Revelation 13:12 Commentary and Bible Study

This second beast is a promoter of idolatry. He serves the first beast and uses the authority of the first beast. This authority, given by the first beast to the second, is always used in the presence of the first beast and not for some independent purpose. The two work closely together and with a common purpose. This second beast also has authority over all the earth. There is no nation or people which are not under its influence, so we should not then think that this beast represents only one particular authority – such as the Roman Catholic Church. It does not aim to have authority over the whole earth; it actually does have this authority and is successful in using it.It uses this authority to get men to worship a false god. Behind him lies the devil and the beast is simply his agent, his servant. The second beast gets the world to worship the first beast, but the dragon gives power to the first beast. Man-made religions and philosophies and ideologies cause the world to turn away from the true God and to worship human power, human achievement, human knowledge. All false religion is leading up to a climax, when the antichrist is revealed, Satan’s masterpiece. Lesser, more primitive religions will have served their purpose to deceive earlier generations, and Satan will cause all the earth to worship the antichrist. The apostle Paul warns the church, ‘Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; ⁴ Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4). The clearest manifestation of the antichrist will come at the end of the world, bringing into focus all that Satan has been trying to do throughout the gospel age.