ACC ~ Revelation 13 v5 - 6

THOSE WHO WORSHIP THE DEVIL. OECUMENIUS: Since all were vanquished and placed under his feet, “he was given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words.” By whom was it given? By those persons who had been deceived and had come to worship him. For such boasting comes from arrogance. And what is more haughty than saying, “I will ascend to heaven; I will set my throne above the stars of heaven”? And a little further down: “I will make myself like the Most High.” Isaiah here is lampooning him, since such claims are blasphemies against God. “And it was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two months.” We earlier noted that “forty-two months” indicates a short period of time, for compared with the unending ages, all time is short, even if it should seem to be very long. [He blasphemes God’s name and his dwelling] for such are the blasphemies against God spoken by the apostate. The “dwelling” of God is the holy angels, since God dwells among them. For if it is said concerning people, “I will dwell among them and I will walk among them,”how should one speak of the heavenly powers among whom God dwells? COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 13.4-8.

THE DEVIL BLASPHEMES THE GLORIFIED JESUS AND HIS CHURCH. PRIMASIUS: With these months there is completed the three years and six months, which above were understood to refer to the quality of the present age. However, here the severity of the final persecution is especially foretold. For were one to consider the four familiar directions of the earth and multiply four times the ten sayings of the law, which is the symbol of perfection, one would have forty. Were the performance of the two commandments of love added to this, the number forty-two would be completed. That which is commanded in words achieves no favor if it is not perfected by works. And the church is said to be protected by these [commandments] as though by the wings of an eagle, and she flees from the treachery of the dragon into the wilderness to be nourished there for 1,260 days, which is equal to the forty-two months, so that the calculation of the same number may not render a useless meaning. … [The beast blasphemed] against God and the church, which dwells in heaven, because “our citizenship is in heaven,” and “now you are not in the flesh.”I think that here the temple might also signify the glorified trophy of the body of Christ against whom the antichrist is said then to blaspheme, when he has dared assign to himself that honor which is especially due to [Christ]. Concerning this the Lord said in the Gospel, “That they might lead astray, if possible, even the elect,” and just earlier, “But for the elect those days will be shortened.” COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 13.5-6.

APOSTATES BLASPHEME GOD. CAESARIUS OF ARLES: The forty-two months are to be interpreted as the time of the last persecution. “It opened its mouth to blaspheme against God.”It is clear that this refers to those who have left the catholic church, for while earlier they seemed to be within the church as though they held the right faith, in time of persecution they openly blaspheme God with the mouth. [The dwelling of God] is the saints who are contained within the church, which is called “heaven,” for they are the habitation of God. EXPOSITION ON THE APOCALYPSE 13.5-6, HOMILY 10.

THE DEVIL WILL BLASPHEME THE WORD MADE FLESH. ANDREW OF CAESAREA: With the allowance of God, it says, he will have authority for three and a half years to blaspheme against God and to harm the saints. The “dwelling of God” is the dwelling of the Word in the flesh, that is, his incarnation, as well as his repose among the saints, against whom, as also against the holy angels, he will fully direct his blasphemy. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 13.5-6.

Rev