Bible Commentaries
Revelation 13

Verse 1

rise up

Daniel's fourth beast, (See Scofield " :-") , The "ten horns" are explained in Daniel 7:24; Revelation 17:12 to be ten kings, and the whole vision is of the last form of Gentile world-power, a confederated ten-kingdom empire covering the sphere of authority of ancient Rome. Revelation 13:1-3 refers to the ten-kingdom empire; vs. Revelation 13:4-10 to the emperor, who is emphatically "the Beast."

(See Scofield "Revelation 13:4-66.13.10- :") .

Verse 2

like unto a leopard

The three animals, leopard, bear, and lion, are found in Daniel 7:4-6 as symbols of the empires which preceded Rome, and whose characteristics all entered into the qualities of the Roman empire: Macedonian swiftness of conquest, Persian tenacity of purpose, Babylonish voracity.

Verse 3

wounded to death

Fragments of the ancient Roman empire have never ceased to exist as separate kingdoms. It was the imperial form of government which ceased; the one head wounded to death. What we have prophetically in Revelation 13:3 is the restoration of the imperial form as such, though over a federated empire of ten kingdoms; the "head" is "healed," i.e. restored; there is an emperor again--the Beast.

world

ge = earth. John 7:7; John 7:7 (See Scofield "John 7:7- :") .

Verse 8

world

Kosmos, Summary: In the sense of the present world-system, the ethically bad sense of the word, refers to the "order," "arrangement," under which Satan has organized the world of unbelieving mankind upon his cosmic principle of force, greed, selfishness, ambition, and pleasure. Matthew 4:8; Matthew 4:9; John 12:31; John 14:30; John 18:36; Ephesians 2:2; Ephesians 6:12; 1 John 2:15-17. This world- system is imposing and powerful with armies and fleets; is often outwardly religious, scientific, cultured, and elegant; but, seething with national and commercial rivalries and ambitions, is upheld in any real crisis only by armed force, and is dominated by Satanic principles.

Verse 16

he causeth

Antichrist the person is to be distinguished from the "many antichrists" 1 John 2:18 and the "spirit of antichrist" 1 John 4:3 which characterizes all. The supreme mark of all is the denial of the Christian truth of the incarnation of the Logos, the eternal Son in Jesus as the Christ John 1:1; John 1:14.

(See Scofield "John 1:14- :") .

The "many antichrists" precede and prepare the way for the Antichrist, who is "the Beast out of the earth" of Revelation 13:11-17 and the "false prophet" of ; Revelation 16:13; Revelation 19:20; Revelation 20:10. He is the last ecclesiastical head, as the Beast of Revelation 13:1-8 is the last civil head. For purposes of persecution he is permitted to exercise the autocratic power of the emperor- Beast.

(See Scofield "Revelation 13:1-66.13.8- :") .