From Behind The Veil (17)

The Rise of the Beast – The Kingdom of the Antichrist

Revelation 13:1–10 KJV 1900

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.

Additional References

Daniel 2:31-45 Daniel 7:1-28 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12 Matthew 24:15-24 Revelation 12:17 Revelation 17:7-18

Introduction

Last week we studied Revelation 12 and witnessed one of the most significant chapters in all of prophecy.

We saw the woman clothed with the sun.

We saw the dragon cast from heaven.

We saw the war in heaven.

We saw Satan's rage directed toward Israel and toward those who keep the commandments of God and hold the testimony of Jesus Christ.

Chapter 12 reveals the spiritual conflict.

Chapter 13 reveals the earthly kingdom through which Satan wages that conflict.

The dragon now empowers a kingdom, a ruler, and eventually a false religious system.

The focus of Revelation 13 is not merely one evil man. It is the unveiling of Satan's final counterfeit kingdom.

The Beast Rises from the Sea

Revelation 13:1

"And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea..."

The word beast comes from the Greek word thērion (Strong's G2342).

Meaning:

Wild beast

Savage creature

Dangerous animal

This term describes something brutal, hostile, and destructive.

The beast rises from the sea.

The Greek word is thalassa (Strong's G2281).

Throughout Revelation, the sea often symbolizes nations, peoples, multitudes, and tongues.

Revelation 17:15

"The waters which thou sawest... are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues."

This beast emerges from among the nations of the earth.

The final kingdom does not descend from heaven.

It rises from humanity itself.

Prophetic Insight

Every kingdom throughout history has attempted to build a world without God.

The Beast represents the final expression of that rebellion.

The Connection to Daniel's Vision

Revelation 13 cannot be understood apart from Daniel 7.

Daniel saw four beasts emerge from the sea.

A lion.

A bear.

A leopard.

A dreadful fourth beast unlike any before it.

Daniel 7:17

"These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth."

Now notice Revelation 13:2.

"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."

John sees Daniel's beasts combined into one.

Daniel saw four separate empires.

John sees a final empire possessing the characteristics of all four.

Babylon's pride.

Persia's authority.

Greece's speed.

Rome's power.

The final kingdom becomes the culmination of centuries of rebellion against God.

The Seven Heads

Revelation 13:1

"...having seven heads..."

Revelation 17 helps explain the symbolism and gives us a hint:

Revelation 17:9-10

"The seven heads are seven mountains... and there are seven kings."

Throughout biblical history Satan has worked through powerful kingdoms.

Egypt.

Assyria.

Babylon.

Medo-Persia.

Greece.

Rome.

And a final kingdom yet to arise.

The heads represent kingdoms and rulers through whom Satan has opposed God's purposes throughout history.

Ephesians 6:12 reminds us:

"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers..."

Behind earthly kingdoms stands a spiritual conflict.

The Ten Horns

Revelation 13:1

"...and ten horns..."

The Greek word is keras (Strong's G2768).

Meaning:

Strength

Power

Authority

Daniel provides the interpretation.

Daniel 7:24

"And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise."

Horns consistently symbolize governmental authority.

The crowns upon the horns indicate ruling power.

The Beast's kingdom will involve multiple rulers functioning under a larger system. It is Satan's system!

The Dragon Gives His Authority

Revelation 13:2

"...and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority."

The dragon has already been identified.

Revelation 12:9

"...that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan..."

Notice the counterfeit nature of the Beast.

God the Father gives authority to Christ.

Satan gives authority to the Beast.

Christ has a kingdom.

The Beast has a kingdom.

Christ receives worship.

The Beast receives worship.

Satan has always attempted to imitate what belongs to God.

The Deadly Wound

Revelation 13:3

"And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death..."

The word wound comes from plēgē (Strong's G4127).

Meaning:

A blow

A wound

A strike

Many theories exist regarding this event.

Some believe a ruler survives an assassination attempt.

Others believe a kingdom appears destroyed and then revived. Like Germany who is in their 4th Reich. The 1st Reich was considered to be the Holy Roman Empire. The 2nd, the German Empire, the 3rd the Nazi Regime with Hitler as the ruler. Who will be the leader of the 4th Reich?

Whatever the precise interpretation, the purpose is obvious.

The world becomes amazed.

The miracle becomes the foundation of deception.

The Purpose of the Miracle

Revelation 13:3

"...all the world wondered after the beast."

Wondered comes from thaumazō (Strong's G2296).

Meaning:

To marvel

To admire

To be astonished

Notice the progression.

Wonder becomes admiration.

Admiration becomes allegiance.

Allegiance becomes worship.

Jesus warned this would happen.

Matthew 24:24

"For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders..."

The Worship of the Beast

Revelation 13:4

"And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast..."

This is one of the most important verses in Revelation.

People believe they are following a political leader.

Spiritually they are worshipping Satan.

The final kingdom is not merely political.

It is religious.

It demands loyalty, devotion, and worship.

The Revived Roman Empire and the Final Kingdom

One of the most debated subjects in prophecy concerns the identity of the Beast's kingdom.

To understand the discussion, we must return to Daniel 2.

Nebuchadnezzar saw a great image.

Head of Gold — Babylon

Chest and Arms of Silver — Medo-Persia

Belly and Thighs of Brass — Greece

Legs of Iron — Rome

Feet of Iron Mixed with Clay — The Final Kingdom

Daniel 2:44

"And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom..."

The final kingdom exists immediately before Christ returns.

Because the fourth kingdom is generally identified as Rome, many prophecy teachers believe the final kingdom is a revived form of the Roman Empire.

The European Union Interpretation

For decades many prophecy teachers connected the European Union to this prophecy.

Several reasons were given.

Much of Europe occupies former Roman territory.

The European Union united multiple nations under a common governmental structure.

Its economic influence became global.

Its movement toward political integration appeared to mirror Daniel's vision of iron mixed with clay.

Because of these factors, many concluded the European Union could become the final kingdom.

Why Some Believe It Could Fit

The territory connection.

The multinational structure.

The economic power.

The increasing globalization of government.

These observations are understandable and deserve consideration.

Why It Does Not Fully Fit Scripture

The Beast's kingdom is global.

Revelation 13:7

"...power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations."

The European Union is regional, not global.

The Ten Horns Are Kings

Daniel 7:24

"And the ten horns... are ten kings..."

The European Union has had far more than ten member nations.

Attempts to force changing membership numbers into prophecy have repeatedly failed.

The Timing Does Not Match

The Beast rises after Satan is cast down.

The Beast receives authority directly from the dragon.

The Beast rules for forty-two months.

These events occur within a specific prophetic sequence.

The European Union has existed for decades without fulfilling these requirements.

The Beast Receives Worship

Revelation 13:4

"And they worshipped the dragon..."

The final kingdom is not merely political.

It becomes an object of worship.

No modern political structure fully satisfies this requirement.

The Beast Performs Supernatural Signs

The kingdom of the Beast involves supernatural deception.

Politics alone cannot explain the system described in Revelation.

What Scripture Clearly Reveals

The Beast will arise from among the nations.

The Beast will receive authority from Satan.

The Beast will govern globally.

The Beast will persecute the saints.

The Beast will demand worship.

The Beast will rule for forty-two months.

The Beast will ultimately be destroyed by Jesus Christ.

2 Thessalonians 2:8

"And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth..."

The War Against the Saints

Revelation 13:7

"And it was given unto him to make war with the saints..."

The word saints is hagios (Strong's G40).

Meaning:

Holy ones

Separated ones

God's people

Daniel saw the same event.

Daniel 7:21

"The same horn made war with the saints..."

The enemy's goal has never changed.

His objective is opposition to God's people.

The Call to Endurance

Revelation 13:10

"Here is the patience and the faith of the saints."

Patience comes from hypomonē (Strong's G5281).

Meaning:

Endurance

Perseverance

Steadfastness under pressure

The emphasis here is not escape.

The emphasis is faithfulness.

Matthew 24:13

"But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved."

Throughout Scripture, God's people are repeatedly called to endure.

Application

The spirit of the Beast is already at work in the world.

Every system that opposes God reflects its influence.

Miracles do not prove truth.

Every sign and wonder must be tested by Scripture.

Political deception often becomes spiritual deception.

Whenever government seeks worship, it has crossed into territory reserved for God alone.

Faithfulness matters more than popularity.

The call of the saints is to endure, remain faithful, and hold fast to the testimony of Jesus Christ.

Closing Insight

Revelation 13 reveals Satan's ultimate counterfeit.

A counterfeit kingdom.

A counterfeit ruler.

A counterfeit resurrection.

A counterfeit worship system.

Yet every counterfeit exists because there is a genuine original.

The Beast may rise.

The Dragon may empower him.

The Nations may follow him.

But the Lamb still reigns.

Next Session Preview

In our next study we will examine the second beast, commonly called the False Prophet.

We will study:

The beast from the earth.

The image of the beast.

The mark of the beast.

The number 666.

And how Satan's final deception becomes both political and religious.

"For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders..." — Matthew 24:24