Is The Antichrist Really Brought Back to Life?

Dr. Couch, it is good to know that there is at least one good dispensational "Bible Answer Man." My question, is the antichrist brought back to life or just appears to have died, but really did not (Rev. 13:3). 

 

     ANSWER:  Good scholars have mixed opinions on Revelation 13:3. Some refer to 5:6 where a vision of Christ the Lamb is given "as if slain." Now we know He was indeed killed as a sacrificial lamb, and the same Greek construction is used of the antichrist in 13:3. 5:6 reads: hos esphagmenon (perf. Pass. Part.)," as having been slain." 13:3 reads in the Greek kai mian ek ton kephalon autou hos esphagmenon eis thanaton (perf. Pass. Part). In 5:6 "into death" is left out. With the participial constructions in both passages, I see something that may make a difference. In 5:6 John sees Christ as a Lamb that now is alive, though bearing the appearance, even though living, with some image or sign that He had indeed died! There is some visual reminder to John that "as if slain" He now is living! 

    In both passages (5:6, 13:3) there is the comparative language word hos translated as if, if, something like, as, it seemed to be, etc. The NAS rightly translates 13:3 about the antichrist with "as if it had been slain." Walvoord takes the view that:

"it is significant that one of the heads is wounded to death but that the beast itself is not said to be dead. It is questionable whether Satan has the power to restore to life one who has died, even though his power is great."

    I lean to the position that this is an "appearance of death" but that he does not actually die. 

    Thanks for asking.

    Dr. Mal Couch