Chapter 13 is symbolism rich in its description of the antichrist and the false profit. It adds more information about the antichrist and the false prophet. There’s so much information in this chapter, I’ll break it into two parts and also do a verse by verse exploration of the chapter as opposed to taking larger swaths of the chapter.
Revelation 13:1-4
13:1 And I saw a beast coming up out of the sea. He had 10 horns and seven heads. On his horns were 10 diadems, and on his heads were blasphemous names. 2 The beast I saw was like a leopard, his feet were like a bear's, and his mouth was like a lion's mouth. The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority. 3 One of his heads appeared to be fatally wounded, but his fatal wound was healed. The whole earth was amazed and followed the beast. 4 They worshiped the dragon because he gave authority to the beast. And they worshiped the beast, saying, "Who is like the beast? Who is able to wage war against him?"
The first verse of chapter 13 details the beast coming out of the sea, not the actual ocean but a symbol of the people of the world. That is he will be a gentile not a Jew. Many theologians believe that the seven heads refer to the 7 mountains where Rome was settled. In other words a reformed roman empire. For cross reference we have Daniel 2 where God details the major world empires, starting with Babylon ending with Rome
Daniel 2:31-35
31 "My king, as you were watching, a colossal statue appeared. That statue, tall and dazzling, was standing in front of you, and its appearance was terrifying. 32 The head of the statue was pure gold, its chest and arms were silver, its stomach and thighs were bronze, 33 its legs were iron, and its feet were partly iron and partly fired clay. 34 As you were watching, a stone broke off without a hand touching it, struck the statue on its feet of iron and fired clay, and crushed them. 35 Then the iron, the fired clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were shattered and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors. The wind carried them away, and not a trace of them could be found. But the stone that struck the statue became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.
The Interpretation
Head of Gold - Babylon
Chest and Arms of Silver - Medo-Persia
stomach and thighs of Bronze - Greece
Legs of Iron - Rome
Feet of Iron and Clay - United Europe (or reformed roman empire)
The Roman army unlike Greece whose weapons were bronze had iron weapons and were swift, i.e., the legs. The feet mixed partly with clay and iron detail a confederation that is both strong like iron but brittle like clay.
Back to revelations 13:1, the 10 horns which had 10 crowns (or diadems) are 10 kings, so the confederation consists of 10 European nations. The Bible Exposition Commentary describes what the symbolism behind the animals that make up the beast better then I can
Revelation 13:2
The three animals named in Revelation 13:2 remind us of the four beasts Daniel saw in his dream (Daniel 7): a lion (Babylon), a bear (Media-Persia), a leopard (Greece), and a "terrible beast" (the Antichrist). John saw these animals, or kingdoms, in reverse order since he was looking back, while Daniel was looking ahead The final world empire will be rooted in all the previous empires and unite in one their evil and power. Added to the ferocity of these beasts will be Satan's own power, throne, and authority!
(from The Bible Exposition Commentary. Copyright © 1989 by Chariot Victor Publishing, and imprint of Cook Communication Ministries. All rights reserved. Used by permission.)
Basically the final human empire built on man’s corruptible nature will be a combination and compilation of Man’s prior empires. All that worked and terrified people in those empires will be evident in this final confederation.
Revelation 13:3 One of his heads appeared to be fatally wounded, but his fatal wound was healed. The whole earth was amazed and followed the beast.
Imagine the following a world leader would have had be been shot, killed and “resurrected” Consider how the world would follow that person who had special powers and abilities. This is probably one avenue in how the antichrist would imitate the true Messiah but also how he would deceive the world.
Revelation 13:4 They worshiped the dragon because he gave authority to the beast. And they worshiped the beast, saying, "Who is like the beast? Who is able to wage war against him?"
Here’s a verse that could easily be lost amongst the other information, they (the whole earth) worshiped the dragon, that is while the second part of the verse state that the world will also worship the antichrist they worship the dragon (satan) because he gave the authority to the beast. This is what the devil is after from the day he fell from grace till the time that the tribulation occurs. He wants to be like God and be worshipped. Isaiah offers a glimpse of the devil’s motives.
Isaiah 14:12-15
12 Shining morning star,
how you have fallen from the heavens!
You destroyer of nations,
you have been cut down to the ground.
13 You said to yourself:
"I will ascend to the heavens;
I will set up my throne
above the stars of God.
I will sit on the mount of the gods' assembly,
in the remotest parts of the North.
14 I will ascend above the highest clouds;
I will make myself like the Most High."
15 But you will be brought down to Sheol
into the deepest regions of the Pit.
He wanted to make himself the most high even though he was only a created being but in his pride he felt he out to take the place of the creator and have the angel’s and God’s creation worship him. In revelation 13:4 people somehow recognize that the power that miraculously healed the antichrist did not come from God Almighty but rather the devil and they bow down to him and not God. What’s sad and strange at the same time, we have the Bible detailing who the devil is, who we are as sinners and God’s plan for salvation, and end times. Yet people choose to ignore that and follow a lie.
To summarize, Chapter 13 of the Revelation is rich with details of who the antichrist is, where he gets his power, how the world will follow him and the events that cause people to bow down to him and the dragon.
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