Thematic Bible
Thematic Bible
Empires/world powers » The beast from the sea and the beast from the earth
In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel saw a dream and visions of his head upon his bed: then he wrote the dream and penned the sum of the matters. Daniel spoke and said, I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of the heaven fought the great sea. And four great beasts came up from the sea, different one from another. read more.
The first was like a lion, and had eagle's wings; I beheld until the its wings were plucked off, and it was removed from the earth, and it stood up on its feet as a man, and a man's heart was given to it. And behold the second beast, like unto a bear, which went off to one side, and it had three ribs between its teeth; and thus was said unto it, Arise, devour much flesh. After this I beheld, and behold another, like a tiger, which had upon the back of it four wings of a fowl; this beast also had four heads; and power was given to it. After this I saw in the night visions, and behold the fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and exceedingly strong; and it had great iron teeth; it devoured and broke in pieces and trod down that which was left with its feet; and it was very different from all the beasts that had been before her; and it had ten horns. As I was considering the horns, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom three of the first horns were plucked up by the roots; and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking grand things. I beheld until thrones were placed, and an Elder of great age did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool: his throne a flame of fire, his wheels burning fire. A river of fire issued and came forth from before him; thousands of thousands served him, and ten thousands of ten thousands stood before him; the Judge sat down, and the books were opened. I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spoke; I beheld even until the beast was slain and its body was undone and given over to be burned in the fire. They had also taken from the other beasts their rule because their lives had been prolonged until a certain time. I saw in the vision of the night, and, behold, in the clouds of heaven like a Son of man that came and drew near unto the Elder of great age, and they brought him near before him. And he gave him dominion and glory and kingdom; and all the peoples, nations, and tongues served him: his dominion is an eternal dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom such that it shall never be corrupted. My spirit was troubled, I Daniel, in the midst of my body, and the visions of my head astonished me. I came near unto one of those that stood by and asked him the truth of all this. So he told me and made me know the interpretation of the things. These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise in the earth. And they shall take the kingdom of the Holy One who is most High and possess the kingdom until the age and until the age of the ages. Then I had the desire to know the truth regarding the fourth beast, which was so different from all the others, exceeding dreadful, whose teeth were of iron, and its nails of brass; which devoured and broke in pieces and trod down that which was left with its feet; also regarding the ten horns that were in its head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; and that same horn had eyes and a mouth that spoke very grand things, whose appearance was greater than his fellows. I saw that this horn made war against the saints and overcame them; until such time as the Elder of great age came, and the judgment was given unto the saints of the most High; and the time came, and the saints possessed the kingdom. Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be a fourth king in earth, which shall be greater than all the other kingdoms and shall devour the whole earth and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces. And the ten horns signify that of this kingdom ten kings shall arise; and another shall rise after them; and he shall be greater than the first kings, and he shall bring down three kings. And he shall speak great words against the most High and shall break down the saints of the most High and think to move the times and the law; and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the half or dividing of a time. And the Judge shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion to destroy and to cast out unto the end; and that the kingdom and the dominion, and the majesty of the kingdoms under the whole heaven, be given to the holy people of the most High, His kingdom shall be an eternal kingdom, and all the dominions shall serve him and hear him. Up unto here was the end of the word. I, Daniel, was very troubled in my thoughts, and my countenance changed in me: but I kept the word in my heart.
The first was like a lion, and had eagle's wings; I beheld until the its wings were plucked off, and it was removed from the earth, and it stood up on its feet as a man, and a man's heart was given to it. And behold the second beast, like unto a bear, which went off to one side, and it had three ribs between its teeth; and thus was said unto it, Arise, devour much flesh. After this I beheld, and behold another, like a tiger, which had upon the back of it four wings of a fowl; this beast also had four heads; and power was given to it. After this I saw in the night visions, and behold the fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and exceedingly strong; and it had great iron teeth; it devoured and broke in pieces and trod down that which was left with its feet; and it was very different from all the beasts that had been before her; and it had ten horns. As I was considering the horns, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom three of the first horns were plucked up by the roots; and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking grand things. I beheld until thrones were placed, and an Elder of great age did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool: his throne a flame of fire, his wheels burning fire. A river of fire issued and came forth from before him; thousands of thousands served him, and ten thousands of ten thousands stood before him; the Judge sat down, and the books were opened. I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spoke; I beheld even until the beast was slain and its body was undone and given over to be burned in the fire. They had also taken from the other beasts their rule because their lives had been prolonged until a certain time. I saw in the vision of the night, and, behold, in the clouds of heaven like a Son of man that came and drew near unto the Elder of great age, and they brought him near before him. And he gave him dominion and glory and kingdom; and all the peoples, nations, and tongues served him: his dominion is an eternal dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom such that it shall never be corrupted. My spirit was troubled, I Daniel, in the midst of my body, and the visions of my head astonished me. I came near unto one of those that stood by and asked him the truth of all this. So he told me and made me know the interpretation of the things. These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise in the earth. And they shall take the kingdom of the Holy One who is most High and possess the kingdom until the age and until the age of the ages. Then I had the desire to know the truth regarding the fourth beast, which was so different from all the others, exceeding dreadful, whose teeth were of iron, and its nails of brass; which devoured and broke in pieces and trod down that which was left with its feet; also regarding the ten horns that were in its head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; and that same horn had eyes and a mouth that spoke very grand things, whose appearance was greater than his fellows. I saw that this horn made war against the saints and overcame them; until such time as the Elder of great age came, and the judgment was given unto the saints of the most High; and the time came, and the saints possessed the kingdom. Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be a fourth king in earth, which shall be greater than all the other kingdoms and shall devour the whole earth and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces. And the ten horns signify that of this kingdom ten kings shall arise; and another shall rise after them; and he shall be greater than the first kings, and he shall bring down three kings. And he shall speak great words against the most High and shall break down the saints of the most High and think to move the times and the law; and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the half or dividing of a time. And the Judge shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion to destroy and to cast out unto the end; and that the kingdom and the dominion, and the majesty of the kingdoms under the whole heaven, be given to the holy people of the most High, His kingdom shall be an eternal kingdom, and all the dominions shall serve him and hear him. Up unto here was the end of the word. I, Daniel, was very troubled in my thoughts, and my countenance changed in me: but I kept the word in my heart.
And I stood upon the sand of the sea and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon its horns ten crowns, and upon its heads the name of blasphemy. And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and its feet were as the feet of a bear, and its mouth as the mouth of a lion; and the dragon gave it his power and his throne and great authority. And I saw one of its heads as it were wounded to death; and its deadly wound was healed; and all the earth marveled, and followed the beast. read more.
And they worshipped the dragon which had given the authority unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast; saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with it? And there was given unto it a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto it to continue forty and two months. And it opened its mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name and his tabernacle and those that dwell in heaven. And it was given unto it to make war with the saints and to overcome them; and power was given it over all kindreds and tongues and nations. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship it, whose names are not written in the book of the life of the Lamb that was slain from the foundation of the world. If anyone has an ear, let him hear. He that leads into captivity shall go into captivity; he that kills with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints. Then I beheld another beast coming up out of the land; and he had two horns like the Lamb, but he spoke as the dragon. And he exercised all the power of the first beast in its presence and caused the earth and those that dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. And he does great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven to the earth in the sight of men and deceives those that dwell on the earth by those signs which were given unto him to do in the presence of the beast, commanding those that dwell on the earth to make an image of the beast, which has the wound by the sword, and did live. And it was given unto him to endue the image of the beast with spirit, so that the image of the beast should speak, and he shall cause those that do not worship the image of the beast to be killed. And he caused all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slaves, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads; and that no one might buy or sell, unless he has the mark or the name of the beast or the number of its name. Here is wisdom. Let him that has understanding count the number of the beast: for the number of man; and its number is six hundred sixty-six.
And they worshipped the dragon which had given the authority unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast; saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with it? And there was given unto it a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto it to continue forty and two months. And it opened its mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name and his tabernacle and those that dwell in heaven. And it was given unto it to make war with the saints and to overcome them; and power was given it over all kindreds and tongues and nations. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship it, whose names are not written in the book of the life of the Lamb that was slain from the foundation of the world. If anyone has an ear, let him hear. He that leads into captivity shall go into captivity; he that kills with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints. Then I beheld another beast coming up out of the land; and he had two horns like the Lamb, but he spoke as the dragon. And he exercised all the power of the first beast in its presence and caused the earth and those that dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. And he does great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven to the earth in the sight of men and deceives those that dwell on the earth by those signs which were given unto him to do in the presence of the beast, commanding those that dwell on the earth to make an image of the beast, which has the wound by the sword, and did live. And it was given unto him to endue the image of the beast with spirit, so that the image of the beast should speak, and he shall cause those that do not worship the image of the beast to be killed. And he caused all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slaves, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads; and that no one might buy or sell, unless he has the mark or the name of the beast or the number of its name. Here is wisdom. Let him that has understanding count the number of the beast: for the number of man; and its number is six hundred sixty-six.
Vision » Of john on the island of patmos » The beast coming out of the earth
Then I beheld another beast coming up out of the land; and he had two horns like the Lamb, but he spoke as the dragon. And he exercised all the power of the first beast in its presence and caused the earth and those that dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. And he does great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven to the earth in the sight of men read more.
and deceives those that dwell on the earth by those signs which were given unto him to do in the presence of the beast, commanding those that dwell on the earth to make an image of the beast, which has the wound by the sword, and did live. And it was given unto him to endue the image of the beast with spirit, so that the image of the beast should speak, and he shall cause those that do not worship the image of the beast to be killed. And he caused all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slaves, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads; and that no one might buy or sell, unless he has the mark or the name of the beast or the number of its name. Here is wisdom. Let him that has understanding count the number of the beast: for the number of man; and its number is six hundred sixty-six.
and deceives those that dwell on the earth by those signs which were given unto him to do in the presence of the beast, commanding those that dwell on the earth to make an image of the beast, which has the wound by the sword, and did live. And it was given unto him to endue the image of the beast with spirit, so that the image of the beast should speak, and he shall cause those that do not worship the image of the beast to be killed. And he caused all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slaves, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads; and that no one might buy or sell, unless he has the mark or the name of the beast or the number of its name. Here is wisdom. Let him that has understanding count the number of the beast: for the number of man; and its number is six hundred sixty-six.