Here we are going to examine Revelations 13. Again it is a time frame that we are now familiar with, the last seven years of history, the anti-christ ect... This study will also bring to light a new development and will continue to demonstrate the incedible continuance of the Bible and it's prophetic content. Several hundreds of years passed between the visions of Daniel and this revelation given to John although we will be able to appreciate the similarities.
" Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.." (2 Pe 1:20-21)
Revelations 13
" And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority." (v 1-2)Here is the picture of a seven-headed monster rising out of "the sea" receiving great power and authority from "the dragon".
" And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast. And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? " (v 3-4)
One of those heads receives a dealy wound that gets healed causing the world to wonder and to worship "the beast", as an all-powerful being. Remember that the anti-christ is the only one to have the power to kill the two prophets.
" And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.." ( v5)
How long is "forty and two monmths " ? 3 1/2 years ! The entire duration of the last period of histopry when the anti-christ will rule the earth and bring down the Great Tribulation on believers.
" And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.." (v 6-8)
This person, so posessed by the spirit of the devil will vaunt himself against against God and seek to make war with His children and overcome them, taking control of all the world and getting the adoration of all peoples who are not strong believers.
" If any man have an ear, let him hear.." (v 9) Apparantly it is important to hear and understand.
" And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live. And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.
Another beast ? That is the twist that is brough out here in the book of Revelations. Just as Jesus had John the Baptist as His "prophet", so this anti-christ will have his "prophet", able to perform many miraculous feats to impress and deceive the world. Much speculation has been borne about the "mark of the beast" and the "666", although so far there really isn't anything concrete on it although we are certain of one aspect, and that is that it will require a registered code in order to be able to buy or sell anything, thereby making global control a simple matter.
For those familiar with the workings of the internet, you already know that it is possible to get what is called "a digital ID" which is an encrypted number that only you have access to, so it is not at all far fetched to see how a universal code could be implanted that would be your personalized ID number, "the number of a man". This is not to say that that is what the 666 is, although it will have to be something similar. And that would give total financial control over the world's peoples by whomever controled the central computer system that "served" this system. The abomination of desolation ??? we will soon see.
***That concludes our brief study of Revelations 13. Be sure that you have adequately reviewed the previous lessons in order to acquire the necessary understanding of these EndTime studies.***