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Past Ponderings

Saturday, June 10, 2017

PONDERING... There Be Dragons part 2 (Revelation 13-14)

There Be Dragons (Part 2)
GIST: Satan will work to usurp God’s authority, wreaking havoc on earth and misleading many, but in the end, the Truth wins.
SCRIPTURE: Revelation 13-14
I must admit, this week has been very long. Between taking care of sick children, preparing for the morning and evening services, teaching summer school, and coaching 6-7 year old baseball...there has been very little sleep. This lesson, therefore, is not as “typed out” as I would like. For that, I ask your forgiveness.
However, this also exemplifies the point being made in these two chapters. In this world there will be opposition, but standing strong is most definitely worth the cost. Now, these situational distractions are minor in the grand scheme of spiritual warfare, as we’ve been seeing these past two weeks, but battles that will be waged to pull you from Christ and His purpose will come in many different forms. Nonetheless, we must never forget they are constantly coming.
Last week we looked at chapter 12 and saw the big picture of Satan working on earth until Jesus returns. He is defeated and angry, and therefore, his wrath is deliberate and real. In chapters 13-14, we see a continuation of this picture. These chapters have been amongst the most frequently debated. I do not want to get into those squabbles. What we see is Satan mimicking God (3 Beasts= Unholy Trinity) and misleading many. Yet, in the end, truth wins, so stay strong in the Lord.
There is a TON here, but I’m just going to break this down in more of a “highlights mode”. In class, we’ll be talking through questions that you have in more detail. If you’re just stumbling on this and want to know more, feel free to contact me directly, and I’ll do my prayerful best.
13 And I saw a beast rising out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads, with ten diadems on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads. 2 And the beast that I saw was like a leopard; its feet were like a bear's, and its mouth was like a lion's mouth. And to it the dragon gave his power and his throne and great authority. 3 One of its heads seemed to have a mortal wound, but its mortal wound was healed, and the whole earth marveled as they followed the beast. 4 And they worshiped the dragon, for he had given his authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast, and who can fight against it?”
5 And the beast was given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words, and it was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two months. 6 It opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against God, blaspheming his name and his dwelling,[a] that is, those who dwell in heaven. 7 Also it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them.[b] And authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation, 8 and all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain. 9 If anyone has an ear, let him hear:
10 If anyone is to be taken captive,
   to captivity he goes;
if anyone is to be slain with the sword,
   with the sword must he be slain.
Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints.

1. WHO IS THIS FIRST BEAST?
Probably the most common assumption is that this is the figure referred to as the Antichrist. Interestingly, this term is never used in Revelation, but only in the letters of John, where he also says that there will be many antichrists. So, the idea is not that there will be one person who will embody this one time, but that there will be opposition which comes from Satan ( And to it the dragon gave his power and his throne and great authority) and tries to appear like Jesus (One of its heads seemed to have a mortal wound, but its mortal wound was healed, and the whole earth marveled as they followed the beast), but stands against Him (And the beast was given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words).
This opposition will have authority (with ten horns and seven heads, with ten diadems on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads. 2 And the beast that I saw was like a leopard; its feet were like a bear's, and its mouth was like a lion's mouth. And to it the dragon gave his power and his throne and great authority.), and will continue to come in waves from now until Jesus returns (and it was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two months). Though it might seem for a time to be destroyed (but its mortal wound was healed), it will always return making resistance seem futile (4 And they worshiped the dragon, for he had given his authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast, and who can fight against it?”...7 Also it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them.[b] And authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation, 8 and all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain. 9 If anyone has an ear, let him hear: 10 If anyone is to be taken captive, to captivity he goes; if anyone is to be slain with the sword, with the sword must he be slain.)
So, is it futile? No. (Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints). Like always, Jesus is giving us a clear and honest picture. This will happen. It will be hard. Everything will seem like it is going against Him, but it’s not over yet!

The Second Beast

11 Then I saw another beast rising out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb and it spoke like a dragon. 12 It exercises all the authority of the first beast in its presence,[c] and makes the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose mortal wound was healed. 13 It performs great signs, even making fire come down from heaven to earth in front of people, 14 and by the signs that it is allowed to work in the presence of[d] the beast it deceives those who dwell on earth, telling them to make an image for the beast that was wounded by the sword and yet lived.15 And it was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast might even speak and might cause those who would not worship the image of the beast to be slain. 16 Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave,[e] to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, 17 so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name. 18 This calls for wisdom: let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is 666.[f]

2. WHAT’S GOING ON WITH THIS SECOND BEAST?
Again, we have the last piece of the unholy trinity here. This beast is later called the “false prophet”. The idea is that of false teachers pointing people to the first beast, and, therefore, Satan. Like the false magicians in Egypt, they will perform signs and miracles to try and give validity to this lie--and people will believe it. This image seems to parody the two witnesses from chapter 11 (it had two horns like a lamb and it spoke like a dragon). Just as the Church witnesses faithfully for Christ, so will there be active witnesses against Him. And they will be very persuasive (16 Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave,[e] to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, 17 so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name. 18 This calls for wisdom: let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is 666.[f])
Now, we’ve addressed this before, and, oh my, there have been about a bazillion proposed answers for what this number means. However, in the context, I think we see what it means. The people of God were said to also be sealed with a mark, which meant they were Gods. In allusion to Deuteronomy 6:8 (8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.), the idea here presented is being marked in thought (head) and deed (hands) as being “of God”. In the same way, the followers of Satan will be marked by their thoughts and deeds as...not God--666 the number of man, incomplete in comparison with 777. The result? Those who follow God will suffer persecution to the point of not even being able to participate in the market place. Don’t you see this happening already? What happens to a Christian Baker who refuses to cater a homosexual wedding?

The Lamb and the 144,000

14 Then I looked, and behold, on Mount Zion stood the Lamb, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father's name written on their foreheads. 2 And I heard a voice from heaven like the roar of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder. The voice I heard was like the sound of harpists playing on their harps, 3 and they were singing a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and before the elders. No one could learn that song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. 4 It is these who have not defiled themselves with women, for they are virgins. It is these who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These have been redeemed from mankind as firstfruits for God and the Lamb, 5 and in their mouth no lie was found, for they are blameless.

The Messages of the Three Angels

6 Then I saw another angel flying directly overhead, with an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and language and people. 7 And he said with a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come, and worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water.”
8 Another angel, a second, followed, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, she who made all nations drink the wine of the passion[g] of her sexual immorality.”
9 And another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10 he also will drink the wine of God's wrath, poured full strength into the cup of his anger, and he will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. 11 And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name.”
12 Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.[h]
13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Blessed indeed,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!”

The Harvest of the Earth

14 Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and seated on the cloud one like a son of man, with a golden crown on his head, and a sharp sickle in his hand. 15 And another angel came out of the temple, calling with a loud voice to him who sat on the cloud, “Put in your sickle, and reap, for the hour to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is fully ripe.”16 So he who sat on the cloud swung his sickle across the earth, and the earth was reaped.
17 Then another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle. 18 And another angel came out from the altar, the angel who has authority over the fire, and he called with a loud voice to the one who had the sharp sickle, “Put in your sickle and gather the clusters from the vine of the earth, for its grapes are ripe.” 19 So the angel swung his sickle across the earth and gathered the grape harvest of the earth and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. 20 And the winepress was trodden outside the city, and blood flowed from the winepress, as high as a horse's bridle, for 1,600 stadia.[i]

3. OK, SO WHY TALK ABOUT CHAPTER 14 NOW, TOO?
Again, we could break down so many wonderful images here, but the picture is one we’ve seen before--the saved in Heaven contrasted with the lost in Hell. This world may seem to be crumbling around us. But that is not the end of the story. Wretched as we are, if we have been saved by Jesus, we will be called pure and blameless and sing a new song of praise to Him. We will be part of the great harvest taken into His presence. If not… 8 Another angel, a second, followed, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, she who made all nations drink the wine of the passion[g] of her sexual immorality.”
9 And another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10 he also will drink the wine of God's wrath, poured full strength into the cup of his anger, and he will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. 11 And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name…. 19 So the angel swung his sickle across the earth and gathered the grape harvest of the earth and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. 20 And the winepress was trodden outside the city, and blood flowed from the winepress, as high as a horse's bridle, for 1,600 stadia.[i]

Final takeaway? How about we just read Revelation 14:12 again:
12 Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.[h]

Need More?

Again, I apologize for my brevity in context today. It has admittedly sermon #3 for the day. So, here’s some solid resources: Sam Storms Lessons 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

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