Cecil A. Fayard

Elliott Baptist Church

July 25, 2004

 

The Mark of the Beast

Revelation 13:1-18

INTRO: After the rapture of the saints of God (I Thes 4:16-18), tribulation will come upon the earth and upon the earth’s inhabitants.  This tribulation will last for seven years.  During the tribulation period, the one world system, the new world order headed by two men called the beast of the sea (Anti-Christ) and the beast of the earth (false prophet), will control all commerce and all religion especially during the last 3 ˝ years of the tribulation.  The period spoken of in chapter 13.

I.  VSS 1-10, THE BEAST OF THE SEA

  1. Vs 1, The word beast in this chapter is the Greek word therion meaning wild beast.  This is descriptive of the demonic vengeful, hateful, brutal, and savage reign of the two beast of Revelation 13.  Both are under Satan’s control, and energized from hell.

  1. The first beast will rise out of the sea.

    1. The sea is descriptive of the unsettled, chaotic condition of mankind.  Isa 57:20.  Barnes says: “It come sup out of the sea, (ver. 1)– out of the commotion, the agitation of nations– a new power that springs up from those disturbed elements.”

    1. This first beast will come up out of, will emerge from the collapse of governmental authority and financial markets.

    2. The beast is an actual person, not a principle, a force or a computer.   In Rev 19:20 and in Rev 20:10, we find the beast in the lake of fire.

    3. Revealed after the catching away of the saints, this beast is the prince that shall come (Daniel 9:26-27; II Thes 2:6-10).

  1. Seven heads– this represents seven Gentile nations that have or will rule over Israel (17:10).

  1. Ten horns– is representative of the ten kings or rulers of the end time untied together in a world league (Rev 17:12).  This is a renewal of the old Roman Empire, known now as the European common market.

  2. Ten crowns– this speaks of his power and strength as a leader (17:13).

  3. Blasphemy– he, the beast, and all his kings will be anti-God, pro abortion, socialistic, no prayer in school, no recognition of God.

  1. Vs 2, The first beast is pictured as a leopard, a bear, and a lion.  In Daniel 7, the order is reversed because Daniel was looking forward to the cross, and the ages before him.  John was looking back (Dan 7:4-6).

  1. The beast will exhibit the characteristics of three preceding kingdoms in his opposition to God.

    1. Leopard– catlike vigilance.

    1. Bear– crushing power.

    2. Lion– strength and roar.

  1. The rule of the world offered to Christ by Satan but rejected (Lk 4:5-80 is offered to and accepted by the beast.

  1. Vs 3, This verse speaks of Satan’s power in resurrecting the slain beast.  The Greek construction implies “slain to death.”  This would is probably physical, but could be political.

  1. The beast is brought back from the realm of death.

  2. The world will be deceived and follow the resurrected beast.

  3. It could be that he fails to win re-election to the world government.  Thus he seems dead politically, but then grabs power militarily.

  1. Vs 4, Satan and the beast will be worshiped.

  1. People are looking for a world leader, anyone who will give them social programs and take care of them financially.

  2. “The lack of ability on the part of the present-day rulers to govern adequately is preparing the way for this satanically inspired dictator” (Lockyer 188).

  3. Not “who is like unto God?”, but “who is like unto the beast?”  Men are deceived for 3 ˝ years.

  1. Vs 5, The beast will have a lion like mouth speaking great things (vs 2).

  1. He will possess the talent and leadership of all the gifted orators, leaders, and conquerors that went before him.

  2. He will possess a miraculous power, and ability to attract people of every class.  He will bring them under his control by his administrative and executive powers for 3 ˝ years.

  1. Vs 6, the beast will curse God.

  1. He will blaspheme the Bible, the virgin birth, the deity of Christ, and the bodily resurrection.

  2. He will blaspheme the worship of God and “His tabernacle.”  “In God we trust,” and “one nation under God” will be banned!

  3. He will curse those in heaven.

    1. The saints in heaven rejoiced because of the exclusion of Satan from heaven (12:10), for this they are cursed, but without effect.

    1. He will make fun of the miracles and the men used of God like Elijah and Elisha.

  1. Hatred for God will be universally proclaimed.  Hollywood is and will be on his side.

  1. Vs 7, Those who trust Christ as Savior during the tribulation will be given over to the power of the beast.

  1. Satan’s rage over his defeat in heaven will be poured out upon the saints on earth.  Many will be beheaded (20:4).

  2. The unlimited range of the authority of the beasts is shown in the words kindred, tongues, and nations.

  3. Though physically defeated, they are overcomers by the blood (12:11).

  1. Vs 8, Beast worshipers are those whose names are not in the Lamb’s book of life. They are earthly.

  1. In 1980, Herbert Lockyer wrote: “The widely proclaimed humanism today is simply self-worship and is just one step away from devil worship.”

  2. Jesus Christ is the only hope of eternal life.

  1. Vs 9, This is a call to listen, a call to understand, a call to repent.

  2. Vs 10, The beast that leads the saints into captivity during the tribulation will be led into the eternal captivity of the lake of fire (Rev 19:20).

  1. All who cause God’s children to suffer must face the sword of God (Rev 19:15).

  2. The patience of the saints is their trust in God’s Word that vengeance and punishment are in God’s hands.

II. VSS 11-18, THE BEAST OF THE EARTH

  1. Vs 11, The second beast is the beast of the earth.  “Coming up out of the earth” seems to indicate his kinship to ordinary people.

  1. “Two horns like a lamb” mark him as the false Messiah, a religious fake.

  2. The horns of the lamb on the beast mean that the lamb is on the outside and the devil on the inside.  He is a religious fake (Mt 24:24).

  1. Vs 12, The beast of the earth draws his power from the beast of the sea and ministers to and upholds him.

  1. As a wolf in sheep’s clothing, as a religious leader, he will force the people of the earth to worship the first beast.

  2. The second beast delights in getting people to forget God and worship evil.

  1. Vs 13, “In the sight of men”– publicly, he produces fire from heaven and deceives men. He will be a miracle worker, a sensationalist.  He will be an entertainer; the very thing people are looking for.  These are lying wonders (II Thes 2:9).

  2. Vs 14, The second beast demands the absolute worship of the first beast.

  1. The three Hebrew children were thrown into the fiery furnace for refusing to worship the image of Nebuchadnezzar.

  2. Pliny writing to Trojan stated that he consigned to punishment Christians who would not worship the emperor’s image and wine and incense.

  3. The reason for the miracles is to prepare people to be idolaters.

  1. Vs 15, All who refuse to bow the knee to the image of the beast will be killed.

  2. Vs 16, The second beast will seek to force all men to receive the mark of the beast.  The mark will be for identification of all who are in the one world system.  This is probably a computer chip placed under the skin and scanned by computers.

  3. Vs 17, The choices during the tribulation will be idolatry or starvation.  The second beast will see to it by the use of his secret police that no one buys or sells without the mark.  There will be no black market.  Either you will be branded as an animal or you will not eat.  UN forces will probably be used to enforce the law.

  4. Vs 18, The number 666 is man’s number.

  1. Man was created on the sixth day.

  2. Man’s appointed days of toil are six days per week.

  3. The Hebrew slave was to serve six years.

  4. 666 will mean that men, women, boys, and girls are doomed forever if they take the mark.

CONCLUSION:  It is possible that these beast are alive today and that the coming of Christ is at hand.  Our desire today is to reach the lost about us so they will miss the horrors ahead.

For additional copies of the sermon CD's, please contact the church office:

Elliott Baptist Church
566 Nat G. Troutt Road
Elliott, Mississippi 38901
Phone: 662-226-4425
Pastors Email: cecilafayard@msn.com