1 Then I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name.
You do not see the dragon, but this sea beast you do see and it speaks. The beast which will rise “in the exercise of power, and in blasphemous titles, while sitting in the temple of God [the church], and speaking as though he were himself God... [as] foretold by Daniel 8:24." (Joseph Sutcliffe)
Then I stood or “he stood.” according to most modern translations referring back "to the dragon standing on the seashore waiting on the emergence of his final ally, the beast from the sea.
’And I’- John- ‘saw a beast rising up out of the sea... ‘ reminiscent of the vision from Daniel 7 in which the prophet saw the four beasts [subsequent kingdoms with dominion over God's people] coming out of the seas (7:3)… This sea beast is described as having the same number of heads and horns as the dragon of Revelation 12:3. This implies ‘the oneness of the dragon and the sea beast in a parody of the oneness of God and Christ. Just as Jesus Christ and the Father are one, so the dragon and the sea beast are one…’” (Ranko Stefanovic)
This beast reminds me of the ten kingdoms of Daniel’s vision “that arose out of the ruins of the old Roman empire. See Daniel 7:24." (Justin Edwards) This beast as of old is warlike— “‘having ten horns’— to push— ‘and seven heads’ — to plot— The asp never wanders alone; and those birds of prey go not without their mates, Isaiah 34:16— Craft and cruelty go always together in the Church’s enemies.” (John Trapp) “unrestrained in its fierce and destructive rage.” (Staff's Commentary)
"And on his heads a blasphemous name” which like before ascribe “all honor and glory to themselves, as when Nebuchadnezzar required all people to worship a golden image of himself (Dan. 3:4,5), and as when Roman Caesars required their subjects to burn incense to Caesar's image, or address them as ‘Lord and God.’” (Burton Coffman)
2 Now the beast which I saw was like a leopard, his feet were like the feet of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority.
This beast was like the ten kingdoms of Rome but different.
“It may be this beast is a composite of the four beasts of Daniel 7:1-28… In the prophetic books, such a creature typified God-opposing forces (Isa. 27:1; Ezek. 32:2 ).” (Hampton)
“The beast was like unto a leopard. Impetuous, cruel, and of various colours, like the Grecians. His feet were as the feet of a bear, the Persian bear, to tear and to destroy. His mouth as the mouth of a lion, the Assyrian lion, to roar against nations.” (Joseph Sutcliffe)
“And the dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority.” “Satan, who had in past ages made use of pagan Rome as an instrument of persecuting God’s church, now transfers to him [this beast] the same power and authority to be used against Christians.” (Justin Edwards)
3 And I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world marveled and followed the beast.
“One of his heads as it were wounded to death; smitten with a mortal wound. Of the various interpretations proposed for this difficult passage, that seems most probable which refers it to the extinction of the old Roman empire under the imperial form in the latter part of the fifth century, and its revival again under Charlemagne, who was, at the close of the eighth century, crowned by the Roman pontiff as emperor of Rome under the title of Caesar and Augustus.” (Justin Edwards)
““Here is the effect of this healing, ‘all the earth wondered after the beast’, that followed him in blind devotion… Behold the several instances of the world's wondering after the beast at Rome; they receive their doctrine and worship from him, they make all their appeals to him, all church officers receive their ordination from him, and are installed by him." (William Burkitt)
4 So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?”
It is obvious that these worshippers are using biblical language “saying, ‘Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?’” -- “A parody on a similar ascription to God. See Isaiah 40:18, Isaiah 40:25; Isaiah 46:5; Psalm 113:5; Micah 7:18; Jeremiah 49:19. Compare Revelation 18:18." (Vincent Word Study) "From admiration in the former verse, they proceed to adoration in this, they worship both the dragon and the beast… Behold here a vast difference between God's judgment and the opinion of the seduced world. They think the worship they give to a creature is given to God; but God accounts it as given to the devil, who is the author of all idolatry.” (William Burkitt)
5 And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months.
“And he”—the sea beast— “was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies,” His “arrogant claims consisted in the assertion of a divine right; in the power assumed over the liberty, the property, and the consciences of the people; in the arbitrary commands that were issued; and in the right asserted of giving absolute law.” (Albert Barnes) “And he was given authority to continue”- “for forty-two months"— or three and a half years, which parallels “Christ ministry in the world... characterized by continual rejection and persecution. And during that period the followers of Christ prophesied for 1260 days clothed in sackcloth’ (Rev.11:3). Thus these experience what Jesus did during His three-and-a-half years of faithful witnessing. Jesus stated: ‘If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you’ (John 15:20).” (Ranko Stefanovic)
6 Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven.
Blasphemies against God and His name— “By his own arrogant claims; by his assumed authority in matters of conscience; by setting aside the divine authority; and by impious declarations in derogation of the divine claims.” (Albert Barnes) His words blasphemed against “His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven.”— “‘Christians are themselves God's tabernacle, because He is in the midst of them (Revelation 21:9).’ [Dummelow] …— and ’even’ them that dwell in heaven— …‘Christians are here said to dwell in heaven, because they belong to the kingdom of God on earth, and because 'in Christ' they have begun to live the heavenly life (Ephesians 2:6).” (Burton Coffman)
7 It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation.
“It was granted to him to make war with the saints… — “to destroy all who would not bow the knee to Rome. He employed his secular sons to do this, by wars and oppressions.” (Joseph Sutcliffe)— “’and to overcome them’; This will be true in two senses, according to E.M. Zerr. “He will overpower the faithful disciples with his ability to persecute them, even putting some of them to death.” And he will also overcome some of them. affecting them morally, such as are not steadfast in the faith.
“The phrase ‘every tribe and people in town in nation’ indicates the same territory to which the end-time gospel is preached in Revelation 14:6. The sea beast thus offers a rival gospel to that of the three angels in Revelation 14.” (Ranko Stefanovic) “I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel.” (Galation 1:6)
“The Roman beast styles herself solely catholic, that is, universal. She claims that every human being is bound to obey her. ‘You all belong to me,’ said Pope Pius IX. to the Emperor William. She claims every American as her rightful subject, and the only reason at this hour that she does not force the claim by the same war and bloodshed, is want of power.” (Whedon’s Commentary)
8 All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
“This recalls the great warning of the angel flying in mid heaven proclaiming an eternal gospel to ‘those who dwell on the earth,’ urging them to fear God and worship Him, and warning them not to worship the beast and render their allegiance to him (Rev. 14:6–12). “‘The Lamb slain from the foundation of the world’ is very significant. It shows that the only hope for God’s people in the final conflict is the blood of Christ and the salvation that He secured by His death on the cross.” (Ranko Stefanovic) There is no hope, “except in that distinguishing grace of God which leads men to trust in the Redeemer, and in well-doing to commit the keeping of their souls to Him.” (Justin Edwards)
“All are not worshippers of the beast. Christ has His number of faithful ones, who are not defiled by antichrist’s pollutions; a number whose conversations are in heaven, and whose names are written there, in the book of life, called the book of the Lamb; because it is by Him, and by the merit of his blood, that we obtain eternal life.” (William Burkitt)
9 If anyone has an ear, let him hear. 10 He who leads into captivity shall go into captivity; he who kills with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.
“‘If any man have an ear, let him hear’ —.. St. John repeats the same admonition at the end of each of the seven epistles to the seven churches of Asia, and here in the conclusion of his description of the beast, ‘If any man have an ear, let him hear’” (Benson) Those who aid the beast in making disciples lead people into captivity and they will themselves be lead into captivity upon the resurrection of the wicked. He who uses physical warfare will be killed by the sword and then burned with fire. This “echoes the declaration made by the prophet Jeremiah with reference to the judgment over the apostate people (Jer. 15:2) and Egypt (Jer. 43:11). This corresponds to the proverbial words of Jesus in Matthew 26:52: ‘All those who take up the sword shall perish by the sword.’” (Stefanovic) “Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.” (10b) this is what distinguishes true believers— the Spirit of the Lamb in the face of persecution from this beast.
11 Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon. 12 And he exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence, and causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. 13 He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. 14 And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived. 15 He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed.
This beast made of the dust has two horns. perhaps Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholics heads. “Two horns in his mitre, two keys in his hand, two swords borne before him, a twofold pretended power, secular and sacred, as king and priest, in the Lamb’s stead, whose ape he is.” (John Trapp)
He will deceive many with miracles as Pharaoh’s magician— “Jannes and Jambres imitated the miracles that Moses did.” (Geneva Study Bible) So will it be wit the apostate imitating the true.
The bringing down fire from heaven resembles “the fire that the prophet Elijah called down from heaven (1 Kings 18:38), which demonstrated that Yahweh was the true God of Israel and the only One to be worshiped. Thus... the earth beast functions as a counterfeit of Elijah, who, by bringing fire down from heaven, misleads people into worshiping the false god.” (Ranko Stefanovic) They will persecute and destroy the true Christians who keep the faith of Jesus.
“As the first beast was a civil power, this beast is evidently a religious power. He is lamblike in outward aspect, works miracles, and makes an image to the beast. This suggests religious activities. And so this second beast is rightly recognized as the pagan religion or pagan priesthood.” (D. S. Clark) “The second beast will represent the first beast by acting as his prophet (Rev. 19:20; 20:10; cf. Exod. 7:1). ” (Dr. Thomas B. Constable) He claims universal authority in religious concerns but this beast with it’s bishops and priests are living a doomed life as well as “all who, having any worldly power, are persuaded to use it against the saints of God.” (Schaff)
16 He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, 17 and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
“Just as through miraculous signs the Holy Spirit convince people to accept Jesus Christ and worship Him, so this counterfeit Christ ‘deceives those living on the earth by means of the sIgns’ (Rev. 13:13)” (Stefanovic) “The false prophet will cause all who are not sealed of God to receive his own mark ‘on their right hand’— thus will his deeds affect the deeds of his disciple. ‘Or on their foreheads’, thus will the doctrine of the false prophet, become that of his followers. “His mark was nothing else but either the profession of his faith and religion, or a vowed subjection to his commands, which we know is the practice of the papacy where it obtaineth in any country.” (Poole)
And by his authority, none may buy or sell who do not submit to him. We have seen these sanctions by arrogant powers in history, even by the papacy. “He spake by his edicts, and caused by his coercive power, and tyranny, whereby it was prohibited to those that would not acknowledge the Popes supremacy, to keep house, or kindle a fire, etc. Durham page561…” (Hanserd Knollys)
“Satan often acts as if he were the god of this world, and his subjects as if they had a right to govern it. If men will not submit to them, they treat them as worthy of death; thus usurping the prerogatives of Jehovah, and acting as if they were above Him.” (Justin Edwards)
18 Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666.
"Man's number; the unit six being impressed upon him at his creation and on his subsequent history. Man was created on the sixth day. His appointed days of labour and toil are six. The Hebrew slave was to serve six years. For six years the land was to be sown. Under the sixth Seal an appalling and universal catastrophe upon mankind ensues. As the numeral seven denotes what is perfect or complete, six being short of that signifies human imperfection and toil.” (Walter Scott)
“Unto whom all the fore-mentioned characters of the beast do agree, and especially the number of his name, I shall not presume to conjecture, much less positively to determine, because it is said to require a particular wisdom and understanding to find it out: Here is wisdom, let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast. However, the event will discover it.” (Abp. Tillotson)