An Unholy Trinity
The Revelation of Jesus Christ Series • Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 48:29
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Our Labrador will do everything in her power to run and jump in a pond, lake, or river. She loves the rain and snow, sprinklers are a fun toy for her… YET, you mention the word “BATH” and her ears go back, her tail goes between her legs and she does all she can to hide.
It is a similar impression and feeling for us. We observe powerful individuals, authorities, and even false religious leaders… YET, at the mention of “ANTICHRIST” there is a cold chill, it does not bring welcoming images or feelings. There is a sense of wanting to hide.
As a pastor there is the emphatic mandate to “Preach the Word”. I strive to do this well each week and throughout the week as opportunity presents itself.
HOWEVER, there is also a mandate to teach… while all preaching involves teaching… NOT ALL teaching involves preaching. Today, as we look over this 13th Chapter of Revelation there will be a stronger flavor of teaching. There are things we need to know and understand as we come to this portion.
This portion of scripture has brought about some of the most interesting and even careless speculations concerning end times, the antichrist, and his mark or number.
As we go through our text today we see another counterfeit of Satan emerge as he establishes his Unholy Trinity!
We see Satan “The Dragon” set himself as god giving his power and authority to the first beast
We see the beast “antichrist” as a false savior, appearing to die and come to life, sit on a throne and rule
We observe the second beast, the “false prophet” mimic the Holy Spirit directing worship to the antichrist
These three combined deceive, manipulate, and direct worship to Satan himself… what a dark and evil time this will be! It is no wonder that as followers of Jesus Christ, the mention of the antichrist turns our gut and brings a chill… join as we are introduced to him in Revelation 13:1-7
And the dragon stood on the sand of the seashore. Then I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads, and on his horns were ten diadems, and on his heads were blasphemous names. And the beast which I saw was like a leopard, and his feet were like those of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. And the dragon gave him his power and his throne and great authority. I saw one of his heads as if it had been slain, and his fatal wound was healed. And the whole earth was amazed and followed after the beast; 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?” There was given to him a mouth speaking arrogant words and blasphemies, and authority to act for forty-two months was given to him. And he opened his mouth in blasphemies against God, to blaspheme His name and His tabernacle, that is, those who dwell in heaven. It was also 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.
The Beast Loved
The Beast Loved
As we read verse 1 our remembrance of Daniel’s prophecy comes to mind in Daniel 7. We see Daniel describe in order four beast coming up out of the sea (Gentile Nations)… [Daniel chart slide]
We see the first was a Lion being Babylon
The second was a Bear lopsided representing the combining empire of the Medo-Persia
The third was the Leopard (with 4 heads) which was the empire of Greece to come in swiftly and then divide it among the four generals
The fourth beast indicative of Rome however is described in an unusual way… Daniel 7:7-8
“After this I kept looking in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrifying and extremely strong; and it had large iron teeth. It devoured and crushed and trampled down the remainder with its feet; and it was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns. “While I was contemplating the horns, behold, another horn, a little one, came up among them, and three of the first horns were pulled out by the roots before it; and behold, this horn possessed eyes like the eyes of a man and a mouth uttering great boasts.
You probably noticed that the order was reversed in Revelation vs Daniel… that is because Daniel was looking ahead to things to come and John is looking back at things that have come. AND NOW… this fourth BEAST!
Like in Daniel we see that these nations arise from the sea, most likely a gentile (the little horn of Daniel)
Notice his power, throne, and authority is given to the beast / antichrist by Satan directly
ALSO GIVEN: arrogant words… blasphemies… to make war with saints… overcome saints… OVER EVERY tribe, people, tongue & nation… HIS power is GLOBAL!!!
Satan is a powerful enemy and his “standing on the seashore” illustrates his waiting for this day...
A BEAST is deceptive of his character, unrighteous deeds and his evil heart along with the violence of his actions…
John wrote about this antichrist in …
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.
Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son.
For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist.
[timeline slide] We see him come to the forefront in the last seven years and his reign of terror is for forty-two months (3 1/2 years)
The ten horns are ten kingdoms or ruling powers along with their rulers… Revelation 17 describes more of this
The seven heads… the “little horn” of Daniel displaces three of the horns or rulers… of these kingdoms
Counterfeit Resurrection...
there is at some point an incident that appears to take his life and we see a miraculous healing/resurrection
The phrase used here also described the Lamb of God by the throne earlier
It is a fatal would “healed” no doubt by Satan’s power
The deception and delusion of this event lures the people to follow after him!
Did you notice the ultimate worship was to the “DRAGON”… satan himself
WORSHIP: reverence paid to a divine being… extravagant respect or admiration to an object of esteem
to honor or reverence as a divine being or supernatural power
to regard with great or extravagant respect, honor, or devotion
… and this WORSHIP is what is given to Satan and the one he gives his authority to, the antichrist!… Revelation 13:7-10
It was also 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. All who dwell on the earth will worship him, 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. If anyone has an ear, let him hear. 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.
Who Worships?
Who Worships?
ALL… other than those who choose Christ Jesus. This is such a concerning and sad indication of mankind’s hearts.
The book of Life is introduced into Revelation here. It speaks more to it later on and the scriptures as a whole speak to it as well.
For sake of time we will not dwell on it much today… just note:
God knows from the foundation of the earth… He is Omniscient (all knowing)
God knows who are His! He is not confused… there is record!
Life and salvation are solely based on the shed blood of the Lamb of God!
John warns those calls them to LISTEN / PAY ATTENTION…
Following Christ, worshiping Him alone will result in captivity… it will result in death
The saints in this time will need FAITH & PERSEVERANCE!!!
The question has to be asked… WHY WOULD PEOPLE WORSHIP THE BEAST… Revelation 13:11-18
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. He 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. He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down out of heaven to the earth in the presence of men. 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. And it was given to him to give breath to the image of the beast, 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. And he 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 on their right hand or on their forehead, 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. 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.
The Beast Worshiped
The Beast Worshiped
Verse 11 introduces “another beast”… these are two distinct individuals. In Chapter 16 we are given his identification as the “False Prophet” later stated again in 19:20 and 20:10.
The reference of coming from the earth could mean he is Jewish or to indicate or reiterate that he is a man
He is given quite a contrast… two horns like a lamb is indication he is a religious leader who spoke on behalf of the dragon… he SUPPORTS the political ruler of the first beast.
Outwardly religious and inwardly speaking as a dragon… Satan himself
“An angel of light”… even Jesus Himself spoke of this time to come in Matthew 24:23-25
“Then if anyone says to you, ‘Behold, here is the Christ,’ or ‘There He is,’ do not believe him. “For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect. “Behold, I have told you in advance.
The first beast goes from being worshiped as a man to a god! This is pushed and promoted by the “false prophet”
It is done with both deception and force
Fire from heaven… like the magicians opposing Moses
VS 14 he deceives with signs (demonic power and wonders)
DO NOT underestimate the enemy against us
There is an Image Worshiped…
There is some sort of life or appearance of life given to this image of the beast
Is it AI or is it a hologram… is it a robot???
It is an image and it deludes people into worship...
The worship of this image comes from what it says and what it declares
Those who do not worship this image are killed
Well, how do they know who worships the image and who does not…
There is a MARK GIVEN to those who worship the image and the beast...WHAT IS THE MARK???
It is on the right hand or forehead
Visible act of worship, available to be seen by others
It is now a means of purchase and income… (no worship no food, shelter, income, resources) in an already depleted world of food and resources
It is the name of the beast or his number… this mark seals in counterfeit form as the Holy Spirit seals us in Christ Jesus
It is a man who will rule one day as world dictator demanding worship of himself as god
It is a number 666… (soooo many calculations have been done down through the ages)
WARNING: we are called to DISCERN… NOT PREDICT!
His name and his number will be able to be discerned in the time of his rule and his worship… no rulers through the ages have had all these things pertain to them specifically.
REMEMBER: many of these things will be for those who are saints in the time of the tribulation. Like Daniel we read, study, and know these things but Daniel was told these words are for “the end of time”.
There will be those in the tribulation period who pick up the scriptures, read the words of Revelation and discern truth, who understand as they calculate this mark of worship…
Walvoord states: It will be a time of one world government and one world religion, with one world economic system. Those who will resist the ruler and refuse to worship him will be subject to execution, and the martyrs may outnumber the believers who survive. It will be Satan’s final and ultimate attempt to cause the world to worship him and to turn them from the worship of the true God and Jesus Christ as their Savior.… the final form of world religion will be apostate, satanic, and blasphemous.
There are many indications today that the world is heading in this direction, with the corresponding conclusion that the coming of the Lord may be near.
What about us…
What about us…
Today has been more teaching than preaching…
BUT I wanted to teach with a purpose in mind… so that we know and understand…
Our responsibility is not to try and identify calculate or even prevent but rather to know in order that we understand what is coming
As we better understand we will have a true concern for those around us
Their eternal destiny will weigh on our hearts
We as the bride of Christ the Family of God will live in such a way as to REFLECT our Savior Jesus Christ and we will SHARE HIS GOSPEL… the saving work of what Jesus did on the cross for all humanity!
That is why we need to know, why we need to understand!
