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Watch out for the animals and Beasts of Scripture Throughout Scripture people are represented in different ways, sometimes as trees or branches that bear fruit, other times as animals’ beasts. In Genesis the word beasts are used for species of creatures God made, later they are divided into being clean and unclean. There are Wild beasts and domesticated beasts, wild beasts are mostly identified as beasts of prey (2 Kings 14:9; 1 Sam. 17:34–35; Job 39:15; Ps. 80:13; Hos. 13:8) A wild beast is a symbol of tyrannical rulers. EX: The four beasts in Dan. 7:3, 17, 23, represent four kingdoms (Ezek. 34:28; Jer. 12:9). Numerous time they are used symbolically to represent man, or an animalistic nature. Paul says 1 Cor. 15:32 “I have fought with beasts at Ephesus” This is what Paul was referring to Acts 20:29-30 “ For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock.” This is not just wolves, but savage wolves, worse than a pack of wolves that are destructive in their activity. Jesus spoke of wolves being hungry vicious animals who disguise themselves to be sheep. Matt 7:15-1 “ Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits.” Matt 10:16 “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.” Jesus described the difference of those leaders who act in His nature and those who do not. There are sheep and there are wolves. “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep.” (John 10:11-13) Paul- Titus 1:12 “ One of them, a prophet of their own, said, "Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons." Peter- 2 Peter 2:12 “ But these, like natural brute beasts made to be caught and destroyed, speak evil of the things they do not understand, and will utterly perish in their own corruption.” Jude 10 “ But these speak evil of whatever they do not know; and whatever they know naturally, like brute beasts, in these things they corrupt themselves.” Matt 7:6 “ Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.” Dogs were often a title used for gentiles, pigs were unclean animals, or in a broader sense when used of humans worse than unbelievers. Being called a beast is the most identifying title for someone who is against God. The last Beast[s] in the Bible are mentioned 37 times in Revelation. It is after the two witnesses give testimony that we read Rv. 11:7 “ the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them.” Another 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.” (Rv. 13:2) We read that the seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits.” (Rv. 17:9) One of its heads has a mortal wound and is healed Rv. 13:3-4 “And all the world marveled and followed the beast. So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast.” We read in Rv. 13:11-12 “another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon. And he exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence, and causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.” This beast is like a wolf in sheep’s clothing but far worse. Rv. 13:13-15 “ he performs great signs, … he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived. He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast , that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed.” All the beasts in Revelation have power, authority and are against God and to deceive his people to worship a creature, the Devils messiah.
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