Summary Finalised.
In His final lengthy sermon on the signs of His second coming Jesus warned us about being on our guard against deception (Matt 24:23-26, 42-44). This sermon is like a table of contents for the book of Revelation.
In the book of Revelation satan has two primary methods of dealing with human beings: 1) counterfeit (to deceive and persuade). Fame and fortune are illusions with no solutions, created by the deceiver, counterfeits of the happiness God wants us to enjoy; and 2) force (to threaten and kill). During history, force has proven to have its limits and persecution has often backfired. When a person’s faith comes under threat, it often became stronger. Under opposition, prayers become charged with importance and tend to be more fervent. In the final battle deception is refined to the point that many (or most) will not be able to tell which side is right–whether they are dealing with Christ or satan.
The unholy trinity of Revelation 13 appears together again in chapter 16. There we find the dragon, the beast and the false prophet (Rev 16:13). The beast is clearly the beast from the sea. In Revelation 13 it is consistently called simply “the beast” after its initial appearance (Rev 13:2-5, 14-15, 17-18, in 13:12 it is twice called “the first beast”). Thus the “false prophet” in 16:13 must be a reference to the beast from the earth, who brings fire down from heaven like the prophet Elijah in the Old Testament (1 Kings 18) and Pentecost (Acts 2). It also behaves like the “spirit of prophecy” (Rev 19:10) in its counterfeit of the third person of the godhead.
The concept of a great, worldwide, end-time deception that blurs the lines between the true God and the false raises a question not answered in Revelation 13.
Why would God allow such a cunningly crafted deception? Why not make all things plain? A parallel text on end-time deception is 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12 (c.f. Matt 24:24-27). In this text God not only allows the end-time deception but takes responsibility for it as being part of His plan. But the deception only comes on those who “did not receive the love of the truth in order that they might be saved.” (2 Thess 2:10-11) This text divides the people of earth into three groups, those who love the truth, those who hate the truth, and those who are indifferently sitting on the fence between God and satan.
In reading this text we see God’s purpose in the end-time deception is to single out those who have not believed the truth and expose those who delight in wickedness even though they profess to be Christians. The purpose of the deception, from God’s point of view, is that it gets people off the fence, they end up either abandoning their apathy and committing to God or become more deeply entrenched in their opposition to the truth. So according to 2Thessalonians 2 even a worldwide spiritual deception could serve a spiritual purpose.
As we have seen in chapters 11 and 12, when new main characters appear for the first time in Revelation they are often introduced with a visual description follow by a brief summary of their actions prior to the vision in which they are introduced. For example, the two witnesses are introduced in Revelation 11:3-6 and then act in the context of the vision in 11:7-13. The woman is introduced in 12:1-2 and then acts in the context of the vision from verses 5 and on in the chapter. The dragon is introduced in 12:3-4 and then acts throughout the rest of the book. The vision of Revelation 11:7-13 is focused on the end-time, climaxing in the final proclamation of the gospel (11:11-13). But the two witnesses clearly existed before that time and their history includes the 1260 days mentioned in 11:2-3. The woman and the dragon clearly go back well before the birth of Christ, but the action of the vision moves from the ascension of the male child (12:5) to the final battle (12:17). These examples set the stage for the two new characters who appear in chapter 13.
The two new characters are a beast from the sea and a beast from the earth. Each is introduced with a visual description (13:1-2, 11) followed by a summary of each beast’s actions prior to the time of the vision (13:3-7, 11). Supportive of this general observation are the Greek tenses of the whole chapter. The main verbs of the introduction of the sea beast are entirely in past tense (Rev 13:1-7). Then the story shifts to present and future tenses (13:8-10), involving the beast’s actions at the time of the final battle summarized in 12:17. The sea beast’s actions at the time of the vision are continued in 13:12-18.
The same thing happens with the beast from the land in the latter part of the chapter. That beast is described and introduced (13:11), but the introduction is much briefer than that of the sea beast, suggesting that the land beast’s history or pedigree is much shorter. The land beast then acts in the context of the final battle in 13:12-18. So, there is movement in time with both beasts. Both have a record of past activity, and they work together in the final conflict to accomplish the purposes of the dragon.
But God has other plans – mighty plans! I am so looking forward to the ceaseless ages of eternity where there will no longer be any curse. No sin, temptation, no hospitals or sickness and the last enemy – death- is gone forever.
I am looking forward to being amongst that group who will declare the loving righteousness and justice of God before the whole universe. And then there will be a new heaven and a new earth in which righteousness dwells, and I will tread its surface, and soar to world’s unknown – Like Moses I have been taken to the top of a mountain, I have stood on the threshold of the promised land. I stood on the threshold of eternity, where God bade my look beyond. Come with me my brothers and sisters as we traverse God’s revealing of all that lies before us until we reach that threshold.
Thank you so much Ross ,
I am too looking forward for that place, the kingdom of God, meet with Jesus face to face and eternal life with Him.
Thank you Ross for teaching us the understanding of Revelation i,m so looking forward to meeting Jesus face to face and may God bless you and all the pastors as they prepare their sermons for tomorrow