REVELATION 13:12-18
Adam Maarschalk: October 29, 2009
Scripture text for this study: Revelation 13:11-18
This is now the third post on Revelation 13. The first post looked at the first 10 verses in this chapter, showing that Nero fit the description of the first beast in the specific sense and that first-century Rome fit the description of this same beast in the general sense. In the second post, we were introduced to its main advocate, a second beast, and we considered four different views regarding the identity of this second beast. In this present post we will see more about the healing of the first beast’s mortal wound, the mark of the beast, and the fact of its identification with the famous “666” symbol.
———————————————————————————————————-
Verse 12: We read again about the “mortal wound” of the first beast having been healed. Before examining what this might refer to, it’s good to remember that we have already seen that the first beast is manifested as both an individual (Nero) and an empire (Rome). Many Futurists gravitate only toward the idea of “the Antichrist” dying from an assassination attempt, but returning to life all the more demon-possessed. It’s often not considered that it could be the Roman Empire which survived, rather than the mortally wounded “head” (verse 3). In my 70 AD term paper, I presented two popular Preterist views regarding this healing, and I will again present these here. The following information can be found here (excerpts are in maroon-colored font):
The first possibility is that the wounded head did, in a sense, come back to life as Nero’s successors tried to keep his image, his policies, and his memory very much alive. It’s already been noted how far Vitellius went in deifying Nero in the eyes of the Roman populace. Vitellius, who reigned only eight months, was the third emperor to reign after Nero’s demise, before he was murdered. The first, Galba, reigned only six months and then was murdered. After him, Otho reigned four months before he committed suicide like Nero. It is said of Otho that he paid Nero “all public honors.”
The historians Tacitus, Suetonius, and Zonaras affirm that after Nero’s death proclamations continued to be published in his name as if he was still alive, and that his image was frequently placed upon the rostra (large speaker’s platforms in Rome) “dressed in robes of state.” Even Jewish and Christian writers began to foretell that Nero was back from death as the dreaded Beliar demon. Paul Kroll (1999) adds the following details:
Nero committed suicide in June of AD 68. However, a rumor arose and persisted that he had not died but had fled across the Euphrates river to Rome’s arch-enemy, Parthia. It was said that one day Nero would return at the head of Parthian armies to destroy Rome. This became the so-called “Nero redivivus” myth. In fact, during the decades following Nero’s death, several pretenders did come forth claiming to be Nero (Tacitus, Histories 1.78; 2.8; Suetonius, Nero 57). By the turn of the first century a further twist was added to the Nero legend. It was said he would actually rise from the dead, return to Rome and seize the empire… This myth of Nero’s return so captured the popular fancy that it found its way into Jewish and Christian apocalyptic writings. Here the triumphant Nero was sometimes even pictured as the antichrist (Ascension of Isaiah 4:1-14; Sibylline Oracles 4:119-124; 5:137-154, 361-374)…
Otho also allowed himself to be hailed as “Nero” or “Otho Nero,” and he used Nero’s name in official letters to provincial leaders as well as in official letters to Spain. He reinstated the procurators and other government officials who had ruled during Nero’s reign, and in many ways took on the persona of Nero (See Kenneth Gentry, pp. 309-309). Gentry also notes (p. 303), “In the pagan literature, references to the expectation of Nero’s return after his fall from power can be found in the writings of Tacitus, Suetonius, Dio Cassius, Xiphilinus, Zonaras, and Dion Chrysostom.”
A second possibility is that it was the beast in the form of the Roman empire which dramatically recovered from the mortal wound of one of its seven heads (Nero). This is in fact what happened in first century Rome. Upon Nero’s demise [in June 68 AD], the Roman Empire immediately fell into chaos and civil war… What followed was the “Year of the Four Emperors,” the reigns of Galba (six months), Otho (four months), Vitellius (eight months), and Vespasian (beginning in December 69 AD)…
Nero’s death by the sword is the type of mortal wound that John said the beast would receive (Revelation 13:12, 14). Richard Anthony (2009) and Kenneth Gentry (1998) postulate that the healing of this wound can perhaps be seen in what took place in the Roman Empire immediately following Nero’s death. Upon his death, the Roman Empire’s founding family suddenly had no representative. “The blood line that had given birth to, extended, stabilized, brought prosperity to, and had received worship from the Roman Empire was cut off forever” (Gentry, p. 311). The “Julio-Claudian House” became extinct. The empire was plunged “into civil wars of horrible ferocity and dramatic proportions” and Rome appeared ready to topple.
The general Vespasian pulled back from the wars he was committed to, including the siege on Jerusalem, because of the turmoil on his own home front. Josephus, Tacitus, and Suetonius all recorded that Rome at this time was brought near to utter ruin, with Josephus saying that “every part of the habitable earth under them [the Romans] was in an unsettled and tottering condition” (Wars 7.4.2). It wasn’t until Vespasian took the throne in December 69 AD, initiating the Flavian Dynasty, that stability was restored.
Verses 13-15: This second beast is said to perform great signs on behalf of the first beast, and in this way deceives “those who dwell on earth” (Israel).** The common people are compelled to create an image for the first beast (Rome) “that was wounded by the sword and yet lived.” This particular activity would have taken place, then, between 68-70 AD. The details in View #3 and View #4 (see previous post) say much about what took place in the Roman empire, and also in Israel, during this time.
**[In our study of Revelation so far, we have suggested that many of the references to “the earth” in the book of Revelation are not meant to be taken as worldwide in scope, but as dealing instead with the land of Israel/Palestine. In a 3-part study on this subject beginning with this post, I have outlined nearly 20 instances where this appears to be the case.]
Verses 16-17: Selling and buying was limited only to those who bore the mark, i.e. “the name of the beast or the number of its name.” David Clark comments, “This was to boycott or ostracize the Christians, and deprive them of the common rights of citizens, or the common rights of humanity. The pressure of economic distress was to be laid on them to compel them to conform” (Steve Gregg, p. 304). David Chilton adds, “Similarly [the Jewish leaders] organized economic boycotts against those who refused to submit to Caesar as Lord, the leaders of the synagogues ‘forbidding all dealings with the excommunicated,’ and going as far as to put them to death.” [Here Chilton partially quotes from Austin Farrer in his 1964 work entitled The Revelation of St. John the Divine (p. 157).] Richard Anthony (2009) speaks further of the allegiance required by Nero during his lifetime:
All those under the jurisdiction of Rome were required by law to publicly proclaim their allegiance to Caesar by burning a pinch of incense and declaring, “Caesar is Lord”. Upon compliance with this law, the people were given a papyrus document called a “libellus”, which they were required to present when either stopped by the Roman police or attempting to engage in commerce in the Roman marketplace, increasing the difficulty of “buying or selling” without this mark (emphasis added).
In the first post for chapter 13 we also saw a quote from C. Marvin Pate and Calvin B. Haines Jr., from their 1995 book entitled Doomsday Delusions, in which they said,
Megalomaniac that he was, Nero had coins minted in which he was called “almighty God” and “Savior.” Nero’s portrait also appears on coins as the god Apollo playing a lyre. While earlier emperors were proclaimed deities upon their deaths, Nero abandons all reserve and demanded divine honors while still alive (as did also Caligula before him, AD 37-41). Those who worshipped the emperor received a certificate or mark of approval – charagma, the same word used in Revelation 13:16 [the famed mark of the beast].
In verse 16, were John’s original readers meant to understand that the followers of the beast would receive a literal and visible mark on their hands or forehead? If so, then the two quotes above lend credence to the idea that such a thing occurred in Nero’s day. Or did the language John used primarily hearken back to classic Old Testament metaphors of the hand representing one’s deeds and the forehead representing one’s thoughts? Perhaps this is a reference to Moses’ instructions to the people of Israel that they were to bind the words of God “as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes” (Deuteronomy 6:8). Only, in this case, the apostate followers of the beast would not be symbolically marked with the words of God, but with their allegiance to the one who stood opposed to God and His people.
Verse 18: John appeals to the wisdom and understanding of the reader here, regarding the “number of the beast.” While the beast has so far been portrayed as an empire, it’s clear in this instance that the beast is also an individual, indicated by the words “it is the number of a man.”
Q: Did John expect his original audience to be able to calculate the beast’s number, and thus know his identity?
A: Yes, by the language he used, he clearly did. Therefore, it is good to re-emphasize the point that John was not referring here to a 21st century Antichrist.
Hank Hanegraaff agrees, as he remarked in his 11/21/2004 broadcast on Voice of Reason, “John is saying to his readers [living in his own generation] that with wisdom and understanding they could discern the number of the Beast and the number of his name. If, in fact, the Beast was not around at that time, he would have been giving them false information… The beast is singularly Nero” (Source). Steve Gregg comments (p. 302):
John obviously did not expect his readers who had understanding (v. 18) to have any difficulty in identifying the beast, since they could simply calculate the meaning of this cryptogram. Here using English characters, the Hebrew form of “Caesar Nero” is Nrwn Qsr (pronounced “Neron Kaiser”). The value of the seven Hebrew letters is 50, 200, 6, 50, 100, 60, and 200, respectively. The total is thus 666. This is the solution advocated by David S. Clark, Jay Adams, Kenneth Gentry, David Chilton, and most others [i.e. partial-preterists].
Most likely, the code utilized the Hebrew form rather than the Greek or Latin form of the name to avoid detection from Roman authorities, who would know both Latin and Greek, but not Hebrew. The readers of the book, however, knew considerable Hebrew, judging from the many symbols taken from the Old Testament and also John’s use of Hebrew words like Armageddon, amen, hallelujah, Satan (a Hebrew name, used in addition to the Greek word for devil), and Abaddon (in addition to its Greek counterpart Apollyon). The Hebrew language has exerted so great an influence over the writing of Revelation, in fact, that some scholars have even speculated that John originally wrote it in Aramaic (his native tongue and a cognate of Hebrew).
Don Walker concurs, saying, “Let us remember that John is writing from the isle of Patmos, where he has been imprisoned. This letter would have been, in all likelihood, carried off the island by Roman soldiers. John had to send his message in ‘code’ lest his captors understand his reference to the emperor. Instead of openly stating who the ‘Beast’ was, he left them a clue that every Hebrew could easily discern.” I also wrote the following in my term paper, here:
John revealed the identity of the beast to his readers in a coded manner, Richard Anthony (2009) says, using the system of Gematria which assigned numerical values to the alphabet: “John used this puzzle to reveal Nero without actually writing down his name. Remember, the early churches were being persecuted during this time—not only from the Jews, but also from the Romans.” The following chart shows the Hebrew letters in ‘Nero Caesar’ (NRWN QSR):
Don Walker also adds,
Another interesting factor to consider is what is called the “textual variant.” If you consult a Bible with marginal references you will find something quite intriguing. Regarding Revelation 13:18, your reference may say something to the effect: “Some manuscripts read 616.” The fact is that the number 666 in some ancient manuscripts is actually changed to 616… The difference surely is no accident of sight made by an early copyist. The numbers 666 and 616 are not even similar in appearance — whether spelled out in words or written in numerals. As textual scholars agree, it must be intentional.
A strong case has been made for the following probability. John, a Jew, used a Hebrew spelling of Nero’s name in order to arrive at the number 666. But when Revelation began circulating among those less acquainted with Hebrew, a well meaning copyist who knew the meaning of 666 might have intended to make its deciphering easier by altering it to read 616. It is certainly no mere coincidence that 616 is the numerical value of “Nero Caesar,” when spelled in Hebrew by transliterating it from its more widely familiar Latin spelling. Such a conjecture would explain the rationale for the deviation: so that the non-Hebrew mind might more readily discern the identity of the Beast.
David Chilton, in his 1987 book “Days of Vengeance,” said the following on this matter:
The form Neron Kesar (1) is the linguistically “correct” Hebrew form, (2) is the form found in the Talmud and other rabbinical writings, and (3) was used by Hebrews in the first century, as archaeological evidence has shown. As F. W. Farrar observed, “the Jewish Christian would have tried [tested] the name as he thought of the name – that is in Hebrew letters. And the moment he did this the secret stood revealed. No Jew ever thought of Nero except as ‘Neron Kesar,’ and this gives at once . . . 666″ (The Early Days of Christianity, Chicago and New York: Belford, Clarke & Co., 1882, p. 540). Of some related interest is the fact that if Nero’s name is written without the final n (i.e., the way it would occur to a Gentile to spell it in Hebrew), it yields the number 616 — which is exactly the variant reading in a few New Testament manuscripts. The most reasonable explanation for this variant is that it arose from the confusion over the final “n.”
Kenneth Gentry (p. 205) quotes Robert H. Mounce, a Futurist author who says, “John intended only his intimate associates to be able to decipher the number. So successful were his precautions that even Irenaeus some one hundred years later was unable to identify the person intended.” Gentry rightfully notes the irony of Mounce’s statement, in that he admits that John’s original 1st-century audience knew who he was speaking about in Rev. 13:18, yet Mounce believes that John was prophecying about a figure who was to live some 2000 years later. In other words, Mounce would have us believe that John intended for his first-century readers to discern that the beast was (let’s say, for example) a 21st-century leader of the European Union.
The manuscript bearing the number “616” is almost non-existent today, but it was already a factor before Irenaeus lived (130-200 AD). Kenneth Gentry (p. 197) notes that in his work Against Heresies 5:30:1, Irenaeus writes regarding this matter:
I do not know how it is that some have erred following the ordinary mode of speech, and have vitiated the middle number in the name, deducting the amount of fifty from it, so that instead of six decads they will have it that there is but one. Others then received this reading without examination; some in their simplicity, and upon their own responsibility, making use of this number expressing one decad; while some, in their experience, have ventured to seek out a name which should contain the erroneous and spurious number.
The “Nrwn Qsr” rendering is the ancient Hebrew or Aramaic spelling of “Nero Caesar,” as attested to by the Talmud and other Rabbinical writings, says Gentry (p. 199). Being that John was primarily addressing believers who “were of Hebrew extraction,” his code of “666” appealed to this very rendering. The “616” variant was apparently copied this way intentionally by a well-meaning translator, who did so “by transliterating it from its Latin spelling” (p. 203). This does nothing to harm the theory that John meant “666” to refer to Nero, and in fact it serves to further confirm it. “Neron Caesar” written in Hebrew characters is equivalent to “666” and “Nero Caesar” in the Latin form is “616.” Nero’s identity is confirmed by both the common rendering as well as the obscure textual variant.
———————————————————————————————————————————————————
Our study of Revelation 13 (Part 4 of 5) continues here.
All of our Revelation chapter-by-chapter studies, and any other posts related to the book of Revelation, can be found here.
Pursuing Truth 
[…] all of this, but this discusses the "mark" in the first century. Intersting read. Revelation Chapter 13 (Part 3: Verses 12-18) | Pursuing Truth (Minneapolis) __________________ […]
LikeLike
I’m not agreeable to your interpretation of Rev 13 being Nero Caesar because Nero lived from AD 37 to 68? If I’m reading Revelation in a successive timeline, then ALL the Seals, and trumpets must have been opened in the first few years after Christ ! Or Are you suggesting that Rev 13 are visions from John that should not be taken as one chapter after the other, in a timeline; that John saw visions of one time, and then later times, but not in order?
LikeLike
Hi Michael,
Thanks for stopping by and commenting here. I apologize, but I don’t understand most of what you’ve said. Is your first sentence meant to be a statement or a question? (It appears to be a statement, but it has a question mark.) Yes, Nero lived from 37-68 AD, but he ruled over Rome from 54-68 AD. He was the sixth emperor of Rome, and therefore we can date the writing of Revelation accordingly:
The one that John said was ruling at the time of his writing was the sixth king, who was Nero, according to historical records. John’s readers would have known this as well.
I’m not sure why you’re saying that the seals and trumpets “must have been opened in the first few years after Christ.” What are you basing that on?
What do you mean by “Rev 13…taken as one chapter after the other?” Are you asking if I believe that the events of chapter 13 follow the events of chapter 12? I see in the book of Revelation, as many scholars do, that John repeatedly views the same series of events, but from different angles. This is referred to as “recapitulation.” Revelation 12, however, does flash back to Jesus birth and even His work on the cross. I hope that helps.
LikeLike
Hi Adam, you’re almost there. In Rev 13 the 5th King is Nero who persecuted the Christians. The next 3 lasted one year between them and none ruled in Jerusalem so they were not counted by John. Nero is a ‘type’ of the beast. The 6th King is Vespasian who desecrated the temple, ceased the sacrifices and told the Jews that HE was the messiah, he wore a golden imago in the temple and forced the Jews to worship him on pain of death. Vespasian is the second in the ‘type’ of the beast. The 7th who lasted only for a short while is Vespasian’s son Titus who died within two years of his accession. The 8th who is of the seven, even he is the eighth, is Vespasian’s remaining son and heir Domitian, who was cruel and ruthless and was nicknamed ‘the beast’. The rendering of Domitian’s name/title on his coins and on the papyrus libellus added up to 666. Domitian is the beast John warned the churches of. All three beast types slaughtered the descendants of David’s line to prevent the King of the Jews from returning.
I really found other elements of your articles informative and a pleasure to read. Thank you.
LikeLike
Hi Sharon. Thank you for your comment and for your kind words. I must say that this is the first time I’ve seen this particular take on the beast and the seven kings of Revelation. So then you must believe that John wrote Revelation during Vespasian’s reign. Is that correct?
I’m presently re-studying the topic of the beasts in Revelation and I plan to post about this in the coming weeks.
LikeLike
Hi Adam,
I look forward to your new posts,
John wrote this to the churches during Domitian’s reign. He had already lived through the persecutions of Nero’s and Vespasian’s reigns. The churches would know who he meant because of the 1. The nickname, 2. The stipulations on buying and selling, and 3. everyone had his coins jingling in their pocket. Domitian’s reign was 15 years long and there simply were no other coins in circulation after a certain time.
I see so many people writing about this topic without really being able to enlighten anyone at all, your article was so close but overlooked that John was only concerned with Romans in the east. I think if you re-read Rev 13 again it will now make mors sense. The first beast is Rome, the ‘other’ beast arising is Vespasian with his sons being the two horns. Vespasian was at one time injured by a sword thrust to the foot but told the Jews he was fatally wounded and was resurrected, proving that he was a God and the messiah.
You’re welcome to message me privately if you need to discuss further.
LikeLike
quoting from someone’s book does not make it sound evidence. in reference to the libellus, the oldest evidence we have of a libellus dates to 250 AD under Decius, not Nero. I have searched for days trying to find contemporary resources or at least 1-2 generations outside of contemporary accounts of Nero and there is nothing about a libellus or incense being burned and confessing allegiance to Rome. I think people need to do much more research before they make certain assertions and facts.
LikeLike
Thank you for your comment and I agree with you. I actually no longer believe that Nero was the beast of Revelation and I’ve realized for a while that I had used some weak arguments for that position, including the point you highlighted. I’ve been working on a new series regarding the beast, and I will be revising this post and some other posts once I finish that series (or at least the parts that pertain to Revelation 13).
LikeLike
Hello Adam,
Do you still update your pages here? I am interested to learn of new developments in your studies. I found your pages by questioning Israel vs Rome, from lessons and themes, continuity in the Word.
I ask from some combination of preterism and futurism, topology and.. Ecclesiastes 1:9 What has happened before will happen again. What has been done before will be done again.
Kat
LikeLike
Hi Adam,
This is an old post starting back in 2009, but I would finally like to contribute some comments on the “mark” giving honor to the Rev. 13 Sea Beast that was imposed on all those in the land of Israel by the Beast from the land in Rev. 13. I have waited since 2019 to see if you yourself had any thoughts about this “mark” and the “image” giving homage to the Sea Beast before I wrote anything here on your site.
During the last “Ask the Pastor 2024 Revelation Conference” in which you spoke about this Revelation 13:11-18 text, I noticed that you proposed a possible fulfillment of the “image” as being the clay figures called “Golums”. While this is a plausible explanation of why those in Israel would have been accused of practicing “sorcery” in Rev. 9:20-21 with these clay images, I do not think these “Golums” fit the rest of the specified scripture requirements for the “mark” and the “image” which gave homage to the Sea Beast.
During the last five years, I have done some study of what I truly believe John was describing when he wrote about this “mark” and this “image”.
It’s very simple. The “mark” with the “image” giving homage to the Rev. 13 Sea Beast was the Tyrian shekel which the high priesthood required as the only accepted coin for either purchasing or selling sacrificial items for worship in the temple.
The original Tyrian shekel coin was well known for the purity of its high silver content. In Christ’s days, everyone from any nation coming to the Jerusalem temple to worship, regardless of rank or distinction, had to exchange their own foreign currency coins for the high-priesthood required Tyrian shekel before they could sell or purchase items for their temple worship. The moneychangers in the temple charged a fee of a certain number of prutah coins for every one of these currency exchanges, which raked in a continual flow of funds for the temple and the priesthood. This corrupt practice was what earned Christ’s righteous wrath when He made a whip of cords and drove these money-changers from the temple, justly accusing them of turning His Father’s house into a “den of thieves”.
It was the priesthood themselves who went to Rome back in 19 BC when the mint at Tyre shut down, asking if they could begin minting their own currency with a high silver content for use in the temple (and for those Israelite males paying the annual Temple Tax). Rome agreed to this unusual request by a subjugated nation, but with one stipulation: these silver coins minted by the Jews themselves would have to retain the same pagan images and inscriptions that the original silver Tyrian shekels had.
These were images of the demi-god Melqart / Herakles (Hercules to the Romans) on the front, and an eagle on the reverse side, along with the inscription “Tyre the holy and city of refuge”, and the stamped initials “KP” standing for “Kratos Romaion”. These initials proved that these coins were being minted by the Jews under the power of Rome’s authority. These coins minted by the Jews are presently known as the “crude shekels” of this period beginning in 19 BC.
These “crude shekels” imitating the original Tyrian shekel were minted by the Jews from 19 BC until AD 66 when the Zealots cast off their Roman governance, and began minting their own coins as the revived, independent, sovereign nation of Israel (the “Scarlet Beast” of Rev. 17). The Rev. 13 Land Beast’s requirement of this “mark” giving homage to the Rev. 13 Sea Beast was discontinued after the beginning of the war in AD 66, when the Rev. 17 Scarlet Beast of an independent Israel under the Zealots arose to power instead of the Rev. 13 Beast from the Land (showing the three different Beasts in Revelation 13 & 17 – not just two Beasts).
These images and inscriptions on the Tyrian shekel copies were a clear violation of God’s commands all the way back in Deuteronomy 7:25-26. “The graven images of their gods shall ye burn with fire: thou shalt not desire the silver or gold that is on them, nor take it unto thee, lest thou be snared therein: for it is an abomination to the Lord thy God. Neither shalt thou bring an abomination into thine house, lest thou be a cursed thing like it: but thou shalt utterly detest it, and thou shalt utterly abhor it; for it is a cursed thing.” In Joshua 7:20-26, Achan and his family found out just how serious God was in giving this command, when they were all stoned and burned for disobeying it.
God had a particular disgust for anything portraying a hybrid god / human, ever since the Genesis 6 marriages of the sons of God with the daughters of men, resulting in sons who became giants in those days. Because “all flesh had corrupted its way on earth”, God brought the flood of Noah’s day to rid the world of all the corrupted, hybrid seed of mankind which was a result of those angelic / human marriage unions, saving only Noah and his family, but destroying every other human being on the globe. Yet these Tyrian shekel coins were exalting a hybrid demi-god with that stamped image of the demi-god Melqart / Herakles / Hercules on the front – a slap in God’s face.
Also, for these Tyrian shekel coins to venerate the city of Tyre by the inscription “Tyre the holy” – this was another slap in God’s face, since Tyre had been known for its idolatry, human sacrifices, and worship of devils, with the wicked Queen Jezebel herself being the daughter of Ithobaal I of Tyre – Jezebel who slew all those prophets of the Lord. Why would the high priesthood have wanted their Tyrian shekel coins to give homage to Tyre, whose daughter Queen Jezebel had murdered the prophets of the Lord? Absolute insanity.
Since the 19 BC year, the high priesthood was not only disregarding God’s OT commands against using the silver or gold connected with idol worship, but they were REQUIRING that this silver Tyrian shekel be the only coin accepted for temple transactions. To add insult to injury, the money-changers charged that onerous fee to every person for the “privilege” of exchanging their coinage for this abominable Tyrian shekel with its profane images and inscriptions giving homage to Rome and its gods. Every time an Israelite handed over that Tyrian shekel for the Temple Tax or for a temple transaction, they were given a grim reminder once again of just who was holding the reigns of power over their own high priesthood and temple.
I also find it extremely significant that Herod began His plans for renovating the Jerusalem temple in 19 BC. He had to prove to the high priests beforehand that he had the means and the supplies to complete this ambitious, magnificent renovation of the temple before he actually began to build it in 17 BC (“Forty-six years was this temple in building…” in AD 30). What better way for Herod to assure a continual flow of funds for this lavish renovation project than for the high priesthood to impose a fee for using a Rome-approved Tyrian shekel copy, minted by the Jews themselves? It all stinks to high heaven of corruption in the highest places in Israel at the time. “Follow the money” was as true back then as it is now.
Incidentally, the part about receiving this “mark” in the forehead (Rev. 13:16) was also fulfilled by the Tyrian shekel. Women wore a set of ten of these coins on the forehead of their headdress, to denote their marital status. The woman in the Luke 15:8 parable who lost one of those ten coins became desperate to find it, since it was more or less the equivalent of a woman today losing her wedding ring somewhere in the house.
Anyone in Israel not complying with this “mark” requirement was put under a ban by the Jewish religious leaders of the Land Beast having the offender “cast out of the synagogues”. The “Fear of the Jews” was a very real threat in those days, since this ban forbad anyone from supporting the offending person or their family in any way. This could quite literally be a death sentence for anyone not “toeing the line” marked out by the Rev. 13 Land Beast’s Jewish religious leaders (fulfilling Rev. 13:15).
As for the number of that Sea Beast in Rev. 13:18, this was a calculated number of 666 YEARS in which the Sea Beast’s pagan empires had held control of the nation of Israel, from Nebuchadnezzar’s first deportation of the Jewish nobility from Jerusalem in 607 BC (including Daniel) up until John was writing the book of Revelation. As of the time John was writing Revelation somewhere between late AD 59 and early AD 60 (just before the AD 60 Laodicean earthquake), the conglomerate mix of empires that composed the Rev. 13 Sea Beast (with its features of a “lion”, the “bear”, and the “leopard” of those former pagan empires) had an almost continual 666 YEARS’ history of control over the nation of Israel. Gematria is not the way to determine this number.
LikeLike
Hi Patricia. Thank you for sharing your thoughts on the mark of the beast. I didn’t know much about the Tyrian shekel. I agree that the details you shared show that this enterprise stunk to high heaven and was marked by corruption, graven images, idolatry, etc. Do you happen to have on hand a good reference – an online reference, if possible – where I (and anyone else reading this) can look into this further? Also, have you come across any indications that breath and a voice were given to the images on the shekel, in fulfillment of Revelation 13:15? This verse reads, “And it was given to him to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast would even speak and cause all who do not worship the image of the beast to be killed” (Rev. 13:15 NASB). Thank you.
By the way, I plan to send you an email about an opportunity to share your thoughts on the Millennium (1000 years) in the form of a commentary.
LikeLike
Hi Adam,
I typed out a list of about five sources for you to check into regarding the Tyrian shekel, but for some reason the system is not allowing those links to go through. It freezes loading the comment when it gets to that point. I tried twice. Perhaps it is my own desktop which is as old as Methuselah in computer years. If you are still interested, shoot me an email and I’ll send you those sources about the Tyrian shekel on my cell phone instead. Lots of interesting information that is worth considering.
As far as your question about how the image of the Beast could be given “breath” and be made to “speak”, I don’t think this is actually referring to human speech, any more than Abel, “who being dead yet speaketh”, or having God say that the blood of Abel “crieth unto Me from the ground”. Or that the Spirit breathing life into the dry bones in the valley in Ezekiel 37 was literal breath. This was symbolic language of the exiled, dead nation of Israel being revived to life again so that they could return to their own land and re-establish the nation of Israel once more. For the image of the Beast to be given “breath” so that it could “speak” was for the requirement of that image to be given a level of control over the people who were using it. A symbol of inanimate things being given human capabilities and powers.
Revelation 13:15 goes even further in saying that those who did not give homage to the image of the Beast would be killed by the Land Beast. I believe this was referring to the power exercised by the high priesthood and the religious leadership of the Revelation 13 Land Beast to enforce their requirements by threatening to excommunicate those who did not submit to their rules. To be “cast out of the synagogue” was for a person to be shunned by his fellow Jews. No one could support that person’s livelihood or his family – a virtual death sentence.
This “fear of the Jews” was rampant in the first century. We have an example in John 7:12-13, “…Howbeit no man spake openly of Him for fear of the Jews.” We have the example of the parents of the man healed of blindness being fearful to admit how he was healed, lest they be cast out of the synagogue (John 9:22). Their son was subsequently cast out of the synagogue for stubbornly refusing to deny that Christ Jesus had healed his blindness (John 9:34-35). Joseph of Arimathea likewise feared the Jews and had to ask for Jesus’s body from Pilate privately (John 19:38). And there were even many chief rulers of the Jews who believed on Jesus, but “for fear of the Jews” would not openly confess Him (John 12:42), lest they be cast out of the synagogue.
The Revelation 13 Land Beast’s religious leadership with its two-horned Sadducee and Pharisee power structure was not to be questioned. It held a stranglehold on the people, and this abominable Tyrian shekel “mark” required for use in the temple was just one example of how far they would go – even against God’s own commandments prohibiting idolatrous images – to keep the river of funds flowing into their own coffers.
LikeLike