What is the symbolic meaning of 'beast'?

Answer 1

"I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and THAT THEY MIGHT SEE THAT THEY THEMSELVES ARE BEASTS" (Ecc 3:18).

In the Bible men can be "beasts" (individually/microcosm), such as what happened to the king of Babylon (see also Psalm 49:20; Isa 55:9; Ecc 3:18) but the Bible also calls the kingdoms of men "beasts" in [Daniel 7:23] as to their affections (macrocosm).

"The four great beasts are four kingdoms that will rise from the earth" Daniel 7:17.

Jesus said, "go into the world and preach the Gospel to EVERY CREATURE" (Mark 16:15). As men in their natural state are carnally motivated like the animals, the Bible likens us in our first born condition to animals (this is why the first born of Egypt had to be killed), it is symbolic of our first born nature, which is animilistic. Whenever the Apostle Paul speaks of the "natural man" he quotes the prophecies of Egypt, as "Egypt" represents the natural man (the beast) and "Israel" represents the spiritual man. Hence the need for the animal sacrifice (we internally sacrifice that nature in us).

There are several places in the Bible that directly explain the meaning of the biblical symbol of a "beast" when applied to men; although the Old Testament is full of explicit instructions (commandments) by God to "sacrifice the beast" that were taken by the fallen Israelites to literally mean the slaying of innocent animals rather than the slaying of the nature of the beast within man (the first born nature of Egypt). Despite the Bible explicity telling them they were missing the point; "I have more than enough of burnt offerings, of rams and the fat of fattened animals; I have no pleasure in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats...Stop bringing meaningless offerings!" (Isaiah 1:11)

The reason Abels sacrifice was accepted and Cains was rejected is because Abel sacrificed the beast, he made the animal sacrifice which is a LIFE sacrifice (he killed the animal nature within) which results in a change of lifestyle. So the bible uses the symbolism of the "beast" to represent mankind before we make the animal sacrifice (which means we sacrifice that nature in us), i.e pride, greed, desire, lust etc, the same basic motivating principles that we share with the beasts/animals.

The following verses explain what the Bible means by "the image of the beast", it is the character of the beast that is in mind (as opposed to the Divine Image which is the example/character of Jesus).

"Their eyes stand out in fatness they have more than their heart could wish…they speak arrogantly, they set their mouths against the heavens…these are the ungodly who prosper in the world… as a dream when thou awake you shall despise THEIR IMAGE, so foolish was I, and ignorant, I was a BEAST before thee"(Ps 73:6, 8, 12, 20, 22).

That is the only place in the entire Bible where the words "image" and "beast" are used together to explain the meaning. It is an accurate description of modern man. David says he is a beast before God because he envies the wealth of others and because he thought they prospered (until God showed him their ultimate fate), i.e "the carnal mind is death but the spiritual mind is life" Romans 8:1-17.

That men as to their affections, are meant by beasts, may appear in these places and many besides, "a man who is in honour but understands not is like a BEAST that perishes" (Psalm 49:20). "ALL YE BEASTS OF THE FIELD...HIS WATCHMEN ARE BLIND, THEY ARE ALL IGNORANT, they are dumb DOGS they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber, YEA THEY ARE GREEDY DOGS" (Isa 55:9); The Pharisees were men in honour but who understood not, so likewise today popes, bishops, cardinals are men in honour in the eyes of the world. Also many other places, "Thou, O God, didst send a plentiful rain, whereby Thou didst confirm Thine inheritance, when it was weary; this BEAST SHALL DWELL THEREIN" (Ps. 68:9, 10); "rejoice and be glad, be not afraid, ye BEASTS OF MY FIELDS, for my pastures of the wilderness do spring" (Joel 2. 21-23).

We are the beasts of the field before we are born again after non animilistic affections.

In Isaiah 55:9 and Pslam 49:20 beasts are "shepherds" (the biblical symbol for a priest), the second tells us they are men "in honour" (in the eyes of the world), but that "understand not" (in the eyes of God). "ALL YE BEASTS...his watchmen are blind, THEY ARE ALL IGNORANT, they are SHEPHARDS that cannot understand"(Isa 56:7). "The Man that IS IN HONOUR, and UNDERSTANDS NOT, is like THE BEAST that perish" Ps 49:20. Men in honour (like the Pharisees/Popes/Bishops) "AND" who "understand not" and are proud and materialistic.

These are men in "honour" in the eyes of the world who are adored by millions and in whom millions trust, that have not performed the animal sacrifice and killed the beast nature within; and "cannot understand" the Bible yet have nevertheless "glorified themselves on earth" (Rev 18:7), like the Pharisees (but worse), they lead millions who trust in them into spiritual captivity into both Babylon and Egypt. "Therefore my people are gone into captivity because they have no knowledge."Isaiah 5:13.

Beasts are carnally motivated men (microcosm) or nations (macrocosm) who have no spiritual understanding and are motivated by the same instincts as the animals, pride, lust, greed, desire etc.

In the Bible men can be "beasts" (individually), such as what happened to the king of Babylon but the Bible also calls the kingdoms of men "beasts" in [Daniel 7:23] as to their affections (macrocosm).

"The four great beasts are four kingdoms that will rise from the earth" Daniel 7:17.

In the story about the King of Babylon the king became a beast for seven years, yet the entire kingdom worshipped his image and in Daniel 2 and 7 the kingdoms of men were (in) his image. Yet Daniel in Babylon refused to worship his image and refused to eat the kings food (refused the mark of the beast), so likewise as Jesus denied himself in the desert and manifested the Divine Image, "if any man will follow me he must deny himself", both are opposites to how most of us live today in the Christian west. So the image of the beast is the opposite type of person. Very materialistic and brutish.

It says in Revelation 13 that those who do not have their name written in the book of life adore "the beast and his image". The beast in a corporate sense (macrocosm of the microcosm) is natural man (motivated only as to those animalistic) or carnal affections, it is talking about a type - like Esua, like Cain, like the medieval popes of Rome, like modern man who is only interested in consumerism/materialism - motivated and imbued only as to those affections (that nature); who admire and adore those of that nature - these are those in the [spiritual] "image [character] of the beast" (Rev 13:13; 18:12-14). To adore the image or character of the beast would be to adore the type of person who is proud and materialistic, it is the adoration of celebrity in a consumerist society.

Of the beast or antiChrist in Revelation 18 it says "And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed from thee, and all things which were goodly and dainty....merchadiseof.." = [consumerism]. The fruits that his soul lusted after is identical to how we are imbued in modern western Christian societies. It is our very way of modern life.

Many of the prophecies in Zechariah are identical to the prophecies in the book of Revelation, such as the four horses of the apocalypse in Zech 6, likewise there is a prophecy of a woman called "wickedness" who is taken to her place in "babylonia". This is the same woman called the Harlot in Revelation 17. This is what Zechariah says, "This is their resemblance through all the earth....and, behold, there was lifted up a talent of lead: and this is a woman that sitteth in the midst of the ephah. And he said, This is wickedness." Zech 5:7-8 (KJV), the woman here is the same as the Mother Harlot in Revelation 17. So the image/resemblance of the medievil RCC is now "their resemblance through all the earth". It is also the image/resemblance of Protestant America.

If you notice in Revelation 12 the true Church is fleeing in the wilderness as the Israelites did in the Old Testament. The pattern will be the same - judgement fell on the Israelites in the wilderness because "they fattened themselves in the day of slaughter" (they wanted God to fulfill their carnal desires) and "the wrath of God fell on the fattest of them" Psalm 78:31. These patterns and types always repeat. The context was actually food (God gave them as much food as they liked), bread and qual, so likewise the mark of the beast should appear on food (what we desire in this life in that materialistic context). This is also the context in which the devil tried to tempt Jesus in Matt 4. This was also the less spoken reason judgement fell upon Sodom, "Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had arrogance, abundant food and careless ease, but she did not help the poor and needy." Ezekiel 16:49. They were in the image of the beast.

The final church age is said to have "the hour of temptation that shall come upon the whole world to test those who dwell on earth" (Rev 3:10). The test is a test of our affections, carnal or spiritual. It is thought that this symbolic 'hour' is symbolic of a 40 year period which will be the most materialistic in human history (many believe that is now). So just as the Israelites were tested in the wilderness in this context, so are spiritual Israelites today.

In the Church age the way the medievil papacy behaved was held up as the anti-example (proud/materialistic), yet now modern man is in that image [character] as opposed to the Divine Image (the character of Christ), we are all in the image of the beast (animistic motivated man), the macrocosm of the microcosm or anti example. Therefore as this is what we are motivated by (materialism), we should expect to find the mark of the beast on everything we "buy and sell". While buying and selling has a spiritual meaning, it does also a literal as we can see in Rev 18:12-14, it is what we live for today, our world system of things. Those too in the world will never perceive it, they have forgot the context of the Bible which is a spiritual book. Living for consumerism/materialism is spiritual mass murder, "the carnal mind is death" Romans 8:1-17.

The symbolic meaning of the beast in Bible prophecy is about the world either manifesting the "image" (character) of the beast", or the "Image of God" Colossians 1:15, which is the character of God. Christ is the example of whose image/character we are to manifest througout the Church age the medievil popes were held up as the anti example. Now modern man is in that image.

To be a "beast" means to be motivated by animilistic affections not spiritual effections, "for I was ENVIOUS at the boastful, when I saw the PROSPERITY of the wicked; for their are no bands in their death; but their strength is firm "; "until I went into the sanctuary of my God, then understood I their end".."so foolish was I, and ignorant, I was as a BEAST before you" (Psalm 73;3; 22). Here David says he was a "beast" because his perception and understanding of spiritual matters was based upon his wisdom derived at the level of his bodily senses (he perceived at that level the ungodly rich prospered in the world and had no pangs in death Ps 73:4). It was not until he was enlightened by God as to the ultimate fate of man that he realised his perception was natural/external and spiritually foolish (Ps 73:17-18). He was also a "beast" as to his affections (envious of the prosperity of others).

The beast is natural man (a spiritual Egyptian), and that which does not accord with the wisdom derived at the level of his bodily senses seems foolishness to him, "But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned". The natural man is revealed as to his spiritual perception (which is external), and his affections (which are carnal).

There is always a spiritual (type) opposing a carnal (type), the natural man apposed to the spiritual man, the image (charachter) of the beast as opposed to the elect, spiritual Israel (the spiritual man) and spiritual Egypt (the natural man). From Genesis 3 we have the seed of the woman (spiritual man) and the seed of the serpent (carnal man).

Mark of the Beast revealed

It is the number of a man, this has most commonly been interpretted as Vicarious Filii Dei, the popes title which adds upto 666 in all three biblical languages. The medievil popes were notoriously tyrannical. We are told in Revelation 18 they lived for and lusted after merchandise, "all that is goodly and dainty". Prophecy is fullfilled over two eras, the Church era which has ended and the era of the nations which we are in now.

So the beast as microcosm (was the medievil popes) and the beast as macrocosm (is modern man who is of that image). The Mark of the Beast today represents our very lifestyle in that context, it is in the Universal Product Code. The first mark on everything we literally "buy or sell" just happened to read 666 (its only unchanging structure) worldwide. In Russia the Orthodox church lobbied the government not to accept it, in Greece their were riots. Most western Christians are blind to it as they have forgot the context of the Bible. Modern man is in the image [character] of the medievil popes of Rome and lusts after the same (consumerism/merchandise). So 666 "in" the forehead represents all of man as to his will and affections and 666 in the hand represents all of man as to his will and actions. 666 "in" the forehead is a mindset.

Technically the Universal Product Code (the first code on everything world wide that we buy and sell), is not read as 666 by a computer as the only unchanging structure (the guard bars) are not read by a computer. But they are identical to the human eye to the left hand six. The three guard bars are the only part of the UPC that remain the same worldwide. That the UPC is the Mark of the Beast was revealed to me by an angel of God in 1982. Yet as it is only read as three sixes to human eyes and not by a computer, it allows enough free will for those who do not wish to accept this to remain in denial (as is the case with all prophecy), it is intentionally subtle, only those who know their Bible can recognise it.

Despite popular belief we are not condemned for taking the mark, the Bible says, "And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who adore the beast and his image, andwhosoever receiveth the mark of his name." Revelation 14:11. To receive the mark of his name is to receive the mark of his character. In the Old Testament the name of God revealed an aspect of the character of God.

So we are condemned if we adore the beast (and) his character (and) receive the mark. You can receive the mark and despise the modern cult of celebrity worship and those of that character and still be saved. The prophecy says "he" (Protestant America) forces this world system on everyone, "he causeth all". There has been something like 216 capitalist wars since 1948, many of them (such as in South America) were backed by both the Vatican and the CIA. Christian Bible prophecy is about pointing at our own faults, not others. While others may be worse, we are the ones claiming to be Christians.

Six is the number of man (created on the sixth day), three represents Gods plan, a unity of purpose as in the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, so 666 represents mans plan, or mans perfect system of things. 666 in the forehead is a mindset "the carnal mind is death", 666 in the right hand is all of man as to his will and actions, "he feeds on ashes, a deluded heart misleads him; he cannot save himself, or say, "Is not this thing in my right hand a lie?" Isaiah 44:20. Anything that keeps people from God is an idol and consumerism is the greatest idol/distraction of all time.

"...he [the False Prophet] had power to give life unto the image of the Beast, that the image of the Beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not adore the image of the Beast should be killed." (Rev.13:15)

The image that speaks is democracy. The Bible personifies nations, so the "he" here is Protestant America which is called a False Prophet due to its Jesuit inspired Futurism (the Left Behind series etc). The fire coming down from heaven in Revelation 13 is the American false Holy Spirit manifestation, although America does literally make fire come down upon nations as well.

Spiritual meaning of buying and selling

Solomon bought 666 talents of gold (knowledge) from the Egyptians (natural man); 1 Kings 10:14 and 2 Chronicles 9:13. There is both a spiritual and literal application as in most OT prophecy. Jesus said we are to buy gold from Him, "I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see" Rev 3:18. The "fire" is the biblical symbol of the Holy Spirit, so we are to buy our knowledge from Jesus refined through the Holy Spirit not from Egypt (the world).

In the Kingdom age, the Lord says He will overthrow the chariots and those who ride in them and abolish the proud horses/beasts. (Haggai 2:22)

In Bible symbolism, a horse is a priest/pastor/teacher, a chariot is a doctrine or dogma in which many ride. The horses empower and drive the chariot as teachers empower and drive the dogma.

"And I will cut off the HORSE from Jerusalem, and He shall speak peace to the gentiles" (Zech ix.10).

This is a prophecy about Jesus. Did Jesus abolish military power? Did Jesus cut of the literal horses from Jerusalem? Or was it not the teachings of the Pharisees?

In the Word "horses" signify teachers, "Jehovah will make Judah a Godly HORSE"; "Dan shall be a serpent by the way, that biteth the HORSES HEELS so that his rider shall fall backwards, I have waited for thy salvation O God" (Gen xlix 17, 18). To be bitten by serpents is to be deceived by the lowest form of reasoning. "the EGYPTIANS are men and not God, their HORSES are FLESH and not spirit", these teachers are natural man and do not have the Spirit.

As the Bible decodes its meaning. Horses = teachers, Chariots = their doctrines. .

(Zech ix.10) "the EGYPTIANS are men and not God, their HORSES are FLESH and not spirit", these teachers are natural man and do not have the Spirit.

Every teacher will be made spiritually blind:

"In that day I will smite EVERY HORSE with astonishment" (Zech xii, 4); "and will smite every HORSE OF THE PEOPLE with blindness"

Woe to them who trust in Priests and pastors:

"Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help, and stay ON HORSES, but they look not to the holy One of Israel; Now the Egyptians are men and not God, their HORSES are (flesh) and not (spirit)". Egypt signifies natural man who judges and reasoning according to the flesh; and symbolic Egypt signifies the natural man, symbolic Israel the spiritual man.

Woe to those who turn to teachers/men/beasts for the truth of the Word and not God in prayer:

"Ashur shall not save us; we will not ride upon HORSES" (Hos xiv. 3); "some trust in chariots, and some in HORSES, but we will remember the name of the Lord"; "a HORSE is a vain thig for safety" (ps xx 7; xxxiii.17); "the riders on HORSES shall be confounded" (Zech x3, 4, 5); "Woe to the city it is full of lies - the prancing of HORSES" - and as spiritual Israel are to be a nation of priests, so it is said "in that day their shall be upon the BELLS OF THE HORSES holiness unto Jehovah" (xiv. 20). "Thou shalt not in any way set a king over Israel whom the Lord thy God shall not chose: but he shall not multiply HORSES to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt to the end that he should multiply HORSES".

The same is said when it talks of the horses of Babylon or the teachers represented by that Church (Rev 17); "I will bring against Tyrus the King of Babylon, with HORSES and with chariots, and with HORSEMEN. By reason of the abundance of his HORSES their dust shall cover thee". Counter reformation Jesuit battle horses.

Organised religion with its dogma and priestcraft is in big trouble; and as teachers [horseman] empower chariots [their doctrines] so it is said, "I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms, and I will overthrow the chariots AND THOSE WHO RIDE IN THEM"; "and the pride of her power shall come down"

As horse or horseman signifies a teacher, and a chariot a doctrine or ideology in which many ride. "THE CHARIOT OF ISRAEL and the HORSEMAN thereof"; "Jehovah will make Judah a Godly HORSE".

All the religious rituals of the priestcraft teach nothing of the spiritual meanings relating to the internals of man, "a HORSE is a vain thing for safety" (ps xx 7; xxxiii.17) "I will make Ephraim to ride" (Hos x.11). Ephraim signifies the understanding of the Word, because Elisha and Elijah represented the Lord as the Word, therefore they were called the chariot of Israel and his horseman, Elisha said to Elijah "my father, my father, THE CHARIOT OF ISRAEL and the HORSEMAN thereof" (2 Kings xiii, 14).

In the opposite sense, the horses of Egypt and Babylon destroy all truth and those who trust in them "the EGYPTIANS are men and not God, their HORSES are FLESH and not spirit". The horses of Egypt are proud and strong beasts, they signify the proud and strongmen, the great men in the eyes of the world; in this context "a HORSE is a futile thing for safety". It is said here that their horses are flesh and not spirit because their teachers are beasts as to natural affections/perception/understanding and not spiritual affections. "Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help, and stay ON HORSES, but they look not to the holy One of Israel; Now the Egyptians are men and not God, their HORSES are (flesh) and not (spirit)". Egypt signifies natural man who judges and reasoning according to the flesh; and symbolic Egypt signifies the natural man, symbolic Israel the spiritual man.

Trusting in horses, or teachers is not a good thing to do, as Satan deceives us through symbolic women (Eve/the Churches/organised religion), hence Revelation 14:4 the spiritual Israelites are those who are "not defiled of women" - meaning not defiled of the unspiritual teachings of the symbolic women = the churches - but follow the Lord directly from the Word, being defiled by symbolic women [religion] has a similar symbollic meaning as trusting in horses. "Ashur shall not save us; we will not ride upon HORSES" (Hos xiv. 3); "some trust in chariots, and some in HORSES, but we will remember the name of the Lord"; "a HORSE is a vain thig for safety" (ps xx 7; xxxiii.17); "the riders on HORSES shall be confounded" (Zech x3, 4, 5); "Woe to the city it is full of lies - the prancing of HORSES" - and as spiritual Israel are to be a nation of priests, so it is said "in that day their shall be upon the BELLS OF THE HORSES holiness unto Jehovah" (xiv. 20).

The same is said in the opposite sense when it talks of the horses of Babylon or the teachers represented by that Church (Rev 17); "I will bring against Tyrus the King of Babylon, with HORSES and with chariots, and with HORSEMEN. By reason of the abundance of his HORSES their dust shall cover thee".

Tyre signifies the Church as to knowledge's and truth, here such as are falsified in her, which are the horses of Babylon. The King of Babylon is a type of papacy (they all worshipped his image in Daniel 2), and the nations were (in) his image, but Daniel refused to worship his image, or to eat the kings food (take the mark) - to live like they lived, but instead took only pulse and water and was granted much spiritual perception because of it (Daniel 1:8) - as those who overcome are given hidden manna (spiritual insight). Daniel is a type of spiritually elect, as of course is Jesus who denied Himself in that context in the wilderness.

The horses in Rev 9 are teachers being ridden/influenced by demons, not ministering angels.

We are not supposed to trust in horses/beasts. Spiritual Israel are all supposed to be priests. Natural man trusts in priests and popes but this is not what spiritual Israel was ever told to do; "Thou shalt not in any way set a king over Israel whom Jehovah thy God shall not chose: but he shall not multiply HORSES to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt to the end that he should multiply HORSES".

This is said because the Israelites would chose a king after their own image, and he would be their example, while in the prophetic sense, the way the papacy has acted throughout the Church age has been held up as the prophetic anti-example (beast as microcosm of the character and affections of modern man). Jesus is the King of the spiritual Israelites, and His image we are to aspire to (manifest) - not the image of the beast (carnally imbued man) as to his affections (proud/materialistic).

Organised religion, with its heirachel and system and with its priests and popes is roundly condemned in the Word. We are to search the Scriptures, come out of Babylon and Egypt and trust in the Lord for wisdom through prayer in conjunction with the Word. "some trust in chariots, and some in HORSES, but we will remember the name of the Lord"; "a HORSE is a vain thing for safety" (ps xx 7; xxxiii.17).

Everything that imbues us after the flesh/carnally/materialisticaly (i.e religious systems, economic systems, doctrines and teachings of men), symbolically called the Chariots of Egypt and Babylon (natural man). Will be abolished [lake of fire] that signifies annihilation in the new age to come. "I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms, and I will overthrow the CHARIOTS and those who ride in them" (Hag. ii. 22).

Organised religion with its dogma and priestcraft is in big trouble; and as teachers [horseman] empower chariots [their doctrines] so it is said, "I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms, and I will overthrow the chariots AND THOSE WHO RIDE IN THEM";"and the pride of her power shall come down"; "For the Day of the Lord shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon everyone that is lifted up." The proud and carnal horses of spiritual Egypt (natural man), and their carnal false doctrines (chariots) in which many ride;"and the beast was taken and the false prophet ...they were both cast alive into a lake of fire, burning with brimstone"; "and the CHARIOTS I will utterly abolish", (Futurist Protestantism/Papal Catholicism).