"No one is like this beast! No one can fight against it." That is not true, however, in the process of physically fighting against it you become just like it. We have waited too long to eliminate this evil that has waited silently in our nations, infiltrating the fabric of our governing bodies, and now it is awakening around the globe.
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As overwhelming as this looks, it is being restrained. Restrained by little insignificant people like me. People who have been willing to look at what is coming and talk about it. I am telling you that ignoring it can and will get you killed, and what use are you when you are dead?
2 Thessalonians 2:7 ESV (7) For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way.
It is you, it is me, and it is the Spirit of the living God that flows through my veins and gives me a voice that is restraining this beast. Am I having an impact on the Middle Eastern world? It does not seem like it, but then you do not know my God, and his name is Yeshua, NOT Allah.
"No one is like this beast! No one can fight against it."
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Revelation 13:4 ESV And they worshiped the dragon, for he had given his authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, "Who is like the beast, and who can fight against it?"
- An 1800s Russian engraving depicting the Whore of Babylon riding the seven-headed Beast (a Sirrush) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Context: The dragon is Satan.
Revelation 12:9 ESV “And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan,..”
We know that the beast comes up out of the sea (Revelation 13:1), and the sea is presumed to be the sea of people. I suppose it is like saying it comes out of the masses of people. The beast also has multiple heads, and since that does not happen we understand that the beast is an empire or large governing body. John's application tended to address the known world and to him it was the Mediterranean region. At that time the Mediterranean was under Roman control, but in time would see an Islamic Caliphate in control of those same lands and more.
Revelation 13:3 ESV One of its heads seemed to have a mortal wound, but its mortal wound was healed, and the whole earth marveled as they followed the beast.
We established that this beast we see in Revelation 13:3 is an empire or governing body, much like the Ottoman empire. The Islamic Caliphate called the Ottoman Empire, was abolished by British in 1924. Therefore this beast is nothing more than Islam attempting once again to rule the earth under an Islamic caliphate. If that happens the law of the land will be Sharia; this works out well if you are a man, but not so good if you are a woman.
Who are the “they” in verse 4? Verse 3 informs us that "the whole earth" followed the beast. Now I have two possibilities for an answer: Either the “they”are those that follow the beast – hence now after the dragon, or, it literally implies “the whole earth”. If it is the whole earth, then the Holy Spirit or John is taking some literary license here because you should know that there are followers of Christ on the earth, Jews, and a few other religions that are not so inclined to knowingly follow after the dragon/Satan. Jesus told us that the deception would be great, and even the “godly” Christian community may be inadvertently following after the dragon. If you do not think that is possible, then how do you explain this:
1 John 2:15-16 ESV Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. (16) For all that is in the world--the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life--is not from the Father but is from the world.
“For all that is in the world--the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life--is not from the Father but is from the world.” And Satan owns the world. He will own the world up to the time that Jesus locks him up for a thousand years. So all my attempts at satisfying what my flesh wants is really nothing more than following foolishly after the dragon.
“And they worshiped the dragon, for he had given his authority to the beast,”
I have talked of those that inadvertently follow after the dragon, but by the time we get to Revelation 13:11-14, you will begin to see that a second beast has risen and makes people worship the first beast.
Does the world in general comprehend that Satan is in control and is giving his power and authority to this beast that is currently rampaging over the earth? I do not think so. I believe they, just like us, believe it is merely a bunch of thugs with guns trying to enforce their will on people so that someone gets rich, for that is the way it always works.
There is however, a growing number of people who seem bent on throwing their lives into the hands of Satan, merely because they know it upsets God. (I believe you can see this clearly in the music industry. Katy Perry was raised in church, as were many of them.) They do so because they think they will obtain the power that they see the beast getting. The problem with that is that even they were created in the image of God, therefore Satan hates them as well, and will attempt to destroy them too. The result for those that follow Satan will the same fate reserved for him, eternal separation and anguish.
The fools that follow after the dragon say, "Who is like the beast, and who can fight against it?"
I have to tell you that even I have asked that question. Once I realized that Islam was the beast, and watched it spread throughout the globe over the last several years; I have wondered how you fight against such an ideology. Sadly there is only one way if I focus on man's resources, but that way makes us butchers just like them. As followers of Christ we have NOT been called to be butchers. Mind you, young men have gone off to war and scripturally I see no problem with that, as we are subject to governing authorities – when they are within reason. However, when they are not within reason then we have a necessity to stand up for what is right. Just ask the three Hebrews under Nebuchadnezzar's reign who were told to bow to the statue and refused. Their response was: “But even if he doesn't, we still won't worship your gods.” [You can find this story in Daniel chapter 3.]
(As a side note: you would not be living in America if people did not put their lives on the line for what was right; so there is a time and a place for everything. I am going to tell outright, if you lift a weapon against what is coming, you will die at the hands of an equal or greater force. Many of us will be taken captive, thrown into FEMA prison camps and be made to disappear. But I will guarantee you this though, I will not be silent.)
My pastor has for several weeks now been teaching on Revelation, but he is quick to take the cutting-edge off by adding, “however, we will be watching from the Mezzanine”. This has actually made some people angry, but I am sure that the concept is, we – as followers of Christ – will not be here. Yes, that makes me a pre-trib believer. I have repeatedly pointed out that these arguments are of our own making. Look at what Paul wrote in his first letter to the church in Thessalonica.
1 Thessalonians 5:9 ESV (9) For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,
What we have called “the tribulation” is a poorly named description of the seven years of God's wrath being poured out upon the earth. Our lack of a proper description of this time period has many to be confused and some to lose hope. The confusion, it seems, borders on religious wars, and that is a waste of all our precious time.
Romans 5:9-10 ESV Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. (10) For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.
Think about the logic of this verse. If God saved us when we were yet sinners, speaking horrible things about him, since we have become His own possession through our acceptance of Jesus Christ, why would He then leave us to suffer and be tormented, over and above what life dishes out, by a wrath that God designed to punish the Jews that rejected Him, and the nations that ignored Him. Beside that, God sacrificed His only Son and now we are complete in Him through acceptance. Would He once again abuse his Son and us? I do not think so, and neither do you.
Our relationship in Him is precious. It has cost God time, the loss – at least momentarily - of his son, and the blood of precious saints to rescue us from this earth once created for the sole purpose of his creations pleasure, but now destroyed by Satan.
If you do not know Jesus Christ you can. Merely ask him into your life and turn your own life over to him. Then you too can have a hope in the fact that Jesus will come back for those who are His own.
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