This post is another part of an ongoing study of the book of revelation. Each post is intended to be fairly short (1000-1200 words) with a simplified explanation of the confusing symbols, types, dreams and visions that make the book challenging and mostly misunderstood by those who do read their Bibles.
I try to steer away from use of commentaries and what other authors and scholars are saying. Those are of great value in our studies of the Bible, and I have used them extensively, but I believe many in Bible prophecy today have gotten into a type of rut and only teach and or repeat what others have said before them. The Bible is a book that holds great mysteries and the Almighty has challenged us to dig deep into the words to understand the content, the meaning and to find the hidden treasures of truth that are within it’s pages.
I think we do ourselves a great disservice and actually dishonor the Lord by not doing our own research and seeing if the things the scholars are saying, are indeed true.
We may feel inadequate to discover the truths of the Bible so we use the fallback method and just see what others are saying.
When we do that it becomes hard for us to actually believe when we are challenged because we really are only repeating something someone else has said.
I would like to challenge you to do your own research and to match Scripture with Scripture and to see how the intriguing puzzle of the Bible actually fits so amazingly well together.
Since the 1980’s and after, there has been a growing awareness of the possibility of the Lord returning to take His Church to Heaven and then bring upon the earth the great judgments spoken of in the book of Revelation. I believe it is very true that the time spoken of is very close, but there have been some errors in interpretation, and some of those are right here in this chapter.
I did already write a post about chapter 13, but there was so much that I didn’t get to speak of, that I felt I should write another post to discuss some of the things that so intrigue many of us.
The Antichrist is front and center in this chapter.
Many Bible scholars today say without question the Antichrist will come from a nation of Europe and probably Italy.
I believe they are wrong.
This chapter sits chronologically in the middle of the seven years of Tribulation. This chapter also is finishing a very detailed explanation of the third of the three woes that an angel told the world about. Those three woes finished off the seven trumpet judgments.
When the last of the trumpets is heard, we saw it in chapter eleven, we see the full unveiling of the Antichrist. He finishes taking his position as ruler of a beast. That beast is described as a red dragon. The red dragon is a combining of ten nations and ten rulers. Three of those rulers have had their power taken from them as they apparently objected to the power grab of this mysterious ‘man’ that now has the world in awe.
Key point: The ten nations are a group of nations that also have similar attributes to the four world dominating powers that controlled the Middle East from the time of Nebuchadnezzar. I won’t take the time to identify them here.
Rev. 13:3 “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.”
Something that appears to be miraculous will happen to the man we know as the Antichrist.
Rev. 13: “he causes the earth and them which dwell there to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.”
He will either recover from a deadly wound or he may be raised back to life again. Some have speculated that he could be a historical figure brought back from the pages of history. This will not be without Biblical precedent. I believe the Bible tells us in Malachi that Elijah the prophet will be brought back to earth to preach of the kingdom in the final seven year period.
Maybe God will allow such a return from the Hades pit that has been opened. Maybe…’the son of perdition’ is a Biblical clue and a possibility if this is to take place.
Zechariah 11:16 “for, lo, I will raise up a shepherd in the land, which shall not visit those that be cut off…”
God is doing the raising here.
God will raise up this shepherd. This shepherd will not be good, in fact he will be the Antichrist.
Rev. 17: “The beast that you saw was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit. and go into perdition. and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.”
Zechariah 11:17 “Woe to the idol shepherd that leaves the flock! The sword shall be upon his arm, and upon his right eye: his arm shall be clean dried up, and his right eye shall be utterly darkened.”
These are the wounds the Antichrist is inflicted with. There will be a stunning recovery and the world will marvel. he will be a leader of a powerful group of nations and it will seem that he can’t be killed.
Daniel 9:27 “And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week (seven years, no time to explain), and in the middle of the week (3 1/2 years) he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease and for the overspreading of abomination…”
This is one of several verses that refer to the abomination of desolation. This is in the middle of the Tribulation period. The Antichrist will stop the Jewish sacrifices in the newly rebuilt temple.
Paul tells us in Thessalonians that he will declare himself to be God.
Details of this final effort of this military leader who wants world control and defeat of the plans of God Almighty.
Daniel 11:36-39 “And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvelous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done. Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all. But in his estate shall he honor the God of forces: and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honor with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things. Thus shall he do in the most strong holds with a strange god, whom he shall acknowledge and increase with glory: and he shall cause them to rule over many, and shall dived the land for gain.”
Rev. 13:18 “Here is wisdom. Let him that has understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is 666.”
The Bible says if you are smart enough you can figure out who this guy is. A mighty angel told Daniel the mystery would not be understood until the end.
We are close so how about you figuring out who this guys is and letting us all in on the mystery.
Clay Writer
End Times Tribulation Watch 