12 And he exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence, and causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.

A. When the Roman Empire suffered its decline and fall in 476, the civil government was dead.

B. When Pope Leo III crowned Charlemagne as emperor in 800, the Holy Roman Empire was born and the Roman Empire was resurrected. These two beasts work together. The first, civil government dies. The second, false religion, gives power for the first to start again. This beast possesses both civil power over the emperor it appoints and religious power over people.

Continues after advertising
Continues after advertising

Old Testament