Revelation 13:2 – The Beast
“And the beast which I saw was like a leopard, and his feet were like those of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion...” This Beast empire so described in Revelation as a fusion, it might be a hybrid empire possessing the traits of Babylon (Nebuchadnezzar), Persia (Cyrus), and Greece (Alexander), essentially a culmination or resurrection of ancient imperial power, now reassembled into a final, fearsome global force. It might be literally Iran replacing Persia, Iraq replacing Babylon, and Greece or Balkans replacing Ancient Greece. On the other hand, it might be existing superpowers which happen to have the characteristics of those ancient empires.
The leopard, traditionally emblematic of swiftness, adaptability, and far-reaching ambition, does indeed echo modern China in many ways. Its breathtaking rise—from a largely agrarian society to a global superpower in mere decades—has stunned the world. China’s infrastructure expansion, technological advancement, and growing influence across continents through initiatives like the Belt and Road bear the unmistakable characteristics of rapid, wide-reaching conquest—not militarily, but economically and politically. The leopard’s agility speaks to China's ability to shift strategically, project influence, and reshape regional and global systems with calculated precision.
The lion, the king of beasts, symbolizes dominance through presence and voice. The United States, with its overwhelming media reach, cultural saturation, and unmatched ability to frame global narratives, fits this image well. The lion roars to command attention, and likewise, the U.S. has long relied on soft power—propaganda, ideology, and media—to shape the worldview of both allies and adversaries. Even its military strength, while immense, is often deployed in tandem with narrative control, sanctions, and psychological dominance. It isn't just the muscle of the empire—it’s the mouth that declares what is right, what is wrong, and what is to be feared or celebrated.
The bear, with its steady, rooted strength, conservatism, and endurance, is strikingly reflective of Russia. It is a power often misunderstood by Western lenses—not fast-moving or flashy, but resilient, strategic, and driven by deep historical identity and statecraft. Russia's diplomatic posture, traditional values, and long memory of territorial, cultural, and spiritual defense align well with the bear’s symbolic posture: patient, forceful when provoked, and unwilling to be swept up by the currents of modern ideological shifts.
Now, if these three powers—each embodying a unique dimension of the prophetic beast—begin to draw closer together, the implications are extraordinary. China and Russia already share a growing strategic alignment, both economically and militarily. The United States, as its global dominance wanes, might find itself re-evaluating its alliances—not from a place of idealism, but from pragmatic necessity. Under Trump, we saw the beginning of a rhetorical warming toward Russia, disrupting decades of Cold War-era hostility. If that trend survives beyond Trump—especially as global polarity shifts—the potential for an ideological, economic, or strategic convergence among these three powers cannot be dismissed.
Should such a union occur, even loosely coordinated, it would represent not just a geopolitical reshuffling, but the emergence of a new kind of global order—one no longer anchored by liberal democratic ideals, but by strength, sovereignty, and a shared interest in preserving centralized power and control. In prophetic language, this would look very much like the beast rising—not a single nation, but a fusion of characteristics, each perfected in its domain, working in cooperation rather than competition.
Such a scenario wouldn’t necessarily announce itself with horns and fire—it might emerge quietly, through trade deals, security pacts, ideological alignment, and mutual respect for power. But the result could be profound: a world where the agility of China, the psychological force of America, and the enduring strength of Russia form a new axis—not out of shared values, but shared goals. And in prophetic terms, that beast would not just govern nations, but capture the hearts, minds, and allegiances of the world.
Stephen D Green, with ChatGPT, 2025
