Chapter 13 Footnotes
[1] Isaiah 51:9-10
[2] This is not the same word as the name of the harlot who helped the Israelites, though it is transliterated the same in English.
[3] Psalm 89:8-10. In Isaiah 30:7 Egypt is called Rahab.
[4] Revelation 7:2-3. What is about to happen now ends the hiatus announced there. First Satan will damage the earth and sea and then God will purge it with his plagues.
[5] Revelation 10:2. Note this angel can stand on both the sea and the land. The only way Satan can perform this feat is to stand on the seashore.
[6] Revelation 12:12. This woe comes both from the action of Satan (through the two beasts, one from the sea and one from earth), and from the actions of God (when his plagues fall on earth and sea). Note that this verse in chapter 12 supports reading verse 1 of this chapter as “and he (Satan) stood on the shore of the sea”).
[7] e.g. Genesis 14:19, Deuteronomy 3:24, 4:26, Joshua 2:11, 1 Samuel 2:10, 2 Chronicles 2:12, Ezra 5:11, Psalm 73:25, Matthew 11:25, Colossians 1:16.
[8] e.g. Genesis 1:26, Exodus 20:11, Job 11:8-9, Psalm 96:11, 146:6, Acts 4:24, 14:15, Revelation 21:1.
[9] Revelation 13:11
[10] See Glossary.
[11] 1 John 2:18, 2 John 1:7.
[12] Daniel 9:26.
[13] 2 Thessalonians 2:3.
[14] And a whole lot more creatures which look pretty monstrous but which are members of hordes of similar monsters.
[15] 12:3.
[16] Revelation 20:2.
[17] Revelation 12:1-6, 13-17.
[18] Revelation 12:17.
[19] Revelation 11:7.
[20] 13:1, 11.
[21] 17:3.
[22] Revelation 13:1.
[23] See Luke 4:6. Christ did not dispute Satan when he claimed the kingdoms of the earth were his to give to whom he pleases. The offer was real, though the consequences of taking it severe. The real Christ turned down the offer. Now, in chapter 13, we see one who accepts the offer, the fake Christ, the Antichrist.
[24] Matthew 4:1-11.
[25] For a more detailed description of the various beasts of Revelation, see Appendix, 3, “The Beasts of Revelation”.
[26] A thorough study of the connection between Daniel’s visions of the Seventieth Week and the events of Revelation would be very profitable but is beyond the scope of this book.
[27] Clearly this is the Greeks because Alexander’s empire was, at his death, divided into four kingdoms.
[28] We know it is the midpoint of the Seventieth Week by a slightly circuitous argument: the fourth beast of Daniel and the first beast of Revelation 13 are the same. The fourth beast of Daniel is given power over Israel for three and a half years, as is the Antichrist. Those three and a half year periods are the same period. Therefore, the emergence of both beasts is at the start of that period. Since that period is the second half of the Seventieth week, the emergence of the two beasts takes place then. It is not that we see the men (the Antichrist and the False prophet) for the first time then. It is that they are revealed for what they are at that time.
[29] Both Daniel (chapter 9) and Isaiah (chapter 28) speak of covenants or treaties that are apparently made with or include the leaders of Israel and that are broken. The one in Daniel clearly refers to the period we are discussing – it is made at the start of the Seventieth Week and in this chapter we are about to see it broken.
The one in Isaiah is far less certain, though if it does (at least in part) refer to the covenant with the Antichrist, it may explain why the Antichrist seems to operate in Jerusalem (where, for example, the two prophets are killed and the sacrifices are stopped), but we never see him taking it over.
Regardless of the applicability of Isaiah’s “covenant of death”, it seems likely that the Antichrist has power over Jerusalem as a result of the covenant made at the start of the Seventieth Week. Alternatively, we may see him taking over Jerusalem in verse 7 where it says he is given (by Satan) authority to make war on the saints and to conquer them. It is worth noting that we also do not see the Antichrist leave Jerusalem at the end of the 70th week – all we see are his armies arrayed against Jerusalem when Christ returns.
[30] Verse 4 and following.
[31] Matthew 24:15.
[32] Matthew 4:9.
[33] Revelation 12:12.
[34] See, for example, Revelation 11.
[35] Hebrews 8:5a
[36] The Textus Receptus has:
[2] This is not the same word as the name of the harlot who helped the Israelites, though it is transliterated the same in English.
[3] Psalm 89:8-10. In Isaiah 30:7 Egypt is called Rahab.
[4] Revelation 7:2-3. What is about to happen now ends the hiatus announced there. First Satan will damage the earth and sea and then God will purge it with his plagues.
[5] Revelation 10:2. Note this angel can stand on both the sea and the land. The only way Satan can perform this feat is to stand on the seashore.
[6] Revelation 12:12. This woe comes both from the action of Satan (through the two beasts, one from the sea and one from earth), and from the actions of God (when his plagues fall on earth and sea). Note that this verse in chapter 12 supports reading verse 1 of this chapter as “and he (Satan) stood on the shore of the sea”).
[7] e.g. Genesis 14:19, Deuteronomy 3:24, 4:26, Joshua 2:11, 1 Samuel 2:10, 2 Chronicles 2:12, Ezra 5:11, Psalm 73:25, Matthew 11:25, Colossians 1:16.
[8] e.g. Genesis 1:26, Exodus 20:11, Job 11:8-9, Psalm 96:11, 146:6, Acts 4:24, 14:15, Revelation 21:1.
[9] Revelation 13:11
[10] See Glossary.
[11] 1 John 2:18, 2 John 1:7.
[12] Daniel 9:26.
[13] 2 Thessalonians 2:3.
[14] And a whole lot more creatures which look pretty monstrous but which are members of hordes of similar monsters.
[15] 12:3.
[16] Revelation 20:2.
[17] Revelation 12:1-6, 13-17.
[18] Revelation 12:17.
[19] Revelation 11:7.
[20] 13:1, 11.
[21] 17:3.
[22] Revelation 13:1.
[23] See Luke 4:6. Christ did not dispute Satan when he claimed the kingdoms of the earth were his to give to whom he pleases. The offer was real, though the consequences of taking it severe. The real Christ turned down the offer. Now, in chapter 13, we see one who accepts the offer, the fake Christ, the Antichrist.
[24] Matthew 4:1-11.
[25] For a more detailed description of the various beasts of Revelation, see Appendix, 3, “The Beasts of Revelation”.
[26] A thorough study of the connection between Daniel’s visions of the Seventieth Week and the events of Revelation would be very profitable but is beyond the scope of this book.
[27] Clearly this is the Greeks because Alexander’s empire was, at his death, divided into four kingdoms.
[28] We know it is the midpoint of the Seventieth Week by a slightly circuitous argument: the fourth beast of Daniel and the first beast of Revelation 13 are the same. The fourth beast of Daniel is given power over Israel for three and a half years, as is the Antichrist. Those three and a half year periods are the same period. Therefore, the emergence of both beasts is at the start of that period. Since that period is the second half of the Seventieth week, the emergence of the two beasts takes place then. It is not that we see the men (the Antichrist and the False prophet) for the first time then. It is that they are revealed for what they are at that time.
[29] Both Daniel (chapter 9) and Isaiah (chapter 28) speak of covenants or treaties that are apparently made with or include the leaders of Israel and that are broken. The one in Daniel clearly refers to the period we are discussing – it is made at the start of the Seventieth Week and in this chapter we are about to see it broken.
The one in Isaiah is far less certain, though if it does (at least in part) refer to the covenant with the Antichrist, it may explain why the Antichrist seems to operate in Jerusalem (where, for example, the two prophets are killed and the sacrifices are stopped), but we never see him taking it over.
Regardless of the applicability of Isaiah’s “covenant of death”, it seems likely that the Antichrist has power over Jerusalem as a result of the covenant made at the start of the Seventieth Week. Alternatively, we may see him taking over Jerusalem in verse 7 where it says he is given (by Satan) authority to make war on the saints and to conquer them. It is worth noting that we also do not see the Antichrist leave Jerusalem at the end of the 70th week – all we see are his armies arrayed against Jerusalem when Christ returns.
[30] Verse 4 and following.
[31] Matthew 24:15.
[32] Matthew 4:9.
[33] Revelation 12:12.
[34] See, for example, Revelation 11.
[35] Hebrews 8:5a
[36] The Textus Receptus has:
As is often the case, the King James gets it right: 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.
[37] Matthew 26:52.
[38] See, for example, Matthew 24:5.
[39] John 15:26.
[40] Matthew 16:18.
[41] There is some dispute over when Revelation was written, during the reign of Nero (54-68 AD) or around 95 AD during the reign – and persecutions – of Domitian being most likely. Both emperors are known to history as persecutors of Christians and many scholars think John wrote to, among other things, give hope in a period of persecution. The latter date is generally preferred by historians.
There are, however, problems tying events in Revelation to either date. At its simplest, 666 can be calculated from Nero’s name (Nero Caesar, translated into Hebrew and then gematria used to calculate its number). If that is the case, then 666 might be a coded way to refer to Nero as the persecutor. But if the book was written in the reign of Nero then the absence of the earthly temple becomes somewhat problematic since the earthly temple was in existence until destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD.
The later date lowers the likelihood that 666 refers to Nero though as late as the fifth century there were those who believed Nero lived on and would someday return (see, for example, Augustine’s City of God, XX:19:3).
[42] Daniel 9:27.
[43] 13:16, 13:17, 14:9, 14:11, 16:2, 19:20, and 20:4.
[44] While most likely that the prominence of the position is the purpose of the right hand or forehead, it should be noted that while everyone has a forehead, not everyone has a right hand.
[45] Compare Revelation 16:1-2 where those with the mark of the beast break out in boils with Revelation 9:4 where the scorpions afflict those without the seal of God. Since both of these take place during the Great Tribulation, it is likely the distinction is intentional. Further, Zechariah 14:16 (clearly speaking of the time when Christ returns) says that “Then all the survivors from the nations that came against Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship the King, the LORD of Hosts, and to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles”. It seems inconceivable that there would be those in the Antichrist’s army that do not have the mark, but apparently there will be. But it is even more unlikely that there will be believing Christians or Jews fighting against Christ there.
[46] For those who believe the events of Revelation were fulfilled in the first century, a question: If the readers of Revelation were supposed to determine that Nero or someone else was meant, shouldn’t we be able to perform the calculation? It seems far more likely that it applies to someone unknown to John or his first century readers.
[47] 1 John 5:16.
[48] Acts 5:1-10.
[37] Matthew 26:52.
[38] See, for example, Matthew 24:5.
[39] John 15:26.
[40] Matthew 16:18.
[41] There is some dispute over when Revelation was written, during the reign of Nero (54-68 AD) or around 95 AD during the reign – and persecutions – of Domitian being most likely. Both emperors are known to history as persecutors of Christians and many scholars think John wrote to, among other things, give hope in a period of persecution. The latter date is generally preferred by historians.
There are, however, problems tying events in Revelation to either date. At its simplest, 666 can be calculated from Nero’s name (Nero Caesar, translated into Hebrew and then gematria used to calculate its number). If that is the case, then 666 might be a coded way to refer to Nero as the persecutor. But if the book was written in the reign of Nero then the absence of the earthly temple becomes somewhat problematic since the earthly temple was in existence until destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD.
The later date lowers the likelihood that 666 refers to Nero though as late as the fifth century there were those who believed Nero lived on and would someday return (see, for example, Augustine’s City of God, XX:19:3).
[42] Daniel 9:27.
[43] 13:16, 13:17, 14:9, 14:11, 16:2, 19:20, and 20:4.
[44] While most likely that the prominence of the position is the purpose of the right hand or forehead, it should be noted that while everyone has a forehead, not everyone has a right hand.
[45] Compare Revelation 16:1-2 where those with the mark of the beast break out in boils with Revelation 9:4 where the scorpions afflict those without the seal of God. Since both of these take place during the Great Tribulation, it is likely the distinction is intentional. Further, Zechariah 14:16 (clearly speaking of the time when Christ returns) says that “Then all the survivors from the nations that came against Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship the King, the LORD of Hosts, and to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles”. It seems inconceivable that there would be those in the Antichrist’s army that do not have the mark, but apparently there will be. But it is even more unlikely that there will be believing Christians or Jews fighting against Christ there.
[46] For those who believe the events of Revelation were fulfilled in the first century, a question: If the readers of Revelation were supposed to determine that Nero or someone else was meant, shouldn’t we be able to perform the calculation? It seems far more likely that it applies to someone unknown to John or his first century readers.
[47] 1 John 5:16.
[48] Acts 5:1-10.
