New Vision - Horns Crowned. 13:1-10 John receives new vision of great beast arising from sea - reminder of Daniel’s dream. 13:1 Beast has seven heads and ten horns. In new vision - horns themselves crowned. Horn kingdoms arose on body of beast after ending of seventh gothic head - overthrown by Emperor Justinian.
Middle Ages Peoples of the Steppes.
Symbols & Interpretation. 13:1 The beast = Rome. the head = a system of administration (it could only be the 6th, 7th or 8th) over Rome. ten horns = ten kingdoms within Rome - “the ten horns (are) out of this kingdom.” (Dan 7:24) crowned = the ten kingdoms exercising independent authority or power.
Beast of the Sea. Roman empire firstly divided into two parts - eastern and western - two legs of image in Dan.2. Successive invasions of European hordes, divided Empire into ten parts - correspond to ten toes of image and ten horns of Dan.7. 13:1 Sea Beast with ten crowned horns represents Roman Empire at time of Imperial power (the Dragon) in East, and Bishop of Rome in West.
The Name of Blasphemy. 13:5 What is blasphemy? Any system which consists of people who :- profess to be Christians, whilst in reality they are not persecute God’s people - the true believers invents a way of its own to worship God instead of His way speak lies in the name of the Lord.
Comparisons between Daniel chapters 2 and 7 and Revelation chapter 13.
The Human Mind. “Beast” means ‘wild beast’ - how God views man’s Kingdoms - “like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest” Beast of the sea encompasses all characteristics - swift as leopard, crushing as bear, strength and ferocity of lion. Connections with Daniel’s four Kingdoms indicate continuity in various phases of Kingdom of men - HUMAN DOMINION.
Head Wounded and Restored. 13:2 Dragon - Emperor in East legalised elevation of Pope in West - “gave him his power”. 13:3 Head “wounded to death” refers to brief ascendancy of Gothic Kings in West. 13:3 Deadly wound healed when Justinian restored Imperial rule over Rome AD 533. Pope in new ascendancy praised by people.
Supremacy of the Beast. 13:5 The beast speaks blasphemies - little horn of Daniel also had a mouth - it spake great words against the Most High. Law codes of Justinian enabled Papacy to become dangerous to anyone who opposed it. Opponents included true believers, various sects of anti-Catholics, and the Jews - all considered heretics.
Historian Edward Gibbon. “His Code, and more especially his Novels, confirm and enlarge the privileges of the clergy, and in every dispute between a monk and a layman, the partial judge was inclined to pronounce that truth, innocence, and justice were always on the side of the church.” Beast given authority to dictate to world in spiritual matters.
Forty Two Months. 13:5,7 Authority to make war with saints to last for a set period, forty two months, or 1260 day/years. This time period only mentioned twice in the prophecy - links to ch.11:2 where Holy City community of saints is trodden down by its enemies.
1260 Days or 42 Months
Who Dwells in Heaven? 13:6 Saints are the holy city, the tabernacle where God dwells. They sit in heavenly places - “And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Eph.2:6). 13:7 In making war with true saints, the beast must be opposing God. Death most painful, suffering most awful - used by beast to obtain its ends.
Consolation for Saints. 13:7 Saints understood - It was given unto him (the Beast) to make war with the saints and to overcome them. 13:8 Book of life - God knows them by name. 13:10 Saw duty clearly - not to support zealots or anti-catholic Witnesses, for “he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword.” Were consoled that enemy would finally be slain. 13:10 Submitted in prayer and witness to their Lord during ‘forty two months’ of down-treading.