The Bible is full of crazy creatures, some of them quite horrific! Why does the Bible describe scary creatures? Could it be referring metaphysically to our fears? We're familiar with some of them, but some are not quite as we imagine them. Do you think cherubim are cute and chubby baby angels? Here are some of the creatures:
The First Beast
This is one the scariest monsters in the Book of Revelation—and there are plenty! It had seven heads and 10 horns, not to mention other animal body parts. "And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy (As in “Oh, Gosh!”). And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion, and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority." This beast is described in Revelation 13:1-2.
The Second Beast
"Then I saw another beast rising out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb and it spoke like a dragon," (Revelation 13:11). This one was a showstopper, "causing fire to come down from heaven to the earth in full view of the people." It marked everyone with the number of the beast. "Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name," Revelation 13:16-17. (QR codes?)
Locusts
The locusts of Revelation were very scary. "Their faces resembled human faces. Their teeth were like lions’ teeth.” They also had stings like scorpions but were not allowed to kill anyone.
Leviathan
This beast of chaos was a monster sea serpent created by God. But then God got rid of it, as described in Isaiah 27:1. "In that day the Lord will punish Leviathan the fleeing serpent, With His fierce and great and mighty sword. He kills the dragon who lives in the sea."
Behemoth
Behemoth was also created by God. Though this one roamed the land, not the sea. Job 40:15-24 gives a description of this beast. “Behold, Behemoth, which I made as I made you; he eats grass like an ox. Behold, his strength in his loins, and his power in the muscles of his belly. He makes his tail stiff like a cedar; the sinews of his thighs are knit together. His bones are tubes of bronze, his limbs like bars of iron."
Cherubim
Cherubim, (cherubs), are usually depicted as cute and chubby baby angels. But this couldn't be further from their Biblical description. They are indeed scary beings. The one guarding the Garden of Eden had a flaming sword! Ezekiel 1:5-11 goes even further, describing them as having the face of a lion on the right side, the face of an ox on the left side, and the face of an eagle.
02/19/23