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Revelation Study

By Rev. Richard Puckett

Text and Reference from Parson's QuickVerse and there helps, Pictures from through out the Internet not for resale!!!!

Chapter 13

The Beast from the Sea

(Rev 13:1 KJV) And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.

Rev 13:1: (vv. 1-3) The appearance of the beast rising out of the sea is the same figure as Daniel's fourth beast (Dan. 7:7, 24-27). Dan 7:7 After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns. Dan 7:24 And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings. Dan 7:25 And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time. Dan 7:26 But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end. Dan 7:27 And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him. A revival of the ancient Roman Empire, greatly expanded, is in view. In ch. 17 the scarlet woman sits upon this beast and is said to have seven heads which are seven mountains, a clear allusion to Rome. This revived western confederacy combines the characteristics of the Babylonian, Medo- Persian, and Macedonian empires. One of the heads is wounded, obviously fatally; yet the wound has been healed (v. 3), and the head is miraculously revived. As the chapter proceeds, the description of the beast becomes more personal. The Antichrist himself will sit at the helm of this coalition. Verses 1-10. The apostle, standing on the shore, saw a savage beast rise out of the sea; a tyrannical, idolatrous, persecuting power, springing up out of the troubles which took place. It was a frightful monster! It appears to mean that worldly, oppressing dominion, which for many ages, even from the times of the Babylonish captivity, had been hostile to the church. The first beast then began to oppress and persecute the righteous for righteousness' sake, but they suffered most under the fourth beast of Daniel, (the Roman empire,) which has afflicted the saints with many cruel persecutions. The source of its power was the dragon. It was set up by the devil, and supported by him. The wounding the head may be the abolishing pagan idolatry; and the healing of the wound, introducing popish idolatry, the same in substance, only in a new dress, but which as effectually answers the devil's design. The world admired its power, policy and success. They paid honour and subjection to the devil and his instruments. It exercised infernal power and policy, requiring men to render that honour to creatures which belongs to God alone. Yet the devil's power and success are limited. Christ has a chosen remnant, redeemed by his blood, recorded in his book, sealed by his Spirit; and though the devil and antichrist may overcome the body, and take away the natural life, they cannot conquer the soul, nor prevail with true believers to forsake their Saviour, and join his enemies. Perseverance in the faith of the gospel and true worship of God, in this great hour of trial and temptation, which would deceive all but the elect, is the character of those registered in the book of life. This powerful motive and encouragement to constancy, is the great design of the whole Revelation.

13:1-18 EVIL AND SUFFERING, Satan-- Satan often works through earthly authority. When he uses human rulers, they generally manifest great pride and even claim to be God. To worship such human authorities-- political or religious-- is to worship Satan and to face eternal punishment. To refuse to obey such earthly powers is to face economic loss and persecution, but it is also to gain eternal rewards. God's people must endure such evil leadership in faith and patience. Evil powers may amaze with their authority and signs. Eventually they lose all power. John used symbols and number systems known to his readers to identify the specific beast to whom he referred. We do not have a sure key to his identification system.

13:1-10 CHRISTIAN ETHICS, Church and State-- Political powers may blasphemously usurp power over governments. In so doing they oppose God and will eventually submit to His authority. Political power is not sufficient reason for a person to be worshipped. Patient endurance may be the disciple's only course of action when government authorities exercise beastly power under Satan's control.

13:1-10 LAST THINGS, Great Tribulation-- The beast rising out of the sea is often identified as the antichrist of 1 John and 2 John and the man of lawlessness of 2 Thessalonians. The dragon of Rev 12 is identified as Satan (v 9) and in this passage as the one giving power and authority to the beast (v 2). The final uprising of evil finds consummate expression in the figure who is referred to by a variety of terminology and imagery. The beast out of the sea has a second beast (13:11-17) who promotes it as the object of worship by the use of oppressive measures. The middle figure of the trio of dragon, beast from the sea, and beast from the earth corresponds to antichrist. Dispensationalists generally identify the ten horns and seven heads as various world rulers who come together in support of the beast. Historical premillennialists generally withhold judgment as to their end time identity, believing this will be clear at the proper time. Amillennialists interpret the text figuratively to refer to worldly and Satanic powers that threaten the church in all ages. John used the animal symbolism of Da 7 to describe powers threatening the church and to call for patient endurance. Worship belongs to God and to no other power.

(Rev 13:2 KJV) And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.

I see here a beast that has the beauty of a leopard and the strong tough feet of a bear, (an able warrior), and a mouth that has a devastating effect on all that comes in its path. I believe that once again that this is not to represent any one country but to show the attitude of the world and world leaders. We see it all around us today as our countries form allegiances and destroy one another with no regard for right or wrong but power. We have already had two world wars that fit this very well and are on the verge of war each day. Notice that Satan gave the power, notice the sin here is one of compromise, one of the desires for wealth and power, our leaders have great army's but are they of God? Is the bombs, the gold, the alcohol, the drugs, the mansions, the fast flashy cars, the stealing, the lying, the sex, the beautiful churches with no presence of God, his will?

(Rev 13:3 KJV) And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.

I wonder if this could be describing what happened to the US at Pearl Harbor, or Japan, or even Germany, or maybe Israel? How often one of the world powers has almost died just to be brought back to life to destroy each other. The power of the devil brings and artificial life that is only good while it is on life support, but we through Christ have life in him for ever.

(Rev 13:4 KJV) And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?

(Rev 13:5 KJV) And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.

As with all nations or people that receive power it soon goes to the head and they began to get cocky and prideful and think they have done great things. Oh how foolish, we are nothing.

13:5-10 HISTORY, Judgment-- God allows the evil forces of Satan to exercise control and inflict judgment, but their time of power has been limited by Him long before they gain power. God controls time and eternity. Satan does not. God's saints must endure such difficult times with patience and faith.

(Rev 13:6 KJV) And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.

Mat 12:31 Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.
Mat 12:32 And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.
Mat 12:33 Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit.
Mark 7:21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,
Mark 7:22 Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:
Mark 7:23 All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.
Rev 2:9 I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.
James 2:6 But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?
James 2:7 Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?

The beast is Satan but Satan or the beast does not always appear in the forms that are ugly or what we expect it to look like. In the Bible beast sometimes meat cattle or other animals, I think the beast is around us each day and is in the appearance of people we think are friends, co-workers and movie stars any one that is not of God is of the Beast.

(Rev 13:7 KJV) And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.

How many people seem to rise up against Gods people. The church is in war now with the powers of sin and evil of nation and group on earth.

Eph 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

(Rev 13:8 KJV) And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

Mat 12:30 He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.

Either with God and the Spirit of God dwells in you are you are with Satan and his spirit is in you. Either your name is in the book or it's not.

13:8 JESUS CHRIST, Lamb of God-- Jesus' sacrificial death was part of God's eternal plan to create His faithful people who would not worship Satan.

(Rev 13:9 KJV) If any man have an ear, let him hear.

(Rev 13:10 KJV) He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.

The promise of real victory for the Christian is the knowing that we are in Christ and he dwells in us. And that the enemy is already defeated, they may use the weapons of this world against us but the very tools they use will destroy them that comes against Gods people.

The Beast from the Earth

(Rev 13:11 KJV) And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.

Satan may look like a lamb but if you listen his mouth gives away his heart. Listen to those that call them selves Christians, do the sound like Christ or the Devil, Do they look like Christ or the Beast?

Rev 13:11: (vv. 11-18) From the earth there arises a second beast characterized by deceit, having two horns like a lamb but speaking like a dragon (it is not as powerful as the first beast with 10 horns). This beast, the False Prophet, is the world leader of an apostate religion. The vile False Prophet lends his persuasive deception and the power of religion in order to deify the first beast (v. 12). A devastating union of church and state occurs in which the False Prophet employs miracles to seduce the allegiance of men to the Antichrist. Economic boycott follows as the crowning procedure of coercion. Rather than a name, this beast is given a number, 666, indicating the thorough, permeating evil which is in his heart (v. 18). Verses 11-18. Those who understand the first beast to denote a worldly power, take the second to be also a persecuting and assumed power, which acts under the disguise of religion, and of charity to the souls of men. It is a spiritual dominion, professing to be derived from Christ, and exercised at first in a gentle manner, but soon spake like the dragon. Its speech betrayed it; for it gives forth those false doctrines and cruel decrees, which show it to belong to the dragon, and not to the Lamb. It exercised all the power of the former beast. It pursues the same design, to draw men from worshipping the true God, and to subject the souls of men to the will and control of men. The second beast has carried on its designs, by methods whereby men should be deceived to worship the former beast, in the new shape, or likeness made for it. By lying wonders, pretended miracles. And by severe censures. Also by allowing none to enjoy natural or civil rights, who will not worship that beast which is the image of the pagan beast. It is made a qualification for buying and selling, as well as for places of profit and trust, that they oblige themselves to use all their interest, power, and endeavour, to forward the dominion of the beast, which is meant by receiving his mark. To make an image to the beast, whose deadly wound was healed, would be to give form and power to his worship, or to require obedience to his commands. To worship the image of the beast, implies being subject to those things which stamp the character of the picture, and render it the image of the beast. The number of the beast is given, so as to show the infinite wisdom of God, and to exercise the wisdom of men. The number is the number of a man, computed after the usual manner among men, and it is 666. What or who is intended by this, remains a mystery. To almost every religious dispute this number has yet been applied, and it may reasonably be doubted whether the meaning has yet been discovered. But he who has wisdom and understanding, will see that all the enemies of God are numbered and marked out for destruction; that the term of their power will soon expire, and that all nations shall submit to our King of righteousness and peace.

(Rev 13:12 KJV) And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.

(Rev 13:13 KJV) And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,

Many are deceived by the great wonders and the since of the world.

1 Tim 6:20 O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called:
1 Tim 6:21 Which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen.

13:13-16 MIRACLE, Evil-- The evil beast in John's vision was enabled to perform signs for deceptive purposes. Satan himself is reckoned as the source of the power. The sign was not of redemption but of destruction-- fire from heaven. The life given to the image was evil life-- enabled to destroy those who refused to worship the beast. See note on 2 Th 2:9-10.

(Rev 13:14 KJV) And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.

(Rev 13:15 KJV) And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.

(Rev 13:16 KJV) And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:

(Rev 13:17 KJV) And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

(Rev 13:18 KJV) Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.

Gen 4:15 And the LORD said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the LORD set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him.
Job 7:20 I have sinned; what shall I do unto thee, O thou preserver of men? why hast thou set me as a mark against thee, so that I am a burden to myself?
Job 7:21 And why dost thou not pardon my transgression, and take away mine iniquity? for now shall I sleep in the dust; and thou shalt seek me in the morning, but I shall not be.
Ezek 9:4 And the LORD said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof.

4 a mark upon the foreheads - The mark was reserved for those who were true worshipers (Rev. 13:16; 14:1, 9), who believed in Yahweh; this echoes the Passover, at which the mark on the door signaled faith (Exod. 12:7-13). The mark was the letter tau which looks like an X. While some would like to associate the name of Christ (Xristos) with that mark, this seems unlikely (Alexander). Although the mark on the foreheads of the faithful in Revelation 13:16 and 14:1, 9 is the name of Christ, John may have drawn on the imagery in Ezekiel when writing Revelation (Carley). In the Middle East today, special markings of ink are placed on sheep to designate them for slaughter. Here the mark has the opposite meaning. sigh and . . . cry - Those marked were those who were distressed at the apostasy (Eichrodt).

I believe the mark is physical only in the sense that people see us for what we are and not we claim to be. Our compromise with sin shows the world who and what we are in the heart. How many Christian wives's pick up beer for there husbands, or lie to protect a child, or cheat on taxes or lie about paying tithes? There is a lot of fruit that looks good on the outside but is rotten beneath the skin, yet as the last days are upon us the skin is loosing its contour, and we are known for what we are. We may hide what we are for a while but people will know us for what we are. There may come a time where there is a physical mark is placed upon people, Hitler did it during the war, so it can happen again. Yet the mark is upon us now, there are few things hidden, whose mark is upon you?

13:18 LAST THINGS, Great Tribulation-- "The beast'' refers to the same personage as the antichrist, a figure frequently associated with a future great tribulation time. See notes on 1 Jn 2:18; 2 Jn 7. A symbolic number, 666, refers to this personage. Many have sought the meaning or identity by assigning numerical values to the letters of the alphabet to find a name or title which totals 666. Names in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin have all been used in this quest. Others are less specific in their search, allowing a more general symbolism by which six represents fallen humanity raised to the third power, hence, a person of ultimate wickedness. Still others seek meaning along the lines of a trinity of sixes, corresponding to Satan, the beast out of the sea, and the beast out of the earth (Rev 13:1-10,11-17), an unholy trinity of ultimate evil.