Both Sides Have Allies, Who Do You Want as Yours? Prt 2
“Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spoke as a dragon. He exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence.” – Revelation 13:11-12. NASB
A small boy was given the task of choosing a puppy for his birthday. After perusing the selection, he finally pointed to the one wagging its tail and said, “I want the one with the happy ending!” Revelation 13 is in the thick of the battle but if you sneak a peek at the end of the book, it has a happy ending.
Many students of the Bible have applied the beast of v11ff to the United States of America. The time sequencing of events as previously discussed leaves us with no other conclusion. There are a number of elements in the text. For one thing, this beast comes up out of the earth. Whenever earth is contrasted with sea in the Book of Revelation (the first beast comes up out of the sea), it is a positive element, not an enemy of God. This is further supported by the fact that the earth helped the woman in Revelation 12, when she was being attacked by the dragon.
A positive beginning for this beast is also suggested by its lamb-like horns. A Jesus look-a-like it you please. Twenty-eight times in the Book of Revelation the Lamb is a reference to Jesus Christ. The twenty-ninth time is in this text here. There is something lamb-like about the beast when it first appears, but its opposition to the dragon fades and over time it begins to speak like the dragon. The land beast becomes the decisive player on the world stage, bringing about an End-Time world unity in opposition to the true people of God (Rev 13:12-18).
Fifty years ago, the thought that America could become the dominant player on the world stage seemed ludicrous.
From the failure of Vietnam to Watergate, to stagflation, to Jimmy Carter’s apologies, Iraq’s withdrawal, Afghanistan’s defeat and evacuation, and so on. America seemed in decline on the world stage. Before you can speak like a dragon you have to have a dragon’s power and vocal cords! But somebody is going to “make America great again” I’ve heard!
This scenario of Revelation is credible today. All it would take to trigger the “dragon” would be a terrorist event on a far larger scale than September 11. In the words of General Franks, who toppled Saddam in 2003, “The potential of a weapon of mass destruction and a terrorist, massive casualty-producing event somewhere in the Western world–it may be in the United States of America–[could cause] our population to question our own Constitution and to begin to militarize our country in order to avoid a repeat of another mass-casualty-producing event. Which, in fact, then begins to potentially unravel the fabric of our Constitution.” The end result would be the destruction of freedom and the voice of the dragon! Tell me if you cannot see, in our current climate of world politics that the Lamb like beast isn’t beginning to speak like a dragon. While I do not beleive we should interpret prophecy according to the shifting winds of politics it is important that we understand what Revelation 13 tells us about how the end will play out. In His sermon on the end Jesus said “watch” and “be ready” Matt 24:42-44, 25:13. I am sure that you, like myself, can see the storm clouds gathering. I am watching, because I want to be ready.
I am glad this book is the “revelation of Jesus Christ” and not the revelation of the land beast or the dragon. Jesus promised to be with us always, and Revelation assures us that He will lead the winning side in the end.
The end of all things is “the blessed hope” and that is how we should approach Revelation 13. TBC
Amen, Ross. Looking unto Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith. God bless
🙂