A new sculpture at the United Nations Plaza in New York City is sparking up controversy because of its striking resemblance to the end times beast described in the biblical books of Daniel and Revelation.
"A guardian for international peace and security sits on the Visitor's Plaza outside #UN Headquarters. The guardian is a fusion of jaguar and eagle and donated by the Government of Oaxaca, Mexico," the UN tweeted.
A guardian for international peace and security sits on the Visitor's Plaza outside #UN Headquarters. The guardian is a fusion of jaguar and eagle and donated by the Government of Oaxaca, Mexico @MexOnu. It is created by artists Jacobo and Maria Angeles.
— United Nations Photo (@UN_Photo) November 9, 2021
UN Photo/Manuel Elías pic.twitter.com/q8SSsQhz1L
According to the Mexican Ambassador to the UN, Alejandro Murat, the governor of Oaxaca, sent the winged-feline sculpture last month to express the power of Mexican culture to the UN.
"With the purpose of demonstrating to the UN that Mexico has a powerful culture that can send messages through our artisans, and like 76 years ago, Mexico continues to be a guardian of international peace and security," the ambassador said in a video message.
#Cultura #Internacional 🇲🇽🦅🇺🇸El colosal alebrije oaxaqueño denominado “Guardián de la Paz y la Seguridad Internacional” ya es expuesto en la Plaza de las Naciones Unidas en #NuevaYork🇲🇽🦅🇺🇸
— Meganoticias GDL (@Meganoticias) November 5, 2021
💻https://t.co/9jOQ3Ez1iO
📲Información https://t.co/XhEPrHIEht pic.twitter.com/oTi9i443pe
As reported by CBN News, people quickly reacted to the sculpture on social media by likening it to the "beast" written about in the books of Daniel and Revelation.
In Daniel 7:2-4, the prophet Daniel described "four great beasts," one of which is "like a lion" with eagle's wings.
"Daniel said: 'In my vision at night I looked, and there before me were the four winds of heaven churning up the great sea. Four great beasts, each different from the others, came up out of the sea'," the scripture reads. "The first was like a lion, and it had the wings of an eagle," it added.
In Revelation, the apostle John told of a similar beast to the one Daniel described.
"The beast I saw resembled a leopard, but had feet like those of a bear and a mouth like that of a lion. The dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority," Revelations 13:2 reads.
Some social media users have also pointed to 1 Thessalonians 5:2-3 when criticizing the statue, noting that the scripture warns that unbelievers will call for "peace and safety" just before the rapture.
First Thessalonians 5:2-3 says, "For you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, 'Peace and safety,' destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape."
Photo courtesy: ©Getty Images/Larry Lee Photography
Milton Quintanilla is a freelance writer and content creator. He is a contributing writer for CrosswalkHeadlines and the host of the For Your Soul Podcast, a podcast devoted to sound doctrine and biblical truth. He holds a Masters of Divinity from Alliance Theological Seminary.
