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The Beast Formula

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The Beast Formula

What Is the Beast?

The Relationship Between The Revelation 17 Beast, The Woman, The 7 Heads, The 7 Kings, The 10 Horns, And Time

Introduction

There are a number of theories that attempt to explain the relationship between the Revelation 17 scarlet beast, the woman, the 7 heads, the 7 kings, the 10 horns, and time. But the Bible itself defines this relationship very clearly so that no mistake need be made about this. The purpose of this web page is to explain how the Bible makes that relationship abundantly clear. There are several ways the Bible makes this relationship clear to the reader, one of which clarifies the composition of the beast. The author calls the relationship, which defines the beast itself, the "The Beast Formula" because of its similarity to a chemical reaction formula. The Beast Formula will be explained through an analogy with a chemical reaction so that the reader will easily grasp the meaning. The Beast Formula is the central topic of this web page because, once this topic is understood, it can be used to explain the relationship between the various parts of the beast.

Do bear in mind that this formula applies ONLY to the leopard beast of Revelation 13 and the scarlet beast of Revelation 17 because the formula is described in relation to these two beasts only. Therefore, do NOT attempt to apply it to the dragon of Revelation 12 or the beasts of Daniel because doing so will lead to the wrong conclusions.

The purpose of studying the beast formula is to identify and gain understanding of the two main parts of the beast, and by this one is enabled to fully understand what the beast, its heads, and horns truly are. You will know the identity of the parts of the beast with certainty.

Revelation 13 tells you what "parts" are necessary to create a beast, which it does by telling you that there is a beast and by its behavior you can determine what "parts" make up the beast. In contrast, Revelation 17 tells you the parts that are already there. You just have to figure out that because the Bible gives you a parts list, it is actually creating a beast. That is the general idea behind this web page. Most people fail to grasp this very important, but subtle, point, and it causes them to fail to understand the beast and the woman.

This is a long web page, so take your time and study it carefully. The author would rather have written a short web page, but this subject is so deep that a short one cannot do justice to the material. Even this is not complete but will have to do. You will find it helpful to have a Bible handy. Quotes on this web page are taken from the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible.

 

Analogy - An Easy Miniature Chemistry Lesson

If you have ever taken a high school chemistry class, you may be familiar with the idea that you can put two chemicals together, react them together chemically, and the the chemical that comes out of the reaction may be something totally unlike either of the two chemicals you started with. A perfect example of this is the reaction between hydrogen and oxygen to form water.

At room temperature, hydrogen and oxygen are gasses, have no odor, are colorless (transparent), and both are vital to life in some way or another. We need oxygen in the air we breath to live. Oxygen enables us to extract energy from the food we eat, a process which is vital for life because, without energy, life ceases - and quickly. We need hydrogen in the body for many reactions, such as creating certain types of acids which have many uses in the body. For example, hydrogen helps form carbonic acid, which is the form carbon dioxide takes when it is being transported by the blood from the tissues to the lungs. This form of carbon dioxide is readily dissolved in water and is easily removed from the blood once it reaches the lungs. It also helps keep a balance between the acids and bases in the blood and body so that the enzymes of the body work correctly.

Water is very different in many ways from either hydrogen or oxygen. It is a liquid at room temperature and much more dense than hydrogen or oxygen (a cubic meter of water weights a great deal more than a cubic meter of oxygen at normal atmospheric pressure!) Like oxygen and hydrogen, water is absolutely essential for life on this world. Without it, there would be no life, at least, not life as we know it. For example, by acting as a near universal solvent, water is able to dissolve many chemicals and enzymes necessary for life to exist, which enables these chemicals and enzymes to get together to do their work. If water did not dissolve these chemicals, then they could not get together and life would simply cease to exist. Also, by filling up the space inside cells, water provides structural support for the more than 60 trillion cells that make up the human body. Virtually none of these tasks can be accomplished by either hydrogen or oxygen because their physical properties simply make them unsuitable.

Water molecules ordinarily have a small amount of electrical polarity to them, as if the water molecules are like little magnets, with a north and south pole (see illustration below). This is probably one of the most important characteristics of water known to science. They have this charge to them because the two hydrogen atoms that bond with the oxygen atom to form water attach themselves closer together on one side of the oxygen atom than they are on the other. Also, the electrons shared by the hydrogen and oxygen that bonds them together to form water tend to spend the majority of their time around the oxygen atom, which makes the oxygen more negative and the hydrogen atoms more positively charged. This slight polarity helps dissolve a lot of substances, such as salt, that otherwise would not dissolve in water. This property is NOT present in hydrogen or oxygen individually, but together as water, they do possess this characteristic. It goes a long ways towards making life possible in this world of ours.

Below is a drawing of a water molecule that should give you some idea what it looks like. Notice the hydrogen atoms are not attached on opposite sides of the oxygen, but have an angle of about 104 degrees between them. Because the electrons spend the majority of their time around the oxygen and because of the short distance between the two hydrogen atoms on one side of the oxygen atom, this gives the water molecule a polarity, which in turn gives it the ability to dissolve many different substances.

 

Water Molecule Illustration showing 104 degree angle between the hydrogen atoms

Water Molecule Structure Illustration

Negative Pole

 

 

 

 

 

 

Positive pole

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Water is so unlike the two constituents it is created from that it is hard to compare them. It is like comparing apples to oranges. The scarlet beast of Revelation 17 is a little like that also, for it is made up from two main constituent parts which separately are rather unlike the beast itself when they are apart. Being together to make up the beast changes both parts so that the combination of the two are different than either one alone - and much more dangerous.

To understand how the beast formula works in Revelation 17, it is helpful to first study the leopard beast of Revelation 13. The reason this is helpful is because the Beast Formula is demonstrated in Revelation 13, something that most people never realize when they read that chapter because it is said in such a way that it is not obvious. Once this is understood, it is easier to understand the beast formula in Revelation 17.

 

The Beast Formula In Revelation 13

Because Revelation 13 does NOT have a phrase that says something like "here are the parts of the beast:...", the only possible way to identify the constituent parts of the beast, of which there are two of them, is through the description of the behavior of the leopard beast. Deducing the identity of the parts of the beast from how it acts can be accurately done because enough information is given to separate out the parts of the beast one from another. The beast is not a literal animal, of course, since it is symbolic of a power, but the description of the beast presented in Revelation 13 is patterned after a literal animal and interpreted using the same pattern that occurs in Daniel 7. Its body parts are used to symbolize the different stages or eras of this power, and the characteristics of the different body parts can tell you something about the behavior of the beast. The beast is a power that acts based on what it is, which is based on how it thinks. If you understand how it thinks and acts, you will be able to identify each constituent part of the beast.

 

Do understand that on this web site, the term BEAST generally refers specifically to the BODY of the beast and the era it represents, and does not usually include the heads and horns.

 

 

 

 

 

Identifying the First Constituent Part of the Beast

There are several types of information presented in Revelation 13 in regards to the beast. Generally it presents information regarding the following:

Table 1 shows how each verse fits into each of these categories. The "X" indicates which column applies.

 

Table 1 - Revelation 13:1-10 Analysis
Verse
 Beast Description How Others Acts Towards the Beast How the Beast Acts Towards Others Other General Information
Revelation 13:1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a 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.
X
 
 
 
Revelation 13:2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion:....
X
 
 
 
Revelation 13:2 ...and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.
 
X
 
 
Revelation 13:3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; ... and all the world wondered after the beast.
 
X
 
 
Revelation 13:3 ...and his deadly wound was healed:....
 
 
X
 
Revelation 13:4 And they worshiped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshiped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?
 
X
 
 X
Revelation 13:5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; ....
 
X
 
 
Revelation 13:5 ...and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.
X
 
 
X
Revelation 13:6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.
 
 
X
 
Revelation 13:7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.
 
X
X
 
Revelation 13:8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
 
X
 
 
Revelation 13:9 If any man have an ear, let him hear.
 
 
 
X
Revelation 13:10 He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.
 
X
 
 X
Revelation 13:18 Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.
X
 
 
X

 

The following verses contain several types of information, including behaviors the beast directs towards others:

Revelation 13:3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.

Revelation 13:5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.

Revelation 13:6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.

Revelation 13:7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.

The beast in Revelation 13 is described as having power to rule for 42 months, a time period that works out to 1260 prophetic days (30 days per month x 42 months = 1260 days), which represents 1260 literal years. This information only tells you how long it lasts, and virtually nothing about how it acts (except that it is tenacious), so tells you only a little about its identity. What it does tell you about its identity is this: The fact that this power continued for 1260 years indicates that this is a long running power that is great, or it would be extinguished quickly. Only a nation or a religious power could likely exist for such a long time. This narrows the search - a little. At this point, we simply know it is not some minor player on the political or religious landscape.

What behaviors are mentioned in Revelation 13:3, 5-7?

The war with the saints and having power over the nations and peoples is a power the beast is given by others, but he then uses that power so is a behavior that he engages in towards others for the duration of the 1260 days. For this reason, it is categorized as both a behavior the beast does towards others and how others behave towards the beast.

The near deadly wound is interesting because the wound is inflicted by others, yet the healing of it must, like all wounds on an animal, come from within. This predicts that somehow the wound will be healed primarily by an action of the head itself and not an action of an outside party. It heals itself. But in healing itself, it affects how it acts towards others.

Since the beast is given power to continue for a period of 1260 prophetic days (1260 literal years), it stands to reason that it is given power to do all of the behaviors mentioned above during this time period. There is a difference between the blasphemy the beast does and the power over the nations and the war against the saints of God. The difference is this. The nations must give their consent for the beast to persecute the people of God, whereas blasphemy is something that the beast does not generally need specific authorization from other powers to commit (there is an exception to this). Hence, when the 1260 days are up, the beast will no longer have power over the nations, and consequently will not have the power to continue its war against the people of God. But most of the blasphemy can and does continue because it does not need their permission to commit blasphemy.

The blasphemy of the beast continues beyond the 1260 prophetic days as indicated by the fact that the leopard-like beast of Revelation 13 has blasphemy on its heads. It appears that the body is given a separate mouth and speaks blasphemy during the 1260 days. Here is what the Bible says about this:

Revelation 13:4 And they worshiped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshiped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?

Revelation 13:5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.

This refers to the beast and says it was given power to speak blasphemy. Let us consider how the body of the beast is able to speak blasphemy or in what specific way does it speak blasphemy? Some suggest that the body, heads, and horns represent one power and one time period. They then suggest that the phrase "And there was given unto him a mouth" means that God gave this beast the ability to speak and that one of the heads then spoke instead of the body being given a literal mouth with which to speak. This is unlike what the Bible says happens when God wants an animal to speak. We have the case of Balaam, in which it was NOT said that the donkey was given a mouth to speak, but rather his mouth (the one he already had) was opened so that he could speak. There is a difference here. Examine for yourself what the Bible said about the situation with Balaam and his donkey:

Numbers 22:28 And the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?

Thus, the Bible says that God opened the donkey's mouth, not that it was given a mouth with which to speak like is done in Revelation 13. The leopard-like beast of Revelation 13 already had at least one mouth on one of the heads that looked like a lion's mouth, and it is probable that it actually had seven mouths, one on each of the seven heads. So, to say that it is given a mouth to speak seems extremely unnecessary when God could easily have said that he opened one of the mouths to speak, just like he did for the donkey of Balaam. Why say that a mouth was given it under these conditions?

But, on this web site, we believe that the body represents the first era, the heads the second era, and the horns the last era, just as is done in Daniel 7 and also in Revelation 17, so it makes sense that God said this beast was given a mouth to speak The body of the beast needed to have a mouth given to it in order to be able to speak because the body does not naturally have a mouth and the heads represent a time that has NOT YET COME, and they therefore cannot speak. Thus, the body MUST have a mouth given to it so it can speak.

Just to be more sure of the language and its intended meaning, here is another example where the Bible refers to the mouth being opened, which means the person began to speak:

Job 3:1 After this opened Job his mouth, and cursed his day.

Therefore, like the donkey whose mouth was opened and it began to speak, Job's mouth is said to have opened and then he began to speak. There are other examples in the Bible where this same type of wording is used, including in the New Testament (for example, Luke 1:64). Considering the way the wording is done in the remaining portions of the Bible when someone opens their mouth to speak, it seems very odd that given the wording of Revelation 13:5, this should refer to one of the mouths on the heads being opened to speak.

This Revelation 13 leopard beast (also often referred to as the sea beast), as described below, is the same power as the scarlet beast of Revelation 17. It speaks blasphemy during the time of the body, and it will still have this characteristic during the time of the head. During the time of the ten horns, the power represented by the body will return and will continue on in its blasphemous ways, just as before until Jesus comes again. Thus, the blasphemy is not limited to the 1260 days.

Notice that the ten horns are NOT marked with blasphemy in Revelation 13. There is a reason for this having to do with the identity of the ten horns, which changes slightly from that of the original beast, but originates from it. The fact that the horns do NOT have blasphemy on them is an evidence that the pattern of this beast is consistent with that of the beasts of Daniel 7 (the body comes first, then the heads, and finally the horns). If this beast were representative of one time period (rather than three eras of this power), then the blasphemy should also be shown on the horns. Think about this.

The war against the saints and the power over the nations are the powers the beast was given only for the 1260 days, unlike the other powers which continued past the 1260 days.

 

Blasphemy Is a Key Identifying Element Of One Part of the Beast

Blasphemy is a key element in identification of one of the two parts of the leopard-like beast of Revelation 13. The reason this is true is because it is a behavior of the beast's body itself. Behavior always reveals a lot about a person or an organization and the beast is no exception to that.

To understand how blasphemy reveals the identity of one part of the beast, one must consider what blasphemy really means. To do that, normally we would simply look it up in the dictionary, but first we must check the Bible to see if it has its own definition of blasphemy. Do not forget that the Bible often gives us a "working definition" of words it uses. A working definition is one in which an author temporarily redefines a word in some practical way to suit his own purposes, rather than strictly following the dictionary definition. In this way, the Bible defines things for us in the way that God wants us to understand them. This is particularly true of the symbols used in prophecy such as Daniel and Revelation.

For an example of this being done in the Bible, in Revelation 1 John tells us that he saw seven golden candlesticks. Now if a person looks up the definition of candlesticks in the dictionary, he will find the standard definition of that word as we understand it, a concept that has probably not changed much in the 1900 years or so since Revelation was written. God provides a "working definition" of candlesticks in Revelation 1 when He tells us that the seven golden candlesticks are symbolic of the seven churches (Revelation 1:20). Through this example, He makes it plain that a dictionary definition won't work for it has nothing whatsoever to do with the symbolic meaning. He also sends a strong signal that the book of Revelation is a book that is based on symbolism, something that we absolutely must not miss or we'll never understand it. Therefore, the logical conclusion is that we must let the Bible define things for us wherever possible.

Another example where this is done in Revelation is the word abyss, or what some translations call the bottomless pit. The bible provides its own definition of it, though it also alludes to the dictionary definition of it in how it is used in Revelation 9. The Bible's symbolic definition of it is found in these two verses:

Revelation 20:3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.

Revelation 20:7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,

Did you catch the significance of these two verses? The significance is that the bottomless pit (the abyss) is a PRISON! But what do most people do? They run for their Greek-English dictionary and look up the Greek word that is translated as a bottomless pit, and then will tell you it is a deep bottomless pit or maybe a waste place - a desert, or something on that order. What does that tell you? Does it tell you, as Revelation 20 does, that it is a prison? No. But the Bible does. And if you miss this, you will miss the meaning of the abyss entirely. It reinforces that idea in Revelation 9, for it describes it this way:

Revelation 9:1 And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.

Revelation 9:2 And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.

This clearly tells you that the bottomless pit has a door opening into it and this door is locked until a key is used to unlock it. If you read further, it tells you that when the door was opened in this vision (do remember that this is just one time that it is opened, for there are other times it is apparently opened to allow other powers out), smoke comes out of it, and out of that grasshoppers come out. Reasonably, the grasshoppers probably were in the smoke that arose out of the pit, though we are not told that, but they certainly arise out of the smoke.

The grasshoppers represent the Saracen Muslim fighters who lived in the time of and shortly after the time of the Islamic prophet Mohammed. They were a power that was held in "prison" until it was time to release them, at which time the "door" of the bottomless pit was unlocked and opened to let them out. After this they became a plague upon the Christian world to punish it for the sins it had committed against God and the true followers of God. The grasshoppers represented a power, just like the beasts of Daniel, but in their case they also represent the huge numbers of the Saracens that invaded Christian territories. Thus, any power that is held in check until God releases it can be said to be in prison, or in the abyss, until its release. Likewise, any power that exists freely and is then placed into restraint, can be said to have gone into prison or the abyss. Do remember that we do have a clear example of the devil being sent into prison in Revelation 20. The lesson taught by the grasshoppers is that the dragon is not the only power that can be held in the abyss and come out of it.

It is important to reiterate that the abyss is a bottomless pit with a door that is normally locked until it is opened. This is evidenced by the fact that God gave the star (which represents Satan) the key to open the pit and a power came out when the door was opened. Historically, many powers have arisen through various means so it would appear that God gives Satan the key to the bottomless pit periodically to do this. The key is "permission" to open the pit and allow a power out to do the work that they will do, such as warfare, conquest and causing havoc whenever God permits.

The presence of a door on the abyss that is normally locked is a good description of a prison. The author has an older brother that used to be a teacher to prisoners in a jail (he only worked there - he did NOT live there!). He will certainly tell you that the doors of a prison are normally locked to hold in the prisoners. But if you stick with the dictionary definition for the abyss and fail to catch the redefinition of the word as a prison in Revelation 9 and 20, you will entirely miss the point of the abyss or bottomless pit. So, it is important to consider how God redefines words in the Bible. The results will be a lot better as far as our understanding of what God is trying to teach us.

Now, back to the word blasphemy. Just so you are clear on this, the author will show what the dictionary says about the word blasphemy. The dictionary gives the meaning of blasphemy as defined by common usage in modern times, which is not exactly the same as the Bible definition, though it is close. Here is what the dictionary says about blasphemy (from Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary - computer version):

1 a : the act of insulting or showing contempt or lack of reverence for God b : the act of claiming the attributes of deity
2 : irreverence toward something considered sacred or inviolable

In Bible times, the word blasphemy had its root meaning in the idea of scorn, which we might think of as contempt for God. The Bible gives us very good, practical working definitions of blasphemy, which in many respects, sums up the meaning of blasphemy as used almost anywhere in the Bible. The Bible definitions of blasphemy are more extensive than the dictionary definition, a difference that is important.

 

Bible Definitions of Blasphemy

For a list of all Bible verses containing the word blasphemy or variants of it that occur in the Bible, click here. Click the Back button on your browser to return to this location after you have looked over the verses.

Let us learn how the Bible itself defines blasphemy by considering the following texts (this list may not be complete but should cover most Bible definitions):

  1. The Jews revealed one definition of blasphemy through an incident recorded in Matthew 26:

    2. Matthew 26:63 But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God.

    Matthew 26:64 Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.

    Matthew 26:65 Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy.

    Matthew 26:66 What think ye? They answered and said, He is guilty of death.

    Here Jesus was said to have committed blasphemy by claiming to be God. This is probably the most important definition of blasphemy in the whole Bible.

  2. Next, the Jews revealed what is probably the second most important definition of blasphemy:

    Matthew 9:1 And he [Jesus] entered into a ship, and passed over, and came into his own city.

    Matthew 9:2 And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.

    Matthew 9:3 And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemeth.

    Matthew 9:4 And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts?

    Matthew 9:5 For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk?

    Matthew 9:6 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house.

    Matthew 9:7 And he arose, and departed to his house.

    Matthew 9:8 But when the multitudes saw it, they marveled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men.

    The verses above give another definition of blasphemy, which is claiming the power to forgive sins. In the Bible, this refers ONLY to forgiveness for sins against God's laws, so cannot refer to "sins" against man because of breaking his laws or the laws of a false god.

    Likely this is the second most important definition of blasphemy, for it is central to the salvation of man.

  3. Here are verses which give another Bible definition of blasphemy:

    Matthew 12:31 Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.

    Mark 3:29 But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation:

    This form of blasphemy is refusal to repent of sins, so is said to be committed by a person against the Holy Spirit. There is no forgiveness because there is normally never repentance of this type of sin. But there can be, so that is why the person is said to be "in danger of eternal damnation", which implies that it is something that can be reversed. The clue to unlocking the understanding of this is the phrase "hath never forgiveness". This indicates that as long as the person never has forgiveness, then he remains "in danger of eternal damnation". With repentance, there is forgiveness so the person should no longer be "in danger of eternal damnation". Hopefully, this makes sense to you.

    This can be considered a form of claiming to be God because it is a person saying that they have no need of submitting to God's will in their life so long as they persist in this. Only a being equal to God, or one choosing to believe he is equal to God by choice of actions or by belief, will make such a claim. But do understand it is important not to simplify this by categorizing it that way, for the Bible does not do this. Thus, though it might be claiming to be God, we are to leave it as blasphemy against the Holy Spirit and understand it and use it as a separate category of blasphemy.

  4. Blasphemy apparently can also be committed against men, according to the Bible. Here is one such verse:

    1 Kings 21:10 And set two men, sons of Belial, before him, to bear witness against him, saying, Thou didst blaspheme God and the king. And then carry him out, and stone him, that he may die.

    This probably is based on the basic definition of blasphemy, which is that it is scorning the authority in charge.

    Some versions render the Hebrew word as "curse" or "cursed" rather than "blaspheme". In this case, either is correct according to Strong's Hebrew and Greek Dictionary. The context would strongly suggest that it is indeed possible to blaspheme the king, just as it is possible to blaspheme the mountains of Israel as recorded in Ezekiel 35:12 and explained below. This also makes it clear that some forms of cursing is blasphemy, though it is not at all clear that all forms are blasphemy.

  5. The Bible says that idolatry is also blasphemy against God. Here is the evidence for that:

    Ezekiel 20:27 Therefore, son of man, speak unto the house of Israel, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Yet in this your fathers have blasphemed me, in that they have committed a trespass against me.

    Ezekiel 20:28 For when I had brought them into the land, for the which I lifted up mine hand to give it to them, then they saw every high hill, and all the thick trees, and they offered there their sacrifices, and there they presented the provocation of their offering: there also they made their sweet savor, and poured out there their drink offerings.

    What is described here were practices associated with the worship of idols. Elsewhere, God seems to indicate that not all of these practices are blasphemy in and of themselves, so it appears that the core issue here is the actual practice of idol worship or worship of someone other than the true God. It seems that here people make themselves out to be God for they obviously ignore God's plain commands not to worship idols or engage in idolatrous practices as described in these verses above. But at the same time, they set up another as a god, in this case, objects made of silver, gold, and wood in the form of idols. So, making a god out of another person or object by worship of them or praying to them can constitute blasphemy. Since praying is something that a person should direct only to God because it is an act of worship, this is the reason it constitutes blasphemy when directed to someone other than God.

  6. Below is evidence that some practices associated with idol worship themselves do not always constitute blasphemy but are categorized separately:

    Isaiah 65:7 Your iniquities, and the iniquities of your fathers together, saith the LORD, which have burned incense upon the mountains, and blasphemed me upon the hills: therefore will I measure their former work into their bosom.

    Here burning incense, which was associated with idol worship, was classified separately from blasphemy which the Israelites did upon the mountains. The mountains are where they went to worship their pagan gods. Pagan gods were commonly believed to live in specific places, and mountains were a common place that gods were believed to reside. Consequently, their gods were associated with the mountains. The blasphemy spoken of in Ezekiel 20:27-28 MUST refer to the act of worship itself.

  7. The word of God could also be blasphemed. Here is the evidence of that:

    Titus 2:5 To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.

    It appears that this is scorn for the word of God, but ultimately it probably is counted by God as claiming to be God, for a person who ignores God's word is saying that he has no need to submit to God. This does not appear to be blasphemy in the form of claming to be able to forgive sins against the laws of God (meaning there is the promise of eternal life behind such forgiveness), it is not blasphemy against men, and it is not likely idolatry (except for idolatry of the self), so claiming to be God is probably the meaning of this. Yet we cannot be sure because the Bible does not say that, so we probably should classify this as another category of blasphemy, just as we did with the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.

  8. Even the mountains of Israel were said to be blasphemed against, which seems very strange indeed. Here is the evidence of that:

    Ezekiel 35:12 And thou shalt know that I am the LORD, and that I have heard all thy blasphemies which thou hast spoken against the mountains of Israel, saying, They are laid desolate, they are given us to consume.

    The explanation of this is given later in the section dealing with blasphemy against those who live in heaven.

  9. Hypocrisy can be another form of blasphemy. Here is the evidence for that:

    Revelation 2:9 I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.

    Clearly these individuals make a pretense of being one thing while God says their hearts are really elsewhere. The modern day word for that is hypocrisy, but God calls it blasphemy. It seems reasonable that this is true only in relation to a person's commitment to God or to false gods and the common forms of hypocrisy that all encounter in daily life are not likely the subject matter which God labels as blasphemy. But one does need to be aware of this.

 

What Forms of Blasphemy Did the Beast Commit?

and More Bible Definitions of Blasphemy

It is true that speaking against God can constitute blasphemy, for the Bible makes that plain in the following verse:

Leviticus 24:16 And he that blasphemeth the name of the LORD, he shall surely be put to death, and all the congregation shall certainly stone him: as well the stranger, as he that is born in the land, when he blasphemeth the name of the LORD, shall be put to death.

But this must be understood to be a specific type of speech in Bible prophecy. Note the distinction made between speaking "great things" and blasphemy, for it says the following:

Revelation 13:5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.

Here is another example where Bible makes a distinction between "great things" or "great words" and the "blasphemies", for it says the following

Daniel 7:25 And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.

The logical conclusion is that "great things" or "great words" against God are not necessarily the same as blasphemy. Therefore, we must look to other behaviors of the Talking Horn on the fourth beast of Daniel 7 to find the blasphemy that it commits.

This certainly is interesting because the author has encountered other authors who thought the "great things" of Daniel 7 is blasphemy, but the Bible does show that there is a difference between the "great things" and blasphemy.

The Talking Horn of Daniel 7 on the fourth beast is the same power as the leopard beast of Revelation 13 for it arises at the same time, does the same things, and has power for the same length of time. As is said, if it walks like a duck and talks like a duck, it probably is a duck. Therefore, we can look for parallels in their behaviors.

Daniel 7:25 (the fourth beast of Daniel 7) and Revelation 13:5 (the leopard beast) parallel each other. Here is the parallel structure:

Table 2 - Revelation 13:5 Compared to Daniel 7:25
Verse Division
Revelation 13:5
Daniel 7:25
Great Things or Great Words And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things And he shall speak great words against the most High,
Blasphemy or specifics of blasphemy ...and blasphemies; ...and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand
Length of Existence ...and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. (1260 literal years) ...until a time and times and the dividing of time. (1260 literal years)

Do you see the parallel construction of these two verses? These verses are talking about the same things. And it makes it clear that God makes a distinction between the "great things" (or "great words") spoken against God and blasphemy, at least for purposes of marking a beast with blasphemy. What is called blasphemies in Revelation 13:5 is called "...and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand" in Daniel 7:25. The last phrase in both verses simply gives how long this power would last.

What exactly constitutes the blasphemy defined in Daniel 7:25 when it says "...and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand"? This is an important question. History provides the answer to this question because both the Beast Power and the Talking Horn (In case you are wondering what this is, it is my "pet name" for the horn on top of the fourth beast of Daniel 7 that talks) as presented in the Bible actually show a description of the same power even though they look different one from another. Typically, to answer this question, people look to history in relation to Daniel 7, and while the author believes such an approach to be of value and will use some of the material from Daniel 7 for this purpose, the author also believes that Revelation 13:6 can provide us with substantial answers to this question, so will rely primarily on this for answering this question. Revelation 13:6 very specifically tells you precisely what this power does that God considers to be blasphemy, so is quite useful. Since both verses are about the same power, it is a valid approach to do this. In addition, for a power to be marked with blasphemy, it must meet certain requirements. Not just any act of blasphemy will do for God to mark a beast with blasphemy.

The specific things spoken of by Revelation 13:6 as blasphemy are:

Blasphemy Against God's Name - What Does It Mean?

What does it mean to blaspheme the name of God? The Bible demonstrates that God associates His name with His character. These verses below should help you begin the process of gaining understanding that God's name is associated with His character. Then you can understand exactly how blasphemy against God's name means damaging His character.

Psalms 74:10 O God, how long shall the adversary reproach? shall the enemy blaspheme thy name forever?

Romans 2:24 For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written.

Exodus 33:17 And the LORD said unto Moses, I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken: for thou hast found grace in my sight, and I know thee by name.

Exodus 33:18 And he said, I beseech thee, show me thy glory.

Exodus 33:19 And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.


Exodus 33:17-19 make it clear that God associates his name with His characteristics, or you could say it is associated with his character. He does this by saying that He would make all His goodness pass before Moses AND "proclaim the name of the LORD". For this reason, it is that Psalms 74:10 equates blasphemy with reproaching the name of God for it is an act of damaging His character and reputation.

But there is more. Moses was instructed by God to prepare two tables of stone upon which God planned to write the 10 commandments. Moses was to take the tables of stone with him and go up on the mountain where God planned to meet with him and show Himself to Moses. The verses below record what happened:

Exodus 34:5 And the LORD descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the LORD.

Exodus 34:6 And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth,

Exodus 34:7 Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.

Exodus 34:8 And Moses made haste, and bowed his head toward the earth, and worshiped.

Exodus 34:5 says that God proclaimed the name of the Lord. Then the events proceeded as recorded in Exodus 34:-6-8, which should tell us that all the things that follow are associated with the name of the Lord.

When God proclaimed His name, what did He do? Here is a detailed list:

These characteristics can be divided into positive and negative characteristics, at least as we perceive them.

These verses become very specific about exactly what characteristics are found in the character of God, which God Himself associates with His name. As you look over the list above, it should become clear that several things are evident in the description of God. These are:

  1. His mercy, goodness, and kindness are apparently emphasized by their number and by being listed first. These can be described in specific terms in the ten commandments. For evidence that this is so, consider that God is not a thief, He does not lie, He does not commit adultery with your wife or husband (unlike legends of some gods from some cultures around the world), He is not a coveter of your things so He won't murder you to get your BMW or other valuable possessions (if you have any). By not doing these things and making love for His neighbor the basis of His behavior towards us, God is therefore described as having mercy, kindness, and goodness. Clearly, we can rightfully say that His character of mercy, kindness, and goodness is described in the ten commandments. These are all positive attributes of God.


  2. God is very willing to forgive, another positive attribute of God


  3. and yet for the guilty, a negative trait as we perceive it: the sins of one generation will follow on down to several generations of their descendants


  4. The positive and negative traits clearly imply that it is God's right to decide upon
    • forgiveness for sins
    • bring judgment for sin
    • determine our ultimate destiny, heaven and eternal life or hell and eternal death

Now, what does it mean then to blaspheme the name of God? It means to reproach the name of God and slander His character. Since the character of God is associated with His name, it stands to reason that if one reproaches the name of God, one is reproaching the character of God. God takes His reputation seriously and does not appreciate having it damaged by careless words, so it seems likely that He is insulted by such acts. To reproach the name of God is to take upon oneself the prerogatives that clearly belong to God alone, for one is clearly saying that a person need not worry about the consequences of such behavior. This implies that a person (or power) evidently considers oneself of more importance than God. He can safely be ignored in their thinking. This makes them into a god, consciously or unconsciously.

Question: Because the law of God describes His character, how do you commit blasphemy in relation to the law of God? Answer: By claiming to be able to change it at will! This is blaspheming the name of God because a power doing this is claiming they are a god in their own right and don't need to answer to the true God. This happens because the power believes they are an equal to God. It damages God's character because it alters His law, which is a description of what He is like. If one law can be changed, then any of them can be changed. This means that if a power wants to and claims the power to change God's laws, murder could become legal under God's law. Do you want that? Do you want theft to become legal? Think about this when you hear certain religious powers proclaim that they have changed some of God's law. They are proclaiming that they have the right to change ANY of God's laws. Do you really believe that God would given them such power when God says the following about Himself?

Malachi 3:6 For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed

Another right God declares for Himself in His speech to Moses is the right to forgive sins. This is declared in Exodus 34:7, for it says that it is God who forgives sins. Remember that when God forgives sins, there is the implicit promise of eternal life connected with it, which no other being or any other so-called god can genuinely promise. Since this forgiveness of sins is associated with the proclamation of the name of the Lord, clearly one can blaspheme the name of God by claiming that one can forgive sins against God's laws. Nobody but God can absolve a person of their sins and genuinely promise them eternal life as a result!

Another right God declares in the proclamation of the name of the Lord is the right to render judgment for sin. Therefore, if a power claims to be able to decide who goes to heaven and who does not on the basis of perceived sins (such as being labeled a "heretic"), they are committing blasphemy against God. This last right is rather scary because how many of us have said that because of the behavior of certain people, they certainly are deserving of eternal loss in hell (have you ever told someone "GO TO HELL!!!")? We are in danger by such statements, though I am sure all people make similar statements at one time or another. We do need to be very careful about that. While it is true that we need to make judgments about people's behaviors and have to make some estimate of their motives sometimes, we need to be very careful about declarations of their motives and destiny in regards to that. This is a difficult area for all, especially when injustice has been done against us. But if we are not careful about such statements, we can be guilty of blasphemy.

It is also true that God Himself has made declarations about the probable destiny of individuals who continue to persist in committing certain evil acts. The warning is that they are at risk of hell, and usually not that they are definitely going there. Of course, if they don't repent, then the risk can become reality. We can know that they are in danger of hell because of God's own statements about such sins, but we must be absolutely certain that such statements are plainly laid out in the Bible and not based on some church leader's proclamations or tradition, which will never hold up in God's courts of law. All things will be brought into judgment by God, whether good or bad so we need to be very careful that we follow exactly what God has laid out in His word. We will be safe that way.

There is one place where there is a clear exception to the destiny question, and that is at the end of time during the time when the investigative judgment of God is done and over with. When Jesus finishes the judgment, He will make the following terrible pronouncement:

Revelation 22:11 He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.

Immediately after that, the temple in heaven fills with smoke from God and nothing can enter it during the seven last plagues. This means that during this time, there is no forgiveness of sins and can never be again. The destiny of everyone will have been sealed forever. The people of God will know this about those who have chosen sin as their way of life.

In summary, the following things define blasphemy against the name of God:

 

Blasphemy Against God's Tabernacle - What Does It Mean?

The earthly sanctuary in the Old Testament was used for the purpose of dealing with sin. In other words, God made His presence visible there in the Most Holy Place of the sanctuary and if you wanted to have your sins forgiven, you came to God through a priest at the sanctuary for that purpose. Logically, to blaspheme the tabernacle means that a person or power must be usurping the power belonging to God in connection with the tabernacle.

There were several specific powers of God manifested at the sanctuary (perhaps the reader can think of others?) These were:

The most important power God exercised at the tabernacle for the average person was the power to forgive sins, which carries with it the promise of eternal life. That is not to deny or reduce the importance of the other powers, but it is a fact that the average person went to the tabernacle for this very purpose and probably did not think much about the other powers. If they were directly involved as an accused person who was brought before the high priest, then they might have worried a great deal about the fact that God genuinely knew their innocence or guilt and would definitely reveal the truth for all to see. But for most people visiting the tabernacle, all they wanted was for their sins to be forgiven so that they would not die in the fires of hell someday and would inherit eternal life. So, one meaning of blasphemy against the tabernacle of God in heaven means this power claims to have the authority to forgive sins against God's laws.

The second power of God manifested at the tabernacle was simply to manifest His presence. He manifested Himself as the glory that appeared above the mercy seat and during the travels from Egypt to Israel, He also manifested Himself in the cloud that led them on their journey, provided shade during hot days, light by night, and other functions, most of which was done either in or near the tabernacle. This told the people that He was or was not with them AND it told them that He was God. He existed. He was real. He had real power and He cared about them. Blasphemy against the tabernacle then in this case is for a power to substitute itself for God, claiming to be God, for the presence of God was manifested at the tabernacle. Perhaps it does as the Bible says about a certain power that it would do the following:

2 Thessalonians 2:4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshiped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.

We will get around to identifying this power later on, but meanwhile, such a power assumes that it can safely ignore the consequences of claiming to be God when it is not.

Blasphemy against the tabernacle is another way of saying that God's tabernacle perhaps is not really needed. This power is sufficient in and of itself to substitute for that function.

Blasphemy against God's tabernacle can also mean this power claims to be able to substitute its own mediation between God and man. This is so because it is obvious that by blaspheming the tabernacle of God, this power believes it has a better form of mediation than God provides. In the earthly sanctuary of the Jewish people, the sanctuary was the place where the priests would officiate between God and other men to provide forgiveness of sins through the sacrifice of animals. In addition, once a year the final forgiveness and disposal of these sins was carried out by the day of atonement services, which the high priest was to do. It appears that this power believes that after the cross, the same type of mediation is still necessary, so provides this for its believers. Of course, they need to leave off the animal sacrifices, but still provide mediators to absolve their believers of their sins.

In the heavenly sanctuary, Christ provides the sacrifice through His own sacrifice on the cross that is already done, and through this, He is able to obtain forgiveness of sins. No other person can do this because only Jesus died for the sins of others and only Jesus can appear in the personal presence of God to obtain forgiveness, something that is required. This substitution of another mediator is invalid, according to God, because he says the following about this subject:

1Timothy 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

There is only one priest who stands at the right hand of God and that priest is Jesus. No other can substitute for only He stands in the personal presence of God, which is the only place where forgiveness can be obtained. It cannot be obtained any other way for only Jesus can personally go before the Father and tell Him that His death is to be substituted for the sinners death and His blood for the sinner's blood. No earthly priest can substitute for that ever since the death of Jesus. Remember that the Bible says that the earthly sanctuary system of services was done away with at the cross, and that includes the mediation provided by the priests. For evidence of this, remember that the curtain in the sanctuary was torn at the death of Jesus (Matthew 27:51), indicating that the earthly sanctuary services were over and done with and that the way to God was no longer through a priestly mediatorial service here on earth. Instead, a much better one is obtainable through prayer to God through Christ (Hebrews 4:16).

There are those who claim that based on the original Greek, 1 Timothy 2:5 does not exclude other mediators. If this is true, then there should be evidence in the Bible of additional mediators officiating AFTER the death of Jesus, for this is when 1 Timothy 2:5 applies. But a search of the Bible will show that Jesus is the only mediator between God and man after His death. Here are several such verses that refer to the mediation of Jesus:

Hebrews 8:6 But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.

Hebrews 9:14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
Hebrews 9:15 And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.
Hebrews 9:16 For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.
Hebrews 9:17 For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth.
Hebrews 9:18 Whereupon neither the first testament was dedicated without blood.
Hebrews 9:19 For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people,
Hebrews 9:20 Saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you.
Hebrews 9:21 Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry.
Hebrews 9:22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.
Hebrews 9:23 It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.
Hebrews 9:24 For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:
Hebrews 9:25 Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others;
Hebrews 9:26 For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.
Hebrews 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
Hebrews 9:28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

Hebrews 12:24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.

The point of the matter of these verses is that Jesus is spoken of as the mediator and nobody else. Just because a church may point to their officials and claim this is evidence that such mediation supposedly takes place does NOT mean it is acceptable to God.

The Bible also gives evidence that the mediator must appear directly in the presence of God to do the mediation. This is taught also by the Old Testament Sanctuary services (which is a model of what was to happen when Jesus becomes our high priest after His death) when the high priest once a year went into the Most Holy Place to do the atonement. That service plainly teaches that the final forgiveness of sins was not obtained until the high priest went into the direct and personal presence of God and did the atonement. In the atonement, blood was placed on the mercy seat between the visible presence of God AND the law of God. Thus, there can be no mediator except for through the person of the one individual who appears in our behalf in the personal and direct presence of God in heaven as our high priest, and that person can only be Jesus because only He died for our sins and only He has been appointed as our high priest. No saints can do this because they did not and cannot die for our sins AND they are not appointed to such a task.

Another power that God exercised at the sanctuary was as a judge. Here is the evidence for that:

Exodus 28:30 And thou shalt put in the breastplate of judgment the Urim and the Thummim; and they shall be upon Aaron's heart, when he goeth in before the LORD: and Aaron shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel upon his heart before the LORD continually.

Numbers 27:21 And he shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall ask counsel for him after the judgment of Urim before the LORD: at his word shall they go out, and at his word they shall come in, both he, and all the children of Israel with him, even all the congregation.

The Urim and Thummin were special stones that were worn on the breastplate of the high priest that God used in some way to indicate a decision (the author has heard that traditionally it lighted up to indicate a decision). This probably included many different types of decisions, such as whether or when to go to war against a troublesome neighbor, what to plant, decisions about criminals, and so on. The latter is what is most significant for it was the power to bring judgment against a person and decide their destiny in light of the findings of the judge (God). This had to be scary for any guilty criminal, but would have been most comforting to those who knew they were genuinely innocent, for they knew that God would find them guiltless and set them free. They knew they could trust God to do this because they knew God would not lie, he would know all the facts, and render the correct judgment.

There is an important lesson in this because an innocent person knew he could trust the outcome because of the kind of person he knew God to be. Perhaps that is something that we need to remember in our quest for salvation. God has promised that if we accept Jesus and follow Him, Jesus will substitute for us and we will be found innocent because Jesus is innocent of sin. We need to trust that this is indeed true, that God is the kind of person who keeps His word.

But the important point for this study is that God here exercised the power to bring judgment against a person for sin and decide their destiny.

In summary, blaspheming the tabernacle of God means this power claims the following: