Revelation 13:1-10: a reflection

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.

In a vision of a time when evil seems to hold great authority and to prevail against God's people, the book of Revelation does not end in despair but in a call to steadfastness. It shows a beast given authority for a limited time, forty-two months, to make war and to seem to overcome; and yet the passage closes not with defeat but with a summons: Here is the endurance and the faith of the saints. When evil appears to have the upper hand, God's people are called not to despair but to endure, to keep faith, trusting that the evil's authority is limited and temporary, allowed only for a season, while their own names are written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb. The call, when evil seems to prevail, is to the endurance and faith of the saints, who belong to the Lamb and whose names are secure.

Notice where the passage places its hope when evil seems to prevail: in the endurance and faith of the saints, and in their names written in the Lamb's book. The evil is real and seems to overcome; but its authority is given only for a limited time, forty-two months, not forever. And God's people, whatever they suffer, belong to the Lamb; their names are written from the foundation of the world in his book of life, secure. So the call is not to despair, not to be overwhelmed, but to endure and keep faith. The endurance and faith of the saints is the fitting response when evil seems to have the upper hand, for the evil is temporary and their belonging to the Lamb is secure. However dark the hour seems, evil's authority is limited and God's people are held by the Lamb. Endurance and faith, not despair, are the calling of the saints.

That is worth taking to heart, for when evil seems to prevail, we are called to the endurance and faith of the saints, trusting that evil's power is limited and our names are secure in the Lamb. We can be tempted to despair when evil seems to hold sway, to feel overwhelmed as though evil had the final word; but its authority is given only for a limited time, and God's people belong to the Lamb, their names written in his book of life. The call is to endure and keep faith, not to despair. When evil seems to prevail, do not despair; endure and keep faith, trusting that evil's power is limited and your name is secure in the Lamb. Meet the times when evil seems to prevail with the endurance and faith of the saints, not with despair, trusting that evil's authority is limited and temporary and that your name is written in the Lamb's book of life, as Revelation, showing the beast given authority for a limited season, calls for the endurance and faith of the saints; for however much evil seems to overcome, its power is allowed only for a time, and God's people are held secure by the Lamb, called to endure rather than to despair.

Lord, in a vision of a time when evil seems to hold great authority and to prevail against your people, the book of Revelation does not end in despair but in a call to steadfastness. It shows a beast given authority for a limited time, forty-two months, to make war and to seem to overcome; and yet the passage closes not with defeat but with a summons: here is the endurance and the faith of the saints. When evil appears to have the upper hand, your people are called not to despair but to endure, to keep faith, trusting that the evil's authority is limited and temporary, allowed only for a season, while their own names are written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb. Show me where the passage places its hope when evil seems to prevail: in the endurance and faith of the saints, and in their names written in the Lamb's book. The evil is real and seems to overcome; but its authority is given only for a limited time, not forever. And your people, whatever they suffer, belong to the Lamb; their names are secure. So the call is not to despair but to endure and keep faith. However dark the hour seems, evil's authority is limited and your people are held by the Lamb. Take that to my heart, for when evil seems to prevail, I am called to the endurance and faith of the saints. I can be tempted to despair when evil seems to hold sway, to feel overwhelmed as though evil had the final word; but its authority is given only for a limited time, and I belong to the Lamb, my name written in his book of life. When evil seems to prevail, keep me from despair; help me endure and keep faith, Lord, trusting that evil's power is limited and my name is secure in the Lamb, as Revelation calls for the endurance and faith of the saints.