Revelation Chapter 13
VERSE 13 and 14 continued “He (the two-horned beast) performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do…”
(As explained in The Keys of Revelation)
“When consideration is given to the rather uneventful and relatively innocuous long-term behavior of the English Church (apart from its exercise of power in the early days of its severance from Rome in the sixteenth century), one is indeed surprised that this very two-horned beast is destined to do “great wonders” and to make “fire come down from heaven . . . in the sight of men.” This activity calls to mind the challenge and later vindication of Elijah as a true prophet on Mount Carmel, namely, “the God that answers by fire, let him be God” (1 Kings 18:21–39).
Here, in Verse 13, the appearance of figurative “fire” coming down from heaven will convince the witnessing public that this counterfeit system is, in reality, a true and proper channel of communication between God and men. In other words, the miracles and great wonders will give credence to a false religious organization. A common misconception is that manifestations of extraterrestrial presence and intelligence must, of necessity, not only surpass human understanding but also supersede all earth-oriented ethical standards.
Again, in Verse 13, as noted elsewhere in the Apocalypse, the scene depicts FALSE ORTHODOXY in the role of challenger, and in this capacity being supernaturally supported by “the spirits of devils, working miracles” (Rev. 16:14).
Orthodox: of, relating to, or conforming to the approved form of any doctrine, philosophy, ideology, etc.
A.k.a. in this instance, the truth(?) as seen or dictated by the professing church.
The false or professing church still believes that it is the true church and that its teachings and interpretation of scripture is correct, but alas they are deceived. They have long since wandered from “the faith once delivered to the saints”, and have become “a dwelling place of demons (nominal Christians, Tares), a prison for every foul spirit (every impure principle and doctrine), and a cage (which holds securely not only the Lord's meek and gentle doves, but likewise) every unclean and hated bird (representatives of the Devil, his ministers and agents, hypocrites, wolves in sheep's clothing).” (Rev 18:2) They the false or professing church have been cast off and are no longer used of the Lord as his mouthpiece.
The language here is too strong to have had such a notable symbolic occurrence in the past; rather, it suggests a powerful FUTURE FULFILLMENT.
In the case of Elijah’s vindication, the false prophets shortly thereafter were put to death; but in Verse 13, the same procedure will be conversely applied BY ORTHODOXY against those loyal to Jesus.
When King Ahaziah sent soldiers to apprehend Elijah, the Prophet called down fire from heaven to destroy them. He said, “If I be a man of God, then let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee [the captain] and thy fifty. And there came down fire from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty,” etc. (2 Kings 1:9–17). So, fire coming down from heaven was upon Elijah’s enemies as well as, in the earlier instance, in the days of King Ahab, upon the Prophet’s sacrifice.
Thus, the reader is both directly and inferentially informed of the nature and severity of the test to come upon the Lord’s people and of that which will follow not too long thereafter; viz., the forceful demise of those who oppose the mandated ecumenism of the hour principally devised by the ones who “sit in Moses’ seat” at the time.
If the very nature of these varied wonders and miracles were understood in explicit detail in advance of their happening, then of course their deceptive influence would be severely undercut. Indeed, Divine Providence has seen fit not to obstruct or prevent such delusions, but to allow (not sanction) them as a test upon all Christendom (believers and nonbelievers alike) and as a means of specially exposing the worthiness or unworthiness of those professing Christianity to inherit the promises held out to footstep followers of the Master.
Continued with next post.
