“Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon. And he exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence, and causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived. He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed. He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666“
We now turn to the second beast of this chapter, the beast out of the Earth. This is the religious leader of the Revived Roman Empire.
13:11
Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon.
The first beast came out of the sea (v.1), but the second beast comes out of the Earth. Some think that this beast is a Jew from Palestine because of the term “Earth.” There is no evidence for this.
The second beast masquerades as a lamb with two horns. The “two horns like a lamb” is a difficult phrase to interpret. The “horns” represent authority. This beast has two horns, and the first beast had 10 horns. At the same time, this beast is like a lamb that is a mild creature. This gentle-mannered creature will deceive people with his mild mode of operation.
The second beast has special demonic powers of communication, for he can speak like the devil [dragon]. Apparently, he is the false prophet who speaks for the first beast. He represents the world’s ecumenical religion. He looks like a lamb but speaks like a dragon. He looks like the Lord Jesus (John 1:29; Revelation 5:6) but speaks like the devil. He pawns himself off as the Lamb, the Messiah.
The dictator of the Revived Roman Empire will eventually destroy this religious system (17:16). God will cast him along with the first beast into the Lake of Fire (19:20; 20:10).
13:12
And he exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence, and causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.
The second beast does the bidding of the first beast by receiving the delegation of authority of religion. He occupies a secondary role. The false prophet [the second beast] is the head of the worldwide ecumenical religion. His purpose is to encourage worship of the dictator of the Revived Roman Empire.
13:13
He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men.
The second beast persuades people to worship the first beast by performing miraculous signs. He is a wonder-worker. In this, he operates as the personal prophet for the dictator of the Revived Roman Empire. The Greek indicates that he repeatedly performs these miracles so that the momentum of wonders occurs. The word “great” indicates that these will be extraordinary miracles. Present-day miracle fakers are no match for this false prophet. The purpose of these signs is to authenticate the authority of the first beast.
Some people think that this “fire come down from heaven” is an imitation of Elijah’s miracle (1 Kings 18:38). He hopes to confuse biblical miracles with satanic miracles.
13:14
And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived.
The second beast sets up an image of the first beast. The book of Revelation refers to many images (Revelation 13:14-15; 14:9, 11; 15:2; 16:2; 19:20; 20:4). The first beast accepts worship as he sits in the temple in Jerusalem. This is the abomination of desolations of which Daniel and Jesus warned us.
“…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” (2 Thessalonians 2:4).
Satan designed the miracles of the second beast to “deceive.” The word “deceive” means to “wander, mislead, lead astray.”
“The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason, God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness” (2 Thessalonians 2:9-12).
Not all miracles are of God, for the second beast performs these miracles in the first beast’s presence and authority (13:2). No discerning Christian trusts any and every miracle. He or she must ask the question, “Is this miracle demonic or divine?”
13:15
He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed.
The second beast gives breath and the power to speak to the image of the first beast. This is his second deception. The word “image” is more than a copy but represents the reality of the thing. This image symbolizes the religious authority of the first beast and is the force behind his worldwide power. This image had the power to convince people to kill those who did not worship the first beast.
13:16
He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or their foreheads,
The second beast will require everyone to wear the mark of the first beast. All men of every state in life must receive this mark in a prominent place – the forehead. This will easily categorize those who worship the beast and those who do not.
The word “mark” means an impression made by a stamp. The beast will brand, like so many cows, those who belong to him.
13:17
and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
The second beast restructures the economy of the world. Without this mark, no one could buy or sell even the necessities of life. This will exclude any believer who takes a stand for Christ. By this disenfranchisement, all believers will lose all their civil rights. Many believers will die because they refuse to accept the mark.
13:18
Here is wisdom.
There is wisdom in understanding the implications of the mark of the beast.
Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666.
The attempts to find hidden meanings in the 666 are legion. This leads to futile conjecture. Nowhere does the Bible use gematria (mystical interpretation) as a system of interpretation. It does use numbers symbolically, but this is different from gematria. This passage explicitly says that 666 is the number of man. All attempts to identify the name of the world dictator to come by running scenarios of numbers are futile.
The word “calculate” means to reckon, compute, count. The believer must calculate the number of the beast. The mark of the beast has something to do with mankind being central to reality. This is similar to humanism today. Humanism is not humanitarianism. Humanitarianism is simply people helping people in need. Humanism is about mankind being central to reality. Mankind will solve its own problems. People can get along without God. This religion promotes the worship of mankind. Religion takes our eyes off God.
Principle:
Christianity is a threat to world religion.
Application:
During the Tribulation, there will be a one-world government, one world religion, and one world economic system. Anyone who refuses to conform to these systems will die. This is the Devil’s final attempt to gain the worship of the world.
Christianity is a threat to world religion. Because Christianity claims to be mutually exclusive, world ecumenical religion must put it down. Unity at all costs will be the theme of the future to obtain syncretism in religion. World religion must eliminate religions that claim the distinction.
The false prophet speaks sweetness and light but deals in death when it comes to Christians. This will require the dissolving of nationalism. Therefore, all nations will surrender their sovereignty to the dictator of the Revived Roman Empire. A single credit card for the world will give him global economic power. This will intimidate dissenters to get with the “program.”
The Devil uses the system of religion to deceive. He wants mankind to act independently of God. To do this, he systematizes belief as well as behavior. There is nothing more misleading than religion. Religion is the ultimate weapon of the Devil.
Dr. Richision: I find your ensight so helpful in my meager attempt to present this to a small sunday school class. I have a pulpit commentary,an your thoughts are very fresh yet scriptual this is a must for all who do what you do. May GOD our Father and JESUS CHRIST our saviour bless your ministry an you as a Brother in CHRIST
Thank you, David.
One thing continues to make me question whether or not I am truly understanding what Revelation is all about.
Why are believers left behind to suffer the tribulation and control of the beast. Why must they be punished by things like starvation? Are the believers not taken up in a time of "rapture". Is it just the luck of the draw that they are still around and have not died yet when the end times come and thus they have to live through this aweful time?
Ann, the church is raptured before the tribulation begins. See the Intrduction. There are some who will believe in the Lord during the tribulation.
I wonder if you would be open to interpreting these prophecies of these 2 beasts as not being human but technological? Back in the day when these were written, John would not have had the words necessary to describe a telephone or a telephone tower.. or an internet repeater with all it's "horns" or the dying telephone revived by the internet.. and the massive amounts of disinformation and lies and deceptions that can be spread via texts and over the internet. what if these beasts are not human and alive, but allegorically described in the terms of the day? I am interested in your opinion on the matter. Thank you.
Evangeline, there is every indication that the two beasts were human. To introduce technology into interpretation is what people in biblical interpretation call interpolation, that is, to read something into the text that is not found in the text itself.
It seems even using credit cards contributes to promoting the way of the beast and his mark to come. In the 70’s, people generally identified credit cards with the mark of the beast, but with so much slick promotion over the years, to reject credit cards is becoming more difficult. Try buying an airline ticket or doing online business without one. It’s still sometimes possible – less and less as people are programmed to accept getting authorization to make daily purchases as normal.
Excellent food for thought , Grant. After hearing all the literal and figurative “meanings” over the years , I’ve recently thought that 666 is , like you mentioned , a staunch enforcement of man’s authority and ideals , a diametric opposition to the Father (6) , the Son (6) , and the Holy Spirit (6).
I am 80 years of age and like to read my Bible…When I cannot understand a certain verse I go to my computer to find the answer and have understood so much more than my commentaries offer…Thank you so much for this Website…Keep up the good work and God bless all your efforts…
Betty Rogers
Thank you Betty.
No one can deny the technology statements made in The Book of Revelation if truth is discerned by the power and knowledge of the Holy Spirit residing in all “true” believers. We cannot deny what is happening, in our lifetime, regarding artificial intelligence, chimeras, child sacrifice, cloning, angel technology that was introduced Gen:6, hybrids, MK ULTRA mind control by the CIA, chemtrails vs. contrails, Project Bluebeam, Project 21, Guidstones regarding population control. T, DARPA. We live in this swamp of reality created by satan and his principalities and powers. To deny all or any of it is to believe that we really did go to the moon and the earth is not created as our Creator made it. This is what the believers must come to terms with and study, these topics are all in the bible if we ask our Father to open our eyes of understanding. So I agree with Angelina, she is on the trail of truth of what could be possibly be being described in Revelation.
Cecelia, you offer many words but no substance. What passage teaches what you claim?
God said he hates those who teach his children to fly and I have been brought up to interpret this as it is the false profit that makes people believe he is Christ. If we follow him where are we flying to because tthe New Heaven will be here on earth.
Kim, would you explain your interpretation more thoroughly?