Another Beast! Revelation 13:11-18 NKJV Notes by Pastor Mike Sasso Introduction In this thirteenth chapter of Revelation we have already witnessed the appearance of a terrible beast (The Antichrist) who is empowered by the dragon (Satan). Now, another beast appears on the scene to complete the formation of what is sometimes referred to as an unholy trinity of evil. Here we see Satan s final, wicked impersonation of the true Triune God. He really does want to be like the Most High (Is. 14:14). Satan masquerades as the Father. The first beast (the Antichrist) masquerades as a messiah possessed with the spirit of his father Satan. The second beast (or false prophet) masquerades as the Holy Spirit as he proceeds from the devil and directs the entire world to worship the Antichrist. In this next session we will take a close look at this second beast and examine the implications of his emergence. Before beginning this session, read chapter thirteen together out loud as a group and share what you have learned so far. STUDY NOTES: verses 11-16 v. 11 Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon Horns are a symbol of strength. This second beast has strength (two horns), but not as much strength as the first beast that has ten horns. He appears deceptively harmless and innocent like a lamb, but mouths the message of Satan (the dragon). v. 12 And he exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence, and causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed Though some believe this beast signifies a false religious system and not an individual, it is clear from this verse and the following verses that this second beast is a he. This beast is most likely the false prophet who is further identified in 16:13, 19:20, and 20:10. There are once again a variety of opinions of who this second beast will be. Most futurists believe that this beast is a person who will head up a world-dominating, false religious system. Many commentators including Walvoord and Alford imply that this false prophet will be the head of the Catholic Church. Some even believe that this second beast who is the false prophet will actually be the Antichrist rather than the first beast, because of his messiah-like characteristics. What is clear here is that this second beast is not so much seeking self-glory as much as the glory of the first beast. As stated earlier, many see this trio of evil as a wicked imitation of the triune God. Just as the Holy Spirit does not seek His own glory but the glory of the Son (John 16:13-14), so also this second beast seeks the glory of the first beast as he causes all the world to worship him. Just as the Holy Spirit of God does not operate under His own authority but the
authority of the Son, so also this second beast will exercise the authority of the first beast. And just as Jesus the Son is the incarnation of His Father, so the Antichrist is fully possessed by the spirit of Satan. v. 13 He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men This second beast seems to be deliberately duplicating the signs of the two witnesses of 11:3-5, perhaps to demonstrate to the world that he has at least as much power as they did. This is reminiscent of the showdown between Moses and Pharaoh s false prophets (Ex. 7:9-13). v. 14 And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast If a sign or a miracle is all it takes for a person to believe in something, then Satan can deceive that person with his power. There have been many false religions birthed because of false signs and wonders. Think of the instances of stigmata, or appearances of a queen of heaven with messages to deceive sincere Catholic people, the socalled angels who appeared to Mohammed or Joseph Smith, the various religious statues which have shed tears or blood, etc. Pastor David Guzik makes a strong argument against believing religious signs and wonders in his outline below. i. There is a supernatural power which is against God and truth, as well as one for God and truth. A miracle, simply as a work of wonder, is not necessarily of God. There has always been a devilish supernaturalism in the world, running alongside the supernaturalism of divine grace and salvation. (Seiss) ii. In the days of the Exodus, Aaron performed miracles, and up to a point was matched miraclefor-miracle by the magicians of Egypt (Exodus 7-9). iii. In Deuteronomy 13:1-5, God assumes there will be supernatural works on behalf of false prophets and idols, and He warns His people to judge a worker of miracles by their message, not only by their works. iv. Jesus said that some who worked miracles - even in His name - were false followers and would perish in hell (Matthew 7:22-23). v. Jesus said that in the end times, false prophets would emerge and show great signs and wonders to deceive (Matthew 24:24). vi. Paul said that the Antichrist will come with all power, signs, and lying wonders (2 Thessalonians 2:9). vii. Knowing all this, the emphasis on signs and wonders among some Christians is frightening. Some Christians say or think, You can really know where God is and where His power is by signs and wonders. Thinking this way is to leave yourself wide open to deception. Years ago there was a large, multi-denominational conference of people who think this way, and their
slogan - on a huge banner over the conference platform - read Unity Under Signs and Wonders. That s a unity that Satan, the Antichrist, and the false prophet could all join in. Signs and wonders will be present among Christians, but the real marks of God s work are love and truth. Telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived. After the second beast has deceived the people of the earth with signs and wonders, he will then use his great influence to sway them to image worship which is idolatry and a violation of the first and second commandments (Ex. 20:4). Notice again that a false resurrection (another imitation of Christ) is referred to as proof of the Antichrist s worthiness to rule. Cp. Romans 1:4. v. 15 He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed. This image will seem to actually come to life so as to breathe, speak, and take life. Some consider this to be some innovative technological robotics. But I think not. The population of the world is unlikely to be deceived by mere technology, since they are already familiar with what technology can do. Our text plainly states, He was granted power to give breath the image of the beast. This will be yet another supernatural miracle of Satan. Here is idol worship of an exalted order. Though there have been many kinds of idols and image worship throughout history. Never before has there been an idol quite like this one. Many consider this image to be the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel, Jesus and Paul in Daniel 9:27, Matthew 24:15, and 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4. v. 16 He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads - The concept of assigning a number to each individual on earth is looked upon with great favor today. And it is now possible because of advances in modern technology. This numbering system could be used for many purposes, either good or evil. We have all heard by now of various proposals to go to a cashless society. And since credit cards and ID cards can easily be lost or stolen, it would make sense that a modern cashless society would use a numbering system that would be permanently placed upon each individual. This mark could be visible or invisibly placed under the skin in the form of a microchip. In a pre-2000ad article, David Guzik wrote about a coming technology called Digital Angel which is remarkably similar to what we read in this verse. - The technology to give people a mark that enables them to buy and sell in the electronic economy is available. There are many different ways it could happen. One interesting possibility is from a company named Applied Digital Solutions, which is developing a product called Digital Angel. Digital Angel is a microchip implanted in the body powered by the body s own biomechanical electricity and able to communicate with satellites. This is from a real, legitimate company whose stock is traded on major exchanges. The company plans a significant
test of their technology in October 2000. In a press release, Digital Angel s Dr. Peter Zhou commented: I m particularly excited about Digital Angel s ability to save lives by remotely monitoring the medical conditions of at-risk patients and providing emergency rescue units with the person s exact location. I also see great potential for Digital Angel in the area of locationaware e-commerce. This is a whole new wireless and Web-enabled frontier in which a purchaser s actual location is integral to making a successful sale or providing a valuable, location-critical service. It isn t hard to see how this kind of mark can become commonplace, simply as the logical step in the course of the electronic economy. Digital Angel s slogan is also interesting: Digital Angel: Technology that Cares. Whatever this numbering system will be, it will be mandatory for everyone. No one is exempt. both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave must be marked in this new world system. Why would this mark be placed upon the forehead or right hand? An easy way to mark the population of the world would be to place a mark in a part of the body that might be easily read by a scanner. The right hand would be perfect for this purpose. And if for some reason someone might be missing their right hand, everyone has a forehead. TRUTH APPLIED: 1. Who or what do you think this second beast represents? 2. Read John 16:13-14. In what ways is this second beast imitating the Holy Spirit? 3. Are signs a wonders a good way to test whether or not something is from God? What do you understand from the instructions of Deuteronomy 13:1-5? 4. Do you think the signs this second beast performs are mere deceptive tricks as a modern-day magician might perform, or actual feats of miraculous wicked powers? Discuss. 5. Read Daniel 9:27, Matthew 24:15, and 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4. How do these verses relate to our Revelation text?
6. What might this mark of the beast look like and how might it work? 7. Why do you think people would be so willing to take a mark like this on their foreheads or hands? STUDY NOTES: verses 17-18 v. 17 and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark Here is a compelling reason to take this mark. It will be mandatory for survival. If you cannot buy or sell you cannot eat! You cannot live without this mark! Or the name of the beast, or the number of his name - Assigning a number to someone s name was common in the Ancient world. Once more, David Guzik informs us This was a common concept in the ancient world. In Greek (and Hebrew as well), letters were assigned a numerical value, such as A equaling 1, B equaling 2, and so forth. For example, graffiti in the ruins of ancient Pompeii reads I love her whose number is 545. v. 18 Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is six hundred and sixty-six Is this number attempting to specifically reveal to us who the beast is? Can we actually take the numerical value of his name and clearly see it add up to 666? Using this method, many candidates for Antichrist have been suggested through the ages, such as the Pope or the Papacy, John Knox, Martin Luther, Napoleon, Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin, and so forth. But the schemes for unlocking the number of the beast are as confusing as they are endless. i. That as 12, the square root of 144, is God s number, so 25 is the square root of antichrist s number 666; and by this enigmatical expression we are taught that antichrist should be a political body, that should as much affect the number 15, as God seemeth to have his church affected the number 12. (Poole) ii. The year of Rome s ruin is by some held to be 1666. It is plain, saith one, Satan shall be tied up 1000 years; 666 is the number of the beast; Antichrist shall so long reign; these two together make the just number. (Trapp)
iii. Here is the solution of this mystery: let him that hath a mind for investigations of this kind, find out a kingdom which contains precisely the number 666, for this must be infallibly the name of the beast. THE LATIN KINGDOM has exclusively this number. (Clarke) iv. Some commentators observe that there are six Roman numerals (I, V, X, L, C, and D). If you add them all up, you get 666. Some take this to say that the Antichrist will be Roman. Or, they point out that all the numbers from 1 to 36 add up to 666. Beast in the evil sense appears 36 times in the Bible. -David Guzik. TRUTH APPLIED: 1. Verse 18 says, Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast. What do you make of such instructions? 2. In today s text, what is clear to you? What is cloudy? What do you think God wants you to specifically get out of this study? 3. How should what we have just studied affect our lives today? 4. If time permits, look up the following verses and discuss how they might relate to today s text. Daniel 7:8, 11:36-45; 1 John 2:18. CONCLUSION: Some chapters of Revelation are more controversial than others. And though this chapter does contain some controversy, it at least makes clear to us of a coming world dictator who will attempt to rule in Christ s stead. May God give us wisdom and application as we ponder these things together. Looking to the True Christ, Mike Sasso