Then I saw another Wild Beast,
     coming up out of the earth.

    He had two horns like those of a lamb,
    but he spoke like a dragon.
    And the authority of the first Wild Beast
     -- the whole of that authority -
    he exercises in his presence,
    and he causes the earth and its inhabitants
    to worship the first Wild Beast,
    whose mortal wound had been healed.

    He also works great miracles,
    so as even to make fire come down from heaven to earth
    in the presence of human beings.

    And his power of leading astray the inhabitants of the earth
    is due to the marvels which he has been permitted to work
    in the presence of the Wild Beast.

    And he told the inhabitants of the earth
    to erect a statue to the Wild Beast
    so that the statute of the Wild Beast could even speak and
    cause all who refuse to worship it to be put to death.

    And he causes all:
            small and great, rich and poor, free men and slaves,
    to have stamped upon them a mark
            on their right hands or on their foreheads,
    in order that no one should be allowed to buy or sell
    unless he had the mark:

    either the name of the Wild Beast
    or the number which his name represents.

    Here is scope for ingenuity.

    Let people of shrewd intelligence
    calculate the number of the Wild Beast;

    for it indicates a certain man
    and his number is six hundred and sixty-six

    6 6 6


    The Beast from the Earth
    The False Prophet

13:11  Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and
spoke like a dragon.

  • Revelation 13:11-18 – there is more on the false prophet but this is the primary place.  This was a new idea – it was
  • a surprise.  Meaning when you read the Old Testament you can get hints, when you read the teachings of Jesus you get
    a few hints, when you read the teachings of Peter and Paul you get a few hints, only a few hints – but John on the isle of
    Patmos gets a significant increase in understanding about this dimension – of the end time strategy.  It is very important.  
    You would be at a great loss without this information.  It is more than curious information.  It is profoundly important to
    our lives.  It is profoundly relevant.
  • This is satan’s number two man – the false prophet – whose argument is “Look.  See how much power I have.  And this
leader is so awesome and so good, I gladly lose my place and make it all about him.”  This false prophet will have a bigger
ministry than anybody in the world today – far bigger than the Pope has.  
  • Satan, the false prophet, and the antichrist intentionally are set forth as a counterfeit trinity.
  • The trinity of evil is now complete.  Satan, secular power and religious compromise join against the cause of
God (NIV) (Z)
  • This beast is a counterfeit of the Holy Spirit (LB)
  • The form and shape of this second beast:  two horns like a lamb and a mouth that spoke like a dragon (MH)
  • This is the only time the false prophet is called a beast – because the Holy Spirit wants us to be very, very clear that he
has the same wild and beastly nature as the antichrist.  He is a wise, cruel, unreasoning animal.  
  • Beast from the land – he arises out of settled human society. (TB)
  • Out of the earth – out of society civilized, consolidated, and ordered, but still with all its culture, of earth earthy; as
  • distinguished from ‘the sea’, the troubled agitations of various peoples out of which the world power and its several
    kingdoms have emerged (JFB)
  • Out of the earth – its very culture and world wisdom only intensify its infernal character, the pretense to superior
knowledge and rationalistic philosophy veiling the deification of nature, self, and man.  (JFB)
  • The first beast is physical and political; the second a spiritual power, the power of knowledge, ideas, and scientific
cultivation (JFB)
  • He had two horns – He has two dimensions of authority:  religion and economics.  
  •  An “ecclesiastical satellite” (W)
  • This is some great impostor, who, under a pretense of religion, shall deceive the souls of men (MH)
  • He symbolizes religious power in the service of secular authorities.  (NIV)
  • Like a lamb – he looked gentle – harmless, guileless.  (W) (NIV)   He looks deeply spiritual but he is a wolf in sheep’s
clothing.  He will look harmless, very sincere, tender, a touch of softness – he will be easy to entreat.  He will appear to
understand.  
  • Spoke – was speaking (NAS)
  •  He looked like a dragon – and every time in the Book of Revelation it says dragon it means satan – and it says it so
there is no guesswork.  He speaks with demonic empowering.  

References:  Revelation 11:7; 13:1, 4, 14; 16:13; Daniel 8:3 (Then I lifted my gaze and looked, and behold, a ram which had two horns was
standing in front of the canal.  Now the two horns were long, but one was longer than the other, with the longer one coming up last.)

13:12  And he exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence, and causes the earth and
those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.

  •  He exercises authority only in the presence of the antichrist; his anointing does not operate except when the main man
of darkness is present.  The whole point of that is to get the earth to know that as awesome as the false prophet is, he is as
weak as another man except the antichrist is in his presence – there is an activation of an evil anointing.  
  • It was the power of satan in either case, that found a pliable instrument in both the beast and the false prophet (W)
  • He causes the earth to worship the antichrist.  The premiere miracle is the deadly head wound.  It is a dramatic display.  
  • The power which he exercises to draw men off from worshipping the true God to worship those who by nature are no
gods (MH)
  • This false prophet will say, “I only want this incredible, noble, deserving man to succeed.”  Nobody has moved the
human masses like he will and he is so captured by this other man – the antichrist – he must be right because the false
prophet is so wise and powerful and with all that he knows that there is only one thing to live for:  this other man.  It will give
profound credibility to this other man – the dictator.  

References:  Revelation 13:3, 4, 8, 14, 15; 19:20; 14:9, 11; 16:2; 19:20; 20:4

13:13  He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the
sight of men.

  • He performs great signs to deceive the people on the earth by these signs which he is granted to do in the sight of
the beast.  
  • God sometimes permits His enemies to do things that seem very wonderful, and by which unwary persons may be
deluded (MH)
  • Wins many to support his cause by these miracles, and intimidating his enemies by the same wonderful miracle (W)

References:  Matthew 24:24 (For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the
elect); 1 Kings 18:38; Revelation 11:5; 19:20; 16:14; 20:9; Luke 9:54 (And when His disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do You
want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?”)

13:14  and he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the
sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded
by the sword and lived.

  • The false prophet tells the world to make an image – a statue – of the antichrist.  The false prophet is granted power
– it states this three times.  We find through a more focused study that it is God and the devil granting this pair certain
privileges and liberties and it is even the human race that voluntarily give their hearts to him and by their own free will give
him power.  So the granting of a certain position is part of it is God and part the devil and part the human race.  This word
granting is key.  
  • He has one mandate:  make a statue.  His premiere strategy in the kingdom of darkness:  get the earth to make an
image and worship the beast because they have imitated the premiere event in the kingdom of God:  the death and
resurrection of Jesus Christ.  It is a purposeful imitation and counterfeit of it.  
  • He doesn’t make the statue – he tells the people to make it although there is probably a main one somewhere.  
  • In the sight of – by the authority of (NAS)
  • This is a reminder of Pharaoh’s magicians who duplicated Moses’ signs in Egypt.  True signs and miracles point us
to Jesus Christ, but miracles alone can be deceptive (LB)
  • The creature here gains influence through the signs and then orders the people to worship a statue – a direct
flouting of the second commandment (LB)

References:  Revelation 12:9; 13:3, 8, 12; 19:20; 2 Thessalonians 2:9 (the coming of the lawless one is according to the working of satan, with
all power, signs, and lying wonders); 2 Kings 20:7; Deuteronomy 13:1-5 (If there arises among you a prophet or a dreamer of dreams, and he
gives you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or the wonder comes to pass, of which he spoke to you, saying, “Let us go after other gods’ – which
you have not known – ‘and let us serve them’, you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams, for the Lord your God is
testing you to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.  You shall walk after the Lord your God and fear
Him, and keep His commandments and obey His voice; you shall serve Him and hold fast to Him.  But that prophet or that dreamer of dreams
shall be put to death, because he has spoken in order to turn you away from the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt and
redeemed you from the house of bondage, to entice you from the way in which the Lord your God commanded you to walk.  So you shall put
away the evil from your midst.)

13:15  He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast that the image of the beast
should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed.

  • He gives only breath – he doesn’t have the power to give life; it is not real in the sense of human breath – it is
controlled by demon spirits.  
  • It is supported by diabolical supernaturalism (TB)
  • You have to ask yourself with power to cause fire to come down from heaven, why does this false prophet need the
images – why is he so focused on telling them to focus on this one thing.  I believe it is his imitation omnipresence – this
image system will enforce and terrify and threaten the masses of the world.  He is a limited person – demonized – but a
human.  It is his imitation of the Holy Spirit.  
  • These are wonderful miracles, and there is much need of the testimony of the two witnesses (chapter 11) to hold the
Jews steady, or prevent them from following the beast fully. (W)
  • It is interesting this image is emphasized ten times – this is not a small thing in the Book of Revelation.  This is an
exaggerated amount of emphasis.  This image is critical.  The only thing more powerful than the image is the head wound.  
The image is the second most powerful reality happening in the kingdom of darkness.  
  •  Speak – and he will cause (NAS)
  • The symbolism stands for any religious system which allies itself with world powers hostile to Christ and His church.  
It is that system which persuades humanity to worship evil under the guise of good (TB)
  • Belief in statues that could speak is widely attested in ancient literature.  Ventriloquism and other forms of deception
were common.  (NIV)
  • It says ‘he causes’ about seven or eight times.  He is the enforcer – he is this recruiter mobilizer guy.  He is a man
of action.  

References:  Revelation 13:12; 14:9, 11; 16:2; 19:20; 20:4;  Daniel 3:3 (Then the satraps, the prefects and the governors, the counselors, the
treasurers, the judges, the magistrates and all the rulers of the provinces were assembled for the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar
the king had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up)

13:16  He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right
hand or on their foreheads,

  • “All” – nobody in society will be immune – everybody will be impacted.  
  • Cause – implies extreme pressure – ultimatums.  
  • He will cause ‘all’ – nobody in society will be immune – everybody will be impacted.  He will cause ‘all’ – he will
  • pressure everyone.  Cause implies extreme pressure – ultimatums.  He will motivate – give ultimatums – on the entire
  • human race in every nation – the small and the great – the rich and the poor – the free and the slave.  He’s going to
  • pressure them to receive a mark and they are given two options:  in their right hand or on their forehead.  So no matter
  • what economic status, what political clout they have in society – the great or the small talks about political or military stature.
  • Then he legislates.  He causes people to be killed – he makes demands that are carried out through the legal system.
  • Legislation to imprison and kill – the image – the statue speaks and legislates.  It is a very capable enforcer.  The
  • false prophet and antichrist will have miracles and very intelligence and legislative power and massive resources of the ten
    nations confederacy – credibility – money – zeal beyond measure.  And this image will be a most capable enforcer of
    this law.  It says “he causes” about seven or eight times.  He is the enforcer – he is this recruiter mobilizer guy.  He is
    causing all of these things to happen – he is a man of action.  He is causing things to happen – his proactive, can-do
    nature is really emphasized.
  • Rich and poor – the wealthiest – the billionaire – the big politician or famous movie star – or the most insignificant –
no one can avoid taking a stand.  
  • To receive – that they give to them a mark (NAS)
  • This mark is designed to mock the mark God places on His followers (7:2, 3) (LB)
  • Identifying this mark is not as important as identifying the purpose of the mark.  Those who accept it are showing their
  • allegiance to satan, their willingness to operate within the economic system he promotes, and their rebellion against
  • God.  To refuse the mark means committing oneself entirely to God, preferring death to compromising one’s faith in
  • Christ.  (LB)
  • To receive this mark is blasphemy – it is the unforgivable sin.  Again, this isn’t to be taken lightly.  Think about your
children, parents, friends, pastors – I think many will struggle with this under pressure.  But it is blasphemy against God to
take this – it is the unforgivable sin – their hearts become reprobate.  And it isn’t like they are just walking down the road and
casually decide to take the mark – no.  I think there will such an awareness of this – it will be trumpeted loud and clear.  
There are companies racing to get and refine the technology for the chips.  One owner said that we were completely
shocked by the idea that this was the mark of the beast – we never thought that something so helpful would be so evil.  
It is not that the technology is confusing about this – but the way it is utilized will be.

References:  Revelation 7:3; 11:18; 14:9; 19:5, 18; 20:4; Galatians 6:17 (From now on let no one cause trouble for me, for I bear on my body
the brand-marks of Jesus)

13:17  and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the
number of his name.

  • The mark of the beast, the name of the beast, and the number of the name of the beast are all so dynamic or so
related to one another that it is possible there is some distinction but it is all one reality  
  • The mark in the right hand and forehead implies the prostration of bodily and intellectual powers to the beast’s
domination (JFB)
  • His subjects will be readily distinguished from others.  (W)
  • They make an open profession of their subjection (MH)
  • There will be economic sanctions if you do not worship this world leader – the global data base will be in place
– and you cannot buy or sell without it – the implications to our family:  no food, water, heat – is staggering.  
  • Economic pressure and economic reward related to this dilemma
  • All are to be exposed to death, at the will of the beast, unless they have this mark impressed upon them (W)
  • On a daily basis there will be an ultimatum.  Satan’s plan is that everyone will have to declare their hidden loyalties
publicly – everyone.  All of our private loyalties will be brought into display on a daily basis.  
  •  In ancient times the letters of the alphabet served for numbers.  Riddles using numerical equivalents for names
were popular.  (NIV)

References:  Revelation 7:3; 14:9-11; 15:2; 20:4

13:18  Here is wisdom.  Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is
the number of a man:  His number is 666.

  • Here is wisdom:  a command to calculate the number.  Not an appeal to scientific and mathematical calculations
but an appeal to spiritual discernment; it will be received by divine revelation to the people who care.  
  • Here is wisdom:  the invitation to ask God for spiritual discernment
  • Spiritual wisdom is needed to solve the mystery of iniquity, so as not to be beguiled by it (JFB)
  • Similarly the prophecies of Daniel were conveyed in symbolical terms which required divine enlightenment for their
elucidation (Z)
  • The numerical value of the letters in his name will give the sum of 666.  (W)
  • This mark is a parody of the mark of God on His faithful ones (7:3) because everyone bears some mark to indicate
his loyalty. (TB)
  • The worship of world power transforms a person into the world’s likeness (TB)
  • The mark cannot be hidden for a person; increasingly reflects the image of his master. (TB)
  • Six is trying to become 7.  Living independent – being our own God.  Falling short of completeness/perfection.  
Represents all that is possible for human wisdom and power to achieve when directed by an evil spirit. (TB)
  • The total numerical value of the letters in some person’s name (Z)
  • We know this:  God has written “Mene Tekel” upon all His enemies; He has numbered their days, and they shall be
finished, but His own kingdom shall endure forever.  (MH)
  •  Some older translations read 616 (NAS)

References:  Revelation 17:9; 1 Corinthians 2:14 (But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of god, for they are foolishness to
him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned); Revelation 15:2; 21:17