Part 4
Revelation Chapter 13
VERSE 1 continued “And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name.”
(As taken from The Keys of Revelation)
The fourth empire of Daniel 7 is seen as a symbolic creature having ten horns. (See #1) Yet the vision implies that an eleventh horn existed, at least prior to the three which it plucked up, but it was present in such an undeveloped and unperceived form that it was not noticed in the initial count of ten.
(Or as the Apostle John so stated in 1 John 4:3 “the spirt of the Antichrist is coming and is even now in the world.” This spirit is that of the Nicolaitans, the Greek equivalent of Balanmites, meaning the struggle for power, for lordship over God’s heritage.)
Nevertheless, according to Rev 12:2–5, Papacy’s fetal development and subsequent birth as a small male child (the “little horn” of Daniel 7:8, 20) became increasingly apparent, especially when the child was seen to be responsible for the subtle but thoroughly effective uprooting of the second, third, and fourth horns, after which time it rapidly arose to prominence and great stature (Dan. 7:24; 8:9, 10) as the false Michael of Revelation Chapter 12.
Chapter 2 of Daniel portrays the same sequence and development. The first significant involvement and role of the papal Church is seen to occur after the previous development of the civil authority (the first horn of Daniel 7) and the proto division (See #2) of the empire as shown by the legs of iron (Pagan Rome). It is the feet (See #3) (not the legs) and the toes of the image that are composed of iron mixed with “miry” clay (Dan. 2:41). But soon the toes become brittle “potters’ clay” (Dan. 2:42), representing the false, imitation stone Kingdom of Christ.
Ten Crowns
The crowns on the heads of the dragon in Chapter 12 represent Rome during the time of the Caesars, when emperors ruled in the name of Rome. Rome was the authority, NOT the horns.
But here in Revelation 13 the crowns are seen on the ten horns. Although Papacy governed with an iron hand as an absolute monarchy in religious affairs, in other matters, with foresightedness, it acted or ruled as a temporal sovereign that delegated or distributed sanctioned civil authority to the horns or powers. The pope crowned or deposed the kings of Europe much as he saw fit or as expediency allowed.
Heads of Blasphemy
The “name of blasphemy” upon the heads of the beast signifies that period of history in which Antichrist attained fullness of power. The pope (each pope in turn) is the head of the false Church or Kingdom class, which is his body, even as Jesus Christ is the head of the true Church, which is his body.
The crowns upon the horns and the name of blasphemy (i.e., “Christendom”) upon the heads pertain to the Middle Ages and the days of the Holy(?) Roman Empire.
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1. The horns of the fourth beast of Daniel were meant to perform a dual role: (1) The ten horns represent divisions of power in the empire both in the present and in the future. (2) In the absence of any specified or designated heads in the description of this beast in Daniel, the ten horns also indicate, but to an intended limited degree, a partial progressive development.
2. This division existed prior to the removal of the seat of government from Rome to Constantinople.
3. The feet are the terminal part of the leg below the ankle joint.
We will move on to Verse 2 in our next post.
