JourneythroughtheRevelation8redoneMS

Last time we saw what John called “The Woman,” who is Israel and the Jewish people. And we were also introduced to “The Dragon,” who is Satan. John described how the dragon persecuted the woman, but she succeeded in bringing forth a “Wonder Child,” Jesus Himself.

Chapter 12 concluded with Satan being cast from heaven and coming to earth in great anger. In his anger, he empowers his Antichrist to do signs and wonders, and to seize control of the world. A persecution madness erupts in the final 3 ½ years of the Tribulation, where many of God’s saints are martyred.

Then finally we saw the rise of Antichrist and several of his personal characteristics:

Revelation 13: 2 “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.”

LEOPARD: MOVES QUICKLY, STEALTH LIKE

BEAR: STRONG AND POWERFUL

LION: ROARS AND IS KINGLY

John says his kingdom will be strong and powerful, will take over quickly, seemingly overnight, and he will be stately, ruling by the roar of powerful words.

We also saw that halfway through the Tribulation, he will commit the Abomination of Desolation we discussed in earlier chapters. He will walk into the rebuilt Temple, into the Holy of Holies, and will declare himself to be God.

It is very likely that at this time an assassination attempt is made on him:

“3I saw that one of the heads of the beast seemed wounded beyond recovery—but the fatal wound was healed! The whole world marveled at this miracle and gave allegiance to the beast.”

The Bible says, “One of the heads…SEEMED wounded beyond recovery…”

The result of this seeming “Resurrection” is universal adulation:

“4And 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?’”

Antichrist is now at the height of his diabolical career. He uses his popularity for pure evil:

“5And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.

6And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.

7And 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.

8And 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.”

The Second Beast

Next, John sees a second beast:

“11Then I saw another beast come up out of the earth. He had two horns like those of a lamb, but he spoke with the voice of a dragon.”

This beast has horns like a lamb. This means that he appears gentle and innocent. But he speaks under Satan’s power with “the voice of a dragon.”

This is Antichrist’s John the Baptist. He is obviously a religious leader of some sort, and his job is to point the world to the Antichrist. John goes on to describe him:

“12He exercised all the authority of the first beast. And he required all the earth and its people to worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed. 13 He did astounding miracles, even making fire flash down to earth from the sky while everyone was watching” (replicating the miracle of Elijah).

Interestingly, for 2,500 years the Jews have longed for the coming of Elijah, primarily because Malachi prophesied his return:

“Look, I am sending you the prophet Elijah before the great and dreadful day of the Lord arrives.”—Mal. 4:5

For the last 2,500 years Jewish families, when observing their annual “Passover” meal, have left a door or window open for Elijah to enter and join them in their anticipation of Messiah!

This second beast will be the ultimate impostor! John continues:

“14And with all the miracles he was allowed to perform on behalf of the first beast, he deceived all the people who belong to this world. He ordered the people to make a great statue of the first beast, who was fatally wounded and then came back to life” (just like Nebuchadnezzar did).

But a simple statue won’t do. The second beast takes it a step further:

15 “He was then permitted to give life to this statue so that it could speak. Then the statue of the beast commanded that anyone refusing to worship it must die.”

For centuries, Bible students were perplexed as to how such a thing could be. But no longer. We now live in the age of animation. Statues can easily be made to talk, move, gesture, and so on.

Two-way television systems are now in place where the entire world could see a life-like image on their own computer screens, and be commanded to worship it. Not only would you see him, but even George Orwell in his book “1984” envisioned a system whereby Big Brother could also see you!

The second beast will likely place this animated statue of the Antichrist in the Holy of Holies, commanding the world to worship him or suffer the death penalty.

At this point, the screw is really being tightened. The world is now brought under total demonic domination. Worship Antichrist or die. It hearkens back to Nebuchadnezzar and the giant statue he made of himself. The whole kingdom of Babylon was ordered to fall down and worship it or be executed. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego refused, and were thrown into the burning fiery oven. (See Daniel 3)

But then it gets even worse:

“16 He (the second beast) required everyone—small and great, rich and poor, free and slave—to be given a mark on the right hand or on the forehead. 17 And no one could buy or sell anything without that mark, which was either the name of the beast or the number representing his name.”

The “mark of the beast” is likely a laser imprint on the hand or forehead, visible only to a scanner. This technology is in place right now. It only awaits the right timing.

Fingers likely to replace ID cards in U.S.

“Beginning in March, students at the University of California, Irvine were no longer required to show their ID cards to gain access to the Anteater Recreation Center, instead, they only had to place their hands in a scanner and type in their personal identification numbers. (Future mark of the beast?)Campus officials said the "hand geometry" system has been available for less than two months, and almost 9,000 students have signed up to use it. With it, people no longer have to worry whether they have carried their ID or not. Their fingers are their IDs. The hand scanner does not take fingerprints of handprints. It records a series of specific measurements and analyzes more than 31,000 points and 90 measurements on the hand, including length, width, thickness and surface area and compares the data with that on file for a member's personal identification number (PIN). It is also called the "hand geometry" system. Although the university currently does not have any public plans to use the scanners at other major venues, it is possible that such scanners will go into wider use if they continue to prove to be fast and efficient. The California State University in Fullerton, Southern California, started to use the system at its fitness center a year ago. Right now, only a few special facilities or places have used the hand geometry system. But, possibly, people will soon find they do not have to bring their ID cards with them when they go to the airport, check in at hotels or draw money from banks. The system will have a wider application in the military. The Pentagon has developed its own Defense Biometric Identification System, also called DBIDS, which has already been introduced to U.S. Air Force bases around the world. With the DBIDS, gate guards use a hand-held wireless scanner, which has an instant, always-on connection to a database at the U.S. Department of Defense, to read the bar codes of personnel and instantly tell whether or not they are allowed into the base.

Hand scanners will also be used in law enforcement agencies. Recently, Texas contracted with the L-1 Identity Solutions Company to provide full hand-biometric scanning technology for use in criminal investigations. In addition to electronic finger and facial images, law enforcement and investigators across the state can capture full handprints sent to the state-wide criminal automated fingerprint identification system.”

The mark of the beast John foresaw will usher in a world-wide cashless society. All financial transactions will be computer-generated. You will simply go to the supermarket, gather your groceries, and at the checkout counter a scanner will be swept across your hand or forehead. The money will then be withdrawn from your bank account. You will receive a receipt showing how much was removed and what you have left.

Without this mark, you will not be able to buy or sell. No doubt such a system will be made viable as a way to do away with credit card and I.D. theft.

John said that the mark was a number:

“18Wisdom is needed here. Let the one with understanding solve the meaning of the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. His number is 666.”

Again, for centuries no one really understood what this meant. That is, until computers came along. Now we know that the entire world could be marked by three sets of six digits each, much like a city of millions can all receive a phone number out of just ten digits—one through zero.

Using the amplified meanings of the original Greek text, Michael E. O'Brien of highpraise.com created an expanded translation of Revelation 13, which indicates a biochip implant containing a number like the social security number could fulfill the prophecy very precisely.

Revelation 13:16-18 “He [the second beast] caused everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive an etching of servitude (made with a sharp point) in their right hand, or in their foreheads; 17so that no one could buy or sell unless they had the etching of servitude, or the authority of the beast, or the number of his authority. 18Here is wisdom. Let him that has understanding count the pebbles as the number of the beast, for it is an individual's [identification] number. His number is incised with a pricking action - willingly - by one claiming to possess the Godhead...”

In the USA, 98 - 99% of all transactions are already cashless, and cash represents about 1 - 4% of bank deposits. Smart cards and biochip pet implants are now in wide use in Europe and America.

Many Christians strongly suspect that this "mark of the beast" prophecy will be implemented by technology that exists today; the biochip implant (syringe implantable microchip/lithium transponder), or an invisible tattoo designed to go in the right hand or forehead.

John warns in no uncertain terms that the Mark of the Beast MUST NOT BE RECEIVED.

Revelation 14:9-10 “9Anyone who worships the beast and his statue or who accepts his mark on the forehead or on the hand 10 must drink the wine of God’s anger. It has been poured full-strength into God’s cup of wrath. And they will be tormented with fire and burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and the Lamb.”

Those to whom these warnings are directed are obviously the Tribulation Saints. They must refuse the mark and trust God to provide for their needs.

Chapter 14 begins with John being taken once again into heaven:

“1Then I saw the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with him were 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads.”

This chapter introduces us once again to the 144,000 we first met in Chapter 7. They have the name of the Father on their foreheads. This is the “seal” mentioned in 7:3. Now they are seen in heaven, for probably they die martyrs’ deaths when Satan, “the dragon,” makes war with the “remnant” (12:7). Could be 7:14????

Revelation 14:2 “And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of mighty ocean waves or the rolling of loud thunder. It was like the sound of many harpists playing together.”

These majestic sounds are none other than the greatest choir ever assembled. It is the song of those who have been redeemed from the Great Tribulation. They are the fruit of the preaching of the 144,000. John says:

“3This great choir sang a wonderful new song in front of the throne of God and before the four living beings and the twenty-four elders. No one could learn this song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth.”

Next, John describes their purity. Let’s read:

“4They have kept themselves as pure as virgins, following the Lamb wherever he goes. They have been purchased from among the people on the earth as a special offering to God and to the Lamb. 5 They have told no lies; they are without blame.”

This doesn’t mean that they have never married, but that they are pure and holy through Christ and in spiritual character, undefiled by immorality.

SIX ANGELS

Next, John sees six angels, one after the other, all with unique messages of warning and judgment. We will look at the first three angels this time:

FIRST ANGEL: Revelation 14:6-7 “6And I saw another angel flying through the sky, carrying the eternal Good News to proclaim to the people who belong to this world—to every nation, tribe, language, and people. ‘7Fear God,’ he shouted. ‘Give glory to him. For the time has come when he will sit as judge. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and all the springs of water.’”

This angel’s message is a gospel message. Think of it: Right in the middle of the most horrific time earth has ever seen, the mercy of God yet reaches out to the lost!

SECOND ANGEL: “8Then another angel followed him through the sky, shouting, “Babylon is fallen—that great city is fallen—because she made all the nations of the world drink the wine of her passionate immorality.”

BABYLON represents the city, the system, and the regime of the final times. We will see much more on this in Chapters 17-18.

It is likely both a physical place and a spiritual condition of rebellion against God.

Babylon first appears in the Bible in Genesis 11, where we find Nimrod leading the charge in building the Tower of Babel, the Hebrew name for Babylon. God thwarted the effort and confused the people’s languages. The Tower represented pride and rebellion against the will of God.

As for the place, Ancient Babylon was located in the same place as present-day southern Iraq. The Bible predicts that Iraq will flourish and once again become a major city on the world stage. It could be that the Babylon John sees is that revived city where the infamous Iraq war has taken place!

THIRD ANGEL: “9Then a third angel followed them, shouting, ‘Anyone who worships the beast and his statue or who accepts his mark on the forehead or on the hand 10 must drink the wine of God’s anger. It has been poured full-strength into God’s cup of wrath. And they will be tormented with fire and burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and the Lamb. 11The smoke of their torment will rise forever and ever, and they will have no relief day or night, for they have worshipped the beast and his statue and have accepted the mark of his name.’”

Once again, God sternly warns against refusing the mark of the beast. To receive it is to perish eternally.

Then the Holy Spirit speaks to those who will belong to the Lord in the Great Tribulation:

“12This means that God’s holy people must endure persecution patiently, obeying his commands, and maintaining their faith in Jesus.

13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying, ‘Write this down: Blessed are those who die in the Lord from now on. Yes, says the Spirit, they are blessed indeed, for they will rest from their hard work; for their good deeds follow them!’”