Rev 13:1 And I saw a beast rising out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads, with ten diadems on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads.

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1 121 Revelation: Chapter 13 Continuing from chapter 12:17 And he stood on the sand of the sea (ESV). Some English versions say he while others say I. Interlinear: I. Who had power over these? See 10:5. Rev 13:1 And I saw a beast rising out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads, with ten diadems on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads. sea- Isa 57:20 But the wicked are like the tossing sea; for it cannot be quiet, and its waters toss up mire and dirt. 21 There is no peace," says my God, "for the wicked." Jud 1:12 These are hidden reefs at your love feasts, as they feast with you without fear, shepherds feeding themselves; waterless clouds, swept along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted; 13 wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever. These are humanity without God, restless, Satan s reinforcements. Satan is the enemy; his earthly agent, the beast (Caesar), who came from such restlessness, now carries out the war against the saints. Dan 7:7 After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, terrifying and dreadful and exceedingly strong. It had great iron teeth; it devoured and broke in pieces and stamped what was left with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns. Dan 7:25 He shall speak words against the Most High and shall wear out the saints of the Most High, and shall think to change the times and the law; and they shall be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time. ten horns- ten kings (17:12) ten diadems- these are given authority as kings. seven heads- seven mountains (authorities/ Caesars) (17:10) blasphemous names - the emperors were deified on the coinage after death. Some, such as Domition, wanted to be addressed as Lord Caesar while alive ( Caesar is God ). 2 Thes. 2:3-12 (The Eternal Kingdom- F.W. Mattox, pg. 65) Rev 13:2 And the beast that I saw was like a leopard; its feet were like a bear's, and its mouth was like a lion's mouth. And to it the dragon gave his power and his throne and great authority. leopard- swift/ ferocious. (like the Greeks- Dan. 7:6) feet of a bear- voracious/greedy. (like the Medo-Persians- Dan. 7:5) mouth of a lion- devouring. (like the Babylonians- Dan. 7:4)

2 122 Rome s rule was permitted by God but influenced by Satan (Lk. 4:6; Rom. 13:1). The explanation Danial gave to Nebuchadnezzar of the statue in Nebuchadnezzar s dream shows how Rome emulated the descriptions of all the then known world powers that existed before it, all balled up into that one empire. All the consequences of the sins against God s elect (under both Testaments) were connected to Rome here, with the combined punishment via God s righteous judgment (as was on Jerusalem- Lk 11:50). Rev 13:3 One of its heads seemed to have a mortal wound, but its mortal wound was healed, and the whole earth marveled as they followed the beast. heads mortal wound- (Nero committed suicide on June 9, 68 AD thus ending his persecution of the saints.) mortal wound was healed- Domitian (81-96 AD) resurrects the persecution as the satellite nations looked on in wonder. Their livelihood depended on their allegiance to Rome and their god Caesar for their sustenance and safety (like mob insurance). Rev 13:4 And they worshiped the dragon, for he had given his authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, "Who is like the beast, and who can fight against it?" The satellite nations felt Rome was invincible, thus their allegiance to Rome was allegiance to Satan since they sold out to him in support of Rome in persecuting the church. Since only God can set up and destroy nations, the power Satan gave Rome was to deceive the world into believing Caesar was God. Such praise only belongs to God! Here, it was intentional. It fed Satan s ego. Exo 15:11 "Who is like You, O LORD, among the gods? Who is like You, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders? Rev 13:5 And the beast was given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words, and it was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two months. haughty and blasphemous words- titles and claims of deity. Because of free agency he (Caesar) was permitted to claim such things, but only for a while. forty-two months- 3 ½ years-1260 days= incomplete or short time (12:6, 14; 11:2, 3). This is the same time frame the woman of 12:6, 14 stayed in the wilderness (until 20:7). Her time of persecution there, in which Satan s purpose was to weaken her, only made her, as Paul came to understand, content with weaknesses, hardships, persecutions, and calamities (2 Cor 12:10). John expected a termination of the persecution as much as he expected it to happen (Dan. 7:23-28). Rev 13:6 It opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against God, blaspheming His Name and His dwelling, that is, those who dwell in Heaven. Caesar vilified God, His authority, His dwelling (tabernacle- 21:3) and the angels, in his claim to be human deity (2 Thes 2:3-10). Rev 13:7 Also it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them. And authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation,

3 123 given- allowed. Dan 7:21 As I looked, this horn made war with the saints and prevailed over them, The purpose of the judgment in 11:13 was that they gave glory to the God of Heaven. God permitted this persecution just as He did the persecution of Christ, for the conversion of the world (Acts 8:1, 4). Caesar s authority was worldwide and was used to this very end. Rev 13:8 and all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb Who was slain. The worldly people allied with Rome are the ones who practiced Caesar worship. before- Joh 17:24 Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, may be with Me where I am, to see My glory that You have given Me because You loved Me before the foundation of the world. Eph 1:4 even as He (God the Father) chose us in Him (in Christ via Gal. 3:27) before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. 1Pe 1:18 knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. 20 He was foreknown (Gk.4267-known beforehand) before (Gk.4253-in front of, prior [figuratively superior] to) the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you God (the Father, Son and Holy Spirit) knew before the creation of the world that Christ would suffer for the sin of mankind. Because He loved(s) us He gave (gives) us the choice whether to return that love, or not. It is that choice that will determine our eternal destiny. before is different than from - Heb 4:3 For we who have believed enter that rest, as He has said, "As I swore in My wrath, 'They shall not enter My rest,'" although His works were finished from the foundation of the world. Gen 2:3 So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all His work that He had done in creation. foundation of the world- creation. The book was written in eternity where God is allknowing. We are the ones who choose to be in it because God gave us free agency. book of life- Exo 32:30 The next day Moses said to the people, "You have sinned a great sin. And now I will go up to the LORD; perhaps I can make atonement for your sin." 31 So Moses

4 124 returned to the LORD and said, "Alas, this people has sinned a great sin. They have made for themselves gods of gold. 32 But now, if You will forgive their sin--but if not, please blot me out of Your book that You have written." 33 But the LORD said to Moses, "Whoever has sinned against Me, I will blot out of My book. Psa 69:28 Let them be blotted out of the book of the living; let them not be enrolled among the righteous. Php 4:3 Yes, I ask you also, true companion, help these women, who have labored side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life. Heb 12:22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, 23 and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in Heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a New Covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. Rev 20:15 And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. Lamb Who was slain- The same Lamb standing of 5:6, thus showing His victory over death. 1Co 5:7 Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed. Rev 13:9 If anyone has an ear, let him hear: ear- Gk ear (physically or mentally). hear- Gk.191- to hear: -understand. If you are mentally able to understand, you need to heed the warning. Rev 13:10 If anyone is to be taken captive, to captivity he goes; if anyone is to be slain with the sword, with the sword must he be slain. Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints. This was a warning against resisting the persecution just as when the Jews resisted Roman rule (as they did Moses in Num 14:40-45). Rome had a purpose for existing because of the impact of her method of capital punishment on the world (i.e., the crucifixion) and in building the infrastructure that helped spread of the Gospel. God had a purpose in the persecution (Act 8:3-4) but the weaponry of the saints is not carnal. 2Co 10:4 For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. 5 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, 6 being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete. Read Eph 6: Mat 26:52 Then Jesus said to him, "Put your sword back into its place. For all who take the sword will perish by the sword.

5 125 Those swords Jesus told His disciples to purchase (Lk 22:38) were not for fighting against the persecution but were for beasts (1 Cor 15:32) like the ones Paul fought with as he traveled between destinations. This was the church s opportunity to endure through persecution and submission to God (14:9-12). Both sea (v. 1) and earth beasts are restricted by the angel of 10:2. Rev 13:11 Then I saw another beast rising out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb and it spoke like a dragon. earth beast- Horns of a lamb suggesting innocence (deceptive) but it spoke like a dragon. 2Co 11:3 But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. Rev 13:12 It exercises all the authority of the first beast in its presence and makes the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose mortal wound was healed. This beast is subordinate to the first (sea) beast whose authority was delegated by the emperor (in its presence). In the religion of Rome at this time (pre-holy Roman Empire), being a function of the state, state officials doubled as priests or cult officials. They led the way to deifying the emperor whose office still stood even after the death of Nero (v. 3). Rev 13:13 It performs great signs, even making fire come down from heaven to earth in front of people, As a false prophet he simulated miracles of the true prophets. In the end, the word of God will reveal every and all such lies and false wonders. Exo 7:11 Then Pharaoh summoned the wise men and the sorcerers, and they, the magicians of Egypt, also did the same by their secret arts. Mar 13:22 For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform signs and wonders, to lead astray, if possible, the elect. Act 8:9 But there was a man named Simon, who had previously practiced magic in the city and amazed the people of Samaria, saying that he himself was somebody great. 10 They all paid attention to him, from the least to the greatest, saying, "This man is the power of God that is called Great." 11 And they paid attention to him because for a long time he had amazed them with his magic. 2Th 2:7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only He Who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of His mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of His coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, Rev 13:14 and by the signs that it is allowed to work in the presence of the beast it deceives those who dwell on earth, telling them to make an image for the beast that was wounded by the sword and yet lived.

6 126 allowed- They were permitted by God for a specific purpose (Rom 9:17). the presence of the beast- at official state functions, with Roman representatives of the Caesar present and or assisting. Any likeness of the reigning Caesar was an image/ icon that was considered an idol to be deified, representing the emperor s presence. A bust or statue is what s considered here. G1504 ει κω ν- eiko n- i-kone' From G1503; a likeness, that is, (literally) statue, profile, or (figuratively) representation, resemblance: - image. Rom 1:23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. wounded by the sword and yet lived- Nero committed suicide June 9, 68 AD thus ending his persecution of the church. With his death the church had a brief respite. It was reignited by Domitian in 81 AD thus as Caesar the beast that was wounded revived. Rev 13:15 And it was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast might even speak and might cause those who would not worship the image of the beast to be slain. Modern archeology has discovered piping beneath altars of statues that pipe a human s voice through the image. (Gospel Advocate- April 2007) The purpose was to catch and put to death any who would not worship the image. (The Eternal Kingdom- A History of The Church by F.W. Mattox, pages 35-37, IV. Pliny) This type of deception to catch heretics was not practiced first by Rome. Dan 3:4 And the herald proclaimed aloud, "You are commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages, 5 that when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, you are to fall down and worship the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. 6 And whoever does not fall down and worship shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace." 7 Therefore, as soon as all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, all the peoples, nations, and languages fell down and worshiped the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. Rev 13:16 Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, Rev 13:17 so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name. Coinage of Rome so claimed Caesar as God (Dominus et Deus- Domitian is God). The refusal to use coinage thus stamped, or to participate in the pagan guilds (which promoted temple prostitution and idol worship), either would effectively limit or cut off a Christian s participation in trade. The mark here is figurative but does indicate

7 127 ownership (3:12). Everything from their associations (fellowship-right hand) to the very thoughts in their heads must be in allegiance to, thus belonging to, Rome. Rev 13:18 This calls for wisdom: let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is 666. This numerical note calls for understanding. calculate- G5585- ψηφι ζω- pse phizo - psay-fid'-zo From G5586; to use pebbles in enumeration, that is, (genitive case) to compute: - count. The beast here is represented by the first persecuting Caesar, Nero. There is no encrypted formula (as some would believe) to be used to determine who this man is. Depending on the system, whether Latin, Greek, Hebrew or Aramaic (etc.), one could come to any number desired, through manipulation of the system. The number six was known to the Jew, and thus the Christian, to be a number of imperfection (five being the number representing the human [five complete digits per hand and foot], seven being a number of completion [earth created and God rested in seven days], and thus six as a number pertaining to neither which doesn t add up). Therefore 666 would represent the ultimate number of imperfection thus denoting an imperfect person who is without God. Anyone who was owned by Rome (Caesar and thus Satan) was without God. (Mat 6:24 "No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.) Just as 12 is a number of perfection, the numbers 144 (12x12) and 144,000 (12x12x1000) become the ultimate numbers of perfection (7:4-8; 14:3). The two-horned land beast (Revelation 13:11-18), who enforced worship of the sea beast, referred to the official governmental organization known as the Roman Concilia that was responsible for supporting and regulating all details relative to emperor worship (Summers, pp ; Swete, pp. 168ff.). This evil legal entity was authorized to instigate economic sanctions against those who refused to appropriate the mark of the beast, mark being a symbol for proof of their submission to Caesar worship (vs. 17). Copyright 2003 Apologetics Press, Inc. All rights reserved. Updated March 18,

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