THE BOOK OF THE REVELATION – Chapter 13 – The Beast from the Sea, The Beast from the Earth – Episode 15

 

THE BOOK OF THE REVELATION – Chapter 13 – The Beast from the Sea, The Beast from the Earth

Episode 15

 (These Episodes are meant to not only ask and answer the questions, “When, Why, How and What?”, but also the question, ” WHAT DOES THIS MEAN TO ME”)

 If, as I have said previously, that the Book of The Revelation chapter twelve was difficult, with passages of strange imagery, symbolism, metaphors and similes, then let’s prepare ourselves for chapter thirteen.  Chapter 13 is one of the most difficult passages of eschatological scripture to interpret and to understand..

 I have previously stated that I would try to avoid lengthy explanations of symbolisms, the historicity or cultural, political, social, economic backgrounds or traditions. Therefore, I am supplying Text Links to serve those purposes. They are important, and I strongly encourage you to use them.  

 My goal is for us to gain a simple working knowledge, a basic understanding and gain wisdom that comes from God, and from our study of this Book. This is so we can prepare ourselves to be a witness to what we have learned. That said, please watch for and use links to external commentaries. Now to Chapter thirteen.

The Beast from the Sea

Revelation 13:1, And the [footnote ‘a’] dragon (Satan) stood on the sandy shore of the sea.

Then I saw a [vicious] beast coming up out of the sea with ten horns and seven heads, and on his horns were ten royal [footnote ‘b’] crowns (diadems), and on his heads were blasphemous names. Verse 2. And the beast that I saw resembled a [footnote ‘c’] leopard, but his feet were like those of a bear, and his mouth was like that of a lion. And the dragon gave him his power and his throne and great authority. Verse 3. I saw one of his heads which seemed to have a fatal wound, but his fatal wound was healed; and the entire earth followed after the beast in amazement. Verse 4. They fell down and worshiped the dragon because he gave his authority to the beast; they also worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like (as great as) the beast, and who is able to wage war against him?” Verse 5. And the beast was given a mouth (the power of speech), uttering great things and arrogant and blasphemous words, and he was given freedom and authority to act and to do as he pleased for [footnote ‘d’] forty-two months (which is equivalent to three and a half years). Verse 6. And he opened his mouth to speak blasphemies (abusive speech, slander) against God, to blaspheme His name and His tabernacle, and those who live in heaven.

(Commentary Break: Please refer to this EXTERNAL LINK: Benson Commentary, Biblehub.com, for the preceding verses.) (End Commentary Break).

Verse 7. He, (the Beast), was also [footnote ‘e’] permitted to wage war against the saints (God’s people) and to overcome them, and authority and power over every tribe and people and language and nation. Verse 8. All the inhabitants of the earth will fall down and worship him, everyone whose name has not been written since the foundation of the world in the Book of Life of the Lamb who has been slain [as a willing sacrifice]. Verse 9. If anyone has an ear, let him hear. Verse 10. If anyone is destined for captivity, he will go into captivity; if anyone kills with a sword, he must be killed with a sword. Here is [the call for] the patient endurance and the faithfulness of the saints [which is seen in the response of God’s people to difficult times].

The Beast from the Earth

Verse 11. Then I saw [footnote ‘f’] another beast rising up out of the earth; he had two horns like a lamb and he spoke like a dragon. Verse 12. He exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence [when the two are together]. And he makes the earth and those who inhabit it worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. Verse 13. He performs great signs (awe-inspiring acts), even making fire fall from the sky to the earth, right before peoples’ eyes. Verse 14. And he deceives those [unconverted ones] who inhabit the earth [into believing him] because of the signs which he is given [by Satan] to perform in the presence of the [first] beast, telling those who inhabit the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded [fatally] by the sword and has come back to life. Verse 15. And he is given power to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast will even [appear to] speak, and cause those who do not bow down and worship the image of the beast to be put to death.

THE MARK OF THE BEAST

Verse 16. Also he, (the second Beast), compels all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the freemen and the slaves, to be given a mark on their right hand or on their forehead [signifying allegiance to the beast], verse 17, and that no one will be able to buy or sell, except the one who has the mark, either the name of the beast or the number of his name. Verse 18. Here is wisdom. Let the person who has enough insight calculate the number of the beast, for it is the [imperfect] number of a man; [footnote ‘g’] and his number is [footnote ‘h’] six hundred and sixty-six.

 (Commentary Break: It is important to place the timing of this event, the giving of the Mark of the Beast.

WHEN WILL THIS BEAST GIVE HIS MARK?

This is frequently speculated and often hotly debated subject. Specualtions can run a wild gamut from spiritualized metaphors to philosophies and imaginary ideologies to literal markings, tattoos, icons to implanted computer chips or other fantastic technological devices. Regardless of the actual method or identity of this Mark, the popular idea in many church denominations is that the Antichrist will give his “Mark of the Beast” before The Tribulation period but that, he will not be revealed until after the rapture of the Church.

Our text from Revelation 13 verse 16 and 17 says, he will “cause all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the freemen and the slaves, to be given a mark on their right hand or on their forehead, and he provides that no one will be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark, either the name of the beast or the number of his name.”

HOWEVER, the Bible clearly tells us that *The Antichrist will be revealed BEFORE the rapture of the church and

*He will give his Mark of the Beast AFTER the rapture of the Church.

The Anti-Christ is to be revealed before the rapture

The Apostle Paul informs us, in 2 Thessalonians1:4  that, “Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, that you not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God.”

The beginning of the great apostasy and an escalation of the persecution of the saints occurs sometime during the 5th Tribulation Seal, or just at the beginning of the 6th Tribulation Seal. (Compare Matthew 24 verses 9 and 10 with Revelation 6 verses 9 through12, and you will see the the great persecution of Believers and accompanied by the Great Apostasy)

We are seeing the 5th Tribulation Seal being opened in our lifetime, the great apostasy or falling away from the faith, false messiahs, great deceptions, a.k.a. the ‘deluding influence’ and alienation from one another, and it is become more pronounced as time passes.

As I have proposed on numerous occasions, the Tribulation Seal Judgments One through Four, (wars and rumors of war, famines, plagues, earthquakes, spread of new diseases) began in or around AD 1.  (click this link for “When Does Daniel’s 70th Week, also known as, the 7 Years of Great Tribulation, begin”).

RECAP

First, in Verse 2. “you not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come.

Secondly, in Verse 3.  “Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and,

Finally, The man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, Verse 4. who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God.”

The Mark of the Beast comes AFTER the Rapture

And according to the Bible, the Antichrist gives his ‘Mark’ after the Seal Judgments, after the Rapture, and just after the 6th Tribulation Trumpet Judgment and at the advent of 7th Trumpet Judgment, which is the Mid-Point of the Great Tribulation, which is after three and one half years of the final 7 years of the Great Tribulation period.

Revelation 13:16-17 tells us when the Antichrist “causes all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the freemen and the slaves, to be given a mark on their right hand or on their forehead, Verse 17. and he provides that no one will be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark, either the name of the beast or the number of his name.”  

The placement of Mark of the Beast, as mentioned in the scriptures, also tells us it is immediately following the 6^th Judgment Trumpet:

Seven trumpets are sounded (Seen in Revelation Chapters 8, 9, and 12):

(1). First Trumpet: Hail and fire, mingled with blood, are thrown to the earth burning up a third of the trees and green grass. (Revelation 8:6–7)

(2). Second Trumpet: Something that resembles a great mountain, burning with fire, falls from the sky and lands in the ocean. It kills a third of the sea creatures and destroys a third of the ships at sea. (Revelation 8:8–9)

(3). Third Trumpet: A great star, named Wormwood, falls from heaven and poisons a third of the rivers and springs of water. (Revelation 8:10–11)

(4). Fourth Trumpet: A third of the sun, the moon, and the stars are darkened creating complete darkness for a third of the day and the night. (8:12–13)

(5). Fifth Trumpet: The First Woe, (Revelation 9:1–12)

(a). A “star” falls from the sky, (Revelation 9:1).

(b). This “star” is given “the key to the bottomless pit”, (Revelation 9:1).

(c). The “star” then opens the bottomless pit. When this happens, “smoke [rises] from [the Abyss] like smoke from a gigantic furnace. The sun and sky [are] darkened by the smoke from the Abyss” (Revelation 9:2).

(d). From out of the smoke, locusts who are “given power like that of scorpions of the earth” (9:3), who are commanded not to harm anyone or anything except for people who were not given the “seal of God” on their foreheads, (from chapter Revelation chapter,7,and Revelation 9:4).

(e). The “locusts” are described as having a human appearance (faces and hair) but with lion’s teeth, and wearing “breastplates of iron”; the sound of their wings resembles “the thundering of many horses and chariots rushing into battle”, (found in Revelation 9:7–9).

(6). Sixth Trumpet: The Second Woe, (found in Revelation 9:13–21)

(a). The four angels bound to the great river Euphrates are released to prepare two hundred million horsemen.

(b). These armies kill a third of mankind by plagues of fire, smoke, and brimstone.

(7). Interlude: The little scroll. (found in Revelation 10:1–11)

(a). An angel appears, with one foot on the sea and one foot on the land, having an opened little book in his hand.

(b). Upon the cry of the angel, seven thunders utter mysteries and secrets that are not to be written down by John.

(c). John is instructed to eat the little scroll that happens to be sweet in his mouth, but bitter in his stomach, and to prophesy.

(d). John is given a measuring rod to measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there.

(e). Outside the temple, at the court of the holy city, it is trod by the nations for forty-two months (which is 3 and 1⁄2 years).

(f). Two witnesses prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth. (Revelation 11:1–14)

(8). Seventh Trumpet, (found in Revelation 11:15–19): This is the Third Woe which is followed by the Seven Bowls.

(9). This is the point at which the Beast gives his ‘MARK’. so that no one will be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the ‘Mark of the Beast’.

(10). The temple of God opens in heaven, where the ark of His covenant can be seen. There are lightnings, noises, thundering, an earthquake, and great hail. (End Commentary Break).

What Does This Mean to You?

What this means to you and to me is that people have been suffering and many people are now suffering the effects of the “Birth Pains Period” of the tribulation, which covers the time period from the Birth of Jesus until this day. These are the stresses and trials of the tribulation Seals 1 through 5. (see Matthew 24 verses 5 through 8).

However, let’s be perfectly clear: No Christian will suffer the Wrath of God, following the rapture of the elect at the 6^th Tribulation Seal, which is the beginning of the beginning of and the final 7 years the Great Tribulation Period, also known as Daniel’s 70^th Week, The Great and Terrible Day of The Lord, and The Wrath of the Lamb. “For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1^st Thessalonians 5 verse 9.)

Next, in Chapter 14, we will be brought back into a more chronological view of future events as we move ever closer to the End of This Age.

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

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