In the twelfth verse of the preceding chapter we hear of an impending “woe” to those who inhabit earth and sea (man—at rest or in tumult) because the devil has come down to earth. Denied access to heaven he now sets up a false trinity on earth. This trinity of evil usurps the places of God—Father, Son, and Holy Ghost and claims the worship due to God alone. The personages in this false trinity are:
—Satan—also called “the devil,” “that old serpent” and in this chapter “the dragon.” Satan acts as a counterfeit of the unseen Holy Ghost, energizing the other two persons in his false trinity.
—The First Beast—generally referred to simply as “the Beast.” He is a counterfeit of God the Father. This man will be the political and military head of the revived Roman empire in its diabolical form, which ascends out of the bottomless pit—the abyss—and goes into destruction (see Rev. 17:8; 17:118The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is. (Revelation 17:8)
11And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition. (Revelation 17:11)).
—The Second Beast—also termed “the Antichrist,” “the false prophet,” “the man of sin,” and “the son of perdition.” He is a counterfeit of the Lord Jesus. As the religious head, he causes men to worship the first beast whose deadly wound was healed.
Satan’s role in the trinity of evil is self evident. However the separate and distinct parts played by the two beasts must be clearly understood to make progress in the Revelation. Comment therefore follows on the first and second beasts—respectively the Roman secular head and the Jewish pseudo religious head—Antichrist proper.
In the vision John saw the first beast “rise up out of the sea.” Certainly it will be a troubled sea when he appears much like the times which followed the French Revolution when Napoleon Bonaparte arose. Worthy and able men who gave their minds to the study of prophetic subjects at the beginning of the last century thought that Satan had been trying to get his hand in before the time in the case of Napoleon. Revelation 17:1010And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space. (Revelation 17:10) seems to confirm this—“the other is not yet come, and when he cometh he must continue a short space.” Another indication of Satan’s desire for a man like the coming beast was the Italian dictator Mussolini. This man once said that he would shake his fist in God’s face and make an alliance with the devil if he could but restore Rome to the worship of the old pagan gods. But the time was not yet! The first beast in Revelation has “seven heads and ten horns” which at once identifies him with his master, since the “great red dragon” also has seven heads and ten horns (see Rev. 12:33And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. (Revelation 12:3)). As already shown, seven here means completeness in the power of evil, but ten horns only come short of the twelve which represent perfection in human administration. This beast then comes short, and of this more later. Ten crowns upon his ten horns may be an allusion to the ten kings who “receive power as kings one hour with the beast” (Rev. 17:1212And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. (Revelation 17:12)). Each of his heads is labeled with blasphemies against God!
In the seventh chapter of Daniel we read of the prophets seeing, in a vision, “four great beasts coming up from the sea, diverse one from another—a lion, a bear, and a leopard.” The fourth beast was of such a ferocious character that no known creature on earth could be found to describe it. These four beasts represented the Gentile kingdoms of Babylonia, Persia, Greece, and Rome. The beast seen by John in the Patmos vision embodied the features of three of those seen by Daniel, but in Revelation they are given in inverse order—a leopard, a bear, and a lion. The features then of three former Gentile powers are to be found in the Roman Beast, to describe which no analogy could be found since its very being was essentially Satanic. As it is said—“and the dragon gave to it his power, and his throne, and great authority.”
The historian Gibbon sets out in his voluminous work “The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire” what God gives in a few words—“and I saw one of its heads as it were wounded to death.” What we are shown here, also in a few words, is that the deadly wound (the imperial form of Roman power) will be healed. The old Roman empire will be revived to the wonderment of the whole world, which will be in a mood to receive this new satanic chief, and will worship both him and his patron the devil. For a short time it is evident no power on earth—major or minor—will be able to oppose him. The world of his day will hang on his words—his mouth “speaking great things”—while out of his evil heart proceed the blasphemies which he utters against God. But God is the sovereign ruler of the universe, and mercifully limits his time of continuance to “forty and two months”—the last half of Daniel’s seventieth week.
We read of Judas that “Satan entered into him” (John 13:2727And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly. (John 13:27)). Surely Satan not only enters into this iniquitous being but dominates him completely. Without fear, as long as God bears with it until the execution of summary judgment, he blasphemes God and His holy Name, also His dwelling place, and—mark this—“those that dwell in heaven.” A man of world affairs, no doubt, he had knowledge of a people those who composed the church who were taken to heaven before he came to power. Unable to touch them now, he can but blaspheme them. How we may thank God we will not be found on earth during his awful reign of darkness and tyranny and persecution of God’s saints then on the earth, with whom he makes war and whom he overcomes. These are the Jewish saints referred to specifically in Revelation 6:1111And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled. (Revelation 6:11). Some had already laid down their lives and were in heaven, others were to follow similarly—those whom the beast would overcome. Their names were “written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world”—consequently they refused to worship the Beast as those that dwell on the earth will do. If proof were wanted to support the belief that these saints will read the Book of Revelation we surely have it in the ninth verse where there is a call to them to hear the Word of God, not to resist, but to exercise patience. Their position is outlined in James 5:66Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you. (James 5:6)—“ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you.”
Of uncommon interest is the word in the seventh verse—“power was given him over all kindreds and tongues and nations.” Global television, made possible by satellites, will spread his awful image, and his still more awful words, continually around the world. He will be worshipped by all, except God’s elect. You can be very sure there will be plenty of altars available on which, as of old, to burn incense to the modern Caesar. We can see too how he will not tolerate the worship of the Virgin and Child, but will destroy the system completely as given in Revelation 17:16-1816And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire. 17For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled. 18And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth. (Revelation 17:16‑18). Nor will he endure the Jewish forms of worship and sacrifices to Jehovah, offered in the temple at Jerusalem. In Daniel 9:2727And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate. (Daniel 9:27) it is shown that he will confirm a covenant with “many”—the unbelieving, idolatrous Jews for one week—that is, seven years. In the midst of this “week” he causes Jewish sacrifice and oblation to cease. From Daniel 7:2525And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time. (Daniel 7:25) we further learn that he thinks to change times and laws—“sacrifice and oblation”—but his power to do so is held down to a period of “a time, times, and the dividing of time,” or the forty and two months which is the time of his continuance as given in Revelation 13:55And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. (Revelation 13:5). Note here that we have only half a week, the last half, or three and one half years. He thinks to prohibit the Jewish sacrifices for a week—seven years—but God has been beforehand with him, and without his knowledge half of the period has elapsed before he ascends his throne for his allotted time of “forty and two months”—or three and one half years, the last half of Daniel’s seventieth week. This is another example of God’s having shortened those days of trial “for the elect’s sake” (Matt. 24:2222And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened. (Matthew 24:22)). At the end of just half of the time of his covenant of seven years both he and the Antichrist will be “cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone” (Rev. 19:2020And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. (Revelation 19:20)).
The Antichrist, or Jewish false prophet, is the subject of verses eleven to seventeen inclusive. We have a description of him in Daniel 11:36-4036And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done. 37Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all. 38But in his estate shall he honor the God of forces: and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honor with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things. 39Thus shall he do in the most strong holds with a strange god, whom he shall acknowledge and increase with glory: and he shall cause them to rule over many, and shall divide the land for gain. 40And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over. (Daniel 11:36‑40). The God of his fathers means nothing to him—instead “he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every God.” This agrees exactly with 2 Thessalonians 2 (JND), where he is referred to as “that man of sin,” “the son of perdition,” “who opposes and exalts himself on high against all called God, or object of veneration; so that he himself sits down in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.” Here we cannot refrain from quoting Ezekiel 28:99Wilt thou yet say before him that slayeth thee, I am God? but thou shalt be a man, and no God, in the hand of him that slayeth thee. (Ezekiel 28:9)—“but thou shalt be a man, and no God, in the hand of Him that slayeth thee.” Paradoxically, while he shows himself that he is God, he finds it necessary to put himself and the ungodly under the protection of a superior power—the Roman. This covenant with death, which the Lord will disannul, has been referred to already in Chapter 11 of these notes.
He represents himself to his people as the Christ, possessed of—in the vision—“two horns like a lamb”—but when he speaks it is his master’s voice that is heard—“he spake as a dragon.” He appears to be more powerful at the beginning of his career than at the end of it. At first he “exercises all the power of the first beast before him.” At the end he is seen as “the false prophet.” That a Jew should cause the earth, and those that dwell in it to worship the Roman chief, is perfectly amazing, and shows the power of Satan at its zenith for “he knoweth that he hath but a short time.” Did Elijah call down fire from heaven? Antichrist can do the same, like the magicians of Egypt imitating the plagues of Moses. His miracles, with which he deceives men, are graphically referred to in 2 Thessalonians 2. God allows it that those who would not have the truth should believe a lie. The antichrist’s creation of an image to the Roman Beast shows his subservience to that power though he himself claims to be God. But he is the author of the most despotic tyranny which men on earth will ever know. ‘All’—mark the word—both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, are forced to receive a mark upon their right hand, or upon their forehead. Only those displaying the mark will be allowed to transact the ordinary business of life. Those not having the mark will be slain, if apprehended. The same fate will await those who refuse to worship the Beast’s image. Did not Nebuchadnezzar set the pattern for this when he erected his image of gold in the plain of Dura? By Satan’s power Antichrist will give breath to his image, and cause it to speak.
As these lines were written another Arab-Israeli war has passed into history. This one secured Israel possession of the ancient Holy City again. Amongst the western powers France favored the Arabs, but this will be reversed shortly, as we see from Scripture that Israel will be under the wing of the Western European power—but all to no purpose.
The eighteenth verse of our chapter refers to the first, or Roman Beast, not to the Antichrist. The number 666 is the sign by which the godly Jews of this tribulation period will know their persecutor. When they see his image set up in a holy place they will flee to the mountains, because the end will be near.
The meaning of the number 666 has intrigued Christians from the beginning. Irenaeus, Bishop of Smyrna, one of the early church fathers, cited the “Lateinos” explanation, but did not adopt it. “Lateinos” is a transliteration of a Greek adjective meaning “Latin,” which of course could be used as a substantive meaning “Latin man.” The letter numerical value of “Lateinos” adds up to 666. Even so Irenaeus’ own view was that if John had meant the number to be known to us he would have declared it. The passage of many centuries has not brought us any closer to a solution, so that it seems likely the meaning is reserved until the time of the Beast.
The number six in Scripture is identified with coming short, for example, there were only six steps to the throne of Solomon. In the number of the beast we have the figure six repeated three times—a trinity of incompleteness. The Man Christ Jesus alone is worthy of world dominion, and no other.