Revelation 13

Chap. XIII. Ver. 1—10. Concerning this first beast, there seems to be a better agreement among Protestant commentators than on most other parts of the Apocalypse: and Fuller (as usual) speaks with so much perspicuity and moderation, that we shall offer an abstract of his interpretation, and chiefly in his own words, in preference to quoting any preceding writer. He remarks, ‘‘The apostle in vision, standing as upon the sea shore, sees a ‘beast [i. e. a monster] rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his crowns the name (or names) of blasphemy.’ A beast rising out of the sea, is an empire opposed to God and his Christ, rising out of the perturbed state of things in the world.

The description given of this beast (Mr. F’. thinks) leaves no doubt of its being the same as the fourth beast in Daniel,” (Revelation 7), to our notes and exposition of which we must beg leave therefore to refer our readers; adding, that whereas Daniel saw three previous beasts, a lion, a bear, and a leopard, all which had in St. John’s time passed away, and had been absorbed in the Roman beast; John describes this beast as compounded of those three, having the body of a leopard, the paws of a bear, and the mouth (or teeth) of a lion. Daniel also says nothing of its seven heads, nor of the crowns attached to the horns, which, in the time of John, had not become separate kingdoms. “This seven-headed and ten-horned beast (says Mr.

Fuller) does not appear to be the Pope or Popedom, nor the church of Rome, but that secular power which has supported the church of Rome through the whole of her corrupt and bloody progress. The beast is not the harlot, but that on which the harlot rides. That which has been denominated The Holy Roman Empire, of which sometimes a French, and sometimes a German monarch, has been the head, seems to be the government principally intended, as being the great support of that church. It is not this government, however, exclusive of that of the other European nations, but merely as a principal amongst them. The ten horns are said to ‘agree, and to give their kingdom to the beast,’ ((Revelation 17:17);) that is, they united with the emperor in supporting the church.

Things were so managed, indeed, by the (Roman) church, that the rulers of every nation in Christendom were, in a manner, compelled to unite in her support. ‘All the civil powers were obliged by the council of Lateran to take an oath, on pain of ecclesiastical censures, that they would endeavour to exterminate all who were declared heretics by the church, out of their dominions: and if any prince or ruler refused to do so, after admonition, it was to be certified to the Pope, who should declare all his subjects absolved from their allegiance, and any Catholic was free to seize his dominions.’ ” Whereas it is said, also, that the dragon, that is, the old one of his heads was wounded, we must understand it as referring to one of the kingdoms, or forms of government, under which the empire had subsisted, (as explained in (Revelation 16:8), namely, the Imperial, which was wounded in Augustulus, and healed in Charlemagne; or, as others explain it, wounded in the fall of Paganism, and healed in the rise of Popery: for the demon of Paganism (that is, the devil) now inspired “the Holy Roman Empire” above named, with the same spirit of persecution, and to a greater degree of fury. It is now said, (ver. 4,) “And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast.” Dragon, or serpent-worship, has been carried to an awful enormity in the Pagan world. The learned Mr. Bryant thinks “it prevailed almost universally in the Eastern world, and names many countries which adopted it, particularly Egypt.” There were also some mongrel Christians, who were called Ophrites or Serpentarians; perhaps because they reverenced the brazen serpent as a type of Christ; but others, as we fear, who renounced Christ, and referred to him the old serpent himself.

(See Dict. of all Re- But serpent worship was carried to its highest pitch of extravagance and cruelty in Old Mexico, North America, of which the most appalling proofs have been within these few years exhibited by Mr. Bullock, at the Egyptian Hall, Piccadilly; where, with the great serpentine idol, sixty feet long, was also shown the vast sacrificial stone on which they offered numerous human victims, wherein was visible the channels in which the blood that was shed flowed. And serpents are still worshipped by the Negroes in some parts of Africa, as emblems of the devil, that he may not hurt them. Such is the infatuation of mankind in worshipping the dragon! “And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies.” In fact, all boasting, in the sight of God, is blasphemy.

It is attributing to ourselves the power, and wisdom, or goodness, which belongs to God: as when Nebuchadnezzar said—“‘Is not this great Babylon, that I have built…. by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty!” Vain and unhappy mortal! while the words were in his mouth, the kingdom departed from him! Such was the boasting language of Rome, both ancient and modern, Pagan and Papal; and names of blasphemy were incorporated in the imperial title, as afterwards in that of the Popes of Rome, as we shall have occasion to remark on a subsequent [page]. It is worthy our observation, that the worshipping of the dragon and the seven-headed beast is confined to those ‘““ whose names are not written in the book of life.’ There were some true Christians in every age who protested against idolatry, and the tyranny of Rome over the consciences of [men].

Ver. 11. Another beast.—Many explain this second beast, which is also called “the false prophet,” ((Revelation 19:20),) to be Mahomet, or Mahometanism; and Woodhouse connects Popery and Mahometanism, as the two horns of the Antichristian beast—east and west—and, it must be admitted, both arose about the same time, i. e. early in the 7th century. This second beast, however, is represented as fully co-operating with the first; whereas history in- Says Diodati, force and vigour to command.—Should be killed.—The penalty of denying the divine authority of the church of Rome was always death, and the object of the Inquisition was to enforce this penalty; and in countries where that was not established, the Popish clergy often supplied that “lack of service.”

Ver. 16. To receive (Greek, ‘‘to give’) a mark, &c.—’‘ We must under-

Notes on the verses

Chap. XIII. Ver. 1. A beast rise.—[This beast, the same as Daniel’s fourth beast, ((Daniel 7:7),) is the Roman or Latin empire, whose capital was seated on seven hills, was divided into ten kingdoms, and consecrated its power from “the dragon,” or the idolatrous heathen empire. Both imperial and papal Rome have arrogated to themselves the most blasphemous titles; and the number of pious Christians who have fallen a sacrifice to the latter is incalculable. The term of his power also exactly coincides with that during which “the two witnesses prophesied in sackcloth.” (Revelation 11:3).]—Bagster.—Out of the sea.—See (Daniel 7:2-3). Ver. 2. Leopard.—Says Diodati, the three several figures of the beasts which represented the monarchies of the Chaldeans, Persians, and Grecians, ((Daniel 7:4-6),) are here all put together, to describe Rome, as if it were an abridgment and a gathering together of the tyranny, cruelty, and ravenousness of all the former empires.—His seat.—Greek, a throne,” as before. Ver. 8. Whose names are not written, &c.—Doddridge, “Whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb, who was slain, from the foundation of the world.” In the parallel passage, ch. xvii. 8, it is said, ‘whose names are not written in the book of life, from the foundation of the world.” So, in this passage the Unitarian version reads—"* was not written, from the foundation of the world, in the book of life of the Lamb that was slain.” Which Pye Smith pronounces “a just translation.”

Ver. 10. He that leadeth, &c.—Compare Isaiah xxxiii. 1. (Matthew 26:52). forms us that Popery and Mahometanism never acted in conjunction, but always in opposition. He had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.—On this passage, Woodhouse says, “It has been a favourite object with some very respectable modern writers, to represent the infidel democratic power, which appeared at one time to spring up with the French Revolution, as fulfilling this prophecy of the false prophet. I will propose a few reasons to show why it cannot be so. 1. The horns like a lamb denote an ecclesiastical power: but the French power is wholly civil, and it imposes no religion on the conquered.—2. There are in this infidel attempt no pretended miracles, or heavenly commission, no “fire from heaven.”—3.

The French have, indeed, set up an image, a lively representation of the ancient tyrannies; but it is not pronounced sacred, nor is its worship enforced; they require no more than other political conquerors, submission to their civil sceptre; they do not persecute for religion’s sake.—4. There is good reason to believe, that as the two beasts are to perish together, ((Revelation 19:20),) so their period being of the same length, that they arose together.” On the same subject, Fuller says, “‘I see no solid ground for Faber’s hypothesis of an Infidel King, any more than of an Infidel Antichrist….. What is said of the scoffers of the last times, is, indeed, descriptive of what we daily witness; but it is only of individuals that these things are spoken.

Infidelity does not appear to be symbolized in the Scriptures, either by a beast, a horn, or a king. Ver. 13. Great wonders.—This is the same which Paul speaks of, (2 Thessalonians 2:9-10), &c., which see, with note.—Maketh fire come down.—An allusion, probably, to (2 Kings 1:10-12). Ver. 14. That they should make an image to the beast.—Some have explained this, as if this second beast was itself the image of the former, which seems to us not to agree with the text. Middleton, however, in his celebrated Letter from Rome, has drawn a striking parallel between them, that is, between Paganism and Popery, in a great variety of particulars. “In these marks, we may see “the present people of Rome worshipping at this day in the same temples—at the same altars—sometimes the same images—and (almost) with the same ceremonies, as the old Romans: they must have more charity, as well as skill in distinguishing, than I pretend to, (says the doctor,) who can absolve them from the same crime of superstition and idolatry with their Pagan ancestors.”’ stand (says Newton) that it was customary among the ancients, for servants to receive the mark of their masters, and soldiers, of their general; and those who were devoted to any particular deity, of the particular deity to whom they were devoted.

‘These marks were usually impressed “on their right hand, or on their foreheads,” and consisted of some hieroglyphic characters, or of the name expressed in vulgar letters, or of the name disguised in numerical letters according to the fancy of the imposer.’ Ver. 17. No man might buy or sell.—This was an ancient form of persecution. Thus the Jews were persecuted by the heathen. Prideaux says, Ptolemy Philopater forbade any to enter into his palace, who did not sacrifice to the gods he worshipped, thereby excluding them from all legal protection; and he afterwards ordered all the Jews who applied to be enrolled as citizens of Alexandria, to have the form of an ivy leaf (the badge of Bacchus) to be impressed upon them with a hot iron, under pain of death.

(Prid. Connect. ante c. 216.) So Newton remarks, that William the Conqueror would not allow any to buy or sell, who refused obedience to the Apostolic See; and Pope Alexander II. forbade any one to traffic with the Waldenses. So also the Council of Constance forbids heretics to “enter into contracts, or commerce, &c. with Christians.” Ver. 18. Here is wisdom.—Newton remarks, “It was a method practised among the ancients, to denote names by numbers; as the name of Thouth the Egyptian Mercury, by the number 1218; Jupiter, by 737, &c. ‘This led some, even in the first century of Christianity, as mentioned by Irenæus, to interpret this number 666, by the name Lateinos, the Latin man, or church, so called, because in all countries its services are held in the Latin language.

The Greeks, it should be remarked, used all their letters as numerals, in manner following a Named [table of Greek letters and their numerical values]. There, he re- | T the [summation] dia de el Mi Petia staSlie vee a Epsilon. vucvevwes A Sc TOtGs, 3. 3 4, Selanne (CO Sane ne i 10 - Neb. a aie 5.0 o Spe) 8’s cone erie “ena aa 50 Omicron. ccvecseres we atiacre a yoiFe eee ake 70 | Sigma Dik 200 —866 +. Hebrew word, Romiith, affords both the same number and meaning. The same number may be picked out of other names, but in both cases some of the letters must be blank.