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Grace & Peace: Revelation 81

Douglas Wilson on

“At thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Ps. 16:11).

“And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. If any man have an ear, let him hear. He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints” (Rev. 13:5–10).

So we are continuing to observe John’s description of the beast from the sea, which is generally Rome, and specifically Nero. In this passage we have another clue that helps fix this identity. The emperors were nothing if not blasphemous. The practice of overt emperor worship had taken root during the time of Augustus, and the practice ranged from allowed to mandatory. When they took the throne, they assumed blasphemous names for themselves. Sebastos was one such name, and it meant “one to be worshiped.” Emperors were called dives or Deus—in short, God.

The saints are being warned here that the persecution that will rain down on them will be severe—it is described as making war on them. But they are also encouraged by the fact that the severe persecution will be comparatively short. The beast was on a chain, and God was only going to let him off the chain for a mere 42 months. We are told several times that the beast only had the power he did because it was granted to him. “And there was given unto him . . .” “and power was given unto him.” Despite the blasphemous claims, the power of the beast did not originate with him. He had it from Satan, and Satan was bounded by the will of God.

As it happened, the first Roman persecution of the church began under Nero, and it lasted for 42 months. After the great fire in Rome, when suspicion fell on Nero for starting it, he responded by scapegoating the Christians. That persecution was fierce, and according to Tacitus, it included Christians being treated with pitch, and then set up as torches for a dinner party Nero was hosting. This persecution began in 64 A.D. and ended in 68 A.D. when Nero was forced to commit suicide—forty two months later.

The power to war against the saints was a power that included rule over all “kindreds, tongues, and nations.” The inhabitants of the earth, if their names were not in the Book of Life, would give themselves to him in worship. It is striking that the Book of Life is described as belonging to the Lamb, and the Lamb is described as having been slain from the foundation of the world.

The saints are encouraged with the words Jesus was accustomed to use—if a man has ears to hear, then he should do so. They are also encouraged to endure, knowing that the God of justice sees what their persecutor is doing. There is no need for them to take up the sword in self-defense. The one who leads into captivity will be led into captivity, and the one who kills with the sword will die by the sword—just as Nero was vicious in his cruelty to others, so at the end he was forced to fall on his own sword.

This is the patience and faith of the saints. Hold on, John tells them.

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Grace & Peace: Revelation 80

Douglas Wilson on

“At thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Ps. 16:11)

And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority. And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast. And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?” (Rev. 13:1–4).

At the beginning of this next chapter, we have the introduction of the great beast from the sea. This is one area where most commentators agree—a remarkable feat given the nature of this book. This beast is best understood as representing the Roman Empire, for some of the following reasons:

The sea represents the Gentile nations generally (Is. 17:12; 60:5). In Daniel 7:1-7, we are given a description of four beasts, representing successive empires. The fourth in that series was the Roman Empire, and the description of the beast here largely matches the description given by Daniel. At the same time, certain features of the earlier beasts from Daniel are incorporated by John into his description of Rome, making Rome here something of a culmination beast. For example, the image of leopard, lion and bear are used by Daniel for the earlier empires, but by John here they are incorporated into Rome. And when in one instance Paul was delivered from the power of Rome, he described it as being delivered from a lion (2 Tim. 4:17).

Rome was known as the city of seven hills, and additional information gleaned later (from Rev. 17: 9-11) tells us that the seven heads of the beast were doubly symbolic. They represented seven kings, and they also represented seven hills. Rome was known in the ancient world as the city of seven hills, and just as we recognize the Big Easy as New Orleans, or the Windy City as Chicago, so the first century readers would have known instantly that we were talking about Rome.

The fact that the seven heads were seven kings also helps us date the book using internal evidence. Beginning with Julius Caesar, Rome had seven emperors during this period. They were Julius Caesar, Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius, and Nero, followed by Galba who reigned a “short while,” meaning just a few months. These heads, we are told, were crowned with blasphemy, and it is striking that Caesar worship began in the reign of Augustus, and was particularly intense in Asia Minor—where this book was addressed.

This also helps us understand the head wound that the beast suffered, but then recovered from miraculously. So John tells us that five emperors “were,” meaning that the sixth “is.” Nero was forced to commit suicide in 68 A.D. and that plunged Rome into anarchy and turmoil. It was remarkable that Rome survived at all, and it is also noteworthy that all this happened at the same time that Roman armies were besieging Jerusalem. This is internal evidence that Revelation was given during the reign of Nero, sometime before the destruction of Jerusalem.

After Nero’s death, three emperors ruled within the space of one year—Galba, Otho, and Vitellius. The empire was entirely destabilized. Vespasian was the general who was fighting against Jerusalem, and so he turned things over to his son Titus, returned to Rome and restored order. The Temple of Jupiter on the Capitoline Hill was burned in 69 A.D. in the fighting of their civil war. It really was a narrow go.

We should also keep in mind the fact that Satan was the spiritual authority behind Rome. It says several times in this text that the beast obtained its power from the dragon—just as principalities and powers backed the ancient empires of the Old Testament, this was also true of Rome, with Satan as the spiritual force behind the throne—“gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.” The scarlet color of the beast matches the dragon, not to mention the number of heads and the number of horns (Rev. 12:3; 17:3). So the beast from the sea represents the persecuting power of unbelieving political authority, embodied at that time in Rome.

This is an important anchor point for interpreting the rest of the book. If the beast from the sea is Rome, it helps us understand what some of the other symbols must be.

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Grace & Peace: Revelation 79

Douglas Wilson on

“At thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Ps. 16:11)

“And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child. And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent. And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood. And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth. And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.”
Revelation 12:13-17

Remember the theme of this entire book. God is in the process of divorcing the Old Jerusalem and preparing a bride for His Son in the New Jerusalem. This passage should be understood in the context of the build up to the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D.

The dragon, identified as Satan earlier, and also described in this same passage as a serpent, is furious with the woman who gave birth to the “man child.” The faithful remnant of Israel had brought forth the Messiah, and when the devil was thrown down to earth, he persecuted the Judean church. They had been prepared for this by the Lord’s solemn warning.

“When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains” (Matt. 24:15–16).

When the armies of Rome come, you are to go. And this is precisely what the Judean church did—seeking refuge in Pella in 66 A.D. She is there protected for three and a half years (a time, times, and half a time). A flood of wrath comes, but the earth absorbs it—as unbelieving Jewry absorbed the wrath that missed the Christians.

All of this is Exodus imagery—the believers who escaped from the demolition of Jerusalem were spared in just the same way that the Jews were delivered from Pharaoh. “Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto myself” (Ex. 19:4; cf. Dt.32:11-12). God took them out of Egypt on the wings of an eagle, and He brought these faithful Christians out of Judea on the wings of an eagle also. This also helps to identify the corrupt establishment in Jerusalem with Egypt itself. They had become the enemies of God. We saw this identification of Jerusalem with Egypt in the previous chapter, and here it continues. “And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified” (Rev. 11:8).

The dragon continued in its fury. Not able to kill the woman, he turns to make war on the remainder of her offspring (in this case, it is likely we are talking about the Gentile church). These are plainly identified as believers—they keep the commandments of God, and they have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

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Grace & Peace: Revelation 78

Douglas Wilson on

“At thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Ps. 16:11)

“And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time”
Revelation 12:7-12

And there was war in Heaven. In the preceding verses, the woman who was to give birth had to flee from the dragon into the wilderness. I take vv. 7ff as a flashback, showing how that earlier circumstance had come about. The dragon had been in the heavenly places, but had now been thrown down. Having been thrown down, he continued his career of malice, pursuing the woman.

The reason this happened was that Michael the archangel (Jude 9) and his angels fought against the dragon (v. 7). Michael and his angels fought with the dragon and his angels, and as a result, there was no place remaining in Heaven for the dragon (v. 8). In the next verse, the dragon is identified—the old serpent, or the devil, or Satan, the deceiver of the entire world (v. 9). He was cast down to earth, and all of his angels together with him. This plainly identifies the devil of the New Testament with the serpent in the Garden.

Taking all of Scripture together, we learn that this “casting down” happened in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. “Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out” (John 12:31). This is why the next verse declares that “now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ” (v. 10). When the defender of sinners was vindicated on earth in the resurrection, the accuser of sinners was deposed in the heavens.

The meaning of the devil being cast down is that he is no longer able to accuse the brethren before God, as he would do both day and night. The accusing and prosecutorial nature of the devil is seen plainly in the Old Testament (Job 1-2; Zech. 3). And this ended in the cross. “And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it” (Col. 2:15).

“Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.” (Heb. 2:14–15).

The resurrection of Jesus was the death of accusation in the heavenly places. The accusations in the presence of God are received no longer. This does not mean that the accusations have vanished, but they have been cast down to earth. And this means—if we are paying attention to the gospel message—we should embrace on earth what has been accomplished in Heaven. That is how we pray, is it not? We want to have God’s will done on earth as it has been done in Heaven.

So the faithful believers on earth have both a shield and a sword. They defend themselves, and they go out as overcomers. The shield is the blood of the Lamb (v. 11), able to withstand every accusation that an exiled devil can throw at them. Elsewhere in Scripture the shield is faith (Eph. 6:16), which means the flaming darts that the devil throws must be fiery doubts—given their heat by means of accusation. The fact that the devil has no more audience in Heaven with this kind of thing does not mean he never gains an audience here. But he can only do so by means of a lie.

The sword of the faithful believers is their word of witness and testimony, coupled with their willingness to die (v. 11). We are to defend ourselves from accusation by means of the blood of Christ, and we are to conquer the world by means of our testimony to the blood of Christ.

The call is given to the heavens, along with those who dwell there—rejoice that the devil is banished. There is a concurrent woe for the inhabitants of the earth and sea (v. 12). The devil has been thrown down, and is furious, and he knows he has a very short time to stamp out the infant church.

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Grace & Peace: Revelation 77

Douglas Wilson on

“At thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Ps. 16:11)

“And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars: And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered. And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born. And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne. And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.”
Revelation 12:1-6

So a great sign or portent appears in the heavens. She represents the faithful remnant of Israel, she who was to give birth to the Christ, but who did so in travail and pain (Is. 26:17-21). We know she is Israel because of the dream given to Joseph—“And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me” (Gen. 37:9)—Joseph himself would have been the twelfth star. And there is clearly some sort of astrological significance to the fact that the woman (Virgo?) has the moon under her feet, the sun in her midriff, and a crown of stars on her head.

A second wonder appeared in the heavens. This was a great red dragon, identified as the devil or Satan a few verses down (v. 9). This dragon had the combined characteristics of all the beasts in Daniel’s vision, showing how each pagan empire was simply Satan in a new guise. This was no less true of Satan’s Roman period, during which he sought to devour the Child Christ through the agency of Herod the Great. The seven heads here also identifies him with the beast of Rome that appears in the next chapter.

Apparently Satan had drawn a third of the angels into his rebellion against God, dragging them down to earth with him. His intent was to devour the Christ as soon as he was born, but the attempt was unsuccessful. In this passage, the narrative jumps from Christ’s birth to His ascension. The fact that this child is Christ is confirmed by the fact that the child was destined to rule all the nations with a rod of iron. This was prophesied of the Messiah in the Old Testament (Ps. 2: 9), and is applied to Christ later in Revelation (Rev. 19:15), and to His shared rule with His saints earlier (Rev. 2:27). There is no reason to change the identification here.

Having given birth to the Messiah, faithful Israel fled to the wilderness where she was nourished and provided for by God for three and a half years.

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