Revelation 13:3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast. 4 And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? 5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things"....
This passage of scripture teaches us that almost the entire world will wonder after the beast whose deadly wound was healed. The "Deadly wound" here spoken of refers to the year 1798 when the then reigning pope was taken prisoner by the french general, where he expired in captivity, but since that time there has been a steady resurgence of papal power, supremacy, and authority in the religious world, to the point where presidents, kings, senators and judges, are now bowing at the feet of the beast. Many world leaders are doing so ignorantly, merely because of his immense popularity with the people, and therefore we owe it to the world, to dispense a clear delineation of what it means to wonder after the beast.
To wonder after the beast does not only consist of standing in one's shoes for hours on end, waiting to see the pope with great admiration, as the pope mobile drives by. It also includes following the policies outlined by the papal pontiff, and making the necessary institutions and laws which will facilitate his stated objectives. Thus we will observe in the coming months, efforts to make those reforms that are commensurate with the speeches given, and as the multitudes follow in his train, there will be tremendous, and increasing pressure for legislators to "Bow" to papal supremacy. Let's read:
Revelation 13:11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. 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 deadly wound was healed. 14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.
Let us take a few examples of what these verses are referring to, in order that we may have a clearer understanding of what it means to wonder after the beast. It was not long after pope Francis had spoken those now famous words, "Who am I to judge", referring to gays and lesbians being Christians, that the supreme court took up legislation to strike down "DOMA", the defense of marriage act, and then it was just a few months later that the God-ordained marriage institution was thrown out by the courts, in their legislation of same-sex marriage in all fifty states.
Then it was after his meeting with the pope, that our current president set in motion, those diplomatic efforts to restore ties with Cuba, after almost 50 years of sanctions and animosities between the two nations. And as we all know, the Vatican takes the credit for healing the rift, hence the reason why pope Francis visited Cuba first, and then the united states of America, for by so doing he established the fact that the Vatican was the driving force behind all of the efforts to restore the communist nation to American favor. And so said so done, for the leaders of this nation humbly followed where the beast led the way.
Again, when the current president of the United States had drawn the proverbial red line in the sand with Syria, threatening to use tremendous force if Syria's president were to use chemical weapons on his own people, it was the very same pope Francis who called for a day of prayer, and made his desire in the matter known in no uncertain terms, that America should not invade or punish the Syrian government, and then, for some mysterious reason, America's president humbly bows out, and refuses to follow through on his original threat, albeit with very great national embarrassment, with many decrying the fact that he could not keep his own word.
Then in a brazen act of power and authority, the beast is permitted to address both houses of congress, and the united nations assembly, which both represent the highest ruling bodies in the world, and lays out a plan of action for them to follow on a series of important issues. Thus, in harmony with what the Bible predicts, we can expect America, together with the United nations to take the lead in implementing those talking points and strategies outlined by the pontiff, thus demonstrating in real time what is meant by wondering after the beast.
It therefore becomes necessary for us to take heed of the warnings given in the next chapter of Revelation, for The God of heaven declares that whosoever is found "Wondering" will also be found "Blundering", meaning that the grave mistake of succumbing to the papal form of worship, in the form of Sunday sacredness, will be incident to the habit or tendency to wonder after the beast. Let us therefore be ready to stand our ground by the grace and power of God, for tremendous pressure will be brought against the faithful to force submission to the powers that be, but God has promised supernatural help to meet the emergency, if we would stand for the right though the heavens fall.
We therefore end with a passage of scripture which points us to our never-failing Refuge in Christ, and it is the will of God that all true soldiers of the cross, now take a decisive stand for righteousness, so that the name of God would be vindicated in and through the faithfulness of His commandment-keeping people. Let's read:
Daniel 12:1 And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. 2 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. 3 And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.
May God add His blessing to the study and practice of His word. "Good night" and God bless!