Who has understanding ... Revelation 13:18

This calls for wisdom: let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is 666. (Revelation 13:18 ESV)

I am not sure there are many who can interpret or adequately explain this passage. So many have applied Gematria to the words and tried to come up with a name but I primarily see one of the Cesar's getting pinpointed. How does that help? None of the Caesars' are coming back. (Trying to make him come by attributing the wounded head that appeared to be dead and comes back to life to him does not work.) 

 

Of the commentaries I looked at the author was bold enough to say, this one puzzles him.

I believe God has put particular authors and speakers in front of me (you have to be willing to listen) that have given me a sudden clarity about end times events. Since then so much of the Revelation has become clear. 

Let me get something straight. I have no private interpretation of the bible and, if you noticed, as I write, I typically suggest that you READ for yourself and apply God's word to some logical thought and see if you do not come to the same conclusions. 

 

One of people who God brought across my path was Walid Shoebat. There is timing involved in revelation for a couple of years ago I would have allowed my prejudice and narrow-mindedness to dissuade me from me considering this man.

I have none of his books. What I found was a recent video. In that video he describes how, as a young believer (he had been a Palestinian terrorist but came to know Jesus Christ) he read this passage an Arabic version in the Codex Vaticanus. 

When he came to this part “Six hundred threescore and six.^G5516 “ χξς chxs; i.e. chi xi sigma, he knew immediately what is was, for this is a common phrase in the middle east among Arabic speaking/Islamics. The phrase is called the Bismillah. “In the name of Allah.”

Mr. Shoebat also stated that Gematria is one the methods that many have used to ascertain the name of the person who is to be the beast, but God is not interested in witchcraft and number games. But allow me this thought for a moment. Did not the wise men from the east (Babylon, trained by those that Daniel trained.) find out by numbers and the stars at what time the Messiah should arrive, and they followed the star that led them right to him. Astronomy was apparently God designed but toying with Astrology was probably not. There is no doubt that God put these signs in place for our benefit but they are not to be abused.

The top image is definitely Arabic and shows the cross sword symbols of Islam, the lower text is Greek.

Walid Shoebat stated that he read this in the Codex Vaticanus. The problem with that is that this codex does not contain the Revelation from what I am to understand.

Could the man make a mistake? I do it all the time, partly because my memory is giving way. But he did say he that he read it in his native language, Arabic.

Apply some logic to this:

• John wrote to Jewish believers.
• I believe that God wanted us to understand. Clearly this is one the hardest ones to figure out, unless what Walid Shoebat said is true.
• Satan, the power and backing behind Islam, is in opposition to every thing that God stands for. Revelation uses the terminology Antichrist, therefore in contrast to.
  Walid Shoebat, in an effort to make the audience understand said, Islam is the antithesis of God and godly things.

If Islam is the antithesis to belief in “the One true God” then it makes all the sense in world to tell us that this man can be identified by his relationship to Allah, the god in opposition.

How might God get us to see that? By inserting the Bismallah, something that would not have made any sense to anyone at the time of the writing. Muhammad was not even born until 570 years after Jesus Christ died. It was not until several years later that Mohammedanism was formed.

You might be asking yourself what Satan copied in using the Bismallah. The Bismallah - “in the name of Allah” is basis and theme within Islam that states: “there is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is his messenger.” Did you grasp that? If you wish to convert to Islam this is your statement of faith. You will, if you are a believer, have to understand that there is no one else but God. This is what Jesus told the Jews during the three years of his time among us, but he made it clear, and John, the disciple, conveyed it to us, He was God.

This is a vital statement to the Jewish community but the New Testament believers today have not made it a vital statement that motivates their lives. It is basically this:

"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.” (Deuteronomy 6:4 ESV)

If this has been the defining statement of our belief, there is no Lord but Yahweh, then how would I convey an Antichrist theme? To raise up a religion that claims peace but is in fact the most violent of people on the earth, and instead of acknowledging Jesus Christ as God, they sing the praises of Allah. 

 

If you do not know this Jesus Christ I speak of, then give him your life today. Accept his love for you. He placed himself on a cross to a ransom for your sins so that you are no longer indebted for them. He rose from the dead to give you new life. And he promised to come back for us and take those who await him to live with the Father (God). He loves you and died for you at a time when no one loved him. He did this to prove his love for you. I suggest you run to him because I have asked him to invade your dreams and give you visions of this Jesus Christ. His arms are open awaiting you. Ask him in and give him control of the life that you are not doing so well with.

Related articles

• Is gematria useful? (lunaticoutpost.com)
• Former Muslim: Islam Is 'Not Merely A Religion But A Cult Belief System, The Cult Of Muhammad' (angelforisrael.wordpress.com)
• The Number of the Beast (euzicasa.wordpress.com)
• The Coming and now New world Order (cfcspn.com)
• Turkey, the Gog of Magog (supajohnny.com)

A call to prayer

As I sat at dinner with some old friends, (they are both Christians) the Lord spoke to me and said, "Tell people to pray for the Muslims. I will invade their dreams with visions of Jesus Christ, the Messiah as you pray, and droves of them will come to me as they seek out those who know me.
This is critical right now for hatred will arise against the Muslims because of this act of terrorism and will merely fuel a level of violence coming from Islam that will surpass anything you have seen as yet.

Father, in the name of your risen Son, Jesus Christ, I ask Lord that you speak to the hearts and minds of the Muslim throughout the world. I ask you invade their dreams and give them visions of you. Make yourself real to them and show them where to go and who to talk to so that they will obtain the life in Christ that you desire for them. I thank you Lord for sending your Son Jesus Christ for in so doing he demonstrated your love for the world. Bring them in Lord for time is short.

Related articles

• A Prayer For Boston
• Prayers for Boston
• Prayers for Boston
• Prayer for our nation and Boston
• Prayers Following Explosions at Boston Marathon
• Boston Bombings: please let it not be another Muslim
• A Word on Prayer
• The Invitation of Prayer

A brief dive into John chapter 6

I meet with some men on Sunday mornings. There we have been reading short portions of the book of John and talk about what we just read, as we attempt to integrate it into our lives. For several months it has been a time of building relationships with the guys as I am the relatively new one. I had really been enjoying myself, interjecting occasionally. But for several weeks we have had a full blown bible scholar coming. He corrects us, throws in his opinion, and goes on incessantly for 30+ minutes stretches. Our leader asked us all to read the portion I made notes on and then come back and talk about it as it has affected him deeply.

Keep in mind that John wrote to show us that Jesus was God, and the Jews understood perfectly what he was saying.

John 6:28 NASB Therefore they said to Him,

"What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?"

Seems like a reasonable question.

Jesus responded with,

John 6:29 KJV “This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.”

They wanted to do stuff, put on a good show, and there was probably an underlying idea about monetary profit. It wasn't about the show. The work, as you call it, is to believe on me, the one God sent.

Him in verse 29 is referring to Jesus; he is referring to God to who sent his son.

Defensive, perhaps caught in their deceptive ways, they respond, “What sign do you show then, so that we may see and believe you?” “What do you work?” John 6:30 MKJV

They have not stopped talking. Usually when you fling out a question at someone you wait for an answer, unless you're attempting to divert attention off yourself.

Our fathers ate the manna in the desert, as it is written, "He gave them bread from Heaven to eat."

John 6:31 MKJV

They are justifying their actions and responses. If we are whining at God to give us a sign, well, manna in the desert was certainly a sign, but that was then and this is now.

Flinging scripture at the Messiah is not going to sway him, but then they are refusing to acknowledge that he is the messiah.

When they said he gave us manna in the desert to eat, sounds good. It also sounds like they are referring to God as the he, but they are talking to the one that knows the secrets of the heart. Now watch his response.

Then Jesus said to them, Truly, truly, I say to you, Moses did not give you that bread from Heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from Heaven.

(John 6:32 MKJV)

Truly, truly – the words are Amen, amen. It is an absolute. I am to understand that to repeat it like this is to drive the point home. There are no exceptions.

Again their response sounded reasonable to my English-speaking ears. As I said, the Word knows the thoughts and intents of the heart and discerns what is the mind of the spirit. Jesus read their intent and went straight for the heart. Moses did not give them the bread (manna). People will say that Jesus claimed to be God and yet right is one of those statements in which he states his son-ship. “My Father gives you the true bread from Heaven.”

"For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world."

(John 6:33 NASB)

the bread of God is:

• that which comes down out of heaven,
  Jesus came down from Heaven. This would not have been a new revelation to them. Based upon their understanding of scripture they new not only when, where, and how Jesus would perform, in their midst. He was standing right there. They knew he opened blind eyes, they knew he healed.
  The manna also came down from heaven, and it gave life, but the life was temporary.
• “and gives life to the world.”
  The manna was only for the Jews. It did not give life to the world, and I do not believe that the world was affected by Israel struggles in the desert.

Then they said to Him, "Lord, always give us this bread."

(John 6:34 NASB)

They did not want life, their attempts at trapping him were incessant, but again it sounds reasonable.

Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst.

(John 6:35 NASB)

The context of the conversation seems to be wrapped around feeding oneself and Jesus is telling them that he is bread. They understood the law and everything about this statement would have appalled them.

“he who comes to Me will not hunger, ..”

Clearly he is not talking about food for one of the most notable Christians in the NT was Paul, and he went hungry. Phillipians 4:12

I have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. (2 Corinthians 11:27 NASB)

Why would we not hunger? We balk at the concept of eternal salvation, but we ignore that scripture in multiple places reminds us that he will never leave us now forsake us. He has engraved us on the palm of his hands.

I will not leave you as orphans [comfortless, desolate, bereaved, forlorn, helpless]; I will come [back] to you. (John 14:18 AMP)

If I was hungry for something what would that be?

Without Christ I suppose it would be peace, but there are many Christians who do not have peace. Is it a fallacy to think that you have no peace.

I have known the Lord since I was a child. I have never been without him, so I do not think I can speak to what the void feels like. But after many years of a life in him I can tell you that I have been in despair, hurt, filled with anguish, experienced the darkness of depression and felt lost. What I have come to realize is that He is always with me, and always has been. That does not mean I have always been close to him. On the contrary, my failures have many times made me feel as though I could not see or feel him.

When I chose to stop feeling sorry for myself and call upon him, he was always there.

Stepping back from the tumult of the problem I was able to see the truth of a statement like this, “he that comes to me shall never hunger, ..” It was my spirit, my heart, my life that was kept alive when it could have died.

The idea of coming to Jesus implies to accompany by leaving where you are and coming to him.

"But I said to you that you have seen Me, and yet do not believe.

(John 6:36 NASB)

He has talked about signs proving power, authority. Clearly manna in desert registered in their minds as a sign.

Manna and bread seemed to mean the same thing, hence Jesus refers to himself as the bread from heaven. 

How many things had God sent to earth. If there were more than 1 none was more important than the gift of the Son.

In verse 36 he now says, you have seen Me, and yet do not believe.

The Me is God.

I always struggle a little with the concept of the Son being the same as the Father. Children do not carry the same weight and yet harm the son, especially in a feudal society, and the wrath of Father will come upon you.

The son typically gains the inheritance upon death and therefore takes over the kingdom, authority and power.

We are all painfully aware that many children do not appropriately demonstrate the character of the Father, and yet Jesus fully did. P.S. Many children emulate their fathers, by practicing their lives of violence and crime, and they do it to the letter.

Jesus only did what the Father told him to do, and he was obedient unto death.

All whom My Father gives (entrusts) to Me will come to Me; and the one who comes to Me I will most certainly not cast out [I will never, no never, reject one of them who comes to Me].

(John 6:37 AMP)

I, will not, in NO way cast him out.

You want to know the nature and character of God? Look at the Son.

What did he say? I (representing all that the Father is) will not cast you out.

Out of what?

• The family
• Heaven
• the rapture

Some family members are broken, even screwed up and we consider them unsuitable, and unacceptable. Just the fact that you made that kind of judgment on them demonstrates how unsuitable and unacceptable you are, and yet you are included in his grace and mercy.

Broken and messed up? Not a problem, God is in the business of healing, mending and restoring the broken and unacceptable. He seems to be especially fond of loving on them. Beside his demonstrated heart toward you there will be a point at which we who are in Christ will be raised up.

We tend to think of someone who is raised up as being dead, like Lazarus, but it also applies if I were to say elevated in rank and stature. At the rapture both will take place; the dead in Christ will rise first. This is a puzzlement to me for the concept is that our spirits never die, therefore we either live together with Him or without, but none-the-less we live on.

Since the dead in Christ have apparently already gone on to be with Jesus why is this concept of a body rising so important? I honestly do not know, but when Jesus rose from the dead his body went with him.

He ate fish with them.

When they got out on land (the beach), they saw a fire of coals there and fish lying on it [cooking], and bread. Jesus said to them, Bring some of the fish which you have just caught. So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net to land, full of large fish, 153 of them; and [though] there were so many of them, the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, Come [and] have breakfast. But none of the disciples ventured or dared to ask Him, Who are You? because they [well] knew that it was the Lord. Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and so also [with] the fish. (John 21:9-13 AMP)

He had them touch his body.

Then He said to Thomas, Reach out your finger here, and see My hands; and put out your hand and place [it] in My side. Do not be faithless and incredulous, but [stop your unbelief and] believe! (John 20:27 AMP)

He walked through walls.

Eight days later His disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, though they were behind closed doors, and stood among them and said, Peace to you! (John 20:26 AMP)

And he showed up where he pleased.

And while they were conversing and discussing together, Jesus Himself caught up with them and was already accompanying them. (Luke 24:15 AMP)

Jesus was a spirit with a body; the image of God. Man was made in the image of God, and we should know that God is a spirit.

God is a Spirit (a spiritual Being) and those who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth (reality). (John 4:24 AMP)

And yet God opted to put a body on him. What need does a spirit have for a body? Unless God was intentional in giving us a method enjoying physical and mental pleasure. (Do not go there! What happened in that garden was all good until evil got into the mix.)

Why did Jesus sit and eat with the disciples that day?

• Hunger? I doubt it.
• Enjoyable flavor? Maybe, we don't know.
• Fellowship and further directions for the boys? Most likely.

But then why sit us all down to the marriage supper of the Lamb if we are all spirits and have no need for food, unless food can be tasted, appeal visually to the eyes, and fellowship enjoyed.

"For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.

(John 6:38 NASB)

If he has not lit them up yet he did it now. The Jews allegedly look for the Messiah, the one from God and soon they will looking for ways to kill him over these statements. The world, and religious folk, will still try to tell you that Jesus never said he was God. They heard it.

Heaven – The Jews had solid image in their heads that heaven was God's throne.

I came from there – The implications can one be three:

• You are either God, and they were not buying that
• He was God's son, making himself equal with God and they understood that language. Of course to them, anyone making a claim like that was worthy of death.
• Or, there is something seriously wrong with his head. The Jews never took that point of view and decided that calling him a blasphemer was the right thing to do.

There is a strange irony in this blasphemy issue. When the Jews stated that the work that Jesus was doing (healing blind eyes, casting out demons, raising the dead) was through the power of Satan, then he got into the middle of them; telling them that they had blasphemed. Now they are into some serious trouble.

"This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day.

(John 6:39 NASB)

This is the Father's will, God's will.

Want to know what God's will is? That Jesus lose nothing and raise them up on the last day.

“of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day.”

How do you know you have been given to him? Maybe it is because your heart yearns for him.

This entire discourse seemed to start with, “believe that I am the one that He sent.” I do that.

There are no qualifiers to the statement and no exclusions.

"For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day."

(John 6:40 NASB)

The will of the Father is that we have eternal life, AND that Jesus will raise them up on the last day.

When you consider that our spirits never die. They will live on with God in eternity, or they will live in eternal separation from the creator. You can scoff at that if you wish but you won't change it. Those that will live separate from God have done so by choice.

If our spirits live on eternally then there must be something else that is meant by this. Life can only be lived in Him. The mind that balks at that idea is the mind that lives in selfishness, unwilling to allow anyone to tell them what to do. I think that it is clear that God desires for us to live with him in glory.

“..and that Jesus will raise them up on the last day.”

We have two frames of reference for this.

1. One would be the catching away.
   The Greeks used the word harpazo, or snatching away. It implies a quick and sudden removal. The implication is, off this earth and into the heavenly realm. Scripture tells us that the dead in Christ rise first and then we which are alive and remain will be caught up to meet him in the air. This happens at the beginning of the time of judgment, also known as the tribulation years (7 of them.) I also happen to think that we are in the mere minutes phase until he arrives.
2. The second point of view on this would have to do with a time period at the end of the thousand-year reign. Now why would I say that? Because it is the only other time that we see people being raised up. These are not the dead in Christ and they are brought forward for judgment. Even here we find a merciful God and he separates the un-dead based on whether they lived a life of selfishness or showed mercy (a trait of God). Those that showed some mercy are then given mercy. You might decided that this entire last process is in itself against the traits and mercy of God, but you forget that Adam's act was to intake the knowledge of both good and evil, therefore no man has an excuse. To do evil is an act of the will. Adam exhibited that act when he took of the fruit. Cain did it when he slew Able.

Wisdom alone tells me the last day, when Jesus shall raise them up would have to be the rapture. Of all the days that are spoken of concerning the end they are all filled with gloom and punishment. Jesus raising us up is the total opposite of that.

“..and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.”

The Jews standing there did not miss a thing (except that God stood before them, the Messiah that they longed for.) They knew that he was telling them that he was God's Son and carried all the attributes, authority, and nature of the Father. He just told them that in the future he (Jesus) would be the one raising the Church up, and they knew that only the Father could do that. Only the Father had the right to forgive and make judgment. They knew exactly what Jesus told them.

Therefore the Jews were grumbling about Him, because He said, "I am the bread that came down out of heaven." They were saying, "Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does He now say, 'I have come down out of heaven'?"

(John 6:41-42 NASB)

"No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day.

(John 6:44 NASB)

This screams a line from the Chronicles of Narnia. “You would not have called to me unless I had been calling to you,” said the Lion.

In our arrogance we think we are in control. We are really not. Does it mean nothing to hear that before the worlds were formed I knew you. I know the plans that I have for you …

just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love (Ephesians 1:4 NASB)

'For I know the plans that I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:11 NASB)

We struggle and worry over the lost. Many think that they are selfishly sinning because they are not doing something. Even if you did do something, they would not come unless God had called them. So the day they do come, whether you talked with them or not, would be because God had called them.

It is written in the prophets, 'AND THEY SHALL ALL BE TAUGHT OF GOD.' Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father, comes to Me. (John 6:45 NASB)

I wish everyone could be taught of God, then perhaps this recent baseball fight in which the pitcher got his collar-bone broken might not have happened. I know, that is trivial and irrelevant, but then is it? Jesus explained himself. It is those who hear and learn. We can hear but certainly not learn, that requires a shade more effort and desire. But then you would not have the desire if God did not give it to you.

  "Not that anyone has seen the Father, except the One who is from God; He has seen the Father. (John 6:46 NASB)

Jesus was the one that said, “if you have seen me, you have seen the Father.” I suppose that really means in character and actions. No one had seen the Father. We seem to think that Moses did, but even God told him he would die; not from punishment but his human body probably could not handle it. I think I can understand that.

 "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes has eternal life. (John 6:47 NASB)

"Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes has eternal life. I heard one of the radio pastors indicating that this means to put an unshakable emphasis on what he saying, and was a common method of expressing themselves.

He wants us to understand, he who believes has eternal life. I wonder when we will start teaching and believing that.

 "I am the bread of life. (John 6:48 NASB)

 "Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. (John 6:49 NASB)

 "This is the bread which comes down out of heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. (John 6:50 NASB)

 I believe he made his point here. I am secured in him. Do I test the waters of grace? I suppose I do but I always return to grace and mercy. Maybe that is my way of saying I eat the bread. His word is my bread.

Father, forgive me for I have made you to small in my life. Allow me to comprehend all that you are telling me this day. I believe in you, that you are the Son of the living God, and that you will come again for me and all those who believe in you. Thank you for never letting go of us, and taking us into your kingdom. In Jesus name.

Related articles

• Our daily bread (daltonwilliams114.wordpress.com)
• Day Six: John 6 (kevinwithem.wordpress.com)
• Who Is Jesus? (jlue.wordpress.com)
• The Food that Endures for Eternal Life (insightscoop.typepad.com)

Another beast.. out of the earth. Revelation 13:11-17

He had horns like a lamb.

Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb and he spoke as a dragon.

(Revelation 13:11 NASB)

Out of the earth.

The word for earth is gē and can also mean a country. If we reread this verse with the concept of a specific country involved then it takes on a whole new meaning. The problem is we cannot be sure what that country is.

The distinction is clear to me. The earth represents a common factor, man; not some fallen angel or demon, and definitely not an empire or kingdom like our previous beast. Our previous beast had so many aspects that could be defined by historical evidence. Our new beast is defined by scripture and if you are willing to look at them, by Islamic prophecies as well.

Here is the passage that paints the picture of our previous monster.

And the dragon stood on the sand of the seashore. Then I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads, and on his horns were ten diadems, and on his heads were blasphemous names.

(Revelation 13:1 NASB)

He had two horns like a lamb,

Oddly the two horns do not carry the same meanings as those on the previous beast. On the previous beast horns meant ruling bodies in Revelation 13:1. Here they fit best as a mockery.

We city folk rarely ever see a sheep with horns. For whatever reason the herders cut them off.

We in Christianity commonly use the phrase “the lamb of God.” Who are we referring to? Jesus Christ the lamb of God and risen one. I happen to think that this was meant to immediately grab your attention.

And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.

(Revelation 5:6 KJV)

It might be worthy to note that Jesus Christ, represented here by the slain lamb (he became this on the cross.) has seven horns, not two. Two horns are what a sheep herder would expect to see.

Why is this hugely significant?

This verse probably gained no clarity until sometime after the Iranian revolution of 1979. Until then most, from that part of the world, referred to themselves as people coming from Persia and we Westerners really knew little about them and what the hardliners really believed.

It only feels like a couple of years since I learned of what Islam teaches in Quran, but if this was common knowledge among prophecy teachers then why did they not teach it? The answer lies in God lifting the veil of understanding and increasing knowledge, and an understanding of what Islam's prophecies teach.

But their minds were hardened; for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains unlifted, because it is removed in Christ. But to this day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their heart; but whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. (2 Corinthians 3:14-16 NASB)

And He said, "To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is in parables, so that SEEING THEY MAY NOT SEE, AND HEARING THEY MAY NOT UNDERSTAND. (Luke 8:10 NASB)

"Those who have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever. (Daniel 12:3 NASB)

"Many will be purged, purified and refined, but the wicked will act wickedly; and none of the wicked will understand, but those who have insight will understand. (Daniel 12:10 NASB)

It is hugely significant because Islam is looking for a Jesus to appear as well.

I have covered this before but I can also assume that many of you did not read those earlier posts.

From Wikipedia:

Isa ( Arabic: عيسى, Transliteration: ʿĪsā ), known as Jesus in the New Testament is considered to be a Messenger of God and the Masih (Messiah) in Islam [1] who was sent to guide the Children of Israel (banī isrā'īl) with a new scripture, the Injīl or Gospel.[2] The belief in Jesus (and all other messengers of God) is required in Islam, and a requirement of being a Muslim. The Quran mentions Jesus by name twenty-five times, while it only mentions Muhammad by name four times.[3][4] It states that Jesus was born to Mary (Arabic: Maryam) as the result of virginal conception, a miraculous event which occurred by the decree of God (Arabic: Allah). To aid in his ministry to the Jewish people, Jesus was given the ability to perform miracles (such as healing the blind, bringing dead people back to life, etc.), all by the permission of God rather than of his own power. According to the Quran, Jesus, although appearing to have been crucified, was not killed by crucifixion or by any other means, instead, "God raised him unto Himself". Like all prophets in Islam, Jesus is considered to have been a Muslim (i.e., one who submits to the will of God), as he preached that his followers should adopt the "straight path" as commanded by God. Islam rejects the Trinitarian Christian view that Jesus was God incarnate or the son of God, that he was ever crucified or resurrected, or that he ever atoned for the sins of mankind. The Quran says that Jesus himself never claimed any of these things, and it furthermore indicates that Jesus will deny having ever claimed divinity at the Last Judgment, and God will vindicate him.[5] The Quran emphasizes that Jesus was a mortal human being who, like all other prophets, had been divinely chosen to spread God's message. Islamic texts forbid the association of partners with God (shirk), emphasizing a strict notion of monotheism (tawhīd).

Numerous titles are given to Jesus in the Quran and in Islamic literature, the most common being al-Masīḥ ("the messiah"). Jesus is also, at times, called "Seal of the Israelite Prophets", because, in general Muslim belief, Jesus was the last prophet sent by God to guide the Children of Israel. Jesus is seen in Islam as a precursor to Muhammad, and is believed by Muslims to have foretold the latter's coming.[6][7]

Muslims believe that Jesus will return to earth near the Day of Judgment to restore justice and to defeat Masih ad-Dajjal ("the false messiah", also known as the Antichrist).[6][8]

According to Islamic tradition which describes this graphically, Jesus' descent will be in the midst of wars fought by the Mahdi (lit. "the rightly guided one"), known in Islamic eschatology as the redeemer of Islam, against the Antichrist (al-Masīh ad-Dajjāl, "False messiah") and his followers.[27] Jesus will descend at the point of a white arcade, east of Damascus, dressed in yellow robes—his head anointed. He will then join the Mahdi in his war against the Dajjal. Jesus, considered as a Muslim, will abide by the Islamic teachings. Eventually, Jesus will slay the Antichrist, and then everyone from the People of the Book (ahl al-kitāb, referring to Jews and Christians) will believe in him. Thus, there will be one community, that of Islam.[28]

1. A Jew of the Aaronic lineage.
   That means he can be a high priest, and may well be. This man is not going to just walk into the scene and command people's respect, I primarily mean Israel's. Considering the amount and degree of deception it would have to seem reasonable to follow him.
2. He produces documentation, new scriptures, that refute the God that Israel has followed.
3. He will do the miracles that Jesus did and call fire down from the skies.
4. He will deceive many.

And he spoke like a dragon

Who is the dragon? If you have followed then you know this one; for those that have not it is Satan.

And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.(Revelation 1 2:9 NASB)

To alert the world that this false prophet, Isa (the Jesus of Islam), is coming, is to tell us that like Satan his words are lies and his sole purpose will be to deceive.

"You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies. (John 8:44 NASB)

"..the authority of the first beast on its behalf"

It uses all the authority of the first beast on its behalf, and it makes the earth and those living on it worship the first beast, whose mortal wound was healed. (Revelation 13:12 ISV)

“It uses all the authority of the first beast on its behalf,”

This is not the beast of Revelation 13: 1,2

I saw a beast coming out of the sea. It had ten horns, seven heads, and ten royal crowns on its horns. On its heads were blasphemous names. The beast that I saw was like a leopard. Its feet were like bears feet, and its mouth was like a lion's mouth. The dragon gave it his power, his throne, and complete authority. (Revelation 13:1-2 ISV)

The beast of Revelation 13: 1,2 is a compilation of empires and leaders. One of the ruling bodies, an empire if you will, that arises out of this compilation is stopped momentarily in its destructive tracks and to the world effectively killed. This empire had leaders and a name but the basis of its theme was the Quran. It was called the Ottoman empire.

If this false prophet is using all the authority or power, as the KJV states, then he has the backing and fire power of the Islamic empire. This sort of sounds like a Star Wars movie. Sadly it is very real and deadly.

In saying “the first beast before him ..” as the KJV does, we have two possible meanings:

1. The false prophet operates in the presence of the Antichrist or Mahdi, and as supreme ruling authority over Islam the false prophet is then operating in his power.
2. Because the 'mouth' in Revelation 13:5 is given power to continue 42 months he apparently steps out-of-the-way. We know he is not dead for God takes the two of them alive and tosses them in the lake of fires.
   In this last scenario the word 'before' takes on the sense of someone previous.

There is another clue about this 42 months and then departure. Look with me at Daniel 9:27

Daniel 9:27 KJV And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

For whatever reason the Antichrist figure breaks the treaty. He helped to set up the treaty and now at 42 months he breaks it. You can learn from this passage that the Antichrist is there at the beginning of the years of God's judgment against Israel and the nations.

Another aspect of this verse tells us that the temple is in operation and the Antichrist is the one that causes the sacrifice and prayers to stop.

Another clue:

Daniel 11:28-31 NASB "Then he will return to his land with much plunder; but his heart will be set against the holy covenant, and he will take action and then return to his own land. (29) "At the appointed time he will return and come into the South, but this last time it will not turn out the way it did before. (30) "For ships of Kittim will come against him; therefore he will be disheartened and will return and become enraged at the holy covenant and take action; so he will come back and show regard for those who forsake the holy covenant. (31) "Forces from him will arise, desecrate the sanctuary fortress, and do away with the regular sacrifice. And they will set up the abomination of desolation.

In particular look at verse 30. Something has happened here that he did not expect. It has not stopped his actions but it sure has his attention; a nation that did not bow its knee to him. One of my commentaries attributes this peculiar name to the Cyprians. As of this date, 04/05/13, Cyprus is undergoing financial upheaval and not looking good at all. Where does someone like this get the money to run an effective navy?

What does it mean to exercise all the power of the first beast?

I have expounded before how I believe that the beast, all the way up to Revelation 13:4 is not a man but a demonic stronghold empowering Islam. Allah himself may be the beast that Revelation 13:4 speaks of, but Allah is no more a god than the rocks on the hillside. What makes the difference, in terms of power and ability, is that he or it is empowered by Satan himself.

To empower is to: to give power or authority to; authorize, especially by legal or official means. And yet we all understand what is coming to be more than just authorization. The false prophet and the Antichrist seem to take on the destructive and deceptive nature of Satan himself, even up to the point that many will witness the image that gets set up in the temple speaking.

Think about this. If the first beast equates to Islam or Allah then you have to ask what kind power do they wield? Islam has strength by numbers therefore political power as well as economic power.

We have all recently witnessed some of that political power as Mohamed Morsi was elected President of Egypt. And Saudi Arabia, one the wealthiest oil nations on the planet, finances almost every destructive aspect of Islam.

Islam's strongest weapon and by extension power, is violence.

Allah himself is merely a myth and does not wield any of this power, unless he is a fallen angel. For those who do not think of angel's as being powerful you need to look back at Daniel. Michael, a heavenly archangel and protector of Israel, had to be called in as a backup for Gabriel, another archangel. Gabriel had been in combat with fallen angels, who had names, for 21 days. Gabriel told Daniel that another fallen angel was coming to the fight. Read your scriptures and you will find that several are bound now in the Euphrates river (I hope) and will be released upon the earth in the near future. They have a very destructive goal and yes, God allows them to be loosed for a time. Folks, deny it if you wish but there is a warfare going in the heavenlies, all around you.

Up to this point no one in Islam displays or exerts any power over people other than fear, but that day is coming when a representative, the Mahdi, will do miracles not so dissimilar to what Jesus or the prophets did.

“he even makes fire come down”

Revelation 13:13 NASB He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down out of heaven to the earth in the presence of men.

What is the significance of that?

1. Ezekiel 38,39 tell us that when armies besiege Israel that God fights for Israel. God does this in several ways but the one that gets my attention is the fire storm he sends upon the Muslim nations of the earth.
   This would seem to be right before the Antichrist/Mahdi commits to a seven-year treaty with Israel, and Israel immediately rebuilds the temple.
   Doesn't anybody ask how that could be remotely possible?
   Apparently God will wipe the Dome of the Rock right off the map with this firestorm. Do you really think that there could be any other way for Israel to regain the temple mount?
2. The other hugely significant even is the two witnesses.
   You can argue for a lifetime about when they show up, but where you put them in the time-line is really inconsequential in God's timing, but if he followed your timing then it changes everything.
   I hold to the idea that they show up immediately and leave at the 42 month mark in the time of judgment and tribulation. This timing coincides with two events: The amount of time allotted to the 'mouth' given to the beast (I believe this mouth is the Mahdi.) and the clear introduction of the false prophet/Jesus of Islam.
   Keep in mind that the two witnesses have spewed fire from their mouths and halting rain as they see fit. We can assume that all the world has watched them, and as long as they have stood on the earth the hatred for them and God has grown immensely.
   Finally, after multiple attempts, God allows for them to be killed. Much like his own Son their lives will not be taken without God's permission. Having these two witnesses removed from the earth should bolster a false bravado and an outpouring of hatred, anger and bloodshed against Israel.
   This is also the time that the image gets set up in the temple. I am sure that the two witnesses play a significant role in preventing anything that looks like that from happening. Jesus warned his listeners in Matthew 24, 25 that when you see things happening, that those in Israel need to flee to the desert.

“he deceives those who dwell on the earth because of the signs”

Revelation 13:14 NASB And he deceives those who dwell on the earth because of the signs which it was given him to perform in the presence of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who *had the wound of the sword and has come to life.

What did Jesus say?

Mark 13:21-22 KJV And then if any man shall say to you, Lo, here is Christ; or, lo, he is there; believe him not: (22) For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect.

When he gets to this part he is clearly speaking about the end times, so the context is the time of judgment, precisely what I have been discussing.

When the disciples asked him when these things would happen the first thing he said was,

Luke 21:7-8 NASB They questioned Him, saying, "Teacher, when therefore will these things happen? And what will be the sign when these things are about to take place?" (8) And He said, "See to it that you are not misled; for many will come in My name, saying, 'I am He,' and, 'The time is near.' Do not go after them.

“And he deceives those who dwell on the earth because of the signs ..”

We already have an idea of who he is. I happen to believe that he is already here. The Jews are not going let just anyone walk into the holy of holies. And I can assure that Islam is not going to listen to anyone that is a Jew tell them anything, unless, there is something known and there are corresponding actions that prove that this is the man they seek.

“He” - is the Jesus of Islam. They happen to call him Isa.

He is:

• A Jew
• A descendant of Aaron, therefore entitled to act as a high priest. And if he is acting in that role then he has access to the Holy of Holies where he sets up the image. (He is probably acting in the role of a priest ask we speak.
• A convert to Islam

He causes the image of the beast to speak. This image is either a resemblance of the Mahdi, or something that looks like the confederation of nations that creates the multi-headed animal like body of Revelation 13:1,2.

I lean toward the image of a man.

Here is an odd thought. What if he got something like the Mr. Lincoln exhibit at Disneyland. It could be done and in a fairly short time.

How could he possibly deceive everyone left on earth? We are clear that many elite Jewish leaders will follow him, convinced by the signs. Those of the fringe of Islam, and not fully given to the ideals of Jihad will be converted, and many in the world will give in.

Think about what influences the conversion rate. Placed under the edge of the sword many will bow their knee to Allah, accept the markings and worship the beast (what ever that happens to be.) Some will not be affected by this for we see “nations” coming during the thousand-year reign who did not take part in the worship of Allah. Just considering the rebellious nature of some people they will fight against Islam and quite possibly be successful, but you cannot fight against God, and will possibly be considered among the nations. When you consider the number and size of the earthquakes described during the time of judgment, it would not surprise me to find the continents shifted back together. That would enable Islam to have an even greater influence.

“..those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast;”

Had power?
The words that give us this phrase are: didōmiautos. And it means to give to yourself.

We know the first beast is empowered by the dragon. The dragon is Satan. The beast is not an amalgamation of empires, but it could be; it could also be Allah, which some might think is a fictional god in the mind of Mohammed. But what if Allah is the name of a powerful angel, fallen with Satan. Then we have Satan transferring his power to this angel named Allah making him as deceptive as Satan is.

This second beast, the false prophet, exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence.You find this in Revelation 13:12. Does this mean that his power is limited to being in the presence of the first beast? I doubt it. Depending on what version you read the alternate word used for authority is power. The word power is exousia and means, “the liberty of doing as one pleases.” This second beast may have demonstrated power on purpose to the Mahdi as an act of compliance but the meaning of the word shows us that this character who goes by the name Jesus, now does as he pleases.

Revelation 13:4 NASB they worshiped the dragon because he gave his authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, "Who is like the beast, and who is able to wage war with him?"

In Revelation 13:5 the beast is given a mouth, someone to speak for him. In chapter thirteen verse seven the 'mouth' is given the power to make war with the saints. In Revelation 13:11 the second beast with the lambs horns, speaks like the dragon/Satan (With lies and deception.)

“..he had power to give life unto the image..”

Revelation 13:15 NASB And it was given to him to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast would even speak and cause as many as do not worship the image of the beast to be killed.

• He has access to the image, now setup in the temple. Not everyone can do that.
• He makes the image to speak.
• He causes as many as do not worship the image to be killed.

There will come a point at which trying to coerce you into worshiping will not be worth their time, so they will just lop your head.

This implies a global dominance, but that is really not the case.

“He causes all, … to receive a mark...”

Revelation 13:16 KJV And he causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:

It is the false prophet, this Jesus of Islam, that causes everyone to receive a mark. Not the Antichrist as we teach people.

So that no one will have power to buy or sell

Revelation 13:17 AMP So that no one will have power to buy or sell unless he bears the stamp (mark, inscription), [that is] the name of the beast or the number of his name.

Though we live in a high-tech world, at least here in America, there are still plenty of places on earth that do rather well on a barter system economy. Never say never when it comes to God, but the practical has to have an influence at times. This barter systen adds to the problem of world-wide domination and lends itself to the false prophet having a significant influence over the middle eastern world.

Remember! The acts that this person does are significant, especially when you contrast what he does against the two witnesses.

Since everything Satan does is the antithesis of God, this beast, the false prophet, empowered by Satan is mimicking the powers of God.

Should you consider the powers of angels, messengers and emissaries of God, they carry the full weight and authority of God himself. Angels have set rocks on fire, killed off the first-born of a nation, stood guard with drawn swords, fought wars for Israel, and gently delivered messages of comfort and peace.

I have intentionally not delved into 13:18 because I think it deserves a bit more thought on my part.

As always I warn you that time is short and these things are coming. Don't think so? Just watch the news. North Korea is on the verge of pulling their own trigger. Iran is still playing its nuclear game. Syria will collapse and according to President Bashar at the collapse of Syria the middle east will pretty much implode. Things are moving quickly now.

Jesus Christ, the messiah that Israel longed for and ignored is coming again soon for those that await him. He will pull the body of Christ, the Christian community in general, out of here. He gave us the story of both Lot and Noah as examples of how it would come to pass, and if you know those stories with any familiarity then you should know that judgment fell as the righteous were escaping.

Give your life to Jesus Christ. He will welcome you with open arms because he loves you, he proved that when he went to the cross for you.

Until next time, live like he is coming today, and walk with dignity through life.

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