The Eighth Beast

Jesus revealed to the Apostle John that there would be an eighth beast at the very end of the age (Rev 17:7-18). In all the years of hearing teachers and preachers talk about the end times I cannot remember anyone ever talking about the eighth beast. Understanding the eighth beast is strategic. For me, it was the key to understanding the demise of Babylon the Great in Revelation 17, and the whole purpose of the battle of Armageddon. It also helped clarify Paul’s prophecy of the man of lawlessness and the great rebellion (II Thes 2). Understanding the eighth beast was like getting my cataracts removed – the end times came into clear focus.

The eighth beast will succeed the seventh beast, and will last for only “one hour” (Rev 17:12). This short-lived ten-nation alliance will accomplish God’s purposes at the very end of the age. The eighth beast is designated by the ten horns, quite unique from the seven heads of the beast, which represent seven nations that have dominated the world and suppressed God’s people (Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia, Greece, Rome, and America). This is confirmed in the statement to John, “five have fallen, one is now, the other has not yet come” (Rev 17:10).

The eighth beast is an alliance of ten kings who give their power and authority to one last ruler (Rev 17:12-13). This ten-horn beast is a united Arab-Islamic alliance, led by the man of lawlessness (II Thes 2:3), an Islamic caliph or Imam. This is confirmed by understanding the cryptic identification of the eighth beast given to John in Revelation 17:8 and 11, “the beast once was, now is not, and yet will come.” The Arabs are essentially the descendants of Esau, Ishamel, Keturah, and Lot. They were a constant enemy of the Jews, from shortly after the time of Abraham all through the history of the Old Testament. At the time of John’s writing, though, the Arabs were a non-factor to the Jews. But they would come on the scene again, dramatically, in the 7^th century, and they will become the arch enemy of Israel and of Messiah at the battle of Armageddon (Rev 17:14).

Lastly, the eighth beast “will hate the prostitute” and “bring her to ruin…they will eat her flesh and burn her with fire” (Rev 17:16). The prostitute is the Great Babylon, the great city that rules over the kings of the earth, sitting over peoples, multitudes, nations, and languages (Rev 17:5, 15, 18). The great Babylon of the end of the age is New York City, the controlling center of the seventh beast, America, and the prostitute of the whole earth. Correlating this Revelation 17 prophecy of America’s destruction with a similar prophecy in Daniel 7:11-12, an alarming picture comes into focus – New York and America will be destroyed by this eighth beast alliance. The slogan of revolutionary Iran, Hezbollah, Houthi, Hamas and many other Arab nations, “Allah is great, Death to America, Death to Israel.”, is a harbinger of what is to come. The destruction of America will allow the Arab alliance to invade Israel with very little obstruction or restraint (cf 2 Thes 2: 6-7)

We are warned. We must prepare our hearts and bolster our faith. We will be living through some extreme tribulation in America, Christians included. As we endure the “death, mourning, and famine” (Rev 18:8), we will be crying out, “Maranatha, come quickly Lord Jesus.”