Apocalypse Now - Part XX
Notes
Transcript
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Introduction
Introduction
This section outlines the two biggest temptations for God’s people as they pray and seek for God’s will to be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Introduction
Introduction
The images and words John’s vision contains are enigmatic to us but would have been much less so to his contemporary readers.
This section is highly relevant to the church today in the West
Analysis
Analysis
1 And I saw a beast rising out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads, with ten diadems on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads. 2 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. 3 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.
The best rise out of the sea of chaos. Readers would have recognized the not so subtle reference to Rome signified by the 7 heads and lions mouth most particularly
3 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. 4 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?”
Rev 13:
This is very a likely a reference to the widespread belief at the time that Nero had or was going to return from the dead.
5 And the beast was given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words, and it was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two months. 6 It opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against God, blaspheming his name and his dwelling, that is, those who dwell in heaven. 7 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,
Rev 13:5
The beast exercises power, but only because it allowed to within God’s providential purposes.
It is allowed to “conquer” the saints. This is shocking in one sense but it would have accorded with John’s audience who were suffering at the hands of the Roman state
Rev 13:11
11 Then I saw another beast rising out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb and it spoke like a dragon. 12 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.
This best seems to represent false religion. It compels worship of the state
Rev 13:13
13 It performs great signs, even making fire come down from heaven to earth in front of people, 14 and by the signs that it is 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.
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16 Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, 17 so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name. 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.
The number of the beast represents a triple failure. Note how close it comes to 7 but never arrives.
1 Then I looked, and behold, on Mount Zion stood the Lamb, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads.
All hope is not lost. A remnant of the faithful remains. Note that they have two names on their foreheads.
6 Then I saw another angel flying directly overhead, with an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and language and people.
6 Then I saw another angel flying directly overhead, with an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and language and people. 7 And he said with a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come, and worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water.” 8 Another angel, a second, followed, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, she who made all nations drink the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality.”
Rev
In the midst of the influence and power of the two beasts the gospel is proclaimed.
Is Babylon really fallen? It often doesn’t seem like it, but it has especially in the sense that it is undermined by the gospel.
12 Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.
Rev 14:
12 Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus. 13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Blessed indeed,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!”
John returns to a core theme of Revelation: endurance.
Blessed are those who die in the Lord There was likely a significant amount of distress in John’s day regarding those who died or were dyeing before Christ’s return.
Illustration: Alexander the great and the soldier weighed down with treasure.