Sermon Tone Analysis

Psalm 44:4–8 (ESV)

4 You are my King, O God; ordain salvation for Jacob! 5 Through you we push down our foes; through your name we tread down those who rise up against us.

6 For not in my bow do I trust, nor can my sword save me.

7 But you have saved us from our foes and have put to shame those who hate us.

8 In God we have boasted continually, and we will give thanks to your name forever.

Selah

Revelation 13:11–18 (ESV)

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.

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.

15 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.

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.

Introduction

We have seen something of the first beast arising put of humanity with devastating and horrific powers.

His aim is world domination and is at work during the whole of the Gospel Age.

This second beast aids and assists in this endeavour.

The same principles of interpretation apply.

Symbols – The Book is largely symbolical

Not Chronological – The Book is not a chronological account from Chap 1:1 to 22:21

Not Futuristic – The Book is not futuristic in that from Chap 4:1 we have a prophecy of what is going to occur at the end of the world.

Satan uses the beast coming up out of the sea as the Antichrist and the beast coming out of the earth as the false prophet.

The one represents physical force and raw power, for he comes up out of the sea of humanity; the other stands for deceit, because he presents himself as possessing intellectual acumen and rational philosophy.

The one attacks the external part of a human being, that is, the physical body, with destruction and death; the other influences the inner part of a person, namely, the mind.

The second one is even more fearful than the first; he is able to make the inhabitants of the earth worship the beast that came out of the sea.

He is a symbol of false religion and fallacious philosophy.

Kistemaker, S. J., & Hendriksen, W. (1953–2001).

Exposition of the Book of Revelation (Vol.

20, pp.

387–388).

Baker Book House.

We will consider

Origin v11a

Appearance v11b

Authority v12-13

Deception v14-15

Control v16-18

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1. Origin v1

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Revelation 13:11 (ESV)

11 Then I saw another beast rising out of the earth.

“And I saw another beast coming up out of the earth.”

The second beast comes not from the sea of people as a symbol of brute force but arises from the earth in contrast to heaven.

This beast stands in direct opposition to everything that comes from heaven and is devoid of anything that is heavenly.

He is therefore the aggregate of sin that reaches from earth to heaven, and, as the false prophet, he stands completely in the service of the Antichrist.

The false prophet is mentioned three times in the Apocalypse (16:13; 19:20; 20:10).

He personifies secular philosophies, that is, the worldly theories of knowledge that influence the thinking and actions of the masses.

His purpose is to set the whole world against God and his Christ, revelation, and people.

Briefly, his aim is to be victorious in this endeavour, but in reality, as Revelation shows, Christ is the victor and he the vanquished.

Kistemaker, S. J., & Hendriksen, W. (1953–2001).

Exposition of the Book of Revelation (Vol.

20, p. 388).

Baker Book House.

Revelation 20:10 (ESV)

10 and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

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2. Appearance v11b

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a. Two Horns

The lamb of the male gender appears with two horns as symbols of power and might.

He had not ten horns like the dragon (12:3) but only two.

The number two signifies sufficiency in respect to spreading the lie and wielding authority throughout the world.

The appearance of the lamb is not merely a parody of the Lamb of God; it also appears as the embodiment of deception—harmless, lovable, and attractive.

It is the proverbial iron fist in a velvet glove or the wolf in sheep’s clothing (Matt.

7:15).

This beast is instigated by the father of lies (John 8:44).

Kistemaker, S. J., & Hendriksen, W. (1953–2001).

Exposition of the Book of Revelation (Vol.

20, p. 388).

Baker Book House.

b.