Rome Pagan, Rome Papal: The Two Beasts Jason K. Boothe Revelation 13:1-18 1 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. 2 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. 3 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. 4 And they worshiped 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? 5 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. 6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. 7 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. 8 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. 9 If any man have an ear, let him hear. 10 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. 11 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. 12 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. 13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, 14 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. 15 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. 16 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: 17 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. 18 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. Introduction This morning, we are introduced to Two very similar yet distinct figures in Revelation chapter thirteen. We read of a beast from the sea throughout verses one through nine. Great and mighty powers of war will be granted this beast. No one will be able to stand in the face of this beast, for his hand is mighty to act and powerful to crush it s enemies. Who will make war with this beast? Seven heads and ten horns signify that the beast is large, sprawling out as befitting a world empire. Yet it is clear from Scripture that this beast will suffer a massive injury to the head.
All the world awaits the beast s death, yet the beast recovers to the amazement of all the people. It is at this point that terrible war is waged against the Saints of God, countless multitudes being slaughtered for the name of Christ Jesus. Yet, even in this dark time, the Scripture declares that he who kills with the sword shall also be killed with the sword. The first beast, powerful though it may be, is removed from the scene by the powerful hand of Almighty God. Then, without warning rises up another beast, smaller in stature but nonetheless capable of the same blasphemies. This beast performs lying wonders and turns the people with false religion, all the while commanding everyone to bend the submitting knee. Idolatry is the name of the game for the second beast, whose deception knows no boundaries. Those who fail to worship the beast and it s images are ostracized or killed for non-compliance. The second s beast s hunger for allegiance is so insatiable that it will demand that everyone be marked with its name. Who or what are these beasts? I believe that the beasts mentioned in chapter thirteen are in fact two types of the same hellish creature. The first beast represents Pagan Rome, with it s sprawling kingdoms and earthly military might. The second beast represents Papal Rome, desiring to deceive with false and lying signs, icons, and statues. Moreover, papal Rome has an appetite for compelling the world to itself, forcing it s mark upon those who wish to function civilly in it s earthly dominions. The two beasts, pagan and papal Rome, find true Christianity impossible to coexist with because neither system is willing to submit to the Lordship of Christ. Rather, they both seek absolute power for themselves, unwilling to recognize the power and sovereignty of Almighty God through His son Christ. This day, may the Lord through the power of the Holy Spirit guide us in to all truth concerning the matter of the two beasts of Revelation chapter 13 - Amen. Outline V. 1 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. A. stood upon the sand of the sea - This could refer to standing in and amongst the population of earth. B. saw a beast rising up out of the sea - Since neither beast is divine, but arises from the abyss, being served by fallen men, the beast of Rome is described as rising up from among men. C. Upon his horns ten crowns - Signifying great power and authority. Additionally, this was a kingdom made up of many smaller kingdoms. Rome pagan was exactly that, being comprised of many conquered lands and kingdoms.
D. The name of blasphemy - Rome pagan was a bastion of polytheistic religion. Rome worshiped many false gods, believing even their Emperor to be a god himself! Theirs was definitely the sin of blasphemy! V. 2 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. A. Like unto a...leopard, a bear, and lion - Rome pagan enjoyed the benefits of swiftness, strength, and cunningness over it s surrounding neighbors, making it a most dreadful enemy. B. And the dragon gave him his power, his seat, and great authority - All of the authority enjoyed by Rome pagan flowed from the great deceiver himself, Satan. Vv.3-4 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. 4 And they worshiped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshiped the beast, saying, Who [is] like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? A. I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death - This signifies the first sign of weakness in the pagan Roman empire. As Christianity rose in influence among the Romans, the kingdom began to fall apart, being attacked by the Huns, Goths, and others who sensed weakness among the Romans. B. his deadly wound was healed - Although the Roman empire suffered many defeats toward the end of its supremacy, it is clear that the sure immensity of the empire would be a force to be reckoned with for many centuries. C. worshiped the dragon which gave power unto the beast - Each time something negative happened (a fire in town, a poor harvest) the people would blame the Christians, and persecutions were very common. The people worshiped their false gods zealously during these trying times, thereby worshiping Satan and his false pantheon. D. Who is able to make war with him - Pride always comes before the fall. Satan s children (the sons of disobedience) blind themselves from the truth because their deeds are evil. Even when sudden destruction is imminent, they continue on as in the days of Noah, unwilling to see their pride and boasting as empty and meaningless. Vv. 5-6 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. 6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven A. mouth speaking great things - speaking peace when there is no peace; a liar and deceiver
of the people, who lead them down the path of false hope through empty religion. B. Given unto him to continue forty and two months - It is clear from Scripture that the days of this beast were limited. Vv. 7,8 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. 8 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. A. It was given him to make war with the saints - Persecution of the saints begins in earnest under the Roman emperors. The Scripture even declares that the beast s activities will be quite successful for a season. B. All shall worship him, whose names are not in the book of life. - truly those who are not saved are by nature worshipers of the deceiver, not fitted for eternal life. Vv 9,10 If any man have an ear, let him hear. 10 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. A. If any man have an ear, let him hear - In other words, listen up! B. He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity - there will be a swift retaliation from the Father against the beast who seeks to harm the Children of God. C. Here is the patience of the Saints - in this reality (the fact that God will avenge) becomes the Christian hope and peace. This is exactly what happened to the first beast. Rome Pagan disintegrated, crumbling more and more by each oncoming attack. However, another beast was coming... one perhaps more dangerous than the first. Vv. 11,12 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. 12 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. A. He exerciseth all the power of the first beast - while less militarily capable than the first beast, it is clear that the power of the second beast rests in it s tongue: the power of persuasion. B. To worship the first beast - Meaning that the second beast sought to retain the civil authority enjoyed by the first. Vv. 13-15 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, 14 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. 15 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. A. He doeth great wonders - (Gill) Or miracles; not real, but pretended ones, lying wonders, which the Popish legends are full of the accounts of, as done by the priests, or by this or the other saint: B. To give life unto the image of the beast - (Gill) so that it was not like Nebuchadnezzar's golden image that he set up, which required another to speak for it and demand adoration to it; and should seem to be preferable to the dumb idols of the Gentiles, which have mouths, but speak not; and may be understood either of the images of the virgin Mary, and other saints, which it is pretended, and the people are made to believe, that they do at times actually speak, and really weep and laugh, as it may serve their different purposes; or this image may be said to speak by the decrees, canons, anathemas, curses, threatenings, persuasions, doctrines, and blasphemies of the pope and his clergy; so that this image is like both the first and second beast; it has a mouth speaking blasphemies, as the first, and it speaks like a dragon, as the second; C. as many as would not worship the image...should be killed - (Gill) that as many as will not embrace and profess the Popish religion shall be put to death; and these are the known orders and decrees of the Papacy, which have been executed by the Inquisition, and other hands, in innumerable instances; the blood of all the saints and prophets is found in Rome Papal, and will be avenged; these are the martyrs of Jesus, with whose blood the whore on the scarlet coloured beast has been made drunk; and this sense is confirmed by the eastern versions. Vv. 16-17 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: 17 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. A. To receive a mark - By disfranchisement, allowing none to enjoy natural, civil, or municipal rights, who will not worship that papal beast, that is, the image of the pagan beast. It is made a qualification for buying and selling the rights of nature, as well as for places of profit and trust, that they have the mark of the beast in their forehead and in their right hand, and that they have the name of the beast and the number of his name. It is probable that the mark, the name, and the number of the beast, may all signify the same thing - that they make an open profession of their subjection and obedience to the papacy, which is receiving the mark in their forehead, and that they oblige themselves to use all their interest, power, and endeavour, to promote the papal authority, which is receiving the mark in their right hands. We are told
that pope Martin V. in his bull, added to the council of Constance, prohibits Roman catholics from suffering any heretics to dwell in their countries, or to make any bargains, use any trades, or bear any civil offices, which is a very clear interpretation of this prophecy. V. 18 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. A. And his number is Six hundred threescore and six - this is not a numerical identification likened unto our present-day social security number, but it is in fact a common way that people could commonly identify persons or institutions without using their real name. B. It has been thought for centuries that the number 666, represented in the Greek by three Greek letters, is referring to the Latin Kingdom. " - 1 4-10 D - 100 $ - 2 6-20 F - 200 ( - 3 8-30 J - 300 * - 4 : - 40 L - 400, - 5 < - 50 N - 500. - 7 > - 60 P - 600 0-8 @ - 70 R - 700 2-9 B - 80 T - 80 / = 8 The 7 = 30 L "= 1 A J = 300 T 4 = 10 I < = 50 N # = 2 K " = 1 I F = 200 N 4 = 10 G 8 = 30 D, = 5 O 4 = 10 M
" = 1 666 Conclusion These two beasts have wrought havoc upon Christ s church. Of these two, only one survives today, preying on the hearts and minds of hundreds of millions. The Roman Catholic church is the beast of our day. As Bible-believing Christians we must be ever watchful over our families and ready always to give an answer for the hope that is within us. Although tensions between Protestants and Catholics has died down over the years, let us never forget the blood that was shed to free us from dead works-based religion! Let us be a strong light, speaking out against the false Roman Church, that beast from the abyss of hell which seeks to cause men to worship at the feet of statues, which refuses the actual sacrifice of Christ for some mystical body granted to Christ by the waving of a priest s hands, which refuses to preach the pure Gospel of Christ in favor of a man-centered, unsure counterfeit work of the enemy. This struggle, prophesied in Revelation, continues today. Pray that the power of the Holy Spirit will give us all the fortitude to stand fast in Christ s liberty, wherewith He has called us! - Amen.