Sermon Tone Analysis

The First Beast

Again, we are looking at the details of what is happening at the Seventh Trumpet.

We are seeing a picture of the antichrist, the world ruler who will arise in the end time and have a reign of evil.

This chapter discusses two terrible rulers that will arise during the end time, the antichrist and his cohort.

We know the background of the antichrist, but this cohort is the worldwide religious leader who will help the antichrist (first) get, and (second) maintain control over the world.

Because their reign and rule will be so terrible, scripture refers to them as “beasts”.

Millions of people will be slaughtered all over the world, and evil will be so terrible that God will not allow man’s evil to continue any longer.

The actions of the antichrist will be the last straw that causes God to destroy the world as we know it.

In Chapter 12, we got to see a glimpse beyond the evil in this world and were shown the great spiritual evil fighting to lead man away from God, the struggle to get people to live ungodly and evil lives.

But, what most important is the understanding that evil loses in the end!

The dragon, the old serpent, the devil or Satan will be cast out of heave to earth.

During this time he knows his time of influence is extremely short and He does the only thing he knows to do - cause chaos and turmoil.

How does he accomplish this?

Through a world leader, one who gains control without ever being questioned or challenged.

The antichrist.

Satan will raise up a man who is the definition of evil - everything that Satan could want out of a man.

This chapter is a warning about the terrible works of the antichrist, the political leader who will rule the whole world.

It also reveals that there will be a revival of the Roman Empire during this worldwide rule.

Who is the beast?

Here we see the origin of the antichrist, he arises “out of the sea”.

We see the interpretation of this in:

The waters are all the nations across the world, and arising from the water may indicate that he will be a Gentile.

We will see an increase in world violence, terrorism, wars and rumors of wars, and natural disasters such as famines, earthquakes, and diseases.

This “leader”, the antichrist, will rise because of the people and the nations trying to find hope and help.

He will be ready to offer this hope, but it will come at a price.

The wicked will search for hope and peace, but will find more turmoil and upheaval.

Everything said about the antichrist is symbolic of the enormous political power that he will gain.

What do the seven heads indicate?

1.

The antichrist will have seven heads.

This means at least two things.

a.

The antichrist will have enormous ability, a most unusual genius.

The number seven in the Bible means complete and full.

The antichrist will be full of ability.

He will be a supernatural genius, possessing complete knowledge and wisdom.

He will be able to think, plan, act, respond, and react to situations quicker and more efficiently than any man has ever been able to do.

Think how far a person could go in political circles and in gaining power if he had what we might term perfect ability—if he was full of knowledge, understanding, and wisdom.

He would be head and shoulders above all others, able to maneuver and manipulate power and people as no man has ever been able to do.

Think of the greatest leader who has ever lived and compare the antichrist to him: the antichrist will have seven times the ability of that leader; the antichrist will have full and complete ability.

b.

The seven heads and ten horns also refer to the ten nations he will rule over.

In the beginning there will be ten nations, but he will take over or be given the power and rule of three which leaves seven.

The heads of these seven will most likely surrender their governments to his rule.

Therefore, the beast or antichrist has the power of seven heads, seven heads of state.

(See Deeper Study # 1—Re.

13:2 for chart and full explanation of this point.)

What about the ten horns?

2. The antichrist will have ten horns.

This is the same number of horns that the dragon (devil) had.

This again points to the antichrist being the representative or embodiment of the devil upon earth.

The horns mean power, and the fact that there are ten horns means a confederated power of ten nations.

He will be the political head over ten nations.

Horns, of course, pierce, rip, and tear in the most fierce and vicious way.

The picture is that of a confederation of ten nations that will be frightening and strike terror in the hearts of the world.

What importance are the crowns?

3. The antichrist wears ten crowns upon his ten horns.

Crowns, of course, mean authority and power: he will be the leader and ruler of these ten nations.

He will hold the reigns of power and authority over the confederation of ten nations, nations that are pictured as so frightening that they are called the horns of beasts, horns that are able to rip and tear open the heart and bodies of other nations and people.

What do the blasphemous names indicate?

4. The antichrist will have ten blasphemous names on his seven heads.

This means that his blasphemy against God and believers and against the people of the world will be complete.

He will be the very fulfillment and embodiment of blasphemy.

⇒ He will be the abomination of desolation who will stand in the very holy place of the temple in Jerusalem and blaspheme the name of God.

He will demand that people give their first loyalty to the state.

⇒ He will be the man of sin who opposes all religions, all that is called God and that is worshipped.

⇒ He will speak great and boastful and terrible words against the most high.

⇒ He will demand that all worship him and his state.

What four empires are represented?

5.

The antichrist will combine and embody three of the world’s most powerful empires, that is, empires that had conquered and controlled most of the known world of their day.

This is what is meant by his being like three animals: the leopard, bear, and lion.

The picture being painted is that he will embody all the desire and lust for power, all the characteristics and traits of these three empires.

Imagine!

Take all the lust for power that existed within three of the greatest empires to rule the known world and combine that lust for power in one leader and government.

The intensity of so much lust for power will be such a driving force that it will reek havoc and horror all over the world.

No nation will be spared from the fright and terror of such a drive and lust for power.

Who are the three empires that will be wrapped up in the beast?

Note that the antichrist is said …

• to look like a leopard

• to have feet like a bear

• to have a mouth like a lion

What four world empires do these animals represent?

And what are the traits that will characterize the antichrist?

He will possess characteristics and traits of three world empires and he will come from a fourth, and possess characteristics from them also.

When we look at Daniel’s dream of the four bests and John’s vision, we see the lion definitely being the empire of Babylon (Now day Iraq).

The bear is symbolic of Medo-Persia (now day Iran), the leopard symbolizes Greece, and the dreaded strong beast represents Rome.

Notice this representation goes from the eastern most to the western most empires.

4) THERE ARE THE TRAITS OF THE METALS, OF THE IMAGE, AND OF THE FOUR BEASTS THAT MATCH THE COMBINED TRAITS OF THE ANTICHRIST

The Traits of the Metals of the Image or of Its Empires - The Antichrist Will Combine All the Traits of the Four Empires

Gold:

⇒ is valuable and desired … which means that …⇒ the antichrist will be desired by the world.

⇒ has a high lustre that attracts and appeals to man… which means that …⇒ the antichrist will be attractive and appealing to the world.

⇒ is extremely inactive, that is, it is unaffected by nature: air, heat, and moisture… which means that …⇒ the antichrist will be unfeeling and unaffected by the sufferings of the environment and of people.

⇒ hold’s heat and electricity; it is a volatile energy when pressed… which means that …⇒ the antichrist will be volatile, wrathful, vengeful.

Silver:

⇒ is malleable and easily beaten into all shapes and forms:… which means that …⇒ The antichrist will have great ability to compromise and give and take

⇒ is easily tarnished… which means that …⇒ The antichrist will be easily corrupted.

⇒ is the most superior of all metals in conducting heat and  electricity… which means that …⇒ The antichrist will be a strong commentator, able to pass on his ideas and wrath to others.

Bronze:

⇒ harder than most common alloys (except steel)… which means that …⇒ He will be hard and indifferent to others.

⇒ strongly resistant (often used in bearings, fittings, etc.)… which means that …⇒ He will resist and stand against opponents, strongly so.