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REVELATION - Behold, I am Coming Soon
Studies in the Book of Revelation
BOOK 5 - ANTI-CHRIST AND THE LAMB OF GOD (REVELATION 13:1 - 16:21)
PART 5.2 - ANTI-CHRIST APPEARS (REVELATION 13:1-10)

2. The Deeds of the Beast (Revelation13:5-8)


REVELATION 13:5-8
5 A mouth speaking great things and blasphemy was given to him. Authority to make war for forty-two months was given to him. 6 He opened his mouth for blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his dwelling, those who dwell in heaven. 7 It was given to him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them. Authority over every tribe, people, language, and nation was given to him. 8 All who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been killed.

Blasphemy Against God and Those Who Belong to Him: Daniel as well as John emphasize that to the beast from the sea and particularly to his last horn it was given a great mouth (Daniel 7:8 and 11; Revelation 13:5-6). After his recovery from the deadly wound the son of the Evil One felt to be invincible and was encouraged by him from whom he got his inspiration, to provoke God openly, to blaspheme him and to fight against him. In doing so the beast exalted itself, called itself the victor over the two distinguished witnesses of God, who had smitten the earth with a great drought during three and a half year, and boasted of its own immortality.

The son of perdition began blaspheming the “name of God". We do not know which one of the 347 names, titles and characteristic traits of God in the Old and New Testament he blasphemed. Probably he made fun of the name Yahweh, which means “I am who I am”. For the eternity of the Almighty is a thorn in the side of Satan and his son. All creations have a beginning, but not the creator, his spirit and his word! They are outside of space and time. Yet Satan is finite and temporary – and he knows!

The son of the dragon was likely to blaspheme God Father, His Son and the Holy Spirit, and questioned the procreation of Jesus by abominable suspicions. Again and again the tempter is challenging the holiness of the triune God and is denying the paternity of God-Father as well as the Sonship of Christ. Therewith the Evil One has unmasked himself as anti-Christ from the spiritual point of view (1 John 2:20-23; 4:1-5). Satan hates the divinity of Jesus Christ and is fighting against it permanently, as the authorization of Christ to defend us in God's judgment is based on his love and holiness: For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but has everlasting life. (John 3:16)

The unclean spirit from the depth hates and blasphemes the triune God as well as the church of Jesus Christ, which is the house of God and his temple in the present time (1 Corinthians 3:16-17; 6:19; 2 Corinthians 6:16). In doing this the Evil One is right, when he brings to light the imperfection and the obvious faults of the churches. Yet he is not willing to acknowledge that the church of the Lamb of God lives solely from the justification through the blood of Christ and from the sanctification through his Spirit. Our righteousness is not in us, but will be granted to us by grace every morning anew. The faith in Jesus alone saves the church, but not its own deeds.

Satan and his image are blaspheming also all obedient angels and the crowd of saints who had already entered heaven. The enemy of God and his beast hate and fight against everything that is divine, good, pure and eternal. They would also attack God and his Lamb, if they could. Yet they try to do it within their opportunities on the earth (Ephesians 6:11-20; Romans 8:31-39).

Whoever believes that there is no hell and no devil should remember the burning cities in the World War II, when those who tried to escape from the inferno of the hail of bombs became stuck in the hot tar of the streets and burnt to death as living torches. We should not forget Hitler's gas chambers, where millions of Jews while calling for help unheard miserably suffocated. And whoever once read a long cursing letter of a Muslim who in previous times had believed in Jesus but afterwards had been forced by his religion-sheik so as to cleanse himself from his “aberration” through cursing the Christians and their Christ, in his face the breath of hell will blow. Satan and his unclean spirit are a reality in our world, more than we may suppose.

The speeches of several politicians, journalists and even liberal pastors and bishops are getting more and more godless and lawless. To most people the marriage is not any longer holy, and millions of unborn human lives get aborted. Homosexuals and lesbians get married in a registry office and are blessed in some churches. We are living in a generation of adulterers, murderers and liars – and have already got accustomed to it! The propaganda of the Arch-Evil is getting effective. His blasphemies will form the daily media language - and the masses do not realize it. God's response to it can be read in Romans 1:18-32.

Forty-Two Months: The time of action of the beast is limited by God himself. The son of the Evil One cannot do as he likes. He came from hell and has to return to hell. The Almighty allows him to exercise his anti-godly and anti-Christian regime for 42 months so that the church will be examined and it may become obvious, who loves God with his whole heart and whose heart clings to the father of lie.

The period of 42 month (Revelation 11:2 and 13:5) corresponds to 1260 days (Revelation 11:3; 12:6) or three and a half year (Luke 4:25; James 5:17), that is the half of the fullness of seven years. In the Bible these figures are always a hint to times of repentance, punishment or protection determined by God:

  • First of all the term three and a half “times” or years denotes the period of a disastrous drought in Israel in the days of the prophet Elijah. It was only when the people had repented after the miracle on the mountain Carmel and Elijah prayed seven times, that the rain fell in sheets onto the thirsty soil (1 Kings 17:1; Luke 4:25; James 5:17).
  • Later on the time after the destruction of the second temple until today is designated in the revelation of Jesus Christ as “the period of the gentiles“: such a long time will the temple place and the Holy City be trodden down and controlled by the gentiles (Luke 21:24). Yet these three and a half “times” will come to an end, when the Jews who where dispelled by the Romans return to their home country (Daniel 12:7).
  • The persecuted women in the vision of John, who had given birth to the child that had afterwards been caught up into heaven, will be preserved for “1260 days” in the desert of this world until she will be delivered from the fiery red dragon (Revelation 12:6).
  • In the last days of our time two witnesses of the Lord dressed in mourning clothes will preach in Jerusalem. For 1260 days they will call all returned Jews for returning to God immediately and will be assisted by Old Testament punishing judgments until both will be killed by the beast from the sea and their corpses will lie corrupting for three and a half days in public. But then the Lord by “a shout of command” will quicken both of them and take them to him (Revelation 11:9.11).
  • Finally, Daniel as well as John testify concordantly that the beast from the depth will be allowed for three and a half time or 42 month to blaspheme against God, to change the law of Moses and to defeat and kill the saints (Daniel 12:7; Revelation 13:5).

Anti-Christian Activities in the Holy Land Today: Nowadays it is obvious that the anti-Christian spirit is also in action in the country between Jordan and the Mediterranean Sea. The chief rabbis of Israel enacted a law on the feast of nativity of Christ (25 December 1989), which states that for any Jew who believes in Jesus Christ his right to enter the country and his citizenship would be revoked. Thus far this law has been applied only rarely as respective implementing regulations are still lacking. Additionally out of respect for the human rights and the influx of dollars from the Western countries the new law receives a dilatory treatment for the time being. Nevertheless when 600,000 immigrants from the collapsing USSR pressed for immigration into Israel, quite a few of them had to repeat the formula of repudiation against the Son of Mary, “His name shall never be mentioned again, and he shall be buried in oblivion completely!” The anti-Christian spirit in Israel is getting more and more obvious in some places. The organization “Yad le-Achim” (Hand for the brothers) keeps a jealous watch that not any Jew becomes a Christian. As soon as a Jew pays sympathy to Jesus of Nazareth, in orthodox residential areas he will be browbeaten socially, economically and sometimes also by authorities, so as to relinquish his hold on Jesus, otherwise he may rest assured that his expulsion as a stateless person is in store for him soon.

This spirit is still smoldering rather in secrecy in Israel. If, however, the two witnesses are killed in Jerusalem, the beast will triumph and disclose its real intentions. As the son of the dragon does not only have one head but seven different ones, he is able to hold opposite views at the same time. But afterwards he will take off his hypocrisy and borrow religiousness and will not only blaspheme against God and his prophets unashamedly but also change the laws (Daniel 7:25). Already for the time being he is preparing for a multicultural syncretism with the slogan, “There will be no peace on earth without peace between the religions!” All scandals, particularly the Divine Sonship of Christ and his cross, are to be abolished. Confining laws of the Torah, of the gospel and of the Qur’an are to be dropped. A new world ethos is already dawning. A “modern” world order is discussed openly. Unrestricted liberty, as long as it does not affect the liberty of the neighbor, is his subject matter. Appropriately enough, the son of the dragon is also called the “lawless” or the “son of sin” (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4). He will take his seat in the third temple which is to set up, and made himself deified. He will sweep off everybody who does not accept his new unity religion (unity of churches). Tolerant people become very intolerant, if one does not accept their tolerance and fears God more than men.

John confirms the vision of Daniel that the beast from the sea will persecute, prevail and kill the saints, (Daniel 7:25; Revelation 13:7). The unconcealed persecution of Christians and Messianic Jews will start in the Holy Land and spill over to all other peoples. What may be the reasons for this persecution?

At first sight the intolerance of the Christians is challenged. Christians study the gospel and testify that Jesus Christ is the only son of God who is entitled and able to reconcile men with God. He is the definite way, the eternal right and the immortal life. No one comes to the Father except through him (John 3:16. 18; 14:6 and other verses). Nobody can become righteous through a religion or an ethical concept but only through the blood of Jesus Christ (1 John 1:7; 2:1 and other verses).If there had been a way of reconciliation with without the atoning death of Jesus, his death would have been unnecessary. Yet Jesus says, “He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.” (Mark 16:16).Thus, the beast from the sea will blaspheme against our Lord and his church which will be also persecuted.

Satan and his son know in their hearts definitely that they are already defeated and condemned. They hate nothing more than the cross, the place of their defeat which led to their ejection from heaven. Since then Satan wants to lead astray from the right faith through the son of perdition as much Christians as possible by cunning, deceit, torture and brain washing and in case of doubt to have them killed brutishly. The fear of torment is intended to make the followers of Christ apostatize. Saul had already made believers in Christ blaspheme (Acts 8:3; 9:1; 22:4; 1 Corinthians 15:9 and other verses). Recently in USSR, in China, in South-East Asia and in other countries such methods have been tested anew: parents are betrayed by their own children and vice versa, and responsible persons will be worn down so that they are prepared to sign any false confession. Christians in our affluent society are to prepare themselves spiritually so as to be able not to deny Jesus in the hour of temptation. The Lord encouraged the church leader in Izmir, “Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.” (Revelation 2:10)

Worldwide Persecution of the Church of Jesus Christ: Daniel as well as John emphasize that the persecution of Christians will not be restricted to Israel (Daniel 7:23; Revelation 13:7). The world dominator knows that the faith relation between the Christians and Christ is the only stable element which endures many political breakpoints and revolutions such as with Hitler, Mussolini, Mao, Gorbachev and others. Therefore the demonic usurper must try to eradicate this base element together with the whole Christendom. While he is broadcasting that the Christians want to prevent his seemingly beneficial blueprint for a lasting world-wide peace and call all other people lost and condemned, he may quickly organize agitations and infiltrate underground churches with betrayers so as to eradicate them.

All this is not new! The cunning and power of Satan and of his beast will bundle all their experience from inquisitions, concentration camp and Gulag camp methods and Pol Pot practices and put into service well directed so that nobody will be able to stand his ground against them by his own strength, intelligence and faithfulness.

The seer John confirms in the Book of Revelation six times that all tribes, peoples, tongues and nations will take part in some decisive events of the world history. His global vision includes according to our today's understanding the twelve tribes of Israel, 11,874 ethnic group, 6,528 known languages and 193 nations.

  • In Revelation 5:9 the twenty-four elders around the throne of God praise the slain Lamb, because it has purchased men for God out of all tribes, peoples, tongues and nations and made them a kingdom of priests.
  • In Revelation 7:9 John describes that he saw a great multitude which could nobody number standing before the throne of God so as to glorify God and the Lamb. The multitude was from all tribes, peoples, tongues and nations.
  • In Revelation 11:9 we learn that other members of these tribes, peoples, tongues and nations will see the corpses of the two witnesses in Jerusalem for three and a half day getting corrupted. They will congratulate each other because of their death, as the penitential sermons of these witnesses will go along with a world-wide drought.
  • In Revelation 13:7 it is reported that the beast from the sea will be given authority over all tribes, peoples, tongues so as to inspire and fill with enthusiasm them and to stir them into action against all Christians all over the world.
  • Revelation 14:6 reads that in the last time an angel will fly in the midst of heaven who will proclaim an eternal gospel to the twelve tribes, peoples, tongues and nations.
  • In Revelation 17:15 we read of the infamous prostitute who lodged herself in all peoples, ethnic groups, tongues and nations. Here the twelve tribes of Israel are not mentioned.

Whoever considers these six passages of the Revelation of Jesus Christ in a praying attitude, will recognize the worldwide conflict between the Lamb of God and the beast from the depth and the prostitute. We should not remain captives of our selves, centered on our own church, but should let the gospel to broaden our horizon. Up to now only one third of human mankind has opened up itself to the gospel. Two third of human mankind are still unreached by the gospel who still are waiting for diligent, self-sacrificing and praying messengers of Christ (Matthew 24:14). The mission of Jesus is going on – with us or without us!

Perfect Love Casts out Fear: The several visions on the beast from the sea venture the following assumption: anti-Christ being a peace agitator will appear in the first three and a half years like a wolf in sheep clothes in Israel, but after the murder of the two witnesses (Revelation 11:7) he will show his true colors, crow because of his victory and enthrone three ruling princes (Daniel 7:8), who had lent the penitential sermon of the murdered witnesses his ear. During this internal power struggle the son of the dragon will receive a death blow through a sword which however will be healed through the power of Satan (Revelation 13:3.12.14). Afterwards the “Immortal” will rage for three and a half years against the gentle Lamb of God and its followers, as they also claim to live eternally. Daniel and Jesus testify: For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. (Daniel 12:1; Matthew 24:21)

How can Christians face the death-roller of the beast from the depth? Jesus says, Do not fear them who kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. (Matthew 10:28; Hebrews 10:31) Our Lord goes on saying, They will put you out of the synagogues: yes, the time will come, that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service. And these things will they do to you, because they have not known the Father, nor me. (John 16:2-3)

Jesus comforts his tempted followers: I am the resurrection, and the life: he who believes in me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this? (John 11:25-26) Even though once God did not allow Satan to kill Job during the test of his faith (Job 1:12; 2:6), in the last time with Christians it will sometimes be different as they already have the eternal live in them. Their faith and hope prove their worth particularly in the time of dying, as St Paul says: Whether we live, we live to the Lord; and whether we die, we die to the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's. (Romans 14:8) Shortly before his own death the apostle confessed: For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. (Philippians 1:21)

John, the apostle, assures us, He who has the Son has life; and he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. (1 John 5:12) The Holy Spirit in reborn Christians is the life of God. This spirit does not get old and never dies! Anti-Christ tries to destroy the Christians in the last time, but it will finally lead to a further, and in this time ultimate defeat of Satan and his son, as the killed members of Christ live in eternity. Christ will overcome the fear of death in us: he died on our place so that we may live in him. The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23) Fear is natural, but in the Bible we can read the command of the Lord 365 times: Do not fear! Who loves God and his Son, overcomes the fear of death, because there is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear. (1 John 4:17-18)

The live in the Holy Spirit is a mysterious reality. St Paul explains in his famous hymn in Romans 8:1-39, which we all may learn by heart, the reason for overcoming our fear of death, namely the power and the victory of the eternal live in the followers of Christ: 31 What then shall we say about these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who didn’t spare his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how would he not also with him freely give us all things? 33 Who could bring a charge against God’s chosen ones? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, yes rather, who was raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Could oppression, or anguish, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 Even as it is written, “For your sake we are killed all day long. We were accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” 37 No, in all these things, we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:31-39)

The resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is the ultimate reality; to that the doomed men can hold fast in the time of persecution. In the Risen One the eternal life has become visible (Luke 24:36-43; John 20:19-22 and other verses). He assures everybody who is obedient to his great commission, And, lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the world. (Matthew 28:20) None of his followers will be alone in the hour of his death. The Lord himself is with us, and his Spirit abides in us. We live “in Christ”, even if we die!

The Book of Life of the Lamb: John, the pastor, received by revelation a further reason for the security of the followers of Christ even if they live in extreme tribulation, or suffer from electric shocks or intentionally caused mental disturbance. This revelation testifies that conscious Christians will not worship the beast, even if they must face torture and death, and not just because they are good and faithful in themselves, but because their names are written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb, which has been slain (Revelation 13:8). Jesus had promised his disciples: Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven. (Luke 10:20) Daniel had already heard that all those from Israel, whose names are written in the book of life, will be saved (Daniel 12:1; Exodus 32:32; Isaiah 4:3; Philippians 4:3, Revelation 3:5). The term “book of life” has been specified by John as “book of life of the slain Lamb”. Therewith the patriarch confessed that there will be no eternal live apart from the blood of Jesus. Only through the Crucified One we receive the Holy Spirit! His blood cleanses us from all sins and qualifies us to get written into the book of life.

This grace neutralizes hair-splitting discussions about the statement that our names had been written into the book of life of the Lamb before the foundation of the world. Our father in heaven foreknew who would accept the Lamb of God as his personal Savior and who would not. The seer does not reject by this testimony the free will of mankind to decide for or against Christ, in fact, he assures every persecuted Christian that his election is sure even in time of extreme distress or in case of his failure. The grace of God does not depend on our deeds and will, but on the right of the blood of Christ and on the pleasure of God, our Father. Many are called, but few chosen. (Matthew 20:16; 22:14)

Jesus speaks in his end time speech three times of the elects: For their sake the days of tribulation will be shortened, otherwise they would not be able to persevere (Matthew 24:22; Mark 13:20). False Christs and false prophets will try to lead astray the reborn elects by means of wonders and signs (Matthew 24:24; Mark 13:22). And when the Lord Jesus Christ returns, the angels will gather the elects from the four winds of the earth (Matthew 24:31; Mark 13:27). These passages do not only call the Jewish Christians “the elected people of God” (Exodus 19:5-6), but also all those who love Jesus in the churches and came out of all unclean peoples (1 Peter 2:9-10; Ephesians 5:8; Revelation 1:6 and other verses). St Paul, on the other hand, makes clear that we are not directly elected by God, but that solely Jesus Christ is the elected one (Psalm 2:7; Luke 9:23 (?);. 1 Peter 2:4.6). From him and in him we will participate in his election through the faith in his atoning death and his resurrection (Ephesians 1:4).

Security in Christ: John, the seer, assures once more that all men who do not surrender their life to Jesus, the Lamb of God, will worship anti-Christ instead. This abominable and shocking revelation shows that the blasphemies of the son of the dragon will be crowned with success: at the end of times the blasphemies will cause the great falling away, not only of liberal Christians, but also of people of other religions. Against the genial lying power of the destroyer even in the technical era there is no protection available. Voluntarily or forced all people will submit to deception tactics of the beast and of its conditions – with the exception of the conscious followers of Christ!

The children of God, however, received the gift of discerning of spirits, know God as their heavenly father, bear witness to Jesus, His Son, as their substitute in judgment and are quickened by the power of the Holy Spirit. The whole world is under the rule of the Evil One (1 John 5:18-20), but they live in Jesus Christ. The Lord assures them: I am the vine, you are the branches: He who abides in me, and I in him, brings forth much fruit: for without me you can do nothing. If a man does not abide in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. (John 15:5-6) We read 175-times in the New Testament about the being, life and dying “in Christ” so that we may recognize: Jesus is our shelter! Whoever abides in him, feels save and secure (Revelation 14:13). John even dares to confess: God is love; and he who dwells in love dwells in God, and God in him. (1 John 4:16)

Yet the demon possessed ruler of the last days wants to disrupt just this security in Christ and this spiritual shelter. He does not only want to kill the Christians, but also to disengage their faith relationship in their live and to lead them to blasphemy. Superficial rationalism, naive demythologization as well as arrogant textual criticism of the Bible pushed through this object of Satan in many theologians successfully and shook their initial faith deeply. In states with atheistic ideologies it was tried to root out Christians from their security in Christ by inhuman tortures, psychiatric drugs, death threats or rape of very close family members and other diabolic methods. Yet their Lord assures them, And I give to them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one. (John 10:28-30)

PRAYER: Our Father in heaven, we magnify You because You allow the Evil One to reap those who do not follow the faithful Christ, who has written the names of His followers in the Book of Everlasting Life. Death cannot devour them, even if they died for Your glory and for the glory of Your Christ, who sits at Your right hand. You are the living one, and Jesus is the everlasting life. Whoever follows him, lives with Him forever. Amen.

QUESTIONS:

  1. What is meant by blaspheming against God and His Anointed One?
  2. What is the period given to the beast out of the sea to kill and to destroy?
  3. Why does not his killing harm those whose names are written in the Book of Everlasting Life?

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