Revelation 13:1–7. Chapter 13 continues John's vision. In chapter 12 he introduced the dragon, identified as Satan (12:9). Here we meet two beasts, one rising from the sea and the other from the earth. Both have heads and horns, which may signify realms and positions of power (cf. 17:9, 12). Their portrayal as animals may characterize their ferocity, speed of conquest, or claim to rule.

What is striking is the parallel between the dragon, the beast from the sea, and the beast from the earth on one hand, and the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit on the other. As the Father gave authority to the Son, the dragon gives his power, throne, and great authority to the first beast. As Jesus died and rose, the first beast suffers a mortal wound and appears to recover. As believers trust Christ on the basis of the resurrection, people in the tribulation worship the beast and the dragon on the basis of this apparent sign. This has led many interpreters to identify the first beast as the Antichrist.

The "anti" becomes clear in 13:5 and following, because the beast blasphemes God, slanders heaven, and wages war against God's holy people. The repeated phrase "it was given" raises the question of who grants this authority. In the immediate context, the dragon is the one giving it (13:2). Some suggest that God permitted the dragon to give such authority, as He permitted Satan to afflict Job; this passage does not say so directly.

Revelation 13:8 and following. In verse 8 we learn that those who worship the beast do not have their names written in the Lamb's book of life. Some translations read "the Lamb who was slain from the creation of the world"; I believe this is not the best rendering. The Lamb was not slain at the creation of the world. And the parallel passage links "from the foundation of the world" to the writing of the names: "whose name has not been written in the book of life" from the foundation of the world (17:8). Several modern translations connect the phrase to the writing of the names rather than to the slaying of the Lamb.

What this suggests is that God determined from before the world those whose names are in the book of life — the same book referenced in 20:11–15, which speaks of those who are not thrown into the lake of fire, the second death. For believers, this provides great security and assurance.

In 13:9 we read, "If anyone has an ear, let him hear." This recalls chapters 2 and 3, where each church is given this exhortation. As it is a word to the churches, we should understand it as a word to believers. That fits the next verse, which speaks of "the endurance and faith of the saints" (13:10). Believers need to exercise patient endurance and faithfulness during this time, because captivity and death come without distinction. Unlike the sealed 144,000, these believers are not protected from harm; they bear the full brunt of persecution.

Revelation 13:11–18. The second beast rises from the earth and exercises all the authority of the first on its behalf. It supports the first beast and makes the world worship it. It performs signs, deceiving people — even causing fire to come down from heaven in full view of everyone. As the first beast's recovery mimics the resurrection, this sign recalls the fire at Pentecost. Many interpreters have pointed out the counterfeit nature of these signs, as though the three form an unholy trinity mocking the true Trinity.

The second beast commands people to make an image of the first, gives breath to the image so that it speaks, and decrees death for all who refuse to worship it. Finally it enforces a mark on all people, so that no one can buy or sell without it. This mark may counterfeit the seal of the Holy Spirit for believers (Ephesians 1:13) or the seal on the 144,000 (7:2–8). Unlike God's perfect seal, the mark and its number are imperfect — "it is the number of a man," 666 (13:18) — and it is described as a number to be calculated, which may suggest that the letters of the beast's name add up to it. "This calls for wisdom" (13:18).

As members of our class have noted, it is not hard to imagine how these prophecies could take shape in our own day. Yet every generation since Christ has believed the same about its own time. As Scripture teaches, no one knows when God will bring these things to pass. We must always be ready. Being ready means being clear in our faith and actively engaged in living for Christ and proclaiming Him to our generation.

In class we also discussed whether Christians may defend themselves and their families if threatened. While Jesus clearly taught against retaliation and commended sacrificial love, He also spoke of buying a sword (Luke 22:36). The Law of Moses made provision for defense of the home, and Scripture repeatedly commands the righteous to defend the helpless against the violent. Christians have held differing views on this question, and it is worth studying carefully.

Revelation 14. We are still within the seventh trumpet, in the interlude before the bowl judgments. In chapter 13 we met the dragon, the beast from the sea, and the beast from the earth, along with the havoc they inflict, especially on Christians. Believers are repeatedly called to patient endurance and faithfulness during this time (13:10; 14:12).

In chapter 14 John sees the Lamb again — last seen in chapter 5 as the only One worthy to open the scroll — now standing on Mount Zion with the 144,000, last seen in chapter 7 as those sealed by God. John hears a sound from heaven, loud and beautiful, and a new song that only the 144,000 could learn. They are described as "firstfruits for God and the Lamb" (14:4), undefiled, truthful, and blameless. Their role here is not stated; some have suggested they are witnesses of the gospel during this period.

Then a series of angels appears. The first proclaims "an eternal gospel," calling people to fear God and worship the Creator (14:6–7). The second declares the fall of "Babylon the great" (14:8), perhaps a designation for the world system of that time. The third pronounces judgment on the worshipers of the beast (14:9–11). Christians enduring persecution are called to patience and faithfulness, even to death (14:12–13) — the same counsel given earlier (6:11).

The final scenes come in pairs: two figures with sickles, each told by another to reap. The first is "one like a son of man" seated on a cloud, wearing a golden crown (14:14). He is never called an angel. Could this be Jesus? Yet it is difficult to picture the glorified Christ being directed by an angel. Another comes from the temple and tells Him to reap the harvest of the earth, and He does so. Then another angel with a sharp sickle is told by an angel who has authority over the fire to gather the clusters from the vine of the earth, and they are thrown into "the great winepress of the wrath of God" (14:19), where blood flows outside the city.

The images of a grain harvest and a grape harvest may signify redemption and judgment. Jesus' parable of the wheat and the weeds comes to mind (Matthew 13:24–30): the wheat is gathered in and the weeds are burned. So the harvest in 14:15 may refer to the righteous who have persevered to the end, and the grape harvest in 14:18 to the wicked, whose evil has reached its full measure.

In this chapter we find both gospel hope and terrible judgment. The message of 2 Peter 3:11–13 comes to mind: since all these things are to be dissolved, what sort of people ought we to be in holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, and looking forward to "new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells."

So then, brothers, let us pray for, encourage, and challenge one another to live holy and godly lives as we look for the day of God.

Revelation 16. After five chapters beyond the seventh trumpet — nearly a fourth of the book — we come to the contents of the seven bowls of God's wrath. With each series there is increasing intensity and anticipation: when will the end finally come?

The authoritative voice from the temple commands the angels to pour out their bowls on the earth. As expected, these judgments are more severe and comprehensive than what preceded them:

• The first brings painful sores on those who bear the mark of the beast and worship its image. The judgment is targeted.
• The second turns the sea to blood, so that every living thing in it dies — not a quarter, not a third, but all.
• The third turns the rivers and springs to blood. An angel declares this a just judgment, because these people shed the blood of God's people and prophets.
• The fourth causes the sun to scorch people with fire. The pain leads people to curse God, but not to repent. They acknowledge the judgment is from God, yet will not repent and give Him glory.
• The fifth plunges the kingdom of the beast into darkness, and people gnaw their tongues in anguish and curse God. Again they refuse to repent. There is a general sense that most of the unbelieving world remains entrenched in rebellion. Are people still coming to faith? There are hints of it — for example, a voice from heaven later calls, "Come out of her, my people" (18:4). But the dominant witness of believers during this time appears to be martyrdom (cf. 17:6; 18:24; 20:4).
• The sixth dries up the great river Euphrates to prepare the way for the kings from the east, joined by demonic spirits coming from the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet. They gather their armies with signs and fanfare; yet the Lord comes suddenly, "like a thief" (16:15).
• The seventh, like the seventh trumpet, announces completion: "It is done!" (16:17). There is a display of power with lightning, rumblings, thunder, a great earthquake unequaled since humanity was on the earth, and a severe hailstorm. The great city is split in three, the cities of the nations fall, and Babylon the great is judged.

Someone in class asked whether the Holy Spirit will be present during the tribulation. I believe He will be, even if He may not exercise the same restraining influence as before (cf. 2 Thessalonians 2:7). My understanding is that salvation always comes through the work of the Holy Spirit — in the Old Testament, in the New, and in whatever is still to come. Jesus taught this to Nicodemus (John 3:5–6), and Paul reiterated it (1 Corinthians 2:12–14).

AI-Expanded Reflection

The comment's translation argument on 13:8 reflects a real debate. The Greek phrase "from the foundation of the world" can modify either "written" or "slain," and translations divide: some render "the Lamb who was slain from the foundation of the world," others "whose names have not been written from the foundation of the world" in the Lamb's book of life. The comment's reasoning from the parallel in 17:8 is one commonly given. It is worth adding that the other reading also expresses a biblical truth — Christ's sacrifice was foreordained, as Peter says, "foreknown before the foundation of the world" (1 Peter 1:20) — so neither rendering introduces an idea foreign to Scripture.

On the number 666, interpreters have proposed many identifications over the centuries; the most widely discussed is that the Hebrew letters of "Nero Caesar" total 666, which would fit a first-century setting. Others read the number symbolically as persistent falling short of seven, the number of completeness. The text itself gives no key, which is why proposed identifications have shifted in every generation. Most interpreters counsel humility here, consistent with the comment's own conclusion: what Revelation asks of believers is not successful decoding but "the endurance and faith of the saints" (13:10; 14:12). On the range of Christian views about the tribulation and the millennium, see #1961, #2074, and #2339.

"Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on" (Revelation 14:13).

I have not heard many sermons on this verse, yet throughout history it reflects the testimony of Christians in every generation. Has there been a generation of Christians that has not suffered persecution somewhere?

Even though we enjoy religious freedom in our country, that freedom is not shared in many parts of the world. It has often been claimed that more Christians died for their faith in the most recent century than in all the centuries before it; whether or not the figures can be verified, persecution today is widespread and severe.

What we do not experience directly should not blind us to the reality of the world around us. So, friends, I encourage you to be aware and to pray for fellow believers around the world.

I subscribe to a weekly email from a prayer ministry that sends information, a video, and current prayer needs for a different country, religion, or people group each week. This helps me stay connected with the world in prayer, and I share it with our Sunday school class every week.

I also use an app from a ministry that serves the persecuted church, which gives me a daily prayer request from some of the most dangerous and needy areas of the world. The app lets me mark that I have prayed and shows how many others are praying along with me for the same need, and I can read more about the situation there.

Friends, God is showing me that good ideas and intentions accomplish little. We need conscientious, practical habits that become part of our daily lives if we are to participate effectively in God's work. These two suggestions can help you engage with the world in a way that expresses faith and exalts God.

AI-Expanded Reflection

Revelation 14:13 comes immediately after the warning about the beast and its mark, in a context where refusing to worship the beast could cost believers their lives. That is why the blessing is pronounced at that moment: "Blessed indeed... that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!" The verse has comforted the persecuted church ever since, and it stands alongside the earlier scene of the martyrs under the altar crying, "How long?" (6:9–10) and the promise that God will "wipe away every tear from their eyes" (21:4).

The comment's turn from awareness to practical habits is well judged. Hebrews instructs believers to "remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them," and those mistreated (13:3). Paul asked for prayer repeatedly in his own imprisonments (Ephesians 6:19–20; Colossians 4:3), and the church's prayer for the imprisoned Peter is answered dramatically in Acts 12. Sustained, informed prayer for persecuted believers is one of the most concrete ways ordinary Christians share in the sufferings of the wider body.

"the sanctuary was filled with smoke from the glory of God," and no one could enter it until the seven plagues of the seven angels were finished (a paraphrase of Revelation 15:8).

This is one of four passages in Scripture describing the effect of God's glory filling the sanctuary, and in every instance no one could stand in the presence of that glory. Here are the other three:

• The cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle, so that "Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting" (cf. Exodus 40:34–35).
• The house of the Lord was filled with a cloud, so that the priests "could not stand to minister because of the cloud," for the glory of the Lord filled the house of God (cf. 2 Chronicles 5:13–14).
• When Solomon finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the offerings, and the glory of the Lord filled the temple, so that "the priests could not enter the house of the Lord" (cf. 2 Chronicles 7:1–2).

I mention these because today some claim that "God's glory" filled their church — not metaphorically, but literally, through some manifestation such as a cloud, gold dust, or smoke. I find such claims suspect in light of Scripture. If it truly were the glory of God, I do not believe any of the claimants could have remained standing. Apart from widely circulated videos from certain conferences that are centers of the signs-and-wonders movement, there are sober treatments of such claims available from conservative and reputable Bible-answer websites.

AI-Expanded Reflection

The comment's observation about God's glory is well grounded. In each of these passages, the divine glory (Hebrew kabod, literally "weight") is so overwhelming that the ordinary work of ministry must stop. Isaiah's response to seeing the Lord was not exhilaration but "Woe is me! For I am lost" (Isaiah 6:5). Ezekiel fell on his face (Ezekiel 1:28), Daniel had no strength left in him (Daniel 10:8), and John "fell at his feet as though dead" (Revelation 1:17). Scripture's consistent pattern is that encounters with God's glory produce awe, self-abasement, and often a commission — not spectacle.

Revelation 15:8 adds a sobering note specific to its context: no one could enter the sanctuary until the plagues were finished. During the final outpouring of judgment, the usual access of intercession is closed. This underlines the urgency of the preceding chapter's call: "Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come" (14:7). Christians differ on claims of unusual manifestations today; all agree with the comment that such claims should be tested by Scripture (1 Thessalonians 5:21) and that genuine encounters with God's glory lead to humility and holiness rather than to self-promotion.

Great hailstones, "about one hundred pounds each," fell from heaven on people, and they cursed God for the plague of the hail, because it was so severe (a paraphrase of Revelation 16:21).

The heaviest hailstone ever recorded weighed about 2.25 pounds and fell on April 14, 1986, in the Gopalganj District of Bangladesh. That may not seem like much, but consider that a ball of ice that size could be falling at over 100 miles per hour. If it hit you in the head, it could well kill you.

The Bible says the hailstones in God's seventh bowl judgment would weigh about a hundred pounds each — roughly forty to fifty times the weight of the largest hailstone we have ever known. What is more, a larger weight would mean a higher terminal velocity, so they would fall even faster.

Some have tried to claim that the Tribulation judgments are not much different from calamities experienced at various points in human history. I beg to differ. Even if there are similarities in kind, there is clearly a difference in magnitude. There is an enormous difference between hail that weighs 2.25 pounds and hail that weighs 100 pounds. What is more, consider the language of some of these judgments: the second angel poured out his bowl into the sea, and it became like the blood of a corpse, and every living thing in the sea died (cf. Revelation 16:3).

The sea became blood! Every living thing in the sea died! What in human history comes close to this level of death and destruction, except perhaps the Great Flood of Genesis 6?

Friends, it is truly a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God (cf. Hebrews 10:31). Praise God that we are recipients of His grace!

AI-Expanded Reflection

The "hundred pounds" in Revelation 16:21 translates a Greek word meaning "talent-sized" (talantiaios). A talent was the heaviest standard unit of weight in the ancient world, though its exact value varied by region and period, from roughly 45 to over 100 pounds. The point, however measured, is unmistakable: hail beyond anything humanity has experienced. The image also echoes Scripture's earlier judgments — the seventh plague on Egypt was hail "such as had never been in all the land of Egypt" (Exodus 9:24), and God fought for Joshua with great hailstones at Beth-horon (Joshua 10:11). Many of the bowl judgments deliberately parallel the plagues of Exodus: sores, water turned to blood, darkness, frogs (16:2–13).

Christians read Revelation's judgments in different ways. Futurists, like the comment, generally read them as literal events of a coming tribulation period; others read them as symbolic depictions of God's judgments throughout history, or as partly fulfilled in the first-century Roman world, or as a combination. All agree on the passage's central message, which the comment rightly draws: God's judgment on unrepentant evil is real and terrible, and His grace to those in Christ is all the more precious. Revelation 16:5–7 frames even these judgments with worship: "Just are you, O Holy One... true and just are your judgments!"

Whoever has ears, let them hear. “If anyone is to go into captivity, into captivity they will go. If anyone is to be killed with the sword, with the sword they will be killed.”

This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of God’s people (Revelation 13:9–10).

What is meant here? My seminary professor (Dr. Thomas Constable) sees here a word of encouragement for persecuted believers during the Tribulation. He sees the "anyone" as a reference to the enemies of the saints, such that God is assuring the saints that He will bring ultimate retributive judgment against their foes.

I actually see just the opposite. I don't see any language of deliverance here. The context suggests just the opposite. We read that the beast "was given power to wage war against God's holy people and to conquer them" (Revelation 13:7a). This beast was also "given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation" (Revelation 13:7b). There is no hypothetical situation here. The beast will conquer God's people and exercise authority over the earth during this period. (Just as an aside, it appears in this context that the dragon, not God, was the empowering agent of the beast - cf. Revelation 13:2,4).

What is more, after the pronouncement "If anyone..." we read, "This calls for patient endurance." The call seems to be for perseverance through suffering for God's people rather than a joyful expectation of divine retribution on their enemies.

Therefore, it seems better to me to take this as God's forewarning that God's people will suffer captivity and death during this period. Since God will not intervene to stop it, these things will be an inevitability. Thus, the language of "if x, then x will be" suggests that the hypothetical will be a reality. The repetition of this language reinforces the certainty of it.

Consequently, the people of God are called to persevere in remaining faithful even through this time (cf. Revelation 14:12–13). We should remember this same kind of encouragement from Jesus' message to the churches. For example, recall this word to the church in Smyrna:

Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown (Revelation 2:10).

Friends, the call to persevere amidst suffering has been the same for every generation, whether in the past or for the present, and it will be so in the future. It is a call not to compromise our faith. In the Tribulation those who come to faith are warned against taking the "mark of the beast," although this would mean the inability to buy or sell anything. They are called not to compromise their faith (cf. Revelation 14:9–12), enduring even death if necessary with a view to their future blessed hope (Revelation 14:13).

What might be the moral equivalent to this "mark of the beast" today?

What kinds of things do we embrace today as a "necessary evil" by which we compromise our purity, our integrity, and the moral high ground to which we are called as salt and light to the world?

I can list a number of things here, but I'm afraid in doing so I might lead people to justify themselves rather than to humbly and diligently seek greater progress. Instead, I would encourage all of us to independently meditate on these questions and personally discern the necessary applications that we require.

AI-Expanded Reflection

The original carefully notices the immediate force of Revelation 13: the beast is permitted to wage war against the saints, and the ensuing call is for endurance and faith. This is a necessary correction to any expectation that belonging to Christ guarantees exemption from captivity or death. Revelation’s promise of victory cannot be understood apart from its slain Lamb. The faithful may appear defeated within the world’s public account of events while remaining secure in the judgment and resurrection Christ will bring.

There is also a textual reason why interpreters have read verse 10 differently. The manuscript tradition includes both a formulation about someone being killed by the sword and a formulation about someone who kills with the sword receiving that fate. The latter more readily suggests retribution, while the former emphasizes suffering to be endured. The NET textual note explains the principal variants and connects its preferred reading with Jeremiah 15:2. Thus the difference is not merely a contest between careful and careless contextual reading; the form of the text being followed contributes to the interpretation. NET note on Revelation 13:10

In the translation quoted by the original, the connection with the saints’ suffering is persuasive. Nevertheless, the repeated conditional language need not mean that every believer will undergo both captivity and execution. It prepares the community for those outcomes without requiring an identical experience for every member. Nor does the passage exclude eventual judgment on the persecutors. Revelation can call for present endurance precisely because final judgment belongs to God, even when immediate rescue is not promised.

The dragon’s empowerment of the beast also operates within limits. Revelation 13:2 expressly names the dragon as the source of the beast’s power, while the repeated language of permission and the specified period in verse 5 show that the beast’s dominion is not ultimate. Evil agents act culpably, yet their apparent ascendancy cannot overturn the Lamb’s final victory. This distinction helps believers avoid both minimizing evil and treating it as an independent power capable of defeating God’s purpose.

The original’s questions about contemporary compromise should be applied as moral analogies, not as a declaration that every questionable practice is literally the mark of the beast. The underlying issue is allegiance under pressure: what are we prepared to call necessary when faithfulness becomes costly? A workplace demand to deceive, a social expectation to humiliate the vulnerable, or a financial incentive to hide wrongdoing can expose the same temptation to purchase security through disobedience.

Preparation for endurance therefore begins before a dramatic crisis. Communities can practice truthful speech, support members who suffer for integrity, and make economic sacrifice less isolating. The call is not to seek persecution or romanticize loss. It is to trust Christ enough that survival and acceptance do not become higher authorities than he is. Revelation 14:13 supplies the horizon: faithful labor is remembered beyond death, and the apparent finality of the persecutor’s power is an illusion.

Do you notice something interesting about the description of the beast from the sea? He is given authority by the dragon (Revelation 13:2). He has a fatal wound that is miraculously healed, so that the world marvels and worships both the dragon and the beast (13:3–5). And what of the beast from the earth? He is a witness to the first beast and directs people to worship him through miraculous signs. Does this not seem like a parody of the Godhead? The Father gave authority to the Son; the Son was crucified and rose again so that people would believe and worship Him and the Father; the Holy Spirit bore witness to the Son through miraculous signs so that people would trust and worship Him. This is why Satan is called a great deceiver who leads the whole world astray (Revelation 12:9; 20:3, 8) — he designs a counterfeit trinity to deceive the world into worshiping him.

The beast from the sea is traditionally associated with the Antichrist; it's his image that gets set up and that people are made to worship (13:14–15), recalling the "abomination that causes desolation" Jesus predicted (Matthew 24:15; Mark 13:14), which from Daniel's prophecy (Daniel 11:31; 12:11) represents an image set up in the holiest place of the Temple. The second beast, from the earth, also appears to be the "false prophet" (16:13; 19:20; 20:10). The mark and number of the beast (13:17–18) stand in contrast to the divine seal and Name which set apart God's people (3:12; 7:3; 14:1; 22:4). The beast forces a physical mark on threat of destitution; the divine seal is spiritual and sovereignly given.

Note that the beasts have no authority in themselves — all of it comes from the dragon. Notice how often the expression "it was granted him" appears (13:5, 7, 14, 15). So when we read that it was granted to him to make war with the saints and overcome them, that authority is given by Satan, not God. Until Satan is bound (20:1–3), he is the dominant power in the world (Ephesians 2:2). So also when Satan tempted Jesus with all the kingdoms of the world (Matthew 4:8–9), it was no charade — he really could offer those things. In view of this, Scripture counsels us to be sober and alert, since our adversary prowls like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour — but to resist him, firm in faith, knowing other believers throughout the world are suffering the same things, and that after we have suffered a little while, the God of all grace will Himself restore, confirm, and strengthen us (a paraphrase of 1 Peter 5:8–11). Notice the last part: Satan's dominion is limited and will end; God's endures forever.

AI-Expanded Reflection

The "counterfeit trinity" pattern this comment identifies is a widely recognized feature of Revelation 12–13, and what makes it interesting theologically is the specific mechanism of the counterfeit: not opposition to worship, but redirection of it. The dragon doesn't try to eliminate the impulse to worship — he supplies an alternative object for it, complete with an authority figure, a death-and-resurrection narrative, and a witness performing confirming signs. That structure suggests the deception Revelation warns about isn't primarily a temptation toward irreligion but toward misdirected religion, which is considerably harder to detect from the inside and may explain why the book returns so often to the theme of discernment.