CHAPTER 13 THE BEASTS FROM THE SEA AND THE EARTH. ‘And I saw a wild beast coming up out of the sea having ten horns and seven heads, and on his horns ten diadems and on his heads names of blasphemy.' The wild beast is a clone of the red monster who is described similarly (Revelation 12:3 compare a... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And the wild beast which I saw was like a leopard, and his feet were like the feet of a bear, and his mouth was as the mouth of a lion, and the monster gave him his power, and his throne and great authority.' This description links the wild beast with those in Daniel chapter 7, with the idea that t... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And I saw one of his heads which seemed as though it had been smitten unto death, and its death stroke was healed, and the whole earth wondered after the beast, and they worshipped the monster because he gave his authority to the beast, and they worshipped the beast saying, “Who is like the beast,... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies was given to him and he was given authority to continue for forty two months.' This refers to the head that was smitten to death and was healed (v. 3). ‘Was given to him'. Up to now this phrase has signified God's permitting. Now it has a twofold m... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And he opened his mouth for blasphemies against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, even those who tabernacle in Heaven (those who meet with Him there). And it was given to him to make war with God's people and to overcome them, and authority was given to him over every tribe and people... [ Continue Reading ]
‘If anyone has an ear let him hear.' This phrase was at the end of the letters to the seven churches, and connects with them. The message is still to them and the worldwide church. Only those whose ears are opened will understand what he is referring to, and they will demonstrate it by their respon... [ Continue Reading ]
‘If anyone is for captivity, to captivity he goes, if anyone is to be killed with the sword with the sword he is killed.' The Greek text is very uncertain but Jeremiah 15:2 gives us the sense, ‘such as are for death, to death, such as are for the sword, to the sword, and such as are for famine, to... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And I saw another wild beast coming up out of the earth and he had two horns like a lamb and he spoke like a monster.' In contrast with the Lamb Who came from Heaven, this wild beast with two horns like a lamb comes from the earth. Whatever his pretensions he has no heavenly connection. The two ho... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And he exercises all the authority of the first wild beast in his sight. And he makes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first wild beast whose death stroke was healed.' Initially the false prophet exalts Caligula. But the second wild beast continues to exalt the Roman beast as emp... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And he performs great signs that he should even make fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by reason of the signs which it was given him to do in the sight of the wild beast, telling those who dwell on the earth that they should ma... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And he causes all, the small and the great, the rich and the poor, the free and the bond, that there be given them a mark on their right hand or on their forehead, and that no man should be able to buy or to sell except the one who has the mark, even the name of the beast or the number of his name.... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. He who has understanding let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of man (or ‘of a man') and his number is six hundred and sixty six (in some manuscripts 616).' Attempts to relate this number to emperors are unnecessary for the wild... [ Continue Reading ]