Revelation chapter 13 is part of what will occur after the opening of the seventh (7) seal of the book in heaven by the little-lamb which is representing the Lord Jesus Christ (Revelation 8:1). The seventh seal includes the implementation of judgments under seven trumpets (Revelation 8:7 - 14:20) including seven bowls as part of the seventh trumpet blowing (Revelation 15:1 - 18:24). The seventh trumpet with its seven bowls occur during the time of the great pressure of the completing together of the age - and will be followed by the Lord Jesus Christ's return on earth as recorded in Revelation chapter 19.
Revelation chapters 12-14 contain prophecy regarding the past, the present, and the future providing additional details of events leading up to the return of the Lord Jesus Christ on earth (Revelation chapters 19 and 20).
The details written in Revelation 12:13 - 13:18 pertain to effects or events taking place on earth as a result-of and corresponding-to the previous events which took place in heaven (Revelation 12:1-12).
In Revelation 12:18 we read that the dragon was caused to stand on the sand of the sea (the seashore) and the continuation of the actions which the dragon carries out via his various methods - during the final 3 and a half years - is provided by John in Revelation chapter 13, with additional explanation given in Revelation 17:8-13.
Revelation 13:1-4:
13:1And I saw a wild-animal ascending out-from the sea having ten horns, and seven heads, and on its horns ten diadems, and on its heads names of blasphemy; .2and the wild-animal which I saw used-to-be like a leopard, and its feet as a bear, and its mouth as a mouth of a lion; and the dragon gave to it his ability and his throne and great authority; .3and one from its heads as having been slaughtered2 into death and the stroke of its death was attended-to; and the whole earth was marveled behind the wild-animal, .4and they worshipped the dragon because he gave the authority to the wild-animal, and they worshipped the wild-animal saying, "Who (is) like the wild-animal and who is able to war with it?"
And I (John) perceived (knew with my mind)...
...and the wild-animal which I saw used to be (it was continuing to exist during a past time, historically) similar to...
...and the dragon gave to it (the old snake, the devil, satan; refer to Revelation 12:9; also refer to Daniel 7:24 - the dragon willingly presented or yielded the following from himself to the wild-animal so that it would also have)...
...and one from its heads (the 7th head) was in comparison to one that...
...and the whole earth (people living in areas covering the entire earth)...
Even though these questions are uttered as a form of honor and worship by those who worship the wild-animal and will not war against it - the true answer is provided in Revelation 17:7-14 and 19:11-21.
In verse 3 above we have reference to 3 kingdoms. Daniel chapter 7 refers to a 4th kingdom (Daniel 7:7 and 19-25) because it goes from the 3rd kingdom directly to the 7 years of "wrath" (corresponding to 5th kingdom of the feet with 10 toes made of iron and clay in Daniel 2:33, 34 and 41-44). The reign of the wild-animal is the last 3½ years which corresponds to Revelation 13:1-3 above.
During the last 3½ years prior to Christ's coming on earth again, this wild-animal will continue to look as though it were a human-being promoting itself as a great political leader, but in fact it will be a product of the devil/satan taking the place of the human-being who will be the 7th head who will rise to power during the first 3 and a half years and will be killed. This wild-animal will seem to be a resurrected man but will be similar to the genetically deformed evil beings referred to in Genesis 6:1-7 and Jude 1:6 and 7.
We should also note that Daniel chapter 2 provides additional details from the time of the Babylonian captivity. Daniel 2:33 refers to 4th and 5th kingdoms. In that context the 4th kingdom refers to the Roman Empire (refer to Luke 2:1). The 5th kingdom refers to the coalition with Israel/Judah during the 7 years (refer to Luke 21:24) prior to the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ who is the true resurrected man. The Lord Jesus Christ will rule on earth for 1,000 years during the 6th kingdom. The final 7th kingdom will begin as recorded in Revelation chapters 21 and 22.
[Reference: Daniel chapters 2 and 7, 9:27; Matthew 4:8-10, 12:31; I Thessalonians 5:3; II Thessalonians 2:3-12; Revelation 2:13, 9:20 and 21, 11:7, 12:3 and 9; 16:10, 17:7-14, 19:11-21.]
Verses 5-10:
.5And a mouth was given to it uttering-forth great-things and blasphemies, and authority was given to it to do forty two months. .6And it opened its mouth into blasphemies towards God, to blaspheme His name and His tent, the (ones) tenting in the heaven; .7and it was given to it to make war with the holy-people and to be-victorious-over them, and authority was given to it on every tribe and people and tongue and nation, .8and all the (people) dwelling-down on the earth will worship him whose name was not written2 in the book of the life of the little-lamb, the (little-lamb) having been slaughtered2 from (the) throwing-down of (the) world. .9If someone has an ear, he must hear - .10if someone (causes holy-people to go) into captivity, he goes into captivity; if someone (causes holy-people) to be killed in sword, (he causes) himself to be killed in sword - here is the patient-endurance and the belief of the holy-people.
And the wild-animal was given a mouth speaking great-things (things having a big effect, a large impact) and blasphemies (as verses 1 and 5 above).
Also, it was given authority (as verses 2 and 4 above) to perform its actions for forty two months (42 months = 3 and a half years; refer to Revelation 11:2).
And the wild-animal opened its mouth into, with a view to, directed to blasphemies...
...and it was given to the wild-animal...
...and authority (authoritative-power, permitted-right) was given to the wild-animal over all/every...
...and all the people dwelling-down on the earth (permanently dwelling, inhabiting, settled-down on the earth where their house is at that time)...
Note: To throw something down is as throwing a stone aimed at something in particular, or as scattering seed on the ground. Here, the noun translated “throwing-down” refers to the time when the world (the ordered arrangement) was placed in the situation that it is continuing in today. This throwing-down occurred immediately after God had promised the Christ (refer to Genesis 3:15 and following). For further information on this, you may read my study of Appendix to Romans, the fall of Adam.
John continues: If someone (an individual) has an ear, he must hear (people normally have ears, but this is referring to anyone who is willing to use an ear paying attention to hear what is spoken to be heard; refer to Revelation 1:3; – he who has an ear must hear, listen attentively becoming informed and learned to the end of understanding what he hears, which is
...here is (in this category as detailed in this verse exists)...
...of the holy-people. They rely on the promises that God has given to them to believe and they patiently await the complete fulfillment.
[Reference: Isaiah 33:1; Jeremiah 15:2; Daniel 7:8, 20, 21, 24 and 25, 9:25-27; Matthew 13:35, 25:34, 26:52; Philippians 4:3; II Thessalonians 2:3 and 4; Hebrews 4:3, 9:11 and 26; Revelation 2:7, 11, 17 and 29, 3:5, 6, 13 and 22, 5:6 and 12, 11:2, 7, 14 and 18, 12:6 and 17, 14:12, 15:5, 17:8, 18:6, 21:3.]
Verses 11 and 12:
.11And I saw another wild-animal ascending out-from the earth, and it used-to-have two horns like a little-lamb, and it used-to utter-forth as a dragon; .12and it does all the authority of the first wild-animal before it, and it makes the earth and the (people) dwelling-down in it in order that they will worship the wild-animal, the first (wild-animal) whose stroke of its death was attended-to;
And I (John) perceived (knew with my mind)...
...and this second wild-animal performs all the authority (the authoritative-power, permitted-right) of the first wild-animal in its sight and presence, and it makes (causes to produce, brings it about for/to) the earth and the people inhabiting the earth...
This second wild-animal is the same one also known as the lying/false prophet referred to in Revelation 16:13, 19:20, and 20:10. It promotes itself as a religious leader.
In verses 5, 7, and 12-16 the Greek root verb poieo is translated as either "to do" or "to make" depending on the context in order to communicate the meaning in English of a specific phrase.
[Reference: Genesis chapter 3, 49:17; Daniel 7:24, 12:7; Matthew 7:15; II Corinthians 11:3; Revelation 16:13, 19:20, 20:10.]
Verses 13-15:
.13and it does great signs in order that also it may make fire to descend out-from heaven into the earth before the men; .14and it causes the (people) dwelling-down on the earth to-wander because-of the signs which were given to it to do before the wild-animal, saying to the (people) dwelling-down on the earth to make an image to the wild-animal who has the stroke of the sword and lived; .15and it was given to it to give spirit to the image of the wild-animal in order that also the image of the wild-animal may utter-forth and may do in order that as-many-as if-ever may not worship the image of the wild-animal may be killed;
And the second wild-animal does great signs (performs large signs in magnitude, importance, etc; great designated standards or signals showing its authenticity) for the purpose and result that in addition...
...and it causes the people inhabiting the earth...
...on account of the signs which were given to it to perform in the sight and presence of the first wild-animal, saying to/for the people inhabiting the earth...
...and it was given to the second wild-animal to give spirit (a devil-spirit, demon, evil spirit) to the image of the first wild-animal for the purpose and result that in addition...
Its purpose would be that those people who would not "log in" to participate in worshipping the image would be killed by the devil's power - however, as we read the rest of this writing we learn that not everyone who rejected the wild-animals and the image was killed.
[Reference: I Kings 18:24-39; II Kings 1:10; Matthew 24:24; II Thessalonians 2:9; Revelation 19:20.]
Verses 16-18:
.16and it makes all-people, the little-people and the great-people, and the wealthy-people and the poor-people, and the freemen and the slaves, in order that they may give to themselves a character-mark on their hand, the right (hand), or on their forehead, .17and in order that someone may not be able to buy or to sell except the (person) having the character-mark, the name of the wild-animal or the number of its name. .18Here is the wisdom: the (person) having a mind must count the number of the wild-animal, for it is (the) number of man, and its number (is) six-hundred sixty six.
And the second wild-animal makes all people (it causes to produce, it brings it about to/for everyone)...
...for the purpose and result that they would give to themselves...
...and for the purpose and result that someone would not be able (would not have the able-power, the capability)...
...except (if not, unless, only) the person who has the character-mark, which could either be...
Here is the wisdom (in this category as detailed in this verse exists the skillful or expert application of God's personal knowledge, what to do as the most appropriate action concerning a specific situation or circumstance - in this context it is regarding what the number of its name is):
The number associated with mankind is six - 6 - however the wild-animal is not a man; it is not a human-being, but it claims to be the man who used to be alive, the same man who was killed and died, and then the same man who was resurrected. Also, the number three is associated with completion - 3 x 6. This will be the mark of the anti-Christ of/from satan (the devil, dragon, snake), the one portraying itself as the complete man, the resurrected man who is 'saving' the rest of mankind - instead of the true Christ. It attempts to take the place of Christ in relation to mankind. The source of the wild-animal's power, etc, will be the dragon, as stated in the previous verses - the dragon attempts to take the place of the only true God. It will be the final display of the idolatrous 3-in-1 trinity abomination with its compelling one-world political government, religion, and economy. The addition of each of the Roman numerals written as letters (D - 500, C - 100, L - 50, X - 10, V 5, I - 1) = 666.
It is interesting to note here that the Greek word charagma translated as "character-mark" was used in the papyri of a mark associated with an emperor. It contained his name or representation and the year of his reign. It was used for buying and selling, plus it validated documents as a seal. The same Greek word used in this writing of the Revelation of Jesus Christ to John of the branding mark that some people will receive, is also used in Acts 17:29 by the Apostle Paul where he explains that the idolatrous things made from gold or silver or stone are the "mark" of the craft and thinking of mankind as opposed to the true essence of God.
[Reference: Genesis 1:31, 3:1-5; Exodus 28:36-38; Isaiah 14:14; Jeremiah 22:24; Ezekiel 9:4; Matthew 4:3-10; Luke 14:28; Acts 17:29; II Thessalonians 2:3-12; Revelation 2:17, 6:15-17, 7:3, 9:4, 14:1, 9 and 11, 15:2, 16:2, 17:5 and 9, 19:20, 20:4, 22:4. Chart. Note: verbs with a superscript 2 (2) immediately following them indicate the "perfect" tense - details are provided in the "Relevant Notes" link of this study.]
