In Chapter 13, we are going to see the coming of what John calls a beast from the sea and a beast from the earth. These two beasts will be leaders who will control what will take place on the earth in the last fourty-two months of the end of this age, before Jesus returns to execute judgement to stop their destuction. In verse 1, John said that he was standing on the sand of the seashore and saw this;
"And I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads,
and on the horns were ten diadems, and on his heads were blasphemous names."
The beasts that comes up out of the sea represents the nations that will be governing the earth during the first 3 1/2 years of the tribulation period. After the realm of Greece comes againsts Persia, who was waging war to it's north, south and west, and subdues them, the realm of Greece will be divided into four different kingdoms. At that time, one of the leaders will make the seven year covenant with the many, as Daniel wrote in his 9th Chapter, verse 27. It will be a time of so called "peace and safety!", as Paul wrote in his first letter to the Thessalonians Chapter 5, verse 3. In the first half of the covenant, it will appear to seem like it is. For Israel will start back up their grain offerings and sacrifices and a capital city of the world will be built in Tyre, Lebanon. John continues in verse 2;
"And the beast which I saw was like a leopard, and his feet were like those of a bear,
and his mouth like the mout of a lion. And the dragon gave him his power and his
throne and great authority."
Daniel wrote in his 7th Chapter, verse 2 and 3, about the four winds of heaven stirring up the great sea and that four beasts(kingdom) were coming up from the sea, different from one another. Daniel describes these beasts in verses 3-7 as one being like a lion, another like a bear and another like a leopard. Daniel describes the fourth beasts in verse 7;
"After this I kept looking in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast dreadful,
terrifying and extremely strong; and it had large iron teeth. It devoured and
crushed and trampled down the remainder with its feet; It will be different from
all the other beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns."
From this fourth dreadful kingdom will come forth ten kings. From these ten kings, one of them will subdue three of the other kings, leaving seven kings. This king that removes the other three will be (IT) the anti-christ, the one who will cause the abomination of desolatition, when he seats himself in the temple of God, making claims of being God. The apostle Paul wrote about this in his 2nd leter to the Thessalonians Chapter 2, verses 3 and 4:
(3)"Let no one in any way deceive you, for it (the day of the Lord) will not come
unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son
of destuction,(4) who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or
object of worship, so that his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as
being God."
One of the ten kings, the one who makes the 7 year covenant, will be slain and will come back to life. When he comes back to life as (IT), he will remove three of the other kings. When Daniel received the interpretation of the forth beast it was explained this way to him in verses 23-25;
(23) "The fourth beasts will be the fourth kingdom on the earth, which will be
different from all the other kingdoms, and it will devour the whole earth and tread
it down and crush it.(24) as for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings
will arise; and another will arise after them, and he will be different from the
previous ones and will subdue three kings.(25) And he will speak out against
the Most High and wear down the saints of the Highest One, and he will intend
to make alterations in times and in law; and they will be given into his hand
for a time, times, and half a time.(3 1/2 years)"
Continuing Revelation Chapter 13, verses 3-8, John writes;
(3)"And I saw one of his heads as if it were slain, and his fatal head was healed.
And the whole earth was amazed and followed after the beast;(4) and they
worshiped the dragon, because he gave his authority to the beast; and they
worshiped the beast, saying, 'Who is like the beast, and who is able to wage war
with him?'(5) And there was given him a mouth speaking arrogant words and
blasphemie; and authority to act for fourty-two months(3 1/2 years) was
given him.(6) and he opened his mouth in blasphemies against God, to blasphemie
His name (Jesus) and His tabernacle, that is those who dwell in heaven.(7) And
it was given to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them; and
authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation was given to him.
(8) And all who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name
has not been written in the book of life of the Lamb that was slain from the
foundation of the world."
What we see here is the leader who comes from the fourth dreadful kingdom, that devours three of this kingdoms kings, when he comes back to life, worshiped by an amazed world. They unknowingly or knowingly worship Satan because Satan gave his authority to this leader. Just like in Daniel, it says that this leader will have 3 1/2 years to speak out against Jesus and come against the saints (believers). Anyone whose names are not recorded in the Lambs book of life, will worship this leader. Those who know the truth and will not worship this leader will pay a price, knowing that their reward is at hand. When a person is born of above, by receiving what Jesus did on the cross to give, to anyone who whould receive it, the gift of eternal life, their names are recorded in the Lambs (Jesus) book of life. Daniel refferenced this book in his last Chapter,12, first verse, when he said;
'.........everyone who is found written in the book, will be rescued.
We will finish with part one of Chapter 13 with verses 9 and 10;
(9) "If anyone has an ear, let him hear.
Whenever this is said, it is very important that the reader hears and understands and acts on what is about to be said;
(10) " If anyone is destined for captivity, to captivity he goes; if anyone kills
with the sword, with the sword he must be killed. Here is the perseverance
and the faith of the saints."
I always define faith as trusting Jesus. For belivers during this time, it is important for them to recognize that their redemption is drawing near. If they must go to prison for not worshiping
this world leader and chosing Jesus over their own lives, knowing that their real life is about to be realized, then amen, let it be. It is good to pre-meditate what you will choose.
Jesus' peace to all of you.
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