Revelation 13

In chapter 13 we learn about Satan’s vile trinity .

The Bible teaches very clearly that God exist in three co-equal persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

And since Satan seeks to mimic everything that God does, it would only be appropriate for him to formulate this profane copy of the Trinitarian Godhead.

God’s Word tells us in John 1:14 tells us that “the Word [Jesus] became flesh and dwelt among us…”

Jesus not only descended from the realms of Heaven and paid the price of our sin - but that He victorious resurrected and lives today.

In the same way, a man will appear during the Tribulation. He will be “ Satan incarnate ”

He will be killed and rise again and at that point claim to be “God .”

This is the man known as “The AntiChrist !”

In the Old Testament, he is called:

“The Assyrian ” [Is. 10; 30]

King of Babylon & Lucifer [Is. 14]

The Little Horn [Dan. 7-8]

King of Fierce Countenance [Dan. 8]

The Coming Prince [Dan. 9]

The Willful King [Dan. 11]

In the New Testament, we see him referred to as:

The Antichrist [1 John 2]

Man of Sin

Son of Perdition

Lawless One

Wicked One [2 Thess. 2]

It is interesting to note that the Book of Daniel has much to say about the Antichrist perhaps even more than we find in the Book of Revelation.

And we know that even today, that there are many people and things that are “anti-christ ,” but we must be mindful that there will only ever be one who is “The AntiChrist!”

1 John 2:18 - Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour.

1 And I saw a beast rising out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads, with ten diadems (crowns ) on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads.

In our study of Chapter 12 last week, we determined that the dragon spoken about in verse 1 is none other that the Devil himself.

After Jesus was baptized by John, Satan tempted him in the desert. During this interaction Satan showed Jesus all the Kingdoms of the World and in Matt 4:9 the Devil said to Jesus, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.”

So what happened? Did Jesus bow? If you know the story then you know that Jesus never bowed to Satan , but there is one who did…

Who is He? The Antichrist !

Jesus predicted the rise of many antichrists in the last days, which we know began with the birth of the church at Pentecost in Acts 2.

Matthew 24:5 - For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray.

But then listen to what Christ says in John 5:43 - “I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not receive me. If another comes in his own name, you will receive him.”

While I am not quite as confident as others that this is a direct prophetic reference to the Antichrist , the rule still applies.

The point is that God himself came, lived among man, died for their sins and we rejected Him. However others will come, others such as “The Antichrist” and they and He will be welcomed by the world with opened arms.

If we read the imagery of Daniel 7 we could conclude that the term “the beast ” is indicative of all present world powers that wage Satan's war against Christ and his church. However, in Revelation 13 this would specifically refer to the coming individual known as the Antichrist, the political world leader of the tribulation.

2 And the beast that I saw was like a leopard; its feet were like a bear’s, and its mouth was like a lion’s mouth. And to it the dragon gave his power and his throne and great authority.

The Beast:

Looks like a leopard

Feet like a bear

Mouth like a lion

7 Heads with Blasphemous Names

And 10 crowned horns

The beast having these characteristics will surely be a formidable opponent [note “to everyone except God] and the 10 horns represent 10 nations and/or empires that will make up the power of the beast.

John’s picture of the beast is very similar to his illustration of the dragon. Remember Satan’s game is to mimic everything the Lord does. To disguise fallacy as truth.

Just as Jesus was the incarnate God, “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.” [John 14:9 - abbrev.] The Antichrist [beast] will serve as his incarnated representative. [aka Satan in the Flesh]

Daniel 7:21–22 - As I looked, this horn made war with the saints and prevailed over them, until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was given for the saints of the Most High, and the time came when the saints possessed the kingdom.

3 One of its heads seemed to have a mortal wound, but its mortal wound was healed, and the whole earth marveled as they followed the beast.

4 And they worshiped the dragon, for he had given his authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast, and who can fight against it?”

We very well could be living in the last generation and the Antichrist could be alive today.

It’s abhorrent to think that the same world that rejected the resurrection of Jesus will swiftly recognize the resurrection of the Antichrist.

Remember that Satan similar but inferior abilities as the Lord and will use false experiences and exercise power to keep peoples eyes off the true God.

One thing that we know from experience and read in God’s Word is that we as people [sheep] are easily distracted and fooled by what looks real but is not.

The Antichrist will have great power and the ability to perform miraculous works.

5 And the beast was given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words, and it was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two months.

6 It opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against God, blaspheming his name and his dwelling, that is, those who dwell in heaven.

Verses 5-6 convey that the Antichrist will be a very influential, authoritative communicator .

His message will be recieved by his constituents with no interest in fact-checking his words or motives.

And I believe that we see how this could be from our own political culture today.

The other night during his State of the Union Address, President Joe Biden touted that the American Economy was surging as the American people are being punished by cost of living and interest rates.

And yet you will find “faithful followers” saluting him and standing in ovation even though the statement is obviously not true.

And the Trumpsters are no better… It would seem that there are people who would jump off a bridge if he told them to.

Humanity is just so easily led astray…it has nothing to do with our political affiliation and everything to do with our nature as fallen human beings.

And this will be a major contributing factor in the rise of the Antichrist. His charismatic, persuasive language will afford him the power to command a myriad of blind followers.

7 Also it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them. And authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation, 8 and all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain. 9 If anyone has an ear, let him hear: 10 If anyone is to be taken captive, to captivity he goes; if anyone is to be slain with the sword, with the sword must he be slain. Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints.

The Antichrist will exercise a power to elicit loyalty, leading to a demand of complete obedience . People will eventually either receive his mark or be sentenced to death.

What does the Bible say about acknowledging Jesus as Lord in Romans 14, “…every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.”

Remember satan and his antichrist are mimickers …said another way [[“they are looking kind of dumb with their finger and their thumb in the shape of an “L ” on their foreheads!”]]

11 Then I saw another beast rising out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb and it spoke like a dragon.

In verse 11, we see the third and final entity of the satanic trinity.

The beast that arises from the land is known as the “False Prophet ” in chapters 16, 19 and 20.

He is Satan’s counterfeit equivalent of the Holy Spirit .

Jesus says in Matthew 24:24 - For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.

The imagery of the lamb suggest that the “False Prophet” will come off as meek and honest, but his speech will be destructive and ultimately show his true nature.

Matthew 7:15 - “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.

12 It exercises all the authority of the first beast in its presence, and makes the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose mortal wound was healed. 13 It performs great signs, even making fire come down from heaven to earth in front of people, 14 and by the signs that it is allowed to work in the presence of the beast it deceives those who dwell on earth, telling them to make an image for the beast that was wounded by the sword and yet lived.

The Antichrist will be wounded, some hold in the head, due to the imagery given in Daniel 7 - and will succumb to his injuries - only to “rise again .”

He will recreate the miracles of God, such as calling fire down from heaven!

What story does that remind you of? Elijah and the Two bulls [1 Kings 18]

He will demand an image be made of himself but once again remembers that Satan and his trinity are mimickers . Their survival won’t last!

15 And it was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast might even speak and might cause those who would not worship the image of the beast to be slain.

Psalm 115:4–5 tells us that….”idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands. They have mouths, but do not speak; eyes, but do not see.”

Statues are not suppose to speak, but Satan’s idol of the antichrist will speak.

Would you agree that this is not that far fetched considering today’s technology. But whether through [AI] which has to be demonic in my opinion or by demonic possession itself this statue will speak.

But then the Antichrist has to go off and get all serious…because everyone who does not worship him will be killed…

And now I feel like I am having “déjà vu ” again…. Are you?

Remember:

Ole King Nebi…3 Hebrew boys…bow down and worship my statue…no we won’t…throw them in the furnace …but now there’s four …and the last one looks like the “Son of God !” [Daniel 3]

This brings to light an important biblical truth: The Antichrist’s requirement to worship his image, directly opposes the 1st and 2nd commandments found in Exodus 20.

[1] Thou shalt have no other gods before me and [2] Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image.

Here’s the point: Whether we find ourselves in the middle of the tribulation or at our place of occupation this week, if we will filter our decisions and actions through the Word of God…it will keep us from being deceived no matter how convincing the fallacy is.

Any teaching that contradicts the Word of God is false and God will never approve of or lead you to do something that is contrary to His Word.

16 Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead,

17 so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name.

18 This calls for wisdom: let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is 666.

Revelation 7:2–3 - Then I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun, with the seal of the living God, and he called with a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm earth and sea, saying, “Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees, until we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.”

The mark of the beast is designed to mock the mark that God will place on his people and to identity the followers of Satan.

To refuse the mark of the beast means to commit oneself entirely to God, preferring death over compromising one’s faith in Christ.