The Beast
Revelation, Part 18, Revelation 13:1-10
Introduction
- On Wednesday night (plug for Wed) we saw a great application for us:
-- WE KNOW THE ENEMIES BATTLE PLAN!
- Today, WE have access to God in prayer
-- Because of what Jesus did on the cross we have a direct line to God
-- Through this access to God we ought to have comfort and safety to act.
- IMP: Those who are lost will NOT come to you
-- You need to go to them!
-- This is the mission of the church
-- This is where we need to spur one another on today
- Knowing what Revelation says is only the beginning of our purpose
-- Acting and taking the Gospel to others is WHAT we must do
-- But more than that; understanding what we are called to do is VITAL!
- Today begins the study of Chapter 13
-- In this chapter we will examine the beast, the anti-Christ, the false prophet, and of course the relevance of the number 666
- The importance of this sermon is vital to your survivability as a Christian
- God needs you to understand these messages (we will conclude Wed night)
- They explain the clear and present danger that we face as Christians
-- Without this knowledge I tell you we are living in a world of denial
-- Understanding the mission of Satan is mandatory for ANY Christian
- Read Revelation 13:1-10
Ω Point 1 – The Beast
- Satan appeared on the Earth and sought to attack the woman (Israel)
-- In Daniel and Revelation the Beast seen are portraits of last human gov’t
- They represent a time BEFORE the return of the Messiah
-- IMP: When Jesus returns the beast will be the dominant force here
- The beast mentioned in Daniel will be the revived Roman Empire
-- Daniel covers this completely in Daniel 2, 7, and 9
-- The beast represents human opposition to God; not a creature
-- Daniel 7:17, “The four great beasts are four kings (literal people, not animals) that will rise from the earth.”
- What is important is there are obvious similarities in the dragon/beast
-- The dragon and the beast have multiple heads and crowns
-- The dragon calls the beast out of the sea (represents giving authority to)
-- The head wound of the beast reflects back to Gen 3:15 (enmity … crush)
- What Daniel saw was that this beast comes from the sea
-- This sea is figuratively referred to here and it is the sea of humanity
-- He doesn’t rise from ocean (John would’ve used “leviathan” (Genesis))
-- Instead, he is seen coming from the sea … that is the sea of humanity
-- This tells us clearly: the anti-Christ will be a man
- The 10 crowns represent the 10 Kingdoms (similarities to the dragon)
-- These make up the initial kingdom to be established by the anti-Christ
-- His authority over the Earth is supreme; it is vicious; without mercy
-- There is nowhere to hide and from those who serve him
-- IMP: Get this: Satan has absolute power from God!
- In his own show of defiance, he places a blasphemous name on him
-- This name will signify his defiance to God, and those who follow him
-- Rather than creation worshiping God, he will demand worship
-- The name is less important than the action: IMP: he calls himself “god”
-- APP: This … is … blasphemy!
- The kingdom of Antichrist will be a world kingdom with a world capital
-- This means that all control will be held solely by Satan
-- Through him all things will be said, done, bought, and sold on this Earth
-- Those living on the Earth during this time will have one option:
-- Worship Satan (follow his rules, etc.) as “God” or be destroyed
Ω Point 2 – The Man
- This is the anti-Christ’s entrance onto the world:
-- John says, “I saw one of his heads …”
-- Re: The heads represent the succession of kingdoms throughout history
-- These kingdoms opposed to God’s redemption through Israel’s Messiah
-- (Slide shows Kingdoms again, Rev 11 study covered this)
- This Seventh head represents the “Revived Roman” kingdom
-- This head (as John sees it) has recovered from a mortal wound
-- This 7th or “Roman Head” is led by the Antichrist, empowered by Satan
- Daniel also noticed one horn among the 10 and describes its appearance and actions: Daniel 7:8, “I was considering the horns, and there was another horn, a little one, coming up among them, before whom three of the first horns were plucked out by the roots. And there, in this horn, were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking pompous words.”
Ω - IMP: Sometime during his reign, the Beast is mortally wounded
-- In Rev 17:8 we know he dies and ascends out of Hell
-- At the death of the anti-Christ, Satan was able to indwell the body
-- The Beast is a satanic counterfeit of Christ resurrection
-- THEN he rules the world through the Antichrist
- The mortal wound becomes the focus of worship during the last half of the tribulation. (Read Rev 13:12)
- Because the beast resurrected himself, the entire world marveled at him
-- The death of this world leader and his resurrection gives credibility
-- i.e., “Look how awesome I am that I can come from that …”
- The world turns to the Beast not only as a leader but also as “god on earth”
-- Satan’s pride was his undoing, in Heaven he sought to be God …
-- And now he will seek to be God on earth too (we can learn a lot from this)
- Summary: The anti-Christ is a man; brought from the Roman Empire; who dies and is resurrected by Satan’s power. If you are left behind and you are hearing or reading this, these are the things to watch for.
Point 3 - The Religion of the Beast
- Reread Revelation 13:4-10
- The implication of these verses is clear: serve Satan … or die
-- Think of this world today: How far off is this from what you see now?
-- Consider the amount of people worshiping their own “god”!
-- IMP: Consider for a moment the amount of people NOT in church today!
-- IMP: Consider the list of excuses we have to “be god” yet choose to sin
- How much does Satan really have to do in order to gain control?
-- Nothing! Except cater to our egos and make us think that we are awesome
- IMP: This is the struggle of the church today in all that we do!
-- This is the ministry of the church (has been since Acts 2 … )
-- I believe with all my heart this is ought to be the ministry of LFC
- What is it?
-- IMP: Standing against Satan is NOT an option … it is a commandment!
- After Jesus’ victory the Antichrist is cast into the “Lake of fire”
-- Satan is cast chained into the Abyss (Rev 19:20, 20:2)
-- This is the hope of tomorrow, but today we still have a work to do
- This is the authority of the church and I tell you with all honesty, we are failing to stop him even in our own circles (how many do you know lost?)
-- If everyone we know is a Believer, it’s time to get some heathen friends
-- Believer’s telling believers about Jesus is a click, not mission of church
- During tribulation, Satan intensifies his search for the woman’s offspring
-- These are those who have fled into the wilderness for 1260 days
-- APP: The woman’s offspring now are hunted down for destruction
- What happens to the offspring? When Christ returns to the Earth:
-- The saints in hiding will be brought before Christ by the angels
-- Matt 24:30-31 says, “Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.”
-- Many think this is the rapture but it is not; it is the gathering of Believers!
- The bottom line for us here to see here (APP vs. MEANING) is this:
-- Satan is given absolute authority to rule, reign, and conquer all he wishes
-- Those who think they can play games and survive are fooling themselves
-- God has given us an opportunity to overcome (blood of lamb, testimony)
-- We need to be telling others today of how to avoid this terrible time
- VERY IMP: The devil says to you, “that’s not your job …”
-- He is the father of lies, so listening to him is a fools’ errand from get-go
Point 4 – The Persecution Continues (v9-10)
- John is writing here and addressing us specifically
-- He is saying that any who has an ear: LISTEN UP! (Pay attention!)
- Remember that God’s Word is constantly speaking to us
-- We should be at a point of listening and paying attention to the Word
- John describes the patience of those who believe at this time
-- Remember that the church is no more; only a remnant of those saved
-- The patience of those is vital to hide and be protected by God
-- Why? They are being hunted down and killed
-- APP: Yet, they must remain patient for the Lord’s final return
--- IMP: God continues to offer grace to those who seek Him
- But, that is NOT OUR job to do so today! Our mission is to GO!
- God is allowing this persecution, because it’s only temporary
-- It exposes those who dwell on the earth for who they truly are
TRANS: So, what’s this entire sermon mean for us in 2014?
Ω Big Ideas
- The beast is coming, this is a Biblical fact, and some may ask “So what?”
-- They may even say, “So what? I’m saved and I’m all good ...”
-- Why is Bro TJ ranting about disciple-making to a group of Christians?
- For us there are two questions to ponder:
-- Will you be hiding … or will you be in heaven when Jesus returns?
-- Where will you be when God finds you? (Where were you when He did?)
- Many today are fooled by thinking what they are doing is enough
-- Or thinking that they have done their work and they’re finished working
-- APP: If you are one of those, you are lying to yourself
- The commitment to follow Jesus is not an option – it is a commandment
-- John 15:13 says, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends.”
-- Today you are, or you can be, a friend of God b/c you lay your life down
-- APP: Jesus was committed all the way – how about you?
- I have been studying this book for months and am convinced of one thing:
-- God’s cry to the church is to get up, dust off the cobwebs, & get to work!
- There are people who will see this horrible time and never see Heaven
-- There are people who never heard how to avoid it: and that’s OUR job!
- The “Christian Retirement Home” doesn’t exist!
-- God has a work for us to do today … will YOU work for the Lord?
- People will never know how much you care about their eternity until you invest in their lives today.
-- IMP: Our actions today will directly affect others’ eternity!
-- The biggest question of all is: Do you care?
- Pray
