The Battle of Har-/Ar- Mageddon (Rev 13:12-18; 16:16)

The (Carmel) Mountain and/or (Garrison) City of the Valley of Megiddo Showdown

            ......So upon the present Super-Power/Empire (the U.S.) hearing of, as expounded in this dedicated post on Daniel 2, God’s Plans to replace it in the World Hegemony with His own Super-Power Kingdom (=Dan 2:34-35, 44-45) for His Temporal Jubilee Millennium, they, most “naturally” (i.e carnally 1 Cor 2:6-16), will be taking decisions and actions to oppose and even war against this looming overtaking. (=LDE 210.1)....And so, typologically enough, they will then engage in doing exactly like the King of, indeed fittingly enough, Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar, did when God had revealed by that Dan 2 Dream’s Statue that His Kingdom and World Hegemony, represented by the “head of gold”, would eventually come to an end and be replaced by another Power (See PK 512.1ff): Just as Nebuchadnezzar/Babylon decided, and against clear revelations, to fight God by defyingly building a “statue” (LXX Greek = eikon) just like in his dream made entirely of gold and forcing everyone under the realm of his authority to worship it at the penalty of a fiery death (Dan 3; cf. 7BC 976.7-9|Mar 214), the U.S. will endeavor to preserve its present (effective) World Empire/Hegemony by: ‘making an “image” (NT Greek = eikon) to the First Beast and causing everyone to worship it at the pains of death [even, as “signified”, by fire (cf. Rev 13:13-15)]’.

            Before delving into how exactly the Second (Land) Beast of Rev 13:11-18 will go about to do this self-preserving and defying act, as it will be squarely relying upon what the First (Sea) Beast of Rev 13:1-10 had done, it is important to first see what it is that this First Beast had actually “exemplary” done which the Second Beast deemed to be worthy of repeating for/in these times [As a general note, any reference in here to the verses in Rev 17 & 18 can be further examined by looking up those verses in this dedicated post on these Chapters]:

First Beast (Rev 13:1-10)

First Beast of Rev 13

Rev 13:1 - And the dragon stood on the sand of the seashore. Then I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads, and on his horns were ten diadems, and on his heads were blasphemous names.

the dragon - the prophetic section of Rev 13, picks up from the preceding sweeping episode of Rev 12 where it had been shown that it, being Satan (Rev 12:9) had been endeavoring to oppose and even kill (Rev 12:3-5) the Christianity Movement (Rev 12:10-11) against him and his cause of Rebellion (Rev 12:7-8) that an Incarnate Michael as Jesus had come down to Earth to establish. God had worked through the faithful remnant of His OT People Israel (Rev 12:1) and Satan decided to work in opposition through the then world ruling super power of Rome, bestowing upon it its very own characteristics and attributes as a “red dragon having seven heads and ten horns” (Rev 12:2-4).

            As discussed in this exposition about “the dragon” symbol, Satan had always sought to possess an Earthly entity through which would be able to effectuate the objectives of his rebellion. Initially it had managed to do this, and with great effect, in the Serpent in Eden (Rev 12:9; Gen 3:1-6ff) and had since sought to have a much more physically destructive effectuation, and since God had as a result removed the possibility of Satan making use of the post-Flood-unnecessary, mammoth and powerful, Leviathan/“Dragon” creature, Satan instead had to focus his efforts into possessing symbolic beasts in world powers through influencing its leaders and populations. (E.g. Babylon Isa 14:4-15ff; Tyre Ezek 28:11-19). And now Satan had turned to the existing powerful might of Pagan Rome for such Believers-persecuting and World-ruining ends.

            But as dramatically seen in history, the populous persecutive endeavor of Satan through Pagans and Rome catastrophically backfired on him as the slaughter of Christians during most of the first 3 centuries A.D. only ended up in causing Christianity to be validated, be preserved and even spread. So Satan changed his tactics, and this is actually where Rev 13 rehashingly picks things up, backing up to the point in the prophetic sweep of history provided in Rev 12 where, in ca. 313 A.D., after a major and resolute, now 10 year blitz-offensive to completely eradicate Christianity (= Rev 2:8-11), Pagan Rome, under the leadership of Constantine the Great, realized that it was fighting a losing war against Christians and Christianity, and so decided to legitimize Christianity....This resulted in many people within the Roman Empire converting to Christianity, including Constantine himself, and whoever under his immediate authority was desirous to, such as, infamously, his entire army which he baptized by having them cross a river.

beast from the sea - As seen in Rev 17:15, waters in prophecy genericly/generally symbolize “people”. But as more detailedly seen and understood about this symbolism in here, it is seen that the particular grouping of waters as seas is representative of ‘peoples organized as states/countries’.* So this beast, which is a world power is understood as having been organicly formed by peoples. Indeed it was the many converts to Christianity in these days of Constantine who, of themselves, thus organically, decided to effectively make the Roman Empire a Christian Empire, or at the very least: an Empire whose major and official religion was now Christianity instead of Paganism.

* Pertinently rivers represent Religious/Church groupings and organizations, and Rev 12:13-17 is actually pointedly describing the period in World History when faithful Christians, later to form the Protestant movement, who had fled away from the political persecutions of the Holy Roman Empire (=sea), -most decidedly when the began to migrate to the newly discovered vacant lands of America starting in the early 17^th century, then began to experience a revival of persecutions by this also being done in Colonial America, this time from State Churches (=rivers)...The ensuing establishing of this New World as the United States with a chief tenet of it being the separation of Church and State is what came to ‘swallow up this flooding (=war/persecutive) river that the dragon had managed to revive and send against faithful and Bible Believing Christians’ (=Rev 12:15-16)...for a while... (Rev 12:17)

7 heads and 10 horns - That self-converted beast however still carried to hallmarks which had been seen in Pagan Rome which the dragon Satan had priorly seamlessly taken over and led. The also wanted to rule over the world nations and that is how/why, it too had 7 heads (= representative ideologies) and 10 horns (complete powers).

10 diadems on the 10 horns -  Moreover, on the horns were 10 diadems/crowns which symbolized having monarchial power. (See the concrete identity of the 10 kings/kingdoms which constituted these 'crowned 10 horns' here). This is actually different from the prior manifestation of a similar power in Pagan Rome where it rather (see Rev 12:3b) was the 7 heads (=its chief ideologies) which were “crowned as kings” but the power by which it even Imperially ruled, = 10 horns, was actually along a template of Representative Democracy.

7 heads have blasphemous names - another area of exploitable commonality that the seashore standing dragon Satan saw in that sea rising beast was in the chief ideologies which represented it...They had blasphemous names on them, thus showing a penchant and willingness to think itself above the authority of God with no qualm to even slander the name of God in this course.

            That all was indeed the immediate “achilling” case in this newly blossomed majority-Christian Roman Empire. Emperor Constantine thought himself to be entitled to having a authority in Religious Affairs, as seen in his Sun-Day Law of 321 A.D.* and most Christians in Rome “blasphemously” had no qualm about incorporating the now defunct pagan practices, idols and festivals as part of Christianity in an effort to congealingly unite the once wholly pagan Roman Empire.

* Which ironically enough, was not enjoined by Catholic/Christian Church until some 40 years later in the Council of Laodicea (364 AD), with them then also taking it a major step further by then making the observance of the Biblical Seventh-Day Sabbath by Christians to be unlawful...Which is why the Catholic Church has since boasted that it had the authority to change God’s Law by having made this change in the Sabbath by having completely banned the observance of Saturday, whereas before it was an allowed observance option in addition to Sunday.

standing on the seashore - With his persecutive Pagan Roman power and methods failing, Satan is here depicted as awaiting for the next beast (=kingdom) power/hegemony, which it probably could see, coming up out of the “sea”, i.e the existing organized nations.

Rev 13:2 - And the beast which I saw was like a leopard, and his feet were like those of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. And the dragon gave him his power and his throne and great authority.

beast was like... - So indeed upon, in ca. 313 AD, seeing the non-viableness of his present persecutive methods, “the red dragon Satan” is here depicted in Rev 13:1 as having had a drastic makeover and change of tactics. Shedding that red color which clearly symbolized its wrathful deadly/bloody ways towards Believers (Rev 12:12; cf. Isa 63:2-3, 6), Satan now would take over the reins of a way less outwardly obviously Christian-antagonistic power. And this already composite/amalgamated beast which was the already, from the late 4th Century A.D. on, paganly compromising and corrupted Roman Catholic Church provided the best outfit.

‘body = leopard; feet = bear; mouth = lion’ - The meaning of these symbols has been discussed in this post at its “Rev 13's First Beast” section within the Rev 17:3 commenting; and a much more detailed and definitive interpretation&explanation has been made here. Summarily said, this symbolism which characterized this beast showed that it was wholly very worldly-minded...but yet claimed to be a Christian Nation. This was a mutually-excluding impossibility (e.g. John 15:18-19; 14:15-17; 17:14-19; 2 Tim 3:12) ; indeed it is “adulterous” (James 4:4; Rev 17:2; 18:9, 23-24)...

dragon gave power, throne and authority - as that newly formed beast which was claiming to be Christian yet was entrenched worldly decked, composed and controlled, Satan, who is “the ruler of this (fallen) world” (John 14:30) had no problem, as prophetically described in Rev 8:10-11, giving (cf. Luke 4:5-7) this Beast with its compromising, and actually Satan-worshiping Main Church entity (see in Rev 2:12-17), the: ‘power, throne (=Rev 2:13) and authority’ that it had had when leading the here recently superceded (identical ly (murderously) mimicking =“red dragon”) Pagan Rome power. Satan had priorly been working through Pagan Rome to obstruct God’s Righteous cause (=Rev 12:1-5), and now he virtually seamlessly gave over the power, throne/seat and authority for this “dragon mandate” to Papal Rome.

            So in this Christian claim, but worldly-ambitious outfitting and blasphemous ideology, this beast power sought to, through monarchial force, rule over the world.

Rev 13:3 - 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;

a slain head - As seen here[25:08-30:53ff] (SDA) prophecy expositors typically want to see the fulfillment of this verse in the events which took place when the Papacy was deposed and exiled in 1798 by the Power of France, -thus capping the (historical) prophetic period of ‘1260 days/42 months/3.5 times’ (=538-1798 A.D.)...moreover most of these expositors commonly see the “healing of that wound” in/with the 1929 Lateran Pact (cf. here) which is said to have restored to Papacy to its prior political power & diplomatic influence. However, that would then mean that everything else that this prophecy goes on to state in Rev 13:4-10 must occur after the 1798/1929 events, including the period of persecution of 42 months by this ‘healed, revived and revered power’ stipulated in Rev 13:5. For such reason, a different understanding is stated here instead:

The Actual Slain Head

            As detailedly discussed in this post at Rev 17:10 about the 7 heads, the are the ideologies of prior major world Empires, namely, for the here pertinent first 5: (1) Babylon, (2) Medo-Persia, (3) Greece, (4) Pagan Rome, (5) Papal Rome. The Seven Head beast here of Rev 13:1ff, -which again is at this point pointedly the ‘newly morphed Roman Empire now majorly composed of Christians’, is one which has “embodied” the parts it has deemed best from these ideologies....and that is indeed tangibly seen in its body which correspondingly manifests traits of Babylon (lion -Dan 7:4); Medo-Persia (bear -Dan 7:5); Greece (leopard -Dan 7:6) but while also having the 10 horns (=its vast Imperial rule) (Dan 7:6b), it did not also have the characteristic “iron teeth” (=exceedingly strong military might) of Roman (Dan 7:6, 19, 23).

            Many reasons have been suggested as to what caused the demise and fall of the Roman Empire to Barbarians in 476 A.D., but one that seems to be greatly overlooked is that for ca. 163 years, from ca. 313 to 476 A.D. Rome had effectively become an Empire of predominantly Christians, and this probably caused the marked peaceful message and peacefulness of the Christian message to effectively internally transform Rome, which had achieved its Pax Romana through mainly brute force, into a more passive and less aggressive power militarily. Cf. this historical take. Thus the Roman Armies increasingly, intrinsically became no match for the wild and ruthless Barbarians. Rome’s military literally increasingly lost strength in its once ‘“iron teeth” bite’...The prior reign of preempting or retaliatory terror that Pagan Rome wielded which kept its enemies at bay, probably was no longer being effectuated, and that both emboldened its many enemies and multiplied their victories against Rome as Rome sought to maintain that “10 horn Empire Rule” that it had been holding.

            But that could not be done, and formally by 476 A.D. the Roman Rule and Empire had lost its Jurisdiction and Hegemony. But in 538 A.D. the Rule of Rome was effectively re-effectuated under a new kind of power, this time with the Pope of the Catholic (=Universal) Church making a radical departure from methods of Christ by resorting to making use of the Roman Armies to intrinsically re-unite the former Empire. And when this was achieved, as it was the Pope which had led in this endeavor, it emerged as the deserving power to oversee this new type of now purely Religious, Church-combined-with-the-State, government. (=Dan 7:8a) This became the start of Papal Rome and what can be descriptively termed the Holy Roman Empire which established itself, pointedly in the Western half of the Empire, upon most, though not all, of the former territory that Pagan Rome ruled over. Hence that actually why it is prophesied to have a the perfect representation on a ‘7 horn Rule’ (=Dan 7:8, 20, 24) versus a complete one as for the former ‘10 horn Rule.’ As also prophesied (Dan 7:25), Papal Rome rule for 1260 years (538-1798 AD)

            So in summary here: the fatal wound to one of the heads of that seven headed beast, -which actually is evolvingly developing itself until its final, end time, form manifestation in Rev 17, occurred when its Fourth Head representing the ideology of Pagan Rome, pointedly its “iron teeth” militarism policies which had led to it, through such force, to achieve its great ascendency, jurisdiction and hegemony, had come to an end by 476 A.D. The ca. 163 years of that policy being tamed and tampered by the growth of Christianity in the Empire had really led to this end result.

            Most interestingly, with, as discussed here at Rev 19:15, the symbol of a “sword” is actually Biblically only validated as: ‘the word/Spirit of God’ (Eph 6:17; Heb 4:12) irrespective of where it is being applied, whether by Secular Governments (Rom 13:1, 4) or, as later seen at Rev 13:10, in the fulfilling of Bible prophecy, unperceived by the Pagan Roman Empire, by their spreading of the teachings in the Word of God and allowing God’s Spirit to do the work of convicting (Zech 4:6; cf. John 3:8), it actually was, as prophesied in the Second Era events in Rev 6:4, Christians who had declared war on the false/paganistic peace of the Roman Emperor which all led to them being persecutive in reaction/“retaliation”...but which also served to be the downfall of Pagan Rome when it was the Pagans who capitulated to the persecuted Christians and both ceased their warring against them and also converted to its Faith. So it actually really was that wielded “sword of the Spirit” being the “(Biblical) word of God” by Christians against pagan Rome which had indeed cause the demise of even the Civil Realm of that Empire which was based on various tenets which were contrary to the Word and Spirit of God.....And so, most correlatedly, it would have to be the sheathing of this “sword” by Christians and the Church to prevent such a fatal wounding from occurring again.

fatal wound healed - So, in the light of the above, it indeed is not surprising that it took a complete about face from the Church now endorsing non-Christian tenets such as the use of Military force (=Dan 8:23-24) to reestablish a most “representative” semblance of the former Empire in now a Papal Roman Empire. So that is how that wounded head of Militaristic Pagan Rome was brought back to life between 476-538 AD leading to that 7 Headed Beast resuming also having such an ideology as it continued to march on towards its final, and fully-realized, end time form in Rev 17.

            Fittingly enough, that “fatal wound” was effectively miraculously healed by the complicity of the Church...Pointedly by the Church now claiming that this militarism was Biblical. So the Biblical “sword” was actually now being unsheathed according to false claims. It thus came to be seen as having given life back to that fatally wounded (4th) Head. And in that Papal leadership renewing start in 538 A.D., the fifth head of that 7 Headed Beast came to have a new “chief ideology” to lead it onward which it would “bodily” manifest during the 538-1798 A.D. reign of Papal Rome all seemingly, but actually merely circularly, confirmed to be God’s Own Will, by the success that Papal Rome would have.

whole world amazed - Whether by willful deference, or physical incapability, effectively the whole world came to be amazed by, and/or “give worth” to, the rule and spread of Papal Rome and its Militaristic Holy Roman Empire....until later forces, pointedly in the 7th Century AD formed Religion, Empire and Armies of Islam, which opposed the Roman Catholic Church head on (=Rev 9 - see this post).

followed after the beast - While most of the “smitten” nations of the world “followed after this beast” by peacefully or conqueredly joining it, with the nations which later became adherents to Islam, this “following after” was as a competing imitation. Just like it saw that Papal Rome was now spreading its religion of [spurious] Christianity by military force, Islam also set out to do the same for its own [false] Religion. This Religious competition of course inevitably led to the later head on conflicting between the two sides as prominently seen in the Crusades.

            The fact that it indeed is the (reinstated) militaristic might of the beast which is the primary object of, and reason for, the worship of this beast is seen in the next verse.

Rev 13:4 - they worshiped the dragon because he gave his authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, "Who is like the beast, and who is able to wage war with him?"

worshiped the dragon - Not that they knew this to be the case, nor actually did that beast itself, but by worshiping what the dragon had wrought here in this beast which had come to compromise Christianity and dilute or reject its Gospel Truths and principles (=Rev 8:10-11), worship to the dragon (=that ‘star which had fallen from heaven’ (=Rev 12:4, 9) was inherently also being given. (Cf. John 8:44)... Indeed “because he had given his authority to the beast”.

who is like & able... - In the Bible is common to see worshipers stating the reason why they are worshiping God. (E.g. Rev 4:11; 5:8-10). Well here, the reason expressed for giving worship to this beast is that ‘there is no other like him’ and ‘none is able to wage war with him’. Indeed this beast, by its Fifth Head (=Papal Rome) stage, had unleashed upon the world a Religion/Church and State model which actually had not been seen in the world since, most relatedly enough, the Rule of Ancient Babylon. And also most relatedly enough, this then Fifth Headed Beast had seen to the Militaristic Ideology of Pagan Rome (a.k.a. “Babylon” 1 Pet 5:13) being revived, and thus it was revered/feared for this formidable compliance power that it jointly also wielded.

Rev 13:5 - There was given to him a mouth speaking arrogant words and blasphemies, and authority to act for forty-two months was given to him.

...a mouth speaking... - not surprisingly all of this success/“blessing” in Christian waywardness, virtual absolute (military) power and world adulation and fear all “went to the head” of that beast...pointedly its Fifth Head....and so Papal Rome did indeed, through this period of 1260 years (“42 months”) speak many words of arrogance and blasphemies towards God. (=Dan 8:9-12, 25’s “Little Horn Power”; =2 Thess 2:3-4ff) 

given him... It is the “natural” assumption of the carnal and moronic, even haughty, mind (See Psa 92:6ff) to believe that: ‘if one is doing something which they actually know to be against God’s expressed/reveal will, and yet they are clearly succeeding and prospering in it with God clearly not striking them down in judgement, then it is because God is actually on their side and fully approving of what they are doing’...When all along, God is merely allowing things to naturally play out in order to provide the sobering objective evidence that no deviation from His perfect will, will result in viable and true success and these wrongdoers are merely amassing the evidence which will condemn them in God’s Final judgement. (John 12:48-49:; Heb 4:12-13; Matt 7:21-23; Psa 92:6-7) [1]

            Pertinently enough, America (=Eschatological Babylon), is fundamentally predicated on this mindset that: if it is continuing to exist, be the most wealthy nation and have the strongest military might, then it is all because “God is Blessing America” and that despite all of the completely unbiblical things that it professes and practices. (=Rev 18:7) But to the Biblically-sobered mind the ominous signs of America’s future, even self-inflicted, demise are indeed stacking up against her....

            So, going back to Historical Babylon, -which actually serves as the template for what will happen to Eschatological Babylon, God allowed this long Compromised False Christianity power to utter its arrogant and blasphemous claims, and as seen in the next verse, even, as per the will of the Dragon itself, right up to Heaven itself.

Rev 13:6 - And he opened his mouth in blasphemies against God, to blaspheme His name and His tabernacle, [] those who dwell in heaven.

blasphemies - What this Fifth Beast has here gone on to do is mostly self explanatory, except perhaps in regards to defining that a “blasphemy” is actually something that is slanderous and defamatory. Thus here it indeed is God, His name character, His Heavenly Sanctuary and also those who dwell in heaven and minister with Christ in that Heavenly Sanctuary. (E.g. Heb 4:14-5:10; 8:1-6; 9:11-14) This again is as prophesied in Dan 8:8-12 where the far reaching Religious damage that that “Little Horn Power” would do are there stated.

            For more detailing on/of how the Roman Catholic Church has (indeed, and most pointedly) fulfilled these prophetic elements: see in the typical expositions of SDA’s about the Little Horn|Anti-Christ|Man of Sin|First Beast from here.

            The fact that an Earthly power is capable of inflicting such hindering damage to/in Heaven is all reflective of how God purposefully allows the Free Will that He has Given to man to follow its course in, and for the resolution of, this Object Lesson Great Controversy, but eventually comes the time when God has to intervene (e.g. Dan 7:22, 26; 8:13-14, 25b) to preserve the opportunity at Truth and Life for others who want to live according to righteous ways which alone is the viable course.

Rev 13:7 - It was also given to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them, and authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation was given to him.

war with the saints - =Dan 7:21; 8:24; 12:7

authority over the world = The spread of the influence and rule of the Roman Catholic Church during its Papal Rome/Holy Roman Empire phase did indeed reach to every peoples of the world resulting in the today 1.3 Billion member Catholic Church being the most widely dispersed Christian Denomination...but right along with the 19 Million member Seventh-day Adventist Church.

            Interestingly enough, it is the establishment of the Muslim religion which came to hinder, limit and recede the convert and territorial gains that the Catholic Church had made to the point that it can easily be seen/argued that if the (God-purposed) Muslim religion had never existed, the of course would not be any Muslim today (=1.7 Billion people), nor any Protestant (ca. 1 Billion), and thus easily at least half of the world today would be Catholic and probably still under its Medieval Church and State Militaristic “Iron” Rule.

Rev 13:8 NKJV - All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose name (of his) [] have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

NKJV reading - As discussed here, the KJV has the more accurate rendering of this verse from the Greek as straightly substituted above instead of the erroneous NASB reading (although they point to the proper reading in its margin).

whose name... (singular) - Every Greek term here from the relative pronoun: “whose”, to “name”, to the verb “written”, to the (untranslated) personal pronoun “of his” are all in the singular....Which grammatically means that it is not referring to “people” in general/plural, but to a single person, here entity, namely this Anti-Christ/Beast entity. (A statement is seemingly similarly made in Rev 17:8, however, as indeed explained here, the subject there is different, being on the plural people). So here, in Rev 13:8, it is this Anti-Christ Power ‘whose name has not been written in the Lamb’s book of life’ and not actually the names of the people who will be worshiping that Satanic power when it will manifest itself in world history.

            This is all in keeping with how this Anti-Christ Power is indeed understood as a “son of perdition/destruction” (2 Thess 2:3)....destined, by, like Judas (John 17:12), his own expected obstinacy and self-confidence, to fulfill this Satanic (cf. John 6:70-71; 13:2, 27; 2 Thess 2:9; Rev 13:2b) ambassador’s role to its very end (2 Thess 2:8 =Rev 17:8, 11)

Rev 13:9 - If anyone has an ear, let him hear.

have an ear...hear - It is not definitive if this phrase is conclusorily stated in relation to all that has been said above....or what will be said in the next verse....or both....But it indeed would be most fitting that as Jesus is here speaking to misguided people who are professing His name, claiming to be His followers and members of what they believe to be His True Church, that, as for each of the counseling that He gives to each Church Age in Church History (i.e. Rev 2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22), He also makes a similar “anyone who has an ear, let him hear” appeal...because arriving at the Saving Truth of the matter here is indeed actually is simple as easily hearing the Truth of God and heeding it!

            If however this phrase is rather introductorily stated in regards to what will be stated next, it likewise is solemnly given to, here, most faithful people who will be suffering the persecutive wrath of Satan through his Beast power effective.

Rev 13:10 - If anyone is destined for captivity, to captivity he goes; if anyone kills with the sword, with the sword he must be killed. Here is the perseverance and the faith of the saints.

destined for captivity...- God had clearly delineated “42 prophetic months” = 1260 years for this beast power to unhinderedly expose itself, and so God is here telling His faithful people to remain faithful, even in the face of death, because this state of permitted unjust things will not last forever. Surely the avenging & rewarding promise of Matt 16:24-27 and likewise Rev 2:10-11 would apply to them also....despite the seemingly unsurmountable appearances that would come during Church History (e.g Rev 6:9-11) which saw as much as 100 million faithful Christians be murdered by this Anti-Christ Roman Catholic/Papal power (Rev 17:6; 18:24)....

            Similarly, in the final assault by this revived persecutive power in the end, Jesus gives a similar ‘word of “perseverance/endurance”’ (cf. Rev 2:9; 3:10) to His true, faithful and obedient people in Rev 14:12 and which is that: their resilience and confidence in God can also be based in the fact that God has said that He will avenge His faithful ones by severely judging those who had violated them. (=Rev 14:9-11; cf. Jam 5:11; Luke 18:7-8)

Summary of Rev 13:1-10

            So as a summary to this prerequisite background overview of the First Beast Power that the Second Beast Power will be making an image to, it is key to see that the pivotal point occurred when the fatal wound to one of the heads of this First Beast was healed, and as discussed above at Rev 13:3, this actually was not, as commonly claimed, in the even in 1929 Lateran Pact events between Italy and the Catholic Church, but rather during the early years of Church History when Papal Rome acted, in violation to Christian principles, to validate and revive the Militaristic Conquest policies that Pagan Rome had used and relied on to establish its World Hegemony and Territorial Jurisdiction...From that point on, as (linearly) seen in Rev 13:4ff, the Catholic Church went on, through such means, to become that greatly feared, and thus revered, militaristic super power which rule (as the Fifth Head) over the world for the next 1260 years.

            So as this ‘healing of this fatal wound’ in the 7-Headed Beast is key to what the Second Beast of Rev 13 does (see Rev 13:14), then it is to be expected that the “image” that it erects, gives life to and then forces all to worship is along these lines of mixing powerful physical force with/for advancing its claim of a Christian realm.

Historicist vs. Eschatological Understandings

            The interesting thing about Rev 13 and its two beast prophecies, is that, for those who will be living in the time of the, -(now, first typological), consummation of the Great Controversy, it is actually serving as a set up for the Har-/Ar- Mageddon showdown... The prophecy of the First Beast (Rev 13:1-10) goes over the prophetic history that had been fulfilled for Daniel 7 & 8, and highlights the pertinent parts of those events to better understand what is to take place during the time, decisions and actions of the Second Beast (Rev 13:11-18)....Tellingly enough, the First Beast prophecy ends as if the “surely promised”, ‘captivity and killing’ of the First Beast had not taken place. Which is why many have, but wrongly, “anecdotally” vs. exegetically, assumed that the ‘fatal wound’ in Rev 13:3 must be the on that is said to take place in Rev 13:10...but as seen in the sequitur exposition above, that fatal wound to one of that beast’s heads which it recovers from actually is what was inflicted on Pagan Rome Empire causing its demise and fall but was almost seamlessly, and validatingly enough: seemingly “miraculously”, revived a short while later by a Papal Rome and from then, for the next “42 months” (Rev 13:5) the whole world did wonder and fear that “Holy Roman Empire”.

            So that first part of Rev 13:1-10 does end without actually describing the ending of that First Beast because, as History does reveal about the Papacy, despite the blow that it received in 1798, it actually did continue to have a pulse, however faint.... Though its leader was dealt a humiliating blow then, the “captivity” of the First Beast was then neither permanent, nor was it clinically “killed” then. These are all fulfillments which are to (now, firstly typologically) take place in Rev 19:19-21 to punctuate the Har-/Ar-Mageddon Warring....

            That said, I do understand those (Historicists) who are claiming the “fatal wound” to be the 1798 events because I do see that God had crafted his prophecies to allow for an application for an uninterrupted Historicist Wave of Fulfillment to be culminated in the days of EGW, potentially certainly by/before 1908 and then to another applicable extent, around 1996-2001. But as both generations of SDA’s in those times failed to do their due part to have the work finished, time has since been extended (=15MR 292.3-4) into an Eschatological Age, -which is one which goes over all of these prophecies and will see them fulfill much less anecdotally and more sequiturly and more exegetically in depth. So that is how, as done with the other prophecies of Revelation, the above “deeper” and Spiritually rich, and stricter sequitur understanding in Rev 13:1-10 are arrived at, as will also be the case for the prophetic elements in Rev 13:11-18. And that is also how it is now seen that the events described in this second half of Rev 13 are likewise also merely introductory to the Final Conflict, merely setting it up, and is actually seen to be what the SOP had described as the “Little Time of Trouble”’s Mark of the Beast Test (7BC 976.2-4ff)...with the Full Blown Conflict of the Battle of Har-/Ar-Mageddon (=Great Time of Trouble) =Rev 16:17-21; 17:14ff; 19:11-21) still to come.

Second Beast (Rev 13:11-18)

Second Beast of Rev 13

Rev 13:11 - Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a (little) lamb and he spoke as a dragon.

The Sea Beast - The conclusive fact that, and actually just from the details in this lone verse and in its immediate textual/historical context, that this is referring to the United States of America, is Biblically undeniable.[2]

Just a succinct summary of the prophetic exposition here, and with any furthering expounding/detailing:

another beast - This is a distinct beast, = world power, from the one in Rev 13:1-10

out of earth - =not originating from the sea, thus neither from a place that is populated with people (=“waters”; Rev 17:15), but even more specifically for the waters category of “seas” = not originating from a place already politically organized as a state/country.

horns - The Bible is consistently clear in interpreting what a horn represents in prophecy. They are the specific “kings” who are ruling in a kingdom. (See Dan 7:24, 8:20; Rev 17:12) But the Bible also uses the terms “king” and “kingdoms” interchangeably (See Dan 8:21-22), manifestly since: as a king goes, so goes a kingdom. So a horn represents how a kingdom is, i.e. as it is then being directed when under the rule of a certain king. The books of Kings and Chronicles in the Bible give ample examples of how kings determine the nature, here whether evil or good, of the kingdom that they are ruling over.

crownless horns - Unlike with the First Beast, these would not be kingly powers, but still chief ruling powers.

the two horns - Dan 8:3, 6 provide an example of what occurs when ‘two horns on a one-headed animal’ occurs. The two horns there represented “the kings of Media and Persia.” (Dan 8:20) They came to form a coalition known as Medo-Persia, but, as the prophecy reflected in Dan 8:3, one king/kingdom, the Persians, would have the upper hand.

            For a beast with only one head, (as opposed to 7 heads) that means two equal powers cooperating for the actualizing of the chief rules of that lone head. For the USA, this has been, since its foundation the, -as discussed in here, powers of (as per the SOP in GC 441.1): Protestantism (=Freedom of Belief/Conscience/Religion) and Republicanism (Representative Government). By these two horns does this beast exert its power and “stands its ground” = maintain its influence, rule and place.

            As Stephen Bohr presents in his exposition of this section of this prophecy (See e.g. here[01:01:26ff] &here[01:19:18ff]), those two chief rules of Protestantism and Republicanism which America had decided at its founding to allow to hold joint, but democratically so, power in its country were for: the Kingdom of God (=The Church) and for the Secular/Civil Kingdom (=The State). This was actually the very best framework that any country can aspire to become when functioning under/in “this World” (see John 19:33-37a), -which presently belong, by Free Will choices (Eph 2:2), to Satan (Matt 4:8-9|Luke 4:5-7; John 12:31), as a “Rome” (see Matt 22:15-22), which, as seen below, indeed is nonetheless a “dragon” power.

like a (little) lamb - Like the “Little Lamb” (=Kingdom of God) of Rev 5:6 which itself has 7 horns (along with 7 (corresponding) Eyes/Spirits) on also its lone head (which indeed actually matches what God had established for the Government of His National Israel), this beast, which is not actually a lamb in body, likewise has tried to set up as cooperating forces, more than one, here two, chief/ruling powers (=horns) by which its head can concertedly wield the power of what it is thinking, and thus speaking (cf. Matt 12:34; 15:18-19)

dragon - To recap the line of application for this “dragon” symbol:

-As presented in this post, it was how the Leviathan of Job 41 was known, and manifestly, as Satan was trying to take over that powerful, literally “fire-breathing” (Job 41:18-21) sea creature to do great physical damage on the earth, as he had influentially done with the serpent in Eden, God made the Leviathan to become extinct (Isa 27:1-2; Psa 74:13-14), manifestly by separating it from its male counterpart, the now land-locked Behemoth (Job 40:15-24)

-With no option to use a potent beast, Satan influencingly turned to a symbolic beast in the nation of Pagan Rome do to these damaging “dragon” biddings (Rev 12:2-5). In fact, it can easily be seen that the Fourth, nondescript, Beast in Dan 7:7, 19, 23 is actually a, by then extinct “dragon” beast, especially as it variously could do what the powerful Behemoth and Leviathan, a.k.a. “dragons” did when they were alive.

-When that endeavor also failed, Satan now gave over this “dragon” mandate to Papal Rome. (Rev 13:1)

-And now, when that plan too failed, Satan now turned to this “Little Lamb-like, two-horned Beast”. (Rev 13:11)

            What is interesting to read about the Leviathan (=Dragon) beast is that, just like Satan had used the pridefulness of the then very beautiful, even flying (PP 53.4), serpent to take possession of it for his detrimental purposes by having the serpent cooperate with him, -(which is why God severely punished the serpent itself (Gen 3:13-15)), -and it was pride that also brought Satan himself down (Ezek 28:11-17ff) and led him to embark in most ambitious rebellion (Isa 14:12-14ff), this same basis for rebellious pridefulness could be found, and thus exploited in the powerful and unmatchable Leviathan (Job 41:33-34). Which would then explain how, as (Job 41:34b) indicates, if/when Satan could then find the same pride in “the sons of man”, namely the beautiful, wealthy and powerful, especially if this are the traits of a collective people, he then likewise recruit them to do his ‘prideful, rebellious dragon’ work. Satan certain found and exploited this all of the world entities/empires which came to be known as “Babylon(s)”, namely  Ancient Babylon (Dan 3, 4), then Pagan Rome, then Papal Rome and now in America. (See more about this 'Rev 13 = "Dragon" Beasts' understanding here).

he spoke as a dragon - Despite the seeming “honourableness” of its two crownless horns, this beast actually speaks as a dragon, which is not only, as already discussed earlier at Rev 13:1 Satan himself, but more specifically at this point in World Development: Satan’s own tangible Earth-affecting power. It thus is really not “God’s Country”, but “The Devil’s Country”. This is actually quite strange because as the first beast had received its place on the world stage by Satan having accepted to cede the position that Pagan Rome had been filling for him as his ambassador for producing evil and abominations in the world to the First Beast (Rev 13:1ff), this Second Beast did not so accede to its position and power...In fact you can even argue with its U.S. fulfillment that it was established with the ideal of being “A Nation Under God”, but the words spoken by this nation have revealed what was really in its heart (Matt 12:34; 15:18-19) and these are actually what Satan himself would have expressed...And ‘as goes the tongue/mouth, so goes the whole body’ (Jam 3:1-12)....And by the time for the Har-/Ar-Mageddon Battle, these three entities, priorly assumed to be aloof of each other, are actually acting together and in unison (Rev 16:13ff)

            So no wonder that this Second Beast will find it most fitting to form an image to the First Beast....And so, this time coming (unexpectedly) from the other side, Satan would still have his representative and Super-power Kingdom on this Earth from which he can now resuming spreading his evil ideology and worldview to the world.

            So while this Second Beast, the United State of America, seems to have all of the hallmarks for a Christlike Kingdom, it really is an Anti-Christ Kingdom, specifically through what it ‘speaks forth for Satan’ (=Rev 13:14): “the false Prophet” (Rev 16:13; 19:20).

            Indeed for many in the world today, America with its claimed Freedoms and Democracy, all couched in a strong Christian Tradition, seems to be the most ideal kind of country that ‘God Himself’ would have in this world....But, in the Bible God has actually showed in Ancient Israel what His actual Kingdom would/should be like, and most chiefly, as stated here for the NJK, it is one which would not at all allow for, facilitate nor condone any type of sin (=transgressing of God’s Ten Commandment Royal/Supreme Law (1 John 3:4; cf. Jam 2:4-12)), let alone any abomination (e.g. Lev 18:22-30; Deut 7:25; Ezek 16:48-50; Pro 6:16-19)....but “Babylon”, which now is the United States of America, is not merely “all about abominations” (Rev 17:4-5; 16:13; 18:2ff; cf. Rev 21:27) it is also about devotedly endeavoring so that every other nation in the world joins her in these Divine-ward blasphemous and harlotrous acts (=Isa 5:20).

            America claims for its foundation to have learn the lesson of (Church) History, pointedly the rule of the Papal Roman Empire, that seems to them to be that: ‘everyone should be free to believe, pursue and do whatever they wants, as long as others are not (non-consentedly [e.g. boxing/MMA]) violated/harmed.’ So it has crafted a defaultly all-inclusive Nation/Country where all who want to live according to that “Freed-om”, -which includes a freedom to ignore the Will and Law of God without penalty, can come to its shores and do so. But the actual wrongness of the Papal Rome Kingdom was not only that it had long compromised and corrupted the actual teachings of God that it was seeking to, -(as actually allowed, even mandate by the entire Bible), civilly uphold within its own jurisdiction, (which actually resulted in them persecuting and murdering the Righteous), that Holy Roman Empire was then also endeavoring to convert and incorporate others outside of its borders to its, again non-Biblical, Rule by the use of physical force.

            The Kingdom of God’s: Domestic Policy: God’s actual Kingdom allows people to freely join or leave it according to their conscience, but for those who join, that does not include a pass to then violate any of the Commandments of God, and without any penalty. What such people willing to engage in sinfulness, should do, is first emigrate from God Kingdom and join any of the surrounding pagan nations/people and then engage in whatever sinfulness they will let you freely commit. But to want to do so, while remaining a citizen of the God’s People is not a Biblical option. America thought to found itself on such Biblical principles, but really ended up at best civilly enforcing Religious Laws which were actually not all according to the Truth of the Bible, then, in a desire to survive, be prosperous, powerful and thrive, and be able to attract as many people from the rest of the world as possible, this Religious stance was set aside. Again, that is not actually the will of God for a country/kingdom which claims to be “called by His name”...As a matter of Biblical fact, this actually is Satan’s own express will for this entire Earth, where, as seen from the beginning in Eden (Gen 3), Satan was seeking to having humans live however they wanted to in disobedience of God’s will and without God punishing them, especially not with/by death. So that is actually how America, from its foundation, and despite its ideals, really only has been a, and most deceptively so, spokesperson, for the Rebellious Will of Satan himself. By now of course, “Babylon” America is “confusedly so” well entrenched and versed in this Satanic Ideology, and while still continuing to believe itself to be a “Christian Nation” and a country which best represents the ideal rule of God for this world.

            The Kingdom of God’s: Foreign Policy: In regards to God’s ideal dealing with other peoples which are not part of its True Kingdom, He actually mandates that they be evangelized and even as they may physically oppose (e.g. Matt 28:18-20; 24:14; Acts 1:8) which can produce the martyrdom of Christians Missionaries....That’s actually the extent of the “force” that God allows to be used to fulfill this commission. (e.g. Matt 10:16-20). In matters which would require a physical defense of His Kingdom from assailing foes, God does allow for “National Defense” and the more faithful His People are to Him then, the less they would actually have to physically fight themselves. (e.g. Exod 14:13-14ff; Isa 37:36-38; Rev 20:8-10)...Even in matters where God has deemed that a foreign people sinfulness has reached a point that is an existential physical threat/hazard to others, especially His own People/Kingdom then for such “Offensive”, though that would really be a (preempting) Defensive action, God then also is defaulty desirous of Supernaturally doing the fighting Himself if His Own People are most faithful. (E.g. (Gen 15:13, 16, 18)|Exod 23:27-33; Gen 18:20; 19:24-25).

            The Roman Catholic Church and its Papal/“Holy” Roman Empire surely did not follow the plan of God in such matters of dealing with foreign and non-Believing/Biblical nations, indeed completely to the contrary, relying instead on the brute force model of the Pagan Roman Empire. Furthermore, the Catholic Church was never in a position where God could do any fighting or judging for her given how it had (Satanically) fundamentally (Rev 8:10-11) compromised and corrupted the teachings of the Bible (=Rev 2:12-15). It was thinking to be warrantedly wielding God’s Sword (=the word of God (Eph 6:17)), while it itself was being exposed as apostate by that very Word (Heb 4:12-13)...And, as it would not repent, God Himself has had to decree to War against it with His Actual Sword (Rev 2:16-17)....And that is actually the extent of “force” that a most faithful people of would itself ever have to deal in regards to successfully judging and putting down a foreign entity/power (=Rev 6:4; 19:15, 21)...because, as in many OT episodes, God’s angels then are the ones who would deal out any physical blows (=Rev 19:17-18ff|LDE 121.4; e.g. for 9/11 II)

            So while America reactionarily thought to establish a New World Order that contrasted that of the Old World, not only was the Model that they advanced also not actually God’s Ideal, it actually was still acting the part of, like the First Beast (Rev 13:2ff), advocating for, and fulfilling, Satan’s own will (Rev 13:11ff).

Rev 13:12 - He exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence. And he makes/exercises the earth and those who dwell in order that they will worship the first beast, whose fatal wound was healed.

all the authority - Given that the first beast had received its authority from Satan (Rev 13:2) then that “authority” is a ‘right to act, then this (“False Prophet”) Second Beast which is already speaking forth Satan’s own mind/message will have been taking things a step further than mere talking, but exercising a: ‘Satanic right to see done what it has been advocating’.

            Then, compared to the three Ruling/Hegemonic elements cited in Rev 13:2 which had been given by Satan to the First Beast, here the Second Beast is actually lacking the “power” and the “throne/seat” to concretize and maintain this ‘authority/right to act’...

            ...It is quite fitting that the thing that the United States is “big” on is this proclamation to the world that it has a “Right” to Live Free, but as, as discussed earlier within the expounding of Rev 13:11, this also includes condoning and facilitating sin, this is a grossly unBiblical, thus Satanic, Freedom. Indeed it is an ideology that is at best based on the false and limited theology which has deemed that since God had a “Tree of the Knowledge of Good & Evil” placed somewhere in Eden -(it was the Tree of Life which was at the center of the Garden) (Gen 2:9), then it must be God’s ideal that people should be free to choose and practice sin. As if God never placed a consequence for choosing  sin (Gen 2:17) and even mandated that His professed people deal to eradicate sin from its midst. Again, don’t think and claim that you are a Christian Nation if you are going to, indeed, “speak and act” like Satan’s realm. (Rev 13:11)

in his presence - The First Beast power is still “present”. The Second Beast has the “authority/right to act” all in the implementation of Satan’s cause which he has entrusted to them, but the First Beast still has the (Satanic)  “power” and “throne/seat”. And so, oddly, but tellingly, enough, the Second Beast does not take it upon itself to also exercise those two elements that it is lacking, but rather, as stipulated next, cedes that task and role to the First Beast...perhaps to maintain its deceptive cover as a “Little Lamb like Beast”.

...the earth - It would seem odd that the physical earth would be the object of this statement, but this would rather seem to be symbolic of the territorial jurisdiction of the world itself, and “globally” expressed as if it is even beyond the limiting of the World’s political divisions (=“seas”), as if the Second Beast has a natural mandate to take such actions to preserve this planet itself irrespective of what individual political divisions in this world may think.

those who dwell in it - This is clearly a reference to the peoples of the world. An appeal is manifestly made right to the masses.

makes/exercises... - The word “make” here is the same as “exercises” earlier in that verse [Strongs #4160]. The Second Beast actions in exercising that “Satanic authority” are inherently geared towards (hopefully) leading the whole world to (in the future) worship the First Beast.

           The ironic thing is that this Little Lamb like (Second) Beast is not actually deliberately/calculatedly/altruistically doing this “First Beast Rapprochement”, but it is just that its actions are naturally preparing people to (re-)accept the seemingly/supposed more “moral/Biblical” rule (=throne/seat) and power of the First Beast.

fatal wound was healed - As expounded earlier at Rev 13:3, the fatal wound of the First Beast had actually occurred early in its developing, when its Fourth Head representing the Militaristic Ideology which had ascended and made strong the Pagan Rome Empire. It was the Spiritual message of Christianity’s Prince of Peace pervading throughout Pagan Rome which really had transformed Rome from the insides and replaced its false Militaristic Pax Romana. But that was naturally leading to the loss of those priorly forcedly obtained and secured kingdoms in that Empire, and so, in order to save the Roman Empire, the Church stepped in to, now under a claim of being Biblical, cooptingly revive this Militarism. Thus the Roman Empire was more than less preserved and was also rebranded as a Papal/Holy Roman Empire. The Pivotal thing to remark and retain here is that: the unscrupulous abuses of the Roman Empire had led people right into the arms of the Church, albeit an Apostate Church. Indeed in our present times, how many people, whether Believer or Atheist, have railed against the Capitalistic Ruthlessness and Militaristic Abuses of the United States, but have flocked for a balm and as an appeal for leverage to the present reign of the decrying Pope Francis. (See more on this in this post at Ezek 39:24).

            It has occurred without failure that every endeavor to live out variously recursive “pursuit of its advocated (Satanic) Freedom”, whether it be materialism, libertinism, militarism, consumerism, and the likes, have all inevitably come to hit a wall where, to heal, correct and recalibrate course, they have come to, whether they admit it or not, incorporate, to some degree,  the social and societal safety net safeguards and principle which had long been stated in the Bible. Chieftest of this, is the god of gods in the Economy. Capitalism has long hit its wall, in the ca. 1930's Wall Street Crash and U.S.(+Global) Great Depression. It has only been the various diluting, to this day, of Capitalism by Socialistic measures and principles resulting in the present norm of a Mixed Economy which has kept Capitalism alive on this life support. In the West, that economic mixture is at a ca. 65-35% effective ratio, which in Europe, it has grown to be closer to a ca. 55-45% effective ratio. It has been the pattern that, in order to save face, Capitalism has allowed itself to be given a more altruistic character through such: ‘indirect Socialism through taxation’. But Capitalism claims, as professed by the U.S. that it has been, and only is, the engine to produce wealth in the world. And while it has allowed itself to be diluted, it surely will not give up its upper hand.....at least, not without a fight, but will instead be advocating that all others must conform themselves to its own model if, even the basic necessities of life are to be provided for people, and “beneficiently” enough: for as many people in the world as possible. Capitalism fundamentally believe that if the profit to sharing ration gets to 50-50% or worse, lower, then, not only itself, but also the whole world is doomed (i.e. to live in spiraling and enduring poverty). And so it sees it as a existential necessity to fight for its survival as a foremost self-profiting economic model.

            Like Capitalism, the Roman Catholic Church also has had to re-brand itself. It formally was an institution which saw to first enrich itself but then had to become generous is charitable works given all of the backlash that its prior selfish ways had led to, even being the impetus for the Protestant Reformation. In fact Capitalism was crafted in order to have the individual themselves become enrich, all as a direct reaction to the prior model of the Catholic Church which was enriching the Church.

            So to tie up all of the hints here, in an effort to maintain its rule, yet in the face of a growing tide for Socialism, Capitalism will be allowing itself to be “Re-Christened”, -indeed from its now long exposed as false originating “(Protestant) Biblical Truth” claim, but only according to a model which it finds acceptable as it still allows it to have the upper hand. And that is by pushing peoples towards the Systematic Charitable Benevolence model as exercised by the Roman Catholic Church, but through a Philanthrocapitalistic Model....This however is a model which will have to be both implemented and defended by forceful measures. So therein is this Second Beast making an image to the First Beast, all like Papal Rome and Pagan Rome had collaborated, indeed to also preserve its Imperial Hegemony.

            The whole motivation for Capitalism here, indeed as seen in the Most Doomsday Ominous struggle of the Cold War, is “vitally” not to be supplanted by a purely Socialistic model which many would like to have, but also to appease those clamoring masses by giving them what they are justifiably calling for: A more humane economic approach. And in the Volitional Charitable model put forth by the made-over Roman Catholic Church, such a compromise can be “viably” arrived at. The First and Second Beast would still be upholding as supposedly incontrovertible the tenet that ‘one first needs to enrich themselves’, whereas God’s actual Sabbatical model promises ‘blessings in working to equally bless others,’ and even if such a promised blessing can only be realized by having Faith in God who will provide it. Therefore, “those who know their God” (Dan 11:32 -see here), having been enlightened and sealed by God’s Sabbatical Spirit will be able to see right through the sly scheme of the Devil here, who is still trying to maintain his detrimental reign of selfishness on this world: which indeed is “anything short of self-sacrificing” (see DA 20.3-21.1ff)...And so these most righteous ones, =the Bible’s 144,000, will indeed be taking action against this: and therein is the flashpoint for the Battle of Har-/Ar-Mageddon.

Rev 13:13 - He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down out of heaven to the earth in the sight/presence of men.

perform great signs - It is a patent occurrence in the Bible, -from Moses (Exod 4:1-9; 7:8ff) to even Angels (Jdg 6:17, 36-40; Luke 1:18-20) to Jesus (John 2:18-22; Matt 16:1-4), to Christ’s Apostles (Mark 16:17-18

), that those who are claiming to have a message and mandate from God, thus a prophetic commission, are able to verify that claim through some clear attesting sign. So it is actually quite in line that the Second Beast Power here having two horns which seems to put it within the same “power for good” category as the 7-horned Little Lamb Power, would be able to validate itself through some sign. However not all signs, -even realized ones, are actually from God. Only as what is being professed harmonizes perfectly with the word of God, is it then to be deemed a commission from God. (Deut 13:1-5). So then how is the Second Beast, which, to especially the discerning mind, has the mind of, and speaks the very words of, the Dragon Satan, ever able to get people to believe that it is an Divinely Endorsed and Empowered Entity!!

            Well, the most successful “calling card” of the First Beast, which had indeed resulting in the whole world wandering after it, had been that ‘no one was able to make war against it’ (Rev 13:4)...Indeed upon having revived and taken over the controls of the Mighty Roman Armies, indeed invigorating it with a new life that was claimed to be according to God’s Spirit, the First Beast had set out to conquer the world for God through military force...and using the might of Rome, it indeed was most successful. So as with the First Beast, it is expected that a most formidable ability to make war is to be fundamentally and chiefly found in the imitating Second Beast....

            As that Second Beast is indeed the United States, it goes without saying that this prophetic element is definitely seen this present Military Super Power. And while today rival powers like China and Russia themselves have potent Military might, it is not for no reason that the U.S. National Defense policy has resolutely been to economically outspend and materially outmatch (effectively) the rest of the world’s militaries combined. One of the tangible stats I like best is in regards to the chief cornerstones for projecting influential and deterring Military power where the U.S. has: (1) as many aircraft carriers, and (2) as many nuclear warheads, as the rest of the world combined...So, as of now, the U.S. can certainly hold its own against even the rest of the world combined, though that would probably culminate in the draw of a Mutual Effected Destruction.

            The inherent deceptiveness of a sign is that even if one is wrong and an agent of Satan, they can still perform signs (cf. Exod 7:11, 22-23; 8:7)...So the U.S. being capable of maintain and spreading its false Christianity throughout the world by military force when deemed necessary circularly serves as the deceptive evidence that what it is claiming about God, e.g. “God Blessing America” and that despite its indifference to many Biblical Principles and Truths, should be believed as the Truth. Therefore that is how its usage of Military might can be claimed to be as a “force for God/good”)

fire comes down out of heaven - To the Spiritually aware mind, this phrase immediate brings to mind the OT episode of Elijah’s epic showdown on Mount Carmel alone against 850 False Prophets. (1 Kgs 17-18). He indeed had caused God to send down fire from Heaven (1 Kgs 18:38-39) and therefore had the right to eradicate these false prophets (1 Kgs 18:40). That OT story is indeed the controlling background for this prophetic segment in Revelation.

            Indeed, as presented in here at Rev 16:16 the word Har-Mageddon is an “Hebraized” way of saying: “the mountain of Megiddo” or more protractedly&accurately: “the mountain in the valley of Megiddo”, and that mountain prominently is the mountain range known as Mount Carmel where Elijah confronted the prophets of Baal. So, applying these hints here: this Pivotal Showdown will fundamentally be a Spiritual one between God’s Faithful ones (the 144,000) vs. the False Prophet entity of this Second Beast, both indeed claiming to be acting for God.

The “Mount Carmel” Mountain Range in the Valley of Megiddo

            Having fire come down out of heaven is clearly a work of God. And it is most strikingly seen in the Bible for: a (approving) sign (2 Chr 7:1-3; 1 Kgs 18:38), a empowerment/favor (Acts 2:2-4) or a judgement (Gen 19:24-25; Lev 10:1-2; 2 Kgs 1:9-12; Rev 20:9). So those who would seem to be making this “Act of God” occur would be deemed to be acting, for God and with His full approval, whether it be in matters of validations, power or judgements which are actually three elements that are all found in what preludingly takes place in Rev 16:14 towards the gathering for the Har-/Ar-Mageddon Showdown. (Rev 16:16)

in the sight/presence of men - Just as Elijah was aware to be care that the False Prophets may cheat and secretively light a fire for their sacrifice on their own (1 Kgs 18:25b), what is to be done here by the Second Beast as its validating sign must be transparently and openly done seen in order to be “objectively” deemed to be valid. Only criminals and losers do things in the dark/shadows and hide....And merely the fact of doing such things “openly” would circularly lead people to deem that it must be justified, while the real truth of the matter is that ‘no one can make war with’ that Second Beast anyway as to reprimand or stop them....Just like Satan could not falsify that sign for his False Prophets on Mount Carmel as God wouldn’t let him, and Satan could not overrule/over power God.

From Spiritual to Literalistic

            Now, that said above about the Spiritual allusion to the OT Elijah episode above where that Mount Carmel fulfills the Har-Mageddon (=“mountain of (the valley of) Megiddo”) of Rev 16:16 implication which is being introduced at this point in this prophecy, -because, as it was introductorily stated about this Second Beast/Rev 13:11ff section, this here, i.e. these movements for the setting up of the “image of the beast”, is merely the “Mark of the Beast (MOB) Test” which, EGW was ‘directly shown’ (7BC 976.2-3|LDE 227.3; 5T 81.1|LDE 173.6) occurs ‘before the close of probation’, a final point which can be Biblically argued to only fully occur when “It Is Done” is said at the start of the Last/Seventh Plague at Rev 16:17ff (see LDE 270.2), thus, actually before the Har-Mageddon Battle, which is being gathered for at Rev 16:14, 16 (=Sixth Plague) takes place. There however is an earlier close of probation: ‘before any of the plagues begin to fall’ (LDE 228.4-229.3), This is when the sealing of the 144,000 will have been done (Rev 7:1-8), and it is these sealed ones who are ready for this MOB Test, and they thus also escape every plague sent on Babylon having long come out of her (Rev 18:4). A “Shut Door” as spoken of in Matt 25:10-13 (discussed here; -depicted here) will occur for those who had had a chance to hear the sealing message and truth and chose not to, but probation will remain open through the first 6 plagues for others who had not had this chance. Those who heed the warning then and leave a now global Babylon will come to also form the Great Multitude of Rev 7:9ff. These are the ones who repentingly came out of this great tribulation and washed their robes (Rev 7:13-14ff; cf. Rev 19:8)...

From Har-Mageddon to Ar-Mageddon

            ...“Now”: there is a well attested element/rule for Bible Prophecies which have been suspended and delayed because of the failings of a prior generation which could and should have seen its fulfillment done in their time, and therefore which have been (updatingly) repackaged and reapplied to a future generation (cf. LDE 59.2); -as seen with OT prophecies in NT times, and now as for/in the present Eschatological Wave, which supercedes the prior Historical Wave, that: ‘what was supposed to have been a literalistic fulfillment in the prior [Historical] Wave, is now to have a Spiritual/istic application in the [Eschatological] Wave’; but there is also the converse that occurs where: ‘what was supposed to have been a Spiritual/istic fulfillment in the prior [Historical] wave, is now to have a literalistic application in the [Eschatological] Wave’. By literalistic (i.e. vs. literal) that does not mean that e.g. that there now will be a literal king named Gog for Ezek 38 & 39, but that that prophecy will, as expounded here, have a much more tangible application versus merely a Spiritual/istic one.
            And tellingly enough, even the more tangible/literalistic application here of “fire from heaven” also has an allusion to an Elijah episode, and in fact, in a militaristic context. This is from 2 Kgs 1:9-15 where twice God made fire come down from Heaven to consume a military contingent which had come to take Elijah by force. Then a third dispatched contingent, at the sight of the dead and consumed prior two contingents, decided to plead for mercy and peacefully for Elijah to comply instead. So this, here show of tangible power/force/strength, sign was also used to show/prove whose side God was on. [cf. Rev 11:5, discussed in here].

            And so here: whereas in the prior Historical Wave of fulfillment, the term, and Battle of, Har-Mageddon cited in Rev 16:16 was understood to have merely a Spiritual/istic application involving “the mountain of the valley of Megiddo” thus Religious showdown on Mount Carmel, in the present Eschatological Wave an actually also possible rendering, and thus understanding of the cryptic term can be used here instead as Ar-Mageddon, which is “the city of the valley of Megiddo”...

Model of the Garrison City on the Tell in the Valley of Megiddo

[The relative great size of the Elevated City is best seen/appreciated in the following aerial footage:]

...That is, as seen e.g. here|here|here|here, the actually very notorious (in Bibles times) garrison city built on a mound (= Tell) in this Valley of Megiddo (=Jezreel Valley) That city was seen as key to the (“western”) world, indeed located in the (effective) “center of the world/nations” (cf. Ezek 5:5) then as it was the military base from which that advanced world’s trade routes, and also fertile farmlands (for Israel), in this valley of Megiddo were protected. So it was thus virtually a representative “Word Trade Center”. The higher vantage point from that Tell of Megiddo also provided for both a better protection of that garrison city as well as a lookout point for the entire valley. That was dually a key advantage for the many wars which took place in that battle-convenient valley.

            So in the present, Eschatological Wave of fulfillment, it is to be expected that if the central vital and trade elements of the economy are deemed to be threatened, that the leading power(s) of the world will gather to fight for it....I.e. with literalistic “fire from heaven”.

-Literalistic “fire from heaven” - Now, that all said above thus far about the actions of the Second Beast, (=the United States of America), including the later exposition of how the formerly merely Spiritual/istic comes to also have literalistic implications in the Eschatological Wave, in its endeavor to form an image to the First Beast (=the (Militaristic Papal/Holy Roman Empire), which had become renowned and feared throughout the world then because of the Great Military Might that it had (=Rev 13:4), the Second Beast will indeed also aim to achieve its Super Power Hegemony by the same Militaristic Domination, but this time take it a step, literally higher = ‘making fire come down from heaven’. [3]

            A key/pertinent intermediary point here is from the time it had been the Papal/Holy Roman Empire which was unrivaledly dominating the world (Rev 13:4). It was actually not until the Muslim forces began to make use of gun powder, and thus massive and destructive cannon, that the tide of the prolonged warring between these two factions began to tilt towards the side of the Muslim forces leading to their victory over that First World/Western Power of Papal Rome. This was actually symbolically represented in the Sixth Trumpet in the now ‘fiery battles against “the third of the world’ (Rev 9:17-19).

            Well by now of course: “fire from heaven” is seen as the pinnacle of a Militaries power as all kinds of (essentially) fiery destruction can be delivered to enemy targets from the air: from conventional ordnance to nuclear bombs, and that by planes, missiles and now drones. Of course the leading militaries of the world have, or could go on to have, such aerial bombardment capability, but the U.S. is leadingly capable of doing it on a presently, kiloton per kiloton, unmatched level...as in the U.S. (effectively) having as much total aerial potency and firepower as the rest of the world combined.

            All symbolic things considered, it is not surprising that today, one of the leading weapons system in the U.S. arsenal given that it is conventional (i.e. non-nuclear), (comparatively) targeted and secretive, as well as resource economic for the U.S., is the capability of drone warfare. [cf. this movie depiction] ..which is tailor made for the present era of asymmetrical warfare which the U.S./West is predominantly embroiled in against, chiefly, Militant Islam. It actually is not at all coincidental nor insignificant that the iconic ordnance for these, moreover, preemptive hunting (=“Predator”-“Reaper”) drones have, quasi-rejuvenatingly, maintain it now iconocized/bandied/pop-cultured name of a “Hellfire Missile”. And that is because of its prevalent use now in a whole program and warfare which is for the executing of extra-judicial judgement on people variously being deemed to be an effectuated and/or imminent threat to United States and its interests. It indeed is all meant to sound and seem like the final judgement of Hellfire that God will rain down on the Gog and Magog foes who will gather in siege about His Holy City and be burned alive. (Rev 20:8-11).

            Now as this Drone Warfare program is predominantly for extra-judicial executions of judgements, meaning that a perceived enemy, thus someone who actually has not done a tangible act of war against the U.S., will not actually be captured to be prosecuted in a court of law, but will just be summarily executed, it is shocking that, and despite significant democratic opposition to it, it has virtually gone unchecked and unabated, thus being deemed as most to be perfectly acceptable. Moreover, no other country seems to be of any equal stature or weight to get the U.S. to stop this, as many rightly deem it, Unlawful Program giving that people who are not actually engage in a tangible act of war are being summarily deemed guilty and executed. Other measures involving the capture of these suspects and their trial can easily be done instead by e.g. U.S. Special Forces and/or cooperating local forces, but in a desire to both remain secretive while also dissuadingly “terrorizing” people suspected interested or involved in “terrorism”, the whole allows the U.S. to conduct these extra-judicial judgement “in plain sight” =  “in the sight/presence of men”. This implies/involves that what is being done here is deemed by most, if not all, as all being above board, lawful and justified.

            So even in the present state of threat to the U.S. West, which is deemed to be (Radical Islamic) Terrorism, or any other such opposition which is being deemed as an existential threat, the “hellfire from heaven” measures of the United States and its Western allies, are overall representative of how the Hegemonic stakes and claims of the Second Beast are being upheld and revered.

            Pertinently enough, Militant Islam killing even 3000 Americans in one day’s wave of attacks (on 09/01/2001) which took ca. 3-5 years to plan and prepare itself is not an existential threat to the U.S. and its 320+ million population. It is however the significant direct destructive, and indirect crippling economic damage that can have “existential” implications in the costs to the economy that both dealing with, and protecting against, such relatively minor attacks. Even in  the case that Militant Islam would manage to detonate a “radioactive dirty bomb”, or even, though capably, more unlikely: a compact nuclear device, it would also not actually be the loss of life, or even the physical destruction that such a surely low scale attack would do, -physical destruction and loss of life which would likely at best only match what was done on 9/11, but it is the nuclear/radioactive fallout which would be the most costly effect as virtually most of the Island of Manhattan would have to be evacuated and quarantined and be uninhabitable for potentially decades in the future.

            So whereas the U.S. can keep major world military powers at bay given how they can easily match the destruction that they may cause to the U.S. as these powers are also countries with physical assets, the asymmetrical threat from state/asset-less Militant Islam can easily become one-sidely much more destructive and detrimental to the U.S. than to a Jihadist group. Case in point, the 9/11 Attacks cost around $500,000 to execute while the damage and retaliatory war is costing the U.S.  in total as much as $5-6 trillion.

The U.S./West’s “Existential” Problem

            As preposterous as it manifestly would be to most, even professing (Capitalistic) Christians out there, apart from the typically cited reasons, there actually is one, effectively, “last straw” reason why God has consistently and most destructively overthrown various societies and kingdom, including His own Israel. In fact that last straw seems to be the end result of what any prior abominable practices, such as idolatry and immorality also contribute and lead to. It is manifestly as if, when a society//nation reaches that “last straw” point, then God considers it as unredeemable and unsalvageable, and so decrees that it be destroyed. That extreme unrighteousness point is when a nation is out of selfishness oppressing the poor and needy that it can, and should be, caring for due to rampant and systemic (cf. Eccl 5:9) selfish and oppressive socio-economic indulgences and socio-injustices: And so, along these lines, which indeed probably are surprising to people, we see that: Sodom was actually also overthrown because of such failings (Ezek 16:48-50); God repeatedly raised this issue through prophets with His own nation Israel, even as their “day of the Lord”, first with the Northern 10-tribe Kingdom of Israel (Amos 5:18-24; Isa 30:8-17) then the Southern 2-tribe Kingdom of Judah (Zech 7:8-14) because given rest and blessing to others was all the cornerstone, even purpose of, and in, God’s Universal Sabbatical Laws and Principles (Isa 58:1-12; Deut 5:15; 15:1-11; cf. 2 Chr 36:19-21; cf. Psa 106:3). Righteousness (=‘Right-Doing’ COL 312.2; cf. Isa 45:19) and Justice are the foundation of God’s Universal Rule. (Psa 89:14; 97:2; 33:4-5; Pro 21:3) A society which has come to accept as normal economically -derived suffering and even death, in a “live and let die” callousness, comes to have an existential issue with “God Almighty” (Pro 14:34; 16:12)

            ...Pertinently enough, Ancient Babylon was warned of having come to fail in the eyes of God in this way (Dan 4:10-14ff; 24-27). It is therefore not at all surprising that the crux of the Gospel and Ministry Work and Reforms of Jesus focused on dealing with such pivotal failings in the Jewish nation of his time. (See e.g. Luke 10:25-37). That is actually why Jesus deliberately did Sabbath Healings, as seen in the 7 that are recorded in the gospels which were all non-vital/emergency conditions (e.g. Luke 6:9/Matt 12:12; Luke 13:16). The whole plot of Christ’s Rich Man and Lazarus parable (Luke 16:19-31) was that the poor and suffering Lazarus was saved while the Rich Man was condemned. Indeed the “wrath of the Lamb” (Rev 6:15-17) which is poured out on the Babylonian-Mark of the Beast Camp (Rev 14:9-11), the same group which will be enemies of the Little Lamb (Rev 17:13-14; 19:11ff) in the Battle of H/Ar-Mageddon (Rev 16:15-16; 19:8-9; 3:2-5 =Matt 22:1-14). is all about the neglect of the poor and needy (DA 825.4 = Matt 25:31-46's: Final, “White Throne”, Judgement). And in contemporized and fulfilled prophesying through the SOP (Rev 19:10), we see an Angel of God referring to Isa 30:8-15 as the reason why God will have entered into Rev 18 judgement against those who are refusing the Full-Gospel/Righteousness (Sabbatical) Seal of God (=Rev 9:4), and that, by His chosen physical-warring instrument as: Militant Islam, with America’s New York City, which as seen here, was indeed fulfilled in the (first/warning wave) 9/11 Attacks.

            So as God id deeming that America, and its systemic Capitalistic ways, have reached this “last straw” point where it is overseeing systemic suffering and unrighteousness, which is actually the “self-justifying” reason for America’s +4000 daily murders of infants through (legalized) abortion, then it is no wonder that God Almighty has, like in Dan 4, decreed such overthrowing judgement on this Neo-Babylon (Rev 18:5-8ff), particularly as this Second Beast will be choosing to persecute and fight against those who would be working to do God’s Full Sabbatical Will here. That is because Babylon deluded thinks itself to be doing God’s “healing” will through its capitalistic ways (=Rev 16:13-14ff). So, when it is challenged by what it is perceive to be an existential threat to its present Capitalistic reign and global hegemony, and even as it can easily see that those who are opposing it are actually doing God’s will on this issue as it is only so taught in the Bible, then, like Defiant King Nebuchadnezzar of old, the Second Beast will be, as stated, and discussed, in the next verse(s), engaging to erect, through ‘forcing and persecutive militarism’, such a ‘mirroring image’ to the First Beast, in order to fasten those in its Effect and Global Empire, in its preferred “sensual, abominable”, ‘enriching’, ways (Rev 17:2, 18:3, 7), and thus ‘preserve its existence as is’. As done with the First Beast, a compromising and corrupt, thus Babylonian, Church (the “Woman”) will take the reins of an “existentially threatened”, as it was done for Pagan Rome, and give it supposed Biblical validation, and even a mandate, to use force to stand its ground and continue to globally conquer, now according to the claimed better viableness of its, actually non-Biblical, worldview and ideology....as discussed next, that was transpires in the detailing ‘image setting up’ chapter of Rev 17.

Rev 13:14 - And he deceives those who dwell on the earth because of the signs which it was given him to perform in the presence of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who had the wound of the sword and has come to life.

deceives - It is only natural that one who is deluded, and does not have the Spirit of God working in their lives, will only naturally deceive others. But here, the deceiving action of the Second Beast is still deliberative. This Beast knows exactly what it is doing, and it at best only really/sincerely believes it to be true because it, like another ‘son of perdition’ (2 Thess 2:3), Judas (John 13:21-30), has willfully and indifferently “refused knowledge” (Hos 4:6). It just does not ‘love the Truth’. (2 Thess 2:12)...So has been the patent template for all of the movements which embarked on the path of compromising the Truths of God, and then thinking to fight God.

it was given him - Ultimately the authorization for anything that transpires on this Earth is under the authority of God, as per His All-Wise Discretion. And even the allowing of key/chief individuals (e.g. 1 Kgs 22:19-23) and peoples/masses (2 Thess 2:11|Rev 17:17) to be deluded by Satan is also within God’s purview.

signs - As discussed above in Rev 13:13, the chief validating “signs” that the Second Beast does is to make fire come down from heaven. This representation has the meaning of being a sign which would seem to Religiously say, as for Elijah, that “God is on its side”, and so, more tangibly, that this “approved entity” has the right to effectuate Judgements in the name of God, as Elijah immediately went on to do. (1 Kgs 18:40). The Second Beast also produces such “Judgement signs” in, as with the First Beast (Rev 13:4), ‘waging undefeatable war’. But, as also seen in the Bible, if a sign/miracle is done by the enemies of God, it is actually God who is indeed allowing this, all with the purpose of testing, sifting his professed people (Deut 13:1-5) and fastening those who failing this trial into their opposition camp so that they will deservingly be judged (2 Thess 2:9-12; Rev 17:17)...That is because trying to save one’s life instead of being faithful to God is a demonstration of a lack of faith. (Mark 8:34-38; Rev 12:11-12). And it is towards that ultimate Death vs. Faith “bright line” demonstration that this who endeavor of this Second Beast is working to (Rev 13:15-18).

            Also part of the signs that this Satanic Entity is to perform “miraculous healing” (Rev 16:13-14; 2 Thess 2:9-10). The Second Beast chief tenet is that whatever it is, even militaristically, doing is all, as it was for Pagan Rome and its Pax Romana, through a “force for good”...and towards a greater good, including Global Peace. So, as discussed in this post at Ezek 39:24, the Second Beast, which is that “False Prophet” & “Protestant (=Capitalist)” part of the MOB camp’s Unholy Alliance, will indeed be making the case that it, and its ‘exceptional/unbeatable capability of using force to effectuate good,’ is an indispensable part of the movement to bring about a Temporal Millennium Era of Global Utopia.

in the presence of the (First) Beast - The Second Beast making such an argument for the “good use of compelling force” in the presence of the First Beast represents both a defiance, as well as a demonstration, towards that First Beast accepting this militaristic way of doing this. As a emblematic present example. Pope Francis is well-known as a pacifist Pope, even having controversially, openly defended the reaction of Radical Islamic Militants in the Charlie Hebdo Attacks saying that: ‘you can’t insult someone’s mother, and not expect to get punched in the face.’ Well an emblematic response to such a defending of Islam from someone presently aspiring, and leading so, to become the “head” of that Second Beast as its “Head of State/POTUS”, namely ‘Dictator Drumpf’ (essentially) was: ‘Well when Jihadis invade the Vatican, you’ll sure be running to America’s military might to save your life’.

            Fact is, the physical scourge in Militant Islam that God has purposefully allowed to be set up, and unleashed, against His Apostate Babylonian People will indeed force America to keep positing the use of military force even for differences/matters that are in the religious realm and could be resolved by Biblical Truth...but confused and wealth-drunk Babylon certainly can’t do that. So do expect that the case for using military force towards achieving religious goals will indeed win out when the Second Beast is making it in the presence of the First Beast and the entire world...Plus the First Beast no longer has the (Pagan Roman) army that it had when it ruled for 1260 years. But most fittingly enough, in agreeing with these militaristic terms of the Second Beast, it will be regaining access to a potent Military Force.

telling those who dwell - Again, as suggested in Rev 13:12, this “telling” may actually either be of happenstance effectuation by the Second Beast as in pushing others to pine for the relatively/comparatively “moral” reign that the First Beast had achieved as in: ‘people refusing the U.S.’s Capitalistic and Militaristic Imperialism, and preferring the Socialism, Social Justice and Pacifism model of Pope Francis and his present form of the Roman Catholic Church’ [indeed see the April 15, 2016 meeting between 2016 U.S. Presidential aspirant “(Democratic-)Socialist” Bernie Sanders and Pope Francis here|here+full Sanders presser; cf. this (SDA-freak-out) commentary], but it can simultaneously be deliberate from the Second Beast in arguing that the world will still need its Military Might and Capabilities to even implement that Global Social Justice Ideal in the face of potent militaristic powers such as Militant Islam, which will still be opposing it. So a compromise will indeed be made where the Second Beast still holds provides the “right/authority to act” mindset, but the real power, and the reins, -all originating from Satan himself (Rev 13:2, 12) are in the court of the First Beast. (See LDE 131.4a)

            In fact, the First Beast may long have conceded that the version of “authority” that the Second Beast had exercised, namely in the form of Democratic Constitutional Rights, had been a better effectuation of that Authority, being more viable and enduring with Free People, but it is just that, as seen in this verse, the Second Beast now also has the ability to “delude” Free people into doing exactly what it wants, even thinking that this is what they also want. So no need to make any changes here...just like, in the Historical Wave of things, a Sunday Law would not have been brought on by force from a Pope or U.S. Government Leaders, but rather from a Free People clamoring to make such Democratic changes, even repudiating through amendment, their Constitution. (=LDE 131.4b)...Yet that all will still have been the Free and Democratic Will of the People.

wound of the sword - Again here, as it was explained above at Rev 13:3-4, the Spiritually deeper, Eschatological,  understanding of this “fatal wound” and this “sword” is what had occurred in early Church History to this 7-Headed Beast, at it Fourth Head stage which was that of Pagan Rome, when it was the “sword of the spirit”, =the “word of God”, which had silently actually come to put an end to the persecution of Christians by Rome and brought the whole Pagan Empire to its knees before Christianity.

come to life - That “wounding” event really should have been the end then of that evolving First Beast, but Apostate Christianity which would be distinguishly known as the Roman Catholic Church, went on to give new life to this Beast by healing that fatal wound in validating,- through spurious claims of authority in God’s Word, both the Pagan and Militaristic aspects of that Fourth Head.[4]

            And so is the nature of the case that the Second Beast is not making to the world, in order to form that ‘Millennial Movement’ of “Papist, Protestants and Worldlings” (GC 588.3). The Second Beast is indeed calling for an image to the 7-Head First Beast to be remade, successfully healed Fourth Head wound and all, because, as discussed earlier at Rev 13:4, it indeed was that healing which propulsed the First Beast, and its then Fifth Head religious ideology, into world adulation, power and fear/respect. Which all established a World Order which lasted for the next 1260 years, interestingly enough, as per the transition in Rev 13:10, 11, until America sprung up in the late 1700's as a country upon the World’s stage.

The Second Beast’s “Image Beast” to/of the First Beast

image of/to the First Beast - If the First Beast had “seven heads and 10 horns” (Rev 13:1), as well as a composite body (Rev 13:2), then it should be expected that the “image/icon” that the Second Beast is calling the world to make to this First Beast should also be along these main outlines and have such elements. Interestingly enough, in Rev 17 we do find such an “iconic image”. Now while in the Historical Wave of prophecy Rev 17 has been (surfacely) claimed by Protestant to be speaking of the (Historical) Roman Catholic Church, when the details of the prophecy are more carefully and deeply examined, it is clear, as stated in this post at Rev 17:3, that this 7 Headed Beast with 10 horns, and having a woman riding it, is actually a Protestant-Church entity.

            The suggestive evidence is indeed at Rev 17:3 since it links that ‘blasphemous, adulterous and murderous, wealthy woman’ to be the woman (=Church) which had escaped the period of Roman Catholic rule and persecution, acting the part of the enraged Satan the Dragon (Rev 12:12-13)  by having fled to the wilderness for 1260 years (=538-1798 A.D.) (Rev 12:6, 14). [5]

            The following is a Historical Charting of the Odyssey of that Rev 12 & 17 Woman:

The 7-Era History of the "Woman of Revelation"

            Plus there is the evidence that that Beast is pointedly referred to at the time of its 6th Head, i.e. after “five had fallen” and it now is the ‘one that is’ (Rev 17:10 -discussed in here), which is the period right after the reign of Papal Rome, thus the advent of America and its world ordering democratic ideology.

            So that “image” made by the Protestant Second Beast to the Catholic First Beast is that Rev 17 Beast. It however is set up to be carrying about that Protestant Woman (=Church) which goes about attracting the leaders of the world to go along and support this resurrected Beast Power. No longer is the Second Beast’s Two Lamb-Like Horn entity being bandied about as the one to follow after as it is this “iconic Beast” which is being pointed to.

            That Apostate Woman indeed came about starting in the Fifth Era as the “Dead Church” (Rev 3:1-2ff), which had “soiled their white garments’ by: no longer doing good works (Rev 19:7-9), as the Gospel of Christ calls for (Eph 2:8-10) who Jesus is calling to “Wake Up...”[6] ...Lest they indeed: ‘naturally, being ‘drunken sons of the night and darkness’ (1 Thess 5:2-8) join the Camp that will be enemies of Christ and His True/Full Righteousness Cause (Rev 3:3; 16:15) in the Battle of H/Ar-Mageddon (Rev 16:16) and incur the “Wrath of the Lamb”’ (1 Thess 5:9; Rev 6:15-17; 14:9-11; 19:11-16ff; DA 825.4)

come to life (2) - It is interesting to note that just as that Beast will have reached its manifest end by its seven and last head, it will prolong its life by reviving an Eighth Head given life to the entire beast (Rev 17:10-11). The evidence here points more to understanding that it is the state of Church with State affairs that occurred upon the Fourth Head being healed of its deadly wound for that Beast Fifth Head which will here be revived as the Eighth Head, but all now nonetheless under Protestant/Capitalistic principles.

Rev 13:15 - 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 may make as many as may not worship the image of the beast may be killed.

given him - Again these are marvellous things which are ultimately, purposefully, allowed by God. (=2 Thess 2:9-12)

give breath - It is one thing, as Nebuchadnezzar found out with his defying image (Dan 3), to craft a plan to oppose God’s Ordering Will/Plan (Dan 2:21) for this World (Dan 2). It is another the thing for this Second Beast to craft this plan for an image of the First Beast and also see itself actually bring it about. Just as like life (Gen 2:7) is uniquely within the power of God, so would seem this ability to establish a God-defying/blaspheming (as in Dan 7:8; 8:9-12) New World Order. But God allows this to candidly, concretely show just how people who had the Truth will go in their rejection of it and rebellion against God and against those who are obeying Him.

image of beast speaks - If the two-horned Beast in Rev 13:11 could speak, then it must not actually be that amazing that this beast is here/now speaking. Manifestly it is because that beast is actually an image, which miraculously has been made to come alive, and now even more wonderfully likewise also speaks. So, making the interpretations here: Not only would the image to the First Beast be made =Rev 17, it also was indeed given life in the present Post-American Revolution age, despite being, as in medieval times, a Church-led powerful world power, it was also allowed to make pronouncements, i.e. pass laws and policies, which are according to the blasphemous and murderously persecutive mindset of the woman which controls it. (Rev 17:5-6).

            That “woman” is the Protestant Church, and its “woman+beast” form is Protestant America, with its course then no longer being honorable, but “fallen”, first as a Church (Rev 14:8), then extending into its country (Rev 18:2ff; 14:9-11) having become a “abysmally” world-detrimental and destroying” world power (=Rev 17:8; 18:3 = Rev 11:7; EW 263-266) due to being chiefly controlled by all sorts of “blasphemous/spiritualistic” abominations. (=Rev 11:8, 18:2). It had been through its great wealth procuring, but indeed completely unBiblical chief tenet & scheme of Capitalism, that it had come to be a “great city which reigns over the kings of the earth” (Rev 17:18): namely the great city Babylon which has indeed risen to Hegemonic and Imperial Power and Influence in the World. (e.g. Rev 17:2, 4; 18:3, 9).

            Seriously, the present, easiest way that the United States could do this Global “New World Order” takeover is through the presently 193(+2)-member United Nations organization, effectively, if not literally, taking it over with an actual Presidency position instead of merely a Secretary General, and from that restructuring, leading it to pass General Assembly decisions which are according to its purposes, and, as seen next, are, even Militaristically, enforced through the Security Council.

make as many as...be killed - Indeed, -and not surprisingly at all as this First Beast image is according to Satan’s, now resumed (Rev 12:17) relentless vendetta against God’s faithful ones (Rev 12:12), the objectives of this entity are ultimately murderous.

            It therefore is not surprising, as Rev 17:12-13, 17 shows, that ‘the entire world’ (as seen next: ‘forcefully or willfully”) goes along with this plan of the Second Beast (=the ten horns = ‘all of the worlds rulers and their kingdoms by now in existence’) as no one can successfully war against it.

may...may...may... - The three “mays” which have been specially highlighted here is to emphasize the underlying Greek Subjunctive mood that is significantly used to express that the Second Beast will make that its Rev 17 Image Beast: “may make as many as may not worship the image of the beast may be killed”. The subjunctive mood is used, and instead of the indicative mood, to express some degree of uncertainty. Expressing this more protractedly, this all means that: ‘the Second/Image Beast movement will be endeavoring, but will not be sure to succeed to, make that as many people as those who may not go along with it New World Order would not be able to commercially, vitally provide for themselves in order to live.’ This is indeed a rather quite ‘passive’ approach to enforcing this NWO, and all points to how the Image Beast will be mainly, or at least initially, trying to compel all peoples in the world to go along with its plans by mere show of force, flexing its Military might....at least during the “Little Time of Trouble” (LDE 143ff) phases of this Rev 13 MOB Test & Shaking. And when that intimidation will not work, as God’s faithful people continue to survive, even thrive despite their defiance, then more forceful “warring” (Rev 17:14ff) and deadly measures will be “decreed”  (=the “Great Time of Trouble” cf. EW 282ff|GC 616ff|LDE 238ff)...which God will intervene in (Rev 19:11-16) to preemptively/offensively defend (Rev 19:17-18) and permanently deliver (Rev 19:19-21) His faithful people.

Rev 13:16 - And he makes/causes all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free men and the slaves, to be given a mark on their right hand or on their forehead,

he makes/causes - Clearly the Second Beast has the power to see to making all of this NWO plan of it happen and stick....Clearly it is through the threat of sheer/brute force for those who wouldn’t want to comply. The United States of America does have such potent, and global reaching force at its disposal, and even today, in Global Organizations and Coalitions like the UN Security Council or NATO, as seen in the various coalition war that these groups have fought, it typically is the U.S. that leads and also assumes most of the military responsibility, typically by reason of it is much wealthier economy and larger military budget, but even with that proportionality factor, the U.S. typically expends much more than what should be its percentage share.

small, great, rich, poor, free, slaves - This is a similar group as in Rev 6:15ff who had preferred braved their rebellion against the Little Lamb (=Rev 17:14ff)

given a mark - Of course this is not a literal mark. It is a symbolic “stamp/engravure”. The usage of the underlying Greek word “charagma” {Strong’s #5480} in Acts 17:29, (=its only occurrence outside of the book of Revelation), to speak of an “imaged formed” i.e. a ‘graven image, idol’ shows both that this is something which is used to imprint a representation upon something else (see Heb 1:3 where a related term “charakter” #5481 is used) , and that this is typical in idolatry, thus false worship, as seen throughout Revelation (7x) where this  “mark” is patently mentioned in the context of  “worship” (Rev 14:9, 11; 16:2; 19:20). So the correlation is clear: ‘worship the (Second) Beast and its image...and you receive a stamp of approval that you are a faithful/devoted member in good standing of this NWO effectuation’ and therefore you are ‘able to buy or to sell (Rev 13:17).

            The mark is reflective of having found a fully agreeable “character” in those who side with the Second Beast and its NWO.

on their right hand - This symbolically represents the ‘most favorable/skillful/powerful part of someone with which they do things.’ So these people will be giving their very best of tangible talent over to this Second Beast and its system.

on their forehead - As defined in Jer 3:3 this represents a (resolute will) mindset. Pertinently enough, as seen with the Apostate, Blasphemous and Murderous Church in Rev 17:5-6.

OT background - The mark of the hand or in the forehead has a basis in what OT Israel was to do help them remain faithful to God who had done much for them (Exod 13:8-9, 16), by obeying His Laws (Deut 6:9, 11:18). It clearly was never meant to be applied literally, as Orthodox Jews are still doing today, but be mere ‘mindful’ commemorations. The actual tangibleness for this “sign and reminder” was in the actions (=“hand”) of the ‘Prime Devotion/Consecration’ Ordinances (Exod 13:1-7; 11-15) and the understandings (=“forehead”) of the Whole Law of God (Deut 11:1, 8, 13, 32) which they were to heed (cf. Matt 22:34-40;  Rom 13:8-9).

            It therefore is fitting that the Mark of the Beast works to overturn this requirement of God by trying to get people to have differing “understandings”, and/or take different “actions” than what God has required. Those mindfully ascribed to understandings and/or practiced actions will come to have produced a “character” which will be most naturally conducive wht the going along with, and taking of, this “mark”. Those whose Gospel Truth & Mandate compliant life will have been sealed with the (Sabbatical) Seal of God will have, and demonstrate, a diametrically opposed “character”. (see COL 356.2; cf. 5T 310.1)

            Not surprisingly, those who have victory over this Dragon/Satan-originating Falsehood, and therefore do not suffer the wrathful plagues of God, ‘obey and worship God Almighty’ (Rev 14:12; 15:1-2ff; also: Rev 20:4b -discussed here), -who, as for OT Israel, will work wonderfully to deliver them. (Rev 15:3-4)

            Worship & Mark = People “worship”, i.e. give deferential worth to, whatever they believe in, from deities (God, Buddha, Thor), to ideologies (politics, humanism, atheism), to material things (houses, cars, travel) to personal ambitions (e.g. career, education), etc...And so you order your life to be able to be available to having or accomplishing that “worthed” thing. People “worshiping” the Second Beast (the USA) and the image to the First Beast (=Rev 17's Church&State NWO) that it has made means that one is willing to go along with whatever these entities will (“patrioticly” and “supportingly”) require of them....But the Second Beast won’t actually allow you the Freedom of dissenting, i.e. without consequences.

            It therefore must be that any dissenting from this NWO will be thought to have severe and vital ramifications to the well being of everyone else. Today even Western-hated countries like North Korea, Iran, Cuba are allowed to be part of the UN, and other countries are allowed to enter into various relations with these countries, even though most of the world’s countries, following the Western model and ideology for a nation, are antagonistic to them. But in the coming NWO, not only will any dissenting nation not allowed to be part of that Image Beast global coalition, there will be most binding resolutions passed to not enter into any dealing with these outsider nations. As seen in the next verse, these ostracizing measures will also be done on an individual basis by the domestic legislative, law enforcement and commercial/business entities of the States who ‘give over their authority [albeit, only for a (deluded) while] to that Image Beast NWO’ (Rev 17:12-13, 15, 17)...

            ...Indeed once the Little Lamb Kingdom defeats them in that H/Ar-Mageddon Battle (Rev 16:14-16, 17:14; 19:14-16), and the Great World-Ruling City of “Rome/Babylon” (Rev 17:18) is burning (Rev 18:9-10ff), these deluded and duped leaders of other countries will most dejectedly reject the Second Beast and its NWO organization. (Rev 17:16)

The Mark of the Beast Today: Bible study has revealed that in for the Eschatological Wave of Prophetic Fulfillment, the Mark of the Beast goes way beyond the “Idol Sabbath” Sunday Sacredness that was originated by the First Beast power, the Roman Catholic Church, but now the anti-Sabbatarian, anti-Law of God, Capitalism that the originating Protestant Church has globally championed through the United States of America, -(which, moreover, it (blasphemously) claims that ‘God has been, and is, blessing’ through this (contra-Bible/Gospel): selfishness (Phil 2:3; Rom 2:8-9), greed (Luke 12:15; 2 Pet 2:14), covetousness (2 Cor 9:5; Eph 5:5) anti-equal sharing (Luke 3:10; 2 Cor 8:13-14), now “globalized”, socio-economic system (EW 263-266-269)). America will be (increasedly) populously challenged, -even by the First Beast itself, to give up Capitalism, but it will not be until the most tangible challenge by the Little Lamb Kingdom’s New Jerusalem Kingdom, that the U.S. will work to rally the rest of the World to not abandon Capitalism, but to make it (residually) “work” for their humanitarian aspirations in, at best: PhilanthroCapitalism. The NJK Project, will instead be calling for the Biblical 50-50% (=Matt 22:39; Rom 13:8-9) talent, resources, wealth sharing...And therein will be the grand flashpoint between the Second Beast and its NWO versus the NJK in the Battle of H/Ar-Mageddon.

Rev 13:17 - and he provides that no one will be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark, either the name of the beast or the number of his name.

able = Significantly enough, the Greek word that is used here for “be able” is dunamis [#1411] and not the Greek word for “authority” = exousia [#1849]. That means/involves that even if one would have the ‘right to buy or sell’, i.e. have money and/or assets/commodities, they would not have the overpowering ability to do so, because force will be used to oppose them.

the mark - The “mark” here is actually merely a confirmation of an already well conditioned mindset and corresponding habits producing an innate character of: being disobedient towards God and selfish towards others...which indeed violates the whole law of God (=Matt 22:34-40; Rom 13:8-10).

            Under the Historicist Wave for Prophecy, the “mark” of demarcation would have been predominantly Sunday Sacredness vs. the Biblical Sabbath; but now, in the Eschatological Wave, this characteristic “mark” has Spiritually and Practically (=Matt 25:31-46|LDE 218.3ff) “more fully” furthered to now prominently be Capitalism vs. the Sacrificial Socialism mandated by God’s Sabbatarian Principles as implemented in the Gospel of Christ. (See COL 384.2)

buy or sell - Much is made about a cashless society being the way in which this measure will be enforced, but the truth is that even if one would have case on hand, they would still have to demonstrate an allegiance to this NWO beast power, such as a Citizenship and/or Church Membership ID Card given to those “in good standing”, in order to be able to buy or sell.

            Funny thing is that even today, with Capitalism already being the reigning economic system virtually throughout the world, except for a few countries such as, tellingly enough: North Korea, Cuba, (recently) Venezuela, these countries who do not go along with Capitalism, are actually ostracized from World Trading and left to fend for themselves for even the vital necessities of life. And, as most emblematically seen in China, Saudi Arabia and Iran, even having a non-, or not really, “democratic” form of government is not a reason for barring these countries from World Trade...but not being Capitalistic is.

either - this supplied reading from how the underlying Greek construction is, is indicating that ‘having that mark’ pivotally involves: either ascribing to the “name of the beast” i.e. mindfully approving of its character; or going by “the number of his name”.

name of the beast - This “Image Beast” (Rev 13:14-15) actually does have a known name (=character)....Indeed, more than one. And ‘they are all “blasphemous”’ (Rev 17:3)...just like the First Beast that it is mirroring (Rev 13:1). Blasphemy is actually “slander”. So these are all ‘names which are slanderous towards God’. E.g. ‘claiming to be like/as God’ (cf. the falsely accused Jesus who was God the Son: Matt 26:64-65; Luke 5:21; John 10:33). So we are to expect that the name on the Image Beast to be one which reflects its character of claiming to be, or to be acting as, God.

            The “Babylon woman/city” (Rev 17:18) which rides on it, agreeingly has a similar “blasphemous” name. It is a “mysterious” name, i.e.: ‘one containing a hidden truth’, and is inculcated in the forehead (=mindset) of that Harlot Woman:

“BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH” (Rev 17:5 see also in here)

This woman and the Image Beast do indeed make quite the “abominable” pair as they go about drunkening and corrupting the Earth under this despicable anti-Christian, in Satan-representative, mindset and character. (E.g. Rev 17:6; 18:23, 24).

            Interestingly enough the First Beast (Pagan Rome) likewise came to be controlled by a Woman (=the Roman Catholic Church) thus becoming Papal Rome/The Holy Roman Empire. That “Woman” is seen, even officially/proudly known as: “The Mother Church”. Her daughters (=harlots) actually was the Protestant Bloc which came out from her at the time of the Reformation, pointedly because they left “unreformed” in its midst many of the heretical teachings and practices of the Catholic Church. (=Rev 3:2)

            It however can be recursively seen, and argued, that the Harlot Daughter, the (then Parent/Reformation) Protestant Church itself became the Mother of thousands of daughters in the now ca. 33,000 Protestant denominations which it has produced. The vast majority of these denominations still continue to have the same “abominable” DNA of their Mother, the Reformation Era Protestant Church which is the DNA of the (Grand)-Mother Church, the Roman Catholic Church. Only when a (Protestant) Church sheds all of the Abominable DNA of their apostate Mother and Grand Mother and instead espouses all of the Bible’s Truths can it be considered as the (True) Remnant Church (Rev 12:17; 14:12; 19:10) and be the ‘readied and pure (new) Bride/Wife of Christ’ (Rev 19:7-9) having been sealed (Rev 3:12) to establish His New Jerusalem (Rev 21:9ff)

            This persisting (7) Major Abominable DNA of the Mother & Grand Mother Churches is a charted below, with the Biblical/Spiritual DNA fix found in the Pure Bride listed next to them:

Babylon vs. Remnant/Pure Bride Doctrine “DNA”

            Interestingly enough it can be seen/defended that each of those Major false teaching which have entered the Christian Church since Apostolic times correspond roughly with the Seven Series/Ages of Church History (as seen in the 7 Churches, 7 Seals, 7 Trumpets). Namely:

1. Sunday Sacredness vs. Seventh-Day Sabbath (Era 70-160 AD)

-As presented here, the regarding of Sunday as a Holy Day gradually came into the Christian Church following the Destruction of Jerusalem and its Temple by the Romans in 70 A.D. due to the fact that the Jewish Religion was now outlawed and Jews were taxed for reparations in the Roman Empire. By the late 1st Century A.D. Christians sought to distinguish themselves from the persecuted Jews and so they began to observe what they considered to “belong to the Lord” in regards to a Holy Day, and so they had their worship services on Sundays instead of Saturday. They however still rested from work on Saturday until ca. Catholic Church decree by the Council of Laodicea. (See above at Rev 13:1).

2. “Sleepless” Soul vs. Sleep of Death (Era 160-313 AD)

-It can be argued that it was during this time of persisting persecutions of Christians that the belief that those who were believers in Christ would not ‘die into through (coming) age’ (John 11:25-26), thus not eternally, began to be morphed with the Greek pagan teaching that people possessed and eternal soul and that it was a distinct entity from the body which never died. So such a seemingly more comforting teaching of an immediate reward for martyrs, -though actually not far from the actual Biblical Truth that Christ does, but through a later resurrection, give martyrs a soon, earlier reward than non-martyred believers, was dangerously non-Biblical as it was premised on a pagan understanding of an immortal soul, which involved that even if a person sinned, he/she would never die. This heretical view on the State of the Dead and an immortal soul was also key to the Catholic Church’s then newly professed claim/teaching about a Purgatory which served to fuel the wealth being gained from exacting Penances for the forgiveness of sins.

            While having long, even fundamentally disavowed the teaching on Penances & Purgatory, most Protestant Denominations continue to teach/believe the immortal soul heresy.

3. Salvific Sacraments vs. (Heavenly) Sanctuary (Era 313-538 AD)

-Once the persecution of Christians ended and an influx of Pagan Gentiles joined the Church, the religious practices of the Church increasingly began taking on a mystical dimension being a mix of Old Covenant rites and Pagan practices. Much like when OT Israel corrupted its God-given Covenant by also practicing the idolatrous practices of the Pagan nations around them. And so, chiefly, the sacrament practices of the Christian Church such as Dedications, Baptism, Communion, Ordination, and other Ceremonies, even personal Prayer and Confession, came on to literally take on a life of their own beyond the mere symbolic commemorations that they were suppose to be, as they were now claimed to function as salvific sacraments and involve Divine power, even of the priest himself. Needless to say that this Earthly/Ecclesiastical Priesthood System, as actually prophesied in Dan 8:8-12, completely usurped and eclipsed the salvific mediatorial/priestly work that Jesus was doing in the Heavenly Sanctuary and administering its benefits to His Church and its Believers through ministering Angels. (See in the book of Hebrews, and also Revelation (e.g. Rev 1:12-20ff; 8:2-6; 11:19; 15:5-8ff)

            Today many Protestant Denominations either have continued in this Heretical Priesthood and Salvific Sacrament practices, (e.g. Orthodox, Anglicans, Lutherans Presbyterian, Mormons), or in more Evangelical Denominations, they have not made a return to the Biblical teaching and understanding of Christ’s ongoing Heavenly Sanctuary, High Priesthood Ministry.

4. Strong Delusions vs. Spirit of Prophecy (538 -1565 AD)

-Once the Church had seized the Military Might of the Roman Empire and was using it to do its Ecclesiastical bidding through the persecution of those who opposed it, including Biblical believers, by effectively putting out the last lights of Truth, the Catholic Church had plunged itself into deep darkness where it came to be unsalvageably at the controls of the Power of Darkness. God could no longer find any exploitable point of faithful belief from which to shed a light, and it was not until the Reformers began to return to the Bible for Truth that God’s Spirit could again work amongst Christian within that Universal Church, and even prophetically so with some Reformers (e.g. Martin Luther). As the Truth increasingly was restored, the manifestation of God’s Spirit became more manifested, as necessary, with these various Reformation Pioneers, culminating in the Remnant Church’s more ample: Testimony of/from Jesus/Spirit of Prophecy (Rev 12:17; 19:10), -which has been duly continued/furthered from here for/in God’s True/New Remnant Church Movement.

5. Secret Rapture vs. Second Coming (Era 1565-1844 AD)

-As a means to oppose the growing Reformation, the Catholic Church came up with Counter-Reformation teachings, with a pivotal one being about the Second Coming of Christ. In order to prevent Protestant Reformers from claiming, through the proper (basic) method of Prophetic Interpretation known as Historicism, that the Catholic Church and its Papacy fulfilled the Babylon, First Beast and Anti-Christ Prophecies of Daniel and Revelation, it was now being taught, through either Preterism or Futurist-Dispensationalism, that the prophecies could not apply to the so-called “(Gentile) Church Age”.

            Later, Protestants fully accepted, and also furthered this heresy adding, starting in the 1830's, the teaching of a supposed Secret Rapture instead of the Second Coming. Upon the failing on October 22, 1844 of the Great Second Advent Movement, the Biblical teaching of the (Pre-Millennial) Second Coming increasingly became abandoned to be replaced by the (Pre-Tribulation) Secret Rapture and Post-Millennialism.

6. (Systematic) Selfishness vs. (Sacrificial) Socialism (Era 1844-1930's AD)

-The Philadelphia Church Age of Rev 3:7-12 was suppose to have launched the Christian Church into restoring the same sacrificial “brotherly love” solidarity which distinguished (see John 17:20-23) the Apostolic and Early Church. (E.g. Acts 2:42-47; 4:32-35; 2 Cor 8:7-15). But instead, the growing allure of the materialism and wealth from a rising Capitalistic mindset in an ascending America came to cause people, also in the (Protestant) Church, to instead defer their way for doing things to such a self-interest approach. The produced economic boom however met its realistic flaws by the end of the 1920's in the Crash of 1929.

7. Seven Heads/Mountains/Kings  vs. (Sovereign) Statehood (Era 1930's-2016+ AD)

-Starting around the time of that Great Crash, and the ensuing Great Depression of the 1930's along with the crisis of World War II in the early 1940's, various ideologies began to be pursued throughout the world, all in attempts to best order the world. And so ideologies such as: Hitler’s Nazism, Soviet and Stalinist- Communism, Mixed Economy, United Nations, Globalization, the European Union have all been advanced since then in order to try to bring Peace, Order and Prosperity to the world. This is the jockeying to fulfill the 6th through 7th/8th Heads/Mountains/Kings of (=Rev 17:9-11).

            By today, America, being the World’s lone Super Power, and after having led in the defeat or checking of most of these other ideologies, presents itself and its predominantly Capitalistic ways as the standard for the World to follow after, and so therein will be the H-Ar-Mageddon showdown (Rev 16:15) when it will be challenged by the Reformation-completing (Rev 3:3-5) “good/benevolent works” (Rev19:7-9), Biblical Sacrificial Socialism “Philadelphian Church” model (Rev 3:12) which moreover is not to be left merely as an Ecclesiastical Mandate, but will, indeed most tangibly necessarily & urgently vitally so, also be working to be implemented through a tangible, Kingdom of God, Sovereign Nation/Country known as the New Jerusalem Kingdom (NJK) (Rev 21:9ff).

           

            So the Apostate/Babylon Woman here will be warringly working to oppose the True Bride of Christ, and that, by drunkening and drugging the world with its heretical and blasphemous teachings and practices which it is boldly, but indifferently, -thus shamelessly, professing are that of True Christianity. Therefore do expect to see and hear that “Enlivened Image Beast” as that Apostate Woman and its ridden Scarlet Beast to be, be acting as and/or say from the common Rev 17:5 blasphemous name/character of that Church&State coalition that:

-“Babylon (=Catholicism/Apostate Christianity and/or (Christian) America) is Great”,

-It is the Mother Church/Entity, with all of the “parental” rights that involves

-It is the progenitor of various acceptable Spiritual and Socio-Economical practices, which it of course is (deludedly) not considering to be Abominations. (E.g. Ezek 16:48-50)

            So the name and character of this Image Beast is decidedly blasphemous, being slanderous towards God and His Truth in what it says/teaches and practices.

the number of his name - The text here distinguishes that beyond being “marked” by having taken on the name or character of the beast, thus by becoming/acting like it in one’s practices, (=mark on the hand), the Mark of the Beast can also be taken by understanding and accepting the number that can be arrived at in the “(Divinely blasphemous/slanderous) name of beast’. That exposing ‘name number’ is discovered and discussed in the next verse.

Rev 13:18 - Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding add up the number of the beast, for the number is that of a man; and his number is six hundred and sixty-six.

“Here is wisdom” - This is an under appreciated statement in the book of Revelation. It, most relatedly to this “Image Beast” topic occurs in Rev 17:9, as discussed in here. Succinctly stated, this is a statement from God that He is providing a sort of time warping advantage to faithful believers where they would be able to grasp some key thing without having to have had ‘the passing of time’ and/or ‘the obtaining and accruing of knowledge’ and/or ‘the evidence of experience’ to get such “wisdom”, and thus insight. Once they get this clue, then they will be way ahead of the curve.[7]

           

has understanding - Quite fitting that God still indicates that “understanding” will still be required to figure out “666”, because, as see today, many people, clearly without any cogent, plausible or verifiable understanding, i.e. into Biblical or prophetic things, claim all kinds of applications for that number. Indeed Dan 12:3-4, 10 show that it will be those who have “insight” and ‘have and are leading others to righteousness’ (i.e. doing the religious and practical righteous/right things) who will have had the needed “increased knowledge” to “understand” such Godly things.

            So: one will not be able to arrive at the proper understanding of this encrypted ‘name number’ without such a Full Godliness background of “(Biblical) knowledge”, “(Prophetic) insight” and ‘(True) righteousness’.

calculate = “add up” - The Greek word that has been translated as “calculate” is psephizo [Strongs #5585]. It is found also only in either the NT or LXX in Luke 14:28 where one is told to ‘“count the cost” for a construction’, which involves ‘adding up all of the cost that such construction will cost before beginning to build’. That Greek word is derived from psephos [Strongs #5586] which is used for “casting a vote” (Act 26:10) being the typical white pebble/stone (Rev 2:17) that was used for voting then. Of course, votes are only determinative when they are tallied up.

            So the imperative of this word here is clear that: one is to “add up” the number in that name. Unlike for today, that would be a ready instruction to understand by people then as it was well entrenched that letters were used to represent numbers. The most, and quite widely, -even cross culturally so, common, formal and prevalent of such practices, which actually endured for a while (even to our day[8]), was the Roman Numerals of (Rome’s) Latin language’s alphabet.

            So those who read that instruction would straightly know that it was telling them to: ‘“add up” the value of the letters in the name of the beast, and in the common system of Roman Numerals’...Indeed if, as some have claimed, some other Language numbering was intended, such as Greek or Hebrew, then a distinguishing mentioned would have been made, as it was done in Rev 16:16 about the “Hebraic term “H/-Ar-Mageddon” since in that Hebrew language, it does mean either: ‘the Mountain [=Har-] or the City [=Ar-] in the Valley of Megiddo’.

that of a man - It is quite key that the number has been said to be that of the “beast”...But here is also said to be “the number of a man”. Understanding that a beast represents a nation/kingdom, we therefore are here to “combiningly” understand, also with the clues in Rev 13:17, that it is: ‘the number of the name of a man in that nation/kingdom’ and since that “man” is interchangeable with that “beast”, since the “number of the name” applies to both, then just like, as seen above in Rev 13:11, a “horn” represents both a “king” and a “kingdom”, -as does a beast (Dan 7:17, 23), thus “the king of a kingdom”; therefore the “man of the beast” must be its king/leader. Therefore, since Biblical knowledge and prophetic insight have revealed that: the “beast” is the First Beast, which, was shown in history to be the Holy Roman Empire, as the Reformers pointed out stemming from how that power boldly and indifferently opposed Christ’s Righteousness (=2 Thess 2:9-10ff), then this “man” must be “the leader” of that Holy Roman Empire....which was Papal Rome....and thus this man occupied the office of the Papacy, being the Roman Catholic Pope.[9]

‘blasphemous name of leader of First Beast’ - Since the figured out identifying hints in Rev 13:17 point to that “name of the beast” and the “number of that name” being of a blasphemous nature, then it logically holds that since the “name of the man” is related to that blasphemous name, then it too must be blasphemous. So one is to look for a name who letters add up to 666 in Roman Numerology, and also has a blasphemous nature.

            Without going into all of the substantiating details here, which you can see in the presentations here & (more detailedly) here+here, as well as the information links which were supplied in this note, it can be seen that the overarching formal name, thus title, that the Papacy has chiefly given for itself and the position it claims to hold of: “Vicar of the Son of God”, which in Latin is “Vicarius Filii Dei” and whose number of its letters do “add up” to 666, does indeed fulfill this most pivotal prophetic element.

666 and the Image Beast - As being “more deeply” seen in this Prolonged Time/Eschatological Wave exposition of Rev 13:11-18, it actually is the Image Beast, which is the 7 head-10 horn Beast of Rev 17, the one which mirrors the First/Sea Beast of Rev 13:1-10, which is here being spoken of as having such a blasphemous name. Given that the Image Beast of Rev 17 is indeed a copying of the First Beast, and also that the Eighth Head of the Image Beast, is actually the Scarlet Beast acting as one of the past 7 heads of that beast (Rev 17:10-11), then it can be claimed that 666 must (also) apply to that Scarlet Beast....thus to the United States. So just like the First Beast had blasphemously/slanderously styled itself as the “Vicar of the Son of God” and acted upon that claim/belief by (Satanically) usurping the seat and authority of Christ and substituted its own heretical teachings, practices and even persecutive policies, were are therefore to also see a similar blasphemous/slanderous stance in the ‘Eighth Headed, Scarlet Image Beast’.

            Well just as the chief work of the First Beast towards that blasphemous/slanderous realization was to set aside the whole law of God, -by it Ecclesiastically making changes to a couple of God’s Ten Commandments and then Militaristically enforcing it, (=Dan 7:25), the Second Beast has, and later, as the Scarlet Beast, will Militaristically Enforce, similar Ten Commandment undermining and eclipsing policies. And as shown here, that has been done by it espousing and advocating Capitalism, which is a system which is slyly contrary to all Godly,  loving and Sabbatical principles in the Bible, especially as this is all to be generously manifested in acting out the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

            So that Second/“Scarlet” (which, significantly, is the symbolic color for sins (Isa 1:18 -Greek: kokkinon) -and is not “purple” (Gr. porphurous) (Rev 18:16)), likewise must be engaged in sinfully opposing the Law, Will, Truth and Work, thus collectively: Gospel, of Jesus Christ and while also blasphemously/slanderously claiming not merely otherwise, but that what it is saying and doing is according to the Gospel of Christ. There indeed is no perfect fulfillment of this Scarlet Beast than (Protestant) Capitalist America. And just like “beast” and “man” were relatedly interchangeable in figuring out the 666 number, with the Image Beast being the fulfillment here, we likewise do not merely have a “Man of Sin” (2 Thess 2:3ff), but a ‘Perdition (“Scarlet”) Beast [=nation] of Sin’ (Rev 17:11)...Indeed one that, as the First Beast that it has made itself become an Image Beast to, pompously claims that it ‘represents Christ on Earth to the World’ as a  “Christian Nation”...and even by/through military force to spread and maintain that Capitalistic way of life. Yet there indeed, and easily, is no greater sinful nation on the face of this earth than the United States of America!! (=Rev 17:5)

Summary of H/Ar-Mageddon Showdown

            So for all of the reasons given above pointedly for how Rev 13:11-18 Eschatologically applies and is fulfilled by the World’s Present lone Super Power of America, that is why, upon the perceived threat from the, as Divinely Foreplanned, arising (=Isa 60) Kingdom of God, in the New Jerusalem Kingdom, the U.S. will see that its Capitalistic Hegemony is being critically undermined and will therefore take, even militaristically-enforcing, global-reaching actions to prevent this overtaking by God’s Purposes, convincing, or forcing the rest of the world to continue to side with it, even by advocating its now diluted Capitalism of the spurious Mixed Economy approach. And thus will be the H/Ar-Mageddon confrontation between those two powers (Rev 17:14)....one which God Himself (Rev 18:8ff), through His Angels which excel in strength (e.g. Rev 18:21ff) and can even be outfitted as “men of war” (LDE 121.4; 260.1), will marvelously intervene in to protect His faithful people and Kingdom (Rev 19:17-21) and cause them to Gloriously Triumph. As the Bible says about this “God Almighty” (Rev 16:14): ‘surely He has so planned it (Rev 17:17)...surely He will accomplish it’ (Isa 46:11)!!...

            Just like God had “hardeningly” acted to “sucker” a pompous Egyptian King/Nation/Army into resisting, and fighting against Him (Exod 4:21; 7:3-5), also all so that He could bury them in the bottom of the Sea (Exod 14:4, 17-18), likewise God will here be goading “Gog from Magog” entity (Ezek 38:4) into this opposition in order to also forever drown them at the bottom of the sea (Rev 18:21)....which symbolically means in regard to “seas” taking Babylon/America from its present Super-Power/Hegemonic position amongst the ‘world political nations’ and acting to virtually send it, through insignificance and impotency, to the “bottom” the community of nations just as present day “Developing/Third World” nations are (cf. Matt 19:28-30).

Notes

[1] A seemingly isolated, but actually most emblematic example of this sort of “moronic/stupid mindset” is actually seen in the claims of the “feminist gay Muslim woman” interviewed here. Though she is (or rather: claims to be) of the Muslim faith, which itself is a false religion, her view/stance is indeed the patent one of those, including in Christianity, who blasphemously set themselves up virtually as gods who subjectively decided what is or is not God’s will. So here, they typically claim that the expressed will of God against homosexuality as stated in the Bible is to be ignored, to be replaced with ‘what they personally think or feel’...and in the end “God will judge them”. Inherent to especially that support for homosexuality is the fundamentally flawed “theology” that God is actually directly involved with every single birth on this planet and so “He Himself made them to be born this way” and since “God makes no mistakes, then their homosexuality is perfectly within His will”...I guess they are indeed also ignoring what God did to a whole city of ‘people He would supposedly have created to be homosexuals’ (Gen 19:23-29; 2 Pet 2:6-8; Jude 1:7)...Clearly God had ‘judiciously found’ (Gen 18:22-33) there nothing but ‘fully guilty’ people who had, of themselves, pursued a mistaken abominable course.’ (Rom 1:18, 24-32; Ezek 16:48-50)

            Indeed this is the patent mindset of Apostate Israelites/“Babylonians”, they set aside the word of God to follow after their own, typically world-compromising and mixing practices, and moreover blasphemously still claim themselves to be the actual True Worshipers and Representatives of God when all along, they are, at best, the victims of their self-crafted shoddy theology.

            As the actual Truth about God’s Will in such matters can actually be found in the Bible and understood, God will not be holding those who ignore and violate it guiltless, yet He is exercising great patience so that all can, one peaceful way, or a smarting other way, indeed sober up enough from the impactful & global Babylonian intoxication and learn what actually is His Truth (e.g. Rev 14:6-12) and thus be able to escape His coming judgement of this world-corrupting Harlot (Rev 18:1-6ff).

[2] For greater expositional detail, you can see the typical exposition of SDAs on Rev 13:11ff such as from:

Mark Finley: here||here

David Asscherick: here||here

Stephen Bohr: here||here

Steve Wohlberg: here -(speaking at the US DOD’s Pentagon)

Gary Gibbs: here
Walter Veith: here

[3] I, both principledly and for concreteness, like to establish what I Biblically believe and claim to be rooted in the Bible, and also Biblically-validated prophetic revelation, namely the SOP, but, as it has occurred several times in my Spiritual experience, there have been instances of dreams and even semi-lucid revelations (=Vision) which cannot be denied as not being of Divine origin/significance. While, as typical with most people, may find most of my dreams, if actually remembered, as completely banal, and, as Solomon put it, from a ‘multitude of the day’s business’ (Eccl 5:3, 7 KJV), there are dreaming instances, for which, -as repeatedly shown in the various visions and dreams (of SDA “Half-”Prophets) analyzed in this post, God does refer to, or make use of, pertinent/recent activities, preoccupations or thoughts to initiate and/or formulate the significant revelation. But as I have validating found in such instances, that dream would involve certain elements, understanding or developments/denouement which clearly show that they are actually beyond one’s own subjective fancy and control and that of another mind, God’s mind for Divine (=Biblical) Revelation. So I do believe that God does still (Rev 12:17; 19:10) reveal (Num 12:6) key things (Amos 3:6-8) to whomever he chooses.

            That all prologuingly stated: I had Biblically come to the overarching understanding that the Mark of the Beast involved much more than merely reverencing Sunday Sacredness instead of the Biblical Seventh Day Sabbath, but now, in/for the Eschatological Wave of Bible Prophecies, more deeply involved beliefs/practices which were contrary to God’s Sabbatical principles which involved doing good works (Isa 58), and thus effectively, and here even literally, violated all of the other Ten Commandments (Jam 2:1-11ff), and so this Eschatological MOB was perfectly effectuated through Capitalism. I then also had seen how this all applied in the “MOB Test” described in Rev 13:14-18. I here/now “fully disclose” that the (Eschatological) interpretative and applicational understanding expressed here in Rev 13:11-18 in regards to the Super Power Militaristic Dimensions of the United States, and also the linking to the Battle of Har-/Ar-Mageddon, -which I think, I have been able to demonstrate from the Biblical exposition of Rev 13 done thus far, chiefly or determinatively stem from a vision that I had on Sunday July 27, 2014 at ca. 10:57 PM, which I deemed to be a prophetic revelation, -then the 81st (of now 93) vision (i.e. as opposed to purely a dream (=184)), since my first one in 1999. I’ll merely summarily cite the elements of this 4 Major Part/Scene-Vision:

             It started as a dream for its 1st Part/Scene which was a personal retrospection of my earliest ministering endeavors, then its 2nd Part/Scene depicted what was clearly the revelation of the execution of a long, and well planned operation by a group of well trained commandos donning SWAT-like gear which actually said “Press” on the back, who, (like swarming locusts =Rev 9:3, 7, -and I never saw their faces (=versus Rev 9:7)), swarmed into a then under construction, -at its ca. July-Oct 2009 stage, WTC One Tower and dissimulatingly rigged the whole place with explosive charges as for a (actual) controlled demolition. It was evident that this building had no chance of surviving that most intrinsically implemented attack and would indeed easily come down as if in a demolition. The execution of that professionally laid plan was not shown then but clearly everything was well in place.

            The next, 3rd, Part/Scene found me in a local flagship SDA denominational Church, and upon soon leaving it, I found myself in a College building where several, -let’s just summarize them as: “strident conflicts”, occurred. {Potential (further) application during “NJK-HQ Step/Phase” work}.

            Now, in the 4th and final Part/Scene, I finally made my way out of that Building, -having survived its strident battles, exiting the College building, -(which I only then recognized as one in the College that, as related in my bio-post, I originally had intended to attend in 1997, and was accepted to), towards what was a vast “grid-iron” like field where people I recognized were variously strewn about, and what immediately caught my attention was the lining up, up on a slightly elevated plateau, of what was clearly a representative contingent of leading officers from the full panoply of the United States Military. And visibly front and center was a naval officer dressed, in Naval fatigue colors, who I actually immediately recognized to represent the U.S. Attack Nuclear Submarine Command. Summarizing the ensuing details: they clearly had come against us, i.e. me, and pointedly those in that field who I knew, with this military show of force, and called in a couple of airstrikes against them (and depictedly reminded me of ones effectuated during the U.S.’s “Operation Enduring Freedom” in Afghanistan in response to the 9/11 Attacks), but here, which actually did not detonate. Then we actually were able to use those dropped dud bombs against them which put that entire panel of commanders, thus the entire (here represented) U.S. Military, in frantic flight from us, and the duds that we were now lobbing back at them; which they clearly were afraid/certain could/would work on them (=Rev 11:5; cf. Dan 3:22, 27; 6:23, 24).

            The whole vision literally encapsulated and covered all the major parts of my ministering life since I started upon it in 1997. Only the Fourth Part/Scene was to me prominently still in the future. Now what most confirmed that this had indeed been a Biblical vision was when I was, in February of 2016, studying out, (from mainly the info-tour sites here+here), the various places in the “Holy Land”/Israel that my parents were then touring with a Florida SDA Conference (lay pastors) group, and in studying out their first major visit location, which was the Valley of Jezreel/Megiddo, it suddenly first struck me that Mount Carmel was a plateau like Mountain Ridge and that reminded me of the plateau that I saw when I had exited that College Building in my Vision. Then upon further studying about Megiddo, I came to see looking at a Google Earth satellite map that to get the matching view of the plateau that I had in my vision, I would have to be standing in the location now occupied by Kibbutz Megiddo. 

Satellite View of 3 Vision Locations in Megiddo
(click on photo to enlarge)

Given the founding purpose of the Jewish Kibbutz as: ‘utopian communities through a combination of socialism and Zionism’ which resembles the founding platform of/for the NJK, I saw from there an extrapolating link to my original (Canadian) College choice for my ministry plan {-see the section “Career Life Turn” in my bio-post}, and then also to my own World Biblical Society of Christ (WBSC) College endeavor, and now more broadly for its parent entity: the NJK Project’s organizational/founding HQ. But the plateau that I actually would be so closely/prominently seeing from that Kibbutz Megiddo location would not be that of Mount Carmel which was further in the background {specifically 8.58 miles (45,302 feet) away, and at a heading, from that Kibbutz’s point of view, of: 320.30 degrees, =“Northwest half North”}, but that of Tell Megiddo {which itself is, from that same Kibbutz point of view, only ca. 2,800 feet (0.53 miles) away, and at a heading of: 11.30 degrees =“North by East” (=Dan 11:44 see here)}, i.e. the mound where the military garrison city of Megiddo was established....and when I found out in my studies that “Ar-Megiddo” is an also possible rendering and understanding for the cryptic term in Rev 16:16, that garrison city’s mound/tell certainly came to be seen as an applicable understanding. But that then more generally resulted in the understanding that the “Battle of Ar-Mageddon” would not merely be a Spiritual/Ecclesiastical one, but one which now also would involve militaristic powers...such as that representative contingent of U.S. Military Commanders which had gathered up in a show of force upon that prominent elevated plateau/ridge...but which we miraculously went on to put to flight!!

            So that is what has informed my further Eschatological interpretation of the “Mark of the Beast Test” in Rev 13:14ff to indeed also involve U.S. Militarism which it had been influentially using to variously bolster its claim of fighting for God and His Will/WorldView. (Rev 13:13)

[4] Again, as discussed at Rev 13:3, I am fully aware that it would seem better to make the patent SDA expositor claim that “deadly wound” is what happened when the Papacy was taken captive in 1798 AD, and it was healed in 1929, but I am at best seeing that understand as applicable to an Historical Wave of fulfillment. Whereas in an Eschatological Wave, deeper Spiritual understandings and implications are indeed seen...So while I actually do not have a problem with claiming that Historical Wave understanding, just like the Mark of the Beast issue involves more than Sunday Sacredness, but also Capitalism, this fatal wound and its healing, do have this deeper understanding in how it had manifested itself in Early Church History. So the Second Beast can here more convincingly make its Eschatological View, -which has more tangible/physical, than mere Religious/Spiritual, applications, case from that earlier fulfillment, than a latter one, as it is now seeking to preserve its hegemony by trying to present the justification for its militaristic policies.

            In God’s perfect Wisdom, he has, as e.g. seen in this post for the Rev 10 understanding, or here for Rev 11, Indeed for virtually all of the prophecies of Revelation, for either of such acceptable interpretations and application, all depending on whether these prophecies will have been fully fulfilled in the Historical Wave of fulfillments, or, as is not the case, in its “prolonged time”, Eschatological Wave. Still these two sets of understandings are not contradictory, but complimentary with the Eschatological Wave actually further exposing the main players of the Historical Wave, according to how God had expected that they would have to repackage their stance in order to still be convincing, pointedly as the world would then have shifted from the Historical Wave’s: “Age of Faith”, to the Eschatological Wave’s: “Age of Reason”...even “....Unreason”....

[5] However, understanding how God had applicable plans for a Historical Wave of fulfillment for Prophecy, as well as an ensuing Eschatological Wave if His People failed, -as they indeed have, to fulfill the Historical Scenario, I am seeing here that God deliberately left Rev 17:3'’s “evidence” to be ambivalent, -as in having two possible applications, in that:

For the Historical Wave, where that woman is to be identified as the Roman Catholic Church, John could also have been taken to that wilderness where the persecuted woman had fled to, “from her/that (wilderness-)perspective”, see the other woman, this apostate/harlotrous and persecuting woman: the Mother Church, the Roman Catholic Church riding the Red Dragon Beast, which was Pagan Rome.

For the Eschatological Wave: John would have been taken to that wilderness and from therein seen that the formerly persecuted woman, the Protestant Church, was now well-established as, even upon, a nation, a “Scarlet Beast” (~Red Dragon), -one which emulated the Pagan Rome Empire: the World Super-Power of the United States.

...Could a Third Scenario be possible where, succinctly stated -which actually falls in the Historical Wave : that woman is still the Roman Catholic Church and the Scarlet Beast is America??.....Potentially “possible”....

            -But for reasons of having understood, and therefore implicating, God’s Fuller Sabbatical Message, this “Theological Views” Blog sees and presents as the presently pursued/applicable Scenario, the Second/Eschatological one above where, -more expandedly stated: the Woman is the now Capitalistic-minded, (Apostate) Protestant Church, and the Scarlet Beast is an American-led Global coalition.

-Relatedly, see this historical/documenting article of/from main/major SDA Pioneers Prophetic expositions as they strove even while differing in accurately identifying the “Babylon” of Revelation (e.g. Rev 14:8; 17:5; 18:2). As with any “multiplely” applicable prophetic symbols (e.g. the “sword” (Rev 19:15)), its proper understanding is found in its basic/root significance, i.e. before it is then adaptedly applied to various situation. So for Babylon as a symbol, the proper understanding is seen in the Actual/Historical/OT Babylon. This was a power that God, -at least in a redeemable part of it (i.e. under eventually truly converted King Nebuchadnezzar (Dan 2:46-49; 4:1-3, 36-37) strategically condoned and validate (Jer 27:6; 43:10), -given than His “enlightened” people were just as bad, even worse (2 Kgs 21:9), therefore only with the purpose of chastening (Jer 25:9) and purging (cf. Ezra 2:1, 64) His long wayward people in order to produce a True and Faithful Remnant.

Therefore:

-In the First Century A.D. “Babylon” was the Pagan Roman Empire (=1 Pet 5:13), which God had allowed to have Civil Authority (cf. John 19:31) over His still not faithful professing people, the OT Jewish People, and then God used such a “Babylon” again to (physically) punish His people. (=Matt 24:2 = Matt 22:7). The Apostolic Christian Church (in general) emerged from that purging.

-Then in Church History, when the Universal Christian Church indifferently decided to dilute itself by mixing in pagan rituals, beliefs and practices, they themselves became “Babylon”, -as Reformers increasingly rightly pointed out, and has actually critically punished itself. But, as discussed in here [at Note #4] God has allowed Islam and its inherent (Apostate Christianity) Militancy to be raised up in order to additionally physically check and deal with the Apostate Roman Catholic Church/Holy Roman Empire. The Protestant Church (in general) emerged from that purging.

-And now in Eschatological times, the Protestant (American/Western) Church itself has become Babylon by having allowed the Gospel of Christ to be undermined by the Capitalistic socio-economic, -all Satanically based on greed (contra. e.g. Luke 12:15), selfishness (contra. e.g. Phil 2:3) and covetousness (contra. e.g. 1 Cor 5:9-13; 6:10; 2 Cor 9:5; Eph 5:5; cf. EW 266-269) tenets and practices that it has (and idolatrously, even abominably (=Ezek 16:48-50), so) espoused instead of Christ’s teachings and mandate (Matt 25:34-40ff; DA 825.4). Which is why that once pure woman (Eph 5:24; 2 Cor 11:2) indeed is now the Harlot Babylon (Rev 17:5; 18). The FZSC/NJK is the Triumphant Remnant Church of God (cf. LDE 59-61) which presently is emerging from this purging.

            America had been allowed by God as a refuge (from Catholic persecution) for His True followers (Rev 12:16), but it likewise has allowed itself to also be “Babylonianly” corrupted (Rev 13:11ff)...Hence the call now to “come out of her” (Rev 18:4ff; cf. Rev 16:19; 14:9-11)...which God’s Sabbatically-Sealed (Rev 7:1-3ff) Faithful Remnant (=Rev 7:4-8ff) will heed!!

[6] Comically enough, but this is so most emblematic of the patent “drunkeness” of (esp) Eschatological Babylonians: = (Capitalist) Americans: this “Waking Up” is not be done by, as is the popular advocating from this hashtag campaign, (see its ensuing book): ‘(variously) becoming even more entrenched and staunch (Imperialistic) Capitalists, as at its, [actually myth],  earlier booming growth and (post-WWII) Geo-ascendency’. That is definitely not what Jesus Christ is ‘calling to be restrengthened’ (Rev 3:2)....But what else is a “(also tangibly so) drunk and (thus physiologically) confused” Babylonian, -moreover likely further deluded by the fallacy of residual-resources philanthropy, going to think....(2 Thess 2:11-12)...
            ...In fact it Spiritually is a non-coincidence that even many, if not most, (American) SDAs likewise deludedly think, -(as seen in the now-Dictator Drumpf-endorsing, POTUS run by Babylonian-drunk Ben Carson), that the antidote “solution” for preventing the state of things spoken against in the Third (=“Fourth/Loud Cry” -LDE 186.4-5) Angel’s Message (Rev 14:9-11 & Rev 18:1ff) is indeed ‘Making America Great Again’ by returning to her founding in the Democracy (actually: republicanism) & Capitalism roots...as most prominently spuriously, false-prophetically, articulated/seen in Eugene Shubert’s Omega Apostasy Three Angels Message claim as if that is what is “the Everlasting Gospel” (Rev 14:6ff|LDE 37.3)....
            ...Always great/relieving to see/hear from (especially American) Christians who, -merely purely out of Gospel Truth-Biblical Righteousness-Christian Principles (i.e. versus political ideology), ‘have not bowed the knee, nor kissed’, this ‘Baal-Mammon AntiChrist (& his rabble mob)’. (1 Kgs 19:18; Isa 5:20; Luke 16:13; 1 Tim 6:10; 2 Tim 4:1-5...Rev 14:8ff; 18:1-5ff)...

[7] This is much like God gave the clue in the SOP in LS 95-96 that the Sabbath was key in understanding the Mark of the Beast.).

            Relatedly, as discussed earlier at Rev 13:10, God also gives similar key insights, -as with His “Here is Wisdom” statements, for His People trying to understand His Prophecies and remain faithful to Him, when he says: “Here is the Perserverance/Patience” (Rev 13:10; 14:12)

[8] Indeed I recall TV shows (confusingly, -but fun to figure out) having their copyright credit written in Roman Numerals till ca. the 1990's; and up until Super Bowl 50 (in 2016), the number of the Super Bowl had, (since Super Bowl 5), been expressed in Roman Numerals.

[9] For the application which sees/claims that the ‘man with that name number’ was the Roman Emperor Nero (54-68 AD), [who actually died quite young, by suicide, at the age of 31], I would actually loosely concede that in God’s Great Wisdom for formulating prophecy, He could also have inclusively allowed for a fulfillment with Nero if it happened that the Apostolic Church had, as actually expected, finished the Gospel work before the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. And then one could have seen Satan miraculously working through the Roman Emperor, even, upon seeing that his persecutions of Christians weren’t working, to making him suddenly “find Jesus” and become a Christian, in order to work now to corrupt Christianity from the inside out.

            As discussed earlier, this was a tactic that Satan actually more protractedly resorted to during Church History. So God’s Wisdom foresaw that this indeed would be Satan’s best approach to try to oppose the (Roman Empire) “overturning” and redemptive work that He, through His most faithful Church, was doing upon the Earth.

            The key Theological principle to see/retain and apply here, as it will also be seen later in Rev 13:18, is that whenever time is prolonged (see 15MR 292.3-4), as it was done at the end of Apostolic Times, the at the end of the Historicist Wave of Prophecy, for now the Eschatological Wave, is that (pointedly Final [vs. Historical] Events) prophecy will then also be reapplied, and have typologically similar fulfillment, although now upon different, but congruently* furthering, entities.

* Thus, unlike what some SDA expositors (see e.g. here) have radically relatedly done: the “Little Horn Power” of Dan 7&8; or the King of the South in Dan 11, does not instead become Islam.