Revelation 13:1-4 The dragon stood on the shore of the sea. And I saw a beast coming out of the sea. It had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on its horns, and on each head a blasphemous name. 2 The beast I saw resembled a leopard, but had feet like those of a bear and a mouth like that of a lion. The dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority. 3 One of the heads of the beast seemed to have had a fatal wound, but the fatal wound had been healed. The whole world was filled with wonder and followed the beast. 4 People worshiped the dragon because he had given authority to the beast, and they also worshiped the beast and asked, “Who is like the beast? Who can wage war against it?”
The dragon is on the beach with the implication that he calls forth the beast. The sea represents chaos and had a negative connotation in ancient thought, especially for Israel. It is from this negative chaos that the beast comes. Horns may represent rulers or nations, like in Daniel 7. The seven heads suggests completeness. The ten crowns suggest the rulers of nations. These rulers are blasphemous against God, perhaps with a distorted understanding of God, a rejection of the true revelation of God (as revealed in the Bible), or heresy. There are religions like this. It is rare in the world today to find a born again leader of any nation. Most leaders are secular or in a sect or religion that is not orthodox or of the Bible. The beast looks like a leopard, fast and ferocious. The dragon (the devil) as the king of this world gives the beast power and great authority to rule. The beast experienced a fatal wound but was restored. This awed the world who began to follow the beast. The beast becomes the instrument of the devil to carry out the war against God and God’s people. People are captivated by power and authority. They will follow someone who claims power and is effective in controlling people. Since the beast is following the dragon, the beast captures this authority and the devotion of people through coercion and deceit.
Although we cannot pinpoint any person today who might fit the description of the beast of this passage, we can be warned about anyone who claims authority and rebellion against God. It is a temptation for any leader or person of influence to let that influence go to the head and begin to think more highly of him or herself. As believers, we must always remember that our citizenship is in heaven and that we are only passing through this world as pilgrims. Our allegiance is to God, not to any nation or ruler.
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