Apocalypse Explained #818
818. Verse 12. 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 death-stroke was healed.
"And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him," signifies, the connection of reasonings from the natural man with the sense of the letter of the Word, whereby the religion of faith separate is strengthened; "and he causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast," signifies, whence those who in the church are in falsities and evils therefrom, acknowledge the agreement thereof in heart; "whose death-stroke was healed," signifies, and so the disagreement removed by contrived conjunctions of works with faith.
Ezekiel 31:18
18
To whom are you thus like in glory and in greatness among the trees of Eden? yet you will be brought down with the trees of Eden to the lower parts of the earth: you shall lie in the midst of the uncircumcised, with those who are slain by the sword. This is Pharaoh and all his multitude, says the Lord Yahweh.