Even though I (John Wood) have titled this “The Four Beasts’ there are only two bad ones. The devil is called the dragon, the lamb-like-beast, and the false prophet. The devil’s names change with origin, time, and behavior. When Satan is doing his deceptive work from the spirit world he is called the dragon. When Satan masquerades as Jesus he is called the lamb-like-beast because he astonishes the entire world by his supernatural appearance and powers. When Satan, the lamb-like-beast, is unmasked by the fourth and fifth bowl as the devil, he is called ‘the false prophet.’When Satan, the lamb-like-beast, comes out of the abyss in Revelation 11:7 he is called the‘beast’ because he is from the abyss. The abyss is only a prison for the devil and his angels. The abyss is referred to as ‘the wind’ by Daniel; it is called ‘chains of darkness’ by Jude and Peter, and it is called ‘the bottom less pit’ by John in the King James Version.
The leopard-like-beast comes out of the sea not out of the abyss. The leopard is called Babylon in Rev 14:8 because the seven heads are arguing constantly. The leopard-like-beast is called the beast in Revelation 19:20 when he is cast into the lake of fire because he is distinguished from the other beast, the false prophet. Let me tell you a story: My wife’s name is Elizabeth; she has a daughter named Elizabeth and her mother’s name is Elizabeth. My wife is 63 and lives with me in Kentucky; her daughter Elizabeth is 40 and lives in San Antonio, and my wife’s mother lived in Virginia. How can we distinguish between the three Elizabeth’s – by time, occupation, and where they lived. This is how you identify the different beasts.
- John Wood