The Man of Sin, Part 2

The Man of Sin of 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 is not identical to the Beast of Revelation 13:1-2.

The Beast out of the Sea is an amalgam of the world empires foretold in Daniel chapters 2 and 7. The Man of Sin is an individual who comes out of that system of empires, as is evident in Daniel 7:8, but he is not identical to it.

As we attempt to identify the beast from Revelation 13:1-2, we go back to Daniel 7:1-7. Once there, it is easy to identify which beast represents which empire.

The first empire is Babylon (Daniel 7:40) because Nebuchadnezzar stands out as a world ruler who is given a new heart (Daniel 4:34-37). Before he looked up to God, Nebuchadnezzar was insane. Insanity in varying degrees is the characteristic of political leaders from the dawn of civilization.

Before he is humbled by God, Nebuchadnezzar is a picture of virtually all political leaders in all ages. He is told that God has put him in power, not because he was a noble person, but for God's own ends. Indeed, God puts over humankind, the basest of people (שְׁפַל shef-al´: "wretched, humble, lazy," Daniel 4:17).

It should never surprise us when faced with the evil choice of two lessers, such is the story of history.