Book of Revelation (17)
Notes
Transcript
Then I saw another beast rising out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb and it spoke like a dragon.
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.
It performs great signs, even making fire come down from heaven to earth in front of people,
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.
And it was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast might even speak and might cause those who would not worship the image of the beast to be slain.
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,
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.
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 biggest thing I want to point out is the mark of the beast. No one, and I mean no one, except for Jesus knows what the mark will be.
Warren Weirsbe states if you work hard enough any name can fit into 666.
I tend to agree. The importance isn’t what it is or even who it is, but what it does. This is going to be the biggest tell all when the mark comes. First, the antiChrist as to be present. All of these horrible things are going to happen all over the world. Christians are going to be murdered in mass numbers, but commerce will be effected.
As far as my research has taken me, even Hitler didn’t limit commerce in the same manner that the beast will. This will be a world wide mark. I am old enough to remember when Christians thought a tattoo was the mark of the beast. At one point people thought social security numbers was the mark. Credit cards. Now it’s this chip thats going around. Here is the issue and what we need to look out for.
in order for this to happen we need a world economy. The mark has to be globally accepted and used in buying and selling.
the anti Christ has to come
the Two prophets have to be killed
The temple has to be rebuilt.
And that’s not everything. If this isn’t telling enough—look out for a talking statue.
God is telling us all of this for a reason. Nothing will come as a surprise to those who study the scripture.
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.
And I heard a voice from heaven like the roar of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder. The voice I heard was like the sound of harpists playing on their harps,
and they were singing a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and before the elders. No one could learn that song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth.
It is these who have not defiled themselves with women, for they are virgins. It is these who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These have been redeemed from mankind as firstfruits for God and the Lamb,
and in their mouth no lie was found, for they are blameless.
Mount Zion usually refered to the ancient Jebusite mountain fortress that Kig David had over taken. It is believed that for a time this is where the ark of the covenant was kept and Zion became a synonym for God’s presence.
This Zion however is talking about the New Jerusalem. The 144,000 is most likely not the totality of people, but rather the number of fullness. This isn’t the same 144,000 refrenced to the trible of Israel in Ch 7.
Have not defiled themselves with Women—This isn’t a technical virginity, but rather a Spiritual one. One could state that it is the entire Christian world that had not given themselves over to world, but stayed true in following Christ. In the OT adultery was often used as a synonym for worshipping false God’s.
Blameless- It is only under the blood that we are blameless as God sanctifies and redeems us.
It opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against God, blaspheming his name and his dwelling, that is, those who dwell in heaven.
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 to be taken captive, to captivity he goes; if anyone is to be slain with the sword, with the sword must he be slain. Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints.
Then I saw another beast rising out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb and it spoke like a dragon.
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.
It performs great signs, even making fire come down from heaven to earth in front of people,
We see here God has sent angels to Evangalize during this time. Another great testimony to God desiring everyone to be saved.
Babylon has fallen-the Political and ecomonic world has crumbled- also known as the AntiChrist-the one who rules babylon.
Escape God’s wrath- we can tell that there are still those who are on the fence about giving over to the beast. The Angels are attempting to help those who are on the fence to hold strong to their faith and not give into the easy way of life.
Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and seated on the cloud one like a son of man, with a golden crown on his head, and a sharp sickle in his hand.
And another angel came out of the temple, calling with a loud voice to him who sat on the cloud, “Put in your sickle, and reap, for the hour to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is fully ripe.”
So he who sat on the cloud swung his sickle across the earth, and the earth was reaped.
Then another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle.
And another angel came out from the altar, the angel who has authority over the fire, and he called with a loud voice to the one who had the sharp sickle, “Put in your sickle and gather the clusters from the vine of the earth, for its grapes are ripe.”
So the angel swung his sickle across the earth and gathered the grape harvest of the earth and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.
And the winepress was trodden outside the city, and blood flowed from the winepress, as high as a horse’s bridle, for 1,600 stadia.
We see here God’s wrath sweeping the Earth yet again. Grapes being tramples was an OT sign of Judgement.
Death rate is high
Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and amazing, seven angels with seven plagues, which are the last, for with them the wrath of God is finished.
And I saw what appeared to be a sea of glass mingled with fire—and also those who had conquered the beast and its image and the number of its name, standing beside the sea of glass with harps of God in their hands.
And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, “Great and amazing are your deeds, O Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations!
Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship you, for your righteous acts have been revealed.”
After this I looked, and the sanctuary of the tent of witness in heaven was opened,
and out of the sanctuary came the seven angels with the seven plagues, clothed in pure, bright linen, with golden sashes around their chests.
And one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God who lives forever and ever,
and the sanctuary was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power, and no one could enter the sanctuary until the seven plagues of the seven angels were finished.
These last seven plagues are the worst yet. They happen quickly and in succession
Then I heard a loud voice from the temple telling the seven angels, “Go and pour out on the earth the seven bowls of the wrath of God.”
So the first angel went and poured out his bowl on the earth, and harmful and painful sores came upon the people who bore the mark of the beast and worshiped its image.
The second angel poured out his bowl into the sea, and it became like the blood of a corpse, and every living thing died that was in the sea.
The third angel poured out his bowl into the rivers and the springs of water, and they became blood.
And I heard the angel in charge of the waters say, “Just are you, O Holy One, who is and who was, for you brought these judgments.
For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and you have given them blood to drink. It is what they deserve!”
And I heard the altar saying, “Yes, Lord God the Almighty, true and just are your judgments!”
The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and it was allowed to scorch people with fire.
They were scorched by the fierce heat, and they cursed the name of God who had power over these plagues. They did not repent and give him glory.
The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and its kingdom was plunged into darkness. People gnawed their tongues in anguish
and cursed the God of heaven for their pain and sores. They did not repent of their deeds.
The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, to prepare the way for the kings from the east.
And I saw, coming out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs.
For they are demonic spirits, performing signs, who go abroad to the kings of the whole world, to assemble them for battle on the great day of God the Almighty.
(“Behold, I am coming like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake, keeping his garments on, that he may not go about naked and be seen exposed!”)
And they assembled them at the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon.
The fifth bowl is throwing the anitChrist’s rule into confusion. This judgement centers on him and those who closely follow him.
Again drying up the River Euphrates making it easy for war to take place.
Frogs—evil Spirits who are ordered by the beasts and dragon. They are manipulating world leaders.
Armageddon-Hebrew word means Mount Megiddo
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