All three anticipate war, chaos, and suffering on epic levels prior to the arrival of key figures in their faiths. Is it possible they could be the same war either partially or in totality?

John’s description of this beast is horrifying, but as we’ve seen before, these descriptions have symbolic meanings. For instance, the Beast will have seven heads and ten horns; the heads most likely represent seven world empires and the horns indicate power. Seven usually means completeness in the Bible, so this evil beast will literally rule the world. The ten horns represent ten lesser rulers who will be associated with him, out of which the antichrist will emerge. The ten crowns—diadems—represent absolute power. According to Daniel 7:24, the antichrist will subdue three of these kings, so he can rule unchallenged. Whatever else this description of the Beast entails, it indicates a person with tremendous international power.

On the Beast’s head are “blasphemous names.” In John’s time, the Roman emperors had taken such titles as Dominus and Kurios, both meaning “Lord” in Latin and Greek, respectively. During the reign of Nero, coins bore his image along with the inscription, “The Savior of the World.” John said that this will happen again under the antichrist.

It appears that the Beast will head up a one-world government, possibly comprised of the territories that were once part of the ancient Roman Empire. This leads some scholars to believe that the European Economic Union, which was formed out of the former European Common Market, will morph into a United States of Europe. Indeed, much of Europe has united. If you travel in the euro zone, you no longer use a specific nation’s money. Today, most European countries do business with the euro, and although it is in fiscal trouble, this currency still is more valuable than American dollars.

In truth, the Bible does not specifically say which ten kingdoms will be involved. My friend John Shorey suggested that the ten crowns may represent ten regions of the world rather than specific nations. Others have suggested that the ten crowns may involve ten Islamic nations surrounding Jerusalem. Despite the dogmatic claims of some prophetic teachers, we don’t know for sure yet where these powers will arise, but you can be certain that if John saw it in his vision and recorded it in Scripture, God’s Word will come true.

This beast will initially come on the scene as a peacemaker, focusing his attention on the Middle East powder keg that has threatened the stability of the world for over sixty years. Because of his uncanny skills, the world will clamor after him and fawn over him. More than anything, he will be a smooth talker. He will proffer a settlement of the Middle East problem and negotiate a peace agreement between Israel and its neighbors (Daniel 9:27). World leaders have tried to bring peace to the Middle East, but the antichrist will succeed. He may even go so far as to encourage that a new temple be built on Mount Zion, alongside the Dome of the Rock, Islam’s second most sacred mosque.

Before long, however, the antichrist, while giving an impression of inclusiveness regarding religion, will begin to speak against God (Daniel 7:7–8, 25; Revelation 13:5–6). After three and half years, he will break the agreement with Israel, desecrate the Jewish temple, and set himself up as god in that same temple! (Daniel 9:27; 2 Thessalonians 2:1–12)

Keep in mind that Satan is behind the antichrist’s rise to power and his subsequent actions (Revelation 13:2). As the Beast consolidates his power, the world will reel in shock as one of the antichrist’s “heads” receives a fatal wound yet somehow lives. John doesn’t give a detailed description of this wound, but he mentions it three times and informs us that it was inflicted by a sword (13:14), although it might also be a bullet.