Revelation 15

Chapter 15 starts the procession of events that lead to Judgment Day.  At the end of chapter 9, the seventh trumpet sounded as the third woe.  Now, after the interlude of chapters 10-14, we see that the wrath of God will be made complete.

Each of these judgments have come in series of seven.  There were seven Seals, seven Trumpets, and there will be seven Bowls.  Chapter 15 is an introduction to these last seven judgments. 

¹ Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous: seven angels having the seven last plagues, for in them the wrath of God is complete.

These are the “last plagues”.  There are no more beyond these.  Once these are done, the judgment is complete.

² And I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire, and those who have the victory over the beast, over his image and over his mark and over the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, having harps of God. ³ They sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying:

“Great and marvelous are Your works,
Lord God Almighty!
Just and true are Your ways,
O King of the saints!
⁴ Who shall not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your name?
For You alone are holy.
For all nations shall come and worship before You,
For Your judgments have been manifested.”

I would assume that the sea of glass is the same as than the sea of glass that is before the throne as described in chapter 4 verse 6.  This time he describes it as mingled with fire.

There is some question as to who “those who have victory over the beast” represent.  Martyred saints is a possibility mentioned.  Another is the 144,000.  I tend to see these as the saints who experience the tribulation but do not lose their love for God and stay faithful to Him in those terrible times.  The reference to victory over the beast, his image, and his mark would seem to reference those who have lived during this tribulation time.  However, it could reference all saints who are in heaven as those who have victory in Jesus.

They sing the song of Moses and the song of the Lamb.  These saints who have come through the fires of the persecution in the Tribulation have not lost their song.  They sing of God’s redemptive work for the Hebrews (song of Moses) and for the redemptive work of the Lamb (song of the Lamb).  It is a worship song for all of God’s people who are redeemed.  This also shows that those at the throne acknowledge that God is the God of the whole Bible, the God of all time, the God of all people who call Him Lord.  What about you today?  Have you lost your song?  We aren’t in these terrible times, but are we having a difficult time keeping our heart from a little root of bitterness?  Hebrews 12:15 instructs us that bitterness will define many.  Isn’t it remarkable that these tribulation saints who have lived through the horrors we’ve read about have kept their song of praise for God!  Let us follow and not lose our song.

“Great and marvelous are Your works” and “Just and true are Your ways” the song sings.  What an astounding song of praise to the perfection of God in the midst of terrifying judgments.  It is only by being in the presence of God and knowing His perfection and righteousness that you can sing of His greatness works and just ways in the witness of so many people following the beast and hunting fellow brother and sister Christians for persecution. 

“Your judgments have been manifested.”  The judgments are now a substance, they are real.

⁵ After these things I looked, and behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened. ⁶ And out of the temple came the seven angels having the seven plagues, clothed in pure bright linen, and having their chests girded with golden bands. ⁷ Then one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God who lives forever and ever. ⁸ The temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from His power, and no one was able to enter the temple till the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed.

The temple of the tabernacle of the testimony relates to the presence of God’s Word and promise.  The manifestation of His promises is opened.  Seven angels clothed as priests are given the final seven wraths of the eternal God.  Smoke fills the temple as an illustration of the presence of God.  The presence of fire and smoke to symbolize the presence of God was used with Moses on Mount Sinai and after Israel placed the ark of the covenant on the tabernacle.  When Solomon built the Temple the glory of the Lord filled it in the form of a cloud.  The smoke symbolizes the extreme power of the living Lord as His judgments are given out and the temple is so filled that no other presence can enter it.

Revelation 14:14-20

¹⁴ I looked, and there before me was a white cloud, and seated on the cloud was one like a son of man with a crown of gold on His head and a sharp sickle in His hand. ¹⁵ Then another angel came out of the temple and called in a loud voice to him who was sitting on the cloud, “Take your sickle and reap, because the time to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is ripe.” ¹⁶ So He who was seated on the cloud swung His sickle over the earth, and the earth was harvested.

¹⁷ Another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle. ¹⁸ Still another angel, who had charge of the fire, came from the altar and called in a loud voice to him who had the sharp sickle, “Take your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of grapes from the earth’s vine, because its grapes are ripe.” ¹⁹ The angel swung his sickle on the earth, gathered its grapes and threw them into the great winepress of God’s wrath. ²⁰ They were trampled in the winepress outside the city, and blood flowed out of the press, rising as high as the horses’ bridles for a distance of 1,600 stadia.

The word sickle appears 12 times in the Scriptures, seven times in this chapter.  This is a perfect and complete judgment of man.

“Mine eyes have seen the coming of the glory of the Lord; He is trampling out the vinetage where the grapes of wrath are stored” says the song The Battle Hymn of the Republic.  Daniel Akin writes to the subject of God’s wrath in today’s culture: “The idea of God trampling out sinners in wrath is not a popular idea in our culture.  One denomination recently refused to include the popular hymn ‘In Christ Alone’ because it found offensive the line ‘When on the cross as Jesus died, the wrath of God was satisfied.’  They preferred to change the latter phrase to ‘the love of God was magnified.’  The idea of the wrath offends modern sensibilities.  However, the wrath of God is a thoroughly biblical concept we neglect or deny at our peril.”

O Lord God, to whom vengeance belongs—O God, to whom vengeance belongs, shine forth!  Rise up, O Judge of the earth; Render punishment to the proud.  – Psalms 94:1-2

This is our first glimpse into the hour of judgment.  This is Armageddon.  The grapes are fully ripened, the time is now.  There are many references to this wrath upon nations and treading of grapes.

“Let the nations be wakened, and come up to the Valley of Jehoshaphat; for there I will sit to judge all the surrounding nations.  Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe.  Come, go down; for the winepress is full, the vats overflow—for their wickedness is great.” – Joel 3:12-13

I have trodden the winepress alone, and from the peoples no one was with Me.  For I have trodden them in My anger, and trampled them in My fury; their blood is sprinkled upon My garments, and I have stained all My robes.   For the day of vengeance is in My heart, and the year of My redeemed has come.  – Isaiah 63:3-4

 ³⁰ “Therefore prophesy against them all these words, and say to them: ‘The Lord will roar from on high,
and utter His voice from His holy habitation; He will roar mightily against His fold.  He will give a shout, as those who tread the grapes, against all the inhabitants of the earth.  ³¹ A noise will come to the ends of the earth—for the Lord has a controversy with the nations; He will plead His case with all flesh.
He will give those who are wicked to the sword,’ says the Lord.”  ^{…  33} And at that day the slain of the Lord shall be from one end of the earth even to the other end of the earth.  – Jeremiah 25:30-31, 33

Verse 20 tells us that the blood will be as high as a horse’s bridle, or about four feet, and extend 1,600 stadia, or about 184 miles.  This is an unimaginable slaughter.

Josephus tells us in the book Wars of the Jews, that in putting down the rebellion in AD 70, the Roman general Titus killed so many Jews that the whole city ran with so much blood that the fires of many houses were quenched with it.  As hard as that is to even imagine, the coming battle at Armageddon will be much more violent.

If we sit here today and think it is terrible that God speaks so strongly of a time of wrath, just know that He is presenting every opportunity for all of mankind to know Him because He loves us and does not want a single person to perish.  Even so, there are many hearts who will not be turned and who will not surrender to His Lordship. 

Now is the time to reflect upon our own hearts and decide that we either know He is real and the Spirit is within us or we don’t.  Decide today to know Him if you don’t and to know Him better if you do.

Revelation 14:6-13

6 Then I saw another angel flying in midair, and he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth—to every nation, tribe, language and people. 7 He said in a loud voice, “Fear God and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come. Worship Him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water.”

This is the first of six angels that declare messages of gospel and judgment. What they will make abundantly clear is that there is no room for a universalism theology, that is, the idea that eventually all people will become saved. God wants that, and those who love Him want that, but it isn’t biblical as we shall read from these messages. This is the most politically incorrect part of the book of Revelation. All of us will have a Day of Reckoning. Everyone will not be treated the same. We will all be treated justly and righteously. However, no one, not a single person, will stand before God and declare to Him “You did me wrong. You were unfair.”

Everyone hears the message of this angel and the message is that ‘Old Time Religion’ eternal gospel message: Fear God; Give Him glory; Worship Him! It is the Good News. It is said that this is the only time an angel is credited with preaching the gospel. This is our assignment, but here in this end time, an angel declares it so all is without excuse. The hour of judgment has come he says, the time for salvation is almost gone.

8 A second angel followed and said, “‘Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great,’ which made all the nations drink the maddening wine of her adulteries.”

The great one world political, economic, and religious order will fall. It is this evil society that demands and requires idol worship. Here we see the reference of adulteries being used for idol worshipping. The people and their nations have not waited for their Bridegroom and have followed everything else. The biblical text says they are “mad” or crazy in their drunkenness of the idol worship. (see Jer 51:7) They reek of it and it stains them completely.

9 A third angel followed them and said in a loud voice: “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives its mark on their forehead or on their hand, 10 they, too, will drink the wine of God’s fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of His wrath. They will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. 11 And the smoke of their torment will rise for ever and ever. There will be no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and its image, or for anyone who receives the mark of its name.”

This is the destiny of everyone who denies that God exists or that Jesus is the door and the path to salvation. While the people of the nations have been passionately drinking the maddening deceptions and seductions of this false savior, they will tragically experience another passion. This will be the passion of the Christ, the actual Savior, and the wrath of the one true living God.

Everyone will receive the full measure and strength of God’s wrath. Those who know the Christ will be forgiven and redeemed as He stands in their place. Those who don’t will have to carry that judgment upon themselves.

These verses present a terrifying picture of eternity. There is no way to read these verses and declare that everyone will believe in God and His Son. This is not a conditional immortality. This picture is one of souls being in torment while being in the awareness of the God they rejected. Jesus described this place as the “eternal fire” and the “unquenchable fire” where there is “weeping and gnashing of teeth”. 2 Peter 3:9 reminds us that, “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” Everyone who is in this terrible place has deliberately chosen it.

12 This calls for patient endurance on the part of the people of God who keep His commands and remain faithful to Jesus.

13 Then I heard a voice from heaven say, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.”

“Yes,” says the Spirit, “they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them.”
Verse 12 calls for patient endurance and to remain faithful. These are encouraging calls to those who follow Him in this time of Tribulation. It is also a call of encouragement to us today in our times of trial and tribulation. Dear Christian: Patiently endure! Keep His commands! Remain faithful!

The word endurance is used seven times in Revelation. We are challenged to persevere. How often in our trials are we too quick to ask if being devoted to Jesus really worth it? How often do we get blinded to God by looking at the world and find ourselves wanting that life and not the one we have in Christ? How often do we look to the world to solve our pain and not to the Great Physician? We are called to patiently endure. We are called to keep His commands. We are called to remain faithful to Jesus. We must not lose our first love! We must choose Him simply because we know He is and He says it.

One pastor indicates that we have a hard time relating to this time because it is unnatural for us to want to die. But in this time of Great Tribulation, it will be a different story. They will be waiting in patience and in sorrow. J. Vernon McGee says, “Death is going to be precious to the people in the Great Tribulation, but not for the saints in our society in which everything is geared to comfort.”

Verse 13 has the second beatitude of the seven in Revelation. The first was in 1:3. “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” Paul teaches us in 2 Corinthians 5:8 “to be out of the body” is to be “at home with the Lord”. And in Philippians 1:21, the oft quoted verse says “For me, living is Christ and dying is gain.” The Holy Spirit says “Yes”, blessed are those who know God and die. Why? Because they will be with Him! They will have rest from the dogged fight against them from the Evil One.

Revelation 14:1-5

Warren Wiersbe said in his book Be Victorious, “Better to reign with Christ forever, than to reign with Antichrist for a few years.” Here we will begin to see God’s response to Satan’s effort to rule man.

If we remember back to chapter 10, John had to eat a little book which has allowed him to be able to prophesy these events he is now describing. These descriptions are an interlude of the story, an interruption, that describes other events and offer a different perspective to the events that are/have happened. These are things going on that he couldn’t see when witnessing the breaking of the seals and the blasts of the trumpets. This chapter is the end of this interlude which began in chapter 12.

1 Then I looked, and there before me was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion, and with Him 144,000 who had His name and His Father’s name written on their foreheads. 2 And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of rushing waters and like a loud peal of thunder. The sound I heard was like that of harpists playing their harps. 3 And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. 4 These are those who did not defile themselves with women, for they remained virgins. They follow the Lamb wherever He goes. They were purchased from among mankind and offered as firstfruits to God and the Lamb. 5 No lie was found in their mouths; they are blameless.

The Lamb is the Son of God, Jesus. In chapter 5 we saw the Lamb standing before the throne. Mount Zion could be in one of three locations per text of the Bible. There are many verses that indicate Mount Zion as the City of David and the earthly temple. Others indicate Mount Zion as the future temple in the millennial city of Jerusalem. A few others indicate it to be the heavenly mountain and site of New Jerusalem. Here we see that John is looking into the heavenly mountain where the Lamb is standing, the throne is there as are the four creatures and the elders as described in chapter 4. However, it could be that this is when that heavenly throne is moving are has moved to earth. It could be that time when the two kingdoms become one again.

The Lamb is standing at the throne. This is significant as the Bible tells us that God stands and pleads His case to man just before judging him.

The Lord stands up to plead, and stands to judge the people. – Isaiah 3:13

And I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, and there I will plead My case with you face to face. - Ezekiel 20:35

“A noise will come to the ends of the earth—for the Lord has a controversy with the nations; He will plead His case with all flesh. He will give those who are wicked to the sword,’ says the Lord.” – Jeremiah 25:31

The 144,000 were first introduced to us in chapter 7. It important to recognize that there are still 144,000. God has not lost one and He will not lose us. He sealed them and He kept them. These are those Jewish servants who will evangelize the earth during the Tribulation. These 144,000 are marked on their foreheads. The Hebrew word for the mark is ‘tav’. The only other time this is used alone is in Job 31:35. There it is used to signify his exemption from judgment as Job pleads to be judged. At the
time of the writing of Job, the ‘tav’ is the shape of a cross.

Isn’t it fitting that the word used in Hebrew text here is for a mark that was used as an exemption from judgment. The cross represents our exemption from judgment as the symbol of Jesus’ death and resurrection.

In chapter 7, we discussed that these 144,000 are indicated to be “servants” to God. The Greek word for servant used there is doulos, meaning ‘slave’ or ‘bondservant’. In chapter 1 we read that the Lord is the “Alpha and Omega, the first and the last”. In Hebrew that is the “aleph” and the “tav”. It is fitting that the mark on these bondservants of God is the last, in this time of the ending, and it is the work of Jesus on the cross that is the death nail to Satan.

John’s description of the voice of God has three parts: water, thunder, and music. In chapter 1 John also hears the voice of Jesus like that of many waters and in chapter 10 the voice of God was as thunder. Here, it sounds with the same power and intensity as a mighty waterfall and boom of thunder, but it is also mixed with the pleasant sound of music from a harp as these 144,000 sing a new song. Chapter 5 describes each of the 24 elders as having a harp. So, it is likely that John hears the voice of the Lord and the music of the elders worshipping with the song of the 144,000.

These 144,000 are in heaven as they are at the throne with the four creatures and the 24 elders. The elders sang a new song in chapter 5 as well. We should be reminded from Psalms 33:3 and 149:1 to sing the Lord a new song as we rejoice in Him and praise Him. This means that our heart should carry a different melody upon knowing and dwelling with Him. Worshipping God with a new song in our hearts is a natural response to having our burden of sin lifted and realizing that He remembers even us when we don’t deserve it.

The reference to being virgins may literally mean they had no sex on earth in their physical bodies, but it more likely means they did not worship any other thing or being as a god. They remained true to the only God that lives and did not worship an idol of any kind at any time. They follow the Lamb wherever He goes. They are morally and spiritually pure.

These are the “firstfruits” or the first of those redeemed from the earth to heaven. Some indicate they are the first to heaven of those who survive the Tribulation. They have been “purchased”. All believers are found faultless and without spot before the Lord because of the Lamb of God who paid for our sins with His death. Jesus was sacrificed without spot or blemish and with no deceit in His mouth and we are redeemed and reconciled to God through His blood shed on the cross.

Revelation 13:9-18

9 Whoever has ears, let them hear.

10 “If anyone is to go into captivity,
into captivity they will go.
If anyone is to be killed with the sword,
with the sword they will be killed.”

This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of God’s people.

This verse describes that there will be many martyrs during this time. With a one world order and Christians declared to be the enemy, it will be a most difficult time for any believer. While the Christians are spiritually protected, they will not be physically protected.

11 Then I saw a second beast, coming out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb, but it spoke like a dragon.

Now there is a third dimension to the Satan-head. There is Satan, the Antichrist, and now one who promotes worship of the other two. This beast speaks from Satan.

12 It exercised all the authority of the first beast on its behalf, and made the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed.

This beast will develop a new world religion to worship the first beast because of its wound and living. This beast is a False Prophet and is given this rule of this religion by the first beast. This is a complete effort by Satan to rule and confuse all persons in every manner they can be affected. He will rule them politically and religiously. In this manner, many of the world empires have ruled their portions of the world.

13 And it performed great signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to the earth in full view of the people. 14 Because of the signs it was given power to perform on behalf of the first beast, it deceived the inhabitants of the earth. It ordered them to set up an image in honor of the beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived.

This False Prophet will perform miraculous signs further leading all people to worship the Antichrist. It will set up a stature, much like Nebuchadnezzar, to be used to worship the Antichrist.

15 The second beast was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that the image could speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed.

This is very strange to imagine. Either this is literal, there will be a statue or picture and it will be able to speak, or there is something else. As the cross or Jesus hanging on the cross is to Christians, it is possible there will be some distributed symbol that represents the Antichrist and everyone will have to worship at these.

Another view is that idol worship will be revitalized and it will appear to be a better life of vitality, reality, and power. In other words, if you “live” a certain way and accept certain things then you will have this better life. Unfortunately, this is already prevalent in today’s American society. … What is it that makes you happy? Whatever that is, you need to go and do it. I have seen too many friends get super fit only to then believe they deserve something better in life than their spouse and family. I’ve seen people throw away marriages of 19, 22, and 31 years just because they suddenly wanted to do what they thought made them happy. They decided that whatever it was that would make them happy was more important that whatever God says will make them happy. They swear to me that I just do not understand because I am not free to think openly like they can. I also notice a tendency to move from conservative values to liberal values. These are very conservative people turning in their thoughts to places I didn’t think was possible. When I talk to them it is as if they are speaking a different language and I sit just baffled at what I hear. Likewise, if I speak any wisdoms from the Bible they do not understand what I am saying. These are people I have known for decades and now it is almost impossible to have a conversation. My observation is that it is idol-worship and the idol is themselves. There is a societal promotion to make everyone their own idol.

In this time of Revelation, Christians will be killed for either not worshipping at the idol or for not accepting this new idol worldview. This is a Christian holocaust. Christians will either have to recognize this false way or god and “live” or stay faithful to Jesus as the Christ with the very real probability of death. There is no doubt that the temptation will be great to compromise.

16 It also forced all people, great and small, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads, 17 so that they could not buy or sell unless they had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of its name.

We read earlier that God will mark His people and now we see Satan imitating by marking his people. It will be difficult to socially and economically interact without these marks.

More than any other time, it is easy to envision how a “mark” could be within each person and control their economy. We all have a debit card or credit card and it would be very easy for each person to have a chip just under the skin that had your money accesses. India already does this, but with their phones. Their system of economy works by the phone and money is transferred after the person decides which account to move money from. Today there is also something called Bitcoin. This is electronic money made for making electronic transactions simpler, but it is much more involved than PayPal.

This verse calls to mind the Jews in Germany during the time of Hitler and the Third Reight. They were all marked with a yellow or gold David’s star on their clothing so they could be identified. The society would not do business with them and ultimately used that mark to round them up to go to the death camps. Here, those without a mark will be identified to be killed as all who have the mark are safe.

David Platt said in his book Fighting: “Mark it down: there will always be a price to pay for believers who do not worship the idols of this world. Life will not be easy in this world when you fight the idolatry of this world, plain and simple”.

18 This calls for wisdom. Let the person who has insight calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. That number is 666.

Much has been written about what this number is and what it means. One oddity is that all taxi license plates in Israel start with “666”. Generally, the idea is that this number is of man, it is the best that man can produce. The beast will develop the best that man can make of man being man without God. The beast is a trinity of imperfection. He will make the most complete man from sinful incompleteness of fallen man. He is not the perfection and completeness of seven. He will deceive many, but he will not be able to displace Jesus. Men, when they come to themselves, will know God is real and be angry for it, and they will kill Christians for it.

Revelation 13:1-8

1 The dragon stood on the shore of the sea. And I saw a beast coming out of the sea. It had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on its horns, and on each head a blasphemous name.

The dragon is Satan, the same one who has been thrown from heaven by Michael and his armies. He stands on the shore of the sea and a beast comes out of the sea. The word beast is used 16 times in this chapter. 15 of those references are for the Antichrist and one is for a false prophet.

The sea can be interpreted to be many nations, as in “of the nations”. The sea could also symbolize a reservoir of chaos. If you put those together, it could come from nations in chaos. Most believe that this beast, this Antichrist, will come out of Israel to be as closely resembled to Christ as possible.

The beast has ten horns symbolizing great power. It has seven heads. This same description is used as a description of the dragon in 12:3. It was common in Near Eastern mythology for their to be seven headed monsters. This number seven appears to not be related to perfection or completion, but to the literal number seven. This has most often been interpreted to be seven kingdoms that have or will be on the earth. (Refer to 17:9-12.) The first six being Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome. The last being the Antichrist’s final world kingdom. The ten crowns or diadems refer to regal authority and power from victories. Many interpretations see these as 10 rulers that are at the command of the beast.

The blasphemous names are self-declarations against God and for itself. There are many instances of rulers who declare themselves to be godlike. The Roman Caesars are the most obvious examples.

2 The beast I saw resembled a leopard, but had feet like those of a bear and a mouth like that of a lion. The dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority.

The leopard is generally considered to be the Greek Empire under Alexander the Great; the bear the Medo-Persia; and the lion was Babylon. Greek scholar A. T. Robertson wrote, “The dragon works through this beast. The beast is simply Satan’s agent. Satan claimed this power to Christ and Christ called Satan the prince of this world. So, the war is on.”

3 One of the heads of the beast seemed to have had a fatal wound, but the fatal wound had been healed. The whole world was filled with wonder and followed the beast. 4 People worshiped the dragon because he had given authority to the beast, and they also worshiped the beast and asked, “Who is like the beast? Who can wage war against it?”

It is generally considered that the beast, the Antichrist, will have a wound occur that should kill it. The Greek word used for wounded is the same world translated “slaughtered”. In 5:6,9 this same word is used to describe the death of the Lamb. The word used for healed or lived, depending on the version, is the same word used in 2:8 as it refers to the resurrection of Jesus. In a miraculous manner the beast is healed. Some say that this is in reference to the Roman Empire that is dead and will be resurrected, but I believe it refers to the person of the Antichrist. The whole world follows it because of this miracle. More than following the beast, they worship Satan, the dragon. The beast is feared. Obviously, Satan can only try to imitate God and His Son Jesus. He cannot be himself. He will do everything he can do to be as God Is.

The world declares “Who is like the beast?” This is blasphemous to God. The phrase “Who is like God?” appears at least seven times in Scripture. Only God is incomparable. This is obvious work to replace God in the world.

The most powerful thing man has ever produced is nationalism. When a nation is completely committed to a single effort they can do great or terrible things. Here we see a world nationalism.

5 The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise its authority for forty-two months. 6 It opened its mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven.

This Antichrist will lift itself up and blaspheme the One True Living God at every convenient occasion. It will rule for 3 ½ years. It declares hate for God, His name, heaven, and all the saints.

7 It was given power to wage war against God’s holy people and to conquer them. And it was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation. 8 All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast—all whose names have not been written in the Lamb’s book of life, the Lamb who was slain from the creation of the world.

It has power to war against all who follow Christ and to slaughter them. Not only can it speak against God and His people, it will be permitted to act against them violently. This is a deliberate war against Christians, Christianity, and the Church. Everyone else in the world will worship the beast. The beast will rule over the whole world for this time.

Here is a referenced to the Lamb’s book of life. This is an implication that those who believe in Jesus as the Son of the Living God are secure. Their names are recorded as belonging to Him. He holds the book the names are written upon and nothing can separate those from Him. We should rejoice knowing that we are secure in our relationship with Jesus. He has us.

Revelation 13 - Antichrist

This chapter is about the Antichrist and False Prophet. This is about a time when Satan establishes a kingdom on earth. Satan is given a chance to rule the world.

Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour. – 1 John 2:18

Every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world. – 1 John 4:3

The word antichrist does not appear in Revelation. The reference is “the beast”. Interestingly, I was at an Advisory Council meeting for Radio 4VEH this past week and Brett Bundy, the field director for OMS, was there. He was telling me of a story where he was speaking in English and had a Creole interpreter. (He said even if you can speak the two languages, its really hard to interpret for yourself and keep a consistent message.) He was referring to his kids and how when they become a teenager they are “a different animal altogether”. We here in America understand the reference. They change and are different than when they were children, but they are hard to understand. However, in Creole it translates into “they are a beast”. In Haiti, a beast is less than man, and someone less than a beast is less than a slave, under all. Of course, Brett, upon hearing the Creole interpretation, immediately had to embarrassingly correct the reference. I shared this story so we might could get a feel for what the term “beast” might have in other cultures and can grab the term as it relates in value to everything else. Here in our society, beast is simply another word for animal, but meaning a savage one. I don’t think we give it a place below man, below domestic animals, below slaves.

In Daniel 7:8 the antichrist is called the little horn. 2 Thessalonians 2:3-8 refers to him as the lawless one or man of sin. And 1 John and 2 John refers to it as the antichrist.

The word antichrist means “one who is against Christ” or “one who is in the place of Christ”. We will see that both of these are true. The beast is the anti-Messiah and he will attempt to replace the true Christ.

The idea or concept of antichrist has many faces in the Bible:

1. An evil empire or political power.
2. A past and present impersonal force, presence, or spirit; the evil spirit of this age.
3. Literal persons who are forerunners of the final antichrist.
4. The final and climactic embodiment of satanic power and opposition to God in a person.

There is overlap in these in Revelation. The beast and the antichrist will seem to be both a political empire and a person. However, this is not entirely new to us. When we think of Nazi Germany we think of Hitler. In much the same manner, the political empire that the beast will establish will have a person at its head and that person will in the end demand worship.

Throughout history many people have been said to have been the antichrist. Bernard McGinn wrote a book entitled, Antichrist: Two Thousand Years of the Human Fascination with Evil and it lists much of the history of people who where thought to be antichrist. Among the many, Old Testament types such as Pharaoh, Nebuchadnezzar, Cyrus, and the Antiochus Epiphanes are discussed. Other notable suggestions include Nero, Martin Luther, Mussolini, Stalin, Hitler, Gorbachev, Jimmy Carter, Saddam Hussein, and numerous popes. In fact, Luther, Calvin, John Wesley, and other well known Christian saints of the past have all named popes as antichrists.

One thing is certain, everyone in the past who has made a specific identification of the Antichrist has been wrong. That fact alone should give us some hesitation in following in their footsteps. Rather than focus on what the political power and person the Antichrist is, I think we should focus on what they do and how they work. In this manner, we can recognize the characteristics in others so that we do not follow anyone who would lead us away from our Christ.

While we have touched on how there can be a powerful person who is supported by a powerful nation, we will also see a third part of the evil work described to be in the spiritual realm.

As an example of how the church can be used as a worship of evil, there is a voodoo “celebration” in northern Haiti at Plaine-du-Nord every July. It happens to be on the same days as the Catholic festival of Our Lady of Carmel. People combine their worship for the Virgin Our Lady of Carmel and the voodoo spirit Erzuilie. Here, there is a large mud pit where worshippers throw in rum, flowers, candles, or meat. Often, the blood from slain bulls, goats, or chickens is also put into the mud pit. Those who bathe in it are expecting a miracle. This is near the St. James Catholic Cathedral and it is the center of voodoo worship. Many people of Haiti consider the Catholic saints to be the same as their voodoo spirits, they just have different names. 

Here in chapter 13 we will see Satan's view of a one-world order and one-world religion.

ME? HOLY?

This devotion  is reprinted from Matt Ayer's blog Tea In Solitude and can be found HERE.

Have you ever noticed that Israel has to go through the wilderness before they can inherit the Promised Land? As the story goes, Israel was delivered from slavery in Egypt, and the way out of Egypt was through the desert. The final destination was Canaan, the legendary Promised Land, the land flowing with milk and honey, the place of rest.

Isn’t it interesting that we have to go through a wilderness in order to get out of Egypt and into the place of rest? All throughout the Bible, wilderness is symbolic for a transitional period in the life of the believer as they adapt to a new life in God. The Bible is telling us that while the promises of God are immeasurably good, there is a time that we will experience growing pains as we mature in our faith. Some acts of faith are easy and even relieving; others are very difficult and painful.

This makes sense in light of the fact that our natural heart posture is rebellious. Trying to put on a new mindset and new habits of holy behavior is impossibly hard, even with the help of the Holy Spirit!

The technical term that theologians use to describe this dynamic of the Christian pilgrimage of faith is progressive sanctification; meaning the time in which God gradually and incrementally transforms us into the likeness of Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Often times we limit our thinking about what it means to be “saved” to what God has done for us (died in our place so that we can escape the final judgment). This is very important! It’s also important, however, it remember that God not only does a work for us, but also in us!

How is God working in you? How is your sanctification coming long? Have you, “put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy” (Eph. 4:24)?

Keep in mind that it is always in the place of our weakness that God is at work. After all, we don’t need to work in areas of our lives that have already been perfected and are strong! It’s the areas of struggle, the areas of great difficulty that we need the most work. Where are your weak areas? God is working in you! Work isn’t easy, or else it wouldn’t be work!

And yes, sometimes you (like me) will feel like a lost cause. The thought of “Really!? I can be holy!?” will run through your mind. To fight this, keep reminding yourself that God is really, really BIG. If anyone can change a person, it’s God. Find comfort in these words of the Apostle Paul: “Am I am certain that God, who began a good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.”

I’d like to add to this one of my favorite blessings in the New Testament, which is in Jude 24–25. It says, “Now all the glory to God, who is able to keep you from falling away and will bring you with great joy into his glorious presence without a single fault. All glory to him who alone is God, our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord. All glory, majesty, power, and authority are before all time, and in the present, and beyond all time! Amen!"

Follow me!

A good friend of mine wrote this devotion back in 2005. The personal message and accountability makes it necessary to hear again!

Can you say to a fellow Christian, "Follow me!" ????

The apostle Paul said these words to the churches of Corinth, Rome, and Philippi.

Sure, we would all like to walk in victory as much as the self-proclaimed chief of sinners; but how much of Paul's victory was really there? Paul walked in Christ because he reached/sought for Christ. His victory was not of Paul but of Christ; Paul only reaped the beni's just by depending on Christ and seeking him as a panting deer seeks for water. Paul, in all of God's strength, gained enough confidence to boldly tell Christians that they should follow him [Paul]; of course, as he followed Christ! Paul also went further to proclaim, specifically, who the Christians should not follow. This was not Paul's own confidence, it was in Christ! Please understand that Paul's relationship with Christ made him say to believers, "Follow me!" Christ compelled Paul to seek men!

I am amazed at this confidence! Paul was willing to take on the responsibility in building other men's walk with Christ. In essence, Paul told other imperfect people that he would lead them to a closer walk with Christ if they would just hang out with him and pattern their life after the example he [Paul] lived out before them. What a concept! I think the appropriate term for this is "discipleship" and it is very uncommon in our american churches!

Let's make this a little more personal.... Are YOU comfortable enough to put your arm around another believer and say "watch me", or "spend time with me" and then promise them that they will have opportunity to know Christ better by watching you? Are you willing to give your time to them and take responsibility for their growth in Christ; sitting for a couple of hours a week talking, praying, and studying God's Word with another brother? All of this cannot be replaced! It is absolutely necessary! The down side to this is that you could lead them in the wrong path and God will hold us accountable either way.

Revelation 12:10-17

10 Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say:

“Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Messiah.  For the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down.  11 They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.  12 Therefore rejoice, you heavens and you who dwell in them!  But woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you!  He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short.”

Our salvation is a settled reality. The accuser has been hurled down. When you hear your adversary say to you that you are a terrible sinner, answer him and say “You are right, I am. But I have a Savior greater than my sin, and you, and He has given me salvation. I am delivered! I am safe from your accusations forever.”

Our salvation is through the blood of the Lamb. Our love for the Lamb should be greater than our love for our own life. We should be willing to joyfully give up our words so we can accept His. We should be willing to give up our claim to this life so He can have it. We must be content with the fullness of God.

The third woe is declared to those on the earth. Satan has not taken this fall well and is full of fury to be unleashed on those who dwell on it.

13 When the dragon saw that he had been hurled to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. 14 The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle, so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the wilderness, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time, out of the serpent’s reach.

Satan pursues the nation of Israel, at least those who claim to be God’s. This could easily be interpreted as all who believe in God, both Jew and Gentile, as the new Israel. The people of God are one church and the devil rages against her more intensely as the time grows short.

The time, times and half a time, is the reference for 3 ½ years that has been used many times. The two wings of a great eagle represent God’s protection for these saints.

15 Then from his mouth the serpent spewed water like a river, to overtake the woman and sweep her away with the torrent. 16 But the earth helped the woman by opening its mouth and swallowing the river that the dragon had spewed out of his mouth. 17 Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to wage war against the rest of her offspring—those who keep God’s commands and hold fast their testimony about Jesus.

Here we see that Satan is attacking those who love God in any way that he can but it is miraculously averted. He has failed to destroy the Son and now furiously works to murder the woman. He seeks all who are saved by the Lamb.

Zechariah 3 is a thorough overview of this Christmas story in Revelation 12.

Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right side to accuse him. 2 The Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you, Satan! The Lord, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebuke you! Is not this man a burning stick snatched from the fire?”

3 Now Joshua was dressed in filthy clothes as he stood before the angel.4 The angel said to those who were standing before him, “Take off his filthy clothes.”

Then He said to Joshua, “See, I have taken away your sin, and I will put fine garments on you.”

5 Then I said, “Put a clean turban on his head.” So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him, while the angel of the Lord stood by.

6 The angel of the Lord gave this charge to Joshua: 7 “This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘If you will walk in obedience to me and keep my requirements, then you will govern my house and have charge of my courts, and I will give you a place among these standing here.

8 “‘Listen, High Priest Joshua, you and your associates seated before you, who are men symbolic of things to come: I am going to bring my servant, the Branch. 9 See, the stone I have set in front of Joshua! There are seven eyes on that one stone, and I will engrave an inscription on it,’ says the Lord Almighty, ‘and I will remove the sin of this land in a single day.

10 “‘In that day each of you will invite your neighbor to sit under your vine and fig tree,’ declares the Lord Almighty.”

Jesus is the cornerstone and as He stood as the blood stained Lamb before the throne of God to take the scroll with the seven seals he had seven eyes. He took our sins and clothed us in His righteousness even as Satan stood accusing us of our sin. We are without blemish because Christ took our sin upon Himself and we will dwell with Him forever.

Revelation 12:5-9

5 She gave birth to a son, a male child, who “will rule all the nations with an iron scepter.” And her child was snatched up to God and to His throne. 6 The woman fled into the wilderness to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days.

This quote is from Psalms 2:9. The ascension of Jesus is the unquestionable proof that Satan is defeated in that he could not prevent the Messiah from rising from the dead and ascending to His Father. Now He is at the throne of God and implementing God’s plan of restoration for the world. This would appear to be the position that Satan desired in his proud ambition. Jesus came down to save mankind then ascended up to the throne of God. Satan desired to ascend up will instead be ruled over.

As we’ve read before, those who have come to accept Jesus as the Savior will run to the mountains and be protected. The protection is the promise of God that those who believe in Jesus WILL BE SAVED. This is protected and cannot be taken away. God will provide protection and provision so those who know Him can live in spiritual refuge.

7 Then war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. 8 But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. 9 The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.

Once Jesus had ascended the great war broke out as Satan desired to rule. While there was “peace on earth” at the birth of Jesus and great hope at His resurrection, there was an intense war in heaven. However, there is an empty tomb and the fate of Satan is sealed.

Daniel 12:1 confirms this saying, “At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered.”

It is interesting that the archangel Michael leads the battle. The name Michael means “who is like God?” The very name of the leader against Satan who wants to be like God is a confrontation to his very desire. Isaiah 14:12-15 describes this desire to make himself like the Most High.

12 How you have fallen from heaven,
   morning star, son of the dawn!
   You have been cast down to the earth,
   you who once laid low the nations!
13 You said in your heart,
  “I will ascend to the heavens;
   I will raise my throne
   above the stars of God;
   I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly,
   on the utmost heights of Mount Zaphon.
14 I will ascend above the tops of the clouds;
   I will make myself like the Most High.”
15 But you are brought down to the realm of the dead,
   to the depths of the pit.

Every “whosoever” who believes in Jesus will be delivered as Satan is defeated forever. They are banished and denied any access to heaven. They are barred from the Presence of God forevermore.

Verse 9 describes Satan for us. First, he is a red dragon, that is he is a murderous beast that is terrifying. Second, he is described as “the ancient serpent”, that is, the one from the beginning in Genesis who lied to create confusion and separation from God. Third, he is the devil, or accuser and slanderer. Fourth, he is Satan, the adversary or enemy.

We should take note of these characteristics. If someone is adversarial to us with accusations and in so doing creating confusion for all those around us, as opposed to coming to us being against our actions and directing us to the Word of God, we can start to clarify the source. We should always try to reach for the wisdom of the Word of God and how it applies to our actions and relationships. His Word should not be confusing, but clarifying.

We should also notice that he will be able to deceive the whole world. Some believe that he is only able to partially deceive the world today, that is, people don’t whole heartedly buy into the deceptions of the world knowing there is something more. Here we see that there will be a time when people are “all in” to his lies and confusion and they will not be able to be reasoned with. They will lose all rational sense.

Someone has said, “Satan is to be dreaded as a lion; more to be dreaded as a serpent; and most to be dreaded as an angel.” This is where he traps people today. He wants man to think he is big enough to overcome the world, his own flesh, and God’s Word, but man isn’t big enough to overcome ANY of them.

Revelation 12:1-4

The story of Christmas does not begin in Bethlehem, it begins in the Garden of Eden. There, immediately following the fall when Adam and Eve yielded to the cunning of the serpent God made a promise. Genesis 3:15 records God speaking to the serpent, “I will put hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; He will crush your head, and you will strike His heel.” This is referred to as the first gospel. It is a promise of One to come and crush Satan. This is further promised to Abraham (Gen 12) and then to David (2 Sam 7).

1 A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head.

This is the first of seven signs in Revelation. Who is the woman? The Catholic Church says she is Mary. Most other scholars believe she represents the Jewish nation of Israel. A further clarification is that she is the believing nation of Israel, that is, those who believe in Jesus as the Messiah.

In Genesis 37:9-10 we are told of a dream that Joseph, son of Jacob had: “9 Then he had another dream, and he told it to his brothers. “Listen,” he said, “I had another dream, and this time the sun and moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me.” 10 When he told his father as well as his brothers, his father rebuked him and said, “What is this dream you had? Will your mother and I and your brothers actually come and bow down to the ground before you?”

Using this reference, we can associate the sun as Jacob, the moon as Joseph’s mother Rachel (or it could be Leah the matriarch of Israel since Rachel had already died), and the 12 stars as the tribes of Israel.

You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains. – Matthew 24:6-8

2 She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth.

The nation of Israel has agonized and suffered throughout centuries as it has longed for the promised Savior who was to come from Israel. God specifies in Isaiah 66 that He will deliver, even before the pains of labor.

3 Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on its heads. 4 Its tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth. The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that it might devour her child the moment He was born.

This is the 2nd sign. The dragon will be defined in verse 9 as “the devil, or Satan”. He is fiery red describes his murderous character. Jesus describes him in John 8:44, “He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”

The description resembles that of Daniel’s fourth beast in Daniel 7:7, “After that, in my vision at night I looked, and there before me was a fourth beast—terrifying and frightening and very powerful. It had large iron teeth; it crushed and devoured its victims and trampled underfoot whatever was left. It was different from all the former beasts, and it had ten horns.”

The description of the tail sweeping a third of the stars from heaven to earth is representative of a great war in heaven of Satan rebelling against God and these are the angelic hosts who chose to follow him in his rebellion. And so, this murderous spirit of evil stands eagerly around the nation of Israel looking for the Messiah so he can kill Him and prevent the plan of God for mankind. This has happened throughout the ages and is described in many places in the Word.

He moved Cain to kill Abel (1 John 3:12). He moved Pharaoh to kill Hebrew baby boys (Ex 1-2). He moved Saul to kill David (1 Sam 18:10-11). There are also references to Athaliah’s attempt to destroy the royal heirs of Judah (2 Chron 22:10) and Haman plotting genocide against all the Jews (Esther). And finally, he moved Herod to kill Jesus (Matt 2). In all of this he failed!