Lesson 5 Revelation 13,14, 15

Chapter 13

English Standard Version (Chapter 13)

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?”

The two main characters of this part of the chapter are the beast and the dragon. Early on in verse one we see the word, “blasphemous”to give them identity. The identifiers for these are reviling, malicious talk, abusive, defamation, death and slander. We believe the first beast is the Anti-Christ and the dragon is satan. They share the throne of power, seat(specific location), and authority of verse 2. They are bad guys. Let’s look a little closer.

Revelation 13

I. Double Evil- The two Beasts 13:1-18

The interpretation of the first beast is found in chapter 17:7-13. This is a combination of the anti-Christ and the rulers who align with him. The picture of this beast coming up out of the sea is not a picture of an amphibian, as seen by its description. While the beast may actually come out of the water and out of hiding (think: the angels under the Euphrates River), it is probably showing a beast coming out of the sea of humanity. The beast/man of verse three was fulfilled in past civilizations with Greece-Macedonia (the leopard), Media-Persia (the bear), and Babylon (the Lion). The beast will be composed of revived remnants of those civilizations, headed up by the anti- Christ, and under the control of the dragon, satan.

This is a curious mixture but we don’t have to make this a a difficult one to interpret. The mortal wound given to one of the heads of the dragon hearkens back to Genesis 3:15

Genesis 3:15 KJV 1900

And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

It is the fulfillment of prophecy, and is the shape of his doom to come. but for now, he is going to kick sand in the face of the world. More specifically:

The mortal wound of one of the horns (horns are kings) in verse three and is his attempt at a false resurrection of the anti-Christ. From there, the beast receives worship (v.4) and appears to be unstoppable in the last 3 ½ years of the tribulation.

English Standard Version (Chapter 13)

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.

The anti- Christ makes it a point to be blasphemous against Jesus Christ for those 3 ½ years. V. 5, 6. It also shows the blasphemy is not only against God, but also the tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven. In verse 7, persecution is all out against the saints by all the nations. It looks like war against the saints. Where do these Saints come? Yes, there will be people saved during the tribulation period of seven and a half years Everyone who is not in the book of life will be involved in this evil.

V.8. and in 9 and 10, the injunction to listen up and hear: retribution will be accomplished. This message will comfort the saints. John is saying that those who are alive in Christ during the tribulation will only make it through if they leave their vengeance to God. They are to lay down their arms and not struggle against the beast. Read verse 10 again. By the way, this was basically the message of God to the prophet Jeremiah to the children of Israel before Jerusalem fell to Nebuchadnezzar. If you go to captivity, go with them. Lay down your sword and let the Babylonians have their way!

II. The Second Beast 13:11-18

English Standard Version (Chapter 13)

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.

This beast is commonly referred to as the false prophet- he speaks like a dragon. However, this beast directs humanity’s worship towards the first beast, the ant-Christ and not God. V. 12. The false prophet is the unholy man, who is very powerful (V. 13) and encourages mankind to make an image of the resurrected beast (V.14) and he even gives life to the image. The false prophet makes an edict that those who do not worship the image, dies. V.15. In verse 16, the false prophet causes all of mankind to receive the mark of the beast in their right hand or in their foreheads. The purpose of the mark is to be able to buy or sell, based on that mark of the beast. V.17. The number of the mark is 666. V.18. The number of the mark will be absolutely essential for survival of those who are alive. The mark is descriptive of what he is: a man controlled by the dragon. A man is the anti-Christ and that man who receives worship is the anti-Christ, and he will leave his mark upon mankind.

Revelation 14

The Pause that Reinforces. 14:1-20

I. The Lamb 14:1-5

English Standard Version (Chapter 14)

14 Then I looked, and behold, on Mount Zion stood the Lamb, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads. 2 And I heard a voice from heaven like the roar of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder. The voice I heard was like the sound of harpists playing on their harps,

3 and they were singing a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and before the elders. No one could learn that song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. 4 It is these who have not defiled themselves with women, for they are virgins. It is these who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These have been redeemed from mankind as firstfruits for God and the Lamb,

5 and in their mouth no lie was found, for they are blameless.

The vision of the Lamb in verse one places the scene on Mt. Zion with 144,000 marked individuals: the Jewish evangelists. This chapter is closely related to chapter 7. This is not a continuation of 13, but rather a parenthetical pause to show a big picture of how that the Lamb kept good on his Word about protecting those 144,000. All of them were redeemed. He did not lose one of them. Check out the character of these Jews: verses 3, 4, and 5. They are virgins which will distinguish them from everyone else on earth. Remember, wickedness will be on the continual increase and they will stand out like a sore thumb. Their song is not a million seller, because only they can know and learn it. Verse 5 shows their redemption is just as good as ours: without fault/ blameless before the throne of God.

II. Six Angels Preaching Judgement 14:6-20

English Standard Version (Chapter 14)

6 Then I saw another angel flying directly overhead, with an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and language and people. 7 And he said with a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come, and worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water.”

A. 1st Angel: Has the message of the everlasting gospel. This is contrary to the ministry of angels in the church age. Angels do not have the gospel message at this point in time. However, they have and active ministry to believers and they have an active ministry of delivering special messages in the Old Testament. This particular message will be good news to the saved but bad news for the lost. This will be the gospel message until the Great White Throne of Judgment.

B. 2nd Angel v.8

English Standard Version (Chapter 14)

8 Another angel, a second, followed, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, she who made all nations drink the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality.”

Remember again, this is in great contrast to the 144k. “Doom for Babylon” or “Babylon is fallen”is not a very bright picture. For a place responsible for such great wickedness and sorrow it has become their legacy. It is spoken of as having already taken place (Isaiah 13:19.) Mt. Zion is the place to be because Babylon has already fallen.

C. 3rd Angel: v.9-12.

English Standard Version (Chapter 14)

9 And another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10 he also will drink the wine of God’s wrath, poured full strength into the cup of his anger, and he will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.

11 And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name.”12 Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.

This is judgment on those who took the mark of the beast. These people will not enter the millennium. There will be no such thing as neutral or pacifist during the tribulation. Compare verse 10 with I Thessalonians 1:10. Hell is visible to Christ and His angels. V. 10. It is possible that the church will never know the extent of the wrath of God upon unbelievers. Because, like Noah in the ark with no side windows for viewing, believers escape the wrath to come, culmination in the lake of fire )Chapter 21).In verse 12, we see the important characteristics of the tribulations saints: patience and faith, and keeping the commandments. It will indeed be a blessed time to die in the Lord because life on earth will be pure hell. Unbelievers will ask to die but will not be able to do so.

D. 4th Angel and a voice: V. 13-16

13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Blessed indeed,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!”

14 Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and seated on the cloud one like a son of man, with a golden crown on his head, and a sharp sickle in his hand. 15 And another angel came out of the temple, calling with a loud voice to him who sat on the cloud, “Put in your sickle, and reap, for the hour to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is fully ripe.”

16 So he who sat on the cloud swung his sickle across the earth, and the earth was reaped.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Re 14:13–16.

John starts the picture rolling for the pre-view of Armageddon as the Son of Man holds the sickle of his harvest. There is nothing good about this harvest of judgment.

E. 5th Angel: v.17

English Standard Version (Chapter 14)

17 Then another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle

Short and not very sweet, this is more judgement harvest. This is not passive.

F. 6th Angel: V.18-20

King James Version (Chapter 14)

18 And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe. 19 And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.

20 And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs.

He asks for a second reaping of the wrath of God from the angel with the really sharp cycle. ( 18, 19.)In verse 20, we see the extent of the carnage from the battle. Blood will flow as deep as the horse’s bridles for 200 miles.

Revelation 15

An introduction to the 7 last plagues 15:1-8

I. John’s vision of the seven Angels V.1

King James Version (Chapter 15)

15 And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God

By this point in time, John has seen various angels with assorted tasks to carry out. This vision seems to be in greater magnitude that that of the 12th chapter. It may be the same vision with new details. The events are greater to behold. This is because we are coming to the end of his wrath, the end of the great tribulation.

II. John’s Vision of the Overcomers. 15:2.

English Standard Version (Chapter 15)

2 And I saw what appeared to be a sea of glass mingled with fire—and also those who had conquered the beast and its image and the number of its name, standing beside the sea of glass with harps of God in their hands

This is similar to the sea of glass in Chapter four. the number 666 has been conquered officially here.

III. The songs of the Overcomers 15:3, 4.

English Standard Version (Chapter 15)

3 And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying,“Great and amazing are your deeds,O Lord God the Almighty!Just and true are your ways,O King of the nations!4  Who will not fear, O Lord,and glorify your name?For you alone are holy.All nations will come and worship you,for your righteous acts have been revealed.”

They sing the song of Moses (Deut. 32) and the Song of the Lamb. Jesus Christ is still in charge.

IV. John sees the Heavenly Tabernacle: 15:5 The temple was first opened for view in Chapter 11.

English Standard Version (Chapter 15)

5 After this I looked, and the sanctuary of the tent of witness in heaven was opened,

V. The departure of the Seven Angels to Execute Judgment on Behalf of The Lamb. 15:6-8

King James Version (Chapter 15)

6 And the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, clothed in pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles. 7 And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever. 8 And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled.

Please do not disregard the mercy of God at work. As terrible is the scene that is about to unfold can be, it is done in measured steps because The hand of God is always extended to those who will repent/ or have an opportunity. But of course they have to take it.

The vials are not test tubes, but rather bowls that represent either the bowls of blood used in temple worship or the bowls that held the incense. See Rev. 8 for comparison.