Beginning in this chapter, some students see a religious group coming into view. The word “signified” means signs and symbols (Rev. 1:11). Signs and symbols are numerous.

1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.

And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.

This beast, which rises out of the sea (people), is a man from among the people.

The seven heads are seven mountains (Rev. 17:9). The horns are 10 kings (Rev. 17:12). The crowns represent kings (Rev. 17:12). Their names are “blasphemy”.

2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.

The leopard represents swiftness. The feet of a bear represents his coverage. I have heard that the bear has the largest feet of all beasts. The mouth of a lion represents his kingly destructive power. The lion is the king of beasts. The dragon (Satan) gives him his power.

3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.

The dragon appears in Rev. 12:3; then the beast appears in Rev. 13:1-3; and later we will see the appearing of the false prophet, completing the unholy trinity. Even though this being is called a beast, it is a human being, empowered by the dragon (Rev. 13:2), the devil.

4 And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?

People actually worship the devil (Rev. 13:4). This beast (person) will blaspheme the name of God (II Thess. 2:4). He will continue 42 months (3 ½ years) (Rev. 13:7). He will make war with the saints. He wins for awhile (Dan. 7:21-22). Even though the devil gives him power over the whole world, there are three countries that will escape out of his hand: “ Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon”.

41 He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon.

5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.

6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.

7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.

8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

Thank God that those whose names are written in the Book of life will not worship the beast! Because of this, they will have their heads cut off.

And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

Do you know of any religious groups that say that all should be killed who do not follow their religious teachings?

10 He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.

11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.

12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.

This other beast comes up out of the earth. This verse is very important. Why say this beast comes up out of the earth? To let us know that we are dealing with an earthly being.

The two horns represent two powers. I believe they represent the fact that this earthly being has both religious and political power. What power on earth is both religious and political?

For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.

Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,

This beast (man) does such great miracles that he deceives mankind. He even calls fire down from heaven.

13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,

14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.

15 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.

There are only three spiritual gifts in the New Testament churches today – the gift of miracles is not included.

And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

If you add miracles, you have four. I will stay with God’s Word and it says three – faith, hope, and charity.

16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:

17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

18 Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.

What is the mark of the beast? The mark of the beast will be a “mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads” (Rev. 13:16-18).

Some religions teach that the mark of the beast is “worshipping on the first day of the week”.

The Bible teaches that after Christ died He rose on the first day of the week.

In the end [Christ is the end of the law, Rom. 10:4] of the Sabbath . . .

After His resurrection, Jesus was with His church 40 days before He went back up into heaven to stay until He comes for His bride, the true churches (I Thess. 4:13-17). During this time (after His resurrection), the Scriptures record two times that Jesus met with His church, both times on the first day of the week (John 20:19-26). As instructed by Jesus, the church tarried in Jerusalem until it was “endued with power from on high” (Luke 24:49). Pentecost was on the first day of the week.

The first day of the week (Sunday) is the day set aside by God’s Word to worship God. The church met “upon the first day of the week” (Acts 20:7). The church at Corinth and the churches of Galatia were taught to lay by in store “upon the first day of the week” (I Cor. 16:1-2).

There is no Bible record where Jesus met with His disciples on the Sabbath after His resurrection.
There is no Bible record where Jesus commanded His church to worship on the Sabbath (the seventh day of the week) after His resurrection.