Hisgalus 13

1 3 And then the Dragon NACHASH took his stand on the seashore sand of the yam (sea). And I saw out of the yam (sea) a Chayyah (Beast, Anti-Moshiach) coming up, having eser (ten) karnayim (horns) and shiva (seven) heads and on the horns of it asarah (ten) diadems and on the heads of it there were names of Chillul Hashem gidufim (blasphemies). [DANIEL 7:1-6;11:36]

2 And the Chayyah which I saw was like a namer and the feet of it as a dov and the mouth of it as the mouth of an aryeh and the Dragon NACHASH gave to the Chayyah its ko’ach and its Kes and its great samchut (authority).

3 And one of its roshim (heads) seemed to have received a mortal wound and to have been slain, and the wound causing its mavet was healed, and kol ha’aretz marveled, following after the Chayyah.

4 And they worshiped the Dragon NACHASH, because he gave his memshalah (governing authority) to the Chayyah, and they worshiped the Chayyah, saying, “Who is like the Chayyah?” and “Who is able to make war with it?”

5 And a PEH (mouth, DANIEL 7:8, 20) was given to the Chayyah saying haughty words and Chillul Hashem gidufim (blasphemies), and was given to it ko’ach to act for shnayim and arba’im (two and forty) chodashim (months) [DANIEL 7:8, 11, 20, 25; 11:36]

6 And it opened the PEH (mouth, DANIEL 7:8,20) of it in Chillul Hashem gidufim (blasphemies) against Hashem to blaspheme ha-Shem (the Name) of him and his Mishkan, that is, the ones tabernacling in Shomayim.

7 And was given to it to make milchamah (war) with the Kadoshim and to overcome the Kadoshim, and was given to it samchut (authority) over every shevet (tribe) and am (people) and lashon (language) and goy (nation). [DANIEL 7:21]

8 And all the ones dwelling on ha’aretz (the earth) will worship the Chayyah (Beast, Anti-Moshiach), all the ones whose name has not been written in the Sefer HaChayyim of the SEH (Lamb, SHEMOT 12:3; YESHAYAH 53:7, Moshiach) having been slain from lifnei hivvased tevel (before the foundation of the world).

9 If anyone has an ear let him hear.

10 If anyone is to go LA’SHVEE (into captivity), into LA’SHVEE (captivity) he goes. If anyone is to be killed by a cherev (sword), he by a cherev (sword) is to be killed. Here is the savlanut (patient endurance) and the emunah (faith) of the Kadoshim. [YIRMEYAH 15:2; 43:11]

11 And I saw another Chayyah (Beast, the Navi Sheker, the False Prophet) coming up out of ha’aretz (the earth), and it had shtey karnayim (two horns) like a SEH, and it was speaking like a Dragon NACHASH.

12 And all the samchut (authority) of the Chayyah harishonah (the first Beast, the Anti-Moshiach) it exercises on [the Anti-Moshiach’s] behalf, and it causes ha’aretz (the earth) and the ones dwelling on it to worship the Chayyah harishonah (the first Beast) whose wound of death was healed.

13 And it (the Navi Sheker, the False Prophet) does otot gedolim (great signs), even making eish (fire) come down out of Shomayim to ha’aretz (the earth) before Bnei Adam. [MELACHIM ALEF 18:38; MELACHIM BAIS 1:10]

14 And it leads kol ha’aretz (all the earth) into hona’ah (deception) because of the otot (signs) which were given to it to perform before the Chayyah (Beast), telling the ones dwelling on ha’aretz (the earth) to make an Atzav (idol, image, PESEL, graven image, SHMUEL ALEF 31:9; YESHAYAH 21:9) to the Chayyah (Anti-Moshiach) who has the wound of the cherev (sword) and yet came alive again.

15 And it was given to it to give breath to the Atzav (idol, image, PESEL, graven image YESHAYAH 21:9) of the Chayyah (Anti-Moshiach) that the Atzav (idol, image) of the Chayyah might even speak and might cause that as many as would not worship the Atzav (idol, image) of the Chayyah (Beast, Anti-Moshiach) to be killed and to die al kiddush ha-Shem. [DANIEL 3:3, 6]

16 And it causes all, the Ketanim (small) and the Gedolim (great), both the oishir (rich) and aniyim (poor), the bnei Chorin (freedmen) and avadim (slaves), that to them should be given a tav [mark] on the yad yamin (right hand) and on the metsakh (forehead) of them, [YECHEZKEL 9:4]

17 And that no one should be able to buy or to sell except the one having the tav [mark], the name of the Chayyah (Beast, Anti-Moshiach) or the number of its name.

18 Here is chochmah: the one having binah, let him do the gematria and get the mispar (number) of the Chayyah (Anti-Moshiach), for it is the mispar (number) of a man, and the mispar of it is SHESH ME’OT V’SHISHIM VASHESH (666).

Hisgalus 13 Commentary

Chapter 13

A wild beast rises out of the sea, to whom the dragon gives his power. (1-10) Another beast, which has two horns like a lamb, but speaks as a dragon. (11-15) It obliges all to worship its image, and receive its mark, as persons devoted to it. (16-18)

Verses 1-10 The apostle, standing on the shore, saw a savage beast rise out of the sea; a tyrannical, idolatrous, persecuting power, springing up out of the troubles which took place. It was a frightful monster! It appears to mean that worldly, oppressing dominion, which for many ages, even from the times of the Babylonish captivity, had been hostile to the church. The first beast then began to oppress and persecute the righteous for righteousness' sake, but they suffered most under the fourth beast of Daniel, (the Roman empire,) which has afflicted the saints with many cruel persecutions. The source of its power was the dragon. It was set up by the devil, and supported by him. The wounding the head may be the abolishing pagan idolatry; and the healing of the wound, introducing popish idolatry, the same in substance, only in a new dress, but which as effectually answers the devil's design. The world admired its power, policy and success. They paid honour and subjection to the devil and his instruments. It exercised infernal power and policy, requiring men to render that honour to creatures which belongs to God alone. Yet the devil's power and success are limited. Christ has a chosen remnant, redeemed by his blood, recorded in his book, sealed by his Spirit; and though the devil and antichrist may overcome the body, and take away the natural life, they cannot conquer the soul, nor prevail with true believers to forsake their Saviour, and join his enemies. Perseverance in the faith of the gospel and true worship of God, in this great hour of trial and temptation, which would deceive all but the elect, is the character of those registered in the book of life. This powerful motive and encouragement to constancy, is the great design of the whole Revelation.

Verses 11-18 Those who understand the first beast to denote a worldly power, take the second to be also a persecuting and assumed power, which acts under the disguise of religion, and of charity to the souls of men. It is a spiritual dominion, professing to be derived from Christ, and exercised at first in a gentle manner, but soon spake like the dragon. Its speech betrayed it; for it gives forth those false doctrines and cruel decrees, which show it to belong to the dragon, and not to the Lamb. It exercised all the power of the former beast. It pursues the same design, to draw men from worshipping the true God, and to subject the souls of men to the will and control of men. The second beast has carried on its designs, by methods whereby men should be deceived to worship the former beast, in the new shape, or likeness made for it. By lying wonders, pretended miracles. And by severe censures. Also by allowing none to enjoy natural or civil rights, who will not worship that beast which is the image of the pagan beast. It is made a qualification for buying and selling, as well as for places of profit and trust, that they oblige themselves to use all their interest, power, and endeavour, to forward the dominion of the beast, which is meant by receiving his mark. To make an image to the beast, whose deadly wound was healed, would be to give form and power to his worship, or to require obedience to his commands. To worship the image of the beast, implies being subject to those things which stamp the character of the picture, and render it the image of the beast. The number of the beast is given, so as to show the infinite wisdom of God, and to exercise the wisdom of men. The number is the number of a man, computed after the usual manner among men, and it is 666. What or who is intended by this, remains a mystery. To almost every religious dispute this number has yet been applied, and it may reasonably be doubted whether the meaning has yet been discovered. But he who has wisdom and understanding, will see that all the enemies of God are numbered and marked out for destruction; that the term of their power will soon expire, and that all nations shall submit to our King of righteousness and peace.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO REVELATION 13

This chapter contains a description of the Romish antichrist, under the figure of two beasts, the one representing him in his civil power, the other in his ecclesiastical power. The first beast is described by its origin, the sea, and by the monstrous shape its several parts; its heads seven, in which were the name of blasphemy; its horns ten, on which were crowns; its skin like a leopard, its feet as a bear, and its mouth as a lion; and by its state and condition, having power, a throne, and great authority; and having one of its heads wounded, and healed; and by the great regard had unto him, being wondered at, and worshipped by all the world, and declared to be more powerful than any, and none to be like them, Re 13:1-4. Next an account is given of what he was suffered to have, a blaspheming mouth, and power to continue forty two months, Re 13:5; and of what he said or uttered, his blasphemy against God, his name, tabernacle, and the inhabitants of heaven, Re 13:6; and of what he did by permission, made war with the saints, overcame them, and had power over all people, Re 13:7; and of the worship given him by the reprobate part of the world, Re 13:8; and the whole is concluded with an exhortation exciting attention to what had been said, with a threatening to the beast, and a word of comfort to the saints, Re 13:9,10. And then follows the description of the second beast, by its original the earth; by its likeness to a lamb, and a dragon; to the former for its two horns, and to the latter for its speech, Re 13:11; and by the actions ascribed to it, which are many; as exercising all the power of the first beast; causing all the inhabitants of the earth to worship that; doing miracles, of which one is mentioned, thereby deceiving the men of the world; ordering them to make an image to the wounded beast; giving life to it, so that it could speak; putting to death all that refused to worship it; obliging men of all ranks and degrees to have a mark in their right hands or foreheads, and forbidding such that had not to buy or sell, Re 13:12-17. And the chapter is concluded with an epiphonema, exciting men of understanding to search out, and count the number of the beast's name, since it is possible to be done, being the number of a man, and easy to be done, consisting of three Greek letters, c x v, which are numerically 666, Re 13:18.