Thaddeus Maharaj: An Exegetical Commentary on …...Thaddeus Maharaj: An Exegetical Commentary on...

Thaddeus Maharaj: An Exegetical Commentary on Revelation 13

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Revelation 13 sparks considerable disagreement between various expositors as

to its significance. The influence of apocalyptic fictions such as the Left Behind series,

which were based more on fanciful imagination than sound exegesis, has so affected

evangelicalism that it is no wonder there is such wide-spread confusion and fear about

Revelation.1 However, in the midst of all the bizarre imagery of multi-horned beasts and

dragons there still remains a timeless message for the church today. As such, any

interpretation worth its weight must be faithful to the intended meaning of the author to

his audience, but also have timeless application to the Church throughout history.

The Function of Prophecy

Jewish and early Christian prophecy was not merely about prediction but

functioned more primarily as a declaration of what God is doing in the now with a

purpose to stimulate faithful response in the present. Revelation is written as a letter,

but also in the genre of an apocalypse. This genre of apocalypse is very strange—

especially to modern Western readers—so we must do some study to understand the

way it works for us to rightly understand it today. An apocalypse frames everyday

situations in the larger context of faith by which to interpret them—it allows its readers

to examine their life in light of the transcendent, eschatological perspective. So then,

more than needing to be interpreted, Revelation interprets the reality of its audience.2

1 See Gribben, 77-82. The influence of this series cannot be underestimated. Gribben points out the fact

that some 32 million copies of the novels plus 18 million associated products had been sold by January 2002. He

argues that the success of the Left Behind series is one which, due to its focus primarily on tribulation rather than

millennial outlook, provides a barometer of evangelical cultural fear and paranoia which is reflective of the

changing evangelical condition (Gribben, 92). 2 De Silva, An Introduction to the New Testament, 885-889.


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Therefore, the challenge of Revelation is not to map out the fulfilment of its predictions

of the future, but rather to discern the true nature of the society around us in the light of

God, the Lamb and the ultimate consummation of all things.

Interpretive Keys to Revelation

Thus, this gives us a vital interpretive key

to approaching the book in general, and this

chapter specifically. The book’s repeated

patterns of numbers lend a sacred character to

reality and indicates a God-ordered cosmos

which is unfolding a divinely ordained plan.

Though they may be able to be mashed together

into some sort of coherent picture, its images do not have significance in and of

themselves, but rather it is their cumulative effect that creates the sense of mystery, awe

and transcendence which John intends to convey.3 This was the purpose of an

apocalyptic work—rather than being about the literalistic interpretation of the imagery

and language used, it was rather more symbolic and concerned with the emotions and

overall ‘vision’ it evoked in its readers.

Beneath all the fantastic visions, though, are several convictions. Firstly, that “in

heaven,” the victory over evil and death has already been won by God. Secondly, the

apparent dominance of evil and suffering on earth is itself a part of God’s triumphant

plan—He is still in control. Thirdly, human history has an ultimate goal even on earth.

Lastly, those who share in the witness of Christ even in the face of martyrdom will also

share in his victory over death in heaven and the eternal state.4 With this in mind we can

begin to approach the question of the meaning of chapter 13 specifically to us, but first

we must consider the structure of the book and its historical context.

The Structure of the Book

The structure of the book of Revelation consists of seven sections running parallel

to each other—each one depicting the same interadvental time period in different ways—

called progressive parallelism or recapitulation. They function like different camera angels

looking at the same events from various points of view.5 This is why if one were to sit

down and read the whole book in one sitting (as it probably was intended to be), it would

seem to go in circles and events seem to overlap or repeat. The casting down of Satan

(12:7-11) and the binding of Satan (20:1-6) is an example of recapitulation where the

3 Johnson, The Writings of the New Testament, 510. 4 Johnson, The Writings of the New Testament, 519. 5 Riddlebarger, A Case for Amillennialism, 228. Hoekema, The Bible and the Future, 223. This essay

assumes an Amillennial view and recapitulation.


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same event is being explored from different angles. One of the major indicators of

recapitulation happening in Revelation is the fact that the final End Time occurs several

times in the book.6 Each of the sections, except the first one, ends with an indication that

the end-time has come.7 So then, are there six endings? Probably not. It seems more

reasonable to conclude that the events are being recapitulated or re-told in various

manners, bringing out a new angle or significance each time.

In addition to recapitulation, several commentators have also seen the presence

of a chiastic structure within

Revelation. A chiasmus is a

rhetorical or literary figure in

which words, grammatical

constructions, or concepts are

repeated in reverse order, in

the same or a modified form.

There have been a few

various chiastic structures

proposed for the book by

several commentators (such

as the one to the left).

Schüssler Fiorenza identified

a chiastic structure in

Revelation which is a

reflection of the way it is

theologically-thematically conceived—that is, its structure is theologically constructed

rather than chronologically ordered. This chiastic structure works in tandem with the

recapitulation throughout the book and I have found that it helps to understand the text

as a whole.8

The structure of the book may be divided up as shown in the chart I have made below,

which is a combination of Fiorenza’s, Michelle V. Lee’s and commentator, G.K. Beale’s

works:

6 Riddlebarger, A Case for Amillennialism, 231. 7 Hoekema, The Bible and the Future, 186 and 223—226. 8 Lee, “A Call to Martyrdom,” 167-168.


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Chapter 13 as the Center Point of Revelation

Michelle V. Lee sees chapter 13 as the centre of the chiasm, emphasizing the

‘moment of decision’ to worship the Beast and receive the mark or not.9 It is set in

contrast to chapter 14 with the two Beasts and their followers parodying the Lamb and

the 144,000 who are ‘marked’ with the name of God. She comments,

“The message is that through God's sovereignty over the universe, Christ's death and

resurrection provide the model whereby the saints understand their deaths as the

prerequisite to eternal life. The method is provided through a structure which allows

the audience to participate in the revelatory experience and also compels them to

choose sides in the battle between good and evil. The work culminates in chs. 13-14,

where the believers must decide whether to serve the beast or Christ. This is a

paradoxical decision in which saving one's life in the present means eternal

damnation, but losing one's life willingly leads to eternal life.”10

Both sections conclude with an exhortation to endure in 13:10 and 14:12, with an

exhortation to discernment in 13:18. They are strategically placed as conclusions to the

central subsections within the central section of the chiastic structure of the book.11 It is

striking also because John breaks the third wall and exhorts his hearers directly to decide

whom they serve—Christ or the Beast—a decision which will determine their ultimate

fate. There is no neutral ground. Chapter 13 shows us the Beast and its worshippers,

whereas chapter 14 shows us the Lamb and His worshippers. The emphatic verbal

aspects used in the Greek of verse 8, along with the positioning of chapter 13 and 14 side-

by-side, call to our attention that ultimately people will worship one or the other. Chapter

13, at the centre of the chiasm, brings this conflict to stark emphasis—pointing to the

purpose and function of the book as a whole. John intends to help Christians get to that

‘moment of decision’ and uncompromisingly follow Christ. Martyrdom leads to eternal

reward and Revelation exhorts the saints to endure in the face of harsh persecution and

dire temporal loss.12

The Immediate Context of Chapter 13

It’s interesting to note that the seventh trumpet (11:15-19) precedes the vision

with the Woman and the Dragon (12:1-6). The Woman represents the faithful community

of God before and after Christ and is another example of the church being equated with

Israel’s twelve tribes.13 “The woman’s birth pangs represent the persecution of the

covenant community and the messianic line during OT times and the intertestamental

period leading up to Christ’s birth.”14 This shows the pattern of non-linear narrative in

9 Lee, “A Call to Martyrdom,” 174-178. 10 Lee, “A Call to Martyrdom,” 164. 11 Lee, “A Call to Martyrdom,” 191. 12 Lee, “A Call to Martyrdom,” 192. 13 Beale, The Book of Revelation, 625-627. 14 Beale, The Book of Revelation, 629.


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John’s apocalypse and continuing recapitulation. Here, he goes from the seventh trumpet

which should signal the end, to the birth of Christ in the midst of the faithful OT and NT

community of faith, then to Satan being thrown down from heaven to earth (12:7-17) and

then the descriptions of the two Beasts of chapter 13.

It seems that, from this jumping between events past, present and future by John,

that he views redemptive history as something atemporal—as if from the heavenly

perspective—these all are as if they happened concurrently. That is, Christ’s coming,

death, resurrection and Satan’s defeat, the formation of the covenant community and

salvation accomplished was so sure from eternity past in the mind of God (even in the

midst of the present distressing circumstances of his readers), that they could be spoken

of in such an interwoven atemporal perspective. Perhaps this is what also causes much

of the confusion about Revelation when some interpreters attempt to establish too strict

of a timeline. By doing so, they miss the point!

The Structure of Chapter 13

Zooming in on chapter 13, its structure may be simplified as follows:

A. Dragon on the seashore (12:8) – False God

B. 1st Beast from the sea (13:1-8) – False Christ

- Given strength, throne and authority from Dragon

- Fatal wound healed

- All not written in the book of life worship it

- Utters blasphemies against God and the saints

- Makes war against and kills the saints

C. Emphasis: Disordered worship (v.8)

D. Exhortation to endurance (13:9-10)

B’. 2nd Beast from the land (13:11-17) – False Holy Spirit

- Exercises authority of first Beast

- Makes people worship the first Beast

- Performs miracles to deceive

- Gives life to the image of the Beast

- Puts to death those who don’t worship the first Beast

C’. Emphasis: Capitulation to the Beast—taking its Mark (v.16-17)

D’. Exhortation to discernment (13:18)

This structure within chapter 13 shows us the points in which this ‘unholy trinity’

parodies God, blaspheming all three Persons of the Trinity as well as His saints.

Furthermore, we see in the structure of the Greek text two points of emphasis followed

by exhortations. The first is an emphasis on the disordered worship of those not found in

the Book of Life. All those not written therein end up succumbing to the Beast and are in


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fact part of his kingdom and system. Those who are the faithful however are given an

exhortation to endurance and faith. Secondly, we see the capitulation of the world to the

Beast, taking his mark and thereby being identified with him. This is followed by yet

another exhortation, this time to discernment—to discern the number of the Beast, to

recognize it so that the faithful will not succumb or submit to its antichrist agenda.

Historical Context

In first century world of the New Testament, the fear of a return to civil disorder

or the invasion of hostile armies caused many to view Rome’s power as a source of

security. Thus, the imperial cult

became an expression of

gratitude and loyalty to that

sheltering power. Festivals were

held and massive temples and

statues erected to emperors like

Domitian (51—96CE).15 The

persecution of Christians under

Domitian—though not yet

widespread or state-sponsored—

was quite intense especially

throughout Asia Minor in the

years immediately before John

received his vision.16 Due to the Christians’ avoidance of all forms of idolatry, they would

have been under immense societal pressures and risk of persecution for not participating

in the imperial cult—which would be interpreted by the Romans as a sign of disloyalty.

A correspondence between governor Pliny (61—113CE) and emperor Trajan

(53—117CE) show us the earliest evidence of legal prosecution of Christians under the

pressure of the imperial cult. Pliny interrogated Christians that were turned over to

him—forcing them to renounce their faith, curse Christ, and offer incense to the imperial

cult or face death.17 However, even in the face of these already high tensions, John’s

apocalypse looks to escalate them. The testimony of Jesus must be maintained at all costs!

It is an unapologetic clash of loyalties, either to Christ or the beastly empire. If Christians

compromised, their distinctive witness would be lost and they would no longer confront

their neighbours with the reality of the one God to whom was due exclusive honour.18

15 De Silva, An Introduction to the New Testament, 901. 16 Riddlebarger, A Case for Amillennialism, 151–152. See Beale, Revelation, 4—27 for a discussion on

the arguments for a late or early date. This paper assumes a late date (about 95CE). 17 Habermas, The Historical, 198. “Interestingly, Pliny reports that true believers could not be forced to

worship the gods or the emperor.” (Habermas, 200) 18 De Silva, An Introduction to the New Testament, 901-906. Jews were exempted by Rome since they

were deemed a legal religion—however, as Christianity broke off more distinctly from Judaism as not just

another Jewish sect, so too did their protective shelter.


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Is Nero the Beast?

The major figure under whom serious

persecution of Christians began is Nero (37—

68CE). He had put Peter and Paul to death, blamed

Christians for the great fire of Rome beginning the

period of ruthless persecution, and represented all

forms of ungodliness and wickedness. At the end of

his reign, Nero was censured by the Senate and

took his own life by the sword. However, there

quickly developed a widespread rumour that he

had survived or come back from the dead.19 The

Nero redivivus myth which was current in the first

century can be traced back to the early Latin

commentator Victorinus (died c.304CE) and may

provide insightful background to John’s discussion

of the Beast and its parody of Christ with the healed death wound. The myth also took

some strange forms, such as that Nero would return from the abyss with a huge demonic

army.20 Sulpitius Severus (363—425CE), writing later, confirms this connection of the

Nero myth with the Beast of chapter 13.21 So, it is proposed that Nero is the head of the

Beast which is wounded and the Beast itself is the Roman empire.

However, there are some objections with identifying Nero too closely with the

wounded head of the Beast. The text later twice assigns the wound to the Beast itself (v.

12, 14). While Nero is in power, he may be said to represent the empire and the two might

be used interchangeably. However, if the emperor is expelled from power—as Nero

was—this would cease to be true and a wound inflicted on the former emperor is not

necessarily inflicted on the empire itself. Furthermore, the healing of the wound enhances

the Beast’s prestige and leads to greater wonder in the presence of the Beast. The people

proclaim the invulnerability of the Beast (not the head) exclaiming, “Who can make war

against it?” (v. 4) Also, it encourages the Beast to greater blasphemy, deception and war

against the saints. However, there is little evidence that Nero’s death and resurrection

myth had any such effects.22

Some counter that after Nero’s death, the empire was thrown into violent

convulsions of civil war and anarchy—with three emperors succeeding one another in a

single year. The fact that the empire survived this time and stabilized under emperor

19 Riddlebarger, A Case for Amillennialism, 151. 20 Minear, “The Wounded Beast,” 94-96. 21 Sulpicius Severus, “The Sacred History Of Sulpitius Severus,” 111. “It was accordingly believed

that, even if he did put an end to himself with a sword, his wound was cured, and his life preserved, according to

that which was written regarding him,—‘And his mortal wound was healed,’—to be sent forth again near the

end of the world, in order that he may practice the mystery of iniquity.” 22 Minear, “The Wounded Beast,” 96-97.


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Vespasian in 69—79CE is a marvel—thus showing that the Beast survived the mortal

wound of one of its heads.23 Adding to this, the Beast was given authority to act for 42

months and make war against and overcome the saints (v. 5-7), and Nero’s persecution

of the Church lasted a full 42 months. Though the use of the number 42 in prophetic

language is symbolic for a time of trouble—this is still a significant connection to note.24

The Identification of the Antichrist

A strictly preterist interpretation would limit the Beast to being exhaustively

fulfilled in Nero, but this interpretation requires an early writing of Revelation before the

destruction of the Temple in 70CE—which is

unlikely. A strictly futurist interpretation also is

problematic as the Bible clearly speaks of antichrists

and the Beast as present realities during the apostolic

age as well as the interadvental period.25 Charles

Hodge points out that some understand the term

‘antichrist’ as referring to any spirit, or power, or

person. The passages he cites (1 John 2:18, 22; 4:3; 2

John 7; Matt. 24:24; 1 Tim. 4:1), refer to a marked

characteristic of the period between the apostolic age

and the second coming where there are to be many

manifestations of malignant opposition to Christ and

attempts to overthrow His Kingdom.26 For example,

Ambrose (337—397CE), writing in the fourth

century in his Exposition of the Christian Faith XV.135,

saw the Arian heretics as Antichrist since they denied Jesus Christ and blasphemed His

Name.27

Looking at the text, the fact that the Beast represents a person can be seen in the

identification of his number as being that of a human (v.18). Furthermore, the parallels

between the Beast and the Lamb, and also the use of the masculine pronoun to refer to

the neuter θηρίον show that it is in reference to a person.28 However, it also represents

an empire, as seen in its appearance (v. 1-2)—which is a composite of the beasts in Daniel

7:1-7, which also came from the sea and resembled a lion, bear, leopard and ten-horned

monster. In Daniel, they represent successive Gentile empires, and in Revelation, they are

combined to represent all antichristian governmental powers.29

23 Gregg, Revelation, Four Views, 280–283. 24 Gregg, Revelation, Four Views, 286–290. 25 Riddlebarger, A Case for Amillennialism, 152. 26 Hodge, Systematic Theology, 812-813. 27 Ambrose of Milan, “Exposition of the Christian Faith,” 241. 28 Wong, “The Beast from the Sea,” 339-340. 29 Gregg, Revelation, Four Views, 279–281.


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Though John was quite possibly alluding to Nero and using him as a contemporary

illustration. The Beast more broadly represents any political power or civil government

that persecutes the people of God and opposes God’s Kingdom. It was Egypt in Moses’

day, Assyria in Isaiah’s day, Babylon in Jeremiah’s day and Rome in John’s day.30

Continued forward the Beast can be seen in the tyranny of Blood Mary or the Nazis in

Germany and it continues to rise again and

again throughout history. At John’s time,

the Beast had resurrected in Domitian

(51—96CE); who, though he was not a

strong Caesar (his wars were mainly

defensive), sought to save face through the

imperial cult and gave authority to the

priests of Rome to make images of him and

compel “all, small and great, rich and poor,

bond and free” to worship him (v.14-16).31

The False Prophet—the second Beast

Thus, the ‘false prophet’—the second Beast from the earth (v.11)—is the pagan

religious system that directs worship to the Beast. Like other false religions, it appears to

be harmless with its lamb-like appearance, but this only hides a more sinister character,

with its dragon-like voice—perhaps alluding to the danger of what it speaks, that is false

teaching. It is not by accident that the second Beast parodies or parallels the description

of the slain Lamb earlier. It is a mockery of the true Lamb of God.

A Climactic Point—Disordered Worship and Election

Together, the antichristian political power and the false religions represent the

active power of the Dragon, the Devil, here on earth which disorders worship away from

God. This emphasis by John on disordered worship can be seen in his escalation of the

verbal aspects used in the Greek text of chapter 13. Most of the chapter is mainly

dominated by aorist and a few present tense verbs. However, in verse 8-9 there is a

future, two perfects, a present and an aorist imperative.32 All of these culminating a

literary emphasis in the Greek text—almost like raising your voice or stressing words to

give prominence. The sharp use of the third person imperative in verse 9 leading into the

saying of verse 10 confirms this emphasis.

Verse 8 is definitely emphatic, if not a climactic statement that, “all the ones

dwelling upon the earth shall worship him, those whose name had not been written from

30 Baldinger, “A Beastly Coalition,” 446. 31 Baldinger, “A Beastly Coalition,” 447. 32 See Porter, Idioms, 22 and relevant sections of chapter 1 on Verbal Aspect.


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the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb which had been slain.” Everyone

whose names were not in the book of life WILL worship the Beast. This is a most sobering

statement and puts into perspective both the finality of God’s saving work to preserve His

own, and the enmity of humanity apart from God to follow after the Beast. It is noteworthy

that these have been written ‘from the foundation of the world’—they had nothing to do

with their own election, but it was rather from eternity past of the Father’s own good

pleasure to elect to save them. This is the grounds upon which they are preserved from

the global apostacy to worship the Beast. In the face of insurmountable hardships, God’s

people can rest in His ability to sustain and preserve His own, for He loses none of them

(John 6:39).

The Fatal Wound

The word translated as ‘wound’ (πληγὴ) in chapter 13 is used sixteen times in

Revelation. In Louw-Nida, one of its semantic range of definitions is, “a widespread

contagious disease, often associated with divine retribution—‘plague, pestilence.’”33

However, only in chapter 13 is it translated as ‘wound’ (13:3, 12, 14). All thirteen other

uses in Revelation it is translated as ‘plague.’ In all these other contexts, the plague is a

divinely-ordained and messianically-administered punishment for sin. “It is a drastic

punishment that spells death in the prophet's vocabulary; such a ‘wound’ is always

mortal.”34 What then is meant by this ‘πληγὴ (plague) of the sword’ in verse 14?

Minear suggests that, “the sword is the symbol of God's wrath; it is a God-inflicted

plague which simultaneously destroys of head, beast and dragon. It is a wound from which

the beast may recover only by using deception, by succeeding in his temptations, making

absolute his illusory claims to ultimate power over human destiny.”35 He continues that,

Christ alone has the right to the ‘sword’ of judgement—the plague. His authority to evict

Satan from heaven is seen in chapter 12. This is then followed by renewed activity against

the saints which is paralleled in chapter 13

by the wounding of the Beast which

results in intensification of his war against

the saints.

This death wound then is more

than just the death of an emperor—it is the

plague or judgment of God released

through Christ in His death and

resurrection upon the Beast.36 This is why

the wound to the head is also an injury to

33 Louw, Greek-English Lexicon, 270. Emphasis added. 34 Minear, “The Wounded Beast,” 98. 35 Minear, “The Wounded Beast,” 99. 36 Minear, “The Wounded Beast,” 99.


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the Beast and by extension the Dragon. Jesus had said that Satan received a deadly blow

in (Luke 10:17-24; 11:14-22). And Paul says he disarmed the principalities and powers,

triumphing over them in the Cross (Col. 2:15). The Beast, the reign of the Devil on earth

has been dealt the definitive death blow, however, he has deceptively used it to enhance

his power and ramped up his fury against God’s people in the present age until he is finally

thrown into the lake of fire at the second coming.

The Mark of the Beast

The term χάραγμα (Rev. 13:16)

normally implies an engraved mark or a seal

impression, or inscription. Rome had issued

previously these as proof of entitlement to

grain under Augustus. So, there may already

have been economic associations with the

term.37 The location of the mark has some

significance as the forehead symbolizes the

mind, philosophy and thought life and the

right hand indicates deeds, action, and trade. So, receiving the Beast’s mark in these

places indicates one’s allegiance to the Beast in what one thinks and does.38

It is also worthy to note that the ‘mark’ is a parody of the ‘seal’ in chapter 7 of God’s

people—yet another thing which this ‘unholy trinity’ blasphemes in attempting to imitate

and set itself up in place of God. The mark is tied to the state’s usurpation of divine

prerogatives—thus, those who take the mark worship the Beast and deny faith in Jesus

or confess that “Caesar is Lord.”39 It is another device which John utilizes to bring into

stark focus the conflict believers find themselves in and just how high the stakes really

are. “At the time John used this image, slaves were branded or tattooed by their owners. This

indicates that anyone who ‘takes the mark’ is branded as a slave (or servant) of the beast

and self-consciously renounces Christ to their eternal peril.”40

The Number of the Name of the Beast

Various early writers tried to figure out whose name fit the number via gematria

(the practice of assigning numbers to letters) with suggestions ranging from τειταν,

βενεδικτος, αντεμος, λατεινος and most popularly Nero, to alleged titles of the Pope—

Vicarius filii Dei.41 Irenaeus (130—202CE) in Against Heresies, XXX.3 also suggests some

names, however, he warns that one should not try too hard to specifically figure it out but

37 Judge, “The Mark of the Beast,” 159-160. 38 Gregg, Revelation, Four Views, 303. 39 Riddlebarger, A Case for Amillennialism, 153. 40 Riddlebarger, A Case for Amillennialism, 153. 41 Sanders, “The Number of the Beast,” 95-96. See also Gregg, Revelation, Four Views, 306.


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rather await the prophecy’s fulfillment as many names can be found to possess the

number. He concludes that “if it were necessary that his name should be distinctly revealed

in this present time, it would have been announced by him who beheld the apocalyptic

vision.”42 There are also some significant

variants in the manuscripts—the most

interesting of which being the reading

616 instead of 666 which appears fairly

early. Some think that both of these

identify with Nero—depending on how

one spells his name and title.43

However, Irenaeus argued strongly

against the 616 reading in favour of

666.44 Sanders argues that Irenaeus’

strong approval for 666 in opposition to 616 would sufficiently account for the latter’s

disappearance even if it were original.45

However, even if this is a cryptic reference to Nero or another person, it is far more

important to understand what the number means. “It is not necessary to assume by the

language used that the literal name or a literal cipher must be intended. Each digit in the

number 666 (v. 18) falls short of the symbolic number of perfection: 7.”46 The Beast mimics

Christ but always falls short and six represents fallen humanity, always laboring but

never entering the Sabbath rest. Three 6s indicate the Beast(Antichrist), with the Dragon

(Satan) and the Second Beast (False prophet), who form an unholy Trinity, and

underscore the intrinsic evil bound up in them, but they fall short of completeness.47

Though it is stated in a way which may imply that a historical figure is in mind, it is more

likely to be understood as a model to warn believers to be wary of the fallen world system

and powers which go against God. These things which are ‘antichrist’ are what it takes

wisdom to discern (v.18).48

Conclusion

In conclusion, the thirteenth chapter of Revelation is one of much significance to

the book as a whole as it is placed at the peak of the chiastic structure and serves to

emphasize the point of the book—that the reader must choose whom they ultimately

align themselves to, the Beast or the Lamb. Within the chapter, we see this confirmed and

accentuated by the emphasis on worship (either to the Beast or Christ) through the Greek

42 Irenaeus of Lyons, “Irenæus against Heresies,” 559–560. 43 Sanders, “The Number of the Beast,” 96—97. 44 Irenaeus of Lyons, “Irenæus against Heresies,” 558—559. 45 Sanders, “The Number of the Beast,” 97. He also notes from the other variants—626, 690 and 642—

that there may have been a tendency to seek numbers in the six hundreds due to the early use of 616 (99). 46 Gregg, Revelation, Four Views, 303. 47 Riddlebarger, A Case for Amillennialism, 153; Patterson, Revelation, 282. 48 Bratcher, A Handbook, 205.


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verbal aspectual cues and apposition. Though John may have well been using allusions to

real persons, such as Nero and Domitian, as well as other cultural allusions of the political

situation of his world, these metaphorical allusions serve a more timeless function to

represent realities which perpetuate themselves throughout the ages. The second Beast,

representing false religion brings to our attention also that the deception can come from

other religious worldviews which ultimately serve the Beast or even from false teachers

within the church.49 All of this brings into sharp focus the conflict between good and evil

which is actually at work behind the reality of the world we live in. Set against the

historical backdrop of the persecuted church John wrote to, one can see how it would

serve as a clarion call for endurance to those under intense tribulation and distress which

would likely only escalate given the present state of affairs.

What’s the Take-away?

However, within all of this there are distinct notes of real hope and

encouragement. John’s pastoral concern is to expose the true nature of the realities they

encounter and the real crisis they face by use of the apocalyptic genre as an ‘unveiling’ to

open their eyes to the spiritual dimension.50 Satan has been fatally wounded though God’s

judicial act against the powers of evil on the Cross. His activity in this age are those of a

wounded Beast, thrashing around and seeking to take others with him toward his

ultimate demise. Believers must be reminded of this in the face of what seems to be a

bleak reality. They are called to endurance and faith knowing that these things have been

divinely ordered and controlled (v.9-10). Believers are not to ‘take the mark of the

Beast’—which would be to capitulate to the antichrist world system in either thought or

deed or to compromise for the sake of economic gain. Instead, they are to use wisdom to

discern those things which are antichrist—against Christ and his Lordship here in this

world. They are to take every thought captive and bring it under submission to Christ (2

Cor. 10:5).

The antichrist world system ultimately worships something, and that which lays

behind it all is exceedingly insidious—yet its end is destruction (14:9-11). Therefore,

endurance, faith, and discernment are necessary for believers even when the cost of

resistance is high since in light of eternity, to die for the faith is gain. DeSilva puts it well,

“In a world where a Lamb conquers by dying and the dragon is defeated by believers

who lay down their lives rather than collude with an idolatrous system, the path for

resistance is clear. We are called to protest, to bear witness to what society could be

49 Beale, The Book of Revelation, 710. Some manuscripts and the majority text for verse 14 read, “and

it leads astray those of mine dwelling on the earth…” which seems to represent and early interpretation that the

focus of this deception is from within the church. 50 De Silva, An Introduction to the New Testament, 905.


15

if God were allowed to break in and reign, but we are not to defile ourselves with

blood as God’s enemies have done.”51

Charles Hodge points out that according to Luthardt, John’s writings in the NT—

the Gospel, his epistles and Revelation—form a beautiful and harmonious whole as faith,

hope and love mingle into one. “Faith is prominent in the Gospel, love in the Epistles, and

hope in the Apocalypse.”52 Ultimately that is what Revelation offers to us today—hope. We

must remain ever vigilant, keeping our focus on that which restrains the principle of

lawlessness—the preaching of the Gospel. Instead of dreading the Antichrist or losing

hair over the latest events in the Middle East or paranoidly trying to find 666 on

household product IDs, we should be longing for Christ’s return. The point of Revelation

is not endless speculation about prognostication of the future but to put our hope in the

ultimate and final victory of the Lamb which is sure.53 The surety of this fact is seen in

Christ’s death, resurrection and ascension. Christ has conquered. Christ is reigning. One

day we will see that reign fully consummated before our eyes.

Until then, we must exercise a kind of eschatological patience, for the best exegesis

of Revelation will ultimately be its fulfillment in God’s time. The making of all things right

and new in the world depends not on gradual amelioration but on the final interposition

of God.54 The Christian does not take vengeance into their own hands and in the midst of

a hostile world, we remember that there are unseen spiritual forces behind what we

experience. There is a bigger battle going on, so we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but

what is unseen (2 Cor. 4:18). In the midst of a world which is often harshly antichristian,

we are not to meet sword with sword. We are to be patient, enduring hardship in hope,

taking the true path to victory—the way of the Cross.55 The temptation for us and

Christians throughout the ages has always been to compromise with the world powers,

to sell out to the system, to concede to sub-Christian patterns of thought and deed and to

be marked by that which is beastly for the sake of temporal gain. These are the

temptations we face daily, both for persecuted Christians and even for ones finding

themselves in the more ‘peaceful’ Western world. They are brought on by the Beast and

Dragon, that garden serpent of old—the Devil. However, the promise of Genesis is fulfilled

in Christ, and the snake’s head has been crushed. Though we live in the already-but-not-

yet period of redemptive history, one glorious day Christ shall come and with nothing

more than a shout vanquish the Devil, death and Hades. Martin Luther said it rightly of

our great enemy of our souls in his hymn A Mighty Fortress, “one little word shall fell him.”

Μαράνα θά! “Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!”56

51 DeSilva, An Introduction to the New Testament, 928 52 Hodge, Systematic Theology, 827. 53 Riddlebarger, A Case for Amillennialism, 156. 54 Vos, The Pauline Eschatology, 133–135. 55 Baldinger, “A Beastly Coalition,” 446-447. 56 Riddlebarger, A Case for Amillennialism, 157.


16

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