Revelation 13

Beasts That Represent Evil

In Revelation 13 John symbolically described his continuing vision of the battle between good and evil. This chapter portrays the evil that Satan promotes on earth as a powerful beast that goes against all that the kingdom of God stands for, and it seeks to enforce its ways with threats and violence. The beast also represents Satan’s efforts before the Second Coming of Christ, telling how wounding the beast does not stop it (see Revelation 13:3). In other words, even though one effort of Satan might be stopped, he continues others or starts new ones.

Many people have tried to explain the meaning of “the number of the beast” (666; v. 18). Modern prophets have not given an interpretation on this passage of scripture, and members should be careful not to teach or promote the theories of men that do not agree with the doctrine of the Church and are not taught by the prophets.