Chapters 13 and 17 of the Book of Revelation are the most relevant to these times and to what is currently happening. I remind the readers that the Book of Revelation is a symbolic and prophetic book. May this series be a starting point to guide members of the clergy to put into the picture what is happening now and what will happen in the near future, from what is written and prophesized biblically. In this first series, this site will tackle the explanation that Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel gave about Chapter 13.
“So, we’re gonna read from the Book of Revelation, Chapter 13, verses 1 to 18 which is the entire chapter 13. It is eighteen verses, 1 to 18. Here we go:
‘Then I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name. Now the beast which I saw was like a leopard, his feet were like the feet of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority. And I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world marveled and followed the beast. So they worshipped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him? And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months. Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven. It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation. All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. If anyone has an ear, let him hear. He who leads into captivity shall go into captivity; he who kills with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints. Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon. 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 performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. 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. 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 causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, 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. Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of man: His number is 666.‘
All our glory to our Lord the Saviour Jesus Christ, who is our Saviour forever and ever, Amen. Now, before I start, I would like to point out that, what we’re about to give you as a commentary or an explanation about this chapter, chapter 13 of Revelation is from our side. There are so many interpretations of Chapter 13. I will not claim that this particular commentary is the only one that is correct. Maybe someone will agree with it. Someone will disagree with it. But this is what we believe is the explanation to chapter 13. So whether you agree or not, I’ll leave that to you. But this is what we believe is the right commentary on chapter 13.
Now, chapter 13 talks about two beasts. One coming out of the sea and the other one coming out of the land. When we go to 13:1, we read, ‘Then I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns,and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name.‘ So, John the beloved, sees a beast coming out of the sea with seven heads and ten horns. Now, in verse one, it is called the beast.
We’re gonna take you to Revelation chapter 12. We’re going to go back – Chapter 12, verse 3: ‘And another sign appeared in heaven, behold, a great, fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads’ Now, in chapter 12, verse 3, he is the dragon. In chapter 13, verse 1, it is the beast. Now the dragon in chapter 12 has seven heads and ten horns. And the crowns, diadems are like crowns, the crowns are on the heads, on the seven heads. In chapter 13, it is not the dragon. It is the beast. Same thing. Seven heads just like the dragon and ten horns just like the dragon in chapter 12. However, the crowns are not on the heads, are on the horns. So, I put it this way: Revelation 13:1 is the beast. Revelation 12:3 is the dragon. The dragon has seven heads, ten horns. On the heads, there are crowns. The beast in Revelation 13:1, has seven heads, exactly the same, ten horns but the crowns are on the horns, on the ten horns, not on the heads. But it’s the same – seven heads and ten horns.
Oh I wanted to say – who was the dragon in chapter 12 when we did the study? Satan. Remember, the red dragon who was waiting for the woman to give birth to devour her child? Yes? And we said the red dragon is the old serpent, the snake, Satan. Now Satan the dragon in 12:3, has seven heads and ten horns, but in Revelation 13:1, it is the beast not the dragon, and the beast has exactly the same as the dragon, seven heads and ten horns. It’s very important for you to remember this.
Now, we’ll go to the other beast. In Revelation 13:11-12, we read: ‘Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon. 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.‘ So now it is the earth. The first time it was the sea. Who is the first beast? That one who came out of the sea. There will be a lot of information in the next couple of weeks so we will need to sort of focus and pay attention, and if anything skips you, it’s all recorded and you can go on YouTube and listen to it a hundred times if you wish. So this time the second beast is coming out of the earth, he has two horns and he is like a lamb. But he talks like the dragon. Who is the dragon? Chapter 12:3, Satan. See, so the second beast doesn’t talk like the beast of the sea. He talks like the dragon, who is Satan. So, the dragon is not the beast. However, the first beast and the dragon have the same things: seven heads and ten horns. But the dragon is not the beast. So, this second beast that came out of the earth, had two horns and he spoke like a lamb, but he spoke like the dragon, the dragon being Satan.
Oh, it’s going to be interesting. What is the beast? It’s a gentile empire without the rule of God. The reason why I am saying it is a gentile empire, meaning it is not an Israelite nation. This interpretation is different to every other interpretation out there. It’s very different. It’s a gentile empire without rule of God, meaning, it’s against God.”
You can watch here.