“And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed” (Revelation 13:12).

In verses 1-8 the messages are in the aorist tense – as if occurring in the past but anticipated in the future. Verse 11 is in the imperfect tense, suggesting something that occurred which continues into the future. The rest of the chapter, beginning with this verse, is in the present tense. These make a storyline of the growing intensity of the antichrist work with his supporters. We have stepped into the future and observed what will happen in “real time.”

“And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him,” (vs 12)

No wonder he speaks like the dragon. The devil gave them both power. This beast operates with the same sovereign authority as the sea beast – but works on his behalf.[1] The United States will function in servitude to the mandates of Rome. It will soon appear that it becomes an effective agent to persecute those resisting a Catholic Church mandate.

The “exercise” of its power comes “independent” of the first beast, but in concert with. It actually means “in the presence of”[2] and suggests that he is acting on Rome’s behest and even under its authority. One author suggests that this conveys a “priestly role” over the false prophet.[3] That is fascinating and suggests that there is a religious supervision over this civil power. Since it is called a “false prophet,” it too is “performing” a religious mission.

“and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast,” (vs 12)

Eight times the word “causeth” (poieo) is used in the prophetic discourse (vss 12-16). It means “to make” – “to force.” This emphasizes the incredible power of this beast – the “false prophet” – on behalf of the papacy. It is coercive.

This means it enforces some legal injunction. It functions as a police state over an item of conscience and has almost military-like power over the world. The sea beast, though blaspheming God, is worshipped by the world (vss 3-4). Now we are told why. The earth beast is forcing the world to do so! (Obviously with sinister ambition from the first beast. Revelation 17 confirms this). The papal power has its own way of wielding force and terror. But at least over a fascinating Sabbath issue (clarified in Daniel 8–12), the United States “causeth” obeisance to this papal god and not the Creator God.

The expression here of forcing the “earth” veers from other ways the “world” is alluded to, for instance, “all the world wondered after the beast” (vs 3). There, it suggested all the wicked world. Here, the tyranny of the earth beast over the “earth” covers everyone – good and bad[4] – everyone who dwells there.

“whose deadly wound was healed.” (vs 12)

This verse is very different from those concerning the mortal wound of the head (vss 3-4, 17:10). There, it was the head that was wounded and healed. Here, it is the beast that had a deadly wound that was healed. There are two views of this phrase – both could apply – the second is unlikely. This phrase refers to the first beast.

View One:

The papacy had its ecclesiastical power curtailed in 1798 – not its “kingdom” power.

In 1796 French Republican troops under the command of Napoleon Bonaparte invaded Italy and defeated the papal troops. Pius VI sued for peace, which was temporarily granted on February 19, 1797. New violence in Rome was blamed on the papacy, leaving a new pretext for the invasion of Rome. General Berthier marched into that city, entering it unopposed on February 10, 1798, and proclaimed it a Roman Republic. He demanded the Pope renounce his temporal authority. Upon his refusal he was taken prisoner on February 20, 1798. He died on August 29, 1799, having then reigned longer than any other  pope.

This is a historical resumé of the loss of ecclesiastical leadership by a mortal wound that would quickly be healed. That would be addressed in the “woman” imagery, which was riding/directing the beast as presented in chapter 17! There is another prophecy-specific issue to what is addressed. It is the “kingdom” part or “beast,” per se, as alluded to in this verse!

During Napoleon’s conquest the Papal States, comprising much of the peninsula of Italy, were seized. They were then restored in June, 1800, under the new Pope, Pius VII. The French again invaded in 1808, and this time the States of the Church were annexed to France. With the fall of the Napoleonic system in 1814, the Papal States were restored once again.

Italian nationalism had been stoked during the Napoleonic period but dashed by the settlement of the Congress of Vienna 1814–1815), which left Italy divided. In 1848, nationalist revolutions began to break out across Europe; in 1849, a Roman Republic was declared for Italy. In the years that followed, Italian nationalists saw the Papal States as the chief obstacle to Italian unity. In 1860, with much of the region already in rebellion against Papal rule, the Papal States were all formally annexed and a unified Kingdom of Italy was declared. Those States were reduced to a small papal region immediately surrounding and including Rome.

Pope Pius IX, under whose rule the Papal States passed under secular control, was now isolated in Rome. The City was declared the capital of Italy in March 1861. King Victor Emmanuel II, the new ruling head of Italy, sent a personal letter to Pius IX offering a face-saving proposal that would have allowed the peaceful entry of the Italian Army into Rome, under the guise of offering protection to the pope. The Pope’s reception of San Martino, the courier, (September 10, 1870) was unfriendly. Pius IX had violent outbursts toward Martino. He threw the king’s letter on a table and said he would never let Rome be invaded by the armies.

That same day, September 10, Italy declared war on Rome. The city was captured on September 20, 1870. Rome was annexed to the kingdom of Italy.

This kingdom or “beast” was now mortally wounded. It would later rise from the ashes of war to once again become a church/state, fulfilling the Revelation 13 and 17 prophecies. (See deeper discussion under chapter 17). That wouldn’t occur until the Lateran Treaty/Packs of 1929.

The Lateran Pacts of that year contained three sections – the Treaty of Conciliation (27 articles), which established Vatican City as an independent state, restoring the civil sovereignty of the pope as a monarch, the Financial Convention annexed to the treaty (3 articles), which compensated the Holy See for loss of the papal states, and the Concordat (45 articles), which dealt with the Roman Catholic Church’s ecclesiastical relations with the Italian State.

An Agreement Between the Italian Republic and the Holy See amended the Lateran Pacts in 1985, which gave the Holy See more independence as a church and a state. Thus, the prophecy of the beast here in Revelation could not be fulfilled until 1929 and cannot be completed until the United States forces others, in some legal manner, to give deference and allegiance to the Papacy!

This means we are in the middle of the time between 1929 and the very end, just before the papacy comes to its end (Daniel 7:25-26 – “little horn” will cease at the termination of a 42-month period; Daniel 8:9-12, 25 – “little horn” will be broken without hands; Daniel 11:40-45 – the “king of the north” will come to his end, and none shall help him; Revelation 17:14 – the “beast,” “ten horns” and “harlot” are then overcome by the Lamb).

In this setting, some world-wide catalyst will bring focused power to the papacy. Civil and religious tyrannical control of the United States over some legal issue will be the “cause” of forced allegiance to Rome.

Therefore – the papal kingdom was wounded (1870) and then healed (1929).

View Two:

Satan is often seen as the beast that was wounded and then arose in power. He was seen as an angel “perfect in beauty” (Ezekiel 28:12). He was cast to this earth (Revelation 12:9): “And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.”

Christ had declared that the prince of this world would be “cast out” (John 12:31), alluding to the Cross when Christ had victory over death and this world. But there will come a time – a very brief time at the end of this world – when the devil will be granted powers he has never exhibited before. He will impersonate Christ. “And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light” (II Corinthians 11:14).

At that time the mortally wounded dragon will appear to be healed. It is then that he will make war with the saints (12:17). His power to persecute, kill and control will rise to levels never before permitted. Then will be executed the terrifying events outlined in this incredible chapter!

Thus, the “first” beast can be seen as having a dual meaning. Contextually, however, the greater emphasis is on the papacy.

We will now see unfolding the prophecy addressing the time when Satan and his agents have nearly unbridled power.

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