IV.       Analysis of Revelation 13:11-18

B.        The Beast from the Land

            θηρίον ἀναβαῖνον ἐκ τῆς γῆς (13:11b)

1.         Textual and Exegetical Issues

a.         This second beast is identified as “the false prophet” (ὁ ψευδοπροφήτης; Rev 16:13; 19:20; 20:10), who, along with the dragon and the sea beast, is the third member of the “Unholy Trinity.” (See Lunceford, 239-251; Bauckham, Climax, 430-431)

b.         He is referred to as a θηρίον only here, the rest of the passage he is referred to only in eight third singular verb forms (13:11[2x], 12[2x], 13[2x], 14, 16) or by the pronoun αὐτός (13:14, 15). (Aune, 755)

c.         He is described as “coming out of the earth” (ἀναβαῖνον ἐκ τῆς γῆς)

1)         ἀναβαίνω is used 13 times in Revelation (82 total times in the NT; Rev 4:1; 7:2; 8:4; 9:2; 11:7, 12; 13:1, 11; 14:11; 17:8; 19:3; 20:9):

•           Beast rising from the abyss (11:7; 17:8)

•           Beast rising from the sea (13:1)

•           Beast rising from the land (13:11)

•           Smoke rising (8:4; 9:2; 14:11; 19:3) [incense in 8:4]

•           Armies marching against God (20:9)

•           Someone going up into heaven (4:1; 7:2; 11:12ab)

2)         In contrast, καταβαίνω is used 10 times (81 total times in the NT); perhaps there is irony here as the beast come from the earth but angels and the New Jerusalem come from heaven (Rev 3:12; 10:1; 12:12; 13:13; 16:21; 18:1; 20:1, 9; 21:2, 10):

•           The New Jerusalem comes down out of heaven (3:12; 21:2, 10)

•           Angels come down out of heaven (10:1; 18:1; 20:1)

•           The devil comes down out of heaven in great wrath (12:12)

•           Fire comes down out of heaven (13:13; 20:9)

•           Great hailstones come out of heaven (16:21)

3)         ἀναβαίνω is used with θηρίον two times in the LXX:

•           καὶ οὐκ ἔσται ἐκεῖ λέων, οὐδὲ τῶν θηρίων τῶν πονηρῶν οὐ μὴ ἀναβῇ ἐπ᾿ αὐτὴν οὐδὲ μὴ εὑρεθῇ ἐκεῖ, ἀλλὰ πορεύσονται ἐν αὐτῇ λελυτρωμένοι. (Isa 35:9)

•           καὶ τέσσαρα θηρία ἀνέβαινον ἐκ τῆς θαλάσσης διαφέροντα ἓν παρὰ τὸ ἕν. (Dan 7:3)

4)         ἐκ τῆς γῆς is used only twice, though γῆ is used 82 times (οὐρανός is used 52 times, ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ is used 17 times, showing that the distinction between heaven and earth is a major theme in the book):

Ablative:         out of the earth; coming out of a crevice or cave

Source:            of the earth, from the earth; deriving its source from the earth, coming out of the people or nations

d.         It is compared to a ram and a dragon

            εἶχεν κέρατα δύο        ὅμοια               ἀρνίῳ

            ἐλάλει                          ὡς                    δράκων

e.         The land beast does not have a crown.

2.         Literary Background

a.         “This is … an allusion to Behemoth, who … was separated from Leviathan on the fifth day of creation and assigned to the land (1 Enoch 60:7–11, 24; 4 Ezra 6:47–54; 2ApocBar 29:4).” (Aune, 755)

b.         Job 40-41 is the only place that has both beasts, Leviathan and Behemoth, opposing God. (Beale and Carson, 1127)

            “Behold, Behemoth, which I made as I made you; he eats grass like an ox. Behold, his strength in his loins, and his power in the muscles of his belly. He makes his tail stiff like a cedar; the sinews of his thighs are knit together. His bones are tubes of bronze, his limbs like bars of iron. He is the first of the works of God; let him who made him bring near his sword! For the mountains yield food for him where all the wild beasts play. Under the lotus plants he lies, in the shelter of the reeds and in the marsh. For his shade the lotus trees cover him; the willows of the brook surround him. Behold, if the river is turbulent he is not frightened; he is confident though Jordan rushes against his mouth. Can one take him by his eyes, or pierce his nose with a snare?” (Job 40:15–24  )

c.         Daniel 7:17 (LXX) says: Ταῦτα τὰ θηρία τὰ μεγάλα εἰσὶ τέσσαρες βασιλεῖαι, αἳ ἀπολοῦνται ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς (מִן־אַרְעָא יְקוּמוּן מַלְכִין  אַרְבְּעָה  אַרְבַּע אִנִּין דִּי רַבְרְבָתָא חֵיוָתָא אִלֵּין).

3.         Historical and Cultural Background

a.         The land most likely indicates a native entity as opposed to the sea, which implies a foreign entity.

b.         This beast probably represents the provincial league, which was identified as τὸ κοινὸν τῶν ἀπὸ τῆς Ἀσίας Ἐλλήνων, οἱ ἀπὸ τῆς Ἀσίας Ἐλληνες, or simply κοινὸν Ἀσίας (Latin: Commune Asiae) for over a century before the writing of Revelation and was in use at this time. (Aune, 773-775)

1)         It was uniform throughout its existence and it began when Octavian established the cult to Roma and Augusts in Pergemum in 30/29 BC.

2)         It was Hellenistic in character.

3)         It was connected to the imperial cult, though there is no evidence that the Asiarchs were priests in the imperial cult.

4)         It was lead by an official called Ἀσιάρχης who held office for one year. The high priest of the imperial cult was not the Ἀσιάρχης, which was a municipal office with broader duties which may have had some reference to the imperial cult. The high priest offered yearly sacrifices at the provincial festivals or at the Temple of Rome and Augustus in Pergemum. The high priest, who was selected from the aristocracy, held the most prestigious position in Asia Minor and may have been a member of the Commune of Asia. (Friesen, 30)

5)         The “Commune of Asia,” made up of representatives of the leading cities in Asia Minor and presided over by the Asiarch, forced the citizens to partake in the imperial cult. (Beasely-Murray, 216-217; Aune, 729)

6)         It was separate from the Roman provincial administration, and though it only had a representative rather than a legislative function (though it could engage in minor political activities), it was autonomous, could mint coins, and oversaw the imperial cult.

7)         The ruling powers of Asia Minor had control over the local economic and political systems. (Collins, A. Y., 301)

8)         Some believe the second beast can’t be restricted to the imperial priesthood in charge of the imperial cult but refers to the false prophet/teacher expected by Jewish tradition (Osborne, 510). The Asiarch provides background for the false prophet but it is not the false prophet. (Osborne, 513)

9)         Others see the second beast as the Jewish leadership that forces Christians to worship the synagogue, enforces submission to the emperor, arranges boycotts against Christians, and has them put to death. (Chilton, 341-344)

10)       Bruce calls him the “Minister of Propaganda.” (Bruce, 1616)

c.         Lupus (Therion): Constellation rising over the land (Malina, 172-173).

4.         Interpretive Options (see Appendix IV)

a.         Preterit

1)         Behemoth symbolizes the Roman governor or local political authorities of Asia Minor.

2)         Priest of the emperor cult.

b.         Idealist

1)         Behemoth symbolic of religious deception.

2)         False prophets warned of by Christ.

3)         False religion and false philosophy throughout history.

c.         Futurist

1)         This refers back to the “false messiahs” in Mark 13:6, 22 and the “great apostasy” in 2 Thes 2:3. (Osborne, 510) The false prophet will come from within the church and lead many people astray, resulting in a great apostasy forewarned in 2 Thess 2:3; 1 John 2:18; 4:1-3. (Osborne, 512)

2)         An end time false prophet, possibly a Jew living in Palestine.