REVELATION #13 – THE TWO BEASTS:
WHAT IS THE SEA BEAST?
“Then I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name. Now the beast which I saw was like a leopard, his feet were like the feet of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority.” (Revelation 13:1-2).
- Where does this imagery of this sea beast come from? The OT prophet Daniel:
• “Daniel spoke, saying, "I saw in my vision by night… And four great beasts came up from the sea, each different from the other. The first was like a lion… And suddenly another beast, a second, like a bear… After this I looked, and there was another, like a leopard… After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, exceedingly strong… It…had ten horns.” (Daniel 7:2-7).
“3 And I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world marveled and followed the beast. 4 So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, "Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?" 5 And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months. 6 Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven. 7 It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation. 8 All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. 9 If anyone has an ear, let him hear. 10 He who leads into captivity shall go into captivity; he who kills with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.” (Rev. 13:3-10).
• The dragon (Satan) gives this ‘beast’ its power, throne and authority (v.2).
• The Sea Beast represents worldly political powers that persecute the church (v.7).
• The Roman Empire spoke blasphemies (v.5) demanding people declare, “Caesar is Lord.”
• This beast could possibly be the Roman Empire in the first century:
TEXT: “Five kings have already fallen, the sixth now reigns, and the seventh is yet to come, but his reign will be brief.” (Revelation 17:10).
The Caesars of the Roman Empire:
• five have fallen: 1. Julius - before 31 BC
2. Augustus - 31 BC - 14 AD
3. Tiberius - 14 AD - 37 AD
4. Caligula - 37 AD - 41 AD
5. Claudius - 41 AD - 54 AD
• sixth now reigns 6. Nero - 54 AD - 68 AD (on the throne)
• seventh yet to come 7. Galba - 68 AD (reigned for 7 months)
NOTE: In Daniel’s vision, he saw four separate beasts that represented four successive empires (Babylon, Medi-Persia, Greece and Rome). However, in John’s vision, he saw one beast with that combined all of the characteristics of Daniel’s four beasts. This is a good indication that this beast represents all antichristian political persecution, and not just one particular government.
WHAT IS THE LAND BEAST?
“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. 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. 13 He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. 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, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived. 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.” (Rev. 13:1-15).
• The Land Beast represents the false religions and philosophies of the world.
• This beast is also called the ‘false prophet’ (see Revelation 19:20).
• See the parallel passage in Matthew 24: “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name's sake. And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved… For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.” (v.9-13,24).
• Jesus said there would be MANY false prophets – not just one.
• How should we respond to this reality? “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.” (1 John 4:1-3).
• Jesus said there would be MANY antichrists as well: “Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour.” (1 John 2:18).
WHO ARE THESE BEASTS? (A Look at some of the Different Interpretations)
POSITION: TIME PERIOD - SEA BEAST - LAND BEAST
PRETERIST First Century AD (past) Roman Empire – Nero Jewish Religious System (persecuted the church)
HISTORICIST Between First & Second Comings (historical) Roman Empire Roman Catholic Church – The Pope; Possibly Islam
FUTURIST Future The Antichrist (future) The Final False Prophet (future)
IDEALIST Not Applicable World’s Political Powers Persecuting the Church False Religions / Worldly Philosophies
WHAT IS THE MARK OF THE BEAST?
"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, and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. 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 666.” (Rev. 13:16-18).
RIDICULOUS YET POPULAR INTERPRETATIONS FLOATING AROUND TODAY:
“The Antichrist’s three-point plan for world domination consists of a one-world system in which on one can buy or sell without a mark sanctioned by the Antichrist’s administration, a one-world government, and a one-world religion that will eventually focus its worship on the Antichrist himself… The Antichrist’s economy will be a cashless society in which every financial transaction can be electronically monitored...” (John Hagee, From Daniel to Doomsday).
“Everyone will be given a tattoo or mark on either his forehead or forehand, only if he swears allegiance to the Dictator as being God. Symbolically, this mark will be 666.” (Hal Lindsey, The Late Great Planet Earth).
“If the antichrist is to have control of every sale or purchase, it appears that cash must be eliminated so that there will be a record of every transaction… ‘Chapter Six: If You’re Not Paranoid, It’s Because You’re Not Paying Close Enough Attention.’ The Bible clearly links the global mark-of-the-beast system with the emergence of a global world order.” (Peter and Paul Lalonde, The Mark of the Beast).
• None of these sensationalistic books have any solid Biblical basis for their claims.
• It is ridiculous to think that the ‘mark of the beast’ is something like a VISA card or a microchip under your skin, and that a believer might ‘take’ this mark accidentally. See Revelation 14:9-10: “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.”
NOTE: The mark is always linked to WORSHIP of the BEAST.
What then is this mark? Probably NOT an actual physical mark – it is worship of the beast
• hand - with your actions, what you do
• foreheads - with your thoughts, your mind, emotions and will
• those who didn’t submit to Rome in the first century had no economic privileges
“But what is meant by this ‘mark of the beast’? Various amusing answers have been given. These theories err in this respect, namely, that they interpret this mark as a single, individual, outward, visible sign that will appear on the forehead or hand of the wicked at one particular moment in history; then, and then only… The ‘mark of the beast’ is the God-opposing, Christ-rejecting, Church-persecuting spirit of antichrist, wherever and whenever it shows itself. This mark is impressed on the forehead or right hand. The forehead symbolizes the mind, the thought-life, the philosophy of a person. The right hand indicates his deed, action, etc. Therefore receiving the mark of the beast on the forehead or right hand indicates that the person so characterized belongs to the company of those who persecute the church.” (William Hendriksen).
Beausejour Community Church Website: http://www.beausejourchurch.ca/
Pastor Chris Jordan’s Blog: http://thelandofpromise.blogspot.com/
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