Revelation Chapter 13:11-18/Commentary

Revelation Chapter 13:11-18 Revelation 13:11-18 “And I saw another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spoke as a dragon. 12And he exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence. And he makes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose fatal wound was healed. 13And he performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down out of heaven to the earth in the presence of men. 14And he deceives those who dwell on the earth because of the signs which it was given him to perform in the presence of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who had the wound of the sword and has come to life. 15And there was given to him to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast might even speak and cause as many as do not worship the image of the beast to be killed. 16And he causes all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free men and the slaves, to be given a mark on their right hand, or on their forehead, 17and he provides that no one should be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark, either the name of the beast or the number of his name. 18Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for the number is that of a man; and his number is six hundred and sixty-six” The Beast out of the Earth 13:11 “Then I saw another beast coming out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb and he spoke as a dragon” “This second beast has the outward appearance of a docile, probably inoffensive creature, but his voice exposes his true character” (Hailey p. 292). His look is innocent. Jesus warned His disciples concerning wolves in sheep’s clothing (Matthew 7:15f; 2 Corinthians 11:15). The expression “from the earth” means that this beast originates not from heaven but from this world. “It does not descend from the sky or come on clouds. It rises out of the earth. It is not divine in origin” (McGuiggan p. 209). McGuiggan argues that the worship of the emperor looked so innocent, “Just a pinch of incense and then you can go on your way. Just a quick word: Caesar is Lord, and you are all right until next year” (p. 209). The expression, “horns like a lamb” may also suggest a religious 1

appearance that is this beast is more religious than political. Ramsay felt that the two horns represented the fact that in the Province of Asia, the Roman government was divided into civil and religious administrations, the Proconsul and the Commune.

13:12 “He exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence”: This beast has the authority of the Roman Empire behind it. “The two beasts were so intertwined that the false religion of the land-beast was supported by the authority of the political power of the sea-beast” (Harkrider p. 155).

Most feel that his beast represents the cult of emperor worship that existed in the Roman Empire. 1. This beast has a religious appearance. 2. He causes the earth to worship the Empire or the Emperor (13:12). 3. He speaks for the dragon (Satan), compare 1 Timothy 4:1-3. 4. He is backed by the Roman political power. 5. This beast seems identical to the false prophet mentioned in 16:13; 19:20 and 20:10, and indicates that this beast represents some aspect of false religion, “one of the devil’s means of deceiving and seducing people” (Hailey p. 292).

Point to Note In Premillennial circles it is generally held that this beast is a religious leader or even a counterfeit Messiah. Walvoord suggests that this beast is the head of the Roman Catholic Church, and some believe that this beast and not the first is the Antichrist, though most argue that the first beast is the Antichrist and the second beast is a religious leader. Carefully note that Premillennialists claim to take everything literally yet they do not look for a literal beast and looks literally like what John sees in this chapter. In addition, there is no single or sole “Antichrist” pictured in Scripture who supposedly appears right before the end of time (see 1 John 2:18).

Unfortunately premillennial writers try to connect these beasts with some other passages to create the concept of one Supreme Antichrist: 2 Thessalonians 2:3 “The man of sin”: Please note that this “man of sin” does not appear at the end of time but appears during the time of apostasy (3:3). This apostasy as already happened! (1 Timothy 4:1-3; 2 Timothy 4:3-4). This man appeared long ago.

Daniel 7:8 The little horn: This individual appears not at the end of time, but in the context of Daniel he appears during the days of the fourth kingdom, that is during the days of the Roman Empire, and he is one of their kings (7:2-7; 17-28).

The Roman Empire fell ages ago. This little horn was one of their Caesars.

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Daniel 9:26 “The prince who is to come”: Again, this is not the end of time, but during the days when Jesus was crucified and when the city of Jerusalem was destroyed in A.D. 70.

13:12 “He makes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast”: Notice that this is far more than just a local power or influence. “It is Rome with its religious clothes on. The first beast was Rome, the military-civil power. This beast is Rome, the religious pervert” (McGuiggan p. 209). Ramsay notes that religious councils existed that promoted the worship of the emperor.

There were shrines all over the place, and state priests, the Concilla, who rode the circuit promoting such worship as well. Summers notes, “John and his readers knew what this imperial cult meant since it was better organized and enforced in Asia Minor than in any other part of the Roman Empire. It was composed of deputies whose duty was to build images of Domitian, altars at the images, and legislate in any way they considered best to enforce the state religion” (Gregg pp. 295,297), 13:13 “He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down out of heaven to the earth in the presence of men” Seeing that this is not a literal beast I would interpret this passage as figurative as well. The idea is that the beast cons people into accepting the first beast as divine. The “signs” under consideration here are false signs (2 Thessalonians 2:9-12; Matthew 24:24), as those performed by the Egyptian magicians in the attempt to duplicate God’s wonders (Exodus 7:10-12). I believe that some commentators are right in suggesting that these are not genuine miracles. For if Satan could do the same miracles as God does, then there would be no way to determine God’s message which was confirmed by signs (Hebrews 2:3-4; Mark 16:17ff), from a message given by Satan. Hailey notes, “If God allowed Satan to deceive by genuine miracles He would thereby nullify His own witness to truth” (p. 295). Over and over miracles are cited as an evidence of divine authority and approval (Acts 2:22; John 20:30-31; 2 Corinthians 12:12 “the signs of a true apostle”). Therefore the signs in the above verse are more along the lines of those performed by Simon the sorcerer in Acts 8:5-13. The thought seems to be that the adherents of emperor worship will do some amazing (yet not miraculous) things to advance their cause. Thus false religion (to this day) must sustain their cause and keep their adherents through the deception of false, imitation signs.

Compare with all the claims seen in Mormonism and the Pentecostal groups.

13:14 “And he deceives those who dwell on the earth because of the signs which it was given him to perform in the presence of the beast” To this day is it very difficult to convert someone who has been deceived by such false miracles. Hailey interprets this verse as referring to such occasions when signs were wrought to impress the heathen populace when the Roman dignitaries and the provincial governor with the religious hierarchy, met for

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religious purposes to dedicate a new image of a Caesar in the temple, or to establish the decrees of religious ritual. He also reminds us that deception continues to be the breath of life for all modern day false religions as well.

13:14 “Telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image of the beast who had the wound of the sword and has come to life” The people of the province were told to make an image of the beast (or the specific head of the beast) that had received the fatal wound (see 13:3). Most interpret this image either representing Nero or Domition. Nero was the Caesar who had died and Domition was the Caesar in whom Nero’s persecution against Christians was revived. In the first century and afterwards many temples and images were constructed for the deification and worship of the Caesars.

13:15 “And it was given to him to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast would even speak” Some feel that this refers to the practice of ventriloquism whereby it appeared to the people that the actual statute appeared to speak. A number of Premillennialists argue that this indicates a supernatural miracle (performed by the power of Satan), which actually gives life to the image. Walvoord notes, “The intent of the passage seems to be that the image has the appearance of life manifested in breathing, but actually it may be no more than a robot”. Yet Gregg aptly writes, “These comments fail to note, however, that the very ease with which technology today can generate speech and robotic movement would seem to remove any occasion of marvel at the ability of the second beast to manufacture such phenomena” (p. 299). Hailey notes that this expression may mean, “Or was it the function and obligation of the commune to make Caesarworship live and speak the mind of the empire?” (p. 295).

13:15 “And cause as many as do not worship the image of the beast to be killed” “The power of death for those who refused to pay homage to ‘Augustus and Rome’ rested in the magistrate and religious hierarchy. This put the Christian in the position where he must confess either Christ or Caesar as Lord, thus choosing between immediate death and a few added years of life before eternal death” (Hailey p. 295).

13:16 “And he causes all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free men and the slaves” Every social and economic level was required to worship the emperor.

13:16 “To be given a mark on their right hand or on their forehead”

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Most Premillennialists see this section as predicting a cashless, worldwide economy in which credit/debit numbers assigned to individuals around the world replace the use of actual currency. Then it is argued that eventually this number will be placed on the body of its possessor, possibly as an implanted computer clip or a laser-tattoo.

Hailey notes, “However, as the seal which God caused to be placed on the foreheads of His subjects was not physical but a spiritual recognition of devotion to Him, it is best to think of the mark of the beast as the stamp of paganism impressed upon the character and conduct of idolaters” (p. 296). Thus this “mark” was not some sort of physical brand, but rather manifested itself in one’s conduct (hand and mind). “The mark of the beast is the opposite of the mark of God. You recall that God’s servants who serve Him day and night in His temple have been sealed in their foreheads (7:3; 9:4; 14:1; 22:4). God’s servants belong to Him, and they serve Him. Those who have the mark of the beast either in their foreheads or hands belong to the Roman Empire. They serve the empire and its emperors” (Ogden p. 286).

13:16 “Hand or forehead”: While the Christian must serve God with both their mind and conduct, for one to remain in sin one only has to serve Satan with either their thoughts or their conduct. “The forehead symbolizes the mind, the thought-life, the philosophy of a person. The right hand indicates his deed, action, trade, industry, etc.” (Gregg p. 303).

13:17 “And he provides that no one will be able to buy or sell, except the one who has the mark” “No one could enter the field of trade or earn a living without it. The saints who refused the mark (refused to worship the emperor) were boycotted by the world” (Hailey p. 297). Summers notes, “Worshiping the emperor was a test at every phase of life. Christians were boycotted in the market for the refusal to bear the mark of the emperor. Marriage settlements, wills, transfers of property—none of these were legal without the stamp of the emperor” (Gregg p. 305).

13:17 “Either the name of the beast or the number of his name”: Eventually the name of the beast and the number of this name is the same thing. Apparently the “name” of the beast stands for his nature.

13:18 “Here is wisdom”: “This indicates that the message is an expression of divine wisdom and that it is possible to understand what the seer is saying by the application of Christian wisdom (James 1:5)” (Hailey p. 297).

13:18 “Let him who has understanding”: That is biblical understanding (Hebrews 5:14). “Calculate the number of the beast, for the number is that of a man”: “There is no indefinite article in the Greek. This phrase might just as easily have been rendered: It is man’s number” (McGuiggan p. 205). Hailey

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believes that such a rendering reveals that God has no particular individual in mind. “He is saying that the number represents that which is human; it is therefore a human number” (p. 298). Compare with 21:17 “According to the measure of a man”, that is, according to human measurements. He also notes that a peculiar application of numbers in vogue among later Jews and early Christians, Gematria, is the use of the letters of a word so as by means of their combined numerical value to express a name, or a witty association of ideas.

13:18 “And his number is six hundred and sixty-six”: Of the many efforts to reduce the number 666 to the specific name of a man, the most popular choice has been Nero Caesar, which in the Greek is Neron Kaisar. Translated into the Hebrew language and applying the Hebrew system of gematria, the name can be translated into the desired number, 666. But Hailey quickly notes that in the Greek language (the language spoke by these Christians), the number of the same name would be 1005. “It is doubtful that John would have referred to Hebrew numbers when writing in the Greek language to a Greek audience” (p.

298). Ogden argues that it is Nero and this is the specific emperor who was ruling when the letter was written. Yet if that is the case, it would not be news to Christians for Nero was already persecuting Christians in Rome, people already knew he was evil, and in addition, Nero died before the destruction of Jerusalem and really before persecution spread throughout the Roman world against Christians in general.

McGuiggan and Hailey both feel that since the number “7” stands for perfection, the fullness of power and virtues, the repletion of three sixes demonstrates a complete falling short of God’s standard. “Therefore, it symbolizes the imperfect, that which is human and destined to fail. It is said that to the Jews the number six was an omen or symbol of dread and doom, so when it was tripled, 666, it represented the completeness of doom and failure…stands for the complete and total failure of all human systems and efforts antagonistic to God and His Christ —all are doomed to ultimate and complete defeat and failure” (Hailey p. 299).

Thus, the number 666 does not refer to one specific emperor for more than one emperor persecuted Christians. Added to this fact, neither beast stands for one specific emperor, rather the beasts include the political and religious aspects of the Roman Empire, which included many Caesars. So we already know who the beast is, the significance of his number or name for Christians is that his name is failure, defeat, and doom. Thus the thrust for the Christians is: 1. Your opponent is evil. 2. Your opponent is human (backed by Satan). 3. Have nothing to do with him. He is not divine, he will not prevail, and he is doomed so do not fear him (Luke 12:4-5).

The popular view that the number 666 is actually a literal mark with which people will be stamped before the end of time fails to take into account how: 1. People would be fooled into accepting the mark (seeing that so much has been written

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about it in our own time). 2. And how it would take any “wisdom� to realize what it represents.

It should be noted that attempts have been made to identify the number 666 with names of many persons of ancient or modern history. Many modern historical figures have been shown to have names that can, by ingenious calculations, be made to conform to this number. Some Premillennialists even argue that the Antichrist will be a reincarnation of Nero or Judas Iscariot.

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