1Then I stood on the sand of the sea. I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads. On his horns were ten crowns, and on his heads, blasphemous names. 2The beast which I saw was like a leopard, and his feet were like those of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority. 3One of his heads looked like it had been wounded fatally. His fatal wound was healed, and the whole earth marveled at the beast. 4They worshiped the dragon because he gave his authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?”
5A mouth speaking great things and blasphemy was given to him. Authority to make war for forty-two months was given to him. 6He opened his mouth for blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, his dwelling, and those who dwell in heaven. 7It was given to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. Authority over every tribe, people, language, and nation was given to him. 8All who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been killed. 9If anyone has an ear, let him hear. 10If anyone is to go into captivity, he will go into captivity. If anyone is to be killed with the sword, he must be killed. Here is the endurance and the faith of the saints.
11I saw another beast coming up out of the earth. He had two horns like a lamb and it spoke like a dragon. 12He exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence. He makes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose fatal wound was healed. 13He performs great signs, even making fire come down out of the sky to the earth in the sight of people. 14He deceives my own people who dwell on the earth because of the signs he was granted to do in front of the beast, saying to those who dwell on the earth that they should make an image to the beast who had the sword wound and lived. 15It was given to him to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause as many as wouldn’t worship the image of the beast to be killed. 16He causes all, the small and the great, the rich and the poor, and the free and the slave, to be given marks on their right hands or on their foreheads; 17and that no one would be able to buy or to sell unless he has that mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name. 18Here is wisdom. He who has understanding, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. His number is six hundred sixty-six.
Paul introduces the doctrine of election in Eph 1:3-14, a topic in theology that is central to the apostle’s understanding of grace, redemption, and God’s sovereignty. The development of this biblical teaching in this passage is similar to what one discovers in the book of Romans 8-9. According to Ephesians 1, God’s election of believers unto salvation (and subsequent predestination to heirship) is eternal and independent of human action or will, comes from the unmerited favor (grace) of God, brings praise to God, and relates to the person of Jesus the Messiah of God.
The doctrine of election presented by Jesus and the apostles affirms that God’s choice of specific sinners was not based on any foreseen response or obedience on man’s part (such as faith, etc). Faith and obedience were the results, not the cause of God’s election. Therefore election was not determined by or conditioned on any good quality or act foreseen in man. Everyone whom God elects will be brought by the power of the Spirit to a willing acceptance of Christ. Consequently, God’s election of the sinner, not the sinner’s choice of Christ, is the ultimate cause of salvation, though God holds man responsible to believe the gospel. Scripture presents a theological tension between man’s responsibility to believe and God’s sovereign election. Though we may not be able to completely reconcile the two, Scripture presents both truths (Matt 11:27-28; Acts 13:46,48).
There are at least nine characteristics of divine unconditional election: (1) God's eternal election was made before the foundation of the world (Eph 1:4); (2) God's election was not based upon foreseen merit or good works dwelling in those whom He chose (Rom 9:11-13; 2 Tim 1:9); (3) God's election was not based on foreseen faith for faith is the result and not the ground of God's election (Acts 13:48; 2 Thess 2:13-14); (4) Election was based on the sovereign mercy of God, therefore it does not ultimately depend on man’s will but God’s will (Rom 9:16; John 1:13); (5) Election is unconditional, therefore making the salvation of the elect certain (Rom 8:29-30; John 6:37-39); (6) Election is just (Rom 9:13-24); (7) God chose particular individuals unto salvation not group election (Rev 13:8; 17:8); (8) Two fold purpose of election: (a) To result in salvation (2 Thess 2:13; 2 Tim 2:10) and (b) to result in the glory of God (Eph 1:5-6, 12-14); and (9) election is a positive doctrine of God’s work to save fallen humans and not a negative doctrine to exclude. There is no election to be separated from God, for this is the state of all humans by default, unless the individual sinner is brought to God. – SPS