요한계시록 Chapter 13

Translation: ESV

1

And I saw a beast rising out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads, with ten diadems on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads.

Key Message

The beast from the sea is a symbol of worldly power opposing God that appears in every age of history.

▸The beast from the sea symbolizes an anti-Christian world empire.

The beast from the sea symbolizes an anti-Christian world empire. It is a combination of the four beasts of Daniel 7, the synthesis of all hostile world powers throughout history. The 'sea' symbolizes the source of chaos and evil (Genesis 1:2; Job 41:31–32). The 'ten horns and seven heads' are identical to the dragon of 12:3, showing that the beast is the dragon's (Satan's) agent. The 'blasphemous names' refer to Roman emperors calling themselves gods.

Related Verses

And four great beasts came up out of the sea, different from one another.After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, terrifying and dreadful and exceedingly strong. It had great iron teeth; it devoured and broke in pieces and stamped what was left with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns.
2

And the beast that I saw was like a leopard; its feet were like a bear's, and its mouth was like a lion's mouth. And to it the dragon gave his power and his throne and great authority.

Key Message

Behind worldly power is Satan's authority, and every empire that opposes God is ultimately Satan's instrument.

▸The beast's appearance combines the characteristics of three beasts from Daniel 7 (leopard, bear, lion).

3

One of its heads seemed to have a mortal wound, but its mortal wound was healed, and the whole earth marveled as they followed the beast.

Key Message

Satan imitates Christ's death and resurrection to deceive people, and this counterfeit miracle draws the world to the beast.

▸The beast receiving a mortal wound and recovering is Satan's counterfeit of Christ's death and resurrection.

4

And they worshiped the dragon, for he had given his authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, "Who is like the beast, and who can fight against it?"

Key Message

Worshiping the beast is worshiping Satan, and the world's submission to power cannot substitute for worshiping God.

▸It is made explicit that worshiping the beast is in reality worshiping the dragon (Satan).

5

And the beast was given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words, and it was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two months.

Key Message

All the beast's power is valid only for a limited period under God's permission, and blasphemy becomes the basis for judgment.

▸Two powers of the beast are specified: a blasphemous mouth and authority to act for forty-two months.

6

It opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against God, blaspheming his name and his dwelling, that is, those who dwell in heaven.

Key Message

The core of anti-Christian power lies in the systematic negation and slander of God's name, presence, and people.

▸Three targets of the beast's blasphemy are specified: God's name, God's dwelling (temple), and those who dwell in heaven (angels and the redeemed saints).

7

Also it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them. And authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation,

Key Message

Even when the beast appears to conquer the saints, this is permitted by God, and the victory of faith cannot be taken away.

▸The beast is permitted to make war on the saints and conquer them — the same pattern as the death of the two witnesses in 11:7.

8

and all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain.

Key Message

Salvation was God's plan from before the foundation of the world, and those written in the book of life are protected from the beast's deception.

▸Those who worship the beast are 'those whose names have not been written in the book of life.

9

If anyone has an ear, let him hear:

Key Message

Only those who can hear God's warnings and word with spiritual ears can avoid deception and maintain faith to the end.

▸This brief admonition echoes 'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches,' repeated in the letters to the seven churches in chapters 2–3.

10

If anyone is to be taken captive, to captivity he goes; if anyone is to be slain with the sword, with the sword must he be slain. Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints.

Key Message

The saint's victory before persecution lies not in violent resistance but in endurance and faith that trusts God's sovereignty.

▸This verse is a quotation of Jeremiah 15:2, teaching that whatever fate a saint meets within God's sovereign providence, he must respond with endurance and faith.

11

Then I saw another beast rising out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb and it spoke like a dragon.

Key Message

The false prophet appears in a form resembling Christ but conveys Satan's words and deceives the world.

▸A second beast (the beast from the earth) appears; in 16:13 it is named 'the false prophet.

12

It exercises all the authority of the first beast in its presence, and makes the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose mortal wound was healed.

Key Message

The false prophet's core ministry is to compel worship of anti-Christian power and give it religious legitimacy.

▸The second beast's role is to compel worship of the first beast (the beast from the sea).

13

It performs great signs, even making fire come down from heaven to earth in front of people,

Key Message

Signs are not a guarantee of truth; since Satan also deceives through miracles, discernment by the truth of Scripture is essential.

▸The second beast performs great signs, especially displaying the power to call down fire from heaven.

14

and by the signs that it is allowed to work in the presence of the beast it deceives those who dwell on earth, telling them to make an image for the beast that was wounded by the sword and yet lived.

Key Message

The false prophet leads people to idol worship through signs, and resisting this deception is the saint's task.

▸The second beast uses signs to deceive people into making an image of the first beast.

15

And it was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast might even speak and might cause those who would not worship the image of the beast to be slain.

Key Message

The Antichrist system attempts to replace worship of God with false oracles and totalitarian compulsion, but the saints must refuse.

▸The second beast gives breath to the image of the first beast so that it can speak.

16

Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead,

Key Message

The beast's mark is the opposite of God's seal — a symbol of totalitarian control representing compulsory belonging and loyalty.

▸Receiving the beast's mark is compelled on everyone regardless of social class.

17

so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name.

Key Message

The beast's mark system is economic pressure that forces an exchange of faith for livelihood, and the saints must not waver under this pressure.

▸Without the beast's mark no one can participate in economic activity.

18

This calls for wisdom: let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is 666.

Key Message

666 is a symbol of deficiency and evil falling short of the divine perfect number, simultaneously pointing to a specific historical figure and anti-Christian entities in every age.

▸666 is the most famous and disputed number in Revelation.