SEVEN SIGNS (3-2): THE BEAST HAS DRAGON'S AUTHORITY (REVELATION 13:3-10)
(Message by Tanny Keng)
1. Revelation
a) John wrote Revelation while a prisoner on the Island of Patmos, approximately 85-95 A.D. Its purpose is to give encouragement and hope for all Christians to continue watching for the return and triumph of the Lord Jesus Christ. It also is to warn of the Final Judgment that nonbelievers will endure on that Last Day.
b) John wrote that Revelation is special because,“Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and heed the things which are written in it; for the time is near” (Revelation 1:3).
c) A brief view of the Book of Revelation. It gives you some basic understanding of the book of Revelation.
2. The Beast Has Dragon's Authority
Revelation 13:3-10
3 I saw one of his heads as if it had been slain, and his fatal wound was healed. And the whole earth was amazed and followed after the beast; 4 they worshiped the dragon because he gave his authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast, and who is able to wage war with him?” 5 There was given to him a mouth speaking arrogant words and blasphemies, and authority to act for forty-two months was given to him. 6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemies against God, to blaspheme His name and His tabernacle, that is, those who dwell in heaven.
7 It was also given to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them, and authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation was given to him. 8 All who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain. 9 If anyone has an ear, let him hear. 10 If anyone is destined for captivity, to captivity he goes; if anyone kills with the sword, with the sword he must be killed. Here is the perseverance and the faith of the saints.
Revelation 13:3-10
3 I saw one of his heads as if it had been slain, and his fatal wound was healed. And the whole earth was amazed and followed after the beast; 4 they worshiped the dragon because he gave his authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast, and who is able to wage war with him?” 5 There was given to him a mouth speaking arrogant words and blasphemies, and authority to act for forty-two months was given to him. 6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemies against God, to blaspheme His name and His tabernacle, that is, those who dwell in heaven.
7 It was also given to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them, and authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation was given to him. 8 All who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain. 9 If anyone has an ear, let him hear. 10 If anyone is destined for captivity, to captivity he goes; if anyone kills with the sword, with the sword he must be killed. Here is the perseverance and the faith of the saints.
3. The Blasphemy of the Beast
Revelation 13:3-6
a) Blasphemous name
i) All the beasts heads have this blasphemous name, signifying total corruption of this empire. It is a completely antichristian kingdom, taking on the attributes of Satan’s kingdom in material form. This kingdom sets up its own false religion. Its king is worshiped as God incarnate when only Jesus Christ has the right to be so regarded and worshiped (2 Thessalonians 2:7-12).
b) Deadly wound healed
i) The beast exhibits a deadly wound in one head, and then shows it healed. Consequently the world at large marvels at this “miracle” and at the beast’s mighty power. But it's all a deception and a lie. Worse, it's a parody of the death and resurrection of Christ (Revelation 13:14).. Yet people applaud the beast’s blasphemies..
c) 42 months (Revelation 13:5)
i) This is the three-and-a-half symbol, 42 months being three and a half years. We have discussed this symbol in the overview of times in Revelation . The tribulations inflicted by this beast are severe, but temporary, and their time is set. The beast will not overcome the saints forever.
4. The Battle Against the Beast
Revelation 13:7
a) To make war
i) The Dragon (not God) granted great authority to the beast (see Revelation 13:2). The Beast was given power "to make war with the saints and overcome them" (Revelation 13:7, cf Revelation 12:17). This is the spiritual battle between good and evil of which Paul speaks (Ephesians 6:10-17). It's a war in which all Christians participate, fighting the good fight of faith.
b) Overcome them
i) Christians will suffer persecution and even martyrdom; it is in this sense that the beast will "overcome them" (Revelation 13:7). However this war will be won by the saints in Christ, not by Satan, and the tables will be turned. "If anyone takes captive, to captivity he will go. If anyone kills with the sword, with the sword he must be killed." (Revelation 13:10). The beast and his minions may imprison and kill the saints, but in the end he will be imprisoned and killed.
5. The Saints Endure
Revelation 13:8-10
a) Book of life
i) The world, in this vision, is divided into two groups. First there are those whose names are not found written in the Book of Life. Second (by inference) there are those whose names are written in the book of life (Revelation 13:8). This becomes critical in a later vision (Revelation 20:11-15). Jesus himself so divided the world in two, for example in his parable of the two gates (Matthew 7:13-14) and in his parable of the sheep and goats (Matthew 25:1-3).
b) Foundation of the world
i) There is some confusion in the translations as to whether the words "from the foundation of the world" apply to the names not being written in the book of life, or to the Lamb being slain. This depends on whether you take the title of the book to be “The Book of Life of the Lamb Slain” or the longer title “The Book of Life of the Lamb Slain Before the Foundation of the World”.
6. The Lamb Slain
a) The latter title is rejected by some on the grounds that it doesn't make sense to them. Jesus was not slain at the foundation of the world. But the title doesn't say “at”, it says “from”. "The Lamb slain from the foundation of the world" simply means that, before the foundation of the world, God decreed the Lamb’s fate and the purpose of his death. Consequently that also predetermined the fate of every accountable human being, depending upon their faith in the Lamb.
b) This is taught by Peter who calls Jesus, "a lamb unblemished and spotless... foreknown before the foundation of the world" (1 Peter 1:18-21). It's also taught by Paul who says, "God chose us in him [Christ] before the foundation of the world" (Ephesians 1:4). Paul considered our election (names written in the book of life) to be possible only in Christ, and this provision was the kind intention of God’s will before the world was made, to be fulfilled in the fullness of the times (Ephesians 1:5-14).
7. Names Written
a) On the other hand, the angel in later visions speaks to John of those "whose name has not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world" (Revelation 17:8). We are born with our names written in God’s book of life, however Jesus can "erase" a person’s name who does not overcome through the power of Jesus (Revelation 3:5). And Jesus, the Lamb slain, can write that person’s name into the book again by such complete forgiveness that the name is once more considered to have been written from the foundation of the world. Amazing grace!
The End ...
Revelation 13:3-6
a) Blasphemous name
i) All the beasts heads have this blasphemous name, signifying total corruption of this empire. It is a completely antichristian kingdom, taking on the attributes of Satan’s kingdom in material form. This kingdom sets up its own false religion. Its king is worshiped as God incarnate when only Jesus Christ has the right to be so regarded and worshiped (2 Thessalonians 2:7-12).
b) Deadly wound healed
i) The beast exhibits a deadly wound in one head, and then shows it healed. Consequently the world at large marvels at this “miracle” and at the beast’s mighty power. But it's all a deception and a lie. Worse, it's a parody of the death and resurrection of Christ (Revelation 13:14).. Yet people applaud the beast’s blasphemies..
c) 42 months (Revelation 13:5)
i) This is the three-and-a-half symbol, 42 months being three and a half years. We have discussed this symbol in the overview of times in Revelation . The tribulations inflicted by this beast are severe, but temporary, and their time is set. The beast will not overcome the saints forever.
4. The Battle Against the Beast
Revelation 13:7
a) To make war
i) The Dragon (not God) granted great authority to the beast (see Revelation 13:2). The Beast was given power "to make war with the saints and overcome them" (Revelation 13:7, cf Revelation 12:17). This is the spiritual battle between good and evil of which Paul speaks (Ephesians 6:10-17). It's a war in which all Christians participate, fighting the good fight of faith.
b) Overcome them
i) Christians will suffer persecution and even martyrdom; it is in this sense that the beast will "overcome them" (Revelation 13:7). However this war will be won by the saints in Christ, not by Satan, and the tables will be turned. "If anyone takes captive, to captivity he will go. If anyone kills with the sword, with the sword he must be killed." (Revelation 13:10). The beast and his minions may imprison and kill the saints, but in the end he will be imprisoned and killed.
5. The Saints Endure
Revelation 13:8-10
a) Book of life
i) The world, in this vision, is divided into two groups. First there are those whose names are not found written in the Book of Life. Second (by inference) there are those whose names are written in the book of life (Revelation 13:8). This becomes critical in a later vision (Revelation 20:11-15). Jesus himself so divided the world in two, for example in his parable of the two gates (Matthew 7:13-14) and in his parable of the sheep and goats (Matthew 25:1-3).
b) Foundation of the world
i) There is some confusion in the translations as to whether the words "from the foundation of the world" apply to the names not being written in the book of life, or to the Lamb being slain. This depends on whether you take the title of the book to be “The Book of Life of the Lamb Slain” or the longer title “The Book of Life of the Lamb Slain Before the Foundation of the World”.
6. The Lamb Slain
a) The latter title is rejected by some on the grounds that it doesn't make sense to them. Jesus was not slain at the foundation of the world. But the title doesn't say “at”, it says “from”. "The Lamb slain from the foundation of the world" simply means that, before the foundation of the world, God decreed the Lamb’s fate and the purpose of his death. Consequently that also predetermined the fate of every accountable human being, depending upon their faith in the Lamb.
b) This is taught by Peter who calls Jesus, "a lamb unblemished and spotless... foreknown before the foundation of the world" (1 Peter 1:18-21). It's also taught by Paul who says, "God chose us in him [Christ] before the foundation of the world" (Ephesians 1:4). Paul considered our election (names written in the book of life) to be possible only in Christ, and this provision was the kind intention of God’s will before the world was made, to be fulfilled in the fullness of the times (Ephesians 1:5-14).
7. Names Written
a) On the other hand, the angel in later visions speaks to John of those "whose name has not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world" (Revelation 17:8). We are born with our names written in God’s book of life, however Jesus can "erase" a person’s name who does not overcome through the power of Jesus (Revelation 3:5). And Jesus, the Lamb slain, can write that person’s name into the book again by such complete forgiveness that the name is once more considered to have been written from the foundation of the world. Amazing grace!
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