THE TWO BEASTS
IN REVELATION Part lll
Lesson 19
Page
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Review and
introduction
The last two lessons
covered Revelation 12 and Revelation
13:1-10, respectively. In
Chapter 12, we were introduced to a
great red dragon having seven heads
and ten horns.
In 12:9, we were
plainly told that the dragon was
Satan. We were also told in
12:17 that Satan is preparing for a
final war upon the remnant of God who
obey His commandments and hold to the
testimony of Jesus.
In chapter 13:1-10 we
were introduced to a dragon-like
beast also having seven heads and ten
horns. The important difference
between the great red dragon in
chapter 12 and the dragon-like beast
in chapter 13 is made of earthy
remnants from ancient empires (the
lion, bear and leopard). In
other words, the dragon-like beast
represents the rise of Babylon.
Like a hand within the hand puppet,
Satan will be the power inside the
great global system that shall rise
up when the trumpets begin to sound.
The trumpets are a global catalyst
for the formation and establishment
of Babylon because people, the world
over, will seek to appease God to
stop the judgments falling upon the
earth.
The seven heads
represent the seven religious systems
of the world, and the ten horns
represent ten political powers into
which the world will ultimately be
divided. The title, Babylon,
fittingly describes this diverse
creature because the cultural and
religious diversity of the
world’s religious bodies
prevents a unanimous merger on the
compelling issue of how to appease
God.
But there is one who
can achieve a merger! After
Satan appears on earth (during fifth
trumpet), he will unite the seven
heads into a global confederation or
one-world government through his
miracle working powers or through
force. He will establish a
universal congress that dramatically
increases his control over the people
of earth. This coming
one-church/one-world federation is
referred to as the “image of the
beast” in Revelation 13:14 and
the harlot in Revelation 17:1. We
will later study this union in this
lesson. For now, understand
that the universal confederation will
be a duplicate or copy of Babylon in
that it manifests the same rebellion
against the gospel and the saints as
Babylon. The only difference
between the “image” and
Babylon is consolidation.
Babylon is diverse due to religious
differences and cultural backgrounds.
On the other hand, the image appears
consolidated and united. In
either form, the point is the same.
Babylon and its image are without
morals and are exceedingly corrupt.
The seven-headed
ten-horned beast described in
Revelation 12,13 and 17 is
essentially the same power all the
way through Revelation’s story.
Because Satan can transform himself
“even into an angel of
light”, Satan’s identity
remains constant in the story, even
though his form changes. The
necessity of this symbolic process is
about to be seen.
The Lamb-like beast
Now we come to the
most important and most powerful
beast in Revelation’s study.
Notice the following details taken
from revelation 13:
- This beast
arises out of the earth.
It has two horns like a lamb,
but speaks like a dragon.
{V11}
- The lamb-like
beast has greater authority
than the first beast having
seven heads and ten horns,
Babylon, and for a while
makes the inhabitants of the
earth worship Babylon. One
of the heads had received a
deadly wound but the wound
had been healed when Babylon
rises. {V12}
- The lamb-like
beast performs great and
miraculous signs, even
causing fire to come down
from heaven to earth in full
view of men (to convince them
of his divinity). {V13}
- The lamb-like
beast deceives the earth by
means of his miracles that he
does on behalf of Babylon.
{V14}
- The lamb-like
beast then orders the
inhabitants of earth to set
up an image in honor of
Babylon. {V14}
- The lamb-like
beast gives life to the
image, causing it to speak
and causing all who refuse to
worship it to be killed.
{V15}
- The lamb-like
beast ultimately forces
everyone to receive a mark on
the right hand or forehead.
{V16}
- Those without
the mark cannot buy or sell.
{V17}
- The mark
contains the name of the
lamb-like beast or the number
of his name. {V17}
- The number of
the lamb-like beast is a
man’s number. It
is 666. {V18}
Point 1.
This is the only beast
in both Daniel and Revelation that
does not rise out of the sea. This
beast does not rise out of people,
multitudes, nations and languages,
nor does it need them for power.
A fascinating issue must be raised.
John gives no description of this
beast other than having two horns
like a lamb. Did he mean the
horns appeared lamb-like or did he
mean the beast, having two horns,
appeared lamb-like? This writer
takes the position that the beast,
having two horns, appears lamb-like.
Actually, the Greek syntax will
sustain either view. The latter
view seems more correct for John
would not likely ignore the
appearance of the beast and just
notice its two horns looked
lamb-like!
The contrast between
Jesus as the “Lamb of God”
and the lamb-like beast is obvious.
Twenty-nine times in Revelation Jesus
is called the “The Lamb.”
Knowing that Satan is going to appear
on earth as God, it is consistent to
interpret the lamb-like beast as
being Satan in his assumed role as
God upon earth.
John says this beast
“looked lamb-like but spoke like
a dragon!” Note the
contrast. Its lamb-like
appearance and its dragon-like speech
are opposites. Its appearance
is designed to deceive and its
ability to speak (make laws) is
designed to take control.
Perhaps the reason John does not
provide more detail about the
appearance of this beast is that he
immediately recognized who it was.
He was introduced to this beast
earlier in the story of Revelation as
the angel from the Abyss. See
Revelation 9:11. And he also
saw this beast from the Abyss in
Revelation 11:7.
Note the origin of the
lamb-like beast. John says the
lamb-like beast rises “out of
the earth.” Does John
infer that rising out of the earth
and coming out of the Abyss are
similar? It appears so. This
beast does not rise out of any
existing kingdom – he just
appears. Even more, this beast
is the rival of Jesus in
Revelation’s story. The
lamb-like beast is the most powerful
and influential beast in Revelation.
The irony of the final
conflict is that again, the two angel
kings, Michael the Lamb, and Lucifer,
the lamb-like, do battle. This
time, the war will be on earth.
The followers of Lucifer will war
upon the saints of Michael. There
will be much loss of life on both
sides. But this time, Satan
will lose everything.
Point 2.
The lamb-like beast
has superior power over the first
beast of chapter 13 for it makes the
earth and its inhabitants worship
Babylon! This fact alone makes
it possible for the lamb-like beast
to be a particular nation on earth.
One nation cannot be greater than the
sum of all the nations!
Knowing the first
beast represents the religious and
political powers of the world, it is
interesting to know that when Satan
first arrives, he wants the world to
worship according to their respective
religious systems. When the
devil has gathered enough support, he
will change the process and order the
earth to set up a consolidated
religious system. Thus he will
gain control of earth.
Point 3.
The lamb-like beast
will gain control of many people
through its deceptive miracle-working
powers. The most convincing
miracle will be to command fire to
come down out of heaven in full view
of men.
Fire has been called
from heaven on a few occasions.
Once at Mt.Carmel, Elijah prayed that
God would demonstrate that He was
stronger than Baal by sending fire
from heaven to burn up the sacrifice.
(I Kings 18) Again, fire came
down from heaven at Elijah’s
request and consumed 100+ solders
that refused to believe he was a
prophet of God. (II Kings 1).
When Solomon prayed at the dedication
of the temple, fire came from heaven
and consumed the burnt offerings to
signify the approval of God.
(II Chronicles 7) The power to
call fire from heaven will be an
overwhelming deception and
confirmation at the same time. People
will fall prostrate at the feet of
Satan, “This is God!”
Point 4.
As mentioned before,
Satan orders the inhabitants of the
earth to set up an image to Babylon
when he has gained enough power from
the rulers of earth. And when
the image is set up, Satan decrees
that all who refuse to worship the
image are to be killed.
This image is the
consolidation of Babylon. Remember,
Babylon has seven heads and ten
horns. Babylon is diverse and
multi-national. Satan wants a
one-world government. In other
words, Satan sets up a universal
congress representing all religious
and political powers of earth. This
congress shall create laws and
inflict injury upon all refusing to
obey its decrees. The image of
Babylon is simply a global
church/state.
Point 5.
Most of the world will
receive the mark (or permit) of the
lamb-like beast to survive, for no
one, anywhere in the world, can buy
or sell without it. How does
Satan achieve this?
When Satan arrives on
earth, the world will be reeling from
the effects of the trumpets. To
stabilize the economy in a state of
emergency, leaders in their
respective nations will implement
rationing. Satan only needs to
deceive those controlling the laws of
rationing to obtain control of the
economic systems of the world. By
using severe sanctions against
smaller nations, Satan will achieve
global control over the economy.
All governments will have to
cooperate or there will be total
ruin. Think of the horrific
consequences of refusing to go along
with the system! What if Saudi
Arabia couldn’t sell its oil?
What if Japan could not export its
automobiles? What if America
could not buy oil or Japanese
products? The global economic
dependence that exists now is exactly
what Satan needs.
People will not be
able to buy or sell anywhere on earth
unless they cooperate with the devil.
Those standing for Jesus will not be
able to pay their rent, buy food or
provide for the bare necessities of
life.
What a time of wrath!
The only way the remnant will survive
is by faith in the promises of God.
This condition literally pushes
everyone into two camps: those
obeying the devil and those obeying
God.
Many who know what is
right but are unwilling to live by
faith, will join the camp of the
enemy. On the other hand, those
who know what is right and are
willing to live by faith will be
saved. Thus, “the just
shall live by faith.” Jesus
asked his disciples, “When the
Son of Man comes, will he find faith
on the earth?” Luke 18:8
This is the final exam
of earth. The one thing that
will separate and polarize the people
of earth is faith. Faith is
easy to talk about, easy to define
and easy to understand. However,
living by faith is altogether another
matter. Jesus is leading his
children today in small steps. He
tests us in small ways to see if we
are willing to live by faith, so that
when the final exam comes, we are
prepared!
Point 6.
The lamb-like beast
has a name. It is a man’s
name. The number of the name is
666.
Revelation
doesn’t tell us the name Satan
takes when he appears. In
fact, Revelation doesn’t tell us
the name Jesus takes when He appears!
Notice, “His eyes are like
blazing fire, and on his head are
many crowns. He has a name
written on him that no one but he
himself knows.”
Revelation 19:12 Angels call him
Michael. Human beings call him
Jesus. At the second coming
however, Jesus takes a new name that
is unknown to us at this time. If
Satan knew the name Jesus is going to
use, he would probably steal it and
use it to make his deception even
more secure.
Satan and/or his name
will somehow be associated with the
number 666. Just how this will
be done is unclear at this time.
Some suggest that using Roman
numerals for each letter in the name
is how this is to be done. Protestants
used to take the Latin title of the
Pope, Vicarious Filii Dei, which
means, “in place of the Son of
God”, and arrive at 666.
The problem though, is
that there are many names that add up
to 666. However, all
specifications of the prophecy must
be met in order to declare a
fulfillment. (Remember rule 2
in our rules of interpretation in
lesson 12?)
The number 666 is
found in the Old Testament too.
Solomon received 666 talents of gold
(about 25 tons) per year from his
kingdom as a royalty. II
Chronicles 9:13 The number in
Revelation is literal and somehow
represents an identification of the
devil. Just how this will
occur, is not yet clear. Whatever
the answer, we’ll soon know the
details. This number, along
with all the other details of
Revelation 13:11-18 will be a
positive indication that the world is
really following the devil.
Here’s why:
When Satan is seen on
earth, he will physically appear as a
dazzling being. Paul says,
“And no wonder, For Satan
himself masquerades as the angel of
light. It is not surprising,
then, if his servants masquerade as
servants of righteousness. Their
end will be what their actions
deserve.” II Corinthians
11:14,15 Few mortals have ever seen
anything that compares with the glory
that will surround Satan. His
appearance is designed to deceive.
His actions will appear generous and
gracious. He will heal the sick
and show concern for the poor.
He will work wonderful and
extravagant miracles. Billions
will watch him on TV! He will
deceive, if possible the very elect!
For all the kindness and benevolence,
there will be a price. He makes
great demands. His demands upon
people will be hard, even
dragon-like.
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