I was a little late to the Revelation 13:3 social media party and almost missed it completely. After the assassination attempt on former U.S. President Donald J Trump, social media lit up with Revelation 13:3 quotes. This was mostly from those who don't study scripture but, are quick to use it to serve their purposes or, fit a specific narrative which has become common practice. Most comments were quite misguided, even delusional, misquoting scripture.
"And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast"
The bullet grazed former President Trump's ear, whereas, the alleged shooter received a deadly head wound which ended his life and no, he will not rise again. But, the scriptural reference was directed at former President Trump and his wounded ear. Heads represent kingdoms, horns represent kings, Is Trump a kingdom? Is he a kingdom that belongs to the beast that rises mid-tribulation? Is he even a sitting President right now? Is he a leader (king) of a world kingdom?
Why doesn't scripture say one of the horns was wounded as to death if this verse represents a deadly head wound upon a man; a king? Because it's not a man, it's a kingdom.
Let me explain:
Revelation 13:1-4 details the rise of the antichrist kingdom aka: the beast kingdom mid tribulation.
Many Christians were questioning the use of the verse as the tribulation period has not begun, but very few Pastors have addressed it or, put it into proper context.
"And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast"
"I saw one of his heads as if it had been slain, and his fatal wound was healed. And the whole earth was amazed and followed after the beast;" (NASB)
Okay there is the scripture. Now let's look at verse 3 in context with the prophecy:
1) And I (John) stood on the sands of the sea, and saw a beast (kingdom) rise up out of the sea, having seven heads (seven kingdoms) and ten horns (ten kings), and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. 2) And the beast which I saw was like unto a Leopard (Grecian), and his feet were as the feet of a bear (Mede-Persian), and his mouth as the mouth of a lion (Babylon); and the dragon (red dragon 12:3, Satan) gave him his power; and his seat (throne, territorial domain) and great authority. 3) And I saw one of his (seven) heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast. (that was, and was not, yet is.. shall be)
1) The beast is a kingdom that rises from the sea. The kingdom has seven heads and ten horns; seven world kingdoms and ten kings.
Revelation 13:1-4, is detailing the rise of a kingdom; beasts rise from the sea (Daniel 7:3), while kings rise from the earth.
Daniel 7:17 These great beasts (kingdoms), which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth.
*Four kingdoms: Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, beast with ten horns.
*Four kings: Nebuchadnezzar II, Cyrus the Great, Alexander the Great, the little horn and, the 2nd beast from the earth: false prophet - leader of the religious system of the first beast.
2) The beast kingdom (Daniel 7:7) was like a Leopard (Daniel 7:6), and his feet were as a bear (Daniel 7:5) and his mouth like a lion (Daniel 7:4) and the Dragon (Rev 12:3) gave him his power, his throne (territorial domain) and his authority.
The beast kingdom is an amalgamation of three 'beast' kingdoms which had kings who conquered and ruled the middle east; Babylon, Mede-Persia and the Macedonian or Grecian kingdom of Alexander the Great. This is the area from where the beast kingdom will rise.
3) 'And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death:' John witnessed the rise of the beast from the sea. The beast has seven heads and ten horns. One of its heads was mortally wounded, but, by the time John saw the beast rise from the sea, his mortal wound was healed. The focus is on the kingdom, not the king.
The beast is created in the image of the Red Dragon, found in Revelation 12:3, who also has seven heads and ten horns.
And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads (seven kingdoms) and ten horns (ten kings) and seven crowns upon his heads.
Will the little horn aka: antichrist have seven heads? What about ten horns? Have you ever witnessed a seven headed - ten horned human? No, of course not, this is describing a beast, the rise of one very large and very powerful kingdom.
Daniel witnessed four beasts rise from the sea in Daniel 7. We are further told that these four beast are four kingdoms, so a beast from the sea symbolizes a kingdom. Daniel 7:6, details the rise of the third beast, who was like a Leopard that had four wings and four heads. The Leopard is the Grecian kingdom of Alexander the Great.
After the death of Alexander the Great, the Grecian kingdom was divided into four dynasties which became four kingdoms (Daniel 8:8,11:4a) Daniels prophecy details the rise of a little horn that rose from one of these heads (Daniel 8:9-12) The little horn of the old testament was Antiochus Epiphanes. He rose from one of the four heads; the Seleucid dynasty. Though the beast kingdom had four additional heads, it is only counted as one world kingdom. The four dynasties did not rise from the sea, but from the leopard itself. The four dynasties or kingdoms, represent the four heads of the beast, the leopard kingdom.
If you were to draw a picture of the dragon or the beast kingdom (like unto the leopard) with the seven heads in Revelation 13, the third head would be Babylon, while the fifth head would be the Grecian empire. The head would resemble a leopard with four additional heads; the division of the kingdom. The sixth head would represent Rome, while the seventh head would have the mouth of a lion, the feet of the bear and ten horns: Daniel 7:7.
The seventh head won't have additional heads until the little horn bows before the red dragon, in worship. Once he worships the dragon, the dragon gives the beast of ten horns, his seven heads, his seven kingdoms. (the little horn accepts the offer that Christ Jesus refused. Matthew 4:8-9)
This is the kingdom from where the antichrist or, little horn will rise; the seventh head of the beast; the head of the ten horns.
The seven heads represent additional world powers that belong to the red dragon. These seven heads are given to the beast of ten horns, when the red dragon gives him his power, throne (seat, territorial domain) and authority. The new testament little horn or antichrist, rises from the head that has ten horns. Daniel 7:20,23,24. The leopard had four heads, detailing four dynasties that arose from the Grecian empire, which turned into four kingdoms, while the beast from the sea has seven. The heads of the leopard, help us to understand the meaning of the seven heads of the beast in Rev 13.
There is an additional clue that points to the identity of the heads in Rev 17:9 as well: And here is the mind which has wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, ὄρος, on which the woman sits.
The angel tells John to use wisdom and carefully consider the meaning of the seven heads; which are seven mountains and also seven kings. This indicates that the meaning of the seven heads are symbolic, and not literal.
These seven heads where the woman sits: Revelation 17:9 are seven 'mountains'. The angel was using an old testament prophetic reference to a mountain. Mountain was often used as symbolic imagery to represent a kingdom.
Here are a few examples:
Daniel 2:35b: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain (kingdom) and filled the whole earth.
Isaiah 2:2 And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain (kingdom) of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.
Jerimiah 51:25 Behold, I am against thee, O destroying mountain (kingdom), saith the LORD, which destroys all the earth: and I will stretch out mine hand upon thee, and roll thee down from the rocks, and will make thee a burnt mountain.
This is further supported by the Greek word John used which translates into English as: mountain: ὄρος, oros. When used prophetically and, symbolically, a mountain represents a kingdom. A hill has no prophetic significance or symbolic reference. A hill in the Greek is βουνός 'bounos' and is not found in verse 9. The heads upon the red dragon and the beast who rises from the sea: Revelation 13:1-4 and, carries the woman in Revelation 17 are kingdoms; which also demonstrates the woman's international reach and, her connection with the kings of the earth in the last days: Rev 17:2,18; 18:3.
The woman sits upon seven world kingdoms that belong to the beast.
So, we can identify the heads upon the beast as individual kingdoms. We are told that one of the heads (kingdom) was, and is not (wounded to death) and yet is (was healed), 17:8, and will be the eighth which is of the seven (heads) 17:11.
17:11 And the beast (kingdom) that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven (heads, kingdoms) and goeth into perdition.
John is detailing a head, a kingdom, that was wounded to death and healed; we know that a 'beast' can be injured, mortally wounded or slain as a beast is an animal, a living thing. There are only four beasts: the lion - Babylon, the bear - Mede-Persian, the leopard - Grecian, and the beast with ten horns which has not yet come. When power returns to the middle east in the latter days, a fourth kingdom forms; the beast with ten horns,
All three beast kingdoms had suffered mortal wounds and are currently deceased. These three mortally deceased beasts form the fourth kingdom which becomes the seventh head, the seventh kingdom. This head appears as death, a mortal wound, or slain head. This is the head that will rise from the abyss, as a final world power.
Three world powers were not beast kingdoms, Egypt, Assyria and Rome; the sixth head.
Yes, Rome was the sixth world power as it rose after the Grecian kingdom, but it is not a beast kingdom that ruled over the middle east or, placed a ruling king in Babylon - the focus of Nebuchadnezzar's dream. Rome does not 'revive' into the feet and toes of iron and clay either. The positioning of the feet and toes - the fourth kingdom, indicates that this kingdom rises after Rome's time has expired. The legs of iron represent nearly 2000+ years of history between the third kingdom and the fourth. This period of time is when Babylon was a kingdom in decline, a kingdom without a king. The fourth kingdom, the feet and toes, parallel the beast of ten horns, the kingdom which provides Babylon's final king.
If Rome is the one that is; it can not be the kingdom that was, was not and has not yet come in John's timing of events Revelation 17:10.
And they (seven mountains) are seven kings; five have fallen, one is (Rome), the other has not yet come (the seventh kingdom) and when he comes, he must remain a little while.
Kings rule over kingdoms and, kingdoms are ruled by Kings. If you have seven kings, you must have seven kingdoms.
The word that John used for wounded to death, slain is: εσφαγμενην which translates from the Greek as: having been butchered. This word implies that this was done in a 'ritual state' or ritual sense, as an act of God in a balance of power, or, to take power away. The use of this word implies, by scriptural context, that this head wound was to a beast kingdom as a beast can be hunted, wounded or mortally slain; as it is a beast - a living, breathing animal.
According to most Bible teachers the heads are the seven hills of Rome; which automatically assumes that the fourth beast as Rome, stifling further interpretation of prophecy. Using that assumption (taken from the introduction section of Alexander Hislop's book The Two Babylons) we have to look at Rev 13:3 and figure out which of the seven hills of Rome had been wounded to death, and watch for it to rise from the abyss, healed and restored when antichrist steps onto the world scene. And the world will be amazed at the hill that was, and was not, yet is 17:8,11 - wounded to death and healed.
Does a wounded hill even make sense? It does to those who don't properly interpret scripture, and is why most bible teachers teach it that way, forcing Rome into scripture. It is imperative we step back from pre-conceived notions, and simply let the Bible speak for itself. Sometimes you find a teacher that replaces Rome's seven hills with seven mountains but, by then it becomes obvious, everyone knows that the seven hills of Rome are not seven mountains.
I love most of our bible teachers; we are blessed with some amazingly gifted teachers of our time but, many have dropped the ball on the identity of the fourth beast with the ten horns and seven heads; which was not Rome with seven hills as seven heads but, the one which has not yet come. We are to use wisdom that comes only from scripture, not 'code words' from Alexander Hislop, when deciphering the meaning of symbolic text.
Verse 13:5 transitions the focus away from the kingdom to the little horn or, surrogate king which carries through to verse 10. The beast kingdom is given masculine pronouns such as he, his and him, which often leads to confusion, transposing a wounded head for a wounded horn or, king.
Daniel 7:17: Beast (kingdoms) rise from the sea, kings rise from the earth. Kings rise from kingdoms, they don't rise from hills.
The ten horns or ten kings Rev 13:1b, 17:12a connect the beast kingdom with the fourth beast of Daniel 7:23,24, rising just prior to the tribulation period... for a short time. The beast kingdom, the wounded head ascends from the abyss as the eighth world power.
A kingdom is recognized by its king, and the king by his kingdom; this kingdom will be notably recognized by its ten kings, and the little horn or little king that rises up among them to make war with the saints. The little horn is further emphasized in Daniel 7:8,20,24,25. The little horn will rise from the head, the kingdom of the ten horns.
As he rises, the red dragon raises the head of ten horns from the abys as the eighth kingdom: Rev 17:11. The seventh becomes the eighth or the totality of the beast. This verse tells us that Daniels fourth beast with the ten horns is attached to the red dragon and his beast as a seventh head; a seventh world kingdom - the kingdom that rises after Rome.
Note: scripture does not support two transitions, Rome does not become the seventh head which is transformed into the eighth. There is only one transformation that flips the seventh head or kingdom, into position as the eighth. Contrary to popular opinion, and hundreds of years of misinterpretation, Rome was not the fourth beast which has not yet come. John witnessed an event which has not yet happened.
So, basically what I am trying to pass onto you by way of this study is: don't be fooled by the sensationalism. The beast from the sea is a biblical 'beast' kingdom, that rises from the sea just as three previous beast kingdoms had done: the lion, the bear and the leopard. The beast is not a set of governments, a person or a king. Does a king have seven heads? Of course not. The heads are world kingdoms joined to, and united with, the beast kingdom. These kingdoms are given to the beast of ten horns by the red dragon.
Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Mede-Persia, Greece, Rome, the beast of ten horns.
Beware: people like to sensationalize things using scripture they believe you don't understand. And once you see it and understand what John's scripture is detailing, it becomes clear and the rest of Revelation 13 and 17 fall into place. You can read it and understand exactly what John saw while in the spirit -- and what he was documenting as instructed by Yeshua Hamashiach. As bible students, we should be aware of these subtle differences.
The little horn is a horn, not a head; hence the term 'little horn.' Rev 13:3 is speaking of a head: a beast kingdom - lion, bear and, leopard, that were mortally wounded, and yet, form the fourth kingdom; the beast of ten horns. It is this kingdom that is raised from death, the abyss as an eighth world power with ten kings in the end of days. The beast has been rising since the demise of the Ottoman empire in 1923, but will not have the ten kings until it assumes global control. The fourth beast is currently in raw form as when Daniel saw him rise from the sea in Daniel 7:7, stomping the earth, treading it down to devour it.
While many Christians watch for a mortally wounded king (horn) to rise from the abyss, others are watching a slain beast kingdom, revive from a mortal wound.
Since Revelation 17 specifically mentions Babylon the Great, we could very well see the rebirth or revival, of a middle eastern beast kingdom and a harlot city, in the very near future and, witness prophecy in real time! The Al Faw Grand Port is nearly complete, and the next phase is in the works: the road and rail system connecting Basra, Iraq to Turkey.
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