Awesome Truths and Amazing Facts
Richard Vaughn

Today: “Prophecy – The future told in advance – Revelation 13 - Part 1”
In our study of Daniel chapter 7, God has revealed a religious system through 9 identifying marks. That religious system could be none other than Papal Rome. It must be repeated at this point that no attempt is being made to attack any Christian believers of any denomination. With the information we have studied over the last six weeks, we are now ready to study the13th chapter of Revelation. We will clearly identify the beast referred to in Revelation 14:9,10 where the warning is given not to receive his mark. It states, “And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God.” Those who receive the mark of the beast will experience God’s wrath in the seven last plagues and be lost. Therefore it behooves every Christian to learn who the beast is and what his mark is.
Revelation 13 clearly identifies the beast with 9 identifying marks. 
We now read verse 1. Then I stood on the sand of the sea. 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. 
What did John see rising up out of the sea? A beast. We learned that in prophecy, a beast represents a kingdom or ruling power. See Daniel 7:17,23 
The sea represents populated areas as we learned that waters in prophecy represent peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues. See Rev 17:15
We studied in Daniel chapter 7 when the Pagan Roman Empire fell, it became ten nations (horns) each with political leaders (crowns)
So, what John saw in verse 1 was a ruling power rising up out of a populated area. It was coming up in an area and at a time that would have been after the last of the four kingdoms, after the Pagan Roman Empire.
Verse 2. Now the beast which I saw was like a leopard, his feet were like the feet of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority. 
This dreadful beast was a composite beast that parallels the little horn of Daniel 7
Point #1- It arose from the ruins of the Roman Empire.
From whom did this beast power get it's authority? Verse 2.
"And the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority."
Who is this dragon that gives this political/religious system his throne, power and authority? Revelation 12:3,4,9 "3. And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great, fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads. 
4. His tail drew a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth, to devour her Child as soon as it was born. 9. So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him."
Note- The dragon does primarily represent Satan, but it also represents Pagan Rome whom Satan used to try to destroy Jesus when Herod, a Roman ruler, killed the babies of Bethlehem. History is very clear that the Papacy received its power, authority and capital city from old Pagan Rome.
Point #2- It received it's power and ruling authority from the dragon (Satan and Pagan Rome)
What would this beast power become? Last part of verses 3 & 7 
“…and all the world wondered after the beast.” “and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.”  
Point #3- During the middle ages the Papacy was a worldwide power.
We will continue next week with the other six identifying marks of the beast power of Revelation 13. Once again, what was prophesied to come in Daniel and John’s time is now a matter of historical record and fact. 
Next Week: “Prophecy – The future told in advance – Revelation 13 - Part 2”