Revelation Chapter 13:1-10/Commentary

Revelation Chapter 13:1-10 Revelation 13:1-10 “And he stood on the sand of the seashore.

And I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads, and on his horns were ten diadems, and on his heads were blasphemous names. 2And 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.

And the dragon gave him his power and his throne and great authority.

3And I saw one of his heads as if it had been slain, and his fatal wound was healed. And the whole earth was amazed and followed after the beast; 4and they worshiped the dragon, because he gave his authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, "Who is like the beast, and who is able to wage war with him?" 5And there was given to him a mouth speaking arrogant words and blasphemies; and authority to act for forty-two months was given to him. 6And he opened his mouth in blasphemies against God, to blaspheme His name and His tabernacle, that is, those who dwell in heaven. 7And it was given to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them; and authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation was given to him. 8And 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 slain. 9If anyone has an ear, let him hear. 10If anyone is destined for captivity, to captivity he goes; if anyone kills with the sword, with the sword he must be killed. Here is the perseverance and the faith of the saints”.

Introduction “Failing in his effort to destroy the man child and the woman, the dragon was cast down to the earth where he rallies two allies through which he seeks to defeat and destroy God’s purpose, people, and rule. These two helpers of Satan are revealed in this chapter: a wild beast from the sea, and another out of the earth” (Hailey p. 282). “John is shown in what form Satan will fight against the inhabitants of the earth (12:12). The devil will not come in a red suit bearing a pitchfork, but he will use agents” (Harkrider p. 146).

13:1 “And the dragon stood on the sand of the seashore”: Translations vary as to whether John or the dragon was standing on the beach. The ASV translates this verse, “And he stood upon the sand of the sea” connecting that

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phrase with 12:17. “The dragon foiled in his attempt to destroy the woman and her seed, stations himself on the sands of the sea, looking out for a potent auxiliary enlisted in his service” (Gregg p. 276). If the KJV is correct (“I stood”), then “it is John who has the ringside seat to what is about to happen” (McGuiggan p. 191).

13:1 “Then I saw a beast coming up out of the sea”: In the Old Testament the image of the “sea” often stood for the nations in their restless movements and unsettled state (Psalm 65:7; Isaiah 51:13; 57:20; 17:12-13, see also Revelation 17:15). In Daniel chapter 7:2ff, the prophet sees four world empires that are likened to beasts coming up from the sea (7:3). “From the prophet’s use of the word, it seems clear that the sea symbolizes the human societies or nations with their stormy upheavals, out of which the empires of earth arise” (Hailey p. 283).

“What John sees here is a ‘beast’. This stresses its ferocious nature—its brute force. This is Rome from its standpoint as a civil persecuting power” (McGuiggan p. 191). In addition, seeing that this beast arises from the restlessness of the nations, he would therefore represent a Gentile or pagan power. “Having ten horns”: “Symbolizing fullness of power” (Hailey p. 283).

“And seven heads”: “Indicating completeness of intelligence and wisdom” (p.

283). A similar description is given of the dragon himself in 12:3. “The power behind this whole evil show is the dragon” (McGuiggan p. 192). “And on his horns were ten diadems”: This beast does rule over a definite realm and it does exercise kingly authority. “On his heads were blasphemous names”: “This indicates a totally irreverent attitude toward God and all that is sacred. His intelligence, wisdom, and will, are directed against God. The Roman emperors’ arrogation of titles pertaining to deity would apply here; their accepting worship would be most obnoxious to all who hold God and Christ in the reverence belonging to the divine Godhead” (Hailey p. 284).

Point to Note Ogden feels that this is the same beast mentioned in 17:9 where the seven heads correspond to seven mountains and seven kings. The seven mountains apparently identify the city of Rome as the seat of government for the beast.

Rome sat on seven mountains or hills. The kings identify the first seven emperors of Rome. The beast has ten horns which are identified as “ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; yet receive power as kings one hour with the beast” (17:12). These kings were the tributary kings who served the Roman Empire (p. 280).

13:2 “And 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” “It has been observed that the beast draws together features of each of Daniel’s four beasts (Daniel 7). The first, Babylon, was represented as a lion; this beast has a mouth like the mouth of a lion (13:2)” (Gregg p. 280). In Daniel chapter 7,

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Babylon is likened to a lion (7:4); Persia is compared to a bear (7:5), and Alexander’s Greek Empire to the leopard (7:6). This beast in Revelation 13 is the same beast as Daniel’s fourth beast, that also had ten horns (7:7-8). This fourth beast is a fourth kingdom (7:23), and is the Roman Empire. “The beast of John’s vision is a synthesis, or an embodiment of Daniel’s first three, for as their dominion was taken away, ‘their lives were prolonged for a season and a time’ (7:12); that is, each lived in spirit in the next until the climax was reached in the fourth beast” (Hailey p. 285). “The three animals, leopard, bear and lion, are found in Daniel 7:4-6 as symbols of the empires which preceded Rome, and whose characteristics all entered into the qualities of the Roman empire; Macedonian swiftness of conquest, Persian tenacity of purpose and Babylonian voracity” (Gregg p. 283).

13:2 “And the dragon gave him his power and his throne and his great authority”: “Though defeated and cast down, Satan continues to rule in the kingdom of evil. This is not to say that civil government is of the devil in its origin, for it is ordained of God (Romans 13:1); however, it can depart from the role for which it was intended” (Hailey p. 285). Let us remember that Satan is only permitted to give Rome such power, God remains in control (Daniel 5:21; Jeremiah 18). Satan is still the prince of this world (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11), “limited only by God who can overrule” (Harkrider p. 148). When the people who compose any nation cease to serve God’s mandate for that nation, then the state is serving the enemy. “God does not deceive the nations to do wickedly (Hab. 1:12-17). Through righteousness God exalts a nation (Proverbs 14:34). Satan, however, deceives the nations to do wickedly (Proverbs 20:3,8; Luke 4:6)” (Ogden p. 281).

Point to Note Many premillennial writers argue that this beast is a revived Roman Empire of the future. They opt for this interpretation because they refuse to believe that the Kingdom mentioned in Daniel 2:44 is the church that Jesus established (Matthew 16:18). Yet John has already told us that he is in the kingdom (Revelation 1:9), and that everyone else who has been purchased with the blood of Christ make up that kingdom as well (1:5-6; 5:9-10). One major problem with this view (besides contradicting the previous passages) is that it places a time gap of at least 2500 years between the third beast in Daniel’s vision and the fourth beast.

Such a view absolutely destroys the text in Daniel 2 and 7 which clearly presents four consecutive world empires, one right after another (Daniel 2:39-40; 7:3-7).

13:3 “I saw one of his heads as if it had been slain, and his fatal wound was healed” Commentators have given several different interpretations of the above statement. “The earliest and perhaps most popular view referred these words to the death of Nero. He was the first Caesar who officially vented his fury against

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Christians. After Nero committed suicide in A.D. 68 the beast appeared to have one of his heads as it were wounded to death” (Harkrider p. 149). Notice that the wound was “fatal” so it appears that this is not a near death situation, but someone actually did die. “The beast (the empire) survives the wounding of one of its heads. At the death of Nero, the Roman Empire was thrown into violent convulsions of civil war and anarchy, in which three emperors succeeded one another within a single year. Historians consider it astonishing that the empire stabilized and survived this period that might easily have spelled the end of the imperial rule. Thus the recovery of the empire under Vespasian was a marvel to all” (Gregg p. 282). Ogden feels that this wounded head was Julius Caesar who had turned the Roman republic into an Empire over which he ruled as supreme lord. The Roman Senators murdered him in the hopes of returning Rome to a republic once again, but thirteen years later under Augustus, the power of the Caesar’s once again returned and the republic was buried once for all.

13:3 “Was healed”: The Empire survived, and in addition, the persecuting spirit of men like Nero would live on and break out in other persecutions, such as those under the reign of Domitian. “The resilience of the beast causes all the world to marvel. It seems as if nothing can resist the awesome power of government. The military prowess, policing capability, and persecuting power of the state intimidates many into compliance” (Gregg p. 283).

Point to Note: “What is not often noticed by those who see the Empire as the meaning of the beast is that it is not said that the head died and was restored. Rather it was the beast that suffered a deadly wound, located in one of its heads, and was healed.

There is no suggestion that the head was restored” (Harkrider p. 149).

13:3 “And the whole earth was amazed and followed after the beast”: This Empire seems invincible. The power and authority cause the world (unbelievers) to marvel and adore the beast.

13:4 “They worshipped the dragon because he gave his authority to the beast”: This does not mean that people deliberately wanted to worship Satan, but by paying homage to the Roman emperor they were in reality worshipping the devil. “Caird suggests that men had prayed to the old gods to no avail, for the gods had not supplied their needs. Rome was now displaying unbelievable power and was giving the people what the gods had failed to give, worldly wealth, glory, and influence. Thus it was an easy transition from worship of the gods to worship of emperor and state” (Hailey p. 287). “Saying, ‘Who is like the beast, and who is able to wage war with Him?” Josephus records that King Agrippa, in a speech in which he sought to discourage the Jews from going to war against the Roman Empire noted, “Hath not your army been often beaten even by your neighboring nations, while the power of the Romans is invincible in all parts of the habitable earth?” (Wars, 2,16,4).

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13:5 “There was given to him a mouth speaking arrogant words and blasphemies”: “The repeated use of the words was given (verses 5-7) and was granted (7) emphasize that the power of evil is not absolute, but contingent upon God’s sovereign allowance” (Gregg pp. 287,289). The arrogant words and blasphemies are often interpreted as being the claims that the Roman emperors made of being divine, and the various false accusations that were made against the true God and His people. “Governments love to play God to command the admiration and loyalty of their subjects, and to assume to themselves ever more numerous prerogatives—including those which belong to God alone. Not a few empires have required that their subjects actually worship them as deities or that they discontinue the worship of the true God in deference to the state’s wishes (as modern Communists states have attempted to do)” (Gregg p. 287). Compare with Daniel 7:8,20.

13:5 “And authority to act for forty-two months was given to him”: The duration is identical to the length of time that the church is persecuted (11:2-3; 12:6,14). Compare with Daniel 7:21-25. This appears to be the period of Roman oppression and trials for God’s people. After the build up in the previous verses one might wonder if the beast was invincible and would reign forever. No, there is a definite limit to this power.

13:6 “And he opened his mouth in blasphemies against God, to blaspheme His name and His tabernacle, that is, those who dwell in heaven” To blaspheme God’s name is to speak against everything God supports, who He is and what He represents. “To rail against all that pertains to the Divine One” (Hailey p. 288). The expression “His tabernacle” refers to not only His dwelling in heaven, but also His people, the true tabernacle or temple, the church.

Christians reign with Christ in heavenly places (Ephesians 2:6); our citizenship is in heaven (Philippians 3:20). This may even indicate that the beast blasphemed the memory of the departed faithful (Revelation 6:9-11) as well.

13:7 “It was also given to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them”: Daniel foretold this same event in Daniel 7:21. The beast is allowed to persecute to saints, and the beast only overcomes the church in the sense that it is allowed to persecute God’s people and even execute them. “In the eyes of the world the beast was being victorious” (Hailey p. 289).

13:7 “And authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation was given to him”: As God had given all the various people’s to serve Babylon during the days of Daniel in the Old Testament (Daniel 2:37-38), so God permitted the Roman Empire to conquer many lands.

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13:8 “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 slain” The First Century world not only obeyed the Roman Emperors but they also paid homage to them by regarding them as divine. The expression “written from the foundation of the world”, can also be translated, “written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world”, which is also true (1 Peter 1:18-20; Acts 2:23; 4:24). The same expression is found in Revelation 17:8.

Point to Note Some argue that the expression “written from the foundation of world” proves the doctrine of Predestination, that is, God selected specifically who would be saved before He even created the universe. Hailey notes that the Bible says that Jesus was slain before the foundation of the world (1 Peter 1:20), but this does not mean that Jesus actually died prior to creation. Thus, one’s name being written in the book of life before the foundation of the world does not mean that specific individuals were then selected, but only that it was God’s purpose to save all the faithful in Christ. God purposed to have Jesus die for us prior to creation and God purposed that those saved would be saved in Christ. Getting into Christ and staying in Christ is a matter of our own choice, according to the very next verse, “If anyone has an ear, let him hear” (13:9; 2 Timothy 2:11-13). Compare with Ephesians 1:4. Remember, the book of life is the list of the saved (3:5; 20:15).

In 3:5 the name of a Christian could be blotted out if that person did not remain faithful.

13:9 “If anyone has an ear, let him hear”: As in the letters to the churches where each who has an ear is to hear (chapters 2-3). Notice the “if”. Salvation is conditional.

Point to Note At this junction some Premillennial writers argue that verse 9 is addressed to everyone and this proves that the church has already been removed from earth by this period of time. Such a view completely ignores the fact that the beast in this chapter is persecuting the “saints” (13:7).

13:10 “If anyone is destined for captivity, to captivity he goes”: Some feel that this predicts the fate of the beast, that is, he who captures and kills will someday be captured and killed. Yet in the context and especially in light of the last statement, Here is the perseverance and faith of the saints, this appears to be an exhortation to the Christians to patiently endure imprisonment and death without resorting to violence. “If any man is destined for captivity, then he must be willing to accept it in a spirit of humble submission (Jeremiah 15:2)…to meet

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the persecution inflicted by the beast in this spirit demonstrates the steadfast endurance and unwavering faith of the saints” (Gregg p. 291).

Conclusion “In revealing the beast and his great power, John had shown the beast’s ability to overcome the deathstroke (13:3), his power to make war against the saints and overcome them (13:7), and the worship that would be given to him by the world (13:8). How shall the saints react to this power and opposition? They were not to resist the civil powers (Romans 13:2; 1 Peter 2:13), but were to fight against the powers of evil with spiritual weapons (2 Corinthians 10:3-5; Ephesians 6:1018). Nor were they to fear them that could destroy the body, but who had no power beyond that; they were to fear Him whose power extended beyond the body to include the soul (Luke 12:4-5); for their victory would be in their faith (1 John 5:4). Therefore, they are to accept captivity or the sword; in doing so they clearly demonstrate the patience of the saints and their faith in God to give the victory in His own way” (Hailey pp. 291-292).

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