College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
Revelation 13:11-18
Strauss-' Comments
SECTION 39
Text Revelation 13:11-18
11 And I saw another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like unto a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. 12 And he exerciseth all the authority of the first beast in his sight. And he maketh the earth and them that dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose death-stroke was healed. 13 And he doeth great signs, that he should even make fire to come down out of heaven upon the earth in the sight of men. 14 And he deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by reason of the signs which it was given him to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast who hath the stroke of the sword and lived. 15 And it was given unto him to give breath to it, even to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as should not worship the image of the beast should be killed. 16 And he causeth all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free and the bond, that there be given them a mark on their right hand, or upon their forehead; 17 and that no man should be able to buy or to sell, save he that hath the mark, even the name of the beast or the number of his name. 18 Here is wisdom. He that hath understanding, let him count the number of the beast; for it is the number of a man: and his number is Six hundred and sixty and six.
Initial Questions Revelation 13:11-18
1.
Where does the beast of Revelation 13:11 come from? Compare with Revelation 13:1.
2.
What power does this second beast show in Revelation 13:13?
3.
What caused the deception of them that dwell on the earth according to Revelation 13:14?
4.
What did the beast request according to Revelation 13:14?
5.
Does Revelation 13:15 show that the beast has great supernatural power? Note just what the verse says before you attempt to interpret the words.
6.
What was to happen to those who refused to worship the image of the beast - Revelation 13:15?
7.
What was the purpose of the mark given in Revelation 13:16?
8.
How was the world effected economically by the mark of the beast - Revelation 13:17?
9.
The beast is identified as a what in Revelation 13:18?
The Wild Beast from The Earth
Chapter Revelation 13:11-18
John's vision now incompasses another beast. The source of this beast is not the sea, but the earth. This beast receives the paradoxical description of a lamb with the voice as of a dragon (the Greek word is hôs - like or as). This beast looks like a lamb and talks like a dragon!
This second beast gets his authority and power from the beast of Revelation 13:1-10. The first beast received his authority, power, and throne from the dragon. Now, this second beast uses power mediated through the first beast. Here we have the trinity of evil! This beast is a henchman of the first sinister figure of darkness.
The extent of the power of the second beast is made crystal clear by John. And he does (poiei - neut. or masc.) great signs (sçmeia - is one of three general New Testament words for miracles) in order that (hina - purpose clause) he even makes fire to come down out of heaven onto the earth before (enôpion - in front of) men. That the evil beast has superhuman powers is emphatically declared here. Still today men claim the power to perform miracles. Their message is not in harmony with the word of God, so we can be certain that God is not the source of their power.
What is the result of these great signs? And he deceives (plana - pres. ind. act. can also be pres. subj. act., but context calls for active voice) the ones dwelling on the earth because (dia - causal force - the cause of the deception was the signs of miracles) of the signs which it was given (pass. voice) to him to do before the beast; telling to the ones dwelling on the earth to make an image (eikona - means a likeness) to the beast.
The might of this beast was so great that he breathed life into the image mentioned in Revelation 13:14. The phrase the image of the beast is used ten times in The Revelation 4 times in chap. 13, and Revelation 14:9; Revelation 14:11; Revelation 15:2; Revelation 16:2; Revelation 19:20; Revelation 20:4. The power was given (passive voice) to the beast in order that (hina - purpose clause) as many as might not worship the image of the beast should be killed. Since no Christian could commit such an idolatrous act, it signed the potential death warrant of every one claiming Christ as Lord and Savior.
The beast keeps on making (poiei - pres. act. ind.) the whole world receive a mask of identification. John's words are very clear when he says - they should give to them a mark (charagma - is the official seal) on their right hand or on their forehead,..
Note: Paul used the word stigmata in Galatians 6:17 when speaking of the branding of Christ. (See H. N. Ridderbos, Epistle to the Galatians in the New International Commentary of the New Testament, Wm. Eerdmans, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1953, see especially page 228.)
For the fundamental philological study of stigmata, see Deissmann, sec. ed., Biblical Studies, T. & T. Clark, 1901, pp. 349-360.
What was the significance of the mark of the beast? Socially and economically it was absolutely essential for a persons-' well being and livelihood. John declares that no one could (dunetai - the word for capacity or ability - no one was able to) buy or sell except the one having the mark or (there is no çor here but is inserted for sense) the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Unless one was socially acceptable one could neither buy food, household needs, etc., nor sell his products of the field or labor. The union of the emperior cult had every source of income and outgo under its full control! A faithful Christian could not possibly exist under those conditions for very long.
John directs attention to the challenge which follows immediately upon the heels of Here is wisdom. The one having reason (noun - also means understanding or comprehension) let him count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is six hundred and sixty-six. Much has been written on this cryptogram, but all that can be stated for certain is just what the text declares - that it is a man. There is a textual problem here regarding the specific number which we cannot here consider. (See appendix immediately following chapter 13 for brief discussion of the Anti-Christ.)
Note: For those interested in the various efforts to identify this number with some specific person see, Swete, op cit., pp. 175; Charles, op cit., Vol. I, pp. 364; Joseph Bonsirven, S, J., L-'Apocalypse de Saint Jean, Beauchesne et ses fils a paris, 1951, pp. 232.)
Discussion Questions
Chp. Revelation 13:11-18
12.
What is the source of the power of the second beast - Revelation 13:12?
13.
Discuss contemporary claims to perform miracles - both Roman Catholic and Denominational in view of Revelation 13:13?
14.
What is the basic results of the signs of the second beast - Revelation 13:14?
15.
What was to be done to all who refused to worship the image - Revelation 13:15?
16.
Discuss the social and economic implications of the mark of the beast - Revelation 13:17.
17.
Though the person of Revelation 13:18 cannot be infallibly identified, what do we know with certainty about this person - just from a study of this passage - without adding any speculation regarding the cryptogram?
Special Study: The Anti-Christ
Most men today deny that evil is sustained and carried on by personal forces which are seeking to dominate the spiritual world. But the Bible emphatically declares that the powers of darkness are personal in nature. We cannot here enter the debate with those who reject this particular biblical doctrine as primitive superstition. Those of us who believe that the scriptures are the Word of God cannot possibly deny a doctrine which our Lord and Savior taught with such penetrating clarity without repudiating His deity and therefore, His saving work on the cross.
We are not going to enter debate here as to whether Paul's man of Sin, (2 Thessalonians 2:3) or John's dragon, and anti-Christ are to be equated. John uses the term anti-Christ in 1 John 2:18; 1 John 2:22; 1 John 4:3; and 2 John 1:7. He uses the imagery of the dragon and the two beasts in The Revelation. These fulfill the same spiritual function as the anti-Christ in the Epistles of John. Dr. G. Milligan's brief study (mentioned below in the note) is a distinct outline of the doctrine of anti-Christ. He traces the doctrine through the O.T. in general and specifically the apocalyptic sections of Daniel, Ezekiel, et al., through the extra biblical Jewish literature, our Lord's teaching on the subject in the great eschatological discourses (Mark 13:1 ff; Matthew 24:1 ff) and finally Paul and John's doctrine of the anti-Christian forces at work in the universe.
John's description without question covered the Roman Emperor cult, but his description is applicable wherever and whenever evil forces gain the upper hand in the world. Study and compare the following passages from John and Paul (Revelation 12:9; Revelation 13:1 f, 2 Thessalonians 2:9 f; Revelation 13:3 ff; Revelation 14:11). Discuss these passages (also 2 Thessalonians 2:4; 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12.) in view of the great evil which is now present in the world. The anti-Christian evil which is now present in the world. The anti-Christian forces seem to dominate our world. How do we make Christ's victory over evil, and our Christian hope relevant to our age of advanced technology?
For those who care to scrutinize the many very difficult problems of evil from a Christian perspective see, Charles Journet, The Meaning of Evil, P.J. Kennedy and Sons, 1963 (Catholic); the only comprehensive historical study of the problem (though not from a Christian view point) is Friedrich Billicsich, Das Problem des Übels in der Philosophie des abendlandes - (The Problem of Evil in Western Philosophy. The first 2 volumes cover up through Hegel; the third volume (not yet available) will bring the discussion up to the contemporary situation. For a discussion by men who believe the Bible to be the Word of God see Dr. M. Unger, Biblical Demonology, Van Kampen Press, Ind., Wheaton, Illinois, 1952; Dr. G. Vos, The Pauline Eschatology, Eerdmans, Grand Rapids, 1952 - especially chp. 5. The Man of Sin, pp. 94; L. Boettner, The Millennium, Baker Book House, Grand Rapids, 1958, chp. 5, The Anti-Christ pp. 206; Dr. G. Milligin, St. Paul's Epistles to The Thessalonians, Eerdmans reprinted 1952; Robert Law, The Tests of Life, T. & T. Clark has some excellent remarks on this general subject in this theological commentary of the first Epistle of John; though Millar Burrows is by no means a person who holds a high view of The Bible, but he does have a good discussion of The Anti-Christ in his Outline of Biblical Theology, Westminster Press, Phil. 1956, pp. 195.
These works will also provide other sources and problems involved in our general theme, so this brief list is given hoping that some profound, dedicated Christian will be able to give further analysis to the problem of evil, and specifically the personal nature of the evil ones mentioned in the Word of life.