Revelation 16-20

The Beast, False Prophet and Dragon

And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.—Revelation 16:13

David Doran

To many the various players in the drama of the book of Revelation are mysterious and confusing. Because three of these are particularly important during the sixth plague (Revelation 16:12-16), an understanding of their identities is vital.

The Beast

Excluding the “four beasts” of Revelation 4—which are not beasts at all; the Greek is best translated “living ones”—there are two beasts in the book of Revelation. One is commonly called the ten-horned beast (Revelation 13:1) and the other is called the two-horned beast (Revelation 13:11). Both play important parts in the history and prophecy of Christianity. Usually, however, when one refers simply to “the beast,” the ten-horned beast is meant.

The beasts as symbolic representations are complicated. An in-depth study of them would consider their heads, horns, bodies, and even their rider. But for simplicity’s sake, let us look at just the big picture. The “beast” represents Roman Catholicism, particularly in its complicated relationship to “The Holy Roman Empire” and its remnants.

In one case the beast does not represent the Roman Catholic Church, but rather the people (thebody of thebeast) over which that church had domination. In chapter 17 the Roman Catholic Church is shown as a rider on the beast. Such a separation was necessary to show prophetically how the people would turn on this church and destroy her; thus the picture separates thebeast (the church itself) from the body of the beast (the people under the church). This beast of chapter 17 is also found in 11:7.

Revelation 13 shows some of the particulars in the history of “the Beast” (the Roman Catholic religious empire):

1. It is born out of restless turmoil (the sea), verse 1.

2. During its history it has the support of other powers (ten horns), verse 1.

3. It changes its methods of thinking and organization (seven heads), verse 1.

4. Its characteristics (names) create false impressions of God (blasphemies), verse 1.

5. Its power is shared between its supporters (diadems on horns, verse 1) and itself (power, throne, and authority, verse 2).

6. It received its power by gift from the “dragon” (civil power), verse 2.

7. It experienced a great and near-fatal challenge (wound) to its authority by the great Reformation, verse 3.

8. It dominated and persecuted true Christian efforts for 3 symbolic years, a literal 1,260-year span, verses 5 and 6.

9. During this time it was allowed to make incredible claims which dishonored anddistorted the image of God, verses 5and 6 (see also Daniel 7:8,11,25; 2Thessalonians 2:3,4).

The False Prophet

The history of the false prophet is considerably more obscure. It is first mentioned in Revelation 16:13 where it appears suddenly and without introduction. Fortunately a comparison of two other texts allows us to have a reasonable certainty about its origin and identity.

Its identity is inseparably linked to the two-horned beast of Revelation 13. This two-horned beast has been reasonably identified by Bible Students as the Church of England, anon-Protestant separation from the Roman church. Chapter 13 gives us information regarding this two-horned beast:

1. Its origin, unlike the ten-horned beast, is not out of restless turmoil (sea), but outof an already-established social order (earth), verse 11.

2. It is so strongly linked to its supporting state (dragon) that its expression comes from the monarch who is considered to be its head, verse 11.

3. It is barely distinguishable in doctrine and practice from its predecessor so that it contributes to the successful healing of its predecessor, verse 12.

4. By its daring act of separation, it convinces others that separate parts of Christianity can be successful, verse 14.

5. It gets the opportunity and power to vitalize this break-away (Protestant Christianity, an image of the beast), verse 15.

These points are essential to identify the false prophet. A careful reading of Revelation 19:20 supplies additional needed information.* The false prophet is said to have “performed the signs in [the beast’s] presence,” and to have “deceived those ... who dwell on the earth,” and to cause “a mark.” All of these things are said of the two-horned beast in 13:12-16. It is, therefore, inescapable that the two-horned beast is part of this false prophet.

It is clear that the “image of the beast” in chapter 13 is a separate entity from the two-horned beast but still closely connected to it. The two-horned beast “suggests” the making of the image and also gives it “breath.” But the image also, like the two-horned beast, simply disappears from view in Revelation; its demise is not shown. Revelation 19:20 acknowledges the place which the image played in history, but seems to dismiss it as an entity of the past. The strong implication is that the false prophet is not the two-horned beast, nor is it the image. It is the result of the two-horned beast’s giving “breath” to the image. In other words, once the false prophet appears on the scene, the Church of England and the Protestant federation of churches go off the scene as actors and are replaced by a combination of the two which becomes known as the false prophet.

This change apparently happens during the progress of the seven plagues of chapter 16. Note that the first plague (16:2) is upon those worshipping the image. By the time the sixth plague is in progress, the image has vanished, and the false prophet is functioning.

The Dragon

In one sense the dragon is the least complicated symbol of these three. Bible Students are nearly unanimous in agreeing that it represents a purely civil power, a political entity rather than a religious one. It is important, however, that it be consistently maintained as a symbol. Revelation is nearly all symbols (Revelation 1:1) and much care should be taken to not read it literally. The dragon is a case in point. It is not uncommon for Bible Students to read Revelation 20 and interpret it as the binding or restraining of the literal devil. The “dragon” of Revelation 20 is not the literal devil (although he is surely involved and included in the activity described). Jesus’ parable about binding the “strong man” (Matthew 12:29; Mark 3:27) teaches us that the literal devil will definitely be bound. But that is not the subject matter of Revelation 20 which describes the binding of the symbolic devil—the dragon (civil power).

The dragon first occurs in Revelation 12 where it initially represents pre-Christian Rome (verses 3 and 7) and then as history progresses it represents the remnants of the civil power which once was Rome (verses 9, 13 and 17). In chapter 13 it is not specifically mentioned, but it is incorporated into the vast church-state empire represented by the beast. Hence there are certain correspondencies in the descriptions of the dragon in 12:13 and the beast in 13:1.

When we next meet the dragon in Revelation 16:13, he is in close cooperation with the beast and false prophet. This part of the prophecy is yet before us and should provide some colorful and exciting events to behold! Even the fallen angels will be involved (see Revelation 16:14). Since these three entities—Roman Catholicism, Protestant Collusion, and Civil Power—are all here shown as prominent players in end-time prophecy, their destruction is of vital interest to us.

The two religious entities (the beast and false prophet) are destroyed at the close of the Gospel age harvest as recorded in Revelation 19:20. The civil entity (the dragon) is bound a thousand years and is then destroyed in the little season at the close of the Millennium (20:10) where he is once again united with the other two symbolic entities in oblivion.

Revelation 20:10 uses the name “devil” not “dragon.” This is not a weakness in interpretation but an acknowledgement of the complexity of the symbol. This symbolic dragon (civil power) is given four descriptive names when it first appears in Revelation 12:9. The same four names are applied only in one other instance, Revelation 20:2. Thus in both his first and his last appearance in this great drama, heis identified symbolically as “dragon ... serpent ... devil ... Satan.” Just as one would not question his symbolism in chapters 12 and 16, there is also no reason to switch to believing a literal devil is being described in chapter 20. The prophecy seems to show that while false religion will be abolished by the end of the Gospel harvest (19:20), civil power as a threat to men will only be restrained, not destroyed, at that time. Civil power will make a reappearance at the close of the Millennium to give man the test based on deception. The literal devil will no doubt be the instigator and power behind this civil deception, and he will meet his personal fate at that time as well (20:9). But Revelation 20 is not really about the personal devil.

Any discussion of the binding of Satan is greatly clarified when these truths become evident. The literal devil cannot be bound until the true church is complete and Satan’s religious masterpieces are destroyed. But the binding or restraining of the powers of the civil/political world need not await those events. The binding of the civil power devil (the dragon in symbol) is gradual and has been in progress since the Lord’s return. Revelation 20 makes it clear that this is a progressive, five-step, process: 1) laying hold of the dragon; 2)binding the dragon with a chain (compare Psalm 149:8); 3) throwing the dragon into an abyss; 4) shutting the abyss; and 5) sealing the abyss until the thousand years are completed. Thus the binding of “Satan” depends critically on whether one is talking about the literal devil of Jesus’ strong man parable or the symbolic devil of Revelation 20.

Through the history and prophecy of the beast, dragon, and false prophet, the Lord is showing us that the enemies of the true church and the world are, have been, and will be not just false religion, but also the selfish, power-retaining activities of the state. It is wise that all the true followers of the Master be informed and prepared.