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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadPaul Kretzmann Commentary - Revelation 13:1 - 13:4
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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
The Seven-Headed Beast of Blasphemy and the Two-Horned Beast of Deceit.
The description of the first beast:
v. 1. And I stood upon the sand of the sea and saw a beast rise up out of the sea having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.
v. 2. And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion; and the dragon gave him his power and his seat and great authority.
v. 3. And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed; and all the world wondered after the beast.
v. 4. And they worshiped the dragon which gave power unto the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? Who is able to make war with him?
Luther writes of this whole chapter: "There comes, then, in the thirteenth chapter, after the trumpeting of the last of the seven angels, who sounds his trumpet at the beginning of the twelfth chapter, the business of that seventh angel, the third woe, namely, papal imperialism and imperial popery. Here the papacy gains the power also of the worldly sword, and now rules not only with the booklet in the second woe, but also with the sword in the third woe. Just as they boast that the Pope has both the spiritual and also the temporal sword in his power. Here, then, are the two beasts; the one is imperial power and dignity; the other, with the two horns, is the papacy, which has now also become a worldly kingdom, though with a bold show of the name of Christ."
The explanation is certainly plausible, as a closer examination of the text shows: And I stood on the shore of the sea, and saw ascending out of the sea a beast having ten horns and seven heads, and on the horns ten diadems, and on his heads names of blasphemy; and the beast which I saw was like a leopard, and his feet resembled those of a bear, and his mouth resembled the mouth of a lion. If we compare this picture with those found in the prophecies of Daniel, there can be little doubt that this beast is the Roman Empire. It arose out of the ocean of nations, gradually, but surely, until it had power over practically the entire world. Seven heads the beast had; for the city of Rome, the capital of this great empire, is built on seven hills; and ten horns were seen by John, which refers to the ten provinces of the old empire. Names of blasphemy the beast had on his heads; for blasphemous idolatry and heathenism was practiced in the city and empire, and enmity against Christ and the Christian religion has always been rampant in its capital. That the entire appearance of the beast, finally, was like a leopard, but with the feet of a bear and with the mouth of a lion, indicates that the Roman Empire combined in itself all the qualities of the former world empires as they are described in the seventh chapter of the Book of Daniel.
We are told still more concerning this beast: And to him the dragon gave his own power and his throne and great authority. This shows that Satan would rule and exert his power on earth especially through the Roman Empire, and that its emperors, princes, and governors would act as his representatives in carrying out his designs against the Church of Christ. The result was all that the devil might have desired: And one of his heads appeared to have been wounded to death, but his deadly wound was healed; and all the earth marveled after the beast and worshiped the dragon, because he gave authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, Who is like to the beast, and who can battle with him? The great empire and power which the beast represents received a temporary setback, a wound which looked like a deadly wound. This may refer to the end of the Roman Empire as such, which came to an end in the year 476. But Rome retained its power in spite of all that, for the worldly authority of the Pope dates from about that time. Satan is still wielding his power through Anti-Christ, and it is a sad fact, but a fact nevertheless, that practically all the world, both civil and ecclesiastical authorities, have been giving honor to the Pope, many of them stating openly that the power of the papacy is such as to make this attitude the best policy.