In Revelation 12 we saw Satan was determined to wipe out Jesus. But Jesus defeated Satan at the cross and through his resurrection (Revelation 12:5). Satan can no longer touch Jesus, so instead he is raging against followers of Jesus. Revelation 13 shows us how he’s at work in 2 different ways, and why it is worth giving your allegiance fully to Jesus no matter what happens.
The first way that Satan rages against God’s people is through the powerful beast. The ten horns are symbolic for total power. John is writing in the first Century and has the Roman empire in view, it spread across the Mediterranean sea, conquering everywhere. The blasphemous names were taken up by the emperors who were called things like “Saviour, “Lord”, and even “Son of God”.
But it’s not just Rome, do you see the strange thing happening in v3? There is mortal wound (one that leads to death) and yet it’s been healed! The beast is still alive. And isn’t that what we see throughout history, empires come and go, they look so powerful and demand total allegiance, but they come and they go.
The point is, any human empire will not last, and will not deliver, but it will try, and at times it will look incredibly powerful and even demand worship. That’s what’s happening in v3-4. It can be very hard not to join in. Think of what its like to be a Christian in North Korea today? What’s the point in resisting, you’ll simply be thrown in forced labour camp (v4b). Or in Afghanistan, if you’re a Christian—considered unloyal, must submit to Islam or be killed. What’s the point in resisting (v4b). But John is writing to say “Don’t get sucked in…stick with Jesus—He’s worth it.”
You see as powerful as the beast appears, as powerful as empires today may seem, there is a higher throne! In v5 it is revealed to us that the beast is “allowed to exercise authority for 42 months.” God is still in control! The time is limited to 42 months, as we saw in chapter 11, this is symbolic for the time between Jesus’ ascension and return. It’s the time for the church to witness as we wait for the promised land of heaven. It’s a limited time, and the devil can only do what God permits him to.
God wants His people to know that no matter how bad it gets, He is still in control and you are ultimately safe! In fact you couldn’t be more secure, because if you belong to Jesus, your name is in the book of life (v8). And so the message for Christians who are facing such persecution is that it is worth it, there is hope, God is still in control, He will get you there, even if you have to die, He will get you through death. In the face of the apparently all powerful beast – endure.
If the first beast looked terrifying, the second one looks harmless, like a lamb. You have heard of wolf in sheep’s clothing. Here is dragon in Lamb’s clothing. When did
we last hear about Lamb—Jesus (12:11). Here is a false Jesus, he looks harmless, maybe it’s even religious, maybe it performs great signs, even heals, maybe it will help you get on in business, but what’s the message it’s speaking? Here is what God wants us to see, it’s from the dragon.
If the first beast ruled by force, this beast rules by deception, if the first beast scares, this beast seduces…and I wonder if it’s the beast that is more at work in our progressive Western Society. The difficulty is that if this beast works by deceiving, he’s harder to spot! It’s obvious when the first beast says “worship the emperor or be killed.” It’s harder when the second beast just whispers something like, if you want to get on in the world, you just have to go with this…everyone else is doing it, and sure you can still go to church on Sunday and no one will know. It would be bad for business if you always told the truth, if you don’t embrace the symbols and values of our society, you’ll not be popular.
This second beast seduces you to go the way of the world, to worship what the world worships and it will make it seem like these things are right. Try standing against it and you’ll be ridiculed, and it may cost you. I think that’s what’s going on with the mark of the beast at the end of the chapter. What is the mark of the beast? Satan is not original, He is a deceiver, he takes what is true and distorts it. Remember how God marked his people as his own—ch7. Now Satan copies it. It’s not a literal mark, but it’s the state’s stamp of approval on those who go along with it, who think its way.
The number of the beast is 666, it has inspired all sorts of songs, horror movies and strange ideas. But what is John getting at? Thankfully, he tells us v18—it’s the number of man! The number 7 is the number of perfection (God). The number 6 is one short three times over. Its going man’s way rather than God’s. In Deuteronomy 6:8, God’s people were to bind his word to hand and forehead, that is to think and act biblically. This beast wants the opposite. To have his mark on hand and forehead, to think and act the world’s way.
That’s why we need to pray that God would shape our thinking by His Word, the Bible, rather than what the world is telling us to believe.
It sounds like hard work, and maybe at times you wonder if it’s worth it, but that’s why we need to keep reading in chapter 14!
Light and Momentary Troubles 
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