The Whore (Babylon of Rev) was Jerusalem. The Beast of the Sea (Leviathan) was Rome.
Again, John takes his imagery from the OT. Leviathan was a scary sea creature found in Job and Psalms. Sea monsters were also a prevalent myth throughout the Mediterranean in places such as Turkey, Greece and Rome. In Judaism, the Leviathan was often associated with a demonic beast - a sea serpent or dragon.
In Rev 13 John is standing on the "sand of the sea" and watching a 7 headed beast crawl up from the Med with characteristics similar from the first three beasts of Dan 7, the lion, leopard and bear (Babylon, Persia, and Greece). As a footnote, these three beasts were commonly used in the Colosseum.
Certainly, the beast John described was meant to be of ultimate evil and scariness to his audience. It was the 4th beast of Dan 7 (dreadful and terrible, exceedingly strong. It had huge iron teeth; it was devouring, breaking in pieces, and trampling the residue with its feet). This beast clearly was Rome and as John says, "And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation." Certainly Rome had authority over all the known earth of John's day.
“Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?” This very concept was stated by Titus after he defeated Jerusalem when addressing the tyrants who were looking to be spared. Titus lists off the various strong nations who tried to make war with Rome, as recorded by Josephus:
"I hope you, sirs, are now satiated with the miseries of your country, who have not bad any just notions, either of our great power, or of your own great weakness, but have, like madmen, after a violent and inconsiderate manner, made such attempts, as have brought your people, your city, and your holy house to destruction. You have been the men that have never left off rebelling since Pompey first conquered you, and have, since that time, made open war with the Romans. Have you depended on your multitude, while a very small part of the Roman soldiery have been strong enough for you? Have you relied on the fidelity of your confederates? And what nations are there, out of the limits of our dominion, that would choose to assist the Jews before the Romans? Are your bodies stronger than ours? nay, you know that the [strong] Germans themselves are our servants. Have you stronger walls than we have? Pray, what greater obstacle is there than the wall of the ocean, with which the Britons are encompassed, and yet do adore the arms of the Romans. Do you exceed us in courage of soul, and in the sagacity of your commanders? Nay, indeed, you cannot but know that the very Carthaginians have been conquered by us.
Again, John takes his imagery from the OT. Leviathan was a scary sea creature found in Job and Psalms. Sea monsters were also a prevalent myth throughout the Mediterranean in places such as Turkey, Greece and Rome. In Judaism, the Leviathan was often associated with a demonic beast - a sea serpent or dragon.
In Rev 13 John is standing on the "sand of the sea" and watching a 7 headed beast crawl up from the Med with characteristics similar from the first three beasts of Dan 7, the lion, leopard and bear (Babylon, Persia, and Greece). As a footnote, these three beasts were commonly used in the Colosseum.
Certainly, the beast John described was meant to be of ultimate evil and scariness to his audience. It was the 4th beast of Dan 7 (dreadful and terrible, exceedingly strong. It had huge iron teeth; it was devouring, breaking in pieces, and trampling the residue with its feet). This beast clearly was Rome and as John says, "And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation." Certainly Rome had authority over all the known earth of John's day.
“Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?” This very concept was stated by Titus after he defeated Jerusalem when addressing the tyrants who were looking to be spared. Titus lists off the various strong nations who tried to make war with Rome, as recorded by Josephus:
"I hope you, sirs, are now satiated with the miseries of your country, who have not bad any just notions, either of our great power, or of your own great weakness, but have, like madmen, after a violent and inconsiderate manner, made such attempts, as have brought your people, your city, and your holy house to destruction. You have been the men that have never left off rebelling since Pompey first conquered you, and have, since that time, made open war with the Romans. Have you depended on your multitude, while a very small part of the Roman soldiery have been strong enough for you? Have you relied on the fidelity of your confederates? And what nations are there, out of the limits of our dominion, that would choose to assist the Jews before the Romans? Are your bodies stronger than ours? nay, you know that the [strong] Germans themselves are our servants. Have you stronger walls than we have? Pray, what greater obstacle is there than the wall of the ocean, with which the Britons are encompassed, and yet do adore the arms of the Romans. Do you exceed us in courage of soul, and in the sagacity of your commanders? Nay, indeed, you cannot but know that the very Carthaginians have been conquered by us.
