The Mark of the Beast
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Then the dragon took his stand on the shore beside the sea.
Then I saw a beast rising up out of the sea. It had seven heads and ten horns, with ten crowns on its horns. And written on each head were names that blasphemed God. This beast looked like a leopard, but it had the feet of a bear and the mouth of a lion! And the dragon gave the beast his own power and throne and great authority.
I saw that one of the heads of the beast seemed wounded beyond recovery—but the fatal wound was healed! The whole world marveled at this miracle and gave allegiance to the beast. They worshiped the dragon for giving the beast such power, and they also worshiped the beast. “Who is as great as the beast?” they exclaimed. “Who is able to fight against him?”
Then the beast was allowed to speak great blasphemies against God. And he was given authority to do whatever he wanted for forty-two months. And he spoke terrible words of blasphemy against God, slandering his name and his dwelling—that is, those who dwell in heaven. And the beast was allowed to wage war against God’s holy people and to conquer them. And he was given authority to rule over every tribe and people and language and nation. And all the people who belong to this world worshiped the beast. They are the ones whose names were not written in the Book of Life that belongs to the Lamb who was slaughtered before the world was made.
This is the reasons that I wanted to get into Revelation. This is one of the sections of Scripture that freaks people out the most. I want this passage to be comforting to the people of God. And I’m excited and blessed to preach it to you today. By nature, our discussion today will end up being more technical as I show you some stuff to make sense of what we’re seeing in this chapter, but if you hang in there with me, I think you will find this chapter to be one of the most comforting in all of Scripture.
Remember where we are: we’ve just seen Satan try to eat the baby Jesus, he’s cast out of heaven, and goes off to make war against us Christians. And he’s going to do that with evil and chaos. And we saw him standing on the shore of the sea (evil, chaos).
Let’s read the first few verses of this chapter.
This is the reasons that I wanted to get into Revelation.
18 Then the dragon took his stand on the shore beside the sea.
1 Then I saw a beast rising up out of the sea. It had seven heads and ten horns, with ten crowns on its horns. And written on each head were names that blasphemed God. 2 This beast looked like a leopard, but it had the feet of a bear and the mouth of a lion! And the dragon gave the beast his own power and throne and great authority.
3 I saw that one of the heads of the beast seemed wounded beyond recovery—but the fatal wound was healed! The whole world marveled at this miracle and gave allegiance to the beast. 4 They worshiped the dragon for giving the beast such power, and they also worshiped the beast. “Who is as great as the beast?” they exclaimed. “Who is able to fight against him?”
5 Then the beast was allowed to speak great blasphemies against God. And he was given authority to do whatever he wanted for forty-two months. 6 And he spoke terrible words of blasphemy against God, slandering his name and his dwelling—that is, those who dwell in heaven. 7 And the beast was allowed to wage war against God’s holy people and to conquer them. And he was given authority to rule over every tribe and people and language and nation. 8 And all the people who belong to this world worshiped the beast. They are the ones whose names were not written in the Book of Life that belongs to the Lamb who was slaughtered before the world was made.
-13:8
If I'm a Jew, this imagery of the beasts coming out of the sea reminds me of because all four beasts come out of the sea. And the beasts in Daniel are lion, bear, leopard, something so corrupt and evil it defies explanation. Here, we have a beast that looks like a leopard, bear, lion, thing.
If I'm a Jew, what does this imagery of the beasts coming out of the sea remind me of?
- all four of the beasts come out of the sea.
Description of the beast- leopard/bear/lion beast ()-
- Lion - Bear - Leopard - Something so corrupt and evil it defies explanation.
This is a combination of all the beasts of . And this beast represents Rome, as did the fourth beast of . And so that’s the interpretation. But we have beasts here today, don’t we. Anti-Christian governments and anti-Christian religions. Don’t we have those?
The beast receives the Dragon's power, throne and authority, but do you know who gave the dragon his authority?
God.
God knows the value of suffering. He knows what it can produce in those who are his.
God knows the value of suffering. He knows what it can produce in those who are his.
Satan is just a pathetic puppet who thinks he has free will. But the ministry of the beasts is a parody of the Trinity- a feeble, weak imitation. There is no power that can rival the one true God, found in the Father, Son, and Spirit.
But the ministry of the beasts is a parody of the Trinity- a feeble, weak imitation.
Beast- fatal wound, but is healed. Who does that sound like? Cheap imitation of Jesus.
Cheap imitation of Jesus. What does it cause people to do? Worship him. "OMG! HE LOOKED DEAD AND NOW HE'S HEALED! AHHH!!!"
What does it cause people to do? Worship him. "OMG! HE LOOKED DEAD AND NOW HE'S HEALED! AHHH!!!"
Worship him. "OMG! HE LOOKED DEAD AND NOW HE'S HEALED! AHHH!!!"
And the people ask, "who is like the beast and who can make war against him?"
for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?”
"Who can stand?” Remember chapter 6?
, anyone?
Best kinds (most effective) of heresy are the ones that are hard to figure out if they're true. And this is what the beast is doing here- a parody. That’s why the Jehovah’s Witnesses and the Mormons do so well. They’re cults that approach the truth, but are just different enough to be preaching a different hope and a different Gospel.
But the beast uses verbal and physical weapons. Blasphemes God and makes war on saints. If your life seems hard right now, it’s not an accident. The Beast is waging war on you. The Beast is waging war on this church. Some of you have felt it over the last few months. Because we’re starting to push in a direction of faithfulness- because Jesus is shaking us out of our corporate apathy, the beast is attacking us.
Beast from the sea (there's two- one from sea and one from earth)- goal is to have all humanity worship beast. Worship is war.
Complete authority
Beast from the sea (there's two- one from sea and one from earth)- goal is to have all humanity worship beast. Worship is war.
Anyone with ears to hear
should listen and understand.
Anyone who is destined for prison
will be taken to prison.
Anyone destined to die by the sword
will die by the sword.
This means that God’s holy people must endure persecution patiently and remain faithful.
What does 9 remind us of?
What does 9 remind us of?
If the authorities want to take you to captivity because of the gospel, Go. If the authorities want to kill you because of the gospel, die.
This requires endurance because it goes against everything that we are trained to do, instinctually do, and want to do.
Because if we are the body of Christ here on earth, we need to ask ourselves, "what did the actual body of Christ do when it walked the earth?"
Summary of beast #1:
The goal and function is and goal of Roman empire- the same- conquer everyone and get them to worship them. Rome existed for conquest. The beast from the sea epitomizes Rome, and so I suggest that John refers to the Roman government here- and we'll see more evidence for this interpretation in , .
Application is any anti-Christian government who demands worship by verbal and physical weapons.
Christian's response is to endure patiently so that we can also have it said of us that we overcame the dragon by the blood of the lamb and by the word of our testimony and that we did not love our lives so much as to shrink from death.
11 Then I saw another beast come up out of the earth. He had two horns like those of a lamb, but he spoke with the voice of a dragon. 12 He exercised all the authority of the first beast. And he required all the earth and its people to worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed. 13 He did astounding miracles, even making fire flash down to earth from the sky while everyone was watching. 14 And with all the miracles he was allowed to perform on behalf of the first beast, he deceived all the people who belong to this world. He ordered the people to make a great statue of the first beast, who was fatally wounded and then came back to life. 15 He was then permitted to give life to this statue so that it could speak. Then the statue of the beast commanded that anyone refusing to worship it must die.
16 He required everyone—small and great, rich and poor, free and slave—to be given a mark on the right hand or on the forehead. 17 And no one could buy or sell anything without that mark, which was either the name of the beast or the number representing his name. 18 Wisdom is needed here. Let the one with understanding solve the meaning of the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. His number is 666.
Out of 70 times in Revelation, the word "earth" is use negatively 45 times. What's being communicated?
If this is your home, it doesn't look good for you. Non-Christians are earth-dwellers. They don't have a heavenly perspective.
4 times is positive, 21 times neutral.
Non-Christians are earth-dwellers. They don't have a heavenly perspective.
And the beast’s parody continues: Looks like lamb/speaks like dragon.
Looks like lamb/speaks like dragon.
References the first beast's "death and resurrection". This is a mockery.
References Elijah (authority of prophets, or church).
Sometimes they would have idols in temples where people would enter behind the idol in a secret passageway and speak through the idol.
This beast's goal is to get people to worship the first beast. This beast mocks the Holy Spirit in the unholy trinity.
He does it through deception and forces people to have a mark.
1st beast- Roman Government
2nd beast- Roman imperial cult
What's the point of imperial cult?
Sets up image, enforces with threat of Pax Romana.
LET'S DIVE INTO MARK:
I’ve mentioned trade guilds before- must worship patron god of trade guild, but there's more than receiving the piece of paper that was received after worshipping. That’s sort of what’s being talked about here.
Mark is on the hand and forehead. This has Jewish significance.
1 “These are the commands, decrees, and regulations that the Lord your God commanded me to teach you. You must obey them in the land you are about to enter and occupy, 2 and you and your children and grandchildren must fear the Lord your God as long as you live. If you obey all his decrees and commands, you will enjoy a long life. 3 Listen closely, Israel, and be careful to obey. Then all will go well with you, and you will have many children in the land flowing with milk and honey, just as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, promised you.
4 “Listen, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. 5 And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. 6 And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. 7 Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. 8 Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. 9 Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
fearing God means knowing who God is and knowing who you are and keeping that in check.
Fearing God means knowing who God is and knowing who you are and keeping that in check.
Verse 8 is significant for understanding this passage in Revelation 13. This is where the practice of Phylacteries comes from.
Hands/forehead- mind is always on God/always serving God. They designate who you belong to! His name was on their head and hands.
All who are victorious will become pillars in the Temple of my God, and they will never have to leave it. And I will write on them the name of my God, and they will be citizens in the city of my God—the new Jerusalem that comes down from heaven from my God. And I will also write on them my new name.
Then I saw the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with him were 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads.
, ,
14:1
And they will see his face, and his name will be written on their foreheads.
What's being written on these people?
What's being written on these people?
The name of the beast, the mark is his name, and is his number. They're all the same.
And these phylacteries are saying, "I love the LORD my God with all my heart, with all my soul, and with all of my strength. It is imprinted on my forehead and on my hands. You can see it as I walk down the street."
And now in , and it says the mark of the beast will be on their foreheads and on their hands. It is saying that these people belong to the beast. They love the Beast with all of their hearts, souls, minds, and strength!"
So, let's deal with 666-
Gematria- the ancient art of reducing a name or word down to a numerical value for coded purposes.
They would teach their kids how to read and do math with their alphabets. And so they would also take names or words and reduce them down to keep them encrypted.
Open numeric converter, show work from - dove (περιστερά- value is 801) and it's equivalence to ΑΩ (value is 801).
Open numeric converter, show work from - dove (περιστερά) and it's equivalence to ΑΩ.
Then John testified, “I saw the Holy Spirit descending like a dove from heaven and resting upon him.
We've come up with some crazy stuff for 666- one of the least crazy that probably most of your study bibles will suggest is νερον καισαρ (Neron Kaisar, or Nero Caesar)- you have to really mess with it, but it could mean that.
Some people have said, the internet, because in Hebrew letter w is Waw and it's value is 6, so when we type WWW, it's not world wide web, it's the mark of the beast! Okay, not really.
Some have suggested Ronald Wilson Reagan... six letters, six letters, six letters. Coincidence?!?! I think not. Yeah, okay. I'm pretty sure there's something more sane. Some people have proposed that 666 refers to Obama, Hitler, Trump, yata yata yata. I’ve told you, I don’t believe in reading with the Bible in one hand and the newspaper in the other. That’s a terrible way to read Scripture. If you’re looking for current events in Scripture, you are abusing Scripture. God revealed himself in a specific culture and a specific context, and we need to respect that. Let me tell you what I think this is referring to and how I think the 1st century Christians understood this text:
The Greek word for "beast" is θηρίον (thērion) transliterated to Hebrew is תריון.
ת is 400 (Taw)
ר is 200 (Resh)
י is 10 (Yodh)
ו is 6 (Waw)
ן is 50 (Final Nun)
Let me put this up here.
Math whizzes, do the math here. What do those letters add up to?
Most of your Bibles probably also have a footnote that says that some manuscripts also say 616. This is another clue as to what the earliest Christians to receive this message believed it to be, and so any explanation for what 666 means must also be easily explainable for the variant 616:
The form of beast in this passage is Genitive in the Greek, so it's θηρίου (thēriou), transliterated to Hebrew is תריו.
he form of beast in this passage is Genitive in the Greek, so it's θηρίου (thēriou), transliterated to Hebrew is תריו.
ת is 400 (Taw)
ר is 200 (Resh)
י is 10 (Yodh)
ו is 6 (Waw)
Okay. Here’s the math on this one:
Math whizzes, do the math again. What does this add up to?
The mark of God is his name on the foreheads of those who follow him (). Therefore, since these two concepts are set up opposite each other in the book of Revelation, one can safely read into the text that the mark of the beast is his name, "beast." This makes much more sense than some cryptic mark that we receive or some bar code or website or person, because it does contribute to the imagery of two kingdoms in Revelation and the rest of the New Testament.
There is the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of the Beast, and your deeds show to which kingdom you belong. If you pledge your allegiance with your heart, soul, mind, and strength to the kingdom of God, then Jesus marks you with his name. If you pledge your heart, soul, mind, and strength to the beast, then the beast brands you with his name, "θηρίον (thērion)" or "θηρίου (thēriou)".
So here's the application: a Christian cannot accidentally receive the mark of the beast. Is that how the Bible functions at all? Is there anywhere in the Bible that shows that you can accidentally fall into hell?
Some microchip or a barcode? We are not measured by physicalness, but by our spiritual allegiance. A chip in my arm will not keep me out of heaven. Nothing can keep me out of heaven because of Christ's blood!
Remember
37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.
38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love.
39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
The mark of the beast is allegiance to the beast, so he gives them his name. That's why Jesus gives us his name- we ARE HIS!
When the beasts make war on Christians, we need to make sure that we are securing the name of God on our heads, on our hearts, and on our hands by loving the Lord our God with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strength. Jesus is not tricky. He says, "Believe in me, and you will have eternal life." Don't worry about falling into a pit that's not there.
Believe that. Don’t look