EVIL BEASTS OF THE BIBLE
The books of Daniel and Revelation uniquely reveal nine evil beasts detailed here. These prophetic visions, rich in symbolism, have fascinated and puzzled biblical scholars for centuries. The beasts often represent kingdoms, empires, or powerful forces in conflict with God's people.
Beasts from the Book of Daniel
The First Beast (Lion)
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. - Daniel 7:4 (KJV)
Analysis:
- Description: Lion's body with eagle's wings
- Activities: Wings plucked, made to stand like a man, given a man's heart
- Possible meaning: Often interpreted as representing Babylon
The Second Beast (Bear)
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. - Daniel 7:5 (KJV)
Analysis:
- Description: Bear-like creature, raised on one side, three ribs in its mouth
- Activities: Commanded to devour much flesh
- Possible meaning: Often interpreted as representing Medo-Persia
The Third Beast (Leopard)
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. - Daniel 7:6 (KJV)
Analysis:
- Description: Leopard's body with four wings of a fowl and four heads
- Activities: Given dominion
- Possible meaning: Often interpreted as representing Greece under Alexander the Great
The Fourth Beast
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. - Daniel 7:7 (KJV)
Analysis:
- Description: Dreadful, terrible, diverse, and exceedingly strong, with great iron teeth and ten horns
- Activities: Devouring, breaking in pieces, and stamping the residue
- A "little horn" arises, before whom 3 are fallen
- Possible meaning: Often interpreted as representing Rome or a future empire
The Ram (Daniel 8)
Then I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, and, behold, there stood before the river a ram which had two horns: and the two horns were high; but one was higher than the other, and the higher came up last. - Daniel 8:3 (KJV)
Analysis:
- Description: Ram with two horns, one higher (which came up last) than the other
- Activities: Pushing westward, northward, and southward
- Possible meaning: Interpreted as representing the Medo-Persian Empire
The He-Goat (Daniel 8)
And as I was considering, behold, an he goat came from the west on the face of the whole earth, and touched not the ground: and the goat had a notable horn between his eyes. - Daniel 8:5 (KJV)
Analysis:
- Description: He-goat with a notable horn between its eyes
- Activities: Came from the west, moved without touching the ground, attacked the ram
- The great horn was broken, and four notable ones came up
- Possible meaning: Interpreted as representing Greece, with Alexander the Great as the notable horn
Beasts from the Book of Revelation
The Beast from the Sea
And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. - Revelation 13:1 (KJV)
Analysis:
- Description: Seven heads, ten horns with crowns, blasphemous names
- Body like a leopard, feet like a bear, mouth like a lion (verse 2)
- Activities: Given power and authority by the dragon (Satan)
- Possible meaning: Often interpreted as a future world leader or anti-Christ figure
The Beast from the Earth (False Prophet)
And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. - Revelation 13:11 (KJV)
Analysis:
- Description: Two horns like a lamb
- Activities: Speaks as a dragon, performs great wonders, deceives people, proposes 666
- Possible meaning: Often interpreted as a religious leader who supports the first beast
The Scarlet Beast
So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. - Revelation 17:3 (KJV)
Analysis:
- Description: Scarlet in color, seven heads, ten horns, full of names of blasphemy
- Activities: Carries the woman (symbolic of a corrupt system)
- Possible meaning: Often interpreted as a political system or empire that supports a corrupt religious system
Text by Zach Anderson (zmanderson@gmail.com). Placed in public domain at ultrafree.org. KJV text is used. Feel free to copy and share, free of charge.