A Call for the Endurance & Faith of the Saints: The Two Beasts of Political Power & False Religion – Revelation 13

A CALL FOR THE ENDURANCE OF THE SAINTS

The Twin Beasts of Political Power and False Religion

Revelation: Every Eye Will See Him

Revelation 13

THE TEXT:

The text for the sermon today is Revelation 13. Our text can be found on page 1035. These are the words of God:

13 And I saw a beast rising out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads, with ten diadems on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads. ² And the beast that I saw was like a leopard; its feet were like a bear’s, and its mouth was like a lion’s mouth. And to it the dragon gave his power and his throne and great authority. ³ One of its heads seemed to have a mortal wound, but its mortal wound was healed, and the whole earth marveled as they followed the beast. ⁴ And they worshiped the dragon, for he had given his authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast, and who can fight against it?”

⁵ And the beast was given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words, and it was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two months. ⁶ It opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against God, blaspheming his name and his dwelling, that is, those who dwell in heaven. ⁷ Also it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them. And authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation, ⁸ and all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain. ⁹ If anyone has an ear, let him hear:

¹⁰ If anyone is to be taken captive,

to captivity he goes;

if anyone is to be slain with the sword,

with the sword must he be slain.

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

¹¹ Then I saw another beast rising out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb and it spoke like a dragon. ¹² It exercises all the authority of the first beast in its presence, and makes the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose mortal wound was healed. ¹³ It performs great signs, even making fire come down from heaven to earth in front of people, ¹⁴ and by the signs that it is allowed to work in the presence of the beast it deceives those who dwell on earth, telling them to make an image for the beast that was wounded by the sword and yet lived. ¹⁵ And it was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast might even speak and might cause those who would not worship the image of the beast to be slain. ¹⁶ Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, ¹⁷ so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name. ¹⁸ This calls for wisdom: let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is 666.

SUMMARY OF THE TEXT

You’ve likely heard the saying, “He couldn’t see the forest for the trees.” It’s an expression that basically means, “Don’t miss the big picture because you are so busy attending to the smaller details.” When we come to the beasts of Revelation 13, and especially the mark or number of the beast, not only do many Christians lose the forest for the trees, they actually become focused on the leaves.

While there are many details in this passage, the overarching message is quite clear. The very center of the passage (end of v. 12) says, “Here is a call for the endurance of the saints. And what must the endure? They must endure the attacks and deception of two monsters. The first, as we will see is the monster of worldly political power which seeks to elevate itself to the place of God. The second monster is that of false religion, which acts as if it speaks for God.

Chapter 12 was all about the war between the dragon (Satan) and the church, and the last verse of 12 ends with the dragon standing on the shore of the sea.

Chapter 13 begins with a beast rising out of the sea, and concludes with a beast rising out of the earth. They are both Satan’s allies in his war against the church. Before we identify the beasts, let’s note a few differences between them:

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE BEASTS

Different in Appearance

First Beast:

• 7 Heads, 10 Horns, 10 Crowns
• Feet like a Bear
• Body like a Leopard
• Mouth like a Lion
• Similar to the 4 beasts Daniel saw in a vision (Dan. 7) All of which represented empires.
• First beast is ferocious

Second Beast:

• Docile
• Looks like a Lamb.
• But this is deceptive because it speaks like a dragon.
• Parades like a savior similar to Christ, but it is a false savior.

Different in their Dominion

            First Beast:

• Political Dominion – “Who is able to make war on him? (Rev. 13:4)
• This first beast would seek to usurp Christ in his office as king.

G.K. Beale notes several similarities between the first beast and Christ:

• Both were slain and rise to new life (5:6 and 13:3).
• Both have followers with their names written on their foreheads (13:16 and 14:1).
• Both have horns (5:6 and 13:1).
• Both have authority over every “tribe, tongue, people, and nation” (5:9; 7:9 and 13:7; 17:12, 15).
• Both receive worldwide worship (5:8–14 and 13:4, 8).
• Both have a final coming or manifestation, though one is to destruction and the other to eternal victory (17:7–18).

Second Beast:

• Religious Dominion – “makes the earth worship the first beast” (Rev. 13:12)
• The second beast would seek to usurp Christ in his role as prophet and priest.

Again, there are several similarities between the second beast and Christ:

• Both described as a lamb with horns (strength).
• Both direct the worship of their followers.
• Both work miracles.

IDENTIFYING THE BEASTS

Go read the commentaries and you will find interpretations all over the map for the identity of these two beasts. But John’s original audience would have had no difficulty in finding parallels to these two beasts.

They would have easily identified the first beast with the Roman Imperial government. No one could stand against the power of Rome in the first century. So, the first beast represents the deification of political and military power. It’s the civil magistrate elevating himself to the place of God.

The second beast would also have been easy to identify for John’s original audience. The Romans did not oppose the worship of many deities, so long as the worshippers were also willing to confess that Caesar was lord. There was an entire system of priests dedicated to directing the worship of the citizens to Caesar.

Now, you may ask, “Why didn’t John simply say, “Caesar,” and the “Imperial Cult”? Why the symbolism? And the answer is two fold:

• First, when you are a persecuted minority you typically don’t put down in writing that the Caesar is a pawn of Satan.

• Second, John understood that the Roman empire was not an eternal power. Eventually, Rome would fall, and in its place would rise a new global power. For that reason, these two beasts can be found in every age.

• This is where many modern commentators miss the mark in identifying the first beast only as the end-time Anti-Christ. The beast out of the sea surely is final Anti-Christ, but he is far more.

In fact, that’s what John is saying in verse 3:

³ One of its heads seemed to have a mortal wound, but its mortal wound was healed, and the whole earth marveled as they followed the beast.

Nero died, but the empire and its persecution didn’t. Domitian came. When he died, then came Tajan, then Hadrian, then Marcus Aurelius, then Diocletian.

And it didn’t stop with Rome. Throughout the centuries, Satan has empowered evil empires to wage war on the church and the spread of the gospel. Just think of the Reformation, when both the state and the church persecuted believers. This is one of the reasons most of the Reformers and the Puritans saw the Pope as the antichrist.

And the same twin beasts are working even today. World governments and economic forums act as if they are supreme. False religions abound.

This is why John could say these words in 1 John 4:

4 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. ² By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, ³ and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already.

While the Apostle Paul tells us of a final antichrist to come, the New Testament teaches that every age has its own antichrists—those who would usurp the authority which Christ alone has. Antichrist is anyone or anything which claims to have the power to save which only Christ posses. Antichrist is anyone or anything which claims to have the power to condemn which only Christ possesses.

And, just out of curiosity, let’s turn over to Paul’s words in 2 Thessalonians 2:1

2 Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers, ² not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. ³ Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, ⁴ who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God. ⁵ Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? ⁶ And you know what is restraining him now so that he may be revealed in his time. ⁷ For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way. ⁸ And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming. ⁹ The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, ¹⁰ and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.

So, I do believe there will be a final “A” antichrist before the return of Christ—but John is warning believers in the first century, and Christians in the 16^th century, and you Christians today at Lake Wylie:

Beware that you only give your worship, your true allegiance to Christ and Christ alone.

THE MARK & NUMBER OF THE BEAST

¹⁶ Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, ¹⁷ so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name.

Once again, because Revelation is a book of pictures, images, and symbols, we ought not to think of this “mark” in literalistic terms. This isn’t a barcode, or a credit card number, or a microchip.

This mark of the beast is analogous to the seal of God we studied back in chapter 7:3. The angel which held back destructive forces cried out:

 

“Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees, until we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.

So, just as God knows who belong to him, in the same way the mark of the beast is a sign of Satan’s ownership. It means serving Satan, obeying him, worshipping him. The mark is on the forehead and hand symbolizing that the thoughts and actions are given over to the elevation of the power of man which, in the end, is really the elevation of Satan.

The number of the beast is rendered as a trinity of sixes: 666

¹⁸ This calls for wisdom: let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is 666.

The symbolism is that of perfect imperfection. The number 6 is the number of fallen man. As William Hendriksen explains:

Six is not seven, and never reaches seven. It always fails to attain to perfection; that is, it never becomes seven. Six means missing the mark, or failure. Seven means perfection or victory. Rejoice, O Church of God! The victory is on your side. The number of the beast is 666, that is, failure upon failure upon failure. It is the number of man, for the beast glories in man; and must fail.

APPLICATIONS

1. Keep the Civil Government in its Proper Place

Many Christians I know er in one of two directions when it comes to the civil government. Some Christians act as if the government doesn’t matter at all, and therefore they retreat from the public square. This is a mistake because the civil magistrate is instituted by God himself. (Romans 13). So governments matter. Elections matter. Midterms matter. God has given the power of the sword to the civil magistrate to punish evil doers and promote peace in the society.

On the other hand, especially during election seasons, too many Christians act as if the civil magistrate alone has the power to save us, or to do us harm. This inordinate fear, or inordinate hope in government makes them worshippers of the beast.

Christians both submit to the civil magistrate because we know their authority comes from God, and yet we are also able to resist the civil magistrate because we know he isn’t God.

Lake Wylie Baptist, pray for the grace to recognize when you are tempted to fear the beast of government more than Christ.

2. Study Divine Revelation

The second beast is false religion, false doctrine parading as if it were true. From the beginning Satan has been a liar and deceiver. Your greatest shield against his deception is the Word of God.

Friend, God has revealed himself to you in nouns and verbs. He has not hidden the truth about himself, his purposes, his salvation, his Christ. He has not left you and I guessing as to the true nature of belief and faith and obedience.

This is why the Scriptures are called the Sword of the Spirit in Ephesians 6:17. They are a sword because they cut through lies; they penetrate falsehoods. And they are of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit, the third person of the Holy Trinity is the one who has inspired the Scriptures. He is the one assuring their accuracy, authority, clarity, and sufficiency.

Charles Spurgeon once said that Scripture is like a lion. Who ever heard of defending a lion? Just turn it loose; it will defend itself.

3. Set Your Hope on the Lamb

The dragon of chapter 12, who empowers the beasts of chapter 13 is terrifying. The German Reformer Martin Luther wrote A Mighty Fortress is our God speaking of the dragon like this:

For still our ancient foe
does seek to work us woe;
his craft and power are great,
and armed with cruel hate,
on earth is not his equal.

The dragon and the beasts are terrifying, and no pastor, no single congregation, no Christian can equal their power. One beast rises out of the sea, the other out of the land threatening the saints of God.

Yet we do not fear, for we have already read Revelation 10:1-3

Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven, wrapped in a cloud, with a rainbow over his head, and his face was like the sun, and his legs like pillars of fire. ² He had a little scroll open in his hand. And he set his right foot on the sea, and his left foot on the land, ³ and called out with a loud voice, like a lion roaring.

Friend, the dragon and the beasts are frightening, until you look to Christ. Christ’s authority towers over every ocean and every continent. He dwarves every empire, crushes every endeavor to oppose him. For 2,000 years, beast have risen and beasts have fallen, and the church continues to spread the gospel to the ends of the earth.

I love how Albert Barnes introduces the book of Acts:

“This book contains incontrovertible evidence of the truth of Christianity. It is a record of its early triumphs. Within the space of 30 years after the death of Christ the gospel had been carried to all parts of the civilized and to no small portion of the uncivilized world. Its progress and its triumphs were not concealed. Its great transactions were not “done in a corner.” It had been preached in the most splendid, powerful, and enlightened cities; churches were already founded in Jerusalem, Antioch, Corinth, Ephesus, Philippi, and at Rome. The gospel had spread in Arabia, Asia Minor, Greece, Macedon, Italy, and Africa. It had assailed the most mighty existing institutions. It had made its way over the most formidable barriers. It had encountered the most deadly and malignant opposition. It had traveled to the capital (Rome), and had secured such a hold even in the imperial city as to make it certain that it would finally overturn the established religion and seat itself upon the ruins of paganism.

Within 30 years, it had settled the point that it would overturn every bloody altar, close every pagan temple, bring under its influence everywhere the men of office, rank, and power, and that “the banners of the faith would soon stream from the palaces of the Caesars.” All this would be accomplished by the instrumentality of Jews – of fishermen – of Nazarenes. They did not have either wealth, armies, or allies. With the exception of Paul, they were people without much education. They were taught only by the Holy Spirit, armed only with the power of God, victorious only because Christ was their Captain, and the world acknowledged the presence of the messengers of the Highest One and the power of the Christian religion. Its success never has been, and never can be accounted for by any other supposition than that God Himself attended it! And if the Christian religion is not true, the change which was brought about by the twelve apostles is the most inexplicable, mysterious, and wonderful event that has ever been witnessed in this world. Their success will stand until the end of time as an argument for the truth of God’s overall plan. It will always confound the infidel. And, it will forever sustain the Christian with the assured belief that this is a religion which has proceeded from the all-powerful and infinitely benevolent God.

Let goods and kindred go

This mortal life also

The body they may kill

God’s truth abided still

His kingdom is forever.