The Unholy Trinity.
The idea of a counterfeit trinity is one of several cosmic contrasts in the Book of Revelation. There is a counterfeit trinity in chapter 13 (and in 16:13; 19:20; 20:10) and a true trinity elsewhere in the book (1:4-6; 4:8, etc.). There is the pure woman of Revelation 12 and the prostitute of Revelation 17. There is the contrast between end-time Babylon (Rev 17-18) and the New Jerusalem (Rev 21-22). There is the sea of glass (4:6; 15:2) and the lake of fire (19:20; 20:10,14,15). There are the marked (13:15-17; 20:4) and the sealed (7:1-8; 14:1). There are the three angels (14:6-12) and the three demonic frogs (16:13-14), both of which spread their respective gospels throughout the world.
This series of cosmic contrasts shows that Satan is doing all he can to counter the true work of God and the gospel.
Satan seeks to portray God as one who is severe, arbitrary, unjust and dictatorial. In so doing he is actually attributing his own character to God. But in the context of the cosmic conflict, Satan sows seeds of distrust which God counters not by force but by self-sacrifice (5:5-6; 12:10-11).
The two beasts of Revelation 13 (one from the sea and the other from the earth) function as assistants or surrogates of the dragon. As such they seem to function in many ways like the two witnesses of chapter 11. The two witnesses are modelled on Moses and Elijah. Like Elijah, they harm people with fire (Rev 11:5; 2 Kings 1:1-14) and shut up heaven so that it might not rain for three and a half years (11:6; 1 Kings 17:1; 18:1; cf. Luke 4:25-26; James 5:17). Like Moses, they turn water into blood (11:6; Exod 7:14-25) and strike the earth with plagues (11:6; Exod 7:14 – 11:10). Moses and Elijah appeared alongside Jesus on the mount of transfiguration (Matt 17:1-13; Mark 9:1-13; Luke 9:27-36). Both Moses and Elijah were visited by the very presence of God on Mount Sinai (Exod 33:17-23; 1 Kings 19:9-13), one in a cave and the other in the “cleft of the rock.”
It should not be surprising, therefore, that there are numerous parallels between the two beasts of Revelation 13 and the two witnesses of Revelation 11. The two witnesses and the sea beast are both associated with a three-and-a-half year period (11:3; 13:5). The two witnesses and the land beast are associated with fire (11:5; 13:13-14). The two beasts work closely together, so that they are not easily distinguished in the final battle (13:12, 15).
Similarly, the two witnesses are treated as if they were one (see comments on 11:5). The statement in Revelation 11:5: “If anyone would harm them, this is how he is doomed to be killed” has an eerie similarity to 13:10. The land beast brings fire down from heaven (13:13), the two witnesses ascend up to heaven (11:11-12). The witnesses and the sea beast both have a death and a resurrection (11:7-10; 13:3,12,14). In both passages, reference is made to the crucifixion of Christ (11:8; 13:8). The two witnesses are prophets (11:3,6,10), the land beast is the false prophet (16:13). The two witnesses receive God’s breath (pneuma) of life (11:11), the land beast gives breath (pneuma) to the image of the beast (13:15). The sea and land beasts are portrayed, therefore, as counterfeits of the two witnesses, which represented the Scriptures and the people of God.
These parodies of the Trinity in chapter 13 seem deliberate. Like the cartoon movie Lion King this is an animal story on the surface, but it is not really about animals. This chapter projects that the last days of earth’s history will be a time of great deception. There will be great confusion as to where God is working and where the enemy is at work. Satan will not only portray an angel of light (1 Cor 11:14) he will attempt to look, talk and act like God in order to deceive the world.
This chapter presents a counterfeit trinity, standing in the place of God on earth. The purpose of the counterfeit is to deceive the world as to which is the true God. In so doing, the allegiance of humans to God may be unwittingly compromised.
The summary will continue tomorrow.