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Revelation 13 Symbols

From: Symbols of the Apocalypse Briefly Defined

By: Alfred Henry Burton

Narrator: Chris Genthree

Duration: 2min

Revelation 13 • 1 min. read • grade level: 8

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1. The Sand of the Sea: Position of moral separation from the tumultuous movements of the people.

Beast: Revived form of the Roman Empire (Dan. 7).

Sea: The turbulent mass of unsettled, unreclaimed nations in anarchy and confusion (Isa. 57:20²⁰But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. (Isaiah 57:20)).

Seven Heads: (See Rev. 12:3; 17:9³And 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)
⁹And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth. (Revelation 17:9)).

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)).

Ten Crowns [Diadems]: Kingly power in an incomplete form.

Names of Blasphemy: Open enmity to God and His Christ.

2. Leopard: Swiftness of conquest; cruelty (Jer. 5:6⁶Wherefore a lion out of the forest shall slay them, and a wolf of the evenings shall spoil them, a leopard shall watch over their cities: every one that goeth out thence shall be torn in pieces: because their transgressions are many, and their backslidings are increased. (Jeremiah 5:6); Dan. 7:6⁶After this I beheld, and lo another, like a leopard, which had upon the back of it four wings of a fowl; the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given to it. (Daniel 7:6); Hos. 13:7⁷Therefore I will be unto them as a lion: as a leopard by the way will I observe them: (Hosea 13:7); Hab. 1:8⁸Their horses also are swifter than the leopards, and are more fierce than the evening wolves: and their horsemen shall spread themselves, and their horsemen shall come from far; they shall fly as the eagle that hasteth to eat. (Habakkuk 1:8)).

Bear: Voracity; tenacity of grasp.

Lion: Ferocity; strength (Judg. 14:8⁸And after a time he returned to take her, and he turned aside to see the carcase of the lion: and, behold, there was a swarm of bees and honey in the carcase of the lion. (Judges 14:8)). [The characteristic qualities of the Macedonian, the Persian, and the Babylonian Empires.]

3. Deadly Wound by a Sword: Political calamity inflicted by war.

8. Lamb’s Book of Life: Register of the elect (Rev. 3:5; 20:12⁵He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. (Revelation 3:5)
¹²And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. (Revelation 20:12)).

11. Two Horned Beast: Imitator of Christ’s power as king and prophet, the same as the false prophet; the Antichrist (Dan. 7:8; 11:36⁸I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things. (Daniel 7:8)
³⁶And 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. (Daniel 11:36); 2 Thess. 2).

Earth: The Roman earth, including those who dwell, or have their portion in it.

16. Mark in the Right Hand or on the Forehead: Public profession or appearance before men.

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