REVELATION - 13 1-8

 N.T. in a year reading & study, verses R paraphrased [  ] references {  } thots

BOOK OF REVELATION

{Chapter 13 begins the third and last version of the vision. But from a modern geopolitical perspective. The three versions rejoin at the sounding of the seventh trumpet.

When we left off last week (or so) the dragon was raging. And he was turning his attention more fully upon “the faith’s other children who have the commandments of God and” - by then - “the testimony of Jesus” - Mt.23:39, Rev.7:9. (Which testimony was always their’s ..and then also the nations’.)

So, end of Revelation chapter 12, being also the end of one of three tellings of the vision, surely(?) delivers us to Revelation 16’s gathering to Armageddon battle (Mt.13:30). The chapter concluding with — “..And the dragon stood on the sand of the sea shore”.. HOW he turns his rage upon Israel and takes the world to Armageddon, is chapter 13.

     13:1 - And I (John) saw a {many headed geopolitical} beast {entity, institution} rising up out of the sea [of humanity]. It had ten horns and seven different heads. It had ten crowns upon the ten horns. And upon the heads of it, were inscribed names of blasphemy [blasphémia - slander]. {The spiritual and psychological energy, roar of the dragon, is slander, accusation, rage, hatred which is, of course, madness..} 2 And the beast that I saw was like a leopard {quick?}. But it had feet like a bear's {totalitarian?}. And its mouth was like a lion's mouth {a roman/graeco institution?} {All predator beasts.} But it was the dragon that gave to it, his power, throne and great authority. {Political, societal, ‘global’ king like rule.}

     3 One of the heads of the beast seemed to have had a fatal wound {expired} but the fatal wound was healed {after the 13:13 event, and it comes about that} the whole world admires and follows after the beast. 4 And (so) they revered the dragon, who had given the authority to the beast, and they revered the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast? And who can make war against it?” [Polemeó - wage war, fight, to engage in battle, quarrel; proskuneó - worship, bow down; exousia - authority, power, right, jurisdiction.]

    5 And was given to the beast, a mouth uttering haughty, slanderous and blasphemous words, and it was allowed to exercise {all} authority for forty-two months. {This is the second 42 months/3.5 years of the lauded peace [covenant, treaty, league] that alas, will only last seven years, and will be broken in the middle against Israel - Rev.12:1;, Dan.12:11 with Lk.19:41,44.}

     6 It {the many headed geopolitical beast which rose out of the sea of humanity} opened its mouth to utter slanders against God, blaspheming his name and his tabernacle, and those tabernacling in heaven. [Angels… cherubim; Father and Son (proto) only straight out from God one, so close both pour out God’s Spirit/Presence.] 7 Also it was allowed to make war against the saints [believers/followers] and to conquer them. And authority was given to it over every tribe, people, language and nation. 8 And all who dwell upon earth will revere it, everyone whose name has not {yet} been written in the book of life of the lamb who was slain from the founding [katabolé - laying down] of the world [kosmos - order, the world, a properly ordered system, universe, creation].

Next - 13:9-13

Full study: bibleprophecy4today at blogspot dot com oR - Bible Prophecy For Today