Revelation 13:2

Now the beast which I saw as like a leopard, his feet were like the feet of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion.  The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority.

·        This likeness to Satan is just one of the things that identifies this beast with the one popularly known as the Antichrist.  (DG)

·        We can begin by understanding what the title Antichrist means. The prefix anti can mean “the opposite of” or “instead of.” The Antichrist is the “opposite Jesus”; he is the “instead of” Jesus.  (DG)

Daniel 7:5  And suddenly another beast, a second, like a bear.  It was raised up on one side, and had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth.  And they said thus to it:  “Arise, devour much flesh!”

Psalm 5:4  For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness, nor shall evil dwell with You.

 

Revelation 13:1

 Then I stood on the sand of the sea.  And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name.

·        In Revelation 12, John’s vision mainly had in heaven in view. Now the scene of his vision shifts to the earth, and in his vision he stood on the sand of the sea.  (DG)

·        From the place identified with evil and chaos and resisting God, a beast comes forth. The ancient Greek word translated beast here has the idea of a wild, dangerous animal. Because John calls him a beast and not a dragon (as in Revelation 12:3), this creature represents someone distinct from Satan who was represented by the dragon (Revelation 12:9).  (DG)

Isaiah 10:22  For though your people, O Israel, be as the sand of the sea…..

Daniel 7:8  I was considering the horns, and there was another horn, a little one, coming up among them, before whom three of the first horns were plucked out by the roots.  And there, in this horn, were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking pompous words.

Revelation 12:17

 And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

·        The devil’s malice against the woman pushes him on to make war (MH)

·        This either begins or continues the fierce persecution of all those who would not submit to and worship this great Satanic dictator. The martyrs of this period were shown in Revelation 6:9-11 and Revelation 7:9-17.  (DG)

Genesis 3;15  And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.

Psalm 119:88  Revive me according to Your lovingkindness, so that I may keep the testimony of Your mouth.

Revelation 12:16

 But the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the flood which the dragon had spewed out of his mouth.

·        The help provided in this dangerous juncture (MH)

·        As it says in Isaiah 59:19, When the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him.   (DG)

Numbers 16:32  and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, with their households and all the men with Korah, with all their goods.

Proverbs 15:28  The heart of the righteous studies how to answer, but the mouth of the wicked pours forth evil.

Revelation 12:15

 So the serpent spewed water out of his mouth like a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away by the flood.

·        The fury poured out against Israel after the abomination of desolation (marking the half-way point of 70^th week of Daniel) was spoken of by Jesus in Matthew 24:15-22, and spoken of in distinctly Jewish terms (housetop . . . pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath).  (DG)

·        This passage in Revelation describes the fury that Jesus told them to flee.  (DG)

Isaiah 59:19  So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and His glory from the rising of the sun; when the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD will lift up a standard against him.

Psalm 29:10  The LORD sat enthroned at the Flood, and the LORD sits as King forever.

Revelation 12:14

 But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent.

·        Eagle’s Wings are an emblem from the Exodus deliverance (Exodus 19:4), another way of connecting these people with Israel.  (DG)

·        This is another reference to a three and one-half year period, indicating that these events - this dramatic persecution of Israel - takes place during the 70^th week of Daniel 9.   (DG)

Exodus 19:4  You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself.

Deuteronomy 32:11  As an eagle stirs up its nest, hovers over its young, spreading out its wings, taking them up, carrying them on its wings.

Revelation 12:13

 Now when the dragon saw that he had been cast to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male Child.

·        The devils second attempt upon the church now in the wilderness (MH)

·        “The persecution of Israel is part of the satanic program to thwart and hinder the work of God . . . Israel is hated by Satan not because of any of its own characteristics but because she is the chosen of God and essential to the overall purpose of God for time and eternity.” (Walvoord)

Isaiah 27:1  In that day the LORD with His severe sword, great and strong, will punish Leviathan the fleeing serpent, Leviathan that twisted serpent; and He will slay the reptile that is in the sea.

Isaiah 66:7  Before she was in labor, she gave birth; before her pain came, she delivered a male child.

Revelation 12:12

 “Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them!  Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea!  For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.”

·        The warning given of the distress that should fall upon the inhabitants of the world in general (MH)

·        Being defeated in his designs against the church, he is resolved to give all the disturbance he can to the world in general (MH)

Psalm 96:11  Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; let the sea roar, and all its fullness

Isaiah 49:13  Sing, o heavens!  Be joyful, O earth!  And break out in singing, O mountains!  For the LORD has comforted His people, and will have mercy on His afflicted.

Revelation 12:11

 “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.

·        Overcame by a resolute powerful preaching of the everlasting gospel.  (MH)

·        And by their courage and patience in sufferings (MH)

Leviticus 14:25  Then he shall kill the lamb of the trespass offering, and the priest shall take some of the blood of the trespass offering and put it on the tip of the right ear of him who is to be cleansed, on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot.

Psalm 19:7  The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple

Revelation 12:10

 Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down.

·        The triumphant song that was composed and used on this occasion.  The conqueror is adored.  (MH)

·        The conquered enemy is described.  By his malice he appeared before God as an adversary to the church.  Though he hates the presence of God, yet he is willing to appear there to accuse the people of God.  (MH)

Job 2:4  So satan answered the LORD and said, “Skin for skin!  Yes, all that a man has he will give for his life……

Zechariah 3:1  Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the Angel of the LORD, and satan standing at his right hand to oppose him.

Revelation 12:9

 So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

·        The victory fell to Christ and His church, and the dragon and his angels were not only conquered, but cast out (MH)

·        This single verse uses many different titles for Satan. Dragon, serpent of old, the Devil, Satan, and he who deceives the whole world. These titles describe Satan as vicious, an accuser, an adversary, and a deceiver.  (DG)

Genesis 3:14  So the LORD God said to the serpent:  “Because you have done this, you are cursed more than all cattle, and more than every beast of the field; on your belly you shall go, and you shall eat dust all the days of your life.

Job 1:6  Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and satan also came among them.

Revelation 12:7-8

 And war broke out in heaven:  Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer.

·        The attempts of the dragon not only proved unsuccessful against the church, but fatal to his own interests (MH)

·        At the mid-point of the great tribulation, God will turn the tide against Satan - first in heaven, then on earth. A battle will take place that will deny Satan access to heaven.  (DG)

Daniel 10:13  But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days; and behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me for I had been left alone there with the kings of Persia.

Isaiah 14:12  How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning!  How you are cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations!

Revelation 12:6

 Then the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, that they should feed her there one thousand two hundred and sixty days.

·        Her obscure and private state was for a limited time (MH)

·        Revelation 12:6 describes yet-to-occur events in the 70^th week of Daniel, between these two verses lies hundreds of years (our current period). This obvious “near-far” break in time is typical of prophecy. Daniel’s seventy week prophecy has such a break (Daniel 9:24-27).  (DG)

Daniel 7:25  He shall speak pompous words against the Most High, shall persecute the saints of the Most High, and shall intend to change times and law.  Then the saints shall be given into his hand for a time and times and half a time.

Psalm 29:8  The voice of the LORD shakes the wilderness; the LORD shakes the Wilderness of Kadesh.

Revelation 12:5

 She bore a male Child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron.  And her Child was caught up to God and His throne.

·        She was safely delivered and care taken of this child (MH)

·        Clearly, this refers to Jesus Christ, the Messiah. He rules the world with a rod of iron (Psalm 2 and Revelation 19:15).  (DG)

Psalm 2:9 You shall break them with a rod of iron; You shall dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel.

Isaiah 66:7  Before she was in labor, she gave birth; before her pain came, she delivered a male child.

Revelation 12:4

 His tail drew a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth.  And the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth, to devour her Child as soon as it was born.

·        It is thought that the third of the stars were the third of the angels who rebelled against God

·        Devour – very vigilant to crush the Christian religion (MH)

Exodus 1:16  and he said, “When you do the duties of a midwife for the Hebrew women, and see them on the birthstools, if it is a son, then you shall kill him; but if it is a daughter, then she shall live.”

Daniel 8:10  And it grew up to the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host and some of the stars to the ground, and trampled them.

Revelation 12:3

 And another sign appeared in heaven:  behold, a great, fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads.

·        A dragon for strength and terror – a red dragon for fierceness and cruelty (MH)

·        Seven diadems – seven crowns – later expounded to be seven kings (MH)

Isaiah 27:1  In that day the LORD with His severe sword, great and strong, will punish Leviathan the fleeing serpent, Leviathan that twisted serpent; and He will slay the reptile that is in the sea.

Daniel 7:7  After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, exceedingly strong.  It had huge iron teeth; it was devouring, breaking in pieces, and trampling the residue with its feet.  It was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns.

Revelation 12:2

 Then being with child, she cried out in labor and in pain to give birth.

·        As in travail and now in pain, to bring forth a holy progency  to Christ (MH)

·        To bring forth the martyrs (DP)

 Isaiah 26:17  As a woman with child is in pain and cries out in her pangs, when she draws near the time of her delivery, so have we been in Your sight, O LORD.

Micah 4:9  Now why do you cry aloud?  Is there no king in your midst?  Has your counselor perished?  For pangs have seized you like a woman in labor.

Revelation 12:1

 Now a great sign appeared in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a garland of twelve stars.

·        The church is represented as the woman (MH)

·        This is the first of seven signs that John relates, and is described as a great sign (mega semeion). (DG)

Genesis 37:8-10 …..What is this dream that you have dreamed?  Shall your mother and I and your brothers indeed come to bow down to the earth before you?

Exodus 31:17  It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel forever; for in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day He rested and was refreshed.

Revelation 11:19

 Then the temple of God was opened in heaven, and the ark of His covenant was seen in His temple.  And there were lightnings, noises, thunderings, an earthquake and great hail.

·        This was in the holy of holies; in the ark the tables of the law were kept (MH)

·        By terrible things in righteousness God would answer those prayers that were presented in His holy temple, now opened (MH)

Numbers 10:33  So they departed from the mountain of the LORD on a journey of three days; and the ark of the covenant of the LORD went before them for the three days’ journey, to search out a resting place for them.

Exodus 9:28 Entreat the LORD, that there may be no more mighty thundering and hail, for it is enough. 

Revelation 11:16-18

 And the twenty-four elders who sat before God on their thrones fell on their faces and worshiped God, saying:

“We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty,

The One who is and who was and who is to come,

Because You have taken Your great power and reigned.

The nations were angry, and Your wrath has come,

And the time of the dead, that they should be judged.

And that You should reward Your servants the prophets and the saints,

And those who fear Your name, small and great,

And should destroy those who destroy the earth.”

 ·        They rejoice that his reign shall never end (MH)

·        There are angry resentments in the world at these actings of the power of God (MH)

 Psalm 2:1-5   Why do the nations rage, and the people plot a vain thing?........

Daniel 7:9  I watched till thrones were put in place, and the Ancient of Days was seated; His garment was white as snow, and the hair of His head was like pure wool.  His throne was a fiery flame, its wheels a burning fire.

Revelation 11:15

 Then the seventh angel sounded:  and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!”

·        Loud and joyful acclamations of the saints and angels in heaven (MH)

·        They thankfully recognize the right of our God and Saviour to rule and reign over all the world (MH)

Exodus 15:18  “The LORD shall reign forever and ever.”

Isaiah 27:13  So it shall be in that day:  the great trumpet will be blown; they will come, who are about to perish in the land of Assyria, and they who are outcasts in the land of Egypt, and shall worship the LORD in the holy mount at Jerusalem.

Revelation 11:14

 The second woe is past.  Behold, the third woe is coming quickly.

·        Worse judgments are coming – but given warning of

Psalm 120:5  Woe is me, that I dwell in Meshech, that I dwell among the tents of Kedar!

Joshua 2:5  And it happened, as the gate was being shut, when it was dark, that the men went out.  Where the men went I do not know; pursue them quickly, for you may overtake them.

Revelation 11:13

 In the same hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell.  In the earthquake seven thousand people were killed, and the rest were afraid and gave glory to the God of heaven.

·        The consequences of their ascension – a mighty shock and convulsion and an earthquake (MH)

·        When God’s work and witnesses revive, the devil’s work and witnesses fall before him (MH)

Joshua 7:19  Now Joshua said to Achan, “My son, I beg you, give glory to the LORD God of Israel, and make confession to Him, and tell me now what you have done; do not hide it from me.”

Isaiah 29:6  You will be punished by the LORD of hosts with thunder and earthquake and great noise, with storm and tempest and the flame of devouring fire.

Revelation 11:12

 And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.”  And they ascended to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies saw them.

·        The Lord’s witnesses must wait for their advancement, till God calls them (MH)

·        The earth is not worthy of these two witnesses, so God simply calls them home, and they ascended to heaven in a cloud.  (DG)

2 Kings 2:1  And it came to pass, when the LORD was about to take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal.

Isaiah 60:8  Who are these who fly like a cloud, and like doves to their roosts?

Revelation 11:11

 Now after the three-and-a-half-days the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them.

·        God’s witnesses may be slain, but they shall rise again. (MH)

·        Fear fell – a persecuting spirit, though cruel, is not a courageous, but a cowardly spirit (MH)

Genesis 2:7  And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.

Psalm 14:5  There they are in great fear, for God is with the generation of the righteous.

Revelation 11:10

 And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them, make merry, and send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth.

·        Their death was a matter of mirth and joy to the antichristian world. (MH)

·        The Antichristianity of the last days shall probably be under the name of philosophical enlightenment and civilization, but really man's deification of himself. Fanaticism shall lead Antichrist's followers to exult in having at last seemingly silenced in death their Christian rebukers.  (JFB)

Esther 9:22 …..from sorrow to joy for them, and from mourning to a holiday; that they should make them days of feasting and joy, of sending presents to one another and gifts to the poor.

Psalm 38:16  For I said, “Hear me, lest they rejoice over me, lest, when my foot slips, they exalt themselves against me.”

Revelation 11:9

 Then those from the peoples, tribes, tongues, and nations will see their dead bodies three-and-a-half days, and not allow their dead bodies to be put into graves.

·        They would not allow them a quiet grave; their bodies were cast out in the open street.  (MH)

·        The idea is also that the world treats these two witnesses in a humiliating manner. “To have his dead body lie in view of all was the worst humiliation a person could suffer from his enemies.” (Johnson)

Psalm 79:2  The dead bodies of Your servants they have given as food for the birds of the heavens, the flesh of Your saints to the beasts of the earth.

Deuteronomy 8:20 As the nations which the LORD destroys before you, so you shall perish, because you would not be obedient to the voice of the LORD your God.

Revelation 11:8

And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.

·        Antichrist should make war against them with open force and violence; and God would permit His enemies to prevail against His witnesses for a time. (MH)

·        The barbarous usage of these slain witnesses; the malice of their enemies, pursued even their dead bodies.  (MH)

Isaiah 1:9  Unless the LROD of hosts had left to us a very small remnant, we would have become like Sodom, we would have been made like Gomorrah.

Ezekiel 16:49  Look, this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom:  she and her daughter had pride, fullness of food, and abundance of idleness; neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.