The Beast and the Mark
A beast rises from the sea, receiving power from the dragon. Another beast performs signs and compels all people to worship the first beast and receive its mark.
Revelation 13:1-18
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The Story
John stood on the sand of the sea and saw a beast rising out of the water. It had ten horns and seven heads, with ten diadems on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads. The beast resembled a leopard but had feet like a bear's and a mouth like a lion's. The dragon gave it his power, his throne, and great authority.
One of the beast's heads seemed to have a mortal wound, but its mortal wound was healed. The whole earth marveled and followed the beast, worshiping the dragon who had given authority to the beast, and worshiping the beast, saying, 'Who is like the beast, and who can fight against it?'
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 blaspheme God, blaspheming His name and His dwelling, and it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them. Authority was given it over every tribe, people, language, and nation, and all who dwell on earth would worship it—everyone whose name had not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain.
'Let anyone who has ears to hear, listen,' John wrote. 'If anyone is to be taken captive, to captivity he goes; if anyone is to be slain with the sword, with the sword must he be slain. Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints.'
Then another beast rose out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb but spoke like a dragon. It exercised all the authority of the first beast and made the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast. It performed great signs, even making fire come down from heaven to earth in front of people. By the signs it was allowed to work, it deceived those who dwell on earth, telling them to make an image for the beast that was wounded by the sword and yet lived.
It was allowed to give breath to the image so that the image could even speak and cause those who would not worship it to be slain. It forced all people—small and great, rich and poor, free and slave—to receive a mark on their right hand or forehead. No one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, the name of the beast, or the number of its name.
'This calls for wisdom,' John wrote. 'Let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is 666.'
This vision revealed the ultimate choice: worship the beast and take its mark, receiving temporary security but eternal judgment, or refuse the mark, facing persecution and death but receiving eternal life through faithfulness to the Lamb.
The Beast's Mark
Kids Version
John saw another scary thing. A big beast came up out of the ocean! It had seven heads and ten horns and looked really fierce. The dragon gave this beast power to be in charge for a while.
Everyone was amazed by the beast. Many people started worshiping it, saying, 'Who can beat this beast?' But they were worshiping the wrong thing! They should only worship God!
Then another beast came up from the ground. This one looked like a lamb but talked like a dragon—it was pretending to be good but was really bad. This second beast did magic tricks and amazing things to fool people. It made a statue of the first beast, and the statue could even talk!
The second beast told everyone, 'You HAVE to worship the first beast! If you don't, you'll get in big trouble!' It made people get a special mark on their hand or forehead—like an invisible tattoo. The mark was the number 666.
If you had the mark, you could buy food and things at the store. But if you didn't have the mark, you couldn't buy anything! The beast was trying to force everyone to worship it.
But some brave people said, 'NO! We will ONLY worship God and Jesus! We won't take the mark, even if it's hard.' These were God's people, and they stayed faithful even when bad things happened to them.
God saw how brave they were. He knew who loved Him and who didn't. The beasts seemed powerful, but they weren't more powerful than God! God's people trusted that Jesus would take care of them in the end.
This story teaches us to worship only God, no matter what!
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Characters in This Story
Scripture — Revelation 13:1-18 (KJV)
1And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. name: or, names
2And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.
3And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast. wounded: Gr. slain
4And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?
5And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. to continue: or, to make war
6And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.
7And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.
8And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
9If any man have an ear, let him hear.
10He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.
11And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.
12And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.
13And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,
14And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.
15And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed . life: Gr. breath
16And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand , or in their foreheads: to receive: Gr. to give them
17And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
18Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.
Memory Verse
“And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. name: or, names”
— Revelation 13:1 (KJV)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the story of “The Beast and the Mark” in the Bible?
A beast rises from the sea, receiving power from the dragon. Another beast performs signs and compels all people to worship the first beast and receive its mark. This story is found in Revelation 13:1-18.
Where is “The Beast and the Mark” found in the Bible?
“The Beast and the Mark” is found in Revelation 13:1-18, in the book of Revelation.
What can children learn from “The Beast and the Mark”?
This story teaches children about False worship, Persecution, Faithfulness, Spiritual discernment. Two scary beasts came and tried to make everyone worship them. They gave people a special mark. But God's people said no! They only worship Jesus, even when it's hard.