WEEK 32
“The Beast from the Earth”
Date: March 19, 2003
Place; Allendale Baptist
Text: Revelation 13:11-18
In our last study, as we began the 13th chapter, it introduced us to the “beast from the sea”. We identified him as being the Antichrist. He is a man that is fully indwelt and empowered by Satan. The 1st Beast is a political leader, a political power and a person, and his power will be worldwide.
Tonight we will look at and study the 2nd Beast; the one who comes out of the earth and is a religious leader.
This 2nd Beast we will see is the False Prophet. We know this because in Revelation 16:13; 19:20 and again in 20:10 he is called the False Prophet.
I mentioned several weeks ago, this threesome will make up what some call the “evil trinity”. Satan or the dragon is the counterfeit Father; the beast is the counterfeit Christ and the false prophet is the counterfeit Holy Spirit.
One of the ministries of the Holy Spirit is to glorify Christ and lead people to trust and worship Him. The false prophet will point to the antichrist and compel people to worship Satan through the beast.
Let’s begin
Verse 11
“Two horns”
A lamb has only 2 small bumps on its head.
This describes the relative weakness compared to the Beast.
This also suggests that the false prophet has authority, but the absence of crowns indicates that his authority is not political.
In Matthew 24:11; 24, Jesus warned that there would be false prophets.
But this one will be the worse ever
“Like a lamb”
This imagery shows the deception that the false prophet will use.
He will appear to be gentle and attractive.
“Spoke like a dragon”
The false prophet will be Satan’s mouth piece and his message will be like the dragon or Satan
Verse 12
“exercises all the authority of the first beast”
This beast will exercise the same kind of satanic power as Antichrist because he is empowered by the same source.
He will have worldwide influence and reputation as a miracle worker and speaker.
I believe with all my heart that is why we need to be real careful about the people we listen to on television and the radio.
Some of these folks speak with great elegance and preach powerful messages but are preaching a false doctrine.
Teena works with a lady that says she is an ordained pastor. Now my Bible says the pastor should be the husband of one wife and I have a difficult time with a woman being the husband of one wife.
“causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast”
“He causes” is used 8 times in speaking of the false prophet.
This false prophet will offer the world something new to worship.
He will establish a false world religion headed by the Antichrist.
“Whose deadly wound was healed” refers back to the first beast in 13:3
Verse 13
“He performs great signs”
This same phrase is used in John 2:11, 23 & 6:2 speaking of Jesus’ miracles.
The purposes of these signs or miracles are to deceive people into worshipping the beast as God.
Verse 14
“make an image”
Many believe this is speaking of the “abomination of desolation” Jesus spoke of in Matthew 24:15; an in Daniel 9:27 and also in 2 Thessalonians 2:4.
The false prophet will erect this image of the beast in the Jerusalem temple.
Verse 15
Isaiah and all the prophets mention the fact that idols cannot speak. Paul also mentions it.
The false prophet will give the image of Antichrist the appearance of life, and the image will utter words.
The penalty of refusing to worship this image of the beast will be death.
Verse 16
In John’s day soldiers were branded by their commanders, slaves were branded by their masters, and those attached to certain pagan temples were branded by the mark of the god or goddess that they worshiped.
Satan will also have a requirement, one that will need to be visible on the right hand or the forehead.
Many even today are wondering what this “mark” will be.
I listened to some guy the other day that talked for hours of how people will receive a barcode in their forehead or on their right hand.
It bothers me that folks are spending more time on what this mark will be, than spending time telling and warning folks about it.
We should be more concerned on telling people how their lives can be marked by receiving Jesus as their Lord and Savior.
Verse 17
The mark of the Antichrist will allow people to participate in daily commerce.
Without this identifying mark people will be cut off from the necessities of life.
This will be a severe test, but true believers will prefer death over receiving the mark, name or number.
In the ancient world, the letters of the alphabet were used for numbers, both in the Greek and the Hebrew.
Bible scholars and others alike have been trying to unravel the mystery of this name and number.
I have listened to enough people to believe that you can make almost any name fit.
Verse 18
This number, 666, has been as one person puts it, a nice little jigsaw puzzle for folks to play with for centuries.
Seven is the number of perfection or completeness.
6 being one number short of 7 suggest man’s imperfection.
One of my favorite commentators says this: “Despite all man’s imaginative calculations, we must confess that no one knows the meaning of this number or name. No doubt believers on earth at that time will understand it clearly. The “satanic trinity” cannot lay claim to the number 7, it has to settle on 666.”
We have reached the middle point of the Tribulation in our study, but we are not ready for the return of Christ. Before the apostle John reveals how this great drama will end, he pauses to overview great events to come.
This will be our next study.
Someone has said an antichristian system pervades our world, and true believers must not be a part of it. We must shun false worship that we may be found faithful to the Lord in these last days!
2 Timothy 3: 1-5 says; “But for this, that in the last days perilous times will come. For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God. Having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away.”
