Intro:

The beast of Revelation 13 is the rider of (Rev. 6:2). He comes to imitate Christ and to pass off as Christ Himself (2 Thess. 2:2--6). Thus he becomes one of the central figures of Bible revelation. One may say that he is the second most important figure in Scripture outside the Lord Jesus Himself. This beast is typified by eighteen men in the Bible: Cain, Nimrod, Pharaoh, Sennecherib, Balak, Sisera, Abimelech, Ahad, Goliath, Saul, Absalom, Haman, Nabal, Jeroboam, Judas, Herod, Solomon, and Nebuchadnezzar. By the way, eighteen is 6 plus 6 plus 6! Because the antichrist is the second most important personality in the Bible, we need to be able to recognize him.

[1]. He is a prince (Dan. 9:26; Jn. 16:11).
[2]. He is a King (Dan. 8:21,23).
[3]. He is called a "he-goat "(Dan. 8:21).
[4]. He is called a "little horn" (Dan. 7:8).
[5]. He is called "the King of the north" (Dan. 11).
[6]. He is called "a king of fierce countenance" (Dan. 8:23).
[7]. He is called "the antichrist" (1 Jn. 4:3).
[8]. He is called the "man of sin " or "son of perdition" (11 Thess. 2:2-4).
[9]. He is called the "beast" out of the pit (Rev. 17:5-9).
[10]. He has A NUMBER, A NAME, A SIGN, and A MARK (Rev. 13:15-18).

I. THE DESCRIPTION OF THE BEAST (13:1-3)

As revealed in 12:3, there is someone with seven heads and ten horns. Heads usually speak of wisdom, horns of confederated power, and the crowns represent ruling authority. In chapter twelve, Satan is pictured as the ruling authority over the seven Gentile kings (kingdoms) that have dominated world power beginning with the Pharaohs and the kingdom of Egypt to the Antichrist and the revived kingdom of Rome. These kings and kingdoms dedicated themselves to destroying and/or eliminating the physical seed of God's people as revealed by the Word of God.

In chapter thirteen, the crowns are now on the horns (not the heads). In chapter 12 we have a view of world history. In chapter 13 we see the last of this world history coming to pass with the Antichrist emerging at Mid-tribulation as the ruling authority over a ten member confederated power. By popular agreement, all expositors identify this ten king kingdom as the ten member European Common Market.

Daniel identified the Antichrist as the ruler of this revived Roman confederation of nations (Dan. 7:15-26).

First and foremost, it must be recognized that the beast is a man. He is a man who was living, is not living, but will come up later from the pit and go into perdition because he is the "son of perdition" (2 Thess. 2:3,4).

Observe the following:

[1]. The bottomless pit is a place of demons and has a demon-angel over it who has two names, both meaning "DESTRUCTION" (Rev. 9: 1 -11).
[2]. This angel is a devil, although he is not THE Devil. He is king over the pit; it is "HIS PLACE " (Rev. 9: 11).
[3]. When he arrives, he is called the "son of perdition" the son of "damnation"; the word "perdition" being the exact Greek word in (Rev. 9:11) for APPOLLYON "Destroyer."
[4]. There is a man in scripture who is called the "Son of Perdition" (Jn. 17:12).
[5]. He has two names; one a Hebrew name, one a Greek name (Rev. 9:11).
[6]. He is a devil (Jn. 6:70,71) and goes to "his place" when he dies (Acts 1:25)
[7]. The man Judas Iscariot, though born of a woman (Gen. 3:15), was not a human. He like the ten demoniac kings who will show up soon (Dan. 2:43; Rev. 17:12), is of that peculiar breed that inspires men to write tales like the "Inner Sanctum" and "Twilight Zone." As Cain, born of woman, was actually "of that wicked one" (I Jn. 3:12), so Judas walked, talked, ate, grew, slept, preached, worked miracles (Matt. 10:1-13) as a man; but his Creator said of him, "Have I not chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil? He spake of Judas Iscariot" (Jn. 6:70,71).
[8]. Believe it or not, the man Judas is the only man in scripture who will fulfill the requirements of scripture. Appearing in history for three brief years to die as a suicide, the disembodied spirit of that DEVIL returned to his abode. As the demon-possessed pigs committed "hogicide" at Gadera (Mk. 5:1-20), so this devil, who passed for a man, ended his life in suicide. His first name "Judas" is the Greek for the tribe of "Judah", from whence the Lord's Christ came. His last name is Hebrew "ishkerioth," "a man of Kerioth." As a Syrian-Jew, he fits remarkably the description of (Dan. 8:21-25). Notice the bad arm on the "Kerioth" (Jer. 48:25), and the bad arm on the false shepherd of (Zech. 11:17), and the DIRECT REFERENCE TO JUDAS ISCARIOT RIGHT IN THE CONTEXT!! (Zech. 11:10-15).

 

II. HIS CHIEF CHARACTERISTIC (13:1,5,6)

The word is "blasphemy." Verse one ascribes "the name of blasphemy" to him. Thereafter he is said to open "his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven" (13:6).

Even casual observers are aware of the fact that we are rapidly becoming, as a nation, almost immune to revulsion at hearing God's name blasphemed or taken in vain. Entertainers, songwriters, periodicals, parents, children and even, unfortunately, some professing Christians are among those guilty of dulling our senses to the offensiveness of the practice. Is this, after all, a petty problem, or merely the verbal groping of people who have inadequate vocabularies? Certainly not. We are witnessing a process of preparation. Blasphemy in the satanic stratagem is a purposeful program-a program designed to defy, defame, denounce, deny and declare God impotent in preparation for Antichrist's offer to the world of one whose name will be revered, or else (13:16,17).

Satan has long been the author of blasphemy against God. That Blasphemy will reach its climax when, not content to just damn or curse in the name of God, he will set up a form of worship that leads men to fall down before him as though he were a god. This accords with (Isa. 14), which describes Satan's secret desire to have other creatures worship him. The Jews accused Jesus of blasphemy because He said He was God. In addition, Jesus was crucified for blasphemy. But declaring that one is God is blasphemous only when untrue. In the case of the Antichrist during the Tribulation period, it will be untrue, but such supernatural powers will be given him by the devil himself that he will appear to nave "God-like" characteristics and thus deceive many human beings.

 

III. HIS POWER AND WARFARE (13:7)

The Antichrist will be empowered by Satan himself. It is God who will permit Satan and his cohorts to give power to the beast and inspire him in his evil designs (Dan. 8:24; 2 Thess. 2:8-12). Satan will give to Antichrist what he offered the Lord and le refused (Matt. 4). The beast will be a force to be reckoned with.. He will blaspheme God (Dan. 7:8,11,20,25; 11:36); overcome saints (Rev. 7:9-17; 14:13; 15:2-4); conquer many nations (Dan. 7:8,20-24; 11:36-45); overcome and kill the two witnesses (Rev. 11:7); change times and laws (Dan. 7:25); work signs and wonders (Dan. 8:24; 2 Thess. 2:8-10); reign for forty-two months (Rev. 13:5).

 

Intro:

"Another beast" (vs. 11) . . . the second beast is mentioned for the first time. This beast, called the false prophet" in (Rev. 16:13; 19:20 and 20:10), is only revealed in the book of Revelation. His ministry is similar in nature to that of John the Baptist. As John was the precursor of Christ, so the false prophet is the forerunner of the Antichrist. In (Rev. 16:13), he is seen with the beast and dragon as sending forth the demonic spirits to gather the nations to Armageddon. The final damnation of this second beast will be eternal punishment in the lake of fire, as will be that of the Antichrist and the dragon (Rev. 20:10).

I . HIS ORIGIN (13:11)

"And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth." Most Bible expositors suggest that his coming out of the earth indicates that he does not come up out of the sea of peoples, as does the first beast. That is, he is not of mixed nationality; that he comes out of the earth (around Palestine) may indicate that he is a Jew. This would point to an apostate Jew who during the first 3 1/2 years would lead Israel to make a covenant with Antichrist and deceive them by hiding his apostasy until the middle of the Tribulation Period, at which time he serves his purpose by revealing his apostate beliefs and practices.

II. HIS DESCRIPTION (13:11)

"He had two horns like a lamb." The Lord Jesus is often referred to in the Gospels and in the book of Revelation as "the Lamb of God." As such He has taken away the sins of the world. The false prophet coming on the earth looks like a lamb with two horns. Lambs do not have horns, which are symbols of authority, but instead are meek and mild animals. The Lord Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount, "Beware of false prophets that come unto you as wolves in sheep's clothing." The false prophet will come to Israel in sheep's clothing, but God terms him "a beast."

"He spake as a dragon" suggests that he derives power of speech from the devil who, as we found in Chapter 12, is the dragon. This false prophet, then, would deceive men as if he were a lamb but really speaks the words of Satan. Let it be understood that Satan is not against religion. He is, however, against personal faith in Jesus Christ. Therefore, the beast will be one of the chief spokesmen in the Holy Land for the ecumenical power of (Rev. 17).

Ill. HIS RELIGIOUS POWER (13:12-15)

"And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him." The close relationship between these two individual world leaders is seen in the fact that he is given power by the Antichrist himself. His whole purpose is to work toward the complete dominance of the earth by the Antichrist, including a form of religion satisfactory to the Antichrist.

"And causeth the earth and them who dwell therein to worship the first beast." His basic purpose and operation with all of this power and demon speech will be to drive men to worship the Antichrist. When indwelt by Satan in the midst of the Tribulation, the Antichrist will be so deceived about himself that he will deem himself God and seek the worship of men (2 Thess. 2:3-8).

"And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men."

He is an administrator of the affairs of Satan. As a means of impressing the people favorably, he performs miracles. This is a means of accomplishing his purposes. He substantiates his claims by demonstrating supernatural control over the forces of nature.

These signs are religious in character. There is the sign of fire from Heaven. This has been one way that God revealed himself in history. He sent fire from Heaven upon Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen. 19: 24). He sent fire from Heaven to slay Nadab and Abihu (Lev. 10:1-2). He sent fire from Heaven to Mount Carmel in answer to the prayer of Elijah (I Kings 18:38). Similar miracles will have been performed by the two witnesses (Rev. 11:3-6), so that the false prophet's duplication of such wonders will serve as an aid in causing the citizens of the earth to worship the beast. You will recall that it was by the calling of fire from Heaven that Elijah authenticated himself and his message as from God (2 Kings 1: 10,12).

"And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live."

Here we see the purpose for the miracles of the false prophet. The real purpose for the miracles was to prepare the minds of the people for the announcement in verse 14. The false prophet will attempt to lead the people to finance the erection of a great image in Jerusalem, thereby making Jerusalem the center of a worldwide religious system. Once again Satan is imitating what is predicted in the prophetic Scriptures. He knows that Jerusalem was the center of Christ's activities when He came to the earth the first time, and that it will be His capital city when He comes again to reign on the earth. When one reads our Lord's prophecies in (Matt. 24), he can see that Christ was referring to these same events (Matt. 24:15-24). Moreover our Lord identifies the time period when the false prophet and the Antichrist appear on the scene as the "great tribulation" (Matt. 24:21).

"And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed."

 

IV. HIS ECONOMIC POWER (13:16-18)

Here is the mark of the beast. It is an identifying mark indicating that the one bearing it both worships the beast and submits to his rule. To be without the mark will label one as a traitor to government. Such an one will be killed instantly or else starved to death slowly. All men must eat if they will live. Therefore in order to remain alive one must be able to buy and sell, and these things he will be permitted to do only if he can show the mark of the beast, his name, or his number.

"Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of man; and his number is six hundred threescore and six."

Perhaps no other single passage in the Word of God has been the object of more silly and serious speculation than this one. How are we to understand the number 666? It is definitely showing ... up with an alarmingly high frequency . . . everything from the taxicab numbers in Israel to the entry code of the large industrial type computers.

"Probably the simplest explanation here is the best, that triple six is the number of a man, each digit failing short of the perfect number seven. Six in the scripture is man's number. He was to work six days and rest the seventh. The image of Nebuchadnezzar was sixty cubits high and sixty cubits broad. Whatever may be the deeper meaning of the number, it implies that this title, referring to the first beast, Satan's masterpiece, limits him to man's level, which is far short of the deity of Jesus Christ." (Dr. John Wolvoord, The Revelation of Jesus Christ, pg. 210).

Whatever is involved in this hellish mark, it is apparently very important, for it is referred to again no less than six times (see Rev. 14:9,11; 15:2; 16:2; 19:20; 20:4).