User:Popefauvexxiii/The Beast (Bible)

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

In the bible, The Beast may refer to a number of creatures seen during prophetic visions described in the Book of Daniel and the Book of Revelation.

4 The first was like a lion, and had eagle's wings: I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made stand upon the feet as a man, and a man's heart was given to it.

5 And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear, and it raised up itself on one side, and it had three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it: and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh.

6 After this I beheld, and lo another, like a leopard, which had upon the back of it four wings of a fowl; the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given to it.

7 After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns.

The Beast out of the Sea from Revelation verses 1-10 has seven heads and ten crowns on each of ten horns coming out of the sea who blasphemes the name of god and makes war with the saints. It is described as similar in appearance to a leopard, but with bearlike feet and mouth(s) like a lion.

The Beast out of the Earth with two horns like a lamb and the voice of a dragon, appears in Revelation verses 11-17.

The identities of the Beasts are not made clear and bible scholars have offered various interpretations. While the term The Beast is often used casually as a reference to Satan, it is the figure of the Dragon from Chapter 12 that is generally considered to be the devil.

who gives the first beast his power, throne and authority In a linear fashion, the second beast receives its power from the first beast,

Interpretations range from the Anti-Christ, a predecessor to the Anti-Christ, Nero, the entire Roman Catholic Church or a future world government. The scarlet beast upon whom the Whore of Babylon rides is also described as having ten horns and seven heads, possibly indicating the same creature as the Beast out of the Sea.