Prophecy teachers have been assigning specific leaders as the beast or as some member of the beast yet I see it from a different perspective. Yes it is true that these leaders may have taken on attributes of the beast and would be qualified representatives but this beast has been found in the depths of our own internal carnal man. We need not look any further than the mirror to find where the beast ascended and lay claim in the not so distant past. Paul was chosen to write two-thirds of the New Testament yet he revealed the battle of the two “I’s” within him in Romans 7. Your mind is logical and will only respond to the information, facts, and truth provided it. If you only feed fleshly and negative input, the result will be reflected in your thought life. However if you focus on the higher Spiritual Truths, old thoughts and perceptions will be replaced with those higher Truths and life-giving perspectives. A great example of this is when Joshua ascended part way up the mountain with Moses and awaited his return from the Presence of FATHER. He heard a loud commotion below in the camp:
Exodus 32:17 And when Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said to Moses, “There is a noise of war in the camp.”
Nope, it was a golden calf worship party and Moses was not a happy camper. This bespeaks of Joshua’s pure heart and and his pure heart can be contrasted with those who submit to the beast:
Titus 1:15 To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled.
16 They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work.
The above passage contrasts the vessels of honor versus the vessels of dishonor who are disqualified. Would this indicate that one could have once been qualified for a good work but then later dis-qualified due to decisions to focus on the depths of the tumultuous sea of humanity and take on their customs and priorities? The spirit of this beast can be ever so subtle. Paul said it this way in Romans 8:
5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.
6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
We have the choice of where we place our focus. If you focus on the revelation of Love, you will walk toward that revelation until you are fully immersed in Love. How long will it take? It matters not to me for I will not be denied the most high prize of HIS calling in my life. Everything else will take care of itself until I have reached full maturity of FATHER’S most important character trait- Love. The beast would like to consume me and draw me away from this higher plane.
Revelation 13:1 Then I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name.
2 Now the beast which I saw was like a leopard, his feet were like the feet of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion.
From Wikipedia: The leopard’s success in the wild is in part due to its opportunistic hunting behavior, its adaptability to habitats, its ability to run at speeds approaching 58 kilometers per hour (36 mph), its unequaled ability to climb trees even when carrying a heavy carcass, and its notorious ability for stealth. The leopard consumes virtually any animal that it can hunt down and catch.
This sounds like the carnal nature of man… take no prisoners.
The feet of a bear are similar in structure to man hence they can walk in an upright fashion. They have ‘plantigrade’ feet making them able to walk on the soles of their feet. Their foot supports more weight than any other mammal with this type of foot. Their paws have tremendous strength and grip that will not let go of its prey. Similarly, man’s systems are design to keep us subjected to them by any means at their disposal. This allows them to control and exploit us once we are in their grip. This is true at the personal level as well. Just consider the plight of an addict. Once they submit themselves to the lower nature of the beast, their path towards destruction accelerates.
The mouth of a lion has two notable functions- a roar to bring forth fear and teeth to tear away flesh for consumption. Both functions are extremely effective. Out of the lion’s mouth are “words” of fear brought forth as the law of the jungle. His mouth consumes the weak and constantly reaffirms his position as the ruler over the masses.
Each aspect of the beast is designed to consume and control you to the point of devouring you. In the Epistle of Jude, we are warned of those who have taken on the attributes of this beast:
16 These are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts; and they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage.
17 But you, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ:
18 how they told you that there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts.
19 These are sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit.
Why look for a distant leader or group of leaders to assign as “the beast” when you can see the beast operating in men and women everywhere as members of the sea of humanity. The beast is the outworking of the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. It is a spiritual force that opposes THE SPIRIT and the Living Word and all those who submit to the beast will be included in those who “dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world”.
Love will expose the beast for what it really is so that those who are called up higher will no longer be fearful or reluctant when confronted by the spirit of this beast. They will no longer be intimidated by the lies and deception originating from this beast. Feat not, be of good courage!