Verse 10
God promised the saints that those He has destined for captivity (i.e., Antichrist, his followers, and the saints) will eventually end up as captives (cf. Jeremiah 15:2; Jeremiah 43:11). Those who kill others (the others being believers in Jesus Christ, Revelation 13:7) will die (cf. Matthew 26:52). This assurance that God will execute justice should encourage the saints to persevere steadfastly and to trust God during this period of intense persecution and martyrdom (cf. Revelation 14:12). Possibly God meant that believers should willingly submit to whatever fate was in store for them and not resist their persecutors. [Note: Swete, p. 168.] The whole verse is an encouragement for believers to submit to the sovereignty of God realizing that He has permitted Antichrist’s activity but that they are secure. It also assures them of divine retribution and urges them to persevere faithfully.
| The First Beast Is The Little Horn |
| The First Beast (Revelation 13:1-8) | The Little Horn (Daniel 7:7-28) | |
| "All who dwell on the earth will worship him" (Revelation 13:8). | Both have a worldwide empire. | "It will devour the whole earth and tread it down and crush it" (Daniel 7:7; Daniel 7:23). |
| "The woman . . . was nourished [in the wilderness] for a time and times and half a time" (Revelation 12:14). | Both have victory over the saints for three and one-half years. | "The saints . . . will be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time" (Daniel 7:25). |
| "The beast was . . . thrown alive into the lake of fire" (Revelation 19:20). | Messiah destroys both at His second advent. | "The beast was slain . . . and his dominion will be taken away, annihilated and destroyed forever" (Daniel 7:11; Daniel 7:26). |
| "Those who had not worshiped the beast . . . came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years" (Revelation 20:4-6). | Immediately following both their destructions the saints will receive the messianic kingdom. | "Then the sovereignty, the dominion, and the greatness of all the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be given to the people of the saints" (Daniel 7:22; Daniel 7:27). |
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