Revelation 13:5-8

Last week, Revelation 13:1-10 revealed the first beast rising out of the sea — a new kingdom and king, whom many believe is the antichrist; a world power unlike any before, possibly a reincarnation of Rome, that will this time control the whole world. Before the second beast, I want to navigate a few verses.¶

And the beast was given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words, and it was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two months. It opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against God, blaspheming his name and his dwelling, that is, those who dwell in heaven. Also it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them. And authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation, and all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain.

Revelation 13:5-8 (ESV)¶

Who is really in charge — 42 months¶

This beast is allowed to exercise authority for 42 months — exactly 3.5 years, aligning with the rest of Revelation and with Daniel 7's fourth terrible beast. I want to mention, as before, who is actually in charge. This beast is given great authority by the dragon, but it is Christ himself who allows the beast to exercise that authority for a very limited time (Matthew 28:18; Romans 13:1). God has all authority and sets up all authority. These things are dreadful, but God has a purpose: "if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short" (Matthew 24:22).¶

Blasphemy and war on the saints¶

This kingdom and its leader will utter blasphemies against God, heaven, and those who dwell in heaven (which I believe references the church in heaven). For generations there has been an anti-Christ push to discredit God and the Bible — but that is mostly denial ("God doesn't exist; you can't prove it"). We are moving into a generation where there will be acknowledgment of God but direct, overt blasphemy against him (Jude 1:8-10). This will lead to war against believers, which is why endurance is called for: "If anyone is to be taken captive, to captivity he goes... Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints" (Revelation 13:10).¶

"Written before the foundation of the world"¶

How are the saved "written into the book of life before the foundation of the world"? Does this mean they were saved before time, before they ever believed? On the surface it seems so, but that wouldn't line up with the rest of Scripture — all who call on the name of the Lord shall be saved; we are saved by believing in the finished work of Christ. So how do our names get written before we believe? I don't think they do. The key is in Ephesians 1 — read it for the phrase "in Christ":¶

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.

Ephesians 1:3-4 (ESV)¶

Every blessing — chosen, predestined, redeemed, sealed — is "in Christ," "in him," "through Jesus." Noah was predestined to be saved from the flood in the ark; Israel's firstborn in the house marked by blood; Rahab in the room with the red cord. So the salvation of God is all in Christ. God pre-chose us to be holy and blameless — but he did this in Christ, the only way anyone can be holy and blameless. And Christ "was foreknown before the foundation of the world" (1 Peter 1:20); he had glory with the Father "before the world existed" (John 17:5). If Christ is eternal, his work is eternal — once for all, for all time (Hebrews 9:24-28). The KJV reads it as "the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world" — it is Christ who was slain from the foundation of the world, rather than the names written since then. We are saved in Christ alone; "from the foundation of the world" is a way of saying for all time, from start to finish. The way our name is written into Christ's book of life is by believing in him alone.¶