As part of his effort to make war against the saints, Satan summons from the sea a beast, which symbolizes certain of the “kingdoms of the earth” (JST Revelation 13:1). This beast, depicted as various wild animals, has many heads and many crowns (suggesting many different rulers or kingdoms) and many horns (suggesting much power). He is known for his blasphemy against God (Revelation 13:1, 6). The world is so taken by the beast and his power that they worship him and fear him, and they worship the dragon (Satan himself) as well (Revelation 13:4). The beast’s power continues for “forty-two months,” during which time he fights and overcomes the saints of God (Revelation 13:5, 7).

Most commentators identify the beast as the wicked Roman emperor Nero, and, by extension, the Roman Empire itself (see discussions in Harrington, Revelation, 138-41; Mounce, Book of Revelation, 246-48; Glasson, Revelation of John, 79-81). Nero had great power and allied himself with Satan to persecute the saints. He took his own life in AD 68, and in the year that followed, civil war threatened to destroy the very life of the empire. Vespasian rose to power in AD 69 and restored order, but during his reign he proved to be as vicious against the Christians as Nero had been.

All this seems to fit with the description of the beast and its mortal wound (Nero’s suicide) as found in Revelation 13:3, and this may have been the interpretation the early Christians understood. But the vision seems to lead us to another, broader level of meaning as well. The beast appears to have power that reaches worldwide – “over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations,” even “all that dwell upon the earth” (Revelation 13:7-8). Further, that power was appointed to continue only “forty and two months” (Revelation 13:5). The second beast, which is a supporter and ally of the first, has no such time limit placed on his reign.

If we take these descriptions literally, the beast must be more than simply an emperor of Rome, however powerful he might have been in his corner of the world. Some might argue that Nero did have power over all the known world, suggesting that “all . . . nations” refers to all nations that John was familiar with. But in the very next chapter John notes that the gospel was to go to “every nation” (Revelation 14:6), which certainly was not limited to the Mediterranean world.

Who, then, is the beast from the sea? Following are some clues to its identity: 1. The beast has political power – from it stem many kings (Revelation 13:1; 17:12). 2. It stands in blatant opposition to God, representing blasphemy with no shame (Revelation 13:1).

3. It receives its power and authority from Satan himself (Revelation 13:2).

4. One of its heads receives a deadly wound by a sword and is healed (Revelation 13:3, 14).

5. The whole world knows about the healing and is amazed (Revelation 13:3).

6. The people of the world worship the beast (Revelation 13:4, 8).

7. The world marvels at the power of the beast (Revelation 13:4).

8. The beast is able to speak great things, including blasphemies (Revelation 13:5, 6). 9. It has power for forty-two months (Revelation 13:5).

10. It has power to make war with and overcome the saints (Revelation 13:7).

11. It has power over all nations (Revelation 13:7).

12. A second beast has power to give life to an image of the first beast, enabling it even to speak (Revelation 13:15).

13. The second beast causes all who do not worship the first beast to be put to death (Revelation 13:15).

14. The first beast will make war against the two witnesses in Jerusalem and will kill them (Revelation 11:7).

15. The first beast supports Babylon, the mother of harlots (Revelation 17:7).

16. It comes from the bottomless pit and is destined to go to perdition (Revelation 17:8). 17. The beast “was, and is not, and yet is” (Revelation 17:8).

18. The seven heads of the beast are seven mountains (Revelation 17:9).

19. The beast is eighth in a line of kings, five of which have come and gone by the time of John’s vision (Revelation 17:10-11).

20. It is yet to come in John’s future – but it existed in some form before John’s vision (Revelation 17:11, 8).

21. Many kings will lend their power and strength to the beast (Revelation 17:13). 22. The beast is not limited in time to the period of the Great Apostasy but will still be in power when the Lord returns in power (Revelation 19:19).

23. The beast and the false prophet, who is the second beast, will both be captured at the time of the second coming and will be thrown into the lake of fire (Revelation 19:20).

We will talk about the specific meaning of these elements, as far as they are known, in commentaries to follow. But the combination of elements gives us these essential understandings:

1. The beast is a servant of Satan and receives power from him.

2. The beast has power politically, a power that reaches to all nations.

3. It speaks blasphemies, fights and overcomes the saints, and supports Babylon. The wicked throughout the world worship it.

4. It seems to have existed in some form before the time of Christ, and it will continue to exist as a force in the world until the Lord returns in glory.

What power in the world fits such a description? It seems to be the power of unrighteous government, or an ideology or philosophy or culture that binds many governments. Governments in any age that resist the spirit of truth, that exercise power over men and women inappropriately, that set themselves up as the source (rather than simply the protector) of people’s security – all these partake of the spirit of the beast. (For an interesting discussion of the power of wicked governments, see Andersen, Great and Abominable Church.)

Note that the commentary to this chapter is written primarily in the present tense. Yet much of that which is depicted in this portion of John’s vision may be in the past, and much may also be in the future.

1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.

verse 1 “I . . . saw a beast rise up out of the sea” John earlier had seen a sign “in the likeness of things on the earth” (Revelation 12:1). Here he sees a sign, or omen, that is, according to the JST, “like unto the kingdoms of the earth” (italics added).

“a beast” The beast is a symbol of an unnamed kingdom on the earth, most likely a political kingdom. Joseph Smith taught, “When God made use of the figure of a beast in visions to the prophets He did it to represent those kingdoms which had degenerated and become corrupt, savage and beast-like in their dispositions, even the degenerate kingdoms of the wicked world. . . The beast that rose up out of the sea should be translated the image of a beast” – meaning that it was symbolic rather than literal (HC, 5:341, 345).

The beast also represents a particular ruler over a kingdom: “There are seven kings . . . and the beast . . . is the eighth” (Revelation 17:10-11). Though the beast seems to be a particular king or kingdom, his horns represent other kingdoms as well. Some have tried to identify the beast with a particular king or kingdom, such as Rome or one of its caesars, but it is more important to identify its chief characteristics.

It has also been noted that the beast may correlate with Nephi’s seeing “among the nations of the Gentiles the formation of a great church.” This church, or institution, was, according to an angel, “most abominable above all other churches, which slayeth the saints of God, yea, and tortureth them and bindeth them down, and yoketh them with a yoke of iron, and bringeth them down into captivity.” Further, Nephi notes, “I saw the devil that he was the founder of it” (1 Nephi 13:4-6).

“rise up out of the sea” In the ancient world the sea was often associated with evil, with chaos, with the enemies of God (Mounce, Book of Revelation, 244). The four beasts Daniel saw also came up from the sea (Daniel 7:3). That may suggest that the king who is the beast will literally come from the sea when he attacks the people of God. Sea here may symbolize the nations of the world, as waters does in Revelation 17:15. Thus, the beast rises to prominence from among the nations of the world.

If sea is to be read literally, a statement in the Doctrine and Covenants may provide an interesting connection. Said the Lord: “Behold, I, the Lord, in the beginning blessed the waters; but in the last days, by the mouth of my servant John, I cursed the waters. . . I, the Lord, have decreed, and the destroyer rideth upon the face thereof, and I revoke not the decree” (D&C 61:14, 19).

“seven heads and ten horns / upon his horns ten crowns” The beast has heads, horns, and crowns like its master, Satan – with one difference: Satan has but seven crowns (JST Revelation 12:4), whereas the beast has ten. In numerology, seven is a perfect number, but ten is not, which suggests that Satan has more complete power and sovereignty than his beast, even though the beast has a greater number of heads, horns, and crowns. This beast reappears in Revelation 17, in which we are given an interpretation of some of the symbolism. We learn that the woman who is called “Babylon the great, the mother of harlots” is carried by the beast (Revelation 17:5, 7). The seven heads represent seven mountains, “on which the woman sitteth” (Revelation 17:9). The heads may also represent seven kings (Revelation 17:10). The ten horns represent ten kings who are yet to come (Revelation 17:12; Daniel too saw ten horns on a beast, also representing kings – Daniel 7:7). These kings receive their power from the beast (Revelation 17:12).

This beast is commonly understood to represent Rome or one of the evil rulers of Rome with its “seven heads [emperors] and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns [ten leaders counting the three military generals],” Rome, of course, comes “out of the sea” in that it juts out into the Mediterranean Sea. But if Rome does fit the description in some respects, it is only as a prototype or symbol of the true beast of the last days. For even though the beast may represent a particular king or kingdom, its horns represent other kings and kingdoms, and its heads seem to represent that which supports the great Babylon of the earth, which is the embodiment of all wickedness.

“upon his heads the name of blasphemy” It is in the nature of the beast to oppose and mock God, to seek to injure His good name and reputation – and to ascribe to itself the character and attributes of God.

“And I saw another sign, in the likeness of the kingdoms of the earth; a beast rise up out of the sea, and he stood upon the sand of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns; and upon his horns ten crowns; and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.”

There are two manuscript traditions for verse one. One has John standing on the seashore (the KJV follows this one); the other, the dragon (as seen in the RSV and the NIV). The JST solves the problem by noting that the monster from the sea was what stood upon the sandy shore.

2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.

verse 2 “the beast . . . like unto a leopard / bear / lion” The beast has power among nations and peoples in the same way vicious animals have power in their kingdoms, ruling others by fear and force. These three animals are the same as those seen by Daniel, which also rise up from the sea (Daniel 7:3-6). Daniel saw a fourth beast as well; it is not described as a particular animal but is called “dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly.” This beast has ten horns and “a mouth speaking great things” (Daniel 7:7-8; compare Revelation 13:5). Daniel learns that “these great beasts . . . are four kings” (Daniel 7:17). He sees further that one of the horns on the last beast “made war with the saints, and prevailed against them” (Daniel 7:21; compare Revelation 13:7). The last beast “shall devour the whole earth . . . and he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High” (Daniel 7:23, 25; compare Revelation 13:7). Daniel appears to have seen the same thing John saw but in a slightly different form.

The Bible uses the term beast to translate three Greek words: zon, ktnos, and thrion. Zon describes living creatures, often those connected with God like the seraphim of Isaiah 6:2- 3 and the four living beings in Revelation 4:6-9. Ktnos refers to domesticated animals, especially beasts of burden and animals used for food as in Revelation 18:13. Thrion, on the other hand, characterizes wild beasts, especially beasts of prey. John calls the sea monster thrion, and the term aptly fits. The beast’s three components – leopard, bear, and lion – are all untameable and flesh-devouring.

“the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority” The beast looks to the devil for power to rule; in turn, the devil is the master, or ruler, of the beast.

3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.

verse 3 “one of his heads as it were wounded to death / deadly wound was healed” If the heads represent kings (JST Revelation 13:1), apparently one of the kings is wounded to the point of death but will then be healed. If the heads represent kingdoms, perhaps one of the kingdoms will seem to be destroyed but will then come forth unto power once again.

Those who would see the beast as representing Rome would see this verse as referring to Domitian. John would have disguised this reference to Domitian by using the myth of Nero redivivus. “And I saw one of its heads as it were wounded to death [Nero]; and his deadly wound was healed [Nero came alive again].”

This wound to a beast that is an enemy of Christ contrasts with the mortal wound the Lamb will receive on the cross (Revelation 5:6, 12); and as the beast, which is anti- Christ, is healed, so also will the true Christ be healed in the resurrection. There, however, the similarity ends: Jesus Christ the Lamb will live victorious forever, while his enemy the beast will be thrown into the “lake of fire” (Revelation 19:20). In 17:8, John states that the beast “was and is not and is to come” (alternate translation). This mimics the description of the Savior in Revelation 1:4 as he “which is, and which was, and which is to come.” The Lamb is Lord of lords and King of kings, and the beast seeks the same positions. In short, the beast is the spiritual antithesis of Christ and his kingdom. Thus, the beast not only wears the name of blasphemy upon its heads, it embodies the name by counterfeiting the attributes and position of deity.

“all the world wondered after the beast” The people of the world see the healing of one of the heads of the beast and are amazed. Of course, the people do not view the beast as a beast – that is only the metaphor John uses to convey his message. Instead, the people are amazed at the power and resilience of the king, kingdom, or philosophy that the beast symbolizes. As an analogy, suppose that communism were to be revitalized and return to worldwide power after being repudiated in the late 1980s. That would be a source of wonderment to all the world. That is only an analogy, not an interpretation of prophetic or future events, but the analogy may be instructive in helping us to see what John seems to be describing in this verse.

4 And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?

verse 4 “they worshipped the dragon” In John’s vision, the people of the world worship the devil. This does not mean, necessarily, that they bow down before him or that they offer prayers or oblations to him. Rather, they may follow him, subscribe to his way of thinking, and choose to do his will – some knowingly, some unknowingly.

“they worshipped the beast” The people of the world worship this king, kingdom, or philosophy in the same way that they worship the devil – by following it and making it the ruling principle in their lives. The word anti-Christ does not appear in Revelation; in the New Testament, it is found only in the epistles of John (1 John 2:18, 22; 4:3; 2 John 1:7). But this beast is unquestionably an anti-Christ, standing in opposition to Christ, seeking his power and authority.

“Who is like unto the beast?” The people of the world offer to the beast praise and admiration that should be reserved for God. In Exodus, for example, the people exclaim, “Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the gods? who is like unto thee . . .?” (Exodus 15:11; Psalm 89:8; Isaiah 44:7; Micah 7:18). Of course, because the Lord really is preeminent, the beast, whom the people worship, will be destroyed.

5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.

verse 5 “given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies” These blasphemies might claim that the beast ought to be worshipped rather than God. In speaking of the days before the second coming of Christ, Paul spoke of “that man of sin . . . who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God” (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4). The power to speak these blasphemies is given to the beast by Satan.

“continue forty and two months” The beast is allowed to exercise its power for fortytwo months. This number often represents the period when the wickedness of the world will hold sway (see commentary on Revelation 11:2-3). The number forty-two may not indicate an actual number of months or other specific period of time but may instead symbolize a general, prolonged, but ultimately limited, time of wickedness.

When the forty-two months are broken down into days (1,260) and then translated into years, we have the period of time that the woman finds refuge in the wilderness (Revelation 12:6). Whether or not this connection applies, however, we know that the beast will have power for a finite amount of time and that in the end the Lord and his people will emerge victorious.

6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.

verse 6 “blasphemy against God / his name / his tabernacle / them that dwell in heaven” The beast speaks his blasphemy against God himself, against God’s name, against God’s dwelling place (the tabernacle, or temple), and against the angels and gods in heaven. The beast is opposed to all that is good (Daniel 7:8, 20, 25; 11:36) and tries to garner to himself the honor and respect that should be given only to God.

7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.

verse 7 “given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them” It appears that the Lord is the one who is allowing the beast to make war with the saints, even knowing that they will be conquered for a time. It is part of the Lord’s eternal plan to allow the exercise of agency to both wicked and righteous on the earth – even if the wicked martyr the righteous in the process. The Lord takes the long, eternal view, knowing that in the end he will be able to exact full justice both from those who deserve punishment and for those who deserve comfort and reward.

We read in Revelation 12:11 that the righteous did not love their lives more than they loved the Lord, and thus they were willing to suffer martyrdom. Here that resolve is put to the test for many saints, who pass the test by succumbing to death at the hands of the beast. Yet that death is the very means of their own victory (Revelation 15:2; see also Daniel 7:21).

Joseph Smith seems to place this event “in the last days” (HC, 5:344). Supporting that is John’s statement that the beast will still be in power when Christ comes again (Revelation 19:19). If that is the case, it must be emphasized that the beast’s war against the saints will bring only a partial and temporary victory. The Great Apostasy will be followed by the restoration of the gospel. And the Lord has promised that his kingdom of the last days, once it is put in place, will never again be lost from the earth (McConkie, New Witness for the Articles of Faith, 557-58). Perhaps the beast will oppose the saints beginning in John’s day – when he will overcome them so thoroughly that the Church will be lost from the earth – and continue his efforts (with varying degrees of success) until the end. Even though John sees in his vision the final triumph of Christ and his forces for good, he does not sugarcoat the events that precede the victory. Many of the righteous will suffer at the hands of Satan and his followers, but the righteous will indeed be victorious.

The beast will not restrict himself to persecution in his efforts to overcome (or conquer; RSV, NIV) the saints. He will likely use all the tricks of his master, Satan, including the three great enemies of the Saints in all eras: apathy, apostasy, and sin.

Power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. The power and influence of the beast extend across the entire earth. Yet greater still is the eternal power of Christ, who “redeemed us to God by [his] blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation” (Revelation 5:9).

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.

verse 8 “all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him” Those who worship the beast include all the people of the earth “whose names are not written in the book of life.” To worship the beast is to honor and obey him. Again, we see that the beast’s influence is worldwide.

“book of life of the Lamb” See commentary on Revelation 3:5; see also 20:12, 15. “Lamb slain from the foundation of the world” The promise of the atonement of Christ was made at the beginning, even before the creation of the world – and, through the grace of God, the power of that atonement took effect even from the time of that promise (1 Peter 1:18-20).

9 If any man have an ear, let him hear.

verse 9 “If any man have an ear, let him hear” This is an invitation to understand and heed the words of the vision (Revelation 2:7, 11, 17).

10 He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.

verse 10 “He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity / killeth . . . be killed” The Lord warns those who would follow the beast into sin that those who harm others will receive punishment to match their offenses. This statement also gives comfort to the saints: even though the beast will lead many of the saints into captivity, and even though he will kill many of them, in God’s perfect justice he will receive in the end the same judgment he metes out (see also Jeremiah 15:2; 43:11; Matthew 26:52).

“Here is the patience and the faith of the saints” Other translations (NIV, JB, RSV, NEB) clarify this phrase to indicate that the trials and persecution the saints face will require much patience and faith if they hope to endure. Still another reading is the saints know that even though some of them will suffer persecutions from those who worship the beast, in the end the Lord will execute his righteous judgments against the wicked.

verses 11-18 John sees a second beast, which has the same power as the beast that preceded it. The second beast appears to be like Christ (the lamb), but he really is like Satan, his master (the dragon). This beast also is a symbol of one or more kings or kingdoms of the earth. (See HC, 5:341.) The second beast causes the people of the world to worship (meaning, perhaps, to follow or to give allegiance to) the first beast. He performs great miracles to deceive people, he gives life to the image of the first beast, and he kills many who will not worship that image. This beast (or kingdom) also controls the economy of the earth (buying and selling) and requires people to associate themselves with the beast if they wish to have part in that economy.

This beast truly is an anti-Christ: he pretends to be a lamb, he performs great miracles (including fire from heaven, which all men see), he brings an image of the first beast to life, he requires the people of the world to worship that image instead of God, he takes away the exercise of agency of the people of the world. This second beast is referred to as a “false prophet” later in Revelation (16:13; 19:20; 20:10). Perhaps this beast, as a “prophet,” represents religious philosophy and power, rather than the more political power of the first beast. Or perhaps he represents Satan’s sophisticated propaganda machine, designed to flood the world with lies and false political and religious doctrines. Like his counterpart, he will remain in power until the Lord comes (Revelation 19:19-20). His exact identity – whether as a kingdom or a false prophet – has not been revealed.

11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.

verse 11 “another beast coming up out of the earth” Whereas the first beast came from the sea, the second beast comes from the land, though it is uncertain why this might be significant. The precise identity of this beast is less important than what he symbolizes: earthly kingdoms that follow Satan and lead the world away from Christ, or political, economic, and religious ideologies that seduce institutions and kingdoms into following the way of the beast and the dragon.

“he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon” This beast has the appearance of a lamb, like Jesus; outwardly he appears innocent and harmless. But when the beast speaks, his true nature is revealed – he speaks like his master, the devil. This false prophet is precisely like those the Lord warned against: “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves” (Matthew 7:15).

12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.

verse 12 “he exerciseth all the power of the first beast” The first beast had “power . . . and great authority” given it by the devil (Revelation 13:2). The first beast was so powerful that everyone feared war with it (Revelation 13:4). The first beast had power “over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations” (Revelation 13:7). The second beast exercised similar power in all these instances.

“causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast” True prophets of God seek diligently to bring people to believe in Christ and worship him. The second beast, a false prophet, likewise seeks diligently to bring people to worship the first beast. His methods include wonders and miracles, threats of death (which are indeed carried out), and economic coercion. These methods are so effective that the beast succeeds in his efforts: the people of the world do indeed worship the beast. This is a continuation of the worship that started earlier (Revelation 13:8).

Here we see the false prophet acting as minister of propaganda for the beast, causing men to yield to it all that it desires. The false prophet is able to engender this submission by those miracles he has power to do “in the sight of the beast (verse 14). As the two witnesses in chapter eleven stand before the Lord and have power over fire, so the false prophet performs miracles as he stands before his lord. Both God and Satan have their servants upon the earth working miracles. Many who refuse to follow those whom God has appointed will fall under the spell of those whom Satan has.

One commentator writes, “[The] dragon, sea beast, and land beast are a satanic trinity that infiltrates the political world in order to deflect our worship from the God whom we cannot see to the authorities that we can see, and to deceive us into buying into a religion or beliefsystem that has visible results in self-gratification.” (As quoted in Mounce, The Book of Revelation, 256.)

verses 11-12 Having application to the time of John, some have suggested that this second beast which comes up out of the earth is the imperial priesthood established by Domitian to enforce the worship of himself as deity. Thus, this second beast “causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed [Domitian].” The headquarters of this priesthood was not Rome but Pergamos – thus it came up out of the land.

13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,

verse 13 “he doeth great wonders” This beast performs great miracles, just as the Lord’s true prophets performed miracles in earlier days (see, for example, Exodus 7-10) and as the two prophets will perform in Jerusalem (Revelation 11:5-6). The beast will even have power to make fire come down from heaven “in the sight of men” – a sign and wonder like that performed by Elijah (1 Kings 18:38). “There shall arise false Christs, and false prophets,” the Lord said, “and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect” (Matthew 24:24). And Paul warned against him “whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders” (2 Thessalonians 2:9).

14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; 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 did live.

verse 14 “deceiveth them that dwell on the earth” Through the miracles the beast performs, he deceives the people of the world. The deception is that the beast should be worshipped, rather than Christ, and that the power behind the beast is the power of God when in reality it is Satan’s power.

“The Great Imitator is able to blind the eyes and deceive the hearts of men and to put his own seal of verity, that of false miracles, on his damning philosophies. Thus, those who place themselves wholly at his disposal have power to imitate the deeds of the prophets, as the magicians of Egypt imitated the miracles of Moses and as Simon the sorcerer sought to duplicate the works of Peter” (McConkie, Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, 3:524).

The deception of the people of the world is a commentary on their spiritual state. Satan cannot deceive a person against that person’s will – belief in the lies of Satan is always accompanied by choosing sin or choosing doubt in the work and message of the Lord.

“miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast” Some versions of the Bible say that the second beast was performing his miracles “in the presence” of the first beast (LB, RSV, GNB, NEB). Others say that the second beast was acting “in behalf of” the first beast (NIV, JB). The Greek (enopion) clarifies further, suggesting that the second beast was acting “through the authority” of the first.

“they should make an image to the beast” The second beast causes the people of the world to set up some kind of image of the first beast. We are not able to say what this means literally.

15 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.

verse 15 “he had power to give life unto the image of the beast” In an amazing miracle, the second beast is able to cause the image of the beast to seem to come alive and speak. Many translations suggest that the second beast gives the “breath” of life to the image (LB, RSV, GNB, NIV, JB, NEB), another way in which the second beast acts as a counterfeit to God and his Spirit. We are not able to say what this prophecy means in literal terms.

“as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed” This phrase indicates a true division between the people of the world. There will be two categories: those who will worship (follow, give allegiance to) the beast, and those who will resist even when threatened with death. Those who resist are those who have overcome “by the blood of the Lamb” and “loved not their lives unto the death” (Revelation 12:11).

Some have suggested that this prophecy was fulfilled in the meridian of time. After the crucifixion of Christ, all members of the early Christian Church eventually died, were killed, or apostatized (one exception, of course, is John the Revelator himself, who was translated). Certainly, the demise of the meridian Church and the martyrdom of many members seem to fit at least parts of this prophecy. But many questions remain unanswered. For instance, what were the wonders and miracles performed by the Roman Empire, or its imperial priesthood, which persecuted the meridian Church? In what way did the Roman Empire have worldwide influence, as implied in Revelation 12:16-17? Both of these clues seem to point elsewhere to the identity of the second beast.

If this passage also has a latter-day application, it is safe to say that not all the righteous saints will be killed – many will remain to establish Zion and to greet Christ when he returns. In this dispensation, the Church has been put on the earth to stay – it will not be removed from its place, though all powers of earth and hell be arrayed against it. But according to this prophecy, at some point many of the righteous will apparently live under the threat of a martyr’s death: those who will not worship the image of the beast essentially have a death warrant on their heads. Thankfully, as Nephi saw, the saints will be “armed with righteousness and with the power of God in great glory” (1 Nephi 14:14), and they will emerge victorious.

16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:

verse 16 “he causeth all . . . to receive a mark” Earlier we saw that the righteous will receive the seal of the Lamb on their foreheads. This seal consists of the name of the Father and appears to protect the righteous from the judgments of God (Revelation 7:2-3; 14:1). In contrast, the wicked – all who worship the beast – receive the mark of the beast (his name: Revelation 13:17; 14:11; 16:2; 19:20) on their foreheads or right hands. This mark appears to distinguish the wicked and enables them to buy and sell (Revelation 13:17). Many have speculated on what the mark might be. Entire volumes have been written on the subject. But the Lord has not revealed the answer.

Here is one possibility, however, that may be more sound than most speculations. The seal of God is real, but it is also figurative – it cannot be seen, but those who have it know they are God’s, and they are known by him. The seal is having one’s calling and election made sure, being sealed up unto eternal life. That seal requires no outward mark or tattoo. It represents a way of life and its consequences.

Perhaps the mark of the beast is a parallel (though opposing) idea. Those who follow the beast do his will with their hands (symbolized by the mark on the hand) and accept and adhere to his philosophies with their minds (symbolized by the mark on the forehead).

Thus, those who give their lives to the beast and his philosophies constantly show whose they are – by the deeds of their hands and the words of their mouths (which reveal their thoughts).

Since refusal to wear the mark results in death, the only way to escape is to venerate the beast. But such homage does not bring peace or happiness. John states that those who worship the beast “have no rest day nor night” (Revelation 14:11). Though looking to a future state, John well describes the restless, nervous, and nearly exhausted existence of individuals who sell themselves to the idol of materialism.

17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

verse 17 “no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark” Here we see the extent of the power of the second beast. In Revelation 13:15 we see that the beast kills those who will not worship the first beast. Now we see that he has another threat: he controls the world economy so much that only those with the mark can engage in the essential economic activities of buying and selling. Perhaps this means that one cannot prosper without taking part in the prevailing philosophy, which is inspired by Satan (For an interesting discussion on the economy of Babylon, see “What Is Zion? A Distant View,” in Hugh Nibley’s, Approaching Zion, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1989, 25-62. Other essays in the volume are equally compelling.). Perhaps the saints will survive by living the law of consecration.

The second beast never comes fully into view but remains in the background, the deceptive distance catching those who might not otherwise be attracted to the first beast, and in this way, it betrays people into the worship of the latter. Indeed, its whole function seems to be to seduce mankind into this false worship. And what is the objective of this worship? In a word, materialism: the ability to buy and sell and to get gain.

Elder McConkie has noted that “the identity of these powers remains to be revealed,” but whatever they are, the only reason the beasts can gain control is because of the fallen and spiritually degenerate state brought about by evil being able to impose itself on mankind because of indifference and ambivalence toward the good.

“the name of the beast, or the number of his name” The beast’s name and number are synonymous. In many ancient alphabets, each letter had a numerical equivalent. A graffito uncovered in Pompeii reads, “I love her whose number is 545” (Deissmann, Light from the Ancient East, 277). Jewish rabbis enjoyed looking for hidden meanings in the scriptures; they called the practice of hiding numerical meanings in words gematria. For instance, we read in Genesis 14:14 that Abraham took 318 “trained servants” with him when he went to rescue Lot from his captors; according to gematria, the number 318 translates as Eliezer, the name of Abraham’s chief servant.

verses 16-17 In the days of John, perhaps the “mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads” was the card which Domitian decreed that every Roman citizen carry certifying that they worshipped Domitian.

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.

verse 18 “Here is wisdom” John suggests that if we have understanding, we will be able to “count” the number of the beast, which will reveal his name. But lacking revelation, we are probably best served by not aligning ourselves too closely to any one interpretation.

“the number of the beast” The number of the beast, which number (or name, derived from the number) constituted the mark placed on people’s foreheads or right hands, was 666. The number is given as “the number of a man,” meaning, perhaps, that it was not a mystical number or name but an ordinary human number or name, or it may mean that the number was that of a particular individual. If that is so, the individual is likely only a representative symbol of the beast, which goes beyond individual identities, reaching far into the past as well as into the future.

Another possibility is that the number is symbolic. The number seven indicates perfection; three sevens would suggest perfection to an emphatic level. Three sixes suggest a marked falling short of perfection. Seven could be a symbolic number for Christ; six could indicate the anti-Christ.

Most authorities interpret the number to mean the name Nero Caesar: when Nero’s name is given in Hebrew (nrwn qsr), the numerical equivalent is 666 (Harrington, Revelation, 144; Mounce, Book of Revelation, 261; Glasson, Revelation of John, 83). Again, could John be using the myth of Nero redivivus? Other possibilities include the Roman emperors Domitian or Titus, all the Roman emperors combined, the ancient Romans as a group, or the Roman Catholic Church (Mounce, Book of Revelation, 261-62; Draper, Opening the Seven Seals, 150-51). The numerical equivalents of the names of each of these can be made to add up to 666. Many other individuals and organizations have been suggested as possibilities.

Some popular suggestions include, for an individual, the emperor Titus (Greek teitan, where t = 300, e = 5, i = 10, t = 300, a = 1, n = 50); for a nation, the Romans (Greek lateinos, where l = 100, a = 1, t = 300, e = 5, i= 10, n = 50, s = 200). There are other names that work as well, like the man’s name Euanthas. Significantly thrion, the word John uses for the beast, also equals 666.

One popular suggestion is that the number refers to the Catholic Church because the Greek forms Italika ekklesia (Italian Church) and hletana basileia (the Latin Church) both add up to 666. Further, some claim that the inscription on the mitre of the Pope also yields the same number. If such an inscription exists, the Catholic Encyclopedia and other reference works on religious vestments used by the Catholics do not disclose it. The view that the beast is a church seems narrow, if not bigoted, especially since the idea behind the beast seems more state than church. The Adversary would probably like the wrong kingdoms to be pegged.

Taking the Greek as it stands, John’s riddle points to “a man,” that is, a single individual. Historically, the one man who has left his mark as the arch persecutor of the Christians is Nero, whom many have argued for as the man John had in mind. To derive the number, Nero’s name is transliterated into Hebrew nron ksr. The breakdown is n = 50, r = 200, o = 6, n =50, k = 100, s = 60, r = 200. Though the solution is ingenious, it is hard to believe that John would have put his readers through so much trouble. Also, Nero had been dead for nearly a quarter century before John wrote. However, in John’s day there was another who bore the spiritual nature of Nero. This was Domitian. As emperor, he sought to exterminate the church of God. To John he may have seemed to be Nero reincarnate.

There are two complications with this approach. The first is that many early Greek manuscripts of the book of Revelation give the number as 61615 – which would yield totally different interpretations. The second complication is that the beast truly seems to transcend the normal life span of individuals and institutions. He reaches around the entire world. The second beast seems to be a symbol in which we find embodied the great forces that oppose

Christ and his people in the last days. Though we may not understand the interpretation of the number, we can seek to recognize the work of Satan in all its guises and then be willing to trust and follow Christ, our Savior, whatever the cost.

Even if we cannot tell who the number may literally point to, we understand the message of this passage: Satan sends forth philosophies and servants to do his work. Many who follow Christ and his perfection will suffer greatly for their opposition to Satan’s program, but eventually the wicked will fall and the righteous will prevail.

There is much in chapter thirteen that awaits further revelation. When it is important for the Latter-day Saints to know specifics, the prophet will reveal them from God. In the meantime, an understanding of the message underlying the chapter sheds a little light. John’s major concern is the question of worship, that is, to whom will men give their loyalty. Herein lies the message for those living in the last days when the beast will again actively recruit souls.

The monster is not Satan but the result of the unchecked work of Satan within institutions, communities, and countries. Wherever men refuse to be controlled by God or governed by truth, Satan rules; this is the danger of drive without humility. All spiritual aberrations are rooted here and are a result of the greatest of moral evils – pride. President Benson has warned the saints against pride. “The central feature of pride,” he instructs, “is enmity – enmity toward God and enmity toward our fellowmen. Enmity means ‘hatred toward, hostility to, or a state of opposition.’ It is the power by which Satan wishes to reign over us.” He goes on to state that “the proud cannot accept the authority of God giving direction to their lives (see Helaman 12:6). They pit their perceptions of truth against God’s great knowledge, their abilities versus God’s priesthood power, their accomplishments against His mighty works.” The prophet further states that the proud man gets no joy out of having anything but only out of having more than others.

Thus, pride is competitive. It drives men on and on, never allowing satisfaction, all the while twisting their minds and souls into eternal selfishness. “I am the greatest,” such insist, “therefore, what I want should happen. I’ll step on anyone or anything that will not bow to my will.” Sooner or later, such souls become saturated with the same poison that turned the son of the morning into the devil himself. Affected by the bite of the serpent from the sea, they carry his mark always with them. It affects both their labor (the mark on the hand) and their thought (the mark on the forehead). To these prideful, perverted souls, all men must eventually become slaves. Those who refuse are considered the enemy and soon become the persecuted. Since God will not submit to their program, will not follow their agenda, he becomes their ultimate enemy.

The beast does not work alone. He teams up with the false lamb, a treacherous religious system pushed by pseudo-prophets. The two beasts have produced the philosophical base and theological foundation for the satanic doctrine upon which the world feeds. The promise is always easy salvation, that property exists for the taking, that man can rejoice in sins and find joy. The doctrine is clearly enunciated by such men as Sherem (see

Jacob 7:1-18), Nehor (see Alma 1:3-5), and Korihor (see Alma 30:6-16). Each taught what was “pleasing unto the carnal mind,” and they “had much success” (Alma 30:53). But a lesson awaited each of these men.

There is an old saying that “you can’t get something for nothing.” But the truth behind the beasts is that you get nothing for something. That is Satan’s method of operation. His minions make satanically inspired but empty promises (“ye shall not surely die” – Moses 4:10), and then extract their payment. Note that it is neither the monster nor the false prophet who makes the image for the beast. The people do that. The image is made from the salt of their sweat, their toil, their tears, and even their blood. But in their hour of need, the beast will quickly abandon them: “and thus we see that the devil will not support his children at the last day, but doth speedily drag them down to hell” (Alma 30:60).

#9 If any man have an ear, let him hear.

9 If any man have an ear, let him hear.