eads of the beast from the sea, the head that received the fatal wound but was restored to life. The dependence of Revelation 13 on Daniel 7 has long been noted. While Daniel saw four beasts arise from the sea, John sees one beast that combines the features of Daniel four:Then I saw a Beast emerge from the sea: it had seven heads and ten horns, and each of its heads was marked with blasphemous titles. I saw that the Beast was like a leopard, with paws like a bear and a mouth like a lion: the Dragon had handed over to it his own power and his throne and his world - wide authority. I saw that one of its heads seemed to have had a fatal wound but that this deadly injury had been healed and, after that, the whole world had marveled and followed the Beast (Revelation 13:1-3).While chapter 13 gives us many details about the activities of the Beast such as his forty - two - months reign and his number "The number of a man, the number 666 " (13:18), the head that seemed to have the fatal wound and recovered is the main clue to his identity. This comes from the second description of the Beast and his activity in chapters 17:The Beast you have seen once was and now is not. He is yet to come out from the Abyss, but only to go to his destruction. And the people of the world ... will think it miraculous when they see how the Beast once was and now is not and is still to come. Here there is need for cleverness, for a shrewd mind; the seven heads are the seven hills, and the women is sitting on them. The seven heads are also seven emperors. Five of them have already gone, one is here now, and one is to come; once here, he must stay for a short while. The Beast, once was and now is not, is at the same time the eighth and one of the seventh, and he is going to his destruction (Revelations 17:8-11). Comparing this version of the Beast to the one in chapter 13 clarifies a number of important issues. First it is evident that the Beast represe...
