1. According to the book of Revelation, what does Satan do against the servants of God?
The book of Revelation shows that the Kingdom of God is already ruling in heaven and that Satan was cast down to Earth (Rev. 12:1-9). This was a relief for those who live in heaven, but it has brought us more problems. Why? Because Satan unleashes his fury against the servants of Jehovah who live on earth (Rev. 12:12, 15, 17).
2. What will help us stand firm?
How can we stand firm against Satan's attacks? (Rev. 13:10). Something that will help us is to know what will happen in the future. For example, in Revelation, the apostle John speaks of some of the blessings that are soon to come to us. One of them will be the destruction of God's enemies. Let's see the description that Revelation makes of them and what awaits them.
ENEMIES OF GOD ARE DESCRIBED “IN SIGNS”
3. What are some of the signs or symbols used in Revelation?
The first verse of Revelation makes it clear that what is written in this book is presented "in signs" or symbols (Rev. 1:1). The enemies of God are presented in a symbolic way, as if they were wild beasts. For example, it speaks of "a wild beast that came up out of the sea" and "had 10 horns and 7 heads" (Rev. 13:1). This is followed by "another wild beast coming up out of the earth." He speaks like a dragon and “calls down fire from heaven” (Rev. 13:11-13). Then there is mention of “a scarlet-red wild beast” on which a prostitute sits. These three wild beasts represent enemies who have opposed Jehovah and his Kingdom for a long time. That is why it is important that we know who they are (Rev. 17:1, 3).
4, 5. How does Daniel 7:15-17 help us understand the meaning of the symbols in Revelation?
Before we find out who these enemies are, we need to understand what these symbols represent. For this, it is best to let the Bible explain it. Many of the symbols of Revelation are already mentioned in other books of the Bible. For example, the prophet Daniel had a dream in which he saw “four enormous beasts come up out of the sea” (Dan. 7:1-3). And Daniel himself tells us that these huge beasts represent four “kings” or governments (read Daniel 7:15-17). This clear explanation helps us understand that the beasts of Revelation must also represent political governments.
Let's take a closer look at some of the symbols in the book of Revelation. In this analysis, the Bible will help us understand its meaning. We'll start with the wild beasts. First we will see who they represent. Then we will talk about what will happen to these beasts. And finally we will mention some practical lessons for us.
THE ENEMIES OF GOD ARE IDENTIFIED
6. What does the seven-headed wild beast mentioned in Revelation 13:1-4 represent?
What does the seven-headed wild beast represent? (Read Revelation 13:1-4). The Bible says that this beast looks like a leopard, but its feet are like a bear's and its mouth is like a lion's, and it has 10 horns. The four beasts of Daniel chapter 7 also have these characteristics, but separately. However, Revelation speaks of a single beast that has all of these characteristics. So this wild beast does not represent a single world government or empire. Revelation says that he has "authority over every tribe, people, tongue, and nation." So his power is greater than that of any government of a country (Rev. 13:7). Therefore, this wild beast represents all the governments that have dominated humanity throughout history.(Eccl. 8:9).
7. What do the seven heads of the wild beast represent?
What do the seven heads represent? We find a clue in Revelation chapter 17, where an image of the beast is described that is mentioned in chapter 13. Revelation 17:10 says: “There are 7 kings: 5 have fallen, one is and the other has not yet come ; but when he arrives he has to stay for a short time”. Of all the governments that Satan has used, there are seven that could be compared to "heads" because they have had a prominent role. They are world empires that have had a great impact on God's people. By the days of the apostle John, five of these empires had already ruled and fallen: Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, and Greece. The sixth, which was Rome, was in power when John received this revelation. What would be the seventh and last empire or head?
FOUR HUGE BEASTS
ILLUSTRATION:
The four huge beasts of Daniel chapter 7 come out of the sea, representing humanity. The first beast is like a lion and has the wings of an eagle. The second is like a bear and has ribs in its mouth. The third is like a leopard and has four wings and four heads. The fourth is extremely strong and has iron teeth and ten horns.
They come “out of the sea” (Dan. 7:1-8, 15-17). They represent world powers that had a prominent relationship with God's people beginning in the days of Daniel. (See paragraphs 4 and 7).
8. Who does the seventh head of the wild beast represent?
As we will see, the prophecies of the book of Daniel help us to know the identity of the seventh and last head of the wild beast. What world power has been ruling in this time of the end, “in the day of the Lord”? (Rev. 1:10). The world power formed by the United Kingdom and the United States. So we can say that this is the seventh head of the wild beast of Revelation 13:1-4.
THE SEVEN-HEADED WILD BEAST
ILLUSTRATION:
The seven-headed wild beast rises from the sea, representing mankind. It has 10 horns and 10 crowns, and looks like a leopard with feet like a bear and a mouth like a lion.
It comes up “out of the sea” and has 7 heads, 10 horns, and 10 crowns (Rev. 13:1-4). He represents all the governments that have dominated humanity throughout history. The seven heads represent seven world powers that have had an outstanding relationship with the people of God. (See paragraphs 6 to 8).
A WILD BEAST THAT HAS TWO HORNS LIKE A LAMB
9. Whom does the wild beast that has “two horns like a lamb” represent?
Next, chapter 13 of Revelation tells us how the power represented by the seventh head, that is, the United Kingdom and the United States, acts. He introduces her as another beast and describes her thus: "She had two horns like a lamb, but she began to speak like a dragon." This wild beast “performs great signs; He even makes fire come down from heaven to earth in the sight of mankind” (Rev. 13:11-15). And chapters 16 and 19 of Revelation call her “the false prophet” (Rev. 16:13; 19:20).Speaking of what the world power made up of the United Kingdom and the United States is doing, Daniel mentioned something similar, for he said: “It will cause great destruction” (Dan. 8:19, 23, 24, footnote). And that was just what happened during World War II. The two atomic bombs that led to the end of this conflict were the result of the joint work of British and American scientists. This is how the world power formed by the United Kingdom and the United States made “fire come down from heaven to earth”.
ILLUSTRATION:
The wild beast that has two horns like a lamb that is mentioned in Revelation. It emerges from the seventh head of the seven-headed wild beast and ends in the lake of fire.
It rises “from the earth” and speaks “like a dragon”. He calls “fire down from heaven” and, in his role as a “false prophet”, performs signs (Rev. 13:11-15; 16:13; 19:20). The world power formed by the United Kingdom and the United States is represented as a two-horned beast and a false prophet because it deceives "those who live on earth" and tells them to "make an image" of "the wild beast" of 7 heads and 10 horns. (See paragraph 9).
10. What does “the image of the wild beast” represent? (Revelation 13:14, 15; 17:3, 8, 11).
Now we see another beast. It looks a lot like the seven-headed wild beast, but this one is scarlet red. Revelation calls it “the image of the wild beast” and says that it is “an eighth king” (read Revelation 13:14, 15; 17:3, 8, 11). * Of this "king" it is said that he appeared, then disappeared, and later reappeared. This fits very well with what happened with the United Nations Organization, which promotes the interests of the world political system. In its beginnings it was called the League of Nations. It then ceased to exist during World War II. And over time it re-emerged as we know it today.
11. What will the political beasts do, and why should we have no fear?
With their propaganda, the political beasts will incite people to oppose Jehovah and his people. As it were, they will gather “the kings of all the inhabited earth” for Armageddon, “the war of the great day of God, the Almighty” (Rev. 16:13, 14, 16). But we should not have any fear. Our great God, Jehovah, will react immediately to save all those who support his rule From him (Ezek. 38: 21-23).
12. What will happen to all the beasts?
What will happen to all the beasts? Revelation 19:20 gives the answer: “The wild beast was caught, and along with it the false prophet who performed before it the signs with which he deceived those who received the mark of the wild beast and those who worship the image her. While they were still alive, the two of them were thrown into the lake of fire that burns with brimstone.” So while they are still ruling, God's political enemies will be destroyed forever.
13. What difficult situation do Christians face because of governments?
Lessons for us. Christians must be loyal to God and his Kingdom (John 18:36). To achieve this, we must be neutral and not get mixed up in the political affairs of this world. But this can be very difficult, as governments want us to give them our full support, both in words and actions. Those who yield to this pressure receive the mark of the wild beast (Rev. 13:16, 17). And those who have the mark lose Jehovah's approval and the opportunity to live forever (Rev. 14:9, 10; 20:4). How important it is that we remain totally neutral, no matter how hard governments pressure us to support them.
A SHAMEFUL END FOR THE GREAT PROSTITUTE
14. What does the apostle John see that totally amazes him? (Revelation 17:3-5).
The apostle John says that he saw something else that left him “totally astonished.” What was he? A woman who was sitting on one of these ferocious beasts (Rev. 17:1, 2, 6). She is represented as a "great prostitute", and her name is "Babylon the Great". She has "immoral sexual relations" with "the kings of the earth" (read Revelation 17:3-5).
15, 16. What is “Babylon the Great,” and how do we know?
What is “Babylon the Great”? This woman cannot represent a political organization because Revelation says that she has immoral sexual relations with the political leaders of the world (Rev. 18:9). The fact that she is sitting on the wild beast shows that she tries to control them. She and she, too, cannot represent the greedy commercial organizations of Satan's world, since Revelation speaks of them later and calls them “the merchants of the earth” (Rev. 18:11, 15, 16).
In the Bible the ideas of prostitution and adultery are often used in a spiritual sense. They can refer to someone who claims to serve God but practices some form of idolatry or befriends the world in some other way (1 Chron. 5:25; Jas. 4:4). Instead, to speak of a person who is faithful to God, the words chaste or virgin are used (2 Cor. 11:2; Rev. 14:4). Ancient Babylon was a city where false religion abounded. So Babylon the Great has to represent false worship in all its forms. In fact, it is the collection of false religions in the world (Rev. 17:5, 18; see the jw.org article “What Is Babylon the Great?”).
17. What will happen to Babylon the Great?
What will happen to Babylon the Great? Revelation 17:16, 17 says: “The 10 horns that she put on her and the wild beast will hate the prostitute and leave her ruined and naked. They will eat her flesh and she will be completely burned with fire. Because God put it in her heart to carry out his thought”. Yes, Jehovah will cause the nations to use the scarlet-colored wild beast, that is, the United Nations, to attack the false religions of this world and destroy them completely (Rev. 18:21-24).
A SCARLET RED WILD BEAST
ILLUSTRATION:
A prostitute sitting on a scarlet red wild beast that has 7 heads and 10 horns. The beast ends up in the lake of fire.
On it sits a prostitute, Babylon the Great. This beast is said to be an eighth king (Rev. 17:3-6, 8, 11). At first, the prostitute controls the wild beast, but later the beast destroys her. The prostitute represents the set of false religions in the world. The beast today represents the United Nations Organization, which promotes the interests of the world political system. (See paragraphs 10 and 14 to 17).
18. What must we do to have nothing to do with Babylon the Great?
Lessons for us. It is important that we hold fast to “the form of worship” that God considers “pure and undefiled” (Jas. 1:27). Let us never allow Babylon the Great to influence us with its false teachings, pagan celebrations, permissive moral standards, and spiritualistic practices. And let's keep telling people, "Get out of it." If they do, God will not consider them complicit in the sins of Babylon the Great (Rev. 18:4).
THE PUNISHMENT THAT AWAITS THE GREATEST ENEMY OF GOD
19. Who is the “great fire-colored dragon”?
The book of Revelation also speaks of "a great fiery dragon" (Rev. 12:3). This dragon fights against Jesus and his angels (Rev. 12:7-9). Furthermore, he attacks God's people and empowers the political beasts (Rev. 12:17; 13:4). Who is this dragon? It is "the original serpent, whom they call the Devil and Satan" (Rev. 12:9; 20:2). He is the one who controls all the other enemies of Jehovah.
ILLUSTRATION:
A graphic featuring a dragon that, with its breath, gives power to the wild beasts of the books of Daniel and Revelation. The four huge beasts of Daniel chapter 7 come out of the sea, representing mankind, and point to the seven-headed wild beast, which also comes out of the sea of mankind. The seventh head of the seven-headed wild beast points to the wild beast that has two horns. And this points to the scarlet-red wild beast, on which a prostitute sits. The dragon, the two-horned wild beast, and the scarlet-red wild beast end up in the lake of fire. The images are repeated in paragraphs 4, 6, 9, 10 and 19.
20. What will happen to the dragon?
What will happen to the dragon? Revelation 20:1-3 says that an angel will cast Satan into an abyss, and it will be like a prison for him. Satan will be locked up for 1,000 years and will not "deceive the nations" again until that period of time is over. And finally, Satan and his demons will be cast "into the lake of fire and brimstone." This means that they will be destroyed once and for all (Rev. 20:10). Can you imagine what life will be like without Satan and demons? It will be wonderful!
THE FIRE COLORED DRAGON
ILLUSTRATION:
A fire-colored dragon with 7 heads, 10 horns, and 7 crowns. With his breath he gives power to the beasts of the books of Daniel and Revelation. The dragon ends up in the lake of fire.
Satan gives authority to the seven-headed wild beast (Rev. 12:3, 9, 13; 13:4; 20:2, 10). Satan, Jehovah's greatest enemy, will be locked up in an abyss for 1,000 years. He will then be thrown into the "lake of fire and brimstone." (See paragraphs 19 and 20).
21. Why does what we have read in the book of Revelation make us happy?
Doesn't it encourage us to understand what the signs or symbols of the book of Revelation mean? In addition to discovering who Jehovah's enemies are, we have also seen what will happen to them. That's right, “happy is he who reads the words of this prophecy aloud, and happy are those who hear […] the things written in it” (Rev. 1:3). Now, what blessings will faithful human beings enjoy when God's enemies have been destroyed? We will see that in the last article of this series.
HE REMEMBERS?
What can we do to understand the meaning of the symbols of Revelation?
The Bible will help us understand its meaning. Many of the symbols of Revelation are already mentioned in other books of the Bible. For example, the prophet Daniel had a dream in which he saw "four enormous beasts come up out of the sea." And Daniel himself tells us that these huge beasts represent four “kings” or governments. This clear explanation helps us understand that the beasts of Revelation must also represent political governments.
Why should we be neutral and not get mixed up in political affairs?
We must be neutral and not mix in the political affairs of this world. But this can be very difficult, as governments want us to give them our full support, both in words and actions. Those who give in to this pressure receive the mark of the wild beast. And those who have the mark lose Jehovah's approval and the opportunity to live forever. How important it is that we remain totally neutral, no matter how hard governments pressure us to support them.
What must we do so that “Babylon the Great” does not influence us?
It is important that we cling to "the form of worship" that God considers to be "pure and undefiled." Let us never allow Babylon the Great to influence us with its false teachings, pagan celebrations, permissive moral standards, and spiritualistic practices.
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