Chapter 12 – 14: the Jewish Remnant and the Great Tribulation

The twelfth chapter may be read in company with the thirteenth and fourteenth, as forming another distinct section of the apocalyptic book. Though the range extends from the birth of the Messiah to His return to tread the winepress of the wrath of God, yet it is principally occupied with the great events of the last half of Daniel’s seventieth week. In the twelfth and thirteenth chapters, we have for the most part a record of events in relation to the earth — Satan, the beast, and the false prophet being the principal actors in the scene; but in the fourteenth chapter we have an emerging into light, and God brought in upon the scene, and therefore it is not how things stand in relation to Satan and the beast, but how they stand in relation to God.
The instruction of the twelfth chapter is very extensive in its range, though the subject is especially Israel. It takes us back farther than any part of the Apocalypse, even to the birth of Jesus, and carries us on to the remnant in affliction, just before the Lord Himself appears as their deliverer. The woman spoken of in the first verse is described as
clothed with the sun, the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars (Rev. 12:1).
She is invested with supreme authority, and all light and rule are derived from, and are subordinate to her, as the moon’s is to the sun. (Cp. Dan. 7:27.) We find in Genesis that one of Joseph’s dreams was, that
the sun, and the moon, and the eleven stars made obeisance to him {Gen. 37:9};
and when he told it to his father, Jacob understood that the dream referred to himself and the mother and brethren of Joseph; therefore he rebuked him, and said unto him,
What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee on the earth? (Gen. 37:9, 10).
The number twelve is the administrative rule of God in the hands of man. From all this we gather, that the woman, in the opening of our chapter, refers to the house of Israel, from which, according to the flesh, our Lord came.
Unto us a Child is born {Isa. 9:6};
for He was
the son of Abraham (Matt. 1:1),
and was
made of the seed of David, according to the flesh (Rom. 1:3);
thus connected with all the promises to Abraham, and all the royalties through David. Therefore we read in the next verse,
And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered {Rev. 12:2}.
There was, however, another wonder in heaven, which we are told, in the ninth verse, was that old serpent which is called the Devil, and Satan. This terrible being is presented to us as a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads (emblematic of his holding the sway of the Roman empire, and that the vision is of a time previous to the ten kings being crowned (Rev. 13:1), and drawing a third part of the stars of heaven with his tail, and casting them on the earth. This great devourer is followed in the train by those, perhaps potentates of the world, whose proper duty it was to rule in the fear of God, but who, by his drawing, come under his power.
The attitude which this awful dragon takes is that of watching for Messiah’s birth, and to swallow Him up, if possible.
The dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born (Rev. 12:4).
Now, who can have attentively read the second chapter of Matthew without seeing how literally this was accomplished! Directly the birth of Jesus was announced,
Herod and all Jerusalem were troubled {see Matt. 2:3},
and the king, as if imbued fully with the subtlety of the great deceiver; though he professed a desire to
worship (Matt. 2:8)
Jesus, only had an earnest longing
to destroy Him (Matt. 2:13),
and afterwards in great wrath issued a command to put to death all the young children from two years old and under, hoping in this way to include the Son of God — the man child, who should yet have the heathen for His inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for His possession. As we might expect, the entrance of Jesus into this world would be connected with a mighty opposing energy of Satan; so in no period of the Divine record do we find such hosts of Satanic powers working on the earth, and especially in the land of Israel, as during the days of our Lord in His flesh. We know, too, that though Herod’s murderous scheme only turned out to his utter confusion — to the complete failure of the roaring lion — yet afterwards, as the wily serpent, he tempts the blessed Lord with,
If Thou be the Son of God, etc. {Matt. 4:3-6}.
But, as at all other times, the great red dragon was so utterly confounded, that the
devil left Him, and angels came and ministered unto Him {see Matt. 4:11}.
From these records in the gospel it is clear that Satan was especially set upon devouring this man child.
We are further told,
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 {Rev. 12:5}.
This shows us that, however the hatred of Satan and man might rage, yet the God of resurrection could raise up Jesus from the dead, and seat Him at His own right hand in the heavenlies. And what child was ever born of a woman that will sway the universal sceptre, but Jesus? Who else shall rule the nations with a rod of iron, or break them to shivers as a potter’s vessel, but Jesus? His death on the cross, instead of checking the onward course of this man child, only manifested God’s love and man’s wickedness, and was so infinitely meritorious to God, that we are told
He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross; wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, etc. {Phil. 2:8-11}.
So we read,
Her child was caught up unto God and to His throne.
It is ascension, prior to His taking future government (for there is nothing said about the life or even death of this man child), that is here brought out; and while the Church must always be included when the resurrection and ascension of Christ are brought out, nevertheless, the subject of this chapter is not the Church, but the history of those (of Israel especially) who suffer under Satan and his great minister, the Man of Sin, during the apocalyptic week. Though at present the people of Israel are virtually cut off, yet they are beloved for the fathers’ sakes; and though the ten tribes are scattered to the four winds, God is able to gather them again to their own land; and, even before that, His eye will be upon a remnant, and He will bring them through the fire of unparalleled tribulation and anguish into their long promised blessing, when there shall be the days of heaven on the earth (Deut. 11:21).
The woman whom we have just before noticed as invested with dignity and glory, and giving birth to a man child who was to rule all nations, is now seen fleeing into the wilderness (Rev. 12:6). Here there is a great break of more than 1800 years in the chapter. It is a remnant of Jewish people under the oppression of Satan and the Man of Sin in the last half of Daniel’s week. Their experience is often recorded in the psalms. (See Psa. 79 and 80.) Israel was the nation whom the Spirit of Christ called
His own {Psa. 78:52},
and one of its prophets had said,
Unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given, and the government shall be upon His shoulder (Isa. 9:6);
another prophet had declared that Bethlehem Ephratah should be the place from which He should come forth
that is to be ruler in Israel, whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting (Micah 5:2);
and other prophets predicted the unparalleled tribulation that the seed of Jacob will yet have to pass through — the period referred to, I believe, in this and the following chapter. Jeremiah says,
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 (Jer. 30:7).
Daniel also says,
There shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation, even to that same time: and at that time thy people [always, in Daniel, referring to Israel] shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book (Dan. 12:1).
Before, however, “the woman” flees into the wilderness, the heaven must be cleared of Satan and his angels. Though in our chapter this is not the order of narration, yet we know that it is by his power that that master-piece of iniquity, “the Man of Sin,” and his attendant evils, are brought about. Satan is still the deceiver of the world, and also the accuser of the brethren; but he will yet fall, like lightning from heaven, and be cast down to earth. After his horrible purposes have been accomplished, he shall be bound with a chain, and cast into the bottomless pit for a season, and after a thousand years let loose for a time, before he is banished to the eternal misery of the lake of fire. Satan seems to be aware of his doom; for the devils said to Jesus,
Art Thou come hither to torment us before the time? {Matt. 8:29}.
The point in Satan’s work which is referred to here is his being cast down from the heavenlies as
the accuser of our brethren {Rev. 12:10}.
What are we to understand by this? Is it not true that
the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience {Eph. 2:2},
has access into God’s presence to accuse us there? There can be no doubt of this. We see it in Job.
When the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them. And the Lord said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought? Hast not Thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? Thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land. But put forth Thy hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse Thee to Thy face. And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the Lord (Job 1:6-12).
We find, also, when Joshua, the high-priest, is seen standing before the angel of the Lord, that Satan is also standing at his right hand (Zech. 3:1). In Ephesians we see Satan having access to the heavens, and our fight is described as against principalities and powers, against wicked spirits in heavenly places (see margin Eph. 6:12); that is, like as Joshua and the men of Israel fought against those who hindered their full possession and enjoyment of the land that God had given them and brought them into, so our character of conflict is not down here with flesh and blood, but with Satan and his host in the heavenlies, who seek to hinder our enjoyment of that communion with the Father in the holiest of all, which we are brought into, through the riches of Divine grace in Christ, and through His blood. As Satan cannot swallow us up, because our life is hid with Christ in God, he does all that he can to hinder our fellowship with the Father, and to cast us down from the enjoyment of our high calling and standing in Christ:
They only consult to cast him down from his excellency (Psa. 62:4).
If we are abiding in Christ, we are impregnable to the devices of Satan. As to his being the accuser of the brethren, our consolation is, that Christ is in heaven as our Advocate, to meet every accusation; so that we need not fear. By the power of angelic agency, Satan and his hosts must yet be cast down; and let us remember, that angels, principalities, and powers are made subject unto Christ. We read that
Michael and his angels fought against the dragon and his angels {see Rev. 12:7};
but Satan, who is always opposed to the Lord Jesus, will resist, though it will be in vain:
The dragon fought, and his angels, and prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven {Rev. 12:7, 8}.
The result will be, that Satan’s power then will be wholly concentrated on earth; and as I presume that this will occur in
the midst of the week (see Dan. 9:27),
the Man of Sin will be then developed as fully energized by Satanic power, the whole world will be under such a delusion as to wonder after “the beast”; and “the woman,” representing those of the Jews who stand out for the true God, will pass through the severest persecution. Hence we read,
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.
. . . 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 {Rev. 12:9-12}.
These verses, from the seventh to the twelfth inclusive, are clearly parenthetic, and therefore the sixth verse is taken up again in the fourteenth. The parenthesis seems purposely introduced, to account for the persecution of the woman, and the full development of the abomination which maketh desolate, the third and most dreadful woe to the inhabiters of the earth. We must not overlook, however, in this parenthesis, a loud voice (mark, not voices) which John heard in heaven at this time. It was a voice, saying,
Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ {Rev. 12:10};
for clearing the heavens of Satan and his angels seems the first act of Christ in power, in relation to the kingdom. We notice that this voice is heard in heaven, and is accompanied with triumph at the casting down of Satan. Who it is that utters this voice we are not told; but the heavenly saints being at this time in heaven, like Abraham in the mount, who beheld the dreadful judgment and smoke of the doomed cities, but was not in them, so the saints in heaven will look down on the dreadful things coming upon the earth, and worship in the knowledge of the glory and power of Christ. By the expression,
our brethren {Rev. 12:10},
I understand the voice to refer to us who will then be around the throne of God in heaven, when it will be said,
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 {Rev. 12:10, 11}.
Three things characterize these overcomers of Satan; first, they make the blood of the Lamb their confidence and shelter; secondly, they used the sword of the Spirit, the written word of God — the word of their testimony; thirdly, they esteemed the love of Christ beyond the love of life; they could say,
Thy lovingkindness is better than life {Psa. 63:3}:
They loved not their lives unto the death {Rev. 12:11}. Surely these are the three elements of vital Christianity. There is another very important thought added. It is this:
Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth {Rev. 12:12}
Here we have two distinct classes-those dwelling in heaven called on to rejoice, and those dwelling on earth under an awful woe. Now, I ask, are not those dwelling in heaven, who are called on to rejoice at the casting down of the accuser of the brethren, the heavenly saints? Again, besides the inhabiters of the earth generally, “the woman” who flies into the wilderness is especially the object of Satan’s wrath and hatred. Surely it could not be strictly said, that he is in wrath with those who obey him, and are deceived by him at this time; it is, then, particularly against “the woman” who brought forth the man child that his wrath is directed. Therefore we find her distinguished in this chapter, as well as the dwellers in heaven and the inhabiters of the earth. The saints in heaven had overcome by the blood of the Lamb; the woman who keeps the commandments of God is persecuted by Satan and his allies on earth. With regard to the woman’s flight, we are told in Matt. 24, that when the Man of Sin is developed, that is, when the abomination of desolation is set up, of which Daniel prophesied concerning his city and people,
Then,
said our Lord,
let them which be in Judæa flee into the mountains: let him which is on the housetop not come down to take anything out of his house: . . . But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day {Matt. 24:16-20}.
However much the flight of many at the siege of Jerusalem was like this, the following verse, and also the fifteenth, show that it can only have its full accomplishment in the days of the Man of Sin, in Israel’s last or seventieth week spoken of by Daniel.
For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved (Matt. 24:21, 22).
Accordingly, as the result of the dragon’s hatred and persecution,
the woman {Rev. 12:6}
of our chapter is seen fleeing into the wilderness: but she is still the object of God’s care; for she is not only helped in her flight with
two wings of a great eagle {Rev. 12:14},
but a place there is prepared of God for her, and she is nourished from the face of the serpent for a thousand two hundred and threescore days, or a time, times, and half a time. (Compare verses 6 and 14.) Satan, however, still pursues her, and casts water out of his mouth as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood. But as the prophet said,
When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him (Isa. 59:19);
so God, in His providential care over the persecuted remnant, will cause a wonderful deliverance, and shield her from the overflowing scourge of her mighty foe. We are told that
the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth (Rev. 12:16).
But though Satan is disappointed and confounded in his pursuit of those who flee into the wilderness, his wrath is not lessened, and it would seem as if, giving up those of Judæa who had fled into the wilderness, he found
the remnant of her seed {Rev. 12:17}
elsewhere; it may be in the city of Jerusalem. These are characterized by being faithful to Moses’ law, and having the oracles of God: they
keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ (Rev. 12:17).
The malice of Satan against the godly is remarkably brought out in this chapter. Now his hatred and power are directed against the Church of God, because it is God’s present witness in the earth, she testifies of God’s perfect love, and the unsearchable riches of Christ, she glories in the Cross, waits for the Son from heaven, and knows the world to be deceitful and doomed. Now the manifold wisdom of God is known by the Church unto the principalities and powers in the heavenlies; but after the Church has been caught up, and God has other witnesses, then Satan’s wickedness and enmity will be directed against them. But they are objects of God’s care, beloved for the fathers’ sakes; and when they call upon God in the day of trouble, He will deliver them, and they shall glorify Him. They are on Jewish ground, keeping the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ, that is, the Scriptures which testify of Christ, the prophetic word concerning the coming kingdom and glory of Messiah. Hence we are told that
the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy (Rev. 19:10),
and this prophetic book, the Revelation, is called
the testimony of Jesus Christ (Rev. 1:2).
Their pleading, however, in the 79th and 80th Psalms, is very remarkable. After praying for
wrath {Psa. 79:6}
and
the revenging of blood {Psa. 79:10}
upon the heathen, and complaining of God’s beautiful vineyard which He had planted for Himself being cut down, etc., they say,
Let Thy hand be upon the man of Thy right hand, upon the son of man whom Thou madest strong for Thyself. So will not we go back from Thee: quicken us, and we will call upon Thy name. Turn us again, O Lord God of hosts, cause Thy face to shine; and we shall be saved {Psa. 80:17-19}. (See also Psa. 58.)
The unparalleled manifestation of diabolical and human blasphemy is seen in the thirteenth chapter. Satan finds one to accept at his hand the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them, which Jesus refused. He who was a liar and murderer from the beginning has been most successful in his deceivings by being an imitator of God. We often see this in Scripture. God has wise virgins; Satan has virgins also — false. Christ sows good seed — wheat; Satan sows seed too — tares. God has a vine —
the true vine {John 15:1};
Satan has a vine also —
the vine of the earth {Rev. 14:18, 19}.
Christ has a bride; Satan has a harlot. God has a city — the New Jerusalem; Satan has also a city — Babylon. But none of his imitations seem so vile as in this chapter, none so perfect in blasphemy against God. For instance, God had a man, His well- beloved Son, to bear witness for Him in the earth. Satan will have a man also — the Man of Sin. God did
miracles, and wonders, and signs {Acts 2:22},
by Jesus of Nazareth; Satan’s Servant will come too,
with all power, and signs, and lying wonders (2 Thess. 2:9) (compare Acts 2:22 with 2 Thess. 2:9);
God will have all worship Jesus, and bow the knee to Him, for He is worthy; Satan also will have all that dwell upon the earth to worship “the beast,” whose names are not written in the book of life. The saints of God will have His name
in their foreheads {Rev. 14:1, 22:4};
so the worshipers of “the beast” will receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads. But worse than all is the direct blasphemy against God. The gospel of the grace of God now gives testimony to the love and wisdom and power of the triune God — Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; so we see in this chapter, that Satan has a trio also — the beast, the false prophet, and the image that doth speak — all energized by one lying spirit, all united in blaspheming God and deceiving men. This infernal scheme, venting itself in direct antagonism to Christ, seems to fill up the measure of iniquity, and bring speedy vengeance from heaven by the glorious appearing of the Son of man in power and great glory, who will consume this wicked one with the Spirit of His mouth, and destroy him with the brightness of His coming. Both the beast and the false prophet will then be cast alive at once into
the lake of fire burning with brimstone (2 Thess. 2:8; Rev. 19:20).
Happy for us to know, that
when Christ, who is our life, shall appear, we also shall appear with Him in glory (Col. 3:4).
Satan having been cast out of heaven into the earth, as recorded in the previous chapter, we are not surprised at finding this chapter commencing with the rising up of the beast. The apostle says,
I 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 names of blasphemy (Rev. 13:1).
He rises up out of the sea; which teaches us that he had been previously hid from the eye of man. Coming out of the sea may, perhaps, mean that he issues from peoples more or less civilized. Daniel saw also the great Gentile powers emerge from the sea: They
came up from the sea {Dan. 7:3}.
There were four great beasts. The first like a lion, the second like a bear, the third like a leopard, and
the fourth beast dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns. I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things. I beheld till the Ancient of days did sit, etc. (Dan. 7:3-8).
This was Daniel’s vision of the great Gentile powers. The beast which John saw seems to include the whole of these great beasts; for he says,
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 there was given to him a mouth speaking great things (Rev. 13:2, 5).
The times of the Gentiles will be then still running on in the fourth or Roman empire — the legs of the image with its ten toes; or, as we have just seen, the ten-horned beast with its ten crowns — all, it would seem, personified in the first beast of the Apocalypse, or the little horn of Daniel, with man’s eyes, and mouth speaking great things. He is one under direct Satanic inspiration and power
— he ascends out of the bottomless pit; and we are further told, that Satan
gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority {Rev. 13:2}.
Daniel’s little horn intimates that he issues from the Roman earth; and from the statement,
Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers (Dan. 11:37),
we may expect that he will be a Jew. He will have the iron teeth, and dreadful and terrible strength of the fourth monarchy; for it will be said,
Who is able to make war with him? {Rev. 13:4}.
We must remember, that although the development of the beast will not take place till the hindering power the Church indwelt by the Holy Ghost — is removed, and Satan is cast out into the earth, yet that
the mystery of iniquity (2 Thess. 2:7)
was working in Paul’s day, and is still going on. John saw it also, and said,
Even now are there many antichrists, whereby we know that it is the last time (1 John 2:18).
The antichristian principle is working all around us, and growing rapidly; and we need grace and spiritual power from God to discern the evil, and flee from it. Sight and sense are not enough; for there is power with Satan’s work; and he imitates God as far as he can, so as to be more effectual in deceiving. The soul taught by the Holy Ghost, and in subjection to the written Word, thus walking by faith and not by sight, trusting to the living God, and not leaning to his own understanding, is alone able to stand with God, or walk with God. Seeing that self-will and self-exaltation will characterize the Man of Sin, let us watch against these two evils, which are in every one of our hearts by nature, and let us seek to be conformed to our blessed Jesus, who was meek and lowly in heart, and who humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross!
Perhaps it is difficult to say what we are to understand by
one of his heads, as it were wounded to death, and his deadly wound was healed {Rev. 13:3},
further than, that if it does not carry us back to the old Roman empire — defunct as it has been, but again to arise — then it must be some check given to the beast’s success after he is manifested; but it is only for a time; for he is restored again, and comes forth under the flattery of a world-wide admiration:
All the world wondered after the beast (Rev. 13:3).
It is to be observed, that this period will be characterized by devil- worship; for “the dragon,” that is, the devil and Satan (Rev. 12:9), who gave power unto the beast, will be “worshipped” (Rev. 13:4). The beast, too, will be worshipped; for
all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain (Rev.13:8).
Those who have been watching the moral changes and course of events for many years, must have noticed the rapid increase of irreverence for the things of God, the steady advance of infidelity, and the earnestness with which many have fallen in with spirit- rapping and consulting with familiar spirits; and, by men accustoming themselves to such things, we can understand how gradually the great deceiver is paving the way for the development of his wickedness, which is so soon to be connected with open infidelity and blasphemy. The well-instructed child of God cannot but observe the occurrence of remarkable events, especially of late, and see that the day of the Lord is approaching with great rapidity. Saints are expected to see this, and are therefore taught to assemble themselves together, and to exhort one another; and so much the more as they see the day approaching (Heb. 10:25). The day of the Lord is not set before us, strictly speaking, as our hope; but the Lord Himself. He is
the one hope of our calling (1 Thess. 1:10),
and we are to serve God, and wait for His Son from heaven. He says to us,
Surely, I come quickly {Rev. 22:20}!
and our response should be,
Even so, come, Lord Jesus {Rev. 22:20}!
But while thus in a waiting posture for Christ, many events may and do occur which show us that the day is approaching — the day when Christ will be manifested in glory with His saints — the day of the world’s judgment, and of Israel’s restoration and blessing. But the calling, standing, and hope of the Church, is heavenly.
Our citizenship is in heaven, from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ (Phil. 3:20).
In fact, prophecy relates for the most part to the earth; but, as members of Christ’s body, while taking heed to the sure word of prophecy, and learning much of God in tracing His dealings in the earth, we are instructed to look for the Lord Himself, who shall descend from heaven with a shout, when those who are alive and remain, and all the dead in Christ, shall be caught up together to meet the Lord in the air, and so be for ever with the Lord (1 Thess. 4:16, 17).
To return to our chapter. We find that this time of pride and blasphemy is limited. It will
continue forty and two months (Rev. 13:5).
Daniel also speaks of power given to this enemy for a time, times, and the dividing of time. Regarding “time” as being equivalent to a year, as the marginal reading of Dan. 11:13, “times, even years,” would seem to warrant, both these periods would be exactly three years and a half; the period of the half of the last week of Daniel, during which the beast will continue in open manifestation, after having caused the sacrifice and oblation to cease (Dan. 9:27). The beast will not only speak great things, but will open his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, and His tabernacle or dwelling, and them that dwell in heaven (Rev. 13:6). It is remarkable that we get the dwellers in heaven noticed again here, as we observed in the previous chapter (Rev. 12:12); and the more so because we find “saints” under the oppression of the beast in the next verse. Now, if we understand the dwellers in heaven to be the heavenly saints, who, ere this period, have been caught up to meet the Lord in the air, who are the “saints” brought before us here? It may be well to notice, that “saint” is not a title peculiar to the New Testament. Daniel repeatedly speaks of the saints, and as on the earth too during the time of the Antichrist. But Daniel does not speak of the Church; his prophecies are concerning his city and people. He says,
He shall speak great words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High (Dan. 7:25).
He also says,
The horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them . . . and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom (Dan. 7:21, 22).
There is no mention here of resurrection or rapture, and therefore they cannot be the Church. He also intimates that some will be brought through this great tribulation; for he tells us,
At that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that is written in the book (Dan. 12:1; Rev. 13:7, 8).
The prophet Daniel thus speaks of saints, evidently Jewish, who are brought through the fire into their own promised blessing in the earth. Jeremiah calls it the time of Jacob’s trouble. Our Lord also says, that
for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened {Matt. 24:22}.
If they were not shortened, the oppression of the beast would go on to exterminate all who do not worship him; so that
except those days should be shortened, there would no flesh be saved {Matt. 24:22}.
Israel is called repeatedly in Scripture God’s “elect.” On comparing Matt. 24:31 with Isa. 27:12, 13, it will be clearly seen that the “elect” there mentioned are not the Church, but the seed of Jacob. Isa. 45:4; 65:9, 22, also show that Israel is called God’s “elect.” Another prophet says, that in all the land two parts shall be cut off and die, and that God will bring a third part of them through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried:
They shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people; and they shall say, The Lord is my God (Zech. 13:8, 9).
All these are clearly people suffering great tribulation on the earth, and brought through it into blessing; like Noah and his family, carried through the tribulation, and brought into the purged earth. With these prophecies our chapter agrees. We are told,
It was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them. . . . 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. 13:7-10).
This shows us that many are killed, and some are brought through: — they overcome, not by carnal weapons, but by faith and patience. This is the Divine rule, that no flesh shall glory in God’s presence. The saints, in the great tribulation, will have to learn that
by strength shall no man prevail {1 Sam 2:9}.
They will not overcome by their own sword or power; for he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword, etc. God will then be glorified, as He is now, by patient faith; hence it is added, Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.
They will be fully delivered by the personal return of the Messiah in glory, and be brought into the millennial blessing. Those who are faithful unto death, and lose their earthly inheritance, will have a place in the first resurrection (as we learn from Rev. 20:4), and reign with Christ. The time of Nebuchadnezzar is remarkably typical of the period we have been contemplating. The king, in self-will and pride, set up a golden image, and commanded all on pain of death to bow down to it. Nearly all obeyed. A very few were the exceptions. They refused to worship the image, and were faithful to the living and true God; they suffered and overcame, not by sword, but by faith and patience. They were cast into the fiery furnace. God was with them in it, and delivered them out of it. They were brought into greater honor and blessing in the earth than they had ever known before. The infidel king was abased, and their oppressors consumed. So will it be in the days of the beast.
Happy, those whose citizenship is in heaven, who are partakers of the heavenly calling, and members of the body of Christ; for as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly; and as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall
also bear the image of the heavenly. In a little while He that shall come will come, and will not tarry.
The second beast, or false prophet, is now brought before us. So apostate is the earth, the place of civilization, that it gives forth this false Messiah. This man, and the first beast are both spoken of in the 19th chapter as persons, and receive special judgment from Christ at His coming (Dan. 7:11; Rev. 19:20). The first beast, as we saw, seems identified with the Roman empire, and is characterized by power and blasphemy. The second beast, though coming in his own name, a false Christ, comes up out of the earth, instead of from heaven, as the true Christ. He will have some outward semblance of the meek and lowly Jesus; but in his heart he is devilish, and
out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh {Matt. 12:34}.
He had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon (Rev. 13:11).
How unlike that blessed One who spake as never man spake, and concerning whom the people
wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth {Luke 4:22}!
He was able to speak a word in season to him that was weary, to bind up the brokenhearted, to heal every sin-sick soul, to comfort the mourner, to invite all the weary and heavy-laden to His own bosom for rest, and He cast out none that came to Him. He pleased not Himself. His heart of matchless love was set upon doing good. No case was sunk too low for His arm of mercy to reach, no one was too vile for His love to minister unto. In short, the Cross of Calvary was the only way in which His sinner-loving heart could fully manifest itself, and there He accomplished the work of eternal redemption for all those who take refuge in His precious blood. Surely He was full of grace and truth!
“On such love my soul shall ponder,
Love so vast, so full, so free;
Say, why lost in holy wonder,
Why, O Lord, such love to me?
Hallelujah!
Grace shall reign eternally."
How different, then, was He who came in His Father’s name to him who will come in his own name (John 5:43). The false prophet, we are informed, exerciseth all the power of the first beast, and that, too, in his presence. The two are clearly one in heart, mind, and power. It is unity, but diabolical. The power is from beneath. He bows almost all hearts to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. He works miracles, and they are mighty to deceive all those who walk by sight and sense. How solemn to think that these things are shortly about to come to pass. How busily the powers of darkness are engaged to bring about this crisis; and how needful that believers should believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God, and test everything by the written word.
Christ wrought miracles, and so will the false Christ; for, as we have previously noticed, Satan deceives by imitating. The counterfeit of true Christianity is all around us, and is rapidly going into infidelity. In days of old, God’s power was manifested in fire coming down from heaven to consume the burnt offering and the fat (Lev. 9:24). Again, there went out fire from the Lord in devouring judgment on those who sinned in His service (Lev. 1:2). When Solomon finished the building of the temple, the presence and power of God were manifested by fire coming down from heaven and consuming the burnt offering and sacrifices (2 Chron. 7:3). We also find, that when Elijah testified for the living and true God before the apostate Israelites, God answered His servant by sending down fire from heaven to consume the sacrifice (1 Kings 18). Afterwards, the prophet brought fire down from heaven and consumed the captains and fifties which the king sent for him (2 Kings 1). And so Satan, in the apocalyptic period, will energize the false Christ to deceive, by making fire to come down from heaven. We read that
he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire to come down from heaven in the sight of men. And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do, in the sight of the beast (Rev. 13:13, 14).
This is the time of the “strong delusion” which Paul referred to when he said,
For this cause God shall send them strong delusion that they should believe a lie, that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness (2 Thess. 2:11, 12).
Our chapter still further unfolds the deluding power of the false prophet. He commands men to
make an image to the beast . . . and he had power to give breath unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should . . . speak (Rev. 13:14, 15). {See also in JND’s translation.}
How terrible is this miraculous power of the wicked one — to give breath and speech to a dead, corruptible image of man’s fashioning! How can those possibly escape the snare, who pride themselves on their intellectual powers, and boast of the light of reason and the potency of scientific research? What can philosophy say to this? Where can the reasoner hide himself? What will the freethinker’s argument avail now? The unhesitating reply is, that all, save those whose trust is in God, and whose eye is on His revealed word, will be willingly enveloped in this thick cloud of strong delusion, and worship the beast. They will be like the luxurious Babylonians, and all the surrounding nations, languages, and tongues, who fell down to worship the image that Nebuchadnezzar set up, at the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of music. This sure word of prophetic testimony shines like a bright light upon the believer’s path. It shows us where the present workings are tending, and what a fearful crisis is at hand. We dare not shut our eves to the elements that are abounding on every side so calculated to exalt man, set aside truth, dishonor God, and bring in the flood of infidelity, that makes ready for this terrible delusion. Happy indeed are those who are born again of the Spirit, and whose only standing now before the Lord is on the ground of the precious blood of Christ! Such have peace with God, are delivered from the power of darkness, are translated into the kingdom of God’s dear Son, are heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ, and are commanded by the Holy Ghost to rejoice in the Lord always, and to give thanks to the Father for having made them meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light. How precious is Jesus to such. Their song is —
“Oh, I am my Beloved’s,
And my Beloved’s mine!
He brings a poor, vile sinner
Into His ‘house of wine.’

I stand upon His merit,
I know no other stand,
Not e’en where glory dwelleth
in Immanuel’s land.”
1n the days of “the beast” there will be no room for neutrality, or for men to content themselves, as many do now, by making no profession at all. Men must either be for God or for Satan. Then the words of Jesus, so slurred over now, will be fully proved —
He that is not with me is against me {Matt. 12:30; Luke 11:23}.
It really is so now, only it is not manifested. There will be the sentence of death then upon all who will not worship the beast. Those who do so will receive a mark, in order that those who do not bow down to the beast may be distinguished, and be known as men that none should either buy or sell with. There will be no exception. Neither riches, age, influence, nor rank, will avail anything. Shall Christ or Antichrist be obeyed and worshipped? will be the question. We are told that he had power to
cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: and that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name (Rev. 13:15-17).
How injurious to souls, and destructive to the spread of the truth of God, is the mistaken thought, that the millennium is to be brought in by the gradual spread of the gospel. Alas! what awaits this poor doomed world! Who can say but that many around us may be taken in this snare which is coming on the face of the whole earth, and be led on by Satan to this time of “strong delusion”? How earnest it should make us in seeking the salvation of souls! and how responsible we are not to help on the spirit of worldliness, which is infidelity, and thus aid Satan in deceiving, instead of our being lights in the world!
With regard to the number of the beast, many have been the conjectures. It is better, however, to confess our ignorance where we have not clear light. Daniel tells us, that
the wise shall understand {Dan. 12:10};
so, when it is necessary, we may be assured that there will be no difficulty. We are informed that it is the
number of a man, and his number is 6 6 6 {Rev. 13:18}.
This shows us at least that there is no rest or perfection in connection with the beast; for the number seven speaks to us both of perfection and rest. We have repeatedly called attention to the former point in our previous meditations. With regard to the latter, we are told that God rested on the seventh day. It is a Sabbatic number. But with all the popularity, unity, power, and miracles of the beast, his number is that of a man — fallen, apostate man, in league with Satan, and has no element of perfection or rest in its constitution. Perfection and rest, I need scarcely say, are the two special characteristics of the gospel. It tells us of the perfection of the person of Jesus the Son of God, of whom the Father could say,
This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased {Matt. 3:17, 17:5; 2 Pet. 1:17};
and the finished work of redemption which He accomplished on the cross, a savour of rest to God, and gives rest also to the sinner that believes.
“Jesus, I rest in Thee; Myself in Thee I hide;
Laden with guilt and misery,
Where could I rest beside?
’Tis on Thy meek and lowly breast
My weary soul alone can rest.

“Thou holy One of God!
The Father rests in Thee;
And in the savour of that blood,
Which speaks to Him for me.
The curse is gone; through Thee I’m blest;
God rests in Thee, in Thee I rest.”
The actings of the beast are repeatedly referred to in the following chapters of the Revelation; for his course is contemplated until the Lord Himself returns with His saints, as seen in the nineteenth chapter; so that we shall again have to notice his ways. May we be so able to bring the light of the future on our present path, that it may have practical power on our hearts and ways!
In the fourteenth chapter we have several distinct actions, but each giving us God’s mind in relation to things then connected with the earth.
1. We have God and the Lamb in relation to the remnant of Israel.
2. God’s testimony of the everlasting gospel to an apostate world.
3. God’s witness to the fall of Babylon.
4. God’s warning against worshiping the beast.
5. A voice from heaven pronouncing blessing on those who henceforth die in the Lord.
6. The harvest of the earth.
7. The vintage, or treading the winepress of the wrath of God.
Let us now look a little more particularly at each of these actions.