Revelation 13:4

So they worship the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying “Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?”

·        They paid honor and subjection to the devil and his instruments, and thought there was no power able to withstand them (MH)

·        As people worship this beast and bow down before his government, it may be that they do not know they are bowing down to Satan himself; but it is worship of Satan none the less. They clearly worship both the beast and the dragon, but their worship of the dragon may be unknowing.  (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 81:9  There shall be no foreign god among you; nor shall you worship any foreign god.

Revelation 13:3

And I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed.  And all the world marveled and followed the beast.

·        This is a head wound, a mortal wound, not a superficial injury.  (DG)

·        The recovery of the beast increases his fame and authority (all the world marveled and followed the beast). Twice later (Revelation 13:12 and 13:14) this recovery is mentioned in connection to the world’s worship and devotion to the beast.   (DG)

·        The honor and worship paid to this infernal monster (MH)

Daniel 5:19  And because of the majesty that He gave him, all peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him.  Whomever he wished, he executed; whomever he wished, he kept alive; whomever he wished, he set up; and whomever he wished, he put down.

Ecclesiastes 5:8  If you see the oppression of the poor, and the violent perversion of justice and righteousness in a province, do not marvel at the matter; for high official watches over high official, and higher officials are over them.

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.