my appologies for being repetative in the likely event that this has come up before (though I did search and couldn’t find anything)
Was watching some religious program this weekend (i know… i know…) and this author – don’t remember his name but it’s not especially important – was explaining that some beast described in the book of revelation represents the united nations. I’d heard something along these lines from a fundie friend of mine, but the author said that the beast is described as having characteristics of 5 different animals, and that these animals are all the “representative” animals of the permanent members of the un security council. I believe the animals he listed were eagle (u.s.), bear (russia), dragon (china), lion (u.k. or perhaps france?), and then some other animal I can’t remember that was supposedly representative of whichever one wasn’t the lion.
I thought this was at least interesting, so I decided to look it up. The closest I can see to this description comes from the kjv… rev 13:2
Well, I suppose 3 out of 5 ain’t bad, but I couldn’t help but wonder whether the guy on tv was just plain lying or referring to something else. He seemed knowledgable enough about the bible to not have simply been mistaken, so I think these are the only two options, but i’m well aware of the fallacy of the trilemma ™ so I’ll leave it open to other possibilities. If it matters, the author was protestant so he wouldn’t have been referring to the apocryphal books (I don’t know much at all about these books, but it may help to limit the scope of the question)
The first part of my question would be just what are the 5 animals that are most commonly associated with the permanent members of the security council? I wasn’t sure which was the lion or what the other would be, but I can’t imagine either is a leopard.
And the second (and more central) part: Is there another description of some beast, perhaps in another translation/version of the bible which actually includes all these animals?
Daniel chapter 7, in which Daniel was shown the Gentile empires which would dominate Israel-
a lion with eagle wings- Babylon
a bear- Meda-Persia
a four-headed four-winged leopard- Greece (which was quartered
after Alexander’s death)
a non-descript ten-horned beast-Rome
features of these four beasts appear in the SeaBeast of John’s Revelation
I lean to regarding the Fourth Beast of Daniel & the SeaBeast of Revelation as primarily refering to the ancient Roman Empire, during which Messiah Jesus came & established His Church to grow throughout the world. I concede that the popular futurist view that these beasts also refer to a coming AntiChrist empire much like ancient Rome may have some validity.
Is the UN this empire? Doubtful. Unless it somehow was given power to enforce its will upon even the most powerful nations.
The official symbol of the U.S. is an eagle. Of course, there are probably two dozen countries whose official symbol is the eagle.
I guess Russia’s a bear.
China, I don’t know. We may associate dragons with China but I’m not sure THEY do.
England’s heraldric symbol has been a lion for many centuries.
France has been represented by a number of animals, including the lion. In heraldy it’s sometimes symbolized by a stallion or a unicorn, IIRC.
Personally, I think that there is just as much logic in claiming that the beast in Revelation symbolizes the Los Angeles Lakers. After all, the Lakers have FIVE players on the floor, right?
And the second (and more central) part: Is there another description of some beast, perhaps in another translation/version of the bible which actually includes all these animals? **
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Actually the words “lions” and “leopards” in heraldry don’t refer to different animals but to the way they are displayed. Either standing on two legs or not.