[Rev 13] introduces us to two great beasts: one rising "out of the sea" and another rising out of the earth, or the land (i.e., the land of Israel). There is no doubt that these beasts represent individuals who play significant roles during the tribulation. They combine the characteristics of the four beasts in [Dan 7:3-7]. The first beast is the head of the revived Roman Empire, which takes the form of a ten-nation confederation. It rises "out of the sea," a symbol for the pagan nations. It has "ten horns." Daniel predicted that the Roman Empire would reemerge in the form of ten kingdoms [Dan 7:24]. It has "seven heads." In [Rev 17:9-10], these are said to be seven kings, possibly indicating seven different types of rulers or seven different phases of this empire. It has "ten diadems on its horns." These proclaim the ruling power given to the beast by the dragon, namely Satan. It has "names of blasphemy" on its "heads." It claims to be God and not just a human being.
 | Author: William MacDonald Rank: Author Posted on: 2024-07-04 Source: Title: Commentary on the New Testament Year (original): 1989 Author: William MacDonald Number of pages: 1504 Publisher/Editor: CLV Print: GGP Media GmbH, Pößneck |
The Beast Coming Up Out of the Sea
The two beasts that are described in this chapter represent the two human and at the same time monstrous instruments, which will be used by satan in the end time. The first beast comes up out of the sea, the well-known picture of the nations [Rev 17:15]; [Isa 17:12]; cf. [Dan 7:2-3]. This beast is therefore also a pagan ruler over a pagan kingdom. The second beast comes up out of the earth. The earth represents Israel. The second beast is the antichrist who will reign over apostate Israel. In these two beasts both characteristics of satan – violence and lie – are exposed [John 8:44]. The first beast is more characterized by violence, the second by lies.
[Verse 1]. Because of his plan to wage war against the rest of her offspring, the dragon stands on the sand of the seashore. Then “a beast coming up out of the sea” is described. Before the eyes of John – and through his description before your eyes too – it rises up from the sea. He sees a ruler rising up from the middle of the turbulent and unmanageable nations, out of that great mass of people. It is the same person as the person that comes up out of the abyss [Rev 11:7]; [Rev 17:8]. His coming up out of the abyss indicates his demonic origin. This is no one else than the dictator of the restored Roman empire, the united Western Europe.
That it is him we are talking about, will become clear from what you see further. ‘Horns’ are a picture of power. The form of that power can be derived from the ‘crowns’ that he has on his horns. This indicates that this beast has authority over royal rulers. In connection with the horns and crowns the number ‘ten’ is mentioned. By that you know that it is about ten kings [Rev 17:12]; [Dan 7:24]. They are subjected to the rule of the beast.
John also mentions that this monster has “seven heads”. Of these heads it is said in Revelation 17: “The seven heads are seven mountains” [Rev 17:9]. The question now is what the mountains represent. It is a historical fact that in the ancient days the city of Rome was known as ‘the city with the seven hills’. This makes clear that Rome is the political center of this monstrous ruler.
The seven heads, however, are not only an indication of the location where the power is seated. They also represent seven kings [Rev 17:10]. That is an indication of seven forms of government by which the Roman empire has been ruled consecutively. [Verse 3] expands further on that. What John also sees, is that this political power is against God and resists Him. He sees “a blasphemous name” on his heads. The beast adorns himself with blasphemous names, probably names that belong only to God.
[Verse 2]. The description of the beast is not yet finished. John has more to tell. In this beast he recognizes traits of three different animals. He mentions “a leopard”, “a bear” and “a lion”. If you put Daniel 7 next to that [Dan 7:4-6], you will read that Daniel sees the same animals. Only, he sees them in reverse order. Daniel sees a lion first, then a bear and third he sees a panther or leopard. That’s because Daniel looks forward, while John looks back.
These animals represent empires. Daniel lived in the time of the Babylonian empire, represented by a lion. That empire was destroyed because the Medes and the Persians conquered the world empire. Because of the brutality with which they operated, that empire is represented by a bear. But also their government came to an end. Greece, under the leadership of Alexander the Great, conquered the empire of the Medes and Persians with overwhelming speed. Hence, the leopard is the appropriate symbol.
Daniel also speaks about a fourth beast. He says of it that it is a “dreadful and terrible and extremely strong” beast [Dan 7:7-8]. Historically this beast represents the Roman empire that conquered world domination from the Greeks. Prophetically we see this empire back in the beast that John is seeing here. The beast is both the restored Roman empire and the head of that empire. This empire and this head possess all cruel characteristics of the fourth animal, in which John sees all cruel characteristics of the three animals mentioned.
Can you picture it? The beast comes up out of the sea, which means that the dictator floats to the surface. The ten kings, the rulers of different countries that together form the Western Roman empire, are inseparably connected to him. This dictator has power over them, which he exercises from Rome as his center of power. He manifests himself blasphemously and with a cruelty symbolized by the three tearing beasts described.
And who is hiding behind this, who makes sure that he becomes that mighty? The dragon, which is the devil [Rev 12:9]. Here the devil grants direct authority to someone who takes this out of his hand. Of course these things can only happen, because God allows them to. And He allows them to happen because they fit into His plan. But the point is that the dragon is the inspirer of the beast. The beast has power, he reigns and has great authority because the devil has given this to him.
Here you see a great contrast between the beast and the Lord Jesus. Once satan offered the Lord Jesus all kingdoms to take them out of his hand [Matt 4:8-9]. But the Lord refused it. He did not want to anticipate God’s time to become King. He wanted to receive the kingdom and the power out of God’s hand [Dan 7:13-14]; [Ps 2:8]. For Him, that meant humiliation and the death on the cross. It is important for you too not to seek any favor in the world. Satan loves to give that to you. In that way you can escape suffering. If satan approaches you with such temptations, then respond like the Lord Jesus [Matt 4:10].
[Verse 3]. Then John sees that one of the heads of the beast was as if it had been slain. This is to indicate that the Roman empire has perished and disappeared. From history we know that in the year 476 the Western Roman empire at that time was inflicted with a fatal blow. Rome was then conquered by barbarian Germanic tribes. What John saw at the moment he was watching – he saw it around the end of the first century – was still future. It would happen in a few centuries.
But to God the future has no secrets. He informs us about things happening in the future as far as He considers them to be of importance for us to know. He does not do that to satisfy our curiosity, but that we may live our lives accordingly [2Pet 3:11-12]. Therefore God shows to John, and to you, what more is going to happen.
Then John sees that the fatal wound was healed. To John that was in the nearby future, but in the distant future. It’s what we see happening in our days! To us it is the nearby future. A restoration of the Western Roman empire is taking place before our eyes. But watch carefully: this happens by the power of satan! This restoration does not happen through a new conquest with violence, but through diabolic inspiration and deliberation. John sees how this restoration stirs up admiration and adoration from the world.
[Verse 4]. People will be aware that the dragon, which is satan, has given this empire its power. They hate God that much, they have been alienated from Him in such a way, that they worship the dragon as their god in an open, general and limitless admiration. They will also worship the beast. They provoke and blaspheme God by crying out statements about the beast that belong to God alone (cf. [Exod 15:11] [Mic 7:18]. To them, no one compares to the beast and no one can compete against the beast to defeat him. That will be the result when Europe becomes one whole.
In case you may be excited about the one Europe, I hope that, because of what God’s Word says here, this turns into cold shivers running down your spine. You will now be well aware that satan is the origin of it and that it ends up in worshiping satan! That with the referendum about the European constitution on June 1, 2005, many Christians in the Netherlands have voted ‘against’, does not necessarily reflect their opinion of Europe. The argument that mattered most to vote ‘against’ was that in that constitution no reference to God and the Jewish Christian roots of the European Union had been written down. In case that had happened, then the Christians probably would have plainly voted ‘for’! That is staggering.
[Verse 1]. Because of his plan to wage war against the rest of her offspring, the dragon stands on the sand of the seashore. Then “a beast coming up out of the sea” is described. Before the eyes of John – and through his description before your eyes too – it rises up from the sea. He sees a ruler rising up from the middle of the turbulent and unmanageable nations, out of that great mass of people. It is the same person as the person that comes up out of the abyss [Rev 11:7]; [Rev 17:8]. His coming up out of the abyss indicates his demonic origin. This is no one else than the dictator of the restored Roman empire, the united Western Europe.
That it is him we are talking about, will become clear from what you see further. ‘Horns’ are a picture of power. The form of that power can be derived from the ‘crowns’ that he has on his horns. This indicates that this beast has authority over royal rulers. In connection with the horns and crowns the number ‘ten’ is mentioned. By that you know that it is about ten kings [Rev 17:12]; [Dan 7:24]. They are subjected to the rule of the beast.
John also mentions that this monster has “seven heads”. Of these heads it is said in Revelation 17: “The seven heads are seven mountains” [Rev 17:9]. The question now is what the mountains represent. It is a historical fact that in the ancient days the city of Rome was known as ‘the city with the seven hills’. This makes clear that Rome is the political center of this monstrous ruler.
The seven heads, however, are not only an indication of the location where the power is seated. They also represent seven kings [Rev 17:10]. That is an indication of seven forms of government by which the Roman empire has been ruled consecutively. [Verse 3] expands further on that. What John also sees, is that this political power is against God and resists Him. He sees “a blasphemous name” on his heads. The beast adorns himself with blasphemous names, probably names that belong only to God.
[Verse 2]. The description of the beast is not yet finished. John has more to tell. In this beast he recognizes traits of three different animals. He mentions “a leopard”, “a bear” and “a lion”. If you put Daniel 7 next to that [Dan 7:4-6], you will read that Daniel sees the same animals. Only, he sees them in reverse order. Daniel sees a lion first, then a bear and third he sees a panther or leopard. That’s because Daniel looks forward, while John looks back.
These animals represent empires. Daniel lived in the time of the Babylonian empire, represented by a lion. That empire was destroyed because the Medes and the Persians conquered the world empire. Because of the brutality with which they operated, that empire is represented by a bear. But also their government came to an end. Greece, under the leadership of Alexander the Great, conquered the empire of the Medes and Persians with overwhelming speed. Hence, the leopard is the appropriate symbol.
Daniel also speaks about a fourth beast. He says of it that it is a “dreadful and terrible and extremely strong” beast [Dan 7:7-8]. Historically this beast represents the Roman empire that conquered world domination from the Greeks. Prophetically we see this empire back in the beast that John is seeing here. The beast is both the restored Roman empire and the head of that empire. This empire and this head possess all cruel characteristics of the fourth animal, in which John sees all cruel characteristics of the three animals mentioned.
Can you picture it? The beast comes up out of the sea, which means that the dictator floats to the surface. The ten kings, the rulers of different countries that together form the Western Roman empire, are inseparably connected to him. This dictator has power over them, which he exercises from Rome as his center of power. He manifests himself blasphemously and with a cruelty symbolized by the three tearing beasts described.
And who is hiding behind this, who makes sure that he becomes that mighty? The dragon, which is the devil [Rev 12:9]. Here the devil grants direct authority to someone who takes this out of his hand. Of course these things can only happen, because God allows them to. And He allows them to happen because they fit into His plan. But the point is that the dragon is the inspirer of the beast. The beast has power, he reigns and has great authority because the devil has given this to him.
Here you see a great contrast between the beast and the Lord Jesus. Once satan offered the Lord Jesus all kingdoms to take them out of his hand [Matt 4:8-9]. But the Lord refused it. He did not want to anticipate God’s time to become King. He wanted to receive the kingdom and the power out of God’s hand [Dan 7:13-14]; [Ps 2:8]. For Him, that meant humiliation and the death on the cross. It is important for you too not to seek any favor in the world. Satan loves to give that to you. In that way you can escape suffering. If satan approaches you with such temptations, then respond like the Lord Jesus [Matt 4:10].
[Verse 3]. Then John sees that one of the heads of the beast was as if it had been slain. This is to indicate that the Roman empire has perished and disappeared. From history we know that in the year 476 the Western Roman empire at that time was inflicted with a fatal blow. Rome was then conquered by barbarian Germanic tribes. What John saw at the moment he was watching – he saw it around the end of the first century – was still future. It would happen in a few centuries.
But to God the future has no secrets. He informs us about things happening in the future as far as He considers them to be of importance for us to know. He does not do that to satisfy our curiosity, but that we may live our lives accordingly [2Pet 3:11-12]. Therefore God shows to John, and to you, what more is going to happen.
Then John sees that the fatal wound was healed. To John that was in the nearby future, but in the distant future. It’s what we see happening in our days! To us it is the nearby future. A restoration of the Western Roman empire is taking place before our eyes. But watch carefully: this happens by the power of satan! This restoration does not happen through a new conquest with violence, but through diabolic inspiration and deliberation. John sees how this restoration stirs up admiration and adoration from the world.
[Verse 4]. People will be aware that the dragon, which is satan, has given this empire its power. They hate God that much, they have been alienated from Him in such a way, that they worship the dragon as their god in an open, general and limitless admiration. They will also worship the beast. They provoke and blaspheme God by crying out statements about the beast that belong to God alone (cf. [Exod 15:11] [Mic 7:18]. To them, no one compares to the beast and no one can compete against the beast to defeat him. That will be the result when Europe becomes one whole.
In case you may be excited about the one Europe, I hope that, because of what God’s Word says here, this turns into cold shivers running down your spine. You will now be well aware that satan is the origin of it and that it ends up in worshiping satan! That with the referendum about the European constitution on June 1, 2005, many Christians in the Netherlands have voted ‘against’, does not necessarily reflect their opinion of Europe. The argument that mattered most to vote ‘against’ was that in that constitution no reference to God and the Jewish Christian roots of the European Union had been written down. In case that had happened, then the Christians probably would have plainly voted ‘for’! That is staggering.
Verses that belong to this explanation: 1-4
1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. 2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as [the feet] of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority. 3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast. 4 And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who [is] like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?
 | Author: Ger de Koning Rank: Author Posted on: 2024-02-09 Source: Title: Revelation Author: Ger de Koning |
The apostle, standing on the shore, saw a savage beast rise out of the sea; a tyrannical, idolatrous, persecuting power, springing up out of the troubles which took place. It was a frightful monster! It appears to mean that worldly, oppressing dominion, which for many ages, even from the times of the Babylonish captivity, had been hostile to the church. The first beast then began to oppress and persecute the righteous for righteousness’ sake, but they suffered most under the fourth beast of Daniel, (the Roman empire,)which has afflicted the saints with many cruel persecutions. The source of its power was the dragon. It was set up by the devil, and supported by him. The wounding the head may be the abolishing pagan idolatry; and the healing of the wound, introducing popish idolatry, the same in substance, only in a new dress, but which as effectually answers the devil’s design. The world admired its power, policy and success. They paid honor and subjection to the devil and his instruments. It exercised infernal power and policy, requiring men to render that honor to creatures which belongs to God alone. Yet the devil’s power and success are limited. Christ has a chosen remnant, redeemed by his blood, recorded in his book, sealed by his Spirit; and though the devil and antichrist may overcome the body, and take away the natural life, they cannot conquer the soul, nor prevail with true believers to forsake their Savior, and join his enemies. Perseverance in the faith of the gospel and true worship of God, in this great hour of trial and temptation, which would deceive all but the elect, is the character of those registered in the book of life. This powerful motive and encouragement to constancy, is the great design of the whole Revelation.
Verses that belong to this explanation: 1-10
1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. 2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as [the feet] of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority. 3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast. 4 And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who [is] like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? 5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty [and] two months. 6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. 7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. 8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. 9 If any man have an ear, let him hear. 10 He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.
 | Author: Matthew Henry Rank: Priest AD: 1714 Source: Title: Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible Author: Matthew Henry |
I saw a beast coming out of the sea. By this first beast several understand antichrist, as St. Irenĉus, lib. v. chap. xxviii. and St. Gregory, lib. xxxi. Moral. chap. xli. But this is not certain. By the other beast (1) coming up out of the earth, [Verse 11] many understand antichrist’s false prophet, some famous impostor and magician in antichrist’s time, who will do great wonders and signs. The seven heads and ten horns, may again signify a great number of kings and princes, who shall be overcome by antichrist, and submit themselves to him. The dragon, or devil, gives that great power to antichrist, signified by the different parts of the beast, some like to a leopard, others to a bear, and others to a lion. The head wounded to death and cured, is either antichrist himself or some one of those heads or kings, cured by the devil and diabolical arts after a mortal wound. (Witham) — This first beast, with seven heads and ten horns, is probably the whole company of infidels, enemies and persecutors of the people of God, from the beginning to the end of the world. The seven heads are seven kings, that is, seven principal kingdoms or empires; which have exercised, or shall exercise, tyrannical power over the people of God: of these, five were then fallen, viz. the Egyptian, Assyrian, Chaldean, Persian, and Grecian monarchies: one was present, viz. the empire of Rome: and the seventh and the chiefest was to come, viz. the great antichrist and his empire. The ten horns may be understood of ten lesser persecutors. (Challoner)
Footnote
(1) Though St. Irenĉus, and also St. Gregory, (lib. xxxi. mor. chap. xli.) by the first of these two beasts understand antichrist, and others would have antichrist to be meant by one of the two, yet this is not to be looked upon as absolutely certain, not being witnessed by the consent of primitive Fathers. The ancient Fathers, especially in the exposition of obscure prophecies, many times give us no more than their private opinions, or suspicions and conjectures, as St. Augustine expressly takes notice in the 20th book de Civ. Dei[City of God], (chap. xix. tom. 7. p. 597. Nov. Ed.) where he speaks of antichrist: so that though St. Irenĉus had seen St. Polycarp, who was a disciple of St. John the evangelist, yet he delivers us divers things concerning antichrist, which are no more than his private opinions and conjectures, in which others do not agree with him; as that antichrist shall be of the tribe of Dan; that he shall sit in the temple of Jerusalem. He was also in an error as to Christ’s reign of a thousand years upon the earth with his elect. Arethas, bishop of Cĉsarea, in Cappadocia, in the sixth age[century], in his commentary on the Apocalypse, (tom. vi. Bib. Patrum, Edit. Colon) speaking of this opinion, that some would have the first beast (Apocalypse xiii. 1.) to be antichrist, and others the second beast, only says: quidam sic accipiunt, &c.
 | Author: George Leo Haydock Rank: Author AD: 1849 Source: Title: Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary Year (original): 1859 Number of pages: 571 Print: Edward Dunigan and Brother, New York, New York |
The Apostle stood on the sand to see a sad view, a beast rising up out of the sea, or out of troubled nations. He has the same descriptions as the dragon [Rev 12:3]. This beast which is the Antichrist (1), is in reality, clothed by Satan who works through him.
Footnote
(1) St. Irenaeus, Tertullian, and other Fathers affirms that the beast is the Antichrist.
 | Author: Tadros Yacoub Malaty Rank: Monk Posted on: 2023-01-15 Source: Title: The book of Revelation Year (original): 1996 Author: Fr. Tadros Yacoub Malaty Number of pages: 257 Publisher/Editor: St. George's Coptic Orthodox Church, Sporting, Alexandria Print: Anba Reuis Press, Abassia, Cairo, Egypt Translation: Victoria and Ramzy Malaty |
This signifies the kingdom of that time of Antichrist, and the people mingled with the variety of nations.
 | Author: Victorinus of Pettau AD: 303 |
The listed verse explanations of the individual persons have nothing to do with the explanations of the other persons. This also applies to the Bible translations.
