Satan’s Helpers, The Two Beasts

Revelation 13:1-18

I really thank God for Joshua and Surim’s safe return from their trip to Korea! He mentioned that he had a wonderful time there. As you have heard, the wars between Israel and Hezbollah and between Ukraine and Russia are ongoing. Many of us don’t realize that a more fervent spiritual war is still happening in our daily and practical lives.

Satan, the rebellious archangel who came down to this earth, is fervently working against God and against the saints. But we should remember that his time is limited and that his authority and power are also under God’s sovereign control. We studied the identity of the Dragon, called Satan, from last Sunday’s sermon. He is an archangel who once led other angels and guarded the glory of God. However, he rebelled, desiring God's throne for himself, and was cast down to the earth. We learned that the only way to conquer him is through the blood of the Lamb and the testimony of the saints, as explained in Revelation 12:11: "They have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death." These saints loved Christ more than their own lives. They fully relied on the power of Jesus' blood, and Christ’s name was greatly exalted through their practical lives.

Today’s passage from Revelation 13 is one of the most difficult chapters in Revelation. The Apostle John sees two beasts rise, one from the sea (13:1) and the other from the earth (13:11). We will focus on three main topics: 

1. The identity of the beasts 

2. The mark and number of the beasts 

3. The sovereignty over the beasts 

May God give us humble hearts to understand today’s passage, so that we may stand firm in Christ with the assurance of triumph, no matter what critical situations we encounter!

Part One - The Identity of the Beasts

The two beasts are revealed in Revelation chapter 13. Both of them are Satan’s allies and work against God and the Church. Look at verses 1-2:

> "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. 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."

The appearance of the beast reminds us of the book of Daniel (7:1-7). The ten horns, seven heads, and ten diadems represent its power and authority. In verse 2, the dragon gave the beast his power, throne, and great authority.

What does the beast do? In verses 6 and 7, it blasphemes against God and wages war on the saints, conquering them:

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

Its authority and power extend over all kindreds, tongues, and nations, which shows its worldwide scope. This term represents both a person, the Antichrist, and his worldly system. Satan employs two beasts to accomplish his purpose, in a way that imitates the Trinity. Satan empowers the first beast to rule, like the Father appointed His Son to reign, and the second beast causes people on earth to worship the first beast and glorifies it, just as the Holy Spirit glorifies Jesus. In verse 12:

> "It exercises all the authority of the first beast in its presence, and makes the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast."

Revelation 16:13-14 tells us about this unholy trinity: the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet:

> "And I saw, coming out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs. For they are demonic spirits, performing signs, who go abroad to the kings of the whole world, to assemble them for battle on the great day of God the Almighty."

The first beast has seven heads, ten crowned horns, feet like a bear, a body like a leopard, and a mouth like a lion. He resembles Satan’s secular ally. The whole earth is amazed by him because of his power and authority, saying, "Who is like the beast, and who can fight against it?" They followed him and worshipped the dragon because he had given authority to the beast. The beast has political and military power.

On the other hand, the second beast takes the role of Christ as prophet and priest. Look at verses 13-16:

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

Like Jesus, the second beast is described as a lamb with horns. This beast directs the worship of the people and works miracles, like the prophet Elijah. His role is that of a false prophet.

In the time of Rome, there were priests and temples devoted to the worship of the Emperor. If people refused to participate, they were economically excluded from commerce. In the worst cases, they faced capital punishment, as is happening in North Korea today. Rome’s government relentlessly persecuted and killed Christians, trying to destroy the Church. Christians couldn’t conduct ordinary business or even enter a shop to buy something unless they worshipped the emperor. The Caesars sought to unify their empire through religion. Priests were appointed as instruments of Caesar worship because the emperor was considered a god. Who could oppose the emperor?

Likewise, Christ Jesus warned that false Christs and false prophets would arise with great signs and wonders, as Matthew 24:23-24 says:

> "Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. For false Christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect."

The Apostle John also tells us that many antichrists will appear in 1 John 2:18, 22:

> "Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour... Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son."

The dragon, Satan, works in a deceptive way, mimicking the power and authority of the Trinity in the last days. He sometimes appears as a shining angel or a roaring lion with seven heads, ten horns, and ten diadems. It is not easy to recognize Satan when he disguises himself as a lamb. He may approach you under the name of evangelical or reformed churches, and we are prone to embrace it. He may come through Christian media or Christian friends who seem nice and sincere but lead you into an unbiblical, non-Christ-centered path. Though he may approach in sheep's clothing, inwardly he is a ravenous wolf (Matthew 7:15).

The Antichrist is so clever that he evokes worldwide admiration and makes the secular culture of humanism and man-centered religious power so popular that true followers of Christ are regarded as foolish and persecuted, just as the Catholic Church severely persecuted Christians in the Middle Ages.

This is happening in our time. The words of famous religious and political leaders are highly influential. They emphasize personal freedom to the point of supporting the killing of unborn babies, promoting homosexuality, desecrating the Lord’s Day, and unconsciously mocking the truth of Scripture—all while claiming to be Christian. If we don’t stand firm on the truth of Scripture, it becomes easy to follow this current, popular, ungodly trend. We need discernment to follow Christ with a godly perspective. We must look beyond these things to see the beasts of Revelation, the mystery of iniquity, the power of the Antichrist, and the devil’s schemes against Scripture and the Church.

The Apostle Paul admonishes us on how we should live in the end times in Ephesians 6:11-18:

> "Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints."

### Part Two - The Mark and Number of the Beast

What do the beasts do during this time? Look at verses 15-18:

> "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. 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, 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. 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."

The mark of the beast is simply a sign of ownership. In the days of Roman rule, slaves were marked with their owner’s seal, signifying they had to serve the owner. Receiving the mark of the beast means that you belong to Satan, serve him, and worship him. The mark is pressed upon the forehead, symbolizing the mind or philosophy of a person, or on the right hand, symbolizing a person’s actions, deeds, trade, and industry. One symbol of this might be hatred of Christ or being controlled in thinking, mind, or actions by blasphemous ways.

The mark was used to denote a stamp on the hand or elsewhere, as in the case of a servant on whose hand or arm the name of the master was impressed, or of a soldier on whom some mark was impressed denoting the company or phalanx to which he belonged.

Matthew Henry mentions this in his commentary:

"The number is the number of a man, computed after the usual manner among men, and it is 666. What or who is intended by this remains a mystery. To almost every religious dispute, this number has been applied, and it may reasonably be doubted whether the meaning has yet been discovered. But he who has wisdom and understanding will see that all the enemies of God are numbered and marked out for destruction; that the term of their power will soon expire, and that all nations shall submit to our King of righteousness and peace."

The serious thing is, if you receive this mark, you will eternally lose the opportunity for repentance. It means the chance for salvation is forever gone. There will be no more chances to repent of your sins and return to Christ. If you receive it, you are destined for eternal damnation. It is better to be slain than to accept this mark.

### Part Three - The Sovereignty Over the Beasts

First, we must acknowledge that the time of the beasts is limited. They are ultimately losers, and the ultimate victory belongs to our Lord Jesus Christ.

Look at verse 5:

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

Their power will last only forty-two months. The Apostle John says that even the devil himself knows his time is short (Revelation 12:12):

> "Therefore, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short!"

Second, their authority is limited under God’s sovereignty. Satan and his beasts will be defeated because their authority is not supreme. They may appear to conquer the saints as they wage war against them, as stated in Revelation 13:7. Many saints in this world are arrested, imprisoned, and killed, but the victory of Satan and his helpers is only temporary. They are creatures, not the almighty Creator. Believers who are persecuted will overcome the evil one by the blood of the Lamb. The ultimate victory belongs to the Lamb and His followers.

We have learned that Christ’s death and resurrection guarantee eternal triumph for all believers. By His blood, we will overcome Satan and the beasts. Paul encourages us in Romans 8:37-39:

 "In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord."

This is why the Apostle Paul admonishes us in 1 Corinthians 15:57-58:

 "But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain."

We are living in the end times. The Scripture says that circumstances will rapidly become more ungodly, and many will come in Christ’s name, saying, "I am the Christ," and they will lead many astray. Nations will rise against nations, and kingdoms against kingdoms. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. Christians will be delivered into tribulation and put to death, and will be hated by all nations for Christ's name's sake. Many will fall away, betray one another, and hate one another, and many false prophets will lead others astray. The love of many will grow cold, but the one who endures to the end will be saved (Matthew 24:4-13).

Matthew 24:42 tells us:

 "Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming!"

We are walking toward the eternal kingdom with the guarantee of eternal triumph, no matter what our current circumstances are. Fully trust in Christ and walk with Him daily!

### In Conclusion

There is an ancient maxim: "If you know your enemy and yourself, you will win every battle."

We have learned the identity of our enemy—Satan and his coworkers, the beasts. They work mightily under camouflage, imitating the Trinity in the last days. However, their goal is to destroy God’s people and work against Him.

We also studied the mark and number of the beast. We must not be deceived into accepting the mark of Satan, even if it leads to being slain, for our eternity depends on it. Satan’s time is limited; he is eternally a loser. Jesus won the eternal victory through His death and resurrection. Eternal victory is ours who belong to Jesus.