JOHN’S REVELATION OF THE ANTICHRIST (Rev 13:1-10)

In Rev 13 John takes an interlude from telling us about all of the seal and trumpet judgments to tell us about the antichrist or beast and the false prophet. John introduces us to them in Rev 13 by describing their relation to “the beast out of the sea” and “the beast out of the earth.” This is what we are told about the beast out of the sea in Rev 13:1-10.

• Satan gave the beast his throne on earth, his authority and great power (vs. 2).
• Rev 13:1-2 mentions all of the empires spelled out in Daniel chapter 7 including the ten horned beast (the Roman empire), the leopard (the Greek empire), the bear (the Medo-Persian empire), and the lion (the Babylonian empire). If we read carefully we see that the ten horned beast had one head, the leopard had four heads, the bear one head and the lion one head, for a total of seven heads. By analysis we can see that the heads represent empires and the horns represent kings (Rev 17:12). We know that this is historically accurate. If we study the ten horned beast in Dan 7 we see that it was one empire with ten kings. Thus, it seems that the beast out of the sea with ten horns and seven heads bears a striking resemblance to the prophecy of Dan 7. We also see that the beast in Rev 13 may be composed of seven empires with a total of ten leaders or kings so to speak. From Daniel we see that three of the leaders are deposed, leaving only seven leaders over the seven empires and that a world leader emerges who takes control over all of the seven empires. We see in Rev 13:8 that this leader, who is called the antichrist or beast, is given authority over the complete world.
• One of the empires had been critically wounded and was barely existing, but the empire was brought back to life, so to speak, by support of the other empires (vs. 3) and the false prophet (vs. 14, 16-17).
• This allied group of empires was following Satan and getting their power from him (vs. 4). The rest of the world admired them and accepted the religious (vs. 4) and economic (vs. 17) system being used by them. They were overwhelmingly strong militarily (vs. 4).
• A leader emerged out of the group of seven allied empires who became the spokesman for the empire (vs. 5 and Dan 7:8); this is the person that we refer to as the antichrist. He emerges from the empire that was wounded and is brought back to power (vs. 14).
• The antichrist was allowed to exercise authority for the second 3 ½ years of the tribulation (vs. 5).
• The antichrist slandered God and Christianity and was intent on ridding the earth of all of those who believed in the God of the Christians and his Son, Jesus Christ (vs. 6-9), the two witnesses.
• The antichrist and his allies conquer the whole world and force everyone to accept their religion, a religion that does not accept Jesus as God (vs. 7-8).
• Those who refuse to accept this false religion are taken into captivity and killed (vs. 10); the two witnesses as depicted in Rev 11.
• Thus we see that the allied group of empires is called the beast out of the sea. In Rev 13:5 we see that a leader emerges out of the allied empires who speaks for them. This leader is himself henceforth called the beast in Revelation. We often interpret the word beast as antichrist.

Let me make some further comments about the beast coming out of the sea. We see four beasts coming up out of the sea in Dan 7:3. These beasts were empires in which one prominent nation and one leader conquered many other nations and ruled over them. Dan 7:17 explains the symbolic meaning of the word “sea” in this context: the four beasts came out of the earth, or out of the nations of the earth. We could also interpret it to be multitudes or peoples of the earth. Thus, as we saw above, the beast is a group of allied empires on earth. In the middle of the tribulation period a leader emerges who speaks for the allied empires and he gains control over the whole world for the next 42 months, Rev 13:5-8. This leader is the antichrist and he is thereafter referred to as the beast in Revelation. This allied group of empires includes the nations of all of the four empires spoken of in Daniel 7 and includes much of Europe, many of the Middle Eastern nations and part of North Africa. The nations/empires collectively are called the beast out of the sea. There is a further discussion of the antichrist in Clues regarding the Antichrist from Throughout the Bible in the section titled Clues from throughout the Bible to aid in studying & interpreting Revelation, and in Mid-tribulation events in the section titled Summary of the end times and the Revelation.

JOHN’S REVELATION OF THE FALSE PROPHET (Rev 13:11-18)

 John turns to the false prophet in verse 11 of Rev 13. This time John sees a “beast coming out of the earth.” Following is what we see John telling us about the beast out of the earth.

• This again was a beast, meaning that it was an empire composed of multiple nations. We are told that the beast had two horns, meaning that it had two leaders, or kings so to speak. These nations will likely be nations that were not included in the original empires of Daniel 7. We will continue to see what John has to say about these two allied nations and the false prophet before hazarding a guess as to who they might be.
• These two allied nations seem to represent Christianity but they speak a Satanic rhetoric (vs. 11).
• These two nations are very powerful and speak for the larger group of allied empires (vs. 12).
• These two nations force the whole world to accept the false religion of the beast (vs. 12).
• These two nations are very powerful and use their nuclear capability to enforce their will and the will of the beast on the earth. In fact, they actually use their nuclear weapons (vs. 13).
• There is one leader who speaks for these two nations and he is called the false prophet. His power derives from the military and economic might of the two nations. By this military/economic power he is able to bring the dead empire, from which the antichrist emerges, back to life (vs. 14, 16-17).
• The false prophet, the leader of the two super powerful allied nations, brings the antichrist to power, gives life to him so to speak. The antichrist is called the “image” of the beast here. Breath in verse 15 can be translated as “spirit” or “life.” Thus he gave a spirit to the image, or brought the image to life. The spirit which the image received was possibly the spirit of a Nephilim.

OTHER REVELATIONS ABOUT THE BEAST: HE MAY BE A NEPHILIM (Rev 9:1-3, 11:7, 17:7-8).

In the middle of the tribulation period an empire that had fallen or ceased to exist arises again and the leader of this revived empire gains control over the whole world for the next 42 months, Rev 13:5-8. This leader is the antichrist and he is thereafter referred to in Revelation as the beast. The antichrist may be a Nephilim since Rev 17:7-8 & 11:7 say that the beast came out of the Abyss. Rev 17:7-8 further describes him as one who once was, now is not, and will yet be. That certainly could apply to a Nephilim. In Rev 9:1-3 we see the release of some strange creatures from the Abyss during the first woe or the fifth trumpet judgment. We may be seeing the release upon the earth of the Nephilim and evil angels who have been held there since the days before the flood, 2 Peter 2:4, Jude 6. The leader of these evil angels is called Apollyon, or destroyer in Rev 9:11. He has the ability to do all sorts of miraculous things. The vision of the statue in Dan 2 reveals that the feet are made of a mixture of clay and iron, things which do not normally stick together. This may be a reference to the Nephilim being in the end times; composed of two things that do not normally mix together, angels and man.

Following is a summary of the scenario that I see being played out in the end times as described in Rev 7, 13 and 17: The leader of the empire known as the beast out of the sea is wounded and killed near the end of the first half of the tribulation period. He had been doing his work in the spirit of Satan but his power was still limited. When the beast out of the Abyss is released upon the earth at the beginning of the fifth judgment he comes upon the earth in the image of the dead leader. We are told in Rev 13:14-15 that the “image” of the beast came to life and could speak. He leads an unprecedented reign of terror on earth and is bent on destroying Israel. He has supernatural powers and is now the leader of the empire and becomes known as the beast. He is a superman, a half angel and half man like creature, but who looks like a man. In fact we are told in Rev 17:3, 8 that he is the beast out of the Abyss. A comparison with Rev 13:1 shows that this is the same beast as the beast out of the sea. This certainly would explain a lot of otherwise difficult to understand scriptures.

THE MARK OF THE BEAST (Rev 13:16-18)

Rev 13:16-18 indicates that everyone in the second half of the tribulation will be forced to receive the mark of the beast or antichrist on the right hand and forehead in order to be able to buy or sell. This number is said to be 666. In the definition of being “sealed” in the attached dictionary, we understand that believers are also marked on the hand and forehead, to indicate that they belong to God. This mark is on the spirit and is invisible on earth. In the Old Testament the mark on the hands indicated one’s deeds (God’s deeds, Ex 13:9) and the mark on the forehead indicated one’s beliefs (Ex 13:16). Believing in Jesus requires a mental acceptance indicating an intention to follow Jesus (a mark on the forehead) followed by deeds indicating that the intention to follow Jesus was serious and real (a mark on the hands). Thus believers are symbolically “marked” on the hand and the forehead. See the discussion on being sealed in ‘Chapter 7 and in the symbology dictionary for more detail. Likewise those who believe and follow Satan are marked on the hand and the forehead. To understand the application of the mark of Satan in Revelation we must look at the situation in the world during the tribulation.

The first two judgments on the earth in the tribulation period seem to be a nuclear war and an asteroid hitting one of earth’s oceans. This will kill millions of people worldwide, result in a black haze that covers the earth, nuclear and acidic fallout will cause all sorts of suffering, the world’s oil supply will be disrupted, the food, medical and bare essentials supply chain will be disrupted, the climate will change causing drought and famine, there will be all sorts of epidemics, the power grid in many areas around the world will be disrupted, etc. The result in the world is chaos and anarchy. Those who can give promises and hope, false or not, will lead the world. One of the major problems will be the food supply. People will be literally starving to death all over the world. It is in this context that the false prophet will only let the limited supply of food, medical supplies, pure water, etc. be sold to those who buy into the program of the antichrist; receive his mark.

Now, with this background we will again look at Rev 13:16-18. These verses tell us that the mark represents the antichrist’s name and the number of his name, that it is man’s name and that it is 666. Let me get a bit mystical for a moment. The number 6 seems to represent man in the Bible. When numbers in the Bible are given in multiples that often represents a multiplicative effect. To me that implies that 666 means that the antichrist is a “superman.” What in the world does that mean? Well, we see in the first woe, the fifth trumpet judgment, that the evil angels and possibly the Nephilim are released upon the earth from Hades and Tartaros where they have been being held (2 Pet 2:4-5, Jude 6). These Nephilim were a breed of supermen, part angel and part man, as described in Gen 6:4. It is possible that the antichrist might be one of these supermen who is released from the Abyss or Tartaros. We are told that he rules the earth during the second 3 ½ years of the tribulation period (vs. 5). To me, taking his mark simply means to accept his Satanic program. Those who accept his Satanic program and worship Satan are allowed to sell and purchase the necessities of life. Those who do not are taken into captivity and killed (vs. 10). I suspect this is imposed by the evil angels from the Abyss of the 5th trumpet judgment.

Let me review why I believe it is the evil angels who are released from the Abyss in the fifth judgment (Rev 9:1-3) who impose the mark of the beast on the people of earth.

• Rev 9:7-11 tell us that they looked like men, had hair like women and could fly. Their king was the angel of the Abyss. 2 Pet 2:4-5 and Jude 6 tell us that especially evil angels from the time of the flood were being held in Tartaros (the Abyss). This leads us to the conclusion that the creatures released from the Abyss were the evil angels being held there. Apparently Jesus still occasionally sent evil angels to the Abyss while he was on earth because when he drove evil angels out of a man as recorded in Luke 8, verse 31 says that the evil angels (demons) repeatedly begged Jesus not to send them to the Abyss.
• These evil angels had the ability to torture people but could not kill them, Rev 9:4-6, 10. This torture was very painful, much like the sting from a scorpion. The pain was so severe that those who had been inflicted wanted to die but did not.
• These evil angels were given the power to do their evil work for five months, Rev 9:5, 10. This was the first five months after the mid-point of the tribulation period, and was the fifth trumpet judgment.
• These evil angels were only allowed to torture unbelievers. They could not torture those who had the seal of God on their foreheads, indicating that they belonged to Jesus.
• At the mid-point of the tribulation period when the antichrist went into the temple and declared himself to be God, about half of the Jews went into hiding in the mountains (of Jordon and/or Israel), Zech 14:2, Matt 24:15-16. For the next five months the evil angels did their work. At the conclusion of the five months apparently the antichrist took the evil angels with him into the hiding place of the Jews to attack them, Rev 12:15-16. This was not in God’s plan, so he sent the evil angels (a torrent of water, or spirits) back to the Abyss (they were swallowed up by the earth). This enraged Satan so he went off to kill those who were believers in Jesus, Rev 12:17. Satan did this through the antichrist, whom he was possessing. Rev 11:7 says that the antichrist, the beast from the Abyss (Rev 17:8), attacked and killed those who were believers in Jesus, the two witnesses. They laid dead in Israel for three and a half days and were then resurrected and raptured to heaven. This fifth judgment rapture is described in Rev 6:9-11 and we see in Rev 7:9 that this included a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language.
• The big question concerns how the antichrist could so quickly kill believers in Jesus from nations all over the earth and have them all laying dead in Israel on the same day, Rev 11:8 and being viewed by people in every nation on earth, Rev 11:9. Apparently they had been rounded up over the past five months. How was this done? Let me propose what I consider to be the most likely scenario.
• We see in Rev 13:15-16 that the false prophet was given the power to force everyone on earth, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive the mark of the beast on his right hand and forehead. He was also given the power to have those who refused to receive the mark to be killed. Rev 13:10 contains a special word of caution and warning to believers in Jesus. It says that if they faced prison because of their beliefs they should go to prison, and if they faced death by the sword because of their beliefs, they should accept death. Rev 14:9-12 gives further enlightenment on this. It says that the saints must remain faithful to Jesus in spite of the threats involving the mark of the beast. It further says that those who accept the mark of the beast face eternal torment in hell, day and night for ever and ever.
• The only logical conclusion that I can reach in light of all of the above factors is that the huge number of evil angels from the Abyss go throughout the earth for the five months that they are doing their work. They interview everyone on earth and request that they take the mark of the beast, which involves giving the antichrist or beast their allegiance and accepting him as their God. If they are believers in Jesus and refuse, they are taken into captivity and sent to Israel to a concentration camp awaiting their death. The evil angels, as you recall, are not allowed to harm believers so they cannot torture them or kill them. When they encounter someone who is not a believer in Jesus who refuses to take the mark of the beast, they are tortured until they change their mind. Many willfully take the mark of the beast because they can see the consequences in refusing to do so.
• Apparently it takes the evil angels from the Abyss five months to go throughout the earth interviewing everyone and rounding up the believers in a concentration camp in Israel. At that time they go with the antichrist to attack the Jews in hiding and are then sent back to the Abyss. The antichrist then returns to Israel and kills all of those who are in the concentration camp, Rev 12:17. They are resurrected and raptured to heaven after three and one half days.

EVERY GENERATION HAS IT’S MARK OF THE BEAST

I’m not sure if the mark of the beast is meant to be interpreted literally as a physical or electronic marking of some kind on the foreheads of men. One thing that makes me believe that way is that we are told that believers in Jesus will also receive a mark (Rev 3:12, 22:4). We are also told that some in the tribulation will be sealed. To be sealed means to be given the Holy Spirit to indwell the believer, as a guarantee of an inheritance of eternal life, Eph 1:13, 4:30. When we are sealed we receive an inscription marking us as belonging to Jesus. This inscription is described in Isa 62:12, “The redeemed of the Lord, the holy people, the city no longer deserted.” The city is the bride of Christ, the New Jerusalem, Rev 21:9-10, Heb 12:22-24, Rev 3:12. Again, this may indicate that the mark of the beast is symbolic.

With that said, I believe that every generation that has ever been on earth has its own “mark of the beast.” The mark of the beast means that a person acknowledges and follows Satan. They do what he instructs them to do. They follow him. We know from John 8:44 that Satan is the father of lies and that lying and deception are his native language. I believe that Satan has a special set of lies for every generation. For Adam and Eve his lies were “if you do as I say you can become like God,” and “if you do as I say you will never die.” We are in the mess we are in today because Adam and Eve bought into those lies. Satan has a new set of lies for us today. They are “God is a liar; he did not really create the universe and mankind,” and “God is a liar; Jesus is not really the only way to get to heaven.”

Satan has completely twisted things around and is calling God a liar when he is the real liar; in fact the king of liars. Those two lies are traveling around and around the earth today at warp speed and groups in the United States are behind most of it. These lies basically have to come out of Christian nations because they have historically been the nations that have believed in the truth of the Bible; that God created the universe and that Jesus is the only way to heaven.

It seems to me that these are our “marks of the beast.” God says that if we follow him and accept Jesus as our redeemer that he will put his mark, his seal on us indicating that we belong to him for eternity. Likewise, if we believe Satan’s lies, he puts his mark on us and he will get us for eternity. There are many who call themselves Christians who have bought into Satan’s current set of lies. Can you imagine what God will think and do when they come before him at their judgment, thinking that they have a free pass to heaven, and say to God,

 “God, you are a liar; you did not really create the universe and mankind as you said you did in the Bible,” and “God, you are a liar; Jesus is not really the only way to get to heaven as you said in the Bible.” This is God will say to them.

Matt 7:20-23 (20)Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. (21)"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. (22)Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' (23)Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'

In summary, I believe that every generation has its own “mark of the beast” or mark of Satan, indicating that they are buying into Satan’s program. Those who buy into Satan’s program will not enter the Kingdom of God in my opinion. Satan’s program for our generation involves getting people to buy into the lies of evolution and the one world religion.

What will Satan’s lies be “in that day?” One of them will certainly be, “I am the real God.” Another will be, “Follow me and I will bring peace and safety to the world.” He will have all sorts of counterfeit proofs. He will also have other very devious lies. Any guesses as to what they might be? Buy into them and you will be taking the mark of the beast! Buy into his programs and you belong to him. You belong to him and you go to hell!