Revelation 13

1 And I sawe a best rise out of the see havinge vii. heddes and x. hornes and apon hys hornes x. crownes and apon his heed the name of blasphemy.

2 And the beast which I sawe was lyke a catt of the mountayne and his fete were as the fete of a bear and his mouth as the mouthe of a lyon. And the dragon gave him his power and his seate and grett auctorite:

3 and I sawe one of his heedes as it were wouded to deth and his dedly woude was healed. And all the worlde wondred at the beast

4 and they worshipped ye drago which gave power vnto the beest and they worshipped the beest sayinge: who is lyke vnto the beast? who is able to warre with him?

5 And ther was a mouth geve vnto him that spake great thinges and blasphemies and power was geve vnto him to do xlii. Monethes

6 And he opened his mowth vnto blasphemy agaynst God to blaspheme hys name and his tabernacle and them that dwell in heven.

7 And it was geven vnto him to make warre with the saynctes and to overcome them. And power was geven him over all kynred tonge and nacion:

8 and all that dwell apon the erth worshipt him: whose names are not written in the boke of lyfe of the lambe which was kylled from the begynnynge of the worlde.

9 Yf eny man have an eare lett him heare.

10 He that leadeth into captivite shall goo into captivite: he that kylleth with a swearde must be kylled with a swearde. Heare is the pacience and the fayth of the saynctes.

11 And I behelde another best commynge vp oute of the erth and he had two hornes like a lambe and he spake as dyd the dragon.

12 And he dyd all that the fyrste beest coulde do in his presence and he caused the erth and them which dwell therin to worshippe the fyrst beest whose dedly woude was healed.

13 And he dyd grett wonders so that he made fyre come doune from heven in the syght of men.

14 And deceaved them that dwelt on the erth by the meanes of those signes which he had power to doo in the sight of the beest sayinge to the that dwelt on the erth: that they shuld make an ymage vnto the beest which had the woude of a swearde and dyd lyve.

15 And he had power to geve a sprete vnto the ymage of the beest and that the ymage of the beest shuld speake and shuld cause that as many as wolde not worshyppe the ymage of the beest shuld be kylled.

16 And he made all bothe smale and grett ryche and poore fre and bond to receave a marke in their right hondes or in their forheddes.

17 And that no ma myght by or sell save he that had the marke or the name of the beest other the nombre of his name.

18 Here is wisdome. Let him that hath wytt count the nombre of the beest. For it is the nombre of a man and his nombre is sixe hondred threscore and sixe.

Revelation 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.