The Antichrist Is Wounded and Is Seemingly Resurrected
God’s Two Prophetic Witnesses Are Executed and Resurrected
The Antichrist Breaks His Covenant with Israel
The Abomination of Desolation Occurs
The False Prophet Carries Out His Diabolical Ministry
Midtribulation Announcements Are Uttered from Heaven
In Revelation 10, we read of an angel with a mysterious little scroll. The biblical description is intriguing.
Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven, wrapped in a cloud, with a rainbow over his head, and his face was like the sun, and his legs like pillars of fire. He had a little scroll open in his hand. And he set his right foot on the sea, and his left foot on the land, and called out with a loud voice, like a lion roaring. When he called out, the seven thunders sounded. And when the seven thunders had sounded, I was about to write, but I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Seal up what the seven thunders have said, and do not write it down.” And the angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven and swore by him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and what is in it, the earth and what is in it, and the sea and what is in it, that there would be no more delay, but that in the days of the trumpet call to be sounded by the seventh angel, the mystery of God would be fulfilled, just as he announced to his servants the prophets.
Then the voice that I had heard from heaven spoke to me again, saying, “Go, take the scroll that is open in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land.” So I went to the angel and told him to give me the little scroll. And he said to me, “Take and eat it; it will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be sweet as honey.” And I took the little scroll from the hand of the angel and ate it. It was sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it my stomach was made bitter. And I was told, “You must again prophesy about many peoples and nations and languages and kings.”
The Apocalypse provides revelation to God’s people about the future. As we see in this passage, however, John was forbidden to record what the seven thunders spoke. Nevertheless, what was recorded was to have no further delay. An announcement was made that the seventh trumpet would bring about the accomplishment of the mystery of God.
What is this mystery of God? Prophecy expositors have various opinions. John F. Walvoord offers this explanation: “[God’s] mystery had been previously announced to God’s prophets. The reference, therefore, is not to hidden truth but to the fulfillment of many Old Testament passages which refer to the glorious return of the Son of God and the establishment of His kingdom of righteousness and peace on the earth.”1 William MacDonald and Arthur Farstad suggest that “the mystery of God has to do with God’s plan to punish all evildoers and to usher in the kingdom of His Son.”2 Arnold Fruchtenbaum suggests that “the content of the Little Book is prophecy, especially the prophecy of the middle and the second half of the Tribulation.”3 It is unwise to be dogmatic about this mystery.
John obeyed the angel’s instruction to eat the scroll, and though it was sweet (like honey) in his mouth, it quickly soured in his stomach. The symbol seems to relate to Scripture. God’s Word was sweet to John, as it is sweet to believers around the world, throughout all ages. After all, the Word of God abounds with the glorious promises of God. The Word of God speaks of victory in the end for God’s people. However, the Word of God is bitter to unbelievers because it includes warnings of woe and judgment. Scripture promises doom, not victory, for those who have rejected God. This passage depicts both sweetness and bitterness in the Word of God.
Fruchtenbaum suggests that this approaching tribulation bitterness for unbelievers ought to give us a burden for the lost so that some may be reached for Christ and escape the coming tribulation through the rapture of the church.4 That, of course, requires that people trust in the divine Messiah now, for salvation is found only in Him (John 14:6; Acts 4:12).
In Revelation 13:1-3, we read of the apparent death and resurrection of the antichrist.
I saw a beast rising out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads, with ten diadems on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads. And the beast that I saw was like a leopard; its feet were like a bear’s, and its mouth was like a lion’s mouth. And to it the dragon gave his power and his throne and great authority. One of its heads seemed to have a mortal wound, but its mortal wound was healed, and the whole earth marveled as they followed the beast.
This has been the topic of much debate and speculation. Some have suggested this may refer to the revival of the Roman Empire, and that people will be amazed when it happens. However, this view has problems, as prophecy scholar Arnold Fruchtenbaum notes: “A revived Roman Empire would not cause man to worship it as God any more than the revival of Poland or Israel did. This kind of thinking is purely imaginary. It is the resurrection of the man Antichrist which creates this worship.”5
Many other Bible-believing prophecy lovers believe this refers to the antichrist suffering a mortal head wound and then somehow being healed by Satan. In keeping with this, Revelation 13:12 clarifies things a bit in its reference to “the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed.” John F. Walvoord explains it this way:
The final world ruler receives a wound which normally would be fatal but is miraculously healed by Satan. While the resurrection of a dead person seems to be beyond Satan’s power, the healing of a wound would be possible for Satan, and this may be the explanation. The important point is that the final world ruler comes into power obviously supported by a supernatural and miraculous deliverance by Satan himself.6
This supernatural event would seem to be a contributing factor to people worshipping the antichrist, for many will believe that this involves a godlike recovery. Many will be awestruck.
Walvoord touches upon an important issue: Does Satan have the ability to engage in miracles? Scripture reveals that Satan has creaturely limitations but nevertheless is extremely powerful and influential in the world. He is called the “ruler of this world” (John 12:31), “the god of this world” (2 Corinthians 4:4), and the “prince of the power of the air” (Ephesians 2:2). He deceives the whole world (Revelation 12:9; 20:3) and has power in the governmental (Matthew 4:8-9), physical (Luke 13:11,16; Acts 10:38), angelic (Jude 9; Ephesians 6:11-12), and ecclesiastical (church) (Revelation 2:9; 3:9) realms.
It is critical that Christians realize that Satan has vast experience in tricking human beings and bringing them down. In fact, his experience is far greater than that of any human being. By his very longevity, Satan has acquired a breadth of experience that easily eclipses the limited knowledge of man. He has observed people firsthand in every conceivable situation, so he can predict with accuracy how they will respond to circumstances. So although Satan is not omniscient, his wide experience gives him knowledge that is far superior to anything any human being could have.
Because of his vast experience, Satan has learned many wiles and tricks regarding how to deceive human beings. Some of his deceitful tricks no doubt relate to the counterfeit miracles he inspires. Christians are therefore urged to beware (2 Corinthians 2:11; 1 Peter 5:8).
Augustine called the devil Simius Dei—“the ape of God.” Satan is the great counterfeiter. He mimics God in many ways. A primary tactic Satan uses to attack God and His program in general is to offer a counterfeit kingdom and program. This is hinted at in 2 Corinthians 11:14, which makes reference to Satan masquerading as an angel of light.
In what ways does Satan act as the ape of God?
• Satan has his own church—the “synagogue of Satan” (Revelation 2:9).
• Satan has his own ministers of darkness—false prophets who bring false sermons (2 Corinthians 11:4-5).
• Satan has formulated his own system of theology, or “doctrines of demons” (1 Timothy 4:1; Revelation 2:24).
• Satan’s ministers proclaim a counterfeit gospel (Galatians 1:7-8).
• Satan has his own throne (Revelation 13:2) and his own worshippers (13:4).
• Satan inspires false christs and self-constituted messiahs (Matthew 24:4-5).
• Satan employs false teachers who bring in destructive heresies (2 Peter 2:1).
• Satan sends out false prophets (Matthew 24:11).
All this mimicking indicates that Satan’s plan has always been to establish and lead a rival rule to God’s kingdom.
Scripture indicates that Satan performs counterfeit signs and wonders. Indeed, 2 Thessalonians 2:9 tells us, “The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders.”
Though Satan has great spiritual powers, there is a gigantic difference between the power of the devil and the power of God. First, God is infinite in power (omnipotent); the devil is finite and limited. Second, only God can create life (Genesis 1:1,21; Deuteronomy 32:39); the devil cannot (see Exodus 8:19). Only God can truly raise the dead (John 10:18; Revelation 1:18).
Certainly the devil has great power to deceive people (Revelation 12:9), to oppress those who yield to him, and even to possess them (Acts 16:16). He is a master magician and a super scientist. And with his vast knowledge of God, man, and the universe, he is able to perform “false signs and wonders” (2 Thessalonians 2:9; see also Revelation 13:13-14). Simon the sorcerer in the city of Samaria amazed people with his Satan-inspired magic, but the miracles accomplished through Philip were much, much greater (Acts 8:9-13). The devil’s counterfeit miracles do not compete with God’s true miracles.
Perhaps the best illustration of Satan’s counterfeit wonders is found in the Exodus account. In Exodus 7:10, for example, we read that Moses’s rod was turned into a snake by the power of God. Then, according to verse 11, Pharaoh “summoned wise men and sorcerers, and they, the magicians of Egypt, also did the same things by their secret arts.” The purpose of these acts, of course, was to convince Pharaoh that his magicians possessed as much power as Moses and Aaron and that Pharaoh did not need to yield to their request to let Israel go. It worked, at least for the first three encounters (Aaron’s rod, the plague of blood, and the plague of frogs). However, when Moses and Aaron, by the power of God, brought forth living lice from the sand, the magicians were not able to bring forth life (or living things). They could only exclaim, “This is the finger of God” (Exodus 8:19).
Biblical scholars differ as to whether Satan just does convincing tricks or genuine (albeit limited) miraculous works. Some scholars assert that the feats of Egypt’s magicians, inspired by Satan, were done by sleight of hand. Perhaps the magicians had enchanted the snakes so that they became stiff and appeared to be rods. When cast down upon the floor, they came out of their trance and began to move as snakes. It is suggested that Satan, who is the “father of lies” (John 8:44), may have been pulling some kind of deceitful trick instead of performing a true miracle.
Other scholars say these were supernatural and miraculous acts of Satan who actually turned the rods of the magicians into snakes. Some believe the devil and demons may be able to perform some “grade B” miracles. As such, they may be capable of altering or manipulating the world’s natural processes.
Still others believe Satan sometimes does tricks and sometimes does supernatural (albeit limited) miraculous works. Some of what he does is mere trickery, but some of what he does is supernatural. Remember that the devil showed the Lord Jesus all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time (Luke 4:5) and is able to transform himself into an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14). These are obviously supernatural acts.
The question of whether Satan can perform miracles hinges on how one defines a miracle. If a miracle is any event that transcends physical causes in a limited way, then we can say Satan can do a miracle. If, however, we define a miracle as a supernatural act produced by the immediate power of God, then of course, Satan cannot do a miracle.
Whether Satan has the ability to perform a few limited grade-B miracles or whether his works are just impressive tricks, the scriptural evidence is undeniably clear that only God can perform heavy-duty grade-A miracles. Only God can fully control and supersede the natural laws He Himself created, though on one occasion He did grant Satan the power to bring a whirlwind on Job’s family (Job 1:19). As the account of Job illustrates, all the power the devil has is granted him by God and is carefully limited and monitored (see Job 1:10-12). In other words, Satan is “on a leash.” Satan’s finite power is under the control of God’s infinite power.
In view of the scriptural evidence, we must conclude that in the end times, Satan will either perform a limited grade-B miracle in healing the antichrist or engage in some kind of masterful deception—or perhaps a combination of both. In any event, the world will be amazed that the mortal wound of the antichrist will be healed, and many will worship him. This will contribute to his ultimate goal of world dominion.
In Revelation 12:12-13 we find a sobering description of Satan’s ousting from heaven, after which he indwells—or, at the very least, fully energizes—the antichrist: “Therefore, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short!”
Notice the contrast between the “woe” and the rejoicing. Satan’s access to heaven is hereby removed, and he will no longer be able to stand before the throne of God and accuse the brethren. For this there is rejoicing in heaven (see verses 10-12a).
Satan is filled with fury because he knows his time is short. More specifically, he knows his time is limited to a mere 1260 days—the last three and a half years of the tribulation period. This brings woe to the earth. Arnold Fruchtenbaum makes this note: “Because of Satan’s wrath, it is woe for the earth. This is a very important point to note in the understanding of what is happening during the middle and second half of the tribulation.”7 In other words, things now go from bad to much, much worse on the earth. Thomas Constable writes, “Everyone living on the earth, especially believers, must beware because he now moves among them more antagonistically than ever.”8
At this time, the antichrist, along with the ten kings who are under his authority, will destroy the false world church, the religious prostitute of the end times.
The ten horns that you saw, they and the beast will hate the prostitute. They will make her desolate and naked, and devour her flesh and burn her up with fire, for God has put it into their hearts to carry out his purpose by being of one mind and handing over their royal power to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled (Revelation 17:16-17).
The text gives no indicators or clues as to the precise timing of this event. However, it seems most logical and coherent to place it midpoint in the tribulation period, at the same time that the antichrist will assume the role of world dictator by proclamation (see Daniel 9:27; Matthew 24:15). It is logical to infer that at the same basic time, the antichrist will come into global dominion both politically and religiously, demanding even to be worshipped (Daniel 11:36-38; 2 Thessalonians 2:4; Revelation 13:8,15).
The beast and his allies will eventually throw off the harlot and thoroughly destroy her…This will probably occur in the middle of the Tribulation when Antichrist breaks his covenant with Israel and demands that everyone on earth worship him or die (Dan. 9:27; 11:26-38; Matt. 24:15; 2 Thess. 2:4; Rev. 13:8,15).9
The false religious system that flourished during the first half of the tribulation period will be obliterated because the antichrist will be on the religious center stage. The final world religion will involve worship of the antichrist alone. No competing religious systems will be allowed, including that of the Jews.
I previously noted that during the tribulation period, God will raise up two mighty witnesses who will testify to Him with astounding power. The miracles they perform are reminiscent of Elijah (1 Kings 17; Malachi 4:5) and Moses (Exodus 7–11).
These prophetic witnesses apparently emerge on the scene at the beginning of the tribulation period. They continue to minister for 1260 days, which is precisely three and a half years (the first half of the tribulation period). The two witnesses are then martyred by the antichrist.
When they have finished their testimony, the beast that rises from the bottomless pit will make war on them and conquer them and kill them, and their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city that symbolically is called Sodom and Egypt, where their Lord was crucified. For three and a half days some from the peoples and tribes and languages and nations will gaze at their dead bodies and refuse to let them be placed in a tomb, and those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them and make merry and exchange presents, because these two prophets had been a torment to those who dwell on the earth. But after the three and a half days a breath of life from God entered them, and they stood up on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them. Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here!” And they went up to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies watched them (Revelation 11:7-12).
Notice several things here. First, the bodies of the witnesses lie lifeless in Jerusalem, and it is apparently by television and the Internet that people around the globe will gaze at them for three and a half days. Only modern technology can explain how the whole world will be able to watch all of this.
Notice also that the refusal to bury a corpse was, in biblical times, a way of showing contempt (see Acts 14:19; see also Deuteronomy 21:22-23). So God’s two witnesses will be shown contempt with the whole world watching.
The people of the world will have something like a Christmas celebration when God’s witnesses are put to death. They will exchange presents, apparently in relief that they are no longer around. As one expositor noted, “The only prophets people love are dead ones.”10
But then something amazing happens. “A breath of life from God entered them, and they stood up on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them.” The Christmas celebration quickly gives way to fear as people witness this mighty act of God. This resurrection and ascension of the two witnesses into heaven serves as a sobering exclamation point to their prophetic words throughout their three-year ministry.
Many will come to know the Lord during the tribulation period (Matthew 25:31-46; Revelation 7:9), so we can surmise that some of these conversions are likely due to the testimony and miracles of these witnesses.
Daniel 9:24-27 reveals that the event that will mark the beginning of the tribulation period is the signing of a covenant between the antichrist and Israel. We know it is the antichrist who does the signing, for verse 26 tells us that the signer will be “the prince who is to come.” The antichrist will thus be the covenant maker, and he will come into power by heading up a revived Roman Empire (see Daniel 7:8).
Our text tells us that the antichrist “shall make a strong covenant with many for one week” (Daniel 9:27). This is a week of seven years, so the covenant the antichrist signs with Israel is designed to remain in effect for the full seven-year period. But the antichrist will double-cross Israel, for we are told that “for half of the week he shall put an end to sacrifice and offering.” In other words, after the covenant has been in effect for three and a half years, he reneges on the covenant and causes Israel’s temple sacrifices to cease.
Daniel 11:45 indicates that the antichrist will move from Europe into the land of Israel: “He shall pitch his palatial tents between the sea and the glorious holy mountain.” Taking all this together, it seems clear that in the middle of the tribulation period, the antichrist will invade the holy land and cause sacrifices to cease in the Jewish temple.
Why cause the sacrifices to cease? The key reason is that near the midpoint of the tribulation period, the antichrist—having already attained political power—will now seek to assume religious power as well. Indeed, he will seek to cause the world to worship him (see 2 Thessalonians 2:4; Revelation 13:8). In order for him to be worshipped by all people on earth, he must necessarily destroy all competing religions—including the Jewish religion, with its Levitical sacrifices and offerings.
We can conclude that the antichrist starts out as Israel’s protector but becomes Israel’s persecutor. He turns from being Israel’s defender to being its defiler.
The antichrist will become a defiler by setting up an image of himself in the Jewish temple—something prophetic Scripture calls the abomination of desolation.
In the book of Daniel, the term “abomination of desolation” conveys the outrage or horror of a barbaric act of idolatry within God’s holy temple (see the NASB rendering of 11:31; 12:11). Such an act utterly profanes and desecrates the temple.
Against this backdrop, we read this about the antichrist: “His armed forces will rise up to desecrate the temple fortress and will abolish the daily sacrifice. Then they will set up the abomination that causes desolation” (Daniel 11:31 NIV).
The New Testament adds further clarity on this abomination that causes desolation. It will apparently take place midway through the future tribulation period, when the antichrist—the “man of sin” (2 Thessalonians 2:4)—sets up an image of himself inside the Jewish temple (see Matthew 24:15).
This amounts to the antichrist enthroning himself in the place of deity, displaying himself as God (compare with Isaiah 14:13-14; Ezekiel 28:2-9). This blasphemous act will utterly desecrate the temple, making it abominable and therefore desolate. The antichrist—the world dictator—will then demand that the world worship and pay idolatrous homage to him. Any who refuse will be persecuted and even martyred. The false prophet, who is the antichrist’s first lieutenant, will see to this.
An abomination took place on a lesser scale in 168 BC. Antiochus Epiphanies erected an altar to Zeus in the temple at Jerusalem and sacrificed a pig, an unclean animal, on it. Antiochus Epiphanies was thus a prototype of the future antichrist.
The fact that the antichrist will “abolish the daily sacrifice” in the Jewish temple is yet another indication of his self-exaltation. He will not allow competing systems of worship. No one is to be worshipped but him.
Revelation 13:13-15 pictures the false prophet as a beast and describes its work.
It performs great signs, even making fire come down from heaven to earth in front of people, and by the signs that it is allowed to work in the presence of the beast [the antichrist] it deceives those who dwell on earth, telling them to make an image for the beast [the antichrist] that was wounded by the sword and yet lived. And it was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast might even speak and might cause those who would not worship the image of the beast to be slain.
As we have seen, Satan does not have the power to engage in the kind of grade-A miracles that God does. However, he can apparently perform lesser, grade-B miracles, and he empowers the false prophet to engage in these (see Exodus 7:11; 2 Timothy 3:8). The false prophet does this to induce people to worship Satan’s substitute for Christ—the antichrist (see Daniel 9:27; 11:31; 12:11; Matthew 24:15).
One of the miraculous acts the false prophet accomplishes is animating an image of the beast in the Jewish temple. The apostle Paul earlier revealed that the antichrist himself will sit in God’s temple (see 2 Thessalonians 2:4) and receive the worship that properly belongs only to God. Some prophecy scholars suggest that when the antichrist is not present in the temple, an image of him is placed there to provide an object of worship in his absence (see Revelation 13:14-15; 14:9,11; 15:2; 16:2; 19:20; 20:4).
Many wonder what is meant when Scripture affirms that the false prophet gives breath to the image of the beast so that it can even speak. One Bible expositor explains the verse this way:
Only God is the Creator. So probably the beast’s image is able to give an impression of breathing and speaking mechanically, like computerized talking robots today. There might be a combination of natural and supernatural powers to enable the beast out of the earth to accomplish his purpose.11
The false prophet may use some kind of scientific deception to appear to give breath to the image of the beast and enable it to speak. Do not forget that Satan has great intelligence and also has the limited ability to manipulate the forces of nature, as he did when he afflicted Job. So perhaps he is able to give the appearance of animating the image in some way. Whatever the explanation, many people on earth will be deceived by what they perceive to be supernatural.
This apparent animation sets the image of the beast apart from typical idols in Old Testament times. As we read in Psalm 135:15-16, “The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of human hands. They have mouths, but do not speak; they have eyes, but do not see.” Likewise, Habakkuk 2:19 says, “Woe to him who says to a wooden thing, Awake; to a silent stone, Arise! Can this teach? Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all in it.” Contrary to such dead idols, this idolatrous image of the antichrist will seem to be alive, even godlike.
The goal of these supernatural acts is to induce people around the world to worship the antichrist. The antichrist will put himself in the place of Christ, so he seeks worship, just as Jesus was worshipped many times during His three-year ministry on earth.
Recall also the scriptural command, “You shall worship no other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God” (Exodus 34:14). Because the antichrist will demand worship, he will place himself in the position of deity.
The midpoint of the tribulation period seems to be when the antichrist engages in self-exaltation and self-deification. Second Thessalonians 2:4 says the antichrist “opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.” There is no greater blasphemy than this. The antichrist truly is anti-Christ, putting himself in Christ’s place.
This verse should be interpreted in conjunction with Revelation 13:5-6: “The beast was given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words, and it was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two months. It opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against God, blaspheming his name and his dwelling, that is, those who dwell in heaven.”
The beast will tolerate the worship of no one and nothing but himself. He places himself on center stage. He will set himself up on God’s throne in the inner sanctuary of God’s temple. Some people throughout church history have interpreted this to mean that the antichrist seeks to place himself on the throne of the human heart as an object of worship, but it would seem best to interpret Scripture literally, with the antichrist enthroning himself in the literal temple in Jerusalem. Many of the early church fathers took it this way, and there is no reason to depart from such a literal approach.
Many interpreters relate all this to the fall of Lucifer, which is recorded in Isaiah 14:13-14: “I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God I will set my throne on high; I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far reaches of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.” Consider the implication of each of these statements.
• “I will ascend to heaven.” Apparently Lucifer wanted to abide in heaven and desired equal recognition alongside God Himself.
• “Above the stars of God I will set my throne on high.” The stars likely refer to the angels of God. Lucifer apparently desired to rule over the angelic realm with the same authority as God.
• “I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far reaches of the north.” Scripture elsewhere indicates that the mount of assembly refers to the center of God’s kingdom rule (see Psalm 48:2; Isaiah 2:2). The phrase is sometimes associated with the Messiah’s future earthly rule in Jerusalem during the millennial kingdom. Satan may have desired to rule over human beings in place of the Messiah.
• “I will ascend above the heights of the clouds.” Clouds often metaphorically represent the glory of God in the Bible (Exodus 13:21; 40:28-34; Job 37:15-16; Matthew 26:64; Revelation 14:14). Apparently Lucifer sought a glory equal to that of God Himself.
• “I will make myself like the Most High.” Scripture says God possesses heaven and earth (Genesis 14:18-19). Apparently Lucifer sought the supreme position of the universe for himself. Satan wanted to exercise the authority and control in this world that rightfully belongs only to God. His sin was a direct challenge to the power and authority of God.
Remember that Lucifer, or Satan, energizes the antichrist. Just as Satan sought to set himself up as God in Isaiah 14, so the antichrist sets himself up as God. The antichrist will continue in this bogus divine role for 42 months—the last half of the tribulation period. And just as Lucifer was judged for being a pretender to the divine throne, so will the antichrist.
The persecution of the Jews will escalate geometrically after Satan is cast out of heaven and down to the earth.
When the dragon saw that he had been thrown down to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. But the woman was given the two wings of the great eagle so that she might fly from the serpent into the wilderness, to the place where she is to be nourished for a time, and times, and half a time. The serpent poured water like a river out of his mouth after the woman, to sweep her away with a flood. But the earth came to the help of the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed the river that the dragon had poured from his mouth. Then the dragon became furious with the woman and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus. And he stood on the sand of the sea (Revelation 12:13-17).
Who is the woman who becomes the object of Satan’s great persecution?
A woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars…was pregnant and was crying out in birth pains and the agony of giving birth…The dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she bore her child he might devour it. She gave birth to a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne, and the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, in which she is to be nourished for 1,260 days (Revelation 12:1-6).
In this passage, the woman represents Israel, building on the Old Testament imagery of Israel as the wife of God (Isaiah 54:5-6; Jeremiah 3:6-8; 31:32; Ezekiel 16:32; Hosea 2:16). Consequently, the 12 stars represent the 12 tribes of Israel, and the moon may allude to God’s covenant relationship with Israel because new moons are associated with covenant worship (1 Chronicles 23:31; 2 Chronicles 2:4; 8:13).
The male child refers to Jesus Christ. The dragon’s attempt to devour the child likely alludes to Herod’s massacre of male children (Matthew 2:13-18; see also Luke 4:28-29). The child was caught up to God in the sense that He ascended into heaven following His resurrection (Acts 1:9;2:33; Hebrews 1:1-3;12:2). The child—the divine Messiah—is destined to rule the nations (see Psalm 2:6-9).
In verses 12 and following, Satan seeks to persecute Israel with fury because he knows he has very little time left. But God provides supernatural aid, and the Jews manage to find shelter in a secret place.
This hiding place was not clearly identified. Some suggest that it might be Petra, fortress capital of the Nabateans in Edom, south of the Dead Sea. This city has a narrow access which could easily be blocked but which opens up into a large canyon capable of caring for many thousands of people.12
The two wings probably refer to God’s supernatural delivering power (see Exodus 19:4; Deuteronomy 32:11-12; see also Matthew 24:16; Mark 13:14; Luke 21:21).
Though God will preserve a remnant of Jews through this persecution, not all Jews will survive. Many prophecy scholars relate this passage to Zechariah 13:8, where we are prophetically told, “In the whole land, declares the LORD, two thirds shall be cut off and perish, and one third shall be left alive.” Many will die, but a remnant will survive the onslaught.
Scripture informs us that God preserves the Jews for “a time, times, and half a time.” This refers to the last three and a half years of the tribulation period (see Daniel 7:25; 12:7). This period also coincides with the 42 months referenced in Revelation 11:2 and 13:5. The last three and a half years of the tribulation period is often referred to as the great tribulation.
In the middle of the tribulation period, then, things become traumatic for the Jewish people in Jerusalem. The antichrist has assumed global political power, and now he declares himself to be God and exalts himself in the Jewish temple. To make matters worse, the antichrist is afire with a passion to persecute the Jewish people.
Jesus, in the Olivet Discourse, points to how bad things will be and predicts that Jews living in Jerusalem will flee for their lives.
When you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let the one who is on the housetop not go down to take what is in his house, and let the one who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak. And alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on a Sabbath. For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be (Matthew 24:15-21).
When these horrific circumstances unfold in Jerusalem, Jesus urges the Jews living there to have no concern whatsoever for personal belongings but rather to get out of town as quickly as possible. Time spent in gathering personal belongings might mean the difference between life and death. Jesus indicates that the distress is about to escalate dramatically and rapidly. Jeremiah 30:7 describes this as “a time of distress for Jacob.” Jacob is another name for Israel.
Scripture reveals that the antichrist will engage in great persecution against not only the Jews but also the saints of God during the tribulation period.
[The beast] was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them. And authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation, and all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain. If anyone has an ear, let him hear:
If anyone is to be taken captive,
to captivity he goes;
if anyone is to be slain with the sword,
with the sword must he be slain.
Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints (Revelation 13:7-10).
A parallel passage is Daniel 7:21, which, speaking of the antichrist, tells us that he “made war with the saints and prevailed over them.” Many will die. The Revelation passage tells us that the antichrist will conquer them, and the Daniel passage tells us he will prevail over them. There will be many martyrs during the future tribulation period.
“[The antichrist] makes war with God’s people and overcomes many of them. They die rather than submit to him. His rule extends over all the world—the last world empire before Christ’s Reign.”13 God’s people would rather experience death, knowing that they will live forever with the true Christ, Jesus the divine Messiah.
The antichrist now exercises global dominion, with authority over every tribe, people, language, and nation. He is not only a political leader but also the central religious object of worship (2 Thessalonians 2:4). All who are on the earth—except for those whose names are recorded in the book of life—will pay homage to him.
What is the book of life? It is interesting to observe that the idea of a divine register containing names goes back as far as Moses’s encounter with God on Mount Sinai (Exodus 32:32-33). The apostle Paul speaks of his fellow workers as those “whose names are in the book of life” (Philippians 4:3). The book of Revelation mentions the book of life six times (3:5; 13:8; 17:8; 20:12,15; 21:27). It contains the names of all those who belong to God. In Revelation 13:8 and 21:27, the book of life is said to belong specifically to the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ. Those whose names are not recorded in the Lamb’s book of life will worship the antichrist.
Revelation 14 serves as a connecting link between the events that take place midway through the tribulation period (Revelation 10–13) and the events that transpire in the second half of the tribulation period (15–16). In Revelation 14, divine announcements…
• predict the failure of the program of the counterfeit trinity—Satan, the antichrist, and the false prophet
• announce the results of the approaching bowl judgments
• give words of assurance, encouragement, and comfort to the saints living in the second half of the tribulation14
Here are six key revelations from the heavenlies.
1. An angel “with an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and language and people” proclaims with a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come, and worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water” (verses 6-7).
2. Another angel then proclaims, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, she who made all nations drink the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality” (verse 8).
3. Yet another angelic proclamation follows. “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, he also will drink the wine of God’s wrath, poured full strength into the cup of his anger, and he will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name” (verses 9-11).
4. The apostle John then records an affirmation. “I heard a voice from heaven saying, ‘Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’ ‘Blessed indeed,’ says the Spirit, ‘that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!’ ” (verse 13).
5. Yet another angel appears with a proclamation. “Put in your sickle, and reap, for the hour to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is fully ripe” (verse 15).
6. And yet another angel calls out from the altar. “Put in your sickle and gather the clusters from the vine of the earth, for its grapes are ripe” (verse 18).
Following these revelations from the heavenlies, the events of the second half of the tribulation period begin to transpire. Woe to those on earth!