Revelation 13
Share
CHAPTER 13
The Beast out of the Sea (13:1-10)
1-2 From here on to the end of the book of Revelation, the visions that John sees refer primarily to events that will take place between now and the end of the world. However, because John believed the end of the world was going to come in his own time, he naturally interpreted these visions to refer to events that were taking place in his own day—especially in regard to the Roman Empire. It is necessary to keep this in mind as one studies the rest of this book.
In this chapter, John talks about two beasts, one from the sea (verses 1-10), and the other from the earth (verses 1118), through which Satan will wage war with the last generation of believers.
Like the dragon Satan in the previous vision (Revelation 12:3), the beast out of the sea had ten horns and seven heads. In John’s mind, the beast out of the sea represented the Roman Empire. Each of the seven heads represented a different emperor. A blasphemous name29 was written on each head (see Revelation 17:3 and comment). The dragon Satan gave all of his power and authority to this first beast (the Roman Empire). Therefore, in Satan’s name the beast at once began to persecute the church of Christ.
For John, this beast was like the Roman Empire. But we must remember that the real meaning of the beast is broader than that. The beast is a sign of every evil worldly power in every age that opposes Christ and His church.
The prophet Daniel received a vision of four beasts that came up out of the sea (Daniel 7:3-7). Here the beast in John’s vision seems to be a combination of the four beasts of Daniel’s vision.
3 One of the seven heads (emperors) of the beast appeared to have been fatally wounded but then to have recovered.30 From this, we can see the great power of the beast. It was very difficult to kill this beast; it recovered from wounds that would have been fatal for anyone else.
4 Unbelieving people throughout the world followed after this beast (verse 3). Because this powerful and frightening beast had received its power from Satan (verse 2), men naturally began to worship Satan. They also worshiped the beast itself. In John’s time, people were forced to worship the Roman emperors as gods. Therefore, from this verse we can learn an important truth: Whenever we worship any king or leader as a god, we are, in fact, worshiping Satan.
5 God gave this beast only three and a half years in which to exercise its authority (see Revelation 11:2; 12:6 and comments).
6-7 According to the description given here, the beast was in many ways similar to the Roman Empire of John’s day (see 2 Thessalonians 2:4). The Romans did not believe in the one true God. They worshiped their emperor; they persecuted Christians. All the nations of western Europe, northern Africa, and the Middle East had fallen under the authority of the Roman Empire. This is why, in John’s mind, the beast represented the Roman Empire.
Satan once had tried to give Jesus authority over all the nations of the world, but Jesus had refused his offer (Matthew 4:8-10). Now we see that Satan has given his authority to the beast instead.
8 Only believers in Christ will refuse to worship this beast; their names are written in the book of life belonging to the Lamb (Philippians 4:3; Revelation 3:5). John says here that this Lamb was slain from the creation of the world. This means that from before the creation of the world God had planned to save men through the sacrifice of Jesus’ body on the cross. From before the creation of the world, our names have been written in that book! (Ephesians 1:4). According to Revelation 3:5, however, we can understand that ifin this life we give up our faith, our names may be erased from that book.
9-10 Here John writes words of exhortation and encouragement to believers who are facing trouble and suffering. If any Christians have been appointed by God to be put into captivity, let them accept it. Let them not fight with the sword, or else they will be killed by the sword (see Matthew 26:50-52). Instead, let them love their enemies, and suffer all things with patient endurance and faithfulness (verse 10).
The Beast out of the Earth (13:11-18)
11 The second beast, which is described in this section, was another helper of Satan whose main work was to deceive men and lead them astray. He looked like a lamb, but he spoke like a dragon (see Matthew 7:15). In Revelation 16:13, this second beast is called the false prophet.
12 The particular work of this second beast was to make men worship the first beast. Therefore, we can understand that this second beast is a symbol of false religion and false priesthood.
13-14 The second beast (the false prophet) led men astray by means of signs and miracles (see Deuteronomy 13:1-4; Mark 13:22; 2 Thessalonians 2:9-10). The second beast ordered men to set up an image of the first beast.31
15 In John’s time, many people believed that images could speak. Accordingto John’s vision, this second beast caused the image of the first beast to speak; and what the image spoke was to order the death sentence for all those who refused to worship it.
16-17 The second beast also forced all men to receive the mark of the first beast on their hand or forehead. This mark was the name of the first beast—or the number of his name32 (verse 17). Just as God’s faithful servants were sealed with God’s name (Revelation 7:2-3), so were the followers of the beast sealed with the beast’s name or number. Those who didn’t have the mark of the beast couldn’t buy or sell any goods; they had great difficulty in making a living. This same situation was true for Christians during the time of the Roman Empire.
18 The number of the first beast was 666. Many Bible scholars believe that this is the number of some man, but no one is sure who. Some think that 666 was the number of the Roman emperor Nero, who reigned from 54 to 68 A.D. (see Acts 18:14-16; 25:10-11 and comments).