Browse Bible Study Resources

Daily Devotions

Revelation

Revelation 
Day 
Day 88

"The dragon gave him his power"

Text: Revelation 13:2

AN OLD PROPHECY

The vision given to John about a beast that arose from the sea must be traced to the vision God gave to the prophet Daniel (Daniel 7). Daniel wrote of four beasts that represented four kingdoms with immense power. The beast of the sea in John’s vision is a combination of the beasts that Daniel saw.

“Now the beast which I saw was like a leopard,
his feet were like the feet of a bear,
and his mouth like the mouth of a lion.
The dragon gave him his power, his throne,
and great authority.”
Revelation 13:2

1. Daniel’s Vision of the Four Beasts that came from the Great Sea.

a) The First Beast was a Lion (Daniel 7:4).
This was a reference to the Babylonian empire.

b) The Second Beast was like a Bear (Daniel 7:5).
This was a reference to the Medo-Persian empire.

c) The Third Beast was like a Leopard (Daniel 7:6).
This was a reference to the Greek empire.

d) The Fourth Beast was indescribable (Daniel 7:7).
This was a reference to the Roman Empire.

2. The fulfilment of this prophecy.

a) History informs us that Daniel’s vision was correct.

b) All Four Empires came up and were destroyed.

3. Daniel included the mention of “a little horn” (Daniel 7:8).

a) The Fourth Beast had ten horns.

b) This was to describe the immense power of the Roman Empire.

c) Amidst these horns was “a little horn” (Daniel 7:8).

d) The horn was carefully described:

i) It had the eyes of a man.

ii) And its mouth was speaking pompous words.

e) The little horn prophecy.

i) This is not yet fulfilled.

ii) This “little horn” is the Beast of the Sea.

iii) He is also known as The Antichrist.

4. The Beast of the Sea described.

a) He was like a leopard.

b) But his feet were like that of a bear.

c) His mouth was like that of a lion

d) The Beast of the Sea would have the combination of the Three Beasts mentioned in Daniel’s prophecy (Daniel 7)

5. The power behind the Beast of the Sea.

a) His power would come from the dragon.

b) The dragon would give him a throne.

c) He would yield great authority.

d) This would be a formidable Beast indeed.