Revelation 13

In one sense, this monster is Daniel's fourth beast, as is evident from the fact that both speak arrogant boasts and blasphemies (, , ; ) and wage war against the saints (; ). Rome was the expression of the beast that would threaten the churches of Asia Minor and throughout the Mediterranean world in the decades and generations afterJohn received his visions. In another sense, though, the monster that John now sees is bigger than Rome, as the merging of imagery from all four of Daniel's beasts shows. The beast is given "authority to act for forty-two months" (13:5). We have seen that this period (42 months = 1,260 days = 3Y years) symbolizes the whole span of time from Christ's resurrection until the outbreak of intense evil just before his second coming. I)uring this period the church will be persecuted and protected, witnessing invincibly and yet trampled underfoot, conquered but not destroyed. Therefore this beast and its persecuting power would outlast the fall of Rome in the fifth century. It continues to find various expressions, some more overt and potent than others, down to our day.

Dennis E. Johnson. Triumph of the Lamb: A Commentary on Revelation (Kindle Locations 2081-2088). Kindle Edition.