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“A Beastly Vision” • 10.11.20 • Calvary Christian Fellowship, Sunday Morning Service
Intro.
- As we enter into the 13th chapter, I recall to your memory the fact that we are in a momentary pause, a parenthesis ordered by God, given to reveal the responses of Earth to His judgments.
- Chapter 12 introduced us to four of the seven characters that would play a predominant role during the seven years of Tribulation. They are revealed in symbol.
- We were introduced to the Woman, which is the nation Israel. The Dragon is the Devil, the Male Child is Jesus Christ and Michael is simply and genuinely, the Archangel.
- Today, we'll be introduced to three more characters, beginning with the "Beast out of the Sea," a person that we know as the "Man of Sin," the Antichrist. Verse. 1.
Text
• Revelation 13:1,2 : "Then I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name. Now the beast which I saw was like a leopard, his feet were like the feet of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority." : The Apostle is standing upon a beach when an interesting sight begins to appear before Him.
- Scripturally, the sea is a place of chaos and is ironically, generally related to a mass of people. A "sea of humanity" for example.
- This "beast" is rising up out of the chaos and out from a sea of humanity and John immediately perceives that this was a wild, ravenous, or "venomous" beast.
- As John continues to look, the details began to stand out. This freakish looking beast had seven heads and ten horns. Remember that this was a feature of the Dragon. (Revelation 12:3)
- The beast also had crowns on his thorns and more appropriately, THE "blasphemous name" upon his heads. He represents all insult against the Name, character and reputation of God!
- The beast's heads proudly display his animosity toward God. It is the undertone of his administration, but will soon be the dominant tone of this period.
- As John attempts to describe the beast, he is again limited to metaphor. The beast is "like" these things. This beast was what you get when you put a leopard, a bear and lion together.
- In his realm of power, he will move swiftly like a leopard. His decisions will be weighty and determined, like the bear and his voice will influence and intimidate, as a lion when it roars.
- Of course, these images show up in Daniel's visions as well. Daniel 7 relays a prophetic dream that Daniel had, regarding the coming Kingdoms of the World.
- He was living in Babylon at the time. Medo-Persia, Greece and Rome were all to follow.
- Each of these were "world dominating" powers of their times. The Beast will have some part of each of their D.N.A in his administration.
- Aside from any own naturally occurring powers of personality, this beast, the "AntiChrist" will be aided in his presentation by the power of Satan himself.
- Many believe he will be personally possessed by Satan, who will have the Kingdoms of the world to give! What Jesus refused, the Antichrist will accept!
- His entire administration on earth will be with the working of Satan in the background. V. 3.
• Revelation 13:3,4 : "And I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world marveled and followed the beast. So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, 'Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?'" : As John looks over the beast, he observes a mortal head wound on one of his heads. It had been maimed and then, it was healed, from the word that gives us "therapy."
- What should have been a death blow, was reversed! What is interesting is that the entire world is watching and responds in this pivotal moment.
- When the "beast" is healed, the entire world is awestruck and becomes his followers! I think I like that ASV's translation the best: "the whole earth wondered after the beast!"
- They were under his spell. The world has found it's champion and like all human beings, they will follow along obediently, which will inevitably lead to the outright worship the devil!
- "They worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast!" It may be that they worship without consciously knowing that the Devil himself is behind this man, but that will be the truth!
- When men fail to worship, to give their greatest honor to God, they will inevitably worship something inferior! We are built to worship and if we don't worship God, we will worship something!
- What is the consequence to that decision? We become like what we worship! Will it be any wonder that the world will be the vicious, sadistic center of the universe?
- Many years earlier, Paul commented upon this very moment in history as he taught the Thessalonians about this man of sin, the AntiChrist. Turn with me to II Thessalonians 2.
• II Thessalonians 2:8-12 : "And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness." : The other problem with not believing the truth about God, is that you leave yourself open to falsehood!
- The devil and the beast will bask in the glory of men's worship for a season. The world will wonder aloud at the beast's power, questioning who could be his rival.
- "Who has the power to make war with him?" The world will believe in him to their discredit!
- They will hitch their wagons to the king of unrighteousness! Not a great choice! How does the AntiChrist manage to gain such a following? Verse 5.
• Revelation 13:5-8 : "And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months. Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven. It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation. All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world." : Notice the theme: "He was given." In verse 4, we saw that he was granted authority. Here, he is given a platform from which to boast, to utter arrogant words.
- Daniel 7:8 and 25 tell us that he will speak "pompous words" against the Most High.
- The Antichrist will use his mouth to boast about himself and to blaspheme, to insult those that would come against him, especially the Lord's two witnesses.
- He will speak freely against all that will come against him, but at the mid-point of the Tribulation, he will cross the line.
- He will kill the two witnessess and use that victory to proclaim himself to be God!
- The Antichrist will open his mouth to insult the living God, to smear His reputation, to mock His tabernacle and belittle those who dwell in heaven. Who will he be talking about?
- The Christians that have been taken in the rapture prior to the seven year tribulation! We'll be the backwater, backwards intolerants that held up progress! "Good riddance," he'll say!
- This clarifies the next statement, as we learned that he will be granted the power to make war against those that the Lord had saved during the Tribulation. His dominion will be world wide!
- He will have a world wide administration and world wide admiration!
- Everyone that is not marked as set apart for the Lord will be duped into worshipping him!
- These will be the ones whose names are not recorded in the Lamb's book of life. This will be settled in just a bit, but worshipping the beast will be a final notice of damnation. Verse 9.
• Revelation 13:9,10 : "If anyone has an ear, let him hear. He who leads into captivity shall go into captivity; he who kills with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints." : This is an ominous word that one should listen to. I like the NLT's rendering of this verse the best.
• Revelation 13:9 (NLT) : "Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand." : What should they understand? There are people that will have no choice but to accept their doomed fate at this point in the Tribulation!
- Notice that while this phrase is not unique to this book, the ommission here is glaring. Earlier in the book, the phrase finished, "what the Spirit says to the churches." Not here. Why?
- The church is not here on Earth, but there are saints and these will be doomed to captivity and execution! It is a certainty!
- The judgment emphasis though is not upon the victims, but upon the one that causes them to fall in these ways.
- The person who leads others into captivity, and it will happen, will also find himself experiencing that very same thing.
- These believers will die for their faith and God will avenge their death! This moment will definitively reveal the power of a believer's endurance and the purity of their faith.
- That is what "patience" is. It is enduring and remaining faithful until the very bitter end.
- This verse is a call to every person who will live at this time and indeed at every time! We must all endure through various trials and struggles and remain faithful to Christ.
- Today, you might be called to literally give your life for Christ. At the mid-point of the Tribulation, you won't be able to keep your life if you follow Christ! How will that occur? Verse 11.
• Revelation 13:11-13 : "Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon. And he exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence, and causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men." : John's turns and behold, "another" beast. It is distinct, but another of the same kind. This one rises from out of the earth. He will represent the world's value system.
- He has two horns that are like a Lamb's, but he spoke like a dragon! This is the ultimate "wolf in sheep's clothing" moment! He'll be a "Dragon in sheep's clothing!"
- He's seemingly harmless and genteel, but behind what seems like benificent power, there is a raging, power hungry inferno of dragon's breath!
- If the first beast in the Antichrist, this is his False Prophet! The Antichrist will rule politically, while the False Prophet will control the world through religion!
- The False Prophet is able to perform with the same power that the first beast has, but his agenda is to stir up the masses to pay homage and swear allegiance to the first beast.
- It seems that he'll point to the mortal wound that the beast recovered from. He'll make that his recurring talking point. It will be the proof of the first beast's worth to be worshipped.
- As with the magicians that contended with Moses in Pharaoh's court, this beast will back up his claims with wonders before men. He'll bring fire down from heaven. Why that sign in particular?
- Remember that he will be working to counter the ministry of the two witnesses during the first three and a half years! He'll be able to duplicate their wonders, at least this one!
- By the way, are miracles, signs and wonders the best way for a person to come to faith in Christ? Understand that the False Prophet uses signs and wonders as well!
- Never judge a prophet by their work. Always judge them by their WORDS! The world will be so incredibly ripe for the taking that men will buy what he is selling without question!
- What is the purpose of his work? What is his importance? Have a look at verse 14.
• Revelation 13:14,15 : "And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived. He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed." : This second beast is all about deception. He intends to lead Earth settlers further away into error, away from the truth.
- The ones that will be deceived will be the ones that have chosen to make the earth their home. This is where they have settled and all their "truth" will be filtered through that decision.
- Consequently, because they have no concern for another home, they will accept any and every one who produces signs and wonders upon their earth as authoritative!
- The goal will simply be to produce a worship of the beast. The men who have settled upon this earth will bow down and worship the image, the icon of the beast. Note the detail.
- The beast was wounded by the sword and lived. The scripture speaks of this prophetically.
- Zechariah 11:17 describes the Antichrist's wounding as being struck by the right eye and losing facility in his right arm. It will be a powerful symbol chosen to represent the Beast!
- This image, this third character will not be your average image or icon. It will be given breath! It will have consciousness and it possess intelligence!
- This image will speak and will have the ability to discover who is and is not worshipping the Antichrist! How will he bring this to pass?
- What will be the mechanism to reveal who is and is not worshipping the beast? Verse 16.
• Revelation 13:16,17 : "He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name." : The second beast, in concert with "the image" will enact a mandatory, comprehensive requirement of men and none will escape.
- The small and the great, micros and megas! The insignificant and the highest ranking officers will be involved. It will hit every economic strata. The rich will be subjected to this, as will the destitute.
- There will be none who will be "off grid!" The second beast will be sure that there is a final equity between the free and the slave. Every single person will have to receive a "mark."
- This referred to a stamp or better still, an "etching" that would permanently be applied to reveal ownership. The same word was used of branding a horse.
- This mark will be either on the right hand or the forehead. Have you ever wondered why?
- Some have noted that the skin at both locations is especially thin, making it easy to implant technological devices. Consider additionally these thoughts from Israel's history.
- For the Jews, they were to keep little boxes attached to their hands and foreheads that were called "phylacteries," which were used to commemorate the Lord's deliverance.
- For all intents and purposes, the practice is described by Moses in the book of Exodus.
• Exodus 13:9 : "It shall be as a sign to you on your hand and as a memorial between your eyes, that the Lord’s law may be in your mouth; for with a strong hand the Lord has brought you out of Egypt." : Consider also what we had mentioned before in the book of Ezekiel.
- On the 6th year, 6th month and 5th day, a year and a half since the beginning of Ezekiel's ministry, God decreed imminent judgment upon the inhabitants of Judah.
- Judah was filled with men who had given themselves to idolatry and immorality. They were doomed to pay for their sin with their own death. As usual, God was not indiscriminate in His actions.
- God made sure that the people that were not participants were clearly marked for salvation.
• Ezekiel 9:3,4 : "Now the glory of the God of Israel had gone up from the cherub, where it had been, to the threshold of the temple. And He called to the man clothed with linen, who had the writer’s inkhorn at his side; and the Lord said to him, 'Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and cry over all the abominations that are done within it.'" : This "sealing" took place on the 6th year, 6th month and 6th day.
- With regard to sealing on the foreheard, remember what we saw just a few weeks back when we covered the 144,000.
- God commanded the four angels not to harm the trees until the 144,000 were sealed on their foreheads. (Revelation 7:3, 9:4)
- In a very real way, the men who are receiving the mark of the beast, are ones who have rejected God's law and have made their desire clear regarding their allegiance.
- They too have succumbed to idolatry and immorality! They will have refused to submit to Jesus and now, they are sealed by the Mark of the Beast, having sealed their own doom!
- The mark will allow them to buy and sell, but they will have only sold their most precious commodities, their eternal souls to the Devil! These will be lost for all eternity!
- Anyone who is discovered without the mark will lose their lives, but only for that moment! That must always be remembered!
- Our afflictions are momentary compared with the wonder of eternity! When we weigh out our decisions, that must be our compass for life! Verse 18.
• Revelation 13:18 : "Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666." : John let's his readers know that they will need to ask for wisdom. What he is about to say will require more than intellectual consideration.
- For the person with understanding, let him compute the number of the beast. It's not a number of a divine being, but is the number of a man.
- If 777 is the number of God completed, perhaps we can look at 666 as the number of man completed. The Antichrist is mankind apart from God, at it's very best.
- Mankind, at it's very best, falls incredibly short and this will be his greatest moment and greatest fall! The world will never have a more accomplished leader.
- He will be empowered by Satan himself and will expertly lead the world into a final conclusive battle against the Lord, which will end with his utter ruin!
- When it comes to the number 666, many have made an attempt to identify certain men and each man has regretted that decision.
- I am indebted to David Guzik, who suggested a Biblical counterpart to this verse which is found in I Kings 10. Solomon is showing off for the Queen of Sheba and reveals this little fact.
• I Kings 10:14,15 : "The weight of gold that came to Solomon yearly was six hundred and sixty-six talents of gold, besides that from the traveling merchants, from the income of traders, from all the kings of Arabia, and from the governors of the country." : The only other place that 666 and a specific man are mentioned is when the "man of wisdom" reveals his wealth to the world. "Here is wisdom!"
- Perhaps the Antichrist, the "Instead Of" Christ, will begin with good policies and intentions, but through immorality, idolatry and incredible wealth, will be drawn ultimately toward wickedness.
- In any event, his number and name will be synonymous with evil and those that tie themselves to it will do so at their own eternal expense!
Conclusion
- My Bible college professor used to say all the time, "We are not
looking for the Antichrist. We are looking for Jesus Christ!" He is coming
soon and His people will be leaving soon!
- Jesus Christ is the picture of true wisdom and love, which was expressed by giving Himself on the Cross for the sins of those that would believe upon Him. He gives eternal life to His people.
- The "Instead of Christ" won't give anything to anyone, but will love himself and murder any and all that oppose Him! He will be just like his Father Satan!
- Thankfully, you and I can make our choice today to follow the true Christ and never know another thing about his imitator!
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