http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beast_of_Revelation
(Greek: Θηρίον, Thērion) refers to two beasts described in the Book of Revelation. The first beast comes from “out of the sea” and is given authority and power by the dragon. This first beast is initially mentioned in Revelation 11:7 as coming out of the abyss. His appearance is described in detail in Revelation 13:1-10, and some of the mystery behind his appearance is revealed in Revelation 17:7-18. The second beast comes from “out of the earth” and directs all peoples of the earth to worship the first beast. The second beast is described in Revelation 13:11-18 and is also referred to as the false prophet. The two beasts are aligned with the dragon in opposition to God. They persecute the “saints” and those who do “not worship the image of the beast [of the sea]” and influence the kings of the earth to gather for the battle of Armageddon.The two beasts are defeated by Christ and are thrown into the lake of fire mentioned in Revelation 19:18-20.
Beast from the sea
The description of the beast is found primarily in Revelation chapters thirteen and seventeen. Chapter thirteen gives the fullest description of the beast. John saw the beast “rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.” (Revelation 13:1) The beast was like a leopard, with feet like the feet of a bear, and had a mouth like a lion. One of the heads of the beast had a mortal wound but the wound was healed, causing people to wonder and follow the beast. (Revelation 13:1-10) This description draws many parallels with a vision in the Book of Daniel where four beasts symbolizing a succession of kingdoms come out of the sea in the forms of a lion, bear, leopard and a beast with ten horns. In Revelation chapter seventeen we learn of a third beast, scarlet in color and some of the symbols are explained. The prevailing view is that the scarlet beast is another, distinct, visualisation of the same subject as the beast of the sea. The beast of the sea is pictured with crowns on its horns, which are not present on the scarlet beast. The scarlet beast is shown being ridden by a harlot who “reigns over the kings of the earth”, (Revelation 17:18) whereas the beast of the sea is not being ridden, and is given “power…and great authority.” The seven heads of the beast represent both seven mountains and seven kings, and the ten horns are ten kings who have not yet received kingdoms. Of the seven kings we are told that five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come. We are also told that the beast itself is an eighth king who is “of the seven”, and is going to perdition. We are also told that this beast “was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition.”
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