(Chapter 13 zooms in and is a close up of Chapter 9. God does not deal in fiction, however, He does speak in parables. This is done by Him to hide the truth from the eyes and ears of those people He does not want to see, and hear His message with understanding. This is pointed out in Matthew 13:11-14.
Within Revelation chapter thirteen there is a great deal of symbolism used. It reveals the coming into existence of a one world system, and at the completion of its growth, that world wide system is ruled by Satan the Antichrist, in a religious capacity. In fact, most of the Christian world will actually think that Satan is Jesus Christ. God uses this symbolism so that those who really don't care to study Scripture, will be deceived.
This chapter speaks of two beasts, but when we separate the two beasts, we see one is a political beast, while the second and last beast is a religious beast. The political beast is a political system, and today it is alive and ruling under the name of "One-worldism". It's title is called the "United Nations". It is under the banner of the United Nations, and it's governing agencies the the entire world is getting together; to work for their so-called "peace".
Through the control of the Kenite organization called the "United Nations", peace talks are carried on in China, North Korea, Ireland, the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Haiti, and on and on. There is peace, peace, talked about everywhere, and it is all brought about to draw all nations of the world into, and under the United Nations control, and that of it's agencies. The peace presented by them and their people is not acceptable in any agreement, unless it meets the United Nations agenda.)
Revelation 13:1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea.
(= peoples, see 17:15.)
And I saw a beast rise up out of the sea,
(= the one world political system, false government & religious system )
having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.
(Text reads, "having ten horns and seven heads." See also 12:3; 17:7-12. Three more added here, see Dan. 7:24. "Horns" are always symbolic of "power". These "ten horns" are ten agencies, or units of power flowing from this beast, or political system. These horns are the Military force, the world health organization, UNICEF for children, the world bank, the world court, and so on. This is very similar to the system of government given in Genesis 11, under Nimrod.
The "Kenites" pulling strings within the United Nations are trying to bypass God, and create their own salvation. The "Ten crowns" are ten men, or heads of large governments, such as The United States, England, Russia, China, Japan, and so on. Each of these men are giving their authority over to the United Nations willfully. This is what the war with Iraq was all about, the yielding of sovereignty to the United Nation, which Saddam refuses to do.
That war was a test of all nations to join in, and give their power over to the UN, for the cause of filling the United Nations agenda. The forces that joined against Iraq, are also causing the trading boundries to disappear world wide, and they make up this political beast. We have the one world political system now in position, and in control. The world is now in the process of being divided into its new horns of power, and the divisions will change present boundaries into new dominions of power.
This system, and governmental order is the same as Satan used in the first earth age, as we saw and read in Revelation 12:3 however there are some major differences Notice that in Revelation 12:3 from the first earth age that the seven heads [individuals] wore the seven crowns. where by in this earth age, under the political beast of the United Nations it is not individual rulers that have the crown but the horns of power, the agencies. They exercise their authority by what the agenda of their agencies are.)
2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard,
(= Kenites = the sons of Cain. They are not like us, their spots [marks] can be spiritually discerned if you know & understand the Truth = the Word of God.)
and his feet were as the feet of a bear,
(= Russia, not the people, the system, communism.)
and his mouth as the mouth of a lion.
(Vicious, he is the spurious messiah = Satan.)
And the dragon gave him his power,
(I.e. the being of the abyss [17:8]; the "another" of John 5:43, and see Luke 4:6.)
and his seat, and great authority.
(Its source will not be recognized by the people [the Biblically illiterate] at the onset.)
3 And I saw that one of his heads was, as it were, wounded to death,
(i.e. the political system.)
and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world wondered after the beast.
(= the new one world system, the new world order, not the old one that was destroyed. This one ruled by Satan an his fallen angels, not man. One of the ten countries in the leadership of the beast "were wounded unto death". How does a office, or government of a country die? Of course in that the political system falls apart. That government then comes back to life. Why? The whole world comes to it's defense to prop it's government up. This can done because the whole world is under the same "one world system".
It was the beast that healed it's own wound. It doesn't take to much thinking to see what nation of immense strength fell, and then was propped up by the world wide system of this political beast. Billions of U.S. and British tax dollars went to Russia, as a gift from the world bank [the world system], and not the American people. Other nations also gave in the name of this Satanic system. All the while the beast received the credit for the donation, for the purposes of the agenda of the political beast.)
4 And they worshiped the dragon which gave power unto the beast,
(Proclaiming "peace, peace, peace".)
and they worshiped the beast, saying, "Who is like unto the beast? Who is able to make war with him?"
(You are! with the help of Christ.)
5 And there was given unto him a mouth, speaking great things and blasphemies, and power was given unto him to continue
(Or act. 2 Thess. 2:3 records the coming of "the man of sin [lawlessness]:, who is this beast from the Isa. In 2 Thess. 2:8 "that wicked" = "the lawless one", who is the beast from the earth, vv.11-18 here.)
forty and two months.
(Prophecy regarding Satan, see 11:2 & 9:5. When Satan has arrived to rule over this beast, or one world system, and out of his mouth will come all sorts of lies and blasphemies. He has power only because he was given that power and authority from God, as we saw in Revelation 9:1.
Daniel 8:22-24 tells us that Satan comes in peacefully, and prosperous, and those within his system will have the same prosperity. Who can fight that promise? How much is your soul worth? Satan is not here now, however, when he arrives as the Antichrist, he will offer you to what ever you think your soul is worth.)
6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God to blaspheme His name,
(i.e. the Christ of God.)
and His tabernacle, and them that dwell in Heaven.
(Satan [the Antichrist] is mad and in rage against God, and all who are God's children, as well as the authorities in heaven, and this is because he just got kicked out of heaven. There is only one group of people that will not accept Satan, and that is God's elect. They know what is to come upon the earth, while all others will worship Satan, and be part of his system.)
7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints
(Not the term in v.4, but indicating a special attack upon "the saints".)
and to overcome them;
(But he won't.)
and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.
(The only war that exists now will be a spiritual war, a war of words, ideas, concepts, and doctrine. This is why we must have our full armor of God on, as recorded in Ephesians 6:10-20. It spells out the type of warfare and the armor necessary. Satan has power over all other peoples of the earth, because he rules the over his one world system. The "elect of God" will be delivered up to Satan's revival for the purpose of conversion.)
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.
(The whole world will worship the Antichrist [Satan] as Christ, except those "whose names were chosen from before the foundations of this world." They are the "elect" of God. Also in the group to stand against Satan are the 144,000 of chapter seven. The twelve thousand individuals sealed from each tribe of Israel. These are the only ones God will allow to understand the prophecies of the end times.
The elect's names were written in the "book of life" for the stand they took in the first earth age, that time when Satan fell and took one third of angelic souls with him.)
9 If any man have an ear, let him hear:
(Eighth and last occurrence. Here to individuals, no longer to corporate churches. He is talking to the elect.)
10 He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity.
(= captivity of the mind.)
He that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword.
(= spiritual death. These are Hebrew idioms for destiny. See Jer. 15:2; 43:11. Ezek. 5:2,12. Zech. 11:9. None will escape the beast, except the elect who have the seal of God [His Truth] in their foreheads.)
Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.
11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth;
(= the religious beast.)
and he had two horns like a lamb,
(= Satan, he's the great pretender, pretending to be Christ.)
and he spoke as a dragon.
(Because the dragon is Satan.)
12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him;
(= the political system.)
and he causeth the earth and them that dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.
(Satan [the Antichrist] uses all the power and authority he has, because it is given to him by God. God allowed the "one worldism" to take place, because it is in God's plan. He gave us that plan, and that is what we are studying now. It is Satan that will cause the wounded political beast, "one world system" to come back together after it falls apart. Then that system, and all the people on the face of the earth will worship Satan. All, except the elect of God, and those sealed in their minds.)
13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men.
(Satan will snap his fingers and lightning will come down from heaven. Satan will bring miracles, and supernatural wonders with him, and these wonders are given by God to perform the test the people of the world.)
14 And he deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast,
(Such as that in v.13. For miracles of themselves; are no proof of a Divine mission. The Lord's miracles were "signs" for His people to ponder. The miracles here are to impress credulous unbelievers. See and cp. 2 Thess. 2:9-11. 1 Tim. 4:1-3.)
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 lived.
15 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast,
(= the one world system.)
that the image of the beast should both speak and cause to be killed as many as would not worship the image of the beast.
(Are you afraid? see Matt. 10:27-32. Satan while sitting in his temple in Jerusalem is given the power to assign his authority to the new religious beast, the "one world system. He has been given the control of all the people on the earth, and he will require them to worship him as god. Satan [the Antichrist] will require their respect, and he will give protection to them and his system. So both the system, and the Antichrist will demand the respect and worship of all people.
This is in reference to the two witnesses that will be killed, for the trouble they caused to Satan, the people of the earth, and Satan's religious system.
The moment the political beast is healed, it becomes a religious order, and set of moral codes and controls. It will be a copy of Christ's kingdom that will follow, however, it is a complete deception, and cheap imitation.)
16 And he causeth all,
(He = the second beast, the religious system.)
both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand
(Idiom = to do Satan's work, not a micro chip. See Mark 13:17.)
or in their foreheads,
(= planted with his lies in their forehead, not a stamp on your forehead. How easily are you deceived?)
17 That no man might buy or sell,
(The great boycott of the future.)
save he that had the mark or the name of the beast or the number of his name.
(= being a member of his congregation. If you take the "mark of the beast" it is a matter of whether you have studied God's word, or not. The mark is a matter of knowing that two Christ's are that coming, and the fake christ is coming first. If you do not know the difference, you will worship Satan thinking he is the true Christ, and you will be deceived. You will be in this world when the Antichrist controls it. We must all eat to stay alive, However, we will not get your bread through worshipping the Antichrist, or relying on his system. Satan's rule is five months, and God has warned us in in Malachi, that we had better have a store house for this time.
Learn what you must have to fill your needs, and stock up on it. Learn how to barter, and God will protect you. Satan will try to win you over, however, Do not participate in his system.)
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.
(Satan arrives at the 6th seal, the 6th trump, and the 6th vial. Can you recognize the previous signs and teaching to know when this will be? If you are in the flesh and someone comes performing unbelievable miracles and claims he is God , you'll know that this is Satan. We will not meet Christ UNTIL we are changed into our spiritual bodies. A word to the wise is sufficient. That ancient "mysteries" and modern "beliefs" are becoming closely allied, witness the rapid growth and spread of Spiritism, Theosophy, and Occultism of every kind.)