Ch 13: The beast out of the sea and out of the earth
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The beast out of the sea (13:1)
13:1 And the dragon stood on the shore of the sea. And I saw a beast coming out of the sea. He had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on his horns, and on each head a blasphemous name. 2 The beast I saw resembled a leopard, but had feet like those of a bear and a mouth like that of a lion. The dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority. 3 One of the heads of the beast seemed to have had a fatal wound, but the fatal wound had been healed. The whole world was astonished and followed the beast. 4 Men worshipped the dragon because he had given authority to the beast, and they also worshipped the beast and asked, "Who is like the beast? Who can make war against him?"
5 The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise his authority for forty-two months. 6 He opened his mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven. 7 He was given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them. And he was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation. 8 All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast--all whose names have not been written in the book of life belonging to the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world.
9 He who has an ear, let him hear. 10 If anyone is to go into captivity, into captivity he will go. If anyone is to be killed with the sword, with the sword he will be killed.
This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of the saints.
Earlier in Rev 12:7 we saw that the dragon was 'enraged at the woman and went off to make war against the rest of her offspring--those who obey God's commandments and hold to the testimony of Jesus. And the dragon stood on the shore of the sea'. Now we see how he wages war against the saints through the beast that comes out of the sea as the devil looks on. This beast was earlier revealed in Rev 11:7 as the beast out of the Abyss who makes war against the two witnesses and kills them when they have finished their testimony. We now find out more about this beast. He is introduced here as the Devil's henchman, he even resembles the devil with ten horns and seven heads, the devil delegates his power to the beast, his throne and authority. He is the incarnation of the Devil on earth through whom the devil makes war on the saints and overcomes them, the weapons used are imprisonment and death. All who pledge allegiance to the beast are giving their allegiance to the devil. He is the consummation of the four beasts that Daniel saw and therefore he represents an ungodly, bestial, world political empire. Later on in Revelation he rides the whore and represents an emperor, so empire and emperor are interchangeable. He has authority for the same time that the Gentiles trample on the outer court, the same time as the two witnesses prophecy and the same time that the church is cared for in the desert. The beasts exerts authority over all the world and represents political power, the second beast represents religious and economic power. Hendriksen comments that the first beast is Satan's hand and the second beast is Satan's mind. 'The first represents the persecuting power of Satan operating in and through the nations of this world and their governments. The second symbolises the false religions and philosophies of this world'. He sums up the beast, false prophet and Babylon as the three agents of Satan's attack upon the earth namely 'antichristian persecution, antichristian religion, and antichristian seduction'.
The beast can be interpreted as the Roman empire of John's time and subsequent ungodly empires since then culminating supremely in the empire of the antichrist. The message of this section is that the beast was given power to conquer the saints who are the only people who will not worship the beast, this calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of the saints. In view of the fact that he kills the two witnesses at the end of their testimony, that is he silences the witness of the church (11:7) and in view of the fact that in 17:11 the 'beast who once was, and now is not, is an eighth king', the beast is primarily the antichrist at the end of the age. However the beast also belongs to the seven kings which indicates that he belongs to a succession of tyrannical regimes which persecute the saints. As 1 John 2:18 says 'as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour.' Five of the seven kings have fallen, one is, the other is yet to come, but when he does come he must remain for a little while. While the man of lawlessness has not been revealed yet, the secret power of lawlessness is already at work in the world, 2 Thess 2:3-6.
The main NT references to human authorities are given by Jesus in Mat 22:17-21 (cf. Mark 12:14, Luke 20:22), Paul in Rom 13:1-7, and Peter in 1 Pet 2:13-17 ff. It should be noted that Jesus reply to the question of paying taxes to Caesar is repeated in each of the synoptic gospels, Mat 22:17 etc. He propounded the principle that one should 'Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's'. Jesus attitude to violence is illustrated when Peter cut the ear off a servant of the high priest and he said "Put your sword back in its place," Jesus said to him, "for all who draw the sword will die by the sword..." (Mat 26:52). Paul points out that the governing authorities have received their authority from God and are instituted by God; and that by rebelling against them one is rebelling against God. They are God's representatives to punish those who do wrong, and the Christian must submit to their authority. Paul tells his readers to: 'Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honour, then honour', Paul no doubt had the Roman authorities in mind. Peter also urges his readers to submit themselves, for the Lord's sake, to every authority instituted among men; whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. He also urges them to show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honour the king. He then goes on to argue that one should bear up under the pain of unjust suffering without retaliating, just as Jesus did.
Jesus, Paul and Peter are mainly talking about human institutions that maintain law and order. When Paul was treated unjustly by the Jews he appealed to Caesar for justice. These institutions are required because of man's fallen nature, without the maintenance of law and order there would be anarchy; but what of those authorities that take to themselves what belongs to God, the worship that only belongs to God. It is to this that chapter 13 of Revelation refers. Even here the bible does not argue for civil uprising under tyrannical regimes, but rather to continue to obey and fear God rather than man, even if this means death. One can see an example of this in the apostles continuing to teach against the wishes of the high priest and the Sadducees, they said 'we must obey God rather than men' (Acts 5), when one says this one must be prepared to take the consequences. One must notice that the authorities had over-stepped their God given authority. If the emperor demands the worship belonging only to God then one must obey God rather than the emperor even if this means dying, the emperors authority to demand such a thing clearly does not come from God (OT examples of those who oppose such a command are: Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, Dan 3). Patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of the saints is required rather than retaliation, vengeance belongs to God. Finally, in the sermon on the mount, Jesus pronounces a blessing on those who are persecuted because of righteousness and because of Him (Mat 5:10-11); righteousness and Jesus both preclude violent behaviour against the state. Jesus states our attitude in its most radical and positive form in Mat 5:44 when he says 'Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you'; Paul in Rom 12:14 states 'Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse'.
v1 - And the dragon stood on the shore of the sea. And I saw a beast coming out of the sea - This a continuation of Rev 12:17 in which the dragon went off to make war against the rest of her offspring, i.e. the Church. In 12:12 woe is declared to the earth and sea because the devil has gone down to you, so it is not unnatural that here we see the dragon standing on the seashore (the boundary between land and sea) as the first beast comes out of the sea, later a second beast comes out of the earth. What is described now is how the dragon makes war against her using his allies the beast out of the sea and beast out of the earth. The word used for beast means that it is a wild, untamed, unrestrained animal, examples are given in verse 2, i.e. a leopard, a bear and a lion. The same word for beasts is used in the fourth seal, 'They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth', 6:8. This is the same beast that the woman (harlot) rides, Rev 17:3. The beast comes out of the sea, the sea indicates peoples, multitudes, nations and languages, Rev 17:15 and Isa 17:12, i.e. the people's groups in the world; Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo Persia, Greece, Rome. God describes these empires as bestial. This is the same beast that came out of the abyss; abyss can also mean the great deep, mentioned as far back as Rev 11:7 when he kills the two witnesses. The imagery for the beast out of the sea comes from Dan 7:2 ff. Jack Deere in his book 'Surprised at the voice of God' (Kingsway 1996) comments on the dreams in Daniel: Another benefit of the symbolism in dreams is that it often reveals the perspective of God. For example, when the pagan king Nebuchadnezzar dreamed about world empires, he saw the successive empires in terms of a beautiful statue. However, when Daniel dreamed about these same empires, he saw them in terms of beasts. Nebuchadnezzar's dream represents the world's view of human empires, while Daniel's represents the divine perspective.
v1 - He had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on his horns, and on each head a blasphemous name - The description of the beast is similar to that of the dragon (Rev 12:3 - an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on his head), the beast resembles the dragon, in the same way Christ is the image of the Father. Ten horns signifying great power, seven heads, i.e. a multiplicity meaning hard to kill, it may also stand for its various incarnations as kings or kingdoms, the crowns (diademata) stand for its royal authority. The ten horns are also like Daniel's forth beast which also had ten horns which are ten kings, Dan 7:24. The ten crowns on his horns are royal crowns (diadema) which both the dragon (12:3) and Christ wear (19:12), these ten horns are ten kings, Rev 17:12. The number ten and seven should be taken symbolically as meaning complete. The beast is also mentioned in Rev 17:3 and explained in detail in Rev 17:7 ff. The ten horns are explained as ten kings in Rev 17:12. The seven heads are seven hills, referring to the Rome of John's time, and they are also seven kings, Rev 17:9. The beast should be contrasted with the Lamb. The beast is the incarnation of the Devil. Because he is to be contrasted with the Lamb he should be viewed as a person, but a person with a kingdom and people who do his bidding.
v1 - and on each head a blasphemous name - The blasphemous names on its head indicate its character, i.e. proud, arrogant, God hating, human government independent and defiant of God. It builds itself up at any cost to increase its power and wealth. Compare its blasphemous name with the name of the harlot BABYLON THE GREAT THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH (17:5), Contrast this to the Saints who have the name of the Lamb and the Father written on their foreheads (14:1). Some of the Roman emperors demanded that they be worshipped, this is clearly blasphemy. The Roman emperors took the title divus or sebastos, which means divine. Frequently the very name God or Son of God was given to the emperors; and Nero on his coins called himself The Saviour of the World. For any man to call himself divine was a blasphemous insult to God. Further, the later emperors took as their title the Latin word dominus, or it's Greek equivalent kurious, both of which mean lord and in the old Testament are the special title of God and in the New Testament the special title of Jesus Christ (Barclay). In Daniel the horn spoke boastfully Dan 7:8, 7:11, 7:20, 7:25. Whenever Caesar demands what belongs only to God he becomes a beast, Mat 22:21.
v2 - The beast I saw resembled a leopard, but had feet like those of a bear and a mouth like that of a lion. - The beast is hideous in contrast to the lamb. The beast reminds us of the first three beasts of Daniel 7. Daniel sees four beasts: lion, bear, leopard with four heads, a forth beast with iron teeth and ten horns. These are combined into one beast in this vision. Daniel asked for the interpretation of the beasts, they are kingdoms that arise from the earth, they are political powers (Dan 7:16-18). Daniel's four beasts (in Dan 7) represent the empires of Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece and Rome (Gleason). They parallel the statue of Dan 2 in which the gold head represents Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonian empire, the silver chest and arms was to be Medo-Persia beginning with Cyrus the Great, the bronze belly and thigh was the Greco-Macedonian empire established by Alexander the Great, the fourth empire is symbolised by legs of iron which is the Roman Empire. The feet and ten toes are made up of iron and clay, the weakness of the clay indicating that it cannot be a durable world power. The rock that struck and smashed the statue is the kingdom of God which will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end but will itself endure forever, Dan 2:44 cf. the iron sceptre of Rev 2:27, 12:5, 19:15 (Gleason). Consider this remarkable description of Pharaoh king of Egypt from Ezek 32:2, 'You are like a lion among the nations; you are like a monster in the seas...'.
Out of the peoples, multitudes, nations and languages came political super powers, e.g. Rome, Russia, China ruthless and arrogant. These beasts have the same characteristics as the nations described. The leopard, swift to pounce; the bear which mauls; the lion that has strength to destroy its prey. For example Russia has been called the great bear. In Rev 17:11 the beast is described as an eighth king, so the king and his kingdom are interchangeable. If we think of great dictatorships, such as Stalin's, Mao's, Hitler's this should not surprise us. Alternatively we can think of the beast as an Empire or an emperor. John definitely sees the beast as the Roman Emperor later in Rev 17, but again both empire and emperor are interchangeable. Finally in the last generation he is the antichrist, the little horn of the fourth beast (Dan 7:8), who leads the nations of the earth against Christ and his army, 19:19, and is destroyed and thrown into the blazing fire (Dan 7:11). Dan 7:13 contains a clear reference to the second coming of Christ. Note that the little horn is (a type of) the antichrist the fourth beast is his kingdom. Caird points out that for his sin of idolatry Nebuchadnezzar had been turned into a beast, he was driven away from people, ate grass like cattle, his hair grew like the feathers of an eagle and his nails like the claws of a bird (Dan 4:33), he was restored as a man only when he acknowledged the sovereignty of God. In contrast to the beast is the lion of the tribe of Judah, the Lamb, the true ruler of the kings of the earth.
v2 - The dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority. - We see here that the beast is the instrument of Satan from whom he derives his power, throne and authority. The dragon gave the beast his power (dunamis) to exercise his authority (exousia) effectively. In verse 7 he exercises his power to make war against the saints and to conquer them. This power is also delegated to the beast out of the earth to perform miraculous signs to deceive the inhabitants of the earth and give breath to the image of the first beast (13:13-15). The Greek word for throne used here is the same word used for God's throne (thronos) and is the same word used of Satan's throne in 2:13 which the KJV translates as Satan's seat (see also the beast's throne in 16:10). In verse 4 we find that men worshipped the dragon because he had given his authority to the beast; in verse 5 we find that the beast exercises his authority for forty-two months; in verse 7 we find that he was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation i.e. all the peoples of the world, that is Satan's kingdom. In verse 12 we find that the beast out of the earth exercised all the authority of the first beast on his behalf.
Three times in John's gospel Satan is called the prince of this world, John 12:31, 14:30, 16:11 and in Mat 4:8-9 he clearly owned the kingdoms of the world which he offered to Jesus if he bowed down to worship him. In 1 John 5:19 we are told that the whole world is under the control of the evil one; in this section we see how Satan controls the world through the beast. Daniel's third beast was given power to rule, Dan 7:6. The devil uses people and political powers to fulfil his purposes here on earth, in the same way that God uses the church, which is his body, to fulfil His purpose here on earth, the two of them are diametrically opposed. While the beast may do the actual persecuting it is the devil who is behind it all as (2:10) makes clear, 'the devil will put some of you in prison to test you'. The beast accepts the satanic offer which Jesus refused, Mat 4:8, (Pawson). The dragon went off to make war against the saints and stood by the sea shore to watch the beast come out of the sea through whom he would make war against the saints (12:17).
v3 - One of the heads of the beast seemed to have had a fatal wound, but the fatal wound had been healed - The fatal wound that had been healed is a parody of the 'Lamb, looking as if it had been slain' see Rev 5:6. In verse 14 we find that the wound was caused by the sword. This wound speaks of death and resurrection, i.e. a civilisation falls and in its place another arises. It could also refer to the judgement of Satan on the cross, the fulfilment of Gen 3:15 in which 'he (Jesus) will crush your head', Satan was dealt a death blow at the cross, (John 12:31, 16:11, Col 2:15) the coup de grâce will be finally dealt when Christ comes again, see Rev 20:10. The beast has a similar appearance to Satan, compare 12:3 with 13:1. Remember that Satan had already been thrown out of heaven and hurled to the earth (12:7-9) presumably as a result of Christ's victory at the cross. There is no need to apply the healed fatal wound to the Nero redivivus (resurrected) myth, although this may well have applied in John's day. This myth is an example of the fatal wound that had been healed: Nero died by suicide but Domitian rose later sharing similar characteristics to Nero. Nero was so evil that many could not believe that death was the end of him. The expectation arose that he would reappear in a resurrected form (Morris). It can also refer to the rise and fall of tyrannical dictators, as one falls another one rises to take its place.
v3 - The whole world was astonished and followed the beast. - In 17:8 we find that the cause of their astonishment when they see the beast is because he once was, now is not, and yet will come. In 17:6 John was also astonished when he saw the woman riding the beast. These who follow the beast (i.e. his followers) should be contrasted with the 144,000 who have the name of Lamb and his Father's name upon their foreheads and who follow the Lamb wherever he goes (14:1-4). In following the beast they do his bidding, just as those who follow Jesus do his will. The whole world refers to the unregenerate, i.e. all those who are not saints.
v4 - Men worshipped the dragon because he had given authority to the beast, and they also worshipped the beast - This political power has exceeded it legitimate authority from God in that it allows itself to be worshipped, worship that belongs only to God, and thus break the first and second commandments (Ex 20:3-5). This worship may not be explicit, it could be its refusal to allow God's people to worship God as he should be worshipped, whenever the state does this it exceeds its legitimate power, see Rom 13:1-7. Note that John equates worship of the beast as worship of the dragon, therefore emperor worship is equated to Satan worship. This would be the case with the Roman empire which allowed emperor worship, especially during the reign of Nero and Domitian. Note: that in worshipping Satan men are doing what Jesus himself refused to do when tempted by the devil in the desert (Mat 4:8-10) Jesus quoted Deu 6:13 to the devil 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.' Who we worship is one of the key themes of Revelation see 4:10, 5:14, 7:11, 9:20, 14:7, 14:9, 19:10, 22:9. The men who worship the beast are all the inhabitants of the world whose names have not been written in the Lambs book of life, verse 8. Preston and Hanson quoted by Mounce note that man is made to worship some absolute power and in the last analysis will give his allegiance either to the beast (whose power is that of inflicting suffering) or to the Lamb (whose power lies in accepting suffering).
In Luke 20:25 Jesus says we are to 'give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's'. It is right to pay taxes to Caesar and to honour Caesar but only God should be worshipped. The moment that Caesar demands to be worshipped he becomes a beast. Hailey notes that in rendering homage to the emperor the world was worshipping him who had given his authority to the Roman power. This worship is the counterpart to the worship of God, for in worshipping Christ to whom God gave His authority, the Christian worships God who sent the Christ and provided all blessings through Him. So in worshipping the beast they are worshipping Satan who gave his authority to the beast. The beast in accepting the worship belonging to Christ denies that Jesus is the Christ and becomes the antichrist in the sense of 'instead of' Christ (John 4:1-3).
We should also see that worship involves obeying the beast, see Paul's definition of spiritual worship in Rom 12:1, in which we are to offer our bodies as living sacrifices to God, it goes on to say that we are to be renewed in our minds. In 13:16 we find that those who receive the mark of the beast receive it on their right hand (indicative of their actions) or their forehead (indicative of their mind), thus those who worship or follow the beast do so in their actions and thinking.
v4 - "Who is like the beast? Who can make war against him?" - This is a parody of the OT verse in Psalm 35:10, 'Who is like you, O Lord?'; Psalm 71:19, 'Who, O God, is like you?' and Exo 15:11, 'who among the gods is like you, O Lord?'. The praise of the beast is a parody of the praise of God. The power of the beast is very real, 'who can make war against him'? This question is answered later in Rev 19:19-20 when the beast and the kings of the earth make war on the rider on the white horse who is the King of kings and Lord of lords, but the beast is captured and thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulphur. Mounce notes that the motivation for worship is not his moral greatness but the awesome power of his might. Compare the 'Who can make war against the beast? with the 'who can stand?' against the wrath of the Lamb of 6:17 the answer is given in 19:19 ff. only Christ can war against the beast, not the church.
v5 - The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise his authority for forty-two months. - The proud words and blasphemies is reminiscent of Daniel's little horn which had eyes like eyes of a man and a mouth that spoke boastfully (Dan 7:8, 20, 25 see also Rev 11:36). The phrase 'was given' and forty two months indicates a divine limitation. The forty two months is the period until Christ comes, see discussion on Rev 11:2. This is the same period that the Gentiles trample the holy city (Rev 11:2) and the same time that the church witnesses, 1260 days (Rev 11:3) and the same time that the woman is looked after in the desert (Rev 12:6, 14), that is, it is the gospel age which is the period of the churches witness on the earth, Acts 1:8. Thus the beast exercises his authority throughout the gospel age. Some commentators see the forty two months as a literal three and a half year period corresponding to the last half of Daniel's week, Dan 9:27.
v6 - He opened his mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven. - In verse 1 he had seven heads,..... and on each head a blasphemous name, we find him again in 17:3 covered in blasphemous names, He is anti God, godless and devilish. Such is the attitude of the world and is ultimately expressed by the antichrist who proclaims himself to be God, 2 Thess 2:4. He follows his master, the Devil (diabolos), who slanders God's people, cf. 2:9, the devil (diabolos) is mentioned four times in Revelation. He is similar to Daniel's king of the North, Dan 11:36, who will exalt and magnify himself above every god and will say unheard-of things against the God of gods and also Daniel's little horn that spoke boastfully (Dan 7:20). This blasphemy results when rulers have absolute power and authority. Those who live in heaven can be viewed as the church who ideally lives in heaven (Phil 3:20, Eph 2:6). Herod is a type of the antichrist, Acts 12:21, as is Nebuchadnezzar who did not glorify God and turned into a beast (Dan 4:32). Compare the blasphemy here with God's servants 'those who reverence God's name', 11:18.
v7 - 'He was given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them. And he was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation. - In Dan 7:21 it is the little horn of the fourth beast that wages war against the saints and defeats them. Daniel's third beast was given authority to rule (Dan 7:6). We have already had three warnings about persecution: in Rev 2:10 the church in Smyrna is warned that the devil will put some of them in prison and some might even have to die; in Rev 6:9 in the fifth seal John sees the souls of those had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus; in 11:7 when the two witnesses, that is the church, have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will attack them, and overpower and kill them. The passage here contains an explicit warning to the Saints, that 'the beast was given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them', and in verse 10 this calls for 'patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of the saints'. Notice the words 'He was given power to...' part of the message of the book is that even though the beast succeeds in killing the saints God is still on the throne and in control. The beast will appear to have conquered the saints, but just in the same way that the world seems to have conquered Christ on the cross, it actually gives the saints victory over the beast and his image, the victors are found singing the song of Moses and of the Lamb in 15:2-4, see also 12:11, note that the two witnesses come back to life again, 11:11.
Just as the world shouted 'Crucify him' so the world will hate and persecute the saints, if they persecuted Jesus they will persecute the saints (John 15:20). Just as some of the Jews gave their allegiance to Caesar when they crucified Jesus ('We have no king but Caesar', John 19:15), the world will give their allegiance to the beast and persecute the saints. Behind the beast, of course, is the dragon who is making war against the saints, 12:17. Notice the four-fold description (tribe, people, language and nation) of those the beast has authority over indicating that they come from the four corners of the earth, the kingdom of the beast is a world-wide kingdom. The beast works closely with the whore (Rome or Babylon) who sits on the beast and who is drunk with the blood of the saints, 17:6. But the beast will make war against the Lamb and will be conquered, 17:14, 19:19-20. Here and in the preceding verses concerning his blasphemy the beast is the antichrist in the sense of 'against' Christ.
Here we are forewarned that the beast, i.e. ungodly tyrannical nations, will succeed in conquering the saints, putting them in prison as well as killing the saints. To be forewarned is to be forearmed. Therefore the Saints should not be surprised when their persecutors win, e.g. Russia, China etc. their attitude should be that of patient endurance. Daniel (Dan 7:21) and Revelation indicate that they win in the end. Just as man succeeded in crucifying Jesus, so man will succeed in persecuting the saints. A servant is not greater than his master, if they persecuted Jesus they will persecute the Church (John 15:20). At this point we must ask ourselves the question, why does God permit His people to suffer like this? The answer given by Caird is to allow evil to run its destructive course and burn itself out and to give mankind the greatest possible chance to repent. Martyrdom, like the cross, is the cost of divine patience (2 Pet 3:9).
v8 - All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast--all whose names have not been written in the book of life belonging to the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world. - Just as the beast has political authority over every tribe, people, language and nation, he also has religious authority, all those who do not know God will worship the beast. 'All inhabitants of the earth' is all inclusive because everyone apart from the saints, whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life, will worship the beast (see also 17:8). This persuasion is so great that everyone worships the beast, they are of course deceived. In 2 Thess 2:9-12 we find that although they are deceived by the man of lawlessness and his Satanic counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, it is also God who sends them a powerful delusion so that they believe the lie. He does this because they refused to love the truth and so be saved, even after his warnings of the trumpets (9:20-21). Only the names of God's people are in the Lamb's book of life, Rev 21:27. For the 'book of life' see also, Psa 69:28, Phil 4:3. The Lamb was slain before the foundation of the world because it was decided in eternity past, just as God chose those in the book of life before the creation of the earth, 1 Pet 1:20, 1 Eph 1:4.
The worship of the beast out of the sea is orchestrated by the beast out of the earth, see verses 12-15, who uses signs and wonders and the threat of death to make the people of the earth worship the first beast. It should be noted that in 1 Pet 2:17 we are told to fear God and honour the king, we are not told to worship the king, that belongs only to God. Those people who know their God will not break the first and second commandment and worship the beast, Exo 20:3-6. It is commendable for a man to bear up against the pain of unjust suffering just as Christ himself did, 1 Pet 2:19-24.
v9 - He who has an ear, let him hear. - A solemn word to the saints to listen to the next verse, this is the only repetition of the formula used for the seven churches, see 2:7. The previous verse implies that the saints, whose names are written in the book of life, will not worship the beast, but this has consequences and we should pay careful attention to the next verse.
v10 - If anyone is to go into captivity, into captivity he will go. If anyone is to be killed with the sword, with the sword he will be killed. - This verse indicates the consequences associated with not worshipping the beast, namely imprisonment and death. This is taken from the Lord's words to Jerusalem which he was to destroy because its peoples sin, Jer 15:2-3. This stresses the inevitability of persecution. Notice that prison and death are the two forms of persecution that the church in Smyrna was warned about (2:10). It is pointless and unchristian to resist by the sword. Jesus warned in Mat 26:53 that all who draw the sword will die by the sword. This indicates the inevitability of imprisonment or death caused by the beast, it will happen, let the saints be warned. Death by persecution is part of the saint's lot, in 12:11 the saints overcome Satan 'by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death'. Paul tells us to overcome evil with good and to submit to the governing authorities, Rom 12:21-13:1-7. As does Peter, 1 Peter 2:13 and in verse 19 he says that 'it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God'. He gives Christ as the supreme example of one who suffered unjust suffering, he committed no sin and he did not retaliate and made no threats but he entrusted himself God, 1 Pet 2:21-23.
v10 - This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of the saints. - This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of the saints because they must submit without resistance to the conquering attack of the beast (Caird) just as John submitted to his exile on Patmos (1:9). One cannot remedy one wrong with another wrong, 1 Pet 3:9. Jesus did not retaliate against his accusers, 1 Pet 2:23. Remember Jesus warning about persecution in Luke 12:4, we should not fear those who can only kill the body and do no more but we should fear God who has the power over the second death. Patient endurance and faithfulness in the face of suffering is one of the themes of the book and is required of the saints, it is also found in Rev 1:9, in 14:12 it warns that patient endurance and faithfulness is called for because those who worship the beast and his image will suffer eternal torment. Patient endurance in the face of suffering is found elsewhere in scripture: 'patient in affliction' Rom 12:12; see also 2 Cor 1:6, Col 1:11, James 5:7-11. In 6:9 and 20:4 we find the souls of the martyrs who had been faithful to death, they were killed because of their obedience to the word of God and the testimony to Jesus which they had maintained until death. See also Mat 5:11-12 (blessed are you when people insult you...), Mat 5:38-39 (do not resist and evil person...), Mat 5:43-48 (Love your enemies). Jesus absorbed the wrong and injustice done against him even to the extent of allowing evil people to crucify him to death and he expects his followers to follow his example (1 Pet 2:21-23). We should not fight evil with evil but with good (Rom 12:17-21). See 'The cross of Jesus', Ch 7, Leon Morris, The Paternoster Press, 1994.
The beast out of the earth (13:11)
Rev 13:11 Then I saw another beast, coming out of the earth. He had two horns like a lamb, but he spoke like a dragon. 12 He exercised all the authority of the first beast on his behalf, and made the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed. 13 And he performed great and miraculous signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to earth in full view of men. 14 Because of the signs he was given power to do on behalf of the first beast, he deceived the inhabitants of the earth. He ordered them to set up an image in honour of the beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived. 15 He was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that it could speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed. 16 He also forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead, 17 so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name.
13:18 This calls for wisdom. If anyone has insight, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is man's number. His number is 666.
This is the second of the devil's henchmen, the beast from the earth is otherwise known as the false prophet and he completes this unholy trinity of Dragon, beast and false prophet. If the Devil gives to the first beast all his authority and the second beast gives glory to the first beast, then we have the counterfeit to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. If the first beast represents political power this one represents religious power. Later he is called the false prophet, he looks like a lamb but speaks like the devil, he is a counterfeit Christ. The two horns stand for his witness, contrast him with the two witnesses who are the true prophets of God. He receives his authority from the political power and his function is to coerce the inhabitants of the earth to worship the first beast. He performs counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders as will the antichrist. As well as false religion it can be any false man-made philosophy that supports the state such as nazism or communism. He also exercises economic control within the state, so that no one could buy or sell unless they had the mark of the beast on their right hand or forehead. The saints do not receive this mark and as a result they suffer for this. The beast's number is 666, 6 is mans number because man was created on the sixth day, therefore 666 is a trinity of sixes, that is, mans religion or philosophy.
We can see some of the ways in which the dragon and the beast wage war against the church through the beast out of the earth:
- He looks like Christ (a lamb) but speaks like a dragon i.e. he speaks lies and false doctrine, he is a false prophet.
- He performs counterfeit signs and wonders which deceive the world and could deceive even the elect.
- He kills all who refuse to worship the image of the beast, this is persecution.
- He forces everyone to receive a mark on his right hand or forehead without which no one can buy or sell, this is economic control.
v11 - Then I saw another beast, coming out of the earth. - The devil had been hurled down to the earth (12:4) and in 12:12 woe is pronounced on the earth and sea because the devil has gone down there and is filled with fury. The first beast came out the sea, i.e. people, nations and the second beast came out of the earth. The earth is significant, it could imply a man (note, man came out of the earth, see Gen 2:7) or belonging to man. This is further implied in verse 18 the number of the beast is man's number, it is 666. Six is man's number because he was created on the sixth day. Six is one less than perfection. James 3:14-17 contrasts the wisdom of the earth which leads to envy and selfish ambition which is earthly, unspiritual and of the devil; with the wisdom that comes from heaven which is pure, peace loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Paul contrasts Adam who was of the dust of the earth with Jesus who came from heaven (1 Cor 15:47-48 cf. John 3:31).
v11 - He had two horns like a lamb, but he spoke like a dragon. - He looks harmless enough until he opens his mouth to utter Satanic lies and deceit, just as the dragon tried to destroy the church with his river of lies in 12:15. It looks like a lamb, i.e. Christ, but he comes like a wolf in sheep's clothing and inwardly is a ferocious wolf (Mat 7:15). This lamb is different to the one that was slain (Rev 5:6). He has two horns like a lamb, i.e. like Christ who had seven horns, but it had not been slain, (Christ without the cross) but speaking like a dragon. The two horns stand for his witness, compare with the two witnesses who are the true prophets of God. He is the counterfeit of Christ (Rev 5:6) but speaking the words (lies) of the dragon, i.e. Satan. This indicates false religion and false philosophy which imitates true religion, it is a counterfeit of the real thing. Deception is how he operates, he looks like a lamb but when he speaks he speaks lies. Later the beast from the earth is called the false prophet, 16:13. His purpose is to deceive the world and the saints, if he can, into accepting the mark of the beast and worshipping his image (Rev 19:20). This completes the unholy trinity, the dragon, the beast out of the sea and the beast out of the earth (the false prophet). Jesus warns us of false prophets and false messiah's who will appear before the end and deceive many people (Mat 24:4, 5, 11, 23, 24). This beast seems to personify the antichrist in the sense of 'instead of' Christ, although, since John later calls him the false prophet (who points to a false Christ) he seems to be talking about two personages. Berkhof points out that Daniel refers to the political nature of the antichrist and Paul (2 Thess 2) refers to the religious nature of the antichrist, both these aspects are combined in Revelation (see section on the antichrist in the introduction).
v12 - He exercised all the authority of the first beast on his behalf. He made the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed. - We should note the progression of delegated authority, firstly from the dragon to the beast (13:2), then here from the first beast to the beast out of the earth. Even the dragon can only act with the permission of God as Job shows, chapter 4 shows us that God is clearly in control and will finally judge the dragon. The authority of the first beast is world-wide as shown in verse 7. The second beast is backed by the state and therefore by the devil. He has the approval of the first beast and exercises all his authority on his behalf, this is a coalition of religion and state. Johnson points out that 'on his behalf' can be better translated 'before him.' One who stands 'before' someone else is ready to do that person's bidding. The same preposition is used of the two witnesses in 11:4: 'These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth.' As the antitheses of the two witnesses, the false prophets derive their authority and ministry from the first beast. His aim is to make all the inhabitants worship the first beast v15, it is a priestly role (cf. Deu 10:8, 2 Chr 29:11, Jer 33:18, Ezek 44:15). A true prophet encourages people to worship God, but the false prophet forces the beast to be worshipped. Just as Christ received his authority from the Father so the second beast derives his authority from the first beast. His aim is to coerce, i.e. force, the world to worship the first beast and break the first and second commandment (Ex 20:3-5, he does this by miraculous sign's v13, deception v14 and coercion.
He represents religious power, false religion or false philosophy. Consider communism which is the philosophy that sustains the great world powers Russia, and China, the beast would be the state. In order to explain the created order man has replaced the Creator God with the man made theory of evolution. Man has to have a belief system and if he rejects Christianity then it must be replaced by something else. These are all proto-types of the final world religion that lead up to and will culminate in a religion that permits the worship of the antichrist which will be the final idolatrous act of mankind. They worshipped the first beast and they gave their allegiance to it and therefore to Satan.
For the fatal wound that had been healed see comments on v3, in v14 we find that it was caused by a sword.
v13 - And he performed great and miraculous signs - In Deu 13:1 God's people are warned not to follow after prophets who performs signs and wonders if they entice the people to follow other gods. This does not mean that all signs and wonders are wrong, the church as the two witnesses also performs signs and wonders, 11:6. Just as the church performs authentic miracles in the course of it witness so the false prophet produces the counterfeit like the Egyptian magicians copied the first three plagues on Egypt, Exo 7:10-12, 7:22, 8:7 but they could not copy the forth plague. Notice the miraculous signs, they are demonic, they are counterfeit, he uses these to deceive the world, in both Rev 16:13 and 19:20 he is called the false prophet. He authenticates his task by deceit, just as the Lord authenticates His word by signs and wonders. The man of lawlessness will also perform counterfeit miracles, 2 Thess 2:9, a solemn commentary on this is given in 2 Thess 2:10-12 see comment in verse 8. Sorcery was common in John's day (Acts 8:9). Mat 7:22-23 clearly demonstrates that prophesying and performing many miracles is not proof that one is a Christian, for the Lord says to them, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'. The false prophet is also a parody of the Holy Sprit and his gifts (1 Cor 12:7-11), thus we find a parody of the trinity: Father, Son, Holy Spirit and Dragon, Beast out of the sea, False prophet.
v13 - even causing fire to come down from heaven to earth in full view of men - The beast is the false prophet and is the counterfeit of Elijah the true prophet who caused fire to come down from heaven twice (1 King 1:10, 2 King 18:38) and the beast out of the earth produces counterfeit miracles. It is also the counterfeit of the miracles worked by the two witnesses, Rev 11:5-6, they are depicted as having power to stop rain as did Elijah, and fire comes from their mouths. The beast is depicted here as a counterfeit of the church, whenever the church is witnessing in power then the beast will be producing the counterfeit. There are some who would argue that he represents the apostate church, historically represented by the church of Rome. Note he is a public figure he is not hidden as is Satan. Note: this is also the counterfeit of God's fire that comes down from heaven and devours those who rebel against God in Satan's final rebellion (20:9).
v14 - Because of the signs he was given power to do on behalf of the first beast, he deceived the inhabitants of the earth. - In Rev 19:20 he is called false prophet and his signs and deception are also referred to. The false prophet is linked to the beast and the dragon in Rev 16:13 see also 13:12 where exercises all the authority of the first beast. He works by deception, note the warning given by Christ in Mat 24:24 that 'false Christ's and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect--if that were possible', see also Mat 24:4-5. We are warned not to be deceived by these miracles, although the world will be deceived, we need to be on our guard. See also Paul's warning in 2 Thess 2:9 'The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing'. He is successful because he works by deception. He is clearly a type of the antichrist who displays all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders (2 Thess 2:9). He does the work of the devil by leading the whole world astray 12:9. Notice again the words 'he was given' implying God's sovereignty over all. In 2 Thess 2:11 God himself sends powerful delusions on them so that they believe the lie. Deception (planao) is mentioned in 2:20 when Jezebel deceives God's servants into sexual immorality; in 12:9, 20:3, 8 and 10 where the devil deceives the inhabitants of the earth and in 18:23 where it refers to the whore deceiving the nations.
v14 - He ordered them to set up an image in honour of the beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived - In 13:4 we are told that men worshipped the dragon who had give authority to the beast and they also worshipped the beast. In 13:8 we are told that all the inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast -- all who whose names have not been written in the Lamb's book of life. In 13:11 the beast coming out of the earth made the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, then he performs great and miraculous signs to deceive the inhabitants of the earth. Now in the final stages of idolatry he orders the inhabitants of the earth to set up an image (eikon), that is an idol, in honour of the first beast so that the people can worship the image (verse 15) which is contrary to the first and second commandments (Ex 20:3-6).
They worship the work of their own hands, see 9:20, as all idolaters do (Lenski). One of the main purposes of the book is to make it clear that only God is to be worshipped. The word image (eikon) is used in the NT to describe the image of the emperors head on coins (Mat 22:20), Jesus as the image of the Father (1 Cor 11:7, Col 1:15) and Paul uses it to describe icons which men made when they 'exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles' Rom 1:23. Instead of worshipping the Lamb that was slain (5:12) and who died but lives for ever more (1:18) they worship the image of the beast who was wounded and yet lived. The same idea is expressed in Nebuchadnezzar's statue made of gold and measuring sixty cubits by six cubits (Dan 3:1 KJV), notice the use of six (the NIV converts this into feet, 90*9). Notice the element of coercion and authority, he ordered them to set up an image of the beast. In John's time this would have been a bust or statue of the emperor. In many countries around the world it is usual to find pictures of the national leader on the wall in the workplace.
Here we find out more about the fatal wound that had been healed (Rev 13:3, 12), which was caused by a sword. The short sword (Gk. machaira) is not likely to be the word of God, Rev 1:16, 19:15, in which rhomphaia (long sword) is used. In 19:21 the long sword is used to slay the kings of the earth and their armies, here the short sword is used to wound the beast. The word for sword, machaira, is a common word for sword in the NT it is used for the sword Peter used to cut the ear of the slave at Jesus arrest (John 18:10) and of the sword of the spirit (Eph 6:17) and the word of God (Heb 4:12), it is used elsewhere in Revelation as the sword that killed the martyrs (6:4) and the sword used by the beast to kill the saints (13:10).
v15 - He was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that it could speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed. - He was given power to give breath to the image; this is the counterfeit of creation in which God gives the breath of life and man became a living being, its speech is the counterfeit of the word of God (Hughes). Contrast this to the breath of God that brought back to life the two witnesses (11:11). Unlike Baal (1 King 18:29) this idol could speak, it is interesting that in John's description of idols in 9:20 he says that they 'cannot see or hear or walk', he does not say they cannot speak (cf. Isa 45:20, Jer 10:5, Hab 2:18).
We should again notice that the source of the voice is the dragon through the line of delegated authority from the dragon to the beast out of the sea 13:2, to the beast out of the earth (13:12) and now to the image of the beast. Just as God speaks his word, the Devil speaks lies (12:15), the beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies (13:5-6), the beast out of the earth spoke like the dragon (13:11), evil spirits come out of the mouth of the dragon, beast and false prophet (16:13-14), so also words come out of the image of the beast. The words are caused by demons cf. 16:14, they are a miraculous sign (13:13). The Lamb fights with the word of God, the sword of the spirit which proceeds out of his mouth (1:26, 2:16, 19:15, 21), so the image of the beast speaks lies and death. Like Nebuchadnezzar, he forces everyone to worship the image of the beast under pain of death. Those who refuse to worship the image are in the Lamb's book of life (13:8), by refusing to worship the image they betray their identity as worshippers of God (11:1) and are killed (Beasley-Murray) but later we see them in heaven as victorious over the beast and his image (15:2).
Consider false religion (Hinduism, Islam, etc.) or false philosophy such as communism, it is this that gives power to, and sustains, the state. If we take Mao as our model of the beast then the Party is his minister of propaganda (false prophet) and his image would equate to the many pictures of Mao around China, however we should note that Mao did not have world-wide rule. It is unfashionable to say but the false religion would also apply to the Roman Catholic church prior to the reformation, which was also based in Rome. Consider such Papal titles as Holy Father, these are clearly blasphemous. Papal infallibility, only God is infallible. Such practices as indulgences, that is Simony, i.e. buying forgiveness.
v15 - and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed - Worship and idolatry are once again the issue here. This reminds us of the story in Daniel, of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, Dan 3:5-6, in which the order is given 'Whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace' Dan 3:6. This gives a clue to the identity of the beast who in this case is Nebuchadnezzar, that is a world ruler who ruled Babylon the great city. Daniel's description of Nebuchadnezzar in Dan 4:22 says 'You have become great and strong; your greatness has grown until it reaches the sky, and your dominion extends to distant parts of the earth'. Dan 3:7 indicates that 'all the peoples, nations and men of every language fell down and worshipped the image of gold', that Nebuchadnezzar made under pain of death. The saints are required to have the same bravery as Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego who said "If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.", Dan 3:16-18. The fire of Nebuchadnezzar is temporary but God's fire is eternal, those who worship the image of the beast to avoid man's fire will end up in God's fire instead (14:9-11, 20:15, 21:8). While Christ may not save them from any furnace of this world he will save them from the lake of fire which is the second death.
If a Christian refused to make an act of worship to Caesar he was liable to the death penalty. Here the beast forces the people into idolatry, only those who know their God will refuse to worship the image (Dan 11:32), we find those who had been victorious over the beast and his image in Rev 15:2. This implies that to be victorious over the beast is to be a martyr (cf. 12:11). Resisting joining in with those who worship the image involves patient endurance on the part of the saints (Rev 14:12), together with death or imprisonment. However the penalty imposed by God for worshipping the image is severe, Rev 14:9-11. The image is mentioned three times in this chapter and seven more times in Revelation (Walvoord).
v16 - He also forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead - As well as forcing people to worship the image he also forces everyone to receive a mark on the hand or forehead. This mark is on the hand or forehead and is therefore conspicuous, it is not hidden. He had great power over all classes of society, note the three couplets giving six in all: small and great, rich and poor, free and slave. Contrast this mark on the hand or forehead with God's command to the Israelites in Deu 6.8 to 'Tie them (the commandments) as symbols on your hands (meaning strength i.e. actions) and bind them on your foreheads (i.e. mind)'. It is also a parody of God's deliverance from bondage in Egypt, only it is enslavement, (the Passover observance) see Exo 13:1-16 'And it will be like a sign on your hand and a symbol on your forehead that the LORD brought us out of Egypt with his mighty hand'. But the Christians do not receive the mark (Rev 20:4). This mark is a parody of the sealing of God's servants in Rev 7:2, who have the name of the Lamb and his Fathers name written on their foreheads Rev 14:1. As the elect are sealed upon their foreheads to escape the destruction about to fall upon the earth, so the followers of the beast escape his wrath against the church by bearing his mark (Mounce). The mark affects their action (hand) and thinking (forehead), it identifies those who worship the beast.
The mark (Gr. charagma) must not be taken literally as in most of John's imagery. The mark received is a parody or counterfeit to the seal received by the children of God, see Rev 14:1, this seal is not a visible seal. They have the name of the Lamb and the Father written on their foreheads, if we do not take this as a literal mark then it is likely that the mark of the beast is not a literal mark. Here it is described in v17 'the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name' which is identified as 666 in verse 18. It is closely linked to those who worship the beast and his image, it marks them as his (the beast's). It is received on the forehead meaning their mind or on the hand meaning their actions i.e. anyone who follows the philosophy or who carries out the actions of the beast. The characteristics of those so marked is described in Rev 21:8, also Rev 22:15, everyone who loves (mark on the forehead) and practises falsehood (mark on the hand). From Rom 12:1 those who worship the beast are those who are conformed to the pattern of this world (worldly) and are not renewed in their mind, they do not obey the will of God. The mark can mean ownership, devotion, acceptance of the authority of the beast, just as the seal of God marks out those who are His, so the mark of the beast marks out those who are his. Not only cattle but slaves were branded as a mark of ownership. Perhaps John is also thinking of the marks of the cross that Jesus bore on his hands and the marks caused by the crown of thorns. Those who receive this mark are going to be punished along with the beast (Rev 14:9-11, 19:20). Those who worship the beast and his image and those who receive the mark of his name are the same (4:11). The saints are those who had not worshipped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or hands (20:4). The saints are those who worship God (11:1), obey God's commandments and remain faithful to Jesus (14:12).
Barclay has the following comments on the mark: The word for the mark of the beast is charagma, and it could come from more than one ancient custom.
i. Sometimes domestic slaves were branded with the mark of their owner. But usually they were branded only if they had run away or had been guilty of some grave misdemeanour. Such a mark was called a stigma; we still use the word in English. If the mark is connected with this, it means that those who worship the beast are his property. Note: the word used for servants in Revelation means slaves [of Christ] so in the same way those marked by the beast are his slaves or servants.
ii. Sometimes soldiers branded themselves with the name of their general, if they were very devoted to him. This to some extent, corresponds to the modern custom of tattooing upon one's person the name of someone specially dear. If the mark is connected to this, it means that those who worship the beast are his devoted followers.
iii. On every contract of buying or selling there was a charagma, a seal, and on the seal the name of the emperor and the date. If the mark is connected with this, it means that those who worship the beast accept his authority. Note: this could also be the seal of ownership.
iv. All coinage had the head and inscription of the emperor stamped upon it, to show that it was his property. If the mark is connected with this, it means that those who bear it are the property of the beast.
v. When a man had burned his pinch of incense to Caesar, he was given a certificate to say he had done so. The mark of the beast may be the certificate of worship which a Christian could obtain only at the cost of denying his faith.
The only other NT use of the word charagma apart from Revelation is in Acts 17:29 where Paul speaks to the men of Athens "Therefore since we are God's offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone--an image (charagma) made by man's design and skill.' Paul is contrasting idols with the living God who made the world and everything in it see Acts 17:24 cf. Rev 14:7. We should note then the close connection between the mark and worshipping the image (13:15) which is an act of idolatry cf. 2:14, 2:20, 9:20, 21:8, 22:15, therefore receiving the mark means being marked as an idolater.
v17 - so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name. - The second beast as well as having religious power (v15) also has economic power, no one could buy or sell unless they had the mark of the beast on their forehead or hand. It is significant that the coinage of the time had the head of the emperor on it (Mat 22:19-21) and some emperors used divine titles on the coinage as did Antiochus Epiphanes (Gleason) who is a type of the antichrist. The mark is here described as the name of the beast. In contrast to those who have the name of the Lamb and the Father on their foreheads (14:1) see also those who overcome in Philadelphia (3:12) and those in the New Jerusalem (22:4). It is to be contrasted with the 144,000 who are sealed on the forehead (Rev 7:3). The mark is therefore not a literal mark; it is to be a follower and worshipper of the beast, an idolater, and ultimately to worship Satan rather than God.
The number of his name is most likely referring to a gematria, see verse 18. The penalty for worshipping the beast and his image and receiving the mark is proclaimed by the third angel in Rev 14:9-11 and is eternal torment. The first bowl is poured out on those who have the mark of the beast and who worship his image. Those who are victorious over the beast and his image and the number of his name will sing the song of Moses and of the Lamb in heaven (15:2). They will reign with Christ for a thousand years (20:4).
v18 - This calls for wisdom. If anyone has insight, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is man's number. His number is 666. - Here we are warned that wisdom will be required, as in 17:9 where wisdom is also required to interpret the seven heads of the beast. The one having a mind, let him count the number of the beast! i.e. let him use his mind. In the seven letters to the churches the one having ears is told to use them (Lenski). It is man's number meaning literally it is the number of a man, but note that in the Greek the definite article is omitted so that the NIV is correct in saying that it is man's number not a mans number (see also Hailey). Man's number is six because he was created on the sixth day, in Revelation seven stands for completeness as in the seven days of the week, God rested on the seventh day of creation (Gen 2:2).
Some interpret this as a riddle in the form of a gematria, whereby the number stands for the letters of a mans name, has not been satisfactorily solved to this day. But the simplest understanding is that if seven means complete then 6 always falls short of 7 and therefore 666 is a trinity of imperfections, it is man's religion. Certainly Nero, Domitian, Mao, Stalin and Hitler all fit the role of the beast quite nicely. Any church under persecution will readily identify who their beast is. To any church not under persecution it is just idle speculation, they will have to wait until the beast is revealed (2 Thess 2:3-7). Perhaps we should heed the words of the angel to Daniel (Dan 12:9), 'the words are closed up and sealed until the time of the end', only then will we be able to identify the last but greatest antichrist who the Lord will slay with the breath of his mouth. However all the saints need to be able to interpret the signs of the times and an understanding of the principles involved in the book of Revelation will therefore be of value. Lenski shows that John writes the number not in words but in Greek letters: cxs; c=600; x=60; s=6 (chi_xi_stigma: G5516). This is the number 6, plus its multiple by 10, namely 60, again plus its multiple by 10*10 (intensified completeness), namely 600 -- thus 666, three times falling short of the divine 7 (cf. the measurements of Nebuchadnezzar's statue 60*6 cubits, Dan 3:1).
v18 - 666 - There are alternative explanations, it is difficult to pin down any one person but this is probably intentional. Whenever you try to be specific you usually end up having to twist some historical fact to make it fit. The point is that John is giving principles that apply throughout the gospel age and not to one particular point in time. Remember that John is seeing human history from the point of view of heaven. As John makes clear in his epistle, 'the' antichrist is coming, and also many antichrists have come. The number can be interpreted symbolically as man's number, a trinity of sixes or specifically to one man, the antichrist.
i. It tells us that it is man's number, 6 is the number of man for he was created on the sixth day, 666 is a trinity i.e. it indicates a man accepting worship due to God, this is reflected in the antichrist, see 2 Thess 2:3-4, who proclaims himself to be God. This happened in John's time with Domitian who claimed divinity. This also fits in with Mat 24:11 and 24:23-24, here Jesus warns that there will be false Christ's performing great signs and wonders to deceive even the elect.
ii. The number 666 is a trinity (Satan, beast, false prophet) it can also be considered to be man's religion, or his man made philosophy, but it falls short of true religion that is revealed from God. The evidence is more in favour of a man, a ruler or emperor, however the false prophet (a man) will give false doctrines, the resulting product will be false religion or false philosophy. Those who have the mark are therefore those who follow and believe in the false religious system or philosophical system. For example Marxism, Confucianism, Buddhism all these fall short of true divinely revealed religion. They fail to enter into God's rest. Six always falls short of perfection (seven) it misses the mark which is the very essence of sin. Milligan points out that John would be well aware of the perverted Judaism of his day which eventually crucified his Lord, it was the religion of men (Mark 7:6-8).
iii. 666 can also be a gematria in which letters of the alphabet are also used as numbers, both in Hebrew and Greek. Various attempts have been made, most of them unsuccessful, an interesting one is made by translating the Greek Neron Kaisar into Hebrew which gives 666. The principle is that Nero would be an example of the beast out of the land others would arise after him i.e. Domitian. The name of Jesus in Greek is 888, I H S O U S (10, 8, 200, 70, 400, 200), if John's audience knew this, as Sweet maintains, then 666 would immediately indicate that 666 was the devil's counterfeit of Jesus namely the (or an) antichrist. If Nero is the type, then modern examples would be Hitler (consider Nazism, the philosophy that helped keep him in power), Mao (communism), Stalin (communism); the final fulfilment is the antichrist. If a=100, b=101 c=102 etc. then HITLER=666. The first six Roman numerals I V X L C D add up to 666. J B Smith quoted by Walvoord says 'All the numbers from 1 to 36 total 666. Beast in the evil sense occurs exactly 36 times (6*6) in Revelation'. Mounce adds that all the numbers from 1 to 8 also add up to 36 and eight is the number of the antichrist because he is an eighth king (17:11). The main problem with the use of a gematria is that many names can give the resulting 666, there is no unique name. Some texts have even been altered to give 616 which can give Nero Caesar in Latin or Gaios Kaisar (Caligula) in Greek, see Sweet. If we take the number of Jesus being 888 this fits into the 7 day pattern of creation in which the eighth day is the first day of the new order. The Jews believed that the seven days of creation corresponded to 7,000 years based on Ps 90:4 in which one day equalled a thousand years, the sixth day belongs to the antichrist and the seventh to the millennium. The fact that the antichrist is an eighth king indicates that he is the counterfeit of Christ (17:11), the penultimate claiming ultimacy (Sweet).
iv. The number sums up the character of the beast. To the Jew six falls short of the sacred number seven which is perfection, triple it and it represents a potency of evil than which there can be none greater, a direfulness of fate than which there can be none worse (Milligan).
Does Revelation indicate that there will be a world wide religion at the time that the antichrist is revealed? Rev 13:7 indicates that the first beast will have authority over 'every tribe, people, language and nation', this fourfold description indicates over the four corners of the earth. And 13:8 indicates that all the inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast, except for the saints. The second beast exerts religious and economic control over the world. He performs miraculous signs that deceive the inhabitants of the earth 13:14. He coerces the inhabitants of the earth to worship the first beast and his image 13:12, 15. He forces everyone from all strata of society to accept the mark of the beast without which no one could buy or sell, 13:16-17. Therefore the answer to our question is that during the reign of the antichrist there will be world-wide worship of the beast and his image, but the saints will resist him even to the death. Since the worship of the beast is forced it is likely that any world-wide religion prior to the unveiling of the beast will be voluntary. It should be noted that with modern travel, media and communications the structure through which a world-wide kingdom of the beast could be ruled is being set-up. Every household even has its own TV set.
It is likely that very soon it will be possible for a person to have an identifying mark, even invisible, on the hand or forehead which will uniquely identify that person and it will be used for buying and selling, is this the mark of the beast? Firstly this mark did not apply to previous generations and yet there were many who did follow the beast in their generation. Goldsworthy points out that taking a literalistic interpretation of the mark being 666 tends to break down under its own weight because then every single individual will be stamped with exactly the same mark, 666, which has value only to identify the members of the group but not to distinguish one from another. Again the 144,000 referred to in chapters 7 and 14 have the mark of God on their forehead but we do not take this literally, it symbolises that we are securely sealed as the Father's own possession, the redemption which is received by faith and sealed by the Spirit of God. Similarly the mark of the beast must symbolise unbelief, rejection of Christ and his gospel (Goldsworthy). This expectation of a literal mark arises because we interpret Revelation literally rather than symbolically as it should be interpreted. We should also note that both rich and poor have the mark so that it is unlikely to be something to do with credit cards which only the rich have.
However there is a danger here, if we look for some world-wide dictator who has economic control over individuals as well as political and religious control and who therefore looks like the 'antichrist' this does not necessarily mean that the end is about to come unless that other prerequisite of the second coming is fulfilled, namely the preaching of the gospel to all nations (Mat 24:14). We must not allow speculation as to the nature of the mark of the beast to deflect the church from its primary mission, namely the preaching of the gospel. Each of the four gospels ends with the great commission (Mat 28:18-20, Mark 16:15-20, Luke 24:46-49, John 20:21-23) and Acts starts with it, Acts 1:7-8. The two witnesses continued to prophecy until the beast killed them (11:7). Keener observes that because Satan does not know the date of Christ's return he must always have an antichrist waiting in the wings.
The two beasts represent both the political and ecclesiastical power of the beast. The founding fathers of America separated the church and state, they recognised that an amalgam of church and state was potentially lethal for both church and state. The separation was to prevent the state interfering with the church and to prevent the church having political power with which it might coerce the people. It recognised the distinction between giving to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and giving to God what belongs to God. When Caesar starts claiming those things that belong to God he becomes a beast. In China there is an official state sponsored church, again this is dangerous because the claims of Christ on his people are above that of the state. When the emperor Constantine declared himself a Christian this removed persecution but had a disastrous effect on the church. Persecution keeps the church pure but when it becomes the official religion the church become weak and feeble and eventually it becomes apostate. The apostate church is not just backslidden it is has so completely fallen away that it is part of the political structure of the beast. Therefore some see the apostate church as Babylon the great, Ch. 17. The apostate church had become so worldly that she is indistinguishable from the world.