Revelation 13:1-18

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 worshiped the dragon because he had given authority to the beast, and they also worshiped 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. 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 honor 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. 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 really does not need any further explanation because it is so crystal clear, Amen? Just joking!!!

In Chapters Twelve and Thirteen we are entering into the second half of the Tribulation period. Chapter Twelve gives us a recap of the great conflict of the ages, bringing us up to date. Satan and God were in conflict before the human race was ever created in the Garden of Eden.  For some unknown reason, Satan thinks of himself on equal terms with God - even though he was created by God. Before the creation of humankind in the Garden of Eden, the Bible demonstrates that there has been an ongoing conflict between good and evil. Presently, this conflict is over the will and the soul of mankind – will we obey God or will we obey Satan and our own fleshly desires? Mankind is constantly battling Satan, sin and self, Amen?    

Satan uses the principal forms of government and religion to deceive human beings about God. He is a vicious adversary that loves to see us fall – just as he did. Since after the flood, humanity has had a running romance with Governments. Yet instead of doing them good, governments have been a principal cause of much anguish and suffering to the present day. In the twentieth century alone more people have been murdered, starved, or imprisoned by government than the rest of human history put together – 160 - 180 million people have been killed. Satan has been behind almost all of these plundering governments that held no regard for life. Clearly, Satan has no regard for life either. It is his desire for all to have his horrible end.

In these two Chapters we come to another parenthetical section – which does not advance the narrative – rather introduces seven primary characters  which all play roles in the second half of the Great Tribulation.  They are: (1) the woman, representing Israel; (2) the dragon, representing Satan; (3) a male child, referring to Christ; (4) Michael, representing the angels; (5) The offspring of the woman – representing the Jewish people – the remnant of the woman’s seed; (6) the beast out of the sea, the world dictator, also known as the Antichrist; (7) the beast out of the earth, also known as the false prophet. Around all these main characters swirls the tremendously moving scene of the Great Tribulation. Chapter Twelve is the most symbolic chapter in Revelation which is the most symbolic book in the Bible. We will briefly discuss these seven personages and seek to relate them to what is actually transpiring on earth in an effort to get a better grasp of Revelation.

In Verses 1-2 of Chapter 12, the word sign appears for the first time in the book of Revelation which is indicative that the woman is not to be taken as a literal woman rather represents something else. The fact that this woman is clothed with the sun and with the moon under her feet is illuminating. These light conveying objects are symbolic of Israel as God’s light-bearer to humankind. They were to be a light pointing to Him. The woman introduced as Israel is consistent with Old Testament teaching where Israel is frequently introduced as the wife of Yahweh – yet sadly, often her character is portrayed as being unfaithful to her husband. His Israelite Godly remnant of 144,000 is portrayed as standing true to God during the Great Tribulation. The woman described is an allusion to Genesis 37:9-11 about the dream Joseph had had regarding Jacob and Rachel – identifying the woman with the fulfillment of  the Abrahamic covenant. The twelve stars on her head are the  twelve patriarchs – the twelve tribes of Israel. Regarding Joseph’s dream, Genesis 37:9-11 (NIV) tells us.

9 Then he had another dream, and he told it to his brothers. “Listen,” he said, “I had another dream, and this time the sun and moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me.” 10 When he told his father as well as his brothers, his father rebuked him and said, “What is this dream you had? Will your mother and I and your brothers actually come and bow down to the ground before you?” 11 His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the matter in mind. 

Next mentioned in Verses 3-4 of Chapter 12, is an enormous red dragon having seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on its head. John states in Revelation 12:9 explicitly that this dragon is the devil or adversary or Satan. Satan is the adversary of all God’s children and has always sought to discredit the saints before God. The color red may indicate his murderous characteristics and the bloodshed related to this period. The seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns are symbolic of the evil government that will occur during the Great Tribulation. This is also mentioned in Daniel 7:19-25 (NIV):

19 “Then I wanted to know the true meaning of the fourth beast, which was different from all the others and most terrifying, with its iron teeth and bronze claws--the beast that crushed and devoured its victims and trampled underfoot whatever was left. 20 I also wanted to know about the ten horns on its head and about the other horn that came up, before which three of them fell--the horn that looked more imposing than the others and that had eyes and a mouth that spoke boastfully. 21 As I watched, this horn was waging war against the saints and defeating them, 22 until the Ancient of Days came and pronounced judgment in favor of the saints of the Most High, and the time came when they possessed the kingdom. 23 He gave me this explanation: ‘The fourth beast is a fourth kingdom that will appear on earth.  It will be different from all the other kingdoms and will devour the whole earth, trampling it down and crushing it. 24 The ten horns are ten kings who will come from this kingdom.  After them another king will arise, different from the earlier ones; he will subdue three kings. 25 He will speak against the Most High and oppress his saints and try to change the set times and the laws. The saints will be handed over to him for a time, times and half a time.” 

The sweeping away of a third of the stars in heaven depicts Satan’s control over a third of the angels who rebelled against God and helped the adversary carry out his evil schemes. Scripture tells us that there are millions of angels, so the devil controls an extraordinary multitude.

In Verses 5-6 of Chapter 12, we see the birth of a Son – which, of course is a reference to Jesus’s advent as a baby in Bethlehem. His rule of all nations with an iron rod refers to the millennial kingdom in which He will reign over the earth with His people for a thousand years. This is the reign that the Jewish nation so anticipates and will be the fulfillment of much prophecy which we already addressed. The Child being caught up to God and to His throne pictures the ascension of Christ. In verse 6 we see the woman’s (Israel’s) nourishment in the wilderness for 1,260 days depicting God’s protection of Israel during the second half of the tribulation – three and a half years. It will be during this time that many Jews will receive Jesus as their Savior – thanks to the 144,000 witnesses – and this will serve to hasten Christ’s second coming. 

In Verses 7-9 of Chapter 12, we discover Michael and his angels (that is, the holy angels) fighting against Satan and the evil angels associated with him, resulting with Satan and his hordes being thrown out of heaven. The time is not indicated but the context refers to the end times. The description of Satan in verse 9 is significant in that all of his important titles are given: “the dragon”, a term that also applies to the empire that he dominates in the end times; “that ancient serpent”, a reference to the Garden of Eden and the temptation of Eve; “devil”, which means “defamer” or “slanderer”, the master accuser of believers; and Satan, meaning “adversary”. Since his removal from heaven Satan’s chief strategy has been to act as the one who deceives the whole world. He cannot win spiritual battles by exerting authority because he has been defeated on the cross. He has to win by deception, influencing our thinking through spiritual and worldly means.  We allow Satan to achieve victories in our lives when we act on that deception rather than rejecting it as a lie. Given Satan’s all-out opposition to God, it is fitting that the Greek construction of verse 7 indicates that the dragon in his presumption will start this war. This event marks the beginning of the Great Tribulation – the second half of the seven year period.

From this point on in Revelation, Satan and his hosts are excluded from the third heaven and the presence of God. Satan had had access to God’s throne prior to this and he used that access to accuse the saints on earth as he did in the Book of Job. Satan is not free to act on earth without God’s permissive will. While he and his demonic force are no longer able to come before God’s throne, they maintain a temporary dominion over the second heaven (outer space) and the first heaven (the sky). Satan’s defeat in heaven, however, is the occasion for him to be cast down to earth and explains the particular horror and horrific effects of the Great Tribulation. Satan is now limited in the sphere of his operation. A major step is taken in his ultimate defeat. Again, his fall begins the Great Tribulation.

In Verses 10-12 of Chapter 12, John heard a hymn of praise uttered by a loud voice in heaven. While the loud voice is not identified, support leans towards the martyred saints in heaven as they are mentioned in Revelation 6:10 as crying out with a loud voice. Also, the statement “the accuser of our brothers” would seem to eliminate angels and indicate believers in heaven. The loud voice may very well be the shout of triumph of the tribulation saints longing for and anticipating their ultimate victory.  The kingdom that is announced is the millennial kingdom when Christ will reign on earth. Coupled with this, is the power and authority of Christ.  Satan was characterized as the one who accuses believers before our God day and night. The principle by which he was overcome and cast out of heaven was the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony. Not only did Christ provide the victory, but also those who were martyred took part in that victory. Those in the heavens were called on to rejoice because of Satan’s defeat, but the earth was warned that the devil was filled with fury, because he knew that his time was short. The devil was aware that his time was limited to 1,260 days, the period of the Great Tribulation. 

In Verses 13-16 of Chapter 12, Satan immediately turns his anger towards the woman (Israel) and she becomes the special object of his persecution. Again, this is the second half of the tribulation called the “Great Tribulation” which will be a time unequaled in horror, experiencing Satan’s greatest fury. Satan can read Revelation as well as we can. He knows that he will be locked up for a thousand years following Christ’s return during the His millennial reign. This reality will prompt him to take full advantage of his final forty - two months of freedom to wreak havoc on Israel and the world. His goal is to destroy Israel rendering God’s Word false – big mistake!  

Satan comes against Israel (the woman) with wild fury. His desire is to do anything that will thwart God’s work. God gives Israel (the woman) supernatural help symbolized by the two wings of a great eagle which enable her to fly to the place prepared for her in the desert providing for her supernatural care as in manna in the wilderness. Water is depicted to be spewed from the serpent’s mouth like a river flowing after the woman (Israel) to sweep her away. More than likely the water is symbolic. Again, God intervenes demonstrating a broader principal for all who trust in Him.  We discover God acting most powerfully in the context of our being totally overwhelmed, Amen?. Think the Red Sea, think Shadrach Meshach and Abednego, think Sarah conceiving at 90!  When we are in situations far beyond our abilities He often does the most miraculous. We must trust in His timing and His faithfulness to bring about good in every circumstance. Always trust in Him. He has our best interest at heart. “We do not what to do,” King Jehoshaphat prayed, “but our eyes are fixed on you” (2 Chronicles 20:12B) is a good prayer for His saints to pray when in doubt of direction and power in our troubles. God’s divine intervention thwarts Satan’s persecution in the life of God’s saints. Trust Him. Call on Him and cling to Him. 

In the last verse of Chapter 12 Verse 17, we discover the dragon (Satan) being furious and went off to make on the rest of God’s people. The Godly remnant of Israel is identified by their faith. Oh, that modern day believers would be so identified as well! All those who name the name of Jesus Christ. While the program of the adversary is against the Jewish race as such, anti-Semitism as a whole will reach its peak against Jewish believers during this period. There is a double antagonism against those in Israel who turn to Christ as their Messiah and Savior in those critical days and maintain a faithful witness. Certainly many of them will suffer a martyr’s death yet other will survive the period, including the 144,000 sealed in Chapter Seven.

Chapter 13 Verses 1-2, opens with the dragon eerily standing on the shore of the sea.  This Chapter completes the description of an unholy trinity that John began in 12:3.  The three members of this bogus trinity are the devil (depicted as a dragon); the Antichrist (depicted as a beast from the sea); and the false prophet (depicted as a beast from the earth).  The sea depicting people, multitudes and nations – representing Gentiles.  The setting is the second half of the tribulation during which the Antichrist will oppose Israel after appearing to be its ally during the first half.  

The Chapter opens presenting a most important personage of the end times – a beast coming out of the sea. This character is of central importance to the events of the Great Tribulation. His 10 horns and 7 heads, with 10 crowns on his horns, depict the fourth beast of Daniel, which also had 10 horns. This figure will blaspheme the names of God signified by the blasphemous names on its head an indication of their blasphemous opposition to God and to His Christ. The beast is the world ruler. The power of the beast was derived from Satan himself: the dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and his great authority. The fact that the beast comes out from the sea indicates that he is a Gentile, for the sea of humanity is involved as his source. Again this is the final three and one-half years before Christ’s second coming to set up His millennial kingdom. Under the control of this central ruler in the Middle East during the Great Tribulation will be 10 nations – the 10 horns are the 10 kings with 10 crowns on their heads. This represent a 10 nation confederacy hat he will rule.  

The Antichrist will be a human monster. He is described as a predator like a leopard; with feet like a bear; and a mouth like a lion. He is a killer who hunts, tramples and roars. History has known monsters in the persons of Hitler, Stalin, Lenin and Mao among others. The reason they are classified as such is that they sought to exterminate people en masse. This is precisely what the Antichrist will seek to do with Israel (and all believers in Jesus as well) – his authority coming directly from Satan.

In Verses 3-4 of Chapter 13, we discover the Antichrist will “appear” to have been fatally wounded, but the fatal wound will be healed. This will lead to the amazement of the whole earth and they begin to follow him.  As they do, he will direct their worship toward the devil. The mass worship of the devil can seem bizarre and even unthinkable to us but whenever a culture turns their backs on God and dismisses Him, it will always result in going to the lowest level. Think of Noah’s time as well as Sodom and Gomorrah. The Antichrist will seize the opportunity of the spiritual depravity and inspire worship of himself and of Satan.     

Since God is the Giver of life it seems strange that Satan actually heals the ruler. One plausible explanation of the fatal wound that was healed is that the final world ruler receives a wound which normally would be fatal but is not and is miraculously healed by Satan. While the resurrection of a dead person seems to be beyond Satan’s power, the healing of a wound would be possible for Satan, and this may be the explanation. The important point is that the final world ruler comes into power obviously supported by a supernatural and miraculous deliverance by Satan himself. The final form of apostasy is not simply the worship of some pagan deity but the worship of the one behind all pagan deities – Satan himself. His desire since his fall has been to be “like God” – Isaiah 14:13-14 tells us:
13 You said in your heart, “I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. 14 I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.” 

The unbelieving world of people during the Great Tribulation will worship the Satan and his beast. It seems so unbelievable to us but their deluded minds will mislead them. That is why I am always telling you all to take everything back to God’s Word – it is to be your guide for all of life. It will keep us from being duped by the schemes of the devil. The beast is Satan’s substitute for Christ as King of kings and Lord of lords, and the world falls for the deception.

Of course, the answer to the question posed at the end of Verse 4 – “Who is like the beast? Who can make war against him?” is none other than Jesus Christ Himself manifested in His power at His second coming, when He will throw the beast into the lake of burning fire. Until that time, the beast is allowed to reign and fulfill his place in His-story.

In Verses 5-6 of Chapter 13, we discover more of the evil character of the world ruler of that day demonstrated by his constant boasting and blasphemy. His authority continues for forty-two months – the three and a half years of the Great Tribulation. It is evident that blasphemy is not an incidental feature of his kingdom rather one of its main features as he is described in Verse 6 as blaspheming against God and everyone and everything associated with God. Indeed, he is Satan’s mouthpiece and utters the ultimate in unbelief and irreverence in relation to God. 

In Verse 7 of Chapter 13, the worldwide extent of the power of the beast is indicated having power over every tribe, people, language and nation. Certainly not a pleasant time on this earth to say the least! He was given the power to make war upon the saints and to conquer them. Countless rulers in the past have had the dream of conquering the world and it is finally achieved by this Gentile ruler aided by Satan’s power. This is the satanic counterfeit of Christ’s millennial reign – permitted by God in this final display of the evil of Satan and evil humanity. Again, the beast is Satan’s tool and he uses him to make war against God’s people throughout the globe and to overcome them. Many believers in Christ among both the Jews and Gentiles will die as martyrs during this awful time of trial while others are preserved in spite of all the beast can do. If the thought of a world ruler with such sweeping power and authority seems farfetched, think of Hitler. If not for a series of providential interventions, he might have achieved the goal of world domination.  Hitler was not the Antichrist, but he was an antichrist. And his near conquest of the world makes an actual conquest by this future leader seem less implausible.

In Verse 8 of Chapter 13, we discover that only believers in Jesus will refuse to worship the Antichrist. All else will worship him, Scripture states, except those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life. They belong to the Lamb slain from the creation of the world. The verse implies that God the Father reckoned the death of Jesus to humans as righteousness before the foundation of the world. 

Verses 9 and 10 of Chapter 13, begin with an exhortation to take heed – to listen up – to have ears to hear and eyes to see. The invitation to hear emphasizes the great importance of what is being revealed. The exhortation is given to anyone in the world who will listen. Reinforcing the exhortation is the warning of the sovereign justice of God that will be brought to bear upon this horrific scene of evil. Described here is the law of divine retribution. Those who persecute the saints and lead them into captivity must in turn suffer the righteous wrath of God. The endurance and faith of the saints in their hour of trial is found in the ultimate triumph and judgment upon evil people. Revelation 13:1-10 predicts a future world government that will cover the entire world. This government will be empowered by Satan and its primary objective will be forcing the whole world to worship Him and his human representative, the world dictator.  Satan’s purpose is to take the place of God in the great tribulation and is the motivating power behind Satan’s activities today. Satan’s desire is to be like God. That has always been his desire since his fall from heaven.  His program has never changed and he is always seeking to lure people to obey him rather than God. In the Great Tribulation this purpose will be perfectly clear and after its manifestation it will at last be brought into divine judgement.

The tribulation period will be an extremely difficult period for the followers of the Lord Jesus remaining on the earth. Everyone refusing to worship the beast will be under a sentence of captivity and death though not every soul that follows Jesus then will die. The heightened cost of discipleship at that time will make it much less desirable to be saved then than it is now. Extreme persecution will call for endurance and faithfulness from the saints.

In Verses 11-12 of Chapter 13, we are now introduced to the false prophet.  John sees a second beast rising from the earth and having a secondary role of supporting the activities of the first beast. These beasts are similar in nature – the Greek word for “another” means “one of the same kind.” If the sea represents the mass of Gentile humanity, indicating the first beast’s racial background, the reference to the second beast indicates that this character, who is later descried as a false prophet, is a creature of the earth rather than heaven. He is pictured as having two horns like a lamb which appears to indicate that he has a religious character, a conclusion supported by his being called a prophet. The fact that he speaks like a dragon indicates that he is motivated by the power of Satan, who is “the dragon”. The second beast is a supporting character to the first beast and he exercises his authority. The second beast is the head of the apostate church. 

This second beast and the false prophet, completes the unholy trinity, which imitates the work of the Holy Trinity. Within the Godhead, the Father seeks worship; the Son gives glory to the Father, and the Holy Spirit gives glory to the Son. Here, Satan seeks worship for himself; the first beast glorifies Satan; and the second beast glorifies the first. Specifically, this second beast compels the earth and those who live on it to worship the first beast. Additionally, he will supposedly “heal” the Antichrist’s fatal wound, imitating the work of God through the Holy Spirit of raising Christ from the dead. Paul writes in Romans 8:11:
11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you. 

In Verses 13-15A of Chapter 13 we discover the first miracle accomplished by the false prophet described as one of many signs he is able to perform.  Every tribal witch doctor, false religious teacher, and false prophet has tried by magic, voodoo, trickery or any other demonic power to deceive people by a display of supernaturalism.  Never blindly follow the miracles alone.  Make sure  the miracle worker does not go against the revealed will of God in His Word rather lines up with it.  Deuteronomy 13:1-4 tells us:
1 If a prophet, or one who foretells by dreams, appears among you and announces to you a miraculous sign or wonder, 2 and if the sign or wonder of which he has spoken takes place, and he says, “Let us follow other gods” (gods you have not known) “and let us worship them,” 3 you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer. The LORD your God is testing you to find out whether you love him with all your heart and with all your soul. 4 It is the LORD your God you must follow, and him you must revere. 

Remember Pharaoh’s magicians did their “secret arts” to mimic Moses’ acts. Just because someone can work a miracle does not make him worthy of following. World religions are bound by superstition. Always take what you see and hear back to God’s Word before making it a belief or core value. The miracle is to point to Christ.  It is only through the blood of Jesus Christ that we are given perfect peace and great confidence before the Throne of God as we are clothed in Christ’s righteousness. And it is only Christ Who can change the leanings of the human heart causing us to go forth in a totally new direction through His power and for His glory.  

Lastly, in Verses 15B-18 of Chapter 13 tells us that the false prophet will also force everyone on earth to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead to signify allegiance to the Antichrist. Without this mark, a person will not be permitted to engage in commerce of any kind. The mark will contain the number 666 which is the number of the Antichrist. Six is the number of man contrasting with seven which is the number of God. The repetition of the number six stand for Satan, the Antichrist and the false prophet. It will only be by the grace and power of God that those who do not have this mark are able to survive and function in a world under their influence. The centralized government control of trade will be the economics of the Antichrist.

These are Beth’s personal notes, due to this fact sources are not often stated.