The Image of the Beast

Revelation 13 outlines the final crisis that will unfold on earth just before the second coming of Jesus. For those who understand this prophecy, it is evident that the formation of the image of the beast is already underway. The prophecy describes a power that arises from the earth and urges the inhabitants of the world to create an “image to the beast” whose deadly wound was healed (v.14). This power then gives life to the image and enforces worship of it—going so far as to decree death for those who refuse (v.15).

God warns in the strongest terms that anyone who worships the beast or its image, and receives its mark, will “drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of His indignation” (Revelation 14:9–10). With consequences so serious, it is vital that we correctly identify the earth-beast responsible for setting up this idolatrous image—and understand what the image itself truly represents—so that we are not deceived.

As with all prophetic passages, the safest and most reliable approach is to start at the beginning and carefully work through each symbol in context. In order to understand Revelation 13, we need to identify:

1. The sea-beast whose deadly wound was healed

2. The earth-beast that creates the image and compels the world to worship the first beast

3. The image of the beast itself

THE SEA-BEAST

 Revelation 13 begins by describing a beast that rises from the sea, giving us several clues to help identify it:

“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 his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.” - Revelation 13:1-2

 The first thing we notice is that this beast mirrors the imagery used in Daniel 7:

• 10 horns - Daniel 7:7

• Leopard - Daniel 7:6

• Bear - Daniel 7:5

• Lion - Daniel 7:4

• Sea - Daniel 7:2

These parallels are no accident. God is clearly directing us back to Daniel 7 to unlock the identity of this beast.

In addition to the visual similarities, Revelation 13 describes the sea-beast with several key traits that match a specific figure in Daniel 7:

-          It speaks “great things and blasphemies” against God (Revelation 13:5-6)

-          It is given authority to continue 42 months (Revelation 13:5)

-          It makes war with the saints and overcomes them (Revelation 13:7)

When we line these traits up with Daniel 7, they point directly to the little horn power.

Daniel 7, like Daniel 2, traces the rise and fall of world empires. The sequence begins with:

1. A lion, symbolizing Babylon (605–539 B.C.)

2. A bear, representing Medo-Persia (539–331 B.C.)

3. A leopard, symbolizing Greece (331–168 B.C.)

4. A dreadful beast, representing pagan Rome (168 B.C.–476 A.D.)

After this, the Roman Empire doesn’t fall to a new world power. Instead, it divides into ten horns, representing the ten kingdoms of divided Rome by 476 A.D. It is from among these that the little horn arises.

This is the point of intersection between Daniel 7 and Revelation 13.

Let’s return now to the sea-beast in Revelation 13. Its characteristics match those of the little horn in Daniel 7:25:

“And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.”-  Daniel 7:25

Just like the sea-beast, the little horn:

• Speaks great words against God

• Persecutes the saints

• Rules for a time (1 year), times (2 years), and half a time—a total of 3½ prophetic years, or 42 months

With this evidence, it becomes unmistakably clear: the sea-beast of Revelation 13, whose mark the world will be forced to receive, is the same power as the little horn of Daniel 7.

And if we continue to trace the unbroken sequence of events in Daniel 7, we’ll find that identifying this little horn is not only possible—it’s actually quite straightforward.

As we have already seen, we have:

 THE RISE OF THE LITTLE HORN

 At this point in Daniel 7, it’s important to notice that as one kingdom falls, the next immediately takes its place. There are no prophetic gaps between these empires.

However, many go astray by inserting a 2,000-year gap between the fall of pagan Rome and the rise of the ten horns—effectively pushing the appearance of the antichrist (the little horn) into some undefined time in the future. But Scripture doesn’t allow for this. In reality, the little horn began its rise to power nearly 1,500 years ago.

Returning to Daniel 7, we see that the little horn rises:

• From among the ten kingdoms of divided Rome

• And uproots three of them in the process (Daniel 7:8)

This gives us a clear historical timeframe. The ten kingdoms were firmly established by 476 A.D., and the third of the three uprooted kingdoms was defeated by 538 A.D. So, we should expect the little horn's rise to political dominance within this window.

Moreover, because this power emerges from the Roman beast, we should expect it to arise from within Roman territory—in other words, from Europe. This makes it a Roman power.

History confirms that only one entity fits all these details: the Roman Catholic Papacy.

While the Roman Catholic Church already existed as a religious institution prior to 476 A.D., it had not yet acquired the political power that would define the Papacy. The term “Papacy” specifically refers to the union of church and state, and to the political authority of the Pope.

A major turning point came in 330 A.D., when Emperor Constantine moved the capital of the Roman Empire from Rome to Constantinople. This shift left a power vacuum in the West—one that the Roman Church was well-positioned to fill. In this, we see the fulfilment of Revelation 13:2: “The dragon [pagan Rome] gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.”

Even so, the Papacy’s power was initially hindered by three rival kingdoms—the Vandals, the Heruli, and the Ostrogoths. These tribes rejected the authority of the Papacy and embraced Arianism, a belief that denied the full divinity of Christ. These theological and political differences made them enemies of the Roman Church.

To remove these obstacles, Emperor Justinian—a devout Catholic and ally of the Church—launched military campaigns against the Arian kingdoms. Edward Gibbon, in The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, records:

“When Justinian first meditated the conquest of Italy, he sent ambassadors to the kings of the Franks, and adjured them, by the common ties of alliance and religion, to join in the holy enterprise against the Arians.” - Edward Gibbon, The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, volume 4 [chapter 41, paragraph 32] (New York: Harper & Brothers), p. 175 emphasis supplied

Then, in 533 A.D., Justinian issued a decree that formally recognised the Pope as the supreme head of all the Christian churches:

“Therefore, we have exerted ourselves to unite all the priests of the East and subject them to the See of Your Holiness. . . because you are the head of all the Holy Churches. . . We shall exert Ourselves in every way. . .  to increase the honor and authority of your See. . .” (S. P. Scott, The Civil Law, vol. 12, pp. 11-13)

In this way the Papacy was gaining control of the state and military power of those who subjected themselves to its rule. When the Ostrogoths were forced out of Rome in 538 A.D, this opened the way for Justinian’s decree to be fully enforced. For the first time, the Bishop of Rome faced no political opposition and could assume full control over the kingdoms of divided Rome.

This was the birth of the Papacy—a religious power backed by the strength of the state.

THE 1260-YEAR REIGN OF THE PAPACY

 To fully grasp what is happening in Revelation 13, we need to return briefly to Daniel 7 and examine a few remaining features of the little horn—also known as the sea beast in Revelation 13.

One of the most important details is its duration of rule:

It was prophesied to continue for a “time, times, and the dividing of time”—the same period as the 42 months in Revelation 13:5.

To the Hebrew mind, it was well understood that in prophetic language, a day represents a year. This principle is also stated clearly in the Bible:

“I have appointed thee each day for a year.” -Ezekiel 4:6

 “…each day for a year” -Numbers 14:34

So we don't expect the Papacy to rule for only 42 literal months, but for 1,260 prophetic days, which equals 1,260 literal years.

This brings us to a stunning historical fulfilment:

The Papacy was established as a political power in 538 A.D., and exactly 1,260 years later, in 1798, the Papal government was abolished under Napoleon during the French Revolution. The Pope was taken captive, and the Papacy lost its political power. This marks the fulfilment of the prophecy.

Some may ask, “But isn’t the Catholic Church still here? How did it end in 1798?”

The key is this: the prophecy does not refer merely to the Church as a religious organisation. The Catholic Church existed before 538 A.D. and continues to this day. But the prophecy concerns the union of church and state—the Roman Catholic Papacy.

The Church survived—but the Papacy, as a political and religious authority, received its deadly wound (Revelation 13:3). That wound, however, would not be permanent—as we will shortly see.

IDENTIFYING THE LITTLE HORN: MORE EVIDENCE

Daniel 7 gives us even more identifying features of the little horn:

• It made war with the saints and overcame them (Daniel 7:21).

  This was fulfilled in the brutal persecution of the Waldenses, Albigenses, the Inquisition that lasted over 700 years, and the slaughter of Protestant Reformers.

• It speaks great words against the Most High (Daniel 7:25).

  The Pope has claimed titles and roles that rightly belong to God alone:

  He is known as “God himself on earth,” “Holy Father,” and even “King of kings and Lord of lords.”

  He claims the power to forgive sins and dispense grace.

• It thinks to change times and laws (Daniel 7:25).

  This is seen in the attempted change of God’s law, particularly the Sabbath commandment—from the seventh day (Saturday) to the first day (Sunday), leading most of the Christian world to observe a man-made tradition rather than the Biblical Sabbath. This change was made at the Council of Laodicea in 364 A.D.

CHANGING TIMES: REDEFINING PROPHECY ITSELF

The “change of times” in Daniel 7:25 involves more than just the weekly calendar. It also refers to the change in how prophetic time is understood.

Today, there are three main methods of interpreting apocalyptic prophecy:

1. Futurism – Pushes nearly all of Revelation into the future, after a supposed rapture of the Church. The Antichrist is seen as a future political figure.

2. Preterism – Pushes nearly all of Daniel and Revelation into the distant past.

3. Historicism – The only method that follows the sequence of events as they unfold throughout history, aligning prophecy with actual historical developments.

What most people don’t realize is that both futurism and preterism were created by the Jesuit Order—as part of the Counter-Reformation.

Their purpose?

To divert attention away from the Papacy being identified as the Antichrist.

When the Protestant Reformers boldly used the historicist approach, they unanimously identified the Papacy as the Antichrist. This deeply threatened the authority of the Roman Church, so it was essential to undermine historicism.

The result?

• Futurism, created by Jesuit Francisco Ribera, now dominates popular Christian media through novels like Left Behind by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins.

• Preterism, introduced by Jesuit Luis de Alcázar, has deeply influenced many scholars and denominations.

• And Historicism, once the position of all major Protestant churches, is now nearly forgotten.

This shift in prophetic understanding has paved the way for ecumenical unity—a movement bringing Protestants and Catholics back together under the Papal banner.

THE DEADLY WOUND HEALED

 But the prophecy doesn’t stop with the deadly wound. Revelation 13:3 declares, “His deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.”

We already saw that the wound was inflicted in 1798, when the Papal government was abolished and the Pope taken captive. But now we’re told the wound will be healed.

This means the Papacy will regain the power it once had—not just in Europe, but over the whole earth (see Revelation 17:18).

And as the Papacy regains its influence, it will once again rule over the kings of the earth, just as it did during the Dark Ages.

Now that we have clearly identified the sea beast, we’re ready to turn our attention to the earth beast—a rising global power that will play a central role in enforcing the mark of the beast.

THE EARTH-BEAST

 To identify the earth-beast, we need to return to where the earth is first mentioned—in Revelation 12. As we study, let us remember the prophetic principle: beasts represent kingdoms or nations (Daniel 7:17, 23).

In Revelation 12, we see a pure woman—symbolising the pure church (see 1 Corinthians 11:2)—being persecuted by the dragon, and fleeing into the wilderness for 1,260 days (verses 6 and 14). This is the same time period we studied earlier: from 538 to 1798 A.D., when the saints were persecuted under Papal rule.

Then, in Revelation 12:15, the dragon attempts to drown the woman by spewing water from his mouth. But in verse 16, the earth opens its mouth and swallows the flood, protecting the woman.

In prophecy, water represents multitudes of people, nations, and tongues (Revelation 17:15). Satan sought to destroy God’s people through the Papacy, which used the kings of Europe and military power to suppress dissent. But the earth—symbolising a relatively unpopulated area—provided sanctuary to the persecuted church.

Revelation 13:11 tells us that it is from this earth that a new beast (nation) arises. In prophetic context, this indicates a new power rising around the end of the 1,260 years, offering refuge to those fleeing Papal persecution.

So we ask:

Where did the persecuted Protestants flee near the close of the 1,260-year period?

What new nation arose as a result of that migration?

History provides a clear answer:

The pilgrims and Protestants fled from Europe to the New World—the United States of America—to escape religious tyranny and find freedom of conscience. What began as scattered settlements became a great nation—just as Revelation predicted.

FEATURES OF THE EARTH-BEAST: THE UNITED STATES

The characteristics of the earth-beast in Revelation 13 point unmistakably to the USA:

• It has two horns like a lamb (Revelation 13:11)

  The lamb symbolises Christ. These two horns represent two distinct powers: civil government and religious freedom—the very foundation of the American Constitution. Importantly, the horns are separate, not merged—indicating the separation of church and state, in harmony with Christ’s teaching (Luke 20:25).

• It causes the people to set up an image to the beast (Revelation 13:14)

  This suggests a democratic form of government, where authority is exercised by the people—not a dictatorship.

• It has global influence (Revelation 13:12)

  The earth-beast compels the entire world to worship the first beast, revealing that it must become a global superpower.

Clearly, these features match the United States of America—a nation founded on liberty, rapidly rising to global dominance, and built upon the separation of church and state.

A SHIFT IN CHARACTER

However, prophecy reveals a dramatic shift in the character of the USA. While it begins with lamb-like principles, it does not remain that way.

“He spake as a dragon.” —Revelation 13:11

“He exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him.” —Revelation 13:12

“He causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast” and “it’s image”—Revelation 13:12, 15

These three declarations are different ways of saying the same thing:

The United States, once a defender of religious liberty, will speak like the dragon—symbolising Satan and Rome—and will ultimately enforce the same kind of religious tyranny once exercised by the Papacy.

In Revelation 13:2, we’re told that the dragon gave the beast (the Papacy) its power, throne, and great authority. Now, in verse 12, that same power and authority is exercised by the earth-beast—the USA.

This means that just as the Papacy enforced a system of false worship through political power, the USA will one day do the same—uniting church and state and enforcing false worship on a global scale.

So far, we have:

• Identified the sea-beast as the Roman Catholic Papacy—a union of church and state that persecuted God’s people.

• Identified the earth-beast as the United States of America—a nation that begins as a sanctuary for the persecuted but later turns against the principles it once stood for.

Now, we are ready to explore the image of the beast—a key development in the end-time enforcement of false worship.

THE IMAGE OF THE BEAST

 The image is created by the earth-beast and is described as both an image to the sea-beast (Revelation 13:14) and an image of the beast (verse 15). This indicates that while it honours the Papacy, it is more than a tribute—it is a replica in spirit and practice.

To identify what this image will look like, we must consider what defines the Papacy.

The well-known author Ellen G. White offers this clear explanation:

“But what is the “image to the beast”? and how is it to be formed? The image is made by the two-horned beast, and is an image to the first beast. It is also called an image of the beast. Then to learn what the image is like, and how it is to be formed, we must study the characteristics of the beast itself, - the papacy. When the early church became corrupted by departing from the simplicity of the gospel, and accepting heathen rites and customs, she lost the Spirit and power of God; and in order to control the consciences of the people she sought the support of the secular power. The result was the papacy, a church that controlled the power of the State, and employed it to further her own ends, especially for the punishment of “heresy.” In order for the United States to form an image of the beast, the religious power must so control the civil government that the authority of the State will also be employed by the church to accomplish her own ends.” - Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, p 443.

The imagery of Revelation 13 draws directly from Daniel 3, where Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, set up a golden image and used state power to enforce its worship—with death as the penalty for disobedience. This is a prophetic pattern. What the Papacy did during the Dark Ages, the United States will do in the last days, as apostate churches use civil authority to enforce false worship.

Notice: The image of the beast is not the beast itself. This means Roman Catholicism is not the power directly enforcing its dogmas through U.S. civil authority. Rather, it will be her daughters—the apostate Protestant churches within America—that unite with the state to form this image.

To be a daughter of Babylon (Revelation 17:5), a church must embrace her false doctrines. Revelation 14:12 describes the saints during this crisis as those who "keep the commandments of God." Therefore, churches that break God's commandments in order to uphold Papal law—namely Sunday observance in place of the biblical Sabbath—are counted among the apostate.

In the final conflict, a union will form between:

• The dragon (Satan working through civil powers),

• The beast (the Roman Catholic Papacy),

• And the false prophet (apostate Protestantism in the USA)

(see Revelation 16:13).

Together, they will deceive the whole world and lead it into a counterfeit system of worship, opposing God’s people (Revelation 16:14).

A PROPHECY BECOMING REALITY

The truths outlined here have been understood by millions since the mid-1800s. Today, we are watching these prophecies unfold before our eyes.

In recent years, the rise of Christian Nationalism in the United States has gained momentum. Political proposals such as Project 2025 signal a dangerous trend—one that threatens to break down the wall of separation between church and state. The political climate in the USA is strongly driving the nation towards the union of church and state like never before, with the Evangelical churches being a primary party involved. Many are pushing for a reinterpretation of the Constitution that would give the church influence over civil governance. Step by step, the image of the beast is forming—a religious-political union that will soon enforce the mark of the beast through false worship (learn more about the mark of the beast here).

A TIME FOR PREPARATION

The Bible warns that Satan will be allowed to perform great signs and wonders, deceiving nearly all into setting up the image of the beast (Revelation 13:13–14). This will soon lead to persecution and even threats of death for all who refuse to worship this image (Revelation 13:15).

If we are not fully grounded in Scripture, we will be deceived.

If we do not have a strong relationship with Christ, we will give up the faith.

God has warned us ahead of time so that we can be ready for the coming crisis. Now is the time to:

·         Study the prophecies diligently,

·         Be absolutely certain of what we believe, and

·         Develop a deep, personal relationship with Jesus, trusting Him to carry us through the storm.

“Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.” - Daniel 12:10