Beast of the sea
Revelation 13:7-8 || The Beast of the sea represents the various empires that rise up, seeking to conquer and destroy God’s People (those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life). This beast is political, social, economic, philosophical, educational, etc.
Dig Deeper: Psalm 74, Daniel 7, John 19, Romans 13, 1 Peter 5
Beast of the earth
Revelation 13:11 || The Beast of the earth represents the “anti-christs” or false prophets that rise up from within the Church. This beast is religious.
Dig Deeper: Deuteronomy 13, 1 Kings 18:16-46, Matthew 24:4-14, Luke 12:1-12, 2 Thessalonians 2
The marked
Revelation 13:16-17 || Not a chip or a tattoo, this is about bearing the name of the beast, just as it is with bearing the name of the Lamb (Rev 14:1).
Dig Deeper: Deuteronomy 6, Exodus 12-13, Ezekiel 9, Ephesians 1:13-14, Revelation 7, 9, 22:1-6
1 John 4:20 || We bear the mark of Christ upon our foreheads, and bear that out in the visible world where all can see it when we love.
The Song
Revelation 14:1 & 1 John 4:18-19 || We are free from fear because of Jesus! We sing because we have been redeemed! All of this because: LOVE!