Revelation Part 22
Revelation 13:9-12
Introduction
Last time we concluded with the beginning understanding of the religion of the beast, and how it will affect all nations to the very end of time. It is critical that we understand how easy it will be for Satan to control those of this world who are not following God. These will be looking for the same thing as us ¡V someone to listen, guide, and love us.
Let¡¦s look today, at how this world dominator will control his subjects, and prayerfully we will gain insight as to what the role of the church is TODAY.
Pray
Point 1 ¡V The Persecution Continues (v9-10)
John is writing here and addressing us specifically! He is saying that any who has an ear, pay attention. This ¡§ear¡¨ that he refers to is not only the physical ear on your head, but that you should have an ear for the Spirit! Remember that God¡¦s Word is constantly speaking to us, and we should be at a point of listening and paying attention to the Word.
John is also describing the patience of those who believe at this time. Remember that the church is no more, it has been raptured since it is no longer mentioned ¡V but that there should be understanding that there will be those who are saved during this time, and their patience is extremely important to this time in history. They are being hunted down and killed, and they must remain patient for the Lord¡¦s final return.
God is allowing this persecution, because it¡¦s only temporary and exposes those who dwell on the earth for who they truly are ¡V in this time, you will not be able to hide!
Point 2 ¡V The False Prophet (11-12)
This ¡§other¡¨ beast is the third member of this unholy trinity -- Satan¡¦s counterfeit of the trinity.
This beast is a man called the ¡§False prophet¡¨ (Rev 19:20). He is a religious leader who counterfeits the Holy Spirit, by pointing to the Beast (First Beast) as the object of truth and worship. The false-prophet and the Antichrist work together from the start.
This new world religion will operate under the false ideal of ¡§Relative truth¡¨, those who insist on Jesus being the focus of objective truth will be killed during the first half of the tribulation. Jesus spoke about this individual and the antichrist in Matthew 24:24 ¡§For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you beforehand.¡¨
How do we get leaders in this nation? They are elected ¡K thus, the ¡§elect¡¨ reference,
He had two horns like a lamb; remember that lambs are used mainly in the scriptures as a picture of sacrifice; Jesus is called the ¡§Lamb of God¡¨, God¡¦s Passover lamb. The lamblike nature of this beast demonstrates his religious aspect. The two horns have significant meaning and can be interpreted in several ways.
The two horns on this lamb can represent two distinct religious systems unified by the false prophet. There is strong evidence to suggest, this united religious system will be the adulterous church pictured in three of the seven churches (Laodicea, Sardis, Thyatira) unified with the remnants of Islam by the False Prophet.
Four points regarding this position: *
1. Catholicism already accepts Muslims and Jews as having salvation, without having to believe Jesus died on the Cross, or that he is the Son of God. (Taken directly from the Catechism of the Catholic Church)
841 The Church’s relationship with the Muslims. "The plan of salvation also includes those who acknowledge the Creator, in the first place amongst whom are the Muslims; these profess to hold the faith of Abraham, and together with us they adore the one, merciful God, mankind’s judge on the last day."
839 The relationship of the Church with the Jewish People. When she delves into her own mystery, the Church, the People of God in the New Covenant, discovers her link with the Jewish People, "the first to hear the Word of God." The Jewish faith, unlike other non-Christian religions, is already a response to God’s revelation in the Old Covenant. To the Jews "belong the sonship, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises; to them belong the patriarchs, and of their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ", "for the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable."
2. Islam is a major force on the scene must be reduced for the Jewish Temple to be rebuilt at start of the 7-year tribulation period. The ¡§Dome of the Rock¡¨ must be destroyed which is either the cause or the conclusion of a war between Islam and Israel. A defeated Islam will be ripe for a new religious system.
3. With the ¡§Rapture¡¨ of the Church, those left behind will look to unify a world filled with war and chaos, resulting from the Islamic war against Israel, (Ezekiel 38-39), the Rapture and the rebuilding of the Jewish Temple. This church is exemplified by Jesus¡¦ response to the 5 virgins who missed the coming of the bridegroom,
¡§Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ¡¥Lord, Lord, open to us!¡¦ But he answered and said, ¡¥Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.¡¦ ¡§Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour „Tin which the Son of Man is coming. (Matthew 25:11-13)
4. The adulterous church is destroyed in the 2nd half of the tribulation period as this unified faith is turned away from the adulterous women and toward the Beast. (Revelation 17:16)
Notice that all these things are almost in perfect alignment, allowing this false religion to take control! In order for another religion to reign freely over this area, the current ones need to be destroyed. Rising up a new religion in the Middle East today would be impossible, primarily because of God¡¦s Holy Spirit. However, if those things were removed ¡K the first salesman with a good deal could take control ¡V this is what Satan is counting on ¡V our own gullible nature!
The source of this world religion will be Satan, whose goal is to destroy those created in the image of God. Biblical Christianity is exclusive; there is no room for a competing ¡§Jesus¡¨.
Islam denies Jesus is the Son of God, and that He died on the cross. The Muslim Jesus is not the Jesus of the Bible. Judaism today rejects Jesus as Messiah and labels him a false prophet. Many in the ecumenical movement deny Jesus as the son of God along with countless heretical beliefs. Here is what the bible says about those who reject the biblical Jesus.
1 John 2:22-23 says ¡§Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son. Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also.¡¨
The message to the church today is VERY clear ¡V if you deny Jesus, you do not have Him. This is applicable to ALL portions of our lives, to include the secret sins that we hide from others. Jesus has given us a foundation to follow today, and we need to be receptive to that in all things!
The second half involves the removal of religion¡¦s mask and humanity will worship Satan in the person of the Antichrist, who will demand worldwide worship. Those who refuse will be killed. People worldwide will not be able to buy or sell anything unless they totally submit to the Beast and his false prophet. Daniel foretold this nature of the Antichrist over 2500 years ago. He says in Daniel 11:37 ¡§He shall regard neither the God of his fathers nor the desire of women, nor regard any god; for he shall exalt himself above them all.¡¨
This false prophet will take control by enforcing the image of the beast, and convincing others that he is to be worshipped. He whips up a few miracles, and poof, we fall right in line. Again, this is the warning NOT to just falsely believe because it feels good or sounds logical ¡V look it up and study for yourself! With wondrous signs he will convince people!
2 Thess 2:11-12 fortells how God will allow this to happen, and why He will do it, ¡§And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, 12that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.¡¨
Conclusion
Today, let me ask you ¡K do you believe God or the lie? Honestly, sitting here in church it is easy to convince yourself and answer properly, but what about way down deep inside? Do you believe God¡¦s Word, or the lies coming from the world?
The goal of the False prophet is one thing: for people to accept the deification of the Beast whose deadly wound was healed¡K. The death and resurrection of the Beast at the Mid-point will be in conjunction with the casting out of Satan from Heaven. His death and resurrection will be highlighted as evidence for the Beast being God on Earth. In the same way Jesus was crucified and resurrected was evidence of his being the Son of God, Satan will counterfeit the resurrection.
Somehow, the anti-Christ will receive a head wound, probably an assassination attempt that Satan has ordained to happen ¡V and he will be resurrected FULLY as Satan himself, demanding worship. The first anti-Christ will be a very charismatic, very popular, probably attractive man that people will naturally want to follow and be around. But, he will be influenced and controlled by Satan.
When he dies of this head wound and resurrects himself ¡V he will be FULLY Satan, demanding worship from this world.
Invite Singers
So, will you believe the lie? Or will you listen now and get your life right with God? One day, you may wake up and everyone you knew will be gone because you have believed the lie. Or, one day you will watch as friends and relatives disappear before your eyes because you believed the lie. Today, I want to tell you NOT to believe the lie. Get your life right with God ¡V get your heart right with God ¡V and get your eternity secured before it is too late!
Pray
* Research taken from TruthNet.org
