Embedded Files
Starting in chapter 12 and on to chapters 12, 13, and 14, the story seems to take a detour from the step-by-step narration of the end times. It is like a dance of eras with events from past, present, and future. Seven main figures of the Great Tribulation appear on the stage:
the woman, representing Israel,
the dragon representing Satan,
the man-child, referring to Jesus,
the angel Michael, head of the angelic host,
the offspring of the woman, referring to the people of Israel (some scholars affirm this also includes the Gentiles who will come to faith during the Tribulation),
the beast out of the sea, representing the antichrist,
the beast of the earth, representing the false prophet who promotes the antichrist.
Though highly symbolic, these chapters depict real events at the end of times, and more specifically, the period of Tribulation. The spiritual war intensifies. Archangel Michael casts Satan down from heaven to earth. Now he has very little time left, and he is enraged, and all his fury will be directed against mankind, especially Israel. A beast comes out of the sea and is empowered by Satan with nearly unlimited power over every tribe, people, language, and nation. It will persecute and kill believers, blaspheme God, and bring people to idolatrous worship. A second beast comes out of the earth – the False Prophet – who will deceive people by performing false miracles. The second beast will bring a mark – the name of the beast and the number of its name. 666.
Father, I come before You today. Holy Spirit, cleanse me and fill me. Lead me as I read the Word. Jesus, speak to me, touch my heart, open my eyes, reveal Yourself, renew my mind, strengthen my faith. Amen.
read revelation 13
read revelation 13
The beast out of the sea
1 The dragon stood on the shore of the sea. And I saw a beast coming out of the sea. It had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on its horns, and on each head a blasphemous name.
2 The beast I saw resembled a leopard, but had feet like those of a bear and a mouth like that of a lion. The dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority.
3 One of the heads of the beast seemed to have had a fatal wound, but the fatal wound had been healed. The whole world was filled with wonder and followed the beast.
4 People worshipped the dragon because he had given authority to the beast, and they also worshipped the beast and asked, ‘Who is like the beast? Who can wage war against it?’
5 The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise its authority for forty-two months.
6 It opened its mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling-place and those who live in heaven.
7 It was given power to wage war against God’s holy people and to conquer them. And it was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation.
8 All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast – all whose names have not been written in the Lamb’s book of life, the Lamb who was slain from the creation of the world.
9 Whoever has ears, let them hear.
10 ‘If anyone is to go into captivity, into captivity they will go. If anyone is to be killed with the sword, with the sword they will be killed.’ This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of God’s people.
The beast out of the earth
11 Then I saw a second beast, coming out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb, but it spoke like a dragon.
12 It exercised all the authority of the first beast on its behalf, and made the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed.
13 And it performed great signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to the earth in full view of the people.
14 Because of the signs it was given power to perform on behalf of the first beast, it deceived the inhabitants of the earth. It ordered them to set up an image in honour of the beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived.
15 The second beast was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that the image could speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed.
16 It also forced all people, great and small, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads,
17 so that they could not buy or sell unless they had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of its name.
18 This calls for wisdom. Let the person who has insight calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. That number is 666.
Take a moment to ponder on what you've read and respond to God in prayer.
INTERCESSION
"Finally, be strong in the Lord and His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world, and the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." (Ephesians 6:10-12)
PRAYER
Pray for believers to remember to wear their spiritual armor.
Pray for your disciples to be strong in prayer, in faith, clothed in truth and righteousness, confident in their salvation, armed with the sword of the Spirit, and ready to bring the Good News to people.
Pray that the Lord will remove the spiritual walls and obstacles that hinder people from believing in Jesus Christ.
Pray for a powerful work of the Holy Spirit to bring revival in the country where you live and worldwide.
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