Revelation 13.3-5 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.
The Beast is wounded, and then healed; a mighty blow is struck, and yet he is not defeated or cast down. Impressively, he is just fine.
Jeremiah 50.33-35 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; The children of Israel and the children of Judah were oppressed together: and all that took them captives held them fast; they refused to let them go. Their Redeemer is strong; the LORD of hosts is his name: he shall throughly plead their cause, that he may give rest to the land, and disquiet the inhabitants of Babylon. A sword is upon the Chaldeans, saith the LORD, and upon the inhabitants of Babylon, and upon her princes, and upon her wise men.
The actual nation of Babylon fell mightily. According to the book of Daniel, was overthrown in a single night. The Beast was mightily overthrown... and yet it did not die. Why not? Didn't God promise that Israel would be restored when Babylon fell? Why then, after Babylon fell, was Israel not restored? Because the Beast is more than just one kingdom--he is all those empires that stand against God and oppress His people.
And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.
The Beast is given authority to continue in his blasphemy for forty two months. This is the same amount of time that the Holy City will be "trodden underfoot," the same amount of time that the two witnesses will prophecy, the same amount of time the woman will be hidden in the wilderness--the forty two months is that period of Israel's Babylonian captivity, that period of six "days" that climaxes with the arrival of the Son of Man.
People during this time worship "the Dragon" that directs the Beast, as well as "the Beast." This has overtones of Caesar worship, who represented Rome. But even this type of deification was fairly common--Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, set himself up as a competitor to God, by building a national idol and by declaring himself the only valid source of authority. The Dragon, representing Satan, is in turn represented by these leaders who direct "the Beast" to do their bidding, who "head" the kingdoms of the world and stand in competition with God.
Justin Staller - JUNIOR Moderator
justinstaller@yahoo.com
Search the scriptures--for in them ye think ye have eternal life:
They are they which testify of me--and ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.
(John 5.39-40)
The Power of the Beast (Revelation 13.3-5)
Revelation 13.3-5 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.
The Beast is wounded, and then healed; a mighty blow is struck, and yet he is not defeated or cast down. Impressively, he is just fine.
Jeremiah 50.33-35 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; The children of Israel and the children of Judah were oppressed together: and all that took them captives held them fast; they refused to let them go. Their Redeemer is strong; the LORD of hosts is his name: he shall throughly plead their cause, that he may give rest to the land, and disquiet the inhabitants of Babylon. A sword is upon the Chaldeans, saith the LORD, and upon the inhabitants of Babylon, and upon her princes, and upon her wise men.
The actual nation of Babylon fell mightily. According to the book of Daniel, was overthrown in a single night. The Beast was mightily overthrown... and yet it did not die. Why not? Didn't God promise that Israel would be restored when Babylon fell? Why then, after Babylon fell, was Israel not restored? Because the Beast is more than just one kingdom--he is all those empires that stand against God and oppress His people.
And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.
The Beast is given authority to continue in his blasphemy for forty two months. This is the same amount of time that the Holy City will be "trodden underfoot," the same amount of time that the two witnesses will prophecy, the same amount of time the woman will be hidden in the wilderness--the forty two months is that period of Israel's Babylonian captivity, that period of six "days" that climaxes with the arrival of the Son of Man.
People during this time worship "the Dragon" that directs the Beast, as well as "the Beast." This has overtones of Caesar worship, who represented Rome. But even this type of deification was fairly common--Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, set himself up as a competitor to God, by building a national idol and by declaring himself the only valid source of authority. The Dragon, representing Satan, is in turn represented by these leaders who direct "the Beast" to do their bidding, who "head" the kingdoms of the world and stand in competition with God.
Justin Staller - JUNIOR Moderator
justinstaller@yahoo.com
Search the scriptures--for in them ye think ye have eternal life:
They are they which testify of me--and ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.
(John 5.39-40)