Reverse Overcoming - Rumor notes 106

 Revelation 13

7 It 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.

It was given to him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them

The 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. (Revelation 13:2)

This presents a troubling concept leading many to have serious reservations about God's trustworthiness. Our it is our limited understanding of the larger backstory and the issues involved that causes us to doubt God's goodness. We assume this is saying that God hands over saints to the enemy to be defeated by his sinister exploitation. This raises suspicions about God's faithfulness and what it should look like for God to care about His children when the evidence seems to indicate the very opposite. This was the issue in the story of Job, and it troubles most everyone at some point. We have to wrestle with this honestly if we want to move deeper into the kind of trust that was perfected by Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane and offers to us for our times of darkness.

Just because God grants permission for His enemies to have access to viciously attack His faithful children does not prove that God shares some of Satan's disposition towards us. What we must appreciate is that the issues that must be settled on the cosmic level far beyond our capacity to comprehend, involves moral dilemmas that sometimes appear to contradict the truth as revealed by Jesus. Yet this same Jesus Himself experienced fully this moral dilemma and fought His way through it by choosing to trust His Father's will over every feeling, emotion and craving to stay alive, surrendering control over his circumstances and even His will to be superseded by God's objective will even when it clearly meant certain suffering and death.

Such a choice is not a compromise of the truth about God's love, but rather a choice to believe that God's heart is always better than our perspective regardless of how it makes us feel. Believing our feelings over trusting God's heart is the sure path toward opening a door to the enemy. Possibly that may be part of why it is allowed to happen to the saints at this time, for this may well be part of the final purging process, the refining process necessary to prepare their condition to be liberated from our penchant to give priority to our feelings rather than choosing to consistently rest in God's love regardless of the apparent perceived outcome.

"Simon, Simon, listen! Satan has demanded to sift all of you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your own faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned back, strengthen your brothers." (Luke 22:31-32 NRSV)

Ultimately it is God who is being judged by all of us, not the other way around. The dissonance caused in our hearts and minds at the thought of God allowing us to be overcome by the enemy is not signaling that God is untrustworthy but rather that our distrust of Him runs so deep that it requires more than we care to think about or want to experience in order to rid us of self-dependency, all self-defensiveness, all pride and shame, leading us to throw ourselves entirely on the mercy and faithfulness of the One who created us for intimacy with God. This is what is called the time of Jacob's trouble, for the experience Jacob went through that night was a fight against his own internal confusion and double-minded thinking about God inhibiting him from surrendering entirely to God's relentless love for him. This is the same experience we must pass through if we are to be prepared to safely enter the intensity of the presence of the Lamb and holy angels of God.

These are the words that Yahweh spoke concerning Israel and concerning Judah. For thus says Yahweh: We have heard a voice of trembling, of fear, and not of peace. Ask now, and see whether a man does travail with child: why do I see every man with his hands on his waist, as a woman in travail, and all faces are turned into paleness? Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob's trouble; but he shall be saved out of it. (...out of it is not found in the original Hebrew. The word saved means to be open, wide or free; to be safe. This is not being saved from what is happening but rather healed by it, liberated from the internal lies, fears and distrust by passing through this experience. The following verses expand on this as it may be our rite of passage into a whole new condition of true freedom. This reveals our need to die to our old familiar self in order to enter into life through a new birth of heart perspective, for the life Jesus came to provide us.)

It shall come to pass in that day, says Yahweh of Armies, that I will break his yoke from off your neck, and will burst your bonds; and strangers shall no more make him their bondservant; but they shall serve Yahweh their God, and David their king, whom I will raise up to them. Therefore don't you be afraid, O Jacob my servant, says Yahweh; neither be dismayed, Israel: for, behold, I will save you from afar, and your seed from the land of their captivity; and Jacob shall return, and shall be quiet and at ease, and none shall make him afraid. For I am with you, says Yahweh, to save you: for I will make a full end of all the nations where I have scattered you, but I will not make a full end of you; but I will correct you in measure, and will in no way leave you unpunished. (God relays promises of a positive outcome before warning of the extremely painful truth of our present condition.)

For thus says Yahweh, Your hurt is incurable, and your wound grievous. There is none to plead your cause, that you may be bound up: you have no healing medicines. All your lovers have forgotten you; they don't seek you: for I have wounded you with the wound of an enemy, with the chastisement of a cruel one, for the greatness of your iniquity, because your sins were increased. Why cry you for your hurt? your pain is incurable: for the greatness of your iniquity, because your sins were increased, I have done these things to you. (Faithful are the wounds of a friend; although the kisses of an enemy are profuse. (Proverbs 27:6) This is like a doctor explaining the suffering that must necessarily be experienced to bring about healing and achieve full restoration to health. What is incurable is our false identity we have lived under our whole life. That false identity has to die so that our true identity in Christ may thrive and displace it entirely. No other solution can accomplish this.)

Therefore all those who devour you shall be devoured; and all your adversaries, everyone of them, shall go into captivity; and those who despoil you shall be a spoil, and all who prey on you will I give for a prey. For I will restore health to you, and I will heal you of your wounds, says Yahweh; because they have called you an outcast, saying, It is Zion, whom no man seeks after. (Jeremiah 30:4-17) This involves the real mortal wound in need of healing that is counterfeited by the beast of Revelation 13.

As terrifying as it is to realize what it takes to be restored to full health spiritually and emotionally, we still must give God permission to do whatever it takes in us, choosing to trust His heart of love. The good news is that He promises to be with us through this extremely painful process of ridding our heart of every trace of resistance to love so we can be brought into a condition of implicit trust in God's heart. This experience is essential to ensure the future security of the universe where only love reigns supreme, free of all fear, suffering, shame or death.

Some men's sins are evident, preceding them to judgment, and some also follow later. (1 Timothy 5:24)

What does this mean? Our personal consent has to be involved in this process of purification, not by trying harder to overcome sin but giving permission/authority to God so He is allowed to wrestle with us against the internal lies, confusion, shame messages, pride and anything that sets itself up against a knowledge of Him that prevents us from living joyfully in the powerful presence of the pure, passionate love of God. As we allow the Spirit of truth and love to expose us now, the power of His love makes our sins evident, meaning we are exposed by judgment now instead of later after it is too late for our character to be transformed into His likeness.

This is the judgment, that the light has come into the world....he who does the truth comes to the light, that his works may be revealed, that they have been done in God. (John 3:19,21)

Authority over every tribe, people, language, and nation was given to him

This word authority means power over, access to interfere or meddle in someone else's life. Satan was granted access to Job, meaning he was allowed authority to exercise his supernatural powers in Job's life that resulted in all the tragedies that transpired in Job's situation that were then attributed to God as being the cause. Did this authority come only from God, or were Job's actions revealing his mindset in the beginning of the story part of why authority was released to Satan? Some feel this was the case. What is important is that the pattern of Job's experience will be repeated again in the lives of all who are willing to be refined like Job was so as to be cleansed of everything that is not reflective of God's pure heart of love.

I saw, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them; until the ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the Most High, and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom. Thus he said, The fourth animal shall be a fourth kingdom on earth, which shall be diverse from all the kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.

As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom shall ten kings arise: and another shall arise after them; and he shall be diverse from the former, and he shall put down three kings. He shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High; and he shall think to change the times and the law; and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and half a time. But the judgment shall be set, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it to the end. The kingdom and the dominion, and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole sky, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High: his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him. (Daniel 7:21-27)

This authority given to this beast power involves both kinds of authority. Counterfeit authority is the top-down system of hierarchy which is how Satan and all the kingdoms of this world exercise power. Clearly in this passage power/authority is given to the beast directly from the dragon whose version of power is coercive and cruel. Yet at the same time release of protection is granted by God that allows the saints to be overcome by the beast warring against them. As we have seen, this overcoming is temporary but very necessary in order to cleanse them of all lurking sympathies with the beast's and dragon's version of God. Parallel to this, all the rest of the identifiers used to define people groups in our world are brought under subjection to the tyranny of this beast power, and that is because they believe in this kind of power more than the power of love alone.

According to the way real authority operates, it is granted through consent by those who are ruled over by their own choice as to who will rule over them. All who cling to notions that God should govern by means of force or other methods of Satan, give this beast their authority to rule over them by these methods of control. Why? Because they believe this is the only effective way to govern. This is the danger of allowing any sympathy to remain in the heart for the assertions of the dragon as to how God should achieve victory. When we sympathize with his methods of warfare and winning, we open the way for him to exert his power in our lives because we are already sanctioning his weaponry and tactics rather than relying on the methods and motives of the Lamb.

Jesus answered, "My Kingdom is not of this world. If my Kingdom were of this world, then my servants would fight, that I wouldn't be delivered to the Jews. But now my Kingdom is not from here." (John 18:36)

For though we walk in the flesh, we don't wage war according to the flesh; for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but mighty before God to the throwing down of strongholds, throwing down imaginations and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God, and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ; (2 Corinthians 10:3-5)

Authority over every tribe, people, language, and nation was given to him

This refining process that purges the mind and heart of each person who chooses to follow the Lamb fully and be conformed into His image and likeness, is glimpsed in how people groups are mentioned in the praise for the Lamb during its introduction in chapter 5. This is in direct contrast with the song of those who dwell on the earth who sing praises to the power of the beast and how intimidating it is to challenge its authority. In fact, the song in chapter 5 is the answer to the question in its counterpart about who is able to make war against the beast.

They sang a new song, saying, "You are worthy to take the book, and to open its seals: for you were killed, and bought us for God with your blood, out of every tribe, language, people, and nation, and made us kings and priests to our God, and we will reign on earth." (Revelation 5:9-10)

The Lamb condenses these divisive labels by replacing them with unity in place of disparity. What is highlighted here is competing authority between the Lamb and this beast both relating to the same list of identities. The beast is given authority over these ways that we segregate ourselves from others, while the Lamb relates to this same issue in a completely different way.

I saw an angel flying in mid heaven, having an eternal Good News to proclaim to those who dwell on the earth, and to every nation, tribe, language, and people. He said with a loud voice, "Fear the Lord, and give him glory; for the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and the springs of waters!" (Revelation 14:6-7)

We see how the issue of worship is central to all these passages involving this list. In chapter 5, all those with heaven's perspective honor and worship the Lamb because of how He has brought unity out of divisiveness by sacrificing His own life blood to win their trust and affection. By contrast, this beast uses opposite methods and motives to exert tyrannical control over all these classifications in order to exalt itself and compel their worship.

Worship involves where we get our sense of identity and purpose. This list is a reminder that there are really only two options for worship: we will either follow and trust the Lamb's version of truth, of God's disposition and character, or we will embrace the divisive ways of the dragon as enforced by his surrogates. We will either fear God, meaning we believe Him and what He says about us our highest priority above anyone else, or we will live in fear of man, what others think about us or intimidated by what they might do to us if we do not comply with their demands.

I see a progression of relationships in this list that may be something to consider.

Tribe = clan, those sharing the same habits and culture, our extended family group.

Tongue = language. This was the means of dividing (un-unifying) humanity at the tower of Babel.

Nation = ethnicity, race, especially in regards to foreigners.

People is listed here in some versions but not in KJV. However it does show up in Revelation 5:9.

What could be observed here is a progression from local and familiar to distant and foreign. I believe this may be significant as the effects of Satan's system is the cause of disparity, divisiveness, competitiveness and prejudices even while asserting it is seeking unity. The unity sought by our world's system are attempted through means foreign to the kingdom of heaven, while the unity brought about by submitting to the Lamb and embracing His motives and methods results in restoration of healthy relationships of trust and love while maintaining complete freedom for all.

This list begins with the unity or cohesion experienced by growing up in our immediate family and then expands to our relatives defining our larger group identity who have the most affect on how we perceive who we are, where we belong and what it looks like to act like ourselves. Our family and our extended clan is our tribe. This is where we develop our distinct habits, expectations, culture and taboos that shape how we perceive reality and how we relate to the rest of the world beyond our tribal cultural, emotional and spiritual borders. This involves not only our primary language with which we communicate, but includes the nuances and idiosyncrasies of our shared forms of expression constituting our unique culture.

Language is the second classification that interferes with unity and can be a cause of division between peoples of this world. It began in the story of the tower of Babel from which Babylon later emerged. In Revelation we are called to come out of Babylon, yet this is not merely about superficial separation but rather being divested of the divisive artificial identifiers by which we judge each other and identify ourselves as better or worse than others.

The whole earth was of one language and of one speech. (Genesis 11:1)

This verse contains some key information relevant to what we are studying right now.

Language: the idea of termination; the lip (as a natural boundary); by implication, language; bank, binding, border, brim, brink, edge, language, lip, seashore, side, speech, talk, words.

Speech: a word; by implication, a matter or thing; a cause: commune, communication, counsel, judgment, message, purpose, song, thought, work.

There is more from the definitions I did not list here, but the sense that comes to me is that what was happening was a solidification of disposition in nearly everyone alive, setting their minds on a unified direction in reaction to the flood just finished. This was posturing them onto a fast track that if allowed to play out would return them to a condition just like before the flood. This would have returned the human race to the same mindset of selfishness and continuous evil that had brought on the flood originally, so something needed to happen to disrupt and slow down this trajectory toward chaos and continuous evil everywhere.

When I compare these two words language and speech to see how they relate to each other, it appears the first word refers to the intended boundary designed to limit evil from taking over fully again as it had done before the flood. In other words, the will is supposed to limit what is allowed to come out of the lips that if released, will affect others just as words and songs synchronize how we perceive reality and tends to unify the direction of our thoughts and feelings collectively.

As an aside, I find this providing credibility to what someone recently proposed to me about this story. They suggested that possibly before this disruption of how people freely communicated, people used their voices primarily to sing what they communicated rather than using speech as we are accustomed to doing. Music provides a far greater dimension for communicating ideas with strong emotional links that speech alone cannot provide. Thus by delinking conversation from the carrier of musical expression, language became severely limited in its capacity to unify or even convey accurately what people are trying share. In other words, by disrupting our capacity to express freely our thoughts and ideas expressed through musical tones and lyrics, the devolution of humanity sped up greatly, but at the same time the spread of evil was greatly inhibited too.

They said, "Come, let's build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top reaches to the sky, and let's make ourselves a name, lest we be scattered abroad on the surface of the whole earth." (Genesis 11:4)

Yahweh came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men built. Yahweh said, "Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language, and this is what they begin to do. Now nothing will be withheld from them [no natural restraints to prevent a repeat of what happened before the flood], which they intend to do. Come, let's go down, and there confuse [introduce an inhibiting factor to slow down their rush to unify the world in abject wickedness all over again] their language [the natural boundary of the lips that is no longer working as designed to limit and filter expression], that they may not understand one another's speech." So Yahweh scattered them abroad from there on the surface of all the earth. They stopped building the city. (Genesis 11:5-8)

Confuse: to overflow, specifically with oil. By implication, to mix; also confound, fade, mingle, mix, temper.

While diversity of ethnic races and languages is sometimes celebrated as wonderful and healthy, it is also the root of much prejudice and even hostility towards those who don't share a common history or culture. The selfish nature we inherit from Adam originated with the ancient serpent in Eden. This leads us to assume our way of thinking, living and prioritizing is the right way, while others who live differently are viewed with suspicion or even hostility. This is the legacy of growing up in this world and is reflected in divisive labels used to identity differences. This also results in resistance to embracing the truth that we are all in fact one single family.

He made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the surface of the earth, having determined appointed seasons, and the boundaries of their dwellings, that they should seek the Lord, if perhaps they might reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. 'For in him we live, and move, and have our being.' As some of your own poets have said, 'For we are also his offspring.' (Acts 17:26-28)

The man called his wife Eve, because she was the mother of all living. (Genesis 3:20)

These three were the sons of Noah, and from these, the whole earth was populated. (Genesis 9:19)

Don't we all have one father? Hasn't one God created us? Why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, profaning the covenant of our fathers? (Malachi 2:10)

Therefore, as sin entered into the world through one man, and death through sin; and so death passed to all men, because all sinned. (Romans 5:12)

I said, "You are gods, all of you are sons of the Most High. Nevertheless you shall die like men, and fall like one of the rulers." (Psalms 82:6-7)

One of the outcomes of the separation of the united thinking of all peoples of earth at the collapse of the tower of Babel was the development of the concept of separate nations around the world.

Nation: a large body of people, associated with a particular territory, that is sufficiently conscious of its unity to seek or to possess a government peculiarly its own.

an aggregation of persons of the same ethnic family, often speaking the same language or derivative languages.

A distinct government means a political entity used to unite a group of people into what we think of as a nation or a country. While this is often celebrated as a healthy concept in our world, it is actually part of the effects that sin has brought to our world, for independent governments means that they no longer recognize or live under the authority of any other government. This has roots far back in history before even the creation of this world, for it was in heaven that the first rebellion against the government of God led to the existence of separate governments that have multiplied ever since.

The conflicts between nations and empires and competing governments mars the history of our world ever since the emergence of defining artificial distinctions between peoples based on things such as geographical boundaries, ethnic differences, variations in speech and language or even arbitrary creation of countries after violent warfare. Some countries today were intentionally created from disparate people groups in order to weaken their ability to unite to mitigate them becoming a serious threat to other nations around them.

All of this is part of the divisive nature of sin and selfishness that is often expressed through violent power compelling people to live under the control of others and forced to submit to artificial group identity imposed on whole nations with or without the people's consent. The natural outcome of all of this divisive labeling and separating of people on this planet is that it violates the natural design for which we are created that alone brings life. Getting our identity from these inhibits our giving first priority to our true identity as all children of one family under the government of heaven.

But the free gift isn't like the trespass. For if by the trespass of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God, and the gift by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many. (Romans 5:15)

For as through the one man's disobedience many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the one, many will be made righteous. (Romans 5:19)

For since death came by man, the resurrection of the dead also came by man. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. (1 Corinthians 15:21-22)

For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void, and the promise is made of no effect. For the law works wrath, for where there is no law, neither is there disobedience. For this cause it is of faith, that it may be according to grace, to the end that the promise may be sure to all the seed, not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all. (Romans 4:14-16)

What we find in this study of Revelation 13 is a final push by this beast power relying on the kind of authority the dragon utilizes to unite the entire planet into a single system controlled by means of hierarchy which is foreign to how heaven governs as it defaces the image of God in humankind. By seeking to impose its own arbitrary identity on people, it may temporarily appear to resolve the problems caused by differences by unifying the world under one leader. Yet despite all efforts to compel everyone to unite into one group identity, in the end it cannot succeed, not because God will intervene with force to prevent it, but because the human heart cannot long live under such duress.

This is the problem with Satan's entire counterfeit system. It asserts that unity must be achieved through a balance of good and evil and that this is the only way to maintain order and cohesion in society. Yet the divisive nature of its very design means the human heart longing for freedom cannot long function under repression until it reacts in rebellion against authoritarian control. Thus the core fault of Satan's entire system of governance is that its very design will ultimately lead to its demise. It is not God who will have to impose a forced resolution to the problem of sin and rebellion, for the seeds of death are embedded in the very design of the counterfeit system itself, meaning that in the end evil has no other option than to destroy itself along with all who refuse to receive a love of the truth.

As we work through this chapter we shall observe the tactics relied on by this beast, along with all the other entities that will emerge and synchronize with it. These will seek to enforce their version of unity on the whole world to unify it in worship of the dragon. The government and religions of this world symbolized in Revelation are exhibitions of Satan's desperate attempts to prove that given enough time, his system of law and order really can succeed in uniting society under one leader. The sentiments expressed by those building the tower reaching up to heaven at Babel, continue to the end of time and there find re-expression in the sentiments and actions of what is referred to in this book as Babylon, the symbol of what was initially attempted at Babel.

They said, "Come, let's build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top reaches to the sky, and let's make ourselves a name, lest we be scattered abroad on the surface of the whole earth." (Genesis 11:4)

Jesus pointed out accurately that a kingdom divided against itself ultimately cannot stand. Empires may appear to be unified and strong for many years, yet governments relying on the principles of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil will ultimately will face demise, because death is the natural outcome of living out of harmony with the principles of agape love that alone provides access to the only Source of life that exists.

One last question to consider in this verse. Why is the target of the warring by the beast directed at the saints? Why are the saints, those loyal to living under God's design and governance, considered such a threat to this world that they must be singled out and eliminated in order that full authority and unity may be achieved on earth?

The kind of authority exercised by all the powers of this world is authoritarian power that imposes a top-down hierarchy relying on threats and compulsion to achieve unity. The symbols of saints refers to all who have chosen a different model of social order that presents a mortal threat to the kingdoms of this world because it exposes the fatal flaw of their very foundation of existence. The law of love is also the law of liberty, meaning that so long as people exist who exhibit the joy of living free of fear and refuse to participate in using compulsion to achieve unity through forced compliance, such a testimony presents a threat that undermines the very authority by which earthly governments stay in power. This is why these beast powers view it as essential to eliminate all evidence of the Lamb's version of unity, for love and fear cannot occupy the same heart at once. Thus the saints must be silenced and their witness must be obliterated so that the unity of fear can reign supreme to prove it is essential for maintaining the rule of law in contrast to the apparent weakness of love that grants total freedom to everyone.

Blasphemy - Rumor notes 105

 Revelation 13

5 A mouth speaking great things and blasphemy was given to him. Authority to make war for forty-two months was given to him. 6 He opened his mouth for blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his dwelling, those who dwell in heaven. 7 It 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.

A mouth speaking great things and blasphemy was given to him

They 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?" (Revelation 13:4)

This blasphemy is part of what comes with the authority from the dragon. The dragon is a potty mouth, and the very name Satan means accuser, which is what he does incessantly. His derogatory accusations are blasphemy, for blasphemy means deliberately misrepresenting and attacking God's reputation. It involves intentionally lying about God, seeking to deface His reflection in creation, ruining His reputation and slandering His character.

The fourth poured out his bowl on the sun, and it was given to him to scorch men with fire. People were scorched with great heat, and people blasphemed the name of God who has the power over these plagues. They didn't repent and give him glory. The fifth poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom was darkened. They gnawed their tongues because of the pain, and they blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores. They didn't repent of their works. (Revelation 16:8-11)

Great hailstones, about the weight of a talent, came down out of the sky on people. People blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, for this plague is exceedingly severe. (Revelation 16:21)

Whenever people insist that God must resort to using methods of the dragon to accomplish His will, defeat His enemies or protect His allies, they are aligning with the slander of Satan saying that God has selfish motives just like those in rebellion to His law of love. Doing so puts us in participation with this blasphemy inspired by the spirit of the beast.

Notice who it is screaming that the God of heaven is behind the scorching heat of the son, the cause of dreadful pains and sores and the instigator of the severe plague of hail. It is the people identified as blaspheming, those refusing to repent and give God glory who rehearse this mantra. Instead of believing the truth of God's consistent goodness, they continually blame Him for all the bad things happening to them. This was the problem of the Israelites in the desert. Sadly for too long we have joined them in similar accusations. It is time to reconsider what we accuse God of doing and being.

Additionally, indulging in lust and falling into temptation by those claiming to reflect God can encourage blasphemy in others.

David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against Yahweh." Nathan said to David, "Yahweh also has put away your sin. You will not die. However, because by this deed you have given great occasion to Yahweh's enemies to blaspheme, the child also who is born to you shall surely die." (2 Samuel 12:13-14)

Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah, saying, Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel, Whereas you have prayed to me against Sennacherib king of Assyria, I have heard you. This is the word that Yahweh has spoken concerning him: The virgin daughter of Zion has despised you and ridiculed you; the daughter of Jerusalem has shaken her head at you. Whom have you defied and blasphemed? and against whom have you exalted your voice and lifted up your eyes on high? even against the Holy One of Israel.

By your messengers you have defied the Lord, and have said, With the multitude of my chariots am I come up to the height of the mountains, to the innermost parts of Lebanon; and I will cut down the tall cedars of it, and the choice fir trees of it; and I will enter into his farthest lodging place, the forest of his fruitful field. I have dug and drunk strange waters, and with the sole of my feet will I dry up all the rivers of Egypt.

Haven't you heard how I have done it long ago, and formed it of ancient times? now have I brought it to pass, that it should be yours to lay waste fortified cities into ruinous heaps. Therefore their inhabitants were of small power, they were dismayed and confounded; they were as the grass of the field, and as the green herb, as the grass on the housetops, and as grain blasted before it is grown up. But I know your sitting down, and your going out, and your coming in, and your raging against me. Because of your raging against me, and because your arrogance is come up into my ears, therefore will I put my hook in your nose, and my bridle in your lips, and I will turn you back by the way by which you came. (2 Kings 19:20-28)

How you have fallen from heaven, morning star, son of the dawn! How you are cut down to the ground, who laid the nations low! You said in your heart, "I will ascend into heaven! I will exalt my throne above the stars of God! I will sit on the mountain of assembly, in the far north! I will ascend above the heights of the clouds! I will make myself like the Most High!" Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, to the depths of the pit. (Isaiah 14:12-15)

By the way, how does he exalt his throne? This is a central part of blasphemy, and the following verse exposes the nature of his means of subverting honor and allegiance away from God.

Shall the throne of wickedness have fellowship with you, which brings about mischief by statute? (Psalms 94:20)

Yes, when they had made them a molten calf, and said, This is your God who brought you up out of Egypt, and had committed awful blasphemies; yet you in your manifold mercies didn't forsake them in the wilderness: the pillar of cloud didn't depart from over them by day, to lead them in the way; neither the pillar of fire by night, to show them light, and the way in which they should go. (Nehemiah 9:18-19)

Nevertheless they were disobedient, and rebelled against you, and cast your law behind their back, and killed your prophets that testified against them to turn them again to you, and they committed awful blasphemies. (Nehemiah 9:26)

How long, God, shall the adversary reproach? Shall the enemy blaspheme your name forever? (Psalms 74:10)

Remember this, that the enemy has mocked you, Yahweh. Foolish people have blasphemed your name. (Psalms 74:18)

Awake, awake, put on your strength, Zion; put on your beautiful garments, Jerusalem, the holy city: for henceforth there shall no more come into you the uncircumcised and the unclean. Shake yourself from the dust; arise, sit on your throne, Jerusalem: loose yourself from the bonds of your neck, captive daughter of Zion. For thus says Yahweh, You were sold for nothing; and you shall be redeemed without money.

For thus says the Lord Yahweh, My people went down at the first into Egypt to sojourn there: and the Assyrian has oppressed them without cause. Now therefore, what do I here, says Yahweh, seeing that my people is taken away for nothing? those who rule over them do howl, says Yahweh, and my name continually all the day is blasphemed.

Therefore my people shall know my name: therefore they shall know in that day that I am he who does speak; behold, it is I. How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of good, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, Your God reigns!

The voice of your watchmen! they lift up the voice, together do they sing; for they shall see eye to eye, when Yahweh returns to Zion. Break forth into joy, sing together, you waste places of Jerusalem; for Yahweh has comforted his people, he has redeemed Jerusalem. Yahweh has made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. (Isaiah 52:1-10)

Notice particularly this method presented here for addressing the problem involving blasphemy. It is also how the salvation of God's reputation is accomplished. The solution to resolving all of these problems brought about by sin, distrust and separation from God, is the opposite of what causes sin and blasphemy in the first place. It is engaging the New Song, focusing on the only true source of strength which is soaking in and sharing the true gospel of God's goodness. This alone is the effective antidote to defeat all evil and to bring us into our true identity as overcomers.

Awake, awake, put on your strength, Zion; put on your beautiful garments

Shake yourself from the dust; arise, sit on your throne

loose yourself from the bonds of your neck

know my name...know in that day that I am he who does speak; behold, it is I

beautiful on the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of good, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, Your God reigns

lift up the voice, together do they sing

see eye to eye

Break forth into joy, sing together

This is how God's salvation is accomplished, when His reflectors on earth embrace the New Song which is revealing the real truth about God's heart so that evil loses all of its seductive, deceptive power over our hearts and minds. This is how the Lamb leads His followers to victory, when they overcome the same way Jesus overcame, by reflecting perfectly the agape love of God's heart continually in praise, gratitude, forgiveness, humility, kindness and love received into the heart and reflected to others without resistance at all times and in all circumstances.

But the things which proceed out of the mouth come out of the heart, and they defile the man. For out of the heart come forth evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, sexual sins, thefts, false testimony, and blasphemies. (Matthew 15:18-19)

Most certainly I tell you, all sins of the descendants of man will be forgiven, including their blasphemies with which they may blaspheme; but whoever may blaspheme against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin. (Mark 3:28-29)

What is the reason for this condition of losing access to forgiveness? An eternal sin could be caused by perpetual resistance, meaning a person refuses to quit doing it, refuses to repent, to change their opinion, their thinking, their decided entrenched beliefs about God, thus resisting forgiveness.

To summarize what we have looked at in relation to the meaning of blasphemy, here is a list.

Accusing God of being the source of plagues, torment and deliberate harm.

Claiming that God's character is reflected in the sins and exploitation done by His followers.

Defying God by asserting that ability to overwhelm God's chosen people proves that He is too weak to defend them, when it was actually God's power withdrawn that allowed it to happen.

Exalting one's self in importance in attempts to displace God's place of honor and esteem in the hearts of created beings.

Giving credit to other gods for the wonderful works of salvation provided by God.

Turning one's back on God's principles and laws and attacking the messengers sent by Him.

Foolish people mocking God's reputation and character.

Oppressing God's people without cause is continually blaspheming God's reputation.

Blasphemy, along with all other evil, originates in the heart and finds outward expression.

Blaspheming the Holy Spirit is impossible to forgive, not because God retains a spirit of offense, but because forgiveness can only be experienced by cooperation with the Spirit.

Authority to make war for forty-two months was given to him

He shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High; and he shall think to change the times and the law; and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and half a time. (Daniel 7:25)

Most of these concepts have been reviewed extensively in previous studies. The nature of authority, both as exercised in God's original design as well as the counterfeit version we are accustomed to in hierarchy, have been discussed many times here. Likewise the concept of making war has been examined repeatedly and will continue to surface, both in this chapter and throughout the book. This war is an extension of the initial war carried out in heaven with Michael originally and now being repeated on earth, even after the invasion of heaven by the incarnation of God's Son to recapture lost territory. Also the 42 months is one of the various labels given to the same length of prophetic time that we have seen surfacing recently, and the phrase given to him has been reviewed recently in this same chapter and even the first part of this verse in our last study. Because of this I would like to move forward to other themes and insights maybe not so thoroughly examined as we move through the center of this book into even more turbulent metaphoric waters.

A pattern that may be noted here is that verses 5 through 10 could be seen as amplifying and expanding verses 1 through 4. This also coincides with a similar prophecy found in Daniel 7 where these same events are given in even more detail involving the little horn who greatly exalts itself by relying on dragon-like powers and with similar disposition.

He opened his mouth for blasphemy against God

This statement is a preamble for the following list of three specific items that parallels a similar list of three seen near the end of this chapter. This is no coincidence as they may well relate to the same thing. This list is God's name, His dwelling and those who dwell with Him. At the end of this chapter where we examine the meaning of the mark of the beast, what becomes more clear is that it is not merely a single mark that is dangerous to have but rather three different and distinct identifiers.

He 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; and that no one would be able to buy or to sell, unless he has that mark, the name of the beast or the number of his name. (Revelation 13:16-17)

How might these two lists align with each other?

If we put them side by side and observe what aligns, it could look like this.

God's name vs. the name of the beast

God's dwelling vs. the mark of the beast.

Those who dwell in heaven (144,000?) vs. the number (666) of the name of the beast.

First let's look at what the symbols may mean. God's name references His true character. This is in contrast to the opposite character of the beast reflecting the character of the dragon Satan, the devil, the archenemy of God. So the first pair could be summarized as relating to character or nature.

Next let's go to the end of the list and then come back to the second. Those who dwell in heaven refers to all who have chosen to embrace their true identity in Christ and consent for Christ to dwell in them. In doing so their ID from heaven's perspective is that they already dwell in heaven, for heaven is wherever the presence of God's Spirit is allowed to have full access. How could this correspond to the number of the beast? What if this number is like an address describing where one dwells? Those who embrace the ways, motives and methods of the Lamb exclusively, refusing to be sucked into the motives and methods of the dragon and his surrogates, have their address as located in heaven, not among all those who dwell on the earth. This theme runs throughout this book and is determined by who people have chosen to follow. Some have chosen to dwell in heaven, and the rest are those who choose to dwell on the earth. In the end these will be the only two classes of people left.

Now let's look at the second one, God's dwelling vs. the mark of the name of the beast. God's dwelling place is the hearts of all who are willing to be occupied by His Spirit alone. These are those who surrender to be transformed back into the true image of God as revealed by Jesus Christ. As a result their condition becomes conformed to their true identity as God's children. They learn to act like themselves because the same Spirit that actuated everything Jesus did while on earth actuates them. Thus the seal of God which is His Spirit, seals them as mentioned in chapter 7, and the glory of God's character reflected through them becomes permanent. This is in stark contrast to the mark which is evidence exhibited in the lives in all who embrace the identity of the dragon, his character of selfishness, rebellion and resistance to truth, mercy and the consistent kindness of God.

Before going into a deeper study of the mark of the beast, we can see that the important thing about it is the nature of its disposition, more so than merely outward symptoms resulting from this disposition. The mark is simply evidence of what the character inside is like. So choosing to follow the Lamb wherever He leads will reflect the disposition of the Lamb, while those rejecting that version of God receive the mark that identifies them as having the same view of God as Satan asserts Him to be like. Thus in all who allow God's Spirit to dwell in them, the reflection of their life will be the glory of His character in sharp contrast with the mark of ugliness that results from the defacing of God's image in all who refuse a love of the truth so that they might be saved.

...those who are being lost, because they didn't receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. (2 Thessalonians 2:10)

to blaspheme his name

What is God's name? Is it the string of sounds or syllables we use to identify who we imagine is in charge up in heaven? Many believe this is the most important thing to get right or He will be offended. Yet insisting that God will be offended if we say His name wrong, or we use the wrong language to address Him can be a distracting tactic of the enemy to keep us in constant fear of offending God. This is not the message brought to us by Jesus Christ the Son of God who brings the light of truth into the world resulting in judgment. It is the spirit of the accuser, and we must be weaned away from parroting his fears and superstitions in traditions that have manipulated our thinking and religion far too long. This view of God actually leads into danger of blasphemy, for those who follow the Lamb let go of all lies that darken their reflection of God's true character of pure agape love.

I saw, and behold, the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with him a number, one hundred forty-four thousand, having his name, and the name of his Father, written on their foreheads. (Revelation 14:1)

He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God, and he will go out from there no more. I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from my God, and my own new name. (Revelation 3:12)

His eyes are a flame of fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has names written and a name written which no one knows but he himself. He is clothed in a garment sprinkled with blood. His name is called "The Word of God." (Revelation 19:12-13)

They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. (Revelation 22:4)

Jacob asked him, "Please tell me your name." He said, "Why is it that you ask what my name is?" He blessed him there. (Genesis 32:29)

I want to interject that there are times when we miss huge opportunities to receive greater blessings from God because we fail to answer questions God brings to us. When we lose such opportunities, God respects our choice, yet He is likely saddened when we settle for something far less than what His magnanimous heart longs for us to experience if we would only respond to His questions.

Moses said to God, "Behold, when I come to the children of Israel, and tell them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you;' and they ask me, 'What is his name?' What should I tell them?" God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM," and he said, "You shall tell the children of Israel this: 'I AM has sent me to you.'" (Exodus 3:13-14)

Now therefore, if I have found favor in your sight, please show me now your ways, that I may know you, so that I may find favor in your sight: and consider that this nation is your people." He said, "My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest." He said to him, "If your presence doesn't go with me, don't carry us up from here. For how would people know that I have found favor in your sight, I and your people? Isn't it in that you go with us, so that we are separated, I and your people, from all the people who are on the surface of the earth?"

Yahweh said to Moses, "I will do this thing also that you have spoken; for you have found favor in my sight, and I know you by name." He said, "Please show me your glory." He said, "I will make all my goodness pass before you, and will proclaim the name of Yahweh before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy." (Exodus 33:13-19)

Yahweh descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of Yahweh. Yahweh passed by before him, and proclaimed, "Yahweh! Yahweh, a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness and truth, keeping loving kindness for thousands, forgiving iniquity and disobedience and sin; and that will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, and on the children's children, on the third and on the fourth generation." Moses hurried and bowed his head toward the earth, and worshiped. (Exodus 34:5-8)

This whole chapter is filled with references to blasphemy related to this beast. It is the very nature of this beast. Here is Strong's definition of the word blasphemy: vilification (especially against God):--blasphemy, evil speaking, railing.

Here are a few more examples of what is involved in blasphemy.

yet even angels, although they are stronger and more powerful, do not bring slanderous accusations against such beings in the presence of the Lord. But these men blaspheme in matters they do not understand. They are like brute beasts, creatures of instinct, born only to be caught and destroyed, and like beasts they too will perish. (2 Peter 2:11-12 NIV)

But when the archangel Michael contended with the devil and disputed about the body of Moses, he did not dare to bring a condemnation of slander against him, but said, "The Lord rebuke you!" But these people slander whatever they do not understand, and they are destroyed by those things that, like irrational animals, they know by instinct. Woe to them! For they go the way of Cain, and abandon themselves to Balaam's error for the sake of gain, and perish in Korah's rebellion. (Jude 1:9-11 NRSV)

Blasphemy is denying or contradicting the truth about God, how God describes Himself and especially how His Son reveals Him specifically. Blasphemy is what Lucifer initiated in heaven where he first defamed God's reputation. One of our greatest temptations is to react in the same spirit as those who blaspheme, for this is not merely what is being said but also the spirit of the one communicating. It involves the motives which in turn reflect what we imagine God's disposition is towards us.

We are looking specifically at slandering God's name, His reputation. This means anything that misrepresents the truth about His character is to some extent under the category of blasphemy. But true blasphemy is intentional, motivated by the spirit of the original accuser, so we must guard against the contamination of the spirit rather than merely avoiding anything that slanders God's reputation. One can say good things about God while misrepresenting Him in a spirit foreign to the gentleness and kindness that defines the truth about God as revealed by Jesus.

his dwelling

The following passages make it clear that God's dwelling involves His people, not a location.

I heard a loud voice out of heaven saying, "Behold, God's dwelling is with people, and he will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. (Revelation 21:3)

Therefore they are before the throne of God, they serve him day and night in his temple. He who sits on the throne will spread his tent over them. (Revelation 7:15)

After these things I looked, and the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened. (Revelation 15:5)

Let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them. (Exodus 25:8)

For all the fullness was pleased to dwell in him; and through him to reconcile all things to himself, by him, whether things on the earth, or things in the heavens, having made peace through the blood of his cross. (Colossians 1:19-20)

For in him all the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily, and in him you are made full, who is the head of all principality and power; (Colossians 2:9-10)

Let no one deceive you in any way. For it will not be, unless the departure comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of destruction, he who opposes and exalts himself against all that is called God or that is worshiped; so that he sits as God in the temple of God, setting himself up as God. (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4)

So then you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God, being built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the chief cornerstone; in whom the whole building, fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are built together for a habitation of God in the Spirit. (Ephesians 2:19-22)

Don't you know that you are a temple of God, and that God's Spirit lives in you? If anyone destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him; for God's temple is holy, which you are. (1 Corinthians 3:16-17)

Or don't you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you, which you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. Therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

but Christ is faithful as a Son over his house; whose house we are, if we hold fast our confidence and the glorying of our hope firm to the end. (Hebrews 3:6)

those who dwell in heaven

Therefore rejoice, heavens, and you who dwell in them. Woe to the earth and to the sea, because the devil has gone down to you, having great wrath, knowing that he has but a short time." (Revelation 12:12)

"Rejoice over her, O heaven, you saints, apostles, and prophets; for God has judged your judgment on her." (Revelation 18:20)

After these things I heard something like a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, "Hallelujah! Salvation, power, and glory belong to our God: (Revelation 19:1)

Being asked by the Pharisees when the Kingdom of God would come, he answered them, "The Kingdom of God doesn't come with observation; neither will they say, 'Look, here!' or, 'Look, there!' for behold, the Kingdom of God is within you." (Luke 17:20-21)

Not for these only do I pray, but for those also who believe in me through their word, that they may all be one; even as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be one in us; that the world may believe that you sent me. The glory which you have given me, I have given to them; that they may be one, even as we are one; I in them, and you in me, that they may be perfected into one; that the world may know that you sent me, and loved them, even as you loved me. (John 17:20-23)

Fatal Wound Enigma - Rumor notes 104

 Revelation 13

3 One of his heads looked like it had been wounded fatally. His fatal wound was healed, and the whole earth marveled at the beast. 4 They 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?"

One of his heads looked like it had been wounded fatally

ten horns and seven heads. On his horns were ten crowns, and on his heads, blasphemous names. (v. 1)

There is only one of the seven heads that is wounded with an apparently fatal blow. Yet all of the heads have blasphemous names. We need to keep this in mind, for as we have noted above, the entire system of governance and this kind of authority is foreign to God's system because it was conceived in iniquity . What this passage highlights here is that one head in particular receives the great blow, meaning that likely this one entity likely was the most assertive, outspoken and aggressive in its rebellion against God's principles of love.

This head that is wounded is described more fully in the following verses.

A mouth speaking great things and blasphemy was given to him. Authority to make war for forty-two months was given to him. He opened his mouth for blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his dwelling, those who dwell in heaven. It 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. All 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. (Revelation 13:5-8)

This apparently fatal wound resonates with the very first prophecy given designed to bring hope after the initial entrance of sin into our world, indicating there would be a compelling pushback by the kingdom of light to resist the dominion of Satan.

I [Yahweh] will put enmity between you [serpent/dragon] and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will bruise your head, and you will bruise his heel. (Genesis 3:15)

I want to point out an important correlation between two events that may be alluded to here. First, Satan seized control of the dominion of this planet as soon as Adam acquiesced to eat from the Tree, relinquishing his dominion by presenting himself to serve the dragon through eating the fruit from the tree representing the serpent's form of governance.

Don't you know that to whom you present yourselves as servants to obedience, his servants you are whom you obey; whether of sin to death, or of obedience to righteousness? (Romans 6:16)

Humanity's head chose deliberately to obey the author of the counterfeit system of governance, so all of Adam's descendants were brought under the tyranny of slavery and lost their freedom collectively. That is the law of inheritance operating. Children born to slaves are also slaves and owned by the slave-master who owned their parents. This is what we are up against living in these last days longing for full deliverance from the power of our fallen flesh nature.

The first major blow to the dragon's authority happened when Jesus Christ resurrected from the dead, given Him the right to take away Satan's authority as representative of humanity in the courts of heaven to assume that position Himself. Additionally, the stunning revelation of the truth about God's character of pure love, light, truth and humility was exposed through the perfect reflection of God's heart in the human demonstration by the Son of Man. This caused the dragon to be exposed as the great fraud that he is and sent him scrambling to invent new deceptions to recover his credibility and to cover up and suppress the truth that had been released by Christ that was like a fatal blow to the entire system based on inventions originating in the head of the dragon.

Since then the children have shared in flesh and blood, he also himself in like manner partook of the same, that through death he might bring to nothing him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and might deliver all of them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. (Hebrews 2:14-15)

The arrest of the Pope in Rome in 1798 by a french general to put an end to the reign of terror propagated by the Holy Roman Empire was an apparently fatal wound not unlike the one the dragon had experienced around 1800 years previous. For a time it appeared that this wound would be irreversible, yet given enough time we see that this same power that received that mortal wound is coming back with even greater force, though presently still seeking to camouflage its true agenda until the time is ripe to reassert its power and make war on the saints of God to overcome them.

This reference to Rome must be kept in the forefront, for in the vision of Daniel it was represented by the fourth beast coming after the other three beasts already mentioned here in Revelation 13.

After this I saw in the night visions, and, behold, a fourth animal, awesome and powerful, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth; it devoured and broke in pieces, and stamped the residue with its feet: and it was diverse from all the animals that were before it; and it had ten horns. I considered the horns, and behold, there came up among them another horn, a little one, before which three of the first horns were plucked up by the roots: and behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking great things. (Daniel 7:7-8)

As political Rome weakened in power, its tactics and character were absorbed into a new amalgamation power that mingled both politics and religion, gaining ascendancy over other weaker powers until becoming the prominent force that dominated the Western hemisphere, ruling the world through relentless tyranny and relying on the principles and methods of the dragon in order to increase and assert its authority mercilessly until it confronted by the French revolution.

After this I kept looking in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrifying and extremely strong; and it had large iron teeth. It devoured and crushed and trampled down the remainder with its feet; and it was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns. While I was contemplating the horns, behold, another horn, a little one, came up among them, and three of the first horns were pulled out by the roots before it; and behold, this horn possessed eyes like the eyes of a man and a mouth uttering great boasts. (Daniel 7:7-8 NAS95)

I kept looking, and that horn was waging war with the saints and overpowering them (Daniel 7:21 NAS95)

As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings will arise; and another will arise after them, and he will be different from the previous ones and will subdue three kings. He will speak out against the Most High and wear down the saints of the Highest One, and he will intend to make alterations in times and in law; and they will be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time. (Daniel 7:24-25 NAS95)

This entity figures prominently in both the prophecies of Daniel as well as in Revelation, meaning that it must be a major player in the war between the dragon with the forces of darkness, against the Lamb leading all who choose to embrace the true light about God. This is given to alert us to watch and be ready in our minds and hearts in order that we not be caught unawares when these events explode in the last assaults initiated by the dragon in his fierce attempts to exterminate all who dare retain their loyalty to the Lamb and all that He stands for.

His fatal wound was healed

He 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. (Revelation 13:12)

He 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. (Revelation 13:14)

One way of 'healing' the apparent fatal wound that was initially delivered by the true Lamb who exposed the charges of Satan against God as invalid, has been through the development of a matrix of new compelling lies about the meaning of the cross of Christ. All the world generally embraces the lies of appeasement atonement that eclipses the radical revelation of the true atonement.

The second and primary application of this healing refers specifically to the recovery of papal power resurfacing presently and soon to be fully recovered in an astonishing display of religious and political clout. This will be achieved partly by gaining the admiration, cooperation and renewed authority from the world who gives it power to finally accomplish its original sinister goal of crushing out all resistance to its teachings and world domination.

This amalgamated beast worked ardently to reestablish old lies along with myriads of new ones until its power was curtailed by its overthrow in 1798. But again it strangely survived, primarily because the underlying misrepresentations of God developed by Satan have remained in tact, so despite the political blow dealt to this surrogate power by an earthly political power, the root belief system has been able to regain status in the world and strengthen its base until today it is once again poised to assert its power with the same motives and methods as that used by the dragon.

the whole earth marveled at the beast

I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. When I saw her, I wondered with great amazement. The angel said to me, "Why do you wonder? I will tell you the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and the ten horns. The beast that you saw was, and is not; and is about to come up out of the abyss and to go into destruction. Those who dwell on the earth and whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world will marvel when they see that the beast was, and is not, and shall be present. (Revelation 17:6-8)

These men are grumblers and faultfinders; they follow their own evil desires; they boast about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage. (Jude 1:16 NIV)

But there was a certain man, Simon by name, who used to practice sorcery in the city, and amazed the people of Samaria, making himself out to be some great one, to whom they all listened, from the least to the greatest, saying, "This man is that great power of God." They listened to him, because for a long time he had amazed them with his sorceries. (Acts 8:9-11)

Practice sorcery – magic, a magician, one who practices sorcery.

The word sorcery itself has very compelling inferences especially in what we are seeing happen around the world right now. Consider the chilling prediction of heaven in reference to how deception will be accomplished in the last days.

The light of a lamp will shine no more at all in you. The voice of the bridegroom and of the bride will be heard no more at all in you; for your merchants were the princes of the earth; for with your sorcery all the nations were deceived. (Revelation 18:23)

Here the word sorcery comes from the Greek word pharmakeia: medication ("pharmacy"), i.e. (by extension) magic (literally or figuratively):--sorcery, witchcraft.

In turn this word is based on another Greek word pharmakeus: from pharmakon (a drug, i.e. spell-giving potion); a druggist ("pharmacist") or poisoner, i.e. (by extension) a magician:--sorcerer.

In the Hebrew this word is `anan and means to cover; to cloud over; figuratively, to act covertly, i.e. practice magic, enchanter, observer of times, soothsayer, sorcerer. It also means a cloud (as covering the sky), i.e. the nimbus or thunder-cloud: cloudy.

With these clear definitions relating to deception by obscuring the light of truth, I can't help but see strong links to another prophecy we studied sometime ago in chapter 9.

The fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star from the sky which had fallen to the earth. The key to the pit of the abyss was given to him. He opened the pit of the abyss, and smoke went up out of the pit, like the smoke from a burning furnace. The sun and the air were darkened because of the smoke from the pit. Then out of the smoke came forth locusts on the earth, and power was given to them, as the scorpions of the earth have power. They were told that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree, but only those people who don't have God's seal on their foreheads. They were given power not to kill them, but to torment them for five months. Their torment was like the torment of a scorpion, when it strikes a person. In those days people will seek death, and will in no way find it. They will desire to die, and death will flee from them. The shapes of the locusts were like horses prepared for war. On their heads were something like golden crowns, and their faces were like people's faces. They had hair like women's hair, and their teeth were like those of lions. They had breastplates, like breastplates of iron. The sound of their wings was like the sound of chariots, or of many horses rushing to war. They have tails like those of scorpions, and stings. In their tails they have power to harm men for five months. They have over them as king the angel of the abyss. His name in Hebrew is "Abaddon," but in Greek, he has the name "Apollyon." (Revelation 9:1-11)

What else can we do but to connect the dots that God has laid out long ago. Those who have ears, let them hear as Jesus said a number of times.

They worshiped the dragon, because he gave his authority to the beast

Worship involves who we rely on to show to us what God is like, which in turn is how we determine what it is like us to act like ourselves in whatever situation we come into. The god we worship is whomever is given our authority to guide our decisions and reactions and define how like to act like ourselves in our group identity as defined by that god. The reason they worship both the dragon and the beast is because they share common attributes, common goals, common craving for power, worship and control to dominate the world. As the dragon brings to the forefront his surrogate agents to carry our his agenda on earth, the attention and compliance given to them is by extension worship directly given to him, for it is through embracing the spirit and coming to share desires and beliefs about what methods God should use to win the war that constitutes the worship given to them.

When we appreciate the actual way authority is given to another, this phrase takes on new perspective. True transfer of authority means consent for someone else to access the soul, to get involved in their life. It involves the exercise of the will, so in order to give God authority in our lives we must make choices to give Him access to our will and consent to let Him have His way rather than insisting on our desires. We defer everything to God, trusting in His goodness and superior perspective in every situation. This was exampled by Jesus when He prayed in the garden for God's will to be done rather than His own. This is how God was given full authority in the life of Christ, not just in that instance but all throughout His life where here on earth.

What would it look like for the dragon to give his authority to the beast given this perspective of how authority is released? I don't think the dragon consents to defer to the beast as the final word, that is unless the beast is already so tuned to the spirit of the dragon that it would make no difference. What this could refer to is the investment of power, for when we give God full authority through submission of our will to always defer to His will, God's power is then authorized to carry out God's work in and through us which is part of the good news of the gospel.

What we are witnessing here is the operation of the counterfeit imitating the true power of the gospel from God in our lives. It is the power of Satan that is released through manipulation and cooperation of these entities making their appearance in this chapter who all synchronize with the agenda and spirit of the dragon and who are so bent on taking control that the dragon trusts them with his power to do his will in them. And we know what the desire and will of the dragon is, for it has not changed since the outset of this war. The dragon wants to overcome and destroy all who are in alignment with the light of truth and love, for that is a mortal threat to the very existence of the dragon and his agenda to exalt himself and gain power, not just over this world but to extend it to the whole universe if possible. He wants to consolidate his power first here on earth, and if that is achieved he might be in a position to export his rebellion further once God's authority is eliminated from this planet. Introducing a false trinity and creating an image to the beast and bringing it to life like God did with Adam at the beginning could then replace God's likeness in humanity with the likeness of Satan's version of God. That is what this whole war is all about, who humanity will reflect in regards to how we perceive God as His created reflectors.

The rest of mankind, who were not killed with these plagues, didn't repent of the works of their hands, that they wouldn't worship demons, and the idols of gold, and of silver, and of brass, and of stone, and of wood; which can neither see, nor hear, nor walk. (Revelation 9:20)

They served their idols, which became a snare to them. Yes, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons. They shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan. The land was polluted with blood. (Psalms 106:36-38)

Again, the devil took him to an exceedingly high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world, and their glory. He said to him, "I will give you all of these things, if you will fall down and worship me." Then Jesus said to him, "Get behind me, Satan! For it is written, 'You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.'" (Matthew 4:8-10)

But I say that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons, and not to God, and I don't desire that you would have communion with demons. You can't both drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You can't both partake of the table of the Lord, and of the table of demons. Or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he? (1 Corinthians 10:20-22)

Even if our Good News is veiled, it is veiled in those who perish; in whom the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that the light of the Good News of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not dawn on them. For we don't preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake; (2 Corinthians 4:3-5)

they worshiped the beast

A third angel followed them and said in a loud voice: "If anyone worships the beast and his image and receives his mark on the forehead or on the hand, he, too, will drink of the wine of God's fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. He will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment rises for ever and ever. There is no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and his image, or for anyone who receives the mark of his name." (Revelation 14:9-11 NIV)

I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus, and for the word of God, and such as didn't worship the beast nor his image, and didn't receive the mark on their forehead and on their hand. They lived, and reigned with Christ for the thousand years. (Revelation 20:4)

The head mentioned as receiving an apparently fatal wound, was the singular power that engaged most aggressively after the ascent of the Son in misrepresenting God, distorting His image by portraying Him as harsh, severe, condemning, demanding and needing to be bribed before relenting to grant forgiveness. These beliefs had been developed in pagan religions long before, but now they become amalgamated into an entity resembling the dragon, meaning that this power reflects the attributes and disposition of the dragon rather than the Lamb. In doing so the dragon is worshiped, for whenever we view God according to the spin placed on Him by this massive religious-political entity or anything similar, our perception of reality and how to act like ourselves is shaped by this power that claims to be God's representative vicar on earth, and in effect the dragon is worshiped.

Given the definition of worship explained above, what does it mean to worship the beast? This whole passage actually explains how worship happens, and it begins with marveling or wonder, amazement over something or someone, even if we do not like what we are witnessing. Wonder and amazement is how our imagination is captured, and since our imagination is synonymous with faith, you can see the implications of allowing our imagination to be riveted by a sinister, evil power that so preoccupies our thinking that it blinds us to the light of truth, love and wonder for God that we must have in order to remain close to the Lamb. This is why the angel guide for John in this vision reacted so strongly when he was caught up in this kind of wonder when he caught sight of the woman in the wilderness that had transformed herself into a superstar prostitute wielding magical spells over all the kings of the earth and in tight collusion with the dragon beast.

Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?"

Who is like... This directly alerts us that this really has to do with character shaped by what we have chosen to believe about what God is like. To be human means to reflect whatever image we imagine God's heart is towards us, and the process over time of beholding or imagining our character is transformed into the same image, either forming a character in harmony with the character of God as reflected by His Son as a human being on earth, or into the image of the beast's version of God that reflects the disposition and character of the dragon, the opposite of God.

God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion...." (Genesis 1:26 WEB)

Now the Lord is the Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord, the Spirit. (2 Corinthians 3:17-18)

These people are wondering after the beast, living in amazement over its power, intimidated by its threats of overwhelming force designed to compel any and all opposition to conform to its agenda. By convincing people there is no possible way this compelling force can be defeated, whether or not they agree with its agenda, they end up complying to its demands just to preserve their own lives.

For whoever wants to save his life will lose it; and whoever will lose his life for my sake and the sake of the Good News will save it. (Mark 8:35)

This is not just a promise but a statement of a foundational principle of reality. We must remain constantly aware that what we allow to occupy our imagination most of the time will define the nature of the character we end up with, for it is impossible not to take on the spirit and nature of whatever it is that occupies our imagination. Our imagination is our faith, and whoever receives our faith has the deciding influence over our destiny. This is where the real war is being fought, and today we see it intensifying as never before as these surrogates of the dragon unleash their strategy and articulate deceptions to capture the imagination of every person on the planet through use of intimidation, threats, enticements and compulsion.

Who is able to make war with him?

They told the mountains and the rocks, "Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of his wrath has come; and who is able to stand?" (Revelation 6:16-17)

Hear, Israel: you are to pass over the Jordan this day, to go in to dispossess nations greater and mightier than yourself, cities great and fortified up to the sky, a people great and tall, the sons of the Anakim, whom you know, and of whom you have heard say, Who can stand before the sons of Anak? Know therefore this day, that Yahweh your God is he who goes over before you as a devouring fire; he will destroy them, and he will bring them down before you: so shall you drive them out, and make them to perish quickly, as Yahweh has spoken to you. (Deuteronomy 9:1-3)

He struck of the men of Beth Shemesh, because they had looked into the ark of Yahweh, he struck of the people fifty thousand seventy men; and the people mourned, because Yahweh had struck the people with a great slaughter. The men of Beth Shemesh said, Who is able to stand before Yahweh, this holy God? and to whom shall he go up from us? They sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kiriath Jearim, saying, The Philistines have brought back the ark of Yahweh; come you down, and bring it up to you. (1 Samuel 6:19-21)

As he talked with them, behold, there came up the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, out of the ranks of the Philistines, and spoke according to the same words: and David heard them. All the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him, and were sore afraid. (1 Samuel 17:23-24)

Can you draw out Leviathan with a fishhook, or press down its tongue with a cord? Can you put a rope in its nose, or pierce its jaw with a hook? Will it make many supplications to you? Will it speak soft words to you? Will it make a covenant with you to be taken as your servant forever? Will you play with it as with a bird, or will you put it on leash for your girls? Will traders bargain over it? Will they divide it up among the merchants? Can you fill its skin with harpoons, or its head with fishing spears? Lay hands on it; think of the battle; you will not do it again! Any hope of capturing it will be disappointed; were not even the gods overwhelmed at the sight of it? No one is so fierce as to dare to stir it up. Who can stand before it? (Job 41:1-10 NRSV)

Nebuchadnezzar answered them, Is it on purpose, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you don't serve my god, nor worship the golden image which I have set up? Now if you are ready whenever you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe, and all kinds of music to fall down and worship the image which I have made, well: but if you don't worship, you shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that god that shall deliver you out of my hands? (Daniel 3:14-15)

Only one is the lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge another? (James 4:12)

Now to him who is able to keep them from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory in great joy, to God our Savior, who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen. (Jude 1:24-25)

There was war in the sky. Michael and his angels made war on the dragon. The dragon and his angels made war. They didn't prevail, neither was a place found for him any more in heaven. The great dragon was thrown down, the old serpent, he 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. (Revelation 12:7-9)

These will war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings. They also will overcome who are with him, called and chosen and faithful. (Revelation 17:14)

I saw the heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and he who sat on it is called Faithful and True. In righteousness he judges and makes war. (Revelation 19:11)

A wise man has great power; and a knowledgeable man increases strength; for by wise guidance you wage your war; and victory is in many advisors. (Proverbs 24:5-6)

The multitude of all the nations that fight against Ariel, even all who fight against her and her stronghold, and who distress her, will be like a dream, a vision of the night. It will be like when a hungry man dreams, and behold, he eats; but he awakes, and his hunger isn't satisfied; or like when a thirsty man dreams, and behold, he drinks; but he awakes, and behold, he is faint, and he is still thirsty. The multitude of all the nations that fight against Mount Zion will be like that. (Isaiah 29:7-8)

For thus says Yahweh to me, "As the lion and the young lion growling over his prey, if a multitude of shepherds is called together against him, will not be dismayed at their voice, nor abase himself for the noise of them, so Yahweh of Armies will come down to fight on Mount Zion and on its heights. (Isaiah 31:4)

He shall come into the realm of the king of the south, but he shall return into his own land. His sons shall war, and shall assemble a multitude of great forces, which shall come on, and overflow, and pass through; and they shall return and war, even to his fortress. The king of the south shall be moved with anger, and shall come forth and fight with him, even with the king of the north; and he shall set forth a great multitude, and the multitude shall be given into his hand. The multitude shall be lifted up, and his heart shall be exalted; and he shall cast down tens of thousands, but he shall not prevail. The king of the north shall return, and shall set forth a multitude greater than the former; and he shall come on at the end of the times, even of years, with a great army and with much substance. In those times there shall many stand up against the king of the south: also the children of the violent among your people shall lift themselves up to establish the vision; but they shall fall. So the king of the north shall come, and cast up a mound, and take a well-fortified city: and the forces of the south shall not stand, neither his chosen people, neither shall there be any strength to stand. But he who comes against him shall do according to his own will, and none shall stand before him; and he shall stand in the glorious land, and in his hand shall be destruction. (Daniel 11:9-16)

Where do wars and fightings among you come from? Don't they come from your pleasures that war in your members? (James 4:1)

Beloved, I beg you as foreigners and pilgrims, to abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; (1 Peter 2:11)

In all these passages we see violence and war throughout all the history of this world. Yet what we must come to discern is what this book exposes to those open to the discernment from the Spirit of God – that the big war is not about who has greater power to crush the opposition to subjugate or destroy them by force, but rather it is a war over what kind of power will succeed in overcoming the opposition in the end.

This book highlights the reality that this war is between the Lamb and the great dragon and involves what these two opposite symbols represent, what disposition they have and which one will elicit our allegiance and will capture our imagination. Which kind of power will we choose to believe will come out on top in the end, for what we believe has the best chance of winning will be the side we will reflect in our own relationships and disposition to others.

This war is all about worship, about what source we will choose to receive our identity from, who we will admire as most worthy of our obedience, meaning who will we act like especially when under pressure. This whole chapter is describing in vivid detail the spirit and nature of the dragon's version of this war and how he intends to defeat the Lamb and all who choose to remain loyal to Him. The unavoidable challenge for each one of us is who we will choose as most trustworthy to save us in the end. Will we choose a version of God who uses force and compulsion to get His way when necessary, or will we surrender our lives entirely to the weakest of the weak, trusting that what appears impossible is in fact the path to full restoration to abundant eternal life free of all fear, pain and sorrow? The final choice is ours, not God's. And this choice is made by our choosing what version of power we will believe has the greatest chance of success in defeating the power on the other side.

When you go to war in your land against the adversary who oppresses you, then you shall sound an alarm with the trumpets; and you shall be remembered before Yahweh your God, and you shall be saved from your enemies. (Numbers 10:9)

Or what king, as he goes to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends an envoy, and asks for conditions of peace. So therefore whoever of you who doesn't renounce all that he has, he can't be my disciple. (Luke 14:31-33)