Chapter 13
Verses 1- 2 Read the Bible verses.
The dragon stood on the sand at the seaside. Out of the sea came a beast (animal). The beast has 10 horns and 7 heads. On the 10 horns were 10 crowns. And on the 10 heads were names that showed curse words to God.
The “sea” stands for nations or people of the world. (Rev.17:15) The beast stands for the Anti-Christ and his government. The heads and crowns stand for power to rule.
The dragon (Satan) watches as the beast (Anti-Christ) comes up.
“Anti” means against. The beast person is against Christ. This Anti-Christ will say that he is the true Christ. Satan will give him power to become the ruler of the world. Satan will give him the “information” he needs to be wise, and people trust him. They will believe in him.
The beast has a body of a leopard, but a head of a lion, and its feet are like a bear’s. A cat is swift (fast) and cunning (tricky, stealthy-sneaky).
A lion roars–speaks with power and is scary. The bear is powerful. The Anti-Christ will be all of these things.
Verses 3-10 Read the Bible verses.
One of the heads of the beast is wounded (badly hurt) with a fatal wound. Fatal means death.
The King James Version of the Bible says: “as it were”. This could mean “as if it had been slain (killed).
This person may only look like he died. Satan does not have the power to give life. But he can make things appear to be a certain way.
The wound is healed and the person comes back to life. It seems that Satan wants to make this look like a resurrection like the real Christ had.
People will be amazed! To see this person come back to life. Or it could be that it seems as though he came back from being dead.
The people begin to worship the dragon who gave the Anti-Christ power. And then they also worshipped the Anti-Christ, saying “Who is like him? Who can fight with him?”
The Anti-Christ is very proud and speaks proud words. He makes curses against God and against heaven.
Then the Anti-Christ makes war with the believers in the true Christ. He destroys them.
The Anti-Christ rules over every nation, people and group. All who live on the earth worship the Anti-Christ.
Anyone whose name was not written in God’s Book of Life–that book was in the beginning when the earth was created–those whose names are not in it will worship the beast (Anti-Christ). Jesus was the Lamb who was slain (killed) from the foundation of the earth. God knew when he made the earth that he would send his son to die for the sins of man. (Matthew 25:34, I Corinthians 2:7-11)
Anyone who is to be put in prison will be put in prison. He who is to be killed will be killed. God knows how each person will choose. Some will choose to be true to God and will be put in prison or will be killed.
Here is a warning. “Even as these things happen—still keep the faith and stay true.”
Verses 11-18 Read the Bible verses.
Another beast came up out of the earth. He had 2 horns like a lamb and he spoke like a dragon.
This person will appear to be gentle like a lamb but he speaks like a dragon. In American history there was a president who had a saying, “Speak softly but carry a big stick.” This person will appear to be gentle but he will carry a big stick. He will force people to do as he says.
He has all the power of the Anti-Christ. He makes everyone on earth worship the Anti-Christ.
This second ruler does amazing things. He can make fire come out of heaven. He tricks and fools people with wonderful “miracles”.
He tells the people on earth to make an image (idol) of the Anti-Christ and to worship it.
This second ruler is able to make the image (idol) to speak and breathe.
In these modern times, we see robots becoming more life-like than ever before. In 2019, we read about men trying to make “trans-human” beings. Meaning part robot and part human.
Anyone who will not worship to image, will be killed.
This second ruler will make everyone to have a mark on their forehead or on their right hand–so they can buy things or sell things.
If you don’t have the mark, you can not buy food or anything. And you will not be able to sell something you own to get food.
It seems that money will no longer be used. Just as people use a plastic card today to buy things, so then there will be a computer chip or a number on each person to use instead of money.
The number will be 666. It is the number of a man or a number standing for his name.
666 is a number that comes from a pagan symbol. It was used in pagan worship. It was used to call up spirits from the “under-world” or from “beyond”.
It was a square, having 6 blocks across, and 6 blocks down. There were different numbers in each block.
If you added up all the numbers in all the squares you would get the number 666.
This square is sometimes called a “magic square” or the “magic Sun square”.
It is very old from the times of the Egyptians, and Greeks. It was used in their idol worship.
It is even older than Egyptian times. It goes back to the earliest times in history.
Perhaps there will be a connection of this symbol and the anti-Christ.