The Book of Revelation (part 23)

Revelation 13:1-10

The Beast from the Sea

10.21.2020

Revelation 4 shows God as the creator, owner, and sustainer of all things. The Sovereign. The Almighty. He alone is worthy to bring fair judgments and justice into a fallen world.

Revelation 5 shows God with a scroll in His right hand, the hand of authority. The scroll is God’s title deed to the earth. He is the earth’s rightful owner and is preparing to take it back from His enemy Satan, who took the authority over it from Adam and Eve when they sinned.

In Revelation 6, we looked at the opening of 6 of the 7 seals on the scroll in God’s right hand.

Revelation 7 is a parenthesis between the 6^th and 7^th seals, showing God’s protection of Jews before the Day of the Lord wrath begins, and shows the raptured saints in heaven before God’s wrath is poured out.

The rapture of the church occurs after the 6^th seal is opened and the cosmic disturbances happen in Revelation 6, beginning with verse 12. The rapture ends this period of severe terror by antiChrist, and prepares the way for the 7^th seal to be opened and the Day of the Lord to begin.

Revelation 8 is the beginning of the Day of the Lord, which is when the wrath of God is being poured out.

Understand that there is a clear pattern or sequence of events that is transpiring in Revelation.

The scroll in God’s right hand has been unsealed. The church of the Lord Jesus will be here for the breaking of the first 6 seals on the scroll as mentioned in Revelation 6.

But the church is taken out before the 7^th seal is broken. The 7^th seal opens the scroll in God’s hand. The obvious contents of the scroll are 7 trumpets, which begin the wrath of God unleashed on those without Christ who follow Satan’s plans. After the 7 trumpets are 7 bowls containing the final outpouring of the wrath of God.

In Revelation 8 and 9 are the Trumpet Judgments .

First Trumpet: Vegetation affected

Second Trumpet: The Seas Struck – salt water affected

Third Trumpet: The Waters Struck – fresh water affected

Fourth Trumpet: The Heavens Struck

Fifth Trumpet: Locusts from the bottomless pit – demonic forces attack people

Sixth Trumpet: Angels from the Euphrates – fallen angels and demonic forces attack people

Some believe that the time period of the trumpet judgments is about two years or so. It’s really hard to know for sure. We do know that the antiChrist rules for 3½ years and then turns against Israel. From that time to the blowing of the last or 7^th trumpet is 3½ years.

The Great Tribulation (the period of intense persecution right after the antiChrist turns against Israel) will last for 1 to 1½ years. No one is quite sure. Just think about this, so that when the antiChrist appears with the peace agreement with Israel, you will have an idea of how long we have before the rapture of the church.

Revelation 10

Revelation 10 is another interlude (pause) between events and begins a series of events that will culminate with the return of Jesus!

An angel, the Lord Jesus, appears, and a scroll is opened which contains what will happen in Revelation 11 with two witnesses, the 2^nd coming of Christ at the blowing of the 7^th trumpet, and then the bowl judgments that will cleanse the earth during the 75 extra days after the 70^th week of Daniel is completed.

 

75 additional days

After the 7-year period, there are 75 additional days added for God to cleanse the earth and prepare for the Millennial reign of Jesus. 30 of those days will be for the 7 bowl judgments to quickly bring the antiChrist and his armies to defeat, and then 45 of those days are an interim between the battle of Armageddon and the 1000-year rule of Christ.

Daniel 12:11-13 (NKJV)

And from the time that the daily sacrifice is taken away, and the abomination of desolation is set up, there shall be one thousand two hundred and ninety days. 12 Blessed is he who waits, and comes to the one thousand three hundred and thirty-five days. 13 But you, go your way till the end; for you shall rest, and will arise to your inheritance at the end of the days.

The time period between the antiChrist desecrating the rebuilt temple and his defeat at Armageddon is 3½ years plus 3O days.

Jesus returns when the 7^th trumpet is blown, and is here during the bowl judgments. He goes back and brings believers with Him from Heaven to help Him with the last battle (Armageddon).

Revelation 11

The events of Revelation 11 are contained in the scroll in the angel’s hand in Revelation 10.

These events include the measuring of the temple, the desecration of Jerusalem, information about the ministry of the two witnesses, and the blowing of the 7^th trumpet, which is the 2^nd coming of Christ to earth, and the bowl judgments that will be a final cleansing of the earth from sin.

Revelation 12

Interlude. Overview.

Revelation 12 is looking back over the years of time to give us a broad view of what is happening as God retakes the earth as His own.

There is a tremendous spiritual battle that takes place. Satan and his fallen angels are dethroned from their hierarchy around the earth, and they fall to the earth.

Revelation 13

In this chapter, the character of the antiChrist and what he will put the world through during the last 3½ years of his rule on earth will be shown. He will lose and lose big, but he will also leave a terrible path of destruction on earth. Some serious persecution is ahead. Get ready.

Revelation 13:1 (NKJV)

Then I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name.

The sea refers to the sea of humanity, specifically the Gentile nations, and the beast is the antiChrist.

Here, the beast rising out of the sea is the antiChrist rising to power.

The 7 heads refer to kingdoms or empires that have dominated Israel since it became a nation. The 7 heads are represented in the authority given to this beast. He gains his power from their previous rulership and authority exerted in the past over the nation of Israel.

The previous heads or kingdom are Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome, and Islam. The same demonic force moving these past empires to attack Israel are at work in the antiChrist.

The 10 horns are various rulers that overan these empires over the centuries of time.

This beast is mentioned in Daniel:

Daniel 7:7-8 (NKJV)

After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, exceedingly strong. It had huge iron teeth; it was devouring, breaking in pieces, and trampling the residue with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns. 8 I was considering the horns, and there was another horn, a little one, coming up among them, before whom three of the first horns were plucked out by the roots. And there, in this horn, were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking pompous words.

The little horn mentioned here is the antiChrist.

This beast is mentioned in Revelation 17:

Revelation 17:3 (NKJV)

So he carried me away in the Spirit into the wilderness. And I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast which was full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.

This beast, or the antiChrist, had on his heads a blasphemous name. Satan has always sought to malign God and His work on the earth.

Here are some character traits of this man, antiChrist, and how he is the opposite of who Jesus Christ is:

1. Jesus is the Son of God, and antiChrist is the offspring of Satan himself.
2. Jesus is the beginning of and represents a new race of people, those born again, or born from above. AntiChrist is diabolical and represents the absolute worst of sinful humanity.
3. Jesus was motivated and empowered for ministry by the Holy Spirit, and the antiChrist is motivated by Satan himself to do what he does. He will be demon-possessed!
4. Jesus lived in heaven before He came to earth. AntiChrist was embodied in all of the empires or kingdoms through the centuries of time that persecuted Israel and tried to hinder God’s plan.
5. Jesus was crucified. AntiChrist will receive a fatal wound and die.
6. Jesus was resurrected and will never die again. AntiChrist will be imprisoned forever in the Lake of Fire.
7. Jesus is the seed or offspring of Abraham, and the antiChrist is the offspring or descendant of Satan from the tower of Babel. Satan through antiChrist will once again seek to unite the world.
8. Those who follow Jesus will be blessed for eternity. Those who follow antiChrist will be doomed for eternity.

Revelation 13:2 (NKJV)

Now the beast which I saw was like a leopard, his feet were like the feet of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority.

Daniel saw this same beast too:

Daniel 7:3-6 (NKJV)

And four great beasts came up from the sea, each different from the other. 4 The first was like a lion, and had eagle’s wings. I watched till its wings were plucked off; and it was lifted up from the earth and made to stand on two feet like a man, and a man’s heart was given to it. 5 And suddenly another beast, a second, like a bear. It was raised up on one side, and had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. And they said thus to it: ‘Arise, devour much flesh!’

6 After this I looked, and there was another, like a leopard, which had on its back four wings of a bird. The beast also had four heads, and dominion was given to it.

Daniel 7:7 (NKJV)

After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, exceedingly strong. It had huge iron teeth; it was devouring, breaking in pieces, and trampling the residue with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns.

A Leopard is the symbol of Turkey (former Grecian Empire). He will move swiftly.

A Bear is the symbol of Iran (Persian Empire). Represents great power.

A Lion is the symbol of Iraq/Saudi Arabia (Babylon). Represents authority.

Revelation 13:3 (NKJV)

And I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world marveled and followed the beast.

Remember that the heads represent kingdoms that once ruled over Israel and the Middle East.

At the time of the antiChrist, one of the kingdoms that was mortally wounded, comes back alive.

Revelation 17:8-11 (NKJV)

The beast that you saw was, and is not, and will ascend out of the bottomless pit and go to perdition. And those who dwell on the earth will marvel, whose names are not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world, when they see the beast that was, and is not, and yet is. 9 Here is the mind which has wisdom: The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits. 10 There are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, and the other has not yet come. And when he comes, he must continue a short time. 11 The beast that was, and is not, is himself also the eighth, and is of the seven, and is going to perdition.

The 8^th empire to rule over the Middle East and Israel comes from the 7^th empire.

The 7^th empire to rule over the Middle East and Israel was the Ottoman Empire which conquered the 6^th, the Western Roman Byzantine Empire in 1453. Mehmet ll conquered Constantinople in 1453, and ruled the Middle East and Israel until after WW1.

This empire will resurrect and become the empire of the antiChrist.

There is a ruler in the Middle East whose major ambition is to resurrect the neo-Ottoman empire…guess who?

Revelation 13:4-7 (NKJV)

So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?” 5 And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months. 6 Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven. 7 It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation.

The antiChrist will rule for 3½ years. He will seriously persecute Christians and Jews.

Revelation 12:17 (NKJV)

And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

This indicates that the antiChrist may terrorize the whole world.

He will enact a one-world government, economy, and religion.

Will that include us in the USA? In my opinion, that will be determined by how we vote in November. We will either allow another few years of freedom, or we will acquiesce to the one-world system, where the antiChrist will work in league with the governments of the world politically, economically, and spiritually.

Revelation 13:8-10 (NKJV)

All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. 9 If anyone has an ear, let him hear. 10 He who leads into captivity shall go into captivity; he who kills with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.

The church will be here during the first part of the antiChrist’s reign. We will be here during the great tribulation that Jesus spoke of in Matthew 24:21-29.

Matthew 24:21-22 (NLT)

For there will be greater anguish than at any time since the world began. And it will never be so great again. 22 In fact, unless that time of calamity is shortened, not a single person will survive. But it will be shortened for the sake of God’s chosen ones.

So now is the time for you and me to prepare for what is to come. There is coming a serious time of persecution.

Are you ready for it?

Will you acquiesce to the demands of the antiChrist to save your own skin?

Do you love Jesus enough to stand your ground in the coming persecution?

Listen again to Paul:

2 Thessalonians 2:1-12 (NKJV)

Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, 2 not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. 3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, 4 who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.

5 Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? 6 And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, 10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, 12 that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

In our next lesson, we will cover Revelation 13:11-18. As if this beast called anitiChrist weren’t enough, another beast rises up, not from hell, but from the earth. We’ll start here next time.