AM Bible Study Group; June 1, 2016 from Revelation 13:1-10
Theme: This passage reveals to us the character and career of the Antichrist.
(All Scripture is taken from The New King James Version, unless otherwise indicated).
This chapter gives us further details of the activities of the great dragon described in chapter 12. It outlines for us the career of his man, the Antichrist (1 John 2:18) who is the personification of "the spirit of Antichrist" (1 John 4:3). He is called ‘the man of sin’ (2 Thessalonians 2:12), and ‘the prince who is to come’ as promised in the book of Daniel (7:7-8, 19-26; 12:36-45).
I. HIS DESCRIPTION (vv. 1-2).
A. As most of the best ancient manuscripts have verse 1, it is the dragon (not John himself) who stood at the sand of the sea. In biblical prophecy, the sea is often a symbolic reference to the collection of Gentile nations. Out of the agitated, boiling turmoil from which the ungodly social and political movements of mankind are developed, one arises who is called "a beast" (symbolic of his vicious nature). His description is like that of the dragon (see 12:3)l; and this reveals the strong connection that will exist between the dragon and his beast. The beast’s seven heads symbolize that his reign on earth is a product of all previous world powers; and his ten horns represent the future ten-nation confederacy through which he will operate (see 12:2; 17:13, 12-14). Note that on his head are "blasphemous names" (or, in some texts, "a blasphemous name")—calling attention to the blasphemous nature of the beast (see v. 6).
B. Note that the beast is a composite of the "creatures" Daniel saw in his vision (Daniel 7:3-8); the leopard representing Greece (associated with great speed), the bear representing Persia (the feet of which are lumbering and destructive), and the lion representing Babylon (the mouth of which is devouring and dangerous). These kingdoms are presented as in reverse order of their appearance in history, because John was looking backward to them from the standpoint of the future. This ‘Antichrist’ beast is the summation of mankind’s rebelliousness against the promised reign of King Jesus (see Psalm 2:1-3). But ultimately, it is the dragon who gives the beast "his power, his throne, and great authority". He is the human ‘masterpiece’ of the devil.
II. HIS WORSHIP (vv. 3-4).
A. John sees that one of the heads was mortally wounded. This may be seen as a destruction and subsequent revival of one of the empires that the beast represents (see 17:10-11); but it is also clearly speaking in personal terms, and should be seen as the literal wounding of a person (see vv. 12, 14). It may be that this final world empire is figured for us in the person of the Antichrist; and it is the Antichrist himself who is mortally wounded. This "mortal wound" is later healed however—suggesting the restoration to life of the Antichrist. Perhaps the devil will stage the murder of the Antichrist, and follow his murder by a subsequent ‘fake’ resurrection; and all to deceptively draw the astonishment of the world to the devil’s ‘false messiah’.
B. As a result of all this, the world will marvel at and follow the beast. They will declare that no one is like him and that (because of his apparent resurrection) none can make war with him. They will worship him; but note that, in worshiping him, they actually worship the dragon.
III. HIS SPEECH (vv. 5-6).
A. That he is ‘given a mouth’ suggests that he is given a remarkable power of persuasive speech; and that this speech is satanically inspired. (Note that the diabolical origin of his speech is made evident by the fact that he speaks "blasphemies".) He speaks such great things that he woos and draws the world to himself; but the things he speaks are blasphemous lies—utterly contrary to the clear testimony of God’s revealed word.
B. He is given authority (ultimately by the permission of God; who alone sets the time-tables of this world) to continue for forty-two months (three-and-a-half years). “Then” (kai)—which here seems to be indicating that a certain point in his history is reached; perhaps at the end of the forty-two months—the beast speaks great blasphemies to a profound degree; even blaspheming God, His name, His temple and His saints in heaven (see 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4). The Antichrist finally becomes exposed to the world as the instrument of the devil that he really is.
IV. HIS WARFARE (v. 7a).
A. Not only is it granted to him to speak these blasphemies; but he is also permitted to act on those blasphemous words. (The one doing the ‘permitting’ may, in a temporal sense, be the devil; but ultimately, it is God, who permits the devil to perform these acts—ultimately—in order to fulfill His sovereign decree.) The Antichrist is given the ability to make war with the saints on earth—giving expression, ultimately, to the intense hatred of the devil toward the Jewish people and the followers of Jesus (see 12:17; also Daniel 7:25). This will be a time of great persecution for the saints (see Matthew 24:15-28).
B. He is given power to overcome the saints for a time. But it is only for the amount of time that God allows. The saints overcome the devil “by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death” (12:11).
V. HIS AUTHORITY (vv. 7b-8).
A. The Antichrist is given total power over the nations of the earth—over every tribe, tongue and nation. We see these groups also mentioned in 7:9; but back then, the focus was on the saints. Here, it is on the ungodly peoples of this world. His rule will be as "complete" and “totalitarian” as it can humanly be. He will truly be the single, human ruler of the world for a time—worshiped by the ungodly of this world, and controlled by the devil.
B. Note that not all will worship him; but only those who’s names are not written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world (see Philippians 4:3; Revelation 3:5; 17:8; 20:12, 15; 21:27; 22: 19)—names that have been recorded before time (Ephesians 1:4).
VI. HIS IMPACT (vv. 9-10).
A. This will be a time in which the judgment of God will fall on man. Those who lead into captivity will themselves be led into captivity; and those who kill with the sword will themselves be so killed—as is also so determined by the sovereign decree of God (see Jeremiah 15:2).
B. This will also be a time of testing of the saints. The temptation will be to respond to their oppressors as their oppressors have treated them. But their restraint from following the brutal patterns of this world will be the a matter of, instead, following the example set for them by their Lord (see Isaiah 53:7-8); and will be the proof to the world of their identity as His followers (see 1 Peter 2:21-24; Revelation 14:12).
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There is an "hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth" (Revelation 3:10). Praise God that He has mercifully given us a warning, well in advance, of the nature of that time of testing! May we cling tightly to Jesus; and be faithful to proclaim Him in the face of that coming hour!