(Patient Endurance and Faithfulness)Revelation 13:10 “If anyone has an ear, let him hear. If anyone gathers captivity, into captivity he goes. If anyone will kill by a sword, by a sword he must be killed. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.”
Holman Commentary.- The Revelation passage teaches the inevitable coming of unjust suffering on the saints through the Antichrist monster.
In light of the coming imprisonment and death of Christians the readers are to maintain patient endurance and faithfulness. By their steadfastness in the face of imprisonment and death, saints demonstrate that they are truly people who believe.
MacArthur Commentary.- Antichrist will not be all talk; he will also be capable of decisive deadly action. Because they (the “God fearers”) will refuse to worship him, antichrist will make war with them; believers in the true God will bear the brunt of his murderous fury. He will perceive them as a threat to his authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation. The result will be a world-wide slaughter of God’s people.
That Antichrist will successfully make war with the saints and overcome them does not mean that he will have the power to destroy their faith. He will overpower them physically, but not spiritually. Genuine saving faith cannot be destroyed, because “neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Nor will the Lord Jesus Christ, who is infinitely more powerful than Antichrist or Satan, permit any true child of his to suffer the loss of eternal life. But Antichrist will slaughter God’s people on an unprecedented scale as he expresses his world dominance.
Unlike unbelievers, the elect will not be deceived by Antichrist, nor will they worship him. Antichrist will not be able to destroy believers’ saving faith, for the Lord Jesus Christ promised, “he who overcomes will thus be clothed in white garments; and I will not erase his name form the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels” ( Rev. 3:5). Believers have been in the keeping power of God since before creation, and they will be there after the destruction of this order and the establishment of the new heaven and the new earth (Rev. 21:1).
Believers are doubly secure, because the book of life belongs to the Lamb who has been slain. Not only the decree of election, but also the atoning work of Christ seals the redemption of the elect forever. Antichrist may take their lives, but he cannot destroy their faith.
This astounding vision of the beast from the sea concludes with a call for spiritual understanding. The warning If anyone has an ear, let him hear is used to emphasize a particularly important truth.
Here the phrase introduces a proverb that concludes this passage: If anyone is destined for captivity, to captivity he goes; if anyone kills with the sword, with the sword he must be killed. Here is the perseverance and the faith of the saints. These proverbs contains important practical truths for those believers alive at the time of Antichrist’s persecution. They are to depend on God’s providence and not to take matters not their own hands. Those believers destined by God’s sovereign plan for captivity (imprisonment) are to accept that incarceration as God’s will. They are not to resist or fight against Antichrist. …if anyone kills with the sword, with the sword he must be killed. God’s people must not retaliate against their persecutors; there is no place now, and there will be no place then, for militant, aggressive, violent believers terrorizing their persecutors. “Those also who suffer according to the will of God,” wrote Peter, “shall entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right (1 Pet. 4:19).
Instead of reacting violently, believers must exemplify the perseverance and the faith of the saints. They must be like the Lord Jesus Christ, who “while being reviled…did not revile in return; while suffering…uttered no threats, but kept entrusting himself to Him who judges righteously” (l Pet. 3:16).
That Antichrist will successfully make war with the saints and overcome them does not mean that he will have the power to destroy their faith. He will overpower them physically, but not spiritually. Genuine saving faith cannot be destroyed, because “neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Nor will the Lord Jesus Christ, who is infinitely more powerful than Antichrist or Satan, permit any true child of his to suffer the loss of eternal life. But Antichrist will slaughter God’s people on an unprecedented scale as he expresses his world dominance.
Unlike unbelievers, the elect will not be deceived by Antichrist, nor will they worship him. Antichrist will not be able to destroy believers’ saving faith, for the Lord Jesus Christ promised, “he who overcomes will thus be clothed in white garments; and I will not erase his name form the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels” ( Rev. 3:5). Believers have been in the keeping power of God since before creation, and they will be there after the destruction of this order and the establishment of the new heaven and the new earth (Rev. 21:1).
Believers are doubly secure, because the book of life belongs to the Lamb who has been slain. Not only the decree of election, but also the atoning work of Christ seals the redemption of the elect forever. Antichrist may take their lives, but he cannot destroy their faith.
This astounding vision of the beast from the sea concludes with a call for spiritual understanding. The warning If anyone has an ear, let him hear is used to emphasize a particularly important truth.
Here the phrase introduces a proverb that concludes this passage: If anyone is destined for captivity, to captivity he goes; if anyone kills with the sword, with the sword he must be killed. Here is the perseverance and the faith of the saints. These proverbs contains important practical truths for those believers alive at the time of Antichrist’s persecution. They are to depend on God’s providence and not to take matters not their own hands. Those believers destined by God’s sovereign plan for captivity (imprisonment) are to accept that incarceration as God’s will. They are not to resist or fight against Antichrist. …if anyone kills with the sword, with the sword he must be killed. God’s people must not retaliate against their persecutors; there is no place now, and there will be no place then, for militant, aggressive, violent believers terrorizing their persecutors. “Those also who suffer according to the will of God,” wrote Peter, “shall entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right (1 Pet. 4:19).
Instead of reacting violently, believers must exemplify the perseverance and the faith of the saints. They must be like the Lord Jesus Christ, who “while being reviled…did not revile in return; while suffering…uttered no threats, but kept entrusting himself to Him who judges righteously” (l Pet. 3:16).
PSALM 76:8-10 “You (Jehovah) have caused judgment to be heard from Heaven (when You came to overthrow and destroy the enemies of Your people); the earth feared and was stilled, when God arose to judgment, to save all the humble of the earth (the afflicted, the crushed, the oppressed; those forbearing under the affliction). For the wraths (divinely sanctioned retributions) of man (taking forceful means to reestablish the boundaries of the Law) thank You (for the display of just principles and the stability and power of just government): You encircle Yourself (as with a sword- to make use of it as a weapon for the execution of Your own purpose, girding Yourself) with the wraths left over (retributions of man that have been held in check through lawful restraints of the godly, God fearing man).”
Barnes Commentary.- “If anyone has an ear, let him hear. If anyone gathers captivity, into captivity he goes. If anyone will kill by a sword, by a sword he must be killed. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.” The general truth is, that men will, in the course of things, be dealt with according to their character and their treatment of others; that nations characterized by war and conquests will be subject to the evils of war and conquest-or that they many expect to share the same lot which they have brought on others. This general statement accords with what the Savior says in Mat. 26:52: “All they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.” This has been abundantly illustrated in the world; and it is a very important admonition to nations not to indulge in the purposes of conquest.
The particular idea here is, that it would be characteristic of the power here referred to that it would “lead others into captivity.” This would be fulfilled if it was the characteristic of this power to invade other countries and to make their inhabitants prisoners of war; if it made slaves of other people; if it set up an unjust dominion over other people of if it was distinguished for persecuting and imprisoning the innocent, or for depriving the nations of liberty.
Beale Commentary.- The exhortation was used to encourage the readers not to compromise and to bear up under the consequences of suffering for their faith. With such discernment they should be strengthened to endure their destiny of “captivity” in prison or even death by the “sword”. Their spiritual insight should motivate them to “suffer according to the will of God" and to “entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what it right”.
“Herein is the perseverance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.”
“Herein is the perseverance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.”
Ironside Commentary.- Only those who have exchanged the heavenly hope for an earthly one will be deceived by this great leader (Antichrist). He is the coming man for whom the world is waiting. Mistaken and blinded statesmen will hail him as the head of the nations, the one who will solve the problems- social, political, and economic that are now disturbing the world. How blessed to be warned by God Himself of all these things beforehand, that we may walk apart from everything that savors of that day of reproach and blasphemy. And when it actually comes, who can question the value of this present scripture for the guidance and consolation of God’s earthly people Israel. Otherwise they might well be in despair at the apparent defeat of righteousness and the triumph of iniquity.
Thomas Commentary.- “If anyone has an ear, let him hear. If anyone gathers captivity, into captivity he goes. If anyone will kill by a sword, by a sword he must be killed. Some try to understand this verse as a warning of divine punishment to the persecutors. God will ultimately triumph and punish the wicked. This furnishes a basis for the patience and faithfulness of the saints in the hour of their persecution. This also serves to warn the persecutors.
A second interpretation of this verse sees it as addressed to the saints, encouraging readiness for destined sufferings and warning them not to take action against the beast. The only distinctive support for this second view derives from Jesus’ words in Matt. 26:53, advocating refraining from the use of the sword.
Endurance characterized the outlook of John and his contemporaries in their persecution. The pressures of the times will require endurance because of the persecuting hand of the tyrant and faithfulness through dark times until his eventual doom. Remembrance that God is sovereign over all that happens and that the dragon and the beast have only a short time, will provide fuel to sustain these to spiritual qualities.
A second interpretation of this verse sees it as addressed to the saints, encouraging readiness for destined sufferings and warning them not to take action against the beast. The only distinctive support for this second view derives from Jesus’ words in Matt. 26:53, advocating refraining from the use of the sword.
Endurance characterized the outlook of John and his contemporaries in their persecution. The pressures of the times will require endurance because of the persecuting hand of the tyrant and faithfulness through dark times until his eventual doom. Remembrance that God is sovereign over all that happens and that the dragon and the beast have only a short time, will provide fuel to sustain these to spiritual qualities.
But “the triumphing of the wicked is short,” and “the man of the earth” will be destroyed in due time. Faith will have its reward when the Lard appears from Heaven to take vengeance on all who dare lift up their bloody hands against His afflicted people. “Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.”
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