Who Are the Beast, the Prostitute, the Antichrist and the False Prophet?

In Revelation 17, John reports a vision that he experienced wherein he is enabled to see a woman (who sits on many waters - Rev. 17:1) on a scarlet beast (Rev. 17:3).  Daniel had visions as well regarding these matters that are recorded in Daniel 7 and 9.  In Matthew 24, we read that Jesus added information regarding some of the visions.  In addition to the woman and the beast, there appear to be other entities as well, including what appear to be 2 individuals that various persons within the Church have identified as the antichrist and the false prophet. Of course, other books of the Bible may provide additional insights.  The following are some notes that touch on the key passages.  I've tried to assimilate the passages and discussion points regarding each of the entities to help me and other interested persons in trying to identify the entities when they appear.

It's very difficult to differentiate between some of the entities, because their characteristics are often similarly described.

The Scriptural Clues

The following are clues that enable us to consider the identities of these evil entities: 

Kingdom Beast

• Is scarlet (Rev. 17:3)
• Covered with blasphemous names (Rev. 17:3)
• Is given a mouth to speak boasts and blasphemies (Rev. 13:5)
• Perhaps the mouth is the antichrist as the spokesperson for the beast as the new world government?
• It blasphemes God, His Name, Heaven and those who live in Heaven (Rev. 13:6)
• Is given authority to act for 42 months (i.e., 3.5 years) (Rev. 13:5)
• It's not clear if the authority here is given to the beast or to the spokesperson, who appears to be the antichrist; it is likely that the authority is given to both.
• Is represented by the 4^th beast in Daniel’s dream as recorded in Daniel 7 (Dan. 7:7, 19, 23)
• A king/kingdom that will arise in the earth (Dan. 7:17)
• Different from other world kingdoms (Dan. 7:19)
• Terrifying with iron teeth and bronze claws, devouring, crushing and trampling with its feet (Dan. 7:19)
• Different from all other kingdoms (Dan. 7:23)
• It will devour the whole earth, trample it and crush it (Dan. 7:23)
• It will ultimately be killed and its body given over to burning fire (Dan. 7:11)
• Is given authority over all people, nations and languages of the world (or has that authority and assigns it to the antichrist; "him" could refer to either entity) (Rev. 13:7)
• Is permitted to wage war against saints and conquer them (or has that authority and assigns it to the antichrist; "him" could refer to either entity) (Rev. 13:7)
• Hates the prostitute/woman (Rev. 17:16)
• Gets power and authority from the dragon (i.e., Satan) (Rev. 13:2)
• Causes the whole world to worship the dragon (Rev. 13:4)
• Is worshipped by the people of the world (Rev. 13:4)
• They say, "Who is like the beast?" (Rev. 13:4)
• They say, "Who is able to wage war against it?" (Rev. 13:4)
  
• To the extent that they are not written in the Book of Life of the slaughtered lamb (Rev. 13:8)
• Is like a leopard with bear's feet and lion's mouth (Rev. 13:2)
• Has 7 heads (Rev. 17:3)
• Blasphemous names on his heads (Rev. 13:1)
• One of his heads seems fatally wounded but is healed--amazing the whole world (Rev. 13:3)
• 7 mountains on which the woman is seated (Rev. 17:9)
• 7 kings (Rev. 17:10)
• 5 fallen
• 1 is
• 1 is yet to come
• Has 10 horns (Rev. 17:3)
• 10 horns are 10 kings in this kingdom (Dan. 7:24)
• 10 kings who have not yet received a kingdom (Rev. 17:12)
• They will receive authority as kings with the beast (it's not clear if this beast is the antichrist or the government beast) for 1 hour (Rev. 17:12).
• They have one purpose & will give power and authority to the beast (it's not clear if this beast is the antichrist or the government beast) (Rev. 17:13).
• These will make war with and be conquered by the Lamb (Rev. 17:14).
• They hate the woman/prostitute (Rev. 17:16).
• They will desolate her and burn her with fire (Rev.17:17).
• Ezekiel 39 speaks of this kingdom or its elements constituting Gog/Magog as coming against Israel and there meeting judgment from God.
• Note that Ezekiel 38 appears to refer to the battle described in Revelation 20:7-10, which occurs AFTER the millennial reign of Christ--the judgment of which is marked by the raining down of fire on the armies of God and Magog (compare to Ezekiel 38:22).
• These areas appear to include lands such as Turkey, Russia, Germany, Iran, Arabia and Africa.
• Conversely, Ezekiel 39 appears to refer to the separate and distinct battle of the nations gathered to war against Christ at His 2nd Coming--Armageddon--and who die at the Word of Christ and whose bodies are given as food to the birds of the air (Ezekiel 3:4-5) (compare to Revelation 19:17-21).
• Micah 5:5-6 suggests that Assyria is the kingdom that invades Israel in the last days; it even speaks of 7 or 8 leaders guiding Assyria as it attacks Israel--describing Assyria as "the land of Nimrod"; the passage suggests that Jesus, at His Second Coming, will rescue Israel from the invasion.
• This characterization would satisfy the "was and is not" standard of Rev. 17:8, because Nimrod's kingdom and the Assyrian kingdom were but did not exist at the time of John's writing of Revelation.
• The Assyrian kingdom would perhaps include Iran, Iraq, Syria, Turkey, perhaps some of the "Stans" such as Pakistan and Afghanistan and possibly Libya and Egypt.
• There is a parallel to Sennacherib, the Assyrian king who invaded Israel and was driven out by the Angel of the Lord (see Isaiah 36-37, 2 Kings 18-19, 2 Chron. 32).
• May constitute or be significantly related to the group of nations that appear to invade Israel at the Battle of Armageddon.  Here are the nations/areas that appear to be involved--using nation names as they exist today inasmuch as they approximate the locations of the nations mentioned in the Bible (note that so much is happening on the earth by the time of the Battle of Armageddon that it is difficult to know who is left on the planet; by this time, all sea and river creatures are destroyed, people have been afflicted with sores, darkness, fire, massive hailstones and earthquakes):
• Lebanon – Isaiah 2:13, (Canaan) Zephaniah 1:11
• Syria - (Bashan) Isaiah 2:13, (Canaan) Zephaniah 1:11
• Spain - (or Morocco as Tarshish) Isaiah 2:16
• Jordan (Moab) Isaiah 25:10, (Edom) Joel 3:19, (Canaan) Zephaniah 1:11
• Egypt – Isaiah 27:12-13, Joel 3:19
• Iraq – (Assyria) Isaiah 27:12-13
• Iran - (Persia) Ezekiel 38:5
• Ethiopia - (Cush) Ezekiel 38:5
• Eritrea - (Put) Ezekiel 38:5
• Russia - (Gomer) Ezekiel 38:6
• Turkey/Armenia - (Beth-togarmah) Ezekiel 38:6

Antichrist / Political Leader Beast

• Referred to as "the beast" (Rev. 17:8, 11)
• A man who is described as an 8th king (Rev. 17:11)
• He is "of the 7 kings" (Rev. 17:11)
• He is going to destruction (Rev. 17:11)
• He "was, and is not, and [will] come up out of the abyss and go to destruction" (Rev. 17:8).
• We know this verse refers to the the antichrist beast, because Rev. 17:11 indicates that this beast is the 8th king.
• [Considering the notes below regarding the abyss,] it is possible that this person is a resurrected person from history.
• It is also possible that this is a person who was in power, lost the power and returns.
• [Considering the notes below regarding the abyss,] the fact that he is coming up out of the abyss suggests that he may be an evil spirit who had been bound in the abyss.
• The non-believers will be surprised to see the beast present again (Rev. 17:8).
• This is another suggestion that the beast is a person resurrected from history.
• Is said to come from the abyss (Rev. 17:8, 11:7)
• Interestingly, the Legion of demons asked Jesus not to send them into the abyss, so it's a place that even the Demons dread (Luke 8:31).
• This is where Satan will be cast during the Millennial reign of Christ (Rev. 20:1-3).
• May be Sheol (Psalm 30:3, Proverbs 1:2, Isaiah 14:15).
• Also referred to as "the pit of nothingness" (Isaiah 38:17).
• A place where people of old were placed--in the lower parts of the earth (Ezekiel 26:20, 31:14).
• Also referred to as the netherworld or underworld (Ezekiel 32:18) and is the place of the dead (Ezekiel 32:23).
• Note that the term "antichrist" is not used in these passages, but is used in I John and 2 John as one who denies the Father and the Son (1 John 2:22), does not acknowledge Jesus (1 John 4:3), and denies that Jesus came in the flesh (2 John 1:7).
• Will appear to fight against and kill God's 2 witnesses (Rev. 11:7)
• Appears to be the figurehead/mouthpiece of the new world government. (Rev. 13:5)
• Either he or the government is given authority to act for 42 months (i.e., 3.5 years) (Rev. 13:5).
• Blasphemes God, His Name and those who dwell in heaven. (Rev. 13:6)
• Either personally or as the agent of the new world government, he is given authority to make war with the saints and overcome them. (Rev. 13:7)
• Either receives worship from all non-believers or facilitates the worship of the government by such persons (Rev. 13:8).
• Is also referred to as the "man of lawlessness" and "son of destruction" (2 Thes. 2:3)
• Opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God (2 Thes. 2:4)
• Is restrained until he is supposed to be revealed (2 Thes. 2:4-8)
• Many hypothesize that the "restrainer" is the Holy Spirit as present in believers who are raptured--thereby leaving with the believers to heaven--enabling the antichrist to press forward with his plans unabated by the presence of God in people; of course, the Bible indicates that people will come to salvation during the tribulation, but the presence of the Holy Spirit would be accordingly reduced.
• His coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, and with all the deception of wickedness (2 Thes. 2:9-10).
• Is slayed by the breath of the mouth of Jesus at His 2nd Coming (2 Thes. 2:8)
• Is 1 new king that will arise after the 10 kings and subdue 3 of them (Dan. 7:24)
• Referred to as the little horn (Dan. 7:8)
• Note that the prophecy of Daniel 8:9-14 is of Antiochus IV Epiphanes (Seleucid dynasty emperor from Syria who claimed to be "God Manifest" and who removed the "regular sacrifice" and thereby desolates the sanctuary), who is referred to in Daniel 8:9 as "the little horn"--suggesting parallels between Antiochus IV Epiphanes and the antichrist.
• He speaks arrogantly (Dan. 7:8).
• He will speak words against the Most High and oppress the Most High’s holy ones (Dan. 7:25).
• All nations will hate, persecute and kill the holy ones (Matt. 24:9).
• He will change religious festivals and laws and oppress holy ones for 3.5 years (Dan. 7:25).
• His dominion will be taken away and given to the holy ones (Dan. 7:26-27).
• He will make a covenant with “many” for 1 week (7 years) (Dan 9:27).
• In the middle of the week (3.5 years), he will stop sacrifice and offering (Dan. 9:27).
• It is possible that the world so radically changes just prior to this point (i.e., the United States and Asia are gone or rendered powerless), the antichrist is confident that no nation will oppose his action to break the covenant.
• The abomination of desolation will be on a wing of the temple until he is destroyed (Dan. 9:27).
• When this is in the holy place, Jews must flee to the mountains (Matt. 24:15-16).
• At this time there will be great tribulation—unlike anything experienced in the world (Matt. 24:21).
• The tribulation will be limited so that some of the elect will survive (Matt. 24:22).
• He is thrown alive with the false prophet into the Lake of Fire at the arrival of Jesus (Rev. 19:20).
• He arrives on the scene around the time of the "apostasy" described in 2 Thes. 2:3--which appears to be a "departure" or "gathering" event (most likely the rapture, according to many scholars) that occurs BEFORE the "coming of our Lord Jesus Christ" (see 2 Thes. 2:1-3); assuming that the "gathering" is referring to the rapture, then believers may actually see the antichrist and know him before the gathering.

False Prophet Beast

• The false prophet is expressly mentioned in Revelation 16:13 and Revelation 19:20 as a person or entity distinct from "the beast" and "the dragon" (Rev. 16:13, Rev. 19:20); see also his description as "another beast" (Rev 13:11).
• His existence with the antichrist and satan is said to represent the unholy trinity--attempting to copy the nature of God.
• Comes out of the earth (Rev. 13:11)
• Has 2 horns like a lamb but speaks like a dragon (Rev. 13:11)
• Exercises all the authority of the first beast on his behalf (Rev. 13:12) 
• Compels the earth and every person to worship the beast, whose fatal wound was healed (Rev. 13:12) 
  
• Performs great signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to earth in front of people (Rev. 13:13; Rev. 19:20) (this replicates the act of Elijah with the prophets of Baal in 1 Kings 18:36-39; perhaps he does this because he knows that Elijah is returning as 1 of the 2 witnesses in Rev. 11:1-14)
  
• Deceives those who live on the earth because of the signs that he is permitted to perform on behalf of the beast (Rev. 13:14; Rev. 19:20)
• Tells those who live on the earth to make an image of the beast who had the sword wound and yet lived (Rev. 13:14)
  
• Permitted to give a spirit to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast could both speak and cause whoever would not worship the image of the beast to be killed (Rev. 13:15)
• He requires everyone to be given a mark on his right hand or on his forehead, so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark (Rev. 13:16-17).
• The mark is the beast’s name or the number of his name (Rev. 13:17).
• Those with understanding can calculate the number of the beast (Rev. 13:18).
• It is the number of a man (Rev. 13:18).
• The number is 666 (Rev. 13:18).
• He is thrown alive with the antichrist beast into the Lake of Fire at the arrival of Jesus (Rev. 19:20).

Woman / Babylon

• Dressed in purple, scarlet, gold, precious stones, pearls (Rev. 17:4)
• Drunk on the blood of the saints and on the blood of the witnesses to Jesus (Rev. 17:6)
• Holding a gold cup filled with everything vile & impurities of her prostitution (Rev. 17:4)
• On her head is the name "Babylon the Great/Mother of Prostitutes/Vile things of the Earth (Rev. 17:5).
• Sits on many waters - (Rev. 17:1)
• The waters are people, languages and nations (Rev. 17:15)
• Is a great city that has an empire over the kings of the earth (Rev. 17:18)
• Revelation 18 marks the judgment of Babylon:
• She has become a dwelling for demons (Rev. 18:2).
• She is a haunt for every unclean spirit  (Rev. 18:2).
• She is a haunt for every unclean bird  (Rev. 18:2).
• She is a haunt for every unclean and despicable beast (Rev. 18:2).
• All the nations have drunk on the wine of her sexual immorality (Rev. 18:3).
• The kings of the earth have committed sexual immorality with her (Rev. 18:3).
• The merchants of the earth have grown wealthy from her excessive luxury (Rev. 18:3).
• God's people are called out of her prior to her judgment to keep them from her sins and judgment (Rev. 18:4).
• She glorified herself and lived luxuriously (Rev. 18:7).
• She is proud that she sits as a queen and not as a widow (Rev. 18:7).
• She will be burned up in 1 day with fire and grief, death and famine (Rev. 18:8).
• The kings of the earth who have committed sexual immorality and lived luxuriously with her will weep and mourn over her when they see the smoke of her burning (Rev. 18:9).
• The merchants of the earth will also weep and mourn over her, because no one buys their merchandise any longer (Rev. 18:11).
• Merchandise is gold, silver, precious stones, and pearls; fine fabrics of linen, purple, silk, and scarlet; all kinds of fragrant wood products; objects of ivory; objects of expensive wood, brass, iron, and marble; cinnamon, spice, incense, myrrh, and frankincense; wine, olive oil, fine wheat flour, and grain; cattle and sheep; horses and carriages; and slaves and human lives (Rev. 18:12-13).
• Merchants will mourn her demise (Rev. 19:15-17).
• Every shipmaster, seafarer, the sailors, and all who do business by sea mourn her demise (Rev. 18:17-20).
• Following her judgment--
• The sound of harpists, musicians, flutists, and trumpeters will never be heard in her again (Rev. 18:22).
• No craftsman of any trade will ever be found in her again (Rev. 18:22).
• The sound of a mill will never be heard in her again (Rev. 18:22).
• The light of a lamp will never shine in her again (Rev. 18:23).
• The voice of a groom and bride will never be heard in her again (Rev. 18:23).
• Her merchants were the nobility of the earth (Rev. 18:23).
• Nations were deceived by her sorcery (Rev. 18:23).
• The blood of prophets and saints and of all those slaughtered on earth was found in her (Rev. 18:24).

Guesses As to Their Identities

Here are some guesses as to whom/what they could be:

Kingdom Beast

• A future 10 nation union wherein 1 nation overtakes 3 others (not sure if the 3 then become 1 such that the 10 nation union then becomes a 7 nation union, or if the 4 nations are merely distinctly unified)
• To have jurisdiction over the entire world of people and nations, there would likely, as we see it today, have to be some approximate geographic/cultural organization like this:

• North America

• South America
• Australia & New Zealand
• Europe (including Israel)
• East Asia (e.g., China, Mongolia, Japan, Korea, North Korea, Taiwan)
• Southeast Asia (e.g., Myanmar, Burma, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea)
• Islamic Nations (e.g., Pakistan, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Turkey, Yemen, Oman)
• Africa
• India
• Russia (and some -stans)
• One question is: which one of these would be most likely to overtake 3 others?
• However, it is also highly possible that, given the judgments of God on the earth at this time (the bowls of wrath as described in Rev. 16), and/or nuclear war that could have occurred, North America, South America, all or a part of Europe and Asia have been destroyed.  If such were to occur, then this part of the world (i.e., the Middle East, India, and Africa) would be all that remained.
• Possibly having some connection with Rome or the old Roman Empire; however, if the beast referred to in John's vision was the kingdom as opposed to the antichrist, it would be described as "was and is not" at the time of John's vision, meaning that it may not have connection to the Roman Empire, because the Roman Empire was in existence at the time of John's vision
• Maybe a resurrected version of the Achaemenid Empire that had as its capital, Babylon, and famous kings, including Cyrus the Great and Darius I, II and III, and encompassed Jerusalem, which appears to be a focal point of the kingdom's governance, and also has a significant connection to Iran (Ezekiel 38:5)
• Possibly a resurrected version of Nimrod's kingdom or it's descendant, the Assyrian Empire (per Micah 5)--a government encompassing the original Babylon.
• Note that the G7 currently represents 10 nations; the G7 represents a substantial portion of the world's economy and military power.
• This "new world order" will constitute a 1 world government, different from all other prior empires, and will likely also boast about the presence of international peace as a consequence of having no other governments in existence; the only enemy would most likely be religion--principally Christianity--presumably because its adherents will fear and refuse the "mark of the beast"--along with any related pledge of allegiance to the new government (with the corresponding acknowledgment that the antichrist is god)
• This would explain the hatred and persecution of Christians
• The currency will likely be unified into a single unit of exchange, and that unit will likely be digitally exchanged via a number assigned to each person on the planet, and the number will be somehow connected to the new government with a special "mark of the beast"--without which exchange in the new government will be impossible, and which will likely come with a pledge of allegiance to the beast and to the antichrist--perhaps acknowledging that he is the only god.
• Note that there is definitely overlap between the Seleucid Empire, the Assyrian Empire and the Roman Empire insofar as Israel is concerned (maps from Wikipedia)--encompassing, Iraq, Syria, Turkey, Jordan, Lebanon, Israel, and perhaps Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Egypt); thus, it is not incorrect to say that the antichrist arises out of areas that were at one time governed by and subject to all 3 of these empires--thus having connections to all of them:

Seleucid Empire:

Assyrian Empire:

                                            Roman Empire:

Antichrist

• Appears to come out of the 1 nation that subdues 3 other nations
• The reference to 7 kings--5 of which have fallen, 1 "is" and 1 is to come--could possibly refer to kings arising out of Rome or the Roman Empire who accepted worship as god--including, for example, the 5 fallen: Julius Caesar, Octavius Caesar Augustus, Caligula, Nero & Galba followed by the one that "is" (at the time of John's vision in or around 90 AD), Domitian, and one yet to come--the future ruler, the antichrist, who will also claim to be god.
• Has parallels to Antiochus IV Epiphanes in that both are referred to as "little horn"; Antiochus IV Epiphanes was Syrian born Seleucid emperor.
• Note, too, that some historical records suggest that Antiochus IV Epiphanes drowned (in the sea--i.e., the abyss), which is curious, because the antichrist is said to come out of the abyss (Rev. 17:8, 11:7)
• A resurrected Antiochus IV Epiphanes would satisfy the "was, is not and is to come" characteristic (Rev. 17:8) (Of course, so would Nero Ceaser and Nimrod)
• A resurrected Antiochus IV Epiphanes would satisfy the characteristic that non-believers will be surprised to see this beast present again (i.e., believers will immediately recognize him as the antichrist and perhaps as the resurrected Antiochus IV Epiphanes) (again, the same could be said about Nimrod or Nero Ceaser) (Rev. 17:8)
• Candidates: Various individuals have proposed a number of persons as candidates for the title of antichrist; some of the candidates proposed (none of which seem likely) are as follows:
• Mario Draghi - at least one person has proposed a case for considering him as a candidate, particularly considering his connection to Italy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjnILoVmpnU 
• Rabbi Shlomo Yahuda Beeri a/k/a Jizkiahu Ben David - a number of persons have suggested that this prominent Jewish rabbi is the candidate: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AP8A7iKtQBw 
• Barak Obama usually makes the list: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzyUeAugZbs 
• The Papacy is referenced by a host of analysts: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-QFX3-7pdHo 

False Prophet

• He has significant power, because he can perform substantial signs and he thereby deceives many people.
• Difficult to know if he is a religious or other figure.
• Obviously, this entity is closely connected with the antichrist.
• He will because of his supernatural power spark fear/terror in the minds of people.

Woman / Babylon

• The Internet? (Consider the details regarding Babylon and note how well the Internet fits with the description.)
• Jerusalem - Jeremiah 4:30 contextually refers to Israel as "the desolate one" who is dressed in scarlet, and verse 31 describes the "daughter of Zion" gasping for breath as violence comes to Israel; Jerusalem could be considered as a prostitute that should have belonged to God but, instead, was the worship center for other religions, particularly including Islam; thus, the woman on the scarlet beast could refer to Jerusalem, the people of Israel in the land of Israel.
• Rome--picking up on the 7 mountains on which the woman is seated?
• The capital of the future world empire?