21/06/2023 Wednesday
The Revelation
Study of John’s Revelation
Chapter 13
Chapter 13 – Revelation Judgments
Chapter 13 – Review
 Review the first five actors
 Woman – Israel
 Red Dragon – Satan
 Man Child – Christ
 Archangel – Michael
 Remnant – Saved Israel
Chapter 13 – The Sixth Actor
 The Sea Beast: Antichrist (Re 13:1-10)
 His description (v.1-2)
 The beast coming out of the sea is likely the Antichrist as suggested by John Walvoord. (Walvoord, The Bible 960)
 The sea symbolizes the masses of people indicating that the Antichrist will probably be a Gentile.
We found a similar description in Re 12:3 portraying the dragon or Satan (cf. Daniel 7:7-8; Revelation 17:3, 7). This description
identifies the beast with the Revived Roman Empire.
 This verse clearly tells us that the beast out of the sea is not Satan, for the dragon will give him his power, his position and his
authority. The animals chosen to describe this beast (leopard, bear and lion) describe three empires in Daniel 7.
Chapter 13 – The Sixth Actor
 The Sea Beast: Antichrist (Re 13:1-10)
 His deadly wound that healed (v.3) (cf., v.12)
 It is unlikely that this speaks of a physical resurrection, because no where in the Bible do we read that Satan has resurrection power.
 Perhaps the wounded head speaks of the Roman Empire and the fact that it will once again come to life. (Walvoord, Revelation 199)
 His honour and fame (v.4)
 The peoples of the world will worship the dragon (Satan) who will empower the beast (Antichrist).
 His blasphemies for 42 months (3 ½ years) (v.5-6)
 As Satan’s mouthpiece, the Antichrist, who will rule the Revived Roman Empire, will boldly speak great and blasphemous things
during the last half of the Tribulation.
Chapter 13 – The Sixth Actor
 The Sea Beast: Antichrist (Re 13:1-10)
 His allowed persecutions (v.7)
 Satan will give the Antichrist power to make war with the believers on earth and he will overcome them. Since some of the Jews will
be protected (the 144,000 sealed and those protected in the wilderness) this persecution may be mostly against Gentile believers.
Christians in all nations will be attacked by this persecution.
 His worship (v.8)
 All unbelievers will worship him.
 God has known from the beginning those whose names are written in the book of life. This does not say that God elected it so. Every
man has a free will to receive or reject Christ (2 Peter 3:9; Revelation 22:17).
Chapter 13 – The Sixth Actor
 The Sea Beast: Antichrist (Re 13:1-10)
 His condemnation (v.9-10)
 God calls all who have ears to listen closely. He is about to make a fearful warning.
 Those who persecute His people must expect the same kind of treatment. Payday is coming for the wicked!
 This assurance that God will execute justice should encourage the saints to persevere steadfastly and to trust God during this period
of intense persecution and martyrdom (cf. 14:12). Swete quoted by Constable

Chapter 13 – The Seventh Actor
 The Earth Beast: False Prophet (Re 13:11-18)
 His description (v.11)
 Here we see another beast. This beast comes out of the earth. This new beast is another beast of the same kind. He will occupy a
secondary role supporting the activities of the first beast. (Walvoord, Revelation 204-205).
 This beast out of the earth will be the false prophet (cf. 16:13; 19:20; 20:10). Because this beast has two horns like a lamb but
speaks like a dragon, Robertson suggests he is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. (Robertson, Rev 13:11) He will be a great deceiver.
 His power (v.12)
 He will persuade men to worship the first beast with his cunning deceitful tongue. This verse may support the suggestion that the
Antichrist was killed and resurrected, not just the Roman Empire.
Chapter 13 – The Seventh Actor
 The Earth Beast: False Prophet (Re 13:11-18)
 His purpose (v.13-14)
 Miracle power to deceive. Satan is going all out!
 By his miracles, he will deceive unbelievers into making an image of the beast.
 His plot (v.15)
 Satan also gave power to give life (or the appearance of life) to the image.
Wiersbe suggests that the giving of life to the image and making it speak was a miracle to counter the resurrection of the two
witnesses that will make world headlines at this time in the midst of the tribulation. (Wiersbe 606)
 He then will force everyone to worship the image or be killed.
Chapter 13 – The Seventh Actor
 The Earth Beast: False Prophet (Re 13:11-18)
 His number (v.16-18)
 The false prophet then forces all people to receive his mark on their right hand or in their forehead. This may be a chip.
 He then will make it illegal to buy or sell without using the mark.
 The number is called, “The Number of Man”. John then identifies it as 666.
Wisdom will allow Tribulation believers to know clearly that the 666 identifies the Antichrist.
 This will be a terribly difficult time for believers. If God does not protect or provide for them, they will die. Read Matthew 25:31-
46.
Personal Application
 Satan is powerful, do not underestimate that fact.
 Satan loves to counterfeit the things of God.
 Satan is a mighty deceiver. Don’t be deceived!
 J. Vernon McGee gives this wise advice. “I would suggest that we not waste our time trying to
identify a person by this number. Instead, we need to present Jesus Christ that we might reduce the
population of those who have to go through the Great Tribulation Period and who will therefore
know what the number of the Beast is.”