Revelation 13:1-10: The Beast out of the Sea

Revelation - The Lamb is Victorious  •  Sermon  •  Submitted
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Introduction

Scripture

Revelation 13:1–10 ESV
1 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?” 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.

Outline

Revelation 1 - Introduction

Revelation 1:1-3 - Prologue & Benediction
Revelation 1:4-8 - Epistolary Introduction
Revelation 1:9-20 - A Vision of the Son of Man

Revelation 2-3 - The Seven Churches

Revelation 2:1-7 - The Letter to Ephesus
Revelation 2:8-11 - The Letter to Smyrna
Revelation 2:12-17 - The Letter to Pergamum
Revelation 2:18-29 - The Letter to Thyatira
Revelation 3:1-6 - The Letter to Sardis
Revelation 3:7-13 - The Letter to Philadelphia
Revelation 3:14-22 - The Letter to Laodicea

Revelation 4-5 - The Throne Room

Revelation 4:1-11 - A Vision of the Throne Room
Revelation 5:1-14 - The Lamb is Worthy

Revelation 6-8:5 - The Seven Seals

Revelation 6:1-8 - The First Four Seals
Revelation 6:9-17 - The Fifth and Sixth Seals
Revelation 7:1-17 - Who can Stand on the Day of the Lord?
Revelation 8:1-5 - Anticipation of Further Judgment

Revelation 8:6-11:19 - The Seven Trumpets

Revelation 8:6-13 - The First Four Trumpets
Revelation 9:1-21 - The Fifth and Sixth Trumpets
Revelation 10:1-11 - The End is Near
Revelation 11:1-14 - The Two Witnesses
Revelation 11:15-19 - The Seventh Trumpet

Revelation 12:1-15:4 - The Seven Visions

Revelation 12:1-17 - The Woman, Child, and Heavenly Hosts Versus the Great Dragon
Revelation 13:1-10 - The Beast out of the Sea
Revelation 13:1-4 - The Beast Rises out of the Sea
Revelation 13:5-8 - The Beast’s Mission
Revelation 13:9-10 - People of God, Persevere!

Purpose of Book

The purpose of Revelation is to challenge/encourage believers, who are expectantly awaiting the reign of Christ, to live faithfully for Him despite worldly circumstances, persecution, and the cosmic battle between God and Satan.

Main Point

The dragon calls the first beast out of the sea. The beast persecutes the saints and is allowed to put some to death. The response of the covenant people of God is to faithfully endure.

Revelation 13:1-4- The Beast Rises out of the Sea

Revelation 13:1–4 ESV
1 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?”

12:17 And he stood on the sand of the sea.

He - the dragon
The dragon/Satan looks to the sea to continue persecuting the church of God
Daniel 7:1–2 ESV
1 In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel saw a dream and visions of his head as he lay in his bed. Then he wrote down the dream and told the sum of the matter. 2 Daniel declared, “I saw in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of heaven were stirring up the great sea.

1 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.

I saw a beast rising out of the sea
A beast
Daniel 7:3 ESV
3 And four great beasts came up out of the sea, different from one another.
The sea
The sea was understood as a place of danger, chaos, and evil for the Hebrews
With ten horns and seven heads, with ten diadems on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads
Daniel 7:7 ESV
7 After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, terrifying and dreadful and exceedingly strong. It had great iron teeth; it devoured and broke in pieces and stamped what was left with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns.
Daniel 7:24 ESV
24 As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings shall arise, and another shall arise after them; he shall be different from the former ones, and shall put down three kings.
Ten horns and seven heads
Total authority/control
The ultimate enemy of the church
We will see this beast again in chapter 17 where it’s identity is clearly revealed as the Roman empire
Blasphemous names
Blaspheming God in the Old Testament was a death curse
Likewise, the beast will be executed

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.

Daniel 7:3–8 ESV
3 And four great beasts came up out of the sea, different from one another. 4 The first was like a lion and had eagles’ wings. Then as I looked its wings were plucked off, and it was lifted up from the ground and made to stand on two feet like a man, and the mind of a man was given to it. 5 And behold, another beast, a second one, like a bear. It was raised up on one side. It had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth; and it was told, ‘Arise, devour much flesh.’ 6 After this I looked, and behold, another, like a leopard, with four wings of a bird on its back. And the beast had four heads, and dominion was given to it. 7 After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, terrifying and dreadful and exceedingly strong. It had great iron teeth; it devoured and broke in pieces and stamped what was left with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns. 8 I considered the horns, and behold, there came up among them another horn, a little one, before which three of the first horns were plucked up by the roots. And behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking great things.
The beast that I saw was like a leopard (Greece)
It’s feet were like a bear’s (Medio-Persia)
Its mouth was like a lion’s mouth (Babylon)
These kingdoms conquered Israel in a beastly manner
The Roman empire is depicted here as the final beast (Kingdom that beastly conquers God’s people)
It is a counterfeit power exercising total allegiance and is not submitted to Christ
Furthermore, Rome as the beast symbolizes all future empires that rebel against the Lord

And to it the dragon gave his power and his throne and great authority.

The dragon gives his authority to the beast of the sea - Rome

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.

One of its heads seemed to have a mortal wound, but its mortal wound was healed
Mortal wound was given to the beast by God
Nero to Vespasian
Genesis 3:15 ESV
15 I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”
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?”

They worshiped the dragon, for he had given his authority to the beast
They worshiped the beast, saying, “who is like the beast, and who can fight against it?”
Exodus 15:11 ESV
11 “Who is like you, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders?

Revelation 13:5-8 - The Beast’s Mission

Revelation 13:5–8 ESV
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.

5 And the beast was given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words, and it was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two months.

The beast was given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words
The authority for this to happen ultimately comes from God Himself, although it is through the dragon
It was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two months
Totalitarian governments are also beasts during the 42 months

6 It opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against God, blaspheming his name and his dwelling, that is, those who dwell in heaven.

It opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against God
Daniel 11:36 ESV
36 “And the king shall do as he wills. He shall exalt himself and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak astonishing things against the God of gods. He shall prosper till the indignation is accomplished; for what is decreed shall be done.
Blaspheming his name and his dwelling, that is those who dwell in heaven
The beast absolutely HATES those who are God’s

7 Also it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them.

The beast is given permission to persecute and kill saints
Daniel 7:19–28 ESV
19 “Then I desired to know the truth about the fourth beast, which was different from all the rest, exceedingly terrifying, with its teeth of iron and claws of bronze, and which devoured and broke in pieces and stamped what was left with its feet, 20 and about the ten horns that were on its head, and the other horn that came up and before which three of them fell, the horn that had eyes and a mouth that spoke great things, and that seemed greater than its companions. 21 As I looked, this horn made war with the saints and prevailed over them, 22 until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was given for the saints of the Most High, and the time came when the saints possessed the kingdom. 23 “Thus he said: ‘As for the fourth beast, there shall be a fourth kingdom on earth, which shall be different from all the kingdoms, and it shall devour the whole earth, and trample it down, and break it to pieces. 24 As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings shall arise, and another shall arise after them; he shall be different from the former ones, and shall put down three kings. 25 He shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High, and shall think to change the times and the law; and they shall be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time. 26 But the court shall sit in judgment, and his dominion shall be taken away, to be consumed and destroyed to the end. 27 And the kingdom and the dominion and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High; his kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.’ 28 “Here is the end of the matter. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts greatly alarmed me, and my color changed, but I kept the matter in my heart.”

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.

Authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation, and all who dwell on the earth will worship it
The beast is allowed, by God, to have authority over all the earth
2 Corinthians 4:4 ESV
4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
The response of the unbelieving world regarding the beast will be worship
Everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain
Those who are not in the book of life are wholly devoted to the beast and are rebels/enemies of God
Doctrine of election
Ephesians 1:4 ESV
4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love

Revelation 13:9-10 - People of God, Persevere!

Revelation 13:9–10 ESV
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.

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.

If anyone has an ear, let him hear
Command
The same command he issued to the seven churches
Meant to provoke to get those reading to hear and obey - reject the Roman Empire!
If anyone is to be taken captive, to captivity he goes
Jeremiah 15:2 ESV
2 And when they ask you, ‘Where shall we go?’ you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord: “ ‘Those who are for pestilence, to pestilence, and those who are for the sword, to the sword; those who are for famine, to famine, and those who are for captivity, to captivity.’
Jeremiah 43:11 ESV
11 He shall come and strike the land of Egypt, giving over to the pestilence those who are doomed to the pestilence, to captivity those who are doomed to captivity, and to the sword those who are doomed to the sword.
In context, the judgment of God is coming upon Jerusalem because of sin
Here, however, the oppression comes from the beast towards those who are faithful, not faithfulness like Jeremiah
Both encourage a non-violent response
Some God has intended to go into captivity for their faith
If anyone is to be slain with the sword, with the sword must be be slain
Some God has intended to be killed for their faith

Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints.

The response of Christ-followers is not violence, but faithful endurance
Matthew 26:52 ESV
52 Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place. For all who take the sword will perish by the sword.
The call is for all saints to persevere despite the evil empires being guided by the dragon

Main Point

The dragon calls the first beast out of the sea. The beast persecutes the saints and is allowed to put some to death. The response of the covenant people of God is to faithfully endure.

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