Pastor Tim Brown, Calvary Chapel Fremont, Sunday February 13, 2011

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The Beast

Revelation 13:1-2

Read 1-10.  The beast antichrist, energized by the dragon satan, has awesome power.  But he only has the power that Satan gives him.  Remember C12: Satan is a four-time loser.  He can’t defeat Christ/

angels/saints/Israel.  So, even though he gives the beast his power for a shot at world domination, it’s a futile attempt.

speculations concerning the beast’s identity: Nero/pope/Hitler/JFK/Gorbachev/Obama.  The antichrist is not revealed until after the rapture.

Beast

#1  Why is he called the beast?

Ps. 73:21-22.  Animals do not have a consciousness of God.  His nature: beast

Cf. Romans 1  Man turns from worshipping the Creator to worshiping the creation and is finally ruled by a creature.  Ultimately, the beast will be worshipped as God.  This is the logical outcome when God is rejected.  You can identify w/ your Creator or w/ the creation.  Many today identify more w/ the animal kingdom than w/ God.  I once spoke w/ a woman who believed her son/dog were morally equivalent/equal value.  The Beast is man apart from God.   

Short history of spirituality: godly/humanistic/animalistic/demonic.  Human ambitions aren’t widening, they’re descending.

#2  What is his relationship w/ Satan

Cp. w/ dragon in 12:3

Dragon  7 heads/10 horns/each head had a crown

Beast   7 heads/10 horns/each horn had a crown

Cf. 13:2b the beast is not the dragon/dragon gives him his power

Not only same agenda as devil, but same power/authority.  The beast is the incarnation of the devil.  Even as Jesus was the incarnation of God, the beast is the incarnation of the devil.  The beast is not demon possessed, he is Satan possessed.  Now, Jesus wasn’t God possessed, He was God in the flesh.

#3  What is his relationship w/ OT prophecy

Future leader not a new theme - Daniel 7:1-27

D7:17  the beast is a king/ruler | D7:23  the beast is a kingdom

out of the Sea – R17:15  sea is the nations.  Contrast w/ Christ.

Ten horns/seven heads/ten diadems

R17:6-13  beast described/explained

    * The seven heads are seven mountains  17:9  Because Rome is well known as the city on seven hills many believe that this is a reference to Rome.  But the Greek word is mountains, not hills.  In the Bible mountains are sometimes a figure of governments (cf. D2:35) and the city of Rome is built on hills, not mountains.  The seven mountains represent the seven kings/kingdoms described in R17:10.

    * Five have fallen refers to the five world empires before John’s day: Egyptian/Assyrian/ Babylonian/Medo-Persian/Greek.

    * One is refers to the world empire of John’s day: Roman.

    * The other has not yet come refers to the one world empire to come: a revival of the Roman Empire.  

    * When he comes, he must continue a short time: This seventh will quickly be taken over by an eighth - and will become the state of the Antichrist (R17:11). BEAST

D7:7   4th beast had ten horns.  D7:23-24  Out of the 4th beast kingdom/Rome 10 kings will arise (Daniel is counting from Babylonian Empire, John from the Egyptian Empire).  D7:8   Little horn/boasts – cf. R13:5.  The beast is the antichrist is the little horn

The seven heads are seven world empires and the ten horns are the kings that make up the 7th empire.  In the last days will arise ten kings/kingdoms who will exercise authority over the earth.  Another horn (beast) will pull down three of these horns and dominate the rest.  One world gov’t v one world economy.   

Zbigniew Brzezinski | Foreign Affairs | Fall 1991: For the average citizen the imperatives of consumption are now more important than those of territory or ideology.

What is purpose of all this?  Man will have his way – and then God.  In the tribulation, this will be a witness to God.