THE BEAST FROM THE EARTH: UNITED STATES IN PROPHECY

The Beast from the Earth: United States in Prophecy


The book of Revelation is a divine gift.  In it, God has provided important information for His people to know about the days ahead.

Using symbols, Heaven has revealed the primary powers that will war against God in the person of His saints just before the Second Coming of Christ Jesus.

Prophecy predicts that one of the powers that will exercise great authority across all the earth is the United States of America.  It is described in Revelation 13:

Beast from the Earth: United States of America in Bible Prophecy

Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon.  And he exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence, and causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.   (Revelation 13:11, 12,

To understand the symbols in this prophecy and how it applies to the United States, it is necessary to allow Scripture to first define them.  In the Bible, “beasts” are symbols of geo-political powers.  Daniel was shown four beasts rising out of the sea:

Daniel spoke, saying, “I saw in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of heaven were stirring up the Great Sea.  And four great beasts came up from the sea, each different from the other.  (Daniel 7:2, 3)

Daniel was puzzled by the vision.  He did not understand the symbols used.

“I, Daniel, was grieved in my spirit within my body, and the visions of my head troubled me.  I came near to one of those who stood by, and asked him the truth of all this. So he told me and made known to me the interpretation of these things: ‘Those great beasts, which are four, are four kings which arise out of the earth.’  (Daniel 7:15-17)

Thus, beasts represent geo-political powers.  While there have been many kingdoms exercising near-global control throughout history, Scripture focuses specifically on those which war against Heaven.

“I saw another beast coming up out of the earth . . . .”  (Revelation 13:11)


The first beast John saw in Revelation 13 symbolizes the papacy.  Prophecy foretold that the beast, the papacy, would receive a deadly wound:

“And I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded . . . .”  (Revelation 13:3, KJV)

This wounding of the papacy culminated in a series of events in 1798, right around the time the beast from the earth, the United States, was rising into power.

Rome-USA Timeline

The second beast which John sees in Revelation 13 is unique from all others because it arises out of the land.

Later, John is told: “The waters which you saw . . . are peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues.”  (Revelation 17:15)  Therefore, the beast from the earth must be a world-wide power that arises out of a sparsely populated area of the globe.

The beasts Daniel saw, as well as the first beast John saw in Revelation 13, arose out of turbulent seas.  New nations usually arise by first overthrowing other nations, and then taking their place.  However, there was no other nation overturned in order to make room for the United States.  Thus, it is a fitting symbol for this beast to arise out of the land.

The word “coming” found in this particular phrase of Scripture in the original Greek text, is ἀναβαίνω (anabainō) , which, collectively with its Greek derivatives, means – to spring up gently…to grow quietly and steadily (like a plant).  This again is very fitting.

G. A. Townsend, when describing the rise of the United States, spoke of  "the mystery of her coming forth from vacancy," and says, "Like a silent seed we grew into an empire."  (The New World Compared with the Old, pp.462, 635, G.A. Townsend)  A European journal, The Dublin Nation, in 1850 spoke of the United States as a wonderful empire, which was "emerging," and "amid the si­lence of the earth daily adding to its power and pride."

“He had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon . . . .”  (Revelation 13:11)


The beast from the earth is described as having two horns, like a lamb.  It is not a lamb-like beast.  Rather, its horns are deceptive.  It is still a powerful beast of prey, but the horns look small, harmless and even benevolent, like a gentle lamb.

For two centuries, the United States, a young, recently-risen power, fit the description.  She did not seek to colonize other nations and she opened her shores to all who were fleeing persecution in their home countries.

As the Honorable J. A. Bingham described it, the multitudes immigrating to America wanted to establish “What the world had not seen for ages; viz., a church without a pope, and a state without a king.”

“He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men.”  (Revelation 13:13)


Of all the nations of the earth, the United States swiftly arose to a position of power, influence and wealth.

Technology flourished and the scientific and industrial advances flowing from this nation have affected, in one way or another, the lives of virtually everyone on the planet.
Atomic bomb mushroom clouds over Hiroshima (left) and Nagasaki (right)

Atomic bomb mushroom clouds over Hiroshima (left) and Nagasaki (right)

The destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki with modern history’s first atom bombs is aptly described by John’s comment: “He even makes fire come down from heaven . . . in the sight of men.”

The true secret to the United States’ powerful character and reception of Heaven’s blessings has been the fact it’s laws separate Church from State, guaranteeing civil and religious liberty – even to those whose beliefs place them in the minority.

The two-horned beast could not be a Roman Catholic nation for Catholicism is uniquely a union of Church and State.  Such a relationship of the Church enforcing its beliefs by the power of the state is fundamentally opposed to the very principles on which the United States was founded.

Unlike certain other beast symbols, the beast that arose out of the land was noticeable for its lack of a crown, symbolizing a nation with a republican form of government.

“A crown is an appropriate symbol of a kingly or dictatorial form of government, and the absence of crowns, as in this case, would suggest a government in which the power is not vested in any such ruling member, but is lodged in the hands of the people.”  (U. Smith, Daniel and the Revelation, p. 581)

The United States was the first nation since Rome to have a truly Republican form of government with the personal civil and religious liberties that accompany this type of government.

As John watched in vision, however, a change began to transform the gentle appearance.  The two-horned beast began to speak like a dragon, a dual-symbol representing both paganism and Satan himself.

“He exercises all the authority of the first beast . . . and causes [forces] those who dwell in it to worship the first beast.”  (Revelation 13:12)

Rather than being the last bastion of religious liberty left in the world, the two-horned beast assumes world-wide authority that does not rightfully belong to it.  This use of force, which is a principle of Satan’s kingdom, is employed to enforce worship of another beast, representing Catholicism.

“He performs great signs so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men.  And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived.  He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed. He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads,  and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.”  (Revelation 13:13-17

The fact that this newly assumed power exercised by the United States does not have Heaven’s sanction or blessing can be found in what Scripture records this beast doing:

   He deceives those who dwell on the earth. America - Police State
   He compels the people of the world to form an image to the first beast which had received the deadly wound.
   He has the power to kill those who do not worship the first beast.
   He forces everyone to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads.
   He imposes economic sanctions against all who do not have the mark, the name of the beast or the number of his name.

Such a despotic character is completely opposed to the freedom-loving principles of the Kingdom of Heaven.

Scripture is clear that the final struggle in the long-running controversy between God and Satan will center on worship – specifically, when to worship.  God never forces people to worship Him and Satan never enforces worship of God on His true Sabbath.

Consequently, the worship enforced by the United States will be the enforcement of a counterfeit worship day – Sunday, with possibly allowance made for those who worship or go to Mosque for prayers on Friday.

What will not be allowed is the freedom to worship according to the dictates of one’s individual conscience.

Eventually, all who refuse to obey false doctrine, enforced by the power of the United States (or any other government) will be deemed deserving of death.  No allowance will be provided for any who wish to worship on the true Biblical Sabbath.

The only hope of anyone is full and complete surrender to the will of the Lord God.  In the face of the dragon’s roar, God’s people will be preserved.

All who put obedience in God above conformity to the laws and traditions of men, will be preserved during the coming time of trouble.

At that time Michael shall stand up,
The great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people;
And there shall be a time of trouble,
Such as never was since there was a nation,
Even to that time.
And at that time your people shall be delivered,
Every one who is found written in the book.
And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake,
Some to everlasting life,
Some to shame and everlasting contempt.
Those who are wise shall shine
Like the brightness of the firmament,
And those who turn many to righteousness
Like the stars forever and ever.

(Daniel 12:1-3)

The promises of Scripture open the resources of Omnipotence to all who honor their Creator by keeping His law, worshipping on His holy Sabbath.

Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.

Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.  (Revelation 3:10, 11, KJV)