How is this beast further described?
Answer
"And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth
as the mouth of a lion." Verse 2, first part.
NOTES-These are the characteristics of the first three symbols of Daniel 7the lion, bear, and
leopard there representing the kingdoms of Babylon, Medo-Persia, and Grecia-and suggest this beast as
representing or belonging to the kingdom symbolized by the fourth beast of Daniel 7, or Rome. Both have
ten horns. Like the dragon of Revelation 12, it also has seven heads; but as the dragon symbolized Rome in
its entirety, particularly in its pagan phase, this, like the "little horn" coming up among the ten horns of the
fourth beast of Daniel 7, represents Rome in its later, or papal, form. Both it and the little horn have "a
mouth" speaking great things; both make war upon the saints; both continue for the same length of time,
Allowing a very broad meaning to the symbol, the Douay, or Catholic, Bible, in a note on Rev.
13: 1, explains the seven heads of this beast as follows: "The seven heads are seven kings, that is, seven
principal kingdoms or empires, which have exercised, or shall exercise, tyrannical power over the people
of God: of these, five were then fallen, viz., the Egyptian, Assyrian, Chaldean, Persian, and Grecian
monarchies; one was present, viz., the empire of Rome; and the seventh and chiefest was to come, viz., the
great Antichrist and his empire." That the seventh head represents Antichrist there can he little doubt. See
pages 152, 153.
How necessary is faith?
At the beginning of His ministry, what example did Jesus set for the benefit of His followers?
With what was He filled?
To whom does God reveal the secrets of the future?
What does the Bible present as the object of signing or sealing a document?
At His ascension, how did the angels say Christ would come again?
What change is made in Satan's condition at the close of the one thousand years?
Questions & Answers are from the book Bible Readings for the Home Circle