Revelation Day 37 - The Sea Monster

DAY 37
The Sea Monster
Revelation 13:1-10

“Let’s watch Jaws!”

The beach is our family’s fun place, but let’s be honest: there’s terrifying stuff out there! One of my kids requested the classic movie before the beach this year. We love-hate stories about sea monsters like the shark of Jaws. Revelation has it’s own sea monster!

Rev. 13 introduces the Beast of the Sea. God uses the prophet Daniel’s vision from Daniel 7 to inspire Pastor John. His monster is a mish-mash of Daniel’s four monster-kingdoms. John doesn’t expect anyone to wait for a Godzilla-like monster to crawl out of the ocean. It’s a symbol - but a symbol of what? 

Let’s look at the clues. In 13:2, the Beast of the Sea has power, authority, a throne, and crowns. That suggests a political power or government. The dragon heads are probably heads of state, like kings or emperors. Rev. 13:3 talks about a wounded head that seems to have died and been revived. After his death, the 1st c. emperor Nero, who viciously opposed Christians, rumors and legends of his return circulated for years. But it’s clear that much of the Middle Eastern world were in awe of Roman power, just like John says in v.4. Many people even worshiped the emperors along with their other gods, which Christians and Jews of course called “blasphemy.” To make matters worse, this Beast of the Sea “[wages] war against God’s holy people” (Rev 13:7). To Pastor John, Rome is a dangerous monster. 

John says in Rev. 13:5 that the Beast of the Sea’s authority is allowed to last for “forty-two months.” Again, we probably shouldn’t track this on a calendar. John’s point is that the monster’s terror won’t last forever. As a matter of fact, Roman persecution of Christians was not every day. It flared up from time to time and could be quite intense. However, Christianity eventually became the majority religion of the Roman Empire within a few centuries through peaceful persuasion and Spirit-inspired conversion.

The Sea Monster symbolizes brutal government power that bullies people into submission. In some times, in some places, that unjust power even opposes the Way of Jesus. John saw the Roman Empire as that kind of threat to his churches.

Of course, people in every generation are sure John is talking to them, describing their time. They’re half right! Just like every other book of the Bible, Revelation was written to address the needs of churches in our past. But God still speaks to us today through those words. John’s vision warns us to be wary of over-powered governments that bully people to comply. Be especially wary when state policy and power pressure us away from the Way of Jesus. There are many governments today that officially and unofficially persecute Christians. The Sea Monster takes many forms in many different times.

REFLECT
Where in the world today do you see governments using power unjustly? Where are Christians persecuted by the state?

PRAY
Lord, give us wisdom to see the bullying Sea Monsters in our world today. Protect our Christian sisters and brothers around the world who live in places where persecution is tolerated by the government. Amen.