Commentary on Revelation Part 3 (No. F066iii)

Revelation Chapters 10-13 (RSV)

Chapter 10

¹And I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven, wrapped in a cloud, with a rainbow over his head; his face was like the sun, and his legs like pillars of fire. ²He held a little scroll open in his hand. Setting his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land, ³he gave a great shout, like a lion roaring. And when he shouted, the seven thunders sounded. ⁴And when the seven thunders had sounded, I was about to write, but I heard a voice from heaven saying, "Seal up what the seven thunders have said, and do not write it down." ⁵Then the angel whom I saw standing on the sea and the land raised his right hand to heaven ⁶and swore by him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and what is in it, the earth and what is in it, and the sea and what is in it: "There will be no more delay, ⁷but in the days when the seventh angel is to blow his trumpet, the mystery of God will be fulfilled, as he announced to his servants the prophets." ⁸Then the voice that I had heard from heaven spoke to me again, saying, "Go, take the scroll that is open in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land." ⁹So I went to the angel and told him to give me the little scroll; and he said to me, "Take it, and eat; it will be bitter to your stomach, but sweet as honey in your mouth." ¹⁰So I took the little scroll from the hand of the angel and ate it; it was sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it, my stomach was made bitter. ¹¹Then they said to me, "You must prophesy again about many peoples and nations and languages and kings."

Israel as the Vineyard of God (No. 001C)

Verses 1-4: The prophesy of Revelation 10 was to apply to John who was given the text of Revelation but the understanding of the texts of Revelation and the prophets were sealed up until the end and the meanings of the keys of the prophets were kept from mankind until the final phase. Here under the prophet of Dan Ephraim and the seat of the Philadelphians the understandings of the Mysteries of God were given and explained such as Man as the Temple of God and also within the Key of David (cf. Rule of the Kings Part III: Solomon and the Key of David (No. 282C) and Rule of the Kings Part IIIB: Man as the Temple of God (No. 282D)).

(cf. also The Seven Spirits of God (No. 064)):

Even after the Seven Angels sound and the woes are past and a third of mankind is killed (as we see in Revelation chapter 9), the people of the Earth did not repent.

Intent of Chapter 10

Verses 1-5: Then the Angel of the Lord, standing on the sea, raised his hand and swore by Him that stands forever and ever, who created the heavens and the Earth and the sea and the things therein, said it shall be time no longer (10:6).

It is given that in the time of the sounding of the Seventh Angel, the Mystery of God as it was revealed through His servants the prophets would be finished. These Seven Spirits of God spoke and the mystery had already been revealed to David a thousand years earlier, but its application was not as yet to be revealed. We find the application in Psalms 28 and 29.

Psalm 28:

A Psalm of David.

¹To thee, O LORD, I call; my rock, be not deaf to me, lest, if thou be silent to me, I become like those who go down to the Pit. ²Hear the voice of my supplication, as I cry to thee for help, as I lift up my hands toward thy most holy sanctuary. ³Take me not off with the wicked, with those who are workers of evil, who speak peace with their neighbors, while mischief is in their hearts. ⁴Requite them according to their work, and according to the evil of their deeds; requite them according to the work of their hands; render them their due reward. ⁵Because they do not regard the works of the LORD, or the work of his hands, he will break them down and build them up no more. ⁶Blessed be the LORD! for he has heard the voice of my supplications. ⁷The LORD is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts; so I am helped, and my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him. ⁸The LORD is the strength of his people, he is the saving refuge of his anointed. ⁹O save thy people, and bless thy heritage; be thou their shepherd, and carry them for ever.

The Psalm is the plea for the Lord to save his people as the refuge of his anointed. Verse 5 is a plea for the intervention by the Grace of God. Verse 6 does not relate to the actions of men but rather a praise blessing for the Lord because he has heard the pleas of men. Thus it is in this instance that the actions of men herald the saving actions of God.

Verse 7 culminates in the Praise of the Lord as the strength and shield of the anointed who are the elect saints as the household of David under the Angel of the Lord at their head (cf. Zech. 12:8). Verse 8 places Yahovah as the saving strength of his anointed. This is the direct reference to Christ as the Messiah returning to save the anointed. The position in the Psalm identifies it by the number in the sequence as eight.

Verse 9 then is a direct plea to the Messiah to: “save thy People and bless thine inheritance. Feed them also and lift them up forever.”

The inheritance of Yahovah is the whole House of Israel, which is centrally the spiritual Body of the Church. This then has relationship to the following Psalm 29 which refers to the Seven Thunders.

Psalm 29:

A Psalm of David.

¹Ascribe to the LORD, O heavenly beings, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength. ²Ascribe to the LORD the glory of his name; worship the LORD in holy array. ³The voice of the LORD is upon the waters; the God of glory thunders, the LORD, upon many waters. ⁴The voice of the LORD is powerful, the voice of the LORD is full of majesty.⁵The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars, the LORD breaks the cedars of Lebanon. ⁶He makes Lebanon to skip like a calf, and Si'rion like a young wild ox. ⁷The voice of the LORD flashes forth flames of fire. ⁸The voice of the LORD shakes the wilderness, the LORD shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.⁹The voice of the LORD makes the oaks to whirl, and strips the forests bare; and in his temple all cry, "Glory!" ¹⁰The LORD sits enthroned over the flood; the LORD sits enthroned as king for ever. ¹¹May the LORD give strength to his people! May the LORD bless his people with peace!

The text states in verse 1:

“Give unto the Lord O ye Mighty”; however, the Targum renders it Angels and it is clear we are dealing here with the Elohim. The Mighty are required to give unto Yahovah their glory and strength. The glory due to Yahovah is in worship in the beauty of holiness.

The Psalm is an answer to the plea of Psalm 28 and especially the section of Psalm 28:7-8.

Verse 3 then says: “The voice of Yahovah is upon the waters; the Glory of God thunders”. Thus we are dealing with the Voice of the Lord who is the Glory of God who thunders. This Being is the Yahovah of Psalm 45:6-7 who was with Israel in the Wilderness and who is identified as Messiah in Hebrews 1:8-9.

In this text we see that the term voice of the Lord is used seven times. This tells us the framework in which the seven thunders were sounded. It was in direct response to the pleas for help in the previous Psalm 28. It applies to the return of the Messiah to save those that eagerly wait for him in the Last Days.

The Voice of the Lord will affect many waters; in other words, many peoples and nations.

In the second thunder, the Lord will deal in power and strength with those nations as they have dealt with the elect, as stated in the parable of the sheep and the goats.

The third thunder will establish the majesty of Yahovah over the world in subjugation. The word is hadar (SHD 1926, pronounced hawdawr), which is magnificence.

Psalm 29:5 says the Voice of the Lord, which is the fourth thunder, breaks the cedars of Lebanon. Lebanon and Sirion, or Hermon, skip like the calves of wild oxen.

In other words, God strikes the Middle East with a mighty earthquake.

The Voice as the fifth thunder divides the flames of fire. This section, as verse seven, is actually cleaving with flames of fire. This is using natural force against earthly power.

The Voice as the sixth thunder shakes the wilderness and the wilderness of Kadesh is specifically mentioned. It is not, however, confined to Kadesh.

The Voice of the Lord as the seventh thunder causes the animals to slip in fright and destroys or strips all forests as a result of the vials.

At the end of this catastrophe the elect are saved and in His Temple as we see from verse 9, which matches the sentiment of the previous verse 9 in Psalm 28.

Psalm 29:10 says that the Lord sits upon the flood and is king forever. This text corresponds with the actions in Genesis and refers to verse 3 of this Psalm and Genesis 6:17; 7:6,7,10,17; 9:11,15,28; 10:1,32; 11:10.

The section in verse 11 says the Lord will give strength to his people and the Lord will bless his people with peace.

This text is 11 verses because the action is incomplete and goes on into the Millennium.

Psalm 30 then goes on to extol the Lord because of his intervention and is complete at 12 verses.

In all, there are seven Amens in the Psalms, which has relevance also to the Spirits of God. That is a study in its own right (cf. Ps. 41:13; 72:19; 89:52). There are also twelve Amens in Deuteronomy chapter 27 in assent to the covenant.

The important thing here is to note that the structure of the text in Revelation (as well as elsewhere in the Bible) has its own spiritual reality and covers twenty-two chapters dealing with the power and effect of the Seven Spirits of God acting in concert with Christ to redeem the Church as the elect of God, and to take command of the planet in the Last Days. Revelation is Scripture and Scripture cannot be broken (Jn. 10:34-36).

The Seven Spirits of God empower all as the Churches of God to deal with the planet in the Last Days. Together they are the power of the Holy Spirit and are the means by which the elect become elohim. Then from the text in The Seven Trumpets (No. 141) we continue Chapter 10:

Verses 8-11: This sequence deals with the The Warning of the Last Days (No. 044) that was foretold by the prophet Jeremiah (Jer. 4:15) and that prophet who comes out of Ephraim and Dan and warns the nation of the coming of the Messiah and what is to come to pass.

The text then regresses again to the year 1987 when the Measuring of the Temple is begun in the last forty years of the Six Thousand years of the rule of Satan and the demons and the rebellious earth. The seven thunders have a portion of a message, which will occur in the days of the Witnesses, i.e. in the Last Days. At the end of this time the final Mystery of God will be revealed. The 1,260 days finish, and the droughts and plagues are temporarily at an end.

Verse 7: The Mystery of God is only fulfilled, completed and understood in the seventh trumpet. When the sealing of the 144,000 is completed this mystery is revealed. When that takes place and God pours out His Holy Spirit on the elect, they reveal the Mysteries of God, and then they will be fulfilled. That sequence is happening at the moment. The structure has to be removed and dealt with because the Trinitarian and modern paradigms are wrong. The traditional ministry don’t understand the Mysteries. In order to get the Mysteries of God out to all people the elect have to bypass the blind guides. That is happening now (see the paper Measuring the Temple (No. 137)).

The elect see the whole process of each of the trumpets. They go through a sequence of actions that cripple part of the earth. The trumpets deal generally with thirds. There is a third sequence taken because the rebellion involved a third of the Host. Everything is done for a reason and everything is done in spiritual symbolism.

Chapter 11

¹Then I was given a measuring rod like a staff, and I was told, "Come and measure the temple of God and the altar and those who worship there, ²but do not measure the court outside the temple; leave that out, for it is given over to the nations, and they will trample over the holy city for forty-two months. ³And I will grant my two witnesses authority to prophesy for one thousand two hundred sixty days, wearing sackcloth." ⁴These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. ⁵And if anyone wants to harm them, fire pours from their mouth and consumes their foes; anyone who wants to harm them must be killed in this manner. ⁶They have authority to shut the sky, so that no rain may fall during the days of their prophesying, and they have authority over the waters to turn them into blood, and to strike the earth with every kind of plague, as often as they desire. ⁷When they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the bottomless pit will make war on them and conquer them and kill them, ⁸and their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city that is prophetically called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified. ⁹For three and a half days members of the peoples and tribes and languages and nations will gaze at their dead bodies and refuse to let them be placed in a tomb; ¹⁰and the inhabitants of the earth will gloat over them and celebrate and exchange presents, because these two prophets had been a torment to the inhabitants of the earth. ¹¹But after the three and a half days, the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and those who saw them were terrified. ¹²Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, "Come up here!" And they went up to heaven in a cloud while their enemies watched them. ¹³At that moment there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell; seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven. ¹⁴The second woe has passed. The third woe is coming very soon. ¹⁵Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah, and he will reign forever and ever." ¹⁶Then the twenty-four elders who sit on their thrones before God fell on their faces and worshiped God, ¹⁷singing, "We give you thanks, Lord God Almighty, who are and who were, for you have taken your great power and begun to reign. ¹⁸The nations raged, but your wrath has come, and the time for judging the dead, for rewarding your servants, the prophets and saints and all who fear your name, both small and great, and for destroying those who destroy the earth." ¹⁹Then God's temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen within his temple; and there were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and heavy hail.

Intent of Chapter 11

Verses 1-14: The Witnesses appear for 1260 days and then lie in the streets for 3.5 days and then they are resurrected by the Messiah and the First Resurrection (143A) commences. Thus the First and Second woes must occur prior to the Messiah and the First Resurrection. It is then that one sees the Seventh Trumpet blown which is the Seven Vials of the Wrath of God which the Host pours out on mankind.

Verses 15-19: (See the papers The Seven Trumpets (No. 141) and the Fall of Jericho (No. 142).)

There are three woes. We regress for the next sequence. From the Time of Jacob’s Troubles, Israel is being dealt with. There has been a great tribulation, arriving at the Witnesses of the Last Days. At this point we turn to Revelation 11:1. (No. 141). There are two processes.

Verses 11:1-8: The Temple is measured from the top (see the paper Measuring the Temple (No. 137)). This is happening and has happened since 1987. The ministries are measured. This also has happened over the sequence. In the time of the 42 months, the elect as the nation are purified. The world is now going through the process of the measuring of the elect. That process will take a while. The elect are given over to deal with each other and that is part of the way they are measured.

After the commencement of that measurement and with the wars and the NWO, the Two Witnesses stand in Jerusalem clothed in sackcloth. These people will stand for three-and-one-half years or 1260 days (see also the paper The Witnesses (including the Two Witnesses) (No. 135): Wars of the End Part II: 1260 Days of the Witnesses (No. 141D)). Cf. Rev. 11:4-8.

Christ was crucified on Golgotha outside of Jerusalem. The Witnesses are calling Jerusalem Sodom and Egypt due to the apostasy in it. The concept here is that they will stand to deal with the power of God. They will speak and people will try to kill them, but those people are dealt with in the same way they attempt to deal with the Witnesses. Anyone who tries to shoot them will be shot. The Witnesses are protected, and nobody can kill them for three-and-one-half years or 1260 days; they are indestructible. They can call down fire from Heaven and will do so. They will shut up the heavens and no rain will fall on this planet for three-and-one-half years, except as they dictate. They are at this point turning the seas to blood.

These things are a direct result of these two officers of God thrusting down the throats of the people the entire idolatrous process of this planet. The elect have already been sealed at this point. The world is coming out of the Great Tribulation. The elect’s robes have been made white in the blood of the Lamb, and the world will see this happen. During this three-and-one-half-year period the elect will watch these people and see these things being inflicted on this planet. There is only one thing given to them, and that is that their bread and water will be sure (Isa. 33:16). That is the only thing of which they can be sure. It is a question of faith.

Following the Measuring of the Temple over the Trumpets the conflicts then increase to the War of the Fifth Trumpet, which is a biochemical war spread over the planet using chemical weapons and virus technology all over the planet and especially chemical weapons placed in Europe and the West by insurgents; and then the War of the Sixth Trumpet and then The Witnesses (including the Two Witnesses) (No. 135).

Then comes the Third Woe

Verses 11-14: The Witnesses appear for 1260 days and then lie dead in the streets for 3.5 days and then they are resurrected by the Messiah and the First Resurrection commences. Thus the First and Second woes must occur prior to the Messiah and the First Resurrection. It is then that we see the Seventh Trumpet blown which are the Seven Vials of the Wrath of God which the Host pours out on mankind. See also the paper Wars of the Last Days and the Vials of the Wrath of God (No. 141B); Wars of the End Part III: Armageddon and the Vials of the Wrath of God (No. 141E).

Chapter 12

¹A great portent appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. ²She was pregnant and was crying out in birth pangs, in the agony of giving birth. ³Then another portent appeared in heaven: a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads. ⁴His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. Then the dragon stood before the woman who was about to bear a child, so that he might devour her child as soon as it was born. ⁵And she gave birth to a son, a male child, who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron. But her child was snatched away and taken to God and to his throne; ⁶and the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, so that there she can be nourished for one thousand two hundred sixty days. ⁷And war broke out in heaven; Michael and his angels fought against the dragon. The dragon and his angels fought back, ⁸but they were defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. ⁹The great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. ¹⁰Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, proclaiming, "Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Messiah, for the accuser of our comrades has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. ¹¹But they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they did not cling to life even in the face of death. ¹²Rejoice then, you heavens and those who dwell in them! But woe to the earth and the sea, for the devil has come down to you with great wrath, because he knows that his time is short!" ¹³So when the dragon saw that he had been thrown down to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. ¹⁴But the woman was given the two wings of the great eagle, so that she could fly from the serpent into the wilderness, to her place where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time. ¹⁵Then from his mouth the serpent poured water like a river after the woman, to sweep her away with the flood. ¹⁶But the earth came to the help of the woman; it opened its mouth and swallowed the river that the dragon had poured from his mouth. ¹⁷Then the dragon was angry with the woman, and went off to make war on the rest of her children, those who keep the commandments of God and hold the testimony of Jesus. And he stood^e on the on the sand of the sea.

Marshall’s Interlinear text has a verse 18 reading……And he stood ^e on the on the sand of the sea (footnote below). However the RSV text ends with the numbered text as verse 17 and reads the same as the Interlinear. The Interlinear has the following note:

^eOther ancient authorities read And I stood, connecting the sentence with chapter 13:1.

Intent of Chapter 12

The war in the heavens was to occur as stated by God in Revelation 12 (No. 299E). Revelation 12:1-6 shows that the woman who was to give birth to the child, who was the Messiah, was an ongoing entity and thus existed as Israel as the mother of the Messiah and the faithful.

The Dragon was cast down to the earth and he took a third of the Host with him. War arose in the Heavens and Michael made war with the Dragon and cast him to the earth (Rev. 12:7-9).

Then the Messiah was given power (Rev. 12:11) and the elect conquered the adversary through the Blood of the Lamb and the Devil was in great wrath because he knew that his time was then limited by the victory of the Lamb (Rev. 12:12).

Time Frame of the Decline

The Dragon knew that he had the limited time that he did and pursued the woman which was the elect of the faith. The woman was sent into the wilderness for the time, times and half a time of the persecution of the elect. The period was for 1260 prophetic year-days of the elect in the wilderness under the Empire of the Beast. The period was in two phases and the first phase to last from 590 CE when it was established by the false religious system of the pseudo-Christian church under Gregory I who established the Holy Roman Empire. It was to last until 1850 CE based at Rome but spread throughout the world. This was the empire of the Two Feet of iron and miry clay that took over from the Legs of Iron that were the Roman Empire as we see from the prophecy of Daniel chapter 2. It was ended by the plebiscite in Italy in 1850 and the Papal States were ended (cf. Commentary on Daniel (F027ii); F027xiii)).

Over the period from 1850 to the commencement of the wars of the end in 1916 in accordance with the prophecies in Ezekiel and Daniel the preparation for the end days were commenced with the preparation for the New World Order of the end empire of the Ten Toes of Daniel chapter 2 which would rule over the end days commencing at the end of the time of the Gentiles or Nations from 1997 (see the papers The Prophecy of Pharaoh’s Broken Arms Part I (No. 036) and Part II (No. 036_2); (cf. F027 above and F027viii and F027xiii).

(cf. No. 065).

The trauma of the Faith is worth the effort for the salvation of all (John 16:21).

The woman is the Church of God and the bride of Christ. For this reason the Adversary persecutes the Church, as we see from Revelation 12:13:

And when the dragon saw that he was cast down to the earth, he persecuted the woman that brought forth the man child.

Revelation 12:17 And the dragon waxed wroth with the woman, and went away to make war with the rest of her seed, that keep the commandments of God, and hold the testimony of Jesus:

The seed, which is Christ and the Church, will triumph over the Adversary and his system, as we shall see. The prophet Zechariah shows us what will come to pass. He was raised up for the encouragement of the nation after their return from captivity (cf. No. 132). The tribes are the stars of the Host. They are the eleven stars, with Joseph as the twelfth star. Thus we can now proceed to Revelation 12:1-17. Here the woman is clothed with the sun, and the moon is under her feet. On her head is a crown of twelve stars. The symbolism is that Israel grew out of the nation and became the Church. Physical Israel became spiritual Israel. The birthright of the nation and the tribes is to become the adornment of the Church. This process occurs over that period referred to in this chapter. The nation and the Church are persecuted after she had brought forth the man child and he was taken up to God and to His Throne. After this period the accuser of the brethren was thrown down. The angels here refer to the elect as their brethren. Thus we are talking of a family relationship which includes the angelic Host.

Here we see that the offspring of the woman are those who keep the Commandments of God and the Testimony of Jesus, so that the nation here becomes the Church and therefore opens to embrace the Gentiles as part of Israel. Thus the offspring of Israel are persecuted for a time, times and half a time, or 1,260 prophetic year-days. This period ended, as we saw, in 1850. However, there was another period that then ensued over the Great Holocaust from 1941 to 1945 particularly in Europe. There is another period that is at the end of the eighty years from 1941-1945 of the Holocaust of 1260 days under the Nazis and the Trinitarian camps in WWII to 2021-2025, which involves the wars of the end under what is termed the empire of the Beast. This period of the end and the destruction of the whore cover the time until the final sealing of the saints mentioned in Revelation 14. From this time, the Gospel of the eternal Kingdom of God is spoken and the Babylonian system is destroyed (Rev. 14:8).

Regardless of the time-frames involved in the process, the sun, moon and stars represent both the woman who gave birth to Messiah and also the offspring of the woman, who is the Church and the bride of Messiah. The moon is used to denote the nation Israel and also the Church because the moon possesses no light of its own. It is given the light that emanates from the sun, which is a star of the first system. This sun is also the star that shall come out of Jacob (Num. 24:17). Hence, we have a star of the primary system, which lays aside the rank and becomes the salvation of the new system. Through his activity, new systems or stars are created through the woman, who is the nation and the Church. Having no intrinsic power she is reliant on the power given to her from the sun, who is a factor of the Creator. Thus God is pre-eminent in the activity of the sequence.

(cf. also No. 194)

The Idea of a Place of Safety

The idea is derived from a text in Revelation 3:10 made to the Church at Philadelphia.

Revelation 3:10 Because you have kept my word of patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial which is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell upon the earth. (RSV)

This promise was to keep this group safe from the hour of temptation or hour of trial that was to come on the whole world. From this it was assumed by all those who thought that they were the Philadelphian system (there appear to be few self-professing Sardis or Laodiceans) that they would be taken somewhere to be kept from the hour of trial or temptation.

It was assumed also that this hour of trial was before the return of the Messiah. This may not be the case. It may actually be the advent that protects this Church. However, it was assumed that it was not the case and that this period was immediately prior to the return of Messiah. This period was often held to be coincidental with the three and one half years or 1,260 days of the two witnesses.

This was coupled with another verse which spoke of the church in the wilderness.

Revelation 12:1-12: Here we see that the woman gives birth to the man child. Here we see Messiah being born to the woman that is the congregation of Israel. Messiah was caught up to God and His throne. The woman then fled into the wilderness where she had a place prepared for her for 1,260 days. This period is deemed to be the persecution of the Church. This is taken to be the time under the Holy Roman Empire which lasted from 590 to 1850, when it was disbanded (cf. also Role of the Fourth Commandment etc. (No. 170)).

The war in the heavens took place from this time. Now the period of the war in the heavens could have started from the ascension of Messiah following the resurrection (cf. Forty Days Following Christ’s Resurrection (No. 159A)). Thus the war would have not been tied to the time of the woman in the wilderness but from the removal of Satan in the war.

The important text here is that the saints overcame by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony and they loved not their lives unto death. There is no promise here that they were protected from death or persecution. In fact, it is the opposite.

The persecution of the congregation which brought forth the man child began with the confining of Satan. This congregation was also therefore inclusive of Judah. Verse 14 then takes us into the subject of the wings of the great eagle (Rev. 12:13-17).

There are two groups here. One is the descendants of the woman who are the physical descendants, and the other group are the spiritual descendants. These are the remnant of her seed that keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. Thus it is not Judah that is being spoken of here – it is the Church. Here at the last, the Church is being persecuted.

We have, from this concept, the view that Israel is the woman who is composed both of physical and spiritual groups.

Many of the groups espousing Petra as a place of safety hold this text to mean that they will be taken to Petra (or the various other places) on the wings of a great eagle. In fact, one church used it to justify the purchase of aircraft and the scandalous misuse of tithe funds including welfare or third tithe funds.

The wings of a great eagle are identified in the Old Testament.

Exodus 19:3-6 And Moses went up to God, and the LORD called to him out of the mountain, saying, "Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the people of Israel: ⁴You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself. ⁵Now therefore, if you will obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my own possession among all peoples; for all the earth is mine, ⁶and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel." (RSV)

The great eagle was Jesus Christ whom God gave Israel as a responsibility (Deut. 32:8-9 RSV). God bore Israel on the wings of this great eagle out of Egypt into the wilderness that He might bring her to Himself that they might become a peculiar treasure above all nations by obeying His voice (which was itself the eagle, the Elohim who spoke) and also by obeying His covenant.

This being, we now know as Jesus Christ, had responsibility for the protection of Israel as the nation and the Church. Satan attempted to destroy this group over a long period (cf. The Preexistence of Jesus Christ (No. 243)).

The protection of Israel lay in its diversification and scattering – not in its concentration in one place as the terms involved in the use of Kadesh imply (cf. The Place of Safety (No. 194)).

Chapter 13

¹And I saw a beast rising out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads; and on its horns were ten diadems, and on its heads were blasphemous names. ²And the beast that I saw was like a leopard, its feet were like a bear's, and its mouth was like a lion's mouth. And the dragon gave it his power and his throne and great authority. ³One of its heads seemed to have received a death-blow, but its mortal wound had been healed. In amazement the whole earth followed the beast. ⁴They worshiped the dragon, for he had given his authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, "Who is like the beast, and who can fight against it?" ⁵The beast was given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words, and it was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two months. ⁶It opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against God, blaspheming his name and his dwelling, that is, those who dwell in heaven. ⁷Also it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them. It was given authority over every tribe and people and language and nation, ⁸and all the inhabitants of the earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb that was slaughtered. ⁹Let anyone who has an ear listen: ¹⁰If you are to be taken captive, into captivity you go; if you kill with the sword, with the sword you must be killed. Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints. ¹¹Then I saw another beast that rose out of the earth; it had two horns like a lamb and it spoke like a dragon. ¹²It exercises all the authority of the first beast on its behalf, and it makes the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose mortal wound had been healed. ¹³It performs great signs, even making fire come down from heaven to earth in the sight of all; ¹⁴and by the signs that it is allowed to perform on behalf of the beast, it deceives the inhabitants of earth, telling them to make an image for the beast that had been wounded by the sword and yet lived; ¹⁵and it was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast so that the image of the beast could even speak and cause those who would not worship the image of the beast to be killed. ¹⁶Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, ¹⁷so that no one can buy or sell who does not have the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name. ¹⁸This calls for wisdom: let anyone with understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a person. Its number is six hundred sixty-six.

Intent of Chapter 13

(cf. No 141)

In Revelation 13 we look at the Beast dealing with men. Revelation 12 deals with Christ’s system. Revelation 13 deals with the Beast system. They are both contemporaneous. It does not happen after the second woe and between the time of the coming of the Messiah. These two systems operate contemporaneously prior to and during all the woes.

(cf. No. 025)

The warnings of the mark of the beast come from several prophecies in the book of Revelation (e.g. Rev. 13:16-17).

So we have the beast of Revelation 13:1 having seven heads and ten horns, and we have the final kingdom of the image in Daniel chapter two having ten toes. These are two representations of the same concept. That is, in the end days just before the Messiah returns to rule the planet, there will be a kingdom referred to as the beast, which will be comprised of ten rulers that will give their authority over to the one beast system for one hour (Rev. 17:13). These ten rulers are synonymous with the ten sons of Haman who were hung on the gallows in the book of Esther (cf. the paper Commentary on Esther (No. F017)). They were all hung together because together they make up the union of the ten toes of Daniel chapter 2, and the ten horns of Revelation 13 in the last days.

They will make war with the Lamb, but the Lamb will overcome them.

Revelation 17:14: These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful. (KJV)

These beasts then are seen as kingdoms on this earth, which come to have power over the people of the earth. A key point which applies here is found in Deuteronomy 32:8.

Deuteronomy 32:8-9When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of men, he fixed the bounds of the peoples according to the number of the sons of God. ⁹For the LORD's (Yahovah’s) portion is his people, Jacob his allotted heritage. (RSV)

(cf. also No. 160)

God is omniscient therefore He knew the outcome of the activities of the rebel Host when they were created. He ordained Christ as the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, and wrote the names of the elect in the book of life, before the foundation of the world (cf. Jer. 1:5).

Revelation 13:8and all who dwell on earth will worship it, every one whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb that was slain. (RSV)

(cf. also No. 118)

This is talking about the time of the Dragon and the time of the Beast and the time of the blasphemies against God (v. 7).

Thus it was not only known that Christ was to be slain before the world was laid down but also the names of the elect were all known and recorded in the Book of God before the world was formed (Jer. 1:5; Rom. 8:28-30). That is the extent of the omniscience of God. Christ clearly is not omniscient as there were things he did not know, such as the hour of his return (Mk. 13:32), and also the Revelation which was given to him by God.

It was the Lamb that was slain from the foundation of the world and this takes us right to the end of all the elect so that we are all aware over the whole two thousand years from the death of Christ right through until the end of the period and a further 1000 years into the Millennium and the 100 years of the Judgment. This is fore-ordained by God, all under the control of God and all with the knowledge of God. So God is omniscient in all things. Omniscient implies that God is all knowing such that the entire future is known and understood. A being that does not know the future certainly cannot be God who declares the end from the beginning as we are told.

(cf. also No. 299F)

Revelation 13:1-18

Note that the First Beast was an empire that made war on the saints and took many into captivity. This period of the rule of the First Beast was forty-two months. That equals 1260 days or a time, times and half a time. The successor to the Roman Empire was the Holy Roman Empire which ruled for 1260 years from 590 to 1850 and made war on the saints and persecuted them. It is then succeeded by the final religious system which has two horns like a lamb but it speaks as a dragon having the power of Satan. It brings fire down from heaven in the sight of men. We saw from the writings of the Smyrna trained second bishop of what is now Lyon, Irenaeus, that this Beast is both from the Latins based at Rome and from the Titans of the Sun system whose worship is based on the Sun Cults and whose Sabbath is Sunday and who makes war on the Sabbath-keepers, who are the saints of God. The numerical system of this antichrist structure of the Sun cults is 666 and these words and this system were identified by Irenaeus and developed by Hippolytus.

The system that was destroyed in 1850 by the Revolutions and reorganisation in Europe was reawakened and the Satanist system was planned from 1871 (see the paper 2012 and the Antichrist (No. 299D)). The sequence of the three world wars was planned then and carefully brought about over one hundred years to implement the last and final phase of the Beast power and the subjugation of the planet and the tribes of the nation of Israel. This war sequence was done so that they might prevent the intervention of Messiah and bring the Millennium and the rule of the Messiah and the Saints to nothing.

It is also important that we understand what is happening in the UN game plan and the formation of this supranational government which is designed to usurp the sovereignty of nations. The West is basically handing over its sovereignty and its democratic systems to this Beast system and the media are too stupid and controlled to expose it and the politicians are too spineless and self interested to oppose it. The bankers are forcing it because they expect to benefit from it and rule over the international order. Many men will die over this system and the consequent loss of freedom. Those who take its mark will forfeit their place in both the First Resurrection and the millennial system as human beings. Their families, and their wealth, and their inheritance will be forfeited. They will die in the wars of the end and the Wrath of God.

The developing nations are being hoodwinked with the temptation in thinking they will benefit from the system. They will not and they will ultimately have to fight for their very existence.

Unless Messiah comes and saves us all there will be no flesh left alive. Do not be deceived. This is not a system that will leave anyone alive. The Anglo-Celts are to be destroyed most importantly and some of them think they are in control of it. It is Satan’s desire that ALL flesh should perish. This is the system he has chosen. His pawns are initially Trinitarian Christianity, Fundamentalist Islam and Zionism, Judaism and the Liberation Theologies, and his own followers, all of whom will die.

The Sabbath-keeping Churches of God who are the Saints are the first target. However, all are on the list. If Satan objected to the creation of mankind in the first place why would anyone but a fool imagine any of us will be spared? Without the Messiah there is no salvation and no hope. Those who call upon God will be saved.

*****

Bullinger’s Notes on Revelation Chs. 10-13 (for KJV)

Chapter 10

Verse 1

saw. App-133.

another. App-124. The term shows him to be not one of the "seven".

mighty See Revelation 5:2.

come = coming.

heaven. See Revelation 3:12.

cloud. Compare Revelation 1:7. Psalms 18:11; Psalms 104:3. Isaiah 19:1. Matthew 24:30. 1 Thessalonians 4:17.

a = the.

rainbow. See Revelation 4:3.

was. Omit.

Verse 2

he had = havmg

a little book. Greek. biblaridion. Only here and verses: Revelation 10:9, Revelation 10:10. Compare Revelation 1:11 with Revelation 5:1, &c., where the scroll was sealed. Here it is opened.

set. Greek. ithemi. As in Acts 1:7 (put); Revelation 2:35 (make).

upon, on. App-104.

earth. App-129.

Verse 3

loud = great.

had. Omit.

seven = the seven (Revelation 1:4).

thunders. Compare the "seven thunders" (voice of the Lord) in Psa 29.

uttered. Literally spake. App-121.

Verse 4

their voices. The texts omit.

unto me. The texts omit.

Seal. See Revelation 7:3.

those = the.

not. App-105.

Verse 5

hand. The texts read "right hand". See Revelation 1:16; Revelation 5:1, &c.

Verse 6

liveth, &c. As Revelation 4:9.

created. Compare Revelation 4:11.

therein = in (App-104.) it.

that . . . longer. Literally that time shall be no longer. i.e. no more delay in executing final vengeance. See Revelation 6:10, Revelation 6:11.

should = shall.

time. Greek. chronos. See App-195.

no longer. Greek. ouketi.

Verse 7

shall begin = is about.

mystery. See Revelation 1:20; Revelation 17:5, Revelation 17:7. App-193.

should be = shall have been.

finished. (Add "also".) Greek. teleo. In Rev. here; Revelation 11:7; Revelation 15:1, Revelation 15:8; Revelation 17:17; Revelation 20:3, Revelation 20:5, Revelation 20:7. Compare App-125.

He . . . declared. App-121.

His = His own.

servants. App-190.

prophets. See App-189.

Verse 8

spake . . . Read. "(I heard) speaking". Same as "uttered" in Revelation 10:3.

unto = with. Greek. meta. App-104.

said = saying.

little book = book. Greek. biblion.

Verse 9

unto. App-104.

and. Omit.

said = saying.

unto = to.

said = saith.

eat . . . up. Hebraism for receiving knowledge.

Verse 10

out of. App-104.

Verse 11

he said. The texts read "they say".

unto = to.

prophesy. In Rev. only here and Revelation 11:3. Compare App-189. before = over, or concerning. Greek. epi. App-104.

Chapter 11

Verse 1

reed. Greek. kalamos. Elsewhere (in Rev.) Revelation 21:15, Revelation 21:16. See App-88, first note.

unto = to.

rod = sceptre, as elsewhere in Rev. See Revelation 2:27; Revelation 12:5; Revelation 19:15. This measuring reed is like a sceptre, and measures for destruction, not for building. See Lamentations 2:8.

and . . . stood. The texts omit.

saying. i.e. (the giver) saying.

Rise. App-178. Only here in Rev.

Temple. Greek. naos. See Revelation 3:12. Matthew 23:16.

God App-98.

altar. See Revelation 8:3, &c.

and them. Read "and (record) them". Figure of speech Ellipsis. App-6.

Worship. App-137.

therein = in (Greek. en) it.

Verse 2

without, out. Greek. exothen, meaning outside.

leave = east out. Greek. ekballo, a strong term.

is = was.

Gentiles. Greek. ethnos. Occurs twenty-three times in Rev., invariably translated "nations", except here. See App-197.

holy city. See Matthew 4:5.

tread . . . foot. Greek. paleo. Only here; Revelation 14:20; Revelation 19:15. Luke 10:19; Luke 21:24, where see note. All these particulars refer to an actual Temple. The church of God knows nothing of an altar here, of a naos, of a court of the Gentiles. All point to the Temple yet to he built in the holy city, i.e. Jerusalem. This Temple will be on earth (see Structure 1894).

forty and two months = 1,260 days = 3 years and a half. A specific period stated in literal language. Compare Revelation 11:3; Revelation 12:6, Revelation 12:14; Revelation 13:5. Daniel 7:25; Daniel 12:7. Luke 4:25. James 5:17.

Verse 3

give. Add "power". Figure of speech Ellipsis. App-6.

My two witnesses. God has not specified their names. We know that two men are to be raised up "in that day", endowed with wondrous powers to execute a special mission. They are called emphatically "MY two witnesses "(See Revelation 1:5).

prophesy. See Revelation 10:11 and App-189.

a thousand . . . days = forty-two months, Revelation 11:2. The periods are probably synchronous.

thousand. See Revelation 14:20 and App-197.

Verse 4

are. i.e. represent.

two olive trees. Compare Zechariah 4:3, Zechariah 4:11, Zechariah 4:14, where by the same Figure of speech (Metaphor) two persons are represented.

standing. The texts read "which stand".

God. The texts read "Lord".

of the earth. App-129. See Joshua 3:11, Joshua 3:13. Zechariah 6:6, and compare Psalms 115:18.

Verse 5

if. App-118. a, with the texts.

any man = any one. App-123.

will. App-102.

fire. Compare Jeremiah 5:14.

Verse 6

power. App-172.

heaven. See Revelation 3:12.

that = in order that. Greek. hina.

not. App-105.

in. Greek. en. but the texts omit.

prophecy. See App-189.

waters = the waters.

to = into.

plagues. See App-197.

will = shall desire. App-102.

Verse 7

finished. See Revelation 10:7.

testimony. As in Revelation 1:2, &c. Their testimony ended, they are at the mercy of their enemies.

beast = wild beast, See Revelation 6:8. First mention of this terrible being, whose rise is depicted in Rev 13.

bottomless pit. See Revelation 9:1.

against. Greek. meta. App-104.

overcome. As in Rev 2and Rev 3. See App-197.

kill. The two witnesses are on earth during Rev 13, and the beast is on earth in Rev 11.

Verse 8

dead bodies = corpse (singular, with all texts). Greek. ptoma. Only here, Revelation 11:9 (plural) Matthew 24:28. Mark 6:29.

shall lie. Read "lie".

in. Greek. epi. App-104.

street. Greek. plateia, a broad place or way, rather than "street". See Revelation 21:21; Revelation 22:2.

the great city. See Jeremiah 22:8. Jerusalem will have been rebuilt only to be again destroyed. See Isaiah 25:2-9.

spiritually. See 1 Corinthians 2:14.

Sodom and Egypt. Compare Isaiah 1:9, Isaiah 1:10. Ezekiel 16:46, Ezekiel 16:53; Ezekiel 23:3, Ezekiel 23:8, Ezekiel 23:19, Ezekiel 23:27. See Psalms 9:9; Psalms 10:1.

our. The texts read "their", The Holy Spirit thus points to the city in the plainest way.

crucified. Only here in Rev.

Verse 9

of. App-104.

people = peoples.

kindreds = tribes. as Revelation 1:7.

shall see = see, with texts. App-133.

shall. Omit.

three days and an half. A literal period.

shall not suffer = suffer not.

graves = a tomb, a word destructive of interpretations of the two witnesses as the O.T. and N.T.

Verse 10

upon, on. App-104.

shall. Omit.

over. Greek. epi. App-104.

send. App-174.

prophets. App-189.

tormented. See Revelation 9:5.

Verse 11

after. App-104.

three = the three.

spirit of life = breath of life. Greek. pneuma (compare App-101.) zoes (App-170.) Compare Septuagint of Genesis 6:17; Genesis 7:15. See also Genesis 2:7; Genesis 7:22 (pnoe).

from. Greek. ek. App-104.

into. Greek. en. App-104.

fell. Greek. pipto. The texts read the strong word epipipto, indicating a paralyzing fear.

saw. App-133.

Verse 12

to heaven = into (Greek. eis) the heaven (See Revelation 3:12).

a = the cloud. See Acts 1:9.

beheld. Same as "saw", Revelation 11:11.

Verse 13

the same = in (Greek. en) that.

was there = there came to be.

tenth part = tenth. (App-10and App-197).

of men. Literally names of men (App-123.)

seven thousand. See App-197.

remnant. App-124.

were = became.

glory. See p. 1511 and App-197.

Verse 14

second. One of the three in Revelation 8:13.

and. Omit.

behold. App-133.

cometh = is coming.

Verse 15

seventh angel. This seventh trumpet embraces the seven vials, or last seven plagues, which make up the third woe, and reaches on to Revelation 18:24, if not Revelation 20:15.

were. Literally came to be.

kingdoms. The texts read "kingdom", i.e. sovereignty.

world. App-129.

are = is.

Christ. App-98.

He . . . ever. See Exodus 15:18. Psalms 146:10.

for . . . ever. See Revelation 1:6.

Verse 16

sat = sit.

on. App-104.

seats = thrones.

fell, &c. See Revelation 4:10.

Verse 17

Almighty = the Almighty. See Revelation 1:8.

and . . . come. The texts omit. Now, here, He has come. See Revelation 1:4.

to Thee. Omit.

power. App-172.1; Revelation 176:1.

hast reigned = reignedst.

Verse 18

is come = came. See Isaiah 26:20, Isaiah 26:21.

time. Greek. kairos. See App-195.

dead. App-139.

judged. App-122. See Revelation 20:12-15. John 5:24. Romans 8:1.

that Thou shouldest = to.

reward = the reward.

servants. App-190.

prophets. App-189. See Hebrews 11:32.

saints. See Revelation 13:7, Revelation 13:10; Revelation 14:12; Revelation 16:6. This special term for O.T. saints is found in Daniel 7:18, &c. See Acts 9:13.

small . . . great = the small . . . the great.

shouldest = to.

destroy = are destroying. They are found in Ch. Revelation 18:19, Revelation 18:20.

Verse 19

was . . . heaven. The texts read "which is in heaven was opened".

seen. App-133.

testament = covenant. Greek. diatheke. Only occurrence in Rev.

great hail. Corresponds with Revelation 16:21.

Chapter 12

Verse 1

And . . . heaven = And a great sign was seen in heaven.

appeared = was seen. App-133.

wonder. App-176. What follows is a sign.

heaven. See Revelation 3:12.

woman. i.e. Israel. See John 16:21.

twelve stars. Probably the zodiacal signs, representing the Israel nation in embryo. See App-12.

Verse 2

cried = crieth out.

travailing, &c. Greek. odino. Only here and Galatians 1:4, Galatians 1:19, Galatians 1:27. See Micah 5:3.

pained. Literally tormented. See Revelation 9:5.

Verse 3

another. App-124.

behold. App-133.

dragon. Greek. drakon. First of thirteen occurances in Rev. only. (App-10and App-197) See Revelation 12:9.

seven heads . . . heads. "Signs" of universality of earthly power.

crowns. Greek. diadema. Only here, Revelation 13:1; Revelation 19:12.

Verse 4

And his, &c. Refers to Satan"s first rebellion and to those who followed him.

drew = draggeth. See John 21:8.

did. Read "he".

earth. App-129.

stood = is standing. Perf. tense, indicating abiding action.

was . . . delivered = is about to bring forth.

for = in order. Greek. hina.

devour. Same word as Revelation 10:9, Revelation 10:10 (eat up); Revelation 20:9. From Genesis 3:15 till now Satan stands ready to devour the promised "seed",

child. App-108.

Verse 5

man child = a son (App-108.) a male (as Luke 2:23).

was = is about.

nations = the nations. Compare Psalms 2:9.

rod. See Revelation 2:27.

up = away.

unto. App-104.

God. App-98.

to. The texts add pros, as above. An interval of years occurs after this verse.

Verse 6

Anticipatory, the flight being consequent on the war in heaven (Revelation 12:14).

into. App-104.

wilderness. Compare Ezekiel 20:33-38.

that. Greek. hina, as Revelation 12:4.

Verse 7

was = came to be.

heaven = the heaven. See Revelation 3:12. A particular sphere above earth which is dwelt in by, or accessible to, the dragon and his evil powers. Compare Job 1and Job 2. Zechariah 3:6. See Luke 10:18.

Michael. See Daniel 10:13, Daniel 10:21; Daniel 12:1. Jude 1:9, and App-179.

fought against. The texts read "(going forth) to war with".

against. Greek. meta. App-104.

Verse 8

prevailed. Greek. ischuo, as Acts 19:16, Acts 19:20. Only here in Rev. Compare App-172.

neither. Greek. oude.

more. First occurance: Matthew 5:13 (thenceforth).

Verse 9

cast out = cast down, as Revelation 12:10.

that = the

old = ancient.

serpent. See Revelation 20:2. Genesis 3:1, and App-19.

Devil. Literally slanderer. See Revelation 12:10 and Matthew 4:1.

Satan = Adversary. Compare Matthew 4:10. See App-19.

which deceiveth. Literally the one deceiving. App-128. See Revelation 20:3.

world. App-129.

Verse 10

The central verse in Revelation.

loud = great.

salvation = the salvation.

strength = the power. App-172.1; Revelation 176:1.

kingdom. See App-114.

power. App-172.

Christ. App-98.

accuser. Greek. kategoros. Only here in Rev.

is = was.

cast down. As "cast out", Revelation 12:9, with the texts.

accused = accuseth. First occurance: Matthew 12:10; last, here.

Verse 11

word. App-121.

testimony. See Revelation 1:2.

loved. App-135.

lives = life.

the. Omit.

Verse 12

Therefore = For this cause.

heavens. In Rev. only here in plural, while fifty-one occurences in singular. See Revelation 3:12 and Matthew 6:10.

dwell. Literally tabernacle. See Revelation 7:15 and Revelation 13:6.

Woe. Third and most terrible of the three woes (Revelation 8:13).

the . . . of. The texts omit.

come = gone.

wrath. Greek. thumas. First of ten occurrences in Rev.

because . . . that = knowing (App-132.) that.

time. Greek. kairos. App-195.

Verse 13

saw. App-133.

east = east down, Revelation 12:9.

man child = male. See Revelation 12:5.

Verse 14

two = the two.

a = the.

great eagle. Great is emph. Compare Deuteronomy 32:11, Deuteronomy 32:12.

might = may.

fly. Greek. petomai. See Revelation 12:6. Compare Exodus 14:5. Psalms 35:1-5. Isaiah 11:16. Ezekiel 20:33-38. Hosea 2:14, Hosea 2:15. Zephaniah 2:3. Matthew 24:15-28. Mark 13:14-23.

time, &c. See Revelation 11:2 and App-195.

from, &c. See Septuagint of Judges 9:21 for same Figure of speech Idioma (App-6).

Verse 15

out of. App-104.

flood = river.

carried . . . flood. Greek. potamophoretos. Only here.

Verse 16

opened, &c. See Numbers 16:30.

swallowed up. Greek. katapino. Occurs seven times in N.T. See 1 Corinthians 15:54. Compare Isaiah 59:19.

Verse 17

went = went away, as in John 11:46.

remnant. App-124.

seed. Believers, Jew and Gentile, who are seen Revelation 7:9.

and have = holding.

Jesus. App-98.

Christ. The texts omit. They add here the first clause of Revelation 13:1, altering to "he stood".

Chapter 13

Verse 1

Note the Figure of speech Polysyndeton. App-6.

And . . . sea. See Revelation 12:17.

and saw = and I saw (App-133.)

beast = wild beast. See Revelation 6:8.

rise up = coming up, as Revelation 7:2 (ascending).

out of. App-104.

having, &c. The texts read "having ten horns and seven heads". Compare Revelation 12:3; Revelation 17:7-12.

crowns. See Revelation 12:3.

the name. Read "names". See Revelation 17:3.

Verse 2

unto = to.

leopard. Greek. pardalis. Only here. In Septuagint it occurs Jeremiah 5:6; Jeremiah 13:23. Hosea 13:7. Habakkuk 1:8.

lion. See Daniel 7:4, Daniel 7:5, Daniel 7:6, and esp. Revelation 13:7 and Note.

dragon. See Revelation 12:3.

him. The being from the abyss (Revelation 17:8); the "another"

power. App-172.1; Revelation 176:1. Compare Daniel 8:24. 2 Thessalonians 2:9.

seat = throne.

authority. App-172. Its source will not he recognized by the peoples at the outset.

Verse 3

I saw. Texts omit.

one of = one

wounded = slain. Same word in Revelation 6:6.

deadly wound = death-stroke.

wound. Greek. plege. See Revelation 9:20.

healed. Greek. therapeuo. Only here, and Revelation 13:12, in Rev.

world. App-129.

after. Read, "(and followed) after".

Verse 4

worshipped. App-137.

which. The texts read "because he".

power = the power. App-172.; "authority" in Revelation 13:2.

who. The texts read "and who".

make war. The same word in Revelation 17:14. This being will stop wars and be acclaimed by the peoples on that account.

Verse 5

speaking. App-121.

continue. Literally do, or Act 2 Thessalonians 2:3 records the coming of "the man of sin (lawlessness)", who is this beast from the sea. In 2 Thessalonians 2:8 "that wicked" = "the lawless one", who is the beast from the earth, verses: Revelation 13:11-18.

Verse 6

blasphemy. The texts read "blasphemies".

His name = His Name, i.e. the Christ of God. See Acts 2:21 and compare Exodus 23:21.

tabernacle. Greek. skene. In Rev. here; Revelation 15:5; Revelation 21:3.

and. Omit, and supply ellipsis with "that is".

them = those.

that dwell. Literally tabernacling.

heaven. See Revelation 3:12.

Verse 7

make war. Not the term in Revelation 13:4 (polemeo), but indicating a special attack upon "the saints". See Revelation 11:7. Daniel 7:21; Daniel 8:12, Daniel 8:24; Daniel 11:31.

saints. See Revelation 5:8 with Revelation 11:18.

over. App-104.

all kindreds = every tribe. The texts add "and people".

tongues, nations. Sing, number.

Verse 8

earth. Same as "world", Revelation 13:3.

him. The ellipsis follows, (every one).

names. All the texts read "name".

are not = hath not (App-105) been.

life = the life. App-170.

foundation, &c. See App-146.

Verse 9

If, &c. See Revelation 2:7. Eighth and last occ Here to individuals, no longer to corporate churches. Note Figure of speech Polyptoton. App-6.

Verse 10

He that, &c. = If any one is for captivity, into captivity he goeth; if any one is to be killed with the sword, with the sword he is killed. Hebrew idioms for destiny. See Jeremiah 15:2; Jeremiah 43:11. Ezekiel 5:2, Ezekiel 5:12. Zechariah 11:9. None will escape the beast.

He that. Read, If any one (App-123.)

faith. App-150.

Verse 11

beheld = saw, as Revelation 13:1.

another. App-124.

beast = wild beast, but distinguished from that of Revelation 13:1. See verses: Revelation 13:12, Revelation 13:14, Revelation 13:15, &c. The beast of Revelation 13:1 is political, this beast is religious.

horns. Greek. keras, horn, occurs ten times in Rev. (first in Revelation 5:6) and once Luke 1:69. Nowhere else in N.T.

spake = was speaking. App-121.

Verse 12

before him = in his sight.

causeth. Occurs eight times in connection with this "false prophet". See App-197.

therein = in (Gr. en) it.

to worship = in order that (Greek. hina) they shall worship (App-137.) The texts read future tense.

Verse 13

wonders. App-176.

so that. Greek. hina.

fire. Add "also".

from. Greek. ek. App-104.

in the sight of = before, as Revelation 13:12.

Verse 14

deceiveth = he deceiveth. Compare 2 Thessalonians 2:9-11. 1 Timothy 4:1-3. For miracles of themselves are no proof of a Divine mission. The Lord"s miracles were "signs" for His People to ponder. The miracles here are to impress credulous unbelievers.

by the means of. App-104. Revelation 13:2.

miracles. Same as "wonders", Revelation 13:13.

Which . . . power = which it was given him.

image. Greek. eikon. First of ten occurences in Rev. See Matthew 22:20. See App-197.

by = of. Genitive case. No preposition.

did live = lived (again). See App-170.

Verse 15

he had power = it was given him.

life. Greek. pneuma. App-101.

that = in order that. Greek. hina.

speak. App-121.

Verse 16

he. i.e. the second beast.

both. Omit, and read "and" before "the rich" and "the free".

small, &c. = the little, &c. (Note Figure of speech Polysyndeton. App-6.)

bond. App-190.

to receive. Literally in order that (Greek. hina) they may he given (the texts read plural).

mark. Greek. charagma. First of eight occurances in Rev. See Acts 17:29.

in = upon. App-104.

in = upon. App-104., with texts.

foreheads. Texts read singular.

Verse 17

might = should be able to.

buy or sell. The great boycott of the future.

save = except. Greek. ei (App-118) me (App-105).

had = hath.

or. Omit.

Verse 18

Here, &c. See Revelation 17:9.

wisdom. Compare App-132.

Let him that = He that.

understanding. Greek. nous. See 1 Corinthians 14:14.

count = calculate. See Luke 14:28.

man. App-123.

Six hundred, &c. The Greek for this number is three letters which by gematria (App-10) = 600, 60, 6 = 666. It is the number of a name. When the name of the "beast" (antichrist) is known, it will doubtless be recognized by both computation (see above) and gematria. The three letters SSS (= 666) formed the symbol of Isis and the secret symbol of the old "Mysteries". That ancient "mysteries" and modern "beliefs" are becoming closely allied, witness the rapid growth and spread of Spiritism, Theosophy, and Occultism of every kind. (Some ancient authorities read 616, used by the Jews of the worship of the Emperor.)

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