Sermon Notes - Revelation 13 - Calling Reinforcements - Littleby Baptist Church - October 24, 2021

 1.     In Chapter 12 we saw Satan get booted out of heaven for the last time.

a.      He knows his time is short and he wants goes all out attacking the Woman, the Jewish people and any who will stand on the Truth of Jesus.

b.     God will spirit away the 144,000 Jewish believers that He has marked.

c.      A reminder that, if we put our faith in Jesus, Satan cannot take away the Hope we have in Jesus or the Joy we get from knowing that we get to spend an eternity with Him.

2.     Revelation 12:18

a.      The last verse of chapter 12, the devil is standing at the edge of the sea.

b.     He has been cast out of heaven.

c.      He knows time is short.

d.     He is determined to have his revenge.

e.      Satan is about to call in his henchmen, his reinforcements.

3.      Revelation 13:1a

a.      A beast coming out of the sea.

                                                    i.     On the surface it sounds like he is coming out of a body of water.

                                                  ii.     The sea here is the ‘sea of humanity’, he is not coming from the nation of Israel, he is coming out of the waves of peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues.

                                                iii.     This beast is a gentile.

                                                iv.     Many point that he will be a ruler in the Middle East during the first part of the Great Tribulation.

4.     Revelation 13:1b-2

a.      We see parts of the four beasts that were found in Daniel 7 that represented the different kingdoms or periods of time in history.

                                                    i.     Leopard – Alexander the Great and the kingdoms that rose after him. Signifying the cruelty and cunning of the antichrist.

                                                  ii.     Bear showing the raw power and strength that he will possess, like the Mede-Persian empire.

                                                iii.     Lion which was the time of Nebuchadnezzar and points to the pure ferocity of the antichrist.

                                                iv.     All of these rolled up together are the 4^th beast of Daniel 7, which started with the Roman Empire and will continue until our King returns.  

b.     The dragon gave the beast his power, throne, and authority.

                                                    i.     2 Thessalonians 2:9-10

1.     Satan elevates a man to be the antichrist, the lawless one.

2.     Remember the last part there, ‘they perish because they did not accept the love of the truth and so be saved.’

5.     Revelation 13:3

a.      When combined with verses 12 and 14, we see that the beast will be wounded by a sword, yet he lives.

b.     The antichrist suffers a fatal blow but is healed by Satan.

c.      Which ultimately draws people to him.

                                                    i.     Think about it, people are desperate for a leader. Especially with the leadership vacuums that exist around the world today.

                                                  ii.     Here comes a leader, who is miraculously healed… people will line up like lemmings.  

d.     Exactly how it plays out, who knows, but what it does tell us is that the antichrist has the support of a supernatural and miraculous power.

                                                    i.     People will flock to him.

                                                  ii.     People who ‘did not accept the love of the truth to be saved.’ As we read in 2 Thessalonians will turn to him.

e.      Those who are not watching, those who do not understand the Word of God, will easily be lead down the path of destruction by the lies and tricks of the antichrist.

6.     Revelation 13:4-6

a.      People will be deluded; they will follow blindly.

b.     They will worship Satan and the antichrist.

c.      They will see his supernatural power and think he must be God, that no one can defeat him.

d.     People will see him as the ‘Savior’.

e.      He will likely claim to be the Savior of the world.

                                                    i.     Installing rituals and sacrifices in his honor, desecrating the Temple of God.

                                                  ii.     He will require people to worship him.

f.      Sadly, people will put their hope in the antichrist.

7.     Revelation 13:7-8

a.      Daniel 7:23

                                                    i.     The antichrist will devour the earth, ruling over every tribe, people, language, and nation.

                                                  ii.     He will wage war against the saints, many will be slaughtered, but they will be saved by their faith in Jesus.

                                                iii.     Those who do not understand, will worship this beast and be lost.

8.     Revelation 13:9-10

a.      An exhortation similar to what was sent to the seven churches.

b.     Those who have ears to hear, those who can hear are those who are following Jesus.

                                                    i.     Those who have placed their faith in Jesus after the others are taken up.

c.      Those who have the right mindset to hear and accept the truth will face imprisonment and martyrdom.

                                                    i.     Jesus is reminding them to have endurance and faithfulness.

                                                  ii.     Persecution will come to them, and they will need to endure it by holding on to their faith in Christ.

9.     Revelation 13:11-12

a.      Satan’s second beast comes forth, this one is the false prophet.

b.     The false prophet has horns like a lamb, pointing to him being a ‘religious’ leader.

c.      He spoke like a dragon – meaning he will be a servant of Satan.

                                                    i.     He is going to carry Satan’s message.

d.     Satan empowers both the first and the second beasts, the antichrist and the false prophet.

e.      The false prophet points people to the antichrist.

f.      Satan will attempt to build an unholy trinity with him as the father, the antichrist as the son, and the false prophet taking the place of the Holy Spirit.

g.     A one world religion will be put in place for all to worship the one who had been healed.

                                                    i.     The groundwork is being laid:

1.     House of One in Berlin, a place of worship being built for Christians, Jews, and Muslims, by a Protestant Priest, a Rabbi, and an Imam.

2.     Abrahamic Family House is being called the One World Religion Headquarters in Abu Dhabi.

3.     Unitarian Universalist Church in Columbia, states ‘no revealed truths are promoted, and no scripture or human being is accepted as infallible.’- Blasphemy is being taught and accepted.

                                                  ii.     The world is heading towards a time that all truths and all paths are accepted. It will be easy for most to follow the teachings of the false prophet.

                                                iii.     People who have not accepted the love of the truth from our Lord Jesus are already falling for this and many more will follow suit.

10.  Revelation 13:13-15

a.      During the antichrist’s reign and the false prophets ‘ministry’, there will be miraculous signs, fire from heaven…

b.     Satan and his servants will do everything they can to deceive the world.

                                                    i.     Sadly, Scripture tells us they will be successful.

c.      Many will be lost.

d.     Those that are able to hold on to the REAL Truth found in the Word of God, will be saved from an eternity in agony. But they will face agony on earth.  

11.   Revelation 13:16-17

a.      The false prophet, who appears during the second half of the Great Tribulation will make everyone receive the mark of the beast to be a part of ‘society’.

b.     Some will take the mark because they believe that the antichrist is their savior.

c.      Some will take the mark so that they can have a place to sleep and food to eat.

d.     Many will take the mark.

12.  A couple of points…

a.      For years people have said this or that is the mark of the beast.

                                                    i.     It is not a barcode, it is not credit cards, RFID chips, or some vaccine.

b.     I firmly believe, taking the mark will be a sign of worship.

                                                    i.     Has the antichrist been revealed?

                                                  ii.     So, the false prophet is not around.

c.      Without the false prophet pointing us to the antichrist, the mark of the beast does not exist, yet.

d.     For those of us who will be taken up, raptured, we will never be tempted to take the mark of the beast.

e.      These events take place in the second half of the tribulation, we will be gone before the mark is revealed.

13.  Revelation 13:18 (wrap up with…)

a.      Lots of theories on what is meant by the number of the beast being 666.

b.     People have attempted to calculate numbers when you convert names from Latin to Hebrew or some other mental mathematical gymnastics.

c.      One is that 6 days of the week is for men and the seventh is for God.

d.     666 would be Satan, antichrist, and the false prophet all being less than God. Six being less than Seven.

                                                    i.     Lot’s of ideas out there.

14.  The real point we need to remember here is that ‘this calls for wisdom.’

a.      1 Peter 5:8 – Pay attention to what is going on. We need to understand God’s Word and pay attention to what is going on around us.

b.     1 Peter 5:9-11

                                                    i.     Resist the devil, remembering you have been called to eternal glory in Christ!

                                                  ii.     You Hope is in Jesus!

                                                iii.     He will restore you, establish you, strengthen you, and support you.  

15.  Hold on to your faith in Jesus who is the author and perfector of your faith!

16.  Remember, that no matter what… our God is still on His Throne!