Ellet J. Waggoner
The Present Truth : May 9, 1895
The “beast” against which the solemn, worldwide warning is given, as described in Rev. 14:9-11, is not first mentioned in connection with this message of the “third angel.” The prophet here speaks in reference to what has been introduced and described in the preceding chapters; the character and work of the “beast” are already before the eye when the message of the “third angel” is proclaimed.
Turning therefore to the thirteenth chapter, we find a description, beginning with the first verse, of the rise of the “beast,” and the characteristics of its appearance. “And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and I 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. 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” (Rev. 13:1, 2). The work and character of this beast are set forth in the verses which follow, to verse 11.
In prophetic language, a beast is the symbol of an earthly government or power. This we are plainly told in the prophecy of Daniel. In the seventh chapter of that prophecy Daniel describes a vision given him, in which he saw “four great beasts,” concerning which the angel who explained the vision to him said, “These great beasts, which are four, are four kings that shall arise out of the earth” (Dan. 7:17). That they were not symbols of individuals but of kingdoms is evident from the words of the angel: “The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth” (Dan. 7:23).
In the eighth chapter of Daniel also are described a “ram” and “he goat,” of which it is said, “The ram which you saw, having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia, and the rough goat is the king of Grecia; and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king” (Dan. 8:20, 21). “That being broken,” the angel said, “whereas four stood up for it, four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation, but not in his power.”
The beast which John saw arise out of the sea had many and diverse features. It had the body of a leopard, the feet of a bear, and the mouth of a lion. If we are familiar with the prophecy of Daniel we shall note at once a connection between this description and that of certain beasts seen in a vision by that prophet. (See Daniel 7:3-7). The prophet saw “four great beasts” come up out of the sea, the first of which was like a lion, the second like a bear, the third like a leopard, and the fourth “dreadful and terrible” and evidently quite dissimilar to all created beasts.