THINGS WHICH MUST SHORTLY COME TO PASS A STUDY OF REVELATION PART 20 We have of most recent days met some of the personalities of the Tribulation: 1. A woman, Israel (12:1, 2) 2. A dragon representing Satan (12:3, 4) 3. A man child representing Christ (12:5) 4. Michael and his angels (12:7) I. TWO TRUTHS TO BE CONSIDERED A. Chapter 12 represents the long war between God and Satan. B. Chapter 13 and following reveals the end of that war. II. THE EMMISSARY, SATAN A. Satan has been cast permanently from Heaven. 12:9 B. Satan now knows he has but a short time. 12:12 C. Satan energizes the Anti-Christ to lead his last desperate onslaught. III. THE TWO BEASTS OF CHAPTER 13 A. The beast out of the sea. (13:1) 1. This is the one Satan has been looking for. 2. This one is the political leader. 3. This one is the one-world government leader. 4. This is the Antichrist. B. The beast out of the earth. (13:11) 1. This beast is the religious leader 2. This beast will head up the one world church IV. THE BEAST OUT OF THE SEA HAS MANY NAMES A. A man riding on a white horse with a bow in his hand. (Revelation 6:2) B. The man of sin. (II Thessalonians 2:3) C. The son of perdition. (II Thessalonians 2:3) D. Antichrist. (I John 2:18) E. The little horn. (Daniel 7:7, 8) V. A DESCRIPTION OF THE BEAST IS SEEN (REVELATION 13:1) A. The origin of the beast is seen: 1. Bottomless pit (Revelation 17:8: The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition; and that that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is. ) a. An interesting truth develops herein. b. The beast has been on the earth before: Was c. The beast is not currently on the earth: and is not d. The beast shall ascend out of the bottomless pit (Future)
2. The beast shall rise up out of the sea. (Revelation 13:1) a. The sea represents the world of humanity. (Revelation 17:15) b. The beast will come out of the pit through the world of humanity. B. The beast has seven heads. (13:1) 1. A double meaning is found. a. Seven heads represent seven mountains. (Revelation 17:9: And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sitteth. ) i. Rome is called the city on seven hills ii. The seat of the final world government will be established in Rome. b. The seven heads also represent seven kings. (Revelation 17:10: And there are seven kings; five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space. ) i. Five are fallen (Ancient empires prior to the days of John.) a. Egyptian b. Assyrian c. Babylonian d. Persian e. Greek ii. iii. And one is (Rome: the empire of John s day.) The other is not yet come a. The one-world government. b. This one will be ruled by the Antichrist. 2. Thus the seven heads represent past and present governments. C. The beast had ten horns. (Revelation 13:1) 1. These ten horns represent 10 kings. (Revelation 17:12: And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. ) 2. These kings are the 10 toes of Daniel s image. 3. These horns are also described in Daniel 7. 4. These 10 nations shall give their power to the Antichrist. (Revelation 17:13: These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast. ) D. The beast had ten crowns. (13:1) 1. Remember there will be ten end-time kingdoms. 2. The kings of these kingdoms will wear ten crowns. E. The name of blasphemy. (13:1) 1. This points to the character of the Antichrist. (13:5) 2. They will show blasphemous opposition to God and to Christ. VI. PREVIOUS EMPIRES COME ALIVE IN THE BEAST (REVELATION 13:2) A. The beast is compared to three animals. (13:2)
1. Leopard 2. Bear 3. Lion B. In Daniel 7, these same beasts represented three nations. 1. The lion represented Babylon. (Daniel 7:4) 2. The bear represented the Medo-Persian Empire. (Daniel 7:5) 3. The leopard represented Greece. (Daniel 7:6) C. These animals are in reverse order in Daniel. 1. Daniel was looking forward to the future kingdoms 2. John is looking back to the same historic kingdoms. D. The Antichrist s empire will be a composite of the empires that preceded it. E. The empire of the Antichrist will have elements such as: 1. The lion Babylonian Empire Fierce consuming power 2. The Bear Medo-Persian Empire Strength and stability 3. The Leopard Greece Swift conquest under Alexander F. Satan is the power behind the Antichrist. (13:2b) 1. Satan gives him his power and energizes him. (13:2) 2. Satan gives him his throne and enthrones him. 13:2 3. Satan gives his Great Authority and empowers him. 13:2 VII. THE ANTICHRIST IS A COPYCAT (REVELATION 13:3) A. We have salvation through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. B. The Devil is an imposter copycat. 1. He supposedly was wounded to death. (13:3) 2. He supposedly experienced a resurrection. (13:3) C. The Devil gets what he has always wanted. (13:3) 1. He desired that Christ worship him 2. Out of his so-called miracle, the world will go after him. (13:3) 3. He will be idolized. 4. He will rise to international fame. 5. The world will declare that there is no one else like him. VIII. THE BLINDNESS OF THE WORLD IS SEEN (REVELATION 13:4) A. Every unbeliever in the world will be amazed at the Beast B. He will be their hero of the heroes. C. They will believe this man is invincible. D. He will be a master deceiver with persuasive powers from the pits of Hell. E. Because of his fanfare, the world will be convinced that he is unconquerable Who is able to make war with him? (13:4) IX. THE ANTICHRIST IS A PUPPET IN THE HANDS OF SATAN A. Notice that his power is given unto him by Satan. 1. 1. V.2 Gave him his power 2. 2. V.4 Which gave power unto the beast 3. 3. V.5 Given unto him a mouth B. Other verses imply the power given unto him. (13:14, 15)
X. THE HATRED OF THE ANTICHRIST IS SEEN (REVELATION 13:5, 6) A. The word blasphemy is used three times in these verses. B. He will blaspheme for 3 ½ years. (13:5 42 months ) C. He blasphemes. 1. The Person of God. (13:6 This is out of anger) 2. The Name of God. (13:6) 3. The Tabernacle of God. (13:6 God s dwelling place) 4. Those who live in Heaven. (13:6) D. The Devil is impotent to bring any harm against God, therefore he does the only thing he can do use his filthy tongue to revile God. XI. XII. THE GLOBAL DOMINION OF THE ANTICHRIST IS SEEN (REVELATION 13:7) A. His brief reign will include the world: 1. Kindreds (13:7) 2. Tongues (13:7) 3. Nations (13:7) B. Christians will suffer worldwide as never before. (13:7) C. This suffering was set forth in Revelation 6:11 And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled. D. Multitudes will be slaughtered in his effort to establish a one-world satanic religion. E. One means of execution of the Christians will be beheading. 1. At the beginning of God s Kingdom, those are seen who were beheaded for witnessing on behalf of Jesus Christ. Revelation 20:4: And I saw thrones, and they sat upn them, and judgment was given unto them and I saw the souls of them That were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, etc. 2. It is becoming more and more obvious that Islam will be a significant player in the end-time false religious system. THE TWO LEADERS OF THE AGES ARE SEEN (REVELATION 13:8) A. Satan and his followers Whose names are not written in the book of life. B. Christ and his followers Whose names are written in the book of life. C. Please note the difference: 1. One willing to die for the ungodly. 2. One willing to kill the Godly. D. Those who side with the Antichrist do so because they are not rightly related to the Lamb of God. E. Calvary was not an afterthought of God but an eternal decree The Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
XIII. A WORD OF ENCOURAGEMENT TO THE WEARY (REVELATION 13:9, 10) A. Please note something missing. (13:9) 1. This phrase was used of the seven churches in Revelation 2 and 3. 2. However, there is one small phrase missing: What the spirit saith unto the churches 3. Here is another proof that the church is not seen in the Tribulation. B. God is saying, Listen up, dear saints. 1. Those who persecute you will suffer likewise 2. He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity. 3. He that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. a. God sees all things. b. God knows all things. c. God has a perfect memory. d. God has a long arm. e. God will have the last word. C. It will require patience and faith, but God will intervene. (13:10)