The Dragon’s Duo
Revelation 13
Pastor Ben Brown
INTRODUCTION:
Last week, Pastor Ralph continued our series on what the Bible has to say about tomorrow’s news by introducing a study of Revelation. He pointed out that this book was written to God’s people in the midst of suffering to encourage them by helping them understand God’s perspective on what was happening to them. Although the immediate audience was the church in the midst of persecution, the book is directed toward God’s people in general, whenever they suffer for His sake. It will be especially appropriate to God’s people in the tribulation. It will give the tribulation saints the assurance that although God’s people may suffer for His sake, He is even in control of people in rebellion. In the end, He will be victorious. Those who are faithful to Him in the midst of suffering will participate with Him in His great victory.
Pastor Ralph also introduced from Revelation 12 that which will be the cause of God’s judgment, which is Satan’s program. As we learned from Revelation 12 last week and as we will learn from Revelation 13 this week, Satan’s program is designed to oppose God and His people and to cause men to worship him. This program will cause some to submit to Satan’s authority rather than to God’s, which will bring His response of judgment. This week, we are going to learn from Revelation 13 of the two world leaders who Satan will use to bring him worship and to conquer God’s people. I think of these two as the dragon’s duo.
The first of the two principal participants in Satan’s program is…
THE BEAST OUT OF THE SEA
I. The characteristics of the beast who is to come as the first participant in Satan’s program (13:1-2).
A. The beast is a political system and a person.
In verse one of Revelation 13, we read a description of the political system the beast represents. Throughout the chapter, the beast is described with the personal pronoun "he." We know him to be the Antichrist. Scripture views the final political system of the world, the revived Roman Empire, as inseparable from its ruler, the Antichrist. Both the system and the ruler are the beast.
B. The beast comes out of the sea, which demonstrates his origin among the Gentile Nations.
In Daniel 7:2-3, Daniel saw four beasts in his vision, representative of the kingdoms or empires that would fight each other for world power, coming up out of the churning sea. The sea being churned by the winds represents turmoil in the international political scene. Out of this turmoil among the Gentile Nations, four great beasts arise, the fourth of which is the beast John describes in Revelation 13.
Later in Revelation 17:15, we read of the "waters" John saw being equated with peoples, multitudes, nations, and languages. The beast will come out from among the sea, that is the Gentile Nations.
C. The beast’s heads and crowned horns represent the nations that will give him power.
1. The beast in John’s vision had seven heads representative of seven successive empires.
There have been many suggestions as to what the beast’s heads represent:
Some have suggested the heads represent seven rulers of Rome; others have said it is a symbolic number of perfection or completion to symbolize the fullness of blasphemy and evil that will be realized when the Antichrist comes; still others have suggested that the seven heads are representative of the seven hills of Rome.
It seems best, however, to view the seven heads as seven successive empires or kingdoms. Six of these seven empires are the nations Satan has used in the past to rule and try to eliminate God’s people and the seventh will be a future empire (a confederation of nations that will descend from Rome) that Satan will use in a last ditch effort to try to eliminate God’s people.
This view seems most accurate when compared to the description of the beast in Revelation 17:9-10- "This calls for a mind with wisdom. The seven heads are seven hills on which the woman sits. They are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come; but when he does come, he must remain for a little while" (NIV).
The seven heads are equated with seven hills or mountains that are also equated with seven kings. That the seven hills (mountains) John writes about are not the seven hills of Rome, but seven empires or kingdoms represented by their rulers, is supported by the Old Testament’s metaphorical use of mountains to represent the rule of a kingdom.
We read an example of this metaphorical use of mountains to represent the rule of a kingdom in Daniel 2:35. Daniel 2:35 is a description of Christ’s Millennial kingdom. His kingdom is described metaphorically as a mountain.
As John notes in Revelation 17:10, five of the seven empires or kingdoms had already fallen in his day. Those empires are:
John also indicates that one of the empires was in existence when he wrote:
John tells us in Revelation 17:10 of yet another empire that was still to come in the future, though it would be brief.
The ten horns describe the ten future kingdoms that will rule at the time this prophecy is fulfilled. The ten crowns on the horns of the beast indicate the authority they will have. These ten kingdoms represent the future political power and might of the world. We know that these ten kingdoms were not yet in existence when John wrote, but are yet future. Revelation 17:12 says, "The ten horns you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but for one hour will receive authority as kings along with the beast" (NIV). You will remember that the number ten fits the imagery of the fourth beast described in Daniel 7:7, 24. From chapter seven of Daniel, we know that Antichrist will arise from among the10, he will subdue three of the kingdoms and then rule the entire world. The ten kingdoms will give their power and authority to the beast and join him for the purpose of making war against the Lamb, who is Christ (Revelation 17:13-14). The blasphemous names that are written on the horns of the beast indicate the identification of the kingdoms with the beast in his blasphemy.
The beast is a mongrel beast with the characteristics of the kingdoms described in Daniel 7. John gives animal descriptions of the beast in an order that is in reverse of Daniel’s description because he was looking backward in time; whereas, Daniel was looking forward.
Like Greece, the beast resembled a leopard, which is known for its speed.
Like Media-Persia, the beast is compared to a bear (in the description of his feet) which is known for its brute strength.
Like Babylon, the beast is compared to a lion (in the description of his mouth) which is known for its ferocity.
Speed, power, and ferocity are all combined in the New Kingdom of the beast. As Daniel describes in Daniel 7:7-8, 19-22, 23-27, this empire will be unparalleled in all of human history. No human empire has or will rival it in any of its characteristics.
Satan gives these to the beast intent on his using them to war against both Christ and the people of God who will trust Christ during the tribulation (remember, the church will have already been raptured and will not be on earth during the tribulation). With the power of Satan, no human force will be able to withstand the beast. He will have his way and will answer to no man. He will share Satan’s throne and his authority will be over the entire world. He will be allowed to bring to God’s people unprecedented persecution.
Some might wonder how even a man empowered by Satan will be able to rule as authoritatively as the beast will rule. Revelation 13:3 describes the event which will both help him achieve his hold on the world and bring the worship he and Satan will aspire for.
The interpretation of the first phrase of Revelation 13:3 describing the fatal wound of one of the heads of the beast has been much debated. The reason for the debate is simple. We do not have enough information to know with certainty what event John is describing. There are, however, a couple of interpretations that have merit and are worthy of our consideration.
A common interpretation is that the head whose fatal wound was healed is a kingdom that was destroyed and will be restored. The death and resurrection miracle is believed to be the revival of the Roman Empire. According to this view, Antichrist is believed to be the one who will be considered responsible for putting this new, revived Roman Empire together. This revival of power is believed to be that which will cause the whole world to be astonished and follow the beast. This view is consistent with the description of the beast in Revelation 17:8.
Revelation 17:8
"He once was"-The Roman Empire, the sixth of the beasts seven heads, became dead (This empire was in existence at the time of John).
"Now is not"- The Roman Empire seemingly went out of existence.
"And yet will come"- The Roman Empire will miraculously be revived and brought back to life. The seventh of the beasts seven heads will be a derived, resurrected form of the Roman Empire.
A second common interpretation is that the head whose fatal wound will be healed is the future Antichrist. Whether his death is real or fake is subject to debate, though most who hold to this interpretation do not believe the Antichrist actually dies because Satan does not have the power to resurrect someone from the dead. The Antichrist’s supposed death and resurrection is believed to be a counterfeit of Christ’s death and resurrection. This counterfeit of Christ’s resurrection is one of the many counterfeit miracles that will take place in connection with the Antichrist who is to come (see 2 Thessalonians 2:9). This second interpretation, like the first, is consistent with the description of the beast in Revelation 12:8 with the difference being that with this interpretation, the verse is believed to describe a resurrected person (or at least one who was supposedly resurrected) rather than a resurrected nation.
The resurrection of the beast, whether it is the revival of the Roman Empire under the rule of Antichrist or the counterfeit resurrection of Antichrist from the dead, will cause the world to be astonished, it will cause the whole world to follow the beast, and it will cause the inhabitants of the earth (unbelievers) to worship both the dragon (Satan) for giving the beast authority and the beast himself.
The worshippers of the beast will ask, "Who is like the beast? Who can make war against him?" Perhaps the worshippers will ask these question because of Antichrist’s causing them to believe he was the one who defeated Russia and the Arabic nations as described in Ezekiel 38 and 39 and Daniel 11. While it is God who will be responsible for the defeat and destruction of the attacking nations described in those chapters, the Antichrist will have the world to believe he did it. Believing that the Antichrist to be responsible, the world will see Him as a king who is able to do whatever he pleases. They will see him as a sovereign power and they will worship him as such.
It may also be that the battle of Ezekiel 38 and 39 resulting in the destruction and defeat of the attacking nations removes the only threat to the Antichrist’s authority and reign at that time allowing him then to do whatever he pleases without anyone being able to make war against him.
A third possibility is that the Antichrist’s supposed ability to transcend death as demonstrated by his counterfeit resurrection causes them to ask, "Who can make war against him?"
Antichrist will for a period of 3 ½ years (42 months) reign over the world as its unchallenged ruler. The intended response for which the worshippers of the beast are looking for in answer to their two rhetorical questions, "Who is like the beast?" and, "Who can make war against him?" is "No one!"
These questions are blasphemous as they use superlative language that is used of God and should be exclusively reserved for the worship of Him as the one and only God. The questions posed by the Antichrist’s worshippers demonstrate that they will attribute deity to him. The actual answer to the rhetorical questions of Revelation 13:4 is the Lord Jesus Christ who will manifest His sovereign power at His Second Coming and will cast the beast into the lake of fire. Until that time, the beast will be allowed to reign supreme.
Who will worship the beast? Every inhabitant of the earth, that is everyone whose name is not found written in the book of life, the registry in which God inscribed the names of those chosen for salvation before the foundation of the world. Everyone who does not belong to the Lamb who was slain in order that man might be redeemed will worship the beast. Every person in the tribulation who does not trust Christ as Savior will worship the beast. Everyone who refuses to love the truth and so be saved will worship the beast. Those whose names are in the book of life; those who do belong to the Lamb; those who are saved from having trusted Christ will not worship the beast.
III. The content of the beast’s speech will be proud and blasphemous (13:5-6).
Like Satan, his master, Antichrist will be an arrogant blasphemer. Blasphemy will not be incidental, but will be a key feature to the beast’s kingdom. Antichrist’s blasphemous speech will not be subtle, but will be done out in the open and intended for all to hear. His blasphemy will show utter contempt, disregard and irreverence toward God. He will oppose God in all he says. Consider Daniel’s prophecies about Antichrist in Daniel 11:36-37:
"The king will do as he pleases. He will exalt and magnify himself above every god and will say unheard-of things against the God of gods. He will be successful until the time of wrath is completed, for what has been determined must take place. He will show no regard for the gods of his fathers or for the one desired by women, nor will he regard any god, but will exalt himself above them all" (NIV).
Paul writes in 2 Thessalonians 2:4- "He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God" (NIV).
Antichrist’s blasphemies will include his speaking against God’s name (all He is, the summation of His attributes), God’s tabernacle (His abode in heaven where He dwells), and those who dwell in heaven (His people, both the redeemed saints and the holy angels).
Notice, neither Antichrist’s blasphemies nor his reign will last. His days will be numbered. He will have 1260 days, which is 42 months or 3 ½ years. The sovereign ruler of the universe has set a time limit in which he will allow the Antichrist to operate after which he will be judged for his proud, blasphemous rage against God. Yes, evil will have its way for a time, but God is in control of the evil doer. He will be resoundingly victorious over him.
IV. The Beast will have the capability to conquer the saints (13:7).
For the final 3 ½ years of the tribulation, Antichrist will exercise Satan given power to wage war with the saints all over the globe and to overcome them. According to God’s will, many tribulation believers among Jews and Gentiles will die as martyrs during what will be an unprecedented time of persecution, while other believers will be preserved from martyrdom in spite of the beasts attempts to eliminate them all.
I find it hard to even imagine how horrific the persecution of the tribulation saints will be. There have been empires in the past that have tried to realize worldwide dominance, but what these have tried to attain, the beast will be given. He will have authority over every tribe, people, language, and nation. Considering the beast’s worldwide authority and the fact that the people of God will be the only ones who refuse to worship him along with the fact that they will be viewed as a threat, the persecution that tribulation saints will endure will be horrendous. During the tribulation, there will be a worldwide slaughter of God’s people like no other in history (Revelation 6:9-11; 7:9-17; 17:6).
The prophet Daniel prophesied in Daniel 7:25- "He will speak against the Most High and oppress his saints and try to change the set times and laws. The saints will be handed over to him for a time, times and a half time" (NIV).
Yes, the saints have always, do always, and will always experience persecution for their faith in Christ until the Lord Jesus Christ sets up His rule. Remember, God controls the persecution. It will be allowed to last only 3 ½ years during the tribulation. The persecution will result in many, but not all tribulation saints being murdered. While Antichrist will successfully make war with the saints and overcome them, he cannot destroy their faith. He might be able to destroy them physically, but not spiritually. He will be able to take away physical life, but never spiritual life. Antichrist will be allowed to slaughter many of God’s people, but God will still be and always is in charge.
V. The beast’s captivity and killing of the saints will not go on without divine retribution (13:9-10).
John’s introduction of verse 9 with the words, "He who has an ear, let him hear" indicates that he is about to write of a matter of great importance which calls for careful attention. Christ uses the same phrase when addressing the churches in Revelation 2-3 except there, the additional phrase "what the spirit says to the churches" is added. It is significant that John does not here reference the churches. He doesn’t because they will have already been raptured. The warning John is about to give is for those who will be living during the time of the tribulation. It is not directed to the church.
The NIV’s translation of verse 10 can be misleading. This translation gives the impression that John’s intent is to warn tribulation saints to view their captivity and death as God’s will and sovereign plan. It gives the impression that they are being warned to depend on God’s providence and not take matters into their own hands by trying to fight or resist Antichrist.
The NASB gives a more literal and I believe accurate translation. It reads, "If anyone is destined for captivity, to captivity he goes; if anyone kills with the sword, with the sword he must be killed. Here is the perseverance and the faith of the saints."
The warning here is to the beast and those who follow him. The principle is that of divine retribution. Those who persecute the saints by putting them into captivity and killing them will in turn suffer the righteous wrath of God. In God’s ultimate triumph and judgment upon the wicked lies the patience and faith of the saints in their hour of persecution. The saints can endure the persecution because God will correct the wrongs done.
THE BEAST OUT OF THE EARTH
John saw a second beast coming out of the earth that he pictured as having two horns like a lamb and speaking as a dragon. We do not presently have any criteria for determining what the two horns might represent. However, it does seem clear by John’s description that the second beast will fit the bill of a false prophet. Like all of the false prophets who will precede him, he will appear to be a mild, harmless, and gentle sheep with religious character, but when he opens his mouth, it will betray what he really is as he will speak like a dragon (13:11). He will speak like a dragon because he will be the dragon Satan’s mouthpiece, speaking what he would have him to say to lure the world to worship the Antichrist.
Though he might want to appear harmless and gentle, the false prophet will not be without authority. In fact, he will have all the authority of the first beast and he will exercise it on his behalf to force the earth and its inhabitants (all unbelievers) to worship him. His efforts to promote Antichrist worship will be helped by the resurrection event in which the beast’s fatal wound is healed.
The false prophet will call fire down from heaven in the full view of men. God has often demonstrated His supernatural power by sending fire down from heaven. Probably the most familiar of these instances was the time he sent fire down from heaven which consumed Elijah’s sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and it also licked up the water in the trench around it. The LORD did this to demonstrate that He is God and that Baal and all other gods are false gods. The false prophet will perform a similar supernatural sign, but his will not be of God to direct people to worship God. His will be of Satan, designed to deceive people into worshiping Antichrist. His deception will work, as all of the inhabitants of the earth (referring to unbelievers) will be deceived into worshipping Antichrist. The only people who won’t worship are the elect who cannot be deceived (See Mark 13:22).
The most notable of the false prophet’s mighty signs will be his enabling an image, which he will order to be made in honor of the beast, to speak. The false prophet will somehow animate the image made in honor of Antichrist so that it will have the appearance of life, manifested by its being able to speak. It is unlikely that the false prophet will give the image life as the prerogative to give life to that which does not possess life is that of God alone. Whether there is a natural explanation of what the false prophet does to the image or whether some supernatural power is used to create the impression of life, it will convince all unbelievers to worship Antichrist as their god.
The authority of the first and second beast during their 42-month reign of terror will be exercised in their sentencing to death all those who fail to worship the beast. While this sentence will lead to many being martyred, not all saints will in fact be killed. It’s one thing to put out a decree, but it will not be possible for Antichrist and the false prophet to carry it out to its fullest extent.
As part of the program to enforce the worship of Antichrist, the false prophet will require all unbelievers to receive a mark.
All classes of people (no matter their status, possessions, or state in society) who worship the beast will be forced to receive a mark on their right hand or forehead. This identification will be required for all buying and selling. The mark contained the number of the beast or the number of his name. The number is given as 666. Since special wisdom is related to the understanding of the significance of this number, many attempts have been made to explain its significance.
It has been traced to many individuals, especially Roman emperors, or others who have mistreated God’s people. It is traced to these individuals by numerical equivalence of the letters (Hebrew, Latin, and Greek) in their names being added up to equal 666.
"Beast" is used 36 X in Revelation. Add up 1 to 36 and it equals 666.
6 is viewed as the number of man (created on the 6th day). 3 being the number of perfection, 3 6s would be totally man, or the complete embodiment of humanity.
Others have traced it in numerous ways to the social security registration, the credit card system, tattoos, the bar code system, and the computer microchip system.
While it is clear that the mark is an indicator of those who will follow and worship the beast, the specific significance of the number 666 is not clear today. It will be obvious to God’s people at the time of its fulfillment. They will recognize its implications and refuse to be so identified with Satan’s program.
What are the implications for us today?