Beasts of Revelation
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The beasts of Revelation are two beasts mentioned in the Book of Revelation. The first beast is "a beast rising out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads."[1] The second beast, or Beast of the Earth, is described as follows:
- Then I saw another beast rising out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb and it spoke like a dragon. It exercises all the authority of the first beast in its presence, and makes the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose mortal wound was healed.[2]
The opening of Revelation implies that the author was sent to Patmos as part of a persecution of Christians.[3] So the beast may represent the Roman Empire, especially Nero and other emperors who persecuted Christians. The Number of the Beast, given as 666,[4] yields the name of Nero when transcribed into Hebrew (Nerōn Kaisar). At this time, many Romans expected Nero's return as Nero Redivivus (Nero revived). Revelation is noted for a multi-layered symbolism that lends itself to open ended interpretation.