Revelation 13:1 Commentary - Dr Peter Masters

Navigator

Revelation 13:1

Comments

‘I stood upon the sand of the sea’ – on the shore – ‘and saw a beast rise up.’ In chapter 12 we have been considering the war mounted by Satan, specifically against Christ, and also against his churches. We come now to this 13th chapter – the beast rising out of the sea, followed by the beast rising out of the land – and here are the earthly agents or instruments of Satan in this war. Two agents are introduced. The first is secular in nature and the second is religious. They work together with one purpose, that of their master the devil who sent them and instructs them. He gives them his authority and power and therefore they are seen as having the same symbolic heads and horns that belong to the dragon, the devil (Revelation 12:3). The language suggests, that the beast rose slowly: first of all, the heads and the horns with their crowns, and then the body of the beast follows in verse 2. The sea out of which they arose represents the mass of sinful humanity, not from one age only, but from all ages. The sea is the indication of an international matter in the Book of Revelation, the countries of the world and sea that envelops and joins them all. The image here is there will be an earthly agent which will affect worldwide humanity and the people of God. Like the restless sea, it is constantly thrusting up new waves, new individuals who appear on the face of history. Satan manipulates kings and nations to oppose the purposes of God, but like waves their form is transient and they soon sink back into obscurity. From this sea come the great empires of the world. All of them are opposed to Christ’s kingdom. John tells us these things to prepare us for the ferocity of the onslaught we will face in the world.The beast has seven heads and ten horns. The head stands for power – the horns also – military power in particular. ‘And upon the heads’ – one on each presumably – ‘a crown.’ These are governments of empires, of nations, with their heads: kings, monarchs, emperors, prime ministers – all positions of authority. ‘And upon each head the name of blasphemy.’ So, the earthly instrument of the devil – to whom the devil imparts his power and invests with hatred of Christ and the church, his agent to conduct war against the church – is world governments of every kind. There’s going to be an exception given, and we’ll study that in just a moment, but broadly speaking, for most of history, all world governments will be against the true church of Christ, and will be anxious and determined to impose themselves as the authority over men and women, and the only and the ultimate authority. Religion will be permitted as long as it serves the government, and approves of government, and acknowledges government. Religion will be permitted, provided it keeps its place. Government will be supreme all over the world. So the beast, even before it acts, has ousted the authority and government of God.

Application

From the beginning of the church age, there have been powers that have persecuted the church. The blasphemous name on their heads does not refer to heresy, but to their unfolding programme of opposition to God. Sometimes they are entirely secular; at other times they trespass into the spiritual domain, exercising power over men’s consciences and being aligned with false religion. Islam, with its tight links between religion and state, may well influence government to be intolerant towards any other religion than its own. Communism also, with its rejection of all religion, arrogates to itself a position never given to any earthly power by God. God appoints governments to reward the righteous and punish the wicked, not to tell men how to worship.

The chief thing in the lives of human beings is earthly government. It’s what they will follow; it’s what will fill their news media in every age; it’s what will determine everything; it will go right outside its reasonable territory of law and order and the well-being and defence of a nation, and good organisation and infrastructure, and will begin to legislate concerning morals, values, everything. It will seek always to be taking over and dominating the divine role, the role of God. And it will always be, generally speaking, the enemy of the church. ‘Upon his head the name of blasphemy.’ That’s evil railings against Christ, evil statements, antagonism, denigrating and vilifying the true faith and the true church. It might in some ages do it in a more concealed manner and polite manner, but that will be the trend with world governments. And it will insult and ridicule and destroy and tear down as much as it can.

Questions

Outline

Purpose

Introduction

Revelation 13:1 Commentary and Bible Study