In this series we will continue with the explanation of Chapter 13 and the Book of Revelation and its relevance to our times. Please note that the parts in brackets found during the quoted biblical part, are the explanation that Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel was doing while quoting the bible.
“Now we’re gonna read from again, Revelation 13, but this time from 11 to 18. Now 11 to 18 is a full description of the second beast, that came out of the earth, that has two horns, he is like a lamb but speaks like the dragon. So, it’s a full explanation of this second beast. What is this beast all about?
So Revelation 13: 11-18: “Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon. And he exercises all the authority of the first beast [that came out of the sea. He exercises all the authority of the first beast that came out of the sea] in his presence, and causes the earth [meaning people] and those who dwell in it, to worship the first beast, [that came out of the sea] whose deadly wound was healed. He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived. [So, he’s telling everyone on earth to make an image of the first beast, that came out of the sea that had seven heads and ten horns] He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed. He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of man: His number is 666. [ not six hundred and sixty six. It is wrong. It is 6 6 6. Ok? It is not six hundred and sixty six. They are three separate sixes.]
Let’s go back to Revelation 1-2. Revelation 1-2, we read again, ‘Then I stood on the sand of the sea.’ Who is I? John the beloved, the writer of the Book of Revelation. ‘And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns, ten crowns, and on his heads, a blasphemous name. 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 the dragon gave it his power and his throne and great authority.’
Now, John the beloved stood on that sand of the sea. He saw this beast coming out of the sea. He said when I looked at this beast that has seven heads and ten horns, he is describing this dragon. He is saying I saw him, he was like a leopard. The feet were like a bear. The mouth, like a lion. And the dragon, who’s the dragon? Satan – gave it his power. So Satan gave all his power to this first beast. And his throne, even his throne. And his authority.
Who is this beast which John the beloved saw coming out of the sea? Let’s go to Daniel, Chapter 7, and verses 3-7. I have summed it up. I am not reading it all literally, but I’ve summed it up. Daniel is a prophet of the Old Testament. So, Daniel 7, verses 3 to 7, Daniel also saw this beast. But he saw four beasts. ‘And four great beasts came up from the sea, each different from the other.’ So Daniel saw four great beasts coming out of the sea. John the beloved saw one beast coming out of the sea. Now, what did Daniel see? He said the the first was like a lion. The description of John the beloved to this beast that came out of a lion, he said he had a mouth like a lion. A second like a bear, just like John the beloved saw. There was another like a leopard, just like John saw. But the fourth one, Daniel said was dreadful, and terrible, exceedingly strong.
Which are these four beasts that Daniel the prophet had seen? The four beast are: the lion is the Babylonian Empire – Nebuchadnezzar, the king. The bear is the Medo-Persian Empire – Cyrus, the king. The leopard was the Greek Empire – Alexander the Great. And the fourth beast, who was the most dreadful and strongest of all was the Roman Empire, Julius Ceasar.
Now, how do we know that these beasts are these empires? How the know that the lion is the Babylonian Empire, the bear the Medo-Persian, the leopoard the Greek Empire and the fourth one is the Roman Empire? How do we know? Well, the Holy Bible explains it.
You can watch here.