Do not go gently
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We let our study in the Revelation of Jesus Christ as told through John by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit in a very dark place.
A Sign in heaven.
Sign (a mark by which a thing is known )
A sign of what was
A sign of what was
Woman / Child
Red Dragon (Satan)
The dragon goes after the child, but the child is protected by God and thus goes after the woman to persecute her.
She is protected.
17 So the dragon was enraged with the woman, and went off to make war with the rest of her children, who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus.
Chapter 13 is still a sign.
A sign of what is to come
A sign of what is to come
The Dragon gives rise to the beast of the sea (who is worshiped) and the beast from the earth (who causes the worship of the first beast (and his image).
For 3 1/2 years the beast of the sea is said to blaspheme God. He is given power to make war with the saints, and to overcome them.
He is given authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation.
All who dwell on the earth will worship him (Whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain)
10 If anyone is destined for captivity, to captivity he goes; if anyone kills with the sword, with the sword he must be killed. Here is the perseverance and the faith of the saints.
God is sovereign, so if he destines you for captivity your going. If you fight against the beast with the sward, then you will die.
Beast from the earth: has the same authority as the first beast.
Performs great signs. He deceives those who dwell on the earth telling them to make an image to the first beast.
Gave breath to the image.
16 And he causes all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free men and the slaves, to be given a mark on their right hand or on their forehead,
EVIL: Interview with a predator: Subvert all that is Holy.
I want you to notice something about Chapter 13 however….The wicked must be granted authority, they cannot take it for themselves…….
New American Standard Bible (1995) Chapter 13
And the dragon gave him his power and his throne and great authority.
(the Dragon was defeated and kicked out of heaven by Michael.
New American Standard Bible (1995) Chapter 13
There was given to him a mouth
New American Standard Bible (1995) Chapter 13
It was also given to him to make war
New American Standard Bible (1995) Chapter 13
He exercises all the authority of the first beast
New American Standard Bible (1995) Chapter 13
And it was given to him to give breath to the image of the beast
This is not limited to onlyRevelation.
12 Then the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your power, only do not put forth your hand on him.” So Satan departed from the presence of the Lord.
6 And the devil said to Him, “I will give You all this domain and its glory; for it has been handed over to me, and I give it to whomever I wish.
31 “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat;
God only grants power and authority to the wicked to accomplish HIS purpose.
7 Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me—to keep me from exalting myself!
8 Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me.
9 And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.
There is no need to fear Satan the his beasts if you are a follower of Christ.
As Jesus told His disciples:
28 “Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
Our hope is in the Lord:
Some find hope that we will be raptured before this time comes. I have a big problem with that:
That is putting hope in your own understanding of scripture, not in Christ.
I’m not saying that is not a correct understanding of end times events, but I am saying our Hope belongs in the Lord even when things don’t happen like we think they should.
(Reminder: The Beast is given authority over all the saints.)
If God is willing to allow terrible things to come to His servant Job, allow these saints in Revelation to experience such awful tribulation that the time had to be limited so they could endure; and even willing to allow His own Son to be tortured and killed for His purpose, don’t fall in the trap of thinking you’re that special.
But rather Hope in the Lord.
1 Then I looked, and behold, the Lamb was standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His name and the name of His Father written on their foreheads.
God has a mark too, and he also has a number….
His mark, His seal…is His name and the name of His Son!
His number: 12 time 12 times 1000. It is a representative number of the great multitude of all of God’s children.
We first saw this in chapter 7 between the 6th and 7th seal judgements.
It was the answer to the question in chapter 6: Who is able to stand on the great day of the wrath of the Lamb and Him who sits on the throne.? Those that are in Christ Jesus.
Chapter 13 the people ask: Who is like the beast, and who is able to wage war with him?
The Lamb. The one who is worthy of our worship!
In the face of all this evil, God has given us a preview of what is to come!
It is the Lamb standing on Mount Zion (which is symbolic of deliverance)
The beast only stood on the sand, The Lamb Stands on the Mountain; The mark of the beast is the number of a man, but the mark of the Lamb is the name of God and His Son; the beast if given limited authority for a limited time; but Jesus said:
New American Standard Bible (1995) Chapter 28
All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.
He is worthy of your worship, all your worship, with all our passion and all urgency, but with all obedience.
2 And I heard a voice from heaven, like the sound of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder, and the voice which I heard was like the sound of harpists playing on their harps.
3 And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders; and no one could learn the song except the one hundred and forty-four thousand who had been purchased from the earth.
Don’t be deceived: Worship may involve singing, but it cannot be limited to it! True worship penetrates every area of our life.
4 These are the ones who have not been defiled with women, for they have kept themselves chaste. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These have been purchased from among men as first fruits to God and to the Lamb.
5 And no lie was found in their mouth; they are blameless.
Chaste: Faithful to God:
Follow the Lamb: Obedient to Christ even to death:
Purchased from among men: Bought with the Blood
Blameless: Clothed in His righteousness.
Dylan Thomas wrote about what he thought our attitude toward death should be:
Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Shouldn’t our passion toward worshiping the King of Kings and Lord of Lords burn equally as bright?
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
And all that is within me, bless His holy name.
