Revelation 13-14

Revelation is intimidating to most of us.

Symbolic language isn’t meant to be mysterious. We use it all the time even with just animals:

owls = wise

dove = peace

eagle = freedom

Snake = deceiver, evil

When we use symbolic language we are using it for something other than just surface letter. Revelation is full of symbolic language, pictrues and numbers and colors. We are so far removed from their society, that we don’t grasp the language like they did. So we have to work a little harder to understand what their symbolism meant. But Revelation was NEVER meant to be a complete mystery and have hundreds of different interpretations.

The point of Revelation is simple: Victory In The Lamb. That’s the overall theme! And the message to God’s people because of that truth is simple as well: Uncompromising Faith & Loyalty to God.

Chapter 13

V.1-2

This picture is one they’re familiar with from Daniel! We panic when we see it but they didn’t.

Daniel 7

Rome. It’s not beautiful. It’s a monster. Wake up and realize what it is! Don’t give your loyalty to that!

There is a dragon behind the beast giving it power.

V.3-4

There are those who are following Rome. The wound it has is a parody of the lamb trying to steal loyalty from those that worship the lamb.

V.5-8

John is showing us there is a huge difference in those that follow the lamb and those that follow the world. There is no blending of the two together or middle ground or best of both worlds. It’s only one or the other.

V.9-10

V.11-12

What does he mean that the wound is healed? The glaring issue it has is being covered up by the 2nd beast —- The job of this beast is the be the “false prophet”. What hes doing is telling people to worship the first beast, worship the Caeser/Emperor and Rome. Directly lying about the glaring issues it has and covering it to hide it.

He is saying that those that speak like this are speaking like the dragon, Satan.

V.13-15

Empires demand the people to worship them! (In Daniel too)

V.16-18

We’re not talking about anything literal, no literal mark or tattoo or sign or anything!

The mark of the beast symbolizes self-preservation through compromised allegience

Whats the point? When you COMPROMISE you change sides! When you give in to the enemy to make life easier instead of living life faithfully to the death, you take the “mark” the side of the enemy. And it makes it easy to get along with those with the mark. But you’re disloyal to the lamb.

Chapter 14

V.1

There have always been those that sell out! They sell out to preserve their lifestyle, their comfortability, etc....

There are always those that give full loyalty to the nation or leaders in every single generation.

But there will always be a remnant.

V.2-5

To whom does your loyalty belong?

V.9-10

It should be sobering that there is political and nationalism idolatry in every generation.

And, there are consequences. They needed to hear that, we need to hear that.

Doesn’t mean we can’t have an opinion on things going on, to participate in certain things that aren’t counter to Christianity...but it does mean theres a very real danger of giving loyalty to Rome and exalting a nation instead of God.

V.11-13

REST

You know who enjoys rest? The tired. The ones that are worn out and deserving of it. Work hard at faithfulness, refusing to compromise, work hard to deeply enjoy that rest!

But you have to start the journey. You have to be committed to Jesus at the point of baptism to become saved and His possession. Start there, and keep working hard at faithfulness until the end!