imagery of Christ is beautifully embellished by one of the 24 elders: “Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda[h], the Root of David, hath prevailed … And I beheld … a Lamb as it had been slain” (Revelation 5:5-6). Again, the context reveals the meaning we are to derive from the prophecy. This “Lamb” refers to the “Lamb of God” (John Another disposition of a beast’s prophetic relevance is when the animal personifies specific groups of people in kingdoms. In Matthew 25:32 a judgment scene is associated with the second coming of Jesus. “When the Son of man shall come … before Him shall be gathered all nations.” “Nations” (KJV) is ethnos (Gr.) and refers to “all peoples.”1 Then King Jesus (He’s on a throne of glory) separates the sheep from the goats. The sheep are those who will inherit the kingdom of the Father (Matthew 25:34) and the goats are destined to the “everlasting fire” (Matthew 25:41), which is the end of the kingdom of evil (“the devil and his angels” – 25:41). Thus, beasts can represent:
1. Kingdoms – primary application 2. Kingdom heads – secondary application 3. Kingdom people/members – tertiary application
The latter is seen in Daniel 8 where there is conflict between a ram (God’s kingdom – headed by Christ) and the he-goat (Satan’s kingdom – headed by the devil). The powers exhibited by these kingdoms are horns representing the groups of people that provide leadership and power to each beast/kingdom. As prophetic beasts are studied, which of the three applications above that should be used will be found in its context. In Revelation 13, the sea-beast provides a beautiful example. Throughout the Old Testament a sea monster is used to represent an evil kingdom (Job 40, 41; Psalm 74:13-14; Isaiah 27:1, 51:9). This beast (therion – fierce creature) imagery appeals to this horrible creature slowly arising from the sea. It is a creative composite of the four beasts of Daniel 7:1-7. There, they also come out of the sea, with specific reference to heads and ten horns. The blasphemous mouth (Daniel 7:8) is tied to the blasphemous names on the heads of the Revelation 13 beast. In Daniel 7 the lion, bear, leopard and “terrifying beast” represent those four successive world empires (kingdoms); here, three are depicted in one beast. Its behavior represents the fourth.
· · Bear (feet) – power in its activity, capable of persecution | trolling empire will avenge · Lion (mouth) – strength of its jaws and power in its evil words | truth and righteousness
Daniel’s fourth beast was a horrific creature that represented Rome.
Daniel 7 Revelation 13 · Beast – terrible in nature Beast – composite of leopard, bear, lion One head Seven heads Ten horns Ten horns · Little horn from head Acted like little horn (blasphemous mouth) (heads named blasphemy)
What regime or dynasty functions for a short time (42 months – 13:5) when Satan knows his time is short ( What could this end-time beast/kingdom be? Let’s look at the “heads” of the same beast before its horns were crowned.
The Heads of the Beast At times it is helpful to work backwards in prophetic symbol study. The ten-horned beast of Revelation 17, that is tied to the woman named Babylon the Great, has seven heads. The angel said that this woman sat on seven hills. At the time of John, Rome was noted as the seven-hilled city. Vesparian, one of Nero’s generals, later became emperor of Rome (69–79 A.D.) – He struck coins showing a woman seated on seven hills to represent that kingdom.3 It appears that the “mountain” reference is to alert the expositor that the woman is seated in Rome. Then the message was given that the “woman … is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth” (Revelation The angel told John that the seven heads on this beast were seven kings (17:9-10). This statement clearly shows that during the life of this beast kingdom there were or would be seven specific temporal leaders. They were sequential (five are fallen, one is and one is yet to come). The first would begin when the woman and the beast were associated. With this “model” to draw on, we look to the seven heads of the sea-beast (Revelation 13:1-3). There, the imagery reveals the seven heads to be present when the beast appears. The leaders of the beast kingdom (therion) have all come onto the stage of history. It must be assumed that it is during the seventh’s reign that this chapter is choreographed. Kingdom Heads Rome related Pope (king) Dragon gives them (Vatican specific) (antichrist specific) power and authority (blasphemous) (deity claims) (over world)
As Christ is head of the body (the church – Colossians The one head that was wounded “to death” has been applied to three papal events (the papacy was the Rome Empire that Protestants protested against because of “blasphemy”):
1. Pope Pius VI’s arrest on February 20, 1798 and, later, death in Valence, France. A new pope was shortly thereafter appointed (wound was healed). 2. September 20, 1870, Italian troops entered Rome. The next month the citizens of Rome in a plebiscite voted for union with Italy. Pope Pius IX was helpless. The Papal States and the city of Rome were no longer Vatican land/“states.” The church/state was reestablished in 1929 (wound was healed). 3. May 13, 1991, Mehmet Ali Agca, shot Pope John Paul II. He survived to visit his would be assassin. His power grew (wound was healed).
Any one of these papal “wounds” could persuasively be applied to the “wounded head” that was “healed.” A single “person,” head or leader, of a “kingdom” / “state” is appealed to. Yet, the beast is personified (speaks blasphemy, makes war, is worshiped by world, has power over life and death). In the prophetic envelope we see kingdom power, kingdom ruler power and subjects to that power. In every beast motif there is a unique “supporting power.” In every head attention is directed at a pivotal leader that will move the end-time forward.
Summary “Beasts” in apocalyptic prophecy are metaphors for kingdom powers. They often control wide territories with a central enclave for its dominion power. Beasts/animals have loyal subjects and represent the extremes of moral authority. They are usually governed by charismatic or powerful leaders depicting sovereign control. Within this rich imagery, God manipulates the symbols to teach valuable insights, from His viewpoint, of each power. Thus, Jesus is a Lamb and a Lion. The antichrist is a composite beast of evil and a little horn of power that becomes great. Each story is a warning to be ready for dramatic and shocking events. Since prophecy has its origins in God’s mind, He has original permission to make the images of beasts, horns, heads, eyes, water or mouths adaptive and germane. Within the context of each vision and audition, God informs us as to the interpretative use of each illustration. At times, multiple lessons are imbedded in a prophecy, but there is always a primary application. Prophetic metaphors elevate the baseline of our understanding. They draw on deeper issues that God would appeal to in the realm of spiritual discernment. The beasts and heads of real or surreal creatures reveal snippets of future history in the final war between good and evil. Their outcome: fire for the dragon and seven-headed beast; Marriage Supper of the Lamb for the saved.
References: 1 Brown, Collin; New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology, vol. 2, (Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI), 1986, p. 793. 2 Thomas, Robert L.; Revelation 1–7 – An Exegetical Commentary (Moody Press, Chicago – 1992), p. 155. 3 Captain Smyth, Roman Coins, as quoted in: Jamieson, Fausset, Brown; Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, p. 310.
|