Who is the beast?

Though everyone is asking that question these days, I tend to think we are asking the wrong question. I think it would be more aptly put this way: What is the beast?

In Daniel Chapter 2 King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon has a dream about an immense statue, whose body is made of various metals. Clearly these various metal parts represent ancient powerful kingdoms such as Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome, and the Ottoman/Islamic Empire. Then in Daniel 7 the prophet himself has a dream of four beasts coming out of the sea that look like a lion, a bear, and a leopard, the fourth an undefined beast with large iron teeth that crushes and devours. This vision is completely consistent with Revelation 13:1-2 where John the Revelator had a vision identical to Daniel's: "And I saw a beast coming out of the sea. He had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on his horns, and on each head a blasphemous name. The beast I saw resembled a leopard, but had feet like those of a bear and a mouth like that of a lion. The dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority."

First we must understand that in Scripture the word sea is very often used as Hebraic understanding of "nations or Gentile groups of peoples." I have come to understand and believe that the beast spoken of in the prophecies of Revelation is actually a system that is a combination of all the wicked ancient empires out of the Gentile nations/peoples of the past. In other words, this beast system (commonly known today as the New World Order) is fueled by the same evil that powered the Babylonian Empire, the Greco/Roman empires, the Medo-Persian empires, the false religion of Islam, the Third Reich of Germany, the Spanish Inquisitions, and the modern-day European Union and United Nations. This evil power is, of course, none other than the dragon, Satan, "that ancient serpent who leads the whole world astray." (Revelation 12:9). And remember we are told in Revelation 13:2 that "the dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority." The New World Order is being given its power and authority from none other than Satan himself.

Am I saying there is not one single individual who will fulfill the role of "Antichrist?" No, I am not saying that. According to Daniel's vision, "while I was thinking about the horns, there before me was another horn, a little one, which came up among them." Came up among whom? I believe this becomes more clear when we understand that one individual emerges and rises to great power from within the beast system (New World Order). And again, this individual will be entirely consistent in his goal and motivation with those who preceded him. Let me name just a few and the footprints of Satan should become easily discernible to you: Pharoah, Haman, Antiochus Epiphanes, King Herod, Suleiman I, Adolf Hitler, Yasser Arafat, Bashar Assad, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. This line of evil rulers all had (have) one thing in common, didn't they? Their goal was/is to destroy the Jewish race, through whom the seed of the Messiah came and will come again. The rulers of the past all failed. But just because these failed do you think the enemy has given up? Some of the rulers I have listed here have yet to carry out their wicked plans.

I tell you the enemy is even now orchestrating this beast system, fulfilling these prophecies of Daniel and Revelation, all designed to annihilate the Jewish race and those who believe in the Messiah and keep His commands. Together, you see, we form the family of Jacob, the children of Yahweh. Thus together we will endure the time of Jacob's trouble - the last onslaught of Satan before he is bound in chains for 1000 years - and together as two sticks in the Father's hand, our robes washed in the Blood of the Lamb we will see the Promise come to pass!