The Career of The Beast | Revelation 13:3-10 | Pastor Daniel Batarseh (1/25/26)

Amen. Well, let's turn in our bibles now to the book of Revelation chapter 13. Revelation chapter 13. Today, by the grace of God, we are going to continue to explore the five insights concerning the career of the beast. This beast who represents a coming world ruler who will seek to eradicate what's left of Christian witness while deceiving the masses just before the return of Christ.

And last week, we spent our time together meditating on the first characteristic of the Antichrist. The fact that he will be a global political leader unlike anyone in all of history. And the reason for this individual's unprecedented authority is because according to the Bible, he was empowered by Satan unlike anybody else in the past. To the extent that he is granted authority over all nations, all tribes, all languages, all peoples. And this beast, as you heard, is also known as the Antichrist.

He is a powerful figure that the scripture not only predicts will emerge on the world stage to oppose Christ, but more importantly, he will actually seek to replace Christ. He will present himself as humanity's savior and deliverer, and he will promise them hope. He will grant them so many things that will persuade them to the point of worship. And for the rest of this afternoon, I want us to consider the four remaining characteristics of this fascinating character, the career of this beast. And as we meditate on these things, we will certainly be challenged.

We will be encouraged at the same time. So if you were with us last week, you remember that in Revelation thirteen one and two, we have a vivid description of this man and how he will emerge as a global leader. But the second characteristic is found in verse three. So let's read from verse one through verse three to recapture the scene together. Revelation 13 verse one reads, and I saw a beast rising out of the sea with 10 horns and seven heads, with 10 didym on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads.

And the beast that I saw was like a leopard. Its feet were like a bear's and its mouth was like a lion's mouth. And to it, the dragon gave his power and his throne and great authority. 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. Father, we pause to pray because we humble ourselves in your presence acknowledging that with a text like this, we need your help.

We need your help with every part of your word, but especially in a chapter that is often misunderstood, misinterpreted, misapplied. So Lord, keep us safe and help us know you through these verses. Move our hearts to the worship of the true God. And may every other rival in our lives lose their power and may you have ultimate and total devotion from us. We ask these things in Jesus name.

Amen. Let me remind you, the first insight concerning the career of this beast is that he will be a global leader. The second one is found here in verse three, and it can be summarized in this, he will perform false miracles. He will perform false miracles. Now it's likely that the acceptance of this beast will be because of his charm, his charisma, his overall attractiveness.

He's going to again, come to the world, he's going to arrive on the global scene when the nations are in great turmoil, when there seems to be a lack of competent leadership, when there seems to be no answers, when governments will fail and fail and fail with no hope in sight. And so he will come when the world is in chaos, especially during the tribulation period. He will seem to have the answers. He will even perhaps bring some solution to small scale issues, but there will be one event, a significant occurrence that will lock in the allegiance of the world and bring it to a dangerous extreme. In verse three, we're told what that event will be.

Sounds like a supposed miracle. And the miracle looks like it will be a resurrection. That something will take place that will lead to a mortal wound, but it will be healed. And it will be healed to a degree that it will cause the world to be absolutely stunned by what they see and they hear. Now there is some debate about what this mortal wound means.

The fact that one of the heads of the beast will be afflicted and that it will be restored. Some would say that this is not speaking about an individual being assaulted or attacked, but it looks like it's actually an empire or a government that will fall and then rise again. And the reason for that conclusion is because the beast with these characteristics, like the horns and the heads, refer to such things depending on the context. So some are satisfied in saying, this is not actually talking about a person that will be afflicted, but a system or an organization or a state or a nation that will seem to have fallen, but will again gain life and rise to power once more. And some would say that is speaking about the Roman Empire specifically.

And though that is true in some case, we have to remember that the beast here, yes, represents a system, but it is also embodied in a person. Just like many empires in the past have been inseparably linked to its rulers, especially if they are a dictator. And the way that this stunning event is repeated in this chapter, solidifies the interpretation that what will happen in verse three will happen to a singular person. So if you're still there, scroll down to verse 12 of Revelation 13. At this point, we're gonna see another beast arise, but we'll see that next week.

But notice the description in this verse about the first beast, the one that we've been studying about. In verse 12 it reads, it exercises all the authority of the first beast in its presence and makes the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast whose mortal wound was healed. Look at verse 14. And by the signs that it was allowed to work in the presence of the beast, it deceives those who dwell on earth telling them to make an image for the beast that was wounded by the sword and yet lived. So whatever this wound is, it's very important to the Holy Spirit for us to know about.

It's repeated several times in this close section of scripture. But in the verses that we just read, we have helpful clarification. The fact that this beast is worshiped strongly suggests that we are being told about an individual not about a collective group of people, or an ideology or government. A person seems to be worshiped here. Additionally, this other beast that's going to emerge is going to cause people to worship the image of the beast.

The image of a beast. And that seems to make more sense if this image is about a singular person. A person who is ruling this powerful empire. And if that's not convincing enough, there is a striking parallel between the phrase that we read in verse three and another portion of scripture elsewhere in Revelation. So go back to verse three again.

Look at the opening words, one of its heads seem to have a mortal wound. Now the NASB version especially the one from 1995 renders the same phrase in the following way, and I saw one of his heads as if it had been slain. Does that sound familiar to you? As if it had been slain. It should because it is a description that John receives and gives about a vision that he had of Christ back in Revelation five.

In case you forgot, go back to that chapter. Look at verse six of Revelation five. And notice what is said about the lamb who clearly represents the son of God. In Revelation five six it reads, and between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders, I saw a lamb standing as though it had been what? Slain.

With seven horns and with seven eyes which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. So the fact that this expression is used for a singular person in this context, which represents Christ, strongly suggests that it's also referring to a person, a single individual in Revelation 13. Especially if that person in Revelation 13 is wanting to imitate Christ. And that is precisely what this snapshot is about. The Antichrist who will be possessed by the devil, whose ambition at this point in history will do everything that he can to extinguish the light of the gospel in the world and deceive the world into eternal destruction, will achieve this in great part by posing as Christ to the extent that he will pull off a stunt, a resurrection like performance.

Now we don't know exactly how that's going to play out, but we do know this, that it will be some type of assassination. How do we know that? Because we read in verse 14 of Revelation 13 that he was wounded by what? By a sword. So he was attacked by a weapon.

He was targeted and this will be something recognized by all. So let's just use our imagination here for a moment. I want you to envision a popular political figure. He seems promising. He's winsome.

He's attractive. He's gaining more traction. He's winning the trust of most people and all of a sudden, he is attacked. And he's attacked to such a point where it looked like it was fatal. And so again, this is not spelled out.

This is not the script that I'm presenting found in the word of God. We're just trying to imagine what could lead to this. So this individual seems to have died, seems to have been killed and the world is recording this and the media is covering this. And shortly after there is his funeral, and there's a great spectacle, and there's ongoing footage, and there's the news outlets there watching this and reporting on it. And here you have an open casket where this man that seemed to be the hope of the world is laying lifeless and suddenly he sits up.

And he waves to the global population as the nations are watching, and slips out of his cask as though nothing had happened. That will cause the world to marvel, wouldn't you say? And that is exactly what is going to happen. This is going to cause the world to be absolutely spellbound. And if you think that this kind of thing is imaginary or far fetched, I want you to think for a moment about a political figure who didn't die too long ago by the name of Hitler.

If you actually study Hitler's career, he had survived multiple assassination attempts. And some of those attempts were such close calls. Some of them were so so powerfully orchestrated, so effective that it seemed nearly impossible for this man to escape. And it happened so frequently that it led many people to believe that this man was what? Immortal.

And he boasted about that. So this is no exaggeration. We've seen this in recent history. But in this case, it will be more successful than at any point in history. Now as we consider this further, we have to understand that this man is going to perform something that will be very realistic.

Now there's debate, is this going to be a real resurrection? Like is God actually going to permit this individual to rise from the dead in order to achieve a greater purpose? Could be. But it could also be that he will do something that will be so slimy, so deceptive. It will be the scheme that will make it appear as though he rose from the dead and that is equally possible.

It's not entirely clear. But one thing is for certain, he will mimic Christ's greatest miracle. He will try to imitate him to this point in order to dupe the world into their own eternal damnation. And although this is an incredible deception that will take place in the last days, just a few years before Christ will return physically, we have to be mindful believers that first John chapter four informs us that the spirit of this antichrist is at work now. He's at work now.

And if you and I wanna be guarded and shielded from whatever other plans of deception he may come up with, which he is continually doing by the way, And we need to be equipped and there is a way that we can be equipped. There is one main thing that you and I have to adopt and adhere to and pursue constantly if you wanna be deceived proof. Turn with me in your bibles to second Thessalonians chapter two verse nine. This also speaks about the Antichrist and it gives another commentary of what's taking place here in Revelation 13. Second Thessalonians chapter two verse nine.

Paul says, the coming of the lawless one. That's another title for the Antichrist. That's another identity for the beast. The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders. And with all wicked deception for those who are perishing because they refuse to love the truth and so be saved.

So who are the victims of this great deceiver? Those who refuse to love the truth. Those who refused to love the truth. Notice that those who will be caught by these lies, who believe what is false, are not those who are not exposed to the truth. That's not what it's saying here.

It's those who knew about the truth and yet refused to love it, to love it. How do you know you love the truth? Here's one way you know. That no matter what it demands of you, you will submit to it. No matter how no matter how it challenges you, you will yield to it.

No matter what it asks of you, you will surrender to it. It's one thing to know the truth. It's one thing to be able to explain the truth. It's another thing to love the truth. And the only way you know that you love the truth is that you obey the truth.

And here's how that challenges you on more of a personal level. You and I may have grown up with a specific theological background that interpreted certain things in different ways. But when you come to the scripture and compare it with other scripture and you come to a clear conclusion that what you grew up hearing was actually false, was misinterpreted, misapplied, What will you do in that moment? Will you submit to the truth? Will you love the truth to that point?

Or will you hold on to your tradition? To your denominational allegiance? When culture is heading one way to the point that it's influencing evangelical churches to adopt their mentality and how we view things in the word of God, concerning us in the church, in the home, in marriage, in sexuality. Do we do what the Bible says? Or do we give in to the culture?

See, if you don't love the truth to the point where you say, no matter what anybody says, no matter what I grew up with, I'm going to obey what God says. If you don't have that wholehearted commitment, you are open to being deceived. And if you think that the Antichrist is only doing his work here with a few years left before Christ returns, let me remind you that his spirit is active this afternoon. He's active in some churches this afternoon. So you wanna guard your heart?

You wanna be shielded? You wanna have the confidence that nothing can sway you? Or that there's not one part of your life where you're in darkness. Love the truth. No matter what it cost you.

No matter if everybody around you abandons the truth. And part of loving the truth by the way, is loving all of the truth. Not just the things that you think. You need to obey wholeheartedly and other things you can just be flexible on. Yes, there are matters that are not as black and white where we have to be charitable and we have to be humble, but I'm talking about the clear things.

Where you denying it is willful disobedience. You're bowing to the pressure of your flesh or those around you who hold to a different interpretation. Love the truth and even the Antichrist himself cannot trick you. You don't love the truth? You don't hold the truth as your supreme authority?

I fear for you because the spirit of the Antichrist is at work even now. So the second characteristics of the career of the beast is that he will be performing false miracles. But let's come to the third one in verse four of our main text. Revelation 13 verse four reads, and they worship the dragon for he had given his authority to the beast. And they worship the beast saying, who is like the beast and who can fight against it?

So the impact of this miracle will be so significant that it will cause the world to go from amazement to worshipful adoration. That's the third characteristic. The beast will not only be a global leader, he will not only perform false miracles, but he will also be worshiped. He will be deified in the eyes of men. They worship the dragon.

Look at verse four again, and they worship the beast. This is something that the Antichrist will gladly accept because according to second Thessalonians two verse four, he will claim himself to be God. And it will be this false miracle that will strengthen his claim. I'm no ordinary human being. I'm God sent.

I'm who you've been waiting for. And you gotta remember, there's gonna be this accumulation of death, there's gonna be disease and there's gonna be war, there's gonna be bloodshed at a fever's pitch during the tribulation period, but this man seems to escape death. Wow. Who is this guy? And they will fall at his feet.

But the real reason that the beast will be worshiped is because that is what Satan has been longing for all along. Remember it's by the activity of Satan that this man is able to do what he's doing. Satan has always wanted to be honored and praised the way God is. The audacity of the devil during the wilderness temptation of our savior, who approaches our Christ and says, all these things I will give to you if you would just bow down and do what? Worship me.

I mean the pride of the devil is so extreme that he actually believes he is worthy to be worshiped by the true God. And he will achieve receiving this kind of worship through the beast to the point, listen, that he will actually be worshiped directly. Did you notice that? It doesn't just say in verse four that they worship the beast. It says that they worship the dragon because he gave authority to the beast and they will worship the beast.

Meaning what? That there will be some in the world at that time who will have the knowledge that this man is operating by satanic power and they will glorify Satan for that. Are the people who worship Satan directly today? Okay. So this isn't this isn't like fantasy.

Right? This isn't This is real. And there will be others who unknowingly are worshiping the devil as they place their affection and their devotion toward the beast. And there are people today who don't realize that whatever they are worshiping, if it's not Christ, if it's not the truth, they are in fact worshiping the devil. Now that may sound shocking but I wanna give you another shocking statement.

That in this one verse alone, we actually learn something about worship. Yeah. We learn something about worship in a verse that tells us about how people worship the devil and worship the beast. Let me ask you something. What came before the worship of the world according to verse three?

Look at it again. It says that they marveled at the beast. They marveled at the beast. Some translations say wondered, others say they were amazed. And it all means the same thing and revealing very important truth.

True worship cannot come unless we first wonder. Marvel precedes worship. Amazement comes before adoration. So they marveled at the beast and then they worship the beast. And that is a pattern for both true and false worship.

This means that if you are today here struggling to be devoted to Christ, struggling to love him with all your heart, it's likely because you have never experienced or have lost your sense of awe for Christ. And the only true way back to sincere devotion, sincere holiness, sincere ministry, sincere passion for the Lord, is to reserve your energy and your focus on renewing your absolute awe of Christ. To behold his glory long enough until it moves you to love him and serve him in the way that he deserves. Does this make sense today? They marveled at the beast.

Look what he did. Look who he is. Here is claims. And then they worshiped. And the reason why so many professing Christians are stale in their worship is because they haven't marveled, or they've lost their sense of wonder.

And and they're trying to get themselves all worked up to do what? To serve at the church and to sing from their hearts. Just forget all of that. What you really need to do is sit at the feet of the Lord with this book open before your face and beg him to open your eyes until your heart becomes warm again. Let the rays of Christ beauty so shine upon you until your heart becomes tender again.

People miss this. It seems so simple. Yes, it is simple, but it's also supernatural. That's why Paul does something like this in Ephesians one eighteen. He prays for the Ephesians.

He tells them, I'm always remembering you in my prayers and I never cease to give thanks for you. And he tells them the subject matter of his intercession for them. Here's one of them in Ephesians one verse 18. Having the eyes of your hearts enlightened. Wow.

Did you know that your heart has eyes? Not physiologically speaking of course, spiritually speaking. I'm praying for your eyes, not your physical eyes, but the eyes of your heart. The seed of your emotions. The citadel of your will.

I'm praying that those eyes would be enlightened, that they would be open to see. See what? He gives three things. Having your the eyes of your hearts enlightened that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you. I want you to know the hope that you have in Christ.

Do you really see it? Do you really understand it? Notice, he's not talking about your mind. The mind is important. He's talking about your heart to get it, to see it, to perceive it, to register it.

I'm praying that your eyes will see the hope to which he has called you. What are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints? Just how wealthy you are spiritually. The inheritance that you have because of the gospel. I'm praying that you would see it.

There's a will right there and your name is in it, and you don't understand. I want you to see it. I want you to look at the fine print of what you receive. The treasures that are yours in Christ. Verse 19, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe according to the working of his great might.

All the power that you are connected to. Do you perceive it? Do you discern it? It was the apostles who said in Acts four twenty, when they were charged by the religious leaders, don't you dare talk about Jesus or teaching his name again. And they said, for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.

True worship comes from wonder. If you don't wonder, you're never gonna worship. And that's why from this pulpit we emphasize knowing the Word of God personally so much. Because this book, this holy book, is a means by which you catch glimpses of his glory. If you're not gonna see it here, you're not gonna see it anywhere.

Oh, well doesn't creation testify to the glory of God? Creation is just an introduction to who God is. Creation is meant to show you there is a God. Inspiration is to show you who that God is. Unfortunately, as the world approaches the end, the masses are going to worship Satan through the beast, instead of worshiping the father through the Lamb of God who is Christ.

He will be worshiped. Who would have thought that we would have learned about worship in Revelation 13? But we come now to the fourth characteristic in verses five and six. And the beast was given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words and it was allowed to exercise authority for forty two months. It opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against God, blaspheming his name and his dwelling.

That is those who dwell in heaven. The fourth characteristics of the career of this beast will be that he will blaspheme God openly. That seems to be of great importance to the Holy Spirit to show us that he will have not just the ability to perform miracles, he's gonna have a big mouth, A boastful mouth. A blasphemous tongue. But that's not just showing the viciousness and the vileness of his speech.

It's also speaking about his persuasiveness, his oratory skills, words. So he will not only set up, listen, a globalist government, he's actually going to establish a worldwide religious system, where he is the object, he is the center of people's worship. And in order to draw others into this new religion, in order to secure new followers, he will continually undermine all other forms of worship, especially the worship of the one true God. And he will do this by primarily speaking against three things according to verse six. The first thing is God's name.

The second thing is God's dwelling. And the third thing is God's people. Let's look at it again. First, he will blaspheme God's name. Now that means more than him using the name of Christ in a scornful or irreverent manner in the way that we see in our entertainment and interviews and and all these different forms of media.

Biblically speaking, God's name reveals his character. That's why for example, Jesus says when he prays to the Father in John 17 verse six, I have manifested your name. I have manifested your name to those whom you have given me out of the world. So Christ embodied the name, the character of God. So this is what this means.

The the beast blaspheming the name of God mainly implies that he will rail against God's character, his attributes, his nature, his law, his promises, his plan of salvation among other things. All that God is, he will mock, he will belittle, he will drag in the mud as he exalts himself as the true God. So he would defame God's name. And the the blasphemy of Christ's name today is just a precursor. It's just a preview of the greatest form of disrespect and dishonor that will come to the true God at this point in history.

But he will also malign God's dwelling place. We see it here. Right? That it will be God's dwelling that he will blaspheme. Other translations say tabernacle, but the context shows that it is speaking about heaven.

Now as I thought about this, I wondered why is the Antichrist going to spend his time ridiculing heaven? And then it hit me. You got to consider the condition of the world at this time. The disease, the death toll, millions upon millions, the disasters that will come from all spheres from above, from below, from around. I mean, what hope are people gonna have living in a world that is literally falling apart?

Heaven sounds pretty good, doesn't it? That this world as we've known it is not permanent. That this is gonna be destroyed and replaced one day. Then even if I were to perish with this world, there is another domain, another realm, another life beyond this life. But the Christians believe to be heaven and yet the Antichrist is going to scorn such an idea.

In fact, he might even convince the world that he is going to be the means to bring heaven to earth. I know it's bad now. Just watch what I'm gonna do. Just see how I'm gonna bring the golden age. You think that it hasn't been as bad as it is now?

Watch how great it's gonna become, if you just follow me and worship me. This longing for another realm ruled by the Christian God is absolute foolishness. You're not children. You're grown adults. Get real.

There's no thing, such thing as a hopeful heaven for you. I'm the one who's gonna bring heaven. And this is a good place to remember as Satan today actively seeks to misinform unbelievers about life after death. Does he not? That's the spirit that's still at work.

But he's not just working against unbelievers. He misinforms them. Yes. But I I'm persuaded that he distracts believers from heaven. Or else, how does Colossians three two make sense where Paul says, set your mind on things above.

Why would he have to say that? Because we have the tendency to be so earthbound and so caught up with the things of this life. He goes, no. No. No.

Keep your meditation upward, heavenward, where Christ is seated. That's your home. That's where the most precious citizenship you own, relies and is dependent on. So that spirit is still mocking eternity. Still distracting people from what's to come.

What's more permanent, more valuable, more lasting. But finally, the beast will target those who dwell in heaven. Isn't that interesting? This means that he will not only slander the very dwelling place of God, but he's actually going to mock those who have already arrived there. So how this all plays out, we're not entirely sure but this may refer to the Antichrist mocking those who have died for their faith under his regime.

In order to discourage others from doing the same or from joining them in their belief in Christ. All in all, ridicule and social pressure have always been Satan's tactics to discourage the saints and others who are open to following Christ from actually doing so. You gotta remember, according to Revelation 12, the devil was evicted from heaven, barred from having access to the direct presence of God so that he can no longer slander and accuse the children of God. So what does he do here? Well through the beast on earth, he targets those who are in heaven.

This is how vile he is. This is how aggressive he is. He's merciless. But that's not he will do. He will also turn his attention to believers who are alive during the tribulation period and unleash his fury upon them, which leads us to the fifth and final characteristic of his career.

He will target Christians. The Antichrist will primarily hunt down followers of Jesus Christ. Let's read from verse seven down to verse 10 of our main text. Also, it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them And authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation, and all who dwell on earth will worship it. Everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the lamb who was slain.

If anyone has an ear, let him hear. If anyone is taken captive to captivity, he goes. If anyone is to be slain with a sword with a sword, must he be slain? Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints. Look again at verse seven.

Also it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them. So he is primarily going to pray on Christians. Why? Because they will be among those who refuse to worship him. And not just refuse to worship him, but persuade others to worship the true God.

They're going to stand in his way. They are going to be a nuisance to his desire to win the world to himself. And so he will, because of their bold stance, lead a campaign that will harass Christians worldwide. There will not be one safe place on the globe. Because you have to remember the globe surrendered to his leadership.

Every democracy, every republic, every regime, it doesn't matter the form of government, it will all come under one banner. So there'll be no place to hide physically speaking. And this campaign according to the verses that we just read, will last for three and a half years. For forty two months. He will see Christians as his ultimate threat.

They hold the true gospel. They represent the true God, so I must silence them. And whether you believe that believers will be removed from the earth or raptured before the tribulation or after, there's one thing that none of us can deny. There will be Christians during the tribulation period. There will be Christians during this period.

And that makes American Christians more uncomfortable than anybody else. You you speak this kind of message to Chinese Christians in China or in Iran, they go, yeah, we get it. We understand. But us here in the West, we perk up. What do you mean that we're gonna be slaughtered?

What do you mean that we're gonna be attacked by governments? We haven't known anything like that. I mean some of us have, but it's true. The Bible predicts this. I'm not here to get into that debate.

If the Lord wills, there'll be an entire session at some point in Revelation where we'll look at these different views concerning the removal of the church. But I want us to focus here on how the Lord gives instructions to those who will come to saving faith in Christ during this time. Look at verse nine and ten again. If anyone has an ear, let him hear. If anyone is to be taken captive to captivity, he goes.

If anyone is to be slain with a sword, with a sword must he be slain. Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints. The manuscript variations between the King James and the New King James, they are slightly different than what I just read from the ESV, but the the message, the core message remains. The charge if anyone has an ear to hear, let him hear is always used in the New Testament to grab the attention of the listener and to understand that what's about to be said is of massive importance. So essentially, what we have here in this vision of the beast is the crescendo.

This is the pinnacle. This is the climax of the message and it's for believers who will be alive during that time. And here's the essence of the message. Whatever happens to you, surrender to it trustingly and faithfully. Whether imprisonment or execution, do not resist your faith.

Do not fight back. Do not attempt to rally together and violently plot against the beast regime. Reserve your energy for enduring until the end and glorifying God in the process. Now I'm aware that the Bible contains instructions that if persecution comes to one place, we are to flee and that there are instances where we need to utilize our rights. But what we have here, what's in view here is a world that is faced with two inescapable options.

Worship a man who claims to be God when in fact he is charged by the devil or suffer. And what the Holy Spirit is saying to believers is choose to suffer. Your faith is worth suffering for. Now that sounds easier said than done. So we have to ask this question, is there anything else in this text that can make that choice easier for those who want to obey Christ?

And I'm here to say yes, there are there are fingerprints of God's sovereignty all over this passage that encourages the believers then and believers now to endure absolutely anything for the sake of Christ. Did you notice some of it? Look at verse five again. And the beast was given, a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words and it was allowed to exercise authority for forty two months. Look at verse seven now.

Also it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them and authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation. Who is the one who gives the beast the influence to do what he can do here? Some would say it's Satan, that's partly true. But beyond that, the Antichrist activity is ultimately legitimized and authorized by God himself. He was allowed, he was given, he was given, he was allowed.

So the reason why believers can surrender to their terrifying destiny under this man's authoritarian regime is because God is ultimately under control. And this is what this means for our suffering. That even if we have to face the most fearsome ruler or the most oppressive regime that man has ever experienced. Not one thing can be afflicted upon his children unless he permitted it. That is true for the Antichrist or any other agitator in our lives.

Moreover, regardless of the nature of our pain, take hope in knowing that it's numbered. The days of our trials are numbered. Right? We we've seen that throughout Revelation. Whether it's the church in Smyrna who would be imprisoned for a certain amount of days or as we we approach the final moments of human history, everything has been organized by our God to fulfill a glorious purpose even down to the duration of it.

And for reasons beyond our understanding, God allows it. And all he asks is for our faithfulness through it. So he says this is for the endurance of the saints. This is for the faith of the saints. And there are gonna be times, even perhaps now you're listening to this, and the pain that you're feeling emotionally, mentally, physically seems permanent.

Or that there are people in your life, directly or indirectly, who seem to be getting away with their injustice. They are corrupt and they seem to evade any kind of punitive encounter. And sometimes it will feel like in the world, Christianity and Christians are being conquered. Did you notice that phrase in the beginning of verse seven? Also it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them, to overcome them in other translations.

In what way is the Antichrist going to overcome Christians? It's very important to make the distinction, purely in a physical way. It just means that he will be able to kill them. In no way does it suggest that he will be able to destroy our souls, rob us of our eternal inheritance, change our status before God. If anything, for those who are in Christ, we are invincible.

We are invincible. Well let me bring you to one final passage today. Let's go to Romans eight together and confirm this glorious reality. Romans eight thirty eight to 39. Romans eight is a jewel among many jewels in the Bible.

And notice how Paul concludes his thoughts in Romans eight thirty eight. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Don't you love how this begins? Look again at the first few words of verse 38, for I am sure. Can you say that?

Can you say, I am 100% absolutely convinced that I am more than a conqueror. That no matter what happens to me in this world or in this body, I am more than a conqueror because I am held and I am kept by the unchanging love of Jesus Christ. You know the context of this passage, if you if you read just earlier, Paul speaks about martyrdom. That we like sheep are being slaughtered all the day. Then he transitions to this thought.

Even if I am met by loss, even if I am afflicted with disease, persecution, even martyrdom, nothing can take away the most valuable thing that I possess and that is the eternal affection of my God that he has set upon me because of Christ Jesus. Nothing can change that. So I never lose really. So back in Revelation 13, yes, the Antichrist will be able to conquer believers, but Paul reminds us we're more than conquerors. He will target Christians.

And he is targeting Christians now, that spirit. Even in the West, we're seeing it more and more. Are we not? Are you watching the news? What's happening to Christians and what hap what's happening to churches?

He's doing all that he can to encroach and to see what he can get away with. And I'm not a prophet nor am I a son of a prophet. But all I know is that no matter what is going on around us, we have to be willing to endure. And one of the ways that you can endure is if you behold who God is, what he has done for you enough, where you adore him more than your life, Will you love him more than anything else? And not only will we be able to endure all things, we can endure all things and enjoy God in the midst of it.

So this is what we learned here thus far with the career of the beast. There's instruction for today as well as prophecy for tomorrow. But here's my question as I wrap this message up, do you have ears to hear? Have you heard anything today that resonated with you? How will you respond to these things today?

Well, I can give you one way we can respond. We can ask God to open our eyes so so that we can marvel at him again and worship him the way he deserves. And when we do that, so many other things can be solved. So many other things can be solved. Let's ask him for that grace.

Father, we thank you that in a vision about the future, you give us so much instruction for today. And Lord, in this moment, we pray that you would revive our awe of Christ. Lord, we admit that with our physical eyes looking at words on a page or with our physical ears hearing a sermon, if you don't help us, if you don't intervene, then we will not be changed. We need a work of God to be performed upon the eyes of our hearts to be able to see what you want us to see. So for those who have never ever beheld just how majestic and dazzling and splendid Christ is, may they catch a glimpse this afternoon.

For those who once were enthralled by Christ, but they're now fascinated by other things more than Christ. Oh, would you bring us back again to being spellbound by who he is. We've done our part, Lord. We have opened your word. We have expounded it.

We have looked at it faithfully. But the power for it to actually minister to us comes from you. And we ask that you would do that work. Lord, we wanna glorify you finally in your resurrection. We thank you that in your resurrection you redeem.

We read about the Antichrist and his false resurrection, he condemns. He destroys. He deceives. Lord, your resurrection gives life. It offers hope.

It transforms. It renews. It secures our inheritance forever, which makes us more than conquerors. We thank you that in your resurrection, we will be resurrected. In your transformed body, we will have a transformation for these bodies.

Thank you oh God that no matter what is taken from us in this life, even our own lives, we have what you have offered us forever. And we give you thanks for this as a church, as your church in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen. Let's stand together church.

Let's worship the living God. In second Corinthians three eighteen, so we all with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another, for this comes from the Lord who is the spirit. He says we all, implying that this is available to every Christian. This is not just for the spiritual elite. This is for anybody who wants it.

We all with unveiled face. What does unveiled face mean? In the context, you see who Christ is for who he truly is. The blinders have been removed. You can perceive him as the Son of God, the Savior of the world.

You are there. We all with unveiled face, but don't just stop there. That's just the initial exposure you continue to behold the glory of the Lord. You know what that word behold means? To stare at.

It's not a quick look. It's not a peek to concentrate on, to focus on, to study, beholding what's the subject matter, the glory of the Lord. When you do that long enough, one of the benefits is that you're transformed into that very same image that you have been staring at all along. From one degree of glory to another implying what? That it is a process.

It is not instantaneous. You don't just go to one bible study or you don't just read one week in the book of whatever book you're reading in the bible and expect to become like Christ in that same amount of time. It's a lifelong journey, but oh, it's incremental. You graduate. You grow as long as you behold.

The moment you take your eyes off the majesty of Christ is the moment you shrink and you go in the other direction. So my charge to you in light of this, the one thing that moved me, yes, I love prophecy, I love figuring out these codes and these mysteries. I enjoy that. But all these things should lead us to practical worship. To know that what God asks of us first is to wonder at him before we worship him.

That's our homework this week if I can use that word. That's our duty, and that duty will turn into delight. My charge to you today is to find a fresh way. If you're not, if you're doing it, praise God, stay there. But find a fresh way to behold the glory of the Lord and trust the process.

The very thing that you are examining will transform you more and more. And I can guarantee you that you will know true worship from that discipline. You'll know how to worship here. You'll know how to worship in your workplace. You'll know how to worship when you're alone.

Worship is not just singing songs. It's a life. It's a life lived out for the glory of God. And so, lord, we ask you that you would help us behold you. Oh, please, we pray that every single service, your glory would manifest.

And that, Lord, beyond these meetings, we pray that we would behold your glory. Lord, we we we want you to be greater than any entertainment, than any hobby, than any achievement. We want you to be the ultimate, the the supreme source of our delight, and we can't get there unless you help us. So Lord help us. I pray that there will be a zealous ambition burning in every heart to say, oh, I want to see his glory, and we believe that you'll help us see it.

We love you, Lord. Thank you for showing us who you are today. In Jesus' name, amen. Amen. May the Lord Jesus be with you.

There should be fellowship and something to fellowship around in terms of food downstairs. And if you really wanna take this beholding seriously, here's a little segue. Sign up for that workshop. Sign up for that Bible workshop so you can know the tools to be able to excavate and mind God's word and perceive the beauty of who he is. Okay?

God bless you. We'll see you this week, Lord willing prayer, and Friday Bible study is on. Take care now. Bye bye.