Solomon - A Type of the Beast of Revelation 13

In Revelation 13:1 we find a beast coming up out of the sea, this statement is virtually identical to Daniel 7:2-3 where four beasts come up out of the sea. Daniel 7:15-17 defines beasts as kings or kingdoms and Revelation 17:15 defines waters as peoples or nations. So the beast of Revelation 13:1 is a kingdom arising out of the nations, or peoples.

Revelation 13:1 also says that the beast that comes up out of the sea has 7 heads and 10 horns, with crowns on the horns and upon the heads names of blasphemy. This set of data indicates that the beast is a perfectly evil kingdom and it is worldwide due to the use of the number 10 horns. (See 10 commandments in Exodus 20; the ten men who take hold of all languages of the nations Zechariah 8:23). The fact that the beast has blasphemous names on its heads indicates that this kingdom makes religious claims that reject Bible principles for example Matthew 9:1-8 defines blasphemy as one who claims to offer forgiveness of sins through a system different from God’s system of forgiveness. John 10:30-38 indicates that another form of blasphemy is for a man to claim to be divine. Another facet of blasphemy is for one to specifically break one of the commandments of God. An example of this behavior is the man in Leviticus 24:11-16 who cursed the name of the Lord. So to speak against God, and His truths, would be a form of blasphemy. So the Beast is a kingdom, or government, that makes spiritual claims yet violates various principles of God’s government.

In Revelation 13:2 God states that the beast who came up out of the sea was like a leopard, had feet like a bear, and had a mouth like a lion, and the dragon gave him his power, seat, and authority. Again, let us go back to Daniel 7 to get clues about this unusual looking beast. In Daniel 7:2-7 we find that the Lord reveals that 4 beasts, or kingdoms, would rise up out of the sea, or out of the nations. These 4 beasts/kingdoms would be a Lion, a Bear, a Leopard, and a beast the likes of which Daniel did not recognize but which John sees as a Dragon. The beast of Revelation 13 appears to be a composite of the 4 beasts of Daniel 7 stated in reverse order. In Daniel 2-8 the 4 kingdoms spoken of in the various visions are generally seen as Babylon, as the head of gold and the lion, Medo-Persia as the chest of silver and the bear, and the ram, Greece would be the third kingdom symbolized by the leopard, and the waist of bronze and the he goat of Daniel 8, and the 4th kingdom is perceived as the kingdom that replaced Greece – Rome.

So with the information from above the beast of Revelation 13:1-2 would be a summary of the 4 kingdoms listed in Daniel 2,7, and 8. In Revelation 13:5-7 we find additional information about this beast in that it speaks great things and blasphemies, it has sufficient life to live 42 months, and it opened its mouth in blasphemy against God, blasphemed His name, His tabernacle, and then that dwell in heaven. God says in Revelation 13:7 that the beast makes war against the saints and overcomes them, and power was given this government over all kindreds, tongues, and nations, and then the Bible says that all that dwell upon it will worship this beast, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. All of the above statements are very similar to the 4th beast of Daniel 7 and its little horn.

In Daniel 7:7-8 the dragon beast was different in that it stamped, and devoured nations, and that it had ten horns. From among the ten horns a little horn came up that plucked up three horns, and it had a mouth speaking great things. In Daniel 7: 15-27 Daniel was wondering what the little horn meant and what did it mean. In Verses 24-25 the little horn, not so much the beast it is attached to, is described as speaking great words against the Most High, attacking the saints of the Most High, thinking to change times and laws, and the people of God would be given into the hands of the little horn for a time, times, and half a time (or 1260 days). These very same thoughts are amplified again in Daniel 8:9-12 where the little horn waxes great against the host of heaven, magnifies himself against the Prince of the host (Jesus Christ), against the daily, against the sanctuary of God, against the truth. These lists are very much similar to what the beast of Revelation 13 does, indicating that the two descriptions are talking about the same kingdom.

One last group of data and then we will see if we can identify this government. Revelation 13:3-4 says that this government received a death wound to one of its heads and then the wound was healed. Then as a result of this healing, all of the world wondered after the beast. And the world worshipped the dragon, which helped the beast, and they worshipped the beast. So again there is great evidence that this is a religious government for it accepts worship, and blasphemous worship at that.

So let us go down the list and see if we can identify the little horn of Daniel 7-8 and the beast of Revelation 13. We know the following: The little horn of Daniel 7-8 is attached to the fourth kingdom – Rome.

The little horn comes up after the period of time of the 10 horns or kingdoms. When pagan Rome divided up into 10 areas this was about 476 AD. Pagan Rome gave this little horn kingdom. The Roman Catholic church was granted control over the Western Roman empire by Emperor Justinian in approximately 530 AD.

The little horn persecuted God’s people for about 1260 years from 538 to about 1798. The Roman Catholic Church claims to have been protecting Christianity by chastizing heretics and this ended shortly before 1798.

The little horn claims powers that belong to God alone especially in its claims to be able to forgive sins and that its leader claims divine powers. The Roman Catholic Church claims these things through the confessional and through the Pope’s claims to be God on earth.

The little horn claims to have the authority to change the law of God. The Roman Catholic Church claims to have the authority to state that we can venerate images of things made with hands. It also has claimed the authority of changing the Sabbath commandment to Sunday worship without a Bible commandment.

The little horn plucked up 3 horns in order for it to be firmly established. This came to pass when the kings of the Heruli were conquered in 493 AD; Vandals in 534 AD and the Ostrogoths in 538 AD at the request of the Roman Catholic Church to Justinian Emperor of Rome.

The little horn/beast wants to be worshipped by all.

The beast of Revelation 13 received a death wound and then it was healed. Napoleon Bonaparte attacked the Roman Catholic Church when Napoleon sent his General Berthier to capture the Pope in 1798. For the next 100 years it looked as if the Roman Catholic Church would die and cease to function as a church. Yet in 1929 Mussolini gave Vatican City back to the Pope and its status as an independent nation was granted and it began to be a political power. Today it is the most sought after political power in the world.

It is this writer’s opinion that the Little Horn of Daniel 8-9 and the Beast of Revelation 13:1-11 is the Roman Catholic Church, from the information provided by the Bible and verified by history. Assuming that the Beast of Revelation 13 is the Roman Catholic Church I would like to present one more piece of information and then attempt to show how Solomon fits into the story. One of the names of the Roman Catholic Church is "the Papacy". Webster’s Seventh New Collegiate Dictionary says the following regarding the definition of the Papacy – the office of the Pope; a succession or line of the Popes; the term of the Pope’s reign; the system of government of the Roman Catholic Church of which the Pope is the supreme head. Thus the Papacy and the Roman Catholic Church are describing the same entity.

To further clarify the idea of the Papacy Ellen White, as the prophet of God defines the Papacy as the following: "When the early church became corrupted by departing from the simplicity of the gospel and accepting heathen rites and customs, she lost the Spirit and power of God; and in order to control the consciences of the people, she sought the support of the secular power. The result was the papacy, a church that controlled the power of the state and employed it to further her own ends, especially for the punishment of heresy." Great Controversy 443. The Roman Catholic Church fits this description as well. She was part of the early church, she became corrupted by departing from the simplicity of the gospel, and she accepted heathen rites and customs, and she sough the support of the state to control the consciences of men.

With these thoughts in mind let us see if Solomon did the very same thing. Solomon was involved in establishing the church in Israel. He was directed of God to build the temple to the glory of God. He sought the glory of God and sought to share these truths with the entire world. However, Solomon, through associations with heathen churches he slowly departed from the simplicity of the gospel. He began to incorporate heathen rites and customs into his worship system and built up an opposing worship system in Israel, even to the point of offering human sacrifices. Solomon attempted to change the principles of the worship of God by incorporating heathen principles. He changed the laws of God by not obeying them or encouraging others to obey them, especially the laws of Deuteronomy 17:14-20. He lost the power of God in his life by deviating from holy principles. He attempted to control the lives of his people by force. And Solomon even attempted to persecute those who had been appointed by God to do service for Him when he tried to kill Jeroboam the Son of Nebat in I Kings 11:28-40. All of these issues indicate that when Solomon’s heart was turned from God, he conducted his religious experiences in the same way that Ellen White described the Papacy.

Again, it is my hope that these short studies will give you food for thought as you evaluate the role of Solomon in the history of the church. That you will be able to see that Solomon was a type of both good and evil issues in the Bible. I pray that your study will guide you into a deeper relationship with God and that He will help you learn the lessons of Solomon and that you will turn to He that is greater than Solomon – Jesus.