Revelation 13:11
NASB - 11 Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb and he spoke as a dragon.
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Horns on beasts generally refer to the authority and power of the beast to make and enforce laws, with punishments for those disobeying them. The two horns on the beast coming out of the earth would be two kings, if the analogy with the ten-horned beast is true. The two horns would be separate peoples, as the ram with two horns in Dan 8:3-7 signified the Medes and Persians united to conquer Babylon. Which peoples these are isn't clear from the scriptures. Since these events will take place in the end times, an example of the two separate people in the feet of Daniels great image might be useful. One was of clay and the other was of iron. The iron represents those who live according to the written scriptures. The clay would be those who live according only to what they see and hear (including miraculous events) which may also have been recorded previously by the media. For the first group nothing they see or hear contradicting the scriptures will ever be believed. For the second group, nothing written down by men in past generations need be believed without testing, preferably by scientific methods. Rather than living together in one country, these two groups seem to be permitted in the future to live in separate political jurisdictions. The corresponding ancient biblical dichotomy would be between the Jew and the Greek. The false prophet coming from the second beast does many miracles which convinces the second group of his divine authority. The first group is swayed by his claims to fulfilling the scriptures and his facility in discussing theological issues. Although these two groups are temporarily united under the false prophet, they ultimately separate into their component parts at the time of Christ's second coming, and there will be little or nothing left of them.
To be honest with you my friend, the question is a lot bigger than it first appears... To identify the horns on the land beast of Revelation 13 we should first identify who the beast is. As we are dealing with Bible prophecy the Bible must interpret itself. Therefore, a 'beast' in Bible prophecy equals a kingdom (Daniel 7:17) The 2nd beast of Revelation 13 comes out of the land, why is this important? It is because the 1st beast comes out of the sea, and the Bible says that the sea represents 'people, multitudes, nations and tongues' (Reveltion 17:15) 1) It can be argued then that the 2nd beast or nation comes from an area where there is relative scarcity of people because it comes from the earth. For the sake of shortness, there are other identifying pointers that help us identify who this second beast is and will thus help us understand what the two horns are... 1) Comes from the earth 2) Begins to come up as the 1st beast is going down 3) Two horns like a lamb 4) but....speaks like a dragon The only nation on earth that fits this description given in Revelation 13:11 is the United States of America. 2) The Bible then says that the beast had 2 horns like a lamb. Horns denote power, strength, dominion etc The two horns of the USA in its infancy are religious and civil liberty, republicanism and Protestantism, freedom from a pope and freedom from a King. However, the text continues by saying that this nation will also speak as a dragon. The dragon according to Revelation 12:9-17 is a persecuting power. There is a lot more to this answer but by the grace of God it will be brought out when more questions are asked. God bless you
A big clue is in Rev 13:16-17 where those without the mark of the beast shall not buy or sell. A beast is a metaphor for a nation. Continuing with the metaphor interpretation, the mark on the forehead means values, and on the hand means actions. What other interpretations are there for not being able to buy or sell besides sanctions? Since these are the end times, this particular prophecy is being fulfilled. Look at the US today. It imposes sanctions on nations and individuals that do not share its values (perverse values in the name of individual rights, fornication in the name of sexual liberation, abortions in the name of women rights). So, one conclusion is that the two horns are the Senate and the House of Representatives. Another is that they are the Democrats and Republicans.
The beast that came out of the land represents the United states of America. I think others clearly described it. But the two horns do not represent the religious and political power. If we read the history of the United states of America, though most of the leaders were Christians, they never forced their citizens to worship or follow specific religion. The two horns represent the two major parties of the country that make the law and abolish the law. Remember, the characteristics of the horns are ruling the country by making the law. Read Daniel 8. The Medes and Persians, who represented one country, denoted as the two horns on the ram. The only thing that Republicans and Democrats can't change is the constitution. But they have different agendas from one another to take the country where they think it should go. They have different domestic and foreign policies, which impacts the lives of many people here at home and abroad in the world. Thanks.
There are differing interpretations of the "two horns". Remember that Revelation is addressed to seven churches, to the audience of that time.The people were familiar with animals and so the analogy is clear: the horns of a horned animal are for enforcing its will. So horns represent earthly power: the use of this in Daniel, to describe the Persians and Medes as the two powers who scattered Judah is the example most often used. So a beast is an amalgam of nations or powers, like an empire, and the horns of the beast are that empire's subcomponents. The paradox of a beast that looks like a lamb (having very small horns) but talking like a dragon is interesting-- because later the beast from the earth gives the beast from the sea (most scholars agree this is Papal Rome) its power. But how powerful can it be? It seems commonplace to jump to conclusions that the beast is a multi-state union that currently exists. However, the United States does not somehow convey power to the Roman Catholic church and it has many different peoples. But if it is an historical empire-beast of that earlier time, then how could all of the terrible, cataclysmic things that are described have already happened? What we need to remember is that what is most important to the writer of this extraordinary description was exiled, worried and troubled about what might become of the fledgling church. How he received his vision and what it truly means is a difficult puzzle. What if the Lord gave him a glimpse, like a timelapse video, of all of history? How could the mind react to such a vision? In the dream/vision, he is taking notes, because at one point he is told not to write down what the thunders say. What this writing demonstrates more than anything is a human's ability to be deeply moved by a divine love for their God, for the scripture, their church family, their people and their world.
Two thousand years ago one horn meant power or wealth, if one had two horns, it meant power and wealth. So when one reads Chapter 13, verse 11, is as follows: “And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.” Which means the following: And I witnessed another president, coming from the elites, and it had both power and wealth, just like the sacrifice, and spoke as the Government. Chapter 13 describes two presidents, one chosen by the people and the other by the elites. This president was the former FBI Director, prior to being vice president to the numbers of his name, the 666, which means six (6) letters of alphabets in the first name, six (6) letters of alphabets in the middle name, and six (6) letters of alphabets in the last name Ronald Wilson Reagan. What John is describing in chapter 13, are two presidents, what each did during their terms. One is from verses 1-10 & 18, and the other is from verses 11-17, which are the first two president of the tribulation Countdown Calendar of presidents (Rev 17:10). People must think of the time passage which is from 1981-1993.
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