Revelation—What It Means for God’s Enemies
The book of Revelation reveals that God’s heavenly Kingdom has been established and that Satan has been expelled from heaven. That expulsion brings relief to the heavens, but it creates challenges for us. Because Satan’s anger is focused on those who faithfully serve Jehovah here on earth, one thing that will help us is to know what the future holds. In Revelation, the apostle John describes some of the blessings that we will soon enjoy. Among those blessings will be the elimination of God’s enemies.
God’s Enemies Described “In Signs”
In the very first verse, Revelation tells us that the information we are about to read is being presented “in signs,” that is, in symbolic language. God’s enemies are described symbolically. We see a number of wild beasts. For example, there is “a wild beast ascending out of the sea.” It has “ten horns and seven heads.” That beast is followed by “another wild beast ascending out of the earth.” That beast speaks like a dragon and makes “fire come down out of heaven.” Then we see a different beast, “a scarlet-colored wild beast,” which is being ridden by a prostitute. These three wild beasts represent long-standing enemies of Jehovah God and his Kingdom. Therefore, it is important that we identify them.
The Identity of God’s Enemies Revealed
Before we can learn who these enemies are, we need to understand what this symbolic language means. The key to understanding it is to allow the Bible to explain itself. Many of the symbols found in Revelation are already explained in other books of the Bible. For example, the prophet Daniel had a dream in which “four huge beasts came out of the sea.” Daniel records their significance. These huge beasts represent four “kings,” or governments. That clear explanation helps us understand that the beasts described in Revelation must also refer to political powers.
The Seven-Headed Wild Beast
What is the seven-headed wild beast? We notice that this beast has the general appearance of a leopard but the feet of a bear and the mouth of a lion, and it has ten horns. All of these are also features of the four beasts mentioned in Daniel chapter 7. Yet, here in the book of Revelation, these characteristics are combined into one beast, not four separate beasts. This wild beast does not represent just one government or world empire. It is spoken of as ruling “over every tribe and people and tongue and nation.” So it must be greater than any single national government. This wild beast, then, must represent all the political powers that have dominated humankind down through history.
Summary of Symbolic Beasts
| Symbolic Image | Origin and Characteristics | Biblical Representation |
|---|---|---|
| Four Huge Beasts | They come “out of the sea.” (Dan. 7:1-8, 15-17) | They symbolize world powers that had significant dealings with God’s people starting in Daniel’s time. |
| The Seven-Headed Wild Beast | It ascends “out of the sea” and has seven heads, ten horns, and ten diadems. (Rev. 13:1-4) | It symbolizes all political powers that have dominated mankind throughout history. The seven heads symbolize seven world powers. |
| Another Wild Beast | Ascending out of the earth; speaks like a dragon and makes “fire come down out of heaven.” (Rev. 13:11-13) | Represents long-standing enemies of Jehovah God and his Kingdom. |
How can we remain steadfast in the face of Satan’s attacks? Let us now examine how Revelation describes these enemies and what will happen to them. As we do, we will see how the Bible helps us identify what these signs mean. First, we will identify whom they represent. Then, we will see what happens to these beasts. Finally, we will consider what these events mean for us. They gathered them together to the place that is called in Hebrew Armageddon.