Revelation 13:1

Revelation 13:1. A beast is seen coming up out of the sea. The word of the original translated ‘beast' has occurred only once before (at chap. Revelation 6:8), and is wholly different from that which, to say nothing of many other passages, meets us no fewer than seven times in chap. 4 alone; and which, rendered in the Authorised Version by the same term, ought to be translated ‘living creatures.' The ‘living creatures' are symbolical of all that is noble and admirable, of all deep and true spiritual life; the ‘beast' represents whatever is most violent and repulsive. It is not simply a beast but a wild beast, unrestrained in its fierce and destructive rage. This beast is beheld in the act of ascending out of the sea, a circumstance which explains the order of the words in the next following clause, where, according to the true reading, the ‘horns' are mentioned before the ‘heads,' because they rise first above the surface of the water. In chap. Revelation 17:3, when the beast has risen, the heads are mentioned first.

By the ‘sea' we are not to understand the ocean everywhere embracing and surrounding the land. The word has its usual symbolical sense, and denotes the nations of the earth, the whole mass of the ungodly. The beast not only rules over them, it springs out of them and is their native king. Although not expressly stated, there can be no doubt that this beast comes up from the sea at the call of the dragon (who had stationed himself for this purpose upon the shore, chap. Revelation 12:17), in order to serve him and be his vicegerent among men.

Having ten horns and seven heads; the same number of both as the dragon had (chap. Revelation 12:3); the order only, for the reason already spoken of, being different. It is a question how we are to think of the distribution of the horns. The probability seems to be that they are all connected with the seventh head, for in Daniel 7:7, which gives us the groundwork of the representation, they belong to the fourth beast alone, and at chap. Revelation 17:11-12, where the figure before us is interpreted, it is said that the ten horns are ten kings receiving their power along with the beast who had been spoken of as the ‘eighth.' The beast before us is thus at no early stage of its progress. In the true spirit of prophecy we are invited to behold it in its final and completed form.

And upon his horns ten diadems, emblems of royalty. Comp. chap. Revelation 17:12 ‘the ten horns are ten kings,' and chap. Revelation 19:12 where He who is described as ‘King of kings and Lord of lords' has upon His head ‘many diadems,' ‘tokens of the many royalties of earth, of heaven, and of hell (Philippians 2:10) which are His' (Trench, Syn. i. p. 92).

And upon his heads names of blasphemy. No indication is given what the names were. The fact, however, that they were upon the heads is important, for there can Le little doubt that we have in this a mocking caricature of the name borne upon the forehead of the high priest, and transferred in this book to Christ's faithful people (comp. chaps. Revelation 2:17; Revelation 7:3; Revelation 14:1).