“And I saw a beast coming up out of the sea. He had 10 horns and seven heads. On his horns were 10 diadems, and on his heads were blasphemous names. The beast I saw was like a leopard, his feet were like a bear’s, and his mouth was like a lion’s mouth. The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority. One of his heads appeared to be fatally wounded, but his fatal wound was healed. The whole earth was amazed and followed the beast. They worshiped the dragon because he gave authority to the beast. And they worshiped the beast, saying, ‘Who is like the beast? Who is able to wage war against him?’ A mouth was given to him to speak boasts and blasphemies. He was also given authority to act for 42 months. He began to speak blasphemies against God: to blaspheme His name and His dwelling — those who dwell in heaven. And he was permitted to wage war against the saints and to conquer them. He was also given authority over every tribe, people, language, and nation. All those who live on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name was not written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slaughtered. If anyone has an ear, he should listen: If anyone is destined for captivity, into captivity he goes. If anyone is to be killed with a sword, with a sword he will be killed. This demands the perseverance and faith of the saints.” (Revelation 13:1-10 HCSB)
We like for things to be neat, tidy, and all tied up with a bow. Don’t we? Well, I do. But more often, life is a series of missteps, mistakes, starting over, and trying again. At least, that describes most of my life and ministry. I don’t think I’m alone in that.
From the time I was young, I knew God was calling me into some type of ministry or service to Him. When I was about 9 or 10, I would have told you my call was to go into missions. As I matured, my understanding of that call matured too, and I came to realize that all ministry and service to God is mission work, regardless of how or where it takes place. Ultimately, our call is to be faithful and obedient to God in whatever He requires of us and wherever He leads us. This week, our focal passage takes us deep into that idea.
Last week, we ended with the dragon standing on the sand of the sea. Furious with the woman, God’s covenant people, he had gone off to make war against her offspring — those who keep God’s commands and hold to the testimony about Jesus. As he stands on that sandy shore, he calls out of the sea a wild beast with seven heads and ten horns, with a diadem on each horn and blasphemous names on each head. He had the speed of a leopard, the strength of a bear, and the ferocious mouth and teeth of a lion. The dragon gives him power, a throne to rule over people, and authority. One of the beast’s heads appears to have a fatal wound, but the wound is healed.
While I believe these details are important and are often used in attempts to identify the beast, I don’t think that’s the primary purpose of their inclusion. As I’ve said before, these are symbols, and they beckon us to listen carefully and understand the message God is giving us through them. Yet, like so many before us, we’re tempted to take the characteristics and attach a name and face to the beast. That may be tempting, but it is also a bit foolish. While some of the characteristics clearly point toward the Roman Emperor Domitian, I believe the intent of John’s vision is much bigger. The encouragement it provides and the promises God gives through it extend far beyond Domitian and his reign of terror.
Because the beast was fatally wounded but healed, the whole earth was amazed by him, followed him, and worshiped both him and the dragon because the dragon is ultimately the source of the beast’s power, rule, and authority. Listen to the blasphemy: “Who is like the beast? Who is able to wage war against him?” At first glance, those statements may not seem blasphemous, but they are clearly phrases used to glorify Almighty God and have now been repurposed to praise and worship the beast (see Ex. 15:11; Ps. 35:10, 71:19, 86:8, 89:6; Is. 40:25; Mic. 7:18; and Rev. 12). The people worship the beast, the earthly ruler the dragon has raised up from the sea, and they worship the dragon who empowers him.
To the recipients of John’s letter, this would have hit hard and cut deep. They lived in a culture saturated with emperor worship. These believers faced relentless daily pressure to renounce God and faith in His Christ and bow before Lord Caesar. Their lives and livelihoods truly depended on it. The culture around them was filled with twisted worship, and they were constantly threatened into compliance. To yield would place them at odds with their faith and, in essence, abandon everything they had come to believe and trust about God and salvation through faith in Jesus.
I’m going to be very bold and direct for a moment. We must NEVER attribute divine rule, divine honor, divine authority, divine characteristics, or any other right that belongs exclusively to God to anyone else. Be very careful when deferring to someone’s authority, praising someone’s achievements, boasting in their accomplishments, or giving them credit that belongs to God alone. God does NOT take lightly what rightfully belongs to Him being given to another (see Ex. 20:5; Deut. 4:24, 5:9; Josh. 24:19; 1 Ki. 14:22; Ez. 16:38).
Note: There’s a part of me that wants to avoid this, but I feel compelled to address it. There have been multiple social media posts recently that, in my opinion, cross the line into blasphemy. Some have come from Christians who attribute divine characteristics and honor to political leaders, while others have come from political leaders making those claims themselves. Blasphemy must never be found in the hearts, minds, mouths, or actions of believers. This is not funny, nor should it ever be treated lightly. To downplay blasphemous words or actions is to become complicit in dishonoring God.
In addition to his blasphemous words and boasts, the beast is given authority to act for forty-two months. He not only blasphemes God’s name, His dwelling place, and those who dwell in His presence, but he is also permitted to wage war against the saints and conquer them. Understand this clearly: the permission he has been given does not mean he has overthrown or sidestepped God’s authority. It means God has allowed him to act for a limited time — forty-two months, the same limited period we’ve already encountered in earlier chapters.
That truth can make us feel unsettled, anxious, or fearful. But that is not God’s intent. Just as with Job, God uses times of testing to strengthen our faith and develop endurance.
“Consider it a great joy, my brothers, whenever you experience various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. But endurance must do its complete work, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.” (James 1:2-4 HCSB)
John tells us the breadth of the beast’s authority: “He was also given authority over every tribe, people, language, and nation. All those who live on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name was not written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slaughtered.”
While the beast wages war against believers and conquers them, he receives worship from unbelievers — those whose names are not written in the book of life.
Catch the contrast. He fights against followers of the Lamb who was slaughtered while willingly receiving worship from those who reject the Lamb. What you might miss is that the word translated “fatally wounded” (Greek: esphagmenēn) is the same Greek word translated “slaughtered” (Greek: esphagmenou) in the description of the Lamb. I hope that makes the contrast unmistakable, highlights the blatant blasphemy of the beast and his followers, and explains why I’ve called this study “Twisted Worship.”
Oh church, our worship of the One seated on heaven’s throne and of the Lamb must be pure and absolute. There is simply no room in true worship for anyone or anything else. John’s vision has repeatedly reminded us that neither men nor angels are worthy of worship. God alone is worthy of glory, honor, submission, and worship. To offer those things to anyone or anything else is blasphemous and evil.
The dragon wants to obscure the importance of Christ, His Cross, and the Empty Tomb while focusing the world’s attention on the beast, his power, political authority, and achievements. We must never equate human power, authority, or accomplishment with God’s glory. That is blasphemy. That is twisted worship.
Finally, we reach the purpose of John’s vision concerning the beast, the authority he has been given, and his war against the saints:
“If anyone has an ear, he should listen: If anyone is destined for captivity, into captivity he goes. If anyone is to be killed with a sword, with a sword he will be killed. This demands the perseverance and faith of the saints.” (Revelation 13:9-10 HCSB)
We are being told about the challenges that will come from the dragon through the beast so that we may be prepared to persevere and stand firm in our faith.
Too often, we misunderstand faith and perseverance. Some people — mostly unbelievers — describe our beliefs as blind faith. But blind faith is a terrible misnomer. Faith is never blind; it is always rooted in trustworthiness. If you recall, that was precisely the issue we considered last week. When John looked, the temple in heaven was opened, and he saw the ark of the covenant. God was reminding the churches in Asia Minor that He keeps His word, maintains His covenants, and fulfills His promises. The images we see this week build on those truths. God may give the beast temporary authority to wage war against the saints and conquer them, but God still keeps His promises.
Is your trust in God based on His trustworthiness?
We were instructed to listen if we have ears to hear. God’s trustworthiness cannot be measured by whether He gives us what we want or expect. If we are destined for captivity, then captivity will come. If we are destined to die by the sword, then we will die by the sword. That does not diminish God’s trustworthiness. Instead, it demands our perseverance and faith.
We must be willing to trust that God remains faithful in the midst of persecution and suffering. His promises are not promises that we will avoid pain or hardship, but promises of His presence and faithfulness through them.
So, the issue these Christians faced was whether they would trust God, persevere in faith, and remain true in their worship regardless of the persecution brought by the beast. We face the same issue today. While our challenges pale in comparison to theirs, we are called to the same perseverance and faithfulness.
Will we give in to twisted worship and blasphemy because it is financially rewarding, politically empowering, or socially expedient? Or will we remain true to our God and His Christ?
“If anyone has an ear, he should listen: This demands the perseverance and faith of the saints.”
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