Chapter 11

THE MYSTERIOUS BEAST...

Chapter 13 begins with, "And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and I saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority."

We will first observe that this beast came up out of the sea, which indicates that it came from a troubled period. In Revelation 17:15 we read, "And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues." So we see that the explanation of the beast rising out of the sea signifies that he arose at a time when the nations were in turmoil. As a matter in history, it is recorded that when the Roman Empire fell, it disintegrated into ten separate kingdoms. For the most part, these ten kingdoms owed their allegiance to the Pope. In history, they are known as the Holy Roman Empire. In prophecy, they are the ten horns on which the ten crowns are now resting. Two other things should be observed. One is that the dragon gave to the beast his power and his seat and great authority. In some catechisms it is written that the seat of paganism became the seat of Christianity. Also the Pantheon at Rome, in which every god in the Roman Empire of any significance was housed, was changed during the reign of Constantine. Each of the pagan gods remained in its original place, but they were given the names of Christian saints. That is to say, the worshipper could come in and worship at the shrine of his favorite saint. Nothing had changed except the name. In verse seven it says, "And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them." It was during this time that the Roman church reached the zenith of its power, yet history called this period the Dark Ages. It was during this time that the church instituted the practice of indulgences -- the remission of the punishment for sin after the sin has been forgiven by the priest. In other words, a person could pay money to have his sins forgiven and to shorten his time spent in purgatory. This is almost identical to the description given to this person in Daniel 7:25, "And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws; and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time." There you will see that he has the power to change times and laws. These are not just ordinary times nor ordinary laws but they are God's times and God's laws. We can identify this person with the description of the beast in Revelation in that he continues for a time and times and the dividing of times. So here we have the same period of duration that we find in Revelation, that is, 1,260 days (Rev. 12:6).

A number of additional acts are credited to him. He is the instrument of persecution and of bringing the saints into subjection to him. He is the one who has the ability to force people to patronize himself in business (Rev. 17:14 and Rev. 13:17). Now we ponder Revelation 13:18, which says, "Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six." Inasmuch as the interpretations of this number are far too numerous to cite- all of them that claim any relationship to it-we will give only one. It is the Latin phrase called Vicarius Filii Dei. It means "Vicar of the Son of God." V stands for five, I stands for one, C stands for one hundred. I stands for one, U in Latin is the same as V and it stands for five, I stands for one, L for 50 and 11 for one each. D stands for 500, and I stands for one. If you add these together, you have his name and number. Vicar of the Son of God stands for 666. This seems to be the number that appropriately describes the one who has assumed this office. A vicar is one who takes the place of or is a proxy. There you have a proxy or one who takes the place of Christ. This seems to be the same descriptuion that is given in 2 Thessalonians 2:4, "Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God."

We are quick to suggest that this is not the way the Pope is recognized at the present time, and there are many things about this description that one may object to, but it is an accurate description of his office during the Dark Ages when he exercised control even to exercising total civil and religious power, even life and death, over every person in his domain. There are additional things mentioned in the chapter, but inasmuch as they come under the same general context and seem to be in harmony with the dictates of the beast, we shall pass them over and proceed with things that are more relevant. It should be noticed, however, that one of the main characteristics of both the beast from the sea and the second beast from the earth is the art of deception. In Revelation 13:14 we read, "And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth." We draw attention also to Revelation 13:8 which says, "And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world." You will notice here that the one to whom worship is meant to be given is put aside, and those who do worship the beast are those whose names are not written in the Lamb's Book of Life. We see also that the eternity of Christ is vouched for in 'the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world." He and only He is the One whom we can trust, in whom we have redemption, even the forgiveness of sins and through whom we have our name inscribed in the Book of Life.

Chapter 12

WHAT DOES THE IMAGE OF THE BEAST MEAN?

When we get past the 12th chapter of Revelation, we are confronted with an array of symbols that obviously require a measure of speculation. Here we have seven vials, seven bowls, seven trumpets and seven thunders. We are told that these indicate the wrath of God in various degrees and on various places. We are told not only about the image of the beast, but also the mark of the beast and the false prophet. In the sequence of pouring out the vials of God's wrath upon the earth it will be noticed that the fifth seal subjects the kingdom of the beast to darkness, and that men gnawed their tongues for pain. The sixth vial is followed with the drying up of the river Euphrates and the loosing of spirits like frogs from the mouth of the false prophet. The climax of all this is the Battle of Armageddon. Included in this description of events is the downfall of Babylon the great, which is described as the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth (Rev. 16:1-16; Rev. 17:1-5).

While the number of events in this passage seem very difficult to explain, there is a relatively simple answer. Although there is a difference between the opening of the seven seals, the pouring out of the vials and other dire judgments upon the earth, there is also a marked similarity. First you will notice in Revelation 16:6, "For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy." This judgment is repeated many times. When reduced to the actual operation of the judgment, it is simply the operation of God's law of "reaping what you sow." They shed blood of saints and prophets, and they were given blood to drink. History is full of examples of this fact. Again we refer to Lowell's poem, "Truth forever on the scaffold, wrong forever on the throne. But the scaffold sways the future..." God is in control, and indirectly He sees every wrong righted and every evil judged. This judgment may not be exercised immediately, but God's Law is maintained.

Then too, we see a similarity between the judgments pronounced by John and the judgments pronounced on the Egyptians by Moses. In Revelation 16:2b we read, "and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image." This grievous sore is like the sixth plague Moses confronted Pharaoh with when the country was smitten with boils. John proceeds to tell of the afflictions that fell on mankind, in which rivers were turned to blood, darkness, and unclean spirits resembling frogs appeared. All of these judgments were pronounced on Egypt before God's Great Deliverance of Israel from Egypt. Most all of John's plagues and judgments can be found in other places in the Word of God in apocalyptic writings.

Clarke's Commentary may be helpful at this point. Revelation 19:20a is quoted in part as follows: "And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast and them that worshipped his image." Clarke says, "The beast has been represented as the Latin Empire; the image of the beast, the popes of Rome; and the false prophet, the papal clergy. 'Were cast alive into the lake of fire.' Were discomfited when alive, in the zenith of their power, were destroyed with an utter destruction...'With the sword of him that sat upon the white horse.' He who sat upon the white horse is Christ, and his sword is his word-the undiluted gospel."

While we would not want to dogmatically affirm the correctness of this interpretation, we would draw attention to the sequence of events. First, the dragon with its seven heads and ten horns unmistakably represents pagan Rome. We see the dragon succeeded by a beast rising out of the sea, having the same number of heads and horns, but the crowns now rest on the horns. Since the dragon bestows his power, and his seat and great authority upon the beast, we have no difficulty in identifying this with Papal Rome. Where the dragon was overcome by "The blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony" (Rev. 12:1 1 a), the outcome of the struggle with the beast is given in Revelation 13:7, "And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations."

One has but to consult history to realize how accurately the above narration fits the description of early Christian experience, which first overcame the age-long stranglehold of paganism, but was itself overcome by Romanism. Farther along, history records the fall of Rome and its disintegration into ten kingdoms-the crowns were placed on the horns. History confirms this also, even to the point of all ten kingdoms "having one mind" with the beast. This became known as the Holy Roman Empire under Charlemagne, or Charles the Great. In Revelation 17:13,14, we read, "These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast. These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is the Lord of lords, and King of kings." Thus, you see that the beast in Revelation 13:7 overcame the saints, but in Revelation 17:13,14, the Lamb overcame the beast in the end.

It is evident that God paints history with a broad brush. The things we are looking at only use a few sentences, but they cover several centuries of time, and some details are still unfolding. Next in the symbolic pageantry, we see a scarlet-colored beast carrying a voluptuous harlot woman on its back. It will be seen that political kingdoms are symbolized by a beast, a dragon or some kind of an animal. An ecclesiastical power is always portrayed by a woman, and a woman on the back of a beast shows the close relationship between the two, viz. the ecclesiastical and the political. Since it is still a seven- headed beast with ten crowned horns, the identity is easy to follow. We are further told that "The woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth" (Rev. 17:18). This city is Rome, also identified in Revelation 17:9b as "The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth." Rome is known as the city of seven hills.

Reference has been made to the mark of the beast several times. In Revelation 13:16,17 we read, "And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name." The solutions to the mark of the beast are legion, and new suggestions are continually being offered. The simplest explanation I have ever heard came from a man who had left the Catholic Church. He said, "It is the sign of the cross. That begins in the forehead and it is performed by the right hand." We offer this solution for what it is worth. Many things about it do not apply today, but there was a time when you could only buy or sell if you cooperated with this mark. It is a mark that is universally applied to a membership of that church. It is a mark that is made by the right hand, and it begins in the forehead. It signifies mental and physical subservience-head and hand. Having registered the evidence that the dragon refers to pagan Rome, and the beast represents papal Rome-the mark of the beast must be the sign of the cross.

We now encounter another troublesome monster called the image of the beast. In Revelation 13:11,14, "And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon ... And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live." Perhaps it would not be profitable to attach the meaning of the image of the beast to any church organization in history. John says the image had two horns like a lamb, which is obviously not descriptive of a lamb since it does not have horns. What is depicted is that this image is deceptive. While he appears as a lamb, he speaks as a dragon. We will let the interpretation of Adam Clarke suffice: "The beast has been represented as the Latin Empire; the image of the beast as the popes of Rome; and the false prophet, the papal clergy." In Revelation 19:20 we read, "And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone."

The fact that the beast, the false prophet, the image of the beast and those who had the mark of the beast all suffered a similar judgment at the same time would indicate their close connection in history. We might like to satisfy our curiosity in identifying them with certain organizations, but what is important is that they were deceivers, and eventually God meted out, His judgment on them.

We should note the great contrasts at this point. We have "Mystery, Babylon the Great," mother of harlots and the abomination of the earth on the one hand. But counteracting this influence is Jerusalem, which is above, "the mother of us all" (Gal. 4:26). On the one hand you see a harlot woman astride a vile beast. In contrast with this is the Bride of Christ portrayed as a pure woman of surpassing beauty (Rev. 21:9). We have already called attention to the mark of the beast, but God's people are also marked, as we read in Revelation 7:3: "Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads." This seat, or mark is similar to the mark mentioned in Ezekiel 9:4,6. It is the identification of ownership. This is verified in 2 Timothy 2:19a: "Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his."

From this point on it is possible to find the Saracen invasion and the period of the Renaissance. Some interpreters ascribe the image of the beast to the Protestant Revivals. Frequently, interpreters engage in "date setting," especially to prove events such as the coming antichrist or the Second Coming. While curiosity makes one wish they could predict the future, the only instruction we are positively given is: "Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come" (Matt. 24:42). God, in His wisdom, has mercifully drawn a veil over the future. We can speculate on the seal, the vials, the thunders, the trumpets and other things, but where God speaks, we can listen and obey. It is impertinent to speculate on the silences of God and fill them in with our speculation. We leave it there with some unanswered questions, but with Divine certainty as to our direction and destiny.

"God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son" (Heb. 1:1,2a). God has spoken, first dimly and infrequently in the Old Testament, but now plainly and eloquently by His Son. God moves in the realm of light. As the first coming of Christ drew near, the prophet Zechariah wrote: "And it shall come to pass in that day, that the light shall not be clear, nor dark. But it shall be one day which shall be known to the Lord, not day, nor night: but it shall come to pass, that at evening time it shall be light" (Zech. 14:6,7). This means that the spiritual illumination of Israel became increasingly more vivid before Christ came. And in the evening time of the Jewish dispensation, Christ, the Light of the world came. As we read in Matthew 4:15,16, "The land of Zabulon and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles; the people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up."

Christ is the light of the world. We are not called upon to explain symbols or penetrate the dimly lit corridors of the future, "But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin" (I John 1:7). While the symbols of Revelation are interesting, we should not forget that much more of the Bible is spent on showing us how to walk in the light of the plain gospel than is spent in interpreting obscure symbols.

Chapter 13

VISTORY AND JUDGMENT

It will be seen that in Revelation 14:1-7 we have the description of the 144,000 who are redeemed from the earth. We have already dealt with this section of this chapter, so now we will proceed to comment on the remaining verses.

We are first of all faced with an event that is of world-wide importance. In Revelation 14:8 we read, "And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication." Inasmuch as we meet this same judgment in chapter 17, we will not comment on it here but will in its proper place. There is considerable emphasis on the judgments meted out by God on unbelieving mortals from the ninth verse until the end of the twelfth verse.

In verse 13 we read, "And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them." In this chapter there is a strange intermingling of the blessedness and the rewards meted out to those who are faithful, in contrast to the judgments, which are meted out to those who are unfaithful. It is worthy of note that a life that is lived for the Lord not only bears fruit in this life, but as it says here, their works do follow them. The influence, in other words, which they have set in motion, will continue to bring forth fruit after they have gone.