Before examining the Scriptures that speak of the antichristian Beast

of the Apocalypse, it will be useful to observe that two Greek words are

translated 'Beast' in the Revelation, but that they refer to very different

objects.  (1) The Beast.  (2) The Cherubim.

Therion, 'a wild beast', as in Mark 1:13; Acts 28:4,5.

Theriomacheo = 'to fight with wild beasts' (1 Cor. 15:32).

Zoon, 'a living creature', used throughout the book of the

Revelation of the Cherubim (Rev. 4:6 etc.).

While we are concerned with the beast of the book of the Revelation, we

must go back to the book of Daniel for the initial prophecy of this monstrous

kingdom with which Gentile dominion in the earth is to end.  In the first

place, the humiliating sickness that fell on Nebuchadnezzar, the first of the

kings of this Gentile dominion, was symbolic.  As a consequence of his pride

and his boasting Nebuchadnezzar was told by Daniel:

'They shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the

beasts of the field, and they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and

they shall wet thee with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass

over thee, till thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of

men, and giveth it to whomsoever He will' (Dan. 4:25).

The fact that Daniel does not say 'seven days' or 'seven weeks' or

'seven years' but 'seven times', links this experience with the cryptic

'time, and times, and dividing of time' of Daniel 7:25.  We are prepared to

learn that, in the sight of God, Nebuchadnezzar, the head of gold, down to

the final product of the feet of iron and clay (Dan. 2), indicate that the

kingdoms of this world are like so many wild beasts.  Such is the pedigree of

the beast of the time of the end.  When the structure of the book of Daniel

is before us (see Daniel, p. 164) we shall find that chapter 4 corresponds

with chapter 9, thus:

Daniel 4.

The 7 times of madness, symbolical.

Daniel 9.

The 70 x 7, and final 7 of Gentile dominion.

A separate study is devoted to the prophecy of Daniel 9 (see Seventy

Weeks4; and Seventy Weeks of Daniel Nine9), which should be consulted.

The vision of Daniel recorded in chapter 7 is written in Chaldee

(Aramaic or Syriac) and so belongs to the Gentile portion of the prophecy.

In the interpretation of the great image in Daniel 2 reference is made to

'the days of these kings' (2:44).  What we are now to consider is a fuller

explanation of the times and character of these kings.  The setting up of the

kingdom of the Lord, in Daniel 2, is symbolized by the stone becoming a great

mountain and filling the earth.  In Daniel 7 the prophet describes the

investiture of the Son of Man with sovereignty.  In Daniel 2 the stone

crushes the image to powder; in Daniel 7, the same court that invests the Son

of Man with dominion, consigns the beast to the burning flame.  These

parallels are very evident, but confusion is sometimes introduced

by expositors by assuming that Daniel 7 and 2 are co -extensive.  It has been

taught that we have the same Gentile dominion, but from two points of view,

that from man's point of view it appears as a resplendent image, but in God's

view as a succession of wild beasts.  This, however, is true only with

reference to the final phase, as we hope to show presently.