Revelation 13

The First Beast

12:18 The dragon takes his stand on the seashore.

1-4 A beast with 10 horns bearing 10 crowns and 7 heads bearing blasphemous names rises out of the sea. It looks like a leopard with a bear’s feet and a lion’s mouth. The dragon has given it his power. One of the heads has received a mortal wound but has healed. The whole earth follows the beast and worships the dragon. This is similar to the monster described in Daniel 7:17,23 and Daniel 2, which refers to the world powers of Babylon, Persia, Macedonia, and Rome. This beast symbolizes all opposition to the church. Those who reject God follow the beast, a representative of Satan. The mortal wound on its head could refer either to the death of Nero whose evil ways were resurrected in Domitian, or to the blow Satan took at the resurrection of Christ, after which he has healed and resumed his opposition to Christ’s body, the church.

5-9 The beast, who speaks haughty and blasphemous words, has authority for 42 months. It blasphemes God and those who dwell in heaven and is allowed to make war on and conquer the saints. It has authority over all whose names are not in the Book of Life. If you have an ear to listen, listen. If you want to be taken captive or killed by the sword, it will happen. This is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints. The 42 months is also mentioned in 11:2; 11:3; 12:6; and 12:14.

11-18 Another beast with two horns and the voice of a dragon rises out of the earth. It makes earthlings worship the first beast and performs signs on behalf of the first beast, deceiving earthlings, giving breath to the image of the beast, so it can condemn to death those who don’t worship it. It causes all – from small to great, free or slave – to be marked with its name or number. Those not marked are not allowed to buy or sell. A person with wisdom can calculate the number; it’s the number of a person: 666. From Vision of Victory: 666 represents all those who exalt themselves against God. In Biblical numerology, 7 stands for perfection. The number 6 falls short three times over. All human systems and efforts antagonistic to God and His Son will fail, will fall short.