How does Revelation 13:18 connect with Daniel's prophecies about end times? Opening the Text “Here is a call for wisdom: Let the one who has insight calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and that number Isaiah 666.” (Revelation 13:18) Shared Threads between Revelation and Daniel • Both writers see a final world ruler who rises out of a confederation of kingdoms. • Each describes a period of three-and-a-half years when this ruler dominates and persecutes God’s people. • Daniel supplies the historical framework; Revelation supplies the climactic details. Daniel’s Moving Picture of the Final Empire 1. Daniel 2 – the statue of successive empires ends in iron mixed with clay, shattered by Christ’s kingdom. 2. Daniel 7 – a “fourth beast” with ten horns: • “The ten horns are ten kings…” (Daniel 7:24). • Another horn rises, uproots three, and “speaks words against the Most High” (v. 25). 3. Daniel 9 – the coming prince breaks a covenant “in the middle of the week” (Daniel 9:27), leaving 3½ years (1,260 days) of unparalleled trouble. 4. Daniel 12 – the same span reappears (1,290 and 1,335 days), marking the end-times countdown. Revelation’s Confirmation and Expansion • Revelation 13 merges Daniel’s beasts into one composite monster—leopard, bear, lion—signaling the final phase of Gentile world power. • The ten horns and seven heads of Revelation 13 echo Daniel 7’s ten horns; the “mortally wounded” head mirrors the little horn’s unexpected rise. • A forty-two-month reign (Revelation 13:5) matches Daniel’s “time, times, and half a time.” Why the Number 666? • Scripture calls it “the number of a man.” Like Nebuchadnezzar’s image (60 cubits high, 6 cubits wide, Daniel 3:1), it broadcasts human glory and rebellion. • Six falls one short of God’s perfect seven; tripled, it signals ultimate human defiance. • Daniel’s prophecies stress a literal ruler; Revelation gives his numeric signature so believers can recognize him when he appears. Practical Connections • Daniel shows four sequential empires; Revelation shows the final revival of that fourth empire under one blasphemous leader. • Daniel warns of a covenant broken at mid-week; Revelation records the beast demanding worship at that same midpoint. • Daniel 7:25 foretells changing “times and laws”; Revelation 13:16-17 describes enforced economic control through the mark. • Daniel promises the Ancient of Days will judge; Revelation 19 reveals Christ overthrowing the beast and inaugurating His millennial reign. Walking Away with Confidence • Prophecy forms a single, Spirit-woven tapestry; Daniel threads the outline, Revelation fills in the color. • The repetition of 3½-year spans, ten-king alliances, and a blasphemous world ruler affirms a literal fulfillment still ahead. • Calculating the number is an act of watchful obedience, not speculation; God equips His people to discern counterfeit power and to cling to the Lamb who overcomes. |
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