The beast had power or authority over Jews, and only Jews who were the physical descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He, indeed, had authority over all tribes, no matter which language was spoken, and no matter where they resided in the Roman Empire (Revelation 13:7). However, that authority was limited to the Jewish race. It did not include gentiles. Notice what Josephus tells us:
“Caius Julius Caesar, imperator and high priest, and dictator the second time, to the magistrates, senate, and people of Sidon, sendeth greeting… I will that Hyrcanus, the son of Alexander, and his children, be ethnarchs of the Jews, and have the high priesthood of the Jews forever, according to the customs of their forefathers, and that he and his sons be our confederates; and that besides this, everyone of them be reckoned among our particular friends. I also ordain that he and his children retain whatsoever privileges belong to the office of high priest, or whatsoever favors have been hitherto granted them; and if at any time hereafter there arise any questions about the Jewish customs, I will that he determine the same.”[1]
Thus, no matter where Jews lived in the Roman Empire, they would be permitted to live according to the customs of the Jews in Judea and would be judged accordingly by the authorities there. Moreover, these customs would be defined and enforced by the high priest in Jerusalem, who was the living descendant of Hyrcanus, son of Alexander. In other words, no matter where believers lived in the Roman Empire, if that believer were a Jew, the high priest at Jerusalem could have that one extradited and judged in Jerusalem for crimes against Jewish customs.
According to Revelation 13:8, “all that dwell upon the earth shall worship (G4352) him…” (the beast) “…whose names are not written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.” Most people today believe this means everyone in the world will worship the “beast” (still future), when he comes, but this is not what the text necessarily claims. The Greek word for earth is ge (G1093).[2] It is often used for the land of the Jews (cf. Matthew 2:6, 20-21), and I believe it should be used in this sense for the context of Revelation 13:8. That is, Jews, specifically unbelieving Jews, would worship (G4352) the beast. This does not necessarily mean they would offer the beast worship due to God, although, in essence, choosing men over God does show one respects (worships) men more than God.
The Greek word simply means “bow to or submit oneself to out of respect”[3] In other words, the nation of the Jews would follow, believe and do according to the commands of their leaders in Jerusalem. These same leaders rejected Jesus as their Messiah, and so did the nation, except for the elect, which the Lord called to himself. Only believers among the Jews in the empire did not worship (G4352) the beast, which is apostate Jerusalem (or Israel). That is, their supreme respect or worship was given God, not their nation. They obeyed Jewish laws, but their supreme worship was given to God (Acts 4:19; 5:29). So, it seems that the worship offered the beast was an inordinate, zealot patriotism. In other words it was, “my country, right or wrong!”
Those who worshiped the beast did so wondering “Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?” (Revelation 13:4). The sense is that the authorities at Jerusalem had the full support of Rome to enforce their ancient customs upon their own citizens.[4] Exceptions could be made under certain circumstances. Paul, for example, because he had dual citizenship, could demand to be treated as a Roman and not as a Jew. In other words, he was also a citizen of Rome, and Roman law would not permit one of its citizens to be executed for violating a principle, having to do with a foreign religious custom. Therefore, Paul could and did demand to be exempted from being tried and punished according to Jewish law (cf. Acts 25:11-12).
The phrase: slain from the foundation of the world concerns the idea that the Savior, the one who became Jesus, would be killed during his ministry, and this prophecy was initiated, not at creation, as many assume the phrase means, but at the rebellion of Adam (cf. Genesis 3:15).[5] I believe John points to Genesis 3:15 in an effort to show that the nation of the Jews were in the state of rebellion against God. The fact that they had slain the Savior who was promised in Genesis 3:15, shows whose disciples they really were (cf. Revelation 12:7-9).
The Lord, through John, encouraged the saints, or those who have “ears to hear” – i.e. those who have the Holy Spirit to unveil the word of God to them (Revelation 13:9), by telling them that he who was imprisoning, persecuting and killing them would have the same done to him in a little while (Revelation 13:10). The suffering of the saints was only temporary and would eventually cease and believers would be vindicated and rewarded (cf. 1Peter 1:6-7). Their persecutor, on the other hand, was destined to be destroyed.
________________________________________________
[1] Josephus: Antiquities of the Jews 14.10.2
[2] Thayer’s Greek Lexicon of New Testament words defines it as: “1) arable land; 2) the ground, the earth as a standing place; 3) the main land as opposed to the sea or water; 4) the earth as a whole; 4a) the earth as opposed to the heavens; 4b) the inhabited earth, the abode of men and animals; 5) a country, land enclosed within fixed boundaries, a tract of land, territory, region.”
[3] See Thayer’s Greek Lexicon of New Testament Words for proskuneō (G4352) and its many definitions
[4] See my previous studies: A Mouth Full of Blasphemy and Who Is Able to Fight the Beast?
[5] See my earlier study: The Overthrow of the World.
Smoodock's Blog 