Revelation 13:1-10 (July 23, 2025)

The First Beast

13:1 And I saw a beast rising out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads, with ten diadems on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads. 2 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. 3 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. 4 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?”

5 And the beast was given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words, and it was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two months. 6 It opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against God, blaspheming his name and his dwelling,[a] that is, those who dwell in heaven. 7 Also it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them.[b] And authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation, 8 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. 9 If anyone has an ear, let him hear:

10 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.

The Second Beast

11 Then I saw another beast rising out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb and it spoke like a dragon. 12 It exercises all the authority of the first beast in its presence,[c] and makes the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose mortal wound was healed. 13 It performs great signs, even making fire come down from heaven to earth in front of people, 14 and by the signs that it is allowed to work in the presence of[d] 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. 15 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. 16 Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave,[e] to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, 17 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. 18 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.[f]

Footnotes

Revelation 13:6 Or tabernacle

Revelation 13:7 Some manuscripts omit this sentence

Revelation 13:12 Or on its behalf

Revelation 13:14 Or on behalf of

Revelation 13:16 For the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface

Revelation 13:18 Some manuscripts 616

Revelation 13

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Summary

Revelation 13 opens with a terrifying vision: a beast rising out of the sea, bearing ten horns and seven heads, with blasphemous names written upon it. This beast is a grotesque composite of the four beasts from Daniel 7, representing kingdoms that oppose God’s rule. Here, they are fused into a single figure, symbolizing a final and concentrated expression of worldly, political power animated by Satan himself.

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 (v. 2)

Verse 2 makes this explicit: “The dragon gave his power and his throne and great authority” to the beast. In other words, Satan works through political institutions and empires to persecute the people of God and to mimic divine sovereignty. One of the beast’s heads appears to be mortally wounded but is miraculously healed (v. 3), which causes the world to marvel and worship both the beast and the dragon. This false resurrection parody evokes the death and resurrection of Christ, showing that the beast imitates the Savior to deceive the nations.

The beast speaks arrogant words and blasphemies against God (v. 5–6), and he is allowed to wage war against the saints for 42 months (v. 5, cf. Rev. 11:2–3; 12:6). During this period of tribulation, all who do not belong to the Lamb—those not written in the Book of Life—will worship the beast (v. 8). Yet a word of endurance follows this sobering warning: “Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints” (v. 10). God’s people may suffer under beastly regimes. Still, Christians can take confidence in knowing that our names are known to God, and our destiny is secure in Christ.

Who is God

God is sovereign even when Satan seems to reign. The beast is terrifying, but it can only act by permission. The “authority” given to it is limited and temporary (v. 5–7). God is not surprised or threatened by the beast’s power, nor is He distant during this tribulation. He has written the names of His saints in the Book of Life before the foundation of the world (v. 8). God’s knowledge of His people is eternal and unshakable. In a world that celebrates earthly and temporal power, God is the only true King.

What is our Guilt

Our guilt stems from our attraction to worldly power, as well as our fear of suffering. Like the world, we are often impressed by what seems mighty, efficient, or victorious—even when it mocks or opposes God. We may not bow to literal beasts, but we are tempted to idolize political systems, charismatic leaders, and cultural movements that promise security or glory apart from Christ.

We also shrink back from costly faith. The saints in this passage suffer, are taken captive, and even killed (v. 10). We prefer safety to witness, ease to endurance. Our guilt is not simply moral weakness, but a deep-seated desire to live without tribulation—even if it means tolerating lies.

How does Grace Shine

Grace shines in the Lamb’s claim over His people. Verse 8 reminds us that our names are written in the Book of Life of the Lamb who was slain. Before Satan ever raised up a beast, God had already written down the names of His beloved. The Lamb’s death secures our identity, and His resurrection guarantees the defeat of every counterfeit king.

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 (v. 10).

This is not resignation but trust. We are not guaranteed protection from suffering, but we are promised preservation in the midst of it. The church’s victory is not achieved through military power, but through patient and faithful witness. Endurance is not a burden—it is grace in action.

Prayer

Our Heavenly Father,

You are the eternal King who rules over all powers and principalities. We praise You because even when the world rages and Satan seems to triumph, You remain on the throne. Your sovereignty is our safety, and Your Word is our hope.

Forgive us for fearing the beast more than trusting You. We confess our attraction to worldly power and our reluctance to suffer for Christ. Teach us to treasure the Lamb above every false savior.

Write Your truth deep in our hearts. Strengthen us to endure in faith, to witness with courage, and to stand firm even when it costs us everything. Remind us that our names are written in the Lamb’s book, and that His blood speaks a better word.

In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.