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Question: Identify the head who received the death stroke that was
healed:

1. H.Hailey: The death-stroke is the death of Nero, the first
emperor to persecute the church, whose policy of persecution was
revived by Domitian, in whom the death-stroke was healed.
     The death of Nero dealt a severe blow to the empire, which was
immediately thrown into a two-year state of anarchy and confusion.
Order was restored by Vespasian of the Flavian family. But to the
church, which is John's interest, the healing of the death-stroke
came with the revival of persecution under Domitian. Tacitus points
out that after Nero's death there were various rumors that the
return of the tyrant was at hand, whereupon pretenders arose
claiming to be the deceased emperor (Hist.II.8). Seutonius, another
early Roman historian, writes that after Nero's death friends
circulated his edicts, "pretending he was still alive and would
soon return to confound his enemies"; he tells of one in particular
who came forward claiming to be Nero.
     John would have not been influenced by these rumors, but saw
in the renewal of persecution under Domitian a healing of the
death-stroke inflicted by the death of Nero. Tertullian wrote of
"Domitian--a man of Nero's type". Victorinus (d. A.D. 304), the
earliest author to write a commentary on Revelation (only a
fragment of which has survived) in commenting on 17:10, lists the
five emperors whom he considered had fallen, then says, "One
remains, under whom the Apocalypse was written--Domitian, to wit."
He adds on v. 16, "Now that one of the heads was, as it were, slain
to death...he speaks of Nero" (A-N-F.VII.p.358).

     "And the whole earth wondered after the beast," that is, the
world of unregenerated people followed the beast, being filled with
awe and amazement at it. The Christians were not impressed, but
held to their faith in Him who in His death had triumphed over all
powers and ever lives.





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