Who is the 2nd beast? (Revelation 13) Part 2

I’m writing another posting regarding the second beast of Revelation 13 that includes Steve Wohlberg’s interpretation of this prophecy. I don’t agree with Steve on this prophecy, but he includes additional insight from Scripture on this topic and I feel it also relates to my interpretation. While I do agree that the United States has played, and is currently playing, a vital role in creating the second beast, I don’t believe that the U.S. is the second beast. I do believe that the United States is mentioned in the Book of Revelation and I will discuss this in a future posting – and be ready, because it's chilling. At the end of this discussion I will tell you some additional insights I have on this prophecy of the second beast.

This is an excerpt from Steve Wohlberg’s book ‘Truth Left Behind – Exposing End-Time Errors about the Rapture and the Antichrist’:
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The United States of America is now “the world’s sole remaining superpower” (Time, July 29, 1991). Washington D.C. has appropriately been called, “the new Rome” (Newsweek, August 12, 1991). The Bible clearly refers to the ancient nations of Babylon, Persia, Greece and Rome. They were superpowers in their day and are mentioned in prophecy because they had a direct historical connection with God’s chosen people. In our modern times, America, more than any other nation, has aided the spread of Christianity. In our national pledge, we still claim to be “One nation under God.” Our coins still say, “In God We Trust.” Therefore, it is appropriate to ask: Has America been left behind in Bible prophecy?

Revelation 13 actually describes two beasts. We have already discovered the irrefutable and immovable fact that in Bible prophecy, a beast represents a kingdom. “The fourth beast shall be a fourth kingdom upon the earth” (Daniel 7:23). This point is of mega-importance when it comes to prophetic interpretation. It is also an irrefutable fact of history that for almost four hundred years Protestants have interpreted the first beast in Revelation 13 to represent the kingdom of papal Rome. But there is a second beast also mentioned in the same chapter. John wrote, “And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon” (verse 11). Who is this second beast? Let’s find out.

John saw “another beast” rising into power. Everyone admits that Daniel 7 parallels Revelation 13. Therefore, this second beast must also represent a great kingdom or nation. It also must be an end-time kingdom because the second beast is involved in the enforcement of that mysterious mark (Revelation 13:11-17). The second beast rises “out of the earth” whereas the first beast came out of the sea (Revelation 13:1). This often-overlooked detail is actually quite significant. In fact, all four beasts in Daniel 7 came out of the sea. What does “the sea” or water represent in prophecy? In Revelation 17:1, John saw a woman named “Babylon” sitting upon “many waters”. An angel explained, “The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations and tongues” (Revelation 17:15). Thus, the “water” represents lots of people. Historically, the great nations of Babylon, Persia, Greece and Rome rose up from among the multitude of nations in Europe and the Middle East. The second beast was seen “coming up out of the earth”. If the “water” represents lots and lots of people, then “the earth” would represent a sparsely populated area, more of a wilderness region. The second beast is also described as being “like a lamb”. In the Bible, a lamb is primarily a symbol of Jesus Christ (John 1:29; Revelation 14:1). The second beast is not Jesus, to be sure, but it will be lamb-like; it will be “like” Jesus in some significant way. It also has “two horns”. Horns in prophecy represent either kings, kingdoms, or divisions within a kingdom (see Daniel 7:17, 23, 24; 8:3, 8, 20-22). Thus, the second beast might have a division of power within itself.

Also, there is much more to the matter of the time when this beast arises than a simple appearance near the end time. The prophecy is more specific.

In a previous chapter we talked about the wounding of the first beast. This wound occurred on time in the exact year that marked the end of the 1260 years. What year was that? 1798. This wound is described in Revelation 13:10. In that verse the first beast is described as going into “captivity”. In other words, in 1798, he would be on his way down. Now notice, it is in the very next verse that the second beast is seen “coming up”. It’s like a prophetic teeter-totter. The first beast goes down and then the second beast comes up. This “down and up” activity occurs right around the same time; therefore, we need to look for a great kingdom coming into power around the year 1798.

John Wesley founded the Methodist Church in England in the 1700’s. Like most other Protestants in his day, he had absolutely no interest in the speculative fancies of Jesuit futurism. In the 1750’s, as he was studying prophecy, he realized the 1260 year period would soon come to an end. In 1754, he published his much-respected New Testament with Explanatory Notes. After applying the first beast of Revelation 13:1-10 to the papacy, he contemplated the rise of the second beast. Underneath verse 11, John Wesley wrote, “Another…beast….But he is not yet come, though he cannot be far off; for he is to appear at the end of the forty-two months of the first beast. And he had two horns like a lamb – a mild, innocent appearance” (John Wesley, Notes on Revelation, 1754.). The founder of the Methodist Church was right on target!

A lamb is a young animal, a baby sheep. The fact that this kingdom is described as being lamb-like around 1798 indicates that this would be a young kingdom at this time. All of the other recognizable beasts in Daniel 7 (the lion, the bear, and the leopard) were like hungry wild animals. The nations of Babylon, Persia, Greece and Rome rose by conquering the previous nation in power. Yet the lamb-like beast was to rise differently, more peacefully. The fact that it has no crowns on its horns is also highly significant. The first beast of Revelation 13 has horns with crowns. Crowns represent kingly power, as in the European nations. Papal Rome did in fact rule over Kings. Yet the lamb-like nation would try something new. It would have no crowns, thus it would be a nation without a king.

Revelation 13 predicts that the second beast will eventually become a superpower. How do we know this? We know this because the beast eventually has the capability to enforce the mark of the first beast upon ‘all’ the peoples of the world (Revelation 13:16). Therefore, the second beast must grow from its comparatively small and peaceful beginnings into a mighty nation or kingdom of superpower status with global influence. And yet, in spite of its lamb-like profession, it will eventually “speak like a dragon” (Revelation 13:11). This indicates a final denial of its principles, internal degradation, and the use of satanic force.

Let’s put the pieces together:

1. What youthful nation was “coming up” into power in a wilderness area around 1798?
2. What new nation around 1798 was “like a lamb”, Christian in its features, mild and peaceful, without needing to conquer another great nation in its ascent?
3. What nation now has “two horns”, that is, a division of power within its government?
4. What nation in its form of government has no crowns, is without kingly power, being ruled “by the people”?
5. And what nation is now the world’s only superpower?

When it comes to Bible prophecy, there is only one nation that qualifies as the second beast of Revelation 13 – The United States of America.
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Steve makes some very good points. However, I feel very strongly that the Lord has instructed me to take the knowledge I have been given personally and apply it to His end time Bible prophecies. As I have stated before, I feel that the judgment of the Lord is coming upon our Nation. Who will the Lord use to do this? I believe it will be the Illuminati…in accordance with their plan of controlling the world (New World Order). The U.S. will have done what the Illuminati wanted the nation to do, so it will be time to knock her down from superpower status in order to incorporate her into the New World Order. I believe true power will then shift back to Europe.

Although I disagree with Steve on this prophecy, he brings up some additional insight from the Scriptures describing this prophecy that I feel have significance. Let’s take a look at the additional insight mentioned by Steve in light of the knowledge of the Illuminati and the New World Order.

As I mentioned in an earlier posting (Illuminati and the dollar bill), the modern day Illuminati was started by Adam Weishaupt in 1776….also around the time of the decline of the Roman Catholic Church. These secret societies of the global elite are working in secrecy to attain their goals….no need to conquer by force. They are not taking a brute force approach to conquering the world, but are using secretive, deceptive means. Therefore, this could be viewed as a ‘lamb-like’ approach. In addition, they have used the U.S. extensively throughout the past 200 years to further their goals, which has always been viewed as a Christian nation.

As I stated in the previous posting, it appears that the Illuminati have two main bases of power – the United States and Europe (Europe being dominant). This could be the ‘two horns’ of the prophecy representing its division of power. Another possible explanation are the methods they are using to patiently and deceptively gain control of the world’s governments – war and economic manipulation. It appears that they have used ‘false flag’ operations to start wars or to bring a country into a war when needed (Examples: 9/11, Gulf of Tonkin)….or manufacture reasons to start a war when it is in the interests of the NWO (Examples: 1991 Gulf War, current wars in Iraq and Afghanistan). They exert immense control over the world’s banking and financial systems. Guess who controls the Central Banks in each country? Guess who controls the U.S. Federal Reserve System? You guessed it….the same international bankers control all of this. If they control our banking and monetary systems, they certainly have the ability to control our financial markets, stock markets, etc. It is estimated that the controlling families of the Illuminati control 75%-80% of the world’s wealth…that’s right, trillions of dollars. It seems impossible until you realize they have planned this for over 200 years and started with some of the wealthiest families in the world. So, there are reasonable explanations for the ‘two horns’ of this prophecy representing a division of power within the Illuminati.

As far as I can see, the Illuminati have no ‘kings’ and obviously are not a nation….so the rise of the New World Order also meets the prophetic criteria of the 2nd beast by not having any ‘crowns’.

The important thing to remember as you read these prophecies is that the Book of Revelation is describing current events. The main issue with the futurist view is that everyone is waiting for some supernatural phenomenon to happen to signal everyone that it’s time to pay attention. Millions of Christians are always looking into the future for these things to happen when they are happening now. The enemy is deceiving us on a scale that is almost unimaginable. There are two monumental problems with the futurist view – 1. it shifts our focus into the future and away from the real threats 2. it will be used to attack our faith in the near future when the pre-trib rapture, 7 year tribulation, rebuilt Jewish Temple, etc…don’t happen.

I believe our Lord is revealing the truth to those who are close to Him and want to know. If you are reading this now, He’s revealing it to you for a reason. You must pray and read His Holy Word to discern what to do. We still have a long way to go….read on!