The lesson explores the figurative meanings of “head”, “horns”, and “tail” mentioned in Revelation 13’s prophecy about a beast from the sea. “Head” represents a pastor/leader, “horns” are authority figures under the head, and “tail” is a false prophet teaching lies. It emphasizes these prophecies use symbolic language requiring wisdom to understand the true spiritual meanings. It draws parallels to how Old Testament prophecies also used figurative language only understood once fulfilled. The lesson suggests we now live when these sealed prophecies are unveiled through fulfillment. It provides scriptural evidence that the 7 heads are 7 pastors, 10 horns are 10 authorities under them, and the tail is a misleading false prophet. The goal is to discern if teachings can rightly open these prophecies according to Scripture, indicating the true Spirit of God at work.

 

Study Guide SCJ Bible Study

I was pondering the same thought. If I were to describe myself in one word, it's a challenging task.

I believe it's a difficult one. However, one word that resonates with me is "Routine." I consider myself a very routine-oriented person. For instance, this morning, I bought coffee at Starbucks, not necessarily because I craved the coffee itself, but rather because it's an integral part of my morning ritual, if that makes sense.

I enjoy conversing with the individuals who serve the coffee, and then, you know, boarding the train with a warm beverage in hand. For some reason, that routine is remarkably comforting, but if I had to use a single word to describe myself, I would consider myself a routine person.

One aspect I truly appreciate about this morning class is the ability to see everyone on the screen. It's wonderful. Not only can I see everyone, but I also witness each of you taking notes, with your Bibles open, flipping through the scriptures. It's an excellent company to be in.

You have good company. Indeed, bad company corrupts good character, but good company truly develops our character. So, every time I attend this class, I'm deeply grateful for all the students who participate because witnessing your dedication to studying the Word is truly inspiring. I sincerely appreciate all your efforts, and please continue.

And as Ecclesiastes 7:8 states, "The end is better than the beginning." So, even if we start well, the point is that we need to finish even better than we began.

Secrets of Heaven: Figurative Head, Horn and Tail

We are learning about the head, horn, and tail because in Revelation 13, it is promised that these will emerge from the sea. 

There is a beast with seven heads, ten horns, and a tail. As we know, the Book of Revelation contains prophecies to be fulfilled. However, these prophecies were recorded in parables and secreted language. There is a deeper meaning behind the figurative language, which hides an actual reality. So, let us explore the figurative meanings of these three elements.

Before delving into that, I want to share something with everyone about how faithful God is in keeping His promises. I also want to show you how God works through the prophecies of the Bible. To help us understand better, let's look at a promise God made to Abram.

 

This is a promise that God made with Abram. As you read, you were able to see the contents of the promise, or you can say prophecy, as prophecy is another word for promise. In this promise, God tells Abram, "Your descendants will essentially be slaves in a country not their own."

Point number one, a little bit of a review from Genesis 15:13-14. God promised Abram that your descendants will be slaves in a country not their own.

In this promise, did He tell him which country? No, right? It says "country not their own." It can be any country as long as it's not their own. So, this is a promise and this is a prophecy. When do you think people will know what country God was talking about in this promise?

It is Egypt, but where people always able to know that, or was there a certain time when people were able to know?

Right, there was a certain time. The answer is when the promise was fulfilled. Then they could know which country God was referring to as the "country not their own." Before they're in that country, nobody knows which country it's going to be. It could be absolutely any country as long as it's not their own.

But when the promise is fulfilled, then they're able to know. Ah, it's Egypt. That's the country. The fulfillment was Egypt, as mentioned in Exodus 12.

So, why am I showing everyone this? It's very important for us to know this so that we understand how God works. So that we know how God works through the different eras and generations in the Bible. When God promises something, does He give all the details about His fulfillment right away?

We can see from this promise that all He said was "country not their own." That can be any of the 196 countries that exist. That's a lot of options. So, nobody can know until this promise is fulfilled. Then, at the time of fulfillment, the reality is revealed that the country is Egypt.

Why do we know that the virgin is Mary and the son is Jesus, even though their names are not mentioned in Isaiah 7?

The promise was fulfilled. In other words, their realities have already appeared. Is everyone catching on to the pattern? Do you see how it has been similar either in Abram's time or even Isaiah's time? So, He gave enough detail to be able to believe in the promises when they are fulfilled.

But He did not disclose the name of who the virgin is nor the son. That was only made known after the promise had been fulfilled. And this was an Old Testament promise that was fulfilled at the first coming, the full fulfillment in Matthew 1:18-23.

But just know that this is about the birth of Jesus. So now we are able to see that the virgin is Mary, and the son is Jesus.

This is the difference between the time when the word is sealed and the time when the word is open.

In Isaiah's time, approximately 700 years before the first coming, do you think they knew who the virgin was going to be? And who the son was?

No, the answer is no. Because this was only a prophecy being spread, not the fulfillment yet for that time. It is as if the word is sealed because no one can know the reality of the virgin and the son. So what should people do? They should wait until this promise was fulfilled.

In other words, wait until the word is open. So the word being opened means not only the prophecy can be explained but also its fulfillment can be explained.

All right, so now let's really test how well you understood. 

Main Reference

This is a New Testament prophecy, now. It is about a beast with seven heads and ten horns. It helps us understand more about how God works through prophecies. When do you think we'll be able to know the reality or the meaning of this beast with seven heads and ten horns? We will know the meaning when the prophecy is fulfilled, and this prophecy will be fulfilled at the time of the Second Coming.

Poor Daniel, he heard something but didn't understand it. So he asked for an explanation, but was he given the answer? No, he wasn't, as stated in verse 9. It says, "Go your way, Daniel. These words are closed up and sealed until the time of the end."

Through this verse, we can understand that the words, especially the prophecies in the Bible, are sealed. Not forever, but until a certain time – until the time of the end, which is the time when the prophecies are fulfilled. Just like this, nobody knew who the Virgin or the son was going to be until it was fulfilled.

The beast with seven heads and ten horns – the meaning of the seven heads and ten horns would be very difficult to understand unless the reality has appeared. So, the word is sealed until the time of the end. Therefore, as a believer, one of the questions I have to ask myself is, "What time am I living in now? Is it this time when the word is sealed, or is it the time when the word is open?"

Both cannot be right. No, the answer is no, it's either the word is sealed or the word is open, one or the other. So, if I said that the word is open but it's actually sealed, I have to change what I thought, right? But if I said the word is sealed but it's actually open, then I actually have to change what I thought as well, right?  

So, let us be those who are willing to change our thoughts and mold them according to the scriptures. Let's not throw away the scriptures, but if one of our thoughts is wrong, then that thought should be discarded.

Right. How can we tell when the word is sealed versus when the word is open? Remember, God uses parables to seal His word. What has God used to seal His word? He uses parables. When the word is sealed, can those parables be understood? Can we understand the meaning of the parables? No. How about when the word is open? Yes, you should be able to, as stated in John 16:25.

Jesus said He promised that a time is coming when He will no longer use figurative language or parables, but He will tell us plainly about the Father.

When the word is sealed, it is sealed by figurative language or parables, and that figurative language cannot be understood. However, when the word is open, it is the complete opposite. We are able to understand the figurative language plainly.

If the word is truly still sealed, then I would not be able to understand any of the parables. They would not be able to be explained according to the scriptures. But if the word is open, then part of the proof should be that the parables can be explained according to the scriptures.

Take a look at your notebooks if you've been writing good notes. What have you been studying from the beginning until now? Understanding the meaning of the parables. If the word was still sealed, then that would not be possible. Meaning we would not be able to find the true meaning in the scriptures. Yes, people would be able to guess about their meaning, but even those guesses will be revealed as false, as we'll learn in this lesson.

Actually, there are many guesses about the meaning of the beast with seven heads and ten horns. But in this lesson, we'll find the answer in the scriptures about what these seven heads and ten horns truly mean. Then, I must discern if I am still living in the time when it is only a matter of reading the prophecy, or if our God and Jesus are at work, fulfilling the prophecies of the New Testament. I have to discern if I'm living in today's time when the word is open.

Main Reference

There's this red dragon, this beast, and it has seven heads and ten horns. And it is mentioned that it also has a tail. And what does this tail do? It sweeps one-third of the stars from Heaven to the Earth.

Do you think this is a physical tail that sweeps one-third of the physical stars? If it were physical, how big would that tail need to be? Even the largest cat in the world would not have a tail of that capacity. So this is figurative language.

This tail is figurative. The seven heads are figurative, and the horns are figurative. Of course, not everything in the Bible is figurative, but in the prophecies, it is often figurative. And this Beast, where is it located according to the prophecy?

It is in a very odd place for a beast to be – in Heaven. How did that Beast end up in Heaven?

These are all things that we must understand. We'll learn later on that there is a heaven, the spiritual realm that we normally think of. But Heaven, oftentimes throughout the Bible, God uses the word 'heaven' figuratively to describe something else. So, we'll learn about the meaning of Heaven and Earth in the upcoming lessons, but today we'll focus on the seven heads, ten horns, and the tail.

1. Physical Characteristics of Head, Horn and Tail 

1. The head controls the body.

For example, unfortunately, there are some people who have lost control of their bodies. This happens due to certain conditions in the body, but it also relates to the person's mind and their ability to function properly. In such cases, they cannot control much of their body movements.

To illustrate, try walking down the sidewalk with your eyes closed. You'll start walking in the direction where your head is leaning. However, be cautious while attempting this.

So, the head governs the body. If the head is in good condition, the whole body functions well. But if the head is impaired, the body also suffers. Keep this in mind.

 

2. A horn is attached to the head.

Have you ever observed a moose, elk, or deer? The larger the horns, the more authority and power they seem to possess. The moose, deer, or elk with greater standing typically have bigger horns. Thus, the horn is a symbol of authority.

Furthermore, in the case of goats, deer, elk, and moose, when they fight, they ram each other with their horns. Therefore, the horn serves as a weapon for combat.

Historically, even old knives were made from animal horns or elephant tusks.

 

3. Do humans have tails? None of us have a tail, right? Humans don't have tails. Only beasts and animals have tails.

So, tails belong to the Beast. Just like the Beast is described as having seven heads and ten horns, it also has a tail, symbolizing its beastly nature.

Once again, the head controls the body, the horn is attached to the head as a symbol of authority and a weapon, and the tail belongs to the Beast. Therefore, there is no need for alarm.

2. Spiritual (True) Meaning of Head

1. The figurative meaning of a "head" refers to a Pastor. Even leaders of a company are called "heads." When referring to the CEO, they say "he's the head" or "she's the head of the company." Similarly, for the director of a team, they say "he's the head of the team," such as the head of a football team.

We use the word "head" to describe a leader. In this context, "head" specifically means a leading pastor.

 

2. The "horns" that are attached to the Head represent Authority Figures or people with authority who belong to the head (pastor).

These horns are used for fighting or exerting influence.

 

3. A "tail" represents a false prophet that belongs to the Beast.

Let's explore the true meaning of each of these symbols in the Bible.

It says here, "This calls for a mind with wisdom. The seven heads are seven hills on which the woman sits. They are also seven kings." So, seven heads equals seven hills, and there are also seven kings.

These heads, do you think that means seven physical kings of a nation, like King Henry? And these are seven physical hills, like in Rome?

The answer is no. We'll find the answer in the Bible, but the heads are not referring to physical kings. These heads are like kings; it's not referring to physical kings. Revelation is prophecy reported in parables. A king is used figuratively to describe something else. So, let's find out what a king is spiritually.

So, here we have the Lamb, Jesus. He is called the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. But think about when Jesus came 2000 years ago, physically. Was he the king of a nation? No, that was not the role he had. The role that Jesus had was that of the Good Shepherd. He was a Shepherd, a pastor, a teacher, right? They called him Rabbi or Rabboni. So, Jesus, yes, he is a king, the King of Kings.

But not a physical king. The term "king" refers to a shepherd or a pastor. That is the kind of king that Jesus was, and he had a kingdom as well. If a king is a pastor, then what would be the kingdom? A king rules over a kingdom, and a pastor rules over a church. Even some people say, "I work for the kingdom," meaning they work for their church. That's what they say. So, Jesus, he is the king, a shepherd. And a kingdom is a church.

So, these seven kings, in reality, what are they? Not physical kings, but seven pastors.

The text mentions that the seers are likened to the head since their heads were covered. It says, "He has covered your heads." The seers are like prophets, individuals who can foresee or have the ability to predict the future. They hold a position of authority and significance. The term "seer" can also imply an overseer, which is a shortened version of the word.

The passage suggests that a "head" refers to an overseer or a leader, someone in a position of teaching. Therefore, the true meaning of a "head" in this context is a head pastor or a leading pastor.

The Bible states that Jesus is the head of the body, and the body represents the church.

In a church, who is like the head of that body? Right, the pastor is the leader. So this also shows that the head refers to a pastor, and the body refers to a Church. This helps us discern as well. If the head is good, then the body is also good. But if the head is bad, then the body is also bad.

We have to make sure that the head of the body we belong to is good and is truly led by the true head, which is Jesus. Jesus is the true head, isn't he? Jesus should really be the head of every church. However, the reality is that we must discern because there are two types of spirits: good and evil.

So, how do we know if the head of the body is good?

If the pastor teaches an open word and can explain prophecy and its fulfillment, these are good signs. All of you gave very good answers, especially the answer about the open word. However, I don't want anyone to come to class and later say, "Why the open word?" because the instructor, Nate, said so. No, we're going to confirm with the Scriptures to see what the Scriptures have said. We could say what Jesus said in such and such verse or what God said in such and such verse. Okay, so let's confirm.

How can we know if the body has a good head and ultimately Christ is the head? Today, Jesus is not physically around preaching the word like he was 2,000 years ago. But, of course, God and Jesus's Spirit can work through people.How many times have we heard people say, "I'm being used by God," "Jesus is with me," or "The Holy Spirit is with me"? However, we cannot take people's words at face value. Just because somebody says God is using them, Jesus is using them, or the Holy Spirit is using them, it doesn't mean it is true. There has to be proof. So, how can we know if Jesus is really using someone?

Aren't we so thankful that we have the Bible to confirm? What would we do without the Bible? We would be so lost.

Jesus said, "The words that I have spoken to you are spirit, and they are life." (John 6:63)

So, to discern spirits today, I have to listen to the words being spoken, right? If Jesus's spirit is using someone, wouldn't they speak Jesus's words? Yes, they would. If Jesus's spirit is truly working through someone, they would speak Jesus's words. Let's examine Jesus's words a little more.

There are words that Jesus left us.

Jesus's words:

There are some moral teachings that Jesus left us, which we must know.

For example, don't you all know Matthew 6:33? "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."

Put the word "first," and everything else will be taken care of. So, Matthew 6:33 contains Jesus's words. But these are moral teachings. For example, from Matthew 6:28-33, Jesus says, "Do not worry about what you will eat or drink or wear."

For the pagans run after all these things. So, if I am a pagan, all I'll think about is physical matters like what to eat, drink, and wear. But if I'm a Believer, I'll leave that up to God and seek first His kingdom and righteousness. These are moral teachings that we have to keep.

To seek first God's kingdom and righteousness.

But Jesus didn't only leave us with moral teachings. Didn't He also give us many prophecies about His second coming?

New Testament Prophecy

Jesus' Words

And what did Jesus say? In verse 1, He said that at that time, the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. This parable is about who the groom is. Firstly, who is our groom? Jesus.

So then, who are the virgins or the brides in this case? Believers. Sometimes people mistakenly perceive it this way: that the wise virgins are Believers, and the foolish are Non-Believers.

Actually, that's only partially correct. Why is that? Because both the wise and the foolish went out to meet the groom, who is Jesus. Non-Believers are not interested in meeting Jesus. So this is not about them; this is about Believers. Among Believers, there are wise and foolish.

In other words, in the end, those who can be with Jesus in heaven were those who will not hear the word, "I don't know you," and will be on the outside, which is hell. So, what was the difference between the wise and the foolish?

The difference between the wise and the foolish, though they were both Believers, is that only the wise prepared the lamp and the oil.

So, these are Jesus's words regarding Believers. At the end times, there will be the wise and the foolish. The wise ones are those who have prepared for the lamp and the oil, and they'll be with Jesus.

So, in this parable, who do we want to be? We want to be the wise. Why? So then, what would be the next question I should ask you? Where is your lamp? And where is your oil? That would be the next natural question to ask, right? You might think this means to go grab a physical lamp from Home Depot and oil.

Jesus is talking about the Kingdom of Heaven, and when he spoke about heaven, remember, he spoke in parables? The lamp and the oil are parables.

In the past, there was one class that I taught, and there was someone who very firmly said, "We don't need to know the parables to enter the kingdom of Heaven."

What do you think? Is that statement correct or incorrect?

Yeah, it's actually wrong. Why is it wrong? Because of this parable, if I don't know the parables, how can I prepare the lamp and the oil? And if I don't prepare the lamp and the oil, how can I be a wise virgin that ends up with Jesus? I can't. And that is a problem.

So, wouldn't it be nice to know the meaning of the lamp and oil so that we can prepare? Yeah, it would be nice, and wouldn't it be nice if people were also able to explain to us the meanings of these parables, especially regarding a leader? Aren't those the kinds of sermons and lessons that we want to hear about?

Of course, it's good to hear about moral teachings, but if it's only moral teachings, then that is wrong. We must also understand prophecies. So, today we want to know how to discern when Jesus is truly the head of a body, meaning if His spirit is really at work in that place. If Jesus' spirit is working somewhere, Jesus's words would be spoken.

That's natural. His words are Spirit, not only about moral teachings. But if I'm in a place where Jesus's spirit is actually working, I should know the meaning of the lamp and oil, and I should be preparing it.

But if I don't know the meaning of the lamp and oil, or if I can only guess, then I must wonder why. Why is that? How come people have not explained to me what the lamp and the oil is so I can prepare it? What Spirit was at work? These are all questions I should be reflecting on currently. Do you want to know what the lamp is?

Lamp is the word.

Most time though, students think that oil is the word. But actually, Lamp is the word. That's even more shocking, because both the wise and the foolish had the word. So we'll learn about what the oil is in the next week.

3. Spiritual (True) Meaning of Horn

The Bible says that the ten horns represent ten kings. However, it also mentions that they have not yet received royal authority. In most Bible translations, it states that these are "ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom." Figuratively speaking, a king represents a pastor, and a kingdom represents a church. Therefore, the ten horns symbolize pastors (kings) who have not received royal authority, meaning they have no church (kingdom) to rule over. Can a king truly be considered a king without a kingdom? They might possess authority, but as Revelation 17 states, they receive authority.

These horns that appear in Revelation are merely authority figures, individuals with pastoral authority, but they have no kingdom to govern. They belong to the heads (the beast), and their purpose is to fight and make war. 

So, in summary, the ten horns represent authority figures (pastors) who are attached to the heads (the beast), and their role is to engage in conflict and warfare.

4. Spiritual (True) Meaning of Tail

In verse 15, it states that the prophet who teaches lies is referred to as the tail. The tail represents the false prophet, the one who teaches lies. In Isaiah 9:14, it is mentioned that the Lord will cut off from Israel both the head and the tail, both the palm branch and the reed in a single day.

The elders and the prominent men, the leaders, are considered the head. And the prophets who teach lies are the tail. God says in verse 16 that those who guide these people are led astray, they are misled. God is prophesying that when this promise is fulfilled, the leaders will be misleading, and the prophets will be teaching lies. 

God declares that He will cut them off. If one is teaching lies in the eyes of God, according to this verse, they will be cut off. Therefore, the tail represents the false prophet, the one who teaches lies and leads people astray.

I heard someone say, and please don't take this offensively in any way, but I heard someone once claim that the Beast with seven heads and ten horns represents the Catholic Church. I'm sure you've heard that before. 

However, what we saw today is that the seven heads actually represent seven pastors, and the ten horns represent ten authority figures. They have to act not according to how people will think, but according to what's promised in the Bible.

They have to make war against the Saints and cause them to receive the mark of the beast. One of those heads has to receive a fatal wound. It's very specific how this promise is going to be fulfilled and how it was promised. Someone else had said that the seven heads are seven kings, like physical kings of a nation.

When you hear that, do you think it's God's spirit speaking? No, the seven kings are pastors who rule over a kingdom or a church. And for the ten horns, I've also heard someone say that they represent ten countries in Europe or ten cities in Europe. And the seven heads are the seven hills in Rome.

Revelation is a book of prophecy, and prophecies are reported in parables. The seven hills have a meaning; they are not physical hills. And horns in the Bible do not represent countries. If there was a verse to show it, then yes, we would believe. However, we see ten horns or ten kings with no kingdom, representing people who only have authority, authority figures. And they also do not represent countries. 

So, let us discern which spirit is speaking at which time. Even now, discern the spirit and test it. Whenever you're hearing somebody speak, you have to test the spirits.

Memorization

 

Let's Us Discern