1 00:00:12,400 --> 00:00:15,840 I imagine that many of us, when standing on the seashore or 2 00:00:15,840 --> 00:00:20,240 on the shore of a great lake, look out in awe and quickly get lost 3 00:00:20,480 --> 00:00:23,200 in the vastness of the horizon. 4 00:00:24,000 --> 00:00:28,490 I took this photo on the 1st of January this year, and I stood 5 00:00:28,490 --> 00:00:32,930 looking out into the vastness of the Irish Sea and the horizon 6 00:00:32,930 --> 00:00:36,810 that was there, because five minutes later, I was going to be 7 00:00:36,810 --> 00:00:39,650 in the sea and I wanted to stay on shore. 8 00:00:40,690 --> 00:00:44,570 But particularly in this part of the world, we enjoy looking at 9 00:00:44,570 --> 00:00:45,090 this view. 10 00:00:45,890 --> 00:00:50,090 We enjoy walking along the shore path to look out to the sea, 11 00:00:50,090 --> 00:00:53,890 to clear our heads, not just with the breeze that this coastline 12 00:00:53,890 --> 00:00:58,370 offers, but knowing that the vastness of the water gives us perspective 13 00:00:59,000 --> 00:01:00,520 that our home simply cannot. 14 00:01:01,320 --> 00:01:04,360 And of course, many in this community have waited on the shore 15 00:01:04,920 --> 00:01:09,560 or stood at the harbor looking out for loved ones to come home from 16 00:01:09,560 --> 00:01:10,120 fishing. 17 00:01:10,520 --> 00:01:13,800 And so the sea for us is a place of expectant hope. 18 00:01:14,200 --> 00:01:18,760 We hope for clarity and a sense of the wonders of creation. 19 00:01:18,840 --> 00:01:22,960 But we also hope to see the boat coming into the harbor and know 20 00:01:22,960 --> 00:01:24,200 that our loved ones are safe. 21 00:01:25,100 --> 00:01:27,660 Well, for the people at the time of John, who's writing this 22 00:01:27,740 --> 00:01:32,140 revelation, as given to him in a vision by God, the sea is not the 23 00:01:32,140 --> 00:01:35,740 place for the casual observation of the horizon. 24 00:01:36,620 --> 00:01:40,780 The sea was a place of the unknown, and it was a place of chaos. 25 00:01:41,580 --> 00:01:45,860 The ancient Jews feared the sea, and they feared it because they 26 00:01:45,860 --> 00:01:50,620 couldn't control it, nor could they explore it to understand what 27 00:01:50,620 --> 00:01:52,620 was in it or just beneath the surface. 28 00:01:53,560 --> 00:01:57,320 And so, as we concluded chapter 12 of Revelation, we saw 29 00:01:57,320 --> 00:02:03,000 the dragon who represents Satan, standing on the shore looking 30 00:02:03,000 --> 00:02:04,600 out to the sea. 31 00:02:05,480 --> 00:02:10,600 And verse 17 of chapter 12 told us then the dragon became furious 32 00:02:10,600 --> 00:02:14,840 with the woman and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, 33 00:02:15,000 --> 00:02:18,960 on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the 34 00:02:18,960 --> 00:02:20,200 testimony of Jesus. 35 00:02:21,250 --> 00:02:25,170 And he stood on the sea or the sand of the sea. 36 00:02:26,850 --> 00:02:30,450 So as we finished chapter 12, there was something we had to know. 37 00:02:30,450 --> 00:02:34,770 We must know about the dragon who stands on the sand of the sea. 38 00:02:35,730 --> 00:02:41,090 The dragon, or the Satan, is a defeated foe, and he knows it. 39 00:02:41,890 --> 00:02:46,690 Unable to kill the Savior and to devour the church, he goes after 40 00:02:46,690 --> 00:02:47,890 the people of God. 41 00:02:48,570 --> 00:02:49,610 Notice what was there. 42 00:02:49,610 --> 00:02:53,570 Those who hold to the testimony of Jesus, that's who he's 43 00:02:53,570 --> 00:02:54,170 going after. 44 00:02:54,970 --> 00:02:58,970 And what we see now in chapter 13 is his method. 45 00:02:59,610 --> 00:03:04,130 And as he stands on the shore, John sees a beast coming out of the 46 00:03:04,130 --> 00:03:04,489 water. 47 00:03:05,130 --> 00:03:09,690 And this beast is presented to us in verses 1 to 10, and the second 48 00:03:09,690 --> 00:03:12,890 beast coming out of the land in verses 11 to 18. 49 00:03:13,940 --> 00:03:16,940 Now, the image of a beast is perhaps not as familiar to us as 50 00:03:16,940 --> 00:03:19,300 it was to the people of John's time. 51 00:03:20,020 --> 00:03:24,020 Our ideas of a beast may come from the writings of J.R.R. 52 00:03:24,020 --> 00:03:27,980 tolkien, maybe from the Hobbit, or perhaps from the Lord 53 00:03:27,980 --> 00:03:32,180 of the Rings, as the Balrog is presented to us as a fiery beast 54 00:03:32,180 --> 00:03:36,420 with horns waiting to consume and devour Gandalf. 55 00:03:37,620 --> 00:03:41,780 But in John's day, the idea and the image of a beast was quite 56 00:03:41,780 --> 00:03:44,380 familiar, whether they would have looked at one or thought of 57 00:03:44,380 --> 00:03:47,440 one that looked like this, because it was the prophet Daniel 58 00:03:47,920 --> 00:03:53,040 who had presented God's people with a vision of four beasts that 59 00:03:53,040 --> 00:03:56,800 represented consecutive world powers over history. 60 00:03:57,360 --> 00:04:00,120 And that's in Daniel, chapter seven, verses one to eight. 61 00:04:00,120 --> 00:04:04,400 And we understand those four beasts to be the empires of Babylon, 62 00:04:04,800 --> 00:04:08,160 Persia, Greece, and then Rome itself. 63 00:04:09,360 --> 00:04:13,320 And like Daniel's fourth beast in Daniel chapter seven and verse 64 00:04:13,320 --> 00:04:16,920 seven, which represented imperial Rome, the first beast here 65 00:04:16,920 --> 00:04:21,100 in Revelation has ten horns, as verse one tells us. 66 00:04:22,140 --> 00:04:24,300 John is seeing before him. 67 00:04:25,020 --> 00:04:30,620 Visualize through this beast the Roman Empire, the ruling authority 68 00:04:30,620 --> 00:04:36,100 of his time, what the people around him would have known as the 69 00:04:36,100 --> 00:04:39,340 source of their tribulation in their last days. 70 00:04:40,460 --> 00:04:45,630 And here Rome is described as a grotesque monster whose authority 71 00:04:45,630 --> 00:04:47,990 has been granted by Satan. 72 00:04:48,870 --> 00:04:53,070 Now, the beast is also described as having seven heads and 73 00:04:53,070 --> 00:04:57,030 10 diadems, or crowns on the horns. 74 00:04:58,310 --> 00:05:02,670 The seven heads have on them blasphemous names which are perhaps 75 00:05:02,670 --> 00:05:08,190 Rome's claims to deity, such as the empire or indeed the Caesar 76 00:05:08,190 --> 00:05:14,170 himself, calling themselves Lord or the son of the gods or even 77 00:05:14,330 --> 00:05:19,290 Savior, revealing to us the divine pretensions of the beast. 78 00:05:20,250 --> 00:05:23,330 And this is important because as we go through this passage, we're 79 00:05:23,330 --> 00:05:29,370 seeing what the beast is pretending to be, because the dragon, 80 00:05:29,610 --> 00:05:34,090 along with these two beasts, from the outset, we must understand, 81 00:05:35,210 --> 00:05:36,330 are counterfeits. 82 00:05:37,300 --> 00:05:42,940 They're trying to show themselves to be something that they're 83 00:05:42,940 --> 00:05:43,220 not. 84 00:05:43,860 --> 00:05:45,620 They're trying to deceive. 85 00:05:46,500 --> 00:05:48,580 And so they are counterfeits. 86 00:05:50,820 --> 00:05:57,620 The dragon, the Satan, the beasts, they stand up against God 87 00:05:57,700 --> 00:06:03,110 and his people thinking that they will succeed, but they will 88 00:06:03,110 --> 00:06:06,630 not, because there's nothing good in them, even though they try 89 00:06:06,630 --> 00:06:07,950 to tell people there is. 90 00:06:08,350 --> 00:06:10,510 They are in fact evil. 91 00:06:11,230 --> 00:06:15,390 And that's what, as we read on, we find the first beast described 92 00:06:15,390 --> 00:06:20,110 in verse three, as one of its heads seemed to have a mortal wound, 93 00:06:20,350 --> 00:06:24,270 but its mortal wound was healed, and the whole earth marveled 94 00:06:24,350 --> 00:06:25,630 as they followed the beast. 95 00:06:26,030 --> 00:06:28,870 Later in this passage, we discover that that mortal wound was 96 00:06:28,870 --> 00:06:30,270 inflicted by the sword. 97 00:06:31,190 --> 00:06:34,630 And verse two confirms that the authority given to the beast 98 00:06:34,630 --> 00:06:36,990 by the dragon is his to be had. 99 00:06:36,990 --> 00:06:41,390 But we also see that the beast has this mortal wound, but it is 100 00:06:41,390 --> 00:06:43,110 a wound that is healed. 101 00:06:43,350 --> 00:06:46,669 Now, this perhaps sounds familiar to us, for in Christ we 102 00:06:46,669 --> 00:06:50,670 see the Savior wounded for our transgressions, as Isaiah said he 103 00:06:50,670 --> 00:06:50,950 would. 104 00:06:51,350 --> 00:06:54,390 But yet he was healed truly in his resurrection. 105 00:06:55,030 --> 00:06:58,790 So here the first beast with this description is identified as 106 00:06:58,790 --> 00:07:04,360 a counterfeit Savior, a counterfeit Jesus trying to lure 107 00:07:04,360 --> 00:07:08,800 the world after himself, making them believe that he is their 108 00:07:08,800 --> 00:07:11,320 Savior when he is no Savior at all. 109 00:07:11,960 --> 00:07:15,280 And look at what the cry of the world is in verse four, as they 110 00:07:15,280 --> 00:07:18,440 worship the dragon because of the authority of the beast. 111 00:07:19,080 --> 00:07:23,120 And they worshiped the dragon, for he had given his authority to 112 00:07:23,120 --> 00:07:23,640 the beast. 113 00:07:23,960 --> 00:07:27,660 And they worshiped the beast, saying, who is like the beast? 114 00:07:27,660 --> 00:07:29,340 And who can fight against it? 115 00:07:30,700 --> 00:07:33,420 Who is like the beast? 116 00:07:34,300 --> 00:07:35,420 Now, that's quite the question. 117 00:07:36,140 --> 00:07:40,300 But it's also quite a cry from the people of what they affirm about 118 00:07:40,300 --> 00:07:40,700 the One. 119 00:07:40,700 --> 00:07:44,300 They're looking to this thing, this grotesque monster. 120 00:07:44,780 --> 00:07:47,580 They look at him and they don't see a monster. 121 00:07:47,980 --> 00:07:49,340 They see a Savior. 122 00:07:50,300 --> 00:07:51,260 How can that be? 123 00:07:52,470 --> 00:07:56,990 But haven't we seen this time and time again, world leaders who 124 00:07:56,990 --> 00:08:01,510 have had huge popular support, yet continue with an agenda that 125 00:08:01,510 --> 00:08:03,750 is against the standards of God. 126 00:08:04,470 --> 00:08:08,390 It's their charisma and their conviction about what they believe 127 00:08:08,630 --> 00:08:10,470 that draw people to themselves. 128 00:08:11,030 --> 00:08:14,390 And then they blind them with personality and with words. 129 00:08:16,150 --> 00:08:22,160 And so the first beast is doing just that, and people are worshipping 130 00:08:22,240 --> 00:08:27,600 it as if it can ever be their savior. 131 00:08:28,960 --> 00:08:33,960 Well, John continues to tell us that it has a mouth that utters 132 00:08:33,960 --> 00:08:39,760 proud, blasphemous words, and it has authority for 42 months. 133 00:08:40,720 --> 00:08:44,040 Now, although the dragon actively gives his authority to the 134 00:08:44,040 --> 00:08:48,460 beast, God reigns and rules over what the beast carries out, 135 00:08:48,620 --> 00:08:52,300 allowing or permitting the beast to exercise his authority. 136 00:08:53,020 --> 00:08:56,500 And even though God ordains what the beast does, he does not 137 00:08:56,500 --> 00:09:00,140 have the same motivations or intent as the Satan. 138 00:09:00,780 --> 00:09:05,580 God's judgment is his strange work, as Isaiah says in chapter 28 139 00:09:05,580 --> 00:09:06,540 and verse 21. 140 00:09:06,700 --> 00:09:10,940 And he calls on the wicked to repent so that they might live. 141 00:09:13,000 --> 00:09:14,680 What a contrast to the Satan. 142 00:09:15,560 --> 00:09:19,160 Because while God is calling for the wicked to repent and live 143 00:09:19,160 --> 00:09:22,920 well, Satan rejoices when people are destroyed. 144 00:09:24,520 --> 00:09:28,960 See, the beast is full of himself, uttering haughty and blasphemous 145 00:09:28,960 --> 00:09:33,400 words against God, just as Antiochus IV Epiphanes did in his 146 00:09:33,400 --> 00:09:36,280 day, functioning as a type of the coming beast. 147 00:09:37,630 --> 00:09:41,390 Such activity fits also with what's described in Second Thessalonians, 148 00:09:41,390 --> 00:09:41,910 chapter two. 149 00:09:41,910 --> 00:09:45,110 And verses three and four is the man of lawlessness who exalts 150 00:09:45,110 --> 00:09:46,670 himself as divine. 151 00:09:47,550 --> 00:09:52,030 And so the beast is allowed to exercise his authority for 42 months. 152 00:09:52,030 --> 00:09:56,390 And yes, some understand this to be a literal 3 1/2 years before 153 00:09:56,390 --> 00:09:57,470 Jesus returns. 154 00:09:58,030 --> 00:10:02,110 But John is more likely describing the entire period between 155 00:10:02,110 --> 00:10:05,510 Jesus first and second coming, just as we've seen in Revelation 156 00:10:05,510 --> 00:10:07,640 before that. 157 00:10:07,640 --> 00:10:11,760 To understand the numbers and time periods in Revelation is to 158 00:10:11,760 --> 00:10:13,160 understand the control of God. 159 00:10:13,160 --> 00:10:17,480 That God knows exactly the time limit that is placed on the 160 00:10:17,480 --> 00:10:19,320 evil that is on the earth. 161 00:10:20,680 --> 00:10:24,200 John wrote not of days far removed from his readers. 162 00:10:24,920 --> 00:10:28,160 And so he's writing here of the impact of the Roman Empire on 163 00:10:28,160 --> 00:10:28,520 them. 164 00:10:29,160 --> 00:10:32,960 This beast rising that is declaring itself as their savior 165 00:10:32,960 --> 00:10:38,530 so that it may be worshipped, exactly what the Caesars did, exactly 166 00:10:38,530 --> 00:10:40,690 what the establishment of Rome did. 167 00:10:41,970 --> 00:10:46,490 And so this language, this haughty language on blasphemous words, 168 00:10:46,490 --> 00:10:50,770 this language of the beast is against God and against his saints. 169 00:10:51,330 --> 00:10:54,930 So this beast, harboring divine, really divine pretensions, 170 00:10:55,250 --> 00:10:59,850 hates anything and hates anyone devoted to the one true and 171 00:10:59,850 --> 00:11:00,850 living God. 172 00:11:01,920 --> 00:11:05,440 And to demonstrate this, verse seven tells us that he wages war 173 00:11:05,440 --> 00:11:10,360 on the saints of God in an attempt to conquer them, and he is 174 00:11:10,360 --> 00:11:11,680 allowed to do so. 175 00:11:11,840 --> 00:11:16,120 And he gains authority over all peoples of the world by influencing 176 00:11:16,120 --> 00:11:19,360 culture so that they would be drawn to worship him. 177 00:11:20,000 --> 00:11:24,720 And he has made people worship things of nature, of gold and of 178 00:11:24,720 --> 00:11:28,920 experience, pulling them away from the knowledge of the one true 179 00:11:28,920 --> 00:11:30,240 God of salvation. 180 00:11:31,220 --> 00:11:35,260 But John has words of wisdom that we must pay attention to, because 181 00:11:35,260 --> 00:11:39,540 he says in verses 9 and 10, if anyone has an ear, let him hear. 182 00:11:39,540 --> 00:11:41,460 And this is what John wants to say to us. 183 00:11:41,780 --> 00:11:45,620 If anyone is to be taken captive to captivity, he goes. 184 00:11:45,860 --> 00:11:49,860 If anyone is to be slain with the sword, with a sword must he be 185 00:11:49,860 --> 00:11:50,340 slain. 186 00:11:50,900 --> 00:11:55,460 Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints. 187 00:11:57,230 --> 00:12:01,110 Those who have ears should open their ears and heed what has 188 00:12:01,110 --> 00:12:01,790 been said. 189 00:12:02,590 --> 00:12:06,230 People are now being told in advance about the authority of the 190 00:12:06,230 --> 00:12:10,190 beast and his persecution and his slaying of Christians. 191 00:12:11,150 --> 00:12:14,830 They are informed that unbelievers will give in to the beast. 192 00:12:15,230 --> 00:12:18,750 They will worship him, and they will give him their adoration. 193 00:12:19,230 --> 00:12:21,870 And so believers must ready themselves. 194 00:12:23,030 --> 00:12:27,190 Some are destined for captivity, and so to captivity they 195 00:12:27,190 --> 00:12:28,710 will go because of Christ. 196 00:12:29,430 --> 00:12:31,990 Others are destined to be killed by the sword. 197 00:12:32,390 --> 00:12:35,270 And we are seeing that in this world today. 198 00:12:36,710 --> 00:12:42,870 And so by the sword they will be slain for the sake of Jesus Christ. 199 00:12:44,390 --> 00:12:49,670 Now, such events do not mean that God has abandoned or forgotten 200 00:12:49,670 --> 00:12:50,150 his people. 201 00:12:50,150 --> 00:12:55,450 He has not the power of the Beast does not suggest God's sovereign 202 00:12:55,450 --> 00:12:57,850 rule over the world has been surrendered. 203 00:12:58,330 --> 00:13:01,850 For the beast exercises authority only by God's will. 204 00:13:02,410 --> 00:13:07,050 And so believers are called upon to persevere and to remain faithful 205 00:13:07,050 --> 00:13:07,770 to their Lord. 206 00:13:07,770 --> 00:13:12,730 That's why one of the tenets that John Calvin brought to the Reformation 207 00:13:12,730 --> 00:13:16,170 was the preservation or the keeping of the saints until that 208 00:13:16,170 --> 00:13:19,570 day when Jesus would come, knowing what they must face by way 209 00:13:19,570 --> 00:13:21,610 of tribulation and persecution. 210 00:13:22,780 --> 00:13:27,900 So God's people are called to remain loyal despite the persecution 211 00:13:28,300 --> 00:13:29,820 and the difficulties at hand. 212 00:13:31,340 --> 00:13:34,780 And this is what we must understand about this beast. 213 00:13:35,980 --> 00:13:37,500 He is a counterfeit Christ. 214 00:13:38,300 --> 00:13:44,140 He will want to tell us that he can save us when all he will do 215 00:13:44,700 --> 00:13:45,820 is condemn us. 216 00:13:46,940 --> 00:13:51,540 And Paul marked it well when he said in Ephesians 6:12, for we 217 00:13:51,540 --> 00:13:54,300 do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, 218 00:13:54,460 --> 00:13:57,340 against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this 219 00:13:57,340 --> 00:14:01,980 present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly 220 00:14:01,980 --> 00:14:02,540 places. 221 00:14:03,260 --> 00:14:09,700 This beast is an agent of the powers and principalities that cannot 222 00:14:09,700 --> 00:14:13,740 be seen but are the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 223 00:14:14,390 --> 00:14:18,430 He will use the things all around us to attempt to convince 224 00:14:18,430 --> 00:14:23,470 us that they will save us, ultimately trusting in him and not 225 00:14:23,470 --> 00:14:25,030 in the true Savior. 226 00:14:25,510 --> 00:14:27,830 And so this is our warning tonight. 227 00:14:28,790 --> 00:14:31,990 Do not think these things are insignificant. 228 00:14:32,630 --> 00:14:36,870 We must be aware that the world and its pleasures are not true 229 00:14:36,870 --> 00:14:37,590 salvation. 230 00:14:38,390 --> 00:14:42,350 Just as Rome set itself up to be the Savior of the people, it was 231 00:14:42,350 --> 00:14:43,590 no Savior at all. 232 00:14:44,460 --> 00:14:50,460 And every preceding generation or succeeding generation has been 233 00:14:50,460 --> 00:14:57,100 led that lie that every incarnation of the world will save. 234 00:14:58,060 --> 00:14:59,660 What is it for us today? 235 00:15:00,860 --> 00:15:02,620 Well, we're told money will save us. 236 00:15:03,100 --> 00:15:05,340 We're told happiness will save us. 237 00:15:06,380 --> 00:15:11,650 We're told our choice will save us, when in fact they will not. 238 00:15:12,370 --> 00:15:16,010 It is just the next incarnation of the beast trying to 239 00:15:16,010 --> 00:15:20,450 pull us away from Christ and to believe that they will save us 240 00:15:21,010 --> 00:15:24,690 when it is only Christ who can and who will. 241 00:15:26,130 --> 00:15:30,850 The beast of this current age simply draws us away from our true 242 00:15:30,850 --> 00:15:31,890 salvation in Christ. 243 00:15:32,690 --> 00:15:34,450 So trust not in the world. 244 00:15:34,610 --> 00:15:38,130 Trust only in the Savior, the one who has the true power to save. 245 00:15:41,000 --> 00:15:43,840 And so we've been introduced to the first beast, but there is 246 00:15:43,840 --> 00:15:47,040 a second one that appears before John, and this one comes out 247 00:15:47,040 --> 00:15:50,040 of the earth, and it has two horns like a lamb. 248 00:15:50,760 --> 00:15:54,319 But when it spoke, it used language like the dragon, like the 249 00:15:54,319 --> 00:15:59,320 Satan in verse 12 tells us it exercises all the authority of the 250 00:15:59,320 --> 00:16:03,120 first beast in its presence and makes the earth and its inhabitants 251 00:16:03,120 --> 00:16:07,260 worship the first beast whose mortal wound was healed. 252 00:16:07,660 --> 00:16:11,620 Verse 13 goes on to say it performed great signs so that people 253 00:16:11,620 --> 00:16:14,900 would be deceived and becomes what Richard Phillips describes in 254 00:16:14,900 --> 00:16:15,740 his commentary. 255 00:16:15,740 --> 00:16:19,660 Whereas the first beast relied mainly on par, the second beast supports 256 00:16:19,660 --> 00:16:20,860 him with lies. 257 00:16:22,060 --> 00:16:25,740 So this is a propaganda machine for the first beast. 258 00:16:26,060 --> 00:16:29,100 And if the first beast is a counterfeit Christ offering salvation 259 00:16:29,100 --> 00:16:32,660 where there is none, so the second beast is a counterfeit Holy 260 00:16:32,660 --> 00:16:37,590 Spirit convincing the world of a false power of salvation of the 261 00:16:37,590 --> 00:16:38,350 first beast. 262 00:16:39,230 --> 00:16:41,870 His lies produce false religion. 263 00:16:42,270 --> 00:16:45,470 And not just religion as we might define it, but also the political 264 00:16:45,790 --> 00:16:50,270 and social ideologies that have essentially become a religion 265 00:16:50,270 --> 00:16:51,070 to so many. 266 00:16:51,950 --> 00:16:55,950 We're surrounded by the voice of this beast in government, media 267 00:16:56,590 --> 00:16:59,990 and entertainment that touts progress beyond the narrow thinking 268 00:16:59,990 --> 00:17:03,740 of the Bible, the God of the Bible, its message of salvation and 269 00:17:03,740 --> 00:17:06,260 judgment and its call to holy living. 270 00:17:06,660 --> 00:17:10,700 And that's what we read in verse 15, we're told that this beast 271 00:17:10,700 --> 00:17:14,140 was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the 272 00:17:14,140 --> 00:17:17,980 image of the beast might even speak and might cause those who would 273 00:17:17,980 --> 00:17:20,500 not worship the image of the beast to be slain. 274 00:17:21,620 --> 00:17:25,580 And so if this second beast is a counterfeit Holy Spirit and its 275 00:17:25,580 --> 00:17:29,140 actions are presented to us here in verse 15, just as the Holy 276 00:17:29,140 --> 00:17:32,260 Spirit came to glorify Jesus and anoint him with power, so the 277 00:17:32,260 --> 00:17:34,960 second beast honours and empowers the first. 278 00:17:36,000 --> 00:17:39,160 And when John describes it granting life to the image of the 279 00:17:39,160 --> 00:17:42,520 beast, we shouldn't envisage an image literally coming to life. 280 00:17:42,520 --> 00:17:46,480 Instead, the point is the second beast empowering and supporting 281 00:17:46,480 --> 00:17:49,279 the first beast in its endeavors. 282 00:17:50,480 --> 00:17:55,120 The language or the speech of the first beast seems supernatural, 283 00:17:55,200 --> 00:17:57,840 inspired, authoritative, compelling. 284 00:17:58,160 --> 00:17:59,600 He speaks in oracles. 285 00:18:00,760 --> 00:18:03,480 But this is not a matter merely of persuasion. 286 00:18:03,960 --> 00:18:09,520 Coercion is a staple of the second beast, so called ministry 287 00:18:09,520 --> 00:18:10,120 to the people. 288 00:18:10,520 --> 00:18:14,400 And those who refuse to worship the first beast are put to 289 00:18:14,400 --> 00:18:14,680 death. 290 00:18:15,160 --> 00:18:18,600 And once again, we have seen this played out on the pages of history, 291 00:18:19,400 --> 00:18:25,680 where faithful believers, those whom the dragon has gone after, 292 00:18:25,680 --> 00:18:28,760 who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and live by his standard, 293 00:18:29,720 --> 00:18:35,640 have they not been killed because they refused to bow the knee 294 00:18:36,120 --> 00:18:37,320 to false gods? 295 00:18:39,560 --> 00:18:44,680 Verses 16 and 18 or to 18 draw us with another counterfeit, only 296 00:18:44,680 --> 00:18:47,720 this time it doesn't represent the Father or the Son or the Holy 297 00:18:47,720 --> 00:18:48,120 Spirit. 298 00:18:49,000 --> 00:18:51,880 Earlier in Revelation, we heard of the people of God, those 299 00:18:51,880 --> 00:18:56,210 trusting in Jesus Christ as Savior as being marked as with his 300 00:18:56,210 --> 00:18:56,730 seal. 301 00:18:57,530 --> 00:19:01,410 Now, we're not told what that mark is, but here the counterfeits 302 00:19:01,410 --> 00:19:06,570 of Revelation 12 and 13 have their own seal to identify who are 303 00:19:06,570 --> 00:19:09,610 those or who belong to them now. 304 00:19:09,610 --> 00:19:13,330 Growing up, I was taught that this was a literal seal that would 305 00:19:13,330 --> 00:19:16,970 be branded on those who wanted to trade and live in the world. 306 00:19:17,610 --> 00:19:21,450 I attended meetings as a young child of a man called Barry Smith 307 00:19:21,450 --> 00:19:25,680 from Australia or New Zealand, who came over to this province and 308 00:19:26,000 --> 00:19:29,680 had many meetings about his interpretation of the end times. 309 00:19:30,320 --> 00:19:31,920 And I watched those videos. 310 00:19:32,480 --> 00:19:35,560 And so I was brought up believing that this was a literal 311 00:19:35,560 --> 00:19:37,520 number that would be placed on each of us. 312 00:19:38,080 --> 00:19:40,880 And so the seal here in Revelation is described as the number 313 00:19:40,880 --> 00:19:42,320 666. 314 00:19:42,800 --> 00:19:44,080 It's there in verse 18. 315 00:19:45,760 --> 00:19:49,690 But my understanding of simply listening to this man from Australia 316 00:19:50,010 --> 00:19:53,930 changed because then I was told that it was going to be a barcode 317 00:19:54,090 --> 00:19:57,330 that would be branded on us so that we could trade. 318 00:19:57,330 --> 00:19:59,450 And then I was told it was going to be plastic money. 319 00:20:00,250 --> 00:20:05,530 And when the Northern bank brought out its plastic fivers, well, 320 00:20:06,490 --> 00:20:07,290 that was it. 321 00:20:09,530 --> 00:20:12,170 You see, credit cards were seen, banknotes. 322 00:20:13,460 --> 00:20:14,500 And yet we're still here. 323 00:20:16,420 --> 00:20:21,620 See, all these were supposed marks of the second beast, the counterfeit 324 00:20:21,620 --> 00:20:22,340 Holy Spirit. 325 00:20:23,060 --> 00:20:26,820 But following with Revelation 13, as already said, we now see the 326 00:20:26,820 --> 00:20:32,100 structures of society influencing us to live its way. 327 00:20:33,300 --> 00:20:39,260 So rather than a literal mark of 666 or a barcode or a chip that 328 00:20:39,260 --> 00:20:43,740 apparently was put into us with the COVID vaccine, John is telling 329 00:20:43,740 --> 00:20:46,140 us of our restriction on God's people. 330 00:20:47,020 --> 00:20:53,500 Just as they are marked as his, so those who reject him, those 331 00:20:53,500 --> 00:20:58,060 who come to the beast, are marked as belonging to him. 332 00:20:59,020 --> 00:21:01,780 You see, in John's day, this mark would have been known to the 333 00:21:01,780 --> 00:21:06,980 people because slaves, soldiers, devotees of various religions 334 00:21:06,980 --> 00:21:11,140 were tattooed indicating that they were owned or were solely devoted 335 00:21:11,140 --> 00:21:11,740 to another. 336 00:21:12,690 --> 00:21:16,930 The mark of the second beast is an apocalyptic symbol for belonging 337 00:21:17,090 --> 00:21:21,650 as well as the state's political and economic stamp of approval 338 00:21:21,730 --> 00:21:25,890 given only to those who go along with its religious demands. 339 00:21:26,610 --> 00:21:30,050 Notice that the mark is on the hand or on the forehead. 340 00:21:30,450 --> 00:21:35,810 And this is telling us that it is about how people think, what they 341 00:21:35,890 --> 00:21:40,010 value, and what they do with their lives that marks them out as 342 00:21:40,010 --> 00:21:43,900 belonging to the beast and instead of to the Lamb. 343 00:21:44,860 --> 00:21:48,380 This mark is not a chip implanted in a person's body. 344 00:21:49,020 --> 00:21:53,660 It's their internal character and the commitments being lived out 345 00:21:53,660 --> 00:21:56,460 in such a way that they are marked by them. 346 00:21:57,260 --> 00:22:01,020 And what becomes obvious is that there is no love for Christ 347 00:22:01,020 --> 00:22:03,100 in them, nor pursuit of holiness. 348 00:22:03,900 --> 00:22:08,700 There's only love for self and a pursuit of everything that this 349 00:22:08,700 --> 00:22:09,660 world has to offer. 350 00:22:11,100 --> 00:22:14,300 And so John concludes this chapter with more words of wisdom. 351 00:22:15,100 --> 00:22:18,460 He says that the number that is the mark of the beast is the number 352 00:22:18,460 --> 00:22:19,100 of a man. 353 00:22:19,500 --> 00:22:24,060 And that number is presented to us as 666. 354 00:22:24,700 --> 00:22:28,940 Now, there have been many wild speculations about the identity of 355 00:22:28,940 --> 00:22:33,100 this person, and it's promoted many theories throughout history, 356 00:22:33,500 --> 00:22:36,780 and every guess so far has been wrong. 357 00:22:37,730 --> 00:22:40,610 So rather than paying attention to historic figures and 358 00:22:40,610 --> 00:22:44,450 world leaders, perhaps it's better to move to a different direction. 359 00:22:45,410 --> 00:22:51,010 If we consider the number that would roll on from 666 by way of 360 00:22:51,010 --> 00:22:55,490 simply combination luck moving it, it would be 777. 361 00:22:56,050 --> 00:22:59,090 And as we know, the number seven represents perfection. 362 00:23:00,290 --> 00:23:05,500 So John is presenting us here with 666 as the number of man. 363 00:23:05,980 --> 00:23:10,540 The number represents what is anti God and what is antichrist, 364 00:23:11,580 --> 00:23:15,500 all that is in opposition to the one true God. 365 00:23:16,060 --> 00:23:19,580 For if the number seven is perfect, we have it here three times. 366 00:23:19,580 --> 00:23:22,060 And we know that throughout scripture, when something is said 367 00:23:22,060 --> 00:23:26,940 in three times, it is emphasized, such as holy, holy, holy, 368 00:23:27,420 --> 00:23:30,590 as we hear of the heavenly host in Isaiah. 369 00:23:31,790 --> 00:23:38,510 And so then 666, three sixes in a row, emphasize for us the enormity 370 00:23:38,670 --> 00:23:41,870 and the totality of evil. 371 00:23:43,230 --> 00:23:46,470 And so this evening, whether you fall along a line that says there 372 00:23:46,470 --> 00:23:52,270 is literal branding of a 666 on a forehead or a hand, or whether 373 00:23:52,350 --> 00:23:57,230 you fall on the side where it signifies something that is not literal, 374 00:23:57,790 --> 00:23:59,550 the outcome is still the same. 375 00:24:00,990 --> 00:24:04,430 Those who follow the way of the beasts and the dragon, those 376 00:24:04,510 --> 00:24:10,190 counterfeits are antichrist, they want nothing to do with him. 377 00:24:11,070 --> 00:24:16,590 Whereas those who are sealed with a seal, a brand of Jesus Christ, 378 00:24:17,870 --> 00:24:19,710 will be kept for all eternity. 379 00:24:20,430 --> 00:24:23,750 Even though we have an image here of how those tribulations and 380 00:24:23,750 --> 00:24:29,260 persecutions will intensify even to the day to day living of 381 00:24:29,260 --> 00:24:32,540 God's people, John does not intend to point to any particular 382 00:24:32,620 --> 00:24:33,460 individual here. 383 00:24:33,460 --> 00:24:36,900 If he did, it would be told to us so. 384 00:24:36,900 --> 00:24:40,460 Rather, the kingdom of the beast is a human kingdom, an evil 385 00:24:40,460 --> 00:24:42,780 kingdom instead of a divine one. 386 00:24:43,260 --> 00:24:46,940 The nature of humanity apart from God is truly demonic. 387 00:24:47,500 --> 00:24:52,040 The kingdom of the beast promises life and prosperity, but 388 00:24:52,040 --> 00:24:56,560 in reality it brings death, misery and devastation. 389 00:24:57,600 --> 00:25:01,640 That's why we need to be warned tonight that we need to look 390 00:25:01,640 --> 00:25:06,480 to the true Savior and not to the falsehood of the dragon and his 391 00:25:06,480 --> 00:25:07,440 two beasts. 392 00:25:08,000 --> 00:25:12,080 Through the structures of this ruling world, the dragon and the 393 00:25:12,080 --> 00:25:16,480 two beasts want to present a counterfeit salvation that will indeed 394 00:25:16,480 --> 00:25:20,000 tickle our ears by telling us what we want to hear. 395 00:25:20,570 --> 00:25:24,690 And it will appeal to us, because in reality it is giving us 396 00:25:24,690 --> 00:25:26,010 what we want. 397 00:25:27,210 --> 00:25:30,610 This counterfeit salvation tells us that everyone has the right 398 00:25:30,610 --> 00:25:33,850 to love and express that love in however they want. 399 00:25:34,650 --> 00:25:37,730 This counterfeit salvation tells us that we have the authority 400 00:25:37,730 --> 00:25:40,650 to grant life or decide when it should be terminated. 401 00:25:41,290 --> 00:25:45,050 This counterfeit salvation tells us that we are okay simply 402 00:25:45,050 --> 00:25:49,970 being good people and letting others live the way they want, as 403 00:25:49,970 --> 00:25:52,010 long as not doing me any harm. 404 00:25:53,290 --> 00:25:59,850 These are lies, lies of this current age, this current incarnation 405 00:26:00,090 --> 00:26:05,490 of the dragon and the two beasts who want us to believe in 406 00:26:05,490 --> 00:26:09,530 a false salvation so that we will be lost forever. 407 00:26:10,570 --> 00:26:14,810 And these are lies that are being lapped up as truth by the world 408 00:26:14,970 --> 00:26:15,930 all around us. 409 00:26:17,260 --> 00:26:20,460 And so we have a redefinition of marriage. 410 00:26:21,500 --> 00:26:25,740 We now have laws and more stringent laws in these past days 411 00:26:26,140 --> 00:26:31,140 about abortion and about who has the right to live into their 412 00:26:31,140 --> 00:26:31,740 old age. 413 00:26:33,580 --> 00:26:38,300 And so many other subtle laws come in because of the influence 414 00:26:38,860 --> 00:26:43,400 of these powers and principalities that are at work in 415 00:26:43,400 --> 00:26:48,440 the heavenly places and yet being manifested in the world around 416 00:26:48,440 --> 00:26:48,720 us. 417 00:26:48,720 --> 00:26:49,800 And what do we do? 418 00:26:49,800 --> 00:26:53,680 At times we simply slumber. 419 00:26:55,840 --> 00:27:00,720 We stand on the shore and simply look out and we become an 420 00:27:00,720 --> 00:27:04,360 ivory tar ourselves, wanting to be away from it all. 421 00:27:04,360 --> 00:27:05,680 And yes, we do want to be away. 422 00:27:05,680 --> 00:27:08,690 But we need to be the voice that challenges, because we need 423 00:27:08,690 --> 00:27:11,010 to be the voice of truth, if we know the truth. 424 00:27:11,010 --> 00:27:14,650 So do not be fooled by this counterfeit trinity. 425 00:27:15,210 --> 00:27:18,170 They want your soul to be lost forever. 426 00:27:18,330 --> 00:27:23,850 They want you to have a seal on them, a seal that marks you as 427 00:27:23,929 --> 00:27:28,690 theirs, rather than a seal on you that is Christ's and that you 428 00:27:28,690 --> 00:27:30,490 will be his for all eternity. 429 00:27:31,610 --> 00:27:32,890 So what must we do? 430 00:27:34,020 --> 00:27:37,740 Well, if you do not want your soul lost for all eternity, this 431 00:27:37,740 --> 00:27:42,180 night you must look to the genuine Savior who has been tested 432 00:27:42,180 --> 00:27:45,900 on Calvary's cross and has rose from the grave and is proved 433 00:27:45,900 --> 00:27:47,540 as true and worthy. 434 00:27:47,700 --> 00:27:50,820 That's what the writer of Hebrews tells us in chapter 12 and 435 00:27:50,820 --> 00:27:51,780 verses 1 and 2. 436 00:27:52,020 --> 00:27:55,300 Therefore, since we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses, 437 00:27:55,940 --> 00:28:00,660 those people who tell of the wonders of Christ, let us also lay 438 00:28:00,660 --> 00:28:04,940 aside every weight and sin which clings so closely. 439 00:28:05,500 --> 00:28:06,580 And what must we do? 440 00:28:06,580 --> 00:28:09,420 Well, we must run with endurance the race that is set before 441 00:28:09,420 --> 00:28:14,060 us, looking only to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, 442 00:28:14,140 --> 00:28:19,020 who for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross despising 443 00:28:19,100 --> 00:28:24,300 its shame, and is seated, as this image in Revelation tells us, 444 00:28:24,790 --> 00:28:31,550 at the right hand of the throne of God this night. 445 00:28:31,550 --> 00:28:36,430 Will you go with what is true and genuine, or will you follow the 446 00:28:36,430 --> 00:28:37,990 counterfeits of this world? 447 00:28:39,510 --> 00:28:43,430 Only one will save you now and for all eternity. 448 00:28:44,230 --> 00:28:49,350 Only one will keep you in this time of tribulation and persecution, 449 00:28:50,880 --> 00:28:55,160 and that is the Lord Jesus Christ and He has been presented 450 00:28:55,160 --> 00:29:00,040 to us beautifully and perfectly in Revelation so far and 451 00:29:00,040 --> 00:29:00,960 will be again. 452 00:29:02,000 --> 00:29:04,080 He is the only one we can trust. 453 00:29:04,880 --> 00:29:08,800 And so tonight I urge you turn to the Savior. 454 00:29:09,440 --> 00:29:15,840 Know him and know true glorious hope that indeed Christ 455 00:29:16,080 --> 00:29:18,560 is the one who will see us to the end. 456 00:29:19,570 --> 00:29:23,410 The end of time and then eternity. 457 00:29:25,010 --> 00:29:25,890 Let us pray. 458 00:29:27,570 --> 00:29:30,690 Our Father, we do thank you for your word to us. 459 00:29:32,050 --> 00:29:36,090 And Father, we see images that make us feel uncomfortable, perhaps 460 00:29:36,090 --> 00:29:39,410 because we're not sure what they mean or how to understand them. 461 00:29:40,050 --> 00:29:44,250 But Father, all we have to do is simply look in your Word and we 462 00:29:44,250 --> 00:29:47,790 see that these images are not new to us and have already taught 463 00:29:47,790 --> 00:29:49,310 us something that we must know. 464 00:29:50,510 --> 00:29:55,750 And so, as we are confronted by the truth of the Gospel in Jesus 465 00:29:55,750 --> 00:29:59,630 Christ, knowing Father, Son and Holy Spirit, with the counterfeit 466 00:29:59,630 --> 00:30:05,950 trinity of the dragon and the two beasts, may we not be sucked 467 00:30:05,950 --> 00:30:07,070 into their lies. 468 00:30:07,790 --> 00:30:09,550 But may we look only to Christ. 469 00:30:10,430 --> 00:30:12,990 May we look to him as the one who indeed will keep us. 470 00:30:13,800 --> 00:30:16,680 And Father, we will have that wonderful assurance of salvation. 471 00:30:17,560 --> 00:30:22,360 So indeed may we look only ever to Christ and know that indeed 472 00:30:22,440 --> 00:30:28,800 he is good for us and towards us and will truly keep us to the 473 00:30:28,800 --> 00:30:29,080 end. 474 00:30:30,200 --> 00:30:32,360 And we ask these things in Jesus name. 475 00:30:33,000 --> 00:30:33,640 Amen. 476 00:30:39,840 --> 00:30:40,080 Sa.