Revelation 13

Revelation 13:1-18

The Two Beasts – Revelation 13:1-18 describes two beasts that will rise to power and influence during the time of the Great Tribulation. Outline – Here is a proposed outline:

1. The Beast from the Sea — Revelation 13:1-102. The Beast from the Earth — Revelation 13:11-18

Revelation 13:11-18

The Beast from the Earth – In Revelation 13:11-18 John describes his vision of a beast that rises from the earth. Revelation 13:18 — Comments - Irenaeus (A.D. 130 to 200) has an interesting interpretation of this number. He compares the number 600 to the age of Noah when the flood came and states that this beast represents all iniquity before the flood destroyed the wickedness off of the earth (Genesis 7:6). Irenaeus compares the size of the statue made by Nebuchadnezzar of sixty cubits high and six cubits wide as representing all of the iniquity of mankind since the flood (Daniel 3:1). He interpreted this statue of Nebuchadnezzar to be figurative of the coming beast in the book of Revelation, in which the whole world was to fall down and worship it.[98] [98] Irenaeus writes, “And there is therefore in this beast, when he comes, a recapitulation made of all sorts of iniquity and of every deceit, in order that all apostate power, flowing into and being shut up in him, may be sent into the furnace of fire. Fittingly, therefore, shall his name possess the number six hundred and sixty-six, since he sums up in his own person all the commixture of wickedness which took place previous to the deluge, due to the apostasy of the angels. For Noah was six hundred years old when the deluge came upon the earth, sweeping away the rebellious world, for the sake of that most infamous generation which lived in the times of Noah. And [Antichrist] also sums up every error of devised idols since the flood, together with the slaying of the prophets and the cutting off of the just. For that image which was set up by Nebuchadnezzar had indeed a height of sixty cubits, while the breadth was six cubits; on account of which Ananias, Azarias, and Misael, when they did not worship it, were cast into a furnace of fire, pointing out prophetically, by what happened to them, the wrath against the righteous which shall arise towards the [time of the] end. For that image, taken as a whole, was a prefiguring of this man’s coming, decreeing that he should undoubtedly himself alone be worshipped by all men. Thus, then, the six hundred years of Noah, in whose time the deluge occurred because of the apostasy, and the number of the cubits of the image for which these just men were sent into the fiery furnace, do indicate the number of the name of that man in whom is concentrated the whole apostasy of six thousand years, and unrighteousness, and wickedness, and false prophecy, and deception; for which things’ sake a cataclysm of fire shall also come [upon the earth].” (Against Heresies 5.29.2)Genesis 7:6, “And Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of waters was upon the earth.” Daniel 3:1, “Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof six cubits: he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon.” Philip Schaff mentions another conjecture, which notes that the number 666 adds up to the Hebrew spelling of the Emperor Nero, Neron Kaesar, as follows: n (n) = 50, r (r) = 200, (o) = 6, (n) = 50, q (k) = 100, s (S) = 60, r (r) = 200; in all 666.[99] [99] Philip Schaff, History of the Christian Church, vol. 1: Apostolic Christianity A.D. 1-100 (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1955), 845.John Hagee says that the name of the antichrist in Hebrew will add up to the number 666.[100] Jack van Impe tells us that the Roman numbering system adds up to 666: [100] John Hagee, John Hagee Today (San Antonio, Texas: John Hagee Ministries), on Trinity Broadcasting Network (Santa Ana, California), television program.I — 1 V — 5 X — 10 L — 50 C — 100 D — 500 Total — 666[101] [101] Jack Van Impe, Jack Van Impe Presents (Jack Van Impe Ministries, Troy, Michigan), on Trinity Broadcasting Network (Santa Ana, California), television program.The final letter M = 1000 may represent the thousand year Millennial Reign of Christ that follows the mark of the beast.