Free Bible Commentary
“Revelation 13:1-6”
Categories: Revelation“And the dragon stood on the sand of the seashore. Then I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads, and on his horns were ten diadems, and on his heads were blasphemous names. And the beast which I saw was like a leopard, and his feet were like those of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. And the dragon gave him his power and his throne and great authority. 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; they worshiped the dragon because he gave his authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, ‘Who is like the beast, and who is able to wage war with him?’ There was given to him a mouth speaking arrogant words and blasphemies, and authority to act for forty-two months was given to him. And he opened his mouth in blasphemies against God, to blaspheme His name and His tabernacle, that is, those who dwell in heaven.”
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John next saw a breathtaking vision of a terrifying “beast coming up out of the sea” (verse 1). This dreadful creature mirrored in many ways the figure of the great red dragon. Both the dragon and the sea-beast had “ten horns and seven heads,” but, whereas the dragon seven crowns (12:3) the beast sported “ten diadems” on his heads. What is depicted here is the Roman Empire, fierce and powerful, which derived its power for evil from Satan himself, who Jesus called “the ruler of this world” (John 12:31; 16:11). “On his head were blasphemous names.” This creature “opened his mouth in blasphemies against God” (verse 6), and also appropriated titles that rightfully belonged only to the Lord God Almighty.
Robert Harkrider wrote, “This beast rises up out of the sea which is reminiscent of Daniel’s vision in which he saw some great beasts come up from the sea (Dan. 7:2-3). The ‘sea’ represented in that prophecy the whole of human society from which emerged four world empires symbolized in Daniels visions as beasts. John’s beast is also a world empire arising from the sea of humanity… John sees embodied in this empire a combination of features of the four beasts of Daniel’s vision. The fourth world empire incorporated traits of the kingdoms that had preceded it, arising one after the other to rule the world. In Daniel’s prophecy, the first kingdom was ‘like a lion’ (7:4); a second that was ‘like to a bear’ (7:5); and a third ‘like a leopard’ (7:6).”
Homer Hailey wrote, “Here is a plain introduction of the Roman Empire as an instrument of Satan’s diabolical and blasphemous power, cruelty, and opposition to God’s kingdom. In the mighty, worldwide Roman Empire was combined the tearing power of Chaldea (the lion), the crushing force of Medo-Persia (the bear), and the swift and ferocious character of Macedonia under Alexander (the leopard). The beast symbolized all the anti-God opposition by force that could ever be brought against the people of God, but to John and the saints to whom he wrote it definitely personified the empire of their day.”
Many commentators have taken the statement about one of the beast’s heads that looked “as if it had been slain, and his fatal wound was healed” (verse 3), and applied it to one particular emperor or another. But it seems best to look at this “seemingly” deadly wound as inflicted upon the beast as a whole and not to single out one, particular, human ruler. It is obvious that this immensely powerful creature (empire) could not be destroyed by typical methods such as a massive blow to the head, because once one particular version of it was conquered, the “beast” continued to “live on” in the defeating, succeeding world power. When the Babylonian Empire was defeated, it was assimilated into the victorious Persians and lived on as a part of that new monstrosity. The same was true when the Greeks and Romans subsequently conquered and enveloped the preceding world powers. In John’s lifetime, the Roman Empire was just the latest manifestation of the ruling, global empire with its wickedly corrupt leaders.
Robert Harkrider wrote concerning the beast in verse 6, “In his arrogance, he boldly railed against God and His people. To blaspheme against ‘God’ is to speak arrogantly against His eternal nature and authority… To blaspheme against His ‘name’ is to speak against all that He is and stands for. To blaspheme against His ‘tabernacle’ is to speak against His dwelling place (21:3), including the church on earth (Eph. 2:21-22). To blaspheme against ‘them that dwell in heaven’ is to slander angelic beings and the host of faithful servants who have gone on to their reward (7:14-17).
Please read Revelation 13:7-9 for tomorrow.
Have a great day!
-Louie Taylor
