The Events of Revelation 13
 This
chapter is one of the most interesting in the book of
Revelation because it gives us a broad look at the work
of anti-Christ and his worldwide administration during
the tribulation period. As a preface, it is important
to understand nobody today knows who this man might
be. Many names have been offered, but the truth is
they are all speculative. Some will try to speak definitively
on their proposed candidate for the office, but God
has quite simply chosen to not reveal his identity.
We are correct in saying his nationality will be that
of a country that was part of the old Roman Empire (Daniel
9:26), and that he will come from the “sea”, a term
that means the mass of humanity (Revelation 17:15).
This is important because it clarifies his being a human
and not some demonic spirit made incarnate.
After
the rapture it will become easy for his identity to
be revealed. In those tumultuous days immediately after
the rapture there might be any number of men jockeying
for recognition and clamoring for the world’s attention,
but only one will be elevated above all others and he
will be Satan’s man (Revelation 13:2). It probably
won’t take very long for his dominance to be asserted
and all competition to be eliminated. His identity
will be positively revealed when he brokers a treaty
with Israel (Daniel 9:27). The term “the many” might
be a statement whose purpose is to contrast the large
number of Jews in Israel at that time with “the few”
that will remain at the end of the tribulation after
anti-Christ kills millions of them.
We are
not told everything about this treaty, but in light
of Middle East politics just prior to the rapture it
seems quite reasonable it will have to do with several
issues critical to Israel and even to her Arab neighbors.
It is possible this deal will include the right of the
Jews to rebuild their Temple on the Temple Mt., something
presently impossible due to the virulent hatred Moslems
have for Jews. Further, the Russia/Iran threat might
also be a variable in this agreement, for this coalition
will come against Israel for the express purpose of
destroying her. Some place this event (Ezekiel 38 &
39) prior to the rapture. That could happen, but I
believe the fulfillment will be post-rapture for two
reasons. First, to have it pre-rapture is to deny the
imminent rapture of the church because the Russia/Iran
confederation is not established to such a degree at
the moment. It is moving in that direction very rapidly,
but until now the actors have not taken their final
places on the stage for that particular scene to be
played out. Second, the miraculous destruction of this
confederation will open the way for anti-Christ to move
from benevolent leader of the world to tyrannical dictator
of the world with no serious threat around to offer
resistance.
At some
point in the process anti-Christ will suffer a fatal
wound, probably to the head. His miraculous recovery
will cause the entire world to stand in awe of his person
and to willingly offer their worship. Of all the ingredients
found in this receipt for a one-world government, this
should be the least surprising, because it is not uncommon
for masses of people to willingly bow down to a mortal
they believe has all the answers to all their problems.
Some might remember Paul Henri Spaak, the former Prime
Minister of Belgium and the European Parliament’s first
president, who said, “We do not want another committee.
We have too many already. What we want is a man of sufficient
stature to hold the allegiance of all people, and to
lift us out of the economic morass in which we are sinking.
Send us such a man and, be he God or the devil, we will
receive him.” At a precise moment he will present
himself to the world as its savior, and humanity will
say with great relief, “Finally…!” Little will the
world know exactly what it has so willingly accepted.
Not only
will Anti-Christ turn against Israel with a vengeance,
but he will “make war with the saints and...overcome
them.” Who are those saints? Well, first of all everybody
who is a disciple of Jesus Christ is a saint. The word
simply means “holy ones”. Those saints who will die
in the tribulation are not Christians as we commonly
understand the term today, for the church will be gone
at this point. But, they are saints anyway, and in
the sense that the term “Christian” simply means a follower
of Christ, they can also called Christians. There were
saints during the Old Testament era prior to Pentecost,
and there will be saints in the post- rapture period,
too. These will be people who know the truth and refuse
to worship the anti-Christ or take his mark. They will
have to die for their faith and are seen in Revelation
7:14 and 20:4.
Interestingly
another beast arises, but this time from “the earth”
instead of “the sea”. It is difficult to determine
what that term might mean. A thorough study of 1 Samuel
28:13 and Psalm 10:18 might shed some light on it.
This false prophet is also a man and not a demon spirit,
and will do nine things as listed from verse 12 to verse
17.
It is
possible this false prophet will come from, or least
have roots in, any one of several modern churches; churches
commonly characterized by two major features: liturgy
and control. The description God gives in Revelation
17:1-4 shows a church steeped in pomp, wealth, form,
fashion and protocol. It is visible and impressive,
but cold, empty and void of the Holy Spirit. It is
mystic and sensual, and as such becomes a great tool
in the hands of anti-Christ.
The leader
of this harlot church and his clerical minions will
have no qualms whatsoever about forcing every human
to bow before anti-Christ in worship. In like manner
they will have no qualms about cutting off the heads
of every one who refuses to do so. Simple as that.
The Spanish Inquisition is a precedent for using torture
and murder as incentive.
How will
the false prophet enforce such control over people?
With a mark. No body knows what
the mark will be, but it will have something to do with
the number 666. The technology for this kind of control
and accounting is available today, and when the time
comes it will simply be suited to accommodate his demands.
It must be emphasized that today the number 666 means
absolutely nothing relative to anti-Christ. Some people
refuse to have 666 as house numbers, license plate numbers,
account numbers or other numbers associated with their
identity because they think it is the “mark of the beast”.
Rest at ease, for 666 is NOT the “mark of the beast”
today. Such mark will not come into existence prior
to the rapture. Secular society already has enough
ammunition to use in its indictment that Christians
are stupid and superstitious. We do not need to give
them more by being so concerned about something that
is presently a non-issue. Fear and ignorance breed
this kind of overreaction — like a hotel not having
a 13th floor!
To not be able to buy or sell without the mark will
be a death stroke in many ways, yet some recklessly
believe they will be able to escape the wrath and control
of anti-Christ by living in secluded wilderness areas.
Space will not allow all the reasons why this is such
foolish thinking, but one thing must be considered.
Children will be born during this period, and without
the mark parents will not be able to get treatment and
medication for a sick child. In essence the choice
will be taking the mark or allowing the child to die.
For those who know the truth about the consequence of
taking the mark this will be a choice that is horrible
beyond imagination. In the end, though, everyone will
take it or die.
The current worldwide emphasis on the worship of the
Divine Feminine (the apparition appearing in various
places today) among Catholics, Moslems, Hindus, any
number of Protestants and others will play a significant
role in the work of this false prophet. The key will
be deception. If a person at that time, or any other
time for that matter, does not know the truth, that
person is a candidate for believing the lie as Eve did
in the Garden, and as multitudes of her progeny have
since then.
Much could be written about the events of Revelation
and chapter 13 specifically. But, more important than
reading what someone else has written on the subject
is our responsibility to read it for ourselves. These
things were not dictated by Jesus and written by John
just to gather dust on some shelf or table. Knowing
the truth will increase one’s faith and will erase fear
and joy-robbing apprehension that come from ignorance.
DLM
For God has
not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation
through our Lord Jesus Christ...1Thess 5:9
|
