The Study of Revelation, Part 180

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Revelation Chapter 13

VERSE 7It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation.”

AND IT WAS GIVEN TO HIM TO MAKE WAR WITH THE SAINTS AND TO OVERCOME THEM:

It is most likely that this sentence is spurious. This “given” was already covered in Verses 5 and 6. It seems redundant to repeat it here. It is easy of explanation if it is legitimate, but it is likely not.

AND THE AUTHORITY WAS GIVEN TO HIM: Once again we have another section introduced by the beast’s being given something. In this case the focus is on people:

Note the THREE authorities given to the beast by this time --

1. The GREAT AUTHORITY of ruler-ship (Verse 2).

2. The TIMED authority (viz. the “forty-two months”) to wear out the saints (Verse 5).

3. The authority over the masses of people.

OVER EVERY TRIBE AND PEOPLE AND TONGUE AND NATION: This four-part name represents theseaclass of humanity -- the restless masses (Compare Rev 17:15.) The thought is that this beast had control over everyone in its domain -- even people who might not have much interest in its leadership.

(As explained in The Keys of Revelation)

“. . . no computation can reach the numbers who have been put to death, in different ways, on account of their maintaining the profession of the gospel, and opposing the corruptions of the church of Rome. A million of the poor Waldenses perished in France, nine hundred thousand orthodox Christians were slain, in less than thirty years after the institution of the Jesuits; the duke of Alva boasted of having put thirty-six thousand to death in the Netherlands, by the hands of [in this instance, not an invading army but just] the [one] common executioner, during the space of a few years. The inquisition destroyed by various tortures one hundred and fifty thousand Christians, within thirty years. These are a few specimens, and but a few, of those which history has recorded: but the total amount will never be known, till ‘the earth shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.’ (Note, Isa 26:20, 21).” 35

Daniel 7:21, 25 refers to the same evil power which, in the Apocalypse, is repeatedly designated asthe beast” (Verse 4).

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35. Thomas Scott, ed., The Holy Bible, Stereotype ed. (Boston: Samuel T. Armstrong, and Crocker and Brewster, 1833), Vol. 6, p. 749 (Comment on Rev 13:5–7).

We move on to Verse 8 in our next post.

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