Bible Symbols

Satan and the earthly power he works through (pagan Rome)

Rev 12:9; Rev 20:2; Rev 12:3–4; Rev 12:7; Rev 13:2

A swift, ruling power (Babylon in Dan 7); a devouring adversary (Satan); also a title of Christ (Lion of Judah)

Dan 7:4; Jer 4:7; Rev 5:5; 1 Pet 5:8; Joel 1:6; Prov 28:15

A heavy, devouring power (Medo-Persia in Dan 7)

Dan 7:5; Prov 28:15; 2 Kings 2:24

A swift four-headed power (Greece in Dan 7)

Dan 7:6; Rev 13:2; Hab 1:8

The kingdom of Media and Persia (named)

Dan 8:20; Dan 8:3–4

The kingdom of Greece (named)

Dan 8:21; Dan 8:5–7

Jesus Christ, the sacrifice for sin

John 1:29; 1 Cor 5:7; Rev 5:6, 12; Isa 53:7; 1 Pet 1:19; Gen 22:7–8

A power that looks Christ-like but speaks like Satan

Rev 13:11; Rev 16:13; Rev 19:20

A king or kingdom (a ruling power); strength/dominion

Dan 7:24; Dan 8:21–22; Rev 17:12; Deut 33:17; Zech 1:18–19

A later power rising among/after others, blasphemous and persecuting

Dan 7:8, 24–25; Dan 8:9–12

Major successive ruling powers / forms of government

Rev 17:9–10; Rev 17:3; Dan 8:8, 22

Speed, swiftness of conquest; also protection/deliverance

Dan 7:4, 6; Deut 28:49; Rev 12:14; Hab 1:8; Ex 19:4

Devouring, overwhelming hosts; tormenting spiritual plague

Joel 1:4; 2:25; Rev 9:3, 7; Deut 28:38; Judg 7:12

Lying, deceiving doctrines/spirits that gather kings to battle

Rev 16:13–14

Satan, the deceiver

Gen 3:1; Rev 12:9; Rev 20:2; 2 Cor 11:3

Power to wound / sting

Rev 9:5, 10; Luke 10:19; Ezek 2:6

The lost / unfaithful at the judgment

Matt 25:32–33; Ezek 34:17

A predator in disguise; false teacher

Matt 7:15; Acts 20:29; Luke 10:3

The Holy Spirit (God's own presence and power) descending; gentleness/innocence

Matt 3:16; Mark 1:10; Matt 10:16

Strength and power for battle

Job 39:19; Job 39:25; Ps 147:10; Prov 21:31; Jer 8:6

Successive conditions of the church/world (gospel, conflict, famine, death)

Rev 6:2–8

Uncleanness, apostasy, the unconverted

Matt 7:6; 2 Pet 2:22; Isa 65:4; Isa 66:17

People drawn into the kingdom

Matt 4:19; Matt 13:47–48

Service, labor, sacrifice

1 Cor 9:9; Prov 14:4

Swiftness of judgment; God's bearing up of His people

Deut 28:49; Hab 1:6–8; Ex 19:4; Rev 12:14; Isa 40:31

One prophetic year = 360 days = 360 literal years

Dan 4:16, 23, 25, 32 (a "time" passes over the king)

3½ prophetic years = 1260 days = 1260 years

Dan 7:25; Dan 12:7; Rev 12:14 (= 1260 days, Rev 12:6)

1260 days / 1260 years (42 × 30)

Rev 11:2; Rev 13:5

The 3½-times persecution period

Rev 12:6; Rev 11:3; Dan 7:25; Dan 12:7

2300 years to the cleansing of the sanctuary

Dan 8:13–14, 26

Extended prophetic year-periods from the same starting point

Dan 12:7, 11–12

490 years "determined upon thy people"

Dan 9:24–27

A short, defined prophetic interval

Rev 9:5, 10, 15

A broken, cut-short period of persecution

Dan 7:25; Rev 11:9, 11; Rev 12:6, 14; Rev 13:5

The whole earth / its directions ("four corners," "four winds," "four quarters")

Rev 7:1; Dan 7:2; Matt 24:31; Rev 20:8; Acts 10:11

Man / human shortfall of the divine "seven" (man made on the sixth day)

Gen 1:26–27, 31; Rev 13:18

Completeness, fullness, divine perfection

Gen 2:2–3; Ex 20:8–11; Ps 119:164; Rev 1:4 (seven Spirits); Rev 1:20 (seven churches)

Fullness of worldly powers / a complete set

Dan 7:7, 24; Rev 12:3; Rev 17:3, 12

God's organized people (tribes / apostles)

Gen 49:28; Matt 10:1–2; Matt 19:28; Rev 21:12–14

The complete, sealed company of God's end-time people (12 × 12 × 1000)

Rev 7:4; Rev 14:1, 3

The number of the beast — the number of a man

Rev 13:18

A great, complete multitude / the millennial reign

Rev 20:2–7; Ps 50:10; Ps 90:4; Deut 7:9

The crowded, populous Old-World nations from which a power rises; the wicked in turmoil

Dan 7:2–3; Rev 13:1; Isa 57:20; Luke 21:25; Ps 65:7

An overwhelming persecution or invading army

Rev 12:15–16; Isa 59:19; Dan 9:26; Ps 124:2–5; Jer 47:2; Nah 1:8

The peoples supporting spiritual Babylon

Rev 16:12; cf. Rev 17:15; Isa 8:7–8; Jer 51:13

The Holy Spirit (God's own presence and power); everlasting life

John 4:14; John 7:38–39; Isa 12:3; Rev 22:17

The Lord Himself, source of life

Jer 2:13; Rev 21:6; Ps 36:9; Rev 7:17

The settled, crystal-clear presence before God's throne

Rev 4:6; Rev 15:2; Ex 24:10

A place of refuge and obscurity for God's people

Rev 12:6, 14; Hos 2:14

Restraint and release of destructive forces of strife upon the earth, from every quarter

Rev 7:1; Dan 7:2; Dan 8:8; Jer 49:36; Zech 7:14

The Holy Spirit (God's own presence and power) — His unseen, life-giving moving power

John 3:8; Ezek 37:9–14; Acts 2:2; John 20:22

False teaching that tosses the unstable to and fro

Eph 4:14; Heb 13:9; Col 2:8

The light of the gospel covering the true church

Rev 12:1; 2 Cor 4:4–6

Reflected, borrowed light — the prophets and Scripture (and the Mosaic typal system) shining with light not their own beneath the gospel Sun

Rev 12:1; John 1:6–9; 2 Pet 1:19; Heb 10:1

Angels / messengers / ministers; the wise who turn many to righteousness (the "stars" are angels of the churches)

Rev 1:16, 20; Job 38:7; Dan 12:3

Leaders/messengers cast down; apostasy of ministers

Rev 12:4; Dan 8:10; Isa 14:12; Rev 9:1

Signs heralding the day of the Lord

Joel 2:31; Matt 24:29; Rev 6:12–13; Joel 2:10; Isa 13:10; Ezek 32:7

Christ Himself

Rev 22:16; 2 Pet 1:19; Num 24:17

The true gospel church carried through the ages

Rev 12:1–2, 5–6, 14, 17

The faithful redeemed church / New Jerusalem, betrothed and married to her Maker

Isa 54:5; Hos 2:16, 19–20; Rev 19:7–9; Rev 21:2, 9–10

An apostate church that has forsaken her Husband and joined herself to the world

Isa 1:21; Jer 3:1, 6, 20; Ezek 16:15–32; Ezek 23:2–5; Hos 3:1

The end-time confederacy of apostate religion; confusion in opposition to God

Gen 11:6–9; Jer 51:7; Rev 14:8; Rev 17:5; Rev 18:2–4

The apostate mother-church and the systems sprung from her

Rev 17:5, 15, 18

A church's unfaithful union with worldly/state power and false worship

Jer 31:32; Ezek 16:15, 26, 32; Ezek 23:37; Jas 4:4; Rev 17:2

Sin; bloodshed; the worldly pomp of apostasy

Isa 1:18; 2 Kgs 3:22–23; Rev 6:4; Rev 17:3–4

Royalty, kingly/luxurious display

Judg 8:26; Mark 15:17; John 19:2; Luke 16:19; Esth 8:15; Rev 17:4

The commandments of God (the fringe of remembrance)

Num 15:38–40

Famine, mourning, calamity

Rev 6:5–6; Jer 4:28; Lam 4:8; Lam 5:10; Joel 2:6

Death

Rev 6:8

Pure words / tried truth

Ps 12:6; Prov 2:4; Prov 10:20; Prov 25:11; Mal 3:3; Zech 13:9

An inferior, hardened metal — a lesser kingdom (Greece in Dan 2)

Dan 2:39; Dan 2:32; Dan 7:19

Crushing, breaking strength — Rome's might

Dan 2:40; Dan 2:33; Dan 7:7; Dan 7:23

Strength weakened by brittle, divided alliances

Dan 2:41–43; Dan 2:33

Weak, brittle human element; man as the potter's vessel in God's hand

Dan 2:42; Isa 64:8; Jer 18:6; Jer 18:4; Rom 9:21; Isa 29:16; Job 33:6

Corrupt, debased character — refuse to be purged away in the furnace

Ezek 22:18–22; Isa 1:22, 25; Ps 119:119; Prov 25:4; Prov 26:23

The Holy Spirit (God's own presence and power) at Pentecost; also God's refining and judging power

Luke 3:16; Acts 2:3–4; Matt 3:11–12; Mal 3:2–3; 1 Pet 1:7; 2 Thess 1:8

The Holy Spirit (God's own presence and power); cleansing; everlasting life

John 7:38–39; John 4:14; Isa 44:3; Ezek 36:25–27; Eph 5:26; Rev 22:17

Doctrine; the blood/covenant; the "wine" of false teaching that intoxicates

Luke 5:37–38; Mark 2:22; Matt 26:28; Jer 25:15; Jer 51:7; Rev 17:2; Rev 18:3

The word of God; Christ the Bread of Life

John 6:35, 51, 63; Deut 8:3; Matt 4:4

Spreading influence — usually false doctrine / hypocrisy / sin

Luke 12:1; 1 Cor 5:6–8; Matt 16:12; Gal 5:9; cf. Matt 13:33

Preserving, savouring influence of God's people; the enduring covenant

Matt 5:13; Mark 9:50; Col 4:6; Lev 2:13; Num 18:19

The pleasantness of God's word; a good, sweet life

Ps 19:10; Ps 119:103; Ezek 3:3; Deut 8:8–9; Prov 24:13–14

Life; atonement; the covenant ratified

Lev 17:11; Deut 12:23; Heb 9:22; Matt 26:28

The prayers of the saints

Rev 5:8; Rev 8:3–4; Ps 141:2; Luke 1:9–10

The refreshing of the Spirit; God's teaching that falls upon His people

Deut 32:2; Hos 6:3; Hos 14:5; Isa 55:10–11; Mic 5:7

A nation/people expected to bear fruit (esp. Israel)

Luke 13:6–9; Matt 21:19; Matt 24:32; Hos 9:10; Jer 24:5–8

God's people / church meant to bear fruit; Christ the true vine

Isa 5:1–2, 7; Ps 80:8–9; Matt 21:33; Luke 20:9–16; John 15:1, 5

God's covenant people; source of the "oil" (Spirit)

Rom 11:17–24; Jer 11:16; Ps 52:8; Hos 14:6; Zech 4:11–14

The Old and New Testaments / the witnessing word

Rev 11:3–4; Zech 4:11–14

Christ, the righteous Branch of David; also a member of the vine

Jer 23:5; Zech 6:12; Zech 3:8; Isa 11:1; Isa 4:2; John 15:5

The word of God; offspring/descendants; Christ the promised Seed

Luke 8:11; 1 Pet 1:23; Gal 3:16, 29; Rom 9:8

The true, genuine children of the kingdom, gathered into the barn

Matt 13:25, 29–30, 38; Luke 3:17

The children of the wicked one sown among the true

Matt 13:25, 30, 38–39

The worthless / wicked, blown away in judgment

Ps 1:4; Matt 3:12; Hos 13:3; Job 21:18; Dan 2:35

Works, deeds, the visible product of character

Gal 5:22–23; Matt 7:16–20; Matt 12:33; John 15:8

The end of the world

Matt 13:39; Rev 14:15; Joel 3:13; Jer 51:33

The angels (explicitly stated, Matt 13:39)

Matt 13:39, 41, 49; Rev 14:14–16

The world (explicitly stated, Matt 13:38)

Matt 13:38; John 4:35

The cares, riches and pleasures that choke the word

Mark 4:18–19; Matt 13:7, 22; Luke 8:14

The frailty and brevity of human life

Isa 40:6–8; 1 Pet 1:24; Ps 103:15–16; Jas 1:10–11

A lofty, proud kingdom or ruler

Ezek 31:3–10; Dan 4:20–22; Isa 2:12–13; Isa 10:33–34

The mind — where belief is held and God's seal is set

Ezek 3:8–9; Deut 6:6–8; 11:18; Ezek 9:4; Rev 7:3; 14:1, 9

The deeds / works / actions

Eccl 9:10; Isa 59:6; Ps 90:17; Rev 13:16

The walk / direction of one's life

Ps 119:105; Prov 1:15–16; 4:26–27; Eph 6:15

Spiritual discernment / understanding

Matt 13:15–16; Eph 1:18; 2 Pet 1:9; 1 John 2:11; Rev 3:18

Wisdom and purity; the glory of age

Dan 7:9; Prov 16:31; 20:29; Rev 1:14

The inner self — the seat of thought and will

Prov 4:23; Matt 15:18–19; Luke 6:45; Jer 17:9–10; 1 Sam 16:7

Strength, the power to save

Isa 53:1; 52:10; 59:16; Ps 98:1; Luke 1:51

Language / speech

Ex 4:10; Prov 18:21; Jas 3:5–6, 8; Rev 17:15 (tongues = peoples)

The suddenness, unexpectedness of Christ's coming

Matt 24:43; 1 Thess 5:2–4; 2 Pet 3:10; Rev 3:3; 16:15

Christ, the begotten Son, brought forth and caught up to God's throne

Rev 12:5; Ps 2:7, 9; Isa 66:7; Rev 19:15

The faithful last segment of God's people

Rev 12:17; Isa 10:20–22; Rom 9:27; 11:5; Zeph 3:13

Righteousness — the righteous acts of the saints, washed in the blood of the Lamb

Rev 19:8; Rev 3:4–5, 18; Rev 7:14; Rev 6:11; Isa 61:10; Ps 132:9

The robe of Christ's righteousness required for the marriage feast of the Lamb

Matt 22:11–12; Rev 19:7–8; Isa 61:10

Self-righteousness; sin and guilt

Isa 64:6; Zech 3:3–4; Isa 30:22; Isa 59:6

The worldly, gaudy splendor of apostate religion

Rev 17:4; Rev 18:16; Rev 17:3

Truth and righteousness; readiness to serve; God's people bound close to Him

Isa 11:5; Eph 6:14; Luke 12:35; 1 Pet 1:13; Rev 1:13; Jer 13:11

A kingdom or political-religious power; God's established kingdom

Dan 2:35, 44; Isa 2:2–3; Jer 51:25; Mic 4:1; Isa 11:9

The seated foundations of the harlot power

Rev 17:9

God's people / dwelling — New Jerusalem, the bride

Rev 21:2, 9–10; Heb 12:22; Heb 11:10, 16; Heb 13:14

The dwelling of God; His people; the believer's body; the heavenly ministry of Christ

1 Cor 3:16; Heb 8:1–2; Rev 11:19; John 2:19–21; 1 Cor 6:19; 2 Cor 6:16; 1 Pet 2:5

A church / light-bearer (the seven candlesticks are the seven churches)

Rev 1:20; Zech 4:2; Matt 5:14–16

The word of God, lighting the path

Ps 119:105; Prov 6:23; 2 Pet 1:19; 2 Sam 22:29

The word of God; also war/judgment

Eph 6:17; Heb 4:12; Rev 19:15; Rev 1:16; Hos 6:5; Isa 34:5–6

A loud warning / proclamation of God's approach or judgment

Ex 19:16–17; Joel 2:1; Rev 8:6; Isa 58:1; Num 10:9; 1 Thess 4:16

Authority to open and shut (the keys of the kingdom)

Matt 16:19; Rev 1:18; Rev 3:7; Isa 22:22; Luke 11:52

An opportunity; access to Christ / the kingdom

Rev 3:8, 20; John 10:9; 1 Cor 16:9; Luke 13:24–25; 2 Cor 2:12; Acts 14:27

A mark of ownership and approval — God's claim on His own

Rev 7:2–3; Eph 1:13; 2 Tim 2:19; John 6:27; Rom 4:11

A sign of allegiance to the beast's authority

Rev 13:16–17; Rev 14:9–11; cf. Ezek 9:4

Rulership; the reward of victory

Prov 16:31; Isa 28:5; Rev 2:10; Rev 12:1; 1 Cor 9:25; 2 Tim 4:8; Jas 1:12; 1 Pet 5:4

Delegated authority

Gen 41:42; Esth 3:10–12; Luke 15:22

A person — clay in the potter's hand

Jer 18:1–6; 2 Cor 4:7; Rom 9:21; Isa 64:8; 2 Tim 2:20–21

The portion one receives — blessing or wrath/judgment

Ps 23:5; Rev 14:10; Rev 16:19; Matt 26:39; Ps 75:8; Isa 51:17; 1 Cor 10:16

God's record, counsel, or revealed message

Rev 5:1–9; Rev 10:8–10; Ezek 2:9–3:3; Jer 15:16; Dan 12:1, 4; Rev 20:12

Sovereign rule and dominion

Ps 45:6; Rev 4:2; Dan 7:9; Ps 103:19; Isa 66:1; Matt 25:31

The gathering of people for the kingdom (and judgment)

Matt 13:47–50; Hab 1:15; Ezek 12:13; Eccl 9:12

Protection, separation; salvation as a defense

Isa 26:1; Rev 21:12; Zech 2:5; Isa 60:18

A steadfast, established member/support in God's house

Rev 3:12; Gal 2:9; 1 Tim 3:15

Place of sacrifice, prayer and atonement

Rev 6:9; Rev 8:3; Heb 13:10; Gen 8:20; Ps 43:4

An opposing earthly power (Egypt in Dan 11); the place of trial

Dan 11:5–6, 9, 11; Dan 8:9

Bondage, atheism/worldly defiance of God

Ex 5:2; Rev 11:8; Isa 30:1–3; Isa 31:1; Ezek 29:3

Confusion, apostasy, rebellion against God

Gen 11:6–9; Rev 17:5; Rev 18:2; Rev 14:8; Jer 51:7

God's faithful people / His city

Gal 4:26; Rev 21:2; Heb 12:22; Rev 21:9–10; Isa 52:1

A place of refuge, testing, and obscurity

Rev 12:6, 14; Deut 8:2; Hos 2:14

Death and new life — passing from one state to another; the figure of baptism (the Flood, the Red Sea, and crossing Jordan: buried with Christ and raised to walk in newness of life)

Deut 4:22; Rom 6:4; Col 2:12; 1 Cor 10:1–2 (Red Sea); 1 Pet 3:20–21 (the Flood); Josh 3:17 (crossing Jordan)

Sudden, shaking upheaval / divine judgment

Rev 6:12; Rev 16:18; Hag 2:6–7; Heb 12:26–27

A dearth of hearing the word of God

Amos 8:11; Rev 6:5–6

Salvation, forgiveness, restoration

Luke 5:23–24; Ps 103:3; Isa 53:5; Mal 4:2; Jer 17:14

Sin and its defilement

Luke 5:23–24; Isa 1:5–6; Lev 13:3

Gross immorality and vileness; an apostate people ripe for judgment

Gen 19:4–13; Ezek 16:49–50; Jude 1:7; Rev 11:8

Kingdoms or great ruling powers

Dan 2:35, 44; Jer 51:25; Rev 17:9–10; Isa 2:2