Revelation Chapter 13
(Rev 13:1) A beast coming up out of the sea
Then I stood on the sand of the sea. I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads. On his horns were ten crowns, and on his heads, blasphemous names.
Then I stood on the sand of the sea: In Revelation 12, John’s vision mainly had heaven in view. Now the scene of his vision shifted to the earth, and in his vision he stood on the sand of the sea. (David Guzik)
And I saw a beast coming up out of the sea: From the place identified with evil and chaos and resisting God, a beast comes forth. The ancient Greek word translated beast here has the idea of a wild, dangerous animal. Because John calls him a beast and not a dragon (as in Revelation 12:3), this creature represents someone distinct from Satan who was represented by the dragon (Revelation 12:9). (David Guzik)
Having ten horns and seven heads: Though this beast is distinct from the dragon of Revelation 12, he is still closely identified with him. He is not the dragon, but he is like him, because the dragon also had seven heads and ten horns (Revelation 11:3).
Any creature with seven heads would be hard to kill, because if you wounded one head, six still remained. In Biblical imagery horns express strength and power. A bull with two horns is a powerful creature, but a beast with ten horns has that much more power – just like the dragon of Revelation 12:3.
This likeness to Satan is just one of the things that identifies this beast with the one popularly known as the Antichrist. The word Antichrist only appears in the Bible five times in four verses (1 John 2:18, 2:22, 4:3, and 2 John 7). 1 John 2:18 is a good example: Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming. With this, John referred to an individual who has captured the imagination of many people, some who don’t even know the Bible. But many are ignorant about this person called the Antichrist, except what they have learned from movies like The Omen.
We can begin by understanding what the title Antichrist means. The prefix anti may mean “the opposite of” or “instead of.” The Antichrist is the “opposite Jesus”; he is the “instead of” Jesus. Most people have focused on the idea of the “opposite Jesus.” This has made them think that the Antichrist will appear as a supremely evil person, that as much as Jesus went around doing good, he will go around doing bad. As much as Jesus’ character and personality was beautiful and attractive, the Antichrist’s character and personality will be ugly and repulsive. As much as Jesus spoke only truth, the Antichrist will speak only lies. This emphasizes the idea of the “opposite Jesus” too much. The Antichrist will instead be more of an “instead of Jesus.” He will look wonderful, be charming and successful. He will be the ultimate winner, and appear as an angel of light. In this sense the Antichrist will be a satanic messiah, instead of the true Messiah Jesus Christ.
In 1 John 2:18, John also spoke of the Antichrist and many antichrists. There is a “spirit” of antichrist, and this “spirit” of antichrist will one day find its ultimate fulfillment in the Antichrist, who will lead humanity in an end-times rebellion against God. In other words, though the world still waits to see the ultimate revelation of the Antichrist, there are little “previews” of this man and his mission to come. These are the antichrists with a little “a.”
Though we commonly call this coming world leader the Antichrist, the Bible gives him many names or titles. He is known as:
· The little horn of Daniel 7:8
· The king of fierce countenance of Daniel 8:23
· The Prince that shall come of Daniel 9:26
· The willful king of Daniel 11:36-45
· The one who comes in his own name of John 5:43, whom Israel will receive as a messiah
· The son of perdition, the man of sin, the lawless one of 2 Thessalonians 2:3
(David Guzik)
On his horns were ten crowns: This is something different about the beast compared to the dragon of Revelation 12:3, who had seven diadems on his heads. The seven crowns of the dragon expressed his strength and power, because seven is a number associated with strength and completeness. The ten crowns of the beast express his rule over a group of ten nations.
Most commentators think that the ten horns are distributed among the seven heads, but David Hocking sees all ten horns upon one of the heads. The figure of ten horns also associates this beast with the beast of Daniel 7:7, which represent the final world empire of the Antichrist, which the Messiah will ultimately conquer: After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, exceedingly strong. It had huge iron teeth; it was devouring, breaking in pieces, and trampling the residue with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns. (Daniel 7:7)
In Daniel’s vision, the ten horns specifically represented ten kingdoms that this final world dictator has authority over (Daniel 7:24). In John’s vision the ten crowns on the ten horns emphasize this idea.
The visions of Daniel 7 and Daniel 2 also connect the governments represented by the ten crowns with the ancient Roman Empire. In those visions, Daniel saw three successive world empires, each succeeded by a fourth – which in the context of the visions is plainly the Roman Empire. In the days of that fourth empire the Messiah will come, destroy all earthly rule and reign over the earth. Since we do not see the reign of Jesus on earth in the way Daniel prophesied, we can see that the Roman Empire will “resume” in some way, expressed by this collection of ten crowns. (David Guzik)
And on his heads, blasphemous names: The seven heads of the beast each advertise blasphemy against God. This speaks of more than the beast’s message; it speaks of his character. He is a blasphemer, who speaks against God (as in Daniel 7:25).
(Rev 13:2) The dragon gave the beast power, his throne, and great authority
The beast which I saw was like a leopard, and his feet were like those of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority.
The three animals named in Revelation 13:2 remind us of the four beasts Daniel saw in his dream (Dan. 7): a lion (Babylon), a bear (Media-Persia), a leopard (Greece), and a “terrible beast” (the Antichrist). John saw these animals, or kingdoms, in reverse order since he was looking back, while Daniel was looking ahead. The final world empire will be rooted in all the previous empires and unite in one their evil and power. Added to the ferocity of these beasts will be Satan’s own power, throne, and authority!
(Wiersbe)
(Rev 13:3) His fatal wound was healed
One of his heads looked like it had been wounded fatally. His fatal wound was healed, and the whole earth marveled at the beast.
This “beast” (who is actually a Satan-possessed man) is said to have ascended “out of the bottomless pit” (Revelation 11:7). Satan had enabled him to counterfeit a resurrection from death, as it were, the two parallel “resurrections” creating such great admiration in the world as to elicit global submission and worship. For reasons noted later (see notes on Revelation 17), this revived kingdom may well be ancient Babel, restored as the great world capital of the beast. Both the beast and the head of the beast (both the man and the ancient kingdom) will appear to have been mortally wounded, but both will seemingly be miraculously restored. (Henry Morris)
John in his vision sees one of the heads of the beast as wounded unto death, and the apparent parallelism is to the slain Lamb, described in 5:6. John further observes that the deadly wound (literally “plague”) is healed and that the entire earth marvels at the beast. Countless views have been offered in the interpretation of this verse, one of the very common ones being to identify the person wounded to death and healed as some historic character. Among the more common suggestions are Nero, Judas Iscariot, and in modern times such personages as Mussolini, Hitler, and Stalin. The multiplicity of suggestions seems to be evidence in itself that these explanations are not the meaning of the passage.
The wounding of one of the heads seems instead to be a reference to the fact that the Roman Empire as such seemingly died and is now going to be revived. It is significant that one of the heads is wounded to death but that the beast itself is not said to be dead. It is questionable whether Satan has the power to restore to life one who has died, even though his power is great. Far more probable is the explanation that this is the revived Roman Empire in view. As Alford states, “This seems to represent the Roman pagan Empire, which having long been a head of the beast, was crushed and to all appearance exterminated.”
The identification of a head with the government over which he has authority is not a strange situation. The person is often the symbol of the government, and what is said of the government can be said of him. Although verse 3 will continue to be a subject of controversy, the theological reasons for resisting an actual resurrection of a historical character to head the revived Roman Empire are so great as to render it improbable even though such personages as Nero and Judas Iscariot will continue to attract the attention of modern students of the book of Revelation. The beast is both personal and the empire itself; so also is the head. The revival of the future empire is considered a miracle and a demonstration of the power of Satan. (John Walvoord)
(Rev 13:4) They worshiped the dragon and the beast
They worshiped the dragon, because he gave his authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, "Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?"
Evil things are completely awful; there is nothing good about them. They only cause pain and trouble; nobody should ever consider them attractive. However, we all know that, in reality, evil things have convinced the whole world not to serve God, but to serve the devil instead.
There is nothing attractive about the word-pictures that John uses to mean the devil and the antichrist. John refers to the devil as the ‘dragon’. A dragon was the worst kind of wild animal that people could imagine. John calls the antichrist (Christ’s enemy who leads the whole world to follow the devil), the ‘beast’. A beast means a wild animal; John’s description of this beast is very terrible and awful.
However, people give honour here not to God, but to the devil and to the antichrist. They praise them not because of anything good, but because they are so evil. They praise the antichrist because he is so cruel and powerful. . .
They praise the devil because he gave the antichrist authority to rule the whole world. It is the natural result of every evil act that the devil receives honour. However, this is much worse, because the people are praising the devil on purpose. We have already read that people would give honour to evil spirits and to images (9:20). Now they will choose the devil himself to be their god. They have believed a powerful lie (2 Thessalonians 2:9-12). They imagine that the devil will support them in their war against God (see Psalm 2:1-3). They believe that the devil and the antichrist are, together, powerful enough to defeat God. Of course, this idea is completely wrong. (Keith Simons)
(Rev 13:5-6) A mouth speaking great things and blasphemy
A mouth speaking great things and blasphemy was given to him. Authority to make war for forty-two months was given to him. He opened his mouth for blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his dwelling, those who dwell in heaven.
Speaking great things and blasphemy: “Blasphemer” may be a more accurate title than “Antichrist” for this end-times dictator. This beast is a man who speaks against God and everything God stands for (His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven). (David Guzik)
Authority to make war for forty-two months was given to him: The beast continues without restraint by God for a period of forty-two months – the familiar three and one-half years. The duration of the period shows that the beast has full reign for the first half of the final seven years, and that during the whole time he is still under God’s authority. (David Guzik)
Why does the beast blaspheme... those who dwell in heaven? This means he speaks against those who were taken in the rapture, and are therefore out of his reach. (David Guzik)
(Rev 13:7-8) The beast was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation
It was given to him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them. Authority over every tribe, people, language, and nation was given to him. All who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been killed.
The revived Roman leader is given great power. He is allowed to do fearful things, and thousands will die at his hand because of their faith. This agrees exactly with what we saw in Chapter 7, where the great multitude which no man could number come out of the tribulation from all nations and languages and tribes and people -- a group that "washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb and made them white" Revelation 7:14) and became martyrs for the cause of Jesus Christ. This is the group that is mentioned here.This leader's influence extends throughout the whole earth. It does not mean he actually rules over the whole earth but rather that his influence extends throughout it. It is very much like the Super Powers of our day. The influence of the United States and of Russia affects every nation on earth today because of the power and might these two nations represent. It will also be the case then.
There will be one class of people who will follow this leader blindly. They are called "those who dwell on the earth." We have seen this term before. It is a moral class, those who live for this world, who think only of the earth and its advantages, who are materialists and humanists, and who have no use for the things of God or the life beyond. There is one group that resists this leader, and that is those "who tabernacle in heaven," whose names are written, we are told here, "in the book of life belonging to the Lamb who was slain from the creation of the world." That is an amazing statement. We will say more about the book of life later on where it is mentioned again. I would like now to focus on the phrase, "the Lamb that was slain from the foundation of the world." That confirms again how time is not a factor in eternity. The death of the Lamb actually took place in time, on earth, at a specific date on the calendar, but here it is reckoned as an eternal event which has meaning for peoples from the very beginning of time, the creation of the world itself. The Lamb was slain, and the cross has impact upon all creation. Thus the Old Testament saints could be born again by faith because they were saved by the cross even though it had not yet occurred in history. (Ray Stedman)
(Rev 13:9-10) Here is the patience of the saints
If anyone has an ear, let him hear. He who leads into captivity shall go into captivity; he who kills with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints. (NKJV)
The interjection of Revelation 13:9-10 in the midst of this account of the triumph of the beast harks back to the messages to the seven churches (Revelation 2:7; etc.). It is a note of exhortation and encouragement to the tribulation “saints” (Revelation 13:7,10) who will shortly be facing either submission to the beast or martyrdom. (Henry Morris)
He who has an ear, let him hear: This introduces a solemn word of warning, meant to capture the attention of all who hear.
He who leads into captivity shall go into captivity: This means that the functionaries of the beast are not without guilt. Though these things are prophesied and part of God’s predetermined plan, it does not lessen in the slightest way man’s personal responsibility. If you work for the beast and lead others into captivity, you certainly shall go into captivity yourself. God will measure unto you what you have measured to others.
This may have a secondary or additional meaning: there is no hope in fighting against the Antichrist. The only way of victory is steadfast faith and endurance in Jesus.
Here is the patience and the faith of the saints: Though they are viciously attacked by the Antichrist and his followers, the saints of God must keep steadfast faith in the ultimate justice of God. He will reward their persecutors with persecution of His own. (David Guzik)
(Rev 13:11) Another beast
I saw another beast coming up out of the earth. he had two horns like a lamb, and he spoke like a dragon.
The second beast will be, in effect, the minister of religion in the cabinet of the first beast, consolidating all the religious systems of the world in one syncretistic world religion of occultic pantheistic evolutionary humanism, just as the first beast will consolidate all the governments of the world into a one-world government. The second beast is later called “the false prophet,” and will evidently first come into prominence as a remarkable prophet, able to perform “signs and wonders” (Matthew 24:24; II Thessalonians 2:9), doing so, of course, “after the working of Satan” and his evil spirits.
Like the first beast, who will initially seem to have a very charismatic personality and will “come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries” (Daniel 11:21), the second beast will first appear like a lamb, gentle and winsome, only later revealing his dragon-like character. (Henry Morris)
(Rev 13:12-15) He performs great signs
He exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence. He makes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose fatal wound was healed. He performs great signs, even making fire come down out of the sky to the earth in the sight of people. He deceives my own people who dwell on the earth because of the signs he was granted to do in front of the beast; saying to those who dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast who had the sword wound and lived. It was given to him to give breath to it, to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause as many as wouldn't worship the image of the beast to be killed.
He exercises all the authority of the first beast: The beast rising from the earth is essentially a Satanic prophet, who leads the world to worship the beast and the dragon.
It may seem fantastic to some that the world will be led into worship of a man and of the devil. But by nature, men have an undeniable religious impulse, and they also have an undeniable rebellion against God. What men want most is not the elimination of religion, but their own religion. They say they want the kingdom, but they don’t want God in it. (David Guzik)
He performs great signs: The beast rising from the sea has the “signs and wonders” to back up his false teaching. A specific miracle of the false prophet is described: he makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. It is important that John highlights this miracle. In the eyes of the deceived world, it answers the miracle of the two witnesses, who minister during this period and are persecuted by the Antichrist and his false prophet (Revelation 11:5). To the deceived world, this also puts this false prophet in the class of Elijah (1 Kings 18). We can imagine the false prophet as saying, “Let the true God answer with fire” and then performing his deceptive wonder. (David Guzik)
“There is a supernatural power which is against God and truth, as well as one for God and truth. A miracle, simply as a work of wonder, is not necessarily of God. There has always been a devilish supernaturalism in the world, running alongside of the supernaturalism of divine grace and salvation.” (Seiss)
In the days of the Exodus, Aaron performed miracles, and up to a point was matched miracle-for-miracle by the magicians of Egypt (Exodus 7-9).
In Deuteronomy 13:1-5, God assumes there will be supernatural works on behalf of false prophets and idols, and He warns His people to judge a worker of miracles by their message, not only by their works.
- Jesus said that some who worked miracles – even in His name – were false followers and would perish in hell (Matthew 7:22-23).
- Jesus said that in the end times, false prophets would emerge and show great signs and wonders to deceive (Matthew 24:24).
- Paul said that the Antichrist will come with all power, signs, and lying wonders (2 Thessalonians 2:9).
Knowing all this, the emphasis on signs and wonders among some Christians is frightening. Some Christians say or think, “You can really know where God is and where His power is by signs and wonders.” Thinking this way is to leave yourself wide open to deception. Years ago there was a large, multi-denominational conference of people who thought this way, and their slogan – on a huge banner over the conference platform – read “Unity Under Signs and Wonders.” That’s a unity that Satan, the Antichrist, and the false prophet could all join in. Signs and wonders will be present among Christians, but the real marks of God’s work are love and truth. (David Guzik)
(Rev 13:16-17) The mark of the beast
He causes all, the small and the great, the rich and the poor, and the free and the slave, to be given marks on their right hands, or on their foreheads; and that no one would be able to buy or to sell, unless he has that mark, the name of the beast or the number of his name.
The mark of the beast, which will be universally required for all transactions, will insure loyalty to the beast, but will also assure an eternal destination in hell for all who accept it (Revelation 14:9-11). This will be some kind of indelible marking, easy to see and impossible to remove.
Maybe there will be three different types of marks, to distinguish three different classes of world citizens. (Henry Morris)
(Rev 13:18) The number of the beast is 666
Here is wisdom. He who has understanding, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. His number is six hundred sixty-six.
He who has understanding: This information is evidently intended for people living before the beast is openly identified by his seven-year covenant with Israel. Thus, he will probably have become an important and influential political leader even before the rapture of the church, and Christians—as well as others—need to be warned not to be deceived by his charismatic personality.
It is the number of a man: The letters of “Jesus” in Greek add up to 888. 666 may be a Satanic counterpart to the name of Jesus, or 666 may be God’s evaluation of such a Satanic counterpart – it falls short.
As compared to the number 888, the number 666 may signify an unholy trinity. It may be a human and demonic imitation of God, inherently falling short of the perfect and true. Seven is the number of completion and totality, and 6 doesn’t quite make it.
Or, the number 666 may harken back to Solomon’s wages. 1 Kings 10:14 says that Solomon received yearly six hundred and sixty-six talents of gold. Perhaps this suggests that the Antichrist, like Solomon, is a good man who becomes corrupted.
i. Modern interpretations of the idea of the Antichrist are full of the idea of some demon-child, marked by obvious evil from his birth, such as in the Omen movies. But the Antichrist may be someone whose evil is only seen after his rise to power.
(David Guzik)