Beastmode (Rev. 13:1-10)

My son, Elias and I went to the movies just after the release of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, we sat through over 2 hours of a great film, only to be left with our jaws dropped to the floor at the ending. I’ve seen cliffhangers before, but this one was different, and not in a good way. When the movie ended, Elias and I looked at each other in total shock and disappointment. We wanted to know what happens next. I feel like Revelation 12 sort of left us with a similar longing.As I stated the last time that I spoke, chapter 12 ends with a bit of a cliffhanger.We’ve seen the Devil attack the Child and the Child is delivered from Satan’s hands by God. We’ve seen Satan persecute the woman and God saves the woman. Then, the woman’s offspring, those “who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ” (Rev. 12:17) become the targets of the Deceiver's wrath. What is left off concerning this final group of people is how or if they survived. So we have to ask ourselves a very important question regarding this cliffhanger. Since God has made a way out for the Child and since He has made a way out for the woman, what do you think He’s going to do for the church? And this is where I think chapter 13 picks up.While the events recorded in the Revelation of Jesus are not always in chronological order, I, personally, believe that what we will see in chapter 13 follows closely behind the events of chapter 12. Satan has repeatedly tried to destroy the Child, he has tried to destroy the woman and the end of chapter 12 tells us that he has turned his wrath toward us, the children of the woman - the Church. How his wrath is revealed is clearly seen in chapter 13. In this chapter we witness the deceptive practices of Satan to lure the unsuspecting, the unaware, the unprepared and the unbelieving away from trusting in the sovereign Lord. What we will see in this chapter is not only true for the churches during the time of John’s writing, but it is also true for us today.In John’s gospel we are told that "[Satan] was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it” (Jn. 8:44). Jesus warns us with these words,Matthew 24:23–24 (NKJV)

23 “Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There!’ do not believe it. 24 For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.

After being witness to the cosmic war of Satan against the Woman, the male Child, and those who keep the commandments of God and who have the testimony of Jesus, John then sees two incredible beasts, one coming out of the sea and the other coming out of the earth (13:1, 11). Many Bible commentators understand these two beasts to be the Antichrist and the false prophet. These two, combined with the dragon, make up what some believe to be the unholy trinity. A perversion of the real Trinity. Let’s take a look at the first beast coming out of the sea.

No Real Power (Rev. 13:1-2)

Revelation 13:1–2 (NKJV)

1 Then I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name. 2 Now the beast which I saw was like a leopard, his feet were like the feet of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority.

Now, it depends on which translation of the Bible you have as to how verse one will read. Some manuscripts say, “Then I stood...” (NKJV) referring to John, while others say “The dragon stood...” (NIV) referring to the dragon from chapter 12 who went off to make war with the Church. Don’t let that hang you up, because both can certainly apply in this context. It is obviously John who sees what is happening considering the fact that he is recording the details. However, it can be equally true that what he sees is the dragon standing on the sea shore.As John watches, the dragon summons the beast from out of the sea. Historically, this beast is understood to be the Antichrist. It has the appearance of a leopard, with the feet of a bear and the mouth of a lion which utters great and awful blasphemes against God, against the Name of the Lord and against the people of the Lord (v. 5-6). If you go to Daniel 7:1-7, there you can see a similar description given to the beasts that Daniel sees in his vision.Daniel 7:1–7 (NKJV)

1 In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel had a dream and visions of his head while on his bed. Then he wrote down the dream, telling the main facts. 2 Daniel spoke, saying, “I saw in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of heaven were stirring up the Great Sea. 3 And four great beasts came up from the sea, each different from the other. 4 The first was like a lion, and had eagle’s wings. I watched till its wings were plucked off; and it was lifted up from the earth and made to stand on two feet like a man, and a man’s heart was given to it. 5 “And suddenly another beast, a second, like a bear. It was raised up on one side, and had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. And they said thus to it: ‘Arise, devour much flesh!’ 6 “After this I looked, and there was another, like a leopard, which had on its back four wings of a bird. The beast also had four heads, and dominion was given to it. 7 “After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, exceedingly strong. It had huge iron teeth; it was devouring, breaking in pieces, and trampling the residue with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns.

Where Daniel sees four distinct beasts, a lion, a bear, a leopard and a fourth terrible beast with 10 horns, John sees these four combined into one horrible sea monster.In Daniel’s interpretation of the four beasts he tells us that they are 4 kings or kingdoms (Dan. 7:17). Some Bible scholars have come to believe that the beasts from Daniel 7 are representative of Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and possibly Rome (John D. Barry et al., Faithlife Study Bible). Rome would most-likely be who John understood the beast to be as the church is experiencing great persecution from the Roman government at the time of his writing. Although, I tend to agree with Leon Morris here,Many see in the beast a reference to the Roman Empire but this seems to be too simple. We may well see in the Empire a preliminary manifestation of the evil that will one day be realized to the full in the antichrist. But there is much more to the beast than ancient Rome.[1]A lot of time and ink has been used on trying to nail down who exactly the beasts in this chapter are, but I’m less concerned with who they are than I am with what they do, and that’s what I want to spend our time together talking about.Something to notice, almost immediately, as we read this chapter is that the dragon and the beasts have no real power of their own. Repeatedly in this chapter we come across phrases like this, “The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority” (v2), “the dragon who gave authority” (v4), “He was given authority” (v5), “It was granted…authority was given him” (v7), “he was granted to do” (v14), “he was granted power” (v15). We must keep this in mind as we read this chapter, because the only One who has real power and authority is Jesus!After He rose from the dead and when He spoke to his disciples, commissioning them with the Gospel in Matthew 28:18 , He comforted them with these words,“All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.In Romans 13:1 Paul reminds us that,

...there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.

All that we see in this chapter, as it pertains to the dragon and the beasts, is a twisting of the truth, a perversion or parodying of actual power. Satan is trying to make it appear as though Christians are losing when we’ve already won.And we can see that today can’t we? Immorality is rampant. Evil is everywhere. Hopelessness and despair has arrested the hearts and minds of so many. Divorce is still a major problem for the church. Sexual abuse is huge. I just watched a documentary on Netflix about the Boy Scouts and the godless behavior going on there. Crime and drugs plagues our world. Politics has become the new theology of the church. I could go on and on. J. Scott Duvall accurately stated,“The beast’s power appears unmatched, although the war has already been waged and won against the dragon and his followers (Rev. 12:7,11).”[2]Hold fast to Christ!

Copycat Christ (Rev. 13:3-4)

Revelation 13:3–4 (NKJV)

3 And I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world marveled and followed the beast. 4 So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?”

2 Cor. 11:13-15 shows us that Satan is able to appear as an angel of light and with that power he will lead many astray. The first way in which he will deceive people is by convincing them that he has the power of life! In verse 3 of Revelation 13 John says that he saw, what looked like one of the beast’s 7 heads “mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed” (NKJV).The interesting thing about this verse is that the Greek word for wounded which John uses to describe the head of the beast is the same Greek word translated as slain/slaughtered which he used to describe the Lamb in Rev. 5:6, 9; 13:8.Revelation 5:6 (NKJV)

6 And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth.

Revelation 5:9 (NKJV)

9 And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,

Isn’t that interesting? The one thing Satan does not want us to believe is the very thing he will use to establish himself as an authority in the earth. Why? Because he knows the power of the resurrection! He knows that death could not hold Christ and it cannot hold those of us who trust in Jesus. Although we may die in this life, yet we will live again because Jesus lives! Christ said in John 10:18John 10:18 (NKJV)

18 No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.”

He is the Resurrection and the Life. It is the whole reason that we gather together on Sunday mornings! It is the very hope that we have as followers of Jesus. Paul says that

“...if we have been united together in the likeness of [Jesus’s] death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection,” (Rom. 6:5).

Much like Jesus, this is how Satan will gain his followers in the last days.Chuck Swindoll says,“The one who “disguises himself as an angel of light” (2 Cor. 11:14) will provide the world with a copycat “christ” to match all their man-centered ideals of personality, politics, and power.”[3]When the beast healed himself, John noticed that the world stood in total amazement at what they saw. What should’ve been the response to the resurrection of Jesus, becomes the world’s response to the beast. This is no different from what we see happening in our own day as men and women, boys and girls reject the sound doctrine of the Word of God, looking for leaders who will approve of and affirm their godless lifestyles.People don’t want to be led by Jesus, they want to be led by politicians and pop culture. They don’t want truth they want affirmation.2 Thessalonians 2:11 (NKJV)

11 And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie,

Revelation 13:3–4 (NKJV)

3a  all the world marveled and followed the beast.4 So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?”

Satan has always wanted what belongs to God alone.Isaiah 14:14 (NKJV)

14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’

This is the one2 Thessalonians 2:4 (NKJV)

4 who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.

John F. Walvoord says that,This is Satan’s final form of counterfeit religion in which he assumes the place of God the Father, and the beast or the world ruler assumes the role of King of kings as a substitute for Christ.[4]And the whole world will fall for this hoax, with the exception of the redeemed!

Boasting Blasphemes (Rev. 13:5-8)

Revelation 13:5–8 (NKJV)

5 And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months. 6 Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven. 7 It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation. 8 All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

The next way that Satan tries to deceive us is by speaking boastful blasphemes against our God! Satan shouts at the world that God isn’t real. He shouts that God has no power. He shouts that if God was real and if He had any power then He would use it to give you the kind of life that you want!Something that I’ve learned from getting into fights and from being around people who got into fights is this, oftentimes, the loudest person in the room is the weakest one. The one making the most noise usually has the least amount of power. That’s the one who couldn’t fight their way out of a wet paper bag. They try to intimate their opponent by speaking loudly and acting out. And so it is with the dragon and the beast.I won’t spend too much time on Satan’s blasphemes because those of us who have been sealed with the Holy Spirit for our day of redemption, we know the truth. We know who our God is and nothing any demonic source says should convince us otherwise.Let me just remind everyone quickly about who our God is.We know, according to Exodus 8:10  “...there is no one like the Lord our God.” We know, according to Exodus 15:11 that our God is “...glorious in holiness, Fearful in praises, doing wonders?” We know that our God stands alone as sovereign according to Psalm 90:2 “2 Before the mountains were brought forth, Or ever You had formed the earth and the world, Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.” We know that our God can open the mouth of a donkey and shut the mouth of a lion. He will allow you to go through fire and never have the smell of smoke on you. He will make a way out where there seems to be no way. He will make your enemies His footstool. He’ll cause an increase where there’s a deficit. He’ll bring new life out of death.He is Jehovah-Jireh (our Provider).He is Jehovah-Rohi (our Shepherd).He is Jehovah-Rapha (our Healer).He is Jehovah-M'KADDESH (our Sanctifier).He is Jehovah-Shalom (our Peace).He is Jehovah-TSIDKENU (our Righteousness).He is the Way, the Truth and the Life (John 14:6).He is our Great High Priest (Heb. 4:14).He is our atoning sacrifice (1 Jn. 2:2).And for anyone here who doesn’t know Him this morning, His Name is Jesus!The Alpha & Omega.The Beginning & End.The First & Last.The Almighty.The Lion of the Tribe of Judah.The Bright & Morning Star.The Sacrifice for the sins of the whole world.He is the demonstration of God’s infinite love for you!Don’t let the Devil tell you who our God is, you remind Him about the One you serve.As a church, we have to keep all of this truth buried deep within your hearts and at the forefront of our minds, especially during times when Satan is allowed to wreak havoc in your lives. Especially, when it seems like the Church is on the losing side and the world has the upper hand. It is God who allows the beast to fight against the Church and even to overcome the Church.  We’ve seen this before in the story of Job. I can hear God saying to the beast what He said to Satan in Job 1:8, “Have you considered [those who have the testimony of Jesus], that there is none like [the Church] on the earth, blameless and upright, one who fears God and shuns evil?” The names of those written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world will not bow to the beast. Only those who have been left out of the book will be duped by the dragon and the beast and they will worship them.This reminds me of what Paul said in his letter to the church in Corinth.

2 Corinthians 4:3–4 (NKJV)3 But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, 4 whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.

Now, if we aren’t careful, we can read these ten verse a feel a sense of loss. Especially when we get to Rev. 13:7 where it says that the saints are overcome by the beast. However, we’ve already been told in Rev. 12:11, that the saints overcame the dragon by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony, and if we keep reading, we learn that our defeat in Rev. 13:7 is momentary, because when we look ahead to Rev. 15:2 we see the saints rejoicing in victory!

Revelation 15:2 (NKJV)2 And I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire, and those who have the victory over the beast, over his image and over his mark and over the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, having harps of God.

Let me repeat something that I said from chapter 12, because it is so true and so powerful. I love what Daniel Akin says,“Amazingly, the blood of the martyrs shows not the triumph of Satan but rather the triumph of the saints as their acceptance of Jesus and His work on the cross provides victory over sin as well as Satan.” [5]This provides great hope for the people of God, because it guarantees us, as we come into contact with satanic forces in this life, we are coming into contact with a defeated power, no matter what our earthly experiences might reveal.[6]

Revelation 13:9–10 NKJV9 If anyone has an ear, let him hear.10 He who leads into captivity shall go into captivity; he who kills with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.

Call to Respond

I want to ask you this morning, do you know Jesus? Not the counterfeit, antichrist you’ve grown accustom to, but the Real and Authentic Son of God who demonstrated His love for you by taking your place on the cross. Do you know Him? If not, He is giving you an opportunity right now to get to know Him. Beastmode (Rev. 13:1-10)Revelation / Revelation 13; Re 13:1–18Written by: Tre Clark [1] Leon Morris, Revelation: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 20, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1987), 160.[2] J. Scott Duvall. Revelation, p191[3] Swindoll, Revelation, 192[4] John F. Walvoord. The Bible Knowledge Commentary 13:4–6[5] Daniel Akins. Revelation, p214[6] Alan F. Johnson, Revelation, p516