66. Revelation 13 - Bible Study - Part 2

Rev 13:1-2 : Introduction to the Antichrist
A GUIDED BIBLE STUDY OF REVELATION 13

Part 1. Literal vs. Symbolic in Revelation 12 (Post 64 link)
==> Part 2. Rev 13:1-2 : Introduction to the Antichrist
Part 3. Rev:13:3-4 Satan empowers the Antichrist
Part 4. Rev 13:5-7 The Antichrist exercises his power
Part 5. Rev 13: 8-10 The Reign of the Antichrist
Part 6. Rev 13:11-13 Another beast: The False Prophet
Part 7. Rev 13:14-15 The Image of the beast
Part 8. Rev 13:16-18 The Mark of the Beast

Overview of Part 2:
1. The Biblical Text of the Passage
2. An Expanded Version of the Text
3. The Explanation

1. The Biblical Text of the Passage
(this lesson in bold type)

13:1 (And the dragon stood on the shore of the sea.*)

And I saw a beast rising out of the sea. He had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on his horns, and on each head a blasphemous name.
2 Now the beast that I saw was like a leopard; its feet were like a bear’s feet, and its mouth was like that of a lion. And the dragon gave to the beast his power and his throne and great authority.

3 One of the heads of the beast seemed to have had a fatal wound, but the fatal wound had been healed. The whole world was astonished and followed the beast. 4 So they worshiped the dragon, for he had given authority to the beast, and they worshipped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war against him?”

*in some versions this is the last verse (12:17) in the previous chapter.

2. An Expanded Version of the Text
(this lesson in bold type)

13:1 (And the dragon [or I] stood on the shore of the sea.*)

And I saw a beast (a.k.a. antichrist) rising out of the sea. He had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns (diadems, crowns of royalty) on his horns, and on each head a blasphemous name (written against God). 2 Now the beast that I saw was like a leopard; its feet were like a bear’s feet, and its mouth was like that of a lion. And the dragon (the devil, Satan, the deceiver) gave to the beast his (Satan's) power and his throne and great authority.

3 One of the heads of the beast seemed to have had a fatal (mortal) wound, but the fatal wound had been healed. [Because of this] the whole world was astonished and followed the beast. 4 So they worshiped the dragon, for he had given authority to the beast, and they (also) worshipped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war against him?”

*in some versions this is the last verse (12:17) in the previous chapter.

3. The Explanation

One of the first things one notices after reading this four-verse section of scripture is that the word ‘antichrist’ is not used. In a later post we will discuss where the word ‘antichrist’ is used (only in the letters of John), and how and why so many other passages seem to be linked to the antichrist without that word actually being in the passage.

The fact is, ‘the antichrist’ is simply the most popular name for this evil person – he is both anti-god and antichrist – but here in Revelation, he is called the beast. In other Bible passages he is also called (in no particular order): (1) the man of sin, the man of evil, (2) the lawless one, (3) the son of destruction, (4) the rider on the white horse of Rev 6, (5) the insolent king, skilled in intrigue, (6) the willful king, (7) the little horn that grows exceedingly large, (8) the prince who is to come, (9) the desolater (the one who makes desolate), (10) the defiler, the desecrator, (11) the one who exalts himself as God. These are the best known names, and there are still more names to be mentioned and considered in future posts.

You will have noticed the footnoted verse, the first one in the text, where it says “And the dragon stood on the shore of the sea”. In some translations that verse is at the end of the previous chapter, verse Rev 12:17. This is because the chapter and verse numbers were added long after the bible was completed. The chapter numbers were added in 1205 A.D., and the verse numbers in 1551 A.D.., and Bible scholars have not agreed on which side of the chapter ending this short passage should be.

And there is a second controversy about this verse. Some versions say “And I stood on the shore of the sea”, the ‘I’ being John the writer, rather than the dragon. But don’t let that bother you; either one works, since they were both just talked about in Chapter 12.

==> You may want to print off this lesson at this point, since we will be referring to the text of the verse, or even better, select the Bible of your choice. Or both!

To print this lesson, click on the post title (where it says 66. Revelation 13...) which isolates this lesson, then print.

Notice in verse 1 that the beast – the antichrist – rises out of the sea. The sea in scripture is sometimes used symbolically, and this is one of those places. Elsewhere in scripture it says that the ‘sea’ stands for the teeming masses of people of the earth, the chaotic population of the world. By this we understand that the antichrist does not rise up through royalty, nor as a leader of men, but out of the people, starting as a common man, rising unexpectedly -- as Hitler did. It may also mean that he will be a Gentile and not a Jew.

The ten horns of the beast symbolically stand for the antichrist’s power and authority. While he may start out as common, at the appropriate time he is given great power and authority. The seven heads may be symbolic of seven leaders who are allied with him at the start, but end up following him as the power of the antichrist grows. (Daniel will have more to say about this)

It is even possible that he may start out claiming to be a friend of ‘religion’, maybe even of God. But as he gains power (perhaps even before the start of the tribulation) more and more he will let his true colors be shown, as he devises ways in his heart to become greater than God. The true and living God – the one who really exists -- will have no place in antichrist’s plan, and the beast and his leaders will blaspheme God by the words they will say about him, and by the names they will call him.

In verse 2, a further description of the antichrist is given. And again, these three animals are mentioned as symbols, but are not only symbols, since they point to something real and literal about the antichrist. The antichrist, the beast, is “like a leopard”. The leopard is used in scripture to portray the kingdom of Greece under Alexander the Great (Daniel 7:6). Alexander was the most swift of all the conquerors, breathtaking in his speed, and the beast will do likewise as he conquers the whole world (Rev 13:8) in an unexpectedly short time (which may coincide with the first 3 ½ years of the tribulation)

The beast also has feet like a bear, which is the animal used to portray the dual kingdom of Medo-Persia (Daniel 7:5), a fierce and ferocious foe that moved slowly but surely, lumbering from conquest to conquest. A bear’s mind and purpose is not easily changed, and is perhaps used here to show the certainty of the antichrist’s conquests.

The final animal mentioned is the lion, where the antichrist has the mouth of a lion. This is the first beast mentioned in the Daniel passage (Daniel 7:4). A lion is known for his strength, his grandeur, his royalty, his fierce roar leading to action. The lion in Daniel portrays the Babylonian kingdom, first of Nebuchadnezzar, and subsequently of his offspring, the greatest kingdom of its time.

The antichrist beast will have a mouth like a lion that will:
(1) boast of great things, speaking arrogant and pompous words,
(2) speak against God the Father, against his Name, and against his throne (the place where God dwells),
(3) claim that Jesus did not really come in the flesh,
(4) proclaim that he himself is deity (God),
(5) announce peace at the beginning of his reign, but will eventually,
(6) endorse bringing war and annihilation upon the whole earth,
(7) corrupt many by flattery.
And he will say much more!

And the last half of verse 2 gives an astounding assertion:
“And the dragon (Satan) gave to the beast his (Satan's) power and his throne and great authority.”

In 2 Chronicles 16:9, it says of God: “For the eyes of the LORD look back and forth throughout the whole earth, so He may show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.” The Lord God is looking for people who will be loyal and devoted to him, so he can work mighty things in and through them.

And so it is and has always been the same with Satan, the tempter, the deceiver, as he searches the hearts of men to know who will honor and obey him. Such men as Hitler, Stalin, and Idi Amin of Uganda come to mind from the century that recently ended.

Nevertheless, these three men and their deeds are poor comparisons to the beast that is the antichrist. Tens of millions died under the 20th century three. Under the reign of the antichrist, hundreds of millions, if not billions, will die because of his actions. And it is because Satan does a new thing in verse 2: he gives to the antichrist Satan’s own power and throne, and great authority.

In the gospels of Matthew and Mark, it says that: “For then there will be (a) great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will be. And unless the Lord had shortened those days (the days of the tribulation), there would be no one left alive.”

In Daniel 12:1, it says very much in context: "...And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time..."

This is how bad it will be when the antichrist takes his throne, apparently happening at the midpoint of the tribulation period.

Next Lesson:
Part 3. Rev:13:3-4 Satan empowers the Antichrist (Post #67 Link)
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