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I was recently asked a very interesting question that I had not given much thought to previously (or, actually, I had never noticed before). The question was, “If the fourth ‘beast’ mentioned in Daniel 7 is the same ‘beast’ in Revelation 13 (and it is), why is there only one ‘head’ mentioned in Daniel 7:20, and there are seven ‘heads’ mentioned in Revelation 13:1?” Before I attempt to answer this question, let’s get some background information on these scriptures.
Daniel had been taken captive and deported to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar in 605 BC. There, he served in the governments of Babylon and Persia for about 70 years during the reigns of Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar, Darius, and Cyrus. God gave Daniel numerous prophetic visions during these years concerning future historical events.
The visions began when King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had a series of troubling dreams. None of the wise men of the king’s court could interpret the dream (of Daniel 2), as the king couldn’t even remember what it was even about. Finally, after God revealed it to Daniel in a “night vision” (probably a dream), he told the king what he had dreamed and what it meant.
THE FOUR PARTS OF NEBUCHADNEZZAR’S GREAT STATUE
Daniel told Nebuchadnezzar he had dreamed of a large image – an enormous, dazzling statue, “and the form thereof was terrible” (Daniel 2:31). He further explained that the head of the statue was of pure gold, and the upper part of the body was silver. The lower body and thighs were made of bronze. The legs were made of iron, and the feet were part iron and part clay. Daniel then recorded how in the dream Nebuchadnezzar saw “a rock was cut out, but not by human hands: and that it struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay and smashed them” (v.34).
Daniel then explained the meaning to the king. He told Nebuchadnezzar, “You are that head of gold” (v. 38). He then explained that the upper part of the body represented another kingdom inferior to Babylon’s, and that it would be followed by a third kingdom of bronze that would rule the whole earth. Later, in another vision, these two kingdoms are named Medo-Persia and Greece (Daniel 8:20-21).
The fourth part of the statue is described as “strong as iron” and “subdues all things.” However, because of the feet and toes being made of iron and clay, “the kingdom shall be divided” (v.41), and “the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken” (v.42). In historical hindsight, we know the world empire that followed Greece was the Roman Empire. It was eventually divided into two regions: the Western region was governed from Rome, and the Eastern region from Byzantium, later renamed Constantinople (and eventually Istanbul, Turkey).
The Western Roman Empire fell in 476 AD when the German tribes deposed the last Roman emperor. The center of world power then shifted to Constantinople (dedicated in 330 AD), which eventually became known as the Byzantine Empire. In the West, the power of the Roman Catholic Church would replace the power of the state. Constantinople (and the Greek Orthodox Church) eventually fell to the Muslim Ottoman Turks in 1453 AD. “After Constantinople fell in 1453, Moscow became the only independent Orthodox power, and its leaders soon advanced the claim that Moscow was the successor to the Byzantine Empire.” {1} History of the Russian Orthodox Church – Wikipedia
Daniel then made known the meaning of the rock that destroyed the image and grew into a mountain. “And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. Forasmuch as thou saw that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold” (vv. 44-45). Of course, we know this kingdom is the Millennium Kingdom of “the Rock,” Jesus Christ.
Jesus is the rock/stone in 1 Corinthians 10:4, Matthew 16:18, and 21:42. “And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ” (1 Corinthians 10:4). Paul was referring to the exodus of the children of Israel when Moses was leading them in the wilderness, as per Exodus 17:6.
Jesus said, “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18).
“Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes? Therefore, say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.”
“The passive voice marks God as the unseen cutter, the architect of history who needs no human tool. The stone’s violent collision with the statue seals the demise of every Gentile empire and prefigures the eternal kingdom of the Messiah (cf. Matthew 21:44; Revelation 11:15).” {2} Strong’s Hebrew: 1505. גְּזַר (gezar) — To cut, divide, decree
THE FOUR BEASTS OF DANIEL 7
Daniel 7 records the first of four apocalyptic visions Daniel received while serving as an advisor to Belshazzar, Darius, and Cyrus. These visions revealed a glimpse of God’s plan for mankind throughout the ages, including a direct prediction of the Messiah, “the Son of man” (Daniel 7:13-14).
Daniel 7 is similar to the vision God gave Daniel in Daniel 2, which enabled him to interpret Nebuchadnezzar’s dream about a great statue symbolic of four successive world empires (starting with Babylon). Daniel 2 covered the political aspects (their economic and military prowess) of these Gentile empires, whereas Daniel 7 depicted their moral aspects as vicious beasts.
The four beasts (kingdoms) are said to come out of the sea (vs. 7). The sea represents the Gentile nations. The first beast (vs. 4) was like a lion (the king of beasts), with the wings of an eagle (the king of birds). This beast represents the regal splendor that was Babylon. Statues of winged lions have been recovered from Babylon’s ruins. “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). The “heart of a man given to it” refers to Nebuchadnezzar’s experiences in Daniel 4 when he was humbled before God.
The second beast was like a bear, “and it raised itself up on one side, and it had three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it” (Daniel 7:5). The greater power of Persia as compared to the Medes is the meaning of the bear raising itself up on one side. The three ribs represent some of the kingdoms they conquered, such as Babylon, Egypt, and Lydia.
The third beast was like a leopard and represents Greece, which conquered Persia. Daniel 7:6 describes this third beast, “which had upon the back of it four wings of a fowl; the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given to it.” Its wings show the swiftness of Alexander the Great’s campaign as he conquered much of the civilized world in four years. The leopard’s four heads are the four divisions of the Greek Empire after Alexander’s death. The empire was divided into four regions by four of Alexander’s top generals, who became kings of their territories.
The fourth kingdom was unnamed but historically fulfilled by the Roman Empire. It was not an empire that Daniel would have recognized, as Rome was not a world power at the time of Daniel’s writings. “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 broke in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it:” (Daniel 7:7a). The Romans conquered the Greeks (and most of the known world) and became the fourth world empire.
The fourth beast, Rome, described as exceedingly strong, is also associated with a future end-time “Roman kingdom.” This kingdom will emerge from the same territory as the ancient Roman kingdom once controlled, be it the east leg or the west leg, or both. It will devour the whole earth. Some Bible scholars call it the “Revived Roman Empire.” The rest of verse 7 describes this end-time beast, “and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns” (Daniel 7:7b). It is diverse from the others, as it is ruled by ten horns or kings/kingdoms (regions or nations).
Daniel ‘sees’ this end-time beast as having only one head. In this vision of the fourth beast, Daniel only sees the Roman kingdom (both ancient Rome and the “revived Roman empire”), according to these scriptures, “And of the ten horns that were in his head...”(Daniel 7.20a) and “And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise…” (Daniel 7:24a).
The diversity will be even greater when another horn (the “little horn”) arises and subdues or kills three of the 10 kings. “I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things” (Daniel 7:8). Eventually, the “little horn” (the Antichrist) will replace three of the 10 horns of this end-time kingdom.
THE END-TIME BEAST OF REVELATION
They say, “The Old Testament is the New Testament concealed, and the New Testament is the Old Testament revealed.” I believe this is undoubtedly true, as it would be almost impossible to discern that the last part of Daniel 7:7 refers to an end-time form of the old Roman Empire without its counterpart in Revelation 12, 13, & 17 giving much more detail.
The first mention of a creature with seven heads and ten horns is found in Revelation 12:3, “And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.” This ‘dragon’ is identified in verse 9. “And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceives the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.”
At the midpoint of the seven-year Tribulation (Daniel’s 70th week), Satan will be cast out of heaven unto the earth. According to verse 12, this is great news for the inhabitants of heaven, but terrible news for the inhabitants of the earth. He will persecute Israel and the Tribulation saints for 3.5 years (vv. 13-14). “And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ” (Revelation 12:17). Satan will accomplish this by controlling the Beast (the Antichrist) and his Beast System, as described in chapter 13.
“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). Here we see the ten-horned beast described with seven heads, which differs from the one-headed beast in Daniel 7:20, 24. Horns in Scripture symbolize strength and kingship (Psalm 75:10; Zechariah 1:18–21), while heads denote ruling centers or realms (Isaiah 7:8; Revelation 17:9).
“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: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority” (Revelation 13:1-2). Notice in this verse how this end-time empire has the characteristics of the Gentile empires mentioned in Daniel 7: the speed of a leopard (Greece), the power of a bear (Persia), and the fearlessness of a lion (Babylon). It will also have the backing of the dragon, Satan, as mentioned in Revelation 12:3 and 13:2, 4.
Verse 3 begins the transition from the beast system to the actual person of the beastly Antichrist. “And I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world marveled and followed the beast. So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, ‘Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?’” (Revelation 13:3-4). This head wound is mentioned in Zechariah 11:17, “Woe to the worthless shepherd who deserts the flock! May the sword strike his arm and his right eye! May his arm be completely withered, his right eye totally blinded!” The Antichrist will recover from this deadly wound but will be physically impaired.
According to Revelation 13:5, the Antichrist will have sole power over the world for 3.5 years (42 months) as he will, at this point, have killed three of the ten kings, and the remaining seven will have relinquished their power and authority to him. “It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation. All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world” (Revelation 13:7-8). Daniel also prophesied about this in Daniel 7:24-25.
The Antichrist will have an accomplice in his evil reign. “Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon” (Revelation 13:11). As the earth represents Israel, this second beast could be a Jew. He is called a “false prophet” in Revelation 16:13 and 19:20, as he will preach a Satanic gospel as if it’s from the Lord. “And he exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence, and causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed” (Revelation 13:12).
The false prophet receives power from Satan to perform great signs (which is what the Jews wanted to see from Jesus during his first advent), “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” (Revelation 13:13). This replicates Elijah calling down fire from heaven (three times, in 1 Kings 18:38 and 2 Kings 1:10, 12). Satan, Antichrist, and the false prophet are the unholy trinity from hell.
The false prophet commissions an “image” to be made of the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived. “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” (Revelation 13:15). I believe this will be easily accomplished with the technology of artificial intelligence.
“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” (Revelation 13:16-17). We now have the technology to insert a chip or a digital tattoo to fulfill this prophecy. “Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666″ (Revelation 13:18).
God’s punishment for anyone taking the mark of the beast is found in Revelation 14:9-11. “If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And the smoke of their torment ascends up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receives the mark of his name.”
THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND THE SEVEN-HEADED, TEN-HORNED BEAST
In this vision of the end-time beast given to John, the “seven heads” aren’t explained until Revelation 17, where a ‘woman’ of ill repute is also mentioned. “I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet colored beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet color, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: And upon her forehead was a name written, Mystery, Babylon The Great, The Mother Of Harlots And Abominations Of The Earth. And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great amazement” (Revelation 17:3-6).
Mystery Babylon is the apostate religious system that originally began in Babylon at the Tower of Babel. The ancient city of Babylon was the originator of idolatry and, therefore, of spiritual fornication. Revelation 17:1-2 describes it as “the whore that sits upon many waters, with whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.” Revelation 17:15 adds, “the waters where the whore sits are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.” During the first half of the Tribulation, this apostate religious system will be the state-sponsored religion for the 10 Kings and the Antichrist. It is pictured as a harlot sitting upon a beast.
The angel (one of the seven angels who had the seven vials) then told John that he would explain to him the mystery of the woman and the beast, with seven heads and ten horns, that carried her. “The beast that thou saw was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is” (Revelation 17:8).
“And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sits. And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space. And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goes into perdition” (Revelation 17:9-11).
Many Bible scholars believe the five fallen kings or kingdoms in the ancient past (who worshipped idols and prayed to false gods) are from the empires of Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, and Greece. The one kingdom present in John’s day (“and one is”) was Rome, which was also enamored with the “Mother of Harlots.” Ancient Rome was the sixth head (king/kingdom). The ‘head’ that hasn’t come yet is the kingdom of the 10 kings, which will also be a customer of the “Great Harlot.” The Antichrist is considered a “little horn” or an eleventh horn. That is the seven heads (kingdoms or mountains) of Satan’s Beast System.
The Antichrist’s kingdom will be the eighth kingdom. “And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goes into perdition. And the ten horns which thou saw are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast” (Revelation 17:11-12).
Towards the midpoint of the Tribulation, the Antichrist will subdue or kill three of the ten kings and usurp their authority and power. If they are killed, they will be replaced by three men loyal to the Antichrist. If they are only subdued, they will be delegated to mere figureheads, with the A.C. in total control of their kingdoms. Either way, there are still 10 horns (kings) within the Beast Kingdom. However, soon after the three kings are subdued, all 10 kings will give their authority and power to the beast, as mentioned in Revelation 17:17.
Dr. Arnold Fruchtenbaum believes Daniel 11:40-45 describes the Antichrist’s war with the ten kings, in which three of the kings will be vanquished. “He is seen moving against the north (vv. 40, 44), the south (vv. 40, 42-43), and the east (v. 44). The three kings he will succeed in killing (Daniel 7:8, 20, 24) will be the king of the north (Syria), the king of the south (Egypt) and the king of the east (Mesopotamia). His conquest of Egypt opens the door for his conquest of Africa (vv. 42-43). He will also invade Israel, the glorious land (v. 41 and also mentioned in Revelation 11:1-2), setting the stage for the Abomination of Desolation.” {3} Footsteps of the Messiah – pg. 240.
Of course, we know the Abomination of Desolation occurs at the midpoint of Daniel’s 70th week. See Reckoning Daniel’s 70th Week From the Gregorian Calendar. The A.O.B. is mentioned in Daniel 9:27, Daniel 12:11, and Matthew 24:15. The midpoint of Daniel’s 70th week is also prophesied in Revelation 12, where the last 3.5 years are seen as “a thousand two hundred and threescore days” (v. 6) and “time, and times, and half a time” (v.14).
The judgment of the harlot, who sits upon many waters, is given in Revelation 17:16-18. “And the ten horns which thou saw upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire. For God hath put in their hearts to fulfill his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled. And the woman whom thou saw is that great city, which reigns over the kings of the earth.”
Many Bible scholars believe that “great city” refers to Rome (or, more specifically, Vatican City), the home of the Catholic Church. They also believe that a one-world religion, based on apostate Christianity mixed with the other religions of the world, will be formed after the Rapture of the Church, and it will be based in Rome. The home of Mystery Babylon (Ecclesiastical Babylon) will be burned and destroyed at the midpoint of the Tribulation.
At this point, the Antichrist will relocate his headquarters to Babylon, which will become the political and economic capital of the Antichrist’s empire. This relocation is found in Zechariah 5:5-11. “Then lifted I up mine eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came out two women, and the wind was in their wings; for they had wings like the wings of a stork: and they lifted up the ephah between the earth and the heaven. Then said I to the angel that talked with me, Whither do these bear the ephah? And he said unto me, To build it a house in the land of Shinar: and it shall be established and set there upon her own base” (Zechariah 5:9-11).
The ephah was a standard measure of weight and became the symbol of the economy. This symbol in these verses represents a corrupt economy, as seen in the addition of lead, which gives a false measure. This ‘ephah’ will be taken to the land of Shinar, which is the same as Babylonia (modern-day Iraq).
So, to recap, this end-time world empire will initially have 10 kings who will rule the earth. This kingdom is the ultimate fulfillment of Daniel 2:41-42, regarding the feet and 10 toes (kings) made of iron and clay. This end-time kingdom will be divided by many factors, such as politics, economics, religion, etc., leaving it partly strong and partly broken.
Another powerful individual will arise in the end times (at the midpoint of Daniel’s 70th week, aka the Great Tribulation) and subdue three of the 10 kings. Sometime after this happens, the remaining kings will cede their power and authority to the ‘beast’ (the little horn or the Antichrist). At this point, he will become the Magnus Maximus of the world.
THE LAST HALF OF DANIEL’S 70TH WEEK
The Antichrist’s absolute reign as king of the world will last only 3.5 years, according to Daniel 7:25, Daniel 12:7, and Revelation 12:14. This is the last half of Daniel’s 70th week, as mentioned in Daniel 9:27. Both Daniel and Revelation record the Beast’s (Antichrist) inevitable end.
“I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened. I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spoke: I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame” (Daniel 7:9-11).
“And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh” (Revelation 19:19-21).
“But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end. And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him” (Daniel 9:26-27).
Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.
Randy Nettles
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