Revelation 13:5,6

Revelation 13:5,6

Rev. 13:5 And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months.

Rev 13:6 Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven.

v5 - The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise his authority for forty-two months. –

The proud words and blasphemies is reminiscent of Daniel's little horn which had eyes like eyes of a man and a mouth that spoke boastfully

Dan 7:8 I was considering the horns, and there was another horn, a little one, coming up among them, before whom three of the first horns were plucked out by the roots. And there, in this horn, were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking pompous words

Dan 7:20 and the ten horns that were on its head, and the other horn which came up, before which three fell, namely, that horn which had eyes and a mouth which spoke pompous words, whose appearance was greater than his fellows.

Dan 7:25 He shall speak pompous words against the Most High, Shall persecute the saints of the Most High, And shall intend to change times and law. Then the saints shall be given into his hand For a time and times and half a time.

The phrase 'was given' and forty-two months indicates a divine limitation. The forty-two months is the period until Christ comes, see discussion on Rev 11:2. This is the same period that the Gentiles trample the holy city (Rev 11:2) and the same time that the church witnesses, 1260 days (Rev 11:3) and the same time that the woman is looked after in the desert (Rev 12:6, 14), that is, it is the gospel age which is the period of the churches witness on the earth,

Acts 1:8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea

Thus the beast exercises his authority throughout the gospel age. Some commentators see the forty two months as a literal three and a half year period corresponding to the last half of Daniel's week, Dan 9:27.

v6 - He opened his mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven. - In verse 1 he had seven heads,.....

And on each head a blasphemous name, we find him again in 17:3 covered in blasphemous names, He is anti God, godless and devilish. Such is the attitude of the world and is ultimately expressed by the antichrist who proclaims himself to be God,

2 Thess 2:4 who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.

 He follows his master, the Devil (diabolos), who slanders God’s people, cf. 2:9, the devil (diabolos) is mentioned four times in Revelation. He is similar to Daniel's king of the North,

Dan 11:36 "Then the king shall do according to his own will: he shall exalt and magnify himself above every god, shall speak blasphemies against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the wrath has been accomplished; for what has been determined shall be done.

who will exalt and magnify himself above every god and will say unheard-of things against the God of gods and also Daniel's little horn that spoke boastfully (Dan 7:20). This blasphemy results when rulers have absolute power and authority. Those who live in heaven can be viewed as the church who ideally lives in heaven

Phil 3:20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,

Eph 2:6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus

 Herod is a type of the antichrist,

 Acts 12:21 So on a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat on his throne and gave an oration to them.

as is Nebuchadnezzar who did not glorify God and turned into a beast

Dan 4:32 And they shall drive you from men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. They shall make you eat grass like oxen; and seven times shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses."

 Compare the blasphemy here with God’s servants 'those who reverence God’s name', 11:18.