A Revelation Invitation

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. One of its heads seemed to have a mortal wound, but its mortal wound was healed, …

And the beast was given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words, and it was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two months. 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.(Revelation 13:1-3a,5-7a ESV)

I am of an age when the expression “chip off the old block” was used to describe a son who resembled his father in some characteristic way. The son’s physical resemblance was sometimes in mind. But usually it had more to do with the child’s behavior, a character trait, a skill or a quirk of personality. The son may have his father’s sense of humor or unpleasantly he could have his father’s hot temper. Whether delightfully or tragically the son resembled his father in some significant way. This is especially the case with the beast rising out of the sea. His look and bearing were so much like the dragon’s that he was obviously the dragon’s offspring.

The description of the beast intentionally and frighteningly matches that of the dragon in several details: both have seven heads and ten horns. Even though the counts don’t match, their heads are adorned with diadems, the crowns of kings. We also see the dragon giving his power and authority to the beast to carry out the dragon’s aims, that is, to blaspheme God and make war on the church. The blasphemy is seen in its claiming authority that is rightfully God’s. Like the dragon, the beast demands unrivaled loyalty from the people of the world. Like the dragon, the beast requires its subjects to worship him as supreme. The dragon even appears to have miraculously risen from the dead (“One of its heads seemed to have a mortal wound, but its mortal wound was healed”).Like the dragon, the beast is a parody of Jesus Christ who actually rose from the dead, legitimately reigns over the earth and is truly worthy of worship.

In the context of Revelation the beast that rises out of the sea represents Rome as a brutal, exploitative civil power both politically and militarily. While this Roman manifestation of the beast is no longer with us, humanity has watched as other beasts have surfaced throughout history as monstrous, crushing world powers have demanded the loyalty and devotion of their subjects. We see the same in our day as those in power are threatened by a people whose first loyalty is to Jesus Christ. Those beasts make war with the saints, hunting them down, persecuting them, jailing them, killing them. We in the West do not yet suffer those tribulations. But we should not be so naive as to think that our nations will continue to tolerate a people who will not comply with their values and loyalties. This is a sobering reality. We must not be caught off guard when our circumstances turn that way. As Rome did, these kingdoms, nations and empires will fall while the kingdom of God stands forever.

Lord God, I acknowledge your sovereignty over the earth even as Satan exerts his power over the nations including my own. I have observed my nation become more hostile to your rule. Its military power gives it an arrogance to expect that it can impose its will on others and exploit people for its own gain. My loyalty is to you. My faith is in your goodness, your power and your eternal kingdom. Jesus, you are King of kings. Amen.