Revelation 13:2

2 Now the beast which I saw was like a leopard, his feet were like the feet of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority.

A. The symbols of a leopard, bear and lion have a double emphasis.

1. These are three of the four beasts described in Daniel 7:1-28 as the world powers of Babylon, Persia, and Greece.

2. In a broader sense, these animals represent great power, savage, persecuting power. They describe, not a kind and gentle government, but a brutal one.

B. Civil governments have many powers at their disposal to control people. They use physical force. They can use violence, punishments, persecutions and all types of hardships (economic, family, property, etc.)

C. Woodruff said, “Just because we live in a nation that offers freedom of religion, we should not lose sight of forces that exist in this world which seek to prohibit God’s people from worshiping him.” (1, 221)