Do you remember the woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea (Revelation 12:12)? Let’s now look at the two beasts instrumental in those woes, one rising from the sea and the other from the earth, in Revelation 13.
The Beast from the Sea
Revelation 13:1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.
As we have already seen, a beast represents a demon-influenced human government that persecutes the people of God. John was literally on the Isle of Patmos in the Mediterranean Sea. The sea pictures peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues (Revelation 17:15). Pagan Rome is a blasphemous system descending from Babylon, and is also symbolic of similar evils in other parts of the world.
The sea and abyss are two ways of describing where the beast arises from. The seven heads are explained later as seven mountains and also seven kings (Revelation 17:9-10). The ten horns are explained later as kings in waiting, who have not yet received a kingdom (Revelation 17:12). They are subordinate kings.
Revelation 13:2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.
In the succession of blasphemous kingdoms from Daniel’s prophecy, this Roman beast aligns itself with the predatory beasts which picture the preceding kingdoms, Babylon, Medo-Persia and Greece.
Revelation 13:3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.
Perhaps this is referring to a revival of pagan Rome, a resurrection.
Revelation 13:4 And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?
Politicians and governments like to play God. Who is like the beast is reminiscent of words used to worship God alone (Exodus 15:11).
Revelation 13:5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.
Again we see the familiar period, time-limiting this secular power (Daniel 7:25; 12:7).
Revelation 13:6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, [and] them that dwell in heaven.
The last “and” is not there in Greek, and so it should read, “his tabernacle, them that dwell in heaven.” The Word of God became flesh and tabernacled with us (John 1:14) as God had tabernacled or tented with ancient Israel (Exodus 33:7). The tent of meeting became the temple. Today, the people of God are that temple (2 Corinthians 6:16).
Revelation 13:7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.
This arrogant anti-Christian world political power may overcome human lives but never the faith of those who endure to the end.
Revelation 13:8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
Worship here means to fawn or kiss the ground. The fawning adoration of politicians and worldly solutions is worshipping the hidden power of the devil.
Revelation 13:9 If any man have an ear, let him hear.
This means to pay particular attention to the message.
Revelation 13:10 He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.
This is patience indeed, to suffer with endurance under anti-Christian governments and to know that God will ultimately punish them.
The Beast from the Earth
Revelation 13:11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.
This next beast looks like an innocent lamb, like Christ, but speaks like a dragon. His words betray him. Like a false prophet, this lamb is the opposite of what it seems (Revelation 16:13, 19:20, 20:10).
Revelation 13:12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.
This false lamb exercises political power and incites the pagan worship of a worldly human government.
Revelation 13:13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,
Like the false prophets of old, they are to be judged by their words, not their ability to perform miracles (Deuteronomy 13).
Revelation 13:14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.
The words of this false prophet, like others before him, are to incite idolatry.
Revelation 13:15 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.
Miracles surrounding religious statues mean nothing, when used to enforce bowing down to those statues and death threats. The worship of human leadership exists in both dictatorships and democracies even today.
Revelation 13:16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:
This expression comes from the Old Testament where the law and the words of God are to be a sign or mark in the hands and between the eyes, or in the foreheads, that is in our thoughts and deeds (Exodus 13:9; Exodus 13:16; Deuteronomy 6:8; Deuteronomy 11:18). Perhaps this includes a literal mark, as Paul bore some bodily marks of his suffering for Christ (Galatians 6:17), but more importantly it contrasts the seal of the beast with the seal of God.
The law is written in the minds (foreheads) and hearts of Christians (Jeremiah 31:33; Romans 2:15; Hebrews 8:10; Hebrews 10:16) and we are sealed by the Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13; Ephesians 4:30). We are either sealed with the mark of the beast, worshipping this world’s systems, or sealed with the Holy Spirit, worshipping God alone.
Revelation 13:17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
As in Thyatira, where one could not buy or sell if one did not offer meat to the god of the guild representing your profession, so people will not be allowed to trade and make a living if they refuse beast worship.
Revelation 13:18 Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.
First thing we must note about this number is that it is the number of a man, like Nero and others down through history who have acted like him. Using alphabets which have letters doubling as numbers, this has been associated with the names of various world leaders over time.
The political and religious beasts of this world want us to worship them and their worldly governments supported by false religion disguised as a lamb, but speaking as a dragon. The true Christian sees through these falsehoods and worships God alone.
