People have misinterpreted the Beast and Dragon symbols in Revelation, sometimes because of the conflicting messages they get from the different English versions of the Greek New Testament. For example, the majority of English translations indicate that it is the Apostle John who is standing in the sand by the shore when he has the Revelation 13:1 vision of the Beast that rises out of the sea. However, the NIV, NASB, and ISV translations say in Revelation 13:1 that it is the Dragon who is standing on the shore. Thus, because the NIV, NASB, and ISV translations say that a dragon is standing on the shore when the Sea Beast arises to global power, too many Christians believe that this dragon, the one Apostle John says, in Revelation 13:2b, gives power to the Sea Beast, is assumed to be Satan, and, thus, is illustrated as such in most artwork and defended as such in articles and commentaries about end times’ biblical prophecies.

Another reason why people have misinterpreted the Beast and Dragon symbols in Revelation is that they think that every time the same symbol is mentioned that this symbol always represents the same thing. People fail to understand that there is not a one-to-one correspondence in the Bible between symbols and their referents, which means that, for example, since readers are told that the 7 heads in Revelation 17:9-10 symbolize hills/mountains/kingdoms AND kings/rulers, then the Dragon symbol, which appears 13 times in the New Testament (not counting the NIV, NASB, and ISV “dragon” translations), should be accepted as having multiple meanings, as well. Why? Well, because it is clear that at least 7 times in Revelation the term dragon metaphorically refers to Satan himself, but 5 of the remaining 6 times dragon is used it is obvious that dragon means a representative of Satan. The final time that dragon is used it is to describe how the power, strength, and fierceness of the Earth Beast is demonstrate in his speech rather than in his two small bumps (lambs’ horns). Now, three times Satan’s representative is the Abyss Beast. Twice his representative either could be the Abyss Beast or the Sea Beast (this writer believes it is the former), and once dragon refers ONLY to the way the Earth Beast speaks. Lastly, concerning the Beast symbols, in Bible prophecy Beast also has multiple fulfillments, such as representing a kingdom, a nation, and/or a power.

Therefore, once an understanding of multiple references to prophetic symbols is achieved, then it will become clearer, in this article, that only two of  the nine New Testament references to an abyss relate to Satan (cf. Revelation 20:1 and 3),  and this fact is because the ONLY time the Bible declares that Satan is in the abyss is during Jesus the Christ’s 1,000-year reign. Thus, the remaining references to an abyss just relate to the Abyss Beast, who also is NOT the Sea Beast, as some scholars claim.

Moreover, the abyss out of which the Abyss Beast rises is the lowest compartment of Hell where the fallen angels were chained. Apparently, these angels (thrones) left the heavenly region that God had appointed for them and ventured into the earthly realm of mankind in a way that was forbidden (cf. Genesis 6:2; Job 1:6, 2:1, and 38:7; 1 Peter 3:19; 2 Peter 2:4; Jude 1:6-7).

For sure, even the Scriptures identify this Abyss Beast as Abaddon, which in Hebrew means destruction (or the minister of death and the author of havoc on the earth), and as Apollyon, which in Greek means the destroyer (or the angel of the bottomless pit). This Abyss Beast is the one who is released from the pit in which the chained fallen “sons of God” reside. Thus, the Abyss Beast is neither Satan nor the Antichrist (the scarlet Sea Beast with seven heads and ten horns), but rather the Abyss Beast is the one who sits on the scarlet Sea Beast. Furthermore, the Abyss Beast is the angel of the bottomless pit—a fallen angel (a fallen spirit that is higher than mankind but lower than Father God) who is in charge of (commander of) the mutant locusts that will be given power to hurt mankind, hurt everyone except those 144,000 who have the seal of the Living God on their foreheads (cf. Revelation 7:3; Revelation 9:1-5, 7-11).

Since “sons of God” (in Hebrew bene Elohim) is never used when speaking of human beings, but always used when speaking of those supernatural beings (both good and bad) that are higher than mankind but lower than God, then it is evident that the Abyss Beast is a satanic creature that can take on human form and either gender. For sure, this Abyss Beast is one of these evil fallen angels who once were referred to as the “sons of God”—as the spirit beings (angels) that, prior to their abyss imprisonment, had access to the heavens. These chained fallen angels are those who desired to become flesh and live with the daughters of men, so they cohabited with the beautiful daughters of men. The writer of Jude explains it this way:

And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. ~ Jude vv. 6-7, KJV

In the above Scriptures, Jude makes it clear that the fallen “sons of God” (angels) were indeed capable of performing human functions, like eating, drinking, walking, talking, and even participating in sexual activity and ultimately fathering children. For sure, the biblical fact about angels not marrying does not, in and of itself, prove that angels are sexless. Even Jude says that the men of Sodom and Gomorrah, who preferred “strange flesh”—flesh of a different kind (in the Greek “heteros”)—were just like the fallen “sons of God” (angels)! That’s right. The men in Sodom and Gomorrah who had a “strange flesh” sin had the same sin as that of the fallen “sons of God” (angels).

So, if these fallen angels went after “strange flesh” and God condemned their behavior as being a departure from His appointed course of nature for them and for mankind, then, apparently, these fallen angels could marry women, at least up until the day that the Spirit of God intervened. At that time, God made a decision to no longer allow the genetic mixture of the fallen “sons of God” to continue, because their offspring had corrupted the earth.

Since the mixing of these two beings (the sons of God AND the daughters of men) was contrary to what God had intended, these fallen angels’ actions promptly led to God’s greatest judgment act that mankind has ever experienced, to date. God designed the flood to rid this earth of the offspring created by these evil “sons of God.” He destroyed the fallen angels’ abhorrent genetic mixture!

Because these angels chose to fall from their perfect state and then chose to continue to commit a sexual sin that was both unusual and repugnant, their once-and-for-all act was a final and permanent decision. Indeed, to God their actions were clear examples of apostasy with a vengeance. As a result, God had no other recourse but to throw these fallen angels (fallen spirit beings) into the abyss, chain them there, and keep them there until the end times.

Be that as it may, without a doubt, because most believers do not realize that there are two categories of fallen angels, they mistakenly call the Abyss Beast the dragon, meaning Satan. The two categories of fallen angels are: (1) The angels cast out of Heaven with Lucifer (these fallen angels are still free to torment mankind); and (2) The angels who fell the second time, because they wanted to marry and have sex with the daughters of men. The second category of fallen angels (spirits) consists ONLY of those fallen angels that are chained in the abyss.

Now, the language of Apostle Peter plainly states that, at this present moment, these fallen angels are still in the abyss, but neither Apostle Peter nor any other New Testament writer states explicitly that Satan is in the pit with these fallen “sons of God.” Therefore, once again, the Abyss Beast, is NOT Satan and NOT the Sea Beast. This Abyss Beast, however, is the one who completes the unholy trinity made up of Satan’s henchmen: the Sea Beast, the Earth Beast, and the Abyss Beast.

In fact, even though the words Sea and Earth often are used interchangeably, as words that refer to the realm of death or the dead, or even the abyss, neither the word Sea nor Earth is the abyss spoken of in Revelation 9:11. As already mentioned, this abyss is the abode of the fallen angels turned demons. Therefore, the three Beasts mentioned in Revelation are NOT interchangeable, either, but rather they are three distinct beings. Furthermore, the Earth and Abyss Beasts are, for all intents and purposes, the Sea Beast’s subordinates! Yet, the Bible paints the picture of the Great Harlot (the Abyss Beast) controlling the Sea Beast (riding on him), which by extension means she also controls the False Prophet.

Nonetheless, together these three Beasts are presented as a twisted parallel to Christians’ Triune God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. In the godly trinity, the Son does the Father’s work and the Spirit does the Son’s work, and the Spirit glorifies the Son while the Son glorifies the Father. However, in Revelation’s unholy trinity (the fake godhead), there is the old Babylonian occult spirit of the Great Harlot (who is the released Abyss Beast also referred to in Revelation 13:2 as the dragon). For sure, the Great Harlot promotes the old Babylonian occult practices of: 1. child sacrifice; 2. witchcraft/divination; 3. soothsayer/observer of times; 4. interpreter of  omens/enchanter; 5. sorcerer/witch; 6. conjurer of spells/charmer; 7. medium/consulter with familiar spirits; 8. spiritist/wizard; and 9. one who calls up the dead/necromancer. Lastly, the old Babylonian occult practices of the medium, spiritist, and necromancer are different ways of expressing the same practice that is referred to as “consulting evil spirits.” All of these nine practices are related to the old Babylonian and New Age religions the Great Harlot (Abyss Beast/dragon) not only promotes but also uses to seduce the world.

Equally important to note about Revelation’s unholy trinity (the fake godhead) is the fact that God allows the Great Harlot, as the Abyss Beast (dragon), to empower the Sea Beast (the Antichrist) with her supernatural occult practices, and then He allows the Sea Beast to empower the Earth Beast (the False Prophet). In essence, God is using the members of the unholy trinity as instruments of His end-time wrath that He is pouring out on mankind and the earth.

Concerning the supernatural occult power the Abyss and Sea Beasts have, the Apostle John writes:

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

The English word “dragon” is the Greek New Testament word drakon, which can mean a dragon, a great serpent, OR the name of Satan. In Revelation 13:4, dragon refers to the Abyss Beast. As mentioned earlier, there are 13 times the word “dragon” is used in the New Testament, and that in 7 of those 13 times “dragon” does indeed refer to Satan/Lucifer, while in 3 of the 6 remaining times “dragon” is used a clear reference to the Abyss Beast is made, 2 of those 6 times are referencing either the Abyss Beast or Sea Beast, and 1 of the 6 times is a clear reference to the Earth Beast.

Notice also that in Revelation 13:4 that Apostle John sees the people worshipping the dragon, who gives power to the Sea Beast (Antichrist), but then he sees these same people worshipping the Sea Beast (Antichrist) even more than they are worshipping the dragon, who gives the Sea Beast his power. The Apostle John also hears the Sea Beast’s worshippers publicly voicing there opinion about there being NO ONE great enough to make war with the Sea Beast—no one who could match the Sea Beast’s power. Now, if the “dragon” mentioned in Revelation 13:4 were Satan, then how could the people think that the man Antichrist is more powerful than Satan the spirit?

Therefore, the best conclusion is that the “dragon” mentioned in Revelation 13:4 is the Abyss Beast (the Great Harlot . . . occult/satanic spirit), the one who seduces not only the kings of this world but also “…peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues” upon whom the Sea Beast sits (Revelation 17:15). The Abyss Beast (the Great Harlot . . . occult/satanic spirit) also is the one who commits spiritual adultery for centuries with people from the aforesaid various ethnic groups, as well as gets drunk from the blood of the Tribulation saints and martyrs (cf. Revelation 17:2, 6).

For sure, the Abyss Beast (the Great Harlot) is the one who gives both the Antichrist and the False Prophet their power. For this last reason, where the unholy trinity is concerned, the Abyss Beast (the Great Harlot . . . occult/satanic spirit) counterfeits the Holy Spirit; the False Prophet counterfeits Jesus the Son, as the Word of God says that he imitates the Lamb by performing “…great signs (startling miracles), even making fire fall from the sky to the earth in men’s sight” (Revelation 13:11, 13); and lastly, the Antichrist counterfeits God the Father.

Concerning the Antichrist counterfeiting God the Father, at the midpoint of the Tribulation, the Antichrist, who finally has transformed into the Devil incarnate, starts to blaspheme God. He opens “…his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven” (Revelation 13:6, KJV). Then in Revelation 13:8, readers learn of the Antichrist’s abomination of desolation: “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.” After the False Prophet sets up an image of the Antichrist in the rebuilt Jewish Temple, this image becomes the object of worldwide worship (cf. Revelation 13:15). Thus, according to Apostle Paul, the Antichrist, who by now is the Devil incarnate, counterfeits God by exalting  “…himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God” (2 Thessalonians 2:4, KJV). Still, even though the world is worshipping the Sea Beast, this worship often is forced upon the people, as opposed to the Great Harlot’s (Abyss Beast’s) seductive tricks. This difference between the Great Harlot’s (Abyss Beast’s) methods of winning over the world and the compulsory methods of the Antichrist and False Prophet will become the Antichrist and False Prophet’s bone of contention.

Nevertheless, the following is what the Word of God says about the unholy trinity: Sea Beast, Earth Beast, and Abyss Beast. The Sea Beast is in fact the Antichrist, and Revelation 17:15 declares that the “waters” out of which the Sea Beast rises to his world-leader position are: “…peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.” Thus, the Antichrist rises from out of the commotion, the agitation of the Gentile nations to become the dominant world leader, which means this Sea Beast is a human being who will come to power after the collapse of governmental authorities and financial markets. Moreover, he will rule over the human beings who are a part of the 8^th Kingdom (the revived Turkish/Islamic Empire), and he will be the last human global leader. Therefore, this Beast/the Antichrist represents government/military power . . . or the one-world government.

The Scriptures declare that the Earth Beast is the False Prophet, another human being, and he is the one who establishes a close relationship with ordinary people. As mentioned earlier, he imitates the Lamb. He delights in getting people to forget God and worship the Sea Beast. He will be a miracle worker, a sensationalist, and an entertainer. He will give the people the very things they are looking for and itching to hear.  The False Prophet, thus, represents occult/religious power . . . or the one-world religion.

The Abyss Beast also is described as the great prostitute who sits on the Sea Beast . . . the great prostitute of Babylon who manifests as Apollyon or Abaddon—the first name means the destroyer and the second name means the minister of death. This Abyss Beast is an evil satanic spirit who can take on human form and even change genders. This Abyss Beast also is revealed in Revelation 11:7 as the Beast who makes war against the two witnesses and kills them, after they have finished their testimony.

Additionally, concerning the great prostitute of Babylon, the Scriptures also declare that: (1) She is an international power, because she “sitteth on many waters,” which represent different ethnic groups (cf. Revelation 17:1, 15), and because she has committed fornication (spiritual adultery) with “the kings of the earth,” as well as has inflamed “the dwellers on earth” with her fornication  (Revelation 17:2). (2) She is connected with the seven-headed Sea Beast of Revelation 13:1–10, in that Satan, through her, is able to possess the Antichrist (Sea Beast). (3) This Great Harlot also is presented as royalty, for she is dressed in the royal color purple (Revelation 17:4). (4) She also is presented as being rich, for she is “decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication” (Revelation 17:4). (5) The fornication she has committed is symbolically referred to in the Bible as any false religion—any lack of fidelity to the God who created heaven and earth—in particular, old Babylonian occult practices. (6) She is both the Mother of all Harlots, and she allegorically is known as Babylon, the city, for in the Word of God cities often are portrayed and symbolized as women, people groups, empires, and/or world systems. (7) The Great Harlot is the main cause of “abominations” in the land, abominations being a reference to practices, especially religious practices, which are offensive to God. (8) The Great Harlot also is the Abyss Beast who persecutes Christians, for the Scriptures declare that she “…was drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus” (Revelation 17:6; cf. Revelation 11:7-9;), and that she  “went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ” (Revelation 12:17). And, lastly, (9) The Great Harlot will leave Jerusalem, the Antichrist’s headquarters, and move to Mecca/Babylon (a city in the desert that is surrounded by 7 hills); it is a Muslim city, and here she will set up her own headquarters in “…the great city that rules over the kings of the earth.” It is here that the Antichrist (Sea Beast) and the False Prophet (Earth Beast) will kill the great prostitute (Abyss Beast, dragon).

Based on these above descriptions, it is safe to say that the Abyss Beast (the Great Harlot) is the Beast that will be working behind the scenes before the Sea Beast rises to power. She will be the one who, through Sharia Law, the Caliphate, and the Islamic religion, will seduce the world into not only accepting her old Babylonian occult practices, but also into coveting the oil wealth of Saudi Arabia.

Today’s Mecca, in Saudi Arabia, is the spiritual home of all Muslims. Also presently, the kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which is the “royal” power that controls Mecca, also is the lead member of OPEC, and its oil-wealth power is corrupting the nations. Moreover, Saudi Arabia also is using its oil wealth  to fund terrorists’ activities. Then too, Saudi Arabia at present trades in gold and jewelry. Therefore, it should be clear that Mystery Babylon (the Great Harlot . . . Abyss Beast) is both the Islamic religion and its spiritual home of Mecca, and it also should be clear that the Abyss Beast is the Great Harlot, as well as the dragon that gives power to the Sea Beast, because it is the Abyss Beast (the Great Harlot and NOT the Sea Beast or Satan) that is the one who seduces the world with her three frog demons/world systems: 1. religion (Islam and the old Babylonian occult practices), 2. economy (oil, gold, and jewelry), and 3. government/military (Sharia Law and the restored Caliphate), see Revelation 16:13.

Since Mecca fits to the T the Word of God’s depiction of the allegorical Babylon (keep in mind that the word of God is very clear that ancient Babylon will NEVER be rebuilt), this truth should make it easy for alert individuals to comprehend the reasons why the Antichrist and False Prophet get tired of the Abyss Beast’s (Great Harlot’s) power and want to kill her. The Great Harlot is not just sitting on, but also she is controlling the scarlet Islamic Sea Beast (the Antichrist who rises out of the turmoil and agitation from Muslim nations, and after the collapse of the once powerful governmental authorities and financial markets), and to some degree she also is controlling the Earth Beast (False Prophet). Thus, while the Sea Beast (Antichrist), Earth Beast (False Prophet), and the ten-nations confederacy will make war against the Tribulation saints and certainly kill many of Jesus’ followers (cf. Revelation 17:14a), the Sea Beast (Antichrist) and Earth Beast (False Prophet) ALSO will hate the Great Harlot just as much, and by God’s prompting, will participate in her destruction (cf. Revelation 17:1-7; and Revelation 17:16-17).

They hate her, because of her seductive power and because she, as the allegorical Babylon, is a major center of international trade and commerce during the Tribulation Period. In essence, she not only is stealing the Sea Beast (Antichrist) and Earth Beast’s (False Prophet’s) thunder but also stealing Satan’s thunder, and Satan will not have ANYONE or ANYTHING occupy the limelight that he has longed to occupy. Thus, once the Antichrist, by mid-tribulation, has become the Devil incarnate (the epitome of evil), he now will be powerful enough to destroy the Abyss Beast (Great Harlot). The Antichrist and False Prophet begin by distancing themselves from having any reasons to be faithful to Islam, Sharia Law, or the Caliphate.

Next, they go to Mecca (allegorical Babylon) and destroy the Great Harlot’s headquarters. There the Great Harlot, the city, not only is destroyed but also left desolate, and the Word of God says that “the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more” (Revelation 18:11). God’s Word also says that “every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea…cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate” (Revelation 18:17–19). This desolation/Tribulation judgment (burning) could very well be the result of some kind of nuclear device.

Be that as it may, when the Great Harlot (the city) falls, the Word of God says Heaven and the martyred holy apostles and prophets will: “Rejoice over her…for God hath avenged [them] on her…[for] in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth” (Revelation 18:20, 24). These verses clarify this truth: that the Great Harlot (the Abyss Beast, occult spirit) not only persecuted centuries of Christians, but also she persecuted the before the Age of Grace God-anointed prophets and the Age of Grace’s God-anointed first-century apostles. In essence, the Abyss Beast’s seductive spirit has been in this world since the time of Nimrod—the Antichrist prototype.

This Abyss Beast, then, not only represents the economic power of the unholy trinity . . . or the one-world currency, but also she is “…the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird” (Revelation 18:2). This last reason is why God’s wrath/judgment is poured out on her—the main reason why He orchestrated her destruction—judgment (cf. Ezekiel 16:37 and 39; Revelation 18:4 and 8)!

As one of the fallen angels chained in the abyss, the Abyss Beast’s (Abaddon/death . . . the Great Harlot’s) end-time judgment is to burn—to be destroyed by fire. She, however, will receive her final fiery judgment when “…death and hell [deliver] up the dead which were in them” and they, death, hell, and the dead, are judged and then thrown into the Lake of Fire (Revelation 20:1-14). Likewise, the final judgment for her killers—the Sea Beast (Antichrist) and the Earth Beast (False Prophet)—also will be the Lake of Fire. Then too, Satan will receive the same fiery judgment as his evil and vile henchmen—Satan will receive his place in the eternal Lake of Fire!