[Rev 12:1 LSB] And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman [national Israel - 144,000] clothed with the sun [Jacob], and the moon [Rachel] under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars [twelve tribes/patriarchs].
See Genesis 37:9-11
[Rev 12:2 LSB] And she was with child, and she *cried out, being in labor and in pain to give birthThe cause of these pains, at least in part, is the persecution of the nation inspired by Satan in an attempt to stop the birth and destroy this people of God and Yeshua. Israel was in travail at the time of Christ’s first coming.
[Rev 12:3 LSB] Then another sign appeared in heaven: and behold, a great red dragon [Satan] having seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads were seven diadems.
[Rev 12:4 LSB] And his tail *swept away a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she gave birth he might devour her child.
If you take the beasts in Daniel 7, that is a lion with wings, a bear, a four headed leopard, and a ten-horned beast, and you combined them all into one beast, you would have a seven-headed ten-horned beast with characteristics of a bear, a leopard and a lion, which is exactly what we see in Revelation 13.
The Revelation mentions a "sea beast" an "abyss beast" and a "scarlet beast".
When the sea beast appears (with its fatal wound healed), “the whole earth marveled as they followed the beast” and worshiped it (Rev 13:3–4, 8).
When the abyss beast rises, “the dwellers on earth whose names have not been written in the book of life”… will marvel to see the beast, because it was and is not and is to come” (Rev 17:8).
The dragon is blood red [Greek: pyrros] signifying of his murderous traits.
These are seven consecutive kingdoms throughout world history.
The above are seven successive kingdoms:
[1] Egypt
[2] Assyria
[3] Babylon
[4] Medo-Persia
[5] Greece [H3120 - yavan, modern day Turkey]
[6] Rome
[7] Ottoman Empire
The revived Ottoman Empire will be the eighth.
Each head of the beast is a partial incarnation of satanic power that rules for a given period, so the beast can exist on earth without interruption in the form of seven consecutive kingdoms, but he can also be nonexistent at a given moment in the form of one of an empire’s kings. The nonexistent beast in v. 8 must therefore be a temporarily absent king over the empire that will exist in the future (Moffatt, Kiddle).
Note that the verse does not tell us where the ten horns are located. A safe assumption would be their location on the seventh head. This would agree with Daniel’s placement during end time events (Dan 7:23-24).
The parallel references indicate a connection with the future empire (Rev 13:1; Dan 7:7-8, 20, 24).
The crowns of the dragon will shift from the dragon’s seven heads to the horns of the beast (Rev 13:1) and emphasize the transfer of power from seven kings/kingdoms to ten kings/kingdoms. These ten will transfer their authority to the Antichrist (Rev 17:13).
We’re about to see Satan, and his angels, cast to earth. There’s no place for them in God’s presence any longer. The Accuser can no longer accuse and is nearing his end. The wrath of Satan (Rev 12:12) is about to be carried out on God’s children.
Satan has been trying to devour the male child [Rev 12:2], and His seed, since the beginning.
The dragon’s evil intentions toward the woman’s unborn child evidenced themselves throughout OT history. Instances of his hostility surfaced in Cain’s murder of Abel (Gen. 4:8), the corrupting of the line of Seth (Gen. 6:1-12), attempted rapes of Sarah (Gen. 12:10-20; 20:1-18) and Rebekah (Gen. 26:1-18), Rebekah’s plan to cheat Esau out of his birthright and the consequent enmity of Esau against Jacob (Gen. 27), the murder of the male children in Egypt (Ex. 1:15-22), attempted murders of David (e.g., 1 Sam. 18:10-11), Queen Athaliah’s attempt to destroy the royal seed (2 Chron. 22:10), Haman’s attempt to slaughter the Jews (Esther 3-9), and consistent attempts of the Israelites to murder their own children for sacrificial purposes (cf. Lev. 18:21; 2 Kings 16:3; 2 Chron. 28:3; Ps. 106:37-38; Ezek. 16:20).63 The attack of Herod against the children of Bethlehem (Matt. 2:16) and many other incidents during Jesus’ earthly life, including His temptation, typify the ongoing attempt of the dragon to “devour” (αταϕάγ [kataphag]) the woman’s child once he was born. The most direct attempt was, of course, in the crucifixion of Christ (Alford, Johnson). Thomas, Robert. Revelation Exegetical Commentary - 2 volume set (Wycliffe Exegetical Commentary) (p. 1065). Moody Publishers. Kindle Edition.
[Dan 7:3-6 LSB] “And four great beasts were coming up from the sea, different from one another. [4] “The first was like a lion and had the wings of an eagle. I kept looking until its wings were plucked, and it was lifted up from the ground and made to stand on two feet like a man; and a heart of a man was given to it. [5] “And behold, another beast, a second one in the likeness of a bear. And it was raised up on one side, and three ribs were in its mouth between its teeth; and thus they said to it, ‘Arise, devour much meat!’ [6] “After this I kept looking, and behold, another one, like a leopard, which had on its back four wings of a bird; the beast also had four heads, and dominion was given to it.
If you take the beasts in Daniel 7, that is a lion with wings, a bear, a four headed leopard, and a ten-horned beast, and you combined them all into one beast, you would have a seven-headed ten-horned beast with characteristics of a bear, a leopard and a lion, which is exactly what we see in Revelation 13.
The Revelation mentions a "sea beast" an "abyss beast" and a "scarlet beast".
Admittedly, there is no Scripture directly stating that the “beast from the sea” and the “beast from the abyss” are explicitly identical entities. I claim that they are one and the same. I consider my view to be completely compatible with Scripture and a more than reasonable conclusion.
Some scholars note that the “sea” in apocalyptic literature can be synonymous with the “abyss” as a source of demonic/chaotic forces (the abyss as the abode of evil entities in Revelation 9:1–11; Luke 8:31). The sea beast’s emergence echoes this demonic origin, empowered by the dragon (Satan, Rev 13:2, 4).
“Sea” and “abyss” also find equivalency in the OT concept of the sea, that it is the source of satanic sea monsters (cf. Job 26:12-13; Pss. 74:13-14; 87:4; 89:9-10; Isa. 27:1; 51:9-10). Also, Paul equates the sea with the abyss in his Rom. 10:7 citation of Deut. 30:13.11
After stating the above, my conclusions (equating the two as identical) are drawn from several passages in the Revelation.
When the sea beast appears (with its fatal wound healed), “the whole earth marveled as they followed the beast” and worshiped it (Rev 13:3–4, 8).
When the abyss beast rises, “the dwellers on earth whose names have not been written in the book of life”… will marvel to see the beast, because it was and is not and is to come” (Rev 17:8).
This “marveling” or amazement at the beast’s revival/appearance is nearly identical phrasing, pointing to the same phenomenon: a seemingly defeated power that revives astonishingly.
Rev 17:8 describes the beast as one that “was, and is not, and is about to rise from the abyss and go to destruction.”. This is the “eighth”.
This mirrors the sea beast’s “fatal wound” that “had been healed” (Rev 13:3), causing global wonder. The abyss ascent explains the “healing” or revival— the beast was temporarily inactive (“is not”) in the abyss but ascends empowered.
Revelation 17’s scarlet beast (with seven heads and ten horns) matches Revelation 13’s sea beast description (Rev 13:1; 17:3, 7), reinforcing they depict the same power in different phases or emphases.
This mirrors the sea beast’s “fatal wound” that “had been healed” (Rev 13:3), causing global wonder. The abyss ascent explains the “healing” or revival— the beast was temporarily inactive (“is not”) in the abyss but ascends empowered.
Revelation 17’s scarlet beast (with seven heads and ten horns) matches Revelation 13’s sea beast description (Rev 13:1; 17:3, 7), reinforcing they depict the same power in different phases or emphases.
Rev 17:7–8 explicitly calls the scarlet beast the one that “was and is not and is to come” from the abyss, while carrying the same features as the sea beast. As mentioned multiple times, I see Revelation 17 as interpreting or expanding on Revelation 13, highlighting the beast’s revival (Satanically empowered) from the abyss.
Another example can be seen in Islam, who has no current “king”… yet. They will have one soon as the eighth.
All of this goes back to the olam ebah (ancient hatred) between Jacob and Esau. In fact, it likely goes back even further as seen in Baal worship.
The Ottoman Empire will, and is currently in the process of, returning to life and power in not only the Middle East, but also look at the influx of Islam into all countries of the world right now.
[Rev 13:4 LSB] And they worshiped the dragon [Satan] because he gave his authority to the beast [Antichrist], and they worshiped the beast [Antichrist], saying, “Who is like the beast, and who is able to wage war with him?”
They worshipped him because of his head being healed... who is like him? He can't even be killed! This is all part of the dragon’s attempt to counterfeit the death and resurrection of Christ. I suspect, as others, he will actually be killed and then revived via the supernatural from the abyss (as we're told later).
Applying this to a kingdom, versus a man, also has it's issues. The big weakness of this proposal is its failure to recognize that the pronoun ατo (autou, "his") in the expression τo θανάτoυ ατo (tou thanatou autou, "of his death") limits the wounding and healing to one of the heads, a king, and cannot apply to the whole kingdom.
No matter the interpretation, the healing of the head is the healing of the beast, and the healing of the beast is the healing of the head. Whatever this distinctly means, it will be amazing to the entire globe.
[Rev 17:8 LSB] “The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to come up out of the abyss and go to destruction. And those who dwell on the earth, whose name has not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, will wonder when they see the beast, that he was and is not and will come.
[Rev 13:5 LSB] And there was given to him a mouth speaking great boasts and blasphemies, and authority to act for forty-two months was given to him.
The antichrist will speak great things and blasphemies against Yahweh.
Also notice the use of "forty-months" again versus 1,260 days, or time, times, and a half. Forty-two months was also specifically used in the mention of when the Gentiles would trample the holy city.
[Rev 11:2 LSB] “And leave out the court which is outside the sanctuary and do not measure it, for it has been given to the Gentiles, and they will trample the holy city under foot for forty-two months.
Gentiles will trample the holy city for 42 months (Rev 11:2). It has been noted that John's use of "42 months" is directing us specifically to the deeds of Satan and his children. The only other time "42 months" is used by John, concerns the Antichrist (Rev 13:5) and the second half.
Having said that, you’ll notice that John’s use of “1,260 days” refers to God’s side of the fence. The two witnesses (Rev 11:3) and the Jewish remnant fleeing to the wilderness (Rev 12:6). Both second half of the week events. In fact, all references to the 3.5 years (in Revelation), whether “days”, “months”, or “times” - all mentions of any of these 3.5 year time periods refer to the second half. It wasn’t an accident that John wrote these clues out like he did.
Having said that, you’ll notice that John’s use of “1,260 days” refers to God’s side of the fence. The two witnesses (Rev 11:3) and the Jewish remnant fleeing to the wilderness (Rev 12:6). Both second half of the week events. In fact, all references to the 3.5 years (in Revelation), whether “days”, “months”, or “times” - all mentions of any of these 3.5 year time periods refer to the second half. It wasn’t an accident that John wrote these clues out like he did.
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