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Chapter 13 of the book of Revelation has long hidden its teaching, but
it is time it was made clearer.
Revelation 13 presents descriptions of two beasts,
- a beast from the sea (verse 1)
- a beast from the land (verse 11).
These are often rightly linked to the entities beast and false prophet
(entities mentioned in Revelation 16:13, 19:20 and 20:10).
Associated with these beasts is the number 666 (verse 18).
BEAST FROM THE SEA - 'BEAST'
A number of details are presented in the Revelation text which assist
the reader in identifying this beast.
- Mention of leopard, bear and lion.
- 7 heads, 10 horns, 10 crowns on horns.
- One of the heads mortally wounded, but
healed.
- Duration of '42 months' after the healing
of the wound.
- It wars against the saints and is given
authority.
- 666 is the number of the beast and a man.
Many commentators discussing this beast start with a consideration of the
lion, bear and leopard beasts presented in Daniel chapter 7. Since these
Daniel 7 beasts have historically been considered as representations of
the Babylonian, Medo-Persian and Greek Empires, the 'beast' is assumed
to depict a Gentile arrangement. Unfortunately, nothing could be further
from the truth. The greater teachings of the book of Daniel were cloaked
within a Gentile guise to conceal the message.
The focal point of all biblical prophecy is the entity known as 'Israel'.
'Israel' being described as the firstborn son of God, refer Exodus 4:22.
The 7 heads being a reference to the former inhabitants of the Promised
Land (ie the 7 nations of Canaan), the 10 horns being the 10 tribes of
the house of Israel and the 10 crowns being the 10 tribal leaders.
Although in the past Israel was a literal nation with its own kings,
following the loss of it's autonomy it became a symbolic nation. This
symbolic nation being defined as the Jewish faith.
42 Months
A critical piece of information provided by the Revelation prophecy is
that after the healing of the beast's wound the healed beast would be
given authority to continue a further 42 months.
The cryptic reference '42 months' is likely a New Testament reference to
the period cryptically described in Daniel chapter 4 as 'seven times'.
Both terms refer to a time period of 2,520 years. The period of time from
when Cyrus released the Jews to the end-time grafting of the Jewish faith
back into the Olive Tree.
[ NB: While it is easy to derive the period of 2,520 years from
'seven times', ie 7 years x 360(days per year), it is more
difficult to derive this period from '42 months'.
The notion of '42 months' may be easily equated to 1,260
years, ie 42 x 30 days and the application of the day/year
principle, but the doubling of this value to provide 2,520
years could be questioned.
The notion of '42 months' can also be interpreted as
'42 New Moons'. (In the Old Testament the one Hebrew word
is either rendered 'month(s)' or 'New Moon(s)'.)
The topic of 'New Moons' has been poorly understood, refer
to NEW MOON - Chodesh - Explained!).
NB: The existence of only six 'New Moons' per year would
mean that '42 New Moons' would also equate to 7 years
(and therefore 2,520 years). ]
Understanding the literal meaning of '42 months' allows the reader to
perceive that the near mortal wound was in reality that which came upon
the ancient nation of Israel by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar and his army.
The wound having been healed when the Jews were released from captivity
by the Medo-Persian Empire.
The Beast Elements
The knowledge of the timing of the deadly wound enables us to correctly
place in time the rise of the first three beasts mentioned in Daniel
chapter 7; the lion, the bear and the leopard beasts. The allusion in
Rev 13:2 to a composite Lion/Bear/Leopard beast suggests the true
original Lion, Bear and Leopard forms all arose in Israel before the
wound was inflicted. For a deeper discussion of the Daniel chapter 7
beasts click the following:
The healed head mentioned in Revelation was the head of the Judean king
Jehoiachin. It is from this king that the rulership line was maintained;
from this line Jesus Christ traced his kingly ancestry (refer Matt 1:12
'Jeconiah').
The 'rising up out of the sea' description of the origin of the healed
beast is alluding to its appearing from the nations, mainly from Babylon.
The text of Revelation 13 mentions that the beast from the sea is the one
which kills the saints. This has indeed been the action of the leaders of
Israel.
Acts 7:51 You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears!
You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers
did, so do you.
:52 Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute?
And they killed those who foretold the coming of the
Just One, ...
Number 666
The name/number of the beast from the sea is said to also be the number
of a man (Rev 13:17-18). Knowing that the beast from the sea is 'Israel'
might suggest a reference back to Jacob, whose name was changed by God
to 'Israel', refer Gen 32:27-28). However, the number 666 suggests a
specific association with another person.
The number '666' is presented in the Greek as "600 60 6".
While the bible almost always records numbers (both small and large)
in word form (eg 'two hundred and seventy-six' in Acts 27:37) in this
case the number is recorded in the numeric form (where letters are used
to represent numbers).
 = Chi = 600
 = Xi = 60
 = Stigma = 6
The number '666' is referred to in 3 other places.
- Ezra 2:13 - number of the people of Adonikam who
returned to Jerusalem from Babylon
- 1 Kings 10:14 - '666 talents of gold'
- 2 Chron 9:13 - '666 talents of gold'
The last two references are relevant. Both refer to a fixed annual
income received every year by Solomon. The source of this income is
not stated, but a number of possible sources are excluded.
1King 10:15 besides that from the traveling merchants, from
the income of traders, from all the kings of Arabia,
and from the governors of the country.
The fixed nature of this income suggests a 'rental income' and indeed
Solomon was the recipient of a significant rental income from many
large vineyards.
Song 8:11 Solomon had a vineyard at Baal Hamon; he leased
the vineyard to keepers; everyone was to bring
for its fruit a thousand silver coins.
:12 My own vineyard is before me. You, O Solomon,
have a thousand, and those who tend its fruit
two hundred (each).
This rental income was also alluded to in Isaiah.
Isa 7:23 It shall happen in that day, that wherever there
could be a thousand vine(yards)s worth a thousand
(mina each) of silver, It will be for briers
and thorns.
These verses indicate that in the time of Solomon;
1,000 silver x 1,000 vineyards x 200 people = 200 million silver pieces
= 1 million silver mina
= 666 gold talents
From the above verses it appears that Solomon, as king of Israel, had
control of Israel's vineyards and rented them to whom he pleased. In
the same way the future beast would control who would be permitted to
control the spiritual vineyard of God. In other words, who would be able
to 'trade' in the wine/teachings of God.
Identifying the beast of Revelation 13:1-10 as various forms of the
entity 'Israel' helps place the second beast in perspective.
BEAST FROM THE LAND - 'FALSE PROPHET'
The beast from the land is not directly identified in the Revelation
13 chapter as the False Prophet, but the comparison to the following
verse strongly suggests this conclusion.
Rev 19:20 Then the beast was captured, and with him the
false prophet who worked signs in his presence,
by which he deceived those who received the
mark of the beast and those who worshiped his
image.
The main actions of the beast from the land are;
1) Causing the creation of a more tangible
image of the first beast.
2) Ensuring this image is worshiped.
Since this beast arises out of the earth (ie spiritual earth) and is a
separate entity from the 'beast from the sea', there is the implication
that this beast is Christian. (Note, Christianity had it's origin in the
chosen of the Jewish faith.)
END-TIME IMAGE OF THE BEAST
The negative description of the beast after the mention of the 42 months,
ie after verse 5, appears to relate to the yet future end-time form brought
into existence by the beast from the land.
It will be a blasphemous religious organisation which will seek to bring
the people of God into spiritual captivity. So in this way many will be
symbolically marked in their minds (foreheads) and religious work (right
hand).
People and groups which do not 'fall into line' will be dis-fellowshipped
and otherwise suppressed (symbolically killed). This organisation will seek
to fully control God's vineyard work.
In real terms this chapter is talking about the creation of the 10 horned
(Daniel 7:7) future 'image' form of Israel. A composite Jewish/Christian
organisation which all spiritual tribes, tongues and nations, ie Jewish
and Christian groups, will be expected to worship.
END-TIME RELEVANCE
Many reading the Revelation chapter 13 prophecy consider the text is
describing the final corrupt situation prior to the establishment of
the Kingdom of God.
However, the Daniel chapter 7 portrayal shows a further truly Satanic
era will follow this period of religious dictatorship. It shows that
a little horn will arise, plucking out 3 horns, and speak pompous words
against the Most High.
It is during this time that those religious leaders who have led into
captivity will themselves go into captivity, when those who have killed
with the sword (word of God) will themselves be killed.
In summary Revelation chapter 13 is describing several successive periods
of time.
- Lion, bear and leopard era
- Healed 42 months beast form
- End-time 'image of the original beast'
- Time of vengeance upon the beast
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