Seals And Trumpets And Bowls, Part 2 (Revelation 13-16) Series

Seals and Trumpets and Bowls, Part Two

(Revelation 13-16)

Good morning. I’d like you to turn to Revelation 13, as we continue part two of a sermon I started last week on the seals, trmupets, and bowls judgments in Revelation 6-16. This morning, we are going to finish up by talking about the Beasts and the Bowls.

On October 30, 1938, Orson Welles performed a live radio drama of The War of the Worlds. If you don’t know The War of the Worlds, it’s a novel written by HG Wells in the 19th century about a Martian invasion of Earth. And Orson Welles (no relation) thought it would be an entertaining Halloween program to imagine the invasion happening in 20th century America.

It was clearly introduced as fiction — but many people tuned in late.

And what they heard sounded real.

Breaking news bulletins. A reporter on the scene from a site in New Jersey where a flying saucer had landed. Scientists giving analysis. The other-worldly sounds of a Martian heat ray being deployed. Screaming. Sirens. Soldiers mobilizing. Entire towns being vaporized.

It was so convincing that people started fleeing their homes, calling police, even running into churches thinking the end of the world had come.

The problem wasn’t that Welles lied.

The problem was that the imitation sounded close enough to the truth that people couldn’t tell the difference.

That’s exactly what Revelation 13 warns us about:

a world that falls not for obvious evil, but for almost truth —

a counterfeit father, a counterfeit messiah, a counterfeit spirit.

The danger has never been outright lies. For the most part, we are smart enough to filter out the blatant lies. No, the danger has always been the counterfeit that seems plausible.

The truth is, Revelation doesn’t show us monsters to scare us—it shows us counterfeits so we won’t fall for them.

And that’s why we need these chapters.

• Not to make us anxious, but to make us alert.

• Not to make us fearful, but to make us faithful.

• Not to terrify the church, but to train the church.

So this morning, as we open God’s Word,

we aren’t studying symbols for curiosity’s sake—

we’re learning how to stand firm in a world full of imitation.

Would you stand with me for the reading of Scripture?

[Read Revelation 13:1-10]

This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

[pray]

THE BEASTS: SATAN’S IMITATION OF GOD’S TRINITY (Revelation 13)

Revelation 13 is probably the most mysterious chapter in the whole Bible. Some of you may have come this morning hoping I’d finally tell you what 666 means. And we will get to that, I promise.

But before we talk about numbers, we need to see something bigger:

Satan’s imitation of the Holy Trinity.

God reveals Himself as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Revelation 12–13 reveals an unholy trinity—the dragon, the beast from the sea, and the beast from the earth.

The dragon is easy to identify because Scripture identifies him for us:

Revelation 12:9 — “that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world…”

So Satan’s counterfeit to God the Father is the dragon.

1. The First Beast — The Counterfeit Son (13:1–10)

Everything the first beast does mirrors what the Son of God does — but twisted and corrupted.

a. He receives authority from the dragon

Verse 2 says the dragon gives him “power and his throne and great authority.”

Just as Jesus receives all authority from the Father (John 5:22; Matt. 28:18),

the beast receives authority from the dragon.

b. He suffers a mortal wound and seems to rise again

Verse 3 describes a wound that appears fatal — and a recovery that astonishes the world.

This points to a political figure (horns symbolize political power). Maybe he will survive an assassination attempt. Or maybe he will be written off as politically DOA yet somehow revives. Whatever it is, the world will embrace him as the chosen one, and will worship him as a counterfeit Christ.

It’s a counterfeit resurrection.

A knockoff Easter.

A parody gospel.

Jesus truly died and truly rose.

The beast appears to die and appears to rise.

And the world responds with worship. Verse 4 says:

“Who is like the beast?”

Echoing the worship meant only for God (Exodus 15:11).

c. He claims authority over the nations

Just as the Messiah rules the nations (Psalm 2),

the beast claims global dominion.

But notice:

Verse 5 — “He was allowed to exercise authority for 42 months.”

Allowed. Permitted. Limited.

Three and a half years — roughly the length of Jesus’ earthly ministry. Roughly the length of a presidential term.

• The Antichrist’s ministry is temporary. Christ’s ministry is eternal.

• Evil has a countdown. Christ does not.