Well, one morning a couple months ago, I started getting texts from people I know,
and they were letting me know that they had received some odd emails from me.
Apparently, I had some land in Montana that I was seeking to sell them at a rock-bottom price.
And if you know me, I don't have land in Montana.
It's all swamp land in Florida that I'm trying to sell and get rid of.
Well, I was sent one of these emails, and upon careful examination,
I noticed that the email address had just a couple letters changed.
And so there was an imposter, Mike.
And this person who had intentionally posed as me was trying to deceive the people that trusted me
in order that they could benefit somehow.
I don't know how. Make a buck.
It was really disturbing.
It was very sobering in that, oh, there are people out there trying to do that.
We all know about people trolling the internet.
Imposters trying to take advantage of people who are unawares.
This morning, we're being reminded of a group of imposters,
the anti-trinity dragon, the first beast, and the second beast,
who are actively trying to deceive people into the worship of the beast.
The greatest of all imposters is the dragon, the serpent of old.
And two Sundays ago, Billy preached a sermon and reminded us that,
according to Revelation 12,
the dragon has already been thrown down to earth
as a result of Christ's crucifixion and resurrection.
Here's how to think about it.
The beginning of the end.
He already knows it.
His being thrown down is the beginning of his end.
He knows his time is short,
and he's furiously waging a war against God and us,
his blood-bought people, his saints.
And the war that he's waging is a war over worship.
Toothbrushes.
They're made for dental hygiene.
Light bulbs are designed to help you see at night.
Knives are meant to cut.
Cats, nobody knows their purpose.
And people are designed to worship.
The dragon is waging war,
and he has mobilized two beasts.
This is Revelation chapter 13.
Last week, we took a look at the first beast
in verses 1 through 10 of chapter 13.
It's the Antichrist.
It's a false savior gathering for itself
followers who marvel at its false death and resurrection.
It's a false salvation.
And last week, I tried to make the point
that the emphasis seems to be
on a false savior of the state.
The first beast is the anti-Lamb,
the second member of the anti-Trinity.
And this morning, we're going to look at the second beast,
also known as the false prophet.
And what we're going to see is that
this third member of the anti-Trinity
is the spinmeister of the anti-Trinity.
If the first beast is about just raw power,
the second beast is about subtle propaganda.
He is in the communication business.
Think about the false prophet,
the second beast, as Satan's PR firm
that is seeking to spin reality
to cause people to worship the beast.
There is a trans-historical
spiritual force of darkness
that is deceiving people
in order to worship the beast
and oppose the lamb.
Did you hear that word trans-historical?
And I'm wondering, what does that mean?
Here's what I mean by that.
This second beast,
as well as the first beast,
and the dragon,
they span history.
Trans-historical.
From one generation to the next.
From one people to the next.
Hundreds of years after hundreds of years.
And they are manipulating
human systems and institutions
in order to carry out their purposes
in opposition to God.
And this morning,
we're going to look at
one of these trans-historical
forces of darkness,
the second beast.
You see,
it's all about worship.
This war is over the hearts
of men and women.
Who you're going to worship.
And the two options are
you're either going to worship the beast
or you're going to worship the lamb.
And so the call this morning
shows up in our verse,
in verse 18.
The call to be wise.
To be aware.
To be discerning.
To know the landscape
of true reality
as revealed in the scriptures.
What John is doing,
he's pulling back on the curtain
of helping us to see
how things really are.
Revelation chapter 12 and 13.
It's the theological center
of the book.
John is saying,
here's the real problem.
Our real problem
is a spiritual conflict.
So we need to be wise.
And so this morning,
I want to show you
four things.
Be wise to what
the second beast is like.
Second,
be wise to the purpose
of the second beast.
Be wise to the tactics
of the second beast.
And finally,
be wise to its name.
You wonder what 666 is?
We have a trans-historical
spiritual power
that is seeking to
deceive people
and to worship the beast
and to oppose us.
And we learn some things
about him in chapter 13.
So let's be wise
to who it is.
Look at verse 11.
Then I saw another beast
rising out of the earth.
You learn something
about where they're from.
You learn something
about someone
from where they're from.
And what we learn
about this second beast
is he's from the earth.
Now, remember last week
I told you
that the first beast,
he came out of the sea.
And what John
is helping us to see
is that beast 1
and beast 2,
one from sea,
one from land,
they are the dragon's
counterclaim
on all of creation
saying,
it's still mine.
But the dragon's
been thrown down.
Christ's death
and resurrection
has thrown him down.
The beginning of the end
has started.
And Satan
will not relinquish
his claim
on creation
without a fight.
So we need to be wise
to this serpent
and how he operates.
And so the second beast
is part of his
counterclaim
on all creation
to oppose God.
And notice
verse 11
that he's sneaky.
It had two horns
like a lamb
and it spoke
like a dragon.
Two horns
like a lamb
and spoke
like a dragon.
Does anybody else
feel the dissonance
of that?
The conflict
of that?
He looks cute
as a lamb
but he's got
dragon breath.
He speaks
like a dragon.
He spits
dragon poison.
The second beast,
he's an imposter.
Who is the lamb
of the book
of Revelation?
Jesus!
He's trying
to be lamb-like
but his true nature
comes out
in his speech.
Dragon speech.
Jesus warned us
of false prophets
in Matthew 7.15.
He spoke
of wolves
dressing themselves
in sheep's clothes
so that they
can devour.
We've got
an imposter.
Comes off
lamb-like
but he's really
serpent at the core.
This is the false prophet.
He's purposed
on destruction.
And when you
see
it spoke
like a dragon
that is a major
clue
as to this
beast's
modus operandi.
It's how he rolls.
He is in the
communication business.
He wants
to
access
information
and manipulate
it
for beastly
purposes.
That's why
the second beast
is called
the false prophet
in chapter 16
verse 13
19.20
20 verse 10.
Here's how to
think about it.
The second beast
is to the first beast
as John the Baptist
was to Jesus.
The second beast
is going
before the first beast
to make
the way
of his
anti-lord.
And in verse
12
at the beginning
we see
that all
the authority
of the first beast
has been given
to the second beast
the false prophet.
He has been
authorized
to represent
the first beast.
So if the first beast
is power
the second beast
is propaganda.
Now in John's day
when the people
who originally
received the book
of Revelation
they would have
understood
first beast
as a reference
to the emperor.
At that time
it was Domitian.
And in every city
that this letter
showed up to
in Asia Minor
all those seven churches
there was
this imperial cult
of emperor worship.
and every citizen
under the emperor's reign
was to
worship
the emperor
once a year.
Take a pinch
of incense
throw it on the altar
before his image
and say something
to the extent
of
you know
Caesar is
lord and savior.
And so
they were facing
a very specific
manifestation
of the first beast
and they were also
dealing with
a very specific
manifestation
of this second beast.
There was this group
of people called
the Asiarchs
the council
of Asia.
We see them
make an appearance
in Acts 19.
Paul is preaching
Christ in Ephesus
and God's turning
that whole city
upside down
and the Asiarchs
come out to Paul
to make an appeal
to him.
And what these
Asiarchs are
they were essentially
the keepers
of the imperial
cult worship
city to city.
They were making
sure the emperor
got his due.
They were
localized
representatives
ensuring
the worship
of the emperor.
They were
making sure
he got his due.
And
so
what
is going on
in the first century
is that the second beast
is showing up
in a specific
manifestation.
He's going to show up
in a different
manifestation
in the 21st century
America.
This second beast
is authorized
by the first beast
to spin
could you imagine
Smyrna
first century
Asiarchs
come knocking
on your door
hey you know
what notice
you haven't been
at the emperor
temple this year.
Listen
you don't need
to make your
Jesus thing
in the worship
of the emperor
thing
in either or
thing.
You don't need
to do that.
Don't worry
about doing that.
I'm not going
to put you
in that position.
You can go
about being
a follower
of Jesus
all the rest
of your days
every year.
we just need
you to come
down to the
temple
just
you can come
tomorrow
take the incense
pinch it
throw it in the
altar
do the
do the emperor
savior lord
thing
you just need
to do it once
go on your way
no big deal.
Make it easy
on you.
Drive through
emperor worship.
Does that sound
kind of familiar?
You don't need
to make Jesus
an all or
nothing thing.
We can all
be happy here.
We're all
worshiping the
same God.
The problem
is this.
Our crucified
and risen
Lord requires
our wholehearted
exclusive devotion
and worship
to him 24
hours a day
7 days a week
365 days a year.
there's no room
for this
compromise.
He is worthy.
So the question
becomes
who's the
equivalent of
the 21st
century
Asiarchs?
Well let me
give you a clue.
Where is the
call to worship
coming from
in our culture?
Who's saying
worship this
way?
Who's telling
you how to
think?
You should be
looking at me.
I'm one of them.
Based upon
this book.
Who else is out
there making
claims?
You know what it
all boils down
to?
It all boils
down to who
says.
Who says
that
God's word?
And we're
putting all
of our eggs
in this one
basket of
God's word.
His word
is authoritative
and true
and we're
going to do
what it
says.
You've got
to know
that there's
a second
beast.
So part of
the way I was
thinking about
this sermon
was this.
I just want
to raise
your awareness.
There is a
trans-historical
spiritual force
of darkness
that is
actively
seeking
to deceive
people to
worship the
beast and
to oppress
God's people.
But you also
need to recognize
we've got to
be wise to
the second
beast's
purpose.
Look at verse
12 again.
It exercises
all the authority
of the first
beast in its
presence.
To what end?
How so?
For what purpose?
And makes
the earth and
its inhabitants
worship the
first beast
whose mortal
wound was
healed.
Do you see
the end game
here?
The false
prophet, the
second beast,
is looking to
promote the
worship of
the first
beast.
And in so
doing, the
second beast
is mimicking
the very
ministry and
purpose of
the Holy
Spirit, the
third person
of the
Holy Trinity.
Do you
remember in
John 16, 14,
Jesus tells
us what the
primary purpose
of the Holy
Spirit is?
Jesus, this is a
quote of Jesus
about the Holy
Spirit, he
will glorify
me.
The ministry
of the Holy
Spirit is to
spotlight Jesus.
that's what the
third person of
the Holy Trinity
is seeking to
do.
But what we
see going on
here is the
third member of
the anti-Trinity
is seeking to
spotlight the
beast.
So if you were
to ask the
first beast,
hey, what's the
purpose of the
false prophet?
You know what he
would say?
He will glorify
me.
The false
prophet.
is deceiving
people to
worship a
false savior
who promotes
a false
salvation
through a
false death
and resurrection.
What we're
seeing here is
the role of
the third
member of the
anti-Trinity
and the end
game is
worship.
There's a
battle raging.
You might not
have realized it
on the drive
over with the
sun shining and
the blue sky,
but there is a
battle raging for
all of the hearts
of the people
around you.
We need to be
wise to the
beast's purpose.
Third, we need to
be wise to the
tactics of the
false prophet, the
second beast.
beast.
What we see in
verses 13 through
17 are four
how-tos, four
tactics of the
second beast to
cause people to
worship the first
beast.
The first one is
this.
I'm calling them
sinister spin
tactics.
Sinister spin
tactic number
one.
Wonder
making.
Look at verse
13.
It, the
second beast,
performs great
signs, even
making fire come
down from heaven to
earth in front of
people.
It does great
signs.
The second beast
is out to wow
you, to make
you wonder, to
draw your heart to
amazement, to put
you in awe.
You notice it's, he's
not making
intellectual
arguments.
He's appealing to
your sense of
wonder.
It's out to wow
people into
believing the
first beast.
How so?
Even making fire
come down from
heaven to earth
in front of
people.
That's an appeal
to 1 Kings
chapter 18
verses 20
through 39.
Do you remember
this?
Elijah, he
squares off
against 450
prophets of
Baal and they
set the terms
of their
showdown.
You guys
get a bull,
put it on your
altar, I'll get
a bull, put it
on an altar to
Yahweh and
we'll call on
our gods and
if Baal sends
down fire from
heaven and
consumes your
bull, we'll
follow your
God.
But if Yahweh
sends fire down
onto my altar,
this altar, and
burns up this
bull, we all
follow Yahweh, so
let's do it.
The prophets of
Baal said, let's
do it.
They go into
their crazy
cutting themselves
and offering
prayers and all
the while Elijah
is taunting
them, is Baal
going to the
bathroom?
Where is your
God?
He never shows
up.
But you know
who shows up?
Yahweh shows
up, he pours out
fire and
incinerates not
just the
offering, but
everything around
it.
So in
verse 39 of
chapter 18,
before all the
people, they
see it all.
And do you
know what their
response is?
Listen, all the
people say, the
Lord Yahweh, he
is God.
The Lord
Yahweh, he's
God.
The great sign
of 1 Kings
18 resulted in
the recognition
of Yahweh being
God.
So the false
prophet is
taking a play
out of God's
playbook,
imitating one
of God's great
signs to
demonstrate to
the watching
world that the
beast is actually
divine or making
the claim.
Hence, he's a
better savior.
here.
And in doing
so, it's just a
sheer act of
defiance.
I hope you
can see, I
hope this is
making you aware
of what the
false prophet is
capable of.
He is capable
of mimicking
great signs
purposed to
deceive, to
lead people away
from the
lamb.
to worship
the beast.
What does
this mean for
us today?
Well, it
means for us
today that
this same
false prophet
operating in
first century
kind of Roman
imperial cult
worship, he's
operating in
American culture
too.
He's not done.
He's just
adapted.
here's how to
start sniffing
this out.
In our
culture, start
asking this
question of
yourself.
Where are
people being
wowed?
amazed?
Where are people
being amazed?
Where are people
saying,
unbelievable?
Maybe it's a
demonstration of
political power.
Wow!
Maybe it's a
demonstration of
scientific power.
Amazing!
Maybe it's a
demonstration of
technological
miracles.
What else can
we do?
Maybe it's
just you're
amazed at the
entertainment.
It is quite
sobering to
think though that
this even
applies to
religious
demonstrations
of power.
It raises the
possibility that
not all miracles
done in the
name of Jesus
are done in
the name of
Jesus.
That there
can be a
mimicking to
draw peoples
away from
the Lamb.
So here's
what you do.
You start
asking the
question,
okay, where's
the wow
happening in
our culture?
And then you
ask this
question, who's
getting the
credit for it?
Who gets
credit for
that wow?
And if it's
not the
triune God,
you've got to
start sniffing
a beast.
Because chances
are that wow
is leading
people away
from the
Lamb.
It's very
cunning.
It's very
effective.
And it
appeals to
our experience.
Who's getting
the credit?
the false
prophet is able
to do what
the prophets
of Baal were
not to do.
We've got to
be wise to
his wonder
making.
But there's a
sinister spin
tactic number
two.
He's into
making images
or making
people make
images of
the beast,
of a false
savior,
and a false
salvation,
of a false
hope.
If the
second beast
wins somebody's
wonder, it
will seek to
capitalize on
that by this
next tactic
of image
making.
the intent
here is to
focus someone's
worship on
something visible
and tangible.
Something that
you can feel
and see.
the false
prophet wants
human beings
to make
images
for their
worship
and it's not
just religious
images.
It's any
image
will do
just fine.
Thank you
very much.
Why?
Because
when you
create
an image
you are
moving down
the line
of
idolatry.
It is
establishing
this object
of worship
in your
heart.
It's like
pressing it
down more.
You're
focusing on
it.
Here's the
thing though.
This is
just
flat out
defiance
by the
false
prophet,
the second
beast.
Because
God's word
is very
clear in
Exodus
chapter 20
verses 1
and 2.
You will
have no
other gods
before me
and you
will certainly
not make
an image
of me.
The beast
knows the
human heart.
He knows
that we
want to
walk by
sight,
not by
faith.
He knows
that we
want to
see what
we believe.
believe.
To be
able to
put our
hands on
it.
To measure
it.
To smell
it.
To taste
it.
Now a
prime example
of this
kind of
image making
and worship
goes back
to Daniel
3.
Do you
remember
that?
Nebuchadnezzar,
king of
Babylon,
erects this
90 foot
gold image
on the
plains of
Dura and
then he
puts this
command out,
anybody in
my citizenry
must worship
this idol.
And so
the kind
of band
plays and
Shadrach,
Meshach,
and Abednego
do not
worship this
image because
they know
Exodus 20,
1 and 2.
And you
know what
happens?
They get
tossed into
the fiery
furnace.
And God
does this
miraculous
deliverance of
them.
there's this
fourth person
like a son
of man
glowing in
the fire.
They went
in not
knowing they
would be
delivered.
They went
in not
having a
promise that
God would
deliver them.
But this
image making
and worship
is not
limited to
the 6th
century BCE.
It also
applies to
the 1st
century Asia
Minor.
The
Asiarchs,
this council,
this priesthood
of imperial
worship,
they were
insisting that
those citizens
under Domitian
needed to
make their
annual visit
to the
emperor temple.
Cast your
incense on
the altar
before the
bust image
of
emperor
Domitian.
religion.
That's what
our brothers
and sisters
in the
first century
were facing.
How about
us?
Certainly
there are
religious images
around today
which people
end up
worshiping.
Gold
Buddhas
all over
the place.
Shivas.
Even
crucifixes
get worshiped,
become objects
of devotion
instead of
Christ himself.
And then
it's not
limited to
religious images.
There are
political images.
Have you
ever seen
a shot of
North Korea
and there's
this banner
of Kim Jong-un
and there are
just these
crowds
fanatically
devoted to
him?
Apparently
worshipping
an image.
pictures of
Lenin,
of Stalin,
of Hitler,
of Mao Zedong,
even Uncle
Sam.
They're all
designed
to generate
nationalistic
fervor
of devotion.
It's all
ripe for
the false
prophet.
But I
think the
false prophet
is extremely
cunning
and I
think he
has brought
a new
dimension
to the
image-making
kind of
aspect of
this in
21st century
America.
We no
longer make
our images.
Images are
made for
us.
How we
encounter
these images
is through
marketing.
Have you
ever thought
about it
this way?
what is
the goal
of any
good
marketing
firm?
Here it is.
Their goal
is to convince
the consumer
that what
they really
need
is the
goods and
services of
the client
it represents,
whether it's a
car company,
shoe company,
pharmaceutical company,
tech company,
or whatever.
In what
marketing companies
do, they
send out
images for
you to set
your heart
on and
then pine
after.
I want that.
You know what
they're making
a case for?
The good
life.
Here's how
you can be
happy.
I just want
to raise
this, just
to make you
aware, it's
ripe for
misuse.
I'm not
calling all
marketing evil
and satanic.
What I am
saying, though,
is we got to
be wise.
The most
effective marketing
campaigns are
those that
convince you
that this
good or service,
you can't
live without.
That's
worship talk.
Is it
possible
that the
false prophet
is utilizing
America's
marketing
prowess
for his
purposes?
Oh, yeah.
I think it's
more than
possible.
I think it's
unlikely
to draw
off people
into
worshiping
the beast,
a false
savior,
the false
savior of
consumerism,
the false
savior of
materialism.
I'll be
good if I
just have
more.
Here's how
you find out
what an
image is
doing.
Idols
promise
deliverance.
false
prophet knows
that.
And so,
we have
on all of
our screens,
our phones,
our TVs,
our tablets,
our game
consoles,
our watches,
these are all
venues
to image.
We're not
making our
images anymore.
anymore.
They're being
made for
us.
And placed
squarely in
front of us.
We got to be
wise.
We got to be
careful.
Do you want
to know
how to find
out what an
American idol
is?
And I'm not
talking about
the show.
Here's how to
find out what
American idols
are.
You find a
Christian who
was raised in
another country,
and you
asked them,
hey,
brother,
sister,
where are,
what idols,
what images
do we
American
Christians
worship?
Or just
Americans?
That's
sinister
spin tactic
two.
Sinister
spin tactic
three is
related.
The false
prophet
makes
images
speak
look at
verse 15.
And it
was allowed
to give
breath to
the image
of the
beast.
The image
that was
made.
To give
breath,
literally,
that word
breath is
the word
spirit.
To enliven
Holy Spirit
mimicry again.
What the
false prophet
does is it
gives breath
to the
images
and they
speak.
We've got
all sorts
of speaking
images
confronting us
day in and
day out,
brothers and
sisters.
All sorts
of images
making big
claims,
and we don't
realize how big
those claims
are.
The claims
are,
this is the
good life.
this will
deliver you
from your
boredom.
This will
really make
you happy.
Only if you
had this.
When Brian
opened up
this morning
by reading
Psalm 115,
I'm not sure
if you heard
verse 5.
Let me
restart with
verse 4.
Their idols
are silver and
gold, the work
of human hands.
Verse 5,
they have
mouths but
do not
speak.
And so
what God
is saying
there is,
hey, you
can find
out an
idol because
they don't
speak.
And so
here we
have another
act of
defiance.
The false
prophet is
making an
image speak,
confusing
those who
hear,
deceiving
them,
making them
worship the
beast.
it's
another
act of
defiance.
Are you
aware?
Are you
aware of
all the
messages that
are coming
at you
day in and
day out
through all
of the
screens presenting
all of these
images?
Are you
aware of
that?
You need
to be aware
of that.
They're making
bigger claims
on you than
you realize.
And you're
getting inundated
with them.
What I want
you to see
though is
in verse
15,
what is the
result of
this false
prophet giving
life to these
images and
them speaking?
Look at verse
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.
Apparently,
at least in
some cases,
the false
prophet's work
of giving
breath through
an image
results in
Christians
dying.
way.
It raises the
stakes real
quick.
His ways
are not
neutral.
There's
nothing neutral
out there.
What we're
talking about
now is a
kind of
persecution
that is
being
propagandized
by the
false prophet
through images.
And we
in the
United States,
none of us
are fearing
death today.
None of us
are fearing
being slain
because of
North American
marketing campaigns.
But we have
brothers and
sisters all
around the
globe that
today they
are facing
the possibility
of being
slain for
not worshiping
the beast.
last week
I pointed
you to
an app
through
Open Doors.
There's
another
website that
you need to
check out
if you
haven't
already.
It's
called
Voice of
the
Martyrs.
And
these
Christian
organizations
are bringing
awareness
to the
global
Christian
community
of those
brothers and
sisters who
are facing
death and
hardship for
following Jesus
day in and
day out.
It's happening
all around
us.
There will
be brothers
and sisters
who die
today for
being followers
of Jesus.
Now this
should remind
us of the
stakes of
the war
over worship.
This is
life and
death business.
Don't buy
what the
images are
saying.
It's not
that big a
deal.
It's a
huge deal.
The worship
of God is
at stake.
That's
sinister
spin tactic
number
three.
Sinister
spin tactic
number
four.
It,
the
beast,
makes
its
mark.
The
mark of
the beast.
We go
from wonder
making to
image making
to making
the image
speak to
mark
making.
notice the
mark of
the beast
in verse
16 is
an equal
opportunity
marking.
Small and
great,
rich and
poor,
free and
slave.
It doesn't
discriminate.
All are
welcome.
That is,
all who are
not sealed
with the
seal of
God.
If you're
sealed with
the seal
of God,
Revelation
7,
you will
not have
the mark
of the
beast.
God
knows
those who
are his.
Do you
remember in
verse 8 of
chapter 13,
14,
and all
who dwell
on the
earth will
worship
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 you're
a follower
of Jesus
and you
are seeking
to live
for him
an uncompromised
life,
you're in
the book
of life.
You bear
the seal
of God
in 14.
1,
it's his
name on
your forehead.
The mark
of the beast
and the
seal of
God
indicate
ownership,
mastery,
allegiance,
ultimates.
So the
mark of
the beast
is its
mark of
ownership
and the
seal of
God
shows up
on those
who he's
bought
with his
blood.
It's who
you belong
to.
The mark
of the
beast
is the
anti-seal
of God.
it marks
those who
belong to
the kingdom
of darkness.
Is it
like a
tattoo?
Is it
a barcode?
Is it
something you
put under
your skin?
It could
be.
I think it
has more
to deal
with profession.
I think it
has more
to deal
with how
you're
living your
life.
I think
it has
more to
deal
with who
you are
speaking
of as
your
master.
And the
result in
chapter 13
verse 17
of this
mark on
hand and
forehead,
if you do
not have
that mark,
if you have
the seal
of God
on you,
you will
not be
able to
participate
in everyday
activities like
buying or
selling.
The beast's
mark is
discriminatory.
It sanctions
Christians.
For
first century
Christians who
are part of
a trade
guild,
remember,
if you're
part of a
trade guild
back in the
first century,
you're making
dyes,
making clothing,
making bricks,
and your
trade guild
had a
patron god.
And if
you went
to one of
your paid
trade guild
parties,
chances are
there'd be a
moment of
that party
where you
offer sacrifices
to the
trade god,
and you
speak a
word of
prayer to
the
trade god,
and if
you were
unwilling to
do that,
do you know
what may
happen?
You lose
your livelihood.
You're out
of the
guild.
That's what
our brothers
and sisters
in the first
century were
dealing with.
What about
today?
Does the
name Jack
Phillips ring
a bell?
Jack Phillips
is a Christian
baker from
Colorado,
and he was
in the news
this past
summer because
he refused
to bake a
cake for a
person,
an image
bearer,
who wanted
to celebrate
their gender
transition.
And he
refused on
the grounds
that he was
a follower
of Jesus
Christ,
and he
could not
in good
conscience
bake this
cake for
this image
bearer.
And he
was sued
for it.
It went
all the way
up to the
Supreme
Court.
He won,
but you
know what
was in
jeopardy?
his
livelihood.
That was
the summer
in America.
Ousted
from the
trade
guild.
If you
are
uncompromising
in your
commitment to
Christ,
you're going
to find
yourselves
more and
more frequently
in challenging
situations.
You're
who's
mark
do you
bear?
Maybe
you've
been told
at work,
you know,
Rick,
please,
I'm glad
you like
Jesus so
much,
but keep
it to
yourself.
It has
no business
in business.
And so
what those
who are not
followers of
Jesus seek
to do is
they try to
make what's
called a
sacred-secular
split.
They want
to say,
you can
privatize
your faith,
just don't
bring it
into public
forums.
Be happy.
It's a
compromise.
Because we
know as
Christians,
our faith
drives everything
we do.
I can't
disconnect.
And so
I'm going
to pray
in my
company's
cafeteria
before I
eat.
Is it
possible
that
Christians
in the
United
States
will have
their
livelihoods
sanctioned
by our
government
for taking
moral stands
because we're
followers of
Jesus?
Yes,
it's possible.
Likely.
There's already
precedent.
If you
bear the
seal of
God,
you will
not bear
the mark
of the
beast.
but as
a result,
you will
bear,
you may
bear,
the loss
of your
livelihood.
These are
the four
sinister
spin tactics
of the
false prophet.
And he
employs them
in order to
make people
worship the
beast and
even punish
those who
don't.
They're
deceptive,
they're
defiant,
and they're
devastating.
There is
a
trans-historical
spiritual
force of
darkness
that is
actively
seeking to
deceive people
to worship
the beast.
How do we
respond?
Verse 18,
this calls
for wisdom.
This calls
for discernment.
You need
to be aware
of this.
You need
to see
what's going
on.
You need
to follow
John's
lead,
and as
he pulls
back the
veil on
reality and
sees the
real conflict
going on,
we need
to see
it too.
So what's
the 666
business?
Well, at a
minimum, it's
identifying our
enemy and
saying he
exists, it
exists,
exercising
influence.
666
means.
There are
two classic
explanations
of what
666
means.
One is
called
gematria,
and that
is an
ancient
practice of
assigning
number values
to an
alphabet, and
it results
in a code.
word.
And if you
get the
right words,
letters, in
the right
language,
you can get
the number
666 from
the word
beast and
from the
words Nero
Caesar.
reminder.
It's a
compelling
explanation.
It does have
some challenges
though.
Another
explanation, and
the one that
I lean to, is
more of a
symbolic value
explanation, and
that keys on
the words, for
it is the
number of
man, in
verse 18.
The number
of man is
the number of
six, and
you get that
number because
man was
created on
the sixth
day of
creation.
Mind you, it
wasn't the
last day of
creation.
That's the
seventh day, when
God rested, when
God completed his
work.
And so, the
question becomes,
how is it that
the beast is
identified with
the number of
man?
Well, it
carries that
sense of
incompleteness.
If seven is
complete, shout
out to Rod
Stemmler, six is
incomplete.
Bear with me, you
ready?
So, why is six
being repeated
three times?
Well, you know
how seven is a
number for
completeness?
It turns out so
is three.
So, when you
see six,
incomplete,
repeated three
times, complete,
here's what it
means.
Incomplete,
incomplete,
incomplete.
Completely
incomplete.
Completely,
completely
incomplete.
Incapable.
He can't do
it.
And ironically
enough, we
have an anti-Trinity,
chapter 12 and
13, the dragon,
the beast,
false prophet,
completely
incomplete.
Incomplete.
To what end?
They don't have
the last word.
Chapters 19,
20, 21, and
22 are in the
book of Revelation.
Jesus comes back,
he hip tosses
the beast and
false prophet into
the lake of fire,
and then he
tosses the dragon
into the lake of
fire.
He wins.
The number for
the Trinity would
be 7,
7,
7.
Completely
complete.
He's in
control.
The bottom
line here
is that God
is raising our
awareness of an
anti-Trinity,
a sophisticated,
complex
spiritual force
seeking to
deceive people
into the
worship of the
beast and
oppose the
lamb.
But let me
assure you this
morning,
he doesn't
win.
He doesn't
win.
God is in
control.
There are two
little phrases
in verses 14
and 15.
It was
allowed.
It was
God
allows this
to happen,
to fulfill
his great
purposes for
all of
time.
Suffering
is part of
our calling
for God to
be glorified.
In
closing,
let me remind
you of
this one
thing.
If we
suffer at the
hands of
people who
oppose us,
we got to
remember
fear.
That behind
their efforts
to hurt us
is an
anti-trinity
who has
deceived them.
So we take
our cues from
Jesus and we
pray for those
who persecute
us.
Asking God
to give them
eyes to see
the deception
that has blinded
them and to
deliver them
from the
captivity of
the devil.
our battle
is not
against flesh
and blood,
but against
rulers and
powers and
principalities in
the spiritual
forces.
And we are to
stand firm
against them.
As people
seek to cause
us harm,
we bless
them.
Point them
to Jesus.
We must be
wise of who
the second beast
is, of what
his purpose is,
of his tactics,
even his number
is completely
incomplete.
God wins.
We must be
wise.
We must endure.
Worthy is the
lamb.
Let's pray.
God, thank you
so much for
Revelation 13.
God, help us to
be wise and to
endure.
We trust this all
in ourselves to
you.
In Jesus' name,
amen.