Context No. 3005 of 4322 · Revelation

Revelation 13:1-10: in context

1Then I stood on the sand of the sea. I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads. On his horns were ten crowns, and on his heads, blasphemous names. 2The beast which I saw was like a leopard, and his feet were like those of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority. 3One of his heads looked like it had been wounded fatally. His fatal wound was healed, and the whole earth marveled at the beast. 4They worshiped the dragon because he gave his authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?” 5A mouth speaking great things and blasphemy was given to him. Authority to make war for forty-two months was given to him. 6He opened his mouth for blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, his dwelling, and those who dwell in heaven. 7It was given to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. Authority over every tribe, people, language, and nation was given to him. 8All who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been killed. 9If anyone has an ear, let him hear. 10If anyone is to go into captivity, he will go into captivity. If anyone is to be killed with the sword, he must be killed. Here is the endurance and the faith of the saints.

John sees a beast rise from the sea, with ten horns and blasphemous names, given its throne and authority by the dragon. Its fatal wound is healed, and the whole earth marvels and worships it, asking, who is like the beast? Who can make war against it? It blasphemes God, and it is allowed to make war on the saints and even overcome them for a time, while all whose names are not in the Lamb's book of life worship it.

This is a vision of tyrannical, God-defying power that seems, for a season, unstoppable, worshiped by the world and permitted even to overcome the faithful. It is meant to be fearsome. But two anchors hold. Its authority is given, granted within limits God sets, for a fixed time; it is not sovereign, and it cannot last. And the call is not to fight the beast with its own weapons but to endure: here is the endurance and faith of the saints. Their victory is faithfulness under a power that can kill the body but cannot erase a name written in the Lamb's book from before the world began.

When God-defying power seems to be winning and even overcoming the faithful, do I trust that its limits are set by God, and hold on with the endurance and faith of the saints?

Sources

Revelation 13:10: "Here is the endurance and the faith of the saints."
Revelation 13:8: "All who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written... in the book of life of the Lamb."
Revelation 17:14: "They will war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings."