Revelation 13:11 - Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

Bible Comments

‘And I saw another wild beast coming up out of the earth and he had two horns like a lamb and he spoke like a monster.'

In contrast with the Lamb Who came from Heaven, this wild beast with two horns like a lamb comes from the earth. Whatever his pretensions he has no heavenly connection. The two horns like a lamb contrast with the two witnesses of chapter 11, and represent false testimony in contrast with the true testimony of the two witnesses, while the likeness to the Lamb reveal him also to be anti-Christ (over against Christ) in motive and behaviour.

‘He spoke like a monster'. Although he appeared to be a lamb his words were Satanic, guileful and deceitful (compare Genesis 3:1; 2 Corinthians 11:3; 2 Corinthians 11:14). He is the Roman equivalent of ‘the False Prophet' (Revelation 16:13; Revelation 19:20; Revelation 20:10), but he is not given that name for the False Prophet is the Prophet of Satanism, a religion that supersedes that of Rome.

That the second wild beast represents more than one person is demonstrated by the two horns which must represent two who arise from the one. So we have here another combined figure, and in view of its ‘ministry' it must represent those who encourage and enforce the worship of Roma and the emperor.

The two wild beasts therefore represent the false messiahs and false prophets of whom Jesus warned, (including the Emperors), who would,  if it were possible, even lead the chosen of God astray (Matthew 24:5; Matthew 24:11; Matthew 24:24; Mark 13:22). Together with Satan, the monster, they represent an anti-Trinity. It is clear that the second wild beast, with its twofold spokesmen, represents in the first place the Roman priesthood and its seers, and all who officially seek to enforce the worship of the first wild beast, but intrinsically it represents the principle of false teaching.

Possibly by the two horns John originally had two known protagonists of Caligula's claims in mind, but the fact that there is a separate wild beast, and not just a horn, shows that there is a continuity and that a continuing group is in mind (compare how wild beasts represent individual kings  and  their empires in Daniel, and the son of man represents the Messiah  and  the people of the most High). The contrast with the two godly witnesses of chapter 11 is stressed in that this wild beast with its two spokesmen also behaves like Elijah (Revelation 13:13 compare Revelation 11:6), in this case bringing fire down from heaven (see 1 Kings 18:38; 2 Kings 1:10; 2 Kings 1:12).

Revelation 13:11

11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.