Transcript

The Rise of Satan's Servants-Part Two

Revelation 13:1-18
Sunday, February 7, 2015
Pastor Randy Smith

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Consider with me the progression of any good story. Often it ends on a high note, but along the way there are conflicts. And those conflicts are accompanied by tension, uncertainty and broken hearts. Sometimes the conflict is eternal from forces outside of us. Other times the conflict is internal. Rudy was repeatedly rejected before he was given his opportunity. The marriage is almost over until the couple gets serious about their faith in War Room. Every fairy tale follows this pattern. All hope is lost until Prince Charming comes on the scene.

The Bible has a lot to say about conflict. We know from Scripture that it is during the times of conflict that our faith is tested, that our spiritual life is given an opportunity to mature and that God's good resolution is better appreciated when it arrives. Let's remember, God did not promise us health, wealth and prosperity; He promised us tribulations and His grace in the midst of them.

We see this when we read through the Gospels. The life of Jesus repeatedly shifts between high and low points. And just when you think the Jewish people will accept Him as their Savior on Palm Sunday, a few days later they demand His crucifixion. The lowest point of the story appears to be when He is nailed to a cross and killed. However, we know that turns to be the high point, Good Friday itself. He laid His life down to forgive our sins. He victoriously rose from the dead. He reigns now. And one day His reign will be known to all.

Our life as Christians follows basically the same pattern. We have great days and we have days that are filled with much pain. Yet we know that God is with us even during the tough times promising to work all things together for our good. We also know that God promised us tribulations while here on earth, but has also promised us an eternity in perfect peace when out short time on this planet has concluded. Romans 8:18, "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us."

Though I believe it's scientifically inaccurate, I often hear people citing the idiom, "It's always darkest before the dawn." It seems that often following difficult times are ones with God's greatest blessings. I see this in Scripture (consider the stories of Esther, Ruth, Joshua, Moses) and have definitely witnessed it in my own life from experience. Or if we care to use the Reformers phrase, "After darkness, light."

The greatest light the world will ever see will be the Return of Jesus Christ, 2 Thessalonians 1, when He comes "to give relief to you who are afflicted and to us as well when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, when He comes to be glorified in His saints on that day, and to be marveled at among all who have believed" (2 Thes. 1:7-10).

We'll read about His return and His glorious reign later in Revelation, yet just before His return we see the forces of evil given permission by God for their final, most vicious and darkest push against the church.

Lord willing, I plan to finish chapter 13 before we break for the Lord's Table that is set before us. Chapter 13 depicts two of Satan's key servants. We'll do a brief review of verses 1-10 that describe the first beast (the antichrist) and then we'll cover the new material in verses 11-18 that describes the second beast (the false prophet). And as always, we'll talk about the victory we have in Christ over Satan's losing last-ditch effort to deceive the world.

1. The First Beast (review, verses 1-10)

We've learned a lot about Satan already. Satan is a fallen angel that was cast from heaven along with his demonic horde. He knows his time is short. His primary domain is the earth and his goal is to, 12:17, "make war with… [those] who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus." The rest of Scripture affirms this. He wants God. He can't get at God. So his guns are aimed on God's children.

Yet Satan is not alone in his mission. As I mentioned, he has his demons (other fallen angels) and he also has two principle human servants both introduced to us in chapter 13 and identified as "beasts." In 13:1 last week we learned about the first beast. He is commonly known as the antichrist, an evil political human world leader.

The Apostle John, the author of Revelation, made some comments in in his first epistle that are helpful. 1 John 2:18 he said, "Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have appeared; from this we know that it is the last hour." The final (capital a) antichrist described in Revelation 13 is in line with the other antichrists (small a) that we have seen throughout the history of God's people. God's people have always experienced persecution from world forces, from antichrists: Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia, Greece and in John's time, Rome. I mentioned last week that it's best to see of all these nations as beast empires led by its own human beast or antichrist.

Now, just before the return of Christ there will be a final beast empire led by the final beast or antichrist himself. All these previous antichrists foreshadow the final antichrist. This was made clear last week in verse 2 by John's description of this final antichrist using Daniel's terms to describe the four best empires each led by an antichrist in his vision.

We also learned in verses 1, 5 and 6 that the antichrist will speak blasphemies against God. He's empowered by Satan, verse 2. Like Satan, he makes war with the church, verse 7. The world falls in love with him. They even worship him. Verse 4, "They worshiped the dragon [Satan] because he gave his authority to the beast [antichrist]; and they worshiped the beast, saying, 'Who is like the beast, and who is able to wage war with him?'" Verse 8 likewise says, "All who dwell on the earth will worship him, [that is] everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain." Implication, God's people are written in the book of life and they are the ones, mainly the only ones that will now bow down to this leader loved by the world, yet filled with hatred for God and His church.

2. The Second Beast (verses 11-18)

Our time is fleeting so we need to move on to the new material.

In verse 11 we read, "Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb and he spoke as a dragon."

So another figure comes on the scene also known as a beast, similar, but different from the first beast. Remember from verse 1 the first beast came up from the "sea." The sea is the symbol of evil. Yet here in verse 11 we see this beast coming up from the "earth." We'll see he is evil as well, but he's not as terrifying. The second beast's power lies in his ability to deceive. Reason being us what we see in verse 11. Hhe is described as having "two horns like a lamb and [speaking] as a dragon."

The symbolism here is significant. There is a gentle persona of this beast. To many he appears harmless like a "lamb." Yet it says he speaks as a "dragon." It's not that he hisses and breathes fire, but rather he's like the dragon (Satan himself) we were introduced to already in chapter 12. His speech appears gentle and persuasive, but just like the one empowering him, he's deceptive, cunning and to many, very convincing. Rarely do we see Satan coming off as the blood-drooling, roaring lion filled with wrath monster that he is. Rather he's seen as the gentle persuader, a deceptive serpent, the prince of darkness disguised as an angel of light (2 Cor. 11:14, cf. verse 15). Think of the white witch from Narnia. This is the second beast.

This second beast is commonly known as the false prophet. And as Jesus said, "Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves." There you go! As the antichrist is the embodiment of all other antichrists, the false prophet is the embodiment of all the other false prophets. As the antichrist is of a political nature, the false prophet of a religious nature.

And if I had the time, here is where I would insert my warnings about the many false teachers so-called Christians are falling for today.

Anyway, now the unholy trinity is now complete before us. Comprising the Holy Trinity we have the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. And in his desire to continually copy God, Satan has formulated his own trinity made up of himself, the antichrist and the false prophet. And just as it is within the Holy Trinity there is a submissive structure within the unholy trinity. As the Son is submissive to do the Father's will (Jn. 8:29), the antichrist is submissive to do Satan's will. And as the Holy Spirit seeks to bring people into the worship of Christ (Jn. 16:14), the false prophet as we will see will seek to bring people into the worship of the antichrist.

Verse 12 makes that clear: "He [the second beast] exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence. And he makes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose fatal wound was healed."

And his religious nature is seen in verse 13. "He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down out of heaven to the earth in the presence of men." The false prophet is all about deception, and what a great way to deceive through his ability to do miracles. We know from 2 Thessalonians 2:9 that the first beast's coming is in "accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders." Here we see it is no different for the second beast.

There are more interesting parallels. Elijah was a forerunner to John the Baptist who prepared a way for the Christ by calling fire down from heaven (1 Ki. 18:38). In the same way we see the false prophet doing the same miracle in verse 13 as he prepares the way for the antichrist.

Verse 14, "And he deceives those who dwell on the earth because of the signs which it was given him to perform in the presence of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who had the wound of the sword and has come to life."

In addition to miracles, another way he helps people worship the first beast is through idolatry. I find it amazing that the world has degenerated so far from God that they are actually deceived into worshipping physical idols. Of course the majority of humans have rejected God for idols today, but the idols we worship are more sophisticated - money, recreation, sex, popularity, alcohol, celebrities, entertainment. As a society, it's clear that we've given our hearts over, our time and our money over to find our pleasure and satisfaction and fulfillment in things other than the living God. Yet before the return of Christ, the world is so lost and deceived that it has gravitated back to the base and superstitious and instinctive nature of the flesh. Total apostasy, Paul said in 2 Thessalonians 2:3. Romans 1:23, "They have "exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures."

And regarding these idols, verse 15, "And it was given him [the false prophet] to give breath to the image of the beast [the antichrist], so that the image of the beast would even speak and cause as many as do not worship the image of the beast to be killed."

Here we again have Satan copying God. He's already attempted a fake resurrection, verses 12 and 14 in coming back from the dead - that is another beast empire is back on the scene when it seemed the evil superpowers had all ceased. Here he is trying to copy God in the garden. We see him taking a dead image, giving breath to the image and causing the image to speak. Is that special effects, or demonic powers, I don't know, but the world will worship this image of the antichrist and those who refuse, verse 15 says, will be killed.

Verse 16, "And he [the false prophet] causes all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free men and the slaves, to be given a mark [of the first beast] on their right hand or on their forehead."

The listing of all the people groups in verse 16 is the author's attempt to emphasize the fact that the command to worship the image is universal and the demand to align with him is universal as well. All will be expected to receive the mark of the beast that will set a person aside as a loyal follower of the antichrist.

Again more copying of God.Remember in chapter 7 (7:3) we learned that God will mark (or seal) His servants. Satan through the second beast is seen here doing the same. God's elect are sealed on the forehead to escape God's final wrath on earth, while Satan's followers are sealed in a similar way to escape Satan's final wrath on earth. You will get a mark and you will face wrath. Whose mark will you take and whose wrath will you receive?

So what exactly is this mark? The speculation is endless. Those who take it symbolically do not see it as a literal mark, but rather an identification of loyalty to the beast seen in listening to him, following him, worshipping him, giving yourself over to him, etc. They see it similar to God's invisible mark on us - an invisible sign of loyalty. Just like we are sealed by the Holy Spirit, it is an invisible mark of ownership.

Others see it as a literal mark, a brand or tattoo. This has been the common interpretation throughout the church age. As you know, many believe it could be a microchip (in a credit-only society) implanted under our skin (forehead, right hand) since verse 17 says "and he provides that no one will be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark, either the name of the beast or the number of his name." So the deception of the false prophet is through false miracles and then the threat of failing to follow the antichrist is economic pressure. No mark, no commercial transitions; no commercial transactions, no food.

And then verse 18, "Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for the number is that of a man; and his number is six hundred and sixty-six."

Possibly no other verse in Revelation has received more attention. Let me just say this, countless people have tried to figure this out using numbers to represent the alphabet (a complex system called "gematria") and all, as far as we know have offered mere speculation. Two-thousand years later and we still have no consensus. When D.A. Carson said in a lecture I attended many years ago, "I have no clue," I think I'm in good company in not trying to suggest possible candidates. Most likely the original audience knew something about this, but 1,900 years later and we can't offer a candidate with certainty. And if the final antichrist is indeed still in the future, all guesses thus far have been wrong.

Interestingly, many scholars see the 666 number just an identification of Satan's unholy trinity. We've learned that seven is the number of perfection. Therefore we can say the Holy Trinity is 777 (each of the three members being a "7"), whereas the unholy trinity is 666 (each of the three members being a "6"). It's the trinity of imperfection. It's as one author said representing failure upon failure upon failure (William Hendricksen).

I'm sure that there were some of you looking forward to this section and hoping for more concrete answers from me. I could provide more historical basis for this if we had the time, but nailing down specific figures would be speculative. Personally I don't think it's very important.

Let's just keep this simple. If we are following Jesus, we have nothing to be concerned about. If we are following Jesus and the truth of His word, we'll pursue righteous living. If there is a literal mark required, we'll clearly know it's not of the Lord. Furthermore, we'll heed His end-time warnings about following "false Christs and false prophets [that] will arise, and will show signs and wonders, in order to lead astray, if possible, the elect" (Mk. 13:22). And when we do these things that He expects of us, we'll have the assurance that we are already sealed and protected by Him. It comes down to simple Christian living. Just follow Revelation 12:17, the verse that identifies true Christians as those who "keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus." We know that whatever happens is from the sovereign hand of God, for His glory and for our ultimate good. He is always with us and will provide the wisdom and strength we need as He always does when we face all kinds of tribulations.