Revelation Study Series 18b - God’s Mysterious Plan Fulfilled (Chapter 13b)
03.20.22
Message…
Last week we began talking about the antichrist.
John saw a beast come up out of the sea…
Revelation 13:5, 7-8a
5 Then the beast was allowed to speak great blasphemies against God. And he was given authority to do whatever he wanted for forty-two months.
…
he was allowed …“to wage war against God’s holy people and to conquer them. And he was given authority to rule over every tribe and people and language and nation.”
And all the people who belong to this world worshiped the beast. …vs.’s 7b - 8a
We asked the question about who do you belong to? The world, or God?! Which does your life/faith reflect?
Revelation 13:11-16
11 Then I saw another beast come up out of the earth. he had two horns like those of a lamb, but he spoke with the voice of a dragon.
12 he exercised all the authority of the first beast. And he required all the earth and its people to worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed.
13 He did astounding miracles, even making fire flash down to earth from the sky while everyone was watching.
14 And with all the miracles he was allowed to perform on behalf of the first beast, he deceived all the people who belong to this world. he ordered the people to make a great statue of the first beast, who was fatally wounded and then came back to life.
15 he was then permitted to give life to this statue so that it could speak. Then the statue of the beast commanded that anyone refusing to worship it must die.
16 he required everyone—small and great, rich and poor, free and slave—to be given a mark on the right hand or on the forehead.
17 And no one could buy or sell anything without that mark, which was either the name of the beast or the number representing his name.
18 Wisdom is needed here. Let the one with understanding solve the meaning of the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. his number is 666.
Those three numbers are known by most of the world to represent demonic, end of the world evil!
To some it’s meaningless, or an unlucky set of numbers.
What’s this all about?
Revelation 13:11
11 Then I saw another beast come up out of the earth. he had two horns like those of a lamb, but he spoke with the voice of a dragon.
The first beast rose out of the sea…(a “sea” of people.) This beast rises up out of the earth.
That seems to imply that this beast is a man, who has…“two horns” like a lamb.
(The “two horn” may be symbolic of the religious and political power this beast will have.)
https://hermeneutics.stackexchange.com/questions/5796/the-two-witnesses-and-the-two-horns-of-the-beast, paraphrased
Lambs are cute, fluffy, and tiny and playful…who doesn’t like a baby lamb?!
But this man, this beast who appears innocent and non-threatening has the “voice of a dragon” [satan]. He is the mouthpiece of satan.
He will not be what he appears to be. He will be a true wolf in sheep’s clothing, spewing lies and blasphemy!
Revelation 13:12
12 he exercised all the authority of the first beast. And he required all the earth and its people to worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed.
The first beast, the antichrist, sought worship for himself, and to the dragon/satan.
This beast does not seek self-worship, but promotes worship of the antichrist and the dragon/satan. He will work in harmony with the antichrist and satan.
Now, we have a three-fold counterfeit trinity. (satan, antichrist, false prophet)
Remember how we have talked about the fact that the Bible establishes the need for witnesses.
1 John 5:7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.
Here we have satan’s attempt at this.
After the antichrist’s fake death and resurrection…the false prophet will inspire, and move the world to worship the antichrist and a statue.
Before this point in time, after the rapture of the church and the beginning of the seven year tribulation period the antichrist, while dominating the world, will do so through a cloak of establishing peace.
In the beginning there will be religious tolerance.
The antichrist will make an agreement with the Jews to re-establish themselves so that they can return to a sacrificial form of worship held in a rebuilt temple, in Jerusalem.
But, mid-way during this seven-year agreement…the antichrist will break his word with them (Dan. 9:27).
he breaks this agreement because his plan all along is to bring the world together and then set up worship and allegiance toward himself, and satan.
Revelation 13:13
He did astounding miracles, even making fire flash down to earth from the sky while everyone was watching.
We are back to the false prophet again. he performs miracles, great wonders. he brings fire down from heaven.
Remember, Elijah called fire down from heaven. he will do great, deceptive things. he will deceive/mislead people.
Revelation 13:14
14 And with all the miracles he was allowed to perform on behalf of the first beast, he deceived all the people who belong to this world. he ordered the people to make a great statue of the first beast, who was fatally wounded and then came back to life.
15 he was then permitted to give life to this statue so that it could speak. Then the statue of the beast commanded that anyone refusing to worship it must die.
This idol will be set up in the temple that the Jews will build. The false prophet, the mouthpiece of satan/antichrist will move people to pledge their worship/allegiance to this idol.
You may wonder why the need for this speaking idol?
satan has long used idols to drive man away from God.
Jeremiah 10:14
14 The whole human race is foolish and has no knowledge! The craftsmen are disgraced by the idols they make, for their carefully shaped works are a fraud. These idols have no breath or power.
Psalm 135:15-18
15 The idols of the nations are merely things of silver and gold, shaped by human hands.
16 They have mouths but cannot speak,
and eyes but cannot see.
17 They have ears but cannot hear,
and mouths but cannot breathe.
18 And those who make idols are just like them,
as are all who trust in them.
Exodus 20:3-5
3 “You must not have any other god but Me.
4 “You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea.
5 You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods.
Why this speaking idol that will appear to be alive? For no other reason than God said not to have idols! He knew it would be a stumbling block that satan would use to deceive mankind.
Deuteronomy 13:1-3
1 “Suppose there are prophets among you or those who dream dreams about the future, and they promise you signs or miracles,
2 and the predicted signs or miracles occur. If they then say, ‘Come, let us worship other gods’—gods you have not known before—
3 do not listen to them. The Lord your God is testing you to see if you truly love Him with all your heart and soul.
This blasphemy of God by satan/his false trinity will set apart those for God, and those against God during the Great Tribulation.
Remember Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (Dan. 3)? King Nebuchadnezzar had a golden image built and all the people in his kingdom were to worship that image. Those that would not bow down were cast into a fiery furnace.
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego did not bow to the image, but only worshiped God.
The king ordered them thrown into the furnace…and that furnace was so hot that the very soldiers who threw them in, died from the heat.
There in the flames, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego stood…not a hair singed on their body…and the Bible records that…
Dan. 3:24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished; and he rose in haste and spoke, saying to his counselors, "Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?" They answered and said to the king, "True, O king."
25 "Look!" he answered, "I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God."
-NKJV
“They didn’t bend, they didn’t bow, they didn’t burn! They were protected by the Fourth Man in the fire!” (Old Statler Brothers Song)
Here in Revelation those who do not worship this image will be martyred/killed.
Revelation 13:16-17
16 he required everyone—small and great, rich and poor, free and slave—to be given a mark on the right hand or on the forehead.
17 And no one could buy or sell anything without that mark, which was either the name of the beast or the number representing his name.
This mark of the beast, the Bible says, will be on the unbelievers right hand, or forehead. You will not be able to buy or sell without it.
This mark is not a tv/cable box, computer, the internet (“www”), your phone, QR codes, or an embedded chip (“on”, not “in”)!
Believer (follower of Christ!) you do not need to worry, nor have anxiety about accidentally or inadvertently, taking the mark of the beast!
This happens during the second half of the Great Tribulation. Those living then will need to be concerned about it.
And, no one will take the mark by accident! It will be a clear choice, a line in the sand decision…
To be clear, many will be deceived into taking the mark. But, they will choose to be deceived!
Revelation 3:18
18 Wisdom is needed here. Let the one with understanding solve the meaning of the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. his number is 666.
Since John penned these words many have tried to figure out/solve the meaning of those numbers.
We know that the number 6 represents man in scripture. Man was created on the sixth day.
The number 7 represents God who rested from all He created on the 7th day. 7 represents His perfection and also rest.
Six, the number of man is short of 7, the number of God.
Man has always fallen short of God! That’s why man needs a Savior!
Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
God provided that Savior through His Son!
Romans 3:24 Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
While there have been many predictions of what the mark of the beast, 666 means, and how it will play out…the wisdom that is needed here will be revealed to those seeking wisdom at that time.
Facing death or taking the mark…many will read God’s Word/His Wisdom and will make a decision as to whom to believe!
Don’t consume yourself with this mystery…consume yourself with knowing Jesus!
Life Application:
-Anything can become an idol in your life!
“You must not have any other god but Me. Exodus 20:3
Whatever you love more than Him is an idol you built with your hands!
Get rid of anything that you love more than Jesus!
1 Chronicles 16:25-26
25 For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise;
He is to be feared above all gods.
26 For all the gods of the nations are idols,
but the Lord made the heavens.
-People often do not want to accept the Bible because they do not understand it, thus they do not believe it!
You do not have to understand everything in God’s Word to believe!
2 Corinthians 5:7
For we walk by faith, not by sight.
Faith is not understanding. Faith is trusting God! Trusting His Word! It is living/choosing how to live based on your trust of His Truth!
All people alive during the Great Tribulation will come to a point where they will have to choose whom they believe/trust!
If they choose Christ, they will be killed for their choice! They will have to trust that by not taking the mark of the beast and facing death it will be worth it! All, because of God’s Word, His wisdom, and His promises! They will have to trust that Truth to be true!
Everyday, in everything you do, in every way you live, with every decision/choice you make…you do so trusting something, or someone! (“walk by faith, not by sight.” 2 Cor. 5:7)
Trust Jesus!
Galatians 2:20
My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
As a believer, you don’t trust the way you used too! Nor, do you trust in the world, nor in what the world trusts in! That’s the blind leading the blind!
The blind/lost should never lead your way…they don’t know the way!
You see through the eyes of faith in Jesus, He is the Way, the Truth, the Life! (John 14:6)
Hebrews 10:37-38
37 “For in just a little while,
the Coming One will come and not delay.
38 And My righteous ones will live by faith.
But I will take no pleasure in anyone who turns away.”
39 But we are not like those who turn away from God to their own destruction. We are the faithful ones, whose souls will be saved.
