Revelation 13:1

The dragon stood on the seashore watching a beast come out of the sea, in John’s vision (cf. Daniel 7:2-3; Daniel 7:7-8; Daniel 7:19-27; Job 40-41). The AV and NKJV rendering "I stood" does not have as good textual support, I believe, as the NASB and NIV "he stood."

". . . people in Asia minor thought of whatever came ’from the sea’ as foreign and whatever came from the land as native. That is, one of the initial expressions of the first beast was Rome, whose governors repeatedly came by sea to Ephesus. Roman ships literally seemed to be rising out of the sea as they appeared on the horizon off the coast of Asia Minor." [Note: Beale, p. 682.]

The implication is that the dragon summoned the beast out of the sea. [Note: Robertson, 6:397; Johnson, p. 523; Mounce, p. 248.] Evidently this was part of his plan to destroy the rest of the woman’s offspring (Revelation 12:17).

"The Sea is an apt symbol of the agitated surface of unregenerate humanity (cf. Isa. lvii. 20), and especially of the seething cauldron of national and social life, out of which the great historical movements of the world arise; cf. Isa. xvii. 12 . . ." [Note: Swete, p. 161.]

"Without exception the imagery of the sea monster is used throughout the OT to represent evil kingdoms who persecute God’s people . . ." [Note: Beale, p. 683.]

When the dragon was in position, John saw a new scene in his vision ("I saw," Gr. eidon). The sea may represent the mass of humanity (cf. Revelation 17:15; Daniel 7:2-3). However this interpretation cannot explain the sands of the seashore or the origin of the beast from the earth (Revelation 13:11). A literal sea is impossible since this beast is a person, as we shall see. The ancient world often associated evil with the sea and used the sea as a figure for the abyss (cf. Job 26:12-13; Psalms 74:13-14; Psalms 87:4; Psalms 89:9-10; Isaiah 27:1; Isaiah 51:9-10; Isaiah 57:20; Daniel 7:3; Romans 10:7). [Note: Swete, p. 158; Mounce, pp. 249-50; Morris, p. 165.] This figurative use of the sea seems best since elsewhere John said that the beast came out of the abyss (Revelation 11:7; Revelation 17:8).

The beast had many of the same characteristics as the dragon. However they also correspond to the features of the fourth kingdom that Daniel saw in his vision (cf. Daniel 7:7-8). In Daniel’s vision the 10 horns represented 10 rulers (Daniel 7:24). Here the Antichrist has authority over 10 rulers (cf. Revelation 17).The view that the first beast is a real person who will rule the world during the Great Tribulation (Daniel 7:25)-rather than the personification of evil, or the threat of heresy, or Nero revived (based on the Nero redivivus legend), or false prophets collectively-dates back to the early church fathers. [Note: See Johnson, pp. 521-25, 530. See Beasley-Murray, pp. 210-11, and Swete, p. 163, for a good summary of the Nero redivivus view. See also Andy M. Woods, "The First Beast of Revelation 13 Has Not Yet Appeared in World History: A Comparison of the Preterist and Futurist Views" (Th.M. thesis, Dallas Theological Seminary, 2002).]

"The ten-nation confederacy of the future anticipated in these prophecies [i.e., Daniel 2, 7] would naturally be considered a revival of the Roman Empire if for no other reason than that it is portrayed as an integral part of the fourth empire." [Note: John F. Walvoord, "Revival of Rome," Bibliotheca Sacra 126:504 (October-December 1969):323. See also idem, The Nations . . ., pp. 83, 102; and idem, "Prophecy of the Ten-Nation Confederacy," Bibliotheca Sacra 124:494 (April-June 1967):99-105.]

Like Satan, the beast had seven heads that apparently represent the remaining seven rulers of nations after three of them disappear (Daniel 7:8). The 10 regal crowns are symbols of governmental authority (cf. Revelation 12:3).

"There are a number of suggestions as to why the diadems are placed on the horns rather than on the heads of the beast. The most plausible is that his claim to authority rests on brute force." [Note: Mounce, p. 250.]

The blasphemous names reflect the beast’s opposition to God (cf. Revelation 13:5-6; 2 Thessalonians 2:4).

The beast is evidently Antichrist who is the head of a future empire (cf. Revelation 13:8; Revelation 13:18; Revelation 17:8). [Note: Walvoord, The Revelation . . ., p. 200; Swete, p. 161; Lee, 4:689-90; Johnson, p. 521; Thomas, Revelation 8-22, p. 153; Beckwith, p. 636.] No past governmental entity is similar enough to what John described to qualify as the fulfillment of this empire. The beast embodies the malevolent forces operative in this empire. [Note: Philip E. Hughes, The Book of Revelation, p. 145.] He will be the deification of secular authority. [Note: Mounce, p. 251.]

The repetition of heads, horns, and diadems (Revelation 12:3) suggests that there is a close affinity between the dragon and this beast. Yet there are some differences in the descriptions of these heads, horns, and crowns.

"The conflict of Revelation 12:1-5 transpires while the seven world empires are running their course, but at Revelation 13:1 the focus has shifted to the last of these kingdoms when the beast will enjoy his supremacy over the ten kings who act as subrulers under his authority (cf. Revelation 17:12)." [Note: Thomas, Revelation 8-22, p. 154. Cf. Scott, p. 270; and Smith, A Revelation . . ., p. 193.]

John received more information about the identity of these heads, horns, and diadems in chapter 17.