Revelation Chapter 13

VERSE 6 “Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven.”

AND HE OPENED HIS MOUTH IN BLASPHEME: It was Papacy’s practice to destroy by condemnation – evil speaking (blaspheme).

AGAINST GOD, TO BLASPHEME HIS NAME: This is the first of THREE targets of his blaspheme. The doctrines of Papacy totally misrepresent the character (name) of God, thus making sure few could truly know God.

AND HIS TABERNACLE: This is the second target of his blaspheme. The tabernacle and temple represent (figuratively) God’s plans and purposes — the tabernacle more particularly the plan of redemption. The mass and other abominations totally destroy the concepts of God’s plan.

THOSE WHO DWELL IN HEAVEN: This is the third target of the blasphemes. It might be considered by some that the saints (those who dwell in heaven) ARE the tabernacle. This is true to a degree.

The parallel text in Dan 7:25 mentions the same three targets of Papacy, viz. “He shall speak pompous words against the Most High, shall persecute the saints of the Most High, And shall intend to change times and law. Then the saints shall be given into his hand for a time and times and half a time.”

1) The Most High, 2) the Saints, and 3) the Plan (i.e. “times and law”). The saints’ dwell in the holy of the tabernacle, a sanctuary of spiritual light, food, and prayer.

(Verse 6 as explained in The Keys of Revelation)

Three kinds of blasphemy against God are enumerated: (1) against His name, (2) against His tabernacle, and (3) against those who dwell in heaven.

In other words, the blasphemy is against (1) God, (2) the building (God’s arrangement of religious service, the plan), and (3) the worshippers or dwellers in that arrangement (the membership of the true Church).

Rev 11:1 made a similar distinction between three elements (the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there), but there John was enjoined to note the necessary credentials and qualifications expected of those running for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. The number, law, order, discipline, organization, and judgment of the new creation were set forth in a futuristic, prospective sense.

Revelation 11:1, 2 and 13:5, 6 both refer in a restricted sense to the sanctuary class seated with Jesus in the heavenlies, dwelling in the “Holy” condition. Both instances refer to the present life or the Gospel Age, and both accounts apply to the same 42-month period of special trial and disciplinary experience when true Christians were victimized by those professing to be Christians (Tares, nominal Christians).

The same period of time, however, is viewed from two different standpoints: Rev 11:1, 2 indicates that which would come upon the true Church; Rev 13:5, 6 looks back on what has already transpired.

Blasphemy Against God’s Name

Even if Papacy were the most upright and best moral guide to society, it would still be Antichrist and full of blasphemy because of taking unto itself the prerogatives that belong to God or to Christ.

An important point lost on most is that it is, the acceptance of homage, reverence, or worship belonging to Deity which constitutes Papacy as Antichrist, not the immoral living and all the other vices and excesses.

In Old Testament times God indicated His favor on behalf and in the midst of His people Israel by means of the secret Shekinah glory light that shone between the wings of the cherubim above the mercy seat of the Ark of the Covenant situated in the Most Holy compartment of the Tabernacle—the throne room of His presence.

In counterfeiting the Tabernacle arrangement, the pope was actually carried about from place to place on a portable throne with staves such as the Kohathites used, with peacock feather fans (or white ostrich feathered fans) held high on either side by attendants represented the cherubim wings (Num. 4:4–6). Although this portable throne was not called the Ark of the Covenant but the Sedia Gestatoria, nonetheless it represented the Ark and constituted the rankest blasphemy because the pope was seated there, brazenly and openly, in God’s stead.

Blasphemy Against God’s Tabernacle

Papacy blasphemes God’s tabernacle by substituting its own structured dogma, moral code, rules and regulations, and canon law under which the Church is to be organized. In short, it issues orders as to what the Church can and cannot do.

Blasphemy Against Those Dwelling in Heaven

Papacy has presumptuously beatified and canonized its own saints. Not only has it named individuals who were not saints at all, but it has burned at the stake as heretics those whose names were far more likely to have been “written in heaven” (Luke 10:20; Heb. 12:23).

We move on to Verse 7 in our next post.