Revelation 13

Translation

The dragon stood upon the sand of the sea. I saw a beast rising from the sea. It had ten horns and seven heads, and on its horns were ten diadems, and on its heads were blasphemous names. The beast I saw was like a leopard, its feet were like a bear’s, its mouth like the mouth of a lion. The dragon gave it his power, his throne, and great authority. One of its heads appeared to be mortally wounded by a sword, but it’s death blow was healed. All the earth was amazed at the beast. They worshiped the dragon because he had given authority to the beast, and they worshipped the beast and said, “Who is like the beast? And who is able to fight against him?”

It was given grand and blasphemous words to speak, and it was given the authority to do as it wished for forty-two months. It opened it’s mouth to blaspheme God, to blaspheme his name and his tabernacle (that is those who dwell in heaven). It was given the power to make war against the saints and conquer them, and it was given authority over all tribes, peoples, languages, and nations. All who dwell upon the earth will worship him, those whose names have not been written in the book of life that belongs to the lamb slaughtered from the foundation of the world.

If anyone has ears, let them hear:

If someone is destined for captivity, into captivity they go.

If someone is destined to be killed by the sword, by the sword they will be killed.

Here is the steadfastness and faith of the saints.

I saw another beast rising from the earth, and it had two horns like a little lamb, but spoke like a dragon. It works all the authority of the first beast on its behalf, and it makes the earth and everyone living there to worship the first beast whose deathblow was healed. It performs great signs, so that it makes fire come down from heaven to earth right in front of people, and deceives people living on earth with these signs which it is permitted to do on behalf of the first beast, telling those dwelling on earth to make images for the beast, who has been struck by the sword and yet lived. It was given power to animate the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast would speak and cause those who would not worship the image of the beast to be put to death. It made it so that everyone, both great and small, the rich and the poor, the freemen and the slaves, should be given an imperial stamp on their right hand or on their forehead. So anyone who does not have the imperial stamp of the Beast’s name or of the number of its name cannot buy or sell. Here is wisdom: Anyone with a brain must calculate the number of the beast; because it is the number of a man, and its number is six hundred sixty-six.

The First Beast: Satan and Empire

Horns, heads, diadems, appearance of animals

From Daniel 7

Modified to include “eagle”= clear allusion to Rome

Horns/diadems represent rulers (Roman emperors/caesars)

Satan is behind the throne

This is concurrent with the rest of scripture

Egypt

Babylon

Daniel and Greece

Ephesians 2:1

The New Revised Standard Version From Death to Life

You were dead through the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once lived, following the course of this world, following the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work among those who are disobedient.

“Death Blow”

Nero’s suicide

Nero Revivi myth

Domitian as a new Nero?

Roman Persecution under Nero and Domitian

Literal Emperor Worship

The Second Beast: Worshiping the State

“All the earth will worship the first beast” How? The Second beast acts as priest!

“Looks like a lamb”

Matt 7:15

The New Revised Standard Version A Tree and Its Fruit

15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.

Mockery of the slaughtered lamb (Lion was really a lamb, lamb was really a dragon)

Performance of great miracles to lead people astray

Similar to Pharaoh’s Magicians

Bar Jesus in Acts 13

“Animate Images” in Greco-Roman World

Number of the Beast

Anti-Shema (Deut 6:4-9)

The New Revised Standard Version The Great Commandment

4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD is our God, the LORD alone. 5 You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. 6 Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart. 7 Recite them to your children and talk about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise. 8 Bind them as a sign on your hand, fix them as an emblem on your forehead, 9 and write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

χαραγμα official stamp, opposite of the “seal” σφραγις of the lamb in Rev. 7

Also in Greco-Rome a sign of slavery (so slavery to Dragon or slaves of God?

666 in gematria = קסר נרונ

Textual Variant 616 also comes out to “Nero”

Unholy Trinity: Satan’s Mockery

A Warning Against Christian Nationalism