Revelation describes the final empire as a Satan-empowered beast that combines the attributes of previous world empires and is headed by the Antichrist.
In Revelation 13:2, the beast is like a leopard, with feet like a bear and a mouth like a lion, showing the converging traits of Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome in a revived Roman Empire. Les Feldick teaches that this beast is both the revived Roman Empire and the Antichrist who will rule it. The dragon gives it his power, throne, and authority, and people worship both the dragon and the beast (Revelation 13:4). The beast also speaks blasphemy against God, His name, His tabernacle, and those in heaven (Revelation 13:6).
Revelation 13:2 — This verse directly describes the beast, the symbol of the final empire, with leopard, bear, and lion features and Satan-given authority.
Revelation 13:4 — This verse reveals that both the dragon and the beast are worshiped, showing the satanic source of the empire's power.
Revelation 13:6 — This verse exposes the beast's blasphemous speech against God, His name, His tabernacle, and heaven's inhabitants.
Revelation presents the final empire as a beast rising out of the sea. John writes, "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" (Revelation 13:1). The beast's appearance is a composite of earlier prophetic animals: "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 13:2). The same chapter shows that the dragon, Satan, is behind the beast: "And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?" (Revelation 13:4). The beast also uses its mouth for blasphemy: "And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven" (Revelation 13:6).
Les Feldick identifies the beast in Revelation 13 as the revived ancient Roman Empire. He says the empire will be bestial in its operation, having no concern for human rights or the individual, and it is called a beast because it is a government, not a literal sea monster (Clip 5). He connects the animal features in Revelation 13:2 to specific earlier empires: the totalitarian power of Nebuchadnezzar's Babylon, the crushing bear of the Medes and Persians, the swiftness and tenacity of Alexander the Great's Grecian leopard empire, and the residue of the ancient Roman Empire—its courts of law, justice, and jurisprudence. All of these attributes, Les says, are coming to a head in this final empire (Clips 1, 6). Les also teaches that the word "beast" is two-fold. It means the Roman Empire, original and revived, and it also means the man of sin, the Antichrist, who will rule the final world system (Clip 2). He interprets the sea as the sea of humanity, the masses of people around a globalizing world, from which this dead empire is revived and headed up by the one man of sin (Clip 3). The ten horns are ten nations, and out of them the Antichrist appears as the little horn of Daniel 7 (Clip 0). Finally, Les emphasizes that Satan gives the beast its power, throne, and authority, making the final empire satanically energized (Clips 1, 3).
Les Feldick teaches that the beast in Revelation 13 is first and foremost the revival of the old ancient Roman Empire. It is called a beast because the government will be so bestial in its operation—having no concern about human rights or the individual—but it is a government, not a sea monster (Clip 5). Yet the word also has a second meaning: the beast is the man of sin, the Antichrist, who is going to rule this final world system (Clip 2). John's vision shows a beast with leopard, bear, and lion features, and the dragon gives it power, a seat, and great authority (Revelation 13:2).
Les explains that the leopard, bear, and lion in Revelation 13:2 point back to the attributes of the previous world empires now coming to a head in the revived Roman Empire. He says all the best parts of the Babylonian Kingdom are still with us, all the best parts of the Median Persian Empire are still with us, all the best parts of the Grecians are still with us—their architecture and philosophies—and all the best parts of the Roman Empire are still with us, such as courts of law, justice, and jurisprudence (Clip 1). He adds that this final ruler will have Nebuchadnezzar's power, the bear's way of rumbling over people, the leopard's swiftness and tenacity, and the residue of ancient Rome with a seeming democracy behind him (Clip 6).
In Revelation 13:1 John sees a beast rise up out of the sea. Les says the average reader imagines a dragon or sea monster coming out of the ocean, but it is a symbolic statement: out of the sea of humanity, out of the masses of the nations, comes this final empire. The world is becoming global and smaller, and out of this mass of humanity will come an empire that had been dead, headed up by the one man of sin (Clips 2, 3).
Les states plainly that Satan gives the beast its power, throne, and authority (Clips 1, 3). The Scripture agrees: "the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority" (Revelation 13:2). The worship that follows shows where the empire's allegiance lies—people worship the dragon who gave power to the beast, and they worship the beast, saying, "Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?" (Revelation 13:4).
Les connects the ten horns of Daniel 7 and Revelation to ten nations, and out of those ten nations will come the Antichrist. He is the "little horn" that comes up among the horns in Daniel 7:8. Because he will rule the final world system, the Antichrist is also identified as the beast (Clips 0, 2). Les further describes an unholy trinity in Revelation: Satan as the counterfeit Father, the Antichrist as the counterfeit Son, and the false prophet as the counterfeit Holy Spirit (Clip 4).
Ten Nations and the Little Horn
Les teaches that the final empire ends with ten horns, ten nations, and out of those ten nations the Antichrist appears as the little horn mentioned in Daniel 7.
Attributes of Previous Empires
Les explains that the leopard, bear, and lion of Revelation 13:2 bring the attributes of Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome together in the revived Roman Empire—Greek philosophy, Roman law, and more.
The Two-Fold Beast
Les says "beast" refers both to the original and revived Roman Empire and to the man of sin, the Antichrist, who will rule this final world system.
The Sea of Humanity and Satanic Power
Les interprets the sea as the masses of humanity, and stresses that Satan gives the beast his power, throne, and authority.
The Unholy Trinity
Les teaches that Revelation presents an unholy trinity: Satan as counterfeit Father, the Antichrist as counterfeit Son, and the false prophet as counterfeit Holy Spirit—showing the Antichrist's place in the final empire.
A Bestial Government
Les teaches that the beast is the revived ancient Roman Empire, and it is called a beast because the government will be bestial, with no regard for human rights.
Daniel's Parallel Language
Les connects Daniel's four beasts to Revelation, saying the final ruler will have Nebuchadnezzar's power, the bear's crushing force, the leopard's swiftness, and the residue of Rome behind a seeming democracy.
Why Christ Must Reign Until All Enemies Are Under His Feet
Now of course we understand that from the onset of His rule and reign in the thousand years, He is absolute King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and there will be nothing of Satanic power to oppose Him. But remember, Satan is still alive. He hasn't been put away forever, and so this final setting away of Satan cannot take place until the thousand years have finished.
Revelation 13:1: 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.
This introduces the beast of the final empire, showing it rising out of the sea with ten horns and blasphemous identity.
Revelation 13:2: 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.
This is the central description of the final empire, combining leopard, bear, and lion features and showing Satanic empowerment.
Revelation 13:4: And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?
This verse shows the worship of both Satan and the beast, revealing who is truly behind the final empire.
Revelation 13:6: And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.
This verse describes the beast's blasphemous speech against God and heaven, a key character trait of the final empire's ruler.
Daniel 7:8: I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.
Les connects this little horn to the Antichrist who emerges from the ten nations of the final empire.
For Les it is both. The beast is first the revival of the ancient Roman Empire, and the word "beast" also identifies the Antichrist, the man of sin who is going to rule this final world system. He says the government will be so bestial that it is called a beast.
Les says the sea is symbolic, not an ocean—it is the sea of humanity, the masses of people around the globe. Out of this mass of humanity comes the empire that was dead, headed up by the one man of sin.
These animals show the attributes of previous world empires converging in the final empire. Babylon's power, the Medo-Persian bear, the Grecian leopard, and the residue of Rome are all headed up in the revived Roman Empire.
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