What does "the beast that was, and is not" symbolize in Revelation 17:8? Setting the Verse in Front of Us “ ‘The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to come up out of the abyss and go to destruction. And those who dwell on the earth, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world, will marvel when they see the beast that was, and is not, and yet will be.’ ” (Revelation 17:8) Peeling Back the Phrase “Was, and Is Not” • “Was” – the beast possessed real historical existence in the past. • “Is not” – at John’s moment of writing, that same manifestation is absent. • “About to come” – yet the identical power will re-emerge, shocking the unbelieving world. The Beast as a Person: the Final Antichrist • Revelation 13:3, 12, 14 describes a head “slain to death” that revives. • 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 pictures “the man of lawlessness” who is revealed in the last days. • The sequence fits a single future ruler: – He once operated in world history (was). – He disappears, seemingly gone (is not). – He returns, energized “out of the abyss,” then heads for certain “destruction” at Christ’s coming (will be). • The counterfeit resurrection inspires awe in all whose names are not in the Book of Life (17:8b). The Beast as an Empire: a Revived Kingdom • Revelation 17:9-10 connects the seven heads to “seven mountains” and “seven kings.” • Verse 11: “The beast who was, and is not, is himself an eighth king and belongs to the seven.” • Historical pattern: – Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome (six). – Rome “was” the empire in John’s day, then collapsed (“is not”). – A future “revived” Roman-type coalition will rise (“will be”), led by the Antichrist and counted as an “eighth.” Why the Past-Present-Future Tenses Matter • They underline Satan’s limited mimicry of God’s title “who is and who was and who is to come” (Revelation 1:4). • They reveal that evil powers appear formidable yet remain temporary—destined “to destruction.” • They assure believers that apparent resurrections of evil are counterfeit and short-lived. Cross-References That Shed Light • Daniel 7:7-8, 19-26 – a terrifying fourth beast, ten horns, and “another little horn” rising later. • Revelation 13:1-8 – ten-horned beast from the sea, world domination, forty-two-month reign. • Revelation 19:19-20 – final defeat; the beast and false prophet thrown alive into the lake of fire. Putting It All Together The phrase “the beast that was, and is not” symbolizes both the personal Antichrist and his end-time empire. Historically present, presently absent, but prophetically slated to re-emerge, this counterfeit power will astound the unbelieving world through a false resurrection and a revived kingdom, only to meet irrevocable judgment when Jesus Christ returns. |
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