Revelation 13: The Tribulation Part 2

PHILLIP HARRIS

The First Beast Arises Out of the Sea

The book of Daniel, especially chapter seven, relates to our study—but not according to Adventism’s historic system of interpretation. It needs to be noted that the English word “beast” in both the original Hebrew and Greek portions of Scripture used here have the primary meaning of “animal”—an evil creature that is not human. These beasts may have the likeness of a human, but they are not.

As we begin to look at Revelation 13, it may be helpful to compare Daniel’s visions with John’s. While there are many varied interpretations of the timing and events of these troublous events, the following study reflects my understanding of the text. 

Ten Crowns on Ten Horns With Blasphemous Names on Seven Heads 

As we begin chapter 13 (which is the continuation of the tribulation account begun in chapter 12), John now sees the dragon standing on the sand of the seashore where there appears a beast that comes up from out of the sea. The pronoun “his” combined with the description of the beast having “ten horns and seven heads” identifies him as having both the appearance of a person and of a kingdom. This description of the beast shows his close “family” relationship to Satan, the great red dragon:

And the dragon stood on the sand of the seashore.

Then I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads, and on his horns were ten diadems, and on his heads were blasphemous names (Rev. 13:1 NAS1995).

The one difference between this beast and the dragon is that his diadems are on his horns instead of on his heads. This seems to show that the dragon retains his supremacy and control over the beast.

This beast is recorded in Revelation 11:7 and 17:8 as having risen from the bottomless pit (Greek abyss), while here in Rev. 13:1 he is seen as “coming up out of the sea” suggesting that symbolically the abyss may be at the bottom of the sea.

Chapter 17 of Revelation, a chapter we will study more throughly later, is about “Babylon the great, mother of prostitutes and of earth’s abominations” (Rev. 17:5). This description gives a fuller understanding of this beast. Notice that Babylon (not Rome) is the mother of prostitutes and is the one sitting upon “seven mountains” (not hills):

This calls for a mind with wisdom: the seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman is seated; they are also seven kings, five of whom have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come, and when he does come he must remain only a little while. (Rev. 17:9-10).

In Adventism the traditional view concerning “seven mountains” in this passage is claimed to be either seven hills in Rome or seven successive popes. This interpretation in accordance with Adventism’s non-biblical historicist method of understanding Scripture. Significantly, their Ellen White-endorsed view of this symbolism has been altered somewhat through the years because currents events don’t support their original ideas. However, without scriptural support, they still maintain that this beast represents the Pope of the Roman Catholic Church. Scripture, however, doesn’t teach anything about the present day Roman Catholic Church coming up out of the sea or abyss.

Instead of viewing the papacy or the pope or Rome as the “seven mountains”, we should view them as seven kings and/or kingdoms with the seventh kingdom being the one over which the Antichrist rules.

Like a Leopard, a Bear and a Lion

And the beast that I saw was like a leopard; its feet were like a bear’s, and its mouth was like a lion’s mouth. And to it the dragon gave his power and his throne and great authority (Rev. 13:2).

Here in Revelation this first beast is portrayed as being like a leopard, a bear, and a lion while in Daniel 7:4-6, these three animals point to three different beasts which are succeeded by a fourth beast (Dan. 7:7-8) with ten horns. This beast is more terrible than the first three. Then, a little horn appears among the ten, precipitating three of the first horns being “plucked up by the roots”. The little horn has eyes like a man and a “mouth speaking great things”. These four beasts, including the horns of the last beast, point to the this beast in Revelation which the dragon brought up from abyss (Rev. 13:1). Notice that in Daniel’s vision, the little horn of the fourth beast has eyes and speaks like a man but isn’t an ordinary man.

Following the introduction of these four beasts in Daniel 7:9-14, we see both the “Ancient of Days” and “The Son of Man”. In Revelation we recognize the one whom Daniel identified as the Son of Man to be the Lamb, Jesus Christ the Savior. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom—an eschatological detail shown in the vision God gave to Daniel, the Old Testament prophet while still exiled in Babylon. Daniel saw that the saints are given assurance: 

But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, forever and ever (Dan. 7:18).

Now we come to the interpretation:

In Daniel 7:17 we learn that the four beasts are four kings who arise out of the earth. Daniel 7:23 further tells us that the fourth beast will be “a fourth kingdom on the earth” which will be different from all the rest. Then in Daniel 7:24 we learn that the ten horns on the fourth beast are kingdoms and/or kings ruled by the fourth beast.

This Beast is The Antichrist 

We do not find the word “antichrist” used in the book of Revelation, but it is introduced and used by John in his epistles. It is there we learn how to recognize the end-times antichrist, and with John’s descriptions of antichrist to guide us, we can conclude that this fourth beast of Daniel 7 (which is analogous to the beast rising out of the sea in Revelation 13) is the ultimate or unique Antichrist that toward which all other antichrists point. Here is how John describes antichrist:

Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour. Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son (1 John 2:18 & 22).

Here John tells us that there are many antichrists, yet there is an ultimate antichrist that will appear in “the last hour”. The Greek word translated as “antichrist” is defined as “an opponent of the Messiah”. Using this definition of antichrist, we see that Satan in his rebellion in heaven became the first antichrist. Jesus called the devil the “father of lies” (Jn. 8:44). Knowing this attribute of Satan, we see that he is the first opponent of the Messiah, the Lord Jesus who is Himself “the way, and the truth, and the life” (Jn. 14:6).

The father of lies will always oppose Christ the Messiah who is “the truth”. 

Furthermore, we are warned by Jesus Christ, the true Messiah, that there would be many “false christs”:

And then if anyone says to you, ’Look, here is the Christ!’ or ’Look, there he is!’ do not believe it. For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform signs and wonders, to lead astray, if possible, the elect. But be on guard; I have told you all things beforehand (Mark 13:21-23).

This is what the ultimate Antichrist (or any other antichrist) will refuse to say about Jesus Christ:

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.… 

For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist (1 John 4:1-6 & 2 John 1:7).

This beast does not confess that Jesus is from God. Instead, he forces all the world to worship both him and the dragon while also accepting his mark.

In defiance of what Seventh-day Adventism teaches concerning the seventh-day Sabbath as the seal of those who will be saved, Revelation 13:7, 8 tells us the one thing that is needed to be in the kingdom of God. Further, we learn here why the biblically defined saints of God need not fear the Antichrist:

Also it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them. And authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation, and all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain (Rev. 13:7-8).

The names of the saints have been “written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain”. If your name is in this book, you are in the kingdom of God and have nothing to fear.

In the vision given to Daniel, the little horn of the fourth beast represents the Antichrist. We know this identity because of what Daniel saw:

I considered the horns, and behold, there came up among them another horn, a little one, before which three of the first horns were plucked up by the roots. And behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking great things. As I looked, this horn made war with the saints and prevailed over them, until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was given for the saints of the Most High, and the time came when the saints possessed the kingdom (Dan. 7:8 &21-22).

This little horn makes war on the sins and prevails over them, just as the beast of Revelation 13 does—and he is stopped only by the Ancient of Days.

A Mortal Wound

One of its heads seemed to have a mortal wound, but its mortal wound was healed, and the whole earth marveled as they followed the beast (Rev. 13:3).

The Antichrist, this beast who has arisen from the abyss, is now said to have what looks like a mortal wound on one of its seven heads. The wound is healed, and the whole world marvels because the people are followers of the beast. 

This detail about the beast is unique to this passage. It is revelation God gave to John that was not given to the Old Testament prophets, so looking to past history for understanding these symbols of what is still in the future is of no help. Significantly, it seems, this detail is given to John because it reveals a detail that lets us who live on this side of Jesus’ death and resurrection know that the antichrist will attempt to mimic the Lord Jesus even in an apparent miraculous restoration. 

How is it possible, therefore, that within Adventism it is claimed that the symbol of the “mortal wound was healed” points to Rome and the revival of the Roman empire with the pope or papacy being the Antichrist, when Revelation 17:9-10 tells us that the seven heads of the Antichrist are “seven mountains” yet are also kings—and that the great whore of Babylon sits upon these mountains? There are even more problems with this theory when we come to Revelation13:12-14.

Since the book of Revelation contains the very words Jesus Christ gave to John in a vision, we should be restricting our understanding of these passages (as we should with all other Scripture) to their context as we use normal rules of grammar and vocabulary to understand what is written.

Who Can Fight Against the Beast

And they worshiped the dragon, for he had given his authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast, and who can fight against it” (Rev. 13:4)?

The obvious answer to this rhetorical question is—no one. In fact, those who worship God instead of the Antichrist and the Dragon can expect to be martyred for their faith. Paul also emphasizes the coercive worship the beast will extract from the world: 

Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God (2 Thess. 2:3-4).

The Antichrist is “the man of lawlessness” who is himself headed for eternal destruction. This description of him reveals that the Antichrist, the beast who comes up from the abyss, has the appearance of being a person.

The Antichrist Has Authority For Forty-Two Months

And the beast was given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words, and it was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two months. It opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against God, blaspheming his name and his dwelling, that is, those who dwell in heaven (Rev. 13:5-6).

The Antichrist is given a mouth that will arrogantly blaspheme God and all who dwell where He dwells in heaven. He is given (or is allowed to have) authority to do what he does for only 42 months, however—during the last half of the tribulation. Then what he does and who he is will end forever.

The Antichrist Makes War On The Saints

Also it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them. And authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation, and all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain (Rev. 13:7-8).

While the Antichrist is allowed to make war on the saints by persecuting and killing them, he has no ultimate authority over them because their names are written in the Book of Life of the Lamb (who died for the sins of the world, John 3:16) before the creation of the world. The Antichrist can kill the physical body but cannot kill the spirit and soul of the sealed saints of God. In fact, Jesus said His people are not to fear the evil ones “who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell” (Mt. 10:28). 

The Antichrist only has real authority over those in the kingdom of the Dragon, the domain of darkness. Paul, writing to the Colossians saints, described the change in citizenship of those who believe in God the Son:

He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins (Col. 1:13-14).

All people born sinners—and that includes all of us—are either still in Satan’s kingdom and under the authority of Satan and the Antichrist, or we have been transferred into the kingdom of God.

Knowing Your Name Is In The Book of Life

If your name is recorded in the Book of Life, then of course you are in the kingdom of God and are no longer in Satan’s kingdom of darkness.

When we are transferred into God’s kingdom, it is because we have trusted Jesus Christ as our Savior. He is now the one who has authority over our lives. With this authority he gives us the New command” to love all others with God’s agape love:

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34-35).

The agape love that only comes from God is the evidence to us that lets us know our names are in the Book of Life. It is not possible for natural humans to love others with Jesus’ agape love, a sacrificial love that is willing to give one’s life for the salvation of another. Our being able to love one another for God—not for our sakes or even for the other’s sake but for God—is the evidence that we belong to Him and are no longer citizens of the domain of darkness. 

Therefore Let Us Run With Endurance the Race That Is Set Before Us

If anyone has an ear, let him hear: If anyone is to be taken captive, to captivity he goes; if anyone is to be slain with the sword, with the sword must he be slain. Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints (Rev. 13:9-10).

While terrible things happen to the saints during the tribulation, they have nothing to fear because they know their names are written in the Book of Life.

This promise is why during all of history and at this very time, many of God’s saints throughout the world have been or are now enduring persecution, imprisonment, torture, or death without loosing their faith in the promises of God. Hebrews further emphasizes this certainty:

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God (Heb. 12:1-2).

Another Beast Arises Out Of The Earth

Unlike the vision given to Daniel where the first three beasts lead up to the terrible fourth beast, here in Revelation 13 we are shown more detail. A second beast who supports the Antichrist in the role of his false prophet will arise. All other false prophets point toward this the ultimate false prophet, and Jesus Himself warned that any and all false prophets need to be rejected:

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles (Matt. 7:15-16)?

Here in Revelation 13:11 John sees a second beast. This one looks meek compared to the first beast, but its words sounds cruel:

Then I saw another beast rising out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb and it spoke like a dragon (Rev. 13:11).

The word “another” in this verse comes from the Greek adjective al’-los which means “another of the same kind”. Even though this beast is said to come out of the earth, he will appear as a person just like the first beast. In Seventh-day Adventist teaching it is believed that this beast represents the country of the United States. This idea, however, is shear nonsense and illustrates why the historicist system of biblical interpretation is a false way to interpret Scripture.

These words of Jesus remind us to be wary of wolves who appear in sheep’s clothing:

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles” (Matt. 7:15-16)?

In the parable of The Good Shepherd in John 10:1-21, Jesus says this of Himself as He leads his true sheep out of the sheepfold:

When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers” (John 10:4-5).

God’s true sheep will not believe nor follow the voice of this false prophet because Jesus has already gone before his sheep at Calvary. He has already called and saved them by His death and resurrection!

We learn the fate of this second beast in Revelation 19:20. There we see that he is called a person and the “false prophet” as he is being cast into the Lake of Fire.

The False Prophet Has All Authority

It exercises all the authority of the first beast in its presence, and makes the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose mortal wound was healed. It performs great signs, even making fire come down from heaven to earth in front of people, and by the signs that it is allowed to work in the presence of the beast it deceives those who dwell on earth, telling them to make an image for the beast that was wounded by the sword and yet lived (Rev. 13:12-14).

The role of this beast, the false prophet, is to make everyone on earth worship the Antichrist. To accomplish this goal he has the same authority as the Antichrist. He is allowed to work many signs and wonders to deceive those on earth including the making of an image of the Antichrist for the world to worship. This false prophet will deceive the world into worshiping the Antichrist by performing supernatural miracles, and central to this outpouring of signs and wonders is the amazement of the world that the Antichrist recovers from his apparently fatal wound.

We are warned in advance, however, of Satan’s signs and wonders:

The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved (2 Thess. 2:9-10).

The Mark Of the Antichrist

And it was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast might even speak and might cause those who would not worship the image of the beast to be slain. Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name. This calls for wisdom: let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is 666 (Rev. 13:15-18).

In the false prophet’s exercise of “all authority” he is allowed to give breath to the image of the Antichrist. With breath the image is able talk, something that no other idol has ever been able to do.

Furthermore, all people, regardless of their status, will be required to have either the name or the mark of the Antichrist upon them. None will be able to “buy or sell” without having this sign.

These Scriptures, the very words of Savior gave to John, reveal to us how the saints will be able to identify and reject the Antichrist without having to know the meaning and mystery of the number “666”. The saints are simply called to have endurance and faith in the promises of God.

There is one more promise from Jesus:

And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short (Matt. 24:22).

Following this verse, Jesus tells us His return will be on a day and time when none expect it, but all will see Him when he does come( Matt. 24:23-31).

Summary

1. The Woman (“the great sign” of Rev. 12:1-2) is the nation of Israel. The promise given to Israel is centered upon God’s promise to Abraham which is an unconditional covenant. Therefore the Seventh-day Adventists claim to being “the remnant church” that has replaced Israel is false.
2. Adventism supports their “remnant” nonsense by referring to the 144,000 evangelists in Rev. 7:4 as being “spiritual Israel”, whom they believe to be Adventists.
3. The Antichrist, the first beast, is brought up from the abyss by the dragon who is Satan. In the context, the Antichrist, empowered by Satan or possibly non-human, cannot be the pope or papacy.
4. The False Prophet, the second beast, is also called up from the abyss by Satan and has the appearance of being human. While the Antichrist and the false prophet do rule through “nations and kings”, they themselves are under the control of the dragon. The second beast, in context, is not the United States as claimed in Adventism.
5. The saints of God are able to know their names were recorded in the Book of Life before before the world began, meaning they have the seal of God and need not fear having the mark of the Antichrist.
6. Even though the saints face being killed, there is nothing to fear. God has promised the Lamb will return before they are all martyred for their faith.
7. The martyred saints (Rev. 6:9 etc.) from below the heavenly throne send their prayers up to God. This fact demonstrates that the Adventist doctrine of soul sleep is another falsehood; those martyrs never cease to exist. 

—All biblical quotes taken from the ESV

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Phillip Harris

Phil Harris and his wife Janeane have been married 57 years and have three children, six grandchildren and 6 great grand children. Phil dropped out of Adventism at age 16 and didn't learned the biblical gospel until 10 years later. After 3 years in the Marine Corps he spent 25 years as a Shipfitter followed by another 23 years in a local food processing plant. He and Janeane now live quietly on two-and-a-half wooded acres on Puget Sound, Washington, where Phil gardens and writes for Proclamation! and for BibleStudiesforAdventists.com.

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