Religious as well as secular historians have concluded that the Beast which appears in Revelation 13 is the Roman Empire.  This Beast is represented by the legs of iron in Nebuchadnezzer’s dream, the fourth Beast in Daniel’s night vision and John’s lone Beast in Revelation 13.  But as we will see, John’s Beast is not alone.

Recall that the Dragon (Satan) gave to the Beast “his power, his seat (dominant status) and great authority.”  To implement his plans for ruling mankind, the Dragon established a highly organized universal religion by which he would deceive the entire world (Rev. 12:9) and by which he would direct the activities of the Roman Empire.  However, he knows that he must hide his true identity from those whom he would rule.  In 2 Corinthians 11:14 we learn that he transformed himself into an “angel of light” and his religious leaders into “ministers of righteousness.”  Through his religious leaders he directed the activities of the Roman Empire for 1260 years after his church had brought about the “Imperial Restoration” (resurrection) of the “dead” empire that, following 476 A.D., had disappeared from view.  Having brought the empire back to life, his church was characterized as an intoxicated woman riding (controlling) the seven-headed, 10 horned Beast of Revelation 17.  Through the church’s Inquisition Satan would orchestrate the martyrdom of some 50 million people, many of them true Christians.  It was the blood of those saints that had been the elixir with which the woman (church) had become “drunken.”

Now let us turn to the 13th chapter of Revelation, beginning with the 11th verse: “And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth having two horns like a lamb, but speaking like a dragon.”  Many ministers have put forth guesses as to what this second beast was.  All have been wrong because they had not received revelation relative to God’s Word on the subject.  This would remain the cast until the early 1930’s when the Lord, as He had promised Daniel, revealed the meaning of the symbols of Revelation to a man named Herbert W. Armstrong who was kind enough to share his revelation with the world.   Revelation is a book of symbols.  The Bible interprets its own symbols.  Therefore we must look to the Scriptures in order identify the second beast.  Biblically, a beast is the symbol of a government or kingdom.  This two-horned beast appeared as a lamb, but spoke as a dragon.  Recall that unto the first Beast was given “a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and power was given to him (the “mouth”) for 42 months (a day=a year. 42 months=1260 years).  The prophetic a-day-equals-a-year principle is revealed in Ezekiel 4:4-6 and Numbers 14:24.  And he (second beast–“lamb”) opened his mouth in blasphemy (spoke as a dragon) against God, to blaspheme His name, and His tabernacle and them that dwell in heaven” (God and His angels).  Now notice Revelation 13:12: “And he (2nd beast) exercises ALL of the POWER of the first Beast before him ….”  The first Beast is the Roman Empire–a civil Gentile government.  The second beast is another government–a religious entity pretending to be Christ’s government whose vicar (replacement), supposedly having been given His power and His knowledge, operated in His stead.  The Roman Government having been convinced of the church’s divine status, was used by the church as her muscle by which she reigned supreme throughout the Roman Empire.  To reward the empire and keep it happy, the church: “causes the earth and them that dwell on the earth to worship the first Beast whose deadly wound (of 476 A.D.) was healed” by the 2nd beast in 554 A.D.

Here we have a religious government (second beast) pretending to be the government of Jesus Christ–the Kingdom of God on earth– actually ruling (“riding”) the mighty Roman Empire (first Beast) after 554 A.D.  Biblically, a horn is symbolic of a government/state.  Thus the two horns of the second beast represented two governments.  This two-horned “lamb” was a combination of two entities: a civil government (first Beast) and a religious government (second beast), which directed the first Beast.  This religious machine depicted its leaders as the human fulfillment of Christ’s Second Coming.  Because He had supposedly returned in the person of the church’s hierarchy, the Millennium had begun.  Posing as Christ incarnate, the two-horned lamb ruled the vast area known as the Roman Empire for the next 1260 years, during which time the Roman emperors acknowledged the supremacy and unchallenged authority of the second beast.  What developed was the two-horned “mouth” that pretended to be a “lamb” (Christ in human form) while speaking as a “dragon” which directed the activities of the most powerful nation on earth–the first Beast.

So powerful was this church that it not only established its own government, it occupied its own independent geographical location within the Roman Empire.  Today that area is call sits in the heart of the Old Roman Empire–the city of Rome.  It was and remains to this day an independent, separate, sovereign state.  This second beast was prophesied to wield power over all the earth in the last days and to cause everyone on earth to worship the first Beast “whose deadly wound was healed” after 554 A.D.  This second beast was prophesied to “deceive them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he will have power to do in the sight of the (first) Beast” (Rev. 13;14).  Verse 13 says, “he does (will do) great wonders.”

Where else do we find these same facts presented?  Note Revelation 17 where is pictured a woman (symbol of a church–2 Cor. 11:2/ Eph. 5:22-27) ruling over many nations (17:1,5).  Question: the leader of which church today commands the attention of the local population wherever he goes?  Who has millions flock to wherever he appears?  Who has people from all over the world travel thousands of miles just to see him from a distance?  Which church leader has been allowed to address the General assembly of  the United Nations?  To which religion do the majority of radio, television, newspaper, news magazine and governmental heads claim membership?  Which religion has its own nation with self-determined borders?  Which religion sends ambassadors to other nations?  Which religion receives ambassadors from other nations?  The identity of the second beast is easily discernable.  Notice Revelation 17:18 where the second beast is depicted as “that great city which reigns over (influences) the kings (leaders) of the earth.”  In verse 2 it is written that the inhabitants of the Earth have been deceived by this counterfeit Christian church.  Through the power of Satan she has “deceived all nations” (Rev. 18:3).  The “second beast,” the “mouth” of the first Beast, the “lamb” that speaks like a “dragon” is the Catholic Church.  Read Simon of Samaria: the Legacy for a full expose’ of this Satan-empowered beast.  Use the key word “Samaria.”  L.J.