Revelation 13 This chapter brings the beast, or the person popƵůĂƌůLJŬŶŽǁŶĂƐ͞ƚŚĞĂŶƚŝĐŚƌŝƐƚ͟ front and center. He is the one successfully wages war against the people of God. Of course this figure has captured the popular imagination. Dispensationalists view him as a coming world leader. They have put forth many potential candidates for the job including Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin, Mao Tse-­‐tung, Mikhail Gorbachev, Henry Kissinger, Ronald Reagan, King Juan Carlos, several popes, the papacy itself and countless others. However this figure has a long tradition within Judaism. ͞dŚĞƐĂĐƌŝůĞŐŝŽƵƐĂĐƚŽĨŶƚŝŽĐŚƵƐ/sĂƐƉƌŽƉŚĞƐŝĞĚŝŶĂŶŝĞůďĞĐĂŵĞƚŚĞƉƌĞĐƵƌƐŽƌƚŽƚŚĞ
ŶƚŝĐŚƌŝƐƚƚŚĞŵĞŝŶ:ĞǁŝƐŚƚĞĂĐŚŝŶŐ͘ŶƚŝŽĐŚƵƐ/sĐĂůůĞĚŚŝŵƐĞůĨ͞ƉŝƉŚĂŶĞƐ͛ďĞĐĂƵƐĞ he ǀŝĞǁĞĚŚŝŵƐĞůĨĂƐƚŚĞ͚ŵĂŶŝĨĞƐƚĂƚŝŽŶ͛ŽĨŚŝƐƉĂƚƌŽŶŐŽĚKůLJŵƉŝĂŶĞƵƐ͙͟1 In the second temple Judaism period people expected two different anti messiah figures. One was a tyrant from outside of Judaism who would oppress the people and oppose God. This was built on the little horn of Daniel. The other was a false teacher from within the community who would deceive the people. These figures are merged into one in Revelation 13. We can trace the development of the Anti-­‐Christ idea within Christianity through the New dĞƐƚĂŵĞŶƚ͘:ĞƐƵƐƌĞĨĞƌƐƚŽĂĨƵƚƵƌĞ͞ĂďŽŵŝŶĂƚŝŽŶƚŚĂƚĐĂƵƐĞƐĚĞƐŽůĂƚŝŽŶ͟ŝŶƚŚĞKůŝǀĞƚ
Discourse. He was clearly referring to Antiochus IV. I argued earlier in this series that the sermon, including this part, was already fulfilled by 70 AD. However the mention of it in the synoptic Gospels shows the hold of the concept on the first Christians. Continuing the tradition, and writing in the mid 40s, WĂƵůƚĂůŬƐĂďŽƵƚĂ͞ŵĂŶŽĨůĂǁůĞƐƐŶĞƐƐ͟;ϮdŚĞƐƐ͘Ϯ͘ϳͿ
͙͞who will oppose and exalt himselĨŽǀĞƌĞǀĞƌLJƚŚŝŶŐƚŚĂƚŝƐĐĂůůĞĚ'ŽĚ͘͟dŚŝƐƉĞƌƐŽŶŝƐǀĞƌLJ
similar, if not identical, to the beast in Revelation 13. Most scholars believe that Paul, who died ĚƵƌŝŶŐEĞƌŽ͛ƐƌĞŝŐŶ͕ĚƌĞǁŽŶƚŚĞŵƉĞƌŽƌĂůŝŐƵůĂ͘/ŶϰϬĂůŝŐƵůĂƉƌŽƉŽƐĞĚƉƵƚƚŝŶŐĂƐƚĂƚƵe of himself in the Jerusalem Temple. He was assassinated in 41 AD before he could try it. 1 John Ϯ͘ϭϴ͕ǁƌŝƚƚĞŶĚĞĐĂĚĞƐĂĨƚĞƌϮdŚĞƐƐĂůŽŶŝĂŶƐ͕ƐĂLJƐ͞ƚŚĞĂŶƚŝĐŚƌŝƐƚŝƐĐŽŵŝŶŐ͕ĞǀĞŶŶŽǁŵĂŶLJ
ĂŶƚŝĐŚƌŝƐƚƐŚĂǀĞĐŽŵĞ͘͟>ĂƚĞƌ;Ϯ͘ϮϮ͖ϰ͘ϯͿ:ŽŚŶďƌŽĂĚĞŶƐƚŚĞĚĞĨŝnition to include anyone who denies the Father and the Son and/or someone who will not acknowledge Jesus as coming in the flesh (2 John 7). Here in Revelation 13 the tradition is brought to a point modeled after the Emperor Nero. Is the antichrist a person? Many scholars understand the beast to be a world empire rather ƚŚĂŶĂƐƉĞĐŝĨŝĐƉĞƌƐŽŶ͘dŚŝƐŵĂŬĞƐƐĞŶƐĞďĞĐĂƵƐĞƚŚĞďĞĂƐƚŝƐĚƌĂǁŶĨƌŽŵĂŶŝĞů͛ƐǀŝƐŝŽŶŽĨ
four beasts who are all world empires rather than specific people (John combines the four empires into one). However, if the dragon is a personal being it makes sense to see the beast as also a personal being. In the ancient world the emperor is the obvious motif for the character. He looks and acts like one emperor in particular, Nero. As the chapter opens the dragon lost its war in heaven and is now on restricted to the earth. 1
Osborne, page 493 1 The Beast out of the Sea 1 The dragon stood on the shore of the sea. And I saw a beast coming out of the sea. It had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on its horns, and on each head a blasphemous name. 2 The beast I saw resembled a leopard, but had feet like those of a bear and a mouth like that of a lion. The dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority. 3 One of the heads of the beast seemed to have had a fatal wound, but the fatal wound had been healed. The whole world was filled with wonder and followed the beast. 4 People worshiped the dragon because he had given authority to the beast, and they also worshiped the beast and ĂƐŬĞĚ͕͞tŚŽŝƐ ůŝŬĞƚŚĞďĞĂƐƚ͍tŚŽĐĂŶǁĂŐĞǁĂƌĂŐĂŝŶƐƚŝƚ͍͟ -­‐ The dragon (Satan) stands on the shore to call out his servant for his battle against the church. Throughout the Revelation the sea represents evil so the beast coming out of the sea is definitely evil. In :ŽŚŶ͛ƐĚĂLJƚŚĞďĞĂƐƚĨƌŽŵƚŚĞƐĞĂǁŽƵůĚŚĂǀĞďĞĞŶ
identified with Rome.2 -­‐ The beast is rising slowly out of the water. Jewish believers would connect this beast with Leviathan (Job 41) a sea monster God conquers. -­‐ Advocating the idea that the beast is an empire Darrell Johnson writes͕͞tŚĂƚƚŚĞŶŝƐ
͚ƚŚĞďĞĂƐƚĨƌŽŵƚŚĞƐĞĂ͍͛/ƚŝƐƚŚĞƐƚĂƚĞͶhuman kingdoms that have rejected the living God from the center of their lives. At the time John wrote Revelation, the beast was manifested in Rome. But not just Rome. Before Rome the beast is manifested in Egypt, ƐƐLJƌŝĂ͕ĂŶĚĂďLJůŽŶ͘ĨƚĞƌZŽŵĞƚŚĞďĞĂƐƚŝƐŵĂŶŝĨĞƐƚĞĚŝŶĞŵƉŝƌĞĂĨƚĞƌĞŵƉŝƌĞ͘͟3 -­‐ In a similar vein Justo GonzĂůĞnjƐĂLJƐ͕͞Although a number of commentators have ascribed various meanings to this particular beast, it should suffice to point out that, from the point of view of Asia Minor, Rome and all the symbols of its power-­‐governors, decrees, tax collectorsͶcame from the sea. The beast from the sea is none other than ZŽŵĂŶŵŝŐŚƚ͕ĐŽŵĞƚŽ͚ŵĂŬĞǁĂƌŽŶƚŚĞƐĂŝŶƚƐ͛ǁŚŝůĞ͚ĂůůƚŚĞŝŶŚĂďŝƚĂŶƚƐŽĨƚŚĞĞĂƌƚŚ͙
ǁŽƌƐŚŝƉŝƚ͘͟4 -­‐ There is an upside to the view that the beast is an empire, or an archetype of empires. If we define it thus we can more easily adopt the Preterist view of the Revelation. This is the interpretation that holds that the entire book was fulfilled in the first century ďĞĐĂƵƐĞƚŚĞƌĞŝƐŶŽŶĞĞĚĨŽƌĂƉĞƌƐŽŶĂů͞ŵĂŶŽĨůĂǁůĞƐƐŶĞƐƐ͟Žƌ͞ĂŶƚŝĐŚƌŝƐƚ͟ƚŽĂƉƉĞĂƌ͘ However John seems to understand the beast as a personal being. -­‐ Like the dragon this beast has ten horns and seven heads. In Daniel 7.19-­‐23 a beast is described having ten horns that represent ten kings. This is the imagery behind this part of the vision. -­‐ The seven heads are kings (17.12-­‐ϭϰͿ͘dŚĞĐƌŽǁŶƐƐLJŵďŽůŝnjĞƚŚĞďĞĂƐƚ͛ƐĨĂůƐĞĐůĂŝŵŽĨ
soveƌĞŝŐŶ͕ƵŶŝǀĞƌƐĂůĂƵƚŚŽƌŝƚLJŝŶŽƉƉŽƐŝƚŝŽŶƚŽƚŚĞ͚ƚƌƵĞŬŝŶŐŽĨŬŝŶŐƐĂŶĚůŽƌĚŽĨůŽƌĚƐ͕͛
ǁŚŽĂůƐŽǁĞĂƌƐ͚ŵĂŶLJĚŝĂĚĞŵƐ;ϭϵ͘ϭϮͿ͘͟dŚĞsimilarity shows an intention to contrast ƚŚĞďĞĂƐƚĂŶĚŚƌŝƐƚ͘͟5 2
Beale, page 684 Johnson, page 223 4
Gonzalez, page 39 5
Beale, page 684 3
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The blasphemous names on its head are likely the things commonly called out to the ŵƉĞƌŽƌ͗͞>ŽƌĚĂŶĚ^ĂǀŝŽƌ͕͟͞ƐŽŶŽĨŐŽĚ͕͟ĂŶĚ͞ŽƵƌůŽƌĚĂŶĚŐŽĚ͘͟dŚĞZŽŵĂŶƐ͕
beginning with Augustus, deified their emperors upon death. Domitian, the emperor most likely on the throne when Revelation was written, insisted on being called a god while alive and even demanded sacrifices to be offered in his name. This beast is a parody of Christ and points to a Trinitarian concept of evil. In it the ĚƌĂŐŽŶŽĨZĞǀĞůĂƚŝŽŶϭϮŝƐƚŚĞĐŽƵŶƚĞƌƉŽŝŶƚƚŽ'ŽĚƚŚĞ&ĂƚŚĞƌ͕ƚŚŝƐďĞĂƐƚ͕͞ǁŚŽƐĞĞŵĞĚ
to have haĚĂĨĂƚĂůǁŽƵŶĚ͟ďƵƚǁĂƐŚĞĂůĞĚŝƐƚŚĞĐŽƵŶƚĞƌƉŽŝŶƚƚŽŚƌŝƐƚ͘>ĂƚĞƌŝŶƚŚĞ
chapter the beast out of the earth will mirror the Holy Spirit. /ŶǀĞƌƐĞϮ:ŽŚŶĚĞƐĐƌŝďĞƐƚŚŝƐďĞĂƐƚǁŝƚŚĂŶŝŵĂůƚĞƌŵƐ͘,ĞŝƐŶ͛ƚƚƌLJŝŶŐƚŽĐƌĞĂƚĞĂŶ
image in our minds. Rather he is using apocalyptic imagery to say some things about the beast. He does want to create the impression that this beast is horrifying, the embodiment of all that is evil. It has the speed and cruelty of a leopard, the power of a bear, and the roar of a lion. The dragon gives the beast three important things: power to do miracles, a throne or ĚŽŵŝŶŝŽŶ͕ĂŶĚŐƌĞĂƚĂƵƚŚŽƌŝƚLJ͘:ŽŚŶ͛ƐƌĞĂĚĞƌƐǁŽƵůĚƵŶĚĞƌƐƚĂŶĚƚŚĂƚ^ĂƚĂŶŝƐ
empowering the Roman emperors, the reigning one in particular. Because the dragon (or Satan) is waging war against the saints they can expect the beast to carry this out in the physical world. KŶĞŽĨƚŚĞďĞĂƐƚ͛ƐƐĞǀĞŶŚĞĂĚƐŚĂƐďĞĞŶǁŽƵŶĚĞĚĂŶĚŚĞĂůĞĚ͘/ŶŽƚŚĞƌǁŽƌĚƐŚĞ͕ůŝŬĞ
Jesus, returned to life from the dead. dŚĞǁŽƌĚĨŽƌ͞ǁŽƵŶĚ͟ here is ƚŚĞƐĂŵĞƵƐĞĚŽĨŚƌŝƐƚŝŶϱ͘ϲƚŽƐĂLJƚŚĂƚŚĞŝƐ͞ƐůĂŝŶ͘͟ ĞĐĂƵƐĞŽĨƚŚĞďĞĂƐƚ͛ƐƐĞĞŵŝŶŐƌĞƐƵƌƌĞĐƚŝŽŶƚŚĞǁŽƌůĚĨŽůůŽǁƐĂŶĚǁŽƌƐŚŝƉƐŚŝŵ͘dŚĞLJ
ĐĂůůŽƵƚ͞ǁŚŽŝƐůŝŬĞƚŚĞďĞƐƚ͟ĂŶĚ͞ǁŚŽĐĂŶĚĞĨĞĂƚŚŝŵ͍͟ It is important to note that the passage actually says ͞his fatal wound was healed.͟ In other words, he only seems to die. In 17.9-­‐11 we are told that these heads are really seven hills on which a prostitute sits which would likely be understood to be Rome. The seven heads also symbolize seven kings, or seven Roman emperors. Preterists understand this as referring to the events of 68-­‐69 AD. After Nero committed suicide a civil war broke out as three different men claimed to be emperor. Vespasian prevailed in the war and miraculously restored the empire. However, at the same time, there was a commonly held myth that Nero was with the Parthians and would soon mount a military return to Rome. KƐďŽƌŶĞ͕͞ƵĞƚŽŚŝƐƚĞƌƌŝďůĞƌĞŝŐŶ͕EĞƌŽǁĂƐĐĞŶƐƵƌĞĚďLJƚŚĞƐĞŶĂƚĞŽŶ:ƵŶĞϴ͕͘͘ϲϴ͕
and was declared an enemy of Rome. The next day at his villa on the outskirts of Rome, he took his life by plunging a dagger into his neck (cf. Rev. 13.14). Many refused to believe that he had died, and by the late 80s a legend became popular that he was still alive (some forms of the story have him coming back from the dead) and living in Parthia, preparing an army of Parthians to invade and retake his throne. Several ŝŵƉŽƐƚĞƌƐƚƌŝĞĚƚŽĐŽŵĞƚŽƉŽǁĞƌďLJĐůĂŝŵŝŶŐƚŽďĞEĞƌŽ͘ƵƌŝŶŐŽŵŝƚŝĂŶ͛ƐƌĞŝŐŶŽŶĞ
almost succeeded but Domitian talked the Parthians into executing the man͘͟6 6
Osborne, page 496 3 -­‐
The conclusion: this beast is a Nero-­‐like figure. 5 The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise its authority for forty-­‐two months. 6 It opened its mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven. 7 It was given power to wage war ĂŐĂŝŶƐƚ'ŽĚ͛ƐŚŽůLJƉĞŽƉůĞĂŶĚ to conquer them. And it was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation. 8 All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beastͶall whose ŶĂŵĞƐŚĂǀĞŶŽƚďĞĞŶǁƌŝƚƚĞŶŝŶƚŚĞ>Ăŵď͛ƐŬŽĨůŝĨĞ͕ƚŚĞ>ĂŵďǁŚŽǁĂƐƐůĂŝŶĨƌŽŵƚŚĞ
creation of the world. -­‐
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dŚĞďĞĂƐƚ͞ǁĂƐŐŝǀĞŶ͙͟ĞǀĞŶƚŚŽƵŐŚŚĞŚĂƐĂƵƚŚŽƌŝƚLJĂŶĚĨƌĞĞĚŽŵƚŽƵƐĞŝƚ͕ŚĞŝƐ
ƵůƚŝŵĂƚĞůLJƵŶĚĞƌ'ŽĚ͛ƐĞLJĞĂŶĚǁŝůůŶŽƚďĞĂůůŽǁĞĚƚŽŐŽďĞLJŽŶĚǁŚĂƚ'ŽĚĂůůŽǁƐ͘ dŚĞďĞĂƐƚ͛ƐĂƵƚŚŽƌŝƚLJůĂƐƚƐϰϮŵŽŶƚŚƐ͕ƚŚĞŐĞŶĞƌĂůƉĞƌŝŽĚŽĨƚƌŽƵďůĞĂůƌĞĂĚLJŵĞŶƚŝoned in Revelation. Grant Osborne believes that this is all future and combines it with the events of Revelation 11͕͞dŚĞĚĞĂƚŚŽĨƚŚĞƚǁŽǁŝƚŶĞƐƐĞƐĂŶĚƚŚĞĐŽŶǀĞƌƐŝŽŶŽĨƐŽŵĞ
among the nations will end this God-­‐appointed period, and then the eschaton will ĂƌƌŝǀĞ͘͟7 The beast slanders God and his dwelling place: the holy of holies and the saints already in heaven with God. dŚĞďĞĂƐƚŝƐĂůƐŽŐŝǀĞŶƉŽǁĞƌƚŽƉĞƌƐĞĐƵƚĞƚŚĞĐŚƵƌĐŚ͘KƐďŽƌŶĞ͕͞dŚŝƐŝƐŽŶĞŽĨƚŚĞ
paradoxes of the bookͶas the dragon and the beast conquer the saints, they are conquered by the saints. This replicates the defeat of Satan by Christ. When Satan plotted the death of Christ and entered Judas in order to place Christ on the cross, he was sealing his own fate. As he conquered Christ, hĞǁĂƐ͚ĐŽŶƋƵĞƌĞĚďLJŚƌŝƐƚ͛͘tŚĞŶ
ƚŚĞƐĂŝŶƚƐĞŶƚĞƌ͚ƚŚĞĨĞůůŽǁƐŚŝƉŽĨŚŝƐƐƵĨĨĞƌŝŶŐ͛;WŚŝůϯ͘ϭϬͿ͕ƚŚĞLJƐŚĂƌĞŚŝƐƵůƚŝŵĂƚĞ
ǀŝĐƚŽƌLJƚŚƌŽƵŐŚƐĞĞŵŝŶŐĚĞĨĞĂƚ͘͟8 ,ŝƐ͞ĚĞĂƚŚĂŶĚƌĞƐƵƌƌĞĐƚŝŽŶ͟ĂƌĞƚŚĞƐŽƵƌĐĞŽĨŚŝƐ
power and authority. ZŝĐŚĂƌĚĂƵĐŬŚĂŵ͕͞dŚĞƉŽŝŶt is not that the beast and the Christians each win some victories; rather the same eventͶthe martyrdom of ChristiansͶis described both as the ďĞĂƐƚ͛ƐǀŝĐƚŽƌLJŽǀĞƌƚŚĞŵĂŶĚĂƐƚŚĞŝƌǀŝĐƚŽƌLJŽǀĞƌƚŚĞďĞĂƐƚ͘͟9 The beast has authority over all the earth, except those whose names are written in the >Ăŵď͛ƐŬŽĨůŝĨĞ͘ EŽƚŝĐĞƚŚĞǁĂLJƚŚĞƐĞŶƚĞŶĐĞŝƐĐŽŶƐƚƌƵĐƚĞĚ͘/ƚŝƐŶŽƚƚŚĞ>Ăŵď͛Ɛ
ŬŽĨůŝĨĞĞdžŝƐƚŝŶŐĨƌŽŵďĞĨŽƌĞƚŚĞĐƌĞĂƚŝŽŶďƵƚƚŚĞ'ŽĚ͛ƐƌĞĚĞŵƉƚŝǀĞƉůĂŶĐĂƌƌŝĞĚŽƵƚ
by the slain lamb. 9 Whoever has ears, let them hear. 10 ͞/ĨĂŶLJŽŶĞŝƐƚŽŐŽŝŶƚŽĐĂƉƚŝǀŝƚLJ͕ into captivity they will go. 7
Osborne, page 499 Osborne, page 501 9
Bauckham, page 90 8
4 If anyone is to be killed with the sword, with the sword they will be killed͘͟ dŚŝƐĐĂůůƐĨŽƌƉĂƚŝĞŶƚĞŶĚƵƌĂŶĐĞĂŶĚĨĂŝƚŚĨƵůŶĞƐƐŽŶƚŚĞƉĂƌƚŽĨ'ŽĚ͛ƐƉĞŽƉůĞ͘ -­‐
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John inserts a parenthesis. This is similar to the warnings in chapters two and three, KƐďŽƌŶĞ͕͞'ŽĚŝƐŚĞƌĞŐŝǀŝŶŐŝŶƐƚƌƵĐƚŝŽŶƐƌĞŐĂƌĚŝŶŐƚŚĞĐŽŶĚƵĐƚŽĨŚŝƐƉĞŽƉůĞŝŶƚŚĞĨĂĐĞ
ŽĨŵĂƐƐŝǀĞƉĞƌƐĞĐƵƚŝŽŶ͘,ĞĚĞŵĂŶĚƐƚŚĂƚ͚ǁĞŽƉĞŶŽƵƌĞĂƌƐ͛ƚŽŚĞĂƌĂŶĚŽďĞLJthese ŝŶƐƚƌƵĐƚŝŽŶƐ͘dŽƌĞĨƵƐĞƚŽůŝƐƚĞŶŝƐŽďǀŝŽƵƐůLJƚŽŝŶǀŝƚĞĚŝƐĂƐƚĞƌĂŶĚĚŝǀŝŶĞũƵĚŐŵĞŶƚ͘͟ 10 One thing God wants to communicate is that He is in ultimate control of what will happen to his people. Those who are going to captivity or to be killed will do so. It is not avoidable. However, He will ultimately triumph. So His people need to remain faithful understanding they will not escape the persecution but will actually be saved through it. ͞tŚĞƌĞĂƐŵŽĚĞƌŶƚĞƌŵŝŶŽůŽŐLJĐĂůůƐŵĂƌƚLJƌĚŽŵ͚ƉĂƐƐŝǀĞƌĞƐŝƐƚĂŶĐĞ͕͛:ŽŚŶ͛ƐŵŝůŝƚĂƌLJ
imagery makes it just as active as any physical warfare. While rejecting the apocalyptic ŵŝůŝƚĂŶĐLJƚŚĂƚĐĂůůĞĚĨŽƌůŝƚĞƌĂůŚŽůLJǁĂƌĂŐĂŝŶƐƚZŽŵĞ͕:ŽŚŶ͛ƐŵĞƐƐĂŐĞŝƐŶŽƚ͕͚ŽŶŽƚ
ƌĞƐŝƐƚ͊͛/ƚŝƐ͕͚ZĞƐŝƐƚ͊Ͷbut by witness and martyrdom, nŽƚďLJǀŝŽůĞŶĐĞ͘͟11 The Beast out of the Earth 11 Then I saw a second beast, coming out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb, but it spoke like a dragon. 12 It exercised all the authority of the first beast on its behalf, and made the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed. 13 And it performed great signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to the earth in full view of the people. 14 Because of the signs it was given power to perform on behalf of the first beast, it deceived the inhabitants of the earth. It ordered them to set up an image in honor of the beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived. 15 The second beast was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that the image could speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed. 16 It also forced all people, great and small, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads, 17 so that they could not buy or sell unless they had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of its name. -­‐ The second beast comes from out of the earth. Jewish believers would connect this beast with Behemoth (Job 40) a powerful monster made by God to do His will. -­‐ His purpose is to cause all to worship the first beast. He appears to be gentle like a lamb but carries the message of the dragon. This beast is able to exercise the authority of the first beast on the earth. He performs Elijah-­‐like miracles to deceive the people. -­‐ Just as the followers of Jesus must face the fact that they will be persecuted so also the inhabitants of the earth must face the fact that they will be deceived (see Romans 1). 10
Osborne, page 504 Bauckham, page 92 11
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This beast orders an image to be made of the first beast. This echoes a common practice for emperors in which a statue is made in their honor. It also ties back to ĂŶŝĞů͛ƐǀŝƐŝŽŶŽĨĂŐŽůĚĞŶƐƚĂƚƵĞ;ĂŶŝĞůϮͿ͘ This second beasts causes that image to ƐĞĞŵĂůŝǀĞ͘ŶĚůŝŬĞĂŶŝĞů͛ƐǀŝƐŝŽŶĂůůǁŚŽƌĞĨƵƐĞƚŽǁŽƌƐŚŝƉƚŚĞŝŵĂŐĞǁŝůůďĞ killed. Educated people of the day did not think that idols and gods were the same thing. However they did believe that gods could inhabit them in moments like times of worship and sacrifice. Some see John as writing satirically. There was a religious fraud named Alexander who created an idol shrine and put a tube through it up to its mouth. As the mouth was moved by means of a pulley system someone spoke into the tube creating the impression that the idol was speaking. /ƚŝƐĐŽŶĐĞŝǀĂďůĞƚŚĂƚ:ŽŚŶ͛Ɛƌeaders would know ƚŚŝƐƐƚŽƌLJĂŶĚƐĞĞƚŚĞƐƚĂƚƵƚĞĐŽŵŝŶŐƚŽůŝĨĞĂƐĂƐŝŵŝůĂƌĨŽŽů͛ƐƉůŽLJ͘ The second beast forces everyone to be marked to be able to participate in the economy. This mark of the beast is a satanic counterpoint to the sealing of the saints (7.2-­‐4) but there was a similar practice in that day͘ĞĂůĞǁƌŝƚĞƐ͕͞dŚĞĚĞŵĂŶĚƚŚĂƚĞǀĞƌLJŽŶĞ
ƌĞĐĞŝǀĞ͚ĂŵĂƌŬŽŶƚŚĞŝƌƌŝŐŚƚŚĂŶĚŽƌŽŶƚŚĞŝƌĨŽƌĞŚĞĂĚ͛ĐŽƵůĚďĞĂŶĂůůƵƐŝŽŶƚŽƚŚĞ
ancient practice of branding or tattooing disobedient slaves, soldiers, and loyal devotees ŽĨǀĂƌŝŽƵƐƌĞůŝŐŝŽŶƐ͘/ĨƚŚĞďƌĂŶĚŝŶŐŽĨƐůĂǀĞƐŝƐŝŶŵŝŶĚŚĞƌĞ͕ƚŚĞŶƚŚĞďĞĂƐƚ͛Ɛ
worshippers are seen as his property. If branding of soldiers or of religious devotees is ŝŶǀŝĞǁ͕ƚŚĞǁŽƌƐŚŝƉƉĞƌƐĂƌĞƐĞĞŶĂƐŚŝƐĨĂŝƚŚĨƵůĨŽůůŽǁĞƌƐ͙ Possibly, as in later persecutions under Diocletian and Decius, certificates were issued to those loyal to the emperor and participating in the required ritual of the imperial religion. The description here is of either a practice beginning to take shape even in the late first century or a ƉŽƌƚƌĂLJĂůŽĨĂƉŽůŝĐLJƚŚĂƚ:ŽŚŶĂŶƚŝĐŝƉĂƚĞƐǁŝůůŽĐĐƵƌĂƚƐŽŵĞƉŽŝŶƚŝŶƚŚĞĨƵƚƵƌĞ͘͟ 12 It is not necessary for us to understand this mark as physical since it is a counterpart the invisible sealing of the saints by God. AccorĚŝŶŐƚŽĂƌƌĞůů:ŽŚŶƐŽŶ͕͞/ƚŝƐŶŽƚĂƚĂƚƚŽŽŽŶ
the forehead or on the right hand nor a microchip buried under the skin. It is the character of the beast implanted in the soul. Just as the presence of the Holy Spirit ŵĂŬĞƐŚŝŵƐĞůĨŬŶŽǁŶƚŚƌŽƵŐŚ:ĞƐƵƐ͛Ěŝsciples, so the presence of the beast makes ŚŝŵƐĞůĨŬŶŽǁŶƚŚƌŽƵŐŚŝƚƐĚŝƐĐŝƉůĞƐ͘͟13 No one can participate in the economy unless they are marked by the beast. Craig Koester sees the mark as an aspect of everyday business in the Roman Empire, ͞:ŽŚŶďƌŝŶŐƐƚŚe question of commitment into the workaday world by referring to a ƐŝƚƵĂƚŝŽŶŝŶǁŚŝĐŚ͚ŶŽŽŶĞĐĂŶďƵLJŽƌƐĞůůǁŚŽĚŽĞƐŶŽƚŚĂǀĞĂŵĂƌŬ͛ŽƌŶĂŵĞŽĨƚŚĞ
beast (13.17). The faith of many of the Christians in the seven churches may have been more severelyͶthough perhaps more subtlyͶchallenged by economic pressures than by overt threats of violence͙dŚŽƐĞǁŚŽƐŽƵŐŚƚƚŽĂĚǀĂŶĐĞƚŚĞŵƐĞůǀĞƐƐŽĐŝĂůůLJĂŶĚ
economically would have wanted to participate in the local trade guilds, although the social life of these guilds often included rituals and meals in honor of a pagan deity. Business contracts typically went to those on good terms with Roman authorities, 12
Beale, page 715 Johnson, page 246 13
6 including those who were involved in the deaths of Christians (18.15-­‐19, 24). As sales were made, people used ĐŽŝŶƐƚŚĂƚďŽƌĞƚŚĞŝŵĂŐĞƐŽĨZŽŵĞ͛ƐŐŽĚƐĂŶĚĞŵƉĞƌŽƌƐ͘
Thus each transaction that used such coins was a reminder that people were advancing themselves economically by relying on political powers that did not recognize the true 'ŽĚ͘͟14 18 This calls for wisdom. Let the person who has insight calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. That number is 666. -­‐
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This demands wisdom to be understood. <ŽĞƐƚĞƌ͕͞/ŶŽŶĞƐĞŶƐĞŝƚŵĂLJďĞƐƵĨĨŝĐŝĞŶƚƚŽ
note that the triple six connotes imperfection͘͟15 However most commentators believe the number means much more than that. In the ancient world the practice of gematria was common. It was a way of assigning numerical value to letters. If we translate Nero͛s Greek name into Hebrew it becomes 666. ͞'ŝǀĞŶƚŚĞĂůůƵƐŝŽŶƐƚŽEĞƌŽŝŶZĞǀĞůĂƚŝŽŶϭϯ͕ŝƚƐĞĞŵƐůŝŬĞůLJƚŚĂƚϲϲϲĐŽƌƌĞƐƉŽŶĚƐƚŽ
Neron Kaisar, which is the Hebrew form of the nĂŵĞEĞƌŽĂĞƐĂƌ͘͟16 14
Koester, pages 131-­‐132 Koester, page 132 16
Koester, page 133 15
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