Apocalypse Revealed #598
598. 13:13 "It also performs great signs." This symbolizes certifications that their teachings are true, even though they are false.
Signs symbolize certifications that things are true, because signs once occurred to attest to a truth. But after signs and miracles ceased, their symbolism still remained, which is the certification of a truth. Here, however, signs symbolize certifications by the beast or false prophet that its falsities were true, because that is how falsities appear after they are defended.
That signs symbolize certifications that something is true can be seen from the following passages:
(At the end of the age) false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. (Matthew 24:24, Mark 13:22).
There will also be fearful... signs from heaven... There will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars..., the sea and the waves roaring. (Luke 21:11, 25)
(Jehovah) frustrates the signs of liars, drives diviners mad, turning back wise men backward, and makes their knowledge foolish. (Isaiah 44:25)
Do not learn the way of the gentiles, and do not be dismayed at the signs of heaven. (Jeremiah 10:2)
...they are spirits of demons, performing signs..., to gather them to the battle of that great day... (Revelation 16:14)
Then the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who worked signs in its presence, (and) led astray... (Revelation 19:20)
[2] That signs were certifications that something was a truth is further apparent from the following:
(The disciples said to Jesus,) "What sign do You perform then, that we may... believe You? What work do You do?" (John 6:30-33)
The Jews, scribes and Pharisees sought a sign from the Lord, that they might know He was the Christ (Matthew 12:38-40; 16:1-4, Mark 8:11-12.
(The disciples said to Jesus,) "What will be the sign of Your coming and of the end of the age?" (Matthew 24:3, cf. Mark 13:4)
...if they do not believe you, nor heed the message of the first sign, still they will believe the message of the latter sign. (Exodus 4:8-9)
The message of a sign is a certification.
They have set among them the messages of His signs... (Psalms 105:27)
(Jehovah said to Ahaz,) "Ask a sign for yourself from Jehovah...." (Isaiah 7:11, 14)
This is the sign to you from Jehovah...: "Behold, I will turn back the shadow on the sundial, which has gone down on the sundial of Ahaz...." (Isaiah 38:7-8)
Hezekiah said, "What is the sign that I shall go up to the house of Jehovah?" (Isaiah 38:22)
This shall be a sign to you..., that I will visit you in this place, that you may know that My words will... stand... (Jeremiah 44:29-30)
Show me a sign (O Jehovah) for good, that those who hate me may see it and be ashamed. (Psalms 86:17)
They will... announce to us what will happen..., that we may set our heart... Show the sign that is to come..., that we may know that you are gods. (Isaiah 41:22-23)
Your enemies roar in the midst of your festival; they set up their banners as signs. (Psalms 74:3-4, 9)
And so on elsewhere, as in Isaiah 45:11; 55:13; Jeremiah 32:20-21; Ezekiel 4:3; Psalms 65:6-8; 78:42, 43; Exodus 7:3; Numbers 14:11, 22; Deuteronomy 4:34; 13:1-3; Judges 6:17, 21; 1 Samuel 2:34; 14:10; Mark 16:17, 18, 20; Luke 2:11, 12, 16).
Signs of the covenant have a similar symbolic meaning in Genesis 9:13; 17:11, Ezekiel 20:12, 20.
[3] It can be clearly seen from this that the great signs that this beast of the dragon performed do not mean signs, but certifications by the clergy that their teachings are true. For every heretic who confirms himself in falsities, afterward certifies that his falsities are true. Indeed, he does not see truths any longer, since the certification of a falsity is a denial of the truth, and truth denied loses its light. Moreover, in the measure that the light of their certification causes falsities to shine with an illusory light, in the same measure the light of truth becomes darkness (as may be seen in no. 566 above).
Matthew 13
1
On that day Jesus went out of the house, and sat by the seaside.
2
Great multitudes gathered to him, so that he entered into a boat, and sat, and all the multitude stood on the beach.
3
He spoke to them many things in parables, saying, "Behold, a farmer went out to sow.
4
As he sowed, some seeds fell by the roadside, and the birds came and devoured them.
5
Others fell on rocky ground, where they didn't have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, because they had no depth of earth.
6
When the sun had risen, they were scorched. Because they had no root, they withered away.
7
Others fell among thorns. The thorns grew up and choked them.
8
Others fell on good soil, and yielded fruit: some one hundred times as much, some sixty, and some thirty.
9
He who has ears to hear, let him hear."
10
The disciples came, and said to him, "Why do you speak to them in parables?"
11
He answered them, "To you it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, but it is not given to them.
12
For whoever has, to him will be given, and he will have abundance, but whoever doesn't have, from him will be taken away even that which he has.
13
Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they don't see, and hearing, they don't hear, neither do they understand.
14
In them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says, 'By hearing you will hear, and will in no way understand; Seeing you will see, and will in no way perceive:
15
for this people's heart has grown callous, their ears are dull of hearing, they have closed their eyes; or else perhaps they might perceive with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their heart, and should turn again; and I would heal them.'
16
"But blessed are your eyes, for they see; and your ears, for they hear.
17
For most certainly I tell you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see the things which you see, and didn't see them; and to hear the things which you hear, and didn't hear them.
18
"Hear, then, the parable of the farmer.
19
When anyone hears the word of the Kingdom, and doesn't understand it, the evil one comes, and snatches away that which has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown by the roadside.
20
What was sown on the rocky places, this is he who hears the word, and immediately with joy receives it;
21
yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while. When oppression or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles.
22
What was sown among the thorns, this is he who hears the word, but the cares of this age and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.
23
What was sown on the good ground, this is he who hears the word, and understands it, who most certainly bears fruit, and brings forth, some one hundred times as much, some sixty, and some thirty."
24
He set another parable before them, saying, "The Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field,
25
but while people slept, his enemy came and sowed darnel weeds also among the wheat, and went away.
26
But when the blade sprang up and brought forth fruit, then the darnel weeds appeared also.
27
The servants of the householder came and said to him, 'Sir, didn't you sow good seed in your field? Where did this darnel come from?'
28
"He said to them, 'An enemy has done this.' "The servants asked him, 'Do you want us to go and gather them up?'
29
"But he said, 'No, lest perhaps while you gather up the darnel weeds, you root up the wheat with them.
30
Let both grow together until the harvest, and in the harvest time I will tell the reapers, "First, gather up the darnel weeds, and bind them in bundles to burn them; but gather the wheat into my barn."'"
31
He set another parable before them, saying, "The Kingdom of Heaven is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field;
32
which indeed is smaller than all seeds. But when it is grown, it is greater than the herbs, and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in its branches."
33
He spoke another parable to them. "The Kingdom of Heaven is like yeast, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, until it was all leavened."
34
Jesus spoke all these things in parables to the multitudes; and without a parable, he didn't speak to them,
35
that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophet, saying, "I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things hidden from the foundation of the world."
36
Then Jesus sent the multitudes away, and went into the house. His disciples came to him, saying, "Explain to us the parable of the darnel weeds of the field."
37
He answered them, "He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man,
38
the field is the world; and the good seed, these are the children of the Kingdom; and the darnel weeds are the children of the evil one.
39
The enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels.
40
As therefore the darnel weeds are gathered up and burned with fire; so will it be at the end of this age.
41
The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will gather out of his Kingdom all things that cause stumbling, and those who do iniquity,
42
and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be weeping and the gnashing of teeth.
43
Then the righteous will shine forth like the sun in the Kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.
44
"Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found, and hid. In his joy, he goes and sells all that he has, and buys that field.
45
"Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who is a merchant seeking fine pearls,
46
who having found one pearl of great price, he went and sold all that he had, and bought it.
47
"Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a dragnet, that was cast into the sea, and gathered some fish of every kind,
48
which, when it was filled, they drew up on the beach. They sat down, and gathered the good into containers, but the bad they threw away.
49
So will it be in the end of the world. The angels will come forth, and separate the wicked from among the righteous,
50
and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth."
51
Jesus said to them, "Have you understood all these things?" They answered him, "Yes, Lord."
52
He said to them, "Therefore, every scribe who has been made a disciple in the Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who is a householder, who brings out of his treasure new and old things."
53
It happened that when Jesus had finished these parables, he departed from there.
54
Coming into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished, and said, "Where did this man get this wisdom, and these mighty works?
55
Isn't this the carpenter's son? Isn't his mother called Mary, and his brothers, James, Joses, Simon, and Judas?
56
Aren't all of his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all of these things?"
57
They were offended by him. But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor, except in his own country, and in his own house."
58
He didn't do many mighty works there because of their unbelief.
