Revelation 13:1-18
Q.1. Who is this beast? From where does his power come? How does he imitate Christ? What makes his reign evil? Who follows the beast? – (Rev.13:1-10, 12 c.f. 2 Thes.2:3-4)
Horns, heads, and diadems usually speak of political power. Satan, the dragon, works his evil purposes through this beast – … And the dragon gave him his power and his throne and great authority (Rev.13:2). The death and resurrection of Jesus was largely ignored. The beast copies Christ – I saw one of his heads as if it had been slain, and his fatal wound was healed. And the whole earth was amazed and followed after the beast (Rev.13:3). He pointed the nations to the dragon that gave him his authority and blasphemed against God over this three-and-a-half-year period (Rev.13:5-6). He will make war with God’s people and deceive the nations – It was also given to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them, and authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation was given to him (Rev.13:7). However, God’s choice will stand, so that – All who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain (Rev.13:8). God’s children will remain steadfast – Here is the perseverance and the faith of the saints (Rev.13:10).
Q.2. How does the other beast differ from the first? What makes him so convincing? How does he reveal his true colours? What do you make of the numbers? – (Rev.13:11-18)
The first beast has almost unlimited political power, with ten horns and seven heads, complete with ten diadems (Rev.13:1-2). This other beast has only two horns, but is utterly convincing, because he is like a lamb. He draws all attention of – … those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose fatal wound was healed (Rev.13:12). People have always been deceived by signs and wonders. This beast also – performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down out of heaven to the earth in the presence of men (Rev.13:13). He even has the power – … to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast would even speak and cause as many as do not worship the image of the beast to be killed (Rev.13:15). He controls all the economies of the world, and the people living at that time – 16 And he 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, 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 (Rev.13:16-17). John would have been greatly puzzled, but we can begin to identify some of these advances in technology, which would make these things possible. John put a clear limit on the reign of the antichrist, as forty-two months or three and a half years (Rev.13:5). We are also given an insight into the identity of the antichrist – Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for the number is that of a man; and his number is six hundred and sixty-six (or 666 – Rev.13:18). Just as seven is the number of perfection, six stands for man. The dragon, the beast, and the false prophet seem to copy the holy trinity – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. However, the days of the deceivers are numbered (Rev.20:10).