A restless dark sea at dusk under low, even grey cloud, long swells breaking far out and one pale band of light on the horizon.

The Book of

Revelation 13

The dragon finds help: a beast from the sea and another from the earth, demanding the world’s worship. Here is a call to stay faithful.

18 verses≈ 4 minBSB

Images are artistic interpretations.

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Where we are

1–3Seven churchesChrist among His lampstands
4–11Seals & trumpetsThe Lamb opens the scroll
12–16The great conflictThe dragon, the beasts, the bowlsChapter 13
17–20The King comesBabylon falls; the Lamb wins
21–22All things newA new heaven and a new earth

The Beast from the Sea

Then I saw a beast with ten horns and seven heads rising out of the sea. There were ten royal crowns on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads. The beast I saw was like a leopard, with the feet of a bear and the mouth of a lion. And the dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority.

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Where the picture comes from

Whiteboard

John’s vision borrows Daniel’s. Daniel saw four great beasts come up out of a churning sea: one like a lion, one like a bear, one like a leopard, and a terrifying fourth with ten horns. Here one beast carries all their marks at once. The world will ask, “Who is like the beast, and who can wage war against it?” Israel had long since sung the true answer at the Red Sea: there is no one like the LORD.

One of the heads of the beast appeared to have been mortally wounded. But the mortal wound was healed, and the whole world marveled and followed the beast. They worshiped the dragon who had given authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast, and who can wage war against it?”

The beast was given a mouth to speak arrogant and blasphemous words, and authority to act for 42 months. And the beast opened its mouth to speak blasphemies against God and to slander His name and His tabernacle—those who dwell in heaven.

A few believers seen from behind, gathered close around one small clay oil lamp in a plain stone room at night, heads bowed, the wooden door barred.

Then the beast was permitted to wage war against the saints and to conquer them, and it was given authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation. And all who dwell on the earth will worship the beast—all whose names have not been written from the foundation of the world in the Book of Life belonging to the Lamb who was slain.

0:19

Narrated by Bob Souer · BSB audio, public domain

He who has an ear, let him hear: “If anyone is destined for captivity, into captivity he will go; if anyone is to die by the sword, by the sword he must be killed.”

Here is a call for the perseverance and faith of the saints.

Revelation 13:10

Reflect

A call to endure

John’s first readers were a small people under great pressure, and this vision does not pretend otherwise: the beast was “permitted to wage war against the saints.” Yet their names stood written “in the Book of Life belonging to the Lamb who was slain,” and the call to them was simple: “Here is a call for the perseverance and faith of the saints.” Where is faithfulness hardest for you right now, and what would it look like to keep going there this week?

The Beast from the Earth

Then I saw another beast rising out of the earth. This beast had two horns like a lamb, but spoke like a dragon.

And this beast exercised all the authority of the first beast and caused the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose mortal wound had been healed.

Question

Quick question

The second beast looks gentle, but listen to how it speaks.

How does John describe the beast that rose out of the earth?

The Mark of the Beast

And the second beast required all people, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their forehead, so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark—the name of the beast or the number of its name.

Here is a call for wisdom: Let the one who has insight calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and that number is 666.

Revelation 13:8

Pray

Worship God alone

If you belong to Jesus, thank God that your name is written “in the Book of Life belonging to the Lamb who was slain,” and that no power on earth can erase it. Ask Him for wisdom to see through every voice that “spoke like a dragon,” however gentle it looks. And ask for the “perseverance and faith of the saints,” so that whatever it costs, you will worship Him alone.

You’ve experienced

Revelation 13

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A verse to carry with you

Here is a call for the perseverance and faith of the saints.

Revelation 13:10

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