Who Was The Beast Of The Book Of Revelation?

[JAG 5000]

Who Was The Beast Of the Book Of Revelation?

Short answer: Nero Caesar.

Read on , , ,

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{The following was taken from He Shall Have Dominion. by Dr. Kenneth L. Gentry Jr. It is not a word for word quote but the substance of this below is Dr. Gentry's. I typed it in. It is not on the web. Footnote at the bottom}

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Who Was The Beast Of Revelation? The Beast is a well known Christian Eschatological character. Premillennialists incorrectly believe that the Beast is to appear in the future. This is false. The Beast was a 1st Century character that appeared in the 1st Century and will never appear again in human history.

The Apostle John wrote the book of Revelation.

The Time Of The Beast. John clearly expects his prophesied events to take place in his day, the 1st Century.

John writes: "The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place." Revelation 1:1

"Then he told me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this scroll, because the time is near" Revelation 22:10

"must soon take place" "the time is near"

In light of Revelation's significance to its first-century audience, the Beast must be someone relevant to that first-century audience.

"The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near." Revelation 1:1-4

“Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea.” Rev. 1:11 {these were churches of the 1st century that received this letter of Revelation}

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Revelation 13 presents the Beast as a horrible and powerful foe attempting to destroy God's people.

Sometimes Revelation presents the Beast as a kingdom and sometimes as an individua leader of that kingdom.

In some places the Beast has seven heads which are seven kings collectively considered.

In Revelation 13:1 John notes that he saw a Beast coming up out of the sea having 10 horns and seven heads. Revelation 17:10 specifically says that the seven heads represent seven kings.

Thus the Beast is presented as a kingdom. But kingdoms have representatives. This is why John also speaks of the Beast as an individual.

John urges his readers to calculate the number of the Beast which is the number of a man Revelation 13:18

The Beast's General Identity is the first-century Roman Empire and NOT a "revived Roman Empire" as imagined by Dispensationalism.

According to Revelation 17:9 the Beast's seven heads represent "seven mountains." The seven mountains symbolize Rome. Rome is the one city in history distinguished and recognized by its seven mountains.

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The Beast's Specific Identify. The Beast in his personal identity is Nero Caesar. He and he alone fits the bill as the personal and specific expression of the Beast. This vile character fulfills all the requirements of the text of Revelation.

First the number of the Beast. In Revelation 13:18 the number of the Beast is 666. The usefulness of this number lies in the fact that in the first-century alphabets serve as both phonetic symbols and as arithmetical values. Significantly a common spelling of Nero Caesar's name is Nrwn Qsr, which provides the numerical value of 666

Second the Textual Variant. See Dr. Gentry's book for this explanation. Page 381

Third the Beastly Image. Revelation 13 both calls and portrays the one behind the 666 riddle as a "beast.". The term "beast" can easily symbolize persons with a beastly nature. Almost all scholars agree that Nero Caesar possessed a beastly nature.. Nero Caesar is even hated and feared by his own countrymen, as ancient Roman historians agree. The pagan writer Apollinius of Tyana, a contemporary of Nero Caesar, calls him a "beast."

Fourth, the war with the saints. John's Beast will make war with the saints and overcome them.{Rev. 13:7} In fact Nero Caesar conducts a blasphemous war with the saints for a specific period of 42 months {Rev. 13:5} Nero begins his persecution of Christians in A.D. 64. The persecution finally ends when Nero Caesar dies on June 8, A.D.68 forty-two months later, but for a few days. {Point of interest: Nero's own end comes by the sword.}

Conclusion: The Beast of Revelation was the beastly Nero Caesar of the 1st Century.

Source He Shall Have Dominion by Dr. Kenneth L. Gentry Jr. pages 379 - 381

Best Regards,

JAG

[amnestynone]

it was written about 95 ad as per real experts. https://duckduckgo.com/?q=when+was+revelations+written&t=h_&ia=web

The ancients usually wrote books and then made claims about it being written by others. For instance the Apocrypha is written by supposed false authors. That was very typical there is no reason to believe that the canonical books were any different. Try to understand the times these materials were written and understand the way things were done. You get a completely different understanding.

[Boiler Plate]

The pre trib Eschatology came long before Miller as you noted previously.

I can’t think of many times I have argued Eschatology with non Christians. I also can’t think of how believing Pre, Post or Amillennialism effects me day to day or with trying to lead someone to Christ.

You are welcome to believe what you want, we will find out the truth soon enough.

[Cronos]

The real experts hold to the date of pre-destruction of the temple.

First, Jerusalem is spoken of as still standing. Revelation 1-11 alludes frequently to the fall of Jerusalem. John is called to measure the temple, without any suggestion that it is destroyed (11:1). Jesus told His disciples that within their generation, not one stone of the temple would be left on top another (Mt. 24:2). The temple was destroyed in A.D. 70 and never rebuilt. Thus, it is evident that Revelation was written before that judgment.

Furthermore, the emperor Nero is mentioned as still being alive: “There are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space” (17:10). Julius was the first Caesar (48-44 B.C.); he was followed by Augustus (27 B.C.-A.D. 14), Tiberius (A.D. 14-37), Caligula (37-41), Claudius (41-54), Nero (54-68), Galba (who ascended the throne upon Nero’s suicide on June 9, A.D. 68 and reigned only briefly until he was assassinated on January 15, A.D. 69) and Vespasian (A.D. 69-79). The first five Caesars—Julius, Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula and Claudius—had already died (“fallen”) at the time of the writing of the book of Revelation. Nero was on the throne. After him arose another Caesar, Galba, who only continued a short space—just a little over six months. How exactly was Bible prophecy fulfilled!

Moreover, Revelation 13:8 identifies the emperor with the number equivalent of Nero’s name: 666. In Hebrew the name is “nrwn qsr”: n (50) r (200) w (6) n (50) q (100) s (60) r (200), which totals exactly 666.(1) The numerical values of the Hebrew alphabet are well established.(2) How totally contrived and arbitrary are naive and misguided efforts to force this historic number on twentieth-century English names such as Henry Kissinger or Ronald Wilson Reagan!

There is also the a priori teaching of Scripture itself that all special revelation ended by A.D. 70. The angel Gabriel told Daniel that the 70 weeks were to end with the destruction of Jerusalem (Dan. 9:24-27); that period would also serve to “seal up the vision and prophecy.” In other words, special revelation would stop by the time Jerusalem was destroyed.

Finally, John repeatedly makes the point that the great tribulation he describes “must shortly come to pass” (Rev. 1:1). This was a comfort for persecuted Christians: deliverance was at hand! “Shortly” does not mean a quarter of a century later—let alone 1900-plus years later! God’s word says: “shortly,” and there is no reason for not taking it literally. Further, there are at least 24 verses in Revelation (e.g., 1:3; 2:16; 3:10-11; 10:6-7; 12:12; 22:3, 7, 10, 12, 20) which speak of the imminence of the fulfillment of the prophecies of the book (not imminent now but imminent in the first century).

[Cronos]

Revelation 1:1 states, “what must soon take place.” The word “soon” (swift/shortly-Greek “Tachos”) means quickness and speed, indicating that these events will happen “suddenly” and “unexpectedly” (Matt 24:32; 2 Pet. 3:8-18).

The late date, so people point out, also refers to God’s divine providence and the final phase. The time of waiting is over; Christ is here. The time is near for God who lives outside of space and time, but not necessarily near for us. This is similar to the last days, referring in context to the sudden nature of the Christian era, not necessarily a time reference (2 Pet. 3:3). Many Christians took this to mean that it would happen soon. We need to understand God’s perspective, not our desires. This word is critical to which approach and view of Revelation one takes. If we take this word as it is in English and do not pay attention to the Greek or the context, we will jump to the conclusion of immediate fulfillment (Acts 2:16-17; 1 John 2:18; Rev. 22:6-12, 20).

[Cronos]

• • The "Syriac version" of the New Testament, which dates back to the second century A.D., states that Revelation was written during the reign of Nero making a date of 64-68 A.D.
  
  
• • The "Muratorian Fragment," dating back to 170-190 A.D., states that this work of John was written during the reign of Nero.
  
  
• • The "Aramaic Peshitta" version has a remark that places its date prior to 70 A.D. The title page of Revelation states this work of John was written right after the reign of Nero.
  
  
• • The "Monarchian Prologues," that dates back to 250-350 A.D., claims that Paul also wrote to these seven churches (possibly Romans which was a "circular letter," it went out to many addressees) following John's Book, thus, placing the book even before some of the other Pauline epistles.

Nero Caesar exiled John on the island of Patmos. Nero died in 68 AD, and according to Roman law, those banned by a prior Caesar would be released by the succeeding Caesar. Thus, John would have been released from Patmos around 68 AD. (John himself mentions he was at Patmos when he received the Revelation).

John is clearly writing to the seven churches and consequently to people being persecuted by Rome. Rome was a bloodthirsty, pagan empire that oppressed its people, especially Christians, who were considered criminals and slaves and used for sadistic entertainment.

Peter also wrote to the Christians in Asia Minor around the same time for an early date or a few years before John (1Pet. 1:1-6; 4:12; 5:9). He notes that they were in extreme persecution, suffering, and in dire anguish. This is similar to John's language and situation (Re 2:9; 3:9) and similar situations recorded by Paul in Acts 13:50; 14:5,19; 17:5-8,13; 18:12. Thus, the severity of the persecution is consistent with an early date.

[Cronos]

I emphatically said that the pre tribulation eschatology dates purely to the 19th century and not earlier.

Let me repeat -- I said clearly that the pre-tribulation rapture is non-biblical and non-historical. I did not comment on pre-millenialism per se in this thread

The rapture fantasy is non-biblical and was not held by Christians before Miller time in the early 1800s

[amnestynone]

The problem is that you are interpreting this as a 21st century person. This was not written by a 21st century person. Herodotus was the father of history. He wrote in the 3rd century and before that people did not write history. They wrote about current events which is where we get much of our history before that time.
History written by the ancients (post Herodotus) is often unreliable because of this. The ancients when they wrote, wrote allegory. The people and places represented spiritual powers and spiritual things. They are symbolic references because the sub conscious ie the “underworld” works on symbolism. The symbolism used in ancient religions was largely taken from other religions. Hence biblical imagery comes often from other religions. For instance you will look at biblical literature you will see numbers being used. Especially numbers 7 or 12 or 40) The numbers represent spiritual things. These numbers are encoded in practically all of the more advanced religions of that time in the same way indicating the same science behind them. I believe it was Aristotle in his Metaphysics masterpiece who wrote that the number 3(one of the meanings) was the grave of the soul” Now you will see in the Crucifixion that there are three crosses, three days in the grave, three female mourners three trials etc. What this shows is that the death of Christ represents life in incarnation. This is considered to be a time of sorrows This is when you have to bear your cross. Studying these numbers and the way the ancients used them gives insight into the real commentary which is buried under neath.
The people in the story represent spiritual principles.
In the ancient religions there is what is call pralya by the Asian Indians which is the root substance of the universe. Everything that is material comes out out. It is considered the virgin matter by the ancients. The term virgin mother actually comes from virgin matter. It is in many sun god myths the virgin mother or virgin matter that gives birth to the sun God who lives than dies and then lives again. Do you see how it relates to understanding the true vision of the christian scriptures?
Until you understand how the ancients did things and see this for what is. That is a part of that living legacy then you will never understand the bible or or the spiritual things that are buried in it. You always be left on the surface. So all of the things that you stated as would happen happened before 95 AD which is one of the reason the real experts assign it that date. In other wards it is a pious fraud about being a prophecy on events. It is instead something that when parsed over becomes something that creates and awakens a person to real spiritual truths when they look for deeper meanings. It takes the blind and turns them into somebody who sees.

[Boiler Plate]

Well good luck with your emphatically convincing the whole of Christianity of your being right.
We shall see.
Meanwhile concentrate on reaping the harvest, because the workers are few.

[Cronos]

I gave you how the people of the time interpreted it.

The book of Revelation was written BEFORE the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD, during the Great Tribulation under Nero

Rev 1:9 I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.

Nero Caesar exiled John on the island of Patmos. Nero died in 68 AD, and according to Roman law, those banned by a prior Caesar would be released by the succeeding Caesar. Thus, John would have been released from Patmos around 68 AD. (John himself mentions he was at Patmos when he received the Revelation).

We're not talking about Herodotus who lived in the 3rd century before Christ

The Biblical imagery in the book of Revelation is exactly what is there in the other apocalyptic book in the Bible - the book of Daniel

In the ancient religions there is what is call pralya by the Asian Indians which is the root substance of the universe -- Firstly, it's called "Pralaya" - and it's not "the root substance of the universe" -- Pralaya is related to the Indo-European root "przerwa" or "pauza" or pause - it is the pause between yugas when the loka are destroyed.

I repeat The "Syriac version" of the New Testament, which dates back to the second century A.D., states that Revelation was written during the reign of Nero making a date of 64-68 A.D.

[amnestynone]

I repeat this is a mystery religion and Revelations was written from Graeco Egyptian sources. The smartest man I ever knew had 5 PHD’s and read 27 languages. He was a retired Professor of Philosophy and knew more about ancient religions than you and I will ever know(he was also a good Republican). He said he actually saw a copy of the document from which this was taken from. I take this person at his word. I certainly take it over anyone who would tell me that Jesus drank Grape juice. They did not write from a standpoint of history and they did commit pious frauds in order to put their veil over things. The fact that the Syriac version said what it said means nothing.

[amnestynone]

“Pralaya is related to the Indo-European root “przerwa” or “pauza” or pause - it is the pause between yugas when the loka are destroyed.”

In other words it is the root substance of the universe when the universe goes into (acccording to easter sources) negative existance. It is the source of everything when everything goes out of negative existence. In other words it is the root substance of the universe, as I said.

[Cronos]

No, it’s not the root substance as per Santana dharma. That is Eshwara

[Cronos]

Revelation was not written from Greco Egyptian sources. It has no relationship with the mystery cults of the greeks or of the Egyptians.

The book of the Apocalypse is standard biblical apocalyptic literature in the same vein as Daniel or large chunks of Jeremiah or Isaiah

[amnestynone]

And where do Jeremiah and and Daniel come from. Isaiah was plainly written from Zoroastrian influences. Even the term messiah comes from Persian language. Most if not all of the religions from that time period have apcalyptic literature.

[Cronos]

Isaiah has no Zoroastrian influence. It was written well before Zoroastrianism had any influence on the middle east.

“Most if not all of the religions from that time period have apcalyptic literature.”

That’s incorrect. Have you read any religious books?

The Gathas aren’t apocalyptic, neither are the Upanishads, the teachings of the Mahavira, nor the Daoist writings.

[amnestynone]

“Isaiah has no Zoroastrian influence. It was written well before Zoroastrianism had any influence on the middle east.”

You are dead wrong.

[amnestynone]

https://dailymassmeditation.wordpress.com/zoroaster-and-the-birth-of-an-apocalyptic-faith/

Notice the date here given for zoroastrianism. This was indeed apocalyptic.

[Cronos]

Nope.

Zoroastrianism arose in Eastern iran, in what is now Tajikistan. It had no influence in the west of Fars before the 6th century.

The book of Isaiah dates to the 8th century.

Tge tone and text of the Gathas are utterly different from Isaiah.

What’s your argument?

[amnestynone]

read the zend avesta. Read any bonafide study of Zorastrainism. The eighth century BC is before the 6th century BC. Ther are other dates that put it back further.

[OwenKellogg]

Coming in late. What is the consensus?