67. Revelation 13 - Bible Study - Part 3

Rev 13:3-4 : Satan Empowers the Antichrist
A GUIDED BIBLE STUDY OF REVELATION 13

Part 1. Literal vs. Symbolic in Revelation 12 (post 64 link)
Part 2. Rev 13:1-2 : Introduction to the Antichrist (post 66 link)
==> Part 3. Rev:13:3-4 Satan empowers the Antichrist
Part 4. Rev 13:5-7 The Antichrist exercises his power
Part 5. Rev 13: 8-10 The Reign of the Antichrist
Part 6. Rev 13:11-13 Another beast: The False Prophet
Part 7. Rev 13:14-15 The Image of the beast
Part 8. Rev 13:16-18 The Mark of the Beast

Overview of Part 3:
1. The Biblical Text of the Passage
2. An Expanded Version of the Text
3. The Explanation

1. The Biblical Text of the Passage (this lesson in bold)

13: 2 Now the beast that I saw was like a leopard; its feet were like a bear’s feet, and its mouth was like that of a lion. And the dragon gave to the beast his power and his throne and great authority. 3 One of the heads of the beast seemed to have had a fatal wound, but the fatal wound had been healed. The whole world was astonished and followed the beast. 4 So they worshiped the dragon, for he had given authority to the beast, and they worshipped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war against him?”


2. An Expanded Version of the Text (this lesson in bold)

13: 2 Now the beast that I saw was like a leopard; its feet were like a bear’s feet, and its mouth was like that of a lion. And the dragon (the devil, Satan, the deceiver) gave to the beast his (the dragon’s) power and his throne and great authority. 3 One of the heads of the beast seemed to have had (looked as if it had received) a fatal (mortal, deadly) wound, but the fatal wound had been healed. [Because of this] the whole world was astonished and followed the beast. 4 So they worshiped the dragon, for he had given authority to the beast, and they (also) worshipped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war against him?”


3. The Explanation

At the end of the previous lesson (part 2), we saw that the last half of verse 2 gives an astounding assertion:
“And the dragon gave to the beast his power and his throne and great authority.”

Satan, the great deceiver and tempter, has had his people throughout all of history. There have always been those whom the powers of darkness have empowered in some measure, some less and some more. The fellow who cheats at cards on the one hand, and Hitler, Stalin, and Mao Tse-tung on the other.

But as the card-cheater is small potatoes compared to Hitler,
so, incredibly, Hitler will be small potatoes compared to the antichrist. But how can that be, seeing Hitler killed millions of his own German people, and millions more in peaceful Europe in a insane desire to conquer the continent and then the world.

As much as Hitler was indwelt by the demonic, he still was not indwelt and empowered to the ultimate level by the leader of the dark forces, Satan, in the way that the antichrist will be.

And while Hitler controlled and subjugated Europe, he never had much of a chance of conquering the whole world. But there will be no such barrier against the antichrist. He will have full power, he will make the best of every opportunity, and as we shall see, sadly, he will succeed (for a time).

Especially when we consider the ‘opportunity’ we find in
verse 3: One of the heads of the beast seemed to have had a fatal wound, but the fatal wound had been healed.

The enhanced expanded verse says this “One of the heads of the beast seemed to have had (looked as if it had received) a fatal (mortal, deadly) wound, but the fatal wound had been healed."

I have some concerns about the usual explanation about this verse, such as we find in such sources as Tim Lahaye’s “Prophecy Study Bible”, which says, “In the middle of the tribulation, the Antichrist will be killed, lie in state briefly, and then actually be indwelt personally by Satan.” He also uses this scenario in his Left Behind series. I have no trouble with the last part of the verse, about the antichrist being indwelt personally by Satan, the prince of demons, as I have made clear above. As we will see, my concern lies elsewhere.

In “Revelation Revealed” by Jack Van Impe, it similarly says, “The wounding of the beast is mentioned three times in this chapter – verses 3, 12, and 14. The wound produces death, but restoration to life follows.” and also, “A third possibility would be that the Antichrist is assassinated or killed midway through the Tribulation [period]. Such an event would give the great counterfeiter, Satan, the opportunity to perform a resurrection.”

Let's take a look at what the first part of verse 3 says again:
3 One of the heads of the beast seemed to have had a fatal wound, but the fatal wound had been healed.

My two concerns both deal with the fact that the meaning of the verse is not agreed upon among premillennial, pretribulational writers, speakers, teachers, and pastors. Nor, interestingly, even by Tim Lahaye in another of his own writings (to be quoted below).

First, lets look at how various versions of the Bible translate the first part of the third verse (bold emphasis mine):
KJV: And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death.
NASB: And I saw one of his heads as if it had been slain.
NIV: One of the heads of the beast seemed to have had a fatal wound.
NRSV: One of his heads seemed to have received a death blow.
NAB: I saw that one of its heads seemed to have been mortally wounded.
Amplified: And one of his heads seemed to have a deadly wound.
NKJV: And I saw one of its heads as if it had been mortally wounded.
NLT: I saw that one of the heads of the beast seemed wounded beyond recovery.
The [expanded] Bible: One of the heads of the beast looked as if it had been killed by a wound.

Do you see what my two concerns are?

Here is a good rule for Bible interpretation: We must first find out what the Bible SAYS, before we determine what it MEANS.

And we find in the Bible passage two things that should make us question whether the simple statement “the antichrist was killed” is the correct interpretation.

First, we have to go back to what the heads of the beast represent. It is generally agreed that they represent kings or leaders or kingdoms that come under the control and power of the beast. So when the beast goes where he may, the heads go with him. But who (or what) is wounded? It is one of the heads. This may mean that one of the kings was killed, rather than the antichrist/beast himself, or perhaps that a kingdom under the beast’s rule was conquered (if only for a time).

An alternative possibility in favor of the antichrist actually being killed, is that if you kill any of the seven heads, perhaps you kill the antichrist as well. The life of the antichrist is in the heads. Or, perhaps when the kingdom was conquered, the antichrist was killed. Anyway, this issue is far from being solved, or agreed upon.

Second, are we so sure that the head or the antichrist is really killed? What is all this about “AS IF it had been slain”; “SEEMED
to have a fatal (deadly, mortal) wound; “LOOKED AS IF it had
been killed” ?

This is very important, because those who believe that the antichrist is truly killed, usually attribute to Satan the power to raise the dead (at least in this one case). Note however, in the whole of chapter 13, it never says that Satan raised him up. Only that “his deadly wound was healed.”

Can the ruler of the dark spirits bring a dead person back to life? I am not convinced that he can. I AM convinced, however, that Satan is the father of lies, that he is known as The Deceiver, and that it says in 2 Thessalonians 2:9-11, “The coming of the lawless one (antichrist) will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs, and wonders, and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing … For this reason God sends them a strong delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.” (Bold emphasis mine)

The apparent raising of the antichrist from the dead will be an amazing event, regardless of whether Satan manifests himself in some way to do it, or whether the antichrist himself does it, or whether the false prophet does it. But notice I said “apparent raising”.

I have serious doubts as to whether any of the unholy trinity can actually raise anyone from the dead. But that rather, they are experts in COUNTERFEIT miracles, DECEIVING the onlookers, which God makes even worse by sending the onlookers a powerful DELUSION so that they will BELIEVE THE LIE.

They can only COUNTERFEIT the death (seemed, as if), and they can only COUNTERFEIT the resurrection (seemed, as if), being masters only of delusion and deception.

Is this a position that only I hold? No. Many teachers hold this position, surprisingly including Tim Lahaye! Here is what he says in “The Popular Bible Prophecy Commentary” in contrast to what I quoted earlier from his writings:

“One of the beast’s heads, and not necessarily the beast himself, will receive a “fatal wound”. It is not stated definitely that the beast will die. It is questionable whether Satan has the power to restore to life one who is killed, even though his power is great. However, the whole world will be “amazed” and will follow after the beast [worshiping] because they will think a resurrection has taken place.”

Satan wants such a following, for he said in Isaiah 14:14,
“I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.”

So yes. Those that dwell on the earth (a term for unbelieving mankind) will apparently believe that the antichrist has actually been raised from the dead by the healing of his deadly wound. And that event will cause the whole world to go after him and worship him. Where they are supposed to marvel at Jesus, they will instead marvel at the beast. For the end of our study passage says,

“3b. The whole world was astonished and followed the beast. 4 So they worshiped the dragon (Satan), for he had given authority to the beast, and they worshipped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war against him?”

And I would reply, no one, until the end of the tribulation period, when Jesus Christ will come and destroy the antichrist with merely a word from his mouth. (see Rev 19:19-20)

Next lesson:
Part 4A. The Antichrist Exercises his Power – Rev 13:5-7 (Post #71 Link)
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