Revelation 13:7
Also it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them. And authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation,
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The verse reveals something easily missed: the beast's brutal success is not a testament to its own strength, but a consequence of divine permission. God allows the beast to war against and overcome the saints, and grants it authority over all nations, showing that even the fiercest opposition serves a purpose within His sovereign plan.
The vision shifts to a fearsome beast rising from the sea, representing a powerful, blasphemous empire that persecutes God's people. This beast is given authority to wage war against and even overcome the saints, its dominion extending over every nation and people. This intense persecution and worldly success, however, are not absolute, setting the stage for God's ultimate triumph.
The "beast" in Revelation is allowed to make war on God's people and conquer them. How can a loving God permit this?
It might feel like God has abandoned His people when they face intense opposition. But Revelation 13:7 clarifies that this suffering is actually permitted by God. This doesn't mean God desires the suffering, but He allows it for purposes we may not fully understand.
Divine Permission, Not Approval
The text states, "Also it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them." The word "allowed" (given) signifies divine permission. This is a crucial distinction. God is sovereign, and nothing happens outside His ultimate control. Even the fiercest opposition faced by believers is permitted by Him.
The Purpose of Permitted Suffering
This permission serves several purposes:
The beast isn't just a local threat; it's given authority over "every tribe and people and language and nation." What does this vast scope tell us?
The authority granted to the beast is staggering—it extends over the entire human race. This isn't a small rebellion or a localized power grab; it's a global phenomenon.
The Breadth of Opposition
Understand the original words
hagios · Greek Noun (plural)
The holy, set-apart people of God; those consecrated to Him through faith in Christ and empowered by His Spirit to live righteously.
exousia · Greek Noun
The power, right, or mandate granted to someone or something to exercise control, rule, or influence over a specific domain or group.
This passage speaks powerfully to the recurring historical reality of oppressive powers making war against God's faithful people, a theme seen from the Roman Empire's early persecutions to the medieval conflicts against groups like the Waldensians and Albigensians, and even into the religious wars of the Reformation.
c. 107 BC - 476 AD
Roman Empire Dominance
The Roman Empire exerted vast political and military control across numerous tribes, languages, and nations, setting a precedent for imperial authority over diverse populations.
c. AD 30-33
Crucifixion of Jesus Christ
Jesus, a central figure for Christians, was persecuted and killed by the Roman authorities, an event that believers would later see as a precursor to the suffering of saints under oppressive powers.
c. 64-305 AD
Roman Persecutions of Christians
Sporadic but intense persecutions against early Christians occurred under various Roman emperors, resulting in martyrdom and illustrating the conflict between imperial power and religious faith.
c. 100 AD - 1600 AD— this verse
Persecution of Waldensians and Albigensians
Throughout the Middle Ages, various groups like the Waldensians and Albigensians faced brutal warfare and persecution, often at the hands of established religious and political powers, for their differing beliefs.
This passage describes a similar horn making war against the saints and prevailing, directly paralleling the imagery of persecution found in Revelation 13:7.
Revelation 11:7Here, the beast rising from the Abyss makes war against the two witnesses and overcomes them, reflecting the same pattern of divine permission for a seemingly victorious, yet ultimately limited, persecution.
Luke 21:12Jesus forewarns his disciples that they will be hated, arrested, and persecuted, echoing the idea that suffering and conflict with hostile powers are permitted by God for His purposes.
1 Peter 5:8This verse warns believers that their adversary, the devil, prowls like a lion seeking to devour, highlighting the spiritual reality of the opposition and conflict that the saints face.
Revelation 2:10Jesus encourages the church in Smyrna to be faithful even unto death, promising a crown of life, which speaks to the ultimate triumph of the saints despite temporary 'overcoming' by persecuting forces.
ellicottRevelation 13:7: "And 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."
(7) And it was given . . . —Better, He makes war with the saints, and conquers them. This, too, is said to be “given him.” The conquest is not a conquest of their fidelity; it is rather that the beast so far succeeds that they must suffer or submit. The saints seem to be single handed; for there was given him authority over every tr…
pulpitRevelation 13:7: "And 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."
Verse 7. - And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them. This clause is omitted in A, C, P, and some others. So in Daniel 7:21, "The same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them; until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the Most High." And in Revelation…
The verse reveals something easily missed: the beast's brutal success is not a testament to its own strength, but a consequence of divine permission. God allows the beast to war against and overcome the saints, and grants it authority over all nations, showing that even the fiercest opposition serves a purpose within His sovereign plan.
The vision shifts to a fearsome beast rising from the sea, representing a powerful, blasphemous empire that persecutes God's people. This beast is given authority to wage war against and even overcome the saints, its dominion extending over every nation and people. This intense persecution and worldly success, however, are not absolute, setting the stage for God's ultimate triumph.
The vision shifts to a fearsome beast rising from the sea, representing a powerful, blasphemous empire that persecutes God's people. This beast is given authority to wage war against and even overcome the saints, its dominion extending over every nation and people. This intense persecution and worldly success, however, are not absolute, setting the stage for God's ultimate triumph.
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Revelation 13:7 emphasizes the universality of the beast's dominion: "And authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation." This means the conflict described isn't confined to one group of people or one region.
Contrast with Redeemed Humanity
This vast, global dominion stands in stark contrast to the redeemed. In Revelation 5:9, the song of the redeemed includes those "from every tribe and language and people and nation." While the beast seeks to dominate all, God is simultaneously drawing people from all these same groups to Himself.
This shows us that even when a powerful, oppressive force seems to control the world, God's redemptive plan is also in motion, reaching into every corner of the earth.
c. 1095 - 1291 AD
The Crusades
A series of religious wars initiated by Latin Christians, ostensibly to reclaim the Holy Land, which also saw conflict and expansion of Western European influence across diverse peoples and lands.
c. 1517 - 1648 AD
The Protestant Reformation
This era brought widespread religious upheaval, wars, and political realignments across Europe, challenging established religious authorities and leading to further conflicts involving various Christian factions.
"Also it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them. And authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation," — The verse reveals something easily missed: the beast's brutal success is not a testament to its own strength, but a consequence of divine permission. God allows the beast to war against and overcom…
